72: Citywide blessing buff

Shen Xiaochuan walked down the tower and toward the city gate. The wind stopped. He stood there, hands in his pockets, his fingertips sliding across the interface of the Faith Mall.

[faith points +1]

[faith points +1]

He saw Aphrodite and her mother’s war chariot enter the outer city. A corner of the curtain was lifted; the woman leaned against the carriage, with the Little Girl snuggling against her. They glanced at him and nodded slightly without speaking.

He raised his hand in response and turned toward the temporary settlement area.

On the way, a soldier came to report that the new refugees had been settled in tents, the wounded sent to medical points, and food and water distributed. He nodded and continued forward.

At the second row of tents, he stopped.

Aphrodite sat by the bed, holding a pit from a golden spirit fruit. Her mother’s eyes were closed, her complexion much better than when they entered the city. The Little Girl held the pit to her mother’s lips and whispered, "Mom, take another bite, it will give you more strength."

The woman opened her mouth slightly and swallowed.

At that moment, Shen Xiaochuan saw a faint pink light flash across her chest. It was a brief instant, but he saw it clearly.

This wasn't a normal recovery effect. He had distributed golden spirit fruits before, but never seen such a strong reaction. This power didn't come from the fruit itself.

He looked down at Aphrodite. She held her mother's hand, her eyes bright, her face showing neither fatigue nor fear. She seemed to know something but chose to remain silent.

Shen Xiaochuan took a step back and turned to leave the tent.

He climbed to the top of the watchtower. The city lights were coming on one by one; the cultivation area, workshops, and temples were all in operation. He looked down, a question circling in his mind.

Why her?

Last night, she stood in front of the villagers, unafraid of bandits or death. When she cried holding her mother, no one dared approach. That aura was not like a Mortal.

He remembered when he first experienced his System Awakening, his faith points increasing by one every second. No one told him why; he could only keep trying and observing silently.

Now, something similar was happening to Aphrodite.

He looked at the distant farmland. Ordinary wheat was planted there. A few days ago, people were complaining about yellowing leaves and worrying about the harvest. But now, new ears of grain had sprouted in the fields, vibrant and green.

This was definitely not a normal growth rate.

He looked at the medical tent again. A wounded soldier who should have been bedridden for three days was walking, the wound on his leg already scabbed over. Nearby, a child fell and scraped their knee, bleeding, but it began to heal within seconds.

He whispered, "Can faith really change the rules?"

The real world had always rejected divine intervention. But if Mortals truly believed that "God exists," perhaps the rules would loosen.

Aphrodite's mother believed in him, the child believed in him, and the old village chief believed in him too.

They didn't call him a god, but they were willing to follow him.

That was enough.

He touched the Gear Pendant on his chest and walked down the tower.

As the sky darkened, the atmosphere in the city changed quietly.

The cooking smoke was thicker than usual, and the aroma of food drifted far. Someone was humming a song—not a sad tune, but a lighthearted melody. Two neighbors argued over firewood; before they finished, one laughed, then the other, and they ended up moving the wood together.

A child fell while chasing a ball but didn't cry, getting up to keep running.

As Shen Xiaochuan turned a street corner, a System prompt sounded in his ear:

[City-wide Happiness +15%]

[Agricultural Output Efficiency +20%]

[Health Recovery Rate +25%]

[Base Luck +1]

He stopped.

He knew what this meant.

"Favor of the Goddess of Love" had taken effect.

It wasn't brought by him, but by Aphrodite. She was a Young God whose abilities hadn't fully awakened, but her emotions, trust, and love had become the key to unlocking a certain possibility.

The door had been opened.

He looked up at the sky; stars were beginning to twinkle.

Tonight, Skydome City was different.

The next morning, he didn't go to the main hall but went to the Blacksmith Shop first.

A wave of heat hit him inside the shop; the furnace fire was bright red. Lolia was bent over polishing a silver spear, sweat on her forehead, sleeves rolled to her elbows. Hearing the door, she looked up, saw it was him, and quickly wiped her hands to greet him.

"You're here."

Shen Xiaochuan took a blueprint from his robe and handed it over.

"The overlord spear, a standard-issue weapon suitable for use by the legion."

Lolia took the blueprint and unfolded it, her eyes immediately lighting up.

The diagram clearly labeled the structure of the entire spear: the head, the shaft, and the counterweight were all explained. The material was black iron alloy; the craftsmanship requirements were high, but not so complex that it couldn't be mass-produced.

"I can do it," she said. "Five a day is no problem. With good luck, I might even produce some rare items."

Shen Xiaochuan looked at her. "There's no need to chase rarity. Just ensure a stable output of excellent quality."

She nodded. "I understand. This kind of spear is suitable for large-scale equipment; it's perfect for a war of attrition."

Shen Xiaochuan said solemnly, "As long as people are willing to fight with their lives, this place can be held."

Lolia was startled, a light flickering in her eyes as she smiled. "With those words from you, I'll work even harder." She then lowered her head to continue studying the blueprint.

He gave a grunt of affirmation.

This blueprint had been obtained in exchange for fifteen carcasses of exotic beasts; it hadn't come easily. It represented a path: exchanging death for power and resources for time.

Now, this path had been placed in her hands.

"Start production as soon as possible," he said. "The Azure Dragon Legion needs to expand, and we're short on weapons."

"I'll start tonight." Lolia pressed the blueprint onto the workbench and struck the anvil three times with her hammer. "When the first spear is finished, I'll deliver it personally."

Shen Xiaochuan turned to leave.

She suddenly called out to him, "Brother Shen."

He looked back.

He walked out of the Blacksmith Shop, sunlight spilling onto his face. Busy figures were everywhere in the city, as if an invisible force was pushing everything forward.

Everything in the city was changing.

A farmer went to the fields three times in one day and came back telling people the wheat was growing too fast, that something was a bit off. Doctors found the wounded were recovering at godspeed and had begun taking notes for research. Children played hide-and-seek in the streets, their laughter constant.

An old woman sat at her door soaking up the sun as her grandson ran over and threw himself into her arms. She hugged the child and said, "I've slept so soundly these past two days; even my dreams aren't scary anymore."

No one mentioned gods.

No one called out a name.

But in everyone's heart, there was something more.

Shen Xiaochuan crossed the plaza and saw several new refugees being assisted in setting up sheds. Darwin stood to the side directing them, a list in his hand. Seeing him, the old man nodded without speaking.

He walked over and said, "Take a break."

"I'm not tired," Darwin said. "The people who survived all want to do something."

He looked at these people and suddenly felt the burden on his shoulders grow heavier.

Once, he only wanted to become stronger and shed the label of "Trash." Later, he wanted to establish a Divine Kingdom and let the Gods of Huaxia stand tall in the world. Now he understood that people were truly waiting for him to lead the way.

Not through intimidation by force.

But because they believed he would always move forward.

He returned to the front of the main hall and stopped to look up at the starry sky.

His faith points displayed 1,582,700. The Divine Kingdom was operating normally. Heroic Spirit Summoning was still on cooldown. New supplies had refreshed in the Mall, but he had no heart to check them.

He brushed the Gear Pendant on his chest again.

When Aphrodite fell asleep last night, she was still tightly holding her mother's hand. She had a dream, and a smile appeared on her lips.

Lolia spread the blueprint on the table, pressing down the four corners with stones. She picked up a pen and began to break down the production process. The first step was forging the blank, which required three people working together, and the furnace temperature had to reach over two thousand degrees.

She stood up and walked toward the furnace.

The hammer hung on the wall; she took it down and held it in her hand.

Firelight illuminated her face.

She took a deep breath, raised the hammer, and struck the first iron blank.

Sparks flew in all directions.