The second trip of hauling went a bit more smoothly than the first. Everyone had gained experience, knowing how to pack more efficiently and which paths were easier to walk. Lin Mo still sat on a rock. He had already finished off the dried meat and was now studying a book he had scavenged from the bandit leader. "These bandits sure have a lot of aesthetic taste in life." Lin Mo flipped through the Erotic Art with great interest. The artwork was mediocre, but it excelled in being realistic. "Lord, are you researching tactics?" Lin Yi's voice suddenly arrived. Lin Mo's hand gave a twitch, and the Erotic Art almost dropped to the ground. "Ahem, I am researching... ancient human anatomy art." He closed the book without changing his expression. "How is it? The second trip finished being hauled?" "Finished hauling." Lin Yi reported, "Now only a small final batch remains, mainly those boxes of sundries and the remaining cloth. It will probably take about ten people to finish moving it." "Then hurry up." Lin Mo looked at the sky. "The sun is about to set." "Understood." The third hauling trip began. This time with fewer people, the speed was much faster. Lin Shiba, Lin Shijiu, Lin Ershi, and seven others—ten people in all—shouldered the final supplies and stepped onto the return path. Lin Mo also finally stood up and stretched lazily. Having sat all afternoon, his butt was entirely numb. He exercised his limbs and joints, feeling the surging power brought by Level 5 Attributes. Then he bent down and lifted the two remaining wooden boxes on the ground with one hand, which contained copper coins, scattered silver, and those few books. "Quite light." He weighed them; they were around fifty catties or so. To him, it was about the same as carrying a handbag. Thus, in the afterglow of the setting, Lin Mo carried a wooden box in each hand and leisurely walked toward Water Curtain Cave. His pace was relaxed, and he even hummed a little tune. Suddenly, a cold, majestic synthetic voice devoid of any emotional color— rang out without warning in the deepest part of his mind and simultaneously in the consciousness of all Internal Test Players:
[World Announcement (Regional · Yunzhou Prefecture, Great Xia Dynasty)]
[Internal Test Player 'Zhao Dapeng' (ID 7342), on the seventh day of the ninth month of the third year of Tianqi in the Great Xia calendar, maliciously, unprovokedly, and continuously slaughtered twenty-seven innocent villagers in Zhang Family Village, Linshan County, Yunzhou Prefecture.]
[This action severely violates the basic order of Destiny, triggering the 'Heaven's Wrath' mechanism.]
[The 'Blood Sea Pursuit Order' is now issued:]
[1. Bounty: Anyone who successfully captures or kills 'Zhao Dapeng' will be rewarded with two hundred liang of silver.]
[2. Qualification: All Internal Test players automatically acquire the 'Temporary Bounty Hunter' identity. Tracking and discovering his trail can yield extra rewards.]
[3. Class Change: The one who ultimately completes the capture or killing will obtain the complete class-change qualification for the Special Profession 'Bounty Hunter' and generous extra rewards.]
[4. Punishment: 'Zhao Dapeng's' current status is changed to 'Red Name' (heinous crimes), with his hatred locked by all native factions (government, sects, gangs, and even some neutral wild monsters). Killing him will grant reputation and special rewards.]
[Heaven's net is vast, with sparse meshes yet missing nothing. May all players take this as a warning and conduct yourselves accordingly.]
The announcement echoed three times in a row across the consciousness of all Internal Test players. Lin Mo's footsteps came to an abrupt halt, and the Clones carrying supplies also instinctively stopped. The mountain forest was pitch quiet, with only the rustling sound of the wind blowing through the leaves. Lin Mo's complexion appeared somewhat shifting and uncertain beneath the tree shadows. Slaughtering civilians... leveling up quickly... He had not failed to entertain this notion before. Especially upon discovering that his own leveling required a massive amount of experience, while hunting wild beasts or bandits carried high risks and relatively slow returns. To him and his Clones, weren't those unarmed villagers devoid of combat skills simply like lambs waiting for slaughter? This thought had once quietly bred in his heart like a poisonous snake. Fortunately... fortunately, because he was busy scouting the terrain and establishing his territory, he hadn't yet had time to put this dangerous thought into practice. A lingering wave of cold fear crept up along his spine. "Just as I thought..." Lin Mo muttered in a low voice, his tone somewhat dry. "The evil faction isn't so easy to play in." With this announcement, the system had clearly drawn a red line and doled out severe punishments. Government bounties, Red Name marking, and even the possible existence of "Heaven's Punishment." That Zhao Dapeng was finished. "Lord?" Lin Yi's voice arrived, carrying inquiry. Lin Mo took a deep breath, suppressing the ripples in his heart. "It's nothing." He waved his hand, his gaze turning firm once more. "Keep moving." Ultimately, one still had to rely on the righteous path to elevate oneself and build a force. Heretical shortcuts might grant temporary speed, but they were ultimately a path to self-destruction. The team reformed and set out once again, steadily marching toward Water Curtain Cave. Lin Mo's pace did not halt, but his thoughts had already drifted far away. The deployment map of Black Wind Stronghold had already been secured, and they had inflicted losses of two chieftains and a small half of the personnel upon the enemy. With such an optimal timing, perhaps... it was time to find an opportunity to completely uproot Black Wind Stronghold. "Almost there, almost there." Lin Ershi's voice broke the silence of the forest, his tone filled with irrepressible excitement. "Tonight we can finally eat a full meal!" "I've been craving white rice, almost driven crazy craving it," Lin Ershiyi yearned. "I want to eat meat, large chunks of meat." Lin Er'er swallowed a mouthful of saliva. As the setting sun completely sank below the horizon, the final batch of people finally returned to Water Curtain Cave. "We're back!" "I'm worn out... My shoulders are about to be crushed!" "Put them down! Hurry up and put them down!"
Before you continue