Chapter 87 - 83: The Invisible Hand
Chapter 87: Chapter 83: The Invisible Hand
Half a month was enough time for a community’s spirit to be completely transformed.
Such was the case for Newly Town.
The sprawling wasteland to the west had vanished, replaced by vast tracts of meticulously tilled gray soil, with straight furrows stretching as far as the eye could see.
The foundations for the new residential area had been tamped down. Rows of trenches were dug, and within them, the seedlings of Stone Skin Soft Vines were poised to sprout.
Across the entire territory, from the old townsfolk to the contract workers, everyone wore expressions of exhausted exhilaration.
They walked fast, worked fast, and even ate fast.
It was as if a giant, invisible hand was pushing everyone forward.
On this day, Newly Town witnessed a moment that would go down in history.
The first contract worker to exchange his points for a Newly Town Citizenship Certificate had emerged.
Velin personally held a ceremony for him in the square.
There were no convoluted procedures—just a table, and upon it, a piece of parchment written with Magic Ink.
To no one’s surprise, just as everyone had expected, the man named Barton stood on the stage.
He had worked at a nearly self-destructive pace, earning the three hundred points he needed in just half a month.
Velin looked at the excited yet nervous, powerfully built man before him, and a thought occurred to him.
’Inspect.’
[Barton]
[Level: None]
[Bloodline: Raging Blood Barbarian (Black Iron Tier) 32%, Child of the Forest (Bronze Tier) 17%, Mixed Bloodline 51%]
[Abilities: None]
[Overall Evaluation: Possesses great strength and stamina. His bloodline is ready for activation.]
’Just as I thought.’ The corner of Velin’s mouth curled up slightly.
’This point system really is the perfect filter.’
’As the point system expands into more sectors, anyone who is sufficiently outstanding—whether in physical strength or intellect—will inevitably distinguish themselves and earn far more points than the average person.’
’And those who are out of the ordinary are far more likely to possess a bloodline. It’s certainly much more efficient than me going around and Inspecting everyone one by one!’
Shaking off his thoughts, he handed the life-changing parchment to Barton.
The burly man didn’t even dare to grip it tightly.
He lowered his head, his broad shoulders heaving violently. Velin could faintly hear a sob.
After a brief silence, a tsunami of cheers erupted from the square.
"Way to go, Barton!"
"He did it! He really did it!"
"I’m going to earn three hundred points, too!"
All eyes were fixed on the delicate piece of parchment, burning with admiration, envy, and an even more intense desire.
It wasn’t just a piece of paper.
It was freedom, land, dignity, and a brand-new future for themselves and their children.
At that moment, without a single word being spoken, Velin’s prestige was cemented in the hearts and minds of the people.
He was not only a Knight of immense power, but also a lord who honored his word.
This wave of fervor not only motivated all the contract workers, but also put immense pressure on the original townsfolk.
For the first time, they realized their status was not guaranteed.
If they didn’t work hard, these new "madmen" would soon surpass them.
Even in the prisoner-of-war camp, the Knights under Ola’s command were infected by the fervor sweeping through the town.
They watched through the fence of their enclosure as a man they considered a "slave" earned the status of a freeman with his own two hands.
This completely overturned their deeply ingrained beliefs.
In their world, serfs were born serfs and Knights were born Knights. This order was supposed to be eternal and unchanging.
But here, all of that was shattered.
They began to fulfill their duties as instructors more seriously, no longer just going through the motions when training the new recruits.
In private, the topics of their discussions had also changed.
"Hey! Did you hear? There’s a new ale on the redemption list. Thirty points!"
"I’d rather have those leather boots. The soles on mine are almost worn through."
A young Knight slammed his fist against a wooden post in frustration.
"It’s not fair! How come they can earn points, but we can’t? We’re working for the lord, too!"
The surrounding Knights fell silent at his words. After all, what could they say? They were prisoners.
Ola took all of this in.
He leaned in a shadowy corner, a faint stench still clinging to his reddish-brown beard.
He was beginning to understand.
He had lost.
Not to those bizarre vines, nor to the beetles that knew no fear of death.
He had lost to a system he had never before encountered, one he could not even comprehend.
’Even without the beetles, had my Knight Order reached the walls, we would have likely fallen to the spears of a fanatical militia.’
’Velin was pulling invisible strings, manipulating everyone’s desires, making them work themselves to the bone willingly—and even find happiness in it.’
Ola thought of his own liege, Marquis Minas Hill.
The Marquis was a traditional nobleman who ruled his domain through bloodline, the granting of fiefs, and ancient laws.
His subjects feared and respected him, but they would never be driven into a "frenzy" for his sake.
In the Marquis’s domain, everything was orderly, unchanging.
But in Velin’s territory, everything was growing wild.
’Isn’t he afraid of being devoured by this mob he has bewitched?’ Ola simply could not understand.
「Deep in the night.」
Velin was in his study, bent over a newly drawn map of the Swamp, planning an exploration route.
An attendant suddenly announced that Ola was requesting an audience.
He wasn’t surprised by Ola’s visit. As he looked at the map, he had already decided to add the Half-Dwarf to the expedition team.
Although Valerius was high-level, he had no combat experience. He needed an Extraordinary to accompany him on his exploration of the Swamp.
Soon, Ola was brought into the study.
He wore no shackles, but two fully armed guards stood outside the door.
His gaze swept across the study before finally landing on Velin, who sat behind the desk.
"Sit." Velin gestured to the chair opposite him.
Ola did not sit. He stood like a statue, silent for a long time before finally asking, "Aren’t you afraid?"
Velin clearly understood the implication.
"Afraid?" His tone was matter-of-fact. "Only the incompetent fear change. And I will always grow faster than anyone else."
"When I am half a step ahead, they will feel admiration. When I am one step ahead, they will feel jealousy. But when I am ten steps, a hundred steps ahead, all that remains is worship."
Ola was stunned, shaken into silence by this immense, almost arrogant confidence.
Velin stood up and walked over to him.
"Baron Ola, you needn’t trouble yourself with such matters. You need to understand that you are an excellent Warrior, but you are not a competent lord."
"You..." Ola’s Adam’s apple bobbed. His chest tightened, and he found himself unable to utter another word.
Velin directed his gaze toward the map of the Swamp.
"Right now, I have a job that is much better suited for you. I need a sharp battle-ax to cleave a path to treasure for me."
Velin paused.
"Are you interested in joining?"