This time I chose Paladin.

Chapter 267 A Brief Banquet

Not long after, Nie Weiyang, with the invitation between his fingers, arrived at a quiet mountain forest.

The invitation was rough in texture but carefully made, with a hand-drawn design that was quite childlike, and a line of large characters running across it: "Invitation to the Establishment Ceremony of the New World Mobile Mutual Aid Home".

The campsite before us, though rough, was made with care.

Located on the edge of the old city, this place was built on a natural woodland. At first glance, it is indeed as rumored, like a fairyland from a fairy tale.

Mushrooms and ferns of varying sizes, radiating a soft glow, grow in a staggered pattern. Tiny sprites made of energy frolic in the forest. Some docile mutated creatures live in harmony with the children. Dozens of children of different ages move about in the open space, running and playing, or greeting visitors.

Although their clothes were still simple, their faces were filled with the innocent smiles of children. Even though that innocence was limited by the times and seemed less naive, the sight still brought smiles to the faces of the guests.

Russell and Xu Fu's "mobile orphanage" was not some private, makeshift operation; on the contrary, it was part of the social welfare system that the Chinese government was rebuilding.

Russell can communicate with nature, and Xu Fu has been doing this for a long time. Their duty is to travel around this crisis-ridden world, searching for and rescuing displaced orphans, giving them temporary shelter, education and care, and then handing them over to the authorities for unified arrangements to transfer them to larger-scale fixed resettlement sites once the situation stabilizes.

There are many people like them who have been officially recognized and contacted. In addition to orphan rescue specialists like them, there are people who specialize in searching for and rescuing elderly people who are alone, and people who are responsible for finding and caring for wounded and sick people.

Seriously ill patients who have survived to this day in the new world often possess extraordinary survival wisdom, making the task of searching for patients the easiest for specialists.

After receiving this information from others, Nie Weiyang searched his memory and confirmed that in the previous cycle of events, there was no such systematic and organized official rescue network at this stage.

It seems that some positive changes have already taken root and begun to emerge.

However, when Nie Weiyang appeared at the camp entrance, the previously noisy atmosphere froze for a moment.

More than one or two surprised glances were cast at Nie Weiyang as he walked through the wall made of wooden stakes and into the camp.

Xu Fu was sitting on a stool made from a tree stump, holding an infant in her arms, carefully feeding the child warm goat milk. When she sensed something amiss, she subconsciously activated her senses. The small orb of light in Nie Weiyang's neck brace lit up, and she saw him. A hint of surprise flashed in her eyes.

This surprise was not without reason.

Nie Weiyang's identity and status are too special. As the strongest person in humankind at present, this power itself has given him a transcendent status.

To reiterate, power and authority are always synonyms… If he wanted, he could have a tremendous influence on people. However, his attitude towards this has always remained consistent: indifferent, not actively using it, but never deliberately trampling on or denying it.

Every month, I receive dozens or even hundreds of invitations from all sides—for martial arts competitions, celebratory banquets, cultural performances, academic seminars, and so on.

He usually gives a clear no, and most of the posts that ask for a meeting, guidance, or cooperation are politely turned away by him.

This doesn't stop people from persistently extending invitations and presenting visiting cards—after all, refusing ten thousand times won't cause any real loss, while if he agrees even once, it's an opportunity.

But... well, that's why Xu Fu never expected Nie Weiyang to appear at the founding ceremony of such a seemingly insignificant welfare institution.

However, Xu Fu concealed her surprise very well, and almost instantly regained her usual gentle expression.

But Nie Weiyang heard the momentary shock and confusion in her heart.

Nie Wei met her gaze with a gentle smile.

“Don’t forget,” he said softly, “you’re our teammate too.” The words were simple, yet they instantly dispelled an invisible barrier.

Even though the two weren't very familiar with each other, Xu Fu was taken aback for a moment, and then a genuine and relaxed smile bloomed on her face.

The baby in her arms seemed to sense the relief and made contented babbling sounds.

“Yes,” she said with a smile, her tone relieved, “they’re teammates.”

—The best player in the world is her teammate, why is she worried about so much?
Not far away, Russell walked over, scratching his head and looking somewhat embarrassed. Behind him, the children peered curiously at Nie Weiyang.

The giant tiger, Jinhuang, lay obediently on the ground, wagging its tail. A string of children rode on its back, shouting "Giddy up! Giddy up!" as if riding horses.

Nie Weiyang looked around and found that almost everyone he knew had come.

A large portion of the city's top officials also came. The people coming and going were either capable or had military achievements. Liang Zhenduan, He Kang, and others were talking with several scholars-looking people not far away, occasionally letting out relaxed laughter.

This fairytale-like camp has now become an informal and warm gathering of the Central Plains Vanguard Force.

The inauguration ceremony was simple yet solemn. There were no complicated procedures; Russell and Xu Fu mainly spoke about the original intention and vision for establishing this 'mobile mutual aid home'.

It was a simple story, nothing more than feeling uneasy seeing children displaced.

If this were made into a video and released in peacetime, many people would probably just scroll past it, but here, in the new world…

This story, which everyone has witnessed, still left the audience speechless.

Russell and Xu Fu didn't say anything sentimental; their words were simple, yet filled with a firm determination to protect the future amidst the ruins.

The banquet following the ceremony was also full of New World characteristics.

The food was not particularly refined; it consisted mostly of game meat obtained from hunting, wild fruits gathered, coarse grains produced from newly cultivated fields, and some edible, mildly mutated plants.

The cooking methods are also more natural, either grilling or boiling, but the advantage lies in the freshness and authenticity, and the taste is surprisingly good, with the most genuine aroma of the food.

The children were the happiest at the banquet.

The boy named Yan Jingyu was listening intently as a soldier, clearly an admirer of Nie Weiyang, boasted with great enthusiasm about the legendary deeds of Nie Weiyang and his two comrades-in-arms, Yi Jian and Han Jiangxue.

"...You didn't see it! When that star struck, it was about to..."

Halfway through the boasting, Yang Wuji, who was passing by, couldn't help but join in, pushing up his glasses and adding details with more precise and exaggerated wording.

But before they could finish speaking, another loud voice interrupted, with a hint of hearty laughter: "Hahaha, Old Nie's reputation is really growing!"

Yang Wuji turned around and found that it was Xiang Feng!

(End of this chapter)