Chapter 21: Chapter 21: "Let’s Go Home!
The City Wall before him was unfamiliar.
But the Farmland outside it was incredibly familiar. As a section of the City Wall slowly retracted into the ground to reveal a passageway, Wang Kui wiped the rain from his face. The exhaustion from his journey instantly dissipated, and he grinned at the people behind him.
"Let’s go. We’re home!"
He had never gambled in his life.
He always played by the rules.
He knew full well he had no special talent and hadn’t awakened as any kind of special Cultivator. He had worked diligently for the Wang Family for thirteen years, and aside from a little occasional skimming, he had never done anything out of line.
It wasn’t because he had high moral character.
It was because he didn’t have the guts.
Even his initial investment in Chen Fan had been a ’let’s just try it and see’ decision. Without outside pressure, he would have found it hard to decisively leave the Wang Family and join Chen Fan. But now, it seemed he had backed the right person this time.
’As long as I can survive this rainy season...’
’Then I’ll be one of the first to join this new power. Becoming a foreman won’t be a problem at all. My future prospects will far exceed what I had with the Wang Family.’
...
There was about half an hour until the Eternal Night descended.
A torrential downpour and a thick fog enveloped the world. A chilling cold swept through every corner of the Wilderness like a flood.
Jiangbei Chen Family, Station 37.
Inside the newly built Wooden House.
Chen Fan and the others were sitting on the floor around a stove. Everyone had changed into dry clothes, their previously soaked garments now hanging on a rack inside. Lame Monkey was distributing food to the group.
Every station stored a considerable amount of food.
They wouldn’t be short on food in the immediate future. They currently had enough to feed the group for two or three months, though it was all coarse grains.
Of course, it definitely wouldn’t be enough to last the entire winter.
But they would cross that bridge when they came to it.
"Wang Kui."
Chen Fan looked at Wang Kui, who was sitting among the others. "We’re short on resources right now. The area inside the City Wall is small, with only enough space for one house. The rest of the area needs to be used for other structures."
"Tomorrow, you and the others will put up a partition inside the house."
"Lame Monkey and I will sleep on the left side. The rest of you can set up a large shared bed on the right."
"No problem."
Wang Kui quickly stood up and nodded in agreement.
Wisps of cold air snaked through the crack under the door, bringing a refreshing chill, but they were quickly driven away by the heat radiating from the stove.
"Sit down."
Chen Fan calmly looked at the others and said softly, "None of us know if we’ll make it through the night. Since fate brought us together here, let’s all just chat. Talk about any wishes you might have."
"If one of us is unfortunate enough to die, the survivors can help fulfill their wish after the rainy season passes. That way, our meeting won’t have been in vain."
"Wang Kui, you go first."
"Me?" Sitting before the stove, Wang Kui warmed his stiff, cold hands. After a moment of thought, he said in a hoarse voice, "I don’t really have any wishes. I worked for the Wang Family for thirteen years. I’d say that even if I didn’t have any great merits, I at least put in the hard work."
"But I never got a promotion or a raise."
"I feel a little bitter about it."
"I just want to save up some Ghost Stones, marry a wife, and have a chubby son. But don’t bother remembering this wish. This is something I have to do myself. You guys can’t do it for me."
As soon as he finished speaking, the others couldn’t help but laugh, and the tense atmosphere dissipated considerably.
"Hey, now..."
Another man, who never let his longsword leave his side, grinned and winked. "If you die, I’ll definitely have my kid take the surname Wang. We can just say it’s to carry on your family line."
Then, his expression turned serious as he looked at Chen Fan.
"Station Chief."
"Like Wang Kui, I was also a station chief for the Wang Family. I haven’t been there as long as him, though—only three years. I also couldn’t get promoted or get a raise, but I don’t hold any resentment toward the Wang Family."
"After all, there are only so many positions available."
"But—"
"The Wang Family just put food on my table. You, Station Chief, saved my life."
"My name is Zhou Mo. I’m a Level 2 Cultivator. From now on, I’ll do whatever you say!"
"Zhou Mo..."
Chen Fan repeated the name to himself, his gaze falling on the longsword the man held in his arms. "A swordsman? A Level 2 Cultivator, and the Wang Family had no intention of developing you?"
This was the first Level 2 Cultivator he had ever met.
"Hah."
Zhou Mo shook his head with a self-deprecating sigh. "A Level 2 Cultivator’s physical constitution isn’t that different from an Ordinary person’s. We aren’t much stronger. In this world, no matter how strong a Cultivator is, they can’t fight a Ghost Object head-on. At most, we just have a slightly better chance of protecting ourselves."
"If you’re not a special Cultivator, there’s no point in developing you."
"I was young and reckless, so I absorbed a lot of Ghost Stones, fantasizing about becoming a powerful expert and roaming the world. Later, I realized it was impossible. But I’ve loved playing with swords since I was a kid. So even though I gave up on advancing my Cultivation, I’ve managed to get pretty skilled with a blade in my spare time."
Next, Wang Mazi, who was beside the stove, scratched the back of his head and began his introduction. "Station Chief, as you know, I used to be the chief of the Chen Family’s Station 36. Before joining the Chen Family, I was a traveling merchant and loved to wander. My wish is just to live a little longer and get the chance to see what’s in the farther reaches."
"To see what the rest of the world is like."
"You’ll get your chance," Chen Fan said with a slight nod.
Then, Station Chief Qi, who was sitting to the side, spoke up nervously. "My name is Qi Chong. I used to be a station chief for the Wild Wolf Gang. I don’t have any particularly big wishes. My mother was killed by a Ghost Object years ago. Her body was never found."
"When I make something of myself one day, I want to build a proper cenotaph for her."
"Space inside the city is limited. Building a cenotaph is expensive."
"Mm."
Chen Fan nodded lightly.
Outside, a cold wind howled and the heavy rain beat against the Wooden House. The heat from the stove not only drove away the chill but also helped the men gradually relax.
The Eternal Night was drawing near.
After a round of conversation, the group grew more familiar with one another.
Even Lame Monkey couldn’t help but chime in a few times.
The topics of conversation between men were always the same few things.
Which brothel in the city had the most spirited women.
Which family had been the subject of recent gossip.
Their own past embarrassing moments.
It was all a bit vulgar, but these topics were always good icebreakers.
"..."
After getting the conversation started, Chen Fan rarely participated. He sat silently by the stove, warming his hands. ’If I want to build my own power in the Wilderness, then these men will be my foundation.’
’I need to get a general sense of each person’s character and abilities.’
’Take Zhou Mo, for instance. He never lets his sword out of his sight and has the style of a Swordsman. He could be developed for his individual combat strength, perhaps to form a patrol guard for the camp.’
’Qi Chong is reserved and dutiful, with no ambition, but his filial piety is commendable. In the future, he could be in charge of planting in the Farmland.’
’Wang Kui is quick-witted and has relatively rich Management experience. He could be trained as my second-in-command.’
’Wang Mazi has experience as a traveling merchant and likes to wander. He could be responsible for the camp’s trade in the future, taking our products to the Marketplace to exchange for Ghost Stones.’
’Lame Monkey is fiercely loyal and extremely efficient. He’s my undisputed confidant, of course.’
