Chapter 66 – Hero

Mu Yuan once again instructed Dolai to proceed with caution and conduct a thorough inspection of the surroundings. It was certain that aside from the skeleton before them and the barrier behind it, the entire ancient ruins held no other special features or objects.

He carefully examined the skeleton in front of him. Its facial features had long faded, but the patterns and insignia on its armor were still faintly discernible.

It didn’t seem to be of Xuan Nation’s style.

“This person carved the universal script of the Eternal Continent. Perhaps he was a native of the Eternal World? It’s also possible he was a Chosen One from another world.”

In the Eternal World, Xuan Nation had established the Taixuan Alliance.

Another superpower from Blue Star, the Starshine Federation, had founded the Divine Radiance Empire in the Eternal World. Both wielded considerable influence there, but beyond them, the Eternal World was also home to numerous other human civilizations and some non-human ones.

Countless powerful factions, either allied or hostile, intertwined to form a complex web.

Mu Yuan didn’t know much about this.

“Still, he was human, and perhaps a renowned powerhouse in his lifetime. Let him rest in peace. Of course…”

The skeleton could be buried, but burial goods were unnecessary—such superficial formalities weren’t his style.

So, Dolai cheerfully pried off the faintly shimmering silver ring from the skeleton’s finger.

It was a Storage Ring~!

And there were other things inside, too~!

Dolai pulled out a few more items—an Amulet shaped like a pendant, engraved with mysterious runes; two Soul Crystals; and a blueprint enveloped in a faint green glow.

Though Mu Yuan wasn’t on-site to appraise the items, he managed to identify them using his extensive knowledge and online search skills.

“A Greater Amulet, a rare-grade item. It’s an upgraded version of the Amulet, capable of blocking three fatal strikes, but its upper limit has been raised to Tier 1 Level 9.”

This was a rather excellent life-saving tool.

Even though it had been looted from a skeleton, Mu Yuan, as a modern youth, felt no superstition about such things—they were all about science.

“The Miracle Blueprint is also rare-grade, named ‘Guiding Beacon (Special)’. It’s a unique structure that can attract refugees to join.”

In fact, after players passed the Lord trial and became true Lords, they could construct ordinary-grade Guiding Beacons.

Placing the beacon outside the territory would grant a small chance of attracting refugees.

These weren’t refugees from the surrounding areas—territories like his were unlikely to have any stray civilians nearby. Instead, they were drawn through spatial principles aligned with the Eternal World, bringing lost people near the territory.

Such refugees had no allegiances and were highly likely to join the territory. Though they lacked the loyalty of military units, they could still handle many tasks. Besides, the bulk of the territory’s armed forces were under the Lord’s sole command.

“According to forum guides, most refugees are quite reliable, but they’re also very average. Lords have an extremely low chance of recruiting talented individuals.”

“However, constructing higher-grade Guiding Beacons increases the likelihood of attracting talents and even powerful individuals.”

“Legend also speaks of a unique structure called the ‘Hero Tavern’, which can draw wandering Heroes for players to recruit… though that remains just a legend for now.”After all, the vast majority of senior Lords struggle to obtain even a single Hero.

Even at the stages of Great Lord and top-tier Lord, Heroes remain their indispensable right-hand men.

The blueprint before them could construct an Advanced Guiding Beacon.

However…

“At this stage, the territory is too small. With over two hundred troops already gathered, it’s starting to feel crowded. Recruiting refugees now would make proper resettlement difficult. Moreover, before truly possessing the authority of a Lord, civilians hold little value for me.”

Nevertheless, the preciousness of a rare-grade Miracle Blueprint is beyond doubt.

Additionally, there are two rare items: the Greater Amulet and the Storage Ring.

This haul is undoubtedly a massive windfall.

“After so many days of hard work, I’ve finally obtained the standard-issue Storage Ring. Thinking about it, it really hasn’t been easy.”

…

Mu Yuan ultimately did not strip the tattered armor from the skeleton.

After giving the mysterious strong person a proper burial, Dolai began circling the barrier. The barrier’s entrance was slanted, resembling a hole leading to an underground space. However, the barrier didn’t just cover the entrance; it enveloped the entire underground area without a single gap.

“Artificially placed barriers like this can be opened with a special key. The key could be a Token or a specific command phrase, but…”

The skeleton’s former owner never revealed the method to open it!

Did I let this riddler off too easily by giving him a proper burial?

“Dolai, try breaking it by force. After all, this barrier has been here for some years.”

Captain Dolai acknowledged the order.

Its body began to expand, energy continuously accumulating. After several seconds, it leaped high into the air, its body taking on a metallic sheen at the peak of its jump. Then, like a meteor, it plummeted downward, trailing a visible energy tail!

BOOM!!!

The impact was like a meteor striking the earth. The entire area shook violently, and the surrounding ruins, battered by the tremendous vibrations and aftershocks, collapsed like toy blocks.

The destructive power of the Dolai-brand ground bombardment weapon was undeniably formidable.

Yet, the barrier’s light screen at the center of the ruins remained unscathed, merely rippling faintly.

“No need to try further.”

Mu Yuan called off Dolai.

Such barriers either have backup energy sources or can absorb ambient energy from the world. In short, the barrier isn’t indestructible, but Dolai’s current strength is far from sufficient to breach it.

“But this also implies that the items sealed within this Guardian barrier might be extremely valuable?”

“I’ll just plan slowly. There are many other ways to open barriers. I’ll try them when I have the chance; if not, it doesn’t matter. This trip has already been profitable.”

…

Over the next day, Mu Yuan discovered two more significant areas.

“Deep within the Southwest Swampland, there is a Shrine, but a Snakefolk Tribe with a totem is entrenched near it.”..”

The Snakefolk Tribe was powerful, and as a tribal force, they might have hidden trump cards. Therefore, Mu Yuan refrained from using a Slime strike, fearing Dolai might not return.

“The second discovery is a Land of Filth located about twenty kilometers East of the territory. This Land of Filth covers a large area and has already gathered numerous monsters…”

It was at least ten times more difficult to deal with than the Land of Filth he had purified over ten days ago.

However, his territory now boasted many powerful troops. Dealing with such a Land of Filth should be straightforward through sheer force.

The problem is…”Only a Lord or Hero can purify the Root of Filth, which means I have to personally travel twenty kilometers through risks and hardships to purify it.”

The journey was too long, and the task of traversing such distance could only be left to tomorrow’s self. Thinking about it made him somewhat melancholic.

Mu Yuan switched to the Taixuan Forum to relax.

With only about seven days left until the Lord Trials, the new Lords were growing increasingly anxious.

However, pressure varies from person to person. While most new Lords were deeply stressed by the early arrival of the trials, a few believed they were already well-prepared and felt relaxed and at ease.

“Hey, I obtained a Treasure Map showing a location about seven or eight kilometers from my territory. Do you think I should explore it? It’s not really about the danger—it’s just that the distance is a bit far.”

A certain second-generation gamer was showing off in a humblebragging way.

This made some newcomers unable to hold back: “Seven or eight kilometers? You call that far? That’s hilarious! My classmate Luo Xing has already explored up to eleven kilometers away!”

A seasoned veteran with extensive experience chimed in: “Let me give you a piece of advice as someone who’s been through it: even if you have the ability, don’t venture too far. Beyond ten kilometers, you might encounter Professional Tier monsters. Of course, the probability is very low, but what if it happens? Are you willing to gamble with your future and your life?

“In my batch, there was a local Genius who was ambitious and kept exploring to gather Treasures. But during one unexpected encounter, he ran into a Professional Tier wandering ogre. Then, he was done for. His troops suffered heavy losses, and in the end, he couldn’t even pass the Lord Trials. Now, the grass on his grave is three zhang tall. I went to pay my respects just the day before yesterday.

“So, as someone who’s been through it, I advise you to act according to your capabilities.”

Act according to his capabilities? He thought that was absolutely right!

It was just twenty kilometers, after all.

Mu Yuan, oh Mu Yuan, when did you become so lazy!

(End of Chapter)