After the internet was disconnected, I connected to the magic world.

Zhao Hao looked at the address posted in the channel and walked for most of the day before finally seeing the peak of Qingxi Peak in the distance.

Originally, this mountain was home to Black Wind Stronghold, where hundreds of bandits occupied the mountain and robbed and plundered.

The Special Investigations Department sent thirty players ahead of time to infiltrate the area, and they easily wiped out the bandits, making it a suitable base for the Xuanhuang Sect.

As soon as he arrived at the mountain gate, two players in training uniforms and carrying iron swords recognized him and saluted with smiles.

"The Heavenly Emperor is here! Brother Song has been waiting for you inside for ages!"

Zhao Hao nodded with his hands behind his back, walking into the mountains with the air of an emperor on an inspection tour. He was stunned as soon as he entered the mountain gate.

In just one month, the dilapidated bandit stronghold has been completely transformed.

Players come from all over the country and all professions; those who used to be bricklayers are now all acquired martial artists.

They carried hundreds of kilograms of bluestone and built straight and sturdy walls.

The blacksmiths set up three rows of blacksmith shops in the mountain valley, pumping bellows to heat iron, forging weapons and firing bricks with clanging sounds, sparks flying high into the air.

There were also four male students with mechanical engineering backgrounds who spent twenty days tinkering in an open space and actually built a diesel generator by hand.

It sputtered and emitted black smoke, but the electricity it generated couldn't even power a 100-watt light bulb, and the surrounding players laughed at it for almost half a month.

The entire settlement lacked the otherworldly and refined atmosphere of other sects; the walls and houses were all in an antique style.

But the roads were straight and level, and the drainage ditches, toilets, and canteens were all neatly arranged, making it look like a miniature modern resettlement community.

There was no electricity, so at night people still used oil lamps and torches; the generator was basically useless.

Players passing by greeted him as they passed by, and Zhao Hao nodded along with his hands behind his back, feeling incredibly pleased with himself.

Upon reaching the central meeting area, one could see Song Xian, dressed in his training uniform and holding a hardcover notebook, loudly registering new players:

"Name? Realm? What skills do you have in real life? Those who can cook can go to the logistics team, and those who can forge iron can go to the blacksmith shop."

Those who can fight, go to the combat group. After filling out the form, go to the next room to be assigned your bunk!

Zhao Hao walked over and patted him on the shoulder: "Brother Song, you're amazing! You've built such a big operation in just one month, and you've already become a sect leader?"

"What sect leader? I'm just the director sent by the Special Investigations Department to manage logistics and registration."

"If anyone's really going to be the sect leader, it should be you, Emperor Zhao. We're all waiting to follow you."

As Song Xian spoke, he pulled out a thick paper cigarette from his pocket and then a tumbler, which he shook.

"Holy crap? A cigarette?" Zhao Hao's eyes widened in disbelief.

"How could you bring the smoke of reality into this?"

"What do you mean by 'real-world'? Players in the back mountains found a patch of wild tobacco, dried and rolled it themselves, and it's very strong."

"It's just something for us old smokers to vent about; it doesn't really affect the martial artists."

Song Xian smiled and handed him one. "Want one?"

Zhao Hao rolled his eyes and pushed the cigarette back at him: "Have you forgotten I'm not even eighteen yet? What's the point of smoking?"

"Oh right, I forgot." Song Xian laughed, lit his cigarette, and took a puff.

"Who told you to act like the Heavenly Emperor? I forgot you're still a minor. We'll have to rely on you, a master of innate cultivation, to protect us in the future."

Zhao Hao ignored him and looked around: "Where are Daoist Xuanqing and the others?"

I messaged them to come here, have they arrived yet?

"The Taoist priest and the master are still traveling outside; it will probably take them a few more days."

Song Xian led him to the back.

"Zhang Lei and Zhou Ming have arrived. They are both at the peak of the Acquired Realm and are just one step away from reaching the threshold of the Innate Realm. They are practicing in the back."

"good."

Zhao Hao's eyes lit up, and he immediately acted out his chuunibyou (middle school syndrome) on the spot, nodding with his hands behind his back.

"My subordinates are indeed all pillars of society!"

When they break through to the Innate Realm, I will give them the greatest credit!

By the way, the garrison is almost finished now, is there anything I need to do?

Although I personally led the team.

"You really don't need to personally intervene, Heavenly Emperor." Song Xian smiled and took out a newsletter, handing it to him.

"I just received a message from a solo player that the Five Tigers Gate, fifteen miles away, captured two of us lone new players."

I found out that Zhou Tong, the leader of the Five Tigers Sect, is at the late stage of the Acquired Realm. He practices the Five Tigers Severing Gate Saber and also has the Golden Bell Cover external martial arts.

The two elders in the sect are both at the mid-stage of the Acquired Realm, while the remaining disciples are all at the early stage of the Acquired Realm, so they can't cause any trouble.

I plan to have Zhang Lei and Zhou Ming lead a team of five brothers who are at the mid-stage of the Day After Tomorrow realm, to be courteous first and then forceful.

If we can reach an agreement, we'll provide some resources to exchange for them; if we can't, we'll invade and rescue them.

"What's the point of talking?" Zhao Hao curled his lip, a little annoyed.

"Now that the imperial edict has been issued, we've all become the evil spirits from beyond the heavens in people's eyes. Who's going to talk to you?"

I passed through the starting village where I had just landed a few days ago.

When I first entered the game, the village chief was very polite to me, but now when he sees me, he turns around and runs back into the village.

They'd be calling for someone to arrest me and report me to the authorities, as if they'd seen a man-eating monster.

Song Xian also sighed and lit a cigarette: "To be honest, it's really frustrating. We came here to learn."

I didn't provoke anyone, yet I got screwed over like this by a few stupid new players.

He's capable of storming the palace, stopping princesses, murdering and robbing women in the street—he's done all sorts of outrageous things. Who wouldn't be furious in his place?

"What can we do? There are all kinds of birds in a big forest." Zhao Hao stubbed out his cigarette.

"But no matter what, they are still people from our country, and it's not their place to teach them a lesson."

They even dared to kidnap our people to claim the reward?

Do you really think we're easy targets?

Tell Zhang Lei and Zhou Ming that if they can't reach an agreement, they should just fight. I'll take responsibility if anything goes wrong.

"Okay, I understand." Song Xian nodded, then turned and called out, "Zhang Lei! Zhou Ming! Let's set off with the men!"

As soon as he finished speaking, two young men dressed in tight-fitting clothes walked over from the back of the sword practice area, each carrying an iron sword on their back.

A calm and steady aura is the mark of a person who has reached a state of perfect enlightenment.

The five players following behind them were also in the mid-stage of the Acquired Realm, each carrying a bundle of crossbow bolts on their backs and a short sword at their waists.

"Heavenly Emperor, Brother Song." Zhang Lei scratched his head.

"We're all ready. We'll head to the Five Tiger Gate now and bring the person back safely."

"Go." Zhao Hao waved his hand. "Be careful. If you can't win, send a signal, and I'll lead men to provide support immediately."

"Don't worry, Brother Hao!"

The seven people responded and turned to walk down the mountain. Their steps were light and quick; martial artists of the acquired realm were fast-moving, and they could cover fifteen miles in half an hour.