This time I chose Paladin.

Chapter 214 Lang Benye

The items placed on shelves were not actual shelves, but rather display racks for hanging corpses—the remains of criminals—supported by rough wooden stakes not far away.

Yes, that's its name...

The bustling and vibrant market before me created a strange coexistence with the silent 'warning signs' in the distance. At a glance, there were about four rows of stalls, arranged in an orderly fashion.

Here, it is mostly officials from Yingjiang City who are exchanging standardized supplies—medicines, fuel, and basic weapons—with people from the surrounding settlements for various local specialties.

Mutant animal meat, tendons, gathered plants, hand-tanned leather, and some decent-quality wild fruits and herbs were available. A few stalls were also set up by people from the surrounding settlements selling their crafts—repairing clothes, sharpening knives, or demonstrating clever traps for capturing small mutated creatures.

The largest and most eye-catching stall was located in the center of the market. It consisted of several heavy wooden tables, with a few staff members standing behind them. Although they were wearing uniforms, their demeanor was quite friendly, which made people feel relaxed.

A bright red banner hung above the table, with the words "Welcome to Yingjiang!" written in bold ink.

What's even more astonishing is that someone had stuck a vibrant green leaf to the bottom of the banner, with a line of small, crooked words written on it in charcoal: "So close, so beautiful, come to Jiangbei this weekend."

Nie Weiyang: “…”

Okay, even if we change planets, change eras, or even change species, some things in the human spirit are still terrifyingly tenacious.

For example, abstraction.

He was almost losing his composure. He shook his head, put away the lucky sign, and stepped inside.

The river breeze softened here, carrying with it the smells of sweat from the crowd, the pungent odor of raw meat, the smoky aroma of roasted food, the bitter taste of herbs, and the earthy smell of river mud and sand.

Sunlight pierced through the not-too-thick clouds, falling on the arms of people waving as they busied themselves with trading, on the mountains of goods piled up, on the shimmering river in the distance, and on the towering, cold bridge.

This is a chaotic, rough, yet strangely vibrant scene.

When Nie Weiyang walked through the crowd and approached the central stall... or rather, the display stand, he saw that next to the stall stood an exquisitely carved stone plaque with the words "Craftsmanship Stage" written on it in chalk, and below it, in slightly smaller letters: "If you have the ability, come and join us."

Nie Weiyang: “…”

There were more than a dozen people working on the stage, each with a rough bluestone the size of a washbasin and a set of carving tools in front of them.

They were engrossed in carving on the stone, the clanging and banging sounds filling the air.

Below the stands, crowds of onlookers gathered in layers, watching the contestants' skills through a water mirror that stretched out above, occasionally whispering among themselves or offering soft exclamations of admiration.

Nie Weiyang already knew what was going on here, but after watching from the outside for a while, he turned his head and whispered to a man next to him who was watching with great interest, "Excuse me, could you tell me what they are carving?"

The man was engrossed in his reading and, unperturbed by the interruption, replied in a similarly low voice, "Engraving the list."

"A list?" Nie Weiyang's gaze swept over the densely packed names that had already appeared. "What list?"

Upon hearing this, the man's relaxed expression faded somewhat. He turned his head and looked towards the giant bridge outside the market, spanning the great river and revealing its magnificent outline in the sunlight.

His voice carried a complex emotion, a hint of weight barely perceptible: "What other list could it be... In this world, in this place, how could we possibly build a bridge across this formidable barrier, a bridge that allows people and vehicles to cross the river safely... without risking lives?"

He paused, his voice growing deeper:
"Their names should be erected at the bridgehead."

Following his gaze, Nie Weiyang looked again at the colossal bridge. His gaze sharpened and deepened, his pupils dilating and contracting to adjust his vision, easily piercing through the distance and taking in every subtle movement on the bridge.

The concrete and iron structure remained cold and hard under the sunlight, but what he saw was no longer just a cold architectural spectacle, but a vigorous and thriving lifeline connecting the two sides of Yingjiang City.

How many lives have been lost in this river?

He knew the answer to the question without even having to ask it.

— Three million three hundred thousand.

He slowly exhaled, his gaze filled with respect as he glanced at the seemingly relaxed arena. He knew that no one here had forgotten the sacrifices; they were simply moving forward, just like Gushi, just like Langcheng, just like everyone he had ever met.

"Thanks, brother." Nie Weiyang nodded to the man, expressing his gratitude for his explanation.

The man grinned, revealing a set of white teeth that created a strange harmony with his orange hair.

"Don't be so polite, it's not a secret." He spoke with a slight northern accent, his tone straightforward and frank. "You look unfamiliar to me, are you new here?"

"Yes, I came from the south and plan to cross the river to take a look in the north," Nie Weiyang replied simply, his gaze subtly sweeping over the other person's head again.

The creature had a pair of short, furry ears and wore a cloak imbued with some kind of magic, but behind it was a huge tail that stretched the fabric of the cloak.

The bloodline characteristics were very distinct, but the upright face with obvious Chinese features diluted this inhuman feeling and instead added a touch of strange harmony.

Especially when the other person smiled with narrowed eyes, Nie Weiyang always felt a vague sense of familiarity, even though he was certain he had never seen this person before.

“Hey, that’s great! But crossing the river has to be done according to the rules, the checks are strict.” The man was very talkative. He extended a hand, which was also covered with a layer of fine orange down, and his nails were thick and slightly curved, obviously indicating that his bloodline purity was more than 50%: “Let’s get acquainted, Lang Benye, Druid. It may sound a bit strange, but it is indeed the name my parents gave me.”

"Lang Benye? What a nice name." Nie Weiyang said gently, reaching out to shake his hand. His gloves perfectly protected him from his body temperature, which was below average.

"Holy Knight, Nie Weiyang," he announced his name.

"Wow! Paladin!" Lang Benye's pale golden eyes lit up, and his ears seemed to twitch subtly, showing great interest. "That's a rare profession, impressive... wait, that name..."

“Druids are also important,” Nie Weiyang said.

He was telling the truth. In such an environment, professionals who can communicate with nature, cultivate crops, or domesticate mutated creatures are crucial to the survival of a settlement.

"Haha, just wandering around, trying to make a living." Lang Benye waved his hand, looking quite carefree. He was still bothered by Nie Weiyang's name, but the next second, his expression suddenly changed: "Nie Weiyang? That Nie Weiyang?"

(End of this chapter)