Chapter 5: Taking Over the Territory

The second‑tier labor market offers free super beauties; logically the first‑tier market should have them too, and Li Bucai bypassed Wu An, went to the first‑floor labor market, and, as expected, under the floor‑one administrator's guidance obtained a YY‑style girl as pure and mournful as Lin Daiyu—Yan Qiu, and also received a set of refined copper chain armor from the introducer; it turns out the school‑uniform girls' armor also comes from here, but Li Bucai did not choose the copper crown with two pheasant feathers, opting for a copper helmet instead.

……

Ten beauties, nine martial and one literary; with no spare money to recruit others, he first went to the library and selected several Lord Skills. Lord Skills are divided into five major categories: Diamond, War God, Swift Wind, Divine Archer, Strange Gate. Each category has several weapon‑based martial arts, primary and secondary combos. Li Bucai chose War God. Primary weapon martial arts are: Long Knife, Spear, War Halberd, Hairpin. Secondary weapons focus on short weapons: Short Knife, Light Sword, Hook, Stab. Each weapon has dozens of associated attack, defense, and dodge moves; initially only three can be paired, each move can be infinitely upgraded, and higher proficiency yields vastly different effects. All moves cost 1 silver; learning more than four skills requires a huge permission fee.

Li Bucai chose the spear technique's attack "Plum Blossom Snack", defense "Qinglong Tail Sweep", light skill "Cloud‑Piercing Leap"; although he has no secondary weapon, he still prepared sword techniques' attacks "Flat Sword Form" and "Hidden Sword Form", and defense "Swinging Sword Form".

The remaining funds were spent entirely on tools: a logging axe, a saw, a mining pick, a fishing rod, a small knife, a set of cooking utensils, and several large rain‑proof cloths.

All preparations complete, he spent a night lodging in Sky City; at dawn the next day, Li Bucai led the beauties from Tengyun Station aboard a white cloud, departing Sky City toward his Territory.

Tengyun Station is free for first‑time Lords; each Lord receives a Tengyun Token. If they wish to return to Sky City later, they can use the token, costing 1 silver each time.

……

The tens of thousands of kilometers took only a little over half a hour, arriving at the continent's northeast corner. Along the way Li Bucai only saw countless green lines streaking beneath his feet, unable to discern the terrain below until nearing his Territory's bounds, when the speed slowed and the cloud circled his Territory several times to give him a deeper understanding of it.

The entire western side is a 50‑kilometre‑wide belt of karst cliffs running through the Territory; to the south lies Holy Spirit Snow Mountain, its peak so high that flying close to it from the white clouds reveals a very tall mountain, still covered more than half its height by snow in early spring. To the north, Shalanjiang is a very wide river, about two kilometres across on average, its surface crystal clear and perpetually a sky‑like blue, appearing from above like a maiden's silk ribbon, enchanting. To the east, White Horse River is far more delicate, only about a hundred metres wide on average, shallow enough to clearly see fish swimming.

As the white cloud passed over the whole Territory, Li Bucai couldn't help feeling a bit disappointed; three‑quarters of the area being mountainous was perhaps a bit too little, only the White Horse River basin had a long plain, half of which was claimed by the school‑uniform girls, the rest of the valleys were scattered tiny patches of flat land, pitifully small.

The Lord may freely choose where to land.

Li Bucai calculated silently: the southern snow mountain and western cliffs form a natural barrier; if anyone invades, it will be from the north or east. The east is the school‑uniform girls, whose threat should be minor. Qian Feng arrived half a month earlier; his lecherous level rivals my own, so we must first guard against forces on the north bank of Shalanjiang. Thus it is best to camp at the confluence of White Horse River and Shalanjiang, allowing us to watch the north while also guarding the east. For offense, when the time is right, we can build a few large ships to cross the water and freely attack the north and east banks. For retreat, if the enemy is strong and we cannot hold, we fall back into the valleys, with hundreds of kilometres of strategic depth behind us.

The lower 20‑kilometre stretch of White Horse River forms an inverted "S" riverbed, dividing this plain into two huge semicircles; the lower semicircle belongs to Li Bucai's Territory, the upper to the eastern school‑uniform girls. Li Bucai decided to set up camp here.

The plain is covered with dense jungle; the cloud lands on the north bank of White Horse River near the foot of the mountain, where there is a sizable clearing, high above the water level, so even a flood would hardly reach it.

The plan set, the cloud beneath his feet began to descend; when he touched down, the cloud dispersed, and his feet officially stood on his Territory.

Below his feet is a verdant lawn, ahead a clear turquoise White Horse River, behind a towering majestic mountain, everywhere unpolluted green, like a paradise.

Brenam Time, 7 a. m., Li Bucai formally took over this land.

……

"Zhuoran sister, are you really sure that following him will be better than following other Lords?" The girls stood in two rows; because Wu Zhuoran, Wu Zhuoyue, and Yan Qiu's statuses are higher than the seven girls', the three stood at the front as a separate line. While Li Bucai was pondering, Wu Zhuoyue whispered.

Wu Zhuoran gave a faint "hm"—though casual, it was resolute.

"But look at us: aside from Yan Qiu, we're all people who only know martial arts and nothing else, and Yan Qiu has never done any hard labor since childhood. Will we starve here?"

Wu Zhuoran, upon arriving at the Territory, also realized this issue; when the respected Lord let her select talent, she only thought of picking capable people for the Lord, without considering much else. As a member of a military family, she handled only military matters and naturally ignored everything else. She now felt a bit guilty.

"There will be a way," Wu Zhuoran replied calmly, moving to Li Bucai's side: "I was careless and wasted the Lord's silver, which could have recruited more people to help build the camp, leaving the Lord with no idle money to attract more useful people. Now we have not a single grain of food… Please, Lord, punish me."

Li Bucai laughed: "I sent you to recruit; if there's punishment, it should be on me. Don't worry, guarding such a big river, bread will come."

Now we have nothing; we can't just admire the scenery. While there's still time, we must quickly build the camp and solve lunch.

Li Bucai immediately assigned tasks: "These beautiful sights should have been for you to wander, enjoy the mountains and waters while learning the surroundings. I didn't plan that thoroughly, so I'll be punished with a few days of labor. Now, you'll lead them around, but don't go too far; if you return too late I'll worry."

Wu Zhuoran's eyes flickered slightly, yet she remained calm: "All the fault lies with the subordinate, dragging the Lord into suffering. Though I only know a few flower‑fist moves, with Yan Qiu present I think we can handle other matters. Since we're now the Lord's people, whatever the Lord commands we'll do."

"Um… anything is allowed?"

The girls in unison said: "We will obey all orders of the Lord."

Li Bucai's eyes lit up, his mind racing; with so many cute girls, he wanted to kiss each one, but feared that if each gave him even a tiny bite on the butt, it would take half a year to recover, and they'd all starve together. These are cats that bite; before winning their hearts, he must not act rashly.

"Very well, I now command you to spend half a day touring the mountains and waters, as if inspecting my Territory for me. Not only that, when you return you must report everything you saw. Zhuoran, please take care of them for me."

Wu Zhuoran said: "Hmm, but Yue Er's ability is not inferior to mine; perhaps Yue Er and I each take a few people and split the routes, maybe we'll gain more."

"Agreed, from now on you two are my guards. Choose your own people, but be sure to look after them for me."

Both bowed together: "Thank you, Lord. We will do our utmost."

Wu Zhuoran added: "Xianghong is an excellent swordsman, selected by the subordinate as the Lord's personal guard; thus Xianghong will serve as the Lord's close guard. Rui Tong also stays by the Lord's side; her light skill is good, and if we're not at the camp she can convey the Lord's commands to us."

Xianghong is a swordsman; swordsmen are inherently personal guards for the lord. Rui Tong is a scout, possessing excellent light skill, which Li Bucai does not object to.

Among the other five, Wu Zhuoran chose a Blade Badge Warrior and a field medic, and gave the other Blade Badge Warrior and two crossbowmen to Wu Zhuoyue.

With the division set, the two sisters split routes: one team along the river, the other heading north along the mountain foot.

……

Wu Zhuoran's party had already gone far; only Li Bucai and three girls remained in the camp. He took a fishing rod from the pack, intending to solve lunch first.

Yan Qiu is the only first‑tier laborer here, introduced by the market administrator; she is said to be an outstanding girl, young yet encyclopedic about life—whether building houses, wood grain, mineral types, how to obtain them, or what is edible, she knows it all.