As for her real spoils, she naturally ate them all. Why would she bring them back to share with this bunch of scoundrels?
Chapter 146
The collaborative exploration with the Azure Jade Operations Department has come to an end.
It's unclear what the other four and the Azure Jade Student Council think, but from any perspective, there will be no more cooperation.
We don't know what happened there, and apart from the unexpected turn of events at the end, this operation has already exceeded its previous objectives, so there's no point in exploring it further in the short term.
This is also true for Wen Jing.
She immediately shared her share of the purplish-red coral loot with Ji Shuang, who was recovering from her injuries. After all, Ji Shuang had already achieved the biggest harvest on this trip, and even just using her location was a win-win situation.
It is worth mentioning that the Lava Giant Lizard is Wilderness Beast of the same level as the Spider King.
However, the attribute point increase Wen Jing gained from devouring the giant lizard was not as significant as when he devoured the Spider King.
"Although I am now a split individual, my physical attributes are essentially my previous ones..."
Just like in the past, eating a Wilderness Beast on the giant tree would bring a boost, but now, with her physical attributes, eating one might only increase her attribute points by a tiny fraction, two decimal places.
This exploration was just a side trip; Wen Jing's main focus remained on the Chess Game World at night.
On the chessboard, the lamplight flickered as the alien insect appeared.
Upon returning to the Chess Game World, Wen Jing immediately sensed her surroundings. She then keenly noticed that the connection between herself and the twenty-seven wolf beast chess pieces she had previously subdued had become somewhat weaker.
"This is so realistic! Loyalty even decreases over time!"
With their commander absent and the group leaderless, morale will naturally decline.
"It seems that exploration of this world needs to be kept at a certain frequency..."
Wen Jing could already imagine how troublesome and Locator Stone it would be for other Awakened to explore this world if she didn't have the positioning ability of the Gravity Silk.
"Let's see what the artisan chess pieces are all about this time."
The next moment, she crashed headfirst into the group of craftsmen opposite her.
"Da da da!"
The remaining twenty-seven wolf-head chess pieces also moved in response to Wen Jing, and the two professional teams of different natures clashed.
The world is changing, and the heatwave is scorching. Wen Jing heard the familiar sounds of mining again.
This time, instead of just one monkey-headed craftsman, there were five monkey-headed craftsmen and one bull-headed craftsman.
The monkey-headed craftsmen are positioned at various stages of production, working together to cast bronze artifacts.
The bull-headed figure moved between the crucible and the mold, controlling and mastering the key aspects.
Wen Jing's gaze fell upon the final mold. This time, the six-person team wasn't forging a weapon, but rather...
"Chimes."
Having learned from her previous experience, she carefully observed the demonstration process. These molds were of different sizes and needed to be used in combination.
Without a doubt, the manufacturing process of musical instruments is significantly more complex than that of weapons.
For weapons, only the key strength needs to be considered; for chime bells, however, the pitch and volume of each bell must be correct.
She observed that the Minotaur was the one who controlled the details during the crucial casting process.
Different chime bells differ not only in size, but also in the melting time and the materials used, sometimes even deliberately retaining their impurities.
Soon, under the hands of the craftsmen, a set of chimes smaller than the ones on either side of the palace was cast.
"Clang, clang, clang..."
After its creation, this set of chime bells played automatically in sequence, from smallest to largest, producing clear and melodious sounds.
Wen Jing looked at the chime bells. "This is a bit troublesome."
The 'material upgrade' method won't work this time, and the chime bells are much larger than weapons, meaning that if she puts her own limbs in them again, the consumption will be even greater.
Of course, the most important thing is that she doesn't know what the criteria for judgment are.
As long as the weapons collide, that's all that matters. What about musical instruments these days—are they designed for louder sound, more accurate pitch, or a brighter tone?
The team that had completed the chime bells stood beside them, waiting for Wen Jing's performance.
"Let's build one and try it out."
Wen Jing reviewed the previous scene in his mind, and then looked at the wolf-headed chess pieces around him.
"You guys come and help too."
Since battling artisans is a contest of skill and there's no need to worry about losing troops, they don't have to be idle.
However, when the wolf-headed men followed Wen Jing to the ore, they stopped in their tracks, hesitating and looking bewildered.
It seems that even though everyone has a human-shaped head, people with different professions can't do the things that their professions do.
Seeing this, Wen Jing could only shake his head and step forward alone to begin the mining process.
With her current memory and perception, she could completely memorize even the most complex casting process and techniques for chime bells, which are more intricate than those for weapons.
"If you can't lead a team, you'll just have to work yourself to death..."
"If you can't do it, then get out of here--"
Wen Jing skillfully selected the ore, and seeing the wolf-headed people getting in the way, he was about to ask them to leave when another idea suddenly came to him.
She commanded the wolf-headed men, "Wait, go and capture them."
Compared to the previous command that left them confused, this command was clearly more relevant.
At his command, the wolf-headed man immediately sprang into action.
Previously, the craftsmen who were restricted from attacking by Wen Jing due to the rules were all captured by the wolf-headed man like chicks, and even the leader of the bull-headed man was the same.
As a result, while they were being captured...
The world has changed, Wen Jing has returned to the chessboard once again.
The six artisan pieces, which were surrounded by warrior pieces, have now submitted to her.
This level was surprisingly easy to pass!
"I see, coercion by force can also work."
In the first palace, you cannot kill the craftsmen; you must defeat them with skill.
However, the second palace is a simulation game where military units can directly capture technological units.
However, Wen Jing could also sense that her connection with the craftsman chess pieces was very weak, far weaker than that of the warrior chess pieces she had conquered with her strength. This was even after she had been away for two days and her 'loyalty' had decreased.
"If they encounter other forces, they might easily switch sides."
People may submit under coercion, but coercion alone cannot buy loyalty.
Wen Jing's guess was quickly confirmed.
Because the opponent's turn comes right afterward.
The sound of numerous chess pieces rubbing together filled the air as various forces surged forth.
As she absorbed a team of artisans, she gained significantly more attention, and the two nearest legions even showed clear signs of alliance, forming an encirclement against her.
However, the first to launch a frontal attack was not the legion, but the priestly order that had been pursuing them from the rear.
"Whoosh whoosh whoosh--"
The sacrificial group also consisted of only six people, led by a crane-headed chess piece with a long, slender neck, who fearlessly chose to run into Wen Jing's group of more than thirty people.
Wen Jing, naturally, dared not relax when faced with the most perplexing sacrificial ceremony, and immediately became fully prepared.
"Boom!"
A clap of thunder sounded, followed by a downpour.
This world consists of two altars, one large and one small, standing in the flood.
Wen Jing's entire team entered and were now somewhat crowded on a smaller altar.
Moreover, besides herself, the downy hair on the heads of many of the beast-headed people was soaked by the torrential rain, lying limply on their skulls, looking quite miserable.
Across a wide, swift-flowing stream, you can see an altar on the opposite side that is larger and more solemn than the one you saw last time.
Six priests stood around the altar. The crane-headed priest at the head was a head taller than the five deer-headed priests beside him, standing out conspicuously among the 'deer' group.
Seeing this, Wen Jing couldn't help but think: Could it be that last time she exploited a bug, so this time the two altars were directly separated?
She tried to fly over, and sure enough, just like the palace chessboard, there was a spatial restriction between the two altars.
While Wen Jing was trying, the priests on the other side also began to act.
Unlike the deer-headed people in the first palace, this was not a sacrifice.
Led by a crane-headed priest holding a jade cong, the other deer-headed figures holding tortoise shells followed behind, dancing around the altar with a strange gait, accompanied by rhythmic tapping of their hands.
The dancer is also a shaman.
With the prayers of the priests and shamans, the floodwaters at the altar receded significantly, and the rainfall decreased.
Conversely, the rainfall in the area where Wen Jing and the others were located increased even more, and the already rapid water level rose visibly, making their foothold even narrower.
"Waaah..."
The minions were struggling to keep their eyes open in the torrential rain when a wolf-headed man called out for instructions.
The artisans, already held hostage, were much more obvious in their behavior, kneeling and growling towards the altar opposite them. If it weren't for the werewolf-headed men blocking their way, they would have already tried to break through.
Faced with this scene, Wen Jing turned his gaze to the altar on his side.
The last time she encountered the priest, it was by sacrificing the life of the deer-headed man.
This time, however, was different. She couldn't reach those priests; those she could reach now were all her own people who had already joined her ranks.
By now, Wen Jing understood that his 'class' stemmed from the number of pieces he controlled.
If one were to sacrifice their own werewolf-headed men or artisans, the loss of population would be secondary; more importantly, the already unstable loyalty would be in grave danger, and the regime might even collapse entirely.
Loyalty gained through force is unstable and requires a combination of kindness and severity.
So Wen Jing began to move on the altar, perfectly replicating the priest's movements.