Lords of the Heavens

Chapter 187 Old Friend
It was very quiet all around, except for the even snoring sounds coming from the wooden houses.

Li Wei listened for a moment and then roughly confirmed it.

There are five wooden houses, each capable of holding about twenty people, but in reality, the house with the most people at the moment only holds twelve.

The remaining individuals are nine, eight, ten, and five people respectively.

There were men and women, even babies. Could it be that guy Joffrey?

孽 孽!
After thinking for a moment, Li Wei went to the house with the most people.

The large dormitory with only five people was obviously more comfortable, but there must be a reason for that. Li Wei was seriously injured and very weak at the moment. He didn't want to cause trouble or spend money. Or rather, it would be inappropriate to spend money recklessly before understanding the situation.

In addition, Li Wei also avoided the eight-person room where the baby was.

Hmm, wait a minute, are all the new players who were forced to return here?

However, the numbers don't quite add up.

The wooden house with the most people was also the closest to the city wall, less than fifty meters away. Li Wei had to rest there three times. Alas, he wasn't a tiger, but now he's fallen into Pingyang.

The door to the house was ajar, and the person inside was sleeping soundly. Li Wei gently pushed the door open and went in. It was dark inside, but this did not prevent him from seeing the situation inside immediately. He was physically injured, but otherwise he was fine.

There were two large communal sleeping areas, one on the north and one on the south, covered with dry straw, without even a blanket.

Eight men slept on the south side and four women on the north side. They all seemed to be doing quite well. Each of them had a standard wooden box next to them. It was very simple, but the lid of the box was engraved with a thing that looked like a high-end card reader. I guess it was for swiping cards.

You can put your personal belongings inside without worrying about them being stolen or robbed. Indeed, the Alliance of Lords of the Heavens has paid attention to detail in maintaining the most basic humanistic care.

Each person had their own bedding and pillow, and each had a washbasin, lunchbox, toothbrush, towel, soap, and so on on their head.

This scene looks quite incongruous; someone unfamiliar with the place might mistake it for a construction crew's dormitory.

So down to earth.

It's really hard to associate it with such a lofty and grand term as "the heavens".

Li Wei then found a corner spot on the large communal bed to the north, sat down with difficulty, and slowly lay down on it. He thought about many things in a daze and fell asleep without knowing when.

When he woke up again, it was already broad daylight. It was noisy outside, but the room was quiet. His temporary roommates had all gone out. Oh, it must be breakfast time.

He struggled to get up, and by the time he got off the large communal bed, his roommates had already returned with their lunchboxes. They just glanced at him curiously before going to their own beds to eat, all keeping a low profile.

"Eh? It's you!"

Just as Li Wei was about to walk out the door, a disheveled woman carrying a lunchbox walked in and almost knocked him over.

Yes, it's someone I know. Missy, Li Wei's fiancée in the mission storyline, but she later died because of gambling, Penny, and her ambitions were thwarted.

Li Wei tried to force a smile, but really didn't want to say anything. Unexpectedly, the woman said warmly, "You haven't eaten yet, have you? Wait here, I'll get you some food. This morning it's stewed monster meat with broccoli and potatoes, Yangzhou rice and millet porridge. It's not bad! Don't be shy. Meeting an old friend in a foreign land is fate."

The woman enthusiastically pressed Li Wei down onto the large communal bed and ran off to get him food. Before long, she brought him a steaming hot breakfast that was neither perfunctory nor sloppy—a breakfast that would cost 20 yuan on Earth.

"I really didn't expect to run into you. You just came back from the newbie mission? It's been almost ten months. Your results must have been great. What's your ranking on the newbie list? Yesterday afternoon, a awesome guy who ranked second on the newbie list came to the next room. He even brought a child with him. I heard that the logistics department is going to specially recruit him today."

"You may not be as good as him, but you should at least be third on the newcomer list, right?"

The woman kept talking, her words coming out as fast as a Maxim, but it didn't affect her eating speed at all.

Li Wei couldn't refuse, mainly because she was really hungry, so she could only nod and eat.

To be honest, the breakfast tasted quite good, but unfortunately, it didn't even qualify as a one-star quality. I don't know how they define it here.

"By the way, my name is Susan, what's yours?"

"Li Wei".

"Haha, Li Wei, it's great to meet you. It's a pity you're injured, otherwise you could join us on missions. We've taken on a big job this time, acting as a mad dog for a wealthy patron. We'll get a base reward of 20 gold coins upon completion of the mission, and an additional 10 gold coins if the mission is successful."

"Oh dear, I forgot to tell you, do you remember Penny? Your sister Penny, the bitch who got me crushed to death, she's living in Dormitory Number Three now, but she's doing pretty well, she's in the logistics department, unlike me, if I can't become a three-star lord by the end of next year, I'll have to become a mercenary."

"That's all for now. You take good care of your injury. I need to hurry up and get some part-time work at the tavern. This place offers free food and lodging, but if you don't improve yourself, you really have no future."

After saying that, Susan left in a hurry, leaving Li Wei with some mixed feelings, but that was all.

After Li Wei leisurely finished his breakfast, there weren't many people left inside or outside the cabin; they were probably all busy improving themselves.

"Wow wow wow!"

The baby's cries rang out at this moment, but it stopped crying quickly, having brought its own food.

Li Wei struggled to get up and went outside to wash his lunchbox. He saw a rather thin but not weak young man curiously looking at the city wall not far away, where many soldiers were patrolling.

Li Wei couldn't help but look at him a few more times out of curiosity, and the man smiled and nodded at him, appearing very refined and courteous.

However, neither of them wanted to start a conversation.

Li Wei was speechless, while the man exuded a calm and composed demeanor.

The sun was shining brightly outside, and Li Wei couldn't go too far. He also didn't want to report to the Ministry of the Interior at this moment. He was injured and couldn't do anything, so he might as well relax in the sun.

So I sat down on a chair outside the wooden house and let the warm autumn sun make me feel comfortable all over.

Just as I was about to drift off to sleep, the clatter of hooves approached, and a rather unusual carriage stopped there.

"I'm the logistics department's personal driver. Are you player Cheng Mo?"

"it's me!"

"Very good. You brought your family with you, right? The logistics department has prepared a 60-square-meter house for you. You can move in now, but it's limited to three people."

"OK, thanks!"

The man thanked him politely, then went back to his room and came out with a young woman whose face was beaming with joy, full of hope for the future, and whose eyes were shining.

The family of three boarded the carriage. Before leaving, the man named Cheng Mo nodded to Li Wei, showing his politeness.

"Therefore, capable people will never be lacking anywhere."

Li Wei watched the carriage leave, not particularly envious, but simply continued to nap, bask in the sun, eat lunch, eat dinner, and sleep. His day was quite simple.

Three days passed like this, with players coming and going in the public dormitory, like a large self-service station.

The next day, Susan became a henchman and joined a mission with her sugar daddy.

As for the former gambling addict Paige, he never got to see him, nor did he see the former Lyon or the former Fila.

Half a month later, Li Wei's wound was finally not so serious, so he activated the carriage card and called a carriage.

Today is the day his weapons and equipment are repaired and upgraded, and he needs to go and receive them. He also needs to report to the Ministry of the Interior; there's a lot to do. The Ministry of the Interior is quite far from the public dormitories, stretching across almost half of the city of Ver from east to west.

The fare alone cost five silver coins.

However, Li Wei was fortunate enough to be a tourist and gain a basic understanding of the city of Ver.

This is a riverside city with several ports to the south and a bridge leading directly to the south bank. However, Li Wei did not actually see the town of Vido to the south, nor the more distant, but theoretically visible, snow-capped Mount Emir of Ross.

Because outside was a gray fog 800 meters high, and a magical gale howled day and night, and then you could see nothing at all.

The city of Ver is quite large, stretching approximately ten kilometers from east to west, and while its length from north to south is not yet apparent, it is likely no less than five kilometers.

The residential areas in the city are mostly two- or three-story stone houses. The roads are well-planned, with separate lanes for carriages and pedestrians. There are green parks in the city, but to the north there is a huge palace complex built on a mountain.

At first, Li Wei thought that the Ministry of the Interior, the Logistics Department, and many other departments were located there, but after asking around, he learned that it was the Magic Matrix!

The actual Ministry of the Interior is located in a residential area, keeping a very low profile.

However, the interior space is quite large, with a training ground the size of two football fields. When Li Wei arrived, he saw some people fighting in pairs. He even saw the little winner, Executioner Leon, and his friend 'Clyde'.

And 'Panya' and 'Little John'.

But I didn't see Hathaway.

"Why are you only now registering? Is your wound any better?"

A very familiar voice sounded behind me. It was Night Owl, the head of the Ministry of the Interior. How come she walks so silently?

Even without the Tracker title, Li Wei's senses are still very sharp, and he was only surprised when Night Owl spoke.

"My lord, I was just taking a break while recuperating from my injuries." Li Wei bowed respectfully.

"Really? You seem quite relaxed. Come with me, I'll register you." Night Owl smiled slightly. She was now wearing a sleek black leather armor, with long, wavy hair. She looked capable and dashing, bursting with energy—a feeling she had never had before, perhaps because she wasn't being concealed by the gray fog?

Anyway, Li Wei felt that Night Owl's health points should start at least at 500.

Following Night Owl into a house next to the training ground, she made Li Wei stand in front of an unknown device. A red light swept across it, and the next second, Li Wei's three professional cards automatically popped out. It was as if a force suddenly intervened, trying to take the professional cards away from him.

Li Wei was confused and instinctively dodged and fought back. As a result, he heard the device emit a piercing beep, and his three professional cards burst out with dazzling light and instantly returned to his brow.

At the same time, three numbers appeared on the instrument: 13, 47, and 42.
Well, these are the numerical values ​​for his three career destinies.

"Not bad, your destiny is well integrated. Don't worry, this is just a registration. Your profession card will be automatically bound to your player ID. Unless you betray the Alliance of Lords of the Heavens in the future, you will not need to register again."

"Now, you can claim your benefits. You are a three-star lord. According to the rules, you can obtain a three-story house in a designated area of ​​Ver City. The house has a total area of ​​230 square meters, an attic, and a small garden of 100 square meters. The house number is Wind House 53. You have the right to live there for free for three years. After three years, you will need to pay rent. But I don't believe that you will not be able to own your own territory after three years."

"Alright, that's all. Here's your residence card. Take your belongings and get out of here."

Night Owl spoke casually, while Li Wei was somewhat surprised, "Sir, do I not need to do any work for our Ministry of the Interior?"

"Work? What kind of work do you, a three-star lord, do? Complete your missions, survive the chaotic battlefield, and then find a way to expand your own territory. That's enough. Others will take care of the miscellaneous tasks."

"You're the new king, the number one three-star lord on the newcomer list. What are you thinking? Don't be so humble. Be more confident. From the moment you walked out of the mission world alive, you've already surpassed ninety percent of the people in this city. Go back and take possession of your residence. There are maids assigned to you by the Ministry of the Interior, but they're only free for three years."

Night Owl's words were meaningful, and then he waved his hand to send Li Wei away.

After Li Wei left, Night Owl sat back down, and a magnificent chair suddenly appeared in the previously empty air, carrying her backward. The entire room quickly transformed like a kaleidoscope, turning into a very grand and comfortable huge study in the blink of an eye.

This study seems to have many doors, one of which is the one Li Wei just walked into.

Many other entrances, layered and ever-changing, lead to other places, some shrouded in dark clouds, some torrential rain, some bathed in sunshine, and some covered in snow.

At this moment, one of the entrances opened, and through the doorway, one could see an even more magnificent and imposing castle.

At this moment, a mighty knight in full heavy armor stood there, holding a strange tray in his hands, on which were four ordinary gray cards.

An elderly man in uniform stood solemnly to one side.

"Sir, the four exploration cards have been brought back."

"Okay! Come in."

Night Owl nodded, seemingly still pondering something. Her chair continued to slowly rotate, and as her gaze swept across the room, figures appeared in the air.

This group includes Hathaway, John Jr., four-star craftsman Clayder, bald Parja, executioner Leon, Leon's strategist Clyde, and several other men and women who appear equally elite and capable.

Li Wei was prominently listed at the very end of the list.

Without a doubt, these are all veteran players from the Ministry of the Interior, numbering as many as a hundred.

After a long while, she reached out and gently tapped four of these people.

Four figures then stepped forward and became highlighted, while the other figures quickly disappeared.

The four are Hathaway, John Jr., Clyde, and Li Wei.

Upon seeing this, the old man appeared quite surprised.

"My lord, it's alright with Hathaway and John Jr., they sacrificed themselves for the greater good, which caused their fates to fall and now they have to start all over again. They have done a great service to our Ministry of the Interior."

"This Clyde is alright. At least he got the codename Clyde and participated in four Chaotic Killing Battlefield missions. He's pretty good in all aspects."

"However, although Li Wei, whom you have designated, is the Rookie King, his foundation is too weak. He doesn't even have a code name, and most importantly, he lacks experience. Perhaps we should wait a bit longer? This time, the five departments are only sharing twenty development cards, so it must be a gathering of elite forces. We can't afford to lose."

"So, what do you think of Li Wei compared to Cheng Mo from the logistics department?" Night Owl suddenly asked.

"It's not easy to compare them. They're not on the same track. If they're given enough time to develop, Cheng Mo will definitely be the winner. But if it's a quick start, or if they're put together, Cheng Mo won't even be able to touch the shadow of the head of the family."

"I heard that the logistics department is currently investing heavily in training Cheng Mo. They have already arranged for people to help him complete the title missions and have even commissioned five sets of basic three-star equipment for him. This will greatly narrow the gap between them. In short, this person should not be underestimated!"

"Because of his injury, Li Wei has missed the last wave of newcomer missions this year. There won't be any suitable title missions for him in the next few months. It will be very dangerous for him to carry out pioneering missions in the chaotic killing world without a code name. Those magical zombies will not go easy on him just because he is a newcomer king."

"Or, give him a two-star life-saving medicine to help him recover quickly, so he will also have a chance to participate in the last batch of title missions."

Hearing this, Night Owl shook his head. "We can't rush things. Getting injured is a rare experience. The process of slowly recovering is also a process of getting to know your body again. For ordinary people, this is of course a disaster, but for players like Li Wei who follow the perception route, it is actually an opportunity."

"However, what you said makes sense. Not having a code name is indeed a disadvantage. How about this, let him decide for himself in four months. After all, the pioneering mission only comes once every ten years. If he misses it, he will be suppressed for ten years."

"Isn't he the Rookie King? Then let's see if he can prove himself. You can't tell if someone is a mule or a horse in the rookie missions. Only in the real pioneering missions can you see the truth."

Night Owl sighed slightly. There hadn't been a new king of talent for over a hundred years. The sudden appearance of one naturally sparked a lot of discussion, with all sorts of details being analyzed. In fact, rumors were even circulating that he was her illegitimate son.

Why is that old dog in the logistics department so actively cultivating Cheng Mo at this time? Isn't he trying to prove something?

(End of this chapter)