Chapter 270 - 153: "I, Zhang Damao, Have Discovered the New Continent.

Chapter 270: Chapter 153: "I, Zhang Damao, Have Discovered the New Continent.

All the departments in the Mortal Realm were exceptionally busy today. After all, tomorrow was the official public launch of Mortal Realm Communication.

However, at such a crucial time, Chen Fan was alone, standing deep within Cave No. 1 in the Mortal Realm’s camp. A large stone chamber had been specially carved out here and named the Fate Hall. It housed the Life Tokens of every Mortal Realm Member.

The Identity Tokens given to Mortal Realm Members also served as their Life Tokens, and a duplicate of each was kept here.

Every person had their own Life Token.

Including him.

On the wall of the massive stone chamber before him, a surface that stood dozens of meters tall, his Life Token was in the highest position, emitting a faint white light.

Below his were the tokens of the various Pavilion Masters.

Further down still were the tokens for the Level 1 Members, Level 2 Members, and even the auxiliary staff. Every person had an Identity Token, and the vast majority of them were completely intact, each emitting a faint white light.

Only in the column for the Commerce Pavilion had a significant number of Life Tokens shattered in half, their light growing dim.

Of the entire Commerce Pavilion, only twelve Life Tokens remained intact, though they too emitted but a dim white light.

Among them, Wang Mazi’s Token was still intact.

"..."

Chen Fan stood in the stone chamber, gazing at the scene with a blank expression.

「Forty days ago.」

The Mortal Realm Members guarding the stone chamber had suddenly contacted him via an urgent Sound Transmission Talisman, reporting that the Commerce Pavilion members’ Life Tokens were shattering en masse. He had rushed back immediately, knowing at once that the expedition that had set out to sea was in grave danger.

There was nothing he could do.

The distance was too great.

He didn’t even know Wang Mazi’s location and couldn’t offer any assistance. The rest was up to Wang Mazi himself.

Fortunately, not all of them had died, and he had breathed a sigh of relief. He expected Wang Mazi to return quickly, but thirty days passed with no sign of the expedition’s return.

Over the past few days, he would come to check on the tokens himself from time to time.

"Domain Lord."

Seeing Chen Fan enter, the Mortal Realm Member stationed in the stone chamber hurriedly bowed respectfully.

"Mm."

Chen Fan gave a slight nod and said nothing more. After a long silence, he finally looked at the Mortal Realm Member and said softly, "Contact me the instant you notice any changes."

"Yes!"

Only then did he leave the stone chamber.

’The Mortal Realm is developing better and better.’

’But as a faction develops, death is inevitable.’

’It’s just...’

’Perhaps it’s my own selfishness at play.’

’I don’t want the people who fought their way through the rainy season with me to die. I want them to witness the rise of the Mortal Realm with their own eyes, to see my dream come true.’

...

「On the City Wall of Cave No. 1.」

Lame Monkey approached Chen Fan and said in a low voice, "Young Master, the New Year is almost here. It’s now the end of the second month, year 379 of the Eternal Night Calendar. The New Year is almost upon us. The men are asking if we should hang some couplets or something around the Mortal Realm."

"..."

Chen Fan paused for a moment before replying softly, "You can handle the arrangements. Spring is almost here. It’s time for everyone to get some rest."

"Understood."

After Lame Monkey left, Wang Kui found a moment to come up and report, "Domain Lord, our current reserve of Ghost Stones has reached 9.38 million. We’re about to break the 10 million mark. Mortal Realm Line 1 brings in an average of 100,000 Ghost Stones daily. The other three lines just entered official operation today, so we don’t have concrete data for them yet."

"In the past forty days, Mortal Realm Line 1 alone has brought in 4 million Ghost Stones."

"If we can maintain these numbers, Mortal Realm Line 1 alone could generate an annual income of over 30 million Ghost Stones."

"Those numbers won’t hold."

Chen Fan shook his head and said calmly, "That’s because the High-speed Rail just launched and people are still in the novelty phase. Once the excitement wears off, the numbers will gradually settle back into a normal range."

"Furthermore..."

Just as Wang Kui was about to continue his report, the Sound Transmission Talisman on Chen Fan’s person began to warm. He took it out, and Wang Mazi’s faint yet proud voice emerged from within.

"Domain Lord..."

"The Commerce Pavilion has returned from the ’New Continent’ mission. We have arrived safely at the Mortal Realm Port."

"..."

Chen Fan froze for a second, then hurriedly headed down from the City Wall.

"Let’s go."

Lame Monkey and Wang Kui scrambled to follow.

They didn’t take the Nine-Five Dragon Carriage.

Instead, they boarded the High-speed Rail connecting the Mortal Realm to the Port and arrived shortly after.

...

A battered Sea Ship was docked at one of the Port’s berths.

Many Mortal Realm Members had gathered around it.

A City Wall had already been erected around this Port, preventing outsiders from entering or seeing what was happening within. After all, with so many people coming to the seaside for leisure these days, it was best to keep things concealed.

Inside the Port, Wang Mazi and his group of twelve stood together, arms draped over each other’s shoulders for support. Their clothes were in tatters, and their bodies were covered in wounds, some of which were visibly festering with pus.

Every man’s face was deathly pale.

But their eyes shone with a keen light.

It was the light of those who had stared death in the face.

"Domain Lord."

Standing his ground, Wang Mazi—on land for the first time in what felt like an eternity—staggered, unaccustomed to the stillness. He looked toward the approaching Chen Fan, his eyes rimmed with red, and broke into a wide grin. "We did not fail our mission. We’re back."

Chen Fan strode up to the group, his gaze sweeping over each man’s face.

Each of their faces bore the weathered look unique to seamen, a hardship etched by the pounding waves. Their bodies were covered in wounds, but as his gaze passed over them, they all puffed out their chests and stood ramrod straight.

"Get your wounds treated first."

Chen Fan glanced at a gash on Wang Mazi so deep that bone was visible, and said with a pained wave of his hand, "Someone, take them on the High-speed Rail back to the Mortal Realm to be treated."

"High-speed Rail? What’s that?"

"I’ll explain later."

Soon—

Wang Mazi and his men boarded the High-speed Rail for their quick return to the Mortal Realm. They spent the short journey staring out the window with great curiosity, but they had barely managed a few good looks before they arrived at their stop.