Direct Guards

Seeing Kate in such a bedraggled state, Shi Feng found it hard to imagine just how much resolve that free player named Zui Xiao had needed to make such a choice back then. However, the facts proved that Zui Xiao truly had a keen eye.

When choosing direct guards, it came down to two things: judgment and luck.

If one chose poorly, one could only blame oneself for lacking sharp enough eyes or sufficient patience.

Before a player recruited an NPC under their command, the NPC's various stats were absolutely impossible to see. This remained true even if the NPC had been recruited as an ordinary guard.

Anna was an assistant awarded through an Epic Quest and fell entirely under Shi Feng's management, similar to a direct guard. That was why Shi Feng could see her stats.

Only after becoming a Viscount would players receive two direct guard slots and forty-eight ordinary guard slots. These slots were extremely precious. Once a contract was signed with an NPC, terminating it came at a considerable cost.

Players could still bear the cost if it was an ordinary guard. After all, ordinary guards could not grow and would eventually have to be replaced as the player became stronger. Direct guards, however, were different. They could grow. Even Shi Feng did not dare terminate such contracts lightly, as the price was simply too high.

Therefore, after becoming Viscounts, God's Domain players were extremely cautious in their choice of direct guards. They would never use a direct guard slot carelessly and would always choose with great care.

However, leaving a slot unused forever was not a good thing either. Even if another player's direct guard had somewhat poorer potential, that player would have begun nurturing them earlier, providing substantial help with leveling. Moreover, the earlier