"Quan, you are the future heir to the Chen Family."

"Northbank City."

The City famed for the "North River Market" had already come alive with noise before the floodwaters receded.

Muddy streams ran down the streets toward their ends. Barefoot vendors deftly rolled their trousers up to their knees and waded through ankle-deep water to set up their stalls.

Before long.

Calls and sales pitches gradually replaced the sound of Rain. As Eternal Night receded, the city awoke alongside it.

The steam of piping-hot food mingled with the fresh, earthy scent in the air.

The morning market had opened.

Even the early arrival of the rainy season could not stop the morning market from opening. People had to eat, after all. Besides, ordinary folk could only leave their fate to the heavens in a situation like this. There was nothing they could change.

Yet a residence beside the morning market district remained remarkably quiet, utterly at odds with the bustle just one street away.

This grand residence in Northbank City belonged to the "North River Chen Family."

One of Northbank City's three major powers.

"..."

In the rear courtyard of the North River Chen Family residence, a small courtyard enclosed by several Side Rooms, a Middle-Aged Man wearing training clothes stood solemnly in the torrential rain. His eyes were shut and his palms pressed together, as though he were deep in meditation.

The next instant!

His eyes snapped open, flashing with a piercing light.

Several Level-2 Eerie Stones in his palms shattered instantly, turning into dark green liquid that drifted through the air.

"Go!"

With a low shout, the Middle-Aged Man abruptly thrust his fingers forward. As though answering his summons, the dark green liquid darted through the air, gradually sketching out a phantom Arrow Tower formed of pale green liquid.

As he traced it out, some of the pale green liquid continuously dissipated into the air.

"Rise!"

Several breaths later, the man clenched his hand again.

The phantom Arrow Tower rapidly solidified in the torrential Rain until it stood in the courtyard.

The servant beside him, holding an oiled umbrella over him, smiled broadly and flattered him. "Attendant Liu, you're getting better and better at utilizing the energy in eerie stone. Now you only need five Level-2 Eerie Stones to build an Arrow Tower."

"These days, hiring a Builder to construct an Arrow Tower for your Camp costs at least 150 eerie stones at market rates."

"Their costs alone run to around 100 eerie stones."

"Even the Chen Family's former Level 4 Builder needed 70 eerie stones to build one Arrow Tower."

"But now, Attendant Liu, you only need 50 eerie stones to build one, and your success rate is as high as seventy percent!"

"Before long, you'll be the undisputed best Builder in Jiangbei!"

"Hmph."

The Middle-Aged Man snorted, a trace of pride flashing in his eyes. As a Level 5 Builder serving the Chen Family, he had his own pride. But after glancing around, he frowned slightly. "Where's the Family Head? Doesn't the Family Head usually train here with me in the mornings?"

"I'm afraid I don't know."

"You may leave. I'll go see the Family Head."

The Council Hall in a side courtyard of the North River Chen Family residence.

The Chen Family's current first heir, the youth who had personally exiled Chen Fan to the Wasteland, hurriedly got out of bed and dressed upon receiving notice of an emergency meeting that morning. He rushed through the heavy Rain to the Council Hall.

He entered the Council Hall.

The Family Head was already seated at the head of the table, with the North River Chen Family's five Elders who held real authority seated along either side.

"Father."

The youth lowered his head in greeting before taking his seat. Something about today's atmosphere felt wrong. His father's expression was grim, tinged with anger, resentment, and... disbelief.

Had something happened to the Family?

"Quan is here. Everyone's present. This morning's emergency meeting concerns the Chen Family's future direction. Speak freely, everyone. Whatever thoughts you have, say them."

Quan was the youth's nickname. His full name was Chen Quan.

The first heir to the North River Chen Family.

Everyone was here?

Chen Quan froze slightly, instinctively lifting his eyes toward the empty chair across the table. That was Attendant Liu's seat. Normally, Attendant Liu was invited to every meeting, no matter how important or trivial.

Attendant Liu had complained about it many times, saying that he was merely a Level 5 Builder and knew nothing about the Family's development. They should not summon him to every miscellaneous meeting. He needed to cultivate and did not have that much time to spare.

Yet they hadn't invited Attendant Liu today?

What could they possibly need to hide from the Chen Family's only Builder?

He keenly sensed a hint of unease.

He immediately lowered his gaze and sat quietly in his seat. He still lacked seniority, so whatever this was about, it surely had nothing to do with him. All he needed to do was remain silent.

Yet—

A single sentence from his father instantly drenched his back in cold sweat.

"Chen Fan, my son."

"A few days ago, someone sent him to Jiangbei Chen Family Station No. 37 in the Wasteland to serve as Station Master."

"The attendant accompanying him was his personal servant, named Crippled Monkey, one of the servants the Family trained together three years ago. He took only three eerie stones with him when he departed."

As those words fell.

Chen Fan's expression changed drastically. He rose instinctively, not daring to meet his father's eyes, his voice trembling slightly. "Father, under the Chen Family's rules, sending Chen Fan to the Wasteland for training was in accordance with our ancestral teachings. Everything followed procedure..."

Before he could finish, the sound of tapping on the table interrupted him.

His father had never mentioned the matter over the past few days, so he had assumed his father knew nothing about it. He had not expected him to know it in such detail, even down to a servant's name. He himself barely remembered what that servant was called.

Who would pay attention to a servant's name?

The Middle-Aged Man at the head of the table had a deeply lined face and heavy bags beneath his eyes. His lips pressed tightly together, he tapped the table lightly and leaned against his chair, his eyes full of exhaustion. Yet his head remained habitually raised.

His hair had turned completely white.

His face bore the marks of hardship. This was a man whose oppressive presence could be felt with a single glance.

Like an aging lion.

"The rainy season arrived early. Today is its third day."

"Of all the Stations in the Wasteland that failed to evacuate in time, only two survived. One is Station 16 of the Qiuhe Wang Family."

"The other—"

"Is Station 37 of the North River Chen Family."

"The very Station where Chen Fan is."

He tossed a Ghosthide Map onto the table and leaned back in his chair, his eyes half closed as he gently rubbed his temples. In a tired, hoarse voice, he said, "Elders, if you have anything to say about this, let's hear it."

"Quan."

"You are the future heir to the Chen Family. Think it over first. I want to hear your thoughts in particular afterward."

"This..."

"How is this possible?"

As soon as the Family Head finished speaking, the Chen Family Elders exchanged looks of disbelief. They had not actually known that Chen Fan had already been sent to the Wasteland, but Chen Quan's reaction gave them a rough idea of what had happened.

It was perfectly normal.

Such things were all too common within the Family.

The only abnormal thing was...

How could Station 37, where Chen Fan was stationed, possibly have survived until the third day of the rainy season?