146: Chapter 146 The Price of the Deal with the Dragon Kingdom!

Ancient Book Fragments!

[Act 1 Rule A: Ancient Books are items favored by most Famous Scholars. Collect Ancient Book Fragments; each fragment can directly increase a Famous Scholar's favorability by 1 point. Total: 100 fragments. (Famous Scholars who do not recommend Spirits will not accept Ancient Book Fragments to increase favorability.)]

Xiao Zhenghong inadvertently collected an Ancient Book Fragment and discovered this hidden rule beside it.

"Ancient Book Fragments appear alongside tasks. Take escorting students, for example. After escorting students into the city, they will randomly gift the escort such an Ancient Book Fragment. We, the Dragon Country, haven't had any proper student escorting missions, so we haven't discovered the matter of Ancient Book Fragments until now."

Chen Aoyun tapped his finger on the table, pondering the impact this variable might bring.

"A total of one hundred Ancient Book Fragments means one hundred favorability points. It is impossible for all Ancient Book Fragments to be concentrated in the hands of one country. For those 'Famous Scholars' who have appeared for a long time and whose tasks are not difficult, the impact of Ancient Book Fragments on rankings will be relatively small. But for the [Ranger] who appeared only yesterday, the impact on rankings will be significant! And yet, the object we are focusing our bets on is the [Ranger]..."

Chen Aoyun's analysis was correct.

For the earliest appearing Famous Scholar, [Officer], the favorability task has been ongoing for a total of twenty-one days. In these twenty-one days, the country ranked first for [Officer] has already achieved over three hundred favorability points.

Adding or subtracting a few points of favorability on the basis of over three hundred will not have a huge impact on the ranking. But for the [Ranger] who appeared only yesterday, the impact of Ancient Book Fragments on the ranking would be significant!

Chen Aoyun had just made up his mind to focus future raiding efforts on the [Ranger], and now this mess of Ancient Book Fragments suddenly popped up. Rubbing his temples, Chen Aoyun felt troubled!

Dong, dong, dong— As the midnight bell rang again, Chen Aoyun subconsciously checked the Famous Scholar rankings in the compass, and his heart suddenly skipped a beat!

At this moment, all the Famous Scholar rankings:

Favorability for Famous Scholar [Officer]: Dragon Country is 8th, Britain is 1st, USA is 2nd, Russia is 3rd.

Favorability for Famous Scholar [Maritime Merchant]: Dragon Country is 4th; ranked ahead are: USA, Russia, Britain.

Favorability for Famous Scholar [Clan Head], [Abbot], [Benevolent Elder]: Dragon Country is also 8th, only one rank higher than Sakura Country, which has completely given up on competing for Famous Scholar favorability.

Finally, there is the [Ranger]. Britain is 1st for [Ranger], USA is 2nd. The Dragon Country has only completed one task, yet the ranking is tied for 3rd with most other countries. This shows that the [Ranger]'s tasks are indeed difficult and not many countries are willing to invest energy into them.

But Chen Aoyun's focus was not on these Famous Scholars, but rather shifted to the Famous Scholars who do not recommend Spirits.

Famous Scholar [Craftsman], Famous Scholar [Bride-to-be], Famous Scholar [Beast Tamer].

The reward for 1st place in favorability for Famous Scholar [Craftsman] is a famous knife; the reward for Famous Scholar [Bride-to-be] is her dowry; the reward for Famous Scholar [Beast Tamer] is a mount from a stable.

For the Dragon Country, whose Raiders are low-level, besides the fact that 'Civilization Traits' can be utilized in various ways, what other advantages does the Dragon Country have?

Currency!

The ability to earn large amounts of currency is an advantage that distinguishes the Dragon Country from other countries.

Just in time, the tasks of these Famous Scholars who do not recommend Spirits are all related to currency, and all require spending large amounts of currency to complete!

Regarding this, Chen Aoyun had an idea, an absolutely unexpected and bold idea to bypass the fierce competition for favorability!

Chen Aoyun did not clarify this idea but turned to Fan Ling and said,

"[Craftsman], [Bride-to-be], [Beast Tamer]. Starting from tomorrow, our Dragon Country will also raid the tasks of these three Famous Scholars!"

Fan Ling's head almost exploded upon hearing this.

"What? Why raid these three? I just said, even though my shell company makes money, it doesn't print money, brother! The auction house needs money, and you crushing coins to turn the trading location into a rooftop requires even more money. The money earned by the shell company is already stretched thin covering these two expenses. Where would there be a surplus for you to squander like this!"

Rubbing his chin in thought, Fan Ling imagined Chen Aoyun's intention.

"You don't happen to want to use the favorability of the three Famous Scholars [Craftsman], [Bride-to-be], and [Beast Tamer] to trade with other countries, do you? That's an approach, but the premise is that the money must be there!"

Fan Ling misunderstood, but it reminded Chen Aoyun.

"Right, you're right! This is an excuse, a disguise! Just do as you say!"

Fan Ling was full of question marks. What did that mean?

Before Fan Ling could ask, Chen Aoyun suddenly closed his eyes, as if talking to himself or explaining to Fan Ling.

"Your [Path of the Artist] level is not high enough, which is why the currency earned by the shell company is insufficient. It doesn't matter. If your level isn't high and you can't earn the money, let the Spirit in the 'backstage' help you earn it!"

The Spirit that appeared in the 'backstage' due to the forcibly activated item [Optimal Choice] — Duke Xiao of Qin, [Ying Quliang].

Chen Aoyun could not construct a combat-type exclusive skill for [Ying Quliang], but he could construct a non-combat-type skill based on his historical records: [Legalist Reform]!

Spirit skills are all conceptual skills. Using [Legalist Reform] to forcibly optimize Fan Ling's shell company, the currency the shell company could earn would multiply by several times, even dozens of times!

Anyway, [Ying Quliang] wasn't being used. It was idle anyway. Using it this way wouldn't be detected by other countries, and the deterrent effect would still remain. Chen Aoyun had the idea to break the deadlock; all that was missing was currency. If not used now, when?

An invisible and magnificent power of the Spirit descended, forcibly injected into the operational logic of Fan Ling's shell company.

In an instant, the company's financial statements were like magic; business scope and profit margins began to grow at an unreasonable speed!

"With this, the money is taken care of. Starting tomorrow, throw money at the three Famous Scholars [Craftsman], [Bride-to-be], and [Beast Tamer] for me, and bring their favorability up!"

After finishing this sentence to Fan Ling and Xiao Zhenghong, Chen Aoyun took out his phone and dialed the numbers of the [Strategist] of every country except Sakura Country one by one.

In the phone call, Chen Aoyun said this:

"Having a Spirit is just a prerequisite for completing the first act. A Spirit's ability is affected by the equipment gifted by Famous Scholars. You don't have the time, energy, or money to do the tasks for the three Famous Scholars [Craftsman], [Bride-to-be], and [Beast Tamer], but my Dragon Country does! I swear in the name of the Dragon Country's [Strategist] in the Game of National Destiny world. The Ancient Book Fragments in your hands, as well as cooperation with the Dragon Country when necessary, can be exchanged for the 'Famous Scholar's Gifts' I seize!"

An oath in the name of a [Strategist] in the Game of National Destiny is no joke. Once said, it must be fulfilled, or one will be targeted by the will of the Game of National Destiny!

The consequences of being targeted are not limited to one's own abilities becoming invalid or being unable to play Spirits; in severe cases, one might even be directly strangled by the will of the Game of National Destiny.

Chen Aoyun's oath to the [Strategists] of other countries was quite serious.

However, the [Strategists] of various countries were also a bit skeptical:

Yes, Famous Scholar equipment has the effect of strengthening Spirits; everyone knows this.

Seven Spirits are divided among nine countries, and it's not enough. Every country is focusing on Famous Scholars who can recommend Spirits and has no time or funds to do tasks for the three Famous Scholars [Craftsman], [Bride-to-be], and [Beast Tamer] who do not recommend Spirits.

But does your Dragon Country have the time and funds to do it?

The premise of your oath seems to be problematic!

Chen Aoyun naturally anticipated the skepticism of various countries. He only said on the phone to let these [Strategists] wait and see.