The Level 5 main city, 'Shengjing City', is one of the three main cities in the Northern War Zone. The main city is situated atop the vast Gorna mountain range, though they are merely slightly elevated hills. Ten thousand years of recuperation after the cataclysm has allowed the planet to revive, with only the新手区 (novice zone) retaining the appearance of its destruction.
The entire mountain range is covered in greenery. Beneath its tranquil exterior, danger lurks everywhere.
Within Shengjing City, the densely packed buildings retain a retro imperial style. In the Heavenly Dao, such retro architectural cities are relatively rare, possibly due to the city's history. All buildings within the city are rendered in yellow and red. Only the towering spire that pierces the clouds in the city's northernmost part is pure white. Nine hundred-meter-tall statues are distributed around the spire.
These nine statues represent the nine ultimate professions of the survivor faction, hailed as the guardians of the entire Blue Star.
The city's spire and the nine statues exist in every main city of the survivor faction.
This city, situated on the Gorna hills, has countless teleportation points that lead to various cities, towns, and villages.
As long as one enters a teleportation array, pays a certain fee, and states their desired destination, they can be teleported.
"Ding... System prompt: Welcome to Shengjing City. You are the first player to reach a main city in the world. Reward: Respect points in all main cities +200. You will also receive a top-tier land deed in your affiliated city."
"Ding... System prompt: You are the first player to reach Shengjing City. Reward: Respect points in Shengjing City +200."
"Ding... System prompt: Given that you are the world's first player to reach a main city as a Level 2 guild leader, you are rewarded with a guild stronghold."
"Ding... System prompt: The City Lord requests an audience with you and will personally present your rewards. Please proceed to the City Hall!"
Hearing the prompts, Chu Tian smiled. He had rushed to the main city precisely for this reward, but he hadn't expected an audience with the City Lord.
Currently, the city streets were empty, with only patrolling NPCs on the roads. Their levels were all above 120 elite.
Since the teleportation array was located in the city center, this area would become the most prosperous district in the future.
He headed straight north towards the towering spire, which was the City Hall.
Upon arriving at the entrance, thanks to his 400 respect points, the guards did not rudely drive him away but politely inquired about his purpose.
After Chu Tian stated his intentions, one of the guards led him inside the obelisk.
At the entrance to the grand hall, an NPC wearing golden armor approached him.
Chu Tian used his Appraisal skill and only saw the opponent's level as 210, with all other information displayed as question marks.
The name displayed was 'Luo Lie, Captain of Shengjing's First Patrol Squad, Elite.'
"Esteemed otherworldly warrior, the City Lord awaits you. Please follow me!"
Respect points are truly valuable. In his previous life, Chu Tian had strived for four years without achieving such high respect, thus never receiving such treatment.
Following Luo Lie into a spacious hall, in the center of the hall was a four-dimensional holographic map of Shengjing City. Standing before it was an elderly man in plain clothes.
The name above his head allowed Chu Tian to identify him: 'Luo Guo, City Lord of Shengjing City, Demigod.'
Seeing his name, Chu Tian almost burst out laughing. The City Lord was actually named 'Luo Guo' (which sounds like 'Luo Guo' meaning 'hunchback').
However, upon seeing his ranking displayed as Demigod, he was surprised that a Level 5 City Lord was a Demigod.
He subtly cast his Appraisal skill.
It failed!
At the same time, City Lord Luo Guo turned around, smiling at Chu Tian: "Young man, though I am old and my strength is not what it used to be, I still possess the protective aura of a Demigod. Your mere beginner's Appraisal skill should not be used on me!"
Chu Tian replied with a hint of embarrassment: "City Lord, please forgive my rudeness. I am merely curious how someone of Demigod level like yourself is the lord of such a small Level 5 city."
"Haha, young man, you've touched upon a sore spot for me. Aren't you afraid I'll revoke your rewards?" Luo Guo's somewhat cloudy eyes flashed with a sharp glint.
Even Luo Lie, standing behind Chu Tian, placed his hand on his sword hilt.
Chu Tian thought to himself: When did NPCs become so human-like? In his memory, NPCs exhibited mechanical behaviors and speech.
Despite this thought, he said aloud: "City Lord Luo, your reprimand is well-deserved. It was my ignorance that offended you!" He then bowed respectfully to Luo Guo.
He wasn't truly afraid of Luo Guo's threat. The rewards given by the system didn't originally require the City Lord to present them. Since he had summoned Chu Tian, there must be something else, perhaps the triggering of a serendipitous encounter. It would be best to humble himself.
"Haha," Luo Guo laughed. "Young man, you speak your mind frankly, and you know when to bend and when to stand firm. You will surely achieve great things in the future, and you are quite to my liking. If I had possessed your resilience, would I have been driven out of Zhongdu?"
Chu Tian's peripheral vision caught Luo Lie, the captain of the patrol squad, removing his hand from his sword hilt. He also straightened up and smiled at City Lord Luo Guo: "The City Lord flatters me. I am genuinely afraid of death!"
"Haha, young man, come over here and choose a piece of land as your reward!" City Lord Luo Guo pointed to the holographic projection.
Chu Tian strode forward quickly. He was intimately familiar with the prime locations from his previous life and had already chosen his preferred spot. His most desired locations were the three plots of land surrounding the teleportation point, forming a triangle that enclosed it.
In the future, this would be the area with the highest foot traffic. All three city gates of Shengjing City led here eventually.
Chu Tian pointed to one of the plots: "This one, please!"
City Lord Luo's eyes flickered: "Young man, this is the best plot of land in this city's prime location. You truly have a discerning eye. This land is valued at 1200 gold!"
In reality, purchasing land from the official channels wasn't very expensive. The city's operation primarily relied on later tax revenue. 1% of the daily income was paid to the city management department.
"Is the City Lord reluctant to part with it?" Chu Tian asked. He was actually unsure; although the system stated a land deed as a reward, the City Lord had the final say on which plot it would be.
At the very least, the player who was the first to reach a main city in his previous life did not obtain ownership of this plot and instead chose a location outside the south city gate.
The City Lord did not answer Chu Tian's question. Instead, he pointed to two other plots, the ones Chu Tian had set his sights on, and asked, "Young man, what do you think of these two plots?"
Chu Tian did not understand his intent: "Does the City Lord want me to choose between these two?"
These two plots were indeed smaller than the one Chu Tian had chosen, but they were also in prime locations. Chu Tian had originally planned to acquire these two plots after accumulating enough gold. The price for each was 750 gold.
"If you can complete a task entrusted to you by me, how about I give you these two plots of land?"
Here it comes, it has finally arrived. A serendipitous encounter.
"May I ask what task the City Lord wishes me to complete?" Chu Tian's eyes gleamed. Two prime location plots, each with a system price of 750 gold. Although still valuable now, at the current exchange rate, it was equivalent to over four million renminbi. In the future, the appreciation would be more than fiftyfold.
"Young man, do you know that there are two other Level 5 main cities to the north of our Shengjing City? Would you go there, acquire the prime location land in their cities, and then return it to me?"
Chu Tian looked at Luo Guo, thinking to himself, this old fellow's ambition is quite considerable. He intends to grasp the economic lifeline of the other two main cities as well?
However, such tasks involving the transfer of land ownership had been undertaken by others in his previous life. But that person met a tragic end, receiving a -300 penalty to their respect points in the city where the land was sold. While it didn't lead to imprisonment or immediate execution, it rendered them unable to move freely within their affiliated city. Not only would the price of purchased items increase by 30%, but any NPC would ignore them, and they would be unable to accept any quests.