The land of Wuqin Village had been encroached upon, shrinking from 10,000 square fang to just over 3,000, for reasons unknown.
Madame Wuqin was most likely Qiao Shaofen, but the entire history on the Contract Book had been erased. Who had done this, and for what purpose?
Though many mysteries remained, they didn’t dampen Li Banfeng’s good mood.
After leaving the deserted village, Li Banfeng began to plan his next move.
"We’ll build a railway that bypasses New Land, connecting Big Brother Qiu’s territory with Wuqin Village," he mused. "We can transport goods through the Wuqin Village station. Although it’s a bit troublesome, as long as it’s managed properly, the transportation costs shouldn’t increase too much."
Shui Yongquan listened intently. "To manage both territories effectively, the customs of Wuqin Village will need to change."
"Indeed, they must. And Big Brother Qiu will have to help them change."
Shui Yongquan turned to look at Qiu Luoye, who was walking slowly, seemingly lost in thought.
"Are you worried about where to bury the Contract Book?" Shui Yongquan was also worried about this. "It’d be best to bury it near your territory, so it can be looked after."
"Okay," Qiu Luoye agreed.
Li Banfeng said, "If it’s buried right next to the territory, up against the Border Line, even if we notice an issue with the Contract Book, we’d still have to detour through New Land. I’m afraid we might not be able to attend to it promptly."
"That’s true," Qiu Luoye acknowledged.
Shui Yongquan suggested, "We could leave a Covenant Guardian Spirit here to watch over it. If something happens, it can immediately report to the other side of the Border Line. It has to be in a place others won’t notice, but Big Elephant can see."
"Good," Qiu Luoye nodded.
Li Banfeng walked faster and faster along the Border Line, searching for a suitable spot.
Qiu Luoye, however, burdened by his thoughts, walked slower and slower.
Shui Yongquan said, "Big Elephant, we’re choosing a place for you. Can you pay a little more attention?"
Qiu Luoye lowered his voice. "Regarding tonight’s events, I still feel Old Qi has been treated unfairly."
Shui Yongquan was startled, realizing this was what troubled Qiu Luoye.
"What can be done? His cultivation level is still at Earth Skin. He can’t get any human energy."
"I’ve already gained a huge advantage with the territory. I’d like to save up the 50% of human energy from Wuqin Village for Old Qi."
Shui Yongquan was taken aback. "How long do you plan to save it for? He’s still a long way from reaching Above the Clouds."
"I feel it’s not far off."
Shui Yongquan sighed deeply. "Don’t forget, ascending to the Ninth Stage inevitably means suffering in Inner State. Can you imagine how many years he’ll have to suffer?"
Shui Yongquan also fell into deep thought, but his ruminations were interrupted by an argument.
"I can’t take it anymore! I’ll die right here for you to see!"
On Qiu Luoye’s territory, a Pioneer couple had started arguing.
They were husband and wife. Having just received their pioneer reward, they had planned to return home for a prosperous New Year, but they had just learned they couldn’t go back now.
The husband, not very articulate, failed to explain things clearly. His wife suddenly lost control of her emotions and charged towards the Border Line.
The husband was dumbstruck and ran after his wife.
The bystanders reacted too slowly to stop them.
Li Banfeng realized what was happening, but being on the other side of the Border Line, he was powerless.
Just as the couple seemed about to turn to ash, the wife crossed the Border Line unharmed.
Her husband followed.
The wife continued wailing up ahead, her husband chasing after her, and they ran all the way into Wuqin Village’s territory.
Li Banfeng stood by the Border Line, utterly baffled.
On the other side of the Border Line, the several hunters who had been trying to break up the fight were stunned.
A more experienced middle-aged hunter stared at the Border Line and shouted, "What matters is determination! As long as we’re determined enough, we can break through the Border Line!"
Of course, those around didn’t believe his nonsense. But how exactly had that couple gotten through?
While everyone was still confused, they suddenly heard the middle-aged hunter yell, "I want to go home! Charge!"
After a long cry, the middle-aged man also charged at the Border Line.
Do not overestimate a person’s rationality.
He had stayed in New Land for nearly a year, working as a Pioneer and a hunter. He risked his life every day, all to save enough money to build a new house and live a good life with his wife and kids.
Now that he had the money, he couldn’t return home. The middle-aged man had long since lost his rationality.
The moment he crossed the Border Line, his expression was even more determined than the couple’s.
He charged across! And he succeeded!
What in the world was happening?
On Qiu Luoye’s territory, the crowd grew restless.
"I want to go home too!"
"I want to get married!"
"I want to have sons!"
"Don’t rush, aren’t we making them right now?"
"I want to have two!"
"Then try harder!"
One after another, more people rushed toward the Border Line.
The Border Line is insurmountable!
They were challenging the common sense of Puluo State—the most fundamental common sense!
Qiu Luoye blinked. "Determination? This doesn’t seem to have anything to do with determination, does it?"
It didn’t take much thought; in moments, the three of them understood the reason.
It truly had nothing to do with determination.
This was because both territories now belonged to Qiu Luoye; they had become one, and the Border Line between them had disappeared.
Shui Yongquan, having lived so many years, began to ponder the nature of Border Lines for the first time.
"We’re one family now, all one family!" Qiu Luoye wasn’t thinking too deeply; he was just excited. Clutching the Contract Book, he happily returned to his own territory.
"Determination! You must be determined to charge out!" The people on the territory grew increasingly excited. They could finally leave! Their shouts grew louder and louder, wave after wave.
Li Banfeng was also shouting. He moved against the crowd, yelling, "This has nothing to do with determination! It’s just that this Border Line is gone! Don’t rush out! If you hit another Border Line, you’ll still die!"
「...」
Yuezhou, Garden Stadium.
He Jiaqing retrieved a seal from the sewer and pressed it onto his head.
This seal had been there for over a month, having absorbed sufficient human energy.
He Jiaqing knew that absorbing a large amount of human energy at once would cause severe discomfort and had prepared for it.
As human energy continuously poured into his body from the top of his head, He Jiaqing trembled violently. His consciousness blurred, and he nearly fainted on the spot.
The human energy in Garden Stadium was potent, but this wasn’t He Jiaqing’s first time absorbing it there. He shouldn’t have had such a strong reaction.
With more than half the human energy still in the seal, He Jiaqing replaced it in its original spot and staggered out of the stadium.
He took a taxi to a villa, stumbled up the stairs, and collapsed onto the bed without even removing his clothes, falling into a deep sleep.
「...」
"The Border Line is gone?" Liao Zihui stared at the report, then looked at Liu Guocai, the Border Defense Envoy from Wuqin Village, his face filled with astonishment.
Liu Guocai nodded. "I’ve already sent people to verify it. The Border Line between the two territories has indeed disappeared."
Liao Zihui pressed his forehead, feeling a wave of dizziness.
He had been waiting for Li Qi to come begging him—begging him to build a railway, to construct border checkpoints, to establish the Defense Agency. He had even rehearsed the lecture he would give Li Qi. He wanted to teach Li Qi to be prudent, to learn the rules, to understand who truly held power in Puluo State.
"Chief Envoy," Deputy Envoy General Tang Huanjie said, "I suspect Li Qi has already mastered a method to manipulate Border Lines."
"Impossible..." Liao Zihui said, but his words lacked conviction.
Tang Huanjie offered a suggestion. "Chief Envoy, we should report the situation in Wuqin Village to our superiors immediately. This matter could change the entire structure of Puluo State. The consequences are more than we can bear."
"Right, you’re correct. It’s not something we can handle." Liao Zihui, as if jolted awake, quickly called his secretary, Ling Sujun. "Draft a report immediately. Get the specific details directly from Officer Liu."
Just as Liu Guocai and Ling Sujun were about to leave the office, Liao Zihui called them back. "Wait a moment. Don’t rush the draft. You two go out first and wait for my orders."
He had just told them to draft the report, but then he suddenly changed his mind. Liu Guocai and Ling Sujun exchanged puzzled glances. Seeing Liao Zihui’s state, however, they dared not question him and quickly left the office.
Only Liao Zihui and Deputy Envoy General Tang Huanjie remained in the office.
Tang Huanjie asked, "Chief Envoy, what are you hesitating about? This is a major issue; it mustn’t be delayed."
"I know it’s a major issue." Liao Zihui was organizing his thoughts; more than 30 years of experience in his official career allowed him to gradually calm down. "The Border Line between the two territories just vanished like that. Do you really think Li Qi did it?"
"Who else could it be but him?"
Liao Zihui shook his head slightly. "Erasing a Border Line outright... not even we can do that."
Tang Huanjie said, "That’s why it’s a major issue. We must report it to the higher-ups immediately."
"If Li Qi has such abilities and we’re only finding out now, reporting it just like this would put us in a passive position, wouldn’t it?"
Tang Huanjie nodded. "You’re right. But if we conceal the matter and don’t report it, we’ll be even more passive."
"I’m not saying we should conceal it, but we currently lack sufficient information. We can’t report this rashly. We still haven’t clearly identified Li Qi."
Tang Huanjie quickly distanced himself from any blame. "Chief Envoy, that has already been investigated. His name is Song Zhuowen, from Hai Chi Ridge, a Fifth-Layer Wanderer. I reported this to you before."
Liao Zihui shook his head. "No, something’s not right about this. There are discrepancies."
Tang Huanjie was perplexed. "Chief Envoy, you keep saying there are discrepancies, but we’ve analyzed this for so long and still haven’t found any."
Liao Zihui paused for a moment before speaking. "We must continue investigating. Li Qi’s identity must be clarified. The situation in Wuqin Village also needs to be investigated. We simply have too little information."
Tang Huanjie disagreed with Liao Zihui’s thinking, but since the Chief Envoy had given the order, he dared not say more.
After Tang Huanjie left the office, Liao Zihui immediately had Deputy Envoy General Bai Zhiming summoned.
"Zhiming, Madame Wuqin, the Local Deity of Wuqin Village... we’re still in contact with her, correct?"
Bai Zhiming nodded. "Our relationship with her is decent. But you know the rules of Wuqin Village—they always harp on about ’neither kin nor kith.’"
Liao Zihui nodded. "I understand her temperament. Go get a batch of Dark Matter Regulators. Say I approved it; have someone file a supplementary report later to make it official. Take these Regulators and go to Wuqin Village at once. Ask the Local Deity what exactly happened with the nearby Border Lines. You must go in person. Report back to me as soon as you have information. Don’t tell anyone else about this. Go now!"