Chapter 85: We Are Different

Huh?

Holy crap!

That kid Leon, Penny really did delay the main quest this month. That must have been caused by her and Thomas haggling and threatening each other. That is indeed a serious flaw, so this impeachment actually has merit. Of course, that doesn’t matter, because Penny now holds a title, which means he needs to spend 60 Family Contribution points to initiate the impeachment.

Is that necessary?

Li Wei was very surprised, then casually clicked oppose.

But the next second he realized there were only two opposing votes, his and Penny’s.

The rest—Thomas, Margaret, and Fila—all voted yes, so the impeachment passed.

Over there, Fila had tears in her eyes, but she couldn’t stop a smile from tugging at her lips.

You little bitches, serves you right, hahahaha, all idiots, all shortsighted fools. You thought you were in on it with Thomas, didn’t expect this, did you? That bastard Leon can’t be tamed either, hahahaha, the mantis stalks the cicada while the oriole watches from behind!

We were all played!

Fine! Fine! Fine!

We lost!

Lost well! Lost happily, lost joyfully!

Penny truly stood there stunned for a long while. She had thought Thomas might betray her, but she never expected it to be this fast, this decisive. Buying off Leon cost a lot too.

Damn it, Thomas pulled it off.

With a bitter smile in her heart, Penny decisively accepted the impeachment—same penalty, cannot run for Family Head for the next five months.

Good grief, up to now Li Wei, Fila, and Penny were effectively silenced, and control of the family instantly fell into Thomas’s hands. His contribution this month should be around 150 points or so, which isn’t actually a huge amount.

But he, through a series of operations, managed to turn the situation like this.

For the next three months—no, the next two months—he would consecutively hold the Family Head position.

Li Wei now looked at the silent Leon, wanting to say something but speechless.

Because if Big A is like that, don't even mention Big B.

When profit is at stake, he’s the same!

You just have to say career-clearing players are truly terrifying.

This time, they had witnessed it firsthand.

Thomas accurately read people’s hearts, even predicting that Fila and Penny wouldn’t be willing to risk vetoing the impeachment.

This round, the newcomers were wiped out.

Li Wei was nearly certain that Thomas and Margaret’s clear-the-game objectives were different from theirs.

Yes, we are different!

[Because Thomas’s Family Contribution leads all others, he will become Family Head next month]

A moment later, a line of information silently appeared.

Thomas’s dark, thin face finally showed a radiant smile Li Wei had never seen before.

Like a terrifying ancient great white shark baring countless teeth!

Li Wei, Fila, and Penny watched him with complicated expressions. Now the three of them fully understood Thomas definitely had an agenda, not just seeking the level-4 camp’s early advantage.

Leon kept his head down, expression cold.

Margaret gave Li Wei a meaningful glance, and she really seemed to harbor malice toward him.

But just as everyone waited for Thomas to set next month’s Monthly Main Quest, a special black card flashed at the center of his forehead.

At that instant, a simple message also appeared before everyone.

[Family Head Thomas used a two-star item card — Silence Is Golden. From now on, all family members will unconditionally support the Family Head’s family work plans during family meetings.]

In that moment, a force bound Li Wei and the others, rendering them unable to speak.

“Dear family, next month my plan is to concentrate all manpower and resources to prioritize building a stone wall, with me leading and you assisting.”

“Now let me explain the details. Aunt Fila, while you handle the three meals a day, you also need to mine limestone every day, but since you are older, not too much—half a unit per day is fine.”

“You agree, right?”

“George—oh, my dear George, lively George, just look how healthy and strong you are. You’re so capable, mining two units of stone blocks every day should be no problem. Think of it as helping a brother—I'll entrust this to you.”

“Leon, my dear Leon, oh, you’re also so strong, not willing to be outdone. You think you’re stronger than your brother George? Nope, you only need to do one and a half units per day! Oh, don’t thank me, no, I should thank you. Our family is truly loving and united.”

“Penny, oh, how could I forget my little pig Penny, you do one unit per day, but you must also handle maintenance of all mining tools.”

“As for Margaret and me, we will be fully responsible for building the stone wall, aiming to complete it within one month.”

“No objections from anyone? Then I’ll decide it so.”

The moment the Monthly Main Quest was released, the silence buff on Li Wei and the others disappeared.

They were stunned—this was allowed?

Game rules could be altered by items?

What happened to the promised Humanistic Care!

But there was no time to dwell on that, because damn it, this month he was suddenly tasked with mining two units—600 catties—of stone every day. Even if he could get 60 Family Contribution points at month’s end, is this even human work?

Even Leon was dumbstruck, stunned and blank-faced. Only now did he belatedly realize Thomas wasn’t their kind.

Li Wei, Penny, Fila, and he—these four competed at least in the same dimension. But Thomas and Margaret were truly like vampires, intent on squeezing them dry.

His body wasn’t very healthy; he had been barely holding on for the past four months, planning to rest this month and go fishing. Instead, he now had to do one and a half units a day. This would wear him to death!

And that’s not the main point. Even dull-witted he could now guess Thomas had some dark ulterior motive. That goal wouldn’t overthrow the family nor grievously harm the family’s interests, but it would harm all of them.

What he previously gained were only trifling benefits.

In such a crisis, it’s like the eggs in the nest—when the nest falls, who can remain untouched!

Too bad, what’s done is done, and regret is useless now.

“Thomas, I can spare some time next month to patrol and prevent beasts from damaging the Wheat Field, but I lack bows and arrows. I think the bow in the Warehouse would be perfect.”

At these words, Thomas smiled faintly. “Margaret, I remember you’re indeed an excellent Hunter. I think that bow suits you well. However, that bow was painstakingly crafted by Penny. She spent an entire month making it. If you really take that bow, you must live up to the family’s expectations.”

As soon as he finished speaking, several lines of information appeared before everyone.

[Margaret is applying to bid on a family valuable item. Friendly reminder: finished equipment of two-star quality or above is a family strategic resource and thus has only two usage options.]

[One, permanently obtain the item, which can be taken out of this world after clearing, but requires initiating a bid; Two, initiate a vote to gain usage rights during the task cycle, but it cannot be taken out of this world.]

[Note: Two-star or higher quality equipment is rare at the current difficulty. It requires exquisite craftsmanship and hunting at least a two-star difficulty beast to obtain rare materials to craft successfully.]

[Starting bid for this equipment is five standard Gold Coins. After fees, proceeds will be evenly distributed to all players.]

[Friendly reminder: auction principal can be paid later, but no later than the task’s maximum deadline. Excess must be paid using standard currency.]

[Friendly reminder: this auction will last five minutes.]

—

Damn!

Margaret was deliberately trying to screw him over, right? She could actually use a bow too?

Li Wei immediately chose to bid. The others all seemed to make their choices as well.

The next moment, a gray mist silently rose, enveloping the six of them, as if separating them from the world’s oversight.

But in the next second, Thomas suddenly lunged forward, one step, and with a single punch sent Penny sprawling to the ground, cursing viciously!

“Fuck you, stinking bitch! You motherfucker! How dare you extort me, you rookie idiot. You think you’re something? Repeatedly extorting me, haggle queen—so great at bargaining, huh? Just wait, when we go out I’ll kill you!”

Holy shit!

What’s going on?

You can do that?

Li Wei was stunned. In fact not only him—Fila, Penny, and Leon were all stunned, because they were all rookie players. Who had experienced this before!

“George! You huge fool!”

On the other side, Margaret was like a fierce lioness charging at Li Wei. Li Wei was startled, but his reflexes were quick. Unable to get up in time, he rolled nimbly on the spot so Margaret lunged past him. He then sprang up, grabbed her, and pinned her down!

Margaret was as slippery as an eel and incredibly strong.

At that moment he felt he was restraining a lit rocket ready to go off!

Because Margaret must have at least 13 Strength points.

In desperation, Li Wei quickly switched to the Bear Hunter title, reducing his displayed Strength to 11 points, and headbutted Margaret—then headbutted again, and again. After three consecutive headbutts, Margaret went stunned, while Li Wei, like an octopus, tightly restrained her hands and feet.

Margaret scrambled violently, twisted and writhed, but Li Wei gritted his teeth and held on.

They struggled fiercely, giving everything, a deathlike standoff for about five seconds. Li Wei expended 80 Stamina, but Margaret seemed to have burned all her energy and flopped like a pile of rotten mud, staring with bulging eyes and mouth agape, her fury spilling outward as if she wanted to devour Li Wei.

She had no more Stamina.

Haha!

Because she had spent the past few months desperately quarrying stone, draining her Stamina and losing Healthy vigor.

Li Wei, by contrast, had been well-fed and robust.

With no strength left, fine—Li Wei withdrew his grip, swung his claypot-sized fist, and landed a free-for-all battering until Margaret’s head was split and bleeding, her face bruised, and two teeth knocked out.

Meanwhile, Thomas had nearly beaten Penny unconscious before stopping.

As for Fila and Leon, they were completely terrified, too scared to get involved, and even withdrew from the bidding.