In this cyberpunk era, why are you still playing the traditional villain?

But there seemed to be no other way. Ever since that meeting six months ago, he knew that these outsiders were no pushovers.

Mosuo swore that he had never seen so many cultivators at the Breaking Illusion Realm in his entire life. Let alone the entire Western Regions, it was questionable whether the entire Qingyun Immortal Realm could find such a number of experts.

Not to mention that there were even higher-level experts at the Returning Void Realm among them... Even though the people of the Western Regions pride themselves on being brave and skilled in battle, they couldn't help but feel a little apprehensive when they saw this scene.

He still can't forget the playful smile on the face of that bespectacled man.

He was brave and skilled in battle, but not a mindless brute. As the overlord of a region, he naturally knew what the appearance of outsiders, especially powerful outsiders, meant.

Therefore, although Xu Shi did not come in person this time, his women, the Mosuo, would not neglect him. They said they came to investigate, so it was not a bad thing for them to learn more about the details of the Western Regions. The more they learned, the more the Western Regions could probably gain.

Especially after he learned that he was the first stop on the other party's inspection tour, he became even more careful with Su Lin and her group, because those who arrived first always got more.

His personality isn't really suited to be a guide. Old acquaintances know that he, a Mosuo, has a fiery temper; he'd rather yell than speak properly, a typical image of a person from the Western Regions.

But now it's different. Not only can I not speak in a rough voice, but I also have to be careful to use honorifics all the time... And it doesn't seem appropriate to call these outsiders "fellow Daoist" either; I have to use their way.

God knows how awkward it felt for him to be called "Miss".

But can he not come? Wouldn't it seem like he doesn't value it at all if he didn't come?

"Thank you for your trouble, Mosuo leader."

Seeing the guards and ample supplies behind him, Su Lin nodded slightly, not wanting to explain to him that they didn't actually need so many supplies.

After all, the combat team doesn't need water or food; portable, ultra-concentrated nutrient solution is enough... and the three of them, being weak women, wouldn't need much even if they indulged themselves.

However, judging from the small details, the other party's attitude made her feel very comfortable. On the surface, they said they were here to inspect the environment in various areas of the Qingyun Immortal Realm, but in reality, personnel were also a very important part.

Since that meeting six months ago, Xu Shi has pointed out the potential weaknesses of the Qingyun Immortal Realm.

They are not united enough.

Having powerful figures in all five regions—east, west, south, north, and center—sounds impressive at first glance, but if their strength is not a threat or a major problem, then it is actually a weakness.

Even if they don't act independently, this social structure makes it impossible for them to be a monolithic entity. In this situation, dividing and breaking them apart is the best approach.

The previous talks only set a basic tone, not enough for Night City to dominate them as the leader of the "Star River" Federation. But if they could get one or two people on board first, things would become much easier.

Imagine if half or more of the five major regions have already agreed to join the alliance, then the remaining few who still want to be stubborn will have to carefully consider the consequences.

This is a tactic Xu Shi used across the entire alliance; narrowing the scope still works.

A single, effective trick can make you rich.

In retrospect, this king of the Western Regions was a wise man who knew what the right choice was.

He passed the assessment, but we need to observe him further.

Thinking of this, she didn't say anything more, but simply signaled the team to follow and head into the depths of the desert.

Director Su had previously sent drones to explore the area, and found that in addition to the secret realm that the people of Qingyun Immortal Realm talked about, there were also many oil wells in the vast sea of ​​sand.

In this day and age, although "rust fog" is the most precious resource, oil is not far behind. Of course, the more of this non-renewable resource, the better.

Secondly, she herself was quite interested in this kind of landscape—the environment of Night City was somewhat monotonous. Although there was holographic technology that could allow people to experience the desert in an immersive way, there was still a considerable difference between the virtual scenery and being actually there.

They brought powerful sand motorcycles as their vehicles, while the Mosuo people rode alongside them on a strange wild beast, exploring the area and explaining its history to them.

From how to withstand harsh environments to how to place emergency supplies for lost adventurers, everything is meticulously detailed.

Su Lin and her group treated it as a pastime during their journey, listening with great interest and instructing their accompanying clerical staff to take notes.

They weren't afraid of sandstorms or terrifying temperature differences between day and night, as it wouldn't be difficult for the City of Night Sin to develop corresponding solutions using its technology.

However, it is still necessary to make a record of it, which is one of the original intentions of establishing the alliance—to record the local customs and culture of various places and the rich cultural field on a global scale.

Ideally, we could also use this opportunity to find out what the Wolf King of the Western Regions really thinks—a win-win situation.

While they were observing the Mosuo people, the Mosuo people were also observing them.

He was mainly curious about the relationship between the three women.

He couldn't help but be curious, because he knew that the man surnamed Tang seemed to be a leader of a region, just like himself, and even the kind of leader who had absolute authority, unlike himself who had four other old men holding him back.

This identity itself is terrifying enough. How powerful is the "Star River" Federation? And she is the city lord of the main state... Tang Shuang herself may not even realize that if she stomps her foot, the whole world might tremble.

But she was very respectful to Su Lin, sometimes even to the point of giving the impression of being subservient.

So Su Lin is the backbone of the three of them? That's even more interesting, since nominally speaking, Su Lin can't compare to Tang Shuang in terms of status.

Subordinates overthrowing superiors, huh?

Mosuo, lost in his own interesting daydreams, eventually set his sights on Lin Yue.

To be honest, among the three girls, her presence was really not that strong.

But it was precisely this low score that alerted Mosuo He – his nickname "Wolf King" was not given lightly; he knew all too well what it meant for a wolf that bites to not howl.

People who keep a low profile either genuinely lack status or are behind-the-scenes operators, quietly controlling everything.

He didn't even consider Lin Yue as one of the former. Good heavens, Xu Shi, the kind of guy who makes people uncomfortable for half a year just by looking at him, how could the woman beside him be an ordinary person?

Nobody believes me, and I don't believe it either!

So, without realizing it, he had placed the assassin girl in a very high position, and even the way he looked at her had changed quite a bit.

Lin Yue:?

She certainly didn't know what the Mosuo were thinking, because the truth was completely different from what the wolf king was thinking.

First of all, her taciturnity is innate; it's normal for her to speak no more than three words at a time.

Not to mention that she always referred to herself as "Xu Shi's slave," and subconsciously she felt that she was inferior to the other sisters, not to mention Tang Shuang and Su Lin... If it weren't for the fact that they had some acquaintance when Xu Shi went to sea before, she might not have come out on a trip with these two, no, I mean, an inspection.

That's the real reason she doesn't say much. You'd be better off expecting your dog to write your thesis than expecting her to realize she's been influenced by the Di-style culture.

As it turns out, overthinking only harms yourself in the end.

The people imagining this weren't just Mosuo and the others in his escort team; they too were filled with curiosity about the outsiders.

However, their focus was rather superficial—not to mention the combat team's shiny black light mechs, even the three sisters' trench coats, leather pants, and sunglasses looked very strange to them.

You should know that the attire of the Western Region people is already quite peculiar in the Azure Cloud Immortal Realm. If their attire feels strange to them, then it must really not conform to the local people's aesthetic.

That's why cultural integration is a long and arduous journey... Su Lin and the others are clearly dressed in a very cool way. If you were some perverted person with the surname Xu here, they would probably start by giving you a hug and a slap.

However, these were just minor incidents, and the sandstorm quickly dispelled all of their idle thoughts.

Where was the Mosuo chieftain?

Protected by the force field, even the howling sand couldn't diminish Director Su's beauty. Intrigued, she asked, "You just said that besides quicksand and the weather, are there other dangers in the desert?"

Yes, there are quite a few.

Mosuo nodded, "For ordinary people, these two points alone are enough to kill them, but for cultivators, what they need to be even more wary of are the various ferocious beasts beneath the sand sea."

"A ferocious beast?"

Su Lin didn't have Xu Shi's fantasy mindset, and subconsciously mistook it for a mutated creature.

"Yes, for example, the sand wolves that are active at night and hide during the day, the lowest level of them is the Dustless Realm."

The Dustless Realm is equivalent to a B-rank "Ascended One" in the City of Night Sin, and if they gather in groups, it will indeed be a considerable problem.

"There are also sand crickets, which feed on sand and flesh and are also highly poisonous. Even sand wolves will avoid them."

Looking in the direction of the finger, there were indeed several abandoned skeletons in the distance. The bones had long since turned black, which was an obvious symptom of poisoning.

"There are also some bandits who specialize in lurking in the desert, committing all sorts of evil deeds such as murder and robbery."

Mosuo concluded, "However, with me and my guards here, you need not worry."

The desert connects many scattered small tribes, and this profession has emerged as a result.

As for worrying... Su Lin and the others weren't worried at all. After all, they were all "upgraded" at S-rank or higher. Who would really be afraid of low-level monsters like bandits?

Her real intention in asking this question was simply to learn some knowledge in this area, so that she could record it in time if she really encountered it, and if all else fails, catching a few to make specimens would also be a good option.

Director Su chose to ignore Mosuo He's flattery and prepared to continue chatting with him about the customs and culture of the Western Regions.

That's when.

Lin Yue, who hadn't spoken for a long time, suddenly spoke up.

"Mosuo chief, the sand cricket you mentioned... is that it?"

She pointed not far away.

When everyone looked up, they saw a being whose entire body was the same color as the desert.

It was a fleshy worm, its bloated body slowly crawling towards them.

Su Lin and Tang Shuang exclaimed in unison, because this worm... was huge.

It's the size of a two-story building, and compared to it, it really highlights how insignificant humankind is.

Su Lin was speechless.

"When you were telling the story, why didn't you mention how big this thing actually was?!"

(End of this chapter)

End-of-month summary

2023-12-22

End-of-month summary

This month has been truly awful; I think I should summarize it.

The main reason is that I found a new job, so I've been focusing all my attention on it, getting familiar with the work, and keeping a close eye on myself to avoid making mistakes... Plus, I'm often out early and back late and have to work overtime, so my average sleep time for the whole month seems to be less than six hours. Under these circumstances, maintaining a regular update schedule is really a bit of a struggle...

It turns out that those authors who still have the energy to update their blogs after going home every day are truly amazing. (Thumbs up)

So this month's update was indeed lackluster, I apologize.

However, things should gradually get better in December and things should get back on track. I should also be able to strike a better balance between work and writing.

This book is almost finished. I will definitely summarize it again after it is finished. After all, I still want to keep creating. Writing is both a hobby and a career. How can I just give it up?

As for the specifics of the new book, a brief explanation will be given when it is finished.

Finally, thank you to all the UUs who have supported me all the way here. Love you all, love you!

(End of this chapter)