30: Chapter 30 Resource Struggle, Wolf Pack Guild

Three days passed in the blink of an eye.

During these three days, the atmosphere for Cultivate within the Heavenly Court residence nearly solidified. The main room had been renovated by Lin Ye into a temporary Cultivate room, with six Spirit Gathering Formation Plates (purchased by Qian Duoduo at a huge cost) distributed throughout the room, increasing the concentration of Spiritual Qi in the surroundings by a full three times. Pale white Spiritual Qi mist flowed through the room, and with every breath, one could feel their Cultivate advancing.

Lin Ye's Rank stabilized at 24, his Chaos Heavenly Emperor Body Awakening degree increased to 7.5%, and his comprehension of Chaos Heaven Opening reached 10.8%. More importantly, he had completely refined the six grains of time sand into the myriad mother qi cauldron, extending the duration of the cauldron's "Time Flow" effect from 10 seconds to 12 seconds, and increasing the maximum multiplier to 1.8 times.

Su Qingyue's Vast Cold Spirit Body had recovered nearly 40% under the nourishment of the cold jade marrow fragments. Although her Origin had not yet fully healed, at least it no longer affected her normal Cultivate and combat. Her Rank reached 22, her control over ice-type Spell became more refined, and she even began to touch the threshold of the "Law of Ice."

Chen Hao's God King Body awakened further, reaching Rank 23, and he unlocked the third God King Body exclusive skill: "God King Descent"—which significantly boosts all attributes for a short time and grants an Iron Wall effect. Zhang Meng, Zhao Xiaoyu, Li Qingshan, and Wang Iron Pillar all reached Rank 21-22, achieving a qualitative leap in strength.

As for Qian Duoduo, this newly joined business Genius showed astonishing efficiency during these three days.

First, he used three thousand of the five thousand Spirit Stones Lin Ye had given him to lease a prime location shop in the East Market, hanging the sign "Heavenly Court Chamber of Commerce Shop No. 1." The shop mainly dealt in the acquisition and sale of Materials, as well as equipment appraisal and purchasing services. Relying on Qian Duoduo's connections and business acumen, it became profitable on the very first day of business.

Next, he used the remaining two thousand Spirit Stones as startup capital to build a ten-person business team—including five purchasers, three salespeople, one accountant, and one warehouse manager. These people were all carefully selected by him; they either had real-world business experience or had demonstrated outstanding business talent in the game.

On the evening of the third day, Qian Duoduo returned to the residence with a thick stack of account books.

"Boss, good news!" he shouted excitedly as soon as he entered. "The net profit for these three days is eight hundred Spirit Stones! After deducting costs and the team's wages, we cleared five hundred! At this rate, doubling it in seven days is not a dream!"

Lin Ye took the account book and flipped through it. The accounts were clear, the items were distinct, and every income and expenditure was recorded in detail. Qian Duoduo was not only good at making money but also managed things in an orderly manner.

"Well done," Lin Ye praised. "However, relying solely on business to make money is not enough. We need to establish stable resource channels."

Qian Duoduo nodded: "I was just about to tell you about this. Today I heard news in the market—a small copper Ore vein was discovered in the 'Black Iron Mining Area' west of the city. The reserves are estimated to be enough for a month of mining, with a daily output of about one hundred units of copper Ore. It is currently occupied by a force called the 'Wolf Pack Guild'."

"'Wolf Pack Guild'?" Chen Hao frowned. "Never heard of them."

"It's an emerging guild. The Guild Leader, 'Wolf King,' is Rank 25. It's said he's a retired soldier in reality and is skilled at commanding. Their guild has over two hundred people. Although their overall strength isn't strong, they are disciplined and act quickly," Qian Duoduo explained. "Three days ago, they discovered the copper Ore vein and sent people to blockade the mining area, forbidding other players from entering."

Lin Ye was thoughtful: "Copper Ore is an important Artifact Refining Material in the early stages, and there is a huge market demand. If we can take down this Ore vein, we can not only meet our own needs for Artifact Refining but also sell it through the Chamber of Commerce, forming an industrial chain."

"But the Wolf Pack Guild has over two hundred people, and we..." Wang Iron Pillar hesitated.

"Not all two hundred people are in the mining area," Qian Duoduo added. "I sent people to scout. The Wolf Pack Guild currently has about thirty people stationed in the mining area, led by the Vice Guild Leader, 'Lone Wolf.' Everyone else is scattered elsewhere, leveling up or doing quests."

Thirty versus seven.

The number was still lopsided, but it was not without opportunity.

Lin Ye looked at the group: "What do you think?"

"Attack!" Chen Hao was the first to state his position. "Resources must be taken by force! The Heavenly Court has just been established, and we need a victory to establish our prestige!"

Su Qingyue analyzed softly: "Thirty people. If they are all ordinary players around Rank 20, we have a chance of winning. But we need detailed intelligence—their class combinations, equipment levels, and positioning."

Zhang Meng gripped his shield: "I'll hold the front. I should be able to withstand the first wave of focused fire."

Li Qingshan and Wang Iron Pillar also expressed their willingness to fight.

Zhao Xiaoyu was a bit worried: "If we start fighting, what about casualties? The three new members we just recruited are only Rank 20, and their combat experience is insufficient."

Lin Ye pondered for a moment and made a decision: "We will fight, but we must use strategy. We won't attack head-on, but use a ruse."

He looked at Qian Duoduo: "Continue to send people to scout. I want to know the detailed terrain of the mining area, the shift change times of the Wolf Pack Guild, and the location where they store the mined copper Ore."

"Understood!" Qian Duoduo immediately went to make arrangements.

Lin Ye looked at the others: "Everyone, get a good rest tonight and recharge. Tomorrow morning, we go to the mining area."

The next morning, just as the sky was beginning to brighten, Lin Ye's group of seven plus the three newly recruited members—IDs: [Blade Master · Duanshui], [Mage · Yanyang], [Archer · Zhuifeng]—a total of ten people, left the Capital City of Yan State and headed towards the Black Iron Mining Area in the west of the city.

The Black Iron Mining Area was located in a hilly area thirty miles west of the capital city. It was originally rich in Black Iron Ore, a low-level Artifact Refining Material, which both players and NPCs mined. The newly discovered copper Ore vein was deep in the mining area, and one had to pass through an abandoned mine tunnel to reach it.

The ten-person team moved quickly through the hills. Lin Ye led the way, with his Chaos Domain constantly maintained within a ten-meter radius around him, sensing the movements in the surroundings. Su Qingyue followed closely behind, ice-blue spiritual power flowing at the tip of her staff, ready to deal with unexpected situations at any time.

An hour later, they arrived at the edge of the mining area.

Overlooking from a high point, the entire mining area was bowl-shaped, with a diameter of about two kilometers. Surrounding it were bare rock walls left after mining, and at the bottom were more than a dozen mine tunnel entrances. In the center of the mining area, a group of players was busy—about twenty people were entering and exiting the mine tunnels, transporting Ore; another seven or eight people were patrolling around, vigilantly observing the surroundings.

These players all had a uniform guild emblem on their heads: a ferocious wolf head, and below it the two characters "Wolf Pack".

"That is the Wolf Pack Guild's people," the scout sent by Qian Duoduo reported in a low voice. "The patrol team changes shifts every half hour, and the captain is the Rank 24 Warrior 'Mad Wolf.' The mining team in the mine tunnel is commanded by the Rank 23 miner 'Earth Rat.' The Vice Guild Leader, 'Lone Wolf,' is in the tent at the innermost part of the mining area. He is Rank 25, and his class is Assassin."

Lin Ye carefully observed the terrain.

The mining area had only one entrance, in the southeast direction, about ten meters wide, easy to defend but difficult to attack. At the entrance, four Wolf Pack players were guarding it, two Warriors and two Mages, all Rank 22 or above.

The mine tunnels were distributed around the mining area. In the central open space, the mined copper Ore was piled up, covered with oilcloth, and four people were guarding it.

Around the innermost tent, six players were on guard, all elite level, Rank 23-24.

"A frontal assault won't work," Lin Ye analyzed in a low voice. "The entrance is too narrow. Once blocked, we will fall into a passive position."

"Then what should we do?" Duanshui asked. He was the newly joined Blade Master, Rank 21, with a straightforward personality.

"Make a feint to the east while attacking in the west." Lin Ye pointed to the rock wall on the north side of the mining area. "There is an abandoned mine tunnel there that can bypass to the inside of the mining area. Chen Hao, you take Duanshui, Yanyang, Zhuifeng, and Iron Pillar, and sneak in from there. The target is the Ore pile in the center. After you succeed, don't get entangled in the fight, and retreat immediately."

"Zhang Meng, Qingshan, Xiaoyu, you follow me to make a frontal feint to attract their attention. Qingyue, you provide support from a high point and use ice-type Spell to control the scene."

He looked at the three newly joined members: "This is your first time participating in a team operation. Remember two points: First, listen to commands; second, protect yourselves. If the situation is not right, retreat immediately, don't try to be brave."

"Understood!" the three replied in unison.

"Action."

The ten people were divided into two groups. Chen Hao took the other four and quietly circled toward the north rock wall, while Lin Ye took the remaining people and walked swaggeringly toward the entrance of the mining area.

"Stop! The Wolf Pack Guild is doing business here, no outsiders allowed!" The guards at the entrance were immediately alert, and two Warriors stepped forward to block the way.

Lin Ye stopped and said calmly: "We are from the Heavenly Court, here to talk business."

"'Heavenly Court'?" The guard was stunned for a moment, then sneered. "Never heard of it. No matter what court it is, this is now Wolf Pack territory, get lost!"

Lin Ye was not angry but continued: "We are willing to pay for the mining rights of the copper Ore, the price is negotiable."

"Buy mining rights?" The guard looked as if he had heard a joke. "Kid, do you know what place this is? This is the Black Iron Mining Area, the Wolf Pack Guild calls the shots here! If you're smart, get lost, otherwise..."

Before he finished speaking, Lin Ye moved.

His figure suddenly blurred, Void Step activated, and he instantly appeared behind the guard. His right hand formed a sword finger, the embryonic form of Chaos Heaven Opening activated, and he tapped on the back of the guard's neck.

-8,888! Critical Hit!

The guard's health bar instantly cleared. He didn't even react to what had happened before he turned into white light and disappeared, leaving behind only a piece of fine-quality chest armor and a few pieces of copper Ore.

[System Prompt: You killed the player 'Wolf Pack · Guard A'!]

[You gained 1200 Experience Points!]

[You gained +10 Reputation!]

[Your reputation with the Wolf Pack Guild has dropped to 'Hostile'!]

"Enemy attack!" The other three guards finally reacted and immediately sounded the alarm.

The entire mining area instantly became restless. The patrol team quickly assembled and rushed toward the entrance. The mining team in the mine tunnel also stopped working and picked up their weapons to prepare for battle.

Lin Ye retreated to the team and shouted: "Zhang Meng, hold them!"

Zhang Meng roared, slammed his heavy shield onto the ground, and activated the Iron Wall skill. A pale golden light shield enveloped the five of them. Almost simultaneously, seven or eight Spell and arrows slammed into the light shield, causing it to fluctuate violently.

"Xiaoyu, heal!" Lin Ye commanded while observing the movements inside the mining area.

Zhao Xiaoyu tapped her staff repeatedly, and emerald green healing light fell on Zhang Meng, stabilizing his health line. Li Qingshan fired his longbow in succession, his arrows accurately shooting at the mages in the distance, interfering with their casting.

At this moment, Chen Hao and the other four had successfully sneaked into the north side of the mining area.

The abandoned mine tunnel was pitch black, with only the faint light provided by the fluorescent moss that occasionally appeared on the rock walls. The five of them moved forward holding their breath, keeping their footsteps to a minimum.

"There is light ahead," Duanshui whispered.

The exit of the mine tunnel was just ahead, and the light and silhouettes outside could be vaguely seen. Chen Hao signaled everyone to stop and carefully poked his head out to observe.

Their location was on the north side of the mining area, about fifty meters away from the central Ore pile. There were four guards around the Ore pile, looking nervously at the entrance direction, clearly attracted by the battle there.

"Opportunity," a sharp light flashed in Chen Hao's eyes. "Iron Pillar, you and I will rush over from the front to draw fire. Duanshui from the left, Yanyang and Zhuifeng from the right, destroy the oilcloth as fast as you can. Take as much copper Ore as you can, and burn what you can't take!"

"Understood!"

"Three, two, one—charge!"

Five figures rushed out of the mine tunnel like arrows off a bowstring.

The guards were caught off guard. By the time they reacted, Chen Hao's long spear had already pierced in front of them.

"The enemy is behind us!" a guard shouted, but it was already too late.

Chen Hao's spear struck like an Azure Dragon emerging from the sea. He activated [Azure Dragon Army Breaker], and a cyan dragon shadow shimmered at the tip of his spear, piercing through a guard's chest in one strike. Wang Iron Pillar's battle saber followed closely behind, its light like a bolt of silk, hacking another guard away.

Duanshui's saber technique was vicious and tricky, focusing on the lower body, forcing a guard to retreat repeatedly. Yanyang and Zhuifeng bypassed the battle and headed straight for the Ore pile.

"Fireball Spell!" Yanyang waved his staff, and three basin-sized fireballs slammed into the oilcloth covering the Ore. The oilcloth ignited upon contact with the fire, instantly turning into towering flames.

Zhuifeng quickly took several large cloth bags from his storage ring and frantically stuffed them with copper Ore. His movements were extremely fast; in just ten seconds, he filled three bags, each containing at least twenty units of copper Ore.

"Retreat!" Seeing that the objective was achieved, Chen Hao immediately gave the order.

The five of them turned and retreated, heading toward the mine shaft.

"Stop them!" a gloomy voice rang out.

From the direction of the central tent, six figures rushed over. Leading them was an assassin wearing black leather armor and wielding dual daggers—it was none other than the Wolf Pack Guild vice-president, Lone Wolf.

Lone Wolf was Rank 25 and one of the strongest fighters in the Wolf Pack Guild. He was extremely fast; almost the instant the voice rang out, he had already rushed behind Chen Hao, his dual daggers striking at Chen Hao's heart like a viper flicking its tongue.

"Watch out!" Wang Iron Pillar roared, sweeping his battle saber in an attempt to force Lone Wolf back.

But Lone Wolf twisted his body strangely, slipping through a gap in the saber light, his daggers still stabbing toward Chen Hao.

Just at this critical moment, an ice-blue light descended from the sky.

"Ring of Frost!"

Su Qingyue stood on the high ground on the south side of the mining area, her staff held high. With Lone Wolf as the center, a thick layer of ice instantly formed on the ground within a ten-meter radius. Lone Wolf's movements suddenly slowed, and the speed of his dagger thrust decreased by at least 30%.

It was this 30% reduction in speed that gave Chen Hao time to react. He swept his spear back, the shaft accurately striking the side of the daggers and deflecting the attack.

"Thanks, Sister Qingyue!" Chen Hao shouted, not stopping his feet as he continued to retreat.

Lone Wolf's eyes flashed with cold light as he looked up at Su Qingyue on the high ground: "Snipers, take out that mage!"

On the arrow towers surrounding the mining area, two archers immediately shifted their aim, firing arrows like raindrops toward Su Qingyue.

But Su Qingyue was prepared. She tapped her staff lightly, and three ice walls condensed in front of her. The arrows struck the ice walls, leaving only white dots. At the same time, she cast another Spell: "Ice Arrow Rain!"

Dozens of ice arrows descended from the sky, covering the area around the arrow towers. The two archers were forced to stop shooting and dodge the ice arrows.

Taking this opportunity, Chen Hao and the other four successfully retreated into the mine shaft, disappearing into the darkness.

Lone Wolf's Face turned livid. He looked toward the entrance, where the battle was still ongoing. Lin Ye and the other four were fighting while retreating. Although they were outnumbered, relying on Zhang Meng's defense and Zhao Xiaoyu's healing, they managed to hold off the siege of over thirty Wolf Pack Guild members.

What shocked Lone Wolf even more was Lin Ye's combat power—every move the young man made was precise and lethal. Within the range covered by his Chaos Domain, the Wolf Pack players' attributes were significantly weakened. Eight members had already died at his hands, including two Rank 24 elites.

"Vice-president, the Ore pile has been burned!" a guard ran over to report. "We lost at least two hundred units of copper Ore! The rest are scattered everywhere and will take time to organize!"

Lone Wolf gritted his teeth: "Split half the men to put out the fire and organize the Ore! The rest, follow me to take care of those people at the entrance first!"

But just as he finished speaking, a loud bang suddenly came from the direction of the mine entrance.

"Boom—!"

Lin Ye finally used the myriad mother qi cauldron.

The small cauldron flew out from his wheel sea, rapidly enlarging to three zhang high in the air, its mouth facing downward, aimed at the most densely packed area of Wolf Pack players. On the surface of the cauldron, the six silver patterns lit up simultaneously, and the Law of Time flowed.

[Time Flow · Deceleration]!

With the myriad mother qi cauldron as the center, the flow of time within a thirty-meter radius suddenly slowed to 0.6 times the normal speed. The Wolf Pack players felt as if they had fallen into a quagmire, every movement becoming slow and difficult.

As for Lin Ye and his group of five, because of the protection of the Chaos Domain, they were less affected.

"Now!" Lin Ye shouted in a low voice.

Zhang Meng withdrew his defense, and the five of them launched a charge simultaneously. Li Qingshan's arrows shot out like a machine gun, each arrow accurately hitting a player's vital point. Zhao Xiaoyu stopped healing and switched to attacking, emerald green vines condensing at the tip of her staff, entangling the legs of multiple players.

Lin Ye himself was like a tiger entering a flock of sheep. He did not use Chaos Heaven Opening, but instead condensed his Chaos Power into his fists and kicks, each strike carrying the annihilation characteristic of Chaos. Players hit by him not only took physical damage but were also eroded by the Chaos Power, continuously losing health.

In just ten seconds, another five Wolf Pack players fell.

Lone Wolf watched with eyes splitting from anger, but he was firmly held back by Su Qingyue's ice-type Spells and could not break free.

Just then, a roar suddenly came from deep within the mining area.

"Stop it, all of you!"

A burly middle-aged man wearing heavy armor walked out of the tent. Above his head was the ID [Wolf Pack · Wolf King], Rank 25. He held a giant axe the size of a door panel in his hand, and every step he took made the ground tremble.

The president of the Wolf Pack Guild had come out in person.

Wolf King walked to the center of the battlefield and slammed his giant axe into the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust. He looked around, his gaze finally landing on Lin Ye.

"Lin Ye of the Heavenly Court?" Wolf King's voice was rough. "I've heard of you. The Hell first clear, the name Night God. But you brought people to cause trouble on my turf today; isn't that going too far?"

Lin Ye stopped attacking and looked calmly at Wolf King: "The Ore vein is ownerless; it belongs to those capable of holding it. If your Wolf Pack Guild can occupy it, our Heavenly Court can also compete for it."

"Compete?" Wolf King sneered. "You only have ten people; we have over thirty. Even if your personal combat power is strong, how many can you kill? If you really want to fight to the death, none of you will be able to leave!"

He was stating a fact. Although Lin Ye and his group were temporarily gaining the upper hand, the Wolf Pack Guild had the advantage in numbers, and this was their home turf. If they really fought to the death regardless of the cost, it would be difficult for the ten of them to retreat unscathed.

But Lin Ye had already anticipated this.

"President Wolf King, how about we make a deal?" Lin Ye suddenly said.

"A deal?" Wolf King frowned. "What do you want to talk about?"

"The mining rights for the copper Ore vein—our Heavenly Court wants half." Lin Ye said directly. "In exchange, we will not only stop attacking but can also help you deal with other forces coveting the Ore vein. In addition, our Heavenly Court Chamber of Commerce is willing to purchase all the copper Ore you mine at 90% of the market price, guaranteeing sales."

Wolf King's eyes flickered.

This condition... was actually not bad.

Although the Wolf Pack Guild occupied the Ore vein, mining required manpower, sales required channels, and they had to constantly guard against other forces seizing it. If they could cooperate with the Heavenly Court, they would not only have one less strong enemy but also solve the sales problem.

More importantly, Lin Ye's reputation and strength were clear for all to see. Being enemies with the Heavenly Court would do the Wolf Pack Guild no good.

But giving up half the mining rights just like that would be a blow to their pride.

Wolf King pondered for a moment and said, "Four-six split, we take six, you take four. Also, you must be responsible for the defense of the mining area and send at least five people to be stationed there."

Lin Ye shook his head: "Five-five split. We can be responsible for the defense, but at most three people stationed there. Also, the purchase price for the Ore is 95% of the market price; it cannot be lower."

The two bargained and finally reached an agreement:

1. The copper Ore vein mining rights are split fifty-fifty; both sides will send personnel to mine, without interfering with each other.

2. The Heavenly Court is responsible for the outer defense of the mining area, and the Wolf Pack is responsible for internal security.

3. The Heavenly Court Chamber of Commerce will purchase the Wolf Pack Guild's copper Ore at 92% of the market price.

4. Both sides sign a peace agreement; neither shall actively attack the other within one month.

The agreement was signed, and the System notarized it, making it effective.

[System Prompt: The Heavenly Court and the Wolf Pack Guild have reached a cooperation agreement!]

[You have obtained: Copper Ore Mining Rights (50%)!]

[Daily Output: Copper Ore × 50 units (can dispatch miners to mine)]

[Your reputation with the Wolf Pack Guild has increased to 'Neutral'!]

The dust had settled.

The Wolf Pack players began to clean up the aftermath, some putting out the fire, others organizing the Ore. Lin Ye and the ten of them retreated to the edge of the mining area to rendezvous with Chen Hao and the other five.

"Brother Lin, are we just going to leave it at that?" Wang Iron Pillar was a bit unwilling. "We could clearly have won!"

"And what if we won?" Lin Ye asked back. "Wipe out all thirty of them? Then the Wolf Pack Guild comes out in full force, two hundred people coming for revenge? Our Heavenly Court has just been established; it is not advisable to make too many enemies."

He looked toward the mining area: "Besides, our objective has already been achieved. We obtained the mining rights, established a cooperative relationship, and demonstrated our strength. We earned a profit from this battle."

Indeed, they had earned a profit.

Not only did they obtain a stable source of copper Ore, but they also intimidated the Wolf Pack Guild, letting them know that the Heavenly Court was not to be trifled with. More importantly, through this battle, the three newly joined members received practical combat training, and the team's cohesion also improved.

When everyone returned to the residence, it was already dusk.

Qian Duoduo had been waiting at the door. Seeing them return, he excitedly ran up to them: "Boss! I heard about the mining area! Well done! Now we have our own Ore vein!"

Lin Ye handed the 50% copper Ore mining rights to Qian Duoduo: "It's in your hands. Organize personnel to mine as soon as possible, and at the same time, contact buyers to establish a stable sales channel."

"Don't worry!" Qian Duoduo patted his chest. "I have already contacted three Artifact Refiner Guilds, and they are all willing to purchase copper Ore long-term. In addition, I plan to use the first batch of mined copper Ore to forge a batch of standard equipment to arm our Heavenly Court members."

"That's fine." Lin Ye nodded. "But remember, quality first. Heavenly Court equipment—better to have nothing than to have something inferior."

"Understood!"

Everyone returned to their rooms to rest.

Lin Ye stood in the courtyard, watching the darkening sky.

Although they won today's battle, it also exposed a problem—the Heavenly Court still had too few personnel. Ten core members, three new members—they could still fight against thirty people, but what if they faced fifty or a hundred?

Furthermore, the Wolf Pack Guild was only a second-rate force. Truly top-tier guilds like the Overlord Pavilion, Zhantian Pavilion, or Yaochi Holy Land easily had thousands of people and countless elites. To compete with them, the Heavenly Court needed to grow faster.

"What are you thinking about?" Su Qingyue's voice came from behind him.

Lin Ye turned around and saw her walking over with a cup of tea.

"Thinking about the future of the Heavenly Court." Lin Ye took the tea. "We are moving fast, but not fast enough."

"Haste makes waste." Su Qingyue said softly. "You have already done extremely well. Ten days since the server opened, establishing a force, obtaining an Ore vein, becoming a Guest Elder... others might not even be able to achieve these results in a year."

"I know." Lin Ye took a sip of tea. "But time waits for no one."

He did not explain why time waited for no one. But Su Qingyue seemed to sense something and did not ask further.

The two stood quietly in the courtyard, watching the starry sky gradually appear.

And in the depths of the distant starry sky, three blood-colored streams of light were speeding toward the Big Dipper Star Field.

The landing point of one of the streams of light was none other than—the Capital City of Yan State.