TPWBI Chapter 112

“I never imagined that one day, when I used to ride my bicycle on the ancient city walls, I could ride a bicycle on the very walls I had helped build myself.”

Yang Yi rode his bicycle, facing the gentle breeze, looking at the fields in the distance filled with crops, and the ever-changing, clustered houses. He felt extremely comfortable.

He even felt a little unsure of exactly where he was. It had been nearly three years since he came here. He had gradually grown accustomed to everything in this place.

Watching the city he had envisioned gradually take shape, even surpassing what he had imagined, the sense of accomplishment was hard to put into words.

The supplies Yang Yi had bought from the game store, the ones he had used first, many of them could no longer be used, or had already become very worn and dilapidated. The things he was once familiar with were disappearing bit by bit.

These two bicycles were things Yang Yi had never brought out before. Today, after the city wall he had spent so much effort building was completed, he finally took them out and invited Hei Lie to ride together.

“If you want to ride, I’ll accompany you,” he said with a smile.

Yang Yi chuckled: “We can’t make bicycles here now.”

“Don’t underestimate the skills of the craftsmen,” came the reply.

Yang Yi thought about it. The people here were very clever, each with their own talents.

As long as they were willing to study and put in the effort, few things could truly be difficult for them.

Imitation and invention were different things. The former was comparatively much easier.

At that moment, Little Gray scampered over, leaping in front of Yang Yi and flapping around. Little White didn’t dare to be lonely either and flew ahead. An ostrich and a goose were there, each asserting their presence.

Little White had now grown very large, as big as an ostrich on Earth. However, standing next to Little Gray, who was even larger than a typical ostrich, he suddenly seemed small and delicate.

“Gwa-gaa—gwa-gaa—”

Little White and Little Gray called out together. Having spent so much time together, their voices had grown almost indistinguishable.

Seeing the bicycles, the two little guys sensed danger and quickly sprang forward to show themselves.

Little White could be ridden now, too, though he had once competed with Little Gray for attention.

Eventually, Hei Lie intervened, telling Little White that it was responsible for protecting Yang Yi. It was strong in combat, extremely agile, and could fly higher and longer than Little Gray.

Only then was Little White somewhat convinced. However, he still often picked fights with Little Gray, which only made the two pets’ fighting abilities grow more formidable.

Now, Little White’s solo combat skills were already approaching the level of the Goose King. He regularly trained with Hei Lie and increasingly carried the demeanor of a top battle goose.

The geese of the Spark Tribe were different from geese elsewhere. They were part of the fighting force. The strength of the goose army was considerable, making them excellent at guarding crops and farmland.

A bountiful harvest easily attracted “thieves”, like wild boar herds, which had already been eliminated several times.

Each attack caused significant damage, but these battle geese could recover the losses.

Their fighting instinct was even stronger than humans’. Once they targeted something, they wouldn’t stop until it was dealt with. No amount of calling could bring them back.

Especially if a wild animal ruined their favorite vegetables or fruits, they would go absolutely berserk, attacking without regard for who started it first.

Humans might consider the costs and benefits, but these geese didn’t care at all.

So almost every time, they could wipe out those raiders entirely, bringing plenty of food to the tribe.

The Goose King was the absolute leader of this flock and even more ruthless than humans.

Yang Yi had originally thought that since the geese were so capable, the tribe wouldn’t need to eat them in the future. At most, they could eat unfertilized goose eggs.

But the Goose King did not grant such a privilege. It proudly declared that not all geese could join its ranks. It had to choose carefully. Those dull-headed geese? If eaten, then so be it.

Although Little White’s combat strength was very high and surpassing the Goose King was only a matter of time, their current levels were already difficult to distinguish.

However, compared to the Goose King’s management ability, Little White had none.

Yang Yi couldn’t help but marvel at how extraordinarily clever the Goose King was. The beastfolk adored it, believing that their ancestors had been like the Goose King.

Later, when they interbred with humans, that’s how their line came to be.

Over time, the story became more elaborate, even forming a complete origin legend, although it always sounded like a blend of the White Snake and other folk tales.

Fortunately, although everyone worshipped the Goose King, they never thought of interspecies reproduction. Otherwise, Yang Yi truly wouldn’t know how to react.

Yang Yi laughed: “I know you’re here. You are the first priority. The bicycle is just for entertainment.”

Hearing this, Little Gray and Little White jumped and bounced happily in front of him, clearly delighted.

“With this city wall, we can feel even more at ease.”

Yang Yi stopped at a spot, looking down at the wide, deep moat below, where fierce crocodiles could be seen surfacing.

The Spark Tribe’s moat had already become famous across two continents, even being exaggerated with dramatic flair.

They said this city was guarded by demons thrown down by the gods. Anyone who dared to trespass would be torn apart. They were ugly yet powerful, undisputed rulers of the water.

Still, even so, before the city walls were built, some slipped through the moat and crawled into the tribe to wreak havoc.

Each time, some people inevitably got injured, and some even died.

On the vast plains, hidden dangers were simply too many.

The more densely populated an area, the less likely it was to be attacked by packs of wild beasts, but it was much easier to attract ambushers.

Some beasts seemed oblivious to danger. No matter how many times they were driven off or slaughtered, they would return next time.

Just like the wild boar herds that trampled the crops. They had been killed countless times by the Goose King and the guardians, yet when the crops matured, they still charged in groups.

People had a love-hate relationship with these beasts. They loved them because each attack brought a large amount of food, but hated them because each attack also caused significant losses to the harvest.

Yang Yi had always harbored a sense of distrust toward this dangerous world. With this high city wall completed, he felt a clear sense of relief.

At least in this world, there was one relatively safe place.

Hei Lie said nothing, instead putting an arm around his shoulder.

Curious, Yang Yi asked, “I thought you were going to say that with you here, I wouldn’t need to worry about any of this.”

Hei Lie smiled: “What you want isn’t just my protection. It’s the peace of a place. This city wall is built more in your heart than anywhere else.”

“You’re getting better and better at saying strange things,” Yang Yi replied.

Yang Yi sighed, but he had to admit that Hei Lie was speaking the truth.

He had many experts around him for protection, capable of helping him escape danger at the first sign of trouble.

But he wasn’t alone in the world. What he truly hoped for was a piece of land that was relatively safe, like his own hometown.

Although safety could never be permanent, there was always risk wherever one went. These high city walls could still fend off a great deal of external harm.

The Spark Tribe was growing increasingly prosperous, which also meant that more and more forces would covet it.

“Our next task is mostly to stabilize the situation. We can’t afford internal problems.”

Many civilizations didn’t fall because of outside destruction. First, they had internal issues, which then allowed enemies to exploit the weakness.

The Spark Tribe now had more than seventy thousand people, most of whom had officially obtained their “green cards”, while over five thousand were still considered outsiders.

In addition to those who had come to pledge allegiance over time, there were also many newborns.

If the Spark Tribe hadn’t placed restrictions on outsiders, this number would have been even higher.

Previously, this had been a remote corner of the land. Now, it had become the bustling center of the Eastern Continent.

Many tribes were considering migrating nearby, hoping to become subordinate to the Spark Tribe to gain protection. Some tribes had already done so.

It was an unavoidable choice. After natural disasters struck elsewhere, waves of beasts began to appear, which were fatal blows to many tribes.

By settling near the Spark Tribe, even if a beast wave attacked the area, the tribe would never sit idly by. The newcomers would then have a much better chance of survival.

And by striving to join the Spark Tribe, their lives would naturally become better in the future.

Everyone could see how the Spark Tribe treated its members.

“Yi City already has enough people. Our population is growing very quickly. From now on, I think we shouldn’t accept any more newcomers. Over the past three years, we’ve been constantly bringing in new people. It’s time to settle down and upgrade our management.”

Overall, the Spark Tribe was stable, with no major conflicts. At most, there were a few minor disputes.

Most people here were straightforward. Whatever they felt or thought, they expressed it immediately and resolved it, rather than bottling it up and letting it fester.

So, although duels seemed frequent and it might look chaotic, in reality, conflicts were resolved very quickly.

People here were used to resolving matters through force, but losing didn’t mean holding grudges or obsessing over revenge.

They valued strength as a principle and a form of respect. Losing only fueled their determination to improve, but it wouldn’t drive them to craft devious schemes out of anger.

Those who behaved otherwise were unwelcome. Even now, when many spoke with reason and intellect, this principle remained unchanged.

Yang Yi and Hei Lie consciously maintained this culture. Open and honest communication was far easier to manage than a community filled with hidden malice. It made resolving conflicts simpler.

But this was only because the transformation of the tribe hadn’t been going on for long. Yang Yi had been in this world for just under three years.

So many habits from the past still remained. Though in the future, that might change. Human behavior and lifestyle were closely linked.

Currently, the Spark Tribe could basically guarantee everyone had enough to eat. It was time to settle down and consider how to manage the future.

“We really should take the time to straighten out our internal organization. Besides, we’ve been developing too fast. A lot of the divisions of labor aren’t entirely reasonable.”

Yang Yi nodded. “It’s just that we’ve already put some constraints in place before, but they didn’t have much effect. Those who want to come will come anyway.”

This was also related to their attitude of not being overly rigid, because they had the capacity to absorb such a large population.

The development of agriculture and the light industry allowed them to trade handcrafted goods for additional food when farming alone couldn’t supply enough.

Even if the population grew to a hundred thousand, Yang Yi was confident they could manage it. But the larger the population, the bigger the “plate”, and the easier internal problems would arise. That’s why they paused for now.

Those people wouldn’t have traveled thousands of miles to come here if they could survive in their own hometowns.

They could be turned away, but as nearby tribes and populations increased, resources would inevitably become scarce.

The nearest large forest was the Black Forest, which wasn’t suitable for human habitation. Another safe forest belonged to the Green Python Tribe.

The area closest to the wasteland, the safest place, was occupied by the Spark Tribe. Other places had fewer resources.

Judging from the influx of people over the past two years, if these tribes continued living as they had before, conflicts would definitely arise.

“If they want to come, let them come. We can’t stop them.”

“But if that happens, this land won’t remain peaceful.”

Hei Lie gazed toward the wasteland. “There are so many resources out there. Even if another hundred thousand people come, there’s no need to worry at all.”

“But that place is far too dangerous. There’s no cover, and it’s easy to be attacked by wild beasts.”

“There’s nowhere that’s truly safe. Human land is built bit by bit. Besides, they don’t have to go very deep to find water, so the risk is much lower. If they unite as one, they can defend against those beasts. And, aren’t we here as well?”

Yang Yi raised an eyebrow. “You mean… build another city?”

“Why not?” Hei Lie smiled confidently. “We already have experience building a city. Although we need to refine it further now, the basic experience is there.”

When Yang Yi built Yi City, the maximum capacity was only a hundred thousand people, which was a relatively comfortable scale.

So when he said earlier that no more outsiders would be accepted, it was not only to give the city room to grow but also to upgrade management.

If they built another city following the same model, letting it be self-sufficient rather than directly absorbing newcomers, there wouldn’t be any conflicts of interest with the current residents of Yi City.

“That really is a good idea!” Yang Yi’s eyes lit up. If he built several more cities, could he finally complete the million-person task?

The number of people who could be attracted here was limited. But he could still go elsewhere!

With experience and enough supplies, doing this would be far easier than it had been at the beginning.

“With this… I might actually be able to complete the million-person task!”

“What task?” Hei Lie’s sharp ears caught that word.

Yang Yi hadn’t realized he’d blurted it out in excitement. He hadn’t really cared much about any task. After all, a million people was an absurd number.

But occasionally, it slipped out uncontrollably. After all, he still thought about home.

This was probably a trait of the Chinese. Always feeling it was hard to leave one’s homeland.

Yang Yi pressed his lips together and said nothing.

It wasn’t the first time Hei Lie had heard that word. Every time, Yang Yi had brushed it off without giving a clear explanation.

“Still can’t tell me now?”

Yang Yi didn’t know how to respond. After all, the two of them had been together and had sworn vows in the temple.

Although they hadn’t held a grand wedding and had, like everyone else, just registered and participated in a collective ceremony without making it special, that day remained an unforgettable moment for Yang Yi.

If he constantly thought about leaving, it would be extremely disrespectful to his partner.

But sometimes, when he saw a glimmer of hope, he couldn’t stop himself from thinking that way.

Hei Lie didn’t press him further. He simply stood quietly beside Yang Yi, waiting for an answer.

No one knew how much time had passed. Little White and Little Gray sensed the tense atmosphere and, showing great tact, quietly moved to a distance, not wanting to be caught up in it.

Finally, Hei Lie let out a deep sigh and relented: “It’s okay. If you don’t want to say, don’t force yourself. Whatever decision you make, I’ll support you.”

“What if… I want to leave here and return to my world?”

Hei Lie’s hand around Yang Yi’s shoulder unconsciously tightened. He quickly relaxed it, pulled his hand back, and slightly turned his body to hide his lapse.

After a long moment, he looked back at Yang Yi, meeting his gaze directly:

“I’ll say the same thing. I’ll go wherever you go, as long as you take me with you.”

Yang Yi smiled and took his hand. “I do have a chance to leave this place.”

Hei Lie’s entire body tensed, struggling to control himself so he wouldn’t squeeze too hard.

“As long as I can ensure food and warmth for one million people, and take items of equivalent value from the space, I can complete the task, leave this place, and return alive to where I came from.”

Hei Lie fell silent. He vaguely suspected some of this before, but hearing it with his own ears left his heart in turmoil.

After a long moment, Hei Lie finally managed to say, “You really are sent by the gods.”

“Maybe in a certain sense, I am a kind of god. I’ve actually already lost my life. This is a deal I made with Him.”

“What if you fail?” Hei Lie immediately grew tense at those words.

Yang Yi shook his head. “He didn’t answer that question. I guess He assumed that because I want to survive, I’ll strive toward the goal.”

Hei Lie exhaled slightly. “I think the gods know your personality very well, which is why they sent you here.”

“Maybe. In my world, there are also very dangerous places, even more destructive than this. But I grew up in a peaceful world, so I’m genuinely terrified of the dangers here.”

Yang Yi admitted he was timid, though there was a tiny spark of adventurous spirit within him.

That’s why, in this place, he was both cautious and daring at the same time, making all sorts of risky choices. All for the sake of surviving better.

Yang Yi felt that the great power that sent him here had given him such an incredible “golden finger” for a reason. He obediently followed its plan, taking the mission seriously and doing everything as instructed.

Although he knew in his heart that completing the task would be extremely difficult, practically impossible without decades of effort, he still carried on as required.

“I’m an accident.”

Yang Yi’s chest tightened, and he felt deeply uncomfortable. “I… I’m sorry, I—”

Hei Lie pressed his lips to his, cutting him off. After a long moment, he pulled back and said, “I’m very lucky to be this accident.”

Yang Yi looked at him, seeing no trace of pretense.

He could feel Hei Lie’s mood was low, but there was no sadness or pain.

“No matter where you go, to the ends of the earth, I’ll follow you. You’ll never shake me off. Even the gods can’t stop me!”

Yang Yi smiled. “Okay.”

Even knowing about Yang Yi’s mission, Hei Lie didn’t change his mind. He still actively promoted the construction of the new city.

“Aren’t you worried that if—”

“Don’t overthink it. Do what you want to do. Don’t carry shackles on yourself,” Hei Lie interrupted firmly.

Yang Yi stared at him intently. “You don’t have to force yourself. I really do miss home…”

“You don’t need to make that choice. That’s not for you to think about. What you need to think about now is how to make Yi City even better, and how to build the new city. Tasks and missions don’t matter. What matters is what you want to do, what you want to achieve. That’s what’s most important.”

Hei Lie’s expression was serious.

Yang Yi couldn’t help but laugh softly. “I guess that makes me a bit sentimental.”

“I know that having you here with me is enough,” Hei Lie said.

Hei Lie’s calm acceptance eased a great deal of the burden in Yang Yi’s heart.

Although he hadn’t consciously thought about it, Yang Yi couldn’t help feeling the pressure. He couldn’t imagine what he would do if the day really came when he had to make such a choice.

Especially, Hei Lie’s secrecy had left him feeling uneasy. At least now, with everything out in the open, there was no guilty feeling of having been deceived.

“My Lord, Divine Envoy, if you really still feel guilty, why not give me a more… tangible reward?” Hei Lie winked wildly at Yang Yi, hinting shamelessly.

Yang Yi rolled his eyes helplessly and mounted Little Gray. When he was ready to leave, he tossed a single “good” before riding off.

Little White chased after them from behind. A single goose feather landed on Hei Lie’s head.

Hei Lie laughed as he plucked the feather from his head, grinning proudly, humming a cheerful tune to match his good mood.

Yang Yi rode Little Gray, with Little White and a few guards in tow, toward the canal construction site. The canal had already been dug a considerable distance. At the current pace, it would be completed by this time next year.

It was a massive project. Originally intended only for drinking water, it now also needed to address surrounding water supply issues, making it easier for more people to settle nearby.

The depths of the wasteland, especially near water sources, were dangerous. But along the way, there were still many relatively safe spots. It was just that the lack of water made survival difficult.

Once the canal was completed, this problem would no longer exist, greatly improving the chances for humans to survive.

At first, Yang Yi had only wanted to divert enough water for the people of the Spark Tribe to survive. A city of a hundred thousand already gave him sufficient peace of mind.

As for whether it could support a million people, Yang Yi always let fate decide. Otherwise, it would be too torturous to dwell on.

But now, with the opportunity at hand, whether driven by Yang Yi’s ambition as a construction fanatic or his desire to complete the mission and return home, he wanted to continue developing. As a result, the canal project became larger than before, and the construction period was longer.

“Divine Envoy!” Hong Guang approached Yang Yi, beaming with joy.

Yang Yi looked at him and smiled. “It seems everything is progressing very smoothly.”

“Hehe, this is all thanks to the blessings you’ve brought, Divine Envoy.”

“How’s the canal coming along?”

“Everything is going very smoothly. Barring any unforeseen issues, it will be completed on schedule or even ahead of time.”

“That really is good news. This canal is extremely important to our tribe. We absolutely cannot slack off.”

“Don’t worry, Divine Envoy! I’ll supervise it closely!” Hong Guang pounded his chest in promise.

Yang Yi walked around, surveying the site, and was very satisfied with the current progress. The people were diligent and hardworking. His presence was more about showing concern and support.

A Divine Envoy must maintain a sense of authority and mystery, yet cannot detach from the people. Listening to the voices of the crowd was essential.

“Divine Envoy, I heard the tribe wants to build a new city?” Hong Guang asked quietly.

The matter hadn’t been officially announced, but it wasn’t surprising that some had caught wind of it.

Hong Guang was also an important administrator and qualified to know many things. However, he had stayed with the canal workers at the construction site, so he wasn’t fully informed about tribal affairs.

“There are too many people wanting to join. Yi City can no longer accommodate such a large number. But based on humanitarian principles, we cannot just ignore them. We can provide them with some support to help them rebuild their homes.”

Hong Guang’s face lit up with surprise and delight. “There really is such a thing! This is fantastic!”

“What’s the matter? Do you have friends or relatives coming to join us as well?”

Many of the tribes here were connected by kinship, so quite a few people naturally came along to pledge allegiance.

It wasn’t just the people of the Eastern Continent. Beastfolk were the same.

The population had surged so quickly because hidden beastfolk realized that the Spark Tribe didn’t actually have any beastfolk yet. Many lived well elsewhere, but the opportunity tempted them to join.

Beastfolk usually seemed invisible, but when they chose to appear, it became clear just how numerous they really were.

“It’s not about me. At the construction site, many people were just testing the waters. If our tribe really is as the rumors say, their kin will follow. I didn’t expect that after the last trade fair, when we said we weren’t accepting newcomers, many were left worried and uncertain.”