Forge a path to success

"It's not that amazing~" Bangbangji scratched his head and chuckled, "When the emotion is there, it's there—when the emotion is there, it's good."

"See, you can't learn anything good."

Chu Hengkong observed his surroundings and saw that most of the vendors had already entered the area. Those selling plants and potted plants were busy planting them on-site, those hawking videos were showing preview crystals, and food stalls emitted fragrant aromas. The most numerous stalls were naturally book stalls, but he also saw stalls selling relics and weapons (specializing in various war plants from the Fourth Order), card games and toys (even including local game consoles, a specialty of the Fifth Order), merchants from the First Order hawking seemingly high-end luxury clothing and armor more for decoration than practical use, and insect doctors from the Second Order touting the efficacy of various useful medicines.

"It's quite lively," Vande exclaimed excitedly.

"The atmosphere is more welcoming in the third vein, so merchants from other veins also come here!"

A lazy male voice drifted from afar, and Trekson strolled over casually, followed by a line of spirited members of the Divine Guard. It seemed the fundraising event would draw a large crowd, so he, as the team leader, had come specifically to check things out.

Cui Ke greeted everyone and then smiled at Ji Qiufeng, saying, "My daughter is here today too, so I'll show her off to you. Hey, come say hello to Uncle Ji!"

A small head wearing a beret peeked out from behind a food stall, her long silver hair tied into two long braids. She said indistinctly, "Hello, Uncle Ji—what are you all doing here?"

Vande stared wide-eyed at the astonished Lico, then at Trek's weathered old face, and exclaimed in surprise, "This is your daughter?!"

Trek stroked his chin: "Isn't it cute?"

"They don't look alike at all!"

"No way, Uncle, I was quite handsome when I was young!"

Ji Huaisu's expression changed immediately, and she said in a coquettish voice, "Uncle Cui Ke, your daughter is so violent! She even blew me fruit the other day."

"Who hit whom?! What gives you the right to call me violent?!" Lico exclaimed.

Trek chimed in, "Hey, Lico, how can you bully a little girl like that? Grow a mushroom already."

"Why are mushrooms growing? Are they for apologizing? It's weird to use mushrooms to apologize, isn't it?"

The Cui family father and daughter were arguing fiercely, and Chu Hengkong commented, "You can tell they're related by blood."

“That’s just how their race is from birth. I’ve hardly ever seen any tree people with a bitter and resentful temperament,” Ji Qiufeng said. “But haven’t we arrived too early?”

Most of the exhibitors have arrived, but there are very few visitors inside. The exhibition hall is in an excellent location, situated in a bustling urban area, just steps from the Fengdao (Windway) station. Normally, it wouldn't lack foot traffic, but today, even those just there to watch are few and far between. Occasionally, a child tries to enter, but is immediately dragged away by their parents, who seem to want to avoid them at all costs.

"It's the norm, after all, this is a fundraising event," Bangbangji told them. "The so-called fundraising event is a charity sale specifically for soldiers."

·

Every second, lives are lost, every second, battles take place. Even as the sun rises and the heavens are established, the fierce struggle never ceases. This has been the norm in the turbulent world for thousands of years.

The city-state of Jingsha is vast and rich in resources, and teems with experts, yet it remains located within the Mysterious Realm of Senluo, where one must confront the perilous situation.

The western third of the secret realm is the territory of the Truth Empire, while the northern third is ruled by the Spiral Tower. These two heretical factions fight amongst themselves and are also hostile to the righteous alliance. The three-way battle has never ceased, and the land divided by war has formed a narrow, rift-like battle line. This battle line almost spans the center of the Senluo Secret Realm and is known to the public as the "Desperate Battle Line."

The pressure on the city-state of Jingsha, facing two major heretical factions with only the strength of one city, is unimaginable. However, Jingsha is the granary and solid backing of the righteous forces, and also the largest base of the allied forces in the Senluo Secret Realm. With the Netherworld God Kingdom now in ruins, if Jingsha falls, the Senluo Secret Realm will completely fall into the hands of the heretics, and the resulting disaster will be unimaginable.

Therefore, the supreme leaders of the various factions decided to adopt a rotation system, with each faction taking turns to defend the front line of the desperate battle for ten years. The three parties participating in the defense, in the order of rotation, are the Jingsha City-State, Longquan Township, and Shura Island.

In the first decade after the fall of Huilong City, the martial arts of Longquan Township were in charge of the main war effort. In the second decade, the allied forces of Shura Island, Wuchen Land, and Paradise were in charge. Now that Huilong City has been resurrected, another ten-year cycle is about to end, and it is time for the Jingsha City-State to take the lead in the war.

·

“War costs money,” Bangbangji said earnestly. “Therefore, the city-state organizes a series of activities to raise military funds, and the exhibition we are participating in is one of them. All the green branches we earn today will be donated free of charge to the various divine guard teams as spontaneous support from the citizens.”

Chu Hengkong couldn't help but think more highly of the little animals; merchants who were willing to voluntarily reduce their profits to serve the public were extremely rare anywhere. But hearing this, he became even more puzzled: "Even you merchants are so passionate about the city-state, so why are the ordinary citizens so uninterested?"

“It’s not entirely anyone’s fault, after all, the Jing Sha clan regularly collects ‘war taxes’,” Trek said, seemingly unconcerned. “Even when there’s no war, the Jing Sha clan is obligated to support the front lines with donated goods, and war taxes are always paid monthly. Those who have green branches hand over green branches, those who grow melons and fruits hand over crops, and those who sew clothes hand over cloth…”

Citizens who pay their taxes on time every month will naturally feel resistant to the charity sale. They've already paid so much in taxes; there's no reason for them to donate money to the military.

"And the anti-war sentiment in the city-state has been very strong in the last twenty years..." Lico gritted her teeth, "It's all that stupid masked man's fault!"

Trek tapped her lightly: "Lico, don't talk about politics when you're out having fun."

"Mind your own business!"

The father and daughter, Cui Ke, started arguing again. Seeing the deserted scene, Ji Huaisu couldn't help but worry: "Then everyone's efforts have been in vain?"

"The guests are coming, and it'll get lively soon," said Bangbangji confidently. "Look—they're here!"

Following its guidance, everyone saw a burly man walk into the exhibition hall. He was wearing armor made of bamboo and wood, carrying a large sword on his back, and had several obvious scars on his face.

This is a mercenary.

Chapter 292 Self-Donation for Personal Use

Behind the burly man, dozens of mercenaries entered in groups, seemingly belonging to a single organization. They dispersed into their respective groups, with the burly man leading the way towards the bookstore's stall. Bangbangji greeted him warmly.

"Long time no see, Commander McCoy. It must have been—5 years, right?"

"Six years!" Commander McCor laughed heartily. "In recent years, the attacks from the outside have become more and more frequent. That's why a new batch of people went to the front line recently, which gave us the opportunity to sneak into the city."

Bangbangji curled his lip: "Those slackers on Shura Island, they're unwilling to put in any effort themselves, all they know how to do is exploit the mercenaries..."

"It's already quite good. At least there's a Martial Venerable Lord stationed here... Besides, after the fall of Toadlight Fortress, they also have to consider the internal strife on the island." Commander McCoy looked at the group. "Are these the new recruits?"

"Friends from the trendy city, you've come all the way here to participate in the exhibition!"

McCo's eyes lit up, and he stepped forward to shake hands with Chu Hengkong: "So you're a friend from Huilong City! I'm McCo, the leader of the 'Red Copper Mercenary Group.' Congratulations on your city's survival. The resumption of the flight path has been a great help to the front lines. Without your city's talismans and relics, my group would have lost half of its men."

Ji Qiufeng and Cui Ke went to browse the exhibition, but the mercenary leader mistook Chu Hengkong for their leader. Chu Hengkong didn't mind and said, "We're all righteous allies, it's only natural. I've dealt with many mercenaries, but I rarely encounter them in this kind of situation."

Working in the cutthroat world of mercenaries for too long inevitably leads to physical and psychological problems. During their breaks, they either seek out outlets for their pent-up emotions or retreat into solitude, becoming repressed and withdrawn. Therefore, the most common places to encounter mercenaries are nightclubs, bars, and casinos; you rarely hear of mercenaries attending anime conventions…

The mercenaries were currently having a great time browsing the exhibition. After McCo's Red Copper Group entered, dozens of similar mercenary groups arrived one after another. Each group ranged from a dozen to several hundred people, and many soldiers and mercenaries entered alone, instantly making the atmosphere in the venue lively. A large group of burly, fierce-looking men chatted happily with small animals, creating a scene reminiscent of the 108 heroes of Liangshan having a social gathering with a Disney forest—the scene was as bizarre as it could be.

"Where did all these mercenaries come from?" Vande also found it strange.

“Oh, you little eyes, you’re so ignorant,” Lico said smugly. “Forty percent of the people here today are from the front lines, and sixty percent are about to go to the front lines. They’re all about loyalty. Mercenaries are the most popular profession in the Thorn City-State.”

Lico quickly explained the situation to everyone. The mercenary profession in the city-state of Thornsa does indeed have a different significance than that of the other Dust Isles, and this significance can be traced back to the early days of Thornsa thousands of years ago.

At that time, the Jingsha Divine Tree had not yet grown into a giant of mass 7, while the attacks from the heretics were already extremely fierce, and the outcome of each battle would determine the life or death of the city. Therefore, Jingsha implemented a conscription system, requiring the entire population to be soldiers and united in hatred against the enemy in order to ensure their current livelihood.

The citizens who shared life and death with the divine tree understood the greater good and naturally fought bravely. However, there were many races within the city-state that were not good at fighting. These small animals did not possess any innate spiritual qualities, nor did they have the talent to become cultivators. They came to the city-state only to eke out a living in the chaotic world. Even if they obtained weapons, they would only be throwing their lives away on the battlefield.

Considering that some citizens were indeed unable to fight, the conscription system excluded certain races to avoid unnecessary sacrifices. However, the citizens who were unable to fight also harbored patriotic sentiments, and they spontaneously donated money, food, and clothing to hire upgraded individuals from outside the city to fight in their place at high prices.

The Ascendants, moved by his noble intentions, accepted the commission, and thus the first batch of Thorn Robe mercenaries were formed. Most of these surviving mercenaries became members of Thorn Robe after the war, and new mercenaries continued to participate in battles under this tradition. Over time, mercenaries became a regular part of Thorn Robe's military force.

Times have changed, and the city-state of Jingsa is now far more powerful than it once was. The military service system has long been abolished, but the tradition of mercenaries has been preserved. Even today, the city-state still has the custom of hiring mercenaries to solve problems, and whenever Jingsa leads the battle, the city-state hires a large number of mercenaries to participate in the war.

They were called “the ones who shed blood” and were welcomed and respected in every line of the line.

“Everyone worked hard on the battlefield, and the money they saved up must have somewhere to go. The exhibition is cheap and has a lot of good stuff, so it’s definitely a good place to go.” McCoy flipped through the bookstore’s latest issue with great interest. “Besides, spending this money will not only pave the way for future generations, but also support our predecessors. Everyone should come here out of loyalty.”

"Senior?" Ji Huaisu grasped the key point.

Bangbangji coughed repeatedly, waving his eyes to signal the mercenaries to shut up. McCormick pretended not to notice, and laughed loudly while holding the sticky fish fins: "Don't you all know? The three of you from the bookstore are all veterans who have participated in the 'Great War'. Manager Yu is a level 5 Anti-Law Rainbow, which is more powerful than my entire team combined. He is confident that he can even compete for the position of captain of the Divine Guard."

Bangbangji vigorously waved its fins: "Hey, we're all just swimming around to get subsidies in the late stages, we've been retired for a long time! Besides, we're all exotic beasts, very weak, nothing like Old Cui!"

Unfortunately, it was too late. Ji Huaisu had already approached with a beaming smile: "Manager Yu, you're so capable, why didn't you say so sooner? Since we're all on the path to supreme power, it's such a coincidence that we can teach me a few tricks!"

"I can't teach you—I've never seen anyone like you! Oh, I have to watch the stall now, let's talk about it when we get back, okay? Wait until we get back!"

Ji Huaisu persisted relentlessly, driving Bangbangji to distraction, while Gulibo and the other shop assistants egged him on. Meanwhile, Maike watched the commotion while browsing, buying numerous bookstore publications and paintings, as well as several sets of trading cards.

"Commander McCormick is quite the artsy type," Van der joked.

“No, they’re all for my son,” McCo said, shaking his head. “After being away from home for so many years, I have to bring back some local specialties… I only have the chance to do this after the competition.”

Looking at the man with a wry smile, Chu Hengkong thought of those white-collar workers who were always busy with work. He had seen many such people, busy with work and career from morning till night, only to realize they hadn't brought anything home when they were about to board their plane, so they had to hurriedly buy some local specialties at the expensive shops in the airport.

On Earth, white-collar workers can always send a package if they want. But in the Shifting Realm, it's uncertain how long it will take for goods to travel across oceans to arrive, and even if they do reach their hometown, they don't know if they will be contaminated by external sources along the way, becoming a source of trouble.

Over time, the mercenaries stopped even from sending letters home. They bought the safest goods at trade fairs guaranteed by the official Jingsha organization and carried them back with their own bodies – this was the most reliable method.

Throughout the exhibition hall, you can see vendors chatting with customers. These guys who grow flowers, sell herbs, and run restaurants, many of them are veterans who have been on the battlefield. Buying things here is about peace of mind.

McCo spent a long time browsing the stalls, selecting everything from children's fairy tales to young adult literature. He realized that even he couldn't quite say what his son liked right now, so he simply picked out a variety of things. While the little animals helped him pack, he pondered for a moment and then asked Chu Hengkong, "Excuse me, but can you post missing person notices in the City of Echoes?"

This mercenary also had the idea of ​​finding someone, and Chu Hengkong nodded slightly: "The City Lord's Mansion offers similar services at a low price. Who is Commander McCoy looking for?"

McCormick was overjoyed: "You're a straightforward man! To be honest, I have a detachment leader in my regiment who went missing more than half a year ago with a squad of brothers at Toadlight Fortress. He's from Longquan Township, wields a large spear, and is extremely skilled in talisman magic. He's a very promising young man..."

At this point, the captain's mood sombered slightly: "He possessed supernatural abilities, a precognitive capacity for danger, and saved our lives several times. I think with his skills, even if caught in the chaos of battle, he should have had a chance of survival. By then, the waterway had gradually recovered, and judging from the currents at the time, he might have been able to make contact with Huilong City... Have you seen him?"

The more Commander McCoy spoke, the more interesting the expressions on everyone's faces became. Vande stared intently: "Is your detachment commander named Wu He?"

"Exactly!" McCo exclaimed excitedly. "How's that kid doing?"

Ji Huaisu hesitated, unsure how to begin. Captain McCormick and his mercenaries clearly considered Wu He their brothers, but that scoundrel Wu He himself didn't seem to value them much. And since Wu He had ultimately caused chaos and had already defected to Black Moon, they couldn't bring themselves to tell the hopeful McCormick what he had to say.

“He stayed on the battlefield,” Chu Hengkong said.

McCo fell silent upon hearing this, then sighed deeply. For a man who had weathered many storms, such a statement was enough.

"Mercenaries...it's always like this." He smiled wryly. "Thank you all."

He paid the bill, quickly composed himself, and returned to his brothers. Chu Hengkong overheard him telling his men that he had received good news: Wu He had made a fortune and was now a local tyrant on the remote Dust Island. The mercenaries cursed their captain for being dishonest, forgetting his old brothers after getting rich, while others said he was just jealous of Wu He's good fortune. After the battlefield, where are the old brothers?

As they talked and laughed, they learned of the fates of their former comrades, and the topic moved on to a new one. Some reminisced, others looked around, newcomers inquired about the war from the veterans, and the veterans sought out their fellow villagers to ask about their current situation. There were always people happy and people sad.

The bookstore stalls were getting busier, and Chu Hengkong, unable to help, simply took Fan De for a stroll. He wandered over to the vicinity of the entrance and noticed a strange man from a distance.

This strange man was over three meters tall, carrying a bulging bundle on his back as if he were moving house, and wearing a mask reminiscent of the Shura Island style. His hands and feet were large and strong, his palms outstretched like fans. With his back to the exhibition hall, he shouted towards the bustling avenue: "Hey—! Citizens of the Third Order, please take note! This is the place to raise funds for warriors; all kinds of excellent goods are available. Patriots, please come in!"

The citizens stared at him as if he were a fool, and some sneered, "If I pay this time, does that mean I won't have to pay taxes next month?"

The strange man's imposing aura faltered: "This... is one thing, but another thing..."

"War is something Parliament should be concerned with!"

"The Divine Guard's funding has long been excessive, hasn't it?"

"Once the bill passes, these people won't have a chance to do anything..."

The citizens chattered amongst themselves, leaving the strange man speechless. Enraged, he stomped his foot, causing a series of tremors that created a mini-earthquake around the exhibition area.

"Fellow citizens! How can you be so unreasonable! The war concerns every citizen of Jingzai!"

"Someone's bullying us!" "So what if you're an Ascended?" "Hey, is this the Divine Guard?"

The local residents, unfazed, immediately called the police. Seeing this, the strange man quickly retreated into the exhibition hall, crouching dejectedly beside the entrance.

“These naive guys have all been fooled by politicians,” he muttered to himself. “It’s ridiculous, isn’t it?”

Chu Hengkong happened to be standing nearby and laughed when he heard this: "I have never seen soldiers donate money to the war effort while civilians look down on it, except on Dust Island outside of Jingsha."

"We've had too much peace and quiet for too long! And then, twenty years ago, things got so bad, it was just..."

The strange man shook his head repeatedly, but he was not one to give up easily. He immediately perked up and said enthusiastically, "Okay! If it doesn't work here, we'll go to more distant places to promote it. Do you want to come along—hmm?"

His gaze fell on the wrist of the scourge, and his eyes behind the mask visibly lit up.

"This! Could it be... a treasure containing the power of chaos... no, a treasure containing the power of misfortune! This is an extraordinary relic!"

The masked man suddenly leaned in, his face beaming with excitement: "How much is this prosthetic arm? I'll buy it!"

Chapter 293 Grand Sumo Duel

The masked monster's expression shifted like turning the pages of a book; one moment it was a patriotic hero, the next it was a fanatical collector. Staring at the calamity wrist, it exclaimed in admiration, "Where did you get this? The power of misfortune is extremely rare. Did you not visit the ancient battlefield and see the remnants of that great demon?"

He crossed his arms and pondered as he spoke: "No, no. A single remnant of power cannot condense this level of longing, and the craftsmanship used in its creation is quite remarkable... This is definitely worth studying."

Van der peeked out of his pocket, beaming, "That's right, this skill is one of a kind in the world."

"What kind of demon is this?" The masked man leaned closer for a closer look and whispered, "I'm telling you guys, once you're out of the fifth vein sequence, don't show yourselves. Be careful what you make of it..."

“Not a demon.” Vandal rolled his eyes.

"?? That doesn't seem right...?"

The masked man muttered to himself for a moment, then put the matter out of his mind and said eagerly, "Let's get back to the point! Young man, I have always loved rare and exotic weapons, and I long to collect all the world's most extraordinary treasures. How much would you like to sell me your prosthetic arm?"

Chu Hengkong was both amused and exasperated, thinking that this person was talking nonsense, like an exaggerated actor. He was already 23 after the New Year and was still being called a "young man"—even if he looked a bit young, there was no reason for him to be addressed like that.

He flatly refused: "This arm is not for sale."

The masked man remained unhurried: "Hehehe, don't jump to conclusions. To be honest, young man, I'm quite wealthy. As long as your demands aren't excessive, I'll take whatever price you ask for—hey, don't go!"

Chu Heng ignored him completely and turned to look at the exhibition. Fan De spoke up for him, saying, "If you really sell this arm, can you offer something better? I doubt it."

The masked man caught up with the agility of a sprinter: "Wait, wait! Young man, you don't understand. Your prosthetic arm, though powerful, carries an equal burden of karma. Even if your sword can suppress it, in the long run, it will inevitably—oh, oh, what is that sword?!"

It was only then that he noticed Shenzhan, and he jumped back three steps in shock. From the unpredictable look in his eyes, one could deduce the intense changes in expression beneath the mask.

"That aura... I can't quite understand it, but it's definitely impressive! This, this...!"

The masked man immediately collapsed in despair, pounding the ground and yelling, "Damn it, I can't afford this!"