Sanctuary, eastern area at the foot of the mountain, outdoor training field.
Tang Yu and Luo Zhe, each holding a blunt longsword, were sparring with a series of loud clashes.
Despite the bluntness of their swords, the aftermath of the battle was astonishing. Dust was flying everywhere, and the figures of the fighters had been obscured by the turmoil.
... Of course, Luo Zhe had lowered his strength.
Suddenly, Tang Yu's longsword burst forth with a glow as intense as blood.
This was a combat skill he had learned from Luo Zhe, Blood Slash.
Luo Zhe unleashed the same move, and the two beams of blood-red light intertwined and exploded with a bang.
Tang Yu couldn't help but stagger backwards several steps before he could dissipate the force of the impact and steady himself.
Upon closer inspection, the blunt basic longsword in his hand had cracked.
"Lord, your strike was very powerful," Luo Zhe's own sword had broken, and he offered sincere praise, "If I hadn't used all my strength at the last moment, I probably wouldn't have been able to block it."
Blood Slash, a low-level combat skill powered by Qi Blood Power, had been enhanced by Tang Yu with Source Power, instantly elevating its might.
Luo Zhe, however, was not able to do so, still relying only on Qi Blood Power.
"From now on, I am afraid there will be little else I can teach you."
Tang Yu watched as the fragments of his longsword fell off piece by piece.
In his heart, he too felt a sense of contemplation.
After his territory had upgraded, he truly sensed an enhancement of his talent; setting aside Source Power, his learning speed for skills had also increased significantly. Originally stuck on the final step of Blood Slash, after his breakthrough, not only did he execute the skill, but his proficiency had improved. His perfect display during the spar with Luo Zhe was the best proof.
Just as he was about to speak something,
Under the sunlight, Luo Zhe's shadow stretched out long, yet the tower-like, burly man seemed... somewhat forlorn?
Tang Yu was taken aback.
Luo Zhe was among the first followers of the Lord, witnessing the development of the territory from scratch, from desolation to its gradual prosperity now.
Whose contribution was the greatest?
Tang Yu couldn't shamelessly claim it was his own; by comparison, Luo Zhe was the one who had dedicated himself to ensuring the safety of the territory.
Just as the Patrol Team members saw it.
Luo Zhe's broad shoulders were the most reliable assurance for their safe return from every mission they undertook.
However, Luo Zhe's strength was already outclassed by Kong and Grey Blade, and even Shay would surpass him in a short period after.
Tang Yu was aware that this man would not be envious because of this.
Luo Zhe's forlornness stemmed from knowing that his strength may gradually fade from the front line in the future.
Thinking of this, Tang Yu sighed and was at a loss for words.
Talent is not absolute, yet undoubtedly, it is a threshold that bars most people.
Just like before the apocalypse, some would effortlessly excel in academics by merely flipping through books, while others could only be diligent students at best, no matter how hard they studied.
This is the disparity—it's not absolute, but sometimes it's utterly disheartening.
And the harder one works, the more profoundly they sense the chasm between themselves and those with natural talent.
After the apocalypse, all of this simply became much more direct.
Some were ordinary people, others Awakeners, ability users, determining directly who could survive and who would be neatly sent off.
Tang Yu was well aware of this and had been seeking a breakthrough.
Wang Zhou was one such experiment.
Luo Zhe's dejection was only momentary, and soon he was full of energy again, heading to train the Patrol Team members on the other side.
Having gained a rough understanding of his own strength, Tang Yu was about to head back to the castle, but he was stopped at the castle exit by Chen Haiping.
"Director, I've finally found you."
Tang Yu gave an awkward smile.
Chen Haiping not being able to find him was basically a daily occurrence, and he couldn't always ask other followers for help.
Not having mobile phones was inconvenient indeed.
Chen Haiping looked at him resentfully and stated his purpose, "A survivor has submitted a request for equipment lease. Since there's no precedent for this in the Sanctuary, it was difficult for me to make a decision."
"Lease? How would that work? If we lease out equipment, we must ensure its return; otherwise, it would be too much trouble, and I wouldn't be willing to engage in such leasing business," Tang Yu pondered and said.
"If it were an adventurer planning to rent weapons for hunting Demonized Beasts in the wilderness, I would have rejected the proposal immediately; there's no security in that."
Chen Haiping smiled and shook his head, "However, this survivor's situation is different. She intends to lease equipment not for hunting Demonized Beasts but to process some materials. Because of this, I think the lease might be feasible."
"Oh?" Tang Yu raised an eyebrow, intrigued, "That sounds interesting. As for the specifics of the leasing method, it might be better to have the survivor explain it herself."
He Qingqing followed behind Chen Haiping, feeling a bit nervous.
Since being rescued by Tang Yu, she, her father, and other survivors who had been held hostage by Lin Wei's team naturally settled down here in Green Shadow.
Before the labor center was established, most of the new survivors had no work, hence no income, and they could only rely on the relief food distributed by the Sanctuary to sustain themselves.
He Qingqing was not content to wait around doing nothing, and this dissatisfaction gave rise to some ideas in her heart...
Walking along, with a slight lift of her head, she could clearly see the magnificent castle not far away: the exquisite spires, the polished walls. To her, such a grandiose building seemed like a dream.
Ordinary survivors were not entitled to come to this area.
He Qingqing never imagined that her mere submission of an equipment lease application would result in her being summoned by the Sanctuary Director, affording her the opportunity to get a close look at the castle's true form and to see the legendary figure who had founded the Sanctuary.
Walking on the gravel path with a gentle breeze blowing, bringing a penetrating coolness to the soul.
The surrounding sea of flowers swayed, and a burst of floral fragrance hit her, prompting He Qingqing to take a deep breath, feeling joy in her body and mind.
Following Chen Haiping into the castle hall, the exquisite and luxurious decor inside took He Qingqing by surprise.
Building such a castle during the apocalypse was not something achievable with merely strength and subordinates.
The two entered a room next to the main hall that resembled a cafe. Just inside the door, He Qingqing saw Tang Yu seated at a spot. At the Director's invitation, she sat down opposite him with slight apprehension.
A servile Puppet with rolling wheels brought her coffee.
"Tha... thank you," He Qingqing stammered, taking a small sip, her whole body melting.
It had been so long since she'd tasted such a flavor.
"Tell us about your plan. How do you intend to rent, how much, and what for? I might not necessarily set this precedent."
He Qingqing took a deep breath, her face turning serious, and she slowly began to explain.
"This time, I plan to rent a batch of standard Longswords, no fewer than ten pieces. If possible, I would like to rent some Puppets as well, mainly for processing the skins and furs of Demonized Beasts, with the intention of turning them into..."