Chapter 27
【027】 Blindingly Thick Legs
At this moment, Ji Xiuwen truly felt like he had been shocked.
He never imagined that the “business partner” he randomly found would actually be the legendary leader of the Earth survivors.
This… couldn’t be any better!
After the initial shock, Ji Xiuwen quickly composed himself, trying to calm his emotions and said, “Lord, please have a seat.”
As he spoke, Ji Xiuwen was mentally trying to calm himself, reminding himself to stay composed and not let her identity interfere with the business discussion.
He thought that the Lord’s presence here must mean that she was interested in his project. If that were the case, he had to make a good impression. As long as he performed well, he’d be practically holding on to a golden thigh. Wouldn’t it be natural to get more opportunities later?
Gu Qing responded lightly and sat down in an empty seat nearby.
As Gu Qing sat down, the Earth survivors sitting next to her couldn’t help but tense up.
The pressure was overwhelming.
To be fair, Gu Qing was usually very low-key, and she seemed quite approachable. However, when they saw her, the pressure was immense.
It was probably due to her remarkable achievements!
Especially since many of the people here were from the soldier squads. Anyone in the soldier squads mostly followed the orders of the two leaders, Bart and Alex, who were absolute authorities in the army.
They were powerful, and in the squad, their words were law.
Yet, such strong figures still treated Gu Qing with the utmost respect. This elevated her presence in everyone’s mind. No one would casually regard her as just another Earth survivor.
The longer she stayed in this territory, the stronger this feeling became.
Gu Qing wasn’t bothered by it. After completing so many quick-transmigration tasks, she had long learned not to get emotionally involved with those around her. Her attitude undoubtedly affected her social interactions.
In this world, to her, being an Earth survivor was just an identity, she hadn’t lived on Earth for that long.
As for others’ attention and restraint, Gu Qing was much more at ease with it.
Stanford, the current manager of the inn, noticed Gu Qing and eagerly brought over the shop’s specialty drink and some sweet snacks. “Lord, this is our shop’s special berry juice. It’s sweet and sour, and many people love it.”
“Thank you,” Gu Qing said as she took the drink and politely expressed her thanks.
“No need to thank me, Lord!” Stanford replied, though his excitement was evident from his expression.
After that, Stanford tactfully left.
However, this exchange made many of the residents nearby glance over from time to time, curious to see what made this gathering so special that it attracted the Lord.
As a result, Ji Xiuwen really started to feel immense pressure.
He sighed softly and then spoke, “As you all know, the purpose of gathering here today is to discuss the establishment of a logistics system in the territory. The future prospects are clear for everyone to see. Right now, I’m in the process of raising funds and hope that those of you who can contribute money will do so, and those who can’t, please lend us your support. We’re here to start a small business together. Of course, this is the only time I will ask for investment. In the future, the shares will be divided based on this investment, and we’ll sign a contract. As for what you do with your shares after that, I won’t interfere.”
After Ji Xiuwen finished speaking, several of his companions couldn’t help but glance at him. Their original plan wasn’t quite like this.
While the general idea was the same, the specific details seemed a bit different. For example, Ji Xiuwen had to hold absolute control to prevent being overthrown if the business grew too large. With a signed contract, there would be no worries in the future.
He didn’t mention this!
Several people thought to themselves, and their gazes slowly shifted to Gu Qing.
The only variable now seemed to be the presence of this Lord.
Ji Xiuwen naturally noticed the looks from his companions, but the reason he changed the plan was due to Gu Qing’s arrival.
The original plan had only considered the Earth survivors, it didn’t include Gu Qing, the leader. But now that she was here, it was only natural that the plan had to change accordingly.
If the project could get the Lord’s support and be carried out under her name, would its future be uncertain?
No!
It would only get better and develop faster.
What Ji Xiuwen could think of, others could think of as well. So after Ji Xiuwen finished speaking, everyone’s gaze quickly shifted to Gu Qing.
The attention of the crowd was now on Gu Qing, who naturally understood the meaning behind Ji Xiuwen and the others’ looks. She then smoothly asked, “How much do you need for this round of funding?”
“10,000 copper coins,” Ji Xiuwen directly doubled the amount planned for the investment.
This amount, the Lord could definitely afford!
With more money, his work would progress more smoothly.
“I’ll contribute 5,000 copper coins, and the rest is up to you. I won’t interfere,” Gu Qing said directly, making it clear she wouldn’t be involved in the project.
Ji Xiuwen’s eyes brightened involuntarily as he listened.
This was exactly what he had hoped for.
It was even better that Gu Qing brought it up herself.
Ji Xiuwen immediately replied, “Okay, Lord, I won’t let you down.”
Gu Qing nodded and then directly transferred 5,000 copper coins to Ji Xiuwen.
Ji Xiuwen quickly saw the 5,000 copper coins in his account, and his face broke into a wide smile.
Afterward, Gu Qing stood up and left.
The moment Gu Qing left, the silence in the room was broken.
Not only the Earth survivors present, but also many of the residents nearby couldn’t help but approach Ji Xiuwen, eager to ask about the investment project that even the Lord deemed worthy.
Ji Xiuwen looked at the curious crowd but didn’t say much. He simply mentioned that the project needed startup capital.
He knew that the logistics system would grow with the territory, and the more people there were, the more firmly he could establish himself from the beginning.
As he had said earlier, opportunities only came once, fleeting and brief, and it depended on whether these residents could seize the chance.
As Ji Xiuwen had expected, with the support of Lord Gu Qing, those who heard the news didn’t ask too many questions but simply handed over the money.
The copper coins in his pocket increased bit by bit, and with each confirmation, Ji Xiuwen directly signed the share contracts.
With the enthusiasm of these natives, the Earth survivors couldn’t stand aside either, taking out all the copper coins they could afford and joining in.
“I’ll invest 800 copper coins, is that alright?” Tang Ruiming also stood in front of Ji Xiuwen.
Ji Xiuwen listened and was stunned for a moment.
Wow! 800 copper coins! Tang Ruiming was definitely the second richest Earth survivor he had ever seen.
Had he already saved so much money just after coming to the territory?
“Of course, that’s fine. But brother, may I ask, how did you manage to save this money?” Ji Xiuwen couldn’t help but ask.
“My savings aren’t much in the soldier squad. The Lord only takes a portion of what the soldiers earn outside, and the rest belongs to the soldiers themselves,” Tang Ruiming said casually.
The soldiers in the territory were definitely the wealthiest.
Hearing this, Ji Xiuwen couldn’t help but feel a bit envious.
However, he was also aware of the current recruitment situation in the soldier squad. Every time they recruited, countless people signed up, and only the best ones were selected. None of them were weak.
The first batch of twenty-three soldiers had all become professionals and had each mastered their own personal skills in the military training camp.
The later recruits, some of whom were quite skilled, had already advanced to professionals, and even those who hadn’t were just one step away from becoming one.
Once all these soldiers became professionals, they would definitely become the backbone of the territory. The beast tides would have less and less impact on the territory, and even though he knew the beast tides would grow stronger as the territory grew, Ji Xiuwen had full confidence in the territory.
When Tang Ruiming saw Ji Xiuwen’s envious look, he didn’t pay much attention to it. After all, he had encountered this kind of reaction many times before.
But deep down, he couldn’t help but silently praise himself for the wise decision he had made.
Following the Lord really meant there were benefits!
“I’ll accept this copper coin, and we’ll sign the contract directly!” Ji Xiuwen said as he sent Tang Ruiming a message. Soon, Tang Ruiming received it, read the terms, and agreed without any further negotiation, officially formalizing the contract.
The contract was protected by the apocalypse system, which was the most suitable choice for them.
After the contract was signed, Tang Ruiming was ready to leave. He was the type to contribute money without putting in any effort.
Just as Tang Ruiming was about to leave, Ji Xiuwen remembered his identity as a soldier and recalled a conversation he had overheard between a few of the natives. He couldn’t help but ask, “Brother Tang, I heard the territory is planning to explore other territories. Is this true or not?”
Hearing Ji Xiuwen’s question, Tang Ruiming realized the news had spread and nodded, “Yes, this is true. In fact, it was arranged by Captain Bart and Captain Alex, the two strongest squads that they control. With their guidance, everything is coordinated, and of course, the most important thing is that the Lord has approved of this plan.”
“Are there any conditions for joining such a squad?”
“No conditions, just that you’re willing to go. But the safety can’t be guaranteed. Between the two territories, if nothing else, the number of magical beasts will definitely not be small,” Tang Ruiming replied.
“When will they depart?”
“Just keep an eye on the movements of the territory’s squad, you’ll know. Such things can’t be kept quiet,” Tang Ruiming said directly.
“Will any soldiers be going?”
“The soldier squad will send a small team of ten to follow, but the spots haven’t been decided yet. I’m not sure if I’ll get selected,” Tang Ruiming said frankly.
Although he was the leader of a small ten-person team in the soldier squad, he wasn’t really anyone significant among the hundreds of soldiers. There were many people above him, each stronger than him.
Thinking of this, Tang Ruiming couldn’t help but feel a bit emotional.
As the Lord, Gu Qing had nearly the same attitude toward the natives and Earth survivors—whoever was capable, she would use them, with no special treatment.
Because of this, the natives, under Gu Qing’s support, rapidly improved in strength. It was even said that, from what Ji Xiuwen knew, several soldiers in the squad had already acquired skill cards that matched their abilities. With skill cards, they were even more formidable.
“Thank you, Brother Tang.” Seeing that Tang Ruiming had clarified everything, Ji Xiuwen couldn’t help but rub his nose, he really wanted to build a relationship with Tang Ruiming.
“No problem. If there’s any news, I’ll let you know. What’s your room number in the inn?”
“301.”
“Mm.” Tang Ruiming nodded. He understood Ji Xiuwen’s intentions and didn’t seem to mind.
He could tell that Ji Xiuwen had definitely caught the Lord’s eye thanks to his own intelligence, or she wouldn’t have taken the trouble to visit in person.
Smart people, forming close connections early, would only benefit their future.
Tang Ruiming and others had long recognized the reality. Coming to this unfamiliar world from Earth was an irreversible fact, and all they could do was one thing: make their own lives better.
The two reached an understanding, and then Tang Ruiming left.
As soon as Tang Ruiming departed, others started approaching Ji Xiuwen, who, of course, became more cautious in handling the situation.
People kept coming in, but as Ji Xiuwen had said, once the required number was met, that was enough.
After collecting 10,000 copper coins, Ji Xiuwen began turning others away.
In the end, he returned to the inn with a few companions to discuss the specifics.
That night, Ji Xiuwen tossed and turned in bed.
The next day, he woke up early, planning to check which villagers were willing to rent out their homes, but instead received some new information.
“There’s news from the village affairs center. They’re recruiting builders to construct shops.”
“Shops? What kind of shops?” Ji Xiuwen couldn’t help but ask.
“They’re going to set up a unified commercial street over by the marketplace, and these shops will be rented out directly.”
“Are there any conditions for renting?”
“I heard the rentals will be handled by the village chief. The village chief mentioned that the locations of the shops will be auctioned off through bidding.”
Ji Xiuwen listened and immediately understood.
This was likely another idea from the Lord.
The familiar flavor of Earth!
But one thing was certain—he absolutely had to rent one of those shops as their headquarters. A shop was definitely better than a residence by far.
Ji Xiuwen then went to the village affairs center with a few companions.
At that moment, the village affairs center was packed with people.
These people were all here for the shops.
The number of residents in the territory was approaching three thousand, a large enough number to represent a vast market. Anyone with a bit of sense knew that renting a shop was a very profitable move.
See, they’ve already started moving at the scent of profit.
Among them are some Earth survivors.
They are much more perceptive than the natives.
Looking at these familiar faces, Ji Xiuwen gathered his group together.
The Earth survivors gathered and couldn’t help but start discussing.
“The Lord is really amazing!”
“Yeah! I just heard that the Lord upgraded the residential area yesterday and built ten two-story houses, each costing up to 5,000 copper coins. I heard two of them have already been sold.”
“I thought the price was too high and out of reach for now, but now there are shops appearing.”
“It’s probably just following the trend! The shops before were directly led by the Lord, but to some extent, they couldn’t meet the needs of so many residents anymore. More shops are definitely a trend, because if residents don’t have places to spend their money, it all stays in their pockets, which isn’t good for the long-term development of the territory. To activate the market in the territory, they naturally need shops.”
“Aside from that reason, it’s probably also to take copper coins back from the residents’ hands and reinvest them into the territory to revitalize the economy. You can see this from the previous shops and the trading center.”
“That’s why I say she’s amazing!”
“If I had a territory like hers, I think I’d do the same.”
“But can you do it as well as she does?”
“…”
The person who asked that question fell silent. Anyone with a bit of insight would know that the development of the territory was built step by step. Doing this at the start would have led to a collapse. What Gu Qing did well was that every step she took came at the right time.
Without mentioning anything else, just look at the few people who now occupy important positions in the territory—who isn’t strong?
The highly intelligent village chief, Ulysses, makes Earth survivors feel as though their secrets are being exposed when they meet him. They can’t wait to get as far away from him as possible.
The two squad leaders with incredibly high combat power, Bart and Alex, are so formidable that they’ve never even had a chance to get close. All they know about them is what others say, their remarkable achievements.
The village chief and the two mighty squad leaders firmly maintain the stability of the territory, and they all remain loyal to Gu Qing.
They couldn’t think about it any longer—the more they thought, the more they realized the gap between themselves and Gu Qing, and they knew that this gap would only grow bigger in the future.
What could they do?
They could only follow Gu Qing, help build the territory, and use their knowledge, which was a little ahead of the natives, to try to live a better life.
With these thoughts in mind, many of their conversations shifted.
“There are so many people competing for shops. I wonder if I have enough copper coins.”
“The first batch of shops definitely won’t be cheap.”
“One person doesn’t have enough funds. How about we cooperate?”
“Sure, a few of us pooling together should have some money.”
“…”
Ji Xiuwen and his companions stood quietly on the side, not speaking, listening intently to others’ conversations. When they heard others worrying about the shops, they couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief.
There was no doubt—the shops definitely had a place for them.
They were also very thankful. If they had gathered funds today, things probably wouldn’t have gone so smoothly, as investing would be less profitable than running their own shops.
Thinking this, Ji Xiuwen once again expressed his gratitude toward Gu Qing.
The Lord truly was a shining, golden, and dazzlingly powerful figure!
While Ji Xiuwen was thinking this, Gu Qing, on the third floor of the village affairs center, suddenly sneezed.
Who’s thinking about her?
Just as she thought this, a notification from the system sounded in her mind.
【Congratulations, Host! You have earned 100% approval from Earth survivor Ji Xiuwen. First-time achievement, Attribute Point +1.】
Looking at this notification, Gu Qing was a little confused. Why had Ji Xiuwen’s approval of her suddenly reached 100%? What had happened?