23 A Visitor Arrives

Early in the morning, while there were still few people about, Zhan Xiaobai and Sword Overlord led a small group on patrol around the village, covering several miles in the surrounding area. Unknowingly, they gradually made their way to the river about three miles out. This river split the wilderness in two; though only a little over twenty meters wide, it was three to four meters deep, making it difficult to cross without a boat.

“Sword Overlord, how many new villages have sprung up near ours lately?” Zhan Xiaobai asked, gazing with interest at both banks of the river. Aside from their own small settlement, the landscape was barren, devoid of any human-made structures. Only scattered players could be seen—hunting beasts, gathering herbs.

“I checked the system,” Sword Overlord replied. “Just within the Xiliang region, over two thousand player villages have been established recently. But the land is vast and sparsely populated, so they’re spread far apart. It’ll be hard to connect with each other in the short term.”

“How about the villages near ours?”

“There are a few dozen within a hundred li. Within a ten-li radius, there are three.” He pointed across the river with a smile. “The nearest is Tiger and Leopard Village, just on the other side. But because of this river, they’re actually the furthest from us—you need to walk seven or eight li upstream to find a shallow crossing. I’ve heard they were established quite early, on the second day of the public beta, and they’ve developed well. The other two are further up and downstream. Both were built later and missed the first month’s planting season.”

As Zhan Xiaobai asked about the neighboring villages, he was already scheming about a grain collection plan. Sword Overlord quickly sketched a map on a piece of animal hide, and the group crowded around, marking the locations of rivers, mountains, and villages, discussing strategies.

…

Meanwhile, a team of over thirty players trekked across the wilds by the riverside, finally catching sight of a small village in the distance.

“Damn, this must be Xiaobai Village,” one player cursed. “It’s really out of the way—had to get up at the crack of dawn to get here. If I lose my temper again, I’ll raze it to the ground. Boss, you think this is the one?”

The leader squinted at the distant village and shook his head. “Not sure. Shen Biao, find someone and ask.”

The player who’d been grumbling acknowledged and went off, spotting Zhan Xiaobai, Sword Overlord, and their group by the river. He called out, “Hey, you lot! Let me ask you something—is that village over there Xiaobai Village?”

Sword Overlord glanced at Zhan Xiaobai, then replied, “That’s right, you’ve found it. Do you brothers need any help?”

“Who’s your brother? Don’t get ahead of yourself, rookie. Get lost.”

Shen Biao snapped at Sword Overlord and returned to his group, reporting to the leader, “Boss, this is the place.”

The leader finally smiled coldly at his followers. “Let’s go—let’s see for ourselves whether this so-called ‘Number One Village Under Heaven’ is any good, or if our Tiger and Leopard Village is better.”

Sword Overlord stared after them in speechless surprise as they strode off. Zhan Xiaobai burst out laughing and clapped him on the shoulder. “Even our great elder is getting mistaken for a rookie now! Let it go—don’t take it to heart. Let’s check out somewhere else.”

The rest of Xiaobai Village’s players chimed in to console him.

…

Not long after, the group of thirty arrived near the village. Rather than entering, they circled around the outskirts, inspecting for guards.

Shen Biao exclaimed, “Weird, there’s not a single guard—no NPC sentries, not even player guards. Don’t they worry about sabotage? Boss, you see anything odd?”

The leader shook his head, baffled.

“Boss, if they don’t even bother with defenses, why don’t we catch them off guard and rob them? All of us are at least level 13 or 14—it’d be a cinch.”

The group clamored in agreement, boasting, “Exactly! Our Tiger and Leopard Village has four level-15 NPC guards, and they don’t have a single one. Trash!”

They were all for grabbing their weapons and looting the place.

But their leader immediately barked, “All of you, shut the hell up! We’re here for reconnaissance, not to pick a fight. No matter how weak Xiaobai Village is, there’s no way they can’t handle a group of twenty or thirty like us. Besides, we’re here today because we need something from them—if we don’t get their healing potions, how are we supposed to turn hostile? Idiots, use your brains for once!”

Chastised, the group quieted down, looking dispirited.

The leader thought for a moment. “You, go find a player and ask about their situation.”

Shen Biao was about to head out when a few long-term residents of Xiaobai Village happened to walk by. The leader stopped them politely, “Hey, brothers, can I ask you something? Why are there no guards in Xiaobai Village?”

The villagers looked at him as if he’d told a joke. One of them rolled his eyes and replied, “Xiaobai Village needs guards? Please. You must be new! Do you know how many squads of guards Sister Qiushui commands? How many friends Brother Fei has? How many high-level brothers Young Hero has? And do you know how many fingers Sword Overlord needs to crush you?”

He snorted, half-mocking himself. “Pfft, look at you—obviously clueless newbies. And I haven’t even mentioned Boss Xiaobai yet. Forget it, don’t want to scare you—I’ll just pretend I never said anything.”

The Xiaobai Village players laughed and sauntered off, leaving the group of thirty players gaping at each other. They’d just been thoroughly mocked and didn’t even have the nerve to get angry.

Shen Biao, a little uneasy, asked, “Boss, how much of what they said is true? They sounded pretty formidable.”

Others nodded in agreement. They’d come with high expectations, but after hearing those confident words, their own confidence evaporated.

The leader shook his head. “How should I know what’s true? Better to be cautious. They do have the title of ‘Number One Village Under Heaven,’ after all.”

They made their way to the eastern gate and, following custom, requested an introduction.

By default, free players could come and go from any village, but those who belonged to a village couldn’t just barge into another—they needed to announce themselves as a sign of respect before visiting.

None of Xiaobai Village’s elders were at the eastern gate.

So the group was left to humbly ask the villagers to send word inside, saying they were from a neighboring village and wanted to trade with Xiaobai Village.