64: Year of Death

Lin Du's shop, after being renovated by Master Tie and several other blacksmith masters, had a brand new look.

The masters of the Blacksmith Shop valued Lin Du greatly, so they spared no effort in renovating the shop.

The shop's original cement floor and walls were transformed into a very expensive-looking, wood-grained Colored Sand after the renovation.

The old wooden shelves were also replaced with beautifully crafted metal ones!

Every part of the shop exuded nobility, grandeur, luxury, and depth... For such a large shop, staff members were naturally essential.

Lin Du did not recruit staff from outside; instead, he summoned Silver King from his backpack.

After Silver King was subdued by Lin Du, outsiders could no longer see her original attributes and name.

After Silver King put on clothes, she looked like a delicate, excessively beautiful, normal female; no one would associate her with a robot.

As the top work of art of the Mechanical Race, Silver King's intelligence was higher than that of ordinary humans, more than enough to be a small shop assistant... As noon approached, quite a few players gradually gathered around the shop.

Under everyone's gaze, Lin Du pulled off the red cloth covering the plaque outside the door.

Whoosh—

The four grand characters, 'Ye Clan Merchant Guild,' written in a bold, free-flowing style, entered the eyes of all players.

"Welcome everyone to the Ye Clan Merchant Guild!"

"The opening time hasn't arrived yet, everyone can take a look around the merchant guild first; snacks and tea are already prepared!"

Lin Du stepped aside, and the players outside swarmed in.

There were over 100 display cabinets in the shop's front hall, most of which were empty, with nearly 30 cabinets covered in red cloth.

After entering the front hall, the players were shocked by the luxurious decor.

"This Night Ember really has some tricks up his sleeve. Not only is this shop in a good location, but the interior decoration is also so luxurious!"

"I heard he has a good relationship with the blacksmiths in the Blacksmith Shop. I wonder if it's true or false."

"It should be true! Rumor has it that yesterday, Hong Jiu'er tried to obstruct Night Ember from choosing a shop, and Night Ember, in a fit of rage, called Master Tie from the Blacksmith Shop to support him."

"Hong Jiu'er was beaten black and blue, begging for mercy, and in the end, she supposedly accompanied Night Ember for a night to save her life!"

"No way? Can NPCs beat players?"

"Hong Jiu'er is a super big shot ranked in the top 10 on the leaderboard. Does Night Ember, a mere novice player, really have such strong influence?"

"The rumors might be a bit exaggerated, but this little shop assistant in the store is really damn pretty!!"

...Around 11 AM, Zhao Yunsou arrived with his people.

He brought many high-level players, each holding a large flower basket.

"Congratulations, Brother Ye, on the opening of your merchant guild!"

"Your decor here is so luxurious; it seems the rumors about your good relationship with Master Tie are true?"

Zhao Yunsou's eyesight was sharp; he immediately noticed the unusual aspects of the merchant guild.

The decorative materials and design scheme here could not have been done by ordinary craftsmen, and the completion speed was so fast. It goes without saying that it must have been the work of a top master... Thinking that Lin Du had connections with NPC big shots like Master Tie, a smile unconsciously appeared on Zhao Yunsou's lips.

The more methods and background Lin Du had, the happier Zhao Yunsou became.

He came here today, on one hand, to auction the Emperors Heart Sword, and on the other, more important hand, to recruit Lin Du.

Zhao Yunsou had already decided that Lin Du would be subdued by him.

Therefore, all the methods and background Lin Du currently possessed would eventually be used by Zhao Yunsou.

Anyone would be happy about this!

Upon seeing Zhao Yunsou, Lin Du immediately greeted him with a smiling face.

"Thank you, Young Master Zhao, for your support!"

"Please come inside quickly!!"

He still needed Zhao Yunsou to "exert effort" later, so Lin Du's smile was as bright as a flower, and his tone and attitude were as respectful as could be.

Lin Du's performance greatly satisfied Zhao Yunsou.

A sense of exhilaration, as if the entire situation was under his control, arose in Zhao Yunsou's heart.

He put his arm around Lin Du's shoulder and whispered, "I'll tell you a secret; don't casually reveal it to others after you hear it."

Zhao Yunsou waved his hand, signaling the people around him to step back.

After the people around them dispersed.

Zhao Yunsou leaned into Lin Du's ear and solemnly said, "The 999th Year of Death One is about to begin soon!"

"The Year of Death is about to begin?" Lin Du was shocked.

He wasn't pretending; he was genuinely surprised.

Such a once-in-a-century disaster, and he actually encountered it?

A meaningful smile appeared on Zhao Yunsou's face.

"You should know what the Year of Death means, right?"

"At a time like this, choosing a powerful faction to align with is very important, and your opportunity is right before your eyes!"

How could Lin Du not understand Zhao Yunsou's meaning?

He merely wanted to use the Year of Death to threaten Lin Du into joining his faction sooner... The "Year of Death" was the most terrifying disaster in universe ol.

This disaster was not naturally formed but man-made, caused by the greed and desires of players.

In universe ol, there existed Blood Mist between the main cities. This Blood Mist separated the main cities from each other, ensuring that they did not interfere with one another.

The Blood Mist contained potent poison; any creature entering it would die instantly!

Periodically, the Blood Mist between the main cities would disappear for a while. The period when the Blood Mist disappeared was called the "Year of Death."

The disappearance of the Blood Mist meant that there were no obstacles between the main cities, allowing them to be fully connected.

This directly led to the outbreak of wars between the main cities!

Plundering of resources, slaughter between enemies, competition for territory... Every "Year of Death," the layout of the main cities would undergo major changes, and many long-standing large guilds fell during the Year of Death.

The number of casualties among players was countless!

During the Year of Death, players in universe ol had mandatory game time. If the duration was insufficient, players would be forcibly punished by the game system.

Therefore, trying to avoid the Year of Death by not playing the game was simply unrealistic.

The Ancestral Star's ability to maintain a stable population, preventing rapid growth, played a crucial role in the Year of Death.

The timing of the Year of Death's appearance was generally random. Lin Du didn't expect to encounter it; he wondered if this was luck or misfortune... Players between the main cities could usually travel back and forth through Teleportation Arrays.

However, there were restrictions: teleporting players had to be level 100 or above and had to pay a very high price.

Teleportation Arrays could occasionally be used, but for long-term use, very few people could afford it.

Therefore, some top-tier major powers would take advantage of the Year of Death to frantically attack cities, seize territory, and plunder resources!

The Year of Death was the despair of the weak and the paradise of the strong!

...