Sword Casting Manor.
Ning Zheng lingered in front of the Hairpin Lady Tower.
The usually bustling building was now eerily quiet.
The scaled-down Manor Master Embers was sitting cross-legged inside, while a group of Hairpin Ladies entered the Nursery through his Three Flowers.
"Sir! Those Hairpin Ladies have been having a great time at Princess Xinâeâs Mansion lately."
At this moment, Jiucai Rong looked at the group of loli blacksmiths at the Hairpin Lady Tower, introducing them with envy.
"Recently, after we finished our ten bosses, they continued their main storyline, gathering a group of Ghost Princesses in the Capital City to embark on a new farming-themed journey."
"Theyâre bustling with activity, prompting Princess Xinâe to visit other princessesâ mansions frequently."
Apparently, while Ning Zheng was swamped with work, the progress at the Hairpin Lady Tower didnât pause either.
Embers Su Yuniang and a group of Hairpin Ladies were having a blast, and even Ning Jiaojiao would visit daily, making a bunch of new friends.
Jiucai Rong looked at the motionless Hairpin Ladies, exclaiming, "Today, theyâre fishing!~"
"Fishing?" Ning Zheng took a closer look at them.
"Yes, fishing."
Jiucai Rong explained:
"Theyâre asking the princess to fish for a group of free black market workers at the city gate, bring them into the Capital to contribute to construction, exploit them in various ways, and once their work is almost done, unveil their flaws, kill them, and harvest their kidneys."
Ning Zheng was greatly shocked inside.
These people have so many new tricks.
Deceiving people into the Capital for illegal work, only to kill them after the job is done.
Ning Zheng provided them with work at the manor, with all sorts of benefits, so conscientious, yet they forced others to work so heartlessly?
He shielded them with an umbrella, and they should provide one for others, too. How could they tear someone elseâs umbrella apart and grind their head into the muddy ground?
"Weâre kind-hearted!" Jiucai Rong noticed the old managerâs eerie gaze, earnestly proclaimed:
"You should know that the princess is renowned for her kindness, setting up free stalls with her maids to distribute porridge, relieving the common people, frequently providing them with meals and aid."
"Today, weâve set up an instance âWarm Homeâ within the homes of lonely old people in the Capital, where these folk care for the elderly, respect the old and cherish the young, and if necessary, become the elderlyâs midnight snack."
"This is a new kind of porridge distribution method, delivering food to the lonely elderly, surely the princessâs renown will spread throughout the Capital again."
Ning Zheng: "..."
Do you take me for a fool? Is this how you have a kind and gentle princess deliver meals to the lonely old folks?
Jiucai Rong took out a note, "Look at this."
Ning Zheng was puzzled, receiving the note, intending to see what new trick they were playing, and what they were planning with Princess Xinâe.
[Instance Name: Warm Home]
[Instance Introduction: Home is a happy harbor, please respect the old, cherish the young, and spend good time with your parents.]
[Instance Task: Survive for seven days at home]
[Participants: Recommended 1~2 people]
...
Ning Zheng was a bit dazed.
What is this?
Not quite understanding, but showing respect.
It looks very advanced, very well-designed.
"For example, in the Capital taverns, weâve set up an infinite-flow type horror instance called âHappy Tavernâ, making them the waiters to serve."
"We even provided âQingshan Orphanageâ, âRenâai Zooâ, âLishan Hospitalâ, âVenus Academyâ...."
"This way, many job positions in the Capital wonât need salaries!"
"Once theyâve completed their tasks, we consume their Dharma Aspect, filling the belly while saving on wages."
"Of course, weâre still in the planning phase for these instances!"
"Currently, those few in the Imperial Palace donât fully recognize it, but thatâs only temporary; they will soon realize weâre conducting an unprecedented major reform!"
Jiucai Rong was animated, "We will change the Ghost Life of this era!"
"Now, itâs just a trial âCompassion Cemeteryâ, currently having Princess Xinâe recruit people at the city gate, deceiving them into the first instance to become gravekeepers."
Ning Zheng contemplated.
To enter this so-called instance, as guinea pigs? Test subjects?
Wham!
Ning Zheng relied on his Three Flowers to project himself onto Princess Xinâeâs Three Flowers perspective.
Seeing this Princess Xinâe already halted Bai Xingling and others at the city gate, delighting them.
Yet, unbeknownst to them, the Hairpin Ladies in their minds whispered:
"These instructors from Venus Academy want to slack off here? They must continue to work here even if exploring! Go to the graves!"
"Once on our pirate ship, accepting our pay, thereâs no escape."
"Let them be the first batch of staff for the âCompassion Cemeteryâ horror instance."
"Enjoy the thrilling moments."
"Eerie laughter, infinite horror, here it comes!"
...
Bai Xingling was unaware of the scheme closing in, overjoyed at being selected by the princess, feeling they had gained a foothold in the Capital.
After all, without household registration, thereâs little one can do in the Capital, let alone enter the Imperial Palace.
Even being a gravekeeper offered a local identity in the Capital, allowing time to explore this ancient city from hundreds of thousands of years ago.
"Then come with me!"
Princess Xinâe smiled warmly, inviting Bai Xingling and the others in.
Leaving only the cultivators at the city gate, lamenting bitterly, showing envious expressions.
Bai Xingling followed the kind and gentle princess into the Capital, feeling triumphant:
"Being early doesnât beat being lucky, meeting someone important."
"Surely, losing my magical artifact earlier was a temporary misfortune; Iâm about to showcase my abilities again."
...
...
Sword Casting Manor.
"They want to mess around with the Capital too..." Ning Zheng felt speechless, drawing his thoughts back from Princess Xinâeâs figure leading Bai Xingling.
This is the Capital, after all.
And the largest newly-opened cemetery secret realm.
Despite the Last Saint appearing gentle and easy-going...
Thatâs merely the demeanor of a wise ruler, seeking to win over his officials, truly imagining him as a kind lamb?
He is, in fact, a formidable character.
But in the eyes of Jiucai Rong and others, this was perfectly normal.
The management and construction of the Capital, surely a hidden storyline left by the planners for them.
In a management game, whatâs all this fighting and killing?
Everything is management.
Managing the manor.
Managing the Scaly Gate.
Even attempting to manage the Capital, the instance of rules and tales of peculiar talk.
One could say adventurers entering the instance are blessed!
They are even planning to learn and program the AI intelligence of the Capitalâs NPCs.
The manorâs blacksmiths were teaching the old managerâs AI intelligence, deliberately using modern terms like "awesome," "defying fate," "powerful" for the old manager to learn.
The Sword Fairy was claiming she was training the Saintâs Dharma Aspect AI intelligence at Ximen.
Now!
They aim to train the ghost people AI intelligence from the Capitalâs rules and peculiar tales.
Can you believe it?
They canât scare any advanced cultivator, can they?
Our blacksmiths plan to teach these ghost people, put them through the training courses, letting them understand that violence is the lowest form of terror.
With true terror comes aesthetics, with makeup, lines, music, all combined to create an eerie and imaginative atmosphere.
Even if those few current trial runs in the palace arenât recognized yet from above, theyâll soon realize weâre conducting an unprecedented major reform!
Jiucai Rong beamed, "We will change the eerie life of this era."
"Right now, itâs just a pilot [Compassion Cemetery], and weâre letting Princess Xinâe recruit people at the city gate, tricking them into this first instance, to become gravekeepers."
Ning Zheng pondered.
Entry into this so-called instance as guinea pigs? Test subjects?
Whoosh!
Ning Zheng used his Three Flowers, merging with Princess Xinâeâs perspective in her Three Flowers.
He saw Princess Xinâe already at the city gate, stopping Bai Xingling and others, bringing them great joy.
But they didnât know that the Hairpin Lady in their minds was whispering:
"These tutors from Venus Academy think they can slack off here? If they come here to explore, they still have to work for us! Go stay in the grave!"
"Once they board our pirate ship and take our pay, they canât escape."
"They should become the first batch of staff in this âCompassion Cemeteryâ horror instance."
"Enjoy the spine-chilling moment."
"Hehe, infinite horror, here we come!"
...
But Bai Xingling remained unaware of the impending conspiracy, feeling giddy, believing he had been noticed by the princess and had earned the right to enter the Capital City.
After all, those with unregistered citizenship in the Capital City couldnât do much, let alone enter the Imperial Palace.
Even if becoming a gravekeeper now meant having a native Capital City identity, it would allow them to explore the maximum Secret Realm that was just opened.
"Then itâs not about when you came, but how lucky you are to meet someone important,"
Princess Xinâe called Bai Xingling and a few others in with a gentle smile.
Only those at the city gate were left behind, while the shadows of conspiracy hovered in their minds:
"These instructors from Venus Academy want to fish out here? If theyâre coming here for an adventure, they better work for us too! And stay by the grave!"
"Once theyâre on our pirate ship and taking our pay, they wonât get away."
"They should become the first batch of staff for this horror instance [Compassion Cemetery]."
"Enjoy the thrill of horror."
"Keh keh, infinite horror is here!"
...
Bai Xingling, unaware of the encroaching conspiracy, was elated, believing he was being recognized by the princess and granted entry to the Capital City with status.
After all, those living in the Capital illegally couldnât do much, let alone enter the Imperial Palace.
Even as a gravekeeper, heâd have a native identity in the Capital and could explore this ancient city, tens of thousands of years old, at will when not at work.
"Then you can come with me,"
Princess Xinâe invited Bai Xingling and others through the city gate with a warm smile.
Only those at the city gate were left, as echoes of conspiracy grew louder in their minds:
"These tutors from Venus Academy think they can just slack off here? If they come here for adventure, theyâll have to keep working for us! Go to the grave!"
"Once on our pirate ship, they canât escape from our payroll."
"Theyâll be the first batch of staff for the âCompassion Cemeteryâ horror instance."
"Relish the terrifying moments."
"Heh heh, infinite horror, here it comes!"