This time I chose Paladin.

Chapter 217 [Guardians of Hope]
The man stood tall and straight, wearing a crisply starched military uniform, meticulous in every detail, with the rank of senior colonel prominently displayed on his shoulder.

Time had etched its marks on his face, but it had only added to his composure and dignity. He wore a refined, sincere, and measured smile as he extended his hand to Nie Weiyang.

"Hello, Comrade Nie Weiyang. I am Jiang Lixin. It's a pleasure to meet you here." His palm was broad and strong, and the handshake was just the right amount of pressure.

"College Commander Jiang, hello. It's a pleasure to meet you. You can just call me by my name." Nie Weiyang also gave a polite smile and extended his hand to shake hands with him.

He could feel the calluses on the other person's hands from years of holding guns and pens.

The two exchanged a few brief pleasantries in a friendly atmosphere, but neither Nie Weiyang nor Jiang Lixin were clearly people who enjoyed wasting time on small talk.

Jiang Lixin quickly steered the conversation to the main topic. He turned to the side, his gaze sweeping over the magnificent steel bridge beneath his feet and the Yingjiang city under construction on both banks.

“My main task here this time is not to act as a messenger,” Jiang Lixin said in a calm and pragmatic tone. “Pingdu’s order is for me to stay and take charge of this bridge, as well as the defense and construction of Yingjiang City.”

He paused, then emphasized, "This bridge is extremely important."

"From now on, a large part of the communication, resource transfer, and personnel mobilization across the country will depend on it. In this new world, it is the lifeline, the blood vessel."

His gaze returned to Nie Weiyang.

"Conquering this river is far more difficult than it is on Earth. It... is like a living thing, much more volatile. Of course, compared to the great river to the north that changes course at the drop of a hat, this river is relatively 'gentle.' But even so, it will take a large force, along with the strongest technology and professional personnel, to keep it firmly under control."

Nie Weiyang nodded slightly, indicating that he fully understood.

His gaze swept over the busy figures on the bridge again—he was now even more certain that more than half of them were emanating various magical fluctuations, some strong and some weak.

Every pillar and main cable of the entire bridge is like a component of a huge complex magic circle, with layers of reinforcement, protection, stabilization, and sealing spells to resist mutated aquatic creatures.

This is a miracle that combines modern engineering with extraordinary power to the extreme. Although it has been less than a year since it started, heroes from all over the world have flocked to it, right?
Jiang Lixin noticed his gaze, smiled, then straightened up and said, "Pingdu's intentions are still very clear: they sincerely invite you to come and exchange ideas. But now, there's an additional, more practical need—the country has decided to quickly establish a large-scale, efficient logistics and communication network within China, and of course, they need to first clear out the entire China region."

“In this regard, you are clearly more experienced than any of us, and you know better what this land has become. Your advice is crucial.”

He leaned forward slightly, lowered his voice, and said with utmost sincerity, "Moreover, while Pingdu may not be able to say anything else, it does have a certain reserve of highly capable individuals. Once you go there, you can confidently share a lot of information."

Nie Weiyang raised his eyebrows.

After saying that, Jiang Lixin seemed to remember something, and his face showed that slightly official smile again: "Look at me, I was too busy getting down to business. I also brought a small gift from Pingdu as an expression of our sincerity and gratitude: Thank you for the information you provided before the incident, you saved many people. Many people!"

Many people... right?
Nie Weiyang glanced at the bridge beneath his feet once more. Well, there were indeed many people... At least in his previous life, the number of people who died intermittently in the struggle to conquer the power of the great river and its contents far exceeded three million three hundred thousand.

Not to mention that this number also includes losses from the period when the blood moon was rising.

But he didn't feel that it was his achievement, or at least not entirely. In his view, he had only provided the information he could, nothing more.

No matter how much or how complete the information is, it still requires actual effort from people. The actual efforts made by each and every one of those who died here are even more important. Jiang Lixin took out a square wooden box from his backpack.

The dark wooden box was made of fine material and had a very smooth surface, exuding a low-key solemnity.

He handed the wooden box to Nie Weiyang: "Open it and take a look?"

Nie Weiyang took the wooden box; it felt slightly heavy in his hand.

He opened the box as instructed.

The box was lined with a deep red soft cloth, and lying quietly inside was an exquisitely designed and crafted golden crown.

The crown is uniquely designed: on the left are several hollowed-out wheat ears, with full grains and distinct tassels, symbolizing the earth and abundance; on the right are three layers of overlapping, smooth and powerful wings, each feather clearly discernible, as if about to take flight, representing protection and sublimation.

A large, perfectly cut diamond, estimated to be at least three centimeters in diameter, is set in a fixed position at the back of the crown. It refracts the sunlight with dazzling brilliance, as if it has gathered a holy radiance.

Below the diamond, two slender red ribbons extend from the intertwined wheat stalks, clearly for securing them, while also adding a touch of flowing splendor to this solemn object.

This is not just a gift, but also a work of art with great symbolic significance.

And all this fancy copywriting is written in its product description section...

[System notification: Obtained the rare item [Guardian of Hope].]

[[Wonder Object: Guardian of Hope] -]
The hearts of the people.
Wearing requirements: Insert your own [proof of trust].

• By inserting and wearing the [Proof of Trust], you can obtain the special title [Guardian of Hope].
-
[Guardians of Hope]
Special title, does not occupy a title slot, detailed attributes can be viewed after activation.
-
With one heart and one mind.

Nie Weiyang stared at the crown that gleamed in the sunlight, speechless for a moment. His fingertips brushed against the crown, which shimmered with warm gold and brilliant firelight in the sunlight.

The texture of the wheat ears is delicate and realistic, the lines of the wings contain a sense of power, and the huge diamond is filled with a breathtakingly pure energy.

He remained silent for a moment, not immediately checking the detailed title attributes, but gently closing the wooden box lid with a soft 'click' sound.

“This gift… is too precious.” He raised his eyes and looked at Jiang Lixin, his gaze calm: “Those who truly protected this place, built this bridge, and guarded hope are those who gave their lives, each and every one of you, not me… or, not just me.”

His tone contained no feigned refusal, only a calm, almost harsh, objective assessment.

"Such a great honor should not belong to me."

(End of this chapter)