Guild Creation Token, Servant Contract!

As the flowing light faded, Yu Jinghong's aura settled firmly at the Fifth Layer of Postnatal Realm.

She swept her gaze over the dumbfounded Players around her, the corner of her lips lifting in an exceedingly faint, almost imperceptible curve.

"Rookies, have you seen enough?"

Her voice was cool and carried an air of superiority.

Yu Jinghong no longer looked at them. With a flick of her hand, a palm-sized token that was neither metal nor wood appeared in her palm. A complex character for "guild" was engraved on its front, with energy faintly flowing through it.

"A Guild Creation Token?" A well-informed Player in the crowd gasped. "This thing costs a fortune. Only the Royal Clan and Longevity Families can just casually take one out!"

Yu Jinghong ignored the discussion and pressed the token directly onto the ground.

The token melted the instant it touched the ground. A visible ripple spread outward from her, sweeping across the entire street of Blue Stone Town. The Heavens Tower Marks on every Player's hand grew faintly warm.

Immediately afterward, a majestic, icy mechanical voice sounded in every Player's mind:

[Player detected using a 'Guild Creation Token.' Conditions for establishing a faction have been met.]

[Faction 'Jinghong Gang' successfully established.]

[...]

[Guild Leader: Yu Jinghong.]

[Faction Territory: Blue Stone Town (Initial).]

[World Announcement: Player faction 'Jinghong Gang' has been successfully established. Guild Leader: Yu Jinghong. Faction Territory: Blue Stone Town.]

Before the Players could process the news, the mechanical voice sounded again. This time, its contents instantly stirred everyone up.

[The first Player faction in this world layer has been established. Main Quest activated.]

[Main Quest: Ascent to the Martial Peak!]

[Quest Description: Youthful spirit, sword in hand, roaming the world; galloping through the martial realm, settling grudges with abandon. Cultivate the vastness of martial arts, practice peerless Divine Arts; climb the pinnacle of the martial path and stand above the highest peak. With one call, the world shall move; walk alone and shake the martial realm. Command Wind and Cloud, and look down upon all heroes!]

[Quest Hint: This is a long-term Main Quest. There is no penalty for failure. The final victor will receive one random Divine Art or Ultimate Art.]

[Note: This is a Primary Martial Arts World. Rewards are meager; participation is encouraged. Players, please act within your means.]

The street fell silent for a second before erupting.

"The Main Quest!"

"It's finally here! The textbooks said every world has a main quest!"

"A random Divine Art! It may be a primary world, but it's still a Divine Art!"

Wang Xuan received the prompt as well, and he narrowed his eyes.

"Meager rewards? Participation is encouraged?" It sounded as though the Tower were saying: This world was stripped clean of anything worthwhile long ago. Just play around if you want.

The real resources were probably all on the higher floors, firmly controlled by the Longevity Families and the Royal Clan.

To them, this first floor might have been nothing more than a beginner village, perhaps even a place for selecting "workhorses" and "cannon fodder."

Yu Jinghong was very satisfied with the effect. Her voice once again drowned out the noise.

"The recruitment conditions for Jinghong Gang are as follows."

"Anyone who signs a contract will receive one Basic Martial Arts manual and twenty taels of silver as startup funds."

"Those who perform exceptionally will receive three Lower-Grade Martial Arts manuals. Those who render meritorious service will receive one Mid-Grade Martial Arts manual!"

The moment she said that, many Players' eyes lit up.

Basic Martial Arts!

Twenty taels of silver!

Lower-Grade Martial Arts were within sight, and Mid-Grade Martial Arts were not impossible either. For many Players who had entered with nothing and possessed only average talents, it was like an enormous pie dropping right onto their heads.

"What are the conditions?" A rather steady-looking Player shouted from the crowd. "My lords of the Royal Clan won't just give us things for free, will they?"

In a Low Martial Arts World like Secret of the Linked Cities, aside from the common, worthless martial arts found everywhere, martial arts were basically divided into five grades: Lower-Grade, Mid-Grade, Upper-Grade, Ultimate Arts, and Divine Arts. The difference lay only in the rank of the Plot World itself. A Lower-Grade Martial Arts manual from an Intermediate Martial Arts World would undoubtedly be far stronger than one from a Low Martial Arts World.

Yu Jinghong's next sentence froze the joy on many faces.

"The contract will be notarized by the Heavens Tower." With a wave of her hand, a set of glowing terms appeared in midair. "This is a 'Servant Contract.'"

"Clause One: During the contract period, seventy percent of all opportunities, treasures, and cultivation methods obtained in this world must be handed over to Jinghong Gang."

"Clause Two: You must obey all reasonable orders from the Guild Leader, Yu Jinghong."

"Clause Three: The contract remains valid until this world cycle ends or the signer dies."

Yu Jinghong glanced at the man and said calmly, "Of course there are conditions. To join Jinghong Gang, you must sign a Heavens Tower-notarized 'Servant Contract.' During the contract period, seventy percent of the opportunities you obtain in the Tower must be handed over to the guild, and you must obey all my reasonable orders."

The Players burst into an uproar.

Seventy percent handed over!

Obey all reasonable orders!

This was not recruiting followers. This was clearly recruiting servants and cannon fodder!

The commotion in the crowd grew even greater.

Some wore ugly expressions, some cursed under their breath, but others had flickering eyes as they weighed their options.

"Seventy percent? Isn't that way too ruthless?"

"Exactly. We work ourselves to death, and you get the lion's share?"

"But... if we don't join and others secretly do, they'll start out ahead of us. Then..."

"Twenty taels of silver... That can buy quite a lot. Working for her is still better than feeling our way across the river by stepping on stones."

"Lying flat is impossible, but these conditions... This is competition to the death!"

Listening to the discussions around him, Wang Xuan sneered inwardly. This was how the Royal Clan operated.

They used a small amount of resources you desperately needed to take away most of your future freedom and gains. Yet you could not refuse, because if you did, you might not even get a decent start. If you accepted, you could soar in the short term. Though you would still be cannon fodder, you would pull ahead of most ordinary Players.

The strong supported the weak, and the weak bullied those even weaker.

Yu Jinghong seemed to have anticipated their reactions. Her expression did not change as she added coolly, "It is voluntary. Those willing may step forward and sign the contract. Slots are limited."

"I'll sign!"

A voice broke the silence. It belonged to a skinny young man who squeezed out of the crowd, his face carrying the expression of someone ready to risk everything.

"My awakened talent is E-Rank Talent, Nimble Hands. It just means my hands are a little faster. Who knows when I'd ever get ahead otherwise? I'll sign!"

The skinny young man bit his finger and pressed it down. Golden light flashed, and the contract formed, sinking into the marks on his and Yu Jinghong's hands.

"Hahaha, Hou San, I told you to stop doing so much guidance exercise! It's unhealthy! Look at you now, awakening a talent like that. I'm dying of laughter!" As the teasing rang out, the tense Players relaxed, and some even burst into loud laughter.

Once there was a first, there was a second and a third.

This was especially true for Players with low-ranked awakened talents, or those who had not awakened any talent at all. Watching others possibly take off with the resources of their families or the Royal Clan while they themselves struggled even to get started, their anxiety quickly overwhelmed their resistance to the contract.

"I'll sign too! It's better than lying flat and waiting to die!"

"Fuck it, if it's competition, then it's competition. I'll get on the train first and worry about the rest later!"

"I'll sign too. The contract only applies to this one Plot World anyway. I'll get stronger first. I can work like a beast now, then take off directly in the next Plot World!"

For a moment, more than twenty people surged forward.

Hou San opened his System Panel. The next instant, his pupils shrank to pinpoints, and the corners of his mouth twitched as though he wanted to say something. The Players eagerly stepping forward to sign the contract also froze one after another.

A trace of mockery flashed through Yu Jinghong's eyes. These ordinary Players knew nothing of the Royal Clan's methods. Once they signed the contract, they would be servants for life. They still thought they could take off in the next world? They were dreaming!

On the System Panels of the contracted Players, it was clearly written:

[Item: 'Servant Contract,' Deed of Indenture (False concealment, alteration!)]

"Clause One: During the contract period, seventy percent of all opportunities, treasures, and cultivation methods obtained in this (all) worlds must be handed over to Jinghong Gang."

"Clause Two: You must (without resistance) obey all reasonable orders from the Guild Leader, Yu Jinghong."

"Clause Three: The contract remains valid (until death), until this world cycle ends (false), or the signer dies."

"(Concealed) Clause Four: Without an order, you may not deliberately injure or kill yourself, nor may you use special items to leave the Plot World."

"(Concealed) Clause Five: You may not reveal contract information through expressions, actions, speech, eye contact, or any other means."

"(Concealed) Clause Six: Upon death, the cost of this contract must be repaid. According to # & rules, the soul shall be exchanged #￥&..."

"(Concealed) Clause Seven: If the master dies, the servant dies. The contract cost shall be repaid to the superior contract, target ￥#%."

A smile surfaced on Yu Jinghong's lips. She seemed very satisfied with the Players' current expressions and waved her hand. "Don't get too happy. Go wait in the back."

Several Players who had finished signing nodded woodenly. Their heads were lowered, their shoulders trembled faintly, and they slowly walked to the side. Their instincts were resisting the contract, yet they were being forcibly restrained by its clauses. Others thought they had received some benefit and were secretly delighted.

At that moment, a young Player in embroidered robes with a somewhat slick air approached Yu Jinghong, his face piled with smiles.

"Miss Yu, Guild Leader Yu! I... I awakened C-Rank Talent, Copper Skin. My skin's defense is naturally stronger than that of ordinary people, and I have an innate advantage in cultivating external martial arts. Look, could I sign a contract with better terms? Like... a fifty-fifty split? I promise I'll give it everything I have!"

C-Rank Talent!

Among ordinary Players, this already counted as having a bright future.

Yu Jinghong glanced at him without any change in her eyes.

"Rules are rules. C-Rank is no exception. Sign and stay. Refuse, and do as you please."

The embroidered-robed Player's expression changed several times before he finally gritted his teeth.

"I'll sign!"

He pressed down his handprint. A nearly imperceptible trace of satisfaction flashed through Yu Jinghong's eyes. A C-Rank Talent already counted as a "high-quality servant," far better than E-Rank consumables.

Wang Xuan silently watched everything unfold. His Sixth Layer of Postnatal Realm strength allowed him to clearly sense that something seemed wrong with the states of those contracted Players. That should have been the power of the contract.

"As expected, the Royal Clan is like cancer cells. Every time they enter a Plot World, they begin rapidly expanding through resources. Now that the Main Quest has been triggered, we'll inevitably end up on opposing sides." Wang Xuan calculated inwardly. Should I make a move now?

He felt the surging postnatal inner strength within his body.

In a frontal confrontation, with his Sixth Layer of Postnatal Realm cultivation and the body granted by the Lesser Vajra Indestructible Body, killing Yu Jinghong at the Fifth Layer of Postnatal Realm had a one hundred percent chance of success. But the foundations possessed by the Royal Clan made him somewhat wary.

If he killed her, those resources...

The thought was incredibly tempting.

Although he was confident he could climb to the top step by step, and with a Unique Rank Talent in hand, completing the Main Quest was only a matter of time.

The advantages and disadvantages were obvious. Yet given the current situation, the other side would expand at an unprecedented speed. By then, it would likely no longer be his concern whether to deal with them, but theirs whether to spare him.

Most importantly, Extreme Iron Shirt possessed the trait Lesser Vajra Indestructible Body. With the strength of the Fifth Layer of Postnatal Realm, no attack could break through its defenses, while he only needed one strike to severely wound his opponent.

Yu Jinghong raised her head, her gaze seeming to casually sweep across the surroundings. Her brows twitched almost imperceptibly.

Amid the crowd of Players packed together by the eager sign-ups, there seemed to be an abnormal gaze openly sizing her up.

However, the feeling quickly vanished again.

"Was it an illusion?"