75: Luck manifests

After finishing up at the church construction site, Shen Xiaochuan remembered that the blueprints and construction schedule hadn't been finalized, so he turned back to the site.

He saw Zhou Mingrui pacing back and forth along the edge of the foundation, clutching a tape measure with his brows furrowed tightly.

He stepped forward and gently patted him on the shoulder.

"Stop staring at the steel beams; the blueprints need to be finalized immediately."

Zhou Mingrui turned his head, his face covered in dust, with sweat beads sliding down his cheeks.

"My Lord, four level-four buildings are under construction simultaneously. We can barely scrape together the Materials, but the time is too tight; ten days is simply not enough."

"I'm not asking you to finish everything in ten days," Shen Xiaochuan said in a calm tone. "Just finalize the designs, pour the foundations, and get the frames set up within three days. The rest can be done slowly."

"Three days?" Zhou Mingrui's eyes lit up, but then he looked hesitant. "But the stalls for the food street haven't been planned yet, and the angle of the tavern's ventilation ducts hasn't been calculated correctly."

"Arrange it according to the flow of people," Shen Xiaochuan said, pointing toward the commercial district. "There are fewer people in the morning, the most at noon, and it's liveliest in the evening. The tavern should be positioned further back, but not too remote, and there must be open space in front for tables. Set up stalls on both sides of the food street, leaving a three-meter-wide aisle in the middle so children can run and carts can pass through."

Zhou Mingrui looked down and drew lines quickly in his notebook, his pen moving faster and faster.

"Also," Shen Xiaochuan continued, "the tavern needs to have singing at night—not hired performers, but something that makes people want to hum along. The lighting should be warm, and don't pack the tables and chairs too tightly. A place to eat should make people want to sit down and not want to leave."

Zhou Mingrui stopped his pen and looked up at him. "You've thought of even these details?"

"What I'm thinking is that the divine kingdom isn't just a place for war," Shen Xiaochuan said, looking at the city taking shape in the distance. "People need to survive, but they also need to live with zest. Once you lay these foundations well, Skydome City will truly be able to stand firm."

Zhou Mingrui didn't say anything more, but straightened his posture. "Three days! I guarantee it. Come back in three days, and you'll see the foundations poured, the frames set up, and I'll even have half the tiles stacked!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Shen Xiaochuan felt a sudden jolt in his mind.

【Ding—Zhou Mingrui's loyalty has risen to 100, gained incense value +40】

He was slightly stunned, then regained his focus and nodded.

"Go. If you're short on Materials, find Carl. If you're short on manpower, call up the engineering squad of the White Tiger Legion."

Zhou Mingrui turned and ran, his figure kicking up a cloud of dust.

Shen Xiaochuan walked toward the city gate. Passing the Blacksmith Shop, the furnace fire was blazing, and the new smelter had been built. Lolia was standing to the side, directing the forging. The Hospital wall had been expanded outward, and the line at the pharmacy window was shorter. The Training Ground had been re-paved, and the soldiers were drilling in formation.

Everything was changing for the better.

He arrived at the city gate, where the White Tiger Legion was already fully equipped and waiting.

"Move out," he said.

The force of five thousand set off, heading toward the undeveloped region to the southeast. That area had many blank spaces on the map and scarce resources, but that also meant it was unoccupied.

After marching twenty li, a Scout from the front ran back in a hurry.

"Report! A silver treasure chest has been discovered in the abandoned mine cave on the left!"

Shen Xiaochuan raised his hand to signal the unit to stop and went forward to check it himself. The mine entrance was partially collapsed, and in the pile of rubble, a corner of a silver chest was faintly visible. He reached out and opened it.

【Obtained: Fine-grade pickaxe ×3】

"Distribute them to the engineering team," he ordered.

The unit continued to move forward. Less than half an hour later, another Scout came to report.

"Fifty meters to the front right, there is a golden treasure chest under a dead tree!"

This time it was a gleaming golden chest, and as soon as it was opened, light flashed out.

【Obtained: faith points +5000, incense value +30】

Shen Xiaochuan narrowed his eyes.

Two treasure chests in a row, and the locations were so precise?

He opened the System log and saw a notification:

【Due to the pure trust of the young god Aphrodite in you, Luck +50】

Luck?

He was stunned.

He had never noticed this attribute before. Looking closely now, he saw an extra hidden column on the panel:

【Luck: 52 (Base +2, Trust Bonus +50)】

No wonder the journey had been so smooth.

"Pass the order," he said, turning to his adjutant. "Expand the scouting range, report every five hundred meters, and focus on investigating areas with abnormal terrain."

Once the order was issued, the Scouts dispersed quickly.

An hour later, three level-three grain fields were discovered in succession, all unoccupied. Shen Xiaochuan immediately dispatched troops to take control, and for every one occupied, the System popped up a reward notification.

【Occupied level-three grain field ×1, gained incense value +15】

【Occupied level-three crystal mine ×1, gained incense value +18】

The unit's morale was soaring.

After marching another thirty li, they arrived at the edge of a swamp, where the Scout suddenly crouched down and waved to signal a warning.

"Sir, the wetland ahead doesn't feel right."

Shen Xiaochuan walked closer to observe. The surface of the wetland emitted a faint blue light, and the soil was moist but not soft; it didn't sink when stepped on, but instead had a slight elasticity.

"Analyze the soil quality," he said.

The soldier took out the detector, and the values jumped.

"Report! The soil activity is rated 'Excellent,' and the water absorption rate is extremely high. Preliminary assessment is... a level-four Water Spirit Field!"

Shen Xiaochuan's heart jolted. Level-four fields were extremely rare. If they could successfully control it, Skydome City's strength would increase significantly, and there would even be hope of aiming for a king-rank divine kingdom.

He looked toward the center of the wetland. The fog there was slightly thicker, and a raised platform of earth, shaped like an altar, was vaguely visible above the water.

"Don't act rashly just yet," he said in a deep voice. "Send two teams of Scouts to circle around to the rear to check for any ambushes. Also, call up a team of Archers to the high slope to stand by, ready to provide support at any time."

The order was executed quickly.

Less than ten minutes later, the Scout reported: "No ambushes on the west side, the slope is gentle on the east, suitable for advancing. There is a small path in the forest on the north side leading to a piece of dry land, suspected to be a temporary campsite."

Shen Xiaochuan nodded.

It seemed someone had been here before but hadn't been able to hold it, or had withdrawn voluntarily.

Why?

He touched the copper gear in his sleeve.

His Luck quietly rose by 2 points, and the System notification indicated it came from "the silent support of an unknown Believer."

He hesitated no longer.

"The main force will stand by here. I will take the Personal Guard Squad forward to Scout a bit."

"No!" the adjutant hurriedly blocked him. "It's too dangerous. What if there's an ambush—"

"It is precisely because there might be an ambush that I must go and see for myself," Shen Xiaochuan said with a firm gaze. "The level-four field is crucial to Skydome City. If we can capture it, both food and elemental output will double, and it is a key step toward upgrading the divine kingdom."

Having said that, he stepped forward.

The Personal Guard Squad immediately followed, with the five of them forming a circle to protect him.

Entering the entrance of the wetland, the soil gradually became softer. Shen Xiaochuan stepped on it, and the soles of his shoes sank slightly, but were quickly lifted by a force, as if stepping on a soft cushion.

Strange.

He crouched down and grabbed a handful of mud.

It wasn't sticky, and there seemed to be a faint light flowing within the mud.

This was exactly the characteristic of a level-four field—the soil carried its own energy cycle, allowing everything to grow rapidly, and it could also purify pollution.

Moving forward fifty meters, the earthen platform ahead became increasingly clear.

Suddenly, the Scout whispered a reminder: "Sir, there is a figure on the platform!"

Shen Xiaochuan raised his hand to signal a stop.

Everyone held their breath and focused.

In the center of the earthen platform, there was indeed a blurry figure, curled up and motionless.

The distance was about two hundred meters.

"Throw a smoke bomb to mark the location, Archers lock onto the target," Shen Xiaochuan whispered. "Continue moving forward, crawl along the ground."

The six of them crawled forward.

One hundred meters, eighty meters, fifty meters...

The wind direction suddenly changed.

A fishy smell drifted over.

Shen Xiaochuan wrinkled his nose.

It was the smell of blood, extremely faint, but very fresh.

He quickened his movements and hid behind a rock.

The figure on the earthen platform was finally seen clearly.

It was a woman wearing a tattered priestess robe, with a wound on her chest; although it had scabbed over, the edges were black. She was holding a stone slab in her arms, covered in ancient symbols.

She didn't look like an enemy.

She looked more like a refugee.

"Is she the guardian of this field?" the Personal Guard asked in a low voice.

Questions arose in Shen Xiaochuan's heart: Who was this woman? Was she really the guardian? What was the use of the stone slab in her hands? Was it related to this spirit field?

Just as he was about to stand up, the woman suddenly moved.

Her fingers twitched, and the stone slab slid.

With a clatter.

The woman opened her eyes, her gaze murky, and she slowly scanned the surroundings, finally landing on the rock where Shen Xiaochuan was hiding.

Her lips moved slightly, and the voice was extremely faint, yet it came through clearly:

"...You have come."