Chapter 40:

On this clear morning, Xie Shaoting logged in as usual, planning to increase the reward amount and make another round of investments. Little did he know—

Secretary: “Last night, a horde of Rats rioted and attacked the Red Maple Camp.”

Xie Shaoting was briefly stunned. Gazing at the nearby building ruins, his initial reaction was, “How many players were online last night? Did they stay in the camp, or did the little beasts actively seek them out?”

At this, Xie Shaoting’s spirits lifted.

You see, in the past, hunting wasn’t difficult because of the kill, but due to tracking and searching.

The gray rats raiding the camp were practically offering themselves up!

“They actively sought them out,” the secretary reported. “The good news is, there were quite a few night owls, and they harvested quite a bit. They’ve already started contacting our people early this morning, expressing a desire to trade.”

“Take it all,” Xie Shaoting stated firmly. “A higher price is not a concern.”

“I understand,” the secretary paused slightly and continued, “The bad news is, our people work regular hours, and they missed this sudden surge.”

“After asking around, the number of wild rats has sharply decreased after the nighttime raid, almost none left.”

Xie Shaoting realized, “Do we need to purchase contributions at a high price to make up for the shortfall? There are still 4 days left in the event, but it will be very difficult to capture prey in the wild from now on.”

“Exactly,” the secretary confirmed.

A tinge of melancholy appeared in Xie Shaoting’s eyes.

Waking up, everything has changed, but it’s just a bolt from the blue on a sunny day.

“And,” the bad news wasn’t over, the secretary continued, “Last night was chaotic. To avoid losing their game qualifications, some chose to log off. Some believed in their own abilities and stayed in the camp. As a result, many died, and only a small fraction of players survived.”

“So,” the secretary said deliberately, “for some time to come, we may face a small group of people driving up prices.”

“Perhaps we’ll have to clash with other forces and spend money to compete for the gray rats.”

Xie Shaoting fell silent, then after a long pause, he said, “It’s still early, many people haven’t logged in yet, so let’s act first. Remember, money is not a problem, I want the registration code.”

With a current contribution of 7,000, there’s only a remaining difference of 3,000 to exchange for the registration code, there’s still hope.

“Understood,” the secretary’s expression turned serious, as if about to face a major challenge.

***

Rice porridge with pickled mustard greens was especially appetizing, and Yun Shan ate two bowls in one go. When her satiety level returned to full, she logged off, leaving the clean-up work to You Yi.

Back in the real world, she took off her holographic helmet, her stomach still slightly deflated.

Yun Shan opened a pack of cheese-filled toast and another pack of purple rice-filled toast.

The toast crust was resilient, and the inside was dense and delicate. Taking a bite, there was a strong wheat fragrance and a rich milk flavor.

The purple rice-filled toast was soft, glutinous, and slightly sweet, offering a unique flavor.

“Eating two breakfasts, adding extra calories, love it, love it.”

Munching on her toast, Yun Shan thought, for those trying to lose weight or avid foodies, “Doomsday Camp” is truly a godsend.

After finishing breakfast, she took a nap. In the afternoon, Yun Shan got up and logged back into the game.

The medicinal scent was strong in the manor’s courtyard, with pots of herbal soup boiling, ready to be sent to the epidemic area.

Yun Shan strode towards the bamboo house, wanting to check on Lu Ming’s condition.

On the way, she ran into Lu Liu.

Lu Liu volunteered, “The Lord is awake and currently discussing important matters with You Yi inside the house.”

“How’s the injury?” Yun Shan asked.

“No problem,” Lu Liu replied indifferently, “As long as he didn’t die, it’s fine.”

Yun Shan thought, “Truly living up to the name Lu Liu.”

“I’ll go see Lu Ming,” she said. Without seeing for herself that he was okay, she wouldn’t feel at ease.

“Alright,” Lu Liu accompanied her.

When they arrived, You Yi was reporting on the progress of the investigation, “…Tang Shaoyan is dead, and we found a diary on him, which sheds some light on what happened.”

Sensing someone outside, Lu Ming looked up, “Come in and talk.”

“Doctor,” You Yi politely greeted her.

“I’m here for a check-up,” Yun Shan asked, “Am I interrupting anything?”

“Not at all,” You Yi shook his head, “The Lord’s health comes first, everything else can wait.”

Lu Ming added, “You’ve come at the right time, listen with me.”

Yun Shan was surprised.

Was this a signal that they no longer intended to keep her in the dark about confidential matters within the camp?

You Yi explained, “The man was caught by the doctor, and the notebook was found on the body. The doctor should also listen, let’s hear about what really happened with the rodent disaster.”

“Alright, go ahead,” Yun Shan was indeed curious.

You Yi began, “The rodent keeper’s name was Tang Shaoyan, he used to work for a living. This man was ruthless and had a rebellious character, always seeking revenge for any offense.”

“The diary recorded that during his work, he often got into arguments with people. His reason was that he hadn’t awakened any talents, and others looked down on him.”

“At first, the entries were relatively normal, but later, if a passerby even glanced at him and then looked away, he felt their gaze was filled with contempt.”

Yun Shan was left speechless by what she heard.

She thought, Tang Shaoyan must have had many enemies, most of which were solely his own assumptions.

“Originally, a person like him wouldn’t have caused a stir, but coincidentally, he awakened the talent ‘Commander’ a year ago. The specific effects aren’t recorded in the notebook. Based on later speculation, it was likely to command and lead the magical creatures,” You Yi said, revealing a hint of helplessness on his face.

“What’s even more coincidental is that Tang Shaoyan went to the wilderness to pick herbs, was chased by the magical creatures, accidentally fell down a hill, and discovered five severely injured adult gray Rats. All five were one-star, likely fleeing for their lives, which led them to enter the Red Maple Camp’s territory.”

“He used his talent to tame the gray rats and started breeding them wildly, with the intention of seeking revenge on those who had looked down on him in the past.”

Yun Shan, “…”

Lu Ming, “…”

Lu Liu sarcastically commented, “I don’t think ‘revenge’ is the right term to use here.”

You Yi looked to the sky and continued, “During the breeding process, he unexpectedly formed a bond with a two-star female Rat. Later, he used the offspring as experimental battle pets, continuously breeding them.”

“Although generation by generation, the rats became increasingly violent, given birth to batle pet descendants, combined with his unique talent, he was still able to control the rat group.”

“Due to financial constraints, he initially bred them in a small scale, and his activities went unnoticed. Once he cultivated satisfactory breeds, he massively expanded the breeding operation. Unable to afford so many magical creatures, Tang Shaoyan released some into the wild to fend for themselves.”

“A hunting team was entangled by the gray rat, and after they were killed and brought back to the camp, the doctor finally noticed.”

Taking a breath, You Yi continued, “His behavior seems crazy, but he’s very clever, knowing how to divert attention using the plague and one-star, two-star, and four-star magical creatures.”

“Allowing one-star/two-star creatures to cause chaos everywhere is because of Tang Shaoyan’s limited capabilities. Compared to hundreds of one-star/two-star creatures, commanding over a hundred three-star creatures provides stronger combat power and is easier to command.”

“Not carrying four-star creatures is because the higher the level of the magical creatures, the more ferocious they become. He previously found that the four-star creatures looked at him in a way that seemed like they could turn on him at any moment.”

“Last night, while the patrol teams were out exterminating rats, he took the magical creatures to several residents’ homes. According to the investigation, those were highly likely the ‘enemies’ recorded in the notebook.”

“To better utilize the strength of the magical creatures, he even learned mental skills. The advantage is that it can unleash the potential of the magical creatures, but the downside is that it makes them lose their rationality, unable to distinguish friend from foe.”

“If it weren’t for the doctor’s intelligence and vigilance, Tang Shaoyan might have already had his revenge and left the camp without a trace.”

Yun Shan finally understood why the truth wasn’t disclosed in the previous life.

If everyone knew that one person had caused such upheaval in the camp, resulting in a significant reduction in personnel, it would have only served to demoralize them, with no other purpose.

“Originally, the plan wasn’t set for last night. It’s quite a coincidence, there’s another realm… someone was fined for feeding mother Rat in the camp, then they relocated their breeding to a cave in the wild. Others originally intended to steal the mother rat, but in the end, they stumbled upon Tang Shaoyan’s experimental base,” You Yi said, feeling speechless himself.

What kind of situation is this? It’s simply a farce.

“In any case, Tang Shaoyan was subjected to various stimuli, especially disgruntled with the residents, which led to the night raid on the Red Maple Camp,” You Yi concluded.

“Assign additional manpower to clean up the remaining gray rats in the wilderness, and the autumn hunting event comes to a close,” Lu Ming commanded.

You Yi acknowledged.

Lu Ming looked at Yun Shan, “Diagnose.”

During the diagnosis, You Yi praised endlessly, “I never knew before, the doctor is so amazing! Over a hundred two-star wolfhounds surrounded Tang Shaoyan and then upgraded to three stars right in front of him! Hey, it’s truly miraculous. I don’t know how the doctor did it.”

Yun Shan casually replied, “It’s a unique talent. I’m responsible for accompanying and occasionally feeding them snacks. As for promotions and such, they manage it themselves.”

“Ah, that’s how it is,” You Yi suddenly realized.

He believed it! He truly believed it!

Because You Yi’s expression was too sincere, Yun Shan felt a bit guilty. “I’ve developed a pill that, when taken by magical creatures for a long period, it can remove impurities, enhance physique, and increase the possibility of advancement. The wolfhounds had been fed for quite some time, and they were about to advance. Last night, the timing and conditions were right, so they collectively advanced.”

You Yi, “…”

He felt like a fool for actually believing that the magical creatures could manage it themselves.

If she didn’t want to say, she just shouldn’t have. Why deceive people? He had given his sincere emotions in the wrong place.

You Yi looked at Yun Shan with a sense of accusation.

Yun Shan coughed lightly, avoiding eye contact, “It involves commercial secrets, so it’s habitual to conceal.”

“The doctor’s concern is reasonable,” Lu Ming nodded in agreement.

You Yi, “…”

He had never seen such blatant favoritism before.

***

At the same time, Xie Shaoting encountered a problem.

There were still players with gray rats, either demanding high prices or exorbitant demands, making the acquisition process very difficult.

Although Xie Shaoting didn’t mind spending more money, he also didn’t want to be taken advantage of, so after his contribution level soared to 8000, it hit a standstill.

Not far away, the secretary was still diligently negotiating with people.

Player grumbled, “Boss, your offer clearly lacks sincerity. Add a bit more, and I’ll give you the gray rats.”

Secretary: “The official exchange price for a two-star gray rat is 20 points. We’re buying them at 100 points. Is that not sincere enough?”

“It’s a different situation now,” the player confidently stated, “Everyone knows you’re buying gray rats to exchange for registration codes. There were only a few people who participated in the battle last night, and even fewer who have gray rats. Everyone took enormous risks to work for the boss. Shouldn’t the price be higher?”

“A fixed price, 400 points per rat! I’ll give them to you for 400 points. What do you say?”

Secretary: (mumbling) Price suddenly skyrocketed by 20 times. Is it you who’s gone mad, or me, or is it the world that’s gone mad?

The secretary silently observed the player, saying nothing.

The player stood tall, feeling justified, “We had a good cooperation before, which is why I left the gray rats for you. Otherwise, who else could I sell them to? Plenty of people are eager to buy.”

The secretary didn’t believe anyone else would offer 100 points for a two-star gray rat. He felt that everything the player did was to drive up the price.

Unfortunately, the boss was determined to exchange for registration codes. Even if he saw through the player’s intentions, he couldn’t just turn and leave. He could only stay and continue bargaining with the player. Whoever lost patience first and chose to compromise would be the loser.

After some time, the player pulled out a trump card, “300 points each, can you give me a definite answer? If not, I’ll find someone else.”

Before the secretary could respond, Xie Shaoting interjected, “Then sell them to someone else.”

Player: ???

The secretary stared blankly at the boss. What did this mean? Not exchanging for registration codes anymore?

“Don’t waste time here, come with me,” Xie Shaoting said as he walked away briskly.

The secretary’s lips curled up in a crazy smile, feeling a hidden sense of joy. He turned to the player and said seriously, “Don’t let us delay your fortune. Sell the gray rats to someone else.”

With that, he quickly caught up, leaving without a second thought.

The player stood in place, looking dazed. After a while, as if awakening from a dream, they shouted, “Hey, hey, don’t go! The price is negotiable! 100 points, I’ll take 100 points!”

Without selling to the big boss, they wouldn’t even get 50 points. How could this be?

Unfortunately, Xie Shaoting and the secretary had already walked far away, never once looking back.

…

Although leaving with such a sense of relief, there was a rather practical problem at hand—

“What about the registration codes?” the secretary asked soulfully.

Xie Shaoting: “Yun Shan sent a message, saying there are many two-star/three-star gray rats in her possesion, and she asked if I wanted them.”

“Many?”

How many is “many”? The secretary was puzzled.

Xie Shaoting’s lips curled slightly. “Enough to make up the contribution difference in one go and exchange it for a registration code.”

“That’s great,” the secretary felt genuine joy from the bottom of his heart.

Silent throughout the journey, the two hurried and finally arrived at the manor.

Standing outside the fence, seeing the gray rats piled up like small mountains in the courtyard, the secretary couldn’t help but show a hint of astonishment.

Xie Shaoting operated his black wristwatch and soon contacted Yun Shan.

“Gray rats are not for sale, only for exchange,” Yun Shan explained briefly. “Here’s a list; see how much you can exchange for. If not, I’ll find someone else.”

Upon hearing this, Xie Shaoting raised an eyebrow. “Am I the first?”

“The first,” Yun Shan showed great expectations for Xie Shaoting. “If you can take them all, it would make things much easier.”

Knowing that he was eager to exchange for a registration code and was the first to be contacted about the gray rats, Xie Shaoting felt the group leader was quite loyal.

Xie Shaoting took the list and carefully examined it.

The quantities of food, herbs, and land were all significant.

The pricing for the gray rats was about three times higher than before, a number that would make most people wince and yet find it hard to give up.

Of course, that’s for the average person.

For him, if it ensured the exchange for a registration code, three times the price wasn’t high. This transaction was very cost-effective.

“Give me some time, and I’ll have all the items on the list ready,” Xie Shaoting said solemnly.

“How long?” Yun Shan asked.

“At the latest, by early evening today,” Xie Shaoting replied.

The night is long, and he didn’t want any more unexpected occurrences.

“Alright,” Yun Shan promptly agreed, then added, “Notify me when everything is ready, and we’ll proceed with the transaction once I’m online.”

“Why?” Xie Shaoting asked curiously.

Yun Shan replied calmly, “I’m reaching the maximum online time today and need to be frugal with it.”

Xie Shaoting: That makes sense.

***

There was no game to play, and after catching up on sleep, Yun Shan could only browse through the group chat.

As soon as she opened it, a message popped up:

“Shocking News: Last night, not only did a horde of rats raid the camp, but there were also packs of wolves and a group of falcon!!”

Yun Shan, “…”

The group chat was flooded with messages.

“Death: I witnessed it! The wolf pack did attack the camp! They even ran past my doorstep, scaring me into logging off immediately for safety.”

“Gold Rushed: Night Owls, I was online all night exterminating rats, didn’t see any of your other magical creatures. Sold the gray rats this morning, made a fortune, completely satisfied.”

“Distressed: I logged in early this morning, hoping to work hard and earn some extra money in the last few days of the event. Only to find out upon logging in that last night, a gray rat boss appeared at the camp, and the little beasts actively sought out the players! How did I miss out on this stroke of luck?”

“Friends for life: I went to bed early last night, and ten or so friends woke me up in the early hours with consecutive life-saving calls, telling me to log in. That’s what you call brotherhood! They didn’t forget to bring me along even when getting rich!”

“Spectator: I roamed the wilderness this morning and didn’t see a single gray rat… I suspect last night was the peak, and now the autumn hunting event has basically ended. In this day and age, still playing the ‘sudden event’ card, this game lacks sophistication.”

After reading for a while, Yun Shan couldn’t help but exclaim from the bottom of her heart, “I really need to spend more time in the group chat.”

Look at how much information was revealed in these casual exchanges?

It’s true, the group members were all talented individuals.

**September 17th, early evening, the 12th day of the autumn hunting event.

Yun Shan acquired the supplies, and Xie Shaoting acquired the gray rats, and the transaction ended successfully.

Xie Shaoting accumulated 10,000 contribution points and successfully exchanged them for “1 registration code.”

Updated list data—

Registration code = 10,000 contribution points. (Redeemable 8 times)

Reflecting on the experiences of the past 12 days, Xie Shaoting felt deeply moved, “For the first time in my life, I’ve realized how difficult it is to spend money.”

Over the next two days, the remaining gray rats in the wild were hunted down by players, further reducing their numbers.

On September 20th, the final day of the autumn hunting event, Zuo Xin and Lu Liu led teams to personally sweep the wilderness.

Just past 3 PM, Lu Ming received a system prompt, [Near the Red Maple Camp, “gray rats” have been completely wiped out, and the number of magical creatures has been reduced by 1.]

With this, the rodent disaster came to a complete end, and the autumn hunting event came to a close.

Yun Shan checked the exchange table.

Fine Quality Soft Armor = 100 contribution points. (Redeemable 14 times)

Four-star Coach Training for 1 hour = 100 contribution points. (Redeemable 8 times)

Three-star Cheetah Cub = 450 contribution points. (Redeemable 14 times)

Three-star Wolfhound Cub = 900 contribution points. (Redeemable 6 times)

One year usage rights for a storefront on XX Street (rent-free) = 1200 contribution points. (Redeemable 3 times)

Four-star Black Eagle Cub = 5000 contribution points. (Redeemable once)

Registration Code = 10000 contribution points. (Redeemable 7 times)

…

Looking at the exchange table, the Red Maple Camp had paid three registration codes, along with a small portion of supplies, to achieve a great victory against the rodent horde.

The only question was, besides Xie Shaoting, who else had spent a fortune and successfully exchanged for a registration code?

With the turmoil settled, Yun Shan happily returned to her ordinary gaming life.

After Tang Shaoyan raided the manor, most of the wolfhounds immediately advanced. There were about a dozen that narrowly missed the mark and didn’t advance. However, after a week of continuous feeding and intensified training, they eventually progressed.

Once all the wolfhounds reached three stars, Yun Shan issued new instructions to them—half would stay behind to guard while the other half formed teams to hunt in the wilderness, honing their combat skills through practical experience.

If they managed to capture prey, they would bring it back for an additional meal.

The plan was a success.

The effects of practical training were evident.

The wolfhounds became more robust, larger in size, and looked incredibly fierce.

Unfortunately, it was tough on the neighbors, who saw three-star wolfhounds roaming around their homes every day. Each time they glimpsed those sharp fangs, their legs couldn’t help but tremble, and their hearts raced.

Many tenants didn’t wait for their leases to expire, they packed up and left the dangerous place overnight.

Some who had bought homes and land nearby, hoping for a peaceful rural life, were left disappointed… to say the least.

Some even began seriously considering whether to abandon their properties and start over.

Yun Shan wasn’t exactly the ideal neighbor.

The neighbors moved out, albeit later than expected.

***

As the patients gradually recovered and the destroyed buildings were rebuilt one by one, the gloom brought by the rodent infestation was swept away.

During the battle with the four-star gray rat, Lu Ming briefly lost control. Fortunately, there weren’t many casualties, and with Yun Shan’s timely arrival, the situation was quickly brought under control.

One day, Lu Ming summoned Yun Shan and inquired, “You’ve made a great contribution in dealing with the rodent infestation. How should I reward you?”

This dialogue alone reflected just how special Yun Shan’s position was.

Other players received what a lord would reward, while she received whatever she desired.

Yun Shan received what she wanted, and the lord provided it.

It was particularly personalized.

However, Yun Shan struggled to determine what she truly desired.

During the autumn hunting event, her business thrived, and she had become somewhat of a landlord. She not only owned land but also had a stockpile of grains and medicinal herbs.

By the beginning of next month, the dividends from the Red Maple Clinic would automatically be credited to her account, and she’d be counting a substantial amount of points.

…What to do?

Yun Shan, the wealthy one, was deep in thought.

Seeing Yun Shan’s silence, Lu Ming pledged, “You were the first to discover the rodent disaster, you alerted us to the rodent horde’s attack. You captured the culprit, and you treated the rodent plague. Whatever you want, I will grant it to you.”

“Then give me the land,” Yun Shan pondered and continued, “With several tenants leaving recently, several houses have become vacant. If you grant me the land, it will be my reward.”

Lu Ming frowned, “Those lands are not adjacent, they are arranged separately. It might be inconvenient to manage.”

Yun Shan shrugged it off, “In due time, they will be connected.”

As the Legion of magical creatures expanded again, its members consecutively progressed from three stars to four stars. The remaining stubborn residents would soon flee in the dead of night, voluntarily transferring the ownership of their lands.

By then, the entire eastern district would belong to her.

Thinking that she would soon be able to relive the brilliance of her past life, Yun Shan’s face was filled with a smile.

Lu Ming’s eyes softened, “Since you like it, then it’s all yours.”

“Besides land, is there anything else you want?” he inquired after a moment of contemplation. “How about high-star magical creature cubs? What kind do you like?”

Yun Shan, “!!!”

Absolutely not.

Having started from scratch and having a meager foundation, she had barely managed to save some food supplies. If she received more, she would be bankrupted again!

“Not for now. I’ll let you know if I think of something,” Yun Shan quickly intervened.

Lu Ming nodded, “Alright, I’ll owe you for the time being.”