150: Chapter 151 Map

The surroundings were quiet for a moment, and then laughter erupted.

It was not mockery, but the kind of laughter that came from the heart, filled with pride.

"Well said!"

"Exactly! So what if it's five? I wouldn't be surprised even if it were fifty, our City Lord!"

"Don't talk nonsense! What if Zhou Yun really has fifty?"

"Then I'll have to find a spot to kneel..."

"Kneel for what? Save Zhou Yun some trouble! Living a good life is better than anything!"

The golden light gradually dissipated, and the sky returned to the night.

But the lights of Flower City were brighter than before.

...

Lei Lie stood by the window, watching the last trace of golden light disappear from the sky.

City Lord Skill.

Another City Lord Skill.

One Mind of Heaven and Earth.

He didn't know the specific effect of this City Lord Skill, but tomorrow's matter had to be resolved.

If he couldn't solve it himself, he would have to find someone to discuss it with.

Who to find...

Finding his subordinates, that wouldn't work.

Finding colleagues, he was embarrassed to ask...

Hmm...

Go to the City Lord's Mansion!

...

At the entrance of the City Lord's Mansion, Lei Lie stopped.

He stood in front of the door for a while without knocking.

He had walked in a hurry on the way here, with only one thought in his mind—to find Zhou Yun.

But now that he was at the door, he didn't know how to speak.

What to say?

"City Lord, the Mercenary Guild cannot issue missions, this subordinate needs help"?

When he volunteered at the Council Hall, he said, "Colleagues, I am probably the most idle one here," and then with a single "This subordinate accepts the order," he took on the entire Mercenary Guild.

It had only been one day.

He couldn't hold on after only one day.

Lei Lie took a deep breath and let it out.

He began pacing back and forth in front of the door.

Three steps to the left, three steps to the right.

Three steps left again, three steps right again.

After walking seven or eight laps, he turned various opening lines over and over in his mind, but none were satisfactory.

Just as he turned around for the ninth lap, the door opened.

Zhou Yun stood inside the door, holding a scroll of paper in his hand.

He saw Lei Lie and smiled.

"Lei Lie? You've come just in time."

Lei Lie was stunned.

Zhou Yun pushed the door open, his tone casual,

"Come, I have a map here, see if you can use it."

"...A map?"

Lei Lie followed Zhou Yun into the courtyard, all the words he had prepared scattered by this sentence.

What map?

Zhou Yun didn't go into the room; he unfolded the scroll on the stone table in the courtyard.

The paper was large.

After being spread out, it almost covered the entire stone table.

Lei Lie lowered his head to look.

Then his pupils contracted sharply.

It was a map.

Centered on Flower City, it covered a radius of a thousand miles.

It was densely marked with various information—the locations and names of cities, the direction and width of rivers, the height and shape of mountains, the location and production of Ore, and the distribution and types of Spirit Medicine fields.

And Demonic Beasts.

The locations, scale, and approximate Rank of Demonic Beast gathering places were all clearly marked.

Even the locations of refugee camps were included.

Lei Lie's gaze swept across the map, faster and faster, more and more urgent, and his breathing became rapid.

This was what he wanted.

This was the thing he couldn't eat dinner over, the reason he paced in front of the City Lord's Mansion, and the solution he couldn't find all night.

It was all on this map!

His Adam's apple moved.

He wanted to say something, opened his mouth twice, but no sound came out.

The third time, he didn't speak, but knelt on one knee.

"Thank you, City Lord, for your care!"

His voice was a bit hoarse.

Zhou Yun bent down and helped him up with both hands.

Under the moonlight, Zhou Yun's expression was gentle.

"It seems it is useful."

He patted Lei Lie's arm and said with a smile.

"The Mercenary Guild has just been established, and there are many things to attend to; you still need to keep a close watch on many matters. This map is just a reference; how to arrange missions and divide teams specifically still depends on your own judgment."

Lei Lie nodded, still not knowing what to say.

Zhou Yun looked at him, his smile deepening.

"Go back and rest early. There will be plenty to do tomorrow."

Lei Lie carefully rolled up the map, held it in his arms, bowed, and turned to walk out.

When he reached the courtyard gate, he suddenly stopped.

He did not turn back.

"This subordinate... will definitely not fail City Lord's trust."

...

The next morning, the hall of the Mercenary Guild was packed again.

Even earlier than yesterday.

Just as the sky was barely brightening, a long queue had formed at the entrance.

Some had come without even eating breakfast, gnawing on half a steamed bun in one hand, while clutching their weapons in the other.

"What are we doing today? Continuing to hunt Demonic Wolves?"

"Hasn't it been cleared within ten miles?"

"Then expand outwards! Twenty miles! Thirty miles!"

"Didn't Minister Lei say yesterday that they hadn't surveyed beyond ten miles..."

"Then we don't know about today either—"

...

The sound of discussion buzzed in the hall, with everyone's face showing the lingering excitement from yesterday and anticipation for today.

But some were vaguely worried—Lei Lie had made it very clear yesterday that the situation beyond ten miles was uncertain, and he wouldn't rashly send people.

If they were still going around in circles within the ten-mile range today, there wouldn't be much to do.

Just as they were thinking this, Lei Lie walked out from the back.

The hall quieted down.

Everyone's eyes were focused on him.

Lei Lie stood in the position he had stood in yesterday, on the table in front of him—

It was no longer the rough charcoal sketch from yesterday.

It was a huge, detailed map.

It covered the entire table.

Lei Lie glanced at the people in front of him and spoke. His voice was not loud, but steady, and every word carried a sense of certainty.

"Today's missions, a total of eighty-two."

Even the sound of breathing in the hall became light.

Lei Lie reached out and pointed to the first marker on the map.

"The first. Northeast direction, travel along the river valley for about thirty miles, there is a stone mountain 421 meters high, producing Black Iron Rank 3 Ore."

"Five hundred people, responsible for mining. There is no threat from high-Rank Demonic Beasts along the way, but there are sporadic Black Iron Rank Demonic Wolf nests at the foot of the mountain; clear them while you are at it."

His finger moved to the second marker.

"The second. Due east, travel forty-five miles, pass through a withered forest and continue along the valley, you will reach a mountain col. There is a nest of Demonic Bears there—Black Iron Rank 5 to 6, 104 of them. Send a team of one thousand, and wipe it out."

His finger moved again.

"The third. Southeast direction, travel twenty-eight miles, there is a valley, in which grows a large amount of Bronze Rank 1 Spirit Medicine 'Green Silk Grass', about 4,151 stalks. Send a team of three hundred, responsible for harvesting."

"Note, harvesting Spirit Medicine requires technique; if you pull it out by the roots, it will be ruined. Once you arrive, listen to the instructions of those in the team who are knowledgeable."

One mission after another.

Each mission, direction, distance, terrain, target, quantity, Rank, required number of people, and precautions were all clearly stated.

Not "about," "possibly," or "estimated."

It was a certainty precise down to the numbers.

421 meters.

104 of them.

4,151 stalks.