I Build a Shelter in the Eternal Night

"Right."

Chen Fan nodded lightly. "So this plan is still just on paper. It hasn’t been implemented yet."

"Young Master, aren’t you tired thinking about so much every day?"

"What’s there to be tired about?"

Chen Fan glanced at Lame Monkey with a light smile. "Everything you can imagine can be made a reality. Don’t you find that interesting?"

"Wherever I want the High-speed Rail to go, that’s where it will go."

"I can hold down the fort in Jiangbei without going anywhere."

"And all the other factions will have to come to me."

"Alright."

He stood up and walked toward the base of the City Wall. "Time to get some sleep. We have to see Wang Mazi and the others off tomorrow morning. I hope everything goes smoothly."

...

Day broke.

The Port.

All the core members of the Mortal Realm had gathered here. Beside the Port, a Level 4 Ghost Fire burned fiercely. It was a specially created Ghost Fire, as the outer edge of the Port had no City Wall.

At the Port’s berths, three "Sea Ships" were docked.

They were ready to set sail at a moment’s notice.

"Domain Lord."

"Everyone."

Wang Mazi, leading his Commerce Pavilion subordinates, stood by the sea with a solemn expression and looked toward Chen Fan’s group. "This is far enough. Wait for me. I’ll definitely come back with good news."

Nearby, a dozen or so Mortal Realm Members were loading large quantities of Ghost Stones, fresh water, and plants from Xiyang City onto the Sea Ships.

Going out to sea was no easy task.

Once you left land, you had nothing. Even without encountering Ghost Objects, the survival rate would plummet in the face of strong winds and high waves.

"You have to come back alive."

Chen Fan stepped forward, patted Wang Mazi on the shoulder, and said softly, "Your main objective this time is to scout out what’s on the sea. If you run into a crisis, don’t try to fight it head-on. Run when you have to."

"I understand."

Wang Mazi grinned. "Don’t worry, Domain Lord. I’ll definitely make it back alive."

"Good. Did you bring the Ghost Map that Qi Chong made for you?"

"Don’t lose it. If you do, you won’t be able to find your way home."

"I’ve got it safe and sound. No way I’ll lose it."

At that moment, all the supplies had been prepared. Several Mortal Realm Members stood at the berth, ready to untie the ropes. Wang Mazi took a deep breath and announced in a solemn voice,

"Wang Mazi, Commerce Pavilion Master of the Mortal Realm Commerce Pavilion."

"Under orders to execute the ’New Continent’ plan."

"Awaiting the Domain Lord’s command."

Chen Fan smiled. "Depart."

"Sir!"

Wang Mazi didn’t linger. He and his subordinates immediately boarded the three Sea Ships in groups. The ropes connecting the ships to the berths were untied, and the sails were raised, snapping in the wind.

The three Sea Ships gradually sailed toward the depths of the ocean.

Standing at the stern, Wang Mazi waved goodbye to them nonstop.

After this farewell, there was no telling when they would meet again.

Perhaps they would return safely soon.

Or perhaps they would run right into the Ghost Objects’ main camp.

But no matter how dangerous, someone had to go. It was like the High-speed Rail—even though it was very likely to be sabotaged, it still had to be built. That’s how things are in this world.

You don’t get to avoid something just because it’s difficult.

You can’t run away just because it’s dangerous.

You do it.

You grit your teeth and do it. When you encounter a problem, you solve it. You just keep moving forward.

Eventually, there will come a day when the clouds part to reveal the moon.

Wang Kui, Zhou Mo, and the others standing beside him watched with complex expressions as the three Sea Ships gradually vanished into the depths of the ocean. They waved farewell too, even though they knew Wang Mazi could no longer see them at this distance.

But they knew that he was definitely still looking back at them.

"Of all the dreams we talked about during the rainy season, only Wang Mazi has achieved his."

Wang Kui muttered under his breath.

Zhou Mo glanced at Wang Kui and couldn’t help but laugh. "Didn’t I remember your dream was to get married and have kids? What, haven’t found a girl you like?"

"You can’t rush these things. It’s all about fate and a connection."

"But you’re not getting any younger. I’m afraid you’ve gone limp."

"Piss off!"

"..."

After seeing off Wang Mazi, the core members of the Mortal Realm once again sat on the back of the Giant Turtle and headed for Mortal City, ready to return to their posts.

"Lame Monkey."

Chen Fan stopped Lame Monkey and instructed, "The Mortal Realm is short-staffed again."

"After the High-speed Rail is operational, we’ll need another group of people to run it. Plus, we need staff in various places. We have to find another batch of people."

"I want you to post a notice in the next few days."

"Cultivation level doesn’t matter."

"The main things are that they’re sharp, have all their limbs, and have a clean background."

"Young Master, when you say a clean background, what exactly do you mean...?"

"Qi Yue."

"Like Qi Yue?"

"No, I mean *not* like Qi Yue."

"Understood."

...

Mortal City.

Chen Fan sat inside the shop, listening to Wang Kui report on the day’s revenue.

"Domain Lord."

"Over the past few days, we’ve collected another payment, totaling 790,000 Ghost Stones. The first batch of credit we extended is about to be fully repaid."

"We gave them a one-month deadline."

"Most factions paid up early. We even received a repayment yesterday from the second batch of credit we extended. That faction is working really hard; they have two merchant caravans running back and forth."

"Their network is extensive, too."

"The Skeleton Horses they brought back sold out immediately."

"Mm."

Chen Fan flipped through the ledger in his hands. ’The Mortal Realm is getting bigger and bigger, and these ledgers are getting more and more complicated. It used to be so simple, just counting Ghost Stones one by one. I didn’t even need a ledger; I could keep track of it all myself. Now, if I don’t look at the ledger, I don’t even know how much I’m worth anymore.’

Just then—

A Mortal Realm Member walked up to his side and reported, "Domain Lord, Young Valley Master Qi Feng of Medicine King Valley requests an audience."

"Let him in."

Soon, Qi Feng, dressed in a long robe, walked into the shop alone. Without any preamble, he said, "Domain Lord, Medicine King Valley wants to become the first Node in the Mortal Realm High-speed Rail network."