C3 The Status of the People and the Bottom Status of the Initial Continent

Upon realizing he was responsible for hundreds of citizens, Wang Changqing massaged his temples. Flanked by sixty combat robots, he strode out of the steel-walled Lord Mansion.

Opening the mansion's grand doors, Wang Changqing was taken aback by the sight of countless people kneeling before him, encompassing all ages and both genders.

"Greetings, my Lord!" The crowd pressed their foreheads to the ground and shouted in unison as the doors swung open.

"Uh... please, stand up. We can talk this out; there's no need to kneel!" Wang Changqing, a native of Huaxia with over twenty years of life there, was deeply ingrained with the principle of equality. The sight of so many people prostrating themselves in greeting made him distinctly uncomfortable.

His words seemed to resonate with the crowd, and after he spoke, they cautiously rose to their feet. Some of the elderly, perhaps stiff from kneeling, required assistance to stand.

"How did you come to know that I am your Lord?" Wang Changqing inquired, surveying the gaunt faces and tattered clothing before him. He softened his voice, sensing their fear, yet his mind buzzed with unanswered questions.

He hadn't stepped foot outside the Lord Mansion, yet they had been waiting. Clearly, they knew he was inside, but how? And how had he arrived on the Initial Continent? How were they so certain of his lordship?

"Only the Lord can emerge from this mansion, my Lord," an elder stepped forward and bowed, responding to Wang Changqing's query. "Without your permission, we cannot enter."

"I see... So, what became of the previous Lord? Was he reassigned?" Wang Changqing processed the elder's response, piecing together that the territory had indeed been under someone else's rule before his arrival.

"The former Lord... he never returned from a hunt in the wilderness, my Lord," the elder replied, his voice laced with trepidation. "After some time, the mansion's gates were sealed. We fear he met his end out there..."

"How long has it been since the previous Lord passed away?" The wilderness was treacherous, a fact that Wang Changqing had quickly learned as his second piece of information.

"My Lord," the elder replied with caution, "I cannot say for certain. It was on a morning three years ago that the former Lord departed with his troops and a handful of soldiers, leaving the territory. They never returned. We have searched the surrounding lands, but to no avail..."

Discussing the demise of the former Lord with the new one was akin to dancing on the edge of a precipice—one misstep could lead to a fatal fall.

"And how did you come to know I was inside the Lord Mansion?" Wang Changqing was brimming with questions. Given that the elder was a local and appeared to be well-informed, it was only natural for him to seek answers to all his uncertainties.

"Lord, two hours ago, a beam of blue light descended upon the Lord Mansion, followed by a blue barrier that enveloped the entire estate. It mirrored the arrival of the previous Lord. Once we witnessed this, we knew a new Lord had arrived. I hastened to gather everyone to greet you. Fearing you might be preoccupied, I refrained from intruding..."

The elder's response sent a shiver down Wang Changqing's spine.

The Blue Planet was not the sole world to make its descent onto the Initial Continent.

As the conversation continued, the elder's answers validated Wang Changqing's suspicions.

Periodically, beings from other worlds would descend upon the Initial Continent to claim lordship.

The Initial Continent was home to numerous factions—some founded by indigenous creatures, others by Lords from alien worlds.

Initially, the native factions harbored deep-seated animosity toward the interdimensional Lords. Yet, with the relentless arrival of these alien Lords, the natives had to come to terms with a coexistence, for the influx of alien Lords was unending.

Alien world Lords typically made their descent in secluded areas, and no one could predict where these otherworldly beings would appear. There was a stipulation for their arrival: only territories lacking a Lord could receive these extraterrestrial visitors.

But the vastness of the Initial Continent was beyond measure, its endless expanse dotted with innumerable small territories and creature clusters, as numerous and indistinct as grains of sand in the ocean.

Having gained an understanding of the Initial Continent, Wang Changqing faced the anxious crowd before him and made a solemn vow, "Henceforth, I, Wang Changqing, shall officially be your lord. I accept your allegiance and commit to the duty of protecting you."

"Greetings, my Lord! Long live the Lord!" The people exclaimed, bowing once more upon hearing Wang Changqing's pledge.

"Please, rise. And you, elder, what is your name?" Wang Changqing gestured for the people to stand and inquired of the old man before him, recognizing his potential. The elder's ability to learn and retain such "useless" knowledge from generations past impressed Wang Changqing greatly.

"Lord, I am called Moo Niu," the old man responded with reverence.

Wang Changqing then accessed his attribute panel:

Name: Moo Niu

Level: 1

Identity: Commoner of the territory

Skill: Administrative Management (F Class) - Capable of handling basic internal affairs of the territory, a competent official for the early stages.

Loyalty: 60 (below 50 indicates potential betrayal or desertion)

"Moo Niu, I hereby appoint you as the administrative officer of our territory, responsible for assisting me with its internal affairs. I trust you will not disappoint me." Wang Changqing couldn't pass up the opportunity to utilize a citizen with administrative management skills—it was like finding a pillow when in need of sleep.

Moo Niu looked up, his expression one of incredulous joy. After a moment's pause, he quickly knelt on one knee, his voice quivering, "My Lord, your command is my mission! I will defend your honor with my life!"

"Well done! Now, let's have the administrative officer show me around my domain," Wang Changqing addressed Moo Niu, then turned to the lingering crowd and announced, "The rest of you are free to return to your homes. Moo Niu and I shall take a look around..."

With the crowd dispersed, Moo Niu took the lead, providing explanations as they went. Wang Changqing, flanked by 60 Combat Robots, commenced his inspection of the territory.

Aware of his modest combat strength, which was less than five, Wang Changqing knew that his priority was to ensure his own safety above all else.

Upon his arrival on the Initial Continent, the presence of Mechanical Warriors provided Wang Changqing with a comforting sense of security.

His domain currently consisted of a single settlement: a cluster of two to three hundred modest dwellings, a small tavern, several quarries, a lumberyard, and a blacksmith shop left by the preceding Lord, along with over two thousand acres of farmland adjacent to the residential area.

The tavern stood empty, a relic of the former Lord's era.

The expanse of farmland, cultivated with primitive techniques, was insufficient to sustain the 800 inhabitants. They were out of options; all nearby land suitable for farming had been exhausted. To expand their arable land, they would have to contend with the wild creatures beyond.

"Moo Niu, how much food do the people have left?" Wang Changqing asked, eyeing the stunted crops and sensing their meager yield.

Moo Niu tensed at the question, memories of the previous Lord's harsh food requisitions and the resulting starvation fresh in his mind. Yet he dared not withhold an answer. After a moment's pause, he responded earnestly, "My Lord, most households have less than 150 catties of food remaining. In total, there's approximately 40,000 catties among all the people, and it will be another two months before the crops can be harvested."

"Please, my Lord, no more food levies," Moo Niu pleaded, his voice cracking as tears streamed down his face. He collapsed to his knees, imploring, "If you demand more, many will perish from hunger. The current stores will barely last until the harvest. To take more would be to drive them towards certain death!"

Wang Changqing gestured swiftly, and a Combat Robot stepped forward to steady Moo Niu to his feet.

Once Moo Niu had regained his composure, Wang Changqing addressed him with a calm but resolute tone, "Moo Niu, you must trust me, trust in your Lord! I will overlook this and offer you an explanation now, but as my official, I expect that you will not harbor doubts about me or your Lordship in the future."

"I asked about the remaining food supplies in our territory because I've noticed we only have a little over two thousand acres of farmland. It's highly unlikely that will be enough to sustain our eight hundred plus residents. I need to verify this with you!"

"As the Lord here, it's my duty to ensure that my people are well-fed and not going hungry. Do you grasp the gravity of this responsibility, Moo Niu?"

"Lord, I've got it now! I see where I went wrong!" Moo Niu's eyes, previously tinged with red, now sparkled with a glimmer of hope following Wang Changqing's clarification.

Wang Changqing took a moment to check Moo Niu's attribute panel and was surprised to see that his loyalty had surged to an impressive 90.