[I was expecting another way of getting Spirit Jades, but not this...](LinkWill)
[Not being able to transfer it, or sell it to somebody else... yet the system will trade real land for it? I guess that explains why you bought land with such vigor before.](Envy)
[Also, the guidelines for the first years are quite a big deal as long as you haven't lied to us. I feel that we took advantage of you, instead of the other way around.](LinkWill)
"You both said it before: I will need you and your associates in this race against the other worlds. It's not something one can beat on his own, no matter how strong. That's why I am not expecting you two to suddenly become friends, but I am at least hoping the factions behind you to be able to work together when the time comes. Otherwise, we won't even know how we died..."
They didn't bother agreeing and instead looked at each other. It wasn't going to be easy and they won't take Herman's word for it. But, after a few years in a brutal environment such as the Immortal World, things would change. Even if it's not going to happen in the Immortal World due to the many regulations set in place to protect newbie cultivators, once the ascension to the Heavenly Realm becomes possible, they will understand how important allies are and how important not being alone is.
[I will keep it in mind. Now then, if you can excuse me, I have two letters to deliver.](LinkWill)
"Do you think you can make it in time for them to read it?"
[They are in the town nearby, so they will have it in the next half an hour if I hurry.](LinkWill)
"Good! I won't see you out then."
[Hahaha! No need, no need! I will wait for you in the Immortal World then. Envy... see you later?](LinkWill)
The only answer he got was a grunt, but even that was, believe it or not, progress. Link got in the car in a matter of seconds and the tires of it could be heard fuming from inside the villa. He probably didn't want to waste even one second.
Turning his head towards his remaining guest, Herman looked at him with curiosity. He had a vague inkling of what he wanted to say, but he wasn't completely sure about it.
[I have another request on behalf of our leader.](Envy)
"If it's for extra intel, I would advise you against pushing your luck..."
[It's more of a personal request.](Envy)
"Oh? Out with it then. What's this request of your 'leader'?"
[We are aware that drawing you into our faction is not plausible, yet we don't want to make an enemy out of you. If the fight for resources is as bad as you mentioned it in what we just bought, I would want your help in securing a footing for our people in this foreign land. Even if you don't or cannot, I would ask you to stay out of our way.](Envy)
"You are overthinking things. From what I found out myself, in the Immortal World, there are only two places where can compete against each other for resources. If I were you, I would focus more on keeping your guard up against the aborigines. Anyway, you have your instructions and your time is limited. Are you sure you want to dawdle here?"
[Our faction is built on mutual trust. Unlike Will who is singlehandedly deciding things in his, we focus on more of a democratic way to reach a consensus. Yet, because of that trust, with just the earlier text message I sent, my 'associates' are already acquiring more land as we speak. I should do the same... Thank you for the tips&tricks! I look forward to the Immortal World if it's anything like you described it.](Envy)
"It's all that and more. Make sure you prepare in these couple of days left. In about 5-6 hours, the rest of the information will be up."
[How do we know where?](Envy)
"Trust me, you'll know."
[In that case, I don't want to overstay my welcome. Thank you for the help and tea.](Envy)
He didn't bother answering to Envy and just nodded instead. Even if a single faction is going to accept all of them, it would mean that they would be split between sects on the continent. And this continent was bigger than their entire world. Don't be fooled! Even if it was called Immortal World, it was more like a mass of land connecting to different portals. Each portal will bring one into a different world, allowing a continuous expansion for the existing factions due to the plenitude of resources.
Yet, resources weren't the only thing you'd find there... the death rate of people adventuring if they don't have the system's help is crazily high.
"Luckily for me, the system protects all the ones signing the contract to participate in the race for ascension."
It was similar to what the old fogey Jing did when he first came to Earth. A protection immortal spell that would prevent death and hasten cellular regeneration. Though, you would still feel every single ounce of pain thrown your way. Shuddering while remembering what he went through before, he took out his cell and called someone.
"Hello, Chase! It's me."
[Well, hello to you too! I am always confused about what to call you. Should I go with Herman, or...](Chase)
"Herman is fine. I need your help in setting up a website."
[Oh wow! A normal request for a change. Did not see that one coming... Any specifications?](Chase)
"Make it simple and easy to navigate. There will be only one page and its content will be questions and answers. Similar to a forum, yet I need it to be worldwide accessible. Can you do it?"
[Dude... give me half an hour and it will be up. Any strange things about it I should know beforehand?](Chase)
"Hmm... well, only the questions will be available on the website in the beginning. The System will take care of the answers and allow those who read it to permanently remember them."
[Convenient! Where was this System when I was back in college... I will let you know once the site is up. Cya!](Chase)
With that taken care of, Herman sat on the couch and brought his laptop near. Seconds later, the furious sound of typing could be heard. Herman was planning to help Earth one more time.
While the two tutorials he released were of much help in casting the Spiritual Roots, humans were going in blind to this new world and hoping for the best. While the death rate was low because of regulations imposed, there would still be those that will take advantage of them while playing by the rules. The reason behind that was the lack of information the recruits suffered from.
If he could fix that and point them in the right direction, then maybe he could right the wrongs of his past life as well.
"As for them... retribution will come. After all, revenge is a dish best served cold!"
Taking out his phone, he dialed again while laying lazily on the couch.
"It's me again. Keep it simple. It won't have anything else on it except for questions and answers after all."
[I know, I know... Like a forum?](Chase)
"Yes and no. Make it an actual website and I'll start on the questions right away. I'll leave the design to your team."
[Got it. Give me a couple of hours and it should be ready](Chase)
"You got five hours. Once that's up, I need the site to be functional. I will send the questions to be added around that time."
[Okay! We'll keep in touch.](Chase)
With that out of the way, all that was left was writing the questions. The sound of keyboards being pounded could be heard echoing in the empty villa for about four hours and a half. Once done, Herman kept asking himself how he could still get cramps on his fingers with his stats being at least a hundred times better than the average human...
Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.
After an email exchange, a document containing his hard work for the past hours was sent to Chase, which sent it further to his IT team to implement it.
In the time it took for another pot of tea to be boiled, an email containing a link was sent back to Herman.
"Light blue background, visible font for the introduction and the questions... good! Now we're down to the last step. System, I want to strike a deal with you based on Spiritual Jades as currency."
Acknowledged!
Please confirm the details of the transaction.
"I want the website in front of me to be linked to your interface. Each question on it would be priced at 5SJ a piece and once asked the information becomes available to the reader."
Redundant!
The System is already providing such help.
"You are, true, yet this deal is slightly different. I am guessing you already went through all the questions on the site. How many times do you think you will be asked these questions in exchange for Spirit Jade?"
Calculating...
Due to users unable to come in contact with pertinent details, the questions asked on the website are impossible to ask, unless if by luck or coincidence.
"Correct! That is to say, you will lose the aftermentioned Spirit Jades for the 457 questions there, due to the earthlings' lack of information. Now, I will strike this bargain with you, but with only one condition: each question can be asked and paid for only once, yet the answer remains available for all to read."
Negative!
The deal proposed is not balanced. If the answer becomes worldwide available for free, it will impact everyone's results in the Immortal World.
Well, that was a load of bullcrap and it took all of Herman's self-restraint not to call it. The questions he worked his ass off to write wouldn't mess with the balance of the Immortal World since they would find out about it in the first couple of months after ascending there. The problem was how they were going to find out about it and what price they would have to pay as result.
Simply put, the greedy System was complaining about the fact that only one person would be charged for the information. Otherwise, it wouldn't give a rat's ass about who knows what.
"*Sigh* I understand your point, yet you are not considering all angles. If you don't agree, you probably won't get even 100SJ on this planet for those questions, no matter how long you wait. On the other hand, if you agree, you get over 2.000 in one go. It will also take you less than two days for that."
It was amusing to see the System hesitating so much because of SJ. There was an old proverb that went like, 'birds die for food and men die for wealth'. Being greedy wasn't by any chance something good and Herman took advantage of that to trick the System. Well, 'trick' was an overstatement since he heard rumors of a godly being that created it at the beginning of the world. Therefore even with his past life experience added, he was unable to fool it.
It was the System's greed that allowed him to exploit this opportunity and give his people a chance at living a better life once ascended.
The calculations have been completed.
The System will agree to the deal.
"Great! I want the connection to be done right away. Also, I want to send a message to all the people of this world. This time, there is no need to hide my name anymore."
Acknowledged!
10SJ will be charged!
Please specify the content of your message.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
While Herman was plotting against the System, the major 'players' of the world were trying to figure out the reason behind the sudden land-buying madness. Key players in the field were buying what seemed like entire countries at ridiculously high prices, leaving the entire world speechless.
Three people were enjoying a stupidly expensive bottle of wine, while reports of the acquisition were flowing in at a rapid pace.
[So, what's your take on him?](?)
[He's... weird. I am not sure what angle he's playing at, but he's not a saint. That's for certain!](LinkWill)
[Then, what's your speculation about his motives?](?)
[Bian, we've known each other for a while, so you know I am a good judge of character. Herman does not seem like an evil person and the intel he gave out each time was meant to help our world grow stronger. The problem is the fact that I am not entirely sure why he needs us to get stronger.](LinkWill)
[There's another thing...](?)
[Oh? Did you notice something about him, UX?](Bian Hua)
[At the drums. When I looked at him and when Will and Envy talked to him... he seemed to know them.](UX)
[That's not strange. We're not exactly the low-profile type him and I.](LinkWill)
[Yes, I know. But it's not like that. It didn't look like the type of knowledge gathered from pictures and intel, rather more like... personally knowing us. And when I say us, I mean US. He similarly looked at me in the same way. If you and Envy are not low-profile, I am. And neither of us have met this guy before.](UX)
[That's true... We'll figure it out as we go. What about Harper and her minions? What are doing about them?](Bian Hua)
[The warning Herman gave must have a reason behind it. He was aware of the type of connection between me and Envy and advised us to put our differences aside and work together in the Immortal World...](LinkWill)
[That's slightly foreboding. What do you think he found out?](Bian Hua)
[I am not sure, but if we have to fight against 360 other worlds plus the indigenous population, just the three of us and our factions won't be sufficient. Herman probably wants a united front.](LinkWill)
[Do you think he wants to take charge?](UX)
[No. He doesn't seem the type to value such a position. Honestly speaking, to me it looked like he was forcing himself to stay civil in front of me and Envy. Also... I think he is already capable of using Qi.](LinkWill)
The conversation continued with an explanation about the flying letters and the exact words used by Herman. They all three concluded that he knew way more than he let others believe. That's when something unexpected happened.
"People of Earth, my name is Herman Roy and you have benefited from my advice three times now. The first two times regarding Spiritual Roots and the third, when the trial first started. We have now managed to achieve a stellar result, shocking the entire Immortal World! But that's not necessarily a good thing. Geniuses in their world, are as many as grains of sands on a beach. And we are to go to such a world without sufficient information.
The reason behind this message of mine is to help our world one last time before departing. All the governments in the world should have realized the existence of an option through which one can ask the System a question and it will answer for a certain price. The Spirit Jades are incredibly scarce and also a very important currency in the Immortal World. Therefore, we cannot afford to ask all the questions we would like on our own, in order to be prepared for what's to come.
That's why I created a website. This website contains 457 questions created through an accord with the System. Each question can be asked only by one person, paid by only one person, yet available for everyone to read the answer.
Do not think that the Immortal World is a place where you can take your kids on a vacation. It's a cold and ruthless place where one lives by the law of the jungle. The strong are kings and the weak are vilified. For all the seniors and those that don't plan to ascend to the Immortal World, there is still a way for you to cultivate! In 7-8 years or maybe even less, if we get lucky, our world will have Primordial Qi. That would allow you to embark on the path of spiritual cultivation, therefore increasing your lifespans.
Spirit Jade as currency though, is not useful to the ones that chose to remain on Earth. Therefore, I am expecting 457 people to pitch in and help provide answers to these questions so that our elites don't go in blind.
Show me that the previous attempts at helping you weren't a complete waste of time!"
The word was shaken! Alongside with the message, a bit of information regarding the website appeared in their minds. Everyone hit their computers, laptops, and cellphones, trying to find this website Herman was talking about.
It didn't take long until they did. The previous three were also quite shell-shocked when they saw the questions asked there.
['How does one cultivate?', 'What is a sect?', 'What is taboo in the Immortal World?', 'How to gain more Spirit Jade?'... this...](Bian Hua)
[Okay, now I am officially scared. To formulate these questions, he had to either ask them first or get intel about them and use the rest of the world to get it. If it's the latter that's not a problem, but if it's the first...](LinkWill)
[Somehow, I don't think he used up over 2.000 of such important currency just to help Earth. There must be more to it...](UX)
[Anyway, at least we confirmed something...](Bian Hua)
[What exactly? That he knows more than he let us believe?](LinkWill)
[That and the fact that he truly doesn't consider us as proper allies just yet...](Bian Hua)
[That's a bit... insulting.](LinkWill)
[But not untrue. With the intel he has and the demonstration he gave you and Envy, is clear that he can fend for himself already in this Immortal World. We on the other hand would be fish on the chopping board. It's exactly like he said: without enough information, we would be going in blind and get in trouble if we were to just say the wrong thing.](Bian Hua)
Sighs could be heard in their room, while Herman was noticing one answer after another appear on the website. While it was true that human nature was vile and unpleasant, it wasn't all bad. After all, there couldn't be darkness, without the absence of light.
"Now they have a better chance. I should get ready as well and re-think my plan for the first couple of years... Since I have access to the System's interface now, let's spend some SJ..."