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He Wen had planned to smoke one cigarette a day, but four days had passed, and the cigarettes were gone without him realizing it.
He gritted his teeth and decided to quit smoking, but a day later, he returned to the game and approached Zhao Jingping, “150 points for another ten!”
He spoke urgently, as if smoking was the only way to calm his restless heart.
“Smoke sparingly,” Zhao Jingping unexpectedly added, “If you can’t control your desire, the addiction will grow.”
He Wen gritted his teeth, “Wouldn’t that be even better, fulfilling your wish?”
Seeing Zhao Jingping’s hesitation, he impatiently demanded, “I’ve given you the points, now where’s the cigarette?”
Zhao Jingping expressionlessly handed him a cigarette.
Trembling, He Wen lit it and took a deep breath, feeling instantly relieved.
But, the happy moments were always fleeting.
A single cigarette lasted at most ten minutes, and once it was finished, it was gone.
He Wen rubbed his forehead, feeling an indescribable restlessness.
He wanted to light another one, but the thought of the dwindling points in his wristwatch made him forcibly restrain himself, tucking the rolled cigarette into his pocket.
After hesitating for a moment, he inquired, “If I buy from you, would it be cheaper?”
Zhao Jingping glanced at him and grinned, “If you’re capable enough, I can give you a 20% discount.”
At a unit price of 15 points, a 20% discount meant 12 points.
“I’ll think about it,” He Wen said, feeling disoriented, and staggered away.
Zhao Jingping quietly smoked, his thoughts drifting far away.
“This rolled cigarette is a new thing, want to try one?”
“What harm can a cigarette do to you? Life is tough, we need some enjoyment to get through it.”
“Don’t worry, you won’t get addicted. We’re brothers! Could I harm you?”
…
I used to be such a fool. I was led astray bit by bit and could never climb out of the pit afterward.
Zhao Jingping smiled self-deprecatingly, with a hint of self-loathing and helplessness in his eyes.
***
After the disaster, there were many urgent matters that needed attention.
Repairing the stone wall, rebuilding bamboo houses, tidying up the farmland, replanting crops, feeding battle pets, caring for pregnant creatures, and acquiring farmland and shops at low prices… After completing all the tasks, it was already January 2207.
Yun Shan gazed at the vast land, the legion of battle pets, and felt a surge of pride—her kingdom had been restored!
Just as she was elated, she received an urgent message from You Yi, “Something bad has happened to the Lord!”
…
In the previous life, as Lu Ming received treatment, he carelessly mistreated his body, resulting in fluctuating health conditions. In this life, Yun Shan had issued warnings in advance, and Lu Ming rarely engaged in physical activities, leading to a significant improvement in his health. Logically, with almost half a year of recuperation, a complete recovery was expected, without the recurrence of health issues.
However, You Yi informed her, “In recent days, the Lord’s condition has worsened, and he’s been losing consciousness more frequently and for longer periods. He claims that his recent busyness led to him forgetting to take his medicine or have a bath a few times, and that taking his medication on time will restore normalcy. But just after a medicinal bath, he relapsed.”
How could this be!
Yun Shan had a foreboding feeling and asked, “Where is he now?”
You Yi provided the address.
“I’m on my way. Before I arrive, stop him,” Yun Shan urged.
“Alright,” You Yi replied.
The conversation was expected to end there, but for some reason, You Yi sent another message, prompting her, “Hurry up.”
Grabbing a medicine box, Yun Shan called out, “Xiao Bai!!”
Upon hearing her voice, Xiao Bai rushed over.
Xiao Bai was a four-star battle pet and had now reached adulthood. As a white tiger, he was naturally large and robust. With good food and adequate care in the estate, he had grown larger than the average white tiger.
Yun Shan thought to herself, “Train a soldier for a thousand days, use a soldier for a moment.”
“Carry me outside,” she said.
Xiao Bai, thinking there was something good in store, dashed over: “???”
“Do me this favor, and for the next week, I’ll cook for you every day,” Yun Shan promised.
Xiao Bai: !!!
Whether it was cooking or anything else, what mattered most was their good relationship, making it hard for him to refuse.
After a brief show of politeness, the next moment, Xiao Bai sprinted away with Yun Shan on his back, fearing the deal might fall through.
Lu Lui arrived a step late, watching the Divine Doctor disappear from sight.
***
With a loud bang, Zhu Hong, You Yi, and Zuo Xin were all shaken back.
You Yi felt bitter, his mind consumed by one question—how to stop the Lord who seemed to be sicker than before?
Only a few were aware of the Lord’s mental illness. If it were to become public, panic among the residents would lead to chaos. However, the Lord’s strength was immeasurable, and restraining him during an episode was not so simple.
At this critical moment, Zuo Xin shouted, “Call in the patrol team!”
You Yi exclaimed, “What if it’s exposed?!”
“The Lord was tricked and accidentally took poison, leading to his erratic behavior,” Zhu Hong explained.
You Yi: “Do you think everyone has never seen a patient with a mental illness having an episode? Do you plan to fool everyone?”
Regardless, no matter how tenuous the excuse, it could be barely explained away. It was better to have more people restrain the Lord than to let him go out and attack indiscriminately.
You Yi no longer hesitated and swiftly reached out for help.
Receiving the command, several three-star guards hurried over with their battle pet.
Lu Ming pushed You Yi away and left in large strides.
“He’s escaped!” You Yi exclaimed in shock.
“The Divine Doctor is on her way, hopefully she can intercept the Lord,” You Yi endured the pain, forced himself to stand up, and fed himself two pills. Then he called out to Zhu Hong, “Chase after him.”
Zhu Hong remained silent, but was the first to rush out to pursue.
***
At the same time, Yun Shan hurried along, but was intercepted halfway.
“Someone has paid to end your life,” the lead was a male player with a purple ID “Jian Heng,” indicating his four-star strength.
Yun Shan glanced around, thinking to herself that with a four-star player and over thirty three-star players, this was quite a formidable lineup.
“I’ll pay three times the price to have the person who commissioned you taken care of,” Yun Shan stated.
Jian Heng was taken aback.
The three-star players were in an uproar.
Collecting himself, Jian Heng said, “We are people of honor in this world! Don’t think a bit of dirty money…”
“Five times,” Yun Shan interrupted directly.
Immediately, someone bowed to the money.
One of the men quietly tugged at Jian Heng, whispering, “Boss, should we agree to her terms?”
Jian Heng was furious, “Do you even understand what professional ethics means? Are you going to forget about integrity?”
“Ten times,” Yun Shan changed her offer again.
One of her subordinates spoke sincerely, “A tenfold offer, we can set aside professional ethics.”
Jian Heng fell silent, a hint of struggle showing on his face.
At this moment, Yun Shan lightly tapped Xiao Bai, signaling him, “Run!”
She was in a hurry and had not brought her army of battle pets, knowing it would be a disadvantage to confront them directly. Besides, she had already noted down the IDs of these people. If anything happened, she could gather a group and confront them later.
Yun Shan hadn’t forgotten why she had stepped out. Lu Ming was still waiting for her to save him. She didn’t have extra time to waste on these people.
“She’s trying to escape?”
“She’s a fraud!”
“Let’s go after her! Catch her!”
Jian Heng no longer hesitated and ordered his men to act. However, the agile movement of the four-star white tiger made it easily outmaneuver most of the pursuers.
Jian Heng snorted and personally pursued with a dagger in hand.
His men were slightly behind but continued to chase relentlessly.
Seeing the two sides closing in, Yun Shan threatened, “Committing murder in the camp is a serious crime! Aren’t you afraid of losing your ID?”
“Don’t worry.” Jian Heng was confident and calm, “The ownership of Red Maple Camp is about to change hands. Whether killing is legal or not, it will be decided by the new owner.”
Yun Shan thought to herself, she hadn’t yet formally implemented her plan for seizing power, and yet someone had moved first. She couldn’t tolerate it.
Behind her, Jian Heng added, “It’s time for you to leave.”
Yun Shan remained indifferent. She had already contacted Lu Ming and knew he would be arriving soon. When the four-star expert, the four-star vine, and the four-star white tiger joined forces, it wouldn’t be her who suffered.
It was odd how these people were all talk after meeting. It would have been difficult if they had directly tried to attack her.
Just as Jian Heng raised his dagger to strike, a hand reached out and firmly grabbed his wrist.
“Lu Ming?” Yun Shan was taken aback.
Lu Ming’s eyes were as crimson as rubies. He glanced at Yun Shan and then, with a stern expression, fixed his gaze on Jian Heng as though looking at a dead man.
Before Jian Heng could comprehend what had happened, his game character died, and he was kicked out of the game.
“Boss!” His subordinates were beside themselves with anger, eager for revenge.
Several attacks were directed at Yun Shan. Just as she was about to command Xiao Bai to evade, her vision blurred. Lu Ming stood in front of her, and at the same time, over thirty three-star players were sent flying.
Several of them sustained severe injuries and, before hitting the ground, turned into white light.
The remaining players were terrified, fearing they might be the next ones targeted.
“Are you hurt?” Yun Shan noticed Lu Ming’s torn sleeve and a faint trace of dark red blood.
Before she could finish, Lu Ming hugged her.
Yun Shan was taken aback.
In the midst of her surprise, Zuo Xin, Zhu Hong, You Yi, and Lu Liu arrived one after another, “My Lord!”
Their arrival coincided with Lu Ming embracing Yun Shan.
Instantly, everyone felt relieved—everything was fine, they were saved.
“Divine Doctor, are you injured?” You Yi asked with concern.
Just as he was about to approach, Lu Ming positioned himself protectively in front of Yun Shan, casting a wary glance at You Yi.
Feeling intimidated, You Yi conversed from a distance, “As long as you’re fine.”
“I’m okay,” Yun Shan felt that as long as Lu Ming remained outside, the safety of the group couldn’t be guaranteed. So, she coaxed him, “Shall we go home?”
Lu Ming quietly held Yun Shan’s hand, his expression gentle.
Trying to pull away, Yun Shan found Lu Ming obediently following along, showing no resistance.
The two of them strolled back at a leisurely pace.
Meanwhile, Xiao Bai, feeling abandoned, pondered his situation.
You Yi fell into deep thought, “Could it be that the Lord went out to see the Divine Doctor?”
Zuo Xin breathed a sigh of relief inwardly, “At any rate, as long as everything’s okay.”
***
As the lord of the camp, Lu Ming owned numerous properties. These days, he was busy with official duties and often rested at another estate during the day, carrying medicine with him.
“This is the medication for the Lord’s medicinal bath.” Zuo Xin stayed back to handle the assassins, while You Yi returned to another estate. As per Yun Shan’s instructions, he took out the medication for her to inspect.
Yun Shan opened the medication, sniffed it, and immediately frowned. “The contents have been tampered with. Two of the medicines have been replaced, changing from calming to agitating the mind.”
“How could…” You Yi was at a loss.
Lu Ming furrowed his brow, “Medication management is strict, and security is always tight. How could someone have had the opportunity to tamper with it?”
After a moment of contemplation, Yun Shan suddenly looked up and asked, “During the night when the thief struck, are you sure there was only one group?”
You Yi felt a chill, “Are you saying that weaker individuals feigned theft to distract, while stronger ones slipped in to change the medicine?”
“I found it odd before. Clearly lacking in strength, why would they choose the estate as their target? Wouldn’t it be easier to choose a less challenging target?” Yun Shan’s eyes were cold. “If the goal wasn’t theft but rather to divert attention and secretly change Lu Ming’s medication, then it all makes sense.”
Lu Ming’s expression turned cold, “I’ll bring the other medications for the Divine Doctor to inspect.”
After an examination, it was discovered that not only the medicinal bath had been tampered with, but the fragrant sachet had also been replaced. A similar and subtly scented item had been mixed into the soothing incense. However, the relaxing potion had not been tampered with, being inconvenient to manipulate.
With most of the medications switched, it was no wonder the condition had suddenly worsened.
You Yi was furious, “Who’s behind this?”
“Stealing was to switch the medicine, assassination was to ensure the Lord had no one to treat him. It seems the other party is well-informed,” Yun Shan hinted.
Lu Ming’s eyes gleamed like cold stars. His voice was icy and resolute, “There’s a traitor leaking information and passing messages privately.”
Perhaps the medicine tampering was also the traitor’s doing.
Lu Ming looked at Yun Shan, stating earnestly, “Leave this to me. I will root out the person.”
Yun Shan nodded, “I’ll reprepare the medicine and have Lu Ming take it as soon as possible.”
Feeling sidelined, You Yi asked, “Is there nothing that I can help with?”
Yun Shan replied, “There is. Do something for me.”
You Yi’s spirits lifted, “Whatever you need, just tell me.”
***
Two days later.
At midnight, a group of foolish thieves arrived at the estate once again. They thought themselves undetected as they stealthily approached the granary. Unbeknownst to them, the white falcon had been observing them for a long time.
As these individuals were about to enter the warehouse, a long whistle pierced the estate, alarming the thieves. Before they could retreat, the white falcon, leveraging its speed, swiftly pecked at the intruders, leaving them bruised and battered.
“Capture them!” The excited wolfhounds howled, while the white falcon continued to whistle. Meanwhile, there were faint discussions among the servants, and the whole courtyard was in an uproar.
One person took advantage of the chaos to slip away. Sneaking into the bamboo house, he skillfully found the ornate box and removed the sachet inside, pouring out the herbs and swiftly making the switch.
At that moment, the vines shot out like poisonous snakes, injecting the toxin into the prey’s body. Startled, the individual tried to struggle, but Xiao Bai tackled him, swiftly breaking the intruder’s leg.
Just then, the lights inside the house were turned on, and everyone got a clear look at the face of the person who had switched the herbs.
“An unfamiliar four-star abilities user,” Lu Ming chuckled. “Seems like an outsider from another camp.”
The person was captured but remained silent, almost as if they were mute.
“There might be an accomplice inside the estate. Search for them!” Lu Ming ordered, and the others sprang into action, turning the estate upside down in their search.
“We found these suspicious items in the garden,” one of his men reported, “Two individuals are associated with these items.”
“First, detain them,” Lu Ming commanded.
“Sir, I’m innocent!” a 15 or 16-year-old boy protested.
“If you’re innocent, once we investigate and clear your name, you’ll be set free,” Lu Ming replied.
The boy fell silent.
“Take them away.”
***
In the morning, Yun Shan logged in.
Lu Ming placed the suspicious items in front of Yun Shan. “These are property deeds. One is for a tenant who not only possesses several pieces of farmland but also a high-end residence.”
“This… I don’t know what it is. But according to the reports, it was hidden extremely securely. It was quite a challenge to uncover it, so it must be important.”
Upon seeing the rolled cigarette, Yun Shan’s expression immediately changed.
“What’s this?” Lu Ming asked curiously.
“Cigarettes,” Yun Shan explained. “Just one can lead to addiction, causing people to abandon reason, betray loved ones, and squander their wealth. In severe cases, it can even lead to the betrayal of one’s soul.”
Upon hearing this, Lu Ming was secretly alarmed.
“Did the individuals caught yesterday remain defiant and refuse to speak?” Yun Shan inquired.
Lu Ming nodded, “The four-star thieves have received specialized training. The other two are afraid of the consequences and refuse to speak the truth.”
“Take the cigarettes to them. Inform the owner that whenever they are ready to confess, they’ll get their cigarettes back,” Yun Shan instructed.
Though puzzled, Lu Ming complied.
Half an hour later, Yun Shan returned with an odd expression, “They confessed everything for the sake of smoking.”
The people from Blue Cedar Camp had been trying to gather information about Lu Ming. Unable to obtain it directly, they had resorted to bribery.
First, they tempted individuals with benefits, turning the residents of Red Maple Camp into their informants.
Later, they used drug control, deliberately setting traps, luring people and getting them addicted to smoking. Thus, in order to continue smoking, they would obediently follow any orders from Blue Cedar Camp.
“Besides the two detained, there’s another person who regularly reports the Lord’s activities, in exchange for a substantial amount of points. By investigating the point transactions, we can find this person,” Lu Ming explained, his anger barely concealed. “What exactly does Blue Cedar’s camp want to achieve? Are they planning to wage war?”
Recalling Jian Heng’s words, Yun Shan thought, “It’s also possible that they are supporting a new leader to take over.”
***
Yun Shan carefully recollected and confirmed that such an event had not occurred in the previous life.
After the ice rainstorm disaster, due to the shortage of food, the camps were all focused on recuperating, with no energy to cause trouble.
Yet, in this life, even at the beginning of the year, the rolled cigarettes had already appeared.
Faced with this sudden turn of events, Yun Shan decided to observe and wait.
In the evening, she logged off to prepare dinner.
As soon as she re-established her communication, someone privately messaged her, “Would you rather be a kind or a cowardly ruler? The NPCs are taking advantage of people. Why not join forces and rebel against them?”
Yun Shan, possibly being a relative of the current ruler, replied, “…”
“Thieves who steal hooks are executed, those who steal countries become lords. One sentence, will you or won’t you?” the person asked again.
Yun Shan responded, “I will.”
Upon receiving Yun Shan’s consent, the other party added Yun Shan to a small group of ten.
As soon as she entered the group, Yun Shan witnessed the group members passionately expressing their views, “For something like construction, do we really need the system to issue tasks? I’ll prepare the materials myself, build the camp, and set my own performance goals!”
Leaving aside the purpose for which they had gathered, these words were largely in line with Yun Shan’s intentions.
If it weren’t for her interest in the ruler, Yun Shan herself would have been the most active among the villainous leaders.
Someone asked, “In general online games, don’t you need a lord’s decree to construct a camp, and without the necessary items, how can you proceed?”
The person who had spoken earlier replied, “Prepare the materials, build the structures. Construct an outer fence, name the camp. Finally, I’ll announce the official establishment of the camp.”
The others were left speechless, expressing their feelings in the group.
“I’m not kidding. I’ve already built the camp, and I’ve become the lord. However, due to the recent ice rainstorm, there was a total crop failure, and we’re facing a severe shortage of food. Once we all work together to raid the warehouse and seize enough rice, I’ll happily return to the camp as the lord.”
As things were starting to veer off track, the group leader made an appearance, pulling the discussion back on track, “The reason I’ve gathered everyone is to accomplish something significant. The NPC ruler lacks integrity and is exploiting the players. Brothers! It’s time to stand up against the tyranny of the NPC! After our success, we can carve out territories and become lords together. Isn’t that delightful!”
One person spoke up, “Everyone wants to overthrow the current ruler and take their place. The question is, how do we go about it?”
The group leader replied, “At that time, we’ll create chaos. When the residents are in a panic and preoccupied, we’ll eliminate all the NPC guards, allowing us to smoothly take over the camp.”
Someone questioned, “The camp defenses are tough. It’s easy to say ‘eliminate,’ but how do we actually achieve it?”
The group leader responded, “I’ll only divulge the specifics of the plan to my partners. If you want to back out, you still have time.”
The group fell silent, with all members deep in thought.
After a while, one person left, then two, then three…
In no time, only seven people remained in the group—a group leader and six members.
Yun Shan stayed, intending to act as an informant deep within the enemy lines.
After waiting for a while, the group leader urged once more, “For those who want to leave, leave now. Once you hear the plan, you won’t be able to leave.”
After a while, no one had left the group.
The group leader was very pleased, “I knew it. You’re all capable of doing big things.”
Then, he proceeded to explain his plan in detail, providing the camp defense layout and making comprehensive arrangements for each group member.
After hearing the plan, the group members were relieved.
“The group leader is considerate and well-prepared, why worry about the success of our plan?”
“Overthrowing the tyranny of the NPCs, ending the dark rule.”
“We’ll win!”
Yun Shan echoed along but inwardly thought that with her involvement, the players were bound to fail.
She wondered what the group leader was thinking, bringing her into the group.