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墨書 Inktalez
Regardless, the message had been conveyed, and the Guide politely led everyone out of the Grand Canyon. As they parted ways, the Guide asked, "You all are practitioners, right?" The secret of practitioners was now known across the globe.
Cui Ming did not answer but instead asked, "Did you just say your boss is dead?"
"Yes."
"Then you are the boss now. Just say it was the Vice President of the Force Alliance who said so. If anyone disagrees, the Force Alliance will come back to deal with them. And remember, even thieves have their principles; without principles, you won't even have a head left. You can take people to collect the bodies and see how miserable they died."
"Vice President?" the Guide asked in surprise.
Cui Ming pointed at the wind and said, "One strike, nine kills." It was a scare tactic that wouldn't cause any losses; would they dare to attack the Alliance? It was a good scare; this way, such unscrupulous acts would not happen again. Killing Beiyue—who said cleverness was useless? If it could be done, it would save countless people from harm.
Beiyue thought this was being petty—boasting while framing others. They only cared about one Mule Team but ignored that behind the Mule Team were the rulers of Twin Cities. If you let the Guide convey the message to the rulers of Twin Cities, then the Mule Team would naturally be cleaned up. Well, even if the Guide became the leader of the Mule Team now, do you think the Mule Team went bad on its own? You would be mistaken. Without a ruler from Twin Cities colluding with them, would the Mule Team dare to go astray?
Beiyue was not dissatisfied with Cui Ming's stinginess; on the contrary, Beiyue felt that Cui Ming was doing very well but could do even better.
Once they exited the Gorge, they arrived at West Lake City. Soldiers from West Lake City were guarding it, and an Official checked their identification before handing them an envelope and letting them pass. After leaving the Border Outpost, Cui Ming and his group stopped to wait for Feng to arrive and asked, "Feng, where are you planning to go?"
Feng lazily replied, "Wherever the wind blows me."
Cui Ming said, "Speak plainly."
"Since it's an east wind now, of course I'm going to Twilight City." Feng walked to a fork in the road and said, "It was nice meeting everyone; goodbye."
"Wait." Cui Ming whispered a few words into Mi Xiaonan's ear.
Mi Xiaonan jumped towards the wind, which remained on guard but did not draw a blade. Mi Xiaonan pulled out a stack of money and said, "Take it."
"Haha." The wind laughed loudly to cover up the awkwardness as he took the money. "I will pay you back." With that, he turned and left quickly.
Cui Ming asked, "Was that satisfying?"
Mi Xiaonan replied, "Just look at his expression; that was quite enjoyable."
"You'll get addicted to this, haha! Let your fallen soul be revealed."
The wind, now far away, tucked the money away and drew his Katana. Among these people, Cui Ming had experience but lacked familiarity with the business. The other two had decent strength but were too inexperienced. They had been followed all this way without realizing it. For the sake of this twenty thousand, I’ll help you fend off your pursuers just this once.
Hmm... the scent brought by the wind... it turns out to be this guy.
It seems he’s not here to intercept but to kill.
The wind took a swig from his wine gourd and sprayed some liquor onto his Katana.
West Lake refers to a large inland lake, with West Lake City located in the southwest of West Lake, hence its name. Purple Moon City is a free trade port, while Double Bridge City serves as a corrupt transit station. West Lake City can be described as a city-state characterized by freedom, rural charm, and clan influences, primarily dominated by six prominent clans.
Classic farmhouses, neatly arranged bamboo groves, and tranquil country roads create an elegant atmosphere. West Lake City is also a favorite spot for writers who rent farmhouses to drink well water and eat local produce. No one will disturb you; when you need social interaction, you can step out and join them. They will welcome your presence and treat you like the main character.
West Lake City has laws; outside its borders, villages operate without legal constraints, with the clan leader holding the highest authority. Thus, the Thieves Guild only operates within West Lake City and does not venture into the villages of West Lake. Outsiders committing theft or other crimes face vigilante justice; even if caught stealing a purse at the market, they might be beaten to death or tied up in public in the village to starve slowly. When the cost outweighs the benefits significantly, the Thieves Guild will refrain from acting.
The local customs are simple and honest; villages have militia groups whose combat capabilities are not inferior to those of West Lake City. The security in the villages surrounding West Lake City is exceptionally good.
Entering West Lake City, the road stretched long ahead. Cui Ming was in no hurry, waiting at a fork in the road when a car passed by and stopped to ask where he was headed. Life in West Lake City moved at a slow pace, and the locals were warm and welcoming to outsiders. In other places, one might wonder if the driver had ulterior motives for being so proactive, but here in West Lake City, such thoughts were unnecessary.
The driver got out to help with the luggage, and after checking the address given by Mi Xiaonan, he nodded. "Qian Family Village." He set off.
Two hours later, they arrived at Qian Family Village. Cui Ming handed the driver a hundred yuan, who accepted it with a smile. "Have you been here before, little brother?"
"I came ten years ago," Cui Ming replied as he thanked the driver and got out.
Mi Xiaonan looked puzzled. "If they're so friendly, why do they still charge?"
"This way. Here, it's called Gratitude Payment. The tradition in West Lake City does not support helping those who can afford to pay for services without compensation. If you were a refugee with no money, they would help you for free. But if you have money, it's best to offer something—like a small payment for electricity—as it means more than just saying thank you. However, don't give too much; if you do, it might upset them. A hundred yuan certainly doesn't compensate for the four hours of travel time."
Cui Ming continued, "It's okay if you don't understand the rules; they will be understanding. Remember when we entered West Lake City? There were guards and a large box that provided us with an envelope."
"Right," Beiyue nodded and asked, "Wasn't that just local advertisements?"
"That was an exit permit. If you want to leave West Lake City—unless you're sneaking over mountains—you must go through a checkpoint. The checkpoint doesn't charge any fees but requires outsiders to fill out a form detailing when they arrived and how long they plan to stay. The most important part is rating the Six Clans People. If you haven't left the city yet, just write 'none.' Every year, the city lord opens the box to tally up the ratings; the clan with the best reputation becomes the leader during the New Year celebrations. They lead the dragon dance when entering West Lake City."
Beiyue remarked, "That sounds boring."
"It is somewhat dull, but it's much better than the bloody conflicts between the six clans that used to occur. A hundred years ago was the worst incident due to the struggle for leadership; families like the Qian and Sun had deep-seated grudges against each other. It got so bad that they would even kill each other's wives. Twilight City sent two hundred thousand troops to intervene and forcibly separate the clans. Eventually, this led to the establishment of West Lake City; such disputes couldn't be resolved through reason—the value lay not in leadership but in face-saving. In the end, an agreement was reached where outsiders would vote to determine who would lead."
At first, it was chaotic, but gradually everyone learned to find their rhythm. With mediation from neutral parties among the city lords, harmony among the six clans has been maintained for over a century now. Nowadays, people care less about face-saving regarding leadership; voting has become more of a custom instead. Each City-State has its own traditions and stories—whether bloody or bright—they have woven together a millennia-long history of Eternal Sphere.
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