On an evening during the rainy season, the damp air was filled with an irritating heat.
The streetlights cast a turbid halo of light in the stagnant water, like pieces of crushed egg yolk.
On the bus, which was swaying like a boat, Qin Feng's fingertips caressed the edge of his phone. Raindrops hit the window obliquely, shattering into star-shaped particles all over the ground.
"Excuse me...is there any news about my sister?"
The voice from the other end of the phone was programmed and steady, mixed with the crackling sound of electricity, as if it came from a long distance.
"I'm sorry."
"Mr. Qin Feng."
"We haven't found any useful clues yet."
The other party paused, and the rustling sound of flipping papers was clearly audible through the receiver.
"However."
"We take your sister's disappearance very seriously. We've logged the case into our system and are deploying a large police force to follow up."
"Please don't worry too much."
The other party's tone remained calm.
"Following up, if you can recall any details, even if they seem unimportant, please contact us immediately.
" "We will also conduct a more thorough search of the surrounding area. If we have any leads, we will notify you immediately..."
After hearing the formulaic answer repeated countless times, Qin Feng silently raised his thumb and hung up the phone.
He then leaned against the cool glass of the bus, resting his burning forehead against the window, staring blankly at the mottled rain streaks outside.
No clues?
One second she was chatting and laughing in front of me, and the next she suddenly disappeared. The red lights on the surveillance cameras all over the street didn't capture her leaving. You say there are no clues? This
is clearly an incredible supernatural incident!
And you insist on defining it as an ordinary missing person case!
Hehe…
After lowering his gaze for a long moment, Qin Feng pulled a black stone, gleaming with a cold glow, from his trouser pocket and examined it carefully
in his palm. The veins on the stone resembled twisted veins, sending a chill through his palm.
This was something his sister had given him before she "disappeared." Though he had no idea what it was for, Qin Feng 's
intuition told him it was something more than ordinary, and it was likely connected to his sister's disappearance. His intuition was spot-on. It had always been. Even eighteen years ago, when Qin Feng had inexplicably traveled here, a premonition had always lingered in his heart—that beneath this seemingly ordinary world lay unspeakable secrets. Now, the paranormal event had struck, like fate confirming his intuition. As he pondered this, the bus suddenly ran over a pothole, and the rain streaks on the windshield suddenly twisted into a hideous face, causing Qin Feng to wince. "Strange..." "I suddenly have a sinister feeling..." He glanced out the window. The sycamore trees lining the street drooped their wet branches, flapping against each other in the wind, creating a rustling sound like dry leaves rubbing against each other, as if countless withered hands were scratching in the darkness. The traffic lights at the distant intersection flickered on and off, a normal alternation that reminded Qin Feng of the warning lights on a heart monitor in a morgue. Even more eerie, the usually bustling commercial street was now deserted, not even the stray cats were visible. The roller shutters of the shops were closed, and dark green mold seeped through the cracks, resembling the festering wounds of some living creature. A damp breeze streamed in through the cracks in the car window, carrying a rotting, fishy smell, like dead fish that had been soaked in the sewer for days. The bus began to jolt, and Qin Feng stumbled, grasping the handrail beside him. The metal surface still held a hint of warmth, as if someone had just grasped it. Suddenly, the street ahead plunged into an eerie darkness, the streetlights flickering, casting distorted shadows on the ground. "Wait!?" "What is that!?" Qin Feng sat up abruptly, his pupils suddenly constricting. In the middle of the road, a black mist was swirling rapidly, like a bottomless vortex. With a neigh that pierced the eardrums, an undead horse, its body ablaze with dark green flames, crushed the void. The Death Knight on horseback was clad in tattered bone armor, and two clusters of dark blue will-o'-the-wisp flickered in its empty eye sockets. "What the hell!?" "What...what is that!?" "Are we going to hit something!?" "Stop!" "Driver, stop!" In an instant, the passengers' screams echoed one after another. The driver turned the steering wheel frantically, the tires scraping against the ground with a piercing sound. Qin Feng clutched the seat tightly, his heart nearly jumping out of his chest. Really... My premonition was true... This world truly possesses extraordinary powers beyond common sense... Meanwhile, the Death Knight in the distance slowly raised his battle axe. The dark red blood scabs shone eerily in the gloom, and the axe blade shone with a purple glow that seemed to come from the netherworld. Bang! With a resounding bang, the battle axe descended from the sky. A blinding flash of white light passed, and Qin Feng felt his world spinning. The resounding sound of ripping metal stung his eardrums, and a cold wind, carrying the smell of rust, blew in his face. When he opened his eyes again, the sight before him horrified him. The bus, once intact, had now been neatly split in two, with wisps of green smoke rising from the broken parts. Except for Qin Feng, all the passengers lay dead on the spot, their bodies and heads scattered everywhere.
Crimson blood gushed from the shattered carriage, mingling madly with the rainwater, forming a winding river of blood on the ground, drenching the streets in a horrifying crimson hell.
Deep within the rain,
a towering dark figure mounted on an undead horse shattered the veil, approaching.
The clatter of hooves mixed with the thud of rain, making the air vibrate. The dark blue mist swirled around the figure, casting eerie glints of light through the rain.
In a clear yet lifeless, hoarse voice, it addressed Qin Feng,
"Hand over the Lord's Stone."
What?
The Lord's Stone?
The small black stone? The
once cold black stone was now burning in his palm. Qin Feng instinctively raised his arm, intending to yield the stone.
But as cold sweat trickled down his spine and into his collar, the icy touch startled him awake.
Even if he offered the treasure with both hands, this death knight from the underworld would leave no one alive.
Damn!
Fight!
After figuring it out, Qin Feng broke into a run. The accumulated water beneath his feet exploded in silvery spray, mixing with dark red blood and splashing onto his trouser legs. Every step seemed to follow the beat of a drum.
Seeing this, the Death Knight didn't rush to pursue. Instead, he tilted his neck slightly, scanning Qin Feng's shattered form like a finely tuned searchlight. The rotting flesh at the corner of his mouth tugged at a faint, almost sinister grin.
"Heh."
"A last-ditch effort."
"What a lowly, fragile human ant."
"No wonder you didn't receive the Lord's Stone's favor and become a Chosen Lord."
After a pause, it slowly shouldered the battle axe, shimmering with blue will-o'-the-wisp. Its bony fingers gripped the handle tightly, and a rancid stench mingled with the rainwater.
"It's time to end this."
With that, the Death Knight's flesh-stripped fingers suddenly exerted force. A battle axe, swirled with nether flames, tore through the rain. The blazing axe blade traced a blood-red arc through the air, like the bared fangs of the Grim Reaper, piercing Qin Feng's throbbing back.
"Whoosh!
" The sharp sound of the axe
piercing the air stung his eardrums. Although Qin Feng didn't turn around, he was acutely aware of the axe's piercing impact, like the Grim Reaper's scythe bearing down relentlessly on his neck. "Am
I...
going to die again...
will I be transported to a new world this time?"
However, as the axe's deathly aura drew ever closer, the hairs on the back of Qin Feng's neck strangely relaxed,
a sense of urgency that had been lingering in his despair dissipating like the tide.
Just as the cold axe blade was about to touch his skin, a stream of crimson data exploded across Qin Feng's retina, and a clattering sound like mechanical gears clashing filled his ears.
[Life Threat Alert!] [
Checking loading progress... Current program loading progress is 29%!]
[Emergency interrupting loading program!]
[Core module "Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord" and some mods are being force-activated—]
In an instant, the black stone in Qin Feng's palm suddenly burst into a dazzling purple light, and ancient runes swirled in a circle in the void.
[Ding! Core module force-activated successfully! Removing the "Lord's Stone" shield... Removal successful!]
[You have been granted "Chosen Lord" privileges!]
[You are about to enter the Lord's world!]
As the system prompt appeared, Qin Feng's body was surrounded by a blue light like a torrent of data, and his entire body twisted and dissipated with a roar.
The battle axe that should have shattered his neck instead plummeted into the ground like a falling meteor.
Immediately afterwards, the scorching axe blade plowed through charred furrows, sending splattered gravel, mixed with a sweet, bloody rain and mud, soaring into the air, carving a fleeting dark crimson arc through the rain.
Finally,
the world fell silent.
Only the still-flaming bus wreckage remained, gradually blurred by the drizzling rain.
...-+ The scent of damp moss, mingled with the delicate fragrance of pine needles, wafted towards me. Sunlight, filtered by the towering treetops, was fragmented into tiny specks
of light, casting a swaying golden tint on the humus. From the depths of the forest, the clatter of woodpeckers tapping on tree trunks startled a few emerald birds, which fluttered past the vine-wrapped oaks.
Umbrella-shaped mushrooms grew on the rotting fallen logs, their scarlet and bright yellow caps striking in the gloom. Mucus slowly dripped down their folds, seeping into the damp soil.
Qin Feng supported his dizzy head and staggered to his feet on the soft forest floor, his eyes filled with confusion and bewilderment.
"Lord...world?"
As if in response to his question, a dimly lit prompt bar suddenly appeared before his eyes. Unlike the cold, mechanical feel of the previous one, this one exuded a hint of mystery and solemnity.
[Welcome to the Lord's World! Here
, as long as you continuously develop your territory and improve your army, you will gain power, wealth, power, and even the opportunity to become a god!
And, you can bring all of this back to reality!
To live or die, to wear a crown or be reduced to bones, or to become a god or a demon!
It all depends on your choice!
...
[Start the Newbie Orientation Mission (I)]
[Mission Requirements: Please choose a suitable location to place your Lord Stone and summon the Lord's Hall]
[Completion Rewards: Residential Construction Plans, Logging Hut Construction Plans, Farm Hut Construction Plans, Mining Hut Construction Plans, Militia Camp Construction Plans, 20 units of Food, 50 units of Wood, 5 Villagers]
[Note: The Lord's Hall is the most important core building for every Chosen Lord. When a Chosen Lord accidentally dies in battle, their soul will be recast here... However, if the Lord's Hall is destroyed, you will lose your Lordship status and remain the Chosen One until you find a new Lord's Stone!
Qin Feng's pupils shrank.
"What is this?"
"A main base in an RTS game?" As a time traveler who had been addicted to strategy games for years, Qin Feng instantly realized that, seemingly because of the small stone he
called the "Lord's Stone," he had fallen into a mysterious dimension reminiscent of the Lord's game, becoming a Lord player possessing extraordinary powers.
Qin Feng soon realized that his missing sister must also be a God-chosen Lord possessing extraordinary powers.
She had long since entered this world, fighting in blood and fire, pursuing the path to godhood.
After thinking about it, Qin Feng smiled bitterly, his fingertips unconsciously stroking the black stone, memories of his sister's sweet smile and gentle advice flooding back.
But in an instant, Qin Feng frowned, locking those warm memories and bitter emotions into his heart like an iron gate.
Now... was not the time to reminisce about the past.
The roar of the battle axe crashing on the asphalt road still echoed in his ears, and the crimson pupils of the Death Knight in the real world seemed to still burn behind him.
Rather than dwelling on memories, finding a suitable site for building a city was the key to survival.
With that thought, Qin Feng took a deep breath of the moist forest air, kicked aside the thorns blocking his path, and striding forward, clutching the Lord's Stone.
Unfortunately, everywhere he went was covered in layers of dense, verdant forest. Gnarled vines draped like curtains, towering ancient trees blocked out the light, and rotten leaves piled like a soft carpet beneath his feet.
There was no sign of a vast plain, nor the outline of rolling hills.
Only this boundless forest, like an impenetrable green net, completely trapped him.
There was no other way.
Qin Feng worried about dangerous monsters lurking in the woods.
He could only choose a random spot, wedge the precious Lord's Stone into the damp soil before him, and follow the Lord System's instructions to summon the mysterious power hidden within.
In an instant, a blinding golden light erupted, the earth trembled violently, and the obsidian hall, richly carved with reliefs, burst forth from the earth, its dome shattering the treetops. A flock of startled birds filled the air like a dark cloud, completely swallowing up the last ray of light.
[You have summoned the Lord's Hall!]
...
[Building Name: Lord's Hall (No custom name yet)]
[Level: Level 1]
[HP: 50,000/50,000]
[Building Purpose: Provides 10 recruitable villagers each week, determines the level cap for other buildings, allows resources to be spent here to summon villagers, and provides shelter for all subjects attacked. Upon death in the outside world, the lord's soul can return here to reshape his body and be resurrected. ]
[Recruitment Price: 10 units of food/1 villager/1 unit of food per day]
[Number of people who can be recruited: 10/10]
[Villager Gathering Efficiency: 1 unit of your chosen resource/day]
[Upgrade Requirements: 500 units of wood, 500 units of stone]
[Note: Villagers can build buildings and gather all types of basic resources, but their efficiency is extremely low. They also have certain combat capabilities, but their strength is very weak and not suitable for outward expansion. ]
…
[You have completed the Novice Orientation Mission (I) and received the rewards: residential construction plans, logging hut construction plans, militia camp construction plans...]
[Start the Novice Orientation Mission (II)]
[Task Requirements: Spend 50 units of wood, build a logging hut, consume 20 units of food, and train two lumberjacks]
[Completion Rewards: 50 units of wood, 20 units of food, 2 villagers]
…
Qin Feng took a quick look and found that the completion rewards given for the Novice Mission (I) just met his consumption requirements for building a logging hut and training two professional lumberjacks.
Not much. Not
too little either.
This resource allocation, meticulously calculated down to the digits, was clearly a meticulously designed beginner's package.
It wasn't hard to deduce that the subsequent tasks would be interconnected, like precisely programmed gears, gradually guiding newcomers to master the rules of survival in this "game of lords." After gathering
his thoughts, Qin Feng looked at the five villagers before him, their faces serious. He pointed to a nearby forest, and said calmly,
"Find a suitable spot nearby and build a logging hut."
"Can you do it?"
the five villagers replied in unison.
"No problem."
"Lord,"
they said, and they turned to measure the land, their movements so skillful they'd practiced them a thousand times.
Once they had determined the exact location for the logging hut, the five villagers simultaneously drew small stone axes from their backs and hurried toward the lush forest.
With a flash of cold light, the axe blades precisely wedged into the tree trunks, sending wood chips flying like a torrential rain.
In a matter of moments, the scattered logs had piled into a small mountain, and a clearing had been carved through the forest.
The rudimentary framework of the logging hut quietly rose amidst the flying sawdust.
"It seems..."
"These villagers are quite intelligent."
"They're not those rigid, purebred NPCs who need a whip to move."
"But..."
"They're building the house so fast."
"This incredible construction speed, coupled with these dazzling system prompts, is more like a lord game..."-+ With the mysterious "Lord's Law," the five villagers successfully completed the lumberjack hut in just over ten minutes.
Qin Feng immediately retrieved its dashboard information.
...
[Building Name: Lumberjack Hut]
[Level: Level 1]
[HP: 2000/2000]
[Building Purpose: Trains villagers into lumberjacks, significantly improving their logging efficiency. They can also identify rare trees and use special methods to preserve these rare woods.]
[Training Cost: 10 Food Units/1 Villager/2 Food Units Per Day]
[Current Lumberjack Capacity: 0/2]
[Lumberjack Efficiency: 10 Units of Wood/Day]
[Upgrade Requirements: 100 Units of Wood, 100 Units of Stone]
[Note: Villagers trained as lumberjacks cannot gather other resources, cannot be converted back to villagers, or trained into other subjects.]
...
The Lumberjack Hut is the most basic production building in the Lord game, specifically responsible for gathering wood resources. There's not much to research.
Qin Feng followed the system's prompts and ordered two villagers into the lumberjack's hut.
Ten minutes later, they emerged in an orderly fashion, dressed in green linen tunics, wielding brand-new iron axes and sporting "Lumberjack" insignias.
The same process followed for the farm hut, mining hut, and residential building.
However,
their functions differed.
The farm hut produced wheat and, at level 1, housed up to two farmers. Its training cost and daily expenses were the same as those of the lumberjack: 10 units of food and 2 units of food.
The miners trained in the mining hut were primarily responsible for digging stone, iron, ore, and crystals. Otherwise, the settings were identical to the two buildings above, with no special features.
The residential building provided each resident with housing, food, rest, and sleep.
Each level 1 residential building could accommodate six residents,
effectively a six-person dormitory.
If a resident was not assigned a residential building, there would be no immediate impact.
However, prolonged use would reduce their daily work efficiency and lead to negative health issues such as illness, attribute loss, health loss, and inability to work.
The Militia Camp trains villagers into a group of seasoned peasant soldiers equipped with simple equipment. Their attributes and combat effectiveness are significantly stronger than those of the original villagers.
While there's no limit on the number of units, they consume a much larger amount of food per day, requiring a full 3 units of food.
Furthermore, the high recruitment cost requires an additional 10 units of wood and stone, in addition to the basic 10 units of food.
This means it's definitely not possible to rapidly increase the number of troops...
Fortunately,
Qin Feng's territory has been initially established.
There are currently five villagers, two lumberjacks, two farmers, and two miners.
Daily food consumption is 17 units.
It can produce 20 units of wood, stone, and wheat, plus 5 units of resources of the villagers' choice.
Supporting buildings include two residential buildings, a logging hut, a farm hut, a mining hut, a militia camp, and the core of the territory—the Lord's Hall.
Furthermore,
the final novice orientation quest has also been revealed.
...
[Novice Orientation Mission (Final)]
[Requirement: Train a certain number of militias, or lead your existing production-oriented subjects to defeat any red-named beast roaming around the territory]
[Completion Reward: Choose your own lord's destiny, unlock the lord region system, and gain access to return to reality]
[Note: Injury to production-oriented subjects will affect their production efficiency; the more severe the injury, the greater the impact. Combat-oriented subjects, under the protection of the Chosen Lord, will not be affected in any way even if they become seriously injured. Neither side can naturally recover from injuries or health points, and injured villagers cannot be trained into any advanced units.]
...
A classic combat mission.
The information is also very detailed.
If production-oriented subjects are sent into battle, if they are accidentally injured in the exchange, their production efficiency will be directly affected.
However, sending combat-oriented subjects into battle, even if they are mutilated or seriously injured, they can still maintain peak combat power and completely defeat the enemy.
This setting clearly encourages lords to actively expand their combat forces
and thereby protect their production-oriented subjects from being attacked.
Normally, Qin Feng should have waited a few days, accumulated enough resources, and trained several of his villagers into Level 1 militia before considering this mission.
This would not affect the overall work efficiency of his villagers and productive subjects,
as well as the daily operations of the entire territory.
However,
he keenly noticed the "Lord's Fate" included in the mission reward.
This thing should be the same as the awakening talent.
The sooner you get it, the better.
Moreover, considering that as a chosen lord, you can be resurrected directly after death, and the resurrection time is only 12 hours, which will not affect the production of workers in the territory.
He decided to make a quick decision, using his body as a human shield and letting the five villagers serve as the main output, to find and eliminate a red-named beast as soon as possible.
The worst that could happen is another death! It's not like
we haven't died before!
Right?
After understanding the stakes, Qin Feng immediately ordered the five villagers to drop their work and set off with him, heading deep into the forest.
Morning light filtered through the treetops, casting dappled shadows on the dirt.
They made their way through shoulder-high ferns, the damp air tinged with the scent of pine resin and rotting leaves.
Qin Feng, leading the group, deliberately slowed his pace, his ears alert. His peripheral vision occasionally flickered to the tangled undergrowth to his left, where a faint rustling sound, like some creature raking fallen leaves, emanated.
Suddenly, the farmer at the end let out a low cry and pointed toward a clearing with oak trees thirty meters away.
Next to an old oak tree so old it took three men to hug it, a crimson message board loomed in the air like blood.
[Beast Name: Fire Fox (Red Name)]
[Health Points: 10/10]
[Strength Assessment: Sporadic (Gray)]
[Description: A small carnivore that roams the northern forests. Its strength is extremely low, and any courageous adult with a stick can easily kill it alone.] It
was a strange fire fox, about the size of a common fox, its fur ablaze like a burning crimson flame. A low, hoarse growl swirled from its throat, its sharp canines still stained with lingering blood. It was poking at the remains of a half-rabbit with its front paws.
"Prepare..."
Qin Feng held his breath, sidling and gesturing to the villagers.
The five villagers understood and immediately fanned out, slowly weaving around the beast's rear, attempting to cut off its retreat.
The fire fox, sensing the unfamiliar presence, pricked up its ears, its crimson pupils constricting. Its fluffy tail lashed the ground like a steel whip, sending fallen leaves rustling in the air.
Seeing this, Qin Feng didn't hesitate any longer. He snatched up the stone axe he'd plundered from the villagers and rushed towards the Fire Fox like an arrow. The white axe blade sliced through the air, slashing down fiercely at the crimson forehead.
Boom!
Headshot!
Instant kill!
[You killed a Fire Fox (sporadic gray)!]
[Congratulations! You've completed all the novice orientation tasks and received the final reward, "Choose Your Lordship's Fate"! The Lord Region System will be unlocked soon! Return to reality will be granted soon!]
[Triggered the "Bloodlust" effect!]
[Your health points are permanently increased by 1!]
...-+ "Lord, your bravery is truly extraordinary!"
The onlookers gasped in amazement as Qin Feng instantly slew the Fire Fox.
After all, while fighting the Fire Fox alone would easily slay this highly aggressive, red-named beast, they'd inevitably suffer a few scratches from its sharp fangs, losing a few bars of health.
As the damage accumulated, the villagers' health bar would quickly deplete, ultimately reducing them to worthless corpses.
There was no other way.
This was the villagers' true combat power.
They too wanted to finish off the Fire Fox with a single blow, but the pitifully meager stats on their dashboard and their combat rating, barely higher than the Fire Fox's (scattered white dots), simply didn't allow them to show off.
As for Qin Feng,
his combat power should have been on par with the villagers'—capable of hunting down a lone Fire Fox, yet he'd always suffered minor injuries.
Instead, a single axe strike had shattered a significant portion of the Fire Fox's sturdy skull.
Like a seasoned warrior. Was
this also the result of the Mount & Blade system? Qin Feng wasn't sure, as he couldn't access his personal dashboard yet. He couldn't see the four-dimensional attributes and specific values, let alone any familiar Mount & Blade abilities hidden on the dashboard. But one thing was certain: his "Mount & Blade System" had been activated, and it definitely included the basic effects of the "Bloodlust Mod," allowing him to permanently increase his health by killing enemies. Recalling how he'd nearly been killed by the Death Knight, only to have a system prompt pop up at the last moment, it wasn't hard to deduce. This "Mount & Blade System" was his cheat code for traveling across time. However, it wasn't fully activated until he obtained the Lord's Stone, and began loading. As luck would have it, the Mount & Blade System hadn't yet fully loaded, loaded with all sorts of perverted mod effects. He was on the bus, facing a life-or-death crisis, cornered by that terrifying Death Knight. This thing had to be activated, leaving him defenseless in the perilous Lord's World... "Forget it." "There's no point in thinking about this." "Now that we've entered the Lord's World, let's seize the advantage and figure out how to survive." Qin Feng took a deep breath, his fingertips tracing the system prompts floating before him. [Note: Lord Area function has been opened—you can communicate online with lords in the same area, trade, declare war, form private alliances, compete in leaderboards, and more!] [Note: Return to Reality function has been opened—you can return to reality at any time, even when not in combat, and take some of your subjects with you (the specific number depends on your Lord's level)] [Please choose your Lord's Fate!] ... [Fate (I): Lord of War] [Fate Effect: Expert in expeditions, plundering, attacking, and combat. The Lord possesses extremely powerful personal abilities. When leading an expedition personally, they grant their troops extremely high attribute bonuses. Starting Rewards: 1 Warlord Fate Talent, 1 Set of Common Lord Equipment (White), 1 Job Change Certificate ... Fate (II): King of Tactics Fate Effect: Skilled at commanding and remotely controlling wars. The lord 's own combat power is mediocre, but his troops, whether marching alone, accompanying him, or garrisoning his territory, receive significant attribute bonuses. Starting Rewards: 1 Tacticlord Fate Talent, 5 Guardians (1-star White), 1 All-Seeing Eye ... Fate Effect (III): King of Territory Fate Effect: Skilled at farming, defending his territory, and increasing resource production. The lord's own combat power is mediocre, but he can grant certain attribute bonuses to all garrisoned troops and defensive structures within his territory. Starting Rewards: 1 Territory King Fate Talent, 1 Arrow Tower (including construction blueprints), 1 Seed of Abundance ... Just as Qin Feng had expected, this "Lord Fate" resembled a character talent from a novel, possessing immense power. However , as a newcomer, he wasn't entirely clear on the specific differences between the three Fates. He could only roughly guess at their pros and cons, drawing on his years of gaming experience. For example, the Lord of War fate grants the player and their armies immense combat effectiveness, but requires them to personally lead the troops into battle to activate it. This undoubtedly puts the Lord player in a precarious position, constantly worrying about potential enemy decapitation attacks and the possibility of escaping unscathed . Lord players who choose the "Tactics King" fate, on the other hand, lack the powerful personal abilities of the "Lord of War" but can remain at home, orchestrating their troops while their armies bravely fight outside, enjoying additional attribute bonuses. The final "Territory King" is the preferred choice for farming-oriented players. Not only does it enhance the overall combat effectiveness of one's own army while garrisoning a territory, it also increases the output of all resources within the territory, making it a pure resident. "Hmm?" "Which path should I choose?" After a moment's hesitation, Qin Feng decided to remain a cautious raider, maximizing his own interests as much as possible and avoiding any chaotic and crooked paths. After all, this lord's world is a transcendental game connected to the real world. It's always better to be cautious. With this in mind, Qin Feng clicked on the newly appeared "Region Chat" function and followed the system prompts to create a public ID for himself: Tingfeng.
As soon as I entered the "Regional Chat" channel, I was overwhelmed by a dense stream of shouts. I felt as if I was in a trance and was seeing the guilds of online games in my previous life.
Super Xiong Old Lady: "Hafk is recruiting! Hafk is recruiting! Hafk is recruiting! I say it three times because it's important! I'm reincarnated as an old player to lead the team! I promise to teach you until you learn! Friends who haven't formed an alliance yet
, please have a look!" Hafk AI Tank: "Hafk is recruiting! Hafk is recruiting! Hafk is recruiting! I say it three times because it's important! I'm reincarnated as an old player to lead the team! I promise to teach you until you learn! Friends who haven't formed an alliance yet, please have a look!"
Moonlight Like Water: "Collecting wood! Collecting in large quantities! Collect as much as you can! You can exchange it for food, stone, iron, and gold coins of the same value! Trade in Helmtal City!"
Peacemaker Loves Playing Birds: "Coordinates (312, 612), to attack a large troll camp. Are there any lords to team up with? My troops can be the vanguard, but the body of the troll king must be handed over to me. The distribution of other spoils can be discussed!"
Dragon Menbiaoju, Yue: "We take orders! We escort caravans! We escort missions! We guarantee your reputation! If goods are robbed en route, we'll compensate you tenfold! Our prices are reasonable and fair!"
Mengmengyue: "Woo woo woo, I'm a new lord. My territory is about to collapse from the invasion of the surrounding goblins, and many of my people have died. Any powerful bosses willing to lend a hand?"
Xiaocao: "Women, leave your coordinates, men, be strong!"
Duchengyujie: "Men, leave your coordinates, women, be strong!"
Qingtianbaye: "Newbie? Send me your coordinates! I'll help you guard the house!"
Don't Call Me MC: "Newbie, just a reminder, don't trust the coordinates left by those above. Be careful, those guys might plunder your territory... For low-level monsters like goblins, you can ask the friendly 'indigenous forces' for help. They always negotiate terms before doing business, and rarely go back on their word." "
And don't trust that guy escorting the caravan above! He might be a bandit lord who made his fortune by robbing, specifically trying to defraud new lords of their trade resources!"
"Anyway!"
"Until you get familiar with the game!"
"Newbies, don't reveal your territory information to other players!"
"If you have any problems, go to the 'indigenous forces'!"
"They're more trustworthy!"
...-+ After observing for a while, Qin Feng had a rough idea of the situation on the "Regional Channel."
This book, first released online by 𝕥𝕨𝕜𝕒𝕟.𝕔𝕠𝕞
, was a mixed bag.
Many players, claiming to be "veterans of reincarnation," seemed to have long played this extraordinary game and knew some of its secrets.
Many were busy forming factions, recruiting soldiers and soldiers like they would in an online game.
Then there were new players like Qin Feng, completely unaware of the rules and lore of the Overlord World and desperately in need of reliable guidance.
However,
without exception,
it seemed as if they had already entered this Overlord World for days.
They had even come into contact with so-called indigenous forces.
In contrast, he had only been here for half a day, and not even a glimpse of any "indigenous forces," let alone any contact with them.
Qin Feng couldn't fathom the specific reasons for this, nor did he bother to delve into them.
He was more concerned with choosing his Overlord destiny.
Coincidentally, a seemingly enthusiastic "veteran player" popped up in the regional channel. Perhaps he could use this opportunity to sound out the situation and carefully consider which Lord Fate would be most suitable for him...
After a moment's thought, Qin Feng opened the private message box of the Lord player who said "Don't Call Me MC" and sent a message:
"MC Boss."
"I'm still struggling with which Lord Fate to choose."
"Do you have time now? Can you explain the differences between these Lord Fates to me?"
"I can pay the corresponding fee."
Don't Call Me MC: "???"
"No!"
"Dude!"
"It's been so many days!"
"You still haven't chosen your Lord Fate?"
Qin Feng: "..."
As expected.
These people all entered the Lord World at the same time.
He was the only "unlucky one" who had fallen so far behind the other Lords for no apparent reason.
"Okay."
"I see."
"You must have been frightened by this place. After returning to reality, you never dared to come in."
"Now you've finally figured it out."
"Really?"
Hearing the other party's initiative to smooth things over, Qin Feng readily admitted that he was indeed timid, which had "wasted" several days of precious development time.
"Yeah..."
"Yes..."
"I was so scared at the time that I never dared to come back..." Don't
Call Me MC whispered soothingly.
"It's okay."
"It's normal."
"Many newcomers are like that."
"You're relatively brave. At least you came back."
"Some people witnessed the tragic deaths of their fellow villagers and never dared to log in again after returning to reality, ultimately wasting their status as the Chosen Lord..."
After a few casual exchanges, Don't Call Me MC enthusiastically explained the detailed differences between the three lords' destinies.
The general outline was similar to Qin Feng's own guess,
but the three destinies had completely different focuses.
For example.
The Warlord is a more late-game style, with overall combat power increasing towards the later stages. However, it's difficult to develop in the early stages, lacking resources and combat power, and the player is at risk of sudden death.
The Tacticallord is a more average style, capable of both offense and defense, without any significant advantages or weaknesses.
The Territorylord is a more early-game style, with no shortage of food or money at the start, and no fear of monster invasions, leading to a comfortable life. However, their growth rate is extremely low, making them vulnerable to becoming "cash machines" and "granaries" for other lords.
However, this is only a rough estimate; the actual combat effectiveness of different styles depends on the player's individual abilities and destiny talents.
This is particularly true of destiny talents,
which are highly variable.
The combat power of a single strong talent can easily overwhelm the combat power of a dozen weak talents.
So even if a Territory King who follows the farming style can easily defeat more than ten War Lords in the later stages as long as he can awaken a god-level talent with incredible effects...
"There are several ways to obtain destiny talents."
"Draw once at the beginning."
"Draw again every 10 levels."
"You can also get a chance to draw new destiny talents by obtaining certain treasures or completing some difficult tasks."
"However, this thing is more like a skill than a talent, and it is divided into active and passive types."
"Blah blah..."
"If you ask me for a recommendation, the most suitable destiny for newcomers should be the Tactical King destiny. It can remotely control troops to explore and fight, and can attack or defend. It has no obvious weaknesses and can handle any situation without any difficulty."
"The second is the Territory King destiny."
"Their resource output is not only self-sufficient, but also does not have to worry about sneak attacks and invasions from red-named monster forces."
"If you really can't make it, you can also go to some Lord Alliances to be a 'team miner', providing a large amount of production resources in exchange for the protection of other people's troops."
"Forget the War Lord."
"Although this fate is extremely powerful in the later stages, it's weak early on. Not only does it require a massive investment of resources, but the combat experience is also quite grueling."
"You know."
"Those of us, the Chosen Lords, can be resurrected endlessly."
"But every death is a real death. The pain won't just disappear like in a game."
"If you accidentally lose a battle, not only will you personally endure the excruciating pain of being ripped open by the enemy, but even your painstakingly trained elite troops will be annihilated."
"That kind of bankruptcy is like a prison within a prison..."
In a short moment, Don't
Call Me MC listed a long list of drawbacks about Lord of War,
attempting to dissuade Qin Feng from this pitfall.
However, Qin Feng had already made up his mind to take this seemingly most difficult path, becoming a Lord of War who personally leads his troops.
The reason was simple:
that cheat code, dormant for eighteen years.
It perfectly compensated for all of Lord of War's shortcomings and unleashed all of its strengths.
Mount and Blade Overlord!
Lord of War!
A perfect match!
[You have chosen the Lord of War fate!]
You have received a starting reward from the Lord of War! [
Unholy Aura (Lord of War. Talent): Within a 100-meter radius, you, all your troops, and allied allies gain a 10% increase in movement speed and 1 health point regenerated every second... Each upgrade of this talent consumes 5 Dragon Crystals, and you can choose to increase the effective range, movement speed, or health regeneration.]
[Professional Change Certificate (Treasure): After using, the player or a blank hero can become a basic class, gaining powerful supernatural powers and learning corresponding class skills... Repeated use allows you to acquire more subclasses, but biting off more than you can chew; fusing too much power will slow your progress.]
[Lord's Crown (White. Normal): Basic lord-exclusive equipment, increases all attributes by 1 point and grants a 5% attack bonus to all your troops.]
[Lord's Coat (White. Normal): Basic lord-exclusive equipment, increases all attributes by 1 point and grants a 5% defense bonus to all your troops. ]
[Lord's Pants (White, Normal Grade)]
[Lord's Combat Boots (White, Normal Grade)]
[Lord's Ring (White, Normal Grade)]
[Lord's Necklace (White, Normal Grade)]
...-+ "How's it going, Tingfeng? Have you decided which destiny path to choose?"
"Lord of War."
"Oh, the Lord of Tactics. This path gives you five one-star white-quality guard soldiers at the start, so make sure to use them well... Wait? You just said Lord of War? Not the Lord of Tactics?"
"Hmm." "
???"
Qin Feng's lighthearted response made Don't Call Me MC's eyes widen instantly, a face full of question marks.
No!
Dude!
I've explained it to you several times!
Why do you still have to fall into this epic trap?
Do I, MC, sound like a villain the moment I open my mouth? Can't I even earn this little bit of trust?
Sensing that the other party was in a bad mood, Qin Feng immediately explained:
"No matter what game I play, I prefer the late-stage style. It doesn't matter if the Lord of War is in trouble at this stage, as long as it can take off in the later stage."
Don't call me MC. He rubbed his eyebrows with his fingertips, and his tone was full of anxiety:
"My brother..."
"Don't take this as a virtual game for entertainment..."
"You know, you are a Lord of War. You have no soldiers or towers in your territory at the beginning. Once you are discovered and invaded by the surrounding wild monsters, it is impossible to hold on for three days..."
"Moreover, if the Lord's Hall is taken down by the enemy, we, the Chosen Lords, will lose the golden finger of infinite resurrection. If we die in the future, it will be a complete Game Over..."
Hearing this, Qin Feng smiled lightly, and then said tentatively:
"It's okay."
"I will go on the field to fight myself."
"If you can't beat it, just sneak back to reality."
"There's no way these monsters from the Overlord world can break through the dimensional wall and chase me into reality to kill me, right?"
Don't Call Me MC curled his lips.
"That's not the case."
"Only us Overlord players can pull our subjects back to the real world."
"The worst these wild monster forces can do is turn our territory upside down and demolish the Overlord Hall, which serves as our 'resurrection point'..."
Hearing the information he wanted, Qin Feng rubbed his chin, gradually falling into deep thought.
So it seems.
The Death Knight who chopped the bus in half in reality must be a unit or hero under the command of a Overlord player.
It wanted to take the Overlord Stone my sister left me.
That's why it caused such a commotion and
killed so many people.
But?
What about my sister?
Was she missing because of the Overlord Stone?
Tsk, there's too little information to tell... But my sixth sense clearly tells me that my sister is still alive, and in this Overlord dimension!
I will find her!
I will!
Qin Feng's knuckles turned pale from the strain.
Having traveled here, he was born an orphan, without the protection of his parents or the support of his family. It was his sister, with her frail shoulders, who supported the family, raising him from a toddler.
Those cold nights of hunger, the mornings of bullying by neighbors, the mornings and evenings spent struggling to make a living alone... His sister endured every hardship, yet left him with only warmth and security.
In this cold world, his sister was his only source of warmth, a blood connection.
Therefore, to find his missing sister, Qin Feng had already put his life and death aside.
Even if the road ahead was thorny, even if it meant antagonizing the entire Lord plane, he would cut through the fog until he had his sister back.
With this in mind, Qin Feng decided to end his conversation with the MC and devote himself fully to managing his territory and cultivating his power. He would also put aside for the time
being the other mysteries of the Lord world that lingered in his mind. It's not too late to come back and learn more later when the need arises. "Boss MC." "Thank you for answering my questions." "I'm not sure what resources you need. I'll send them to you once I've developed my territory. It's my reward for this Q&A session." Do n't Call Me MC waved his hand. "You're welcome?" "It's just a small favor." "However, the path you're choosing is truly problematic. I suggest you reconsider it... If you've already chosen it, focus your territory's future development on building a militia." "At least." "To be able to withstand the frequent invasions and attacks from wild monsters." Qin Feng responded gravely. "Okay." "I understand." "Thank you." After a few more casual words, Qin Feng tapped the virtual interface with his fingertips, proactively terminating his private chat with MC. He cast his gaze on a villager before him—the man was expertly peeling the fur of a fire fox with a bone knife, ripping open its abdomen and removing its internal organs with a smooth, flowing motion. [Your territory has obtained 1 unit of food (fox meat)] Kill the beasts in the forest and get meat from their corpses?
Hmm.
That makes sense.
But isn't the amount a bit outrageous?
A fox that size, and yet it's only enough for one villager to eat for a day?
After some thought,
Qin Feng decided not to dwell on the details.
After all, buildings rising from the ground in ten minutes, wheat crops growing in a day, and villagers appearing out of thin air... everything was quite outrageous.
[You have used your Class Change Certificate (treasure). Please choose your extraordinary class!]
[1. Warrior, 2. Archer, 3. Magician, 4. Priest... Interference by an unknown force!]
[You have gained a new class to choose from!]
[Ranger: You are a seasoned scout, protecting and watching over the safe forest. Your strength is unparalleled, your body and mind blending into one!]
[Witch Hunter: Heresy is the bane of the good people of the empire, a corruption that needs to be eradicated. Please learn the skills of the witch hunter and face all kinds of evil enemies with gunpowder and faith!]
Qin Feng was stunned.
Huh?
Aren't these two classes from the Warhammer mod?
Is it also included in the cheat code?
However, it seems that, like Bloodlust, due to the forced loading of the Mount & Blade system, it's incomplete, with only a few mod effects included.
For example, my favorite Vampire class from my previous life, the Bretonnian Knight of Chivalry, the High Elves' Grey Lords... none of them appear.
"Not a big deal."
"I wouldn't necessarily choose them even if they appeared."
"But do the two existing Warhammer classes have any unique advantages over the Transcendent classes that come with the Lords world?"
As if sensing Qin Feng's thoughts, either the Mount & Blade system or the Lords system provided a series of detailed answers.
[Archer (Common Class): Upgrade to Level 50.]
[Ranger (Legendary Class): Upgrade to Level 90.]
[Chosen Lord (Mythic Class): Upgrade to Level 100.]
Qin Feng: "..."
Okay.
I get it.
Mount & Blade products are always top-notch.
That pick is you.
Ranger!
Activate!-+ [Your profile has been updated!]
[Lord: Qin Feng]
[Race: Blue Star]
[Talent: Evil Aura (Lord of War)]
[Occupation: Ranger (Level 1), God's Chosen Lord (Level 1)]
[HP: 101]
[Strength: 7, Agility: 8, Spirit: 6, Constitution: 7]
[Weapon: None]
[Equipment: Standard White Lord Set (All Attributes +6, +10% Attack, +10% Defense, 10% Health for All Troops)]
[Lord Skills]
[War Blessing (Passive): When leading an army in person, gain +100% to all attributes for yourself and your troops, excluding villagers and productive subjects... The higher your God's Chosen Lord level, the higher the attribute bonus this effect brings.]
[Ranger Skills]
[Bow and Arrow Mastery (Passive): Your archery skill is greatly improved... The higher your Ranger level, the higher the damage, range, speed, and penetration of your arrows.]
[Eagle Eye (Passive): Your vision now penetrates obstacles, allowing you to see behind them and detect invisible units... The higher your Ranger level, the wider your Eagle Eye's range.]
[Forest Darling (Passive): Your movement speed in the forest is increased by 50%]
[Hunter (Active): This ability can be used once per day to attract a group of designated small beasts to your area. Killing them provides food.]
...
[Hidden Exclusive Talent (Undetectable by any detection abilities in the Overlord World)]
[Bloodlust (LV1): Killing an enemy permanently increases your health by 1 point. Killing 10 enemies permanently increases your attribute by 1 point. Each upgrade consumes 50 Dragon Crystals. [
Recruiting Prisoners (lv1): After battle, you can capture some enemy units with a star rating of 1 or less. Over time, you can recruit 100% of these prisoners. Each upgrade costs 50 Dragon Crystals.]
[Warhammer (lv1): You can transfer to two Legendary classes in Warhammer. All Legendary classes in this module do not affect the monster-killing and leveling efficiency of classes in Lord World, and you can gain additional experience points through designated actions. Each upgrade costs 50 Dragon Crystals.]
[Class Upgrade (lvmax): Soldiers under your command gain experience points with each battle. Once the upgrade requirements are met, they can be upgraded directly by spending dinars or gold coins.]
...
After opening the personal panel, the dense and lengthy introduction that suddenly appeared almost blinded Qin Feng.
Fortunately, he was a gaming expert in his previous life and had already developed the habit of reading every word carefully.
"It seems so."
"The forced activation of the Mount & Blade system currently only has four functions, and it's been integrated with the Lord game to some extent, transforming into so-called Lord talents."
"You must systematically upgrade your talents to gradually unlock their full power."
"But?"
"What is this Dragon Crystal?"
"All Lord talents require it to upgrade?"
After a moment's hesitation, Qin Feng suppressed the urge to immediately question the MC.
After all, as a Mount & Blade player who had "jumped in line" to the Lord world, he was already a noticeable anomaly.
In reality, there was a Death Knight who wanted to kill him.
If he acted too abnormally at this stage and asked questions that shouldn't be asked, he might reveal his whereabouts and be tracked by the enemies hiding in the shadows.
Hmm...
Let's deal with these troublesome matters first...
then consider the Dragon Crystal issue...
Making up his mind, Qin Feng looked towards the clearing in the distance and activated the only active ability currently possessed by the Ranger: Hunting.
[Hunting! You've summoned a pack of fire foxes to your territory. Hunt them to your heart's content for food and fur!]
As the system notification chimed, the stillness of the forest was instantly shattered.
Instantly, a crimson wave surged through the forest ahead. Dozens of fiery-red foxes burst from the brush, like a swarm of bees drawn by the scent of honey, eagerly rushing towards the source of the sound.
Dead leaves flew under their sharp claws, and fine dust rose in the air, swirling and floating in the shaft of light that penetrated the treetops.
The fox's fur, like blazing flames, shimmered eerily in the dappled light. Its fluffy tail rustled as it swept the ground.
"Attack!"
"Everyone!"
Qin Feng commanded, then took the lead, swinging the stone axe, which the system disapproved of, and bringing it down on the head of the leading fire fox.
BANG!
A muffled thud and crack of bone erupted, and scarlet fluid splattered across his lapels!
Crushed by the newfound power, the fire fox didn't even have time to twitch before collapsing like a rag, blood bubbles gushing from its throat soaking the dead leaves beneath its feet.
However, before Qin Feng could fully withdraw his stone axe, over a dozen crimson shadows, taking advantage of the moment Qin Feng lost his grip, pounced fiercely.
Instantly, sharp canine teeth pierced through the cotton clothing, tearing two bloody wounds in his forearm. Pain ripped through Qin Feng's body like an electric current.
In a split second, the stinging pain that had penetrated his flesh suddenly transformed into wisps of warmth, causing the broken wounds to scab and heal at a visible rate.
Lord's Talent! Unholy Aura! Rapid health regeneration per second! Increased movement speed!
This thing is truly incredible!
After thinking about it, a gleam of light flashed in Qin Feng's eyes. He swung the stone axe and turned around to chop. The strong wind he created blew up sand and rocks. With the help of the villagers holding stone axes and bone blades, they surrounded the group of grinning fire foxes in a fan shape and forced them into a dead corner in the clearing in the forest.
Then, the ripping sound of blades scraping against fur and the wailing cries of dying beasts echoed.
In a matter of seconds, dozens of crimson figures had collapsed in pools of blood.
[Battle Over!]
[Your Chosen Lord level has increased to Level 2!]
[Your Ranger level has increased to Level 3! Your various attributes have been boosted accordingly!]
[Your health has been permanently increased by Bloodlust!]
[In this battle, you successfully captured three enemies through your sheer force!]
A system notification chimed in. Qin Feng flicked the blood droplets from his stone axe and his gaze fell on the three fire foxes huddled and trembling not far away, their names now a harmless white.
[Captive Name: Fire Fox (White)]
[Health: 10/10]
[Strength Rating: Sporadic (Gray)]
[Note: Due to rules, you cannot attack captives or take anything valuable from them.]
Yes.
A standard Mount & Blade ending.
Qin Feng stared at the three fire foxes huddled in the fallen leaves, fingertips rubbing his chin as he pondered,
"So."
"Should I take in these three fragile little foxes from another world, or should I just abandon them?"
After a moment's thought, Qin Feng decided to keep them for now, incorporating them into his army once the conditions for their surrender were met.
The reason was simple.
According to the Mount & Blade game, players don't need to spend any additional resources to recruit captives; at most, they'll receive a daily allowance and food allowance.
If they die quickly enough,
these three fire foxes are essentially free, temporary combat power. They
don't even consume much food.
Although their combat effectiveness is truly questionable, unable to defeat even the stone-axe-wielding villagers, they're definitely just a bunch of mobs in the newbie village.
But he had chosen the "Lord of War" destiny, which comes with an incredible 100% boost to all attributes.
Add to that the 10% bonus to attack and defense provided by those six pieces of common Lord equipment, and even three rabbits could be tamed into war beasts.
"Anyway..."
"They'll definitely be enough to use as cannon fodder."
...-+ As the lowest-ranked monster in the Overlord World, the Fire Foxes' will quickly crumbled. After just a few minutes, the words "Recruitable" appeared clearly on their dashboards.
Qin Feng didn't hesitate and immediately chose to recruit them, making the three Fire Foxes his first combat unit.
Thanks to the buffs granted by the "Lord of War" skill and the additional stat boosts from their Overlord gear,
the cannon fodder Fire Foxes, once rated "zero" (gray),
instantly reached a "zero" (green) rating.
At this point, they were comparable to the freshly minted Level 1 militiamen from the militia camp, easily slaughtering villagers with a rating of only zero (white).
However,
if a single Fire Fox (green) faced several villagers simultaneously,
while its sharp claws could easily pierce a villager's body, the collective damage inflicted by the villagers' simultaneous attack could also instantly take the Fire Fox's life.
This is similar to the combat setup in Mount & Blade II—a level 6 soldier might be powerful, but if they're blocked by a bunch of old peasants with dung forks, they'll be instantly defeated.
As for Qin Feng,
his combat rating was fixed at zero stars (blue).
According to the quality ranking of Overlord World,
gray, white, green, blue, purple, gold, red... it's roughly the same level as elite monsters in other games. They're
somewhat powerful,
but not much, and they'll be easily crushed by a large number of smaller soldiers.
However, Qin Feng had a hunch that the system lowered his combat rating simply because he didn't have a convenient primary weapon.
If he could find a shortbow or longbow and maximize the advantages of the "Ranger,"
his combat rating would likely reach zero stars (purple),
the equivalent of an epic mini-boss.
"So?"
"Why isn't there even a weapon pack for your choice in the opening rewards?"
"I'm the Chosen Lord, the Lord of War, the Master of Mount and Blade, and I'm actually going to fight the enemy barehanded?"
As Qin Feng complained, he instructed the five villagers to return to their territory and gather wild fruits and mushrooms around it to make up their daily food allowance of one unit.
Don't ask.
It's the mystical art of gathering.
Qin Feng circled the forest three times, but everywhere he looked was a monotonous mass of shrubs and fallen leaves. Not a single fruit or mushroom, not even a berry-bearing plant.
"Hmm... our main task right now."
"Still getting food."
"We need to recruit at least all ten villagers that spawn each week to accelerate our territory's development."
With a clear goal in mind, he acted with purpose.
So, Qin Feng led his three fire foxes on a sweeping search, tracking the wild animals roaming the forest.
Most of the animals they encountered were herbivores with white names.
These include, but are not limited to, leaping hares, herds of deer in the woods, low-flying birds, and voles darting through the grass.
Unfortunately, these creatures are completely non-aggressive, scattering at the first sign of danger. They cannot be captured using Mount & Blade's prisoner mechanic and converted into members of a lord's army.
However,
in terms of "food,"
they are all perfectly suited prey, far more worthy of pursuit than slightly threatening red-named creatures like the Fire Fox. The only problem
is that the amount of food converted from their carcasses is too small:
only one unit per unit.
Furthermore, while searching for food, Qin Feng discovered a winding stream.
The various fish swimming in the stream were all identified as food resources by the system, but catching them with bare hands was difficult; like a fisherman, one must rely on various tools to barely catch these swift-moving aquatic creatures.
Fortunately, Fire Foxes are elite hunters bred in the jungle, naturally sensitive to small fish swimming in the water.
Whenever a school of silver fish dares to pass by the riverbank, the fire foxes will dive close to the water's surface, slashing with their sharp claws like lightning, precisely hooking their slippery prey.
This hunting method yields far more food than conventional jungle hunting.
No matter how small a fish is, it can provide at least one unit of food, and the sheer variety of river fish inhabiting the water far outstrips the frequency of wild animals seen in the forest.
"Amazing!"
"Why even call this hunting?"
"Just let the fire foxes guard the ponds and catch fish every day!"
The unexpected discovery of the fire foxes' hidden talent has opened up a whole new avenue for Qin Feng's food collection.
It's no exaggeration to say that
if Qin Feng and other Lord players entered the Lord world at the same time,
while others would still be struggling to distribute their daily food resources, Qin Feng's fire foxes would undoubtedly be able to achieve far greater development progress than others in the same timeframe, leveraging this hidden talent, similar to that of a "fisherman."
After all, this unique advantage, which allows resources to snowball, has always been a top-tier skill in the game.
However,
consider the other side.
Without the Firefox, a special unit unobtainable through conventional means,
even if Qin Feng were equipped with professional fishing equipment, he would likely be stuck in the predicament of "a pot of tea, a pack of cigarettes, and a fishing rod waiting until the sun sets," and it would be difficult to harvest a large amount of food resources through fishing.
River fish provide more food resources than forest animals on land.
This is understandable.
"I don't know..."
"Can the buildings in the territory behind unlock specialized fishing equipment like fishing nets..."
"If they do..."
"Then my territory's food supply will definitely be significantly improved..."
Qin Feng pondered as he directed the fire foxes to dive into the water and frantically catch fish. He himself sat comfortably on a rock by the stream, slowly catching fish.
However, the good times didn't last long. A pack of wild wolves with red names suddenly arrived to drink and ran into the three fire foxes fishing.
[Beast Name: Forest Wolf (Red Name)]
[HP: 15/15]
[Strength Rating: Sporadic (White)]
[Description: Wolves roaming the northern forests, they prefer to live in groups. They are extremely vengeful and will persistently pursue and retaliate against their enemies if a member of their pack is harmed.]
Wolves?
Eight in total.
They have an advantage in numbers, but a complete disadvantage in quality.
With a combat rating of Sporadic (White), they can only bully the ordinary fire foxes before they were organized, and the group of villagers whose four-dimensional attributes are slightly weaker than theirs.
Now, with the three Firefoxes of the Legion, with a little coordination and at the cost of suffering heavy injuries, they could completely wipe out the Timberwolves.
Afterwards,
the Firefoxes could also replenish their health with the insanely effective "Evil Aura."
There were virtually no casualties.
"However, the Bloodlust mod requires the player to personally kill the enemy in order to gain the permanent health and attribute point bonuses."
"Enemy kills by your soldiers do not count towards the Bloodlust mod's range."
"This fish... we can't catch it."
"Then let's fight!"
"Charge!"-+ Qin Feng's combat rating was a zero-star (blue). Although he'd crushed the pack of timber wolves by two ranks, he didn't dare to be so arrogant as to surround all eight wolves alone.
After all, even if each wolf only bit him once, it would be enough to cause him to lose significant health and become seriously injured.
One careless mistake could lead to a fatal disaster.
"But!"
"I'm not alone either!"
"Four versus eight... I have the advantage!"
With that thought, Qin Feng's knuckles, clenched until white, suddenly exerted force, launching himself from the stone. The stone axe, shrouded in a sharp cold light, tore through the stagnant air and struck directly at the wolves' flanks.
One of the timber wolves reacted with remarkable speed.
Its pupils constricted, and it growled a warning at its companions. Then, with lightning speed, it spun around, its sharp white fangs piercing Qin Feng's axe-wielding wrist.
Qin Feng rolled sideways, the axe blade narrowly grazing a wolf's ear. The sharp edge of the blade left a half-finger-deep bloody mark on its cheek, and dark red blood splattered onto the withered yellow leaves.
Then, the scent of blood exploded in the air like a drumbeat of war, instantly igniting the wolves' ferocity.
Eight pairs of crimson eyes locked onto Qin Feng, and deafening growls rolled from their throats, like eight bolts of black lightning sweeping towards him.
As the leader of the front row leaped, a foul-smelling gust of air, laced with tiny drops of saliva, sprayed Qin Feng's jaw. Its sharp fangs nearly grazed his carotid artery, causing a searing sting.
Faced with the siege, Qin Feng instinctively held his breath, his back pressed against the rough tree trunk, the bark scraping against his leather wristband with a harsh sound.
By the time his lower back collided with a raised root, the wolves' encirclement had closed completely, the closest claws only half a foot from his lower abdomen.
At the critical moment, Qin Feng clenched the stone axe in his hand, using the force of the tree's rebound to spin and swing.
The axe blade pierced the oncoming wolf's throat with a whistling sound. Arterial blood gushed out like a high-pressure fountain, warm droplets of blood blinding his eyes, dripping down his chin into his collar, the fishy-sweet smell nearly choking his lungs.
Simultaneously,
three crimson afterimages shot through the air like arrows from a bow.
Their fur exploded into blazing crimson flames, their claws ripping the air with a teeth-grinding crack, sparks flying as they collided with wolf fangs.
In the blink of an eye, one of the fire foxes had tackled a timber wolf to the ground, its tusks piercing its prey's carotid artery with pinpoint accuracy. Warm blood splattered across the fire fox's crimson fur, creating a riot of eerie flowers.
The other fire fox was unlucky. The moment it charged forward, it was attacked by several timber wolves, two of which gripped its hind legs tightly. The sharp pain rippled through its body, and it let out a shrill wail.
But the fire fox didn't flinch. Instead, it tumbled and stabbed one of the wolves' belly with its fangs, sending blood gushing out, staining the grass crimson.
The last fire fox leaped into the air, its claws darting straight for the wolf's eyes like lightning. Upon landing, it pinned the timber wolf to the ground and tore at its throat, sending shreds of flesh and hair flying through the air.
Qin Feng seized the opportunity, roaring and swinging his stone axe. Each blow carried a fierce, mortal blow, slicing the suddenly distracted timber wolf into pieces.
The battle became a one-sided slaughter.
The wolves' cries were gradually drowned out by the muffled thud of blades slicing through flesh.
Soon, the pack's attack faltered. The last timber wolf turned to flee, but the fire fox grabbed its tail and dragged it back, its claws piercing its body. It convulsed in agony as it drew its last breath.
The smoke cleared, revealing a shattered battlefield.
The fire foxes, dragging their battered bodies, slowly approached Qin Feng.
A faint purple glow, a sinister aura, permeated and lingered around their bodies, seeping into wounds like water, slowly repairing the wounds left by the brutal battle.
The bloody stench in the air was gradually dispelled by the faint halo of healing light.
[Battle Over!]
[Your Ranger Level has been raised to 4! Your various attributes have been improved!]
[Your Health has been permanently increased by Bloodlust!]
[Your Bloodlust has given you a slight boost in Strength!]
[Your Soldier, Firefox, has benefited greatly from the battle, gaining some combat experience!]
[In this battle, you successfully captured an enemy through your powerful force!] Slay the enemy, sacrifice your soul, and you've been favored by the Lord of War .
From the corpses of the forest wolves, you've obtained divinely chosen loot... Common Dagger (White), Healing Potion x1, Wolf Hide Material x3, Wolf Bone Material x3, Wolf Meat x2.
"Huh?"
"Something actually dropped?"
"I thought there were no loot drops from killing monsters in this lord's world!"
Qin Feng leaned over to observe, and found that the items "dropped" by the pack of forest wolves, like the loot dropped from monsters in regular online games, appeared out of thin air above the corpses.
The difference was that the wolf corpses didn't disappear like in the game.
This meant that as long as Qin Feng brought the corpses back to his territory, the villagers could skin them and convert each corpse into one unit of wolf meat.
"I understand."
"Real-world loot is more in line with real-world logic."
"You can only take what the enemy carries."
"And the loot dropped by killing wild monsters is a divine reward randomly bestowed upon the lord player by a god-like being like the 'Lord of War.'"
"Professional skill books, free attribute points, job transfer certificates, lord equipment... basically, you can only obtain them through the latter."
Okay.
No problem.
I was originally agonizing over how to get "Bow Weapons."
Now that monsters can drop them, let's go all out and take advantage of the "Lord of War."
Hopefully, Big Brother won't be ungrateful
and just drop some useless junk.
After figuring out the mechanics, Qin Feng turned his attention to the captured Timber Wolf.
Same old routine.
Recruit it.
Give it a legion.
Then let it offer its heart to the future "Mount and Blade Overlord.
" Let's start with a "Zoo"!
...
[Soldier Name: Timber Wolf (Green Name)]
[Health: 24/24]
[Strength Rating: Sporadic (Green)]
[Introduction: Recruited by a mysterious force, the Timber Wolf unit, blessed by the power of the Lord of War, has significantly increased its combat effectiveness.]
...
Like the Firefox, the Timber Wolf's stats were raised to Sporadic (Green) after receiving a legion.
However, its four-dimensional attributes, and the resulting combat stats like attack power, defense, and health, are all superior to those of a comparable Firefox.
In a one-on-one duel, the Firefox would certainly not be able to defeat the Timberwolves, but the difference in strength between the two teams wasn't that great either.
In other words, the marginal benefit of attribute points diminishes as the stats increase, and the strength gain from each investment gradually slows.
However,
this isn't a big problem.
Qin Feng has the "Bloodlust" module.
He can rely on an infinite amount of attribute points to achieve unstoppable power.
Just grind... and you're done.-+ After dispatching the suddenly appearing pack of forest wolves, Qin Feng immediately ordered his three fire foxes back into the river to fish.
He then stuffed the carcasses of the fish the fire foxes had killed into his inventory, waiting for the fresh catch to be brought back to the territory, where the villagers would process it into small, easily storable dried fish before it could be converted into food recognized by the system.
Of course,
Qin Feng also ordered the newly recruited forest wolf to fish in the river.
Remember the domain name for the initial website: 𝕥𝕨𝕜𝕒𝕟.𝕔𝕠𝕞
Unfortunately,
this creature's fishing talent was truly poor.
It thrashed in the shallows for a long time, its fur soaked to a mat, its claws caked with mud, yet it didn't catch a single fish. The splash of water from its head flicked, a clumsy, comical effect in the sunlight.
Desperate, Qin Feng had to abandon the fishing and instead wander the surrounding woods for a while, hoping to catch a few stray rats and rabbits.
Unexpectedly,
it was surprisingly effective.
It caught many wild animals in the forest.
"Let me think about it."
"We need to recruit ten villagers per week."
"First, we need to prepare 100 units of food."
"And the villagers can only produce 1 unit of food at most from the fruits and mushrooms they gather every day, which is barely enough for them to survive."
Qin Feng stroked his chin, his eyes sweeping across the shimmering river, his fingertips unconsciously tapping the stone axe at his waist:
"This means..."
"If you want to free up manpower to acquire other types of territory resources."
"As a lord, I must take my soldiers out hunting every day, relying on the extra food provided by wild animals and fish to meet the food needs of the entire territory." "
Of course... it's okay not to go out hunting. After all, the logging hut and the mining hut are already built, and there are two lumberjacks and two miners given for free. We can slowly gather the construction materials, build other territory buildings, and upgrade the lord's hall by the way." "
But this will slow down the pace too much."
He kicked a pebble at his feet, and the stone flakes skimmed the water, startling a few silverfish:
"The most reasonable way."
"Let all the villagers cut wood and move stones."
"Prioritize expanding the logging huts and mining huts, devoting all available labor to infrastructure construction to maximize the territory's development potential."
"When food acquisition efficiency starts to fall behind the territory's consumption,"
"Build a farm hut. Leverage the farmers' exceptionally high food efficiency to sustainably feed the entire territory."
"Continue to fully advance infrastructure development until the people face a new food crisis. Then, build the next farm hut, and repeat..."
To put it bluntly,
it's a single principle.
As long as the people aren't starving, full production and construction must be driven, while simultaneously reducing the efficiency of food resource acquisition, effectively implementing a utilitarian operational strategy.
This is the classic path that almost every seasoned strategy gamer takes during their development.
It's also the reason why, in PVP mode, they can acquire several times more troops than ordinary players within a limited and equal amount of time. It
's like those capitalists who deserve to be hanged on the street lamps, always able to complete primitive accumulation at an astonishing rate.
What a pity.
Ultimately, the creatures of the Lord's World could not escape the shackles of nature.
Their ancient biological clocks still dictated a minimum survival limit: daily labor must not exceed ten hours, and adequate rest and relaxation are essential to maintain a vigorous working state for the next day.
Therefore, even with the ambitions of a ruthless capitalist, Qin Feng could not compel his subjects to transform into tireless construction machines under the cover of night, keeping the wheel of the territory's development churning 24/7.
He could only call out to his three fire foxes and forest wolves as the sun slowly sank into the distant mountains, concluding the day's hunt and setting off on his own to return to the territory.
Back in the Lord's Hall,
Qin Feng poured out the carcasses of the day's hunted animals and the fish he had caught from the river from his "backpack," handing them to the villagers preparing to "clock out."
Then, as if by magic, the villagers pulled out bone knives hidden beneath their lapels and expertly began peeling the skin, transforming the piles of flesh and blood into a sustenance source for survival.
After processing, Qin Feng harvested a total of 53 units of disposable food, enough to recruit five new villagers at once.
"Recruit!"
[You have recruited five new villagers!]
[Warning: Your territory has exceeded its population limit, leaving some of your subjects without a place to rest or sleep. Please construct "residential housing" as soon as possible to avoid affecting their future physical and mental health and work efficiency! Seeing this
, Qin Feng ran his fingertips across the territory resource panel, his eyes suddenly fixed on the "Wood Inventory" item.
Bad news.
There were only 20 units of wood left.
This was still 30 units short of the 50 units needed to build residential buildings.
Based on the current logging efficiency, it would take at least until noon the day after tomorrow to gather all the materials, so construction could not start immediately to solve this problem.
Good news.
The forest wolves and three fire foxes recruited through the Mount and Blade system were not bound by the "bed-bound" rules like human subjects, nor did they take up the territory's population quota.
He didn't need to build a separate residential building for the four of them.
The same setting should apply to other "Zoo" troops to be recruited in the future, which would save him a large amount of wood resources.
"Amazing."
"They can go out and fight, produce food, and don't consume the territory's population, and there's no extra recruitment cost."
"Could there be any more useful slave soldiers than this?"
"The only drawback is probably that they require three units of food daily, and they're a bit picky about food; they must be meat-based."
"But that's not a big problem."
"They go hunting and fishing in the forest every day, and they can satisfy their own appetites. We don't even need hunters to produce meat for them." "
That's a real money saver."
After thinking it over, Qin Feng temporarily kicked the "militia" out of his future development plans.
The future is promising, and we can draw it in the future.
Recruiting militia consumes a lot of resources, and keeping them fighting also consumes a lot of food. They don't produce much resources, and they also take up the allocated quota for productive subjects.
Compared to the "zoo" and other wild soldiers that are almost completely free,
they are far inferior.
There's no reason to use them to open up new land.
How about replacing them all with the "Zoo" slave army and implementing this cost-effective and practical capitalist approach to the end?
"Okay."
"We're finally on the road to a moderately prosperous life."
"Tomorrow, I'll continue gathering food resources in the forest. I'll also look for opportunities to hunt a few waves of red-named beasts and tame them into my own "Zoo" troops."
"My territory's development efficiency will definitely increase significantly."
"Later."
"With the unique advantages of these field troops."
"I should soon be able to catch up with those "territory kings" who specialize in resource production."
"It's even possible to surpass them."
However, as Qin Feng was daydreaming, he didn't notice that a group of dangerous uninvited guests had arrived in the dense bushes at the edge of his territory...