Chapter 15

Chapter 15

A prompt for the next task came through: "Host, please build three log cabins. The newly built log cabins do not require blueprints, only the right NPCs and building materials."

In other words, unlocked buildings could be copied and pasted endlessly, as long as there were enough building materials and NPCs.

Well, what are we waiting for?

Let's get to it!

Lu Yunqi instructed the NPCs: "Hey, Brother Qiang, Brother Lu, and... uh, the house-building guy! Keep building the log cabins as planned. Don't stop until I tell you to!"

But Bald Qiang had already gone off to chop wood, leaving just the carpenter and the architect. Lu Yunqi had planned to wait for him to come back before giving the order.

Just then, the System Sprite popped out and said to him: "Master, you can give commands through the system. Check your contacts—these are all the NPCs you've unlocked. You can create a group chat and share the tasks there. That way, the right NPCs will pick up the right tasks."

Lu Yunqi went, "Wow! That's awesome! So handy!"

The System Sprite puffed up proudly: "See, Master? I told you we're the 'Chill Farming System'—is that chill enough?"

Lu Yunqi nodded: "Though you're not being very precise. This isn't just farming—it's mostly construction, isn't it?"

The System Sprite said: "Farming and construction go hand in hand. Don't you know farming is the start of civilization? Anything tied to civilization counts as farming."

Lu Yunqi: ...Fine, then!

As long as I can survive, I don't care if it's farming or construction.

Lu Yunqi pulled up the system panel and added the NPCs to the group. As he added them, he asked: "By the way, if I'm in my own room, can I give them task orders anytime, anywhere?"

"Of course!" the System Sprite answered: "You can not only control them remotely, but also buy and pick up physical items remotely. Because our system terminal has an Anywhere Door. However, Master can only retrieve items that fit the current level of civilization. Anything that doesn't fit can only exist in the bound area."

Lu Yunqi got it. That was awesome—with this group, he could really treat this place like a farming-and-building game.

Staring at his 220 points, Lu Yunqi mulled over what to buy, but after thinking it over, he still couldn't decide, so he just moved on to other tasks.

He tapped the next task, and the system prompt came up: "Host, please plant one apple tree."

Lu Yunqi figured this was easy. He found apple trees in the seedling section of the seed market, spent ten points on one apple tree, and posted the task to the group.

But he found that the labor-type NPC was busy. He was using a drone to water the fields—all ten acres needed watering, and he was booked solid for the next three hours.

With no other option, Lu Yunqi had to hire another labor-type NPC. As soon as the contract was signed, the NPC picked up the task Lu Yunqi had assigned, grabbed the apple sapling, and went off to plant it.

Task done, he earned ten points. Just then, three more achievements popped up. Lu Yunqi claimed the achievement rewards and got forty points total.

His point balance was still 220. Lu Yunqi kept going with the tasks—the next one was to plant twenty apple trees in total.

Great. After buying twenty apple trees, his points were drained again. It was never enough!

The next task was to plant an acre of apple trees, which required a full hundred apple trees. Subtracting the twenty already planted, he still needed eighty more—that was eight hundred points!

Ha! Eight hundred points. Just kill me now!

Just as Lu Yunqi was stuck on his tasks, Li Na suddenly called out to him: "Master, the bean sprouts are ready to pick! The temperature has been high these past few days, and the bean sprouts sprouted in less than three days. Great—we can grow another batch."

Lu Yunqi got excited, hurried over, and lifted the quilt covering the big basin—and sure enough, he saw fresh mung bean sprouts!

With a delighted expression, he said: "Harvest! Harvest! Collect them all!"

Li Na nodded: "You can just recycle them directly. The system will process and package them."

The System Sprite reminded him: "Master, you can click on the crop option and select harvest."

Lu Yunqi opened the crop option and indeed saw that the mung bean sprouts showed as mature. He clicked recycle directly, and notification sounds came flooding in.

"Congratulations, host, on successfully harvesting 512 jin of mung bean sprouts. You have earned 1,536 points and 1,536 system coins."

Getting so many points at once, Lu Yunqi danced with joy—this was a huge step forward!

He opened the seed market, bought eighty apple trees, and distributed the planting tasks.

He still had 756 points left and continued with tasks.

The next task was to plant an acre of peach trees. Lu Yunqi: ...

Great. You're messing with me, right?

Planting peach trees required another thousand points. With no other choice, he could only buy seventy-five peach trees first, leaving the remaining twenty-five to be filled in tomorrow.

Hopefully, after leaving it for a day, the system would unlock more achievements so he could continue advancing his tasks.

Turning his head, he saw Li Na again, and his eyes suddenly lit up. He said: "Right! Why don't I buy fifty peach trees first, then buy 256 jin of mung beans, and continue growing bean sprouts to recycle?"

What could offer a better short-term return on points than that?

So he decisively chose to buy fifty apple trees for the labor-type NPC to plant first, then purchased 256 jin of mung beans for Technician Li Na to continue growing bean sprouts!

And he decided not to come to Wanping Wasteland for the next few days, letting the NPCs keep busy. Besides, he needed to handle his world-line strategy quests as well.

With that thought, Lu Yunqi temporarily passed through the Anywhere Door and returned to his own room.

Outside, the sky had already darkened. He opened the doors and windows, letting fresh air rush in. The courtyard was completely quiet—could it be that Murong Jie still hadn't returned?

He frowned slightly and called out loudly: "Is anyone there?"

Yun Hua hurried out and asked: "Young Master, what do you need? I was afraid the servants would disturb your rest, so I sent them all to the back courtyard."

Lu Yunqi asked: "Where's Murong Jie? Why hasn't he come back yet?"

Yun Hua shook her head: "This servant doesn't know either. Perhaps the Emperor kept him for dinner?"

Lu Yunqi sensed something was wrong and said: "Tell Liu Bao to prepare the carriage—we're going to the palace!"

Liu Bao worked quickly and efficiently. Ten minutes later, they were already on the carriage, racing toward the palace.

The night had grown deep, and the crowds on the capital's First-Class Avenue had thinned. Unless it was a festival or during curfew hours, no one would be out at night except for official errands and night watchmen.

Lu Yunqi drove the carriage straight into the palace. The Dragon Guards at the gate only made a token attempt to stop him—once they saw it was Lu Yunqi, they obediently stepped aside and let him through.

At this moment, in Kunze Palace, the Empress was watching her third son, who was sobbing against her knee, with a headache. She said helplessly: "Since that Xie Lianyi has already been intimate with your second brother, you... you should stop insisting. Why would you want a woman who has lost her chastity?"

The Third Prince shouted angrily: "No! No! I must marry Miss Xie! She saved my life—if it weren't for her, I would have drowned in the lake! Besides, I've already obtained an imperial decree from Father. An emperor's word is law—she must marry me!"

The Second Prince, standing nearby, said: "Third Brother, stop making a scene. I've already been with Miss Xie as husband and wife. If you keep this up, it won't look good."

"Won't look good?" The First Prince stormed in from the doorway, furious: "Second Brother, I never thought you'd be this kind of person! Miss Xie is pure and noble in character! And you—you took advantage of her vulnerability and defiled her! Miss Xie and I have been in love for a long time, yet I never once thought of touching her! What about you? Do you truly respect and cherish her in your heart? If not, don't blame me for being rude! I will never give her up to you!"

The Second Prince, who had gotten the better end of the deal, sneered coldly: "Not give her to me? Big Brother, the way you say that—as if she's yours to give. She's already mine now. Who knows, she might already be carrying my child. Big Brother, you already have a legitimate wife. Why cling to Miss Xie? I'll make her my legitimate wife—that's far better than being a concubine."

"Legal wife? A concubine? Murong Pei, what do you take Miss Xie for? She's not someone who can be locked in by such worldly titles! Miss Xie is the beloved disciple of the Poetry Immortal, and she's a person of impeccable character herself! Do you think she'd care about being stuck in some man's household?"

The Second Prince said, "I never said I'd keep her confined to the household. Even if she marries me, she can do whatever she wants!"

The Third Prince wailed even louder, "Mother, Mother, you've got to do something for me! Waaaah!"

The Empress, annoyed by the noise, said, "Enough, all three of you, stop arguing! How many times have I told you? You're all born of the same mother, so you should stick together! Now, for the sake of a woman, brothers are turning against each other—what a disgrace!"

The First and Second Princes remained silent, but the Third Prince kept muttering, "I don't care, I'm going to marry Miss Xie, and that's final! I have Father's imperial decree, and I'm going to find her right now!"

The First Prince blocked him, saying, "No need to go. I just spoke with Father, and the betrothal has been annulled."

The Third Prince blew up, demanding, "Brother, what do you mean by this? Don't think that just because Father has you assisting with state affairs, you're already the Crown Prince! What right do you have to annul my marriage?"

The First Prince said, "I said it's annulled, and that's that. Crying won't help!"

The Third Prince stood up, fuming, "I don't care! No one can stop me! If you dare annul my marriage, I'll... I won't call you my brother anymore!"

With that, ignoring the Empress's attempts to stop him, he stormed out of Kunze Palace.

He had intended to go to Qianyuan Palace to plead with the Emperor, but as soon as he left Kunze Palace, he ran into the Sixth Prince, Murong Jie, who looked like a wandering ghost.

Murong Jie ignored him, which only infuriated Murong Yu, already in a rage. He shouted at Murong Jie, "Stop right there! How dare you not pay your respects to me when you see me?"

Murong Jie glanced at him, a hint of contempt flickering in his eyes. That look struck a nerve in Murong Yu, who pointed at him and said, "Well, well, you little bastard, daring to show me disrespect! Guards, take him to my palace!"