Free Web NovelChapter 17: Chapter 17: Jiangbei Marketplace
"200 Ghost Stones..."
Chen Fan squinted at the panel before him. ’According to my plan, I should have been able to navigate the development period with ease. But the sudden, early arrival of the rainy season has thrown my plans into disarray, catching me completely off guard.’ freewebnøvel.coɱ
Now, he had to increase his camp’s strength as much as possible to have any hope of survival.
Two choices lay before him.
With his 200 Ghost Stones, he could spend 100 to upgrade his two Level 2 Arrow Towers to Level 3.
Or...
...he could gather 320 Ghost Stones and build a 32-meter circular City Wall, forming a defensive barrier within the camp.
Of course, this would only encompass the safety zone of a Level 1 Ghost Fire, not a Level 2 one. Building a wall to enclose the entire Level 2 Ghost Fire camp would be far too expensive.
As for which of the two would provide the biggest boost to the camp’s strength?
It was naturally the latter.
A City Wall would block the Ghost Objects charging into the camp. This would maximize the Arrow Towers’ ability to fire repeatedly, preventing them from being overwhelmed by the Ghost Tide.
But he didn’t have that many Ghost Stones right now.
’If Wang Kui can bring back enough Ghost Stones after picking up the people from the other sites, I’ll build the City Wall before nightfall. If not, my only choice is to upgrade the Arrow Towers and build traps and other structures for now.’
He couldn’t afford to wait.
’Last night was just an appetizer. Only heaven knows if I’ll survive tonight.’
He glanced over at Lame Monkey, who was still in the distance, digging in the Farmland to bury the Ghost Corpses. This patch of Farmland was already filled with so many of them; he wouldn’t have to worry about fertilizer for a good long while.
Yesterday, he had killed a total of 47 maggot-like Ghost Objects, but not a single Exotic Treasure had dropped.
He was starting to miss that mother-daughter pair.
’If I’d known, I wouldn’t have killed them. I could have raised them outside the camp. I wonder if I could set up some kind of Ghost Object production line.’
...
「Jiangbei Marketplace」
This was the largest Marketplace for hundreds of miles around. Its Pavilion Master was a Level 2 Architect, and it was located in the western district of Jiangbei City.
It was so famous that people often said they were "going to Jiangbei Marketplace" when they meant they were going to Jiangbei City.
The downpour was relentless.
Countless merchants and visitors milled about the various shops and stalls shaded by oiled-paper umbrellas. Everyone knew the rainy season had arrived early, and the Ghost Tide that had swept across the entire Wilderness 37 years ago might erupt once more!
They had to prepare in advance, just in case.
"The rainy season is early."
Inside the Pingtian Commerce Association, a Shopkeeper stood at the entrance, his face filled with worry and unease as he watched the downpour outside. "I wonder how many people will die this time, and whether Jiangbei City can hold out."
"Shopkeeper."
A waiter returned from outside just then, stepping into the shop out of the downpour. He took off his soaked outer clothes, wrung them out forcefully, then wiped the rain from his face. "There’s really no need to be so nervous," he said nonchalantly.
"Jiangbei City’s defenses were jointly built by three powers: the Jiangbei Chen Family, the Hill and Valley Royal Family, and the Wild Wolf Gang."
"Those incredibly expensive City Walls provide rock-solid protection for the entire city."
"And there’s an Arrow Tower every ten steps."
"They’ve never been breached by Ghost Objects in all these years. It won’t happen this time either."
"..."
The Shopkeeper looked at the waiter with a complicated expression but said nothing. ’The ignorant are fearless,’ he thought. In a normal rainy season, Jiangbei City’s geographic location and its vast stretches of Level 1 City Walls would indeed keep it safe.
But with the rainy season arriving early this time, a Ghost Tide was highly likely to strike!
He had lived through the Ghost Tide 37 years ago.
Less than one in a thousand survived in the entire city, and he had witnessed it firsthand. The only reason he was still alive was because he’d been clever back then. Seeing that the situation was turning dire, he had slipped into the Wild Wolf Gang’s core territory ahead of time. He only survived thanks to the Level 3 City Wall and defenses in their core area.
This was also why he had stayed with the Pingtian Commerce Association all these years.
The Pingtian Commerce Association was now one with the Jiangbei Chen Family.
Every major power had its own core territory, where the City Walls were of a higher level and the City Defense Buildings were more powerful.
If the city walls were ever breached...
...core members would make an emergency retreat to their faction’s core territory, allowing them to survive.
After a long moment,
the Shopkeeper, still standing at the entrance, clasped his hands together and gazed at the endless gray sky and pouring rain, muttering,
"May the heavens protect us."
"I hope no Ghost Tide appears."
An early rainy season only meant a high probability of a Ghost Tide; it wasn’t a certainty. It would be best if no Ghost Tide appeared at all.
In this world...
...it was so difficult to die of old age.
...
Jiangbei City, the Jiangbei Chen Family estate.
In a sprawling courtyard, a pale, unsteady middle-aged man held a Ghost Map in his hands. With a fawning expression, he approached a young man in a pavilion to report.
"Young Master, the Jiangbei Chen Family’s Site 37 is still lit up. It seems his luck was good last night; no Ghost Objects attacked the site."
"But the Ghost Objects will become more and more active during the rainy season. I doubt he’ll be so lucky tonight."
"Mm."
The young man sitting in the pavilion toyed with a Jade Bracelet. A flash of satisfaction crossed his eyes as he took the Ghost Map from the man. He stared intently at Site 37, located in the deepest part of the northern Wilderness.
It was as if he wanted to extinguish the site’s light with his glare alone.
’According to the plan...’
’That site should have gone dark long ago. After all, we only gave that brat 3 Ghost Stones. I didn’t expect it to still be lit after all this time. His luck must be good—to think that travelers would actually pass by and stay at such a remote site.’
’But that good luck should be running out.’
’The rainy season is early, and the Ghost Tide is running rampant.’
’I don’t see how he can possibly survive at a site with no City Defense Buildings whatsoever.’
’Although we’ve always called him an illegitimate son, everyone within the Chen Family knows the truth. That guy is the true eldest son of the first wife, the one with the legitimate and absolute right of inheritance.’
’As long as that guy is alive, I can’t be at ease.’
’My mother is the only daughter of the Pingtian Commerce Association’s president and the current Lady of the House for the Chen Family. Once that guy is dead, I will have the absolute and legitimate right of inheritance.’
"By the way—"
The young man frowned slightly. "Are there any flaws in the plan to send Chen Fan deep into the Wilderness?"
"None."
The middle-aged man shook his head, his expression serious. "Everything was done by the book. According to the Chen Clan’s ancestral teachings, all clan members must rotate through the clan’s sites for a year after coming of age. It was Chen Fan’s turn."
"Giving him 3 Ghost Stones before he left was also as stipulated by the ancestral teachings."
"It all followed procedure."
"It’s just that..."
The man grinned. "We just sent him to an abandoned site where almost no travelers ever pass by. Even if the Master investigates, he won’t be able to find any fault."
"Besides,"
"how could the Master not know about this? He tacitly approved of it long ago."
"After all, the Master still has to rely on that Level 5 Architect retainer your mother brought with her."
