Chapter 389: Rule Service

But to say that one possesses this item yet does not use it is absolutely impossible.

Cheng Shuili thought for a moment, raised her hand and turned the ring, intending to awaken the ring spirit and ask about the situation.

The voucher only said that a safe zone could be established, but it didn't mention any specific rules at all.

If declaring war were possible like with other forces, Cheng Shuili would simply give up the idea of building it.

Her rocket launchers were still bought from the Rat King, after all; if he really came attacking, who could withstand it?

That's a rocket launcher!

But if declaring war were impossible, there would be no other safety concerns; it's just that the Rat King, this beastman, bears a grudge against her in his heart and might occasionally trip her up……

Cheng Shuili certainly isn't timid!

No matter how much he possesses, he's still just a beastman; as a beastman NPC, he must follow the beastman NPC's rules.

Anyway, Cheng Shuili has never heard of beastmen being able to act directly against players.

Even on these beastmen's turf, as long as Cheng Shuili doesn't break the rules, the beastmen cannot take the initiative to act against her.

Thinking this through, she turned the ring on her hand again; logically, the ring spirit should have awakened by now, so why isn't it speaking?

As this thought occurred to her, Cheng Shuili unconsciously narrowed her eyes.

She understood.

Before, it was that the ring spirit couldn't speak; now, it's that this guy just doesn't want to speak.

Cheng Shuili couldn't help but snort coldly; previously, its wolfish ambitions were something she hadn't bothered to argue about, but now it finally got a chance to speak, yet it's actually angry at her, its master, and pretending to be mute?

"How about it," she said, her voice not loud but carrying a clear chill, "do you still need me to summon you out?"

The ring showed no movement, feigning death quite thoroughly.

Cheng Shuili laughed in anger.

Fine, very good.

Playing this trick with her.

She no longer hesitated, directly using a commanding tone: "Come out, answer my question."

The ring spirit's voice was unwilling, yet it spoke: "Yes, master."

Cheng Shuili was somewhat satisfied.

After all, no matter how unwilling it might be to answer, it still has to obey her command as its master.

That's enough.

Cheng Shuili couldn't be bothered to quarrel with it over its petty thoughts, and directly voiced her concerns about the legendary construction voucher, especially regarding the safe zone's rules and her worries about the Rat King's possible reaction.

The ring spirit remained silent for a long time; just as Cheng Shuili thought it might defy her command, it finally answered:

"Master, your caution is truly wise. But this voucher might be one of the rarest items obtainable by humans; leaving it unused, are you really willing to do so?"

One of the rarest items obtainable by humans?!

That title is indeed quite grand.

But Cheng Shuili didn't go along with its suggestion; instead, she immediately narrowed her eyes and asked, "What nasty scheme are you hatching again?"

"I wouldn't be scheming anything——

Cheng Shuili directly cut off its excuse, "Speak the truth."

The ring spirit, choked by Cheng Shuili's merciless interruption, lost its feigned grievance instantly; its tone turned dry and blunt, with a sort of 'broken pot, broken resignation' frankness:

"All right, master. To speak frankly, I hope you will use it."

"Reason." Cheng Shuili said concisely.

Owning one's own safe zone means absolute control over resources, information, and talent. Black Feather wants to truly gain a foothold, and you want to secure a place in this cruel world—you must use this item! Compared to the huge benefits, the existing minor risks are nothing at all.

Cheng Shuili said nothing; the ring spirit took a deep breath and continued:

"There indeed is warfare between safe zones, and before the Rat King unified them, the various beast tribes often fought each other; if you fear war, perhaps you could first sign a peace agreement with the Rat King."

"A peace agreement?" Cheng Shuili repeated those four words.

"Yes." The ring spirit's voice carried a hint of contempt: "Such an agreement binds both parties, but essentially it's a protection clause where the weak seeks shelter from the strong. Once signed, your safe zone would, by rule, become a vassal of the Rat King's forces. You would need to regularly pay high tribute, and face many restrictions on trade rules and entry permits; moreover, the Rat King could, in the name of maintaining stability, dispatch personnel to station and supervise."

Cheng Shuili naturally could not accept such conditions.

She furrowed her brows, intending to ask if there were any other options, when the ring spirit added another sentence:

"But most of the benefits within the safe zone would still belong to you, even if you have to give a portion to the Rat King. As long as you don't care about face, you could obtain the greatest benefits in the easiest way—why not?"

What it said seemed perfectly natural, as if everyone should enjoy being a dog to the strong.

"Why not?" Cheng Shuili echoed the ring spirit's words, her voice showing no joy or anger, but her eyes suddenly sharpened like ice: "Using this one and only legendary construction voucher to trade for a vassal status that looks at others' faces and lives on their breath? And to hand over part of the benefits of the foundation I painstakingly built?"

The ring spirit shuddered at the chill in her words, hurriedly defending: "Master, I certainly don't mean that! I merely… this really is the safest way to avoid risk…"

"Shut up." Cheng Shuili cut it off, her tone firm and unyielding: "Such safety, I don't need. Since you say this is the easiest way, there must surely be another method, right?"

She lowered her gaze to the ring on her hand: "Explain clearly."

The ring spirit fell silent for a moment, then spoke with a hint of reluctance: "…Yes, there are other ways. Besides signing a vassal-like peace agreement, the rules between safe zones tend more toward… competition."

"Competition?"

"Yes, competition. Rather than endless, deadly war."

The ring spirit explained, "Because this world is not inhabited only by humans and beastmen. Besides the monsters in the gray zones and equipment like me that have gained consciousness, there is another existence that you all must not come into contact with."

Cheng Shuili immediately understood: "The system?"

"Yes." The ring spirit's voice sank, carrying an instinctive awe: "The system maintains the most basic balance. All newly created safe zones can purchase novice protection services from it. As long as sufficient resources are paid, the system will provide the newborn safe zone with absolute protection for one month. During this period, no external force can launch any form of challenge or attack against your safe zone."

Cheng Shuili's heart stirred: "What's the cost?"

"The cost is not small." The ring spirit replied, "Especially compared to becoming a vassal."

This guy still hasn't given up that idea.

Cheng Shuili didn't hesitate, directly asking: "Is it purchased with Game Coin? How much Game Coin?"

She has the confidence to say that.

If the system offers this item, then the price given must be one the player can accept.

And Cheng Shuili, as the top player, if even she can't afford it…

Then this damn system certainly has no sincere intention to sell!

Ring Spirit suddenly let out a light laugh, and Cheng Shuili instantly sensed something amiss.

Sure enough, the next second, a number was spoken.

"One million."

Cheng Shuili: "…"

She felt she had heard wrong.

"How much?"

"One million Game Coin." Ring Spirit's voice carried an almost cruel calm, "And only a one‑time payment is accepted, and this one million Game Coin can only purchase one month of peace."

Cheng Shuili fell silent.

One million?

Speaking of one million, she seemed to still owe the system five hundred thousand?

Cheng Shuili's face showed bitterness; this number is simply beyond what any player at this stage can produce!

This so‑called novice protection service was never meant for beginners from the start! It is more like an overt trap, a label the system uses to mock the over‑ambitious.

Ring Spirit seemed pleased with her silence, its tone bearing a faint, elusive mockery: "It appears, Master, you also think that compared with this astronomical figure, accepting the Rat King's protection is not that hard to accept?"

Cheng Shuili slowly lifted her head, the bitterness in her eyes fading, replaced by an extreme calm.

She even Qing Qing laughed.

"No." she said, her voice clear and steady, "Quite the opposite."

Ring Spirit seemed not to have expected this reaction, pausing slightly.

Cheng Shuili stroked the Legendary Building Voucher in her hand, her face utterly calm: "The system setting this price precisely proves one thing. It believes that a completely independent, unbound newborn safe zone's potential value far exceeds one million Game Coin, even far surpasses the so‑called protection the Rat King can offer."

She looked at the ring, or rather, at the Ring Spirit that was mocking her.

"The system is not mocking, but selecting. Selecting players truly qualified, daring enough to stand as king on this land."

Ring Spirit fell silent, seeming to ponder Cheng Shuili's words seriously.

But Cheng Shuili herself stood up, walked to the window, and gazed toward the endless road ahead.

She has already walked far enough on this road.

Everything she now possesses was earned by herself.

Now telling her to abandon all this and become someone else's vassal?

What a joke?!

"As long as you bow your head, Black Feather will forever be only Black Feather, forever living in another's shadow. And one million… though now out of reach, at least it gives me a clear goal, a price to stay alive."

She turned, her gaze blazing, bearing a do‑or‑die resolve: "Just one million Game Coin, I will eventually save up."

"This voucher, I will use it."

Her fingertip lightly tapped the Legendary Building Voucher, and the voucher instantly emitted a soft yet firm radiance.

"Shou Ren Xiao Zhen belongs to the orcs, the black market serves monsters, and we Black Feather will become a truly human trade zone!"

As the words fell, the entire vehicle fell silent.

After a while, Ring Spirit sighed, its voice bearing a hint of sincere admiration: "Choosing you as my master may be the most correct decision I've ever made."

"Choosing?"

Cheng Shuili seized that word.

But Ring Spirit lifted the unopened Special Equipment Box beside them, "That box seems to yield random items when opened, but actually the choice belongs to us. Of course, making a choice is not without cost."

It sighed again, as if recalling those not‑pleasant years.

Cheng Shuili waited quietly, but in the end Ring Spirit said nothing more.

Fine, she's not really interested either.

The important thing is…

"If I have one million Game Coin, how should I purchase this novice protection?"

After asking, she continued to put Ring Spirit into sleep.

Cheng Shuili doesn't want to leave such a safety‑risk thing beside her.

Ring Spirit seemed to understand her intent, but she is the master; Ring Spirit cannot rebel now, certainly still unable.

And the master's question, it must answer.

"Within those safety zones, there is a System Building each; once you locate these buildings you can purchase the corresponding rule services."

System Building, rule services…

Cheng Shuili noted these terms, but she had been to those places many times; why hadn't she seen them?

She thought so, and said it.

Ring Spirit seemed a bit helpless, but still answered: "System buildings differ from the human structures in your mind. They have no fixed form. They may be a tree, a stone, or even a gust of wind."

"Only when an authorized entity, such as you holding this voucher, approaches, will they manifest an interface form, usually a hovering Light Screen or a door."

Cheng Shuili was enlightened; no wonder she never noticed.

The system's secrecy is higher than she imagined.

"I understand," she nodded, "Then, you may sleep."

Although still discarded after use, this time Ring Spirit said nothing more; the faint glow on the ring quickly dimmed, returning to a dead‑like silence.

Cheng Shuili stroked the ring on her fingertip, her gaze returning once more to the Legendary Building Voucher.

Do you really have to save up a million before you can use it?

Cheng Shuili was thinking when the vehicle suddenly stopped; Su Rui didn't get out, but her voice came out: "Lao Da, the building by the road looks like a Jia You Zhan."

A Jia You Zhan?

Cheng Shuili's spirits lifted— isn't this just sending a pillow when sleepiness arrives?

She was just wondering what the so-called system interface looked like, when a special building appeared!

Su Rui parked the vehicle, and the two got out one after another.

Inside the Jia You Zhan, everything was as usual; the monster merchant shrank behind the counter, and upon seeing the arrivals, immediately picked up a fan and covered his face with it— obviously still remembering the last incident, and not very willing to receive Cheng Shuili and Su Rui.

And Cheng Shuili had come with a purpose, so naturally she couldn't be bothered to deal with it.

Su Rui followed Cheng Shuili around several circles, and could see roughly what Lao Da was looking for, but exactly what……

Now Su Rui is very principled; if she can avoid asking, she should— otherwise Lao Da might suddenly assign several tasks.

Cheng Shuili, walking ahead, frowned slightly; everything at the Jia You Zhan was just as usual, with nothing noticeably different.

The spirit ring definitely wouldn't lie to her, and since these places don't have it, the only place left is— behind the counter!

Cheng Shuili tried walking a few steps toward that side, getting close to the monster merchant huddled behind the counter.