Chu Fu and the others all turned to look at one another. Before Li Weizheng could say anything, the player standing beside that man spoke first.
“Keep dreaming!”
The blunt response clearly came from the player’s friend.
Most players teamed up to level, so when they reached Level 30, they usually weren’t alone—they had friends with them.
With that sharp retort, the people present burst into laughter.
Li Weizheng said helplessly, “You’re not the first player to make this request, but I still have to explain. First of all, Wangxi Manor is private property. Secondly, all the land around the nearby beginner villages belongs solely to Ms. Who Wants to Be a Vegetative Patient.
“At present, Wangxi Manor is essentially an autonomous region. If you want to live there, you’ll also have to become a member of the Thorny Guild!
“Ms. Who Wants to Be a Vegetative Patient is here in person today. Do you have any plans to open Thorny Town to outsiders? What are the requirements for moving in?”
Li Weizheng turned to Chu Fu.
Chu Fu didn’t refuse. After thinking for a moment, she said, “At present, Thorny Town’s buildings can accommodate roughly two hundred thousand people. The Thorny Guild already has ten thousand members. Each guild member may bring their immediate family within three generations to live there. The housing consists of two bedrooms and one living room, with a total area of eighty square meters and no shared-area fees.
“If you’re single, you may bring up to three relatives or friends to live with you.”
Although these were the stated rules, Thorny Town had not yet been completed.
The members of the Thorny Guild had not reached Level 30 either, so they did not yet know about this information and naturally had no reason to rush into moving.
There was still plenty of time.
Chu Fu, however, knew that a Level 10 guild could have up to three hundred thousand members. If each member brought their family, the total could easily exceed one million people.
Thorny Town would have to be pushed beyond its intended capacity to house that many people.
But for a guild to develop into a Level 10 guild, it needed an enormous amount of resources and prestige.
In Chu Feng’s first life, the official guild Longxiang Jiuzhou was established in the capital and reached Level 10 in the fifth year of the apocalypse.
In Chu Feng’s second life, although he did not cooperate with the official guild, there was a player named Tang Xiaonuan who worked with him to sell designated equipment. She could be considered an important supporting character.
In this life, Longxiang Jiuzhou would become a Level 10 guild in three and a half years.
Chu Fu believed that Thorny Town would certainly expand again within those three and a half years.
There was no need to reserve too much space in advance.
Besides, these properties were all hens that laid golden eggs. Chu Fu would never sell them.
“Other than the residences reserved for guild members, the rent for the remaining housing is tentatively set at thirty silver coins per month.
“However, the town has limited capacity, so that is the rent per person, not the rent for an entire house.”
After all, if she rented out a twenty-square-meter dormitory for thirty silver coins, the tenants might cram twenty people into it by using bunk beds.
Chu Fu had no intention of letting Thorny Town become one of those overcrowded shared-housing arrangements.
The thirty-silver-coin rent was meant to screen for players who shared her vision of building the strongest town possible.
As for those who still had not started playing the game and refused to believe that the game would invade reality—those who still had not reached Level 10 four months later—Chu Fu could only say that even the kindest advice could not save someone determined to die.
Chu Fu added, “Of course, Thorny Town hasn’t been completed yet. It won’t open to outsiders until three months from now.”
The players in the back exchanged glances.
Thirty silver coins a month?
Was that expensive?
By now, the price of one copper coin had fallen to ten flower coins. In other words, thirty silver coins was equivalent to three hundred thousand.
With that kind of rent, one could buy a house in a small county.
But for Level 30 players, thirty silver coins a month really wasn’t much.
Several of them were already tempted.
Li Weizheng thought grimly, This is bad.
The appeal of the Thorny Guild was simply too great for these players.
Li Weizheng said, “Residences provided by the official authorities are free. The living quarters are at least 150 square meters, and they come with free cafeterias, clothing, and daily necessities.
“You have to understand that once the apocalypse truly arrives, the value of these things will skyrocket.”
That made the players hesitate.
Put simply, joining the official authorities meant security—a guaranteed job and a stable livelihood.
But going to Thorny Town could mean a high cost of living.
And what if the official authorities managed to defend the town against the beast tide as well?
In that case, why join the Thorny Guild?
Some people, however, were thinking further ahead.
They had well-connected sources. Besides, the news from three days ago—that Ms. Who Wants to Be a Vegetative Patient had led twenty thousand players into a Primordial-level dungeon—had spread throughout the world.
A Primordial dungeon could upgrade everyone’s talents and classes.
Its appeal was simply overwhelming.
Moreover, a full twenty thousand people had taken part in the dungeon. Even if the Thorny Guild’s players kept quiet, the other participants could not resist the temptation. Some had even posted paid dungeon guides on the forums, so players all over the world now knew about it.
Knowing about it was one thing. Being able to clear it was another.
There was a saying: Follow Ms. Who Wants to Be a Vegetative Patient, and you’ll always get a share of the loot.
Could following the official authorities improve their talents?
None of these people possessed an A-rank talent. Otherwise, they would have joined the Thorny Guild long ago.
But which mattered more—a stronger power or greater security?
For a moment, everyone fell into hesitation.
Li Weizheng did not force anyone to join the official authorities.
His primary target was Chu Fu and the others.
If Chu Fu could join the official authorities, or form some kind of deep alliance with them, that would be the greatest victory of all.
“Everyone, rest assured. I’m only extending an invitation. Whether you join the official authorities is entirely up to you.”
“Even if you don’t join, you can still accept official missions, earn official contribution points, and exchange them for supplies.
“However, the reason I invited everyone here today is to have you sign a peace agreement.
“You all possess extraordinary power now, and you must not use it to commit evil or slaughter innocent people.
“Only by maintaining order and living in an orderly world can we sleep with our doors unlocked and walk the streets without fear of theft.
“If the official authorities discover anyone slaughtering innocent people, we will issue a wanted notice and bring them to justice. At the very least, Laoji Fuli, our commander in Linjiang City, will personally take action.”
Li Weizheng’s expression was solemn.
The others nodded in agreement.
Chu Fu, however, raised an eyebrow. Chu Feng wore a perfectly measured, gentle smile, making him look like the friendly big brother next door.
Sorry, they had already done exactly that. They simply hadn’t been discovered by the official authorities.
So, in truth, her brother and the official authorities were fundamentally incompatible in their ideals.
But had Chu Feng done anything wrong?
No.
He had merely reclaimed the justice that was owed to him.
Afterward, everyone signed the peace agreement.
Li Weizheng then explained some of the official missions currently available, as well as the benefits of joining the authorities.
“If you join the official authorities, you can choose to join the Garrison Corps, clear out mutated beasts, and protect other people.
“You can join the Divine Constabulary, maintain law and order, hunt down followers of evil gods and hostile forces, and pursue criminals wanted for slaughtering innocent people.
“You can join the medical teams, treating injured people and even resurrecting fallen soldiers!”
When the Sacred Wolf Club attacked last time, Laoji Fuli had originally intended to have Suture Saint intervene and help resurrect the dead. In the end, Mountain-Sea City had a priest who could perform resurrections, saving them a resurrection scroll.
Even so, healing-class players capable of resurrection remained incredibly important.
Li Weizheng looked at the Holy Healing Angel and Little Sister Wu, his eyes shining.
However, their organization had nothing official to offer the two of them.
In truth, there was only one way: win over Chu Fu. If they could bring her onboard, the Thorn Guild would enter into a deep partnership with them.
Li Weizheng had been prepared for this all along.
“All right, the meeting is adjourned. Classmates Chu, Shen, and Xie, we’ve prepared a few things for the three of you. We hope they’ll be of some help.”
