He Fang had always been fascinated by games. The game characters were often imbued with rare and captivating qualities, traits that were seldom seen in reality. Whether good or bad, everything that humanity wished to express through games was concentrated on the protagonist.
In He Fang’s mind, perhaps celebrities were the same. They were vessels carrying expectations, embodying the beautiful dreams of their fans.
The reason He Fang could never resonate with celebrities was that they were too tangible, too real. Standing there as a living, breathing example, they were too dazzling. That dazzling presence clashed with his own sense of self, making it impossible for him to project his own expectations onto them.
That was why He Fang could never quite connect with celebrity fandom.
But at this very moment, he felt as though he finally understood a fan’s feelings.
Perhaps there truly were people who possessed a certain quality—one so compelling that simply standing there was enough to draw all eyes to them. A presence that naturally guides one’s thoughts and actions makes people willingly surrender to their charm.
He Fang pressed himself against the door, his heart pounding wildly. He strained to listen to the sounds outside. The man hadn’t lingered in front of his door for long; instead, he had walked away leisurely. He Fang heard the elevator doors open and close.
It was only after a long time had passed that he dared to sneak a glance through the peephole, confirming that no one was outside.
Quickly, he cracked the door open just enough to retrieve his food delivery before shutting it just as fast. His heart was still racing as if it were about to leap out of his chest.
Does someone like that really exist in this world? Even ordinary people wouldn’t dare to Photoshop themselves to such perfection.
He Fang found the delivery guy’s looks utterly incomprehensible. A face like that—shouldn’t it have already been discovered by the entertainment industry? That kind of absolute, undeniable impact could be felt through a mere peephole—anyone would be compelled to take a second glance. In the entertainment world, wasn’t that the very definition of popularity?
And yet, someone like that was delivering food…
People always joked that food delivery was run by some secret organization. Maybe that wasn’t just a joke, after all.
He Fang’s mind was filled with the image of the delivery man—those golden locks cascading over his shoulders, those long, elegant fingers that looked as if they belonged to a hand model, that unforgettable, flawless face. And finally, the way he had glanced at the peephole, his eyes carrying a hint of amusement and warmth.
It was terrifying…
For the first time, He Fang found himself afraid of ordering food. He couldn’t shake the feeling that having someone like that deliver his meal was somehow a form of blasphemy.
He opened his phone and saw the message from the delivery guy: “Dear customer, I’ve placed your order at your door. Hope you enjoy your meal! Don’t forget to leave a five-star review!”
As if possessed, He Fang returned and pulled up all his past orders, which he hadn’t given a review of. He rated them all five stars one by one, even writing detailed comments.
At this moment, the entire profession of food delivery had ascended to near-divine status in his heart.
That kind of face was too much of a critical hit, causing He Fang to feel as if his mind was buzzing while eating. It took him quite a while to barely regain his senses.
The food was delicious, but He Fang’s expression became a bit strange as he ate.
Since he was eating the same dishes Yuan Zhiran had made in the game, he ordered them because he found them delicious. However, he didn’t believe that different chefs could replicate the exact same taste. Yet, for some reason, he felt that these dishes tasted almost identical to the ones Yuan Zhiran had made.
The only difference was the feeling of fullness, which made He Fang unsure whether they were completely the same.
How fascinating.
Could this be a taste simulation? Perhaps because he had eaten these dishes before, the sensory simulation pod had adjusted his taste perception according to his memories, allowing him to experience delicious food in the game?
The sensory simulation pod… what kind of high-tech marvel was this? Was it really not some discarded military technology?
Before logging back into the game, He Fang checked the control panel of the main city. Clearly, the national treasury had been generating a decent income recently. However, considering the future construction of Hope City, He Fang decided not to invest in any basic infrastructure in the main city for now. Instead, he chose to save the money for unexpected needs.
The research institute had already determined a track route for the railway. Now, they just needed Guo Miaofeng to finish surveying the entire “Land of Hope” and return to confirm whether any adjustments were necessary before construction could begin.
According to Zhu Yan, constructing the railway tracks wasn’t particularly difficult. Although Revival Nightmare Plants took a long time to mature in the wild fully, they could be forcibly accelerated using technological means. The plants’ load-bearing capacity didn’t seem to require overly complex considerations. Anticipating this, the researchers didn’t interfere with the growth of the plants but instead focused on modifying the train itself. This way, they could avoid excessive exploitation of the plants, which might otherwise lead to mutations.
The researchers meticulously completed the challenging task by utilizing the unique characteristics of the Nightmare Beast Forest without disrupting its existing ecosystem.
To be safe, He Fang planned to issue a protective command to the landmarks during track construction. Forcing the landmarks to construct the railway might require an extremely high amount of faith points, but simply protecting them from mutations should be a much more feasible task.
When He Fang logged back into the game, several in-game days had already passed while he had been eating and resting. His goal upon returning was to see if he could find an NPC in Hope City capable of managing the “Land of Hope”.
After all, the attributes of Hope City’s NPCs were truly underwhelming. Even trying to pick the best among them was difficult—otherwise, they wouldn’t have been left behind in the first place.
The mere thought of having to sift through that sea of gray-tier NPCs to find someone competent enough for such an important role felt like searching for a needle in a haystack. When he appointed Yuan Zhiran, the talent exchange market didn’t even have that many people. But now, there were over ten thousand. A whole ten thousand.
When He Fang logged in, he was momentarily stunned.
He…
Where… was he?
He Fang blinked a few times. Staring at an unfamiliar ceiling, he realized that he was lying down. A sudden memory surfaced—when he logged off, he had been on his bed. Frustrated that just eating Yuan Zhiran’s meal wasn’t enough to fill him up, he angrily climbed into bed, saying he would rest for a bit before logging off.
So, he should be in the caretaker’s bed in “Land of Hope” right now.
But why did this bed feel so uncomfortably hard? Was this even a bed? Why did it feel so strange?
Just then, He Fang heard a whimper from beside him. Confused, he turned his head, and a familiar face appeared in his field of vision. It was a youthful boy, still carrying traces of innocence. But He Fang could easily imagine how this face would grow into something sharp and striking in the future.
He Fang abruptly sat up—only to realize that the “bed” he had been lying on wasn’t exactly stable. The sudden movement nearly sent him tumbling off. Startled, he let out a yelp and instinctively reached out to grab something.
But before he could panic further, something steadied his shoulder.
Then, around his waist, an unyielding force locked him firmly in place.
He safely sat up.
His mind went blank for a moment. If he still didn’t realize by now that he had been lying on a person, he would have to be an idiot. Staring at the hand around his waist, He Fang stiffly turned his head bit by bit—only to meet a pair of eyes that seemed to pull in all the darkness around them.
He Fang felt a chill in his heart.
He was done for…
It was Chong Xiao.
Just thinking about how Chong Xiao could maintain a baby-like loyalty level in such a high-loyalty environment made He Fang feel like he could never truly grasp this man. And now, when he logged in, he was sitting in the guy’s lap? There was an eight or nine out of ten chance that this would lower the NPC’s favorability toward him…
Chong Xiao was really tall. Only now, while sitting in his lap, did He Fang truly grasp the sheer difference in their sizes—he actually had to tilt his head back just to look at him!
He Fang had always been a bit underdeveloped. Or rather, his naturally tall parents hadn’t passed on any tall genes to him. On top of that, due to his sensitive personality from a young age, he rarely voiced his needs, and his appetite had always been small. But it wasn’t that he couldn’t eat much—it was just that he never took the initiative to get more once he finished the food in his bowl. As a result, he was constantly only half full.
Not eating enough during a growth period was harmful. He Fang had always been thinner and weaker than others. Combined with his not-so-likable personality, no one ever really paid attention to his height.
The game’s sensory simulation pod scanned the player’s body to generate their in-game avatar, though minor adjustments were allowed. However, since “Ruins Without Restart” was a single-player game, He Fang had never bothered tweaking anything.
And now, he finally understood—huge size differences did exist in the game.
“Sorry—” He hadn’t even finished apologizing before another soft whimper interrupted him.
Chong Ying’s eyes slowly opened. Groggy, he sat up, his face clearly showing exhaustion. Dark circles loomed under his eyes—the kind that came from long nights without sleep. His every movement looked strained, as if even getting up was a struggle.
It seemed like he was forcing himself awake. His bewildered gaze drifted over He Fang and Chong Xiao, dull and unfocused at first. But then, his eyes widened in disbelief, his mouth slightly agape.
“Chong Ying…” He Fang panicked as well. He had actually woken him up! Instinctively, he began struggling, trying to get off Chong Xiao as quickly as possible. Chong Ying was extremely attached to Chong Xiao, and younger brothers usually had a possessive streak when it came to their older siblings. Wasn’t he basically stepping on a landmine right in front of him?
Chong Xiao released the hand that had been stabilizing He Fang, clearly intending to let him down.
But before that could happen, Chong Ying moved faster than lightning, grabbing both of Chong Xiao’s hands and trapping He Fang between them.
He Fang: “?”
Then, Chong Ying lunged forward and hugged He Fang tightly. But he didn’t stop there—his arms stretched even further, pulling both He Fang and Chong Xiao into an embrace.
The sudden impact sent He Fang crashing straight into Chong Xiao’s chest. Chong Xiao instinctively spread his arms in a protective gesture, making sure neither He Fang nor his younger brother fell. He effortlessly bore the weight of both of them without even a trace of impatience.
“Chong Ying?!” He Fang shouted in shock.
“Ah, my head is so dizzy. I have to get hugs from City Lord and my brother to feel better.” Chong Ying buried his head in He Fang’s chest, rubbing against him like a spoiled child, shamelessly taking advantage of his younger age to act cute.
He Fang was completely numb. This position was just too awkward. For someone with extreme social anxiety, even knowing they were just NPCs didn’t make this any easier.
“Chong Ying, you—” He Fang considered just giving a command to make this headache of an NPC leave.
But before he could even get the words out, Chong Ying narrowed his eyes and started rambling in a rapid-fire stream, cutting him off. “I’ve been working day and night researching weapons and blueprints, thinking about how to develop and create better designs. I know the City Lord must be anxious to have them! I haven’t even slept! I’m so exhausted! But I can’t fall asleep here—even with my brother keeping me company, I still can’t sleep! But if both City Lord and my brother stay with me, then I definitely can!”
He Fang froze. The rejection he was about to voice suddenly got stuck in his throat.
Chong Ying kept nuzzling against him like a clingy child, while He Fang asked, “I never said I was in a rush. Why are you pushing yourself so hard?”
“You are in a rush. City Lord must be anxious!” Chong Ying, still leaning against He Fang’s chest, seemed to genuinely relax, as though finally getting sleepy. His words started slurring. “Hope City has no defenses right now… If people from other cities come and try to take advantage of it, they’ll be free to loot whatever they want… City Lord would suffer a huge loss.”
He Fang was stunned. He hadn’t expected even an NPC to be able to pinpoint the exact anxiety weighing on his mind.
“It’s fine. I’m really talented. I’ll definitely create the best defense blueprint…” Chong Ying mumbled, his exhaustion finally overtaking him. He collapsed against He Fang’s legs, pressing against his stomach, and soon, soft snores could be heard. He was truly, deeply exhausted.
He Fang stiffened on the spot. He had always felt protective of his NPCs. Seeing them work so hard for his goals made him feel conflicted. It was awkward and uncomfortable, but he hesitated nonetheless.
What should he do…?
What now?
At that moment, Chong Xiao’s hand reached out from behind him, seemingly about to pull Chong Ying—who had fallen asleep on He Fang’s lap—away. But before he even realized it, He Fang instinctively pressed down on Chong Xiao’s hand, stopping him.
“He’s really tired. Is there any way we can let him sleep without disturbing him… but also leave?” He Fang asked.
Chong Xiao’s hand shifted into a knife-like shape, aiming straight for the back of Chong Ying’s neck. He Fang was startled and immediately reached out, blocking the strike before it could land. Chong Xiao’s hand stopped mid-air.
He Fang was shocked. Was Chong Xiao actually planning to knock his own brother unconscious?!
“Wait, don’t—wouldn’t that hurt?” He Fang couldn’t help but feel bad.
Chong Xiao’s dark eyes locked onto him, silent and unreadable. He Fang suddenly realized that because of his position, if he turned his head, his face would be uncomfortably close to Chong Ying’s. Quickly, he averted his gaze.
He wanted to ask how long Chong Ying had gone without sleep, but the words felt too awkward to say—mainly because… Chong Xiao never responded to him.
Trying to gauge the situation, He Fang tentatively suggested, “How about… we just let him sleep a little longer? You guys have already been sleeping for a while. A bit more time shouldn’t make much of a difference.”
After He Fang finished speaking, Chong Xiao seemed to pause for a moment. Before He Fang could react, he suddenly found himself flipped over.
He was placed onto the bed, while the pitifully exhausted Chong Ying still clung to his waist. However, Chong Ying had now curled up on his side, already fast asleep. He Fang could feel Chong Xiao stuffing a pillow under his head, instantly transforming his uncomfortable sleeping position into a much more comfortable one.
He Fang: “……” This skill was impressive.
It was clearly unwise for three people to squeeze onto a single bed. As the most exhausted one, Chong Ying naturally took up a large portion of space, though he remained curled up near the foot of the bed. He Fang was in the middle, yet surprisingly, he didn’t feel cramped at all.
Even though both he and Chong Ying were on the slimmer side, that still didn’t explain how there was this much space. Out of curiosity, He Fang reached back, only to find the edge of the bed much sooner than expected. He froze.
It turned out that despite the three of them being on the same bed, half of Chong Xiao’s body was actually suspended outside of it. He was using his arms and legs to brace himself against the frame, perfectly maintaining balance.
He Fang suddenly had a newfound respect for him. This brother-obsessed maniac was on another level. His sense of balance and sheer strength were absolutely insane.
Quietly, He Fang opened Chong Ying’s status panel. The loyalty stat was very high. Seeing that, He Fang immediately felt reassured. If Chong Xiao were completely devoted to spoiling his little brother, then as long as Chong Ying’s loyalty remained stable, Chong Xiao would definitely remain under control. The strongest fighter in the city actually wasn’t as difficult to manage as he had initially thought.
With that realization, He Fang finally let out a breath of relief. His gaze, almost unconsciously, drifted toward Chong Ying’s face.
In a city filled with meticulously designed handsome men and beautiful women, everyone had their own unique kind of beauty. He Fang had assumed he’d already grown used to seeing attractive faces while inside the simulation pod, but seeing perfection this close, in what felt like reality, was a completely different experience.
That blond-haired delivery guy’s looks had really given He Fang quite a shock—so much so that, for a moment, he had questioned whether he was still in reality. That kind of face wouldn’t look out of place even inside a game.
He quickly shook his head, tossing aside any lingering thoughts about reality. Though he was lying on the bed, he could still pull up the control panel within the game. Bored, He Fang began scrolling through the data on Hope City’s NPCs.
With over ten thousand people to go through, He Fang immediately applied filters to categorize them. He sorted out those with special tags, divided them into groups based on good attributes and growth potential, and then proceeded to review them one by one. Otherwise, with so many NPCs, even if Chong Ying slept for three days straight, he wouldn’t be able to finish going through all of them.
At a glance, He Fang noticed that most of the adults left behind in the city had already passed their prime and were now middle-aged or elderly. However, for a mid-sized city with a population of over a hundred thousand, it was unnatural for there to be so few elderly people. That meant most of those who remained were either sick or disabled.
The healthy elderly had likely been taken by other mobile cities—they probably still held some remaining value.
Hope City’s hospital was a rather miraculous place. It didn’t operate on any known principles, yet it could directly heal people and even develop cures for new diseases through medical investment. With the hospital’s technology, curing these disabled or ill individuals was not out of the question. As long as they regained their health, the middle-aged and elderly could still contribute. However, they were no longer suitable for leadership roles.
As for Hope City’s children, a few stood out, but they were all small, malnourished, and practically radiated a pitiful aura. Their tags were vague, with barely any identifying information. Although some of them showed clear potential for growth, there was no denying that, at this moment, they were still just a bunch of little brats.
He Fang felt a headache coming on. He was considering setting up a temporary management plan—since there was currently no one suitable to take over, he could have his own people manage things for now. Meanwhile, he could focus on educating and training the children with high growth potential. Once they were old enough to take on responsibilities, the administration could be handed over to them. This way, Hope City’s development wouldn’t be hindered, and there wouldn’t be any risk of giving power to the wrong people.
In the end, he still needed to visit the talent exchange market. This time, when selecting candidates, he had to prioritize tags like responsible, moderate, calm, and even-tempered to avoid any issues with people refusing to step down when the time came. After all, this was a job destined to become obsolete. He also needed to plan a proper post-management job for the NPCs so they could transition smoothly without causing trouble.
He Fang sighed—this game was really too complicated. The NPCs were so intelligent that their behaviors were nearly indistinguishable from reality, forcing him to think through every decision carefully.
Closing the control panel, He Fang wanted to take a short break, but just then, his gaze locked onto Chong Ying’s suddenly open eyes.
The moment Chong Ying noticed He Fang looking at him, he quickly shut his eyes again, his expression practically screaming “Don’t expose me!”
“If you’re awake, get up already,” He Fang said mercilessly, refusing to play along. “Your brother’s probably gone numb from holding that position.”
Only then did Chong Ying reluctantly open his eyes. Rubbing them like a child, he muttered, “He won’t go numb. He can hold that position for a while longer, it’s nothing.”
He Fang: “……” These two brothers—was their relationship good or bad?
Sitting up, He Fang watched as Chong Xiao effortlessly pushed himself up with one hand. From start to finish, he had barely made any direct contact with He Fang. A thought crossed He Fang’s mind—could it be that Chong Xiao actually disliked him?
“Did you sleep well?” He Fang asked. It was only then that he realized that while he had been checking the NPC status panel, two hours had already passed in the game.
“I slept great!” Chong Ying beamed with happiness, his admiring gaze fixed on He Fang. “I haven’t slept this well in such a long time! Having the City Lord nearby really makes me feel at ease!”
Seeing him so full of energy, He Fang actually felt a sense of accomplishment. At the very least, he had helped an NPC get a good night’s sleep.
But the thought that he even had to worry about whether NPCs were sleeping well made him wonder—was he working too hard as a City Lord?
“What were you just thinking about, City Lord?” Chong Ying asked curiously.
He Fang knew that NPCs probably perceived his time spent checking the control panel as him staring off into space or deep in thought. He answered casually, “I was thinking about who should be in charge of ‘Land of Hope’. I plan to select someone from Hope City’s existing NPCs, but there really isn’t a perfect candidate.”
“Why give it to those people? There are plenty of capable individuals in our city, so why should it be their turn?” Chong Ying asked in confusion. In his eyes, those people weren’t even worth considering.
“The main reason is to give Hope City’s residents some degree of autonomy. The gap between us and them is just too vast. If we manage everything ourselves, I’m worried there will be major conflicts. That’s why I need a local resident as a bridge between both sides, someone who can bring out their potential,” He Fang explained, thinking aloud as he spoke. “This way, first, they won’t simply follow our lead blindly, so we can see how a mobile city’s management style naturally develops. Second, we can still intervene when needed and adjust anything we find lacking after observing for a while.”
Chong Ying seemed to understand, yet he didn’t. He thought he got it, but there were still parts that felt unclear. He tentatively looked at his older brother, hoping to find a more detailed explanation from his expression. However, even after several glances at Chong Xiao, he remained just as confused. After hesitating for a moment, he turned back to He Fang and asked, “Then what kind of person would meet your requirements, City Lord?”
“They need to have at least decent physical fitness and room for growth. They should be hardworking and easy to shape. But most importantly, they have to be loyal—we can’t have someone take advantage of our resources only to betray us later, right?” He Fang rattled off his thoughts all at once. But as soon as he finished speaking, he realized that finding someone like that in Hope City might be quite difficult.
Chong Ying blinked and glanced at Chong Xiao beside him before suddenly suggesting, “Let Wei Qixuan do it?”
“Wei Qixuan?” He Fang was momentarily stunned. It took him a second to recall a kid named “Xuan Xuan” from his memory. “You mean Xuan Xuan? That kid is too young. He still needs education. I don’t think he can take on a leadership role right away—it’d be too much for a child.”
“But he’s already ten. He’s old enough to understand things and can do a lot,” Chong Ying argued, showing clear fondness for the boy. “He has a strong will and never gives up. Among all the people here, that kind of determination really stands out. Maybe that distinctiveness itself is an opportunity.”
“That’s exactly why I feel uncertain,” He Fang countered. “A child willing to do anything just to survive… What if one day he decides we’re no longer what’s best for him? What if, for the sake of survival, he chooses to leave for a new city instead? That feels really unstable.”
“Really?” Chong Ying tilted his head. “I guess that makes sense… but I don’t think there’s any city better than yours, City Lord. After all, didn’t Min Zhizhou practically burst into tears with gratitude?”
He Fang paused. Chong Ying had a point. Out of curiosity, he pulled up Wei Qixuan’s attribute panel from the records. As expected, the kid’s stats were low across the board—likely due to his age—but his growth potential was significant. More importantly, he had two key tags: “Resolute” and “Persistent.”
Individuals with these tags were rarely disloyal since their beliefs were firm. However, what really caught He Fang’s attention was Wei Qixuan’s loyalty score: 378.
That number surprised him. In Hope City, where the average loyalty barely reached 100, this was an anomaly. He Fang speculated that most of the city’s residents had likely pledged their loyalty to the “Divine Lord”, leaving little for anyone else. Yet somehow, Wei Qixuan’s loyalty to him was this high.
Looking at the otherwise unimpressive panel, He Fang found himself reconsidering. Among a group of mediocrities, at least this kid stood out.
“But he’s just too young,” He Fang insisted, still grounded in his real-world experience. “I can’t employ child labor.”
Chong Ying, however, didn’t think it needed to be so rigid. “City Lord, you’re right—we can’t employ child labor. But from what I see, this kid is already quite mature. If we start grooming him as a leader now, isn’t that a viable option? You always need someone in training for the future. Special circumstances call for special measures, don’t they?”
He Fang fell silent for a moment. Chong Ying had a point—special circumstances called for special measures. If they could appoint an NPC from Hope City, it would also help them avoid potential complications down the line.
Compared to NPCs who are born with high attribute values, perhaps these NPCs truly need to be nurtured from a young age.
“Then why not ask for his own opinion?” He Fang suddenly suggested, his interest piqued by this stubborn child who was originally a wild NPC. “If he’s willing, let him give it a try.”
It would just be a trial, with his NPC guiding him from the side. If he showed promising development, that would be great. If not, there would still be time to find someone else.
——
Wei Qixuan stood in front of a relatively intact wall in Hope City. Leaning against it, he used a small stone to draw a line above his head. When he turned back to check, his eyes immediately lit up with surprise and joy.
It wasn’t an illusion—he had really grown taller!
For some time now, he had been eating only the food from his dreams and living in a world of fantasy. He could clearly feel his body gradually filling with strength. Even his cheeks seemed to have grown fuller.
Especially his younger siblings—he could see with his own eyes how they had visibly gained weight from the food they were being given. With the doctor continuously providing nutritional supplements, he felt a deep sense of relief. Perhaps his younger brother and sister would be able to grow up properly, unlike him, who had suffered from malnutrition and become too thin.
No one in Hope City could have imagined that the savior would arrive in such a way.
But to Wei Qixuan, compared to the distant and illusory Divine Lord, he had far greater expectations for the City Lord. The City Lord was real—an existence that made hope feel as if it were right in front of him, within reach.
These past few days, Wei Qixuan had been quite busy because the City Lord had issued an order: they were to redesign and rebuild Hope City according to their own vision of what it should be.
This decision shocked everyone. After all, how could a ruler, whose word was absolute, allow commoners to make decisions? If not for the fact that the City Lord was currently providing them with food and clothing, some might have questioned his competence.
But Wei Qixuan felt that perhaps this was a test from the new City Lord.
The way they went about rebuilding the ruined Hope City would prove several things: first, it would show how well they understood Hope City; second, it would reveal whether they had any creativity; third, it would test if they could become the City Lord’s aides; fourth, by gauging their enthusiasm, the City Lord could determine whether the people he had chosen to keep had any remaining value; and fifth…
To Wei Qixuan, this order from the City Lord provided countless reasons for him to put in his utmost effort. Even if he had to use a few small tricks, he was determined to leave a deep impression on the City Lord.
“I’ve never thought about how to design anything. Isn’t drafting blueprints something only knowledgeable people can do?” Some elders were chatting. Wei Qixuan immediately sneaked closer to listen.
“If we’re talking about things we want, then a place where one person can bathe freely would be nice. Every time we take a bath, there’s barely any water, and we’re all squeezed together. I know it’d be hard to achieve, but it’s just a dream, right? There’s no harm in dreaming big,” an elderly woman said at that moment.
Many people had no idea how to create blueprints. They had never received the necessary education and didn’t know where to start, but when it came to the things they wanted, everyone had their own opinions.
“Uncles, aunties, why don’t you just tell me everything you want, and I’ll compile it for you?” Wei Qixuan’s notebook was already filled with densely written notes from all the things he had eavesdropped on. His eyes shone with sincerity. “The City Lord only asked us to submit a design plan, but he didn’t say that everyone had to do it individually. If you’re willing, I can try my best to help put together a blueprint for the City Lord to see. That way, you all can focus on farming without any worries!”
Wei Qixuan didn’t actually want too many people involved. He had no real knowledge himself, and in this environment, he wasn’t sure if he could stand out. So he wanted to eliminate as many competitors as possible—if fewer people were involved, he would have more opportunities to stand before the City Lord.
He was very aware of his disadvantages. While he understood the framework of Hope City, he didn’t have a complete picture of the entire city. Compared to the longtime residents who had lived there much longer than he had, he had no real advantage. That was why he needed to gather as much reliable information about Hope City from them as possible to improve his own design.
Fortunately, most people weren’t thinking too deeply about it. They had once relied on each other to survive, and even now, they still carried a sense of goodwill.
But Wei Qixuan knew that this so-called harmony wasn’t absolute. There were also small groups of people with similar ambitions—adults he couldn’t compete with. Unlike him, they were capable of gathering around common interests, making alliances, and enlisting the help of others. For example, some people might not know how to create blueprints, but if they had a talent for drawing, they could still contribute by sketching out their ideas.
Wei Qixuan had secretly approached such people as well, using his identity as a child to his advantage. After all, in a settlement of over ten thousand people, while everyone might recognize each other, it was impossible to be familiar with everyone. Despite being ten years old, his thin and small frame made him look more like a five- or six-year-old, so people generally didn’t guard themselves too much around him. This allowed him to secretly sneak peeks at their design plans.
These are just minor tricks, nothing too serious. Competing against adults was never about fairness.
It wasn’t enough to just know what the people in the city liked—he also needed to know what the city lord liked and cater to those preferences. Fortunately, the stationed residents, supposedly from the city lord’s own domain, were more than happy to share plenty of information with him.
These people adored the city lord and would eagerly provide anything that glorified him, making him even more popular. Each of them had their own way of boasting about the city lord, praising his achievements, and flaunting their perfect city. They exaggerated their admiration for him. From this, Wei Qixuan could gather far more information than others.
He wasn’t sure how much of it was true after being filtered through their idealized memories. But as long as he collected enough, the overlapping details might just reveal what the city lord truly favored.
While gathering this information went smoothly, he was completely clueless about design. He had cautiously asked the soldiers if any of them knew how to draft blueprints, but unfortunately, they didn’t. However, they did point him in the right direction—the researchers.
The researchers were a group stationed in the city center, constantly studying the locators. But Wei Qixuan had always been wary of them. His instincts told him it was best to stay away, especially from the one who seemed to hold a leadership position among them—a researcher named Zhu Yan.
The researchers gave off a completely different impression compared to the soldiers. They didn’t seem to smile much, and their eyes were always filled with contemplation. When they looked at the people around them, there was a constant sense of scrutiny and calculation.
Wei Qixuan had a feeling that if he were among them, all his little schemes would be laid bare.
Unlike the groups formed by adults, he was too weak and completely alone. As a child, many other children didn’t understand what he was doing or why he was doing it. He could have easily become their leader, using them to gather information. But in the end, children were still children—there were too many things they simply couldn’t accomplish.
So, Wei Qixuan thought he might as well give it a try—using the excuse that a child needed to be educated, he would request help from the researchers. He knew there was no point in playing tricks on them; such tactics would be meaningless.
But researchers had their own motives. When dealing with people who calculated everything with precision, perhaps honesty was a strategy worth trying. Just with one researcher—if it didn’t work, he would change his approach next time and seek out another. There were five researchers in total, which meant he had five chances.
For now, the one researcher who gave off the worst impression—Zhu Yan—had left for some unknown destination. That meant only four researchers remained here. Maybe this was his opportunity.
Wei Qixuan clutched the notebook in his hands. It was a book distributed specifically for the blueprint design process, and everyone who received one took great care to preserve it. In the past, ordinary people in Hope City would never have been able to obtain something like this. But now, he had already filled its pages with dense, handwritten notes.
He wanted to see if his dedication and sincerity could win over one of the researchers!
“Hello.” Wei Qixuan did his best to look like an innocent, harmless child. He put on his brightest smile. “May I trouble you for a moment of your time?”
“Hmm?” The researcher turned his head at that moment. However, his gaze did not land on him but rather on the space behind him.
Wei Qixuan’s body stiffened. Behind him… Was there someone there?
“You’re back so soon. How’s the research going on that side?” The researcher in front of him spoke to the person behind him.
Wei Qixuan turned around and was shocked to discover that it was actually that researcher named Zhu Yan.
“Not bad. It’s quite an interesting discovery.” Zhu Yan was speaking with the other researcher, but his gaze was fixed on him. Wei Qixuan tensed up, feeling as if he had been singled out. A chill ran down his spine, and goosebumps erupted all over his skin.
“Has the research over there concluded?”
Zhu Yan curled his lips into a half-smile. “Not yet. It’s currently being reconstructed. This time, I came to find this child. What a coincidence—he just so happens to be talking to you.”
In that instant, cold sweat broke out on Wei Qixuan’s back.
“He’s probably scheming how to trick me, hahaha. What a sly and adorable little fox.”
Wei Qixuan listened to the researchers’ conversation. Although some of the terminology was unclear to him, one thing was certain—his every move, every thought, might have long been laid bare before these researchers’ eyes!
