Chapter 434 – Pioneer Team Appointment

The strength of Master Gunsmith Xie Yi had somewhat exceeded Mu Yuan’s expectations.

Just as there existed a vast gap between Deadbone and Bone Two despite both being Skeleton Lords, the difference between one Master Gunsmith and another could be as profound as the Sky Abyss.

Gunpowder and the others were mere novices, at best novices on the verge of completing their apprenticeship.

But Xie Yi far surpassed the level of a seasoned master.

“Master-level craftsmanship, along with several expert-level and proficient-level skills.”

“Even Master Li Erniu, the most skilled veteran in Tianyuan City, only possesses expert-level forging techniques. Most of Isloria’s various crafts are merely at the proficient or expert level.”

Of course, both Li Erniu and Isloria were very young.

Though Isloria had lived a second life, her previous life was merely that of a young woman in her twenties.

Master Xie Yi, with his weathered eyes and thick stubble, clearly appeared to be a middle-aged man with considerable experience who was no longer young.

“Nevertheless, master-level craftsmanship remains beyond expectations.”

“Any skill that reaches the master level is one in a million. Even with ample resources and a long lifespan, without sufficient talent, one simply cannot step into the domain of mastery. Some strive their entire lives and still fail.”

“And Xie Yi, coming from humble origins with no access to decent resources, still managed to enter the master realm.”

Mu Yuan could only conclude that if Xie Yi’s master-level skills were known to the outside world, the number of lords attracted would far exceed just the Golden Grand Duke and the Yellow Sand Lord.

Even the most top-tier lords might personally intervene.

Master-level craftsmanship combined with the Master Gunsmith class—this was simply too perfect.

“Moreover, Xie Yi’s master-level skill isn’t firearm modification, but mechanical modification.”

“Both are master-level, but the scope of the latter’s modifications far exceeds that of the former.”

Xie Yi had held back quite a bit when demonstrating his skills on Ironstone Mountain.

“No wonder Xie Yi could confront the Sand Elemental Lord.”

“He certainly wasn’t a match for the Sand Elemental Lord, but against any other Peak Heaven-Earth Realm being without an epic rank, he might have stood a chance.”

Mu Yuan browsed through Xie Yi’s panel.

The amount of data on Xie Yi’s panel was second only to Isloria’s.

Xie Yi’s equipment section alone listed a full thirty types of mechanical weapons. Well, he was a Master Gunsmith—it made sense.

Mu Yuan noted that Xie Yi possessed three talents.

「Firearm Proficiency, Explosive Force, Mechanical Animation」

The first talent was a given for any high-tier firearm-related class.

The second talent was relatively rare, allowing anything he touched to transform into the most volatile explosive.

In other words, Xie Yi didn’t need to craft any shells; even a casually thrown pebble from his hand would be a bomb infused with extreme explosive energy.

As for the third talent…

「Mechanical Animation」

「Description: Xie Yi modifies his machinery, linking it to his own bloodline.」

「Explanation: Xie Yi can remotely control his mechanical creations, which also possess a certain level of intelligence and can slowly recover after damage. (Damage must not exceed a certain threshold)」

「Note: This talent only affects Xie Yi’s own creations.」

Mu Yuan stroked his chin. “This talent… seems quite promising. Could it be an upgradeable talent?”

…

The contract was sealed, witnessed by heaven and earth.Witnessing this brutal scene, the other Lords could only sigh in resignation as they gradually departed.

They couldn’t help but wonder: if they had been more ruthless, if they had paid a higher price, could they have recruited Great Master Xie Yi before this “crossing-river dragon” Lord arrived?

What’s done is done, and regrets were meaningless, yet the Lords still found themselves pondering: what benefits had this formidable new Lord promised to instantly secure Great Master Xie Yi’s allegiance?

The thought still filled them with envy and jealousy!

A day later, with the assistance of Tianyuan City’s transport team—Dolai—Xie Yi’s assets from Ironstone Mountain were swiftly transported to Tianyuan City.

“Boss, I’m at your service from now on. By the way, I forgot to ask when signing the contract yesterday—will tobacco and alcohol be provided in ample supply?”

“Of course. I’ll have Isloria issue you a batch of supplies later.”

For this new employee’s onboarding, Mu Yuan didn’t assign Xie Yi too many tasks, allowing him time to familiarize himself with and integrate into the territory.

For now, Xie Yi continued with his original profession:

Modifying firearms and artillery, and instructing novice gunner-type troops.

The difference was that the number of trainees under Xie Yi had increased from a few individuals like Gunpowder to an entire battalion.

“Good heavens, where did Tianyuan City get so many high-tier gunner-type troops?”

Xie Yi himself had originated as a troop type.

He had no memory of where or when he was born.

By the time his consciousness became clear, he was already wandering in the Wilderness.

He had wandered for countless years.

He had encountered numerous dangers and also stumbled upon once-in-a-century opportunities.

Seeing the many novice-looking, somewhat bewildered gunner-type troops before him, memories surged forth like a spring.

Had he been like that back then?

Only, he hadn’t been as fortunate—he hadn’t found a sanctuary, nor encountered someone to guide his path.

A sense of mission suddenly welled up within him.

He would make firearms and artillery great again.

…

Tianyuan Calendar, Day 435.

Mu Yuan prepared to submit an application for positions to the Pioneer Group through Tianyuan Territory’s remote liaison station in Boulder City.

The Taixuan Covenant stipulated that Lords located within the Alliance’s interior were required to provide support and station themselves on the Alliance’s periphery during the Crimson Mist disaster months; territories that reached a certain standard also needed to dispatch personnel to serve in the Pioneer Group, the Taixuan Liangyi, or the Professional Association.

The regulations specified requirements for personnel numbers and duration of service.

This was an obligation.

But it was also an opportunity for advancement.

Many Lords eagerly looked forward to going to the Pioneer Warzone as soon as possible. This was almost the most reliable and least gamble-dependent pathway for ordinary Lords to obtain high-tier troops, or even to strive for the Legendary realm.

However, the Pioneer Warzone’s review process was strict; Lords and high-tier professionals couldn’t just go as they pleased.

As a territory that had just emerged from the novice “small ascent” stage, Tianyuan Territory was far from reaching the time for mandatory military service.

However,

“Defending our homeland, protecting our nation, and eradicating monsters—this is our unwavering duty.”

“Besides, the benefits and treatment in the Pioneer Group are truly attractive.”

Mu Yuan submitted two applications.

One was sent to the Pioneer Logistics Department; he had promised Minister Qin that he would send several capable officers and some elite troops to serve in the Logistics Department.

The other was sent to the Pioneer Great Warzone.

For his warzone preference, he filled in the ‘Cold Valley Mountain’ Great Warzone.

The Cold Valley Mountain Warzone was the warzone commanded by the Cold Moon City Lord.

Mu Yuan began arranging personnel.The Pioneer Group is the most elite among the three major official organizations of Taixuan.

The Pioneer Great Warzone, in turn, gathers the elite among elites and the strongest among the strong.

Third Order professionals without any specializations, unique skills, techniques, or sufficiently weighty letters of recommendation typically cannot enter the Great Warzone and are instead assigned to ordinary warzones.

The requirements for the Pioneer Logistics Department are lower, but they still prefer strong individuals with abilities related to guarding, covering, or transportation.

Mu Yuan naturally wouldn’t send only Fourth Order individuals.

He wasn’t going just to pad his achievements—otherwise, he wouldn’t have waited until now.

He planned to dispatch three Legendary Realm experts.

One to the Pioneer Logistics Department, and two to lead teams to the Great Warzone.

Mu Yuan flipped through the relevant materials on the Logistics Department and the Cold Valley Mountain Warzone.

Over the past few months, there had been incidents of logistics transport teams being ambushed every single month.

“No wonder Old Qin has been saying the Logistics Department lacks sufficient guard strength.”

“Actually, the probability of such ambush incidents is very low. The vast majority of Logistics Department transport teams arrive safely at the warzone bases, often without encountering any significant danger along the way. But…”

“But once a crisis occurs, it’s likely a premeditated assassination attempt by an Overlord faction.”

When such assassinations happen, it’s difficult for transport teams to escape unscathed.

It’s not uncommon for Legendary Realm experts to fall in battle.

After all, the Eternal World is vast. The journey from Stone Ridge City to the Great Warzone requires continuously venturing deeper into the Wilderness, stepping into barren lands where the Crimson Mist drifts and the Land of Filth proliferates.

Taixuan’s exploration of these areas is minimal.

The Alliance has neither the time nor sufficient strength to explore and clear them.

No one knows how many Monster Overlords, or how many Legendary Realm beings, are hidden along this route.

All the Logistics Department can do is conceal their tracks and strengthen their guard. Unless specifically targeted by Monster Overlords and directly attacked by several Monster Legends, the transport teams shouldn’t be completely routed.

“For the Fourth Order elites going to the Logistics Department, we can assign a few Fearless Warchiefs and a few Ghost Generals. Among the nature spirits, ‘Grass Branch’ excels at cultivating food from local resources and enjoys combat, so they can also be included in the list.”

“As for the Legendary Realm expert responsible for this matter…”

They must possess both survival and covering abilities.

Mu Yuan thought for a moment and came up with two candidates.

Rakshasa or Red Robe.

Rakshasa can transform into the Fiendish Sea, making his survival skills top-notch. His Three-Phase Body can also stay behind to cover the retreat, making him quite suitable.

As for Red Robe…

Her real Illusions are perfect for concealing tracks and covering the team’s withdrawal.

Moreover, her epic third skill, ‘Eyes of Reincarnation,’ allows her to slice herself, preserving several past versions of herself. Her survival ability is equally top-notch.

She’s actually the most suitable candidate, it’s just…

High emotional intelligence: Red Robe values work-life balance.

Low emotional intelligence: Red Robe is lazy.

She’s about to finish her assignment at Tianze Academy. Would she continue accepting external postings?

Mu Yuan didn’t insist on the candidate; he respected Red Robe’s choice.

He asked her.

Soon, he received Red Robe’s reply, which was somewhat unexpected.

“Sure, Lord. You know me—I’m the most diligent person.”

Mu Yuan: “…”

Red Robe, far away in Tianze City, thought to herself, “Escorting logistics transport teams—isn’t that the job where you just sleep on the transport vehicle? I’m totally up for that!”

“This job is even easier than being an instructor at Tianze Academy.”Mu Yuan felt something was definitely off.

If Red Robe was diligent, then he, Lord Mu, would be a model worker.

However, he didn’t dwell on the reason.

Though Red Robe wasn’t proactive, she was quite reliable. Every task he assigned to her had been completed flawlessly. He believed her initiative was actually quite strong—it just wasn’t channeled in the right direction.

“Since Red Robe is willing to join the Logistics Department, arranging a Legendary General for the Great Warzone will be straightforward.”

“Rakshasa and Uta.”

Uta was a General who would inevitably take to the battlefield—he relished all kinds of combat.

Rakshasa was also a warmonger.

Once the list was finalized, the appointment applications were sent out immediately.

…

That same day.

Logistics Department, Minister’s Office.

When his assistant forwarded a batch of appointment applications, Minister Qin was somewhat puzzled.

Such trivial matters usually didn’t require his personal approval.

While their Pioneer Logistics Department indeed lacked sufficient manpower, it didn’t mean there was a shortage of professionals wanting to serve here. The screening staff often had to filter out applicants in droves.

“Hmm? So Tianyuan’s list is included here.”

“Excellent, excellent. It seems Tianyuan hasn’t forgotten this old man. Let me see which strong individuals Tianyuan has sent.”

Minister Qin opened the list.

Fourth Order Fearless General;

Fourth Order Ghost General;

…

One powerful Fourth Order unit after another appeared before him.

Minister Qin smiled.

Suddenly, his gaze paused. “Fourth Order Peak Nature Spirit ‘Grass Branch’? Skilled in instantly creating large numbers of plants and producing satiating fruits.”

He quickly skimmed over Grass Branch’s specific skills, focusing instead on the words “Nature Spirit.”

A Nature Spirit—an Epic unit.

Tianyuan had actually dispatched an Epic General… At this realization, Minister Qin’s smile widened.

And the next line:

「Legendary Realm · Nether Ghost General · Red Robe」

A Legendary.

The leader Tianyuan Lord sent to the Logistics Department wasn’t the Nature Spirit Grass Branch, but the Legendary Realm Red Robe.

Lord of Netherworld · Red Robe.

A top-tier powerhouse who once ranked in the top ten of the Dragon Gate List.

Tianyuan’s support for their Pioneer Logistics Department was overwhelming!

That day, many Logistics Department staff noticed the Minister grinning nonstop, clearly in an excellent mood.

…

At dusk.

Cold Valley Mountain Warzone, Core Fortress.

The moment Cold Moon City Lord returned to her station, her subordinate rushed over. “Lord, the appointment application from Tianyuan—the one you’ve been watching—has arrived. They’ve chosen our warzone.”

“No need to rush.”

Cold Moon City Lord said, “This was expected. If not for the issues in Tianyuan City, his people would have been stationed here long ago.”

She glanced through the documents.

Fourth Order Bone General, Wraith, Great Grey Bird, Star Commander;

“Oh, and a Fourth Order Peak Polar Star Arrow? Not bad, not bad. Polar Star Arrows can play a significant role in defensive battles.”

The Cold Valley Mountain Warzone was teeming with powerful figures; one or two Polar Star Arrows hardly made a difference.

But having such an Epic unit stationed in the warzone she oversaw pleased her—it was a matter of pride.

And it seemed Tianyuan hadn’t sent just one Epic powerhouse.

「Dragon Warrior · Uta」

「Fiendish Ghost General · Rakshasa」

These two were also Epic units, and if she recalled correctly, the Dragon Warrior Uta had once ranked high on the Dragon Gate List?

Han Yue pondered.She didn’t pay much attention to minor lists like the Dragon Gate List, only occasionally glancing at it to compare how many strong experts from the Tianyuan family had made the list compared to her own family back in the day.

The comparison showed: Hmm, there were indeed slightly more than her own family.

She clicked open the information of these two individuals.

Paused for a moment, then looked again.

“Oh, so they’re actually in the Legendary Realm. Two Legendary Realm experts.”

Her voice was remarkably calm.

Her subordinate secretly admired her composure, but when he glanced up, he still caught sight of his Lord’s barely suppressed upward-curving lips.

√.

(End of Chapter)