In this vortex stirred up by the Wasteland Assembly, some people, like Chen Yubo, never had a choice and were swept into the storm against their will. But there were also people who chose to jump in themselves, willingly sinking deeper into the mire.

Just like Ji Jue. Even though he was no longer completely broke and could live fairly comfortably now, new ambitions and desires had appeared. He wanted to become a craftsman, have his own workshop, and make something of himself.

Even more than that, he wanted to do whatever he pleased. Just like now, getting into trouble that had nothing to do with him. He had that same overestimation of himself, and that same reckless disregard for danger. So who exactly was more noble?

The small-time thugs wanted to make it big. The poor wanted to strike it rich. The bosses wanted to climb even higher. Even regional overlords, when they looked up, still coveted the supreme seats above the serpents. Even those at the very top would still fight and scheme against each other for their...