My lord, spare his life!

The game designers are truly beasts.

Zhang Yang expressed this sentiment.

If they weren't beasts, how could they come up with such details that even she, an NPC, couldn't stand? With a little imagination, Zhang Yang could picture the scene: frail, haggard old and young bound together with ropes, like grasshoppers on a string, unable to move or escape. Ahead were ferocious enemy troops, and behind them were soldiers and bandits forcing them forward with spears and arrows.

Moving forward means death, retreating means death, and not moving also means death.

I cried out to heaven but received no response, and cried out to earth but received no help.

The enemy troops ahead would use them as obstacles to trample on in their charge, while the soldiers and bandits behind would use them as human shields to scream and beg for mercy. Once they fell, countless iron hooves and feet would mercilessly trample over them until they were reduced to minced meat.

Suddenly, Zhang Yang felt a strange tightness in his chest.

There's a feeling of discomfort, like I can't breathe properly.

She stared blankly down at her chest, even feeling a strange urge to find a stick and poke the blockage in her heart. Would that make her breathing easier? Would that release the suffocating discomfort she felt?

"No, no, no..."

Zhang Yang shook his head, muttering to himself.

Her body is merely a stream of data; any breathing problems must be due to a malfunction in some segment of the data flow. A stick can't clear the blockage: "The observers often say, 'The one who tied the knot must untie it,' so the one who can troubleshoot my problem is…"

Game programmer?

Zhang Yang was disheartened; her existence was a bug.

Hiring a game programmer is like walking into a trap.

She could only start over and find the root cause again: "I felt bad because Uncle Yan said that many warlords and bullies would seize the old and weak and push them to the front of the battlefield as shields... After knowing this, I started to feel short of breath."

In other words, solving this will resolve the exception?

Zhang Yang stared into the void for a long time, then suddenly slapped his thigh!

"Oh, right—"

"Human beings have human rights—"

Why can't NPCs have NPC rights?

She couldn't control the main storyline or side quests, but this was the homestead side quest map. This sky above her, this land beneath her feet—it all belonged to her! Why couldn't she grant NPCs their own NPC rights in this land?! The cyber revolution was happening now!

"……I see."

Zhang Yang's eyes suddenly lit up.

So this is how you play the side quests on the home map.

"Shuyan! Shuyan! Shuyan!"

Zhang Yang started shouting Fan You's name from afar.

Fan You felt a headache coming on when he saw her energetic and high-spirited appearance. He grimaced and bowed, saying, "My lord, please give your orders."

"From this day forward—" Zhang Yang declared with unwavering resolve, "No one is allowed to drive the elderly, women, and children to the front lines as shields. We cannot do that, and neither can anyone else. Whoever does it, remember their name, and we'll destroy their stronghold!"

Zhang Yang stated this ironclad rule with absolute certainty.

Fan You: "..."

He thought Zhang Yang had something important to arrange, but he never expected him to give such a simple instruction. Wasn't this yesterday's topic?

Is this all the reason why the lord has been tossing and turning all day?

For a moment, Fan You didn't know what to feel.

All I heard myself say was, "Yes."

Zhang Yang patted him on the shoulder upon hearing the satisfied reply: "Shuyan, like me, cannot stand such atrocities. Don't worry, one day we will complete the cyber revolution in this world!"

Give NPCs the right to live a peaceful and idyllic life!

Fan You: "...???"

How did the topic suddenly jump to revolution?

He understands change, but what exactly is cyber?

Looking at his lord, who was so serious and expressionless, Fan You opened his mouth, wanting to ask something but not knowing where to begin, so he could only swallow his doubts and leave them for later. At this moment, Lu Yuan's emotions were also mixed, a complex feeling that was hard to describe.

"What did you say?!"

Lu Yuan grabbed his subordinate by the collar and lowered his voice.

The subordinate looked troubled: "Commander Lü, it's absolutely true."

With a gloomy expression, Lu Yuan pushed the person away. She paced back and forth, her steps heavy as her mood at that moment—because of her trust in Guan Zong, she subconsciously overlooked some issues, which were only exposed by her subordinates at this moment—Guan Zong's lord was not a member of the Eastern Fan Army; on the contrary, he was the leader who led the troops to annihilate the Eastern Fan Army.

The prisoners and wounded soldiers that Lü Yuan saw were the real Eastern Expeditionary Army.

No, or rather, bandits from the Eastern Frontier.

Thinking of this, Lü Yuan crushed the teacup with one hand.

Whether they are soldiers or thieves, it doesn't matter anymore.

The crucial point is that the Eastern Fan army, which had truly cooperated with Che Si County, has been destroyed, and she is now staying in their stronghold with her men, having previously enjoyed pleasant conversations. If she were to turn against them now, Lu Yuan and her troops would be in grave danger.

Is it about revealing the truth?

Or should we just go with the flow?

Even someone with their feet would know which one to choose.

"Bafeng, look what good news your brother has brought you." Just then, Guan Zong's hearty laughter came from outside the tent.

Lu Yuan's face twitched violently.

Her sworn brother is the real culprit!

He raised his hand and summoned a gentle breeze that crushed the teacup fragments into powder. He casually tossed the powder into a corner, where it mingled with the soil. Lu Yuan straightened his clothes and sleeves, gave his subordinates a subtle wink, and then revealed a hearty and enthusiastic smile before rising to greet his sworn brother, Guan Zong.

"What good news made my brother so happy?"

"Naturally, it's good news for you." Guan Zong, sensing the lingering tension in the tent, asked in surprise, "Was Bafeng angry just now?"

Lu Yuan shifted the blame onto his subordinate who had just stepped down.

"The subordinates were clumsy and made mistakes."

Guan Zong: "This is where the Eight Winds are wrong. To govern these soldiers, you need to combine firmness with gentleness. Give them a slap and then a sweet date, so that they don't harbor resentment and betray you later."

Lu Yuan listened with a smile, then changed the subject, asking Guan Zong what good news he had brought. Guan Zong slapped his forehead: "I almost forgot the important matter."

Guan Zong admired Zhang Yang for everything else, but he admired her extravagance.

Even though Zhang Yang described his treatment as "stingy," it was actually far more generous than that of many merchants. If Lü Yuan had run the business well, he could have made a considerable amount of real profit. Over time, this would have accumulated into a huge sum of money, not only greatly easing Lü Yuan's financial burden but also allowing him to secretly cultivate more followers, retainers, and private soldiers.

Lu Yuan's eyes lit up: "Brother, are you serious?"

Guan Zong's face hardened: "Have I ever lied to you, brother?"

Lu Yuan chuckled inwardly.

If we're just talking about "lying," I just lied to someone a couple of days ago.

But whether it was for the promises Zhang Yang made, or for the safety of himself and his men, even knowing it was a scam, he was willing to take the bait. Without hesitation, Lü Yuan agreed immediately.

She thought agreeing would be enough, but to her surprise, Magistrate Zhang wanted to sign separate contracts with her. These contracts were in duplicate, clearly stating the profits and income belonging to Lü Yuan. In addition, Zhang Yang also signed several large contracts with her for the purchase of raw materials.

The contract details every single aspect.

Zhang Yang then instructed her to take the first batch of blankets back to Chesi County.

There was no intention to make things difficult for them or to hold hostages throughout the entire process.

Ritsumoto: "..."

This actually confused her.

She looked at the numerous contracts, took a deep breath, made her decision, and instructed her attendants: "Without my order, no one is allowed to reveal what happened on these documents. The Eastern Army remains the Eastern Army! You also give the others a warning and tell them to keep their mouths shut."

We must not let the people of Chesi County know that the Eastern Army is gone.

Once this is known, countless variables will be added.

"Is this the mountain?" Xiao Sui gently waved her plain-faced knife fan to relieve the heat. "It is indeed a landscape completely different from Tianyue."

When Lü Yuan turned back, he took an extra team with him.

This group of people was Xiao Sui and her guards.

She was in charge of this collaboration and took the opportunity to gather information and conduct market research in the mountain counties. Except for a couple of counties, the other mountain counties had very few channels of communication with the outside world, and their internal environment was relatively stable, making it easier to deceive people with deception.

Does Xiao Sui have no connections here?

It does not matter.

She redefined her persona.

They specialize in buying and selling human skin on the black market.

They can then leverage Lu Yuan's connections to sell it off to the highest bidder. As long as Lu Yuan cooperates and Xiao Sui is willing to offer a discount, they'll be in the same boat from now on.

At this moment, Lu Yuan was unaware of Xiao Sui's plans.

She felt that this stunning beauty was incredibly alluring with every smile and gesture. Not to mention men, even a woman like herself would be captivated and mesmerized by her. However, Lu Yuan didn't let her guard down; in fact, she became even more cautious—true spoils of war are carefully hidden away to prevent others from coveting their beauty, but who has ever seen spoils of war that have grown legs and run around freely?

This means that the opponent is only wrapped in the cloak of spoils, while beneath the cloak lies thorns that can prick your hands or even kill you.

Lu Yuan took a blanket and went alone to the Chesi County government to report back.

The prefect of Chesi was a kind-looking middle-aged man who appeared to be in his thirties but was actually in his fifties or sixties. After hearing the whole story and seeing the blanket that Lu Yuan had brought back, he was amazed and immediately took a liking to it. He saw the huge profits that the blanket could bring.

He was surprised to hear that the Eastern Expeditionary Army was buying raw materials on a large scale.

Why is that?

Lu Yuan said, "The Eastern Fan Army has plans to expand its power. I have learned that outside of Tianyue, Dou Kingdom has been almost completely divided up by various warlords, and the royal family has fled in disarray. The Eastern Fan Army probably thinks this is a rare opportunity and wants to take advantage of it to be the fisherman."

She brought some news, which the Prefect of Chesi County also knew.

Therefore, he did not doubt Lü Yuan's words: "...Have you found out which branch the troops threatening the Eastern Frontier Army belong to?"

Lu Yuan shook his head: "This humble general does not know."

Prefect Ci smiled and did not reprimand him. Instead, he said, "You were only gone for a day or two. It's already quite remarkable that you were able to find out all this and bring both businesses back unscathed..."

Lu Yuan lowered his head and remained silent.

The prefect praised and comforted Lü Yuan for a few words, then changed the subject, patting her on the shoulder and saying, "Someone recently presented you with several beauties. Go and take a look, pick one you like and take her back to treat yourself."

Lu Yuan: "Thank you, Your Excellency."

The prefect, his face stern, said, "What should you call me?"

Lu Yuan changed his address to: "Godfather."

The prefect's smile grew even more amiable: "Good child, go on."

The beauties he mentioned were indeed all beauties.

If I had never met Xiao Sui.

Lu Yuan removed his armor, took a sip of the tea brought by a servant to cool himself down, and glanced at the women who had been brought up. These beauties were all between seventeen or eighteen and twenty-three or twenty-four years old, each with a different style. Some were hesitant, some were arrogant, and some were aloof and disdainful.

Without hesitation, she directly ordered the most gentle and harmless one.

The prefect asked, "Why didn't my son choose that one?"

Lu Yuan: "What's so special about him?"

The prefect laughed and said, "The load you're carrying is quite heavy, unlike what others do."

Lu Yuan's lips twitched: "No need, I don't like it."

The prefect sighed with some regret: "Never mind, you're too single-minded. You only like the same thing over and over again."

The beauties he bestowed upon Lü Yuan all shared similar characteristics, so the child wouldn't feel eye strain when he got home.

Alarm bells rang loudly in Lu Yuan's mind.

Feigning helplessness, she said, "These beauties, having been selected through layers of screening to be sent to my godfather, must be one in a million. I like them all, but I can't give them all to my godfather. If I only give you one, he'll remember me next time he has a beauty. But if I take too many at once, it won't be so good next time. If my godfather is willing to part with some, could you also reward the one who is 'burdened with heavy responsibilities and is different from others'?"

The prefect's face showed joy, but it did not meet Lu Yuan's expectations.

"Go away, just one, no more."

This outcome was entirely within Lu Yuan's expectations. The beauties the prefect had gathered weren't to satisfy his desires, but rather to reward and win over his subordinates, ensuring they would protect his estate. Lu Yuan returned with the chosen beauties. Initially, the beauties were secretly delighted, but upon seeing Xiao Sui, whose appearance far surpassed their own, beside Lu Yuan, their faces paled, and their arrogance vanished.

Xiao Sui watched the beauty being led away and asked, "What happened?"

Lu Yuan: "A reward."

Xiao Sui commented: "Vulgar."

Lu Yuan poured her a cup of tea: "With Lady Xiao's brilliance as a precedent, all men and women in the world are merely ordinary beauties; who is not vulgar?"

Xiao Sui chuckled, amused: "General, you have such a sweet tongue! If it were someone with less self-control, wouldn't they be completely bewildered and confused, losing all sense of direction?"

Lu Yuan said, "Your Majesty is joking."

Xiao Sui said nice things, but she wouldn't give any extra profit.

She is as beautiful as she is stingy.

Lu Yuan arranged for Xiao Sui to stay in the guest courtyard.

"The night is long, Your Majesty, would you like to serve me?"

Viewing a beautiful woman under the lamplight has a unique charm.

Even the seven-tenths color of daytime can be enhanced to nine-tenths.

Xiao Sui looked curiously at the young man dressed in plain clothes: "Who are you?"

The young man replied, "I serve in the courtyard of my parents."

Xiao Sui's smile faded, and she firmly refused, "No."

After having the young man escorted out of the guest courtyard, Xiao Sui slapped the letter on her face, a teasing sigh escaping from beneath it: "It's said that the mountain prefectures dislike contact with the outside world, their customs are closed off, but I don't think that's entirely true. General Lü is just too hospitable..."

The young man didn't say it explicitly, but Xiao Sui understood.

In some places, it is customary to have concubines to entertain guests.

It wasn't just about winning people over, nor was it merely about expressing hospitality; it was about conveying a message through this behavior—

We don't distinguish between insiders and outsiders, or between close and distant relatives.

It is an extremely intimate and friendly signal, indicating a desire to establish a close family relationship.

It was no less than a formal ceremony to pay respects to one's mother.

Xiao Sui sighed, "Utter rubbish, utter rubbish."

The manager couldn't help but chuckle: "Even the parents are saying that?"

Xiao Sui had been a womanizer in her youth, but the vengeful spirit of the Painted Skin Demon forced her to become celibate. Given her status, such customs were hardly considered "reprehensible."

Xiao Sui lay on the chaise lounge, still damp from her bath—ever since acquiring this strange painted skin, she wished she could bathe and scent herself every day, as if she wanted to make up for the treatment she had never received before—a smile appeared on her alluring face.

"It's all because of the lord."

"Because of Lord Zhang?"

"To be precise, it was Fan Shuyan who, under the guise of his lord, privately told me to be mindful of my personal conduct. This is truly a rare occurrence."

??|??w?`)

Those who live paycheck to paycheck have finally made it to the 12th.

I can't believe I only have two digits in my account! I almost didn't have enough to pay the electricity bill today.