C10 The News

"Lord, you previously mentioned introducing gold, silver, and copper currency within our territory, but aside from the 500 gold coins you provided, we lack any additional gold, silver, and copper coins. Furthermore, we're unable to mint our own, as we don't possess the necessary ores!" Moo Niu lamented to Wang Changqing upon his return to the Lord Hall.

"Ha! Moo Niu, my intention is to eventually implement gold, silver, and copper coins, not to do so immediately. Leave the currency concerns to me; I'll handle it," Wang Changqing reassured Moo Niu, sharing his plans without any rush to execute them. He wasn't one to issue orders without forethought.

Establishing a currency system is essential. Dawn Territory must eventually integrate with the wider world. Without a currency system, the territory simply cannot function effectively.

Indeed, Dawn is the name Wang Changqing bestowed upon this land.

On the verge of starvation on Blue Planet, they arrived on the Initial Continent, where they glimpsed the first light of Dawn. Despite the uncertainty of the path ahead, it was a more hopeful prospect than perishing from hunger on Blue Planet.

Wang Changqing learned from other Lords who had come from Blue Planet that the universal currency in this world consisted of high-content gold, silver, and copper coins, which were in demand.

Although his territory had yet to uncover veins of gold, silver, or copper, and couldn't smelt and mint its own currency, trading with other Lords was still an option!

He offered to buy 100,000 native copper coins for 1,200 gold coins and 10,000 native silver coins for the same price.

Upon opening the Lord's Trading Market and posting his purchase orders, they were snapped up within minutes by other Lords, attracted by the 20% premium. Efficiency was key!

Wang Changqing retrieved the copper and silver coins from the system space, and the 110,000 metal coins formed a veritable hill within the Lord Hall.

It was fortunate that Moo Niu had recently taken on a few helpers; otherwise, he'd be overwhelmed by the task of moving the coins by himself.

Wang Changqing, casually browsing the World Chat Channel, received yet another friend request. His recent bulk meat sale had sparked a flurry of friend requests, all of which he declined.

His friend list was barren. While he had no family on Blue Planet, he was acquainted with a handful of people—mere acquaintances and colleagues that he couldn't be bothered to reach out to.

The World Chat Channel, with the influx of 8 billion people, was awash with messages scrolling by the thousands every second. Even with a search function, identifying individuals was a challenge due to the commonality of names in China and the fact that newcomers could set their chat names only once, making it impossible to know who was behind a name without meeting in person.

Moreover, the pre-cataclysm anti-fraud campaigns by the Huaxia government had made Wang Changqing cautious. Finding an old acquaintance from Blue Planet would be a delightful surprise, but the risk of being conned was far from pleasant.

This time, however, the note attached to the friend request piqued his interest:

"Boss, I've got some crucial information for you. Hear me out first, then decide what it's worth to you."

"Goods before payment? That's intriguing!" he chuckled, hitting the confirm button without hesitation.

The King of Dogs: "Boss, your time is valuable, so I'll just need a minute."

Wang Changqing: "Go ahead."

The King of Dogs: "Boss, your recent meat sale suggests you have a formidable Arm. This intel will be gold to a mighty Lord like you. Rest assured, it's solid—I got it from a Lord who arrived before us..."

Wang Changqing: "Cut to the chase. I'll compensate you based on the value of the information."

The King of Dogs: "Boss, here's the scoop. That Lord shared that after the seven-day protection period for new Lords, there's a comprehensive strength leaderboard. The top 10,000 Lords earn a 'rule projection' reward. It's the system, just by another name, but it's all the same thing."

Wang Changqing asked, "Why would it reveal these details to you?"

The King of Paparazzi replied, "Boss, that's not something I can disclose. Do you find the information useful?"

Wang Changqing responded, "Somewhat, but I would have come to know this seven days later regardless. Ultimately, your information isn't of much use to me."

Useless? Not at all. The information is quite valuable, but haggling is part of the deal!

The King of Paparazzi pressed, "Big Boss, information is time-sensitive. Knowing it earlier means you can prepare earlier, right?"

He continued, "Here's what I'll do, Boss. I'll give you another piece of information that's even more precious. If it satisfies you, just pay me 3000 gold coins in total."

Wang Changqing prompted, "Go on."

The King of Paparazzi explained, "My Lord, there are three ways to expand the variety of Arms. First, upgrade the initial barracks. Second, conquer wild Arm nests. Third, seize another Lord's barracks."

Wang Changqing acknowledged, "The information is indeed useful. You'll receive the reward you're hoping for."

After sending 3000 gold coins to the informant, Wang Changqing promptly closed the private chat channel.

Meanwhile, the Lord of the Blue Planet, having just ended his conversation with Wang Changqing, grinned at a mantis-like creature outside his protective shield, "Sir, I've just made another 3000 gold coins. I'll transfer 2500 to you right away."

"You're quite talented. Just 110,000 more gold coins and you'll have the 200,000 needed to become an official member of our Heaven Listening Organization..."

The Mantis Man's response brought an eager smile to the King of Paparazzi's chubby face as he continued to scout for his next client on the Lord of the Blue Planet's world chat channel.

In the meantime, Wang Changqing was lost in contemplation. The two tidbits from the Paparazzi King had deepened his understanding of the world. He realized that the true value lay not in the messages themselves, but in the inadvertent mention of "rule projection," a term that piqued his curiosity.

The rule projection was tantamount to the Lord System. Perhaps, the Lord System was the very manifestation of those rules...

Reminding himself that "curiosity kills the cat without strength," Wang Changqing traded the day's bounty of meat and Soul Crystals for various essential resources.

He worked tirelessly until midnight, upgrading all his Mechanical Creations to level 4, and even put in extra hours to assemble 200 more Combat Robots. Only after this feat did Wang Changqing retire to his room, his face beaming with satisfaction.

In just three days since his arrival on the Initial Continent, he had amassed an impressive arsenal of 480 level 4 Combat Robots, placing him among the elite ranks of his fellow Lords.

Darkness had long settled over the land, and the wilderness beyond was alive with a cacophony of roars and screams. Within the safety of the Dawn Territory's Energy Shield, many had succumbed to sleep, yet numerous souls toiled on: the lumberjacks, relentlessly felling trees, the quarry workers, diligently extracting stone, and the Lord Mansion's administrative team, meticulously refining the territory's regulations under Wang Changqing's guidance.

For three years, the residents of the Dawn Territory had endured a harsh existence, surrounded by the wilds without a Lord's protection. They held Wang Changqing, their mighty and merciful Lord, in high esteem, unwaveringly enacting his will throughout the land.