Chapter 160 : First Meeting! A Major Event Begins!
Chapter 160: First Meeting! A Major Event Begins!
White Tiger City.
Once the base camp of the Dragon-Lizard Tribe, it now held only a crude hall, a few spirit fields being cultivated, and around five hundred civilians from the Wo Niu Mountain area who had been relocated here by the Lord. Overall, it remained in the early stages of development, where everything awaited construction.
Aside from the local settlers—
There was also a group of new recruits from the Scourge Army.
Uncle Tree, a level 6 warrior, was one of these players.
In the real world, Uncle Tree had practiced traditional martial arts since childhood. During his youth, he entered the entertainment industry by a stroke of luck and spent over a decade rising from obscurity to unexpectedly becoming a household name—even an international action superstar.
Now over sixty years old, he was in semi-retirement and had been recuperating at home for quite some time due to injuries.
Uncle Tree had a wide network of contacts, mingling with all kinds of people.
He first came into contact with Twisted Three Kingdoms through certain backdoor channels. It was said that this wasn’t just an ordinary game, but a super high-tech project secretly developed over twenty years with the power of an entire nation.
The game allegedly integrated revolutionary technologies in artificial intelligence, virtual reality, and neuroscience.
Some insiders claimed that Daxia already possessed the ability to truly launch a metaverse, and that this highly unique game was the key to unlocking it.
Uncle Tree wasn’t highly educated—
He couldn’t understand all the technical jargon or fantastical advanced tech.
He only heard that this game could stimulate human potential, restore vitality to the body, and even rejuvenate one’s condition. At the very least, it was said to significantly aid in physical recovery.
It sounded too good to be true.
Uncle Tree was skeptical.
But with nothing better to do during recovery, he signed up for the game on a whim.
And thus, he ended up among the previous batch of 900 new Scourge Army recruits.
Now, new Scourge Army players could choose their starting location—either Luoshui Main City or White Tiger City. Most players chose Luoshui due to its prosperity and complete facilities, as well as the well-documented monsters nearby, which were easier to hunt.
As for those who chose White Tiger Mountain as their starting point—
They either feared too much competition in the main city or picked randomly out of ignorance.
Uncle Tree belonged to the latter group. Fortunately, with his exceptional martial prowess and years of honed charisma, he quickly formed a hunting squad and reached level 6 within just a few days.
All one could say was—
The game was just too much fun!
If his initial reason for trying the game was merely to pass time and aid recovery, Uncle Tree had now become deeply addicted to Twisted Three Kingdoms.
Before this,
Uncle Tree wouldn’t have believed—
That a game world could be so realistic, so perfect, and so full of imagination.
He barely even felt like he was in a game. And after just a few days of playing, his real-world injuries did seem to be healing faster—something that could only be described as fantastical.
Of course, for Uncle Tree,
The allure of Twisted Three Kingdoms wasn’t just in its gameplay.
In this game, he was no longer a world-famous action star. For the first time in decades, he felt he had stepped out of the spotlight and could just be himself. On top of that, even his body felt reborn—it was like reliving life from the start!
In this vast world—
Everyone’s identity and life could be redefined.
For the first time, Uncle Tree seriously considered fully retiring.
Decades of martial arts had left his body full of injuries. The spotlight of the entertainment industry, though glamorous on the surface, was riddled with filth, backstabbing, and endless stress. This thrilling world of adventure, battle, and justice was the dream he had always yearned for!
“Uncle Tree!”
“Awesome!”
“We’ve all hit level five already!”
“With that level, we can enter Wo Niu Mountain now. Why don’t we go farm monsters there? I heard the elite monsters in Wo Niu Mountain are more plentiful and higher quality. We might level up faster there!”
Several of his gaming companions approached and offered the suggestion.
“No need for that. White Tiger Mountain has fewer players. There are plenty of elite monsters in unexplored areas. We have more to discover and less competition,” Uncle Tree replied, pausing briefly before continuing, “Besides, the monsters in Wo Niu Mountain are too high-level, and most monster zones near the Blessing Points are already swarming with high-level players from the Three Great Legions. With our current strength and influence, we wouldn’t be able to compete.”
The others nodded in agreement.
Why had they chosen White Tiger Mountain as their starting point in the first place?
Precisely because it had fewer players—it was like starting on a new server.
“Sigh, we joined the game over a month late. That’s why we’re so far behind.”
“The Three Great Legions aren’t all that, really.”
“Uncle Tree, how about we form our own legion in the future?”
“With your personal strength and leadership, you might even rival the legion commanders of the Three Great Legions someday!”
“...”
Start a legion?
It was still too early for that!
Uncle Tree just wanted to enjoy the fun of the game for now.
“Everyone, look!”
“The Lord is here!”
A female player suddenly screamed excitedly.
Everyone’s gaze snapped toward the hall.
Hang Yu appeared in White Tiger City, exuding a commanding presence. This immediately caused a stir among the local players. If there was one regret among those who chose White Tiger City as their starting point, it was that they couldn’t regularly see the Lord.
“Why did the Lord suddenly come to White Tiger City?”
“Isn’t it obvious? Haven’t you checked the forum? Zhou Cang led the Azure Dragon Guards and the Scourge Army to capture a spy. Word is, the spy came from the Wan City map!”
“For real?”
“Of course it’s real!”
“I saw it with my own eyes—Zhou Cang and a few Azure Dragon Guards dragging someone back!”
“So that means the Lord came here because of the Wan City spy? There might be a special storyline event involved! Let’s go watch!”
“...”
All the players had their attention drawn by the Lord’s arrival.
Uncle Tree and his five companions also stopped leveling to join the crowd.
Of course, Hang Yu noticed the players’ actions, but he didn’t stop them from spectating. These people loved drama, and letting them spread the news wouldn’t hurt the territory.
A few minutes later—
Hang Yu arrived at a hastily built stone chamber.
Outside stood Zhou Cang, Zhang San, Li Si, Wang Wu, Zhao Liu, and other Azure Dragon Guards.
“My Lord!”
Zhou Cang saluted respectfully.
Hang Yu gave a slight nod and asked, “Where is he?”
Zhang San and Li Si entered the chamber and dragged out a Taoist whose body was shriveled like a dried corpse, utterly devoid of any signs of life. His legs had been crippled, and multiple restraints had been placed on him.
“You’re the Lord?”
Jia Xu’s puppet slowly opened its eyes, rasping out a hoarse voice as he looked Hang Yu up and down with keen interest. “Not bad... quite impressive... I didn’t expect a human Lord could establish himself in this Abyss. Seems you possess some hidden talent or unique trait.”
Hang Yu didn’t take the bait.
This guy was an extremely dangerous old fox.
Every word he uttered might be an attempt to extract information.
Hang Yu cut straight to the point: “Jia Xu, seeing me... don’t you have anything else to say?”
At those words—
The watching players gasped in shock.
Everyone looked like they’d seen a ghost.
“What?”
“This guy is Jia Xu?!”
“Jia Xu, the infamous schemer from the Three Kingdoms era?”
“No way! How could Jia Xu be captured like this without even a fight?”
“Idiot! Clearly this isn’t the real Jia Xu—probably some kind of avatar or puppet!”
“Whatever the case, this is explosive news! I’m posting this to the forum—I'll definitely get tons of views and replies!”
“...”
Even Jia Xu hadn’t expected—
That the Lord of the Stars would recognize his identity at a glance.
Not only that, but the Lord’s followers also seemed to know who he was. It was strange—very strange.
For a moment—
He couldn’t see through the man before him.
And for someone like Jia Xu, there were very few people in his life that he couldn’t read.
Seeing his silence, Hang Yu struck first again: “Though I’ve only recently arrived in the Wan City region, I’ve already gained a basic understanding of the situation here. I know you’re a smart man. I hope you’ll seriously consider pledging your service to me.”
Jia Xu laughed aloud. “Is that even possible?”
“There are very few things in this world that are truly impossible.”
“And what are your terms and leverage?”
Hang Yu replied, “If you, Jia Xu, are willing to serve this territory, not only can past grievances be written off—I’ll grant you the Starsea Mark, appoint you to a key position in the territory, and once we completely conquer the Wan City Nightmare, I’ll hand the entire region over to you to govern.”
Such a big promise...
But would someone like Jia Xu really take the bait?
“I thought you were someone impressive, but now it seems you're just a loudmouthed nobody.” Jia Xu shook his head and said, “The situation in Wan City is far more complicated than you imagine. With your current capabilities, even protecting yourself is difficult—let alone thinking about conquering this nightmare land!”
Hang Yu replied calmly, “Precisely because my territory and I currently lack deep foundations, that makes your potential contributions all the more significant. That’s why you have ample leverage to negotiate with me now. But once this territory becomes strong and established, my offer and conditions will be completely different from what they are today.”
Jia Xu was momentarily stunned.
He hadn’t expected this Lord to be so frank.
Not just frank—but confident within his frankness.
He didn’t deny his shortcomings, nor did he see them as problems. On the contrary, he believed that precisely because of the current weaknesses, people like Jia Xu had more room to bargain.
Judging from the tone of this Lord—
It was as if he didn’t believe his survival depended on Jia Xu at all.
On the contrary, it was Jia Xu who needed this opportunity. And the sooner he made a decision, the better.
Why?
Where did this confidence come from?
Hang Yu knew clearly—negotiating with someone like Jia Xu required no attempts at reasoning or emotional appeal. He only needed to deliver his stance. Talking too much was useless and wouldn't change the outcome.
Let Jia Xu see for himself, think for himself, and decide for himself.
“You’d better think it over. But best do it quickly—because every day, the value of this opportunity drops.”
Hang Yu signaled Zhou Cang to detain the puppet again.
But just then, the silent Jia Xu suddenly spoke.
“I must admit, you’ve piqued my interest. But to make me pledge loyalty—that’s impossible!”
Then his tone shifted: “However, perhaps Lord Hang could work together with me to oppose Dian Wei. Of course, this would require you to first prove your ability by accomplishing a task.”
Hang Yu replied noncommittally, “Let’s hear it.”
Jia Xu said, “I—and all the factions in New Wan City—are currently searching for a person. If you, my Lord, can find him before anyone else, then your capabilities will earn my personal recognition and respect.”
“What person?”
“This person is named Zhang Zhongjing.”
Upon hearing this—
The players began whispering in excitement.
Even Hang Yu was taken aback.
Wasn’t that the legendary physician from history—Zhang Zhongjing?
The Three Kingdoms wasn’t only known for famous generals and strategists. Many legendary physicians also emerged during that era—such as the renowned Hua Tuo, and also Zhang Zhongjing, Ge Xuan, and others.
Why was Jia Xu looking for Zhang Zhongjing?
Could it be that Zhang Zhongjing was also within the Wan City map?
Hang Yu neither agreed to the condition nor outright refused.
Zhang Zhongjing was without a doubt a rare talent. If Hang Yu had not known of his presence, it would’ve been fine. But now that he did, even without Jia Xu’s test, he would seek to find the man.
If this person had already succumbed to corruption—
Then he must be eliminated quickly, lest Dian Wei grow even stronger.
If he still retained his sanity—
Hang Yu would do everything possible to recruit him, lest New Wan City gain another pillar of strength.
Whether it was Dian Wei and Cao Ang of Old Wan City, or Jia Xu and Zhang Xiu of New Wan City, they were all forces Hang Yu would have to contend with—and potentially deadly threats to his territory. No room for carelessness.
Jia Xu had never withdrawn his awareness from the puppet.
Perhaps he was using the puppet to observe Hang Yu and gather intelligence.
Hang Yu, likewise, had no intention of destroying the puppet. After all, it was a direct line to Jia Xu. There would be more opportunities for negotiation and maneuvering in the future—it was better to keep it.
Of course—
The foundation of negotiation was strength.
And right now, the territory was still far from strong enough.
That’s why the plan to strengthen the Scourge Army had to begin immediately!
After ordering Zhou Cang and the others to re-seal the puppet, Hang Yu immediately issued a prepared mission to the Scourge Army.
North of Wan City.
Huangniu Hamlet.
A ruined village.
Hundreds of Scourge Army players were cheering in celebration around a Blessing Point.
Though it took some effort, the operation had gone smoothly. The players had successfully seized the first Contribution Point on the new map.
“This is a major breakthrough—worth celebrating! Let’s head back to Kiba Grand Restaurant in the main city and have a feast!” shouted Ye Li Meng to his subordinates. Players of the War God Hall Legion burst into cheers.
The other players were excited as well.
With Huangniu Hamlet secured, the territory now had a foothold.
It could serve as a forward base for the Scourge Army—
Laying the foundation for exploring and conquering the entire Wan City region.
This was day one of the map’s release. From the start of player exploration to now, only twenty-four hours had passed.
They had pushed through obstacles at the eastern entrance from the main city into Wan City, failed to conquer Centipede Valley, intercepted scouts from New Wan City, and now occupied Huangniu Hamlet.
Such efficiency—
Was extraordinarily high.
Though not every operation had been successful, the results so far were satisfying. No wonder players were in such high spirits.
However—
Unlike before—
Not everyone was smiling.
A small group of players showed dissatisfaction or discontent.
These included members of the Wings of Freedom Legion, led by Black-Eyed Rui Ge.
Their displeasure came from the fact that the capture of Huangniu Hamlet had been snatched by Lone Boat of War God Hall.
Since the introduction of the Legion System during Phase 3 testing, a new ranking board—the Legion Contribution Leaderboard—had been added. It ranked Legions based on their contributions and reset monthly, rewarding top-performing Legions at the end of each season.
Contribution scores were based on resource contribution, combat merits, and task performance.
Capturing a stronghold earned significant merit.
And because War God Hall had activated the Blessing Point at Huangniu Hamlet, all contribution from this victory went to them. Ye Li Meng had no intention of sharing credit—leaving other Legions understandably annoyed.
After all, it wasn’t War God Hall alone who had fought.
Though top leaders like Black-Eyed Rui Ge and Little Bell didn’t care—
It was harder to ensure the same attitude among mid- and lower-tier members.
“Salty Fish Bro! I can’t accept this!”
A player named Tiger-Hunter Ashore privately complained to Salted Fish Thrust, “Wings of Freedom put in just as much effort as War God Hall. Why should they hog all the Legion merit?”
Salted Fish Thrust shrugged helplessly, “Lone Boat moved fast this time. We were a step late—next time, let’s do better.”
Tiger-Hunter Ashore grumbled, “Still, Ye Li Meng shouldn’t just quietly eat all the Legion contribution!”
Salted Fish Thrust didn’t know how to pacify his subordinate.
Was Ye Li Meng lacking emotional intelligence?
Impossible.
That guy had gathered top players not just through money and foresight, but also through his charismatic and generous persona.
Still, he couldn’t set this precedent.
Legions, by nature, were rivals.
Ye Li Meng, as War God Hall’s commander, would of course prioritize his own Legion’s interest over idealistic fairness.
“It’s a small thing. No need to make a fuss—we should be celebrating. Let’s deal with it later.”
“Sigh!”
“No choice, I guess!”
Salted Fish Thrust managed to dismiss the complaining players—
But he couldn’t shake a sense of unease.
The Scourge Army’s Legion System had only just gone live a few days ago—yet factionalism was already emerging.
In the past—
Such emotions wouldn’t have existed.
The introduction of Legions meant that Lords had delegated some authority, enabling more efficient self-governance among players. It improved organization and scaled management.
Players had become more motivated to contribute and complete missions.
But now, signs of rivalry and internal conflict were beginning to show. Who knew how far it would go?
Of course, from a territory development perspective—competition between Legions might not be a bad thing.
After all, every Legion wanted to climb the rankings. To do that, they’d have to work harder, mobilize more effectively, and ensure each member performed at their best.
Before anyone could think more deeply—
Suddenly, everyone at the scene received a task notification.
【Ding!】
【Activity Quest Triggered!】
【Quest Name: Assault on Centipede Valley!】
【Quest Description: A large number of high-tier monsters have appeared in the desert region east of the Abyssal Wan City Dreamworld. To boost territorial expansion and eliminate threats, the Lord and Azure Dragon Guards will personally act. The Scourge Army must contribute!】
【Quest Objective: Clear Centipede Valley or eliminate the Lesser Corruption Source in the area!】
【Quest Time: Registration opens tomorrow from 10:00–12:00 at Luoshui Main City.】
【Quest Rewards: Based on individual performance, earn 3,000–100,000 Essence, 5,000–200,000 Contribution Points, and random treasure chest rewards.】
【Note 1: Minimum level to participate is 10!】
【Note 2: Players receive three free revives during this event!】
...
Upon receiving the alert—
Players froze for a few seconds.
Then burst into ecstatic cheers.
“An event!”
“Centipede Valley is the event location!”
“The Lord is personally leading the Centipede Valley raid?!”
“Holy crap! Are my eyes playing tricks?! Those rewards are insane!”