Chapter 141 Drought 2
At the stream, Augustine screamed at the top of his lungs, his throat almost smoking, telling the townspeople that they didn't need to fight for water, but the townspeople remained indifferent.
Bucket after bucket, everyone was chasing each other, like a race.
With people crowded together and moving so quickly, conflicts are inevitable.
A ranged archer grabbed the space mage's wrist and said in a disgruntled tone, "Dude, how many buckets of water have you fetched?"
The wizard rolled his eyes, "What do you care about me?"
The archer gritted his teeth. Honestly, if the other party had only fetched a few buckets of water, it would have been fine. "The problem is, you've been teleporting constantly. While others have only fetched two, you've already fetched over thirty. Do you really need that much?"
As soon as these words were spoken, the people around immediately focused their attention on the wizard and pointed at him.
The mage was embarrassed and said, "It all depends on your ability!"
Seeing that hard tactics didn't work, the archer resorted to soft tactics. "I'm not trying to pick a fight with you, but I have a wife, children, and pets at home who need water. Seeing the river is drying up, I'm so anxious."
The mage breathed a sigh of relief and patted him on the shoulder. "Hey, it's not easy for everyone. I'm drawing so much water just to water the seeds. Otherwise, what will we eat this year, right?"
The archer sympathized with the other, "Yeah, let's understand each other."
The onlookers finally felt relieved. See, people can understand each other, and there is true love in the world, but...
Why didn't either of them stop?
They said they understood each other, but their actions were honest. They moved as needed and grabbed water as needed, with no desire to stop at all.
Onlookers:!!!
What a dog man!
Everyone stopped talking and immediately joined the crowd rushing for water.
"Everyone, stop fighting. Once Master Lin creates an avalanche, everyone will definitely be able to drink water!"
Augustine and the guards shouted themselves hoarse, but no one paid any attention to him. Many people thought, "Oh, that's easy for you to say. Did I want to rob you? It was them who wanted to rob you. I was forced to do it!"
In the end, no one knows who oppressed whom. It was just a fight. In short, whoever wins in the end will make a profit.
Not far away, Nicole sighed, "Lin Muqiu, you called me here just to show me this?"
Lin Muqiu raised an eyebrow, "Of course not, I'm teaching you how to use the snow mountain technology so that you can bring it to the West."
Nicole held her chin in her hands, feigning deep thought. "Technology is easy to learn, but human nature is hard to control. If every resident abided by the rules and took the limited amount of water, we could ensure the town's optimal operation and maximize collective interests. Unfortunately, there are always people who break the rules."
Lin Muqiu raised an eyebrow. "When you say 'recently', do you mean the shadow cast by the salt robbery incident?"
Nicole: “…” Please don’t expose me, okay?
"Anyway—"
Nicole stretched out her tone and forced herself back to the point. "I thought about this last time. Ignorant townspeople will always repeat the same choices based on their own interests. This is based on human nature and is doomed to be an unsolvable answer."
She silently glanced at Lin Muqiu, as if waiting for her to give a perfect answer. She was born beautiful, with blonde hair and blue eyes, and her tone was proud, like a sparkling pearl, but when faced with such a situation, she could only feel powerless.
Lin Muqiu smiled. "So we can't just rely on moral persuasion. Institutional change is also a very important part."
As she spoke, she lowered her head, moved her fingers slightly, and set some parameters in the Lord System. Soon, someone by the stream exclaimed:
"What's going on? Why can't I fetch water? It keeps saying I've already fetched over 20 buckets today and can't fetch any more! Damn, this is a crappy system!"
Another townsman nearby raised his fist in excitement. "How dare you say that? Last time you stole salt and sold it at a high price, and this time you're stealing water. Why is it always the same group of people rioting every time? I'm so impressed!"
There are also rational townspeople who say, "I think this is good and fairer."
“…”
You and I were talking back and forth, and Nicole was completely confused, "Lin Muqiu, how did you do it?
Lin Muqiu smiled slightly, "Do you really want to know?"
"nonsense!"
"Here, give me three gold coins."
Nicole gave it quickly, "Speak!"
Lin Muqiu took the money and lowered his voice, "The Lord System has a blacklist function. The Lord can manage the blacklist and, for example, ban a group of people from entering the city."
Nicole felt something was wrong. "And then?"
"Then I blocked all the townspeople and set a ban on them from fetching more than 20 buckets of water."
Nicole: ???
No, are you okay?
Which lord would blacklist all the townspeople in his town?
Nicole was petrified.
Outrageous yet reasonable, this is what Lin Muqiu can do. She doesn't talk about theory, but is committed to solving problems, even in such an outrageous way.
"You win." She twitched her lips, "You...are quite flirty."
Lin Muqiu: "...I'll just take it as you praising me."
Lin Muqiu checked the time, picked up the loudspeaker, and shouted, "Town residents, please evacuate! An avalanche is coming!"
The townspeople didn't even bother to fetch water, and poured it out with a loud splash. The wizard didn't even bother to grab it, and teleported away. Everyone fled like crazy chickens, and when they got home, they even left a small crack in the window to look out of the town:
"Do you think Lord Lin can really succeed?"
"Oh, I think it's in trouble. The protective shield is gone. Why bother with it? What if it accidentally crashes into the town? The risk is too great."
"Bah, of course you don't care. You've taken so much water, you don't have to worry about water shortages. Is it so difficult for vested interests to learn to shut up?"
"Shh, stop arguing, Master Lin seems to have heard it."
Lin Muqiu: "..." Thank you so much for considering me.
Facing Lin Muqiu's helpless smile, Nicole looked at her steadily, "The avalanche is coming, so why don't you run?"
Lin Muqiu was puzzled. "I'm the creator of the avalanche, why would I run?"
Nicole: ???
Nicole took a deep breath. It was a small matter, just a small matter. Anyway, it wasn't the first day that Lin Muqiu was so wild.
Lin Muqiu picked up the wind magic stone. The inscription on the magic stone emitted a faint fluorescent green light. A storm arose and his clothes fluttered.
Nicole was stunned.
"I will show you what true power is."
In the center of the storm, Lin Muqiu's tone was as calm as before, but with more determination.
A strong wind blew towards the top of the snow-capped mountain.
The snow-capped mountains are like snow lotuses, inaccessible to the naked eye. However, once a corner is loosened by the strong wind, the loose fresh, white and soft snow will break apart like a riverbank, rumbling down the mountain.
Nicole's pupils suddenly shrank and she subconsciously closed her eyes.
A warm current swept through my limbs.
Slowly opening his eyes, he saw that Lin Muqiu was surrounded by golden light, dazzling and glorious. The strong fire swept around her like a phoenix, acting as a protective shield and a weapon for melting snow.
Nicole was even more incredulous.
Pure golden light, Lin Muqiu is level 99?
The townspeople were also stunned. "Level 99? Our lord is actually level 99?"
"Are you really surprised? Lady Lin has already displayed her ice, space, fire, wind, and lightning magic. She's a master of all five magic types. Even Louis's chief mage only masters four."
"I suddenly felt very safe, extremely safe."
"Bah, you just said this was very dangerous, why are you making such a fuss? Ha, you fickle-minded man!"
“…”
There were many different opinions, and Lin Muqiu's eyes became more determined.
Behind her, countless mages and dragon cubs followed, forming a sharp fire barrier with her to protect the townspeople. The guards, holding protective shields, repeatedly intercepted the collapsing snow, stabbing their swords into the ground to increase friction. The friction between the gravel and their boots created a golden glow.
The turkey team did not stop either, spewing out purple flames again and again, cooperating with the guards to melt the intercepted snow blocks.
The trickle of water slowly flows into the river, into the ground, and seeps into the hearts of every town resident.
It was a very safe moment.
The city gate remained motionless and unharmed.
Even from a distance, they felt a heat sweeping over their bodies, like a heat wave, like a lifelong expectation.
There are no more natural disasters and the continent is at peace.
After a long pause, the townspeople suddenly realized a fact:
There is no shortage of water in the fields.
*
The rumbling sound of the avalanche and the wind tornado, like the sound of a bellows, even reached the grocery store.
Totila couldn't stand it anymore and slammed his chopsticks on the table. "What does Lin Muqiu mean by this? We can obviously do the work, so why don't you ask us to help?"
General Elda glanced at the dejected or angry knights and smiled helplessly.
These knights, their minds were as pure as the snow-capped mountains, and they usually believed whatever their lord said. Ever since Louis's true identity was exposed, the knights were in a state of confusion. What else could they do?
It seems that their whole lives are spent only in killing.
Eating raw meat and drinking blood, doing nothing.
A victim and a perpetrator.
"It turns out that the most painful thing in the world is mental torture." Elda smiled bitterly.
He personally built up this Cavaliers team, and it's no exaggeration to say that they were like his own children. Every time the Cavaliers conquered a city, they would be very happy, thinking that they had done a good deed.
He could not tell the knights the little truth he knew.
In other words, what good would it do if I told him?
The knights would not believe it, and Your Majesty could easily replace him with a more obedient one on the pretext of rebellion.
That will only make things worse.
When you are in the position, you know the dangers and obstacles.
All he could do was try to make the situation better. He constantly reminded the knights to be chivalrous and to be honest and selfless. Every time they trampled on the city, they would not touch the townspeople's finances, but would do their best to ensure the safety of ordinary townspeople.
This seemed to be the only thing he could do.
"How ridiculous! When people reach middle age, they suddenly lose their reason to live," Elda murmured. "I've never seen true chivalry in my life."
"She clearly promised me that she would trust me, why..."
Why, once again, let him do nothing?
Is Lin Muqiu trying to undermine him?
Does she look down on him that much?
"What are you mumbling about?"
A questioning voice sounded above his head.
Elda stood up suddenly, his eyes shining, "Master Lin Muqiu?"
Lin Muqiu was soaking wet, and he wiped the sweat off his face with a rough towel. He smiled and said, "It's not that I deliberately didn't give you any work to do, but I think you're good at attacking cities, and using you to defend them is really a waste of your talents."
Elda's face flushed and her eyes looked vacant.
He didn't dare to think about how much Lin Muqiu had heard.
He felt a little embarrassed again. Wasn't Lin Muqiu deliberately isolating him?
Lin Muqiu just smiled and said, "Next time if you have something on your mind, just tell me directly, okay?"
Elda's face turned even redder. "I'm just used to it... In the past, if I took a wrong step, I would lead the Knights into an abyss of eternal damnation."
Lin Muqiu patted his sturdy body lovingly. "I understand, so I don't blame you. But now there's a tough battle for you and the Cavaliers to fight. Are you willing to go?"
"What's the matter?" asked Alda.
The knights pricked up their ears quietly like rabbits.
If the Knights were like stupid roe deer, then Elda was much smarter. The moment he asked, his body was shaking constantly, as if he was afraid that she would become the second Louis and start an endless conquest.
Lin Muqiu chuckled, "What are you thinking about? It's the spring monster resurgence. Nicole was sent from the West to ask me for help. The West was in trouble and wanted us to send troops to help. I agreed."
The knights' eyes widened. Could they actually help other towns?
It seems that they lack such experiences in their lives.
Unconditional loyalty to Your Majesty is what they have been taught throughout their lives.
Elda also felt a sore throat and was unable to speak.
Lin Muqiu raised an eyebrow and jokingly said, "Why? Do you think this battle is too small and you don't want to do it? In fact, it's not only conquering cities and ponds that is considered honorable."
"No!" Elda was so anxious that she was at a loss. "I just, I just..."
He just didn't know how to describe it.
It was an unspeakable secret emotion. As a knight, he longed to be honest and selfless, and longed for a meaningful life. But whenever he drunkenly talked about it with his colleagues, they just laughed at him.
You have everything that is beautiful in the world: wealth, status, and respect. What else can you not be satisfied with?
Is this really the case?
He doesn't know.
All he knew was that he seemed to have wasted many years on this.
But Lin Muqiu told him that there is another way to live life.
Lin Muqiu understood him.
He looked at his knights, only to find that they were still smiling like silly roe deer, with their usual clear and foolish innocence.
Yes, the world should allow purely selfless people to live in an ideal way.
His eyes moved around a thousand times, his eyes were red, and he looked at Lin Muqiu.
Lin Muqiu just smiled and slowly placed the ring in his palm. "If we win that battle, the West will provide us with enough water to last the entire spring. Put it in the ring and bring it back."
"Always believe me, what you do is meaningful. Because of your existence, many innocent souls will be spared."
"If you don't understand, go to the West. There you will find the answers you want."
The precious ring slowly fell into his palm, just like her trust.
He took it very carefully and saw the lines on his sweaty palm twisting and turning, supporting the ring. The ring was shining with a crystal clear light in the sweat.
They are full of light and color.
*
Water use for land and people has come to a temporary halt, but water use for livestock remains a problem.
Elizabeth was troubled when she looked at her sick livestock.
Nowadays, drinking water is precious for people, let alone water for livestock?
But they have just started breeding.
"Or... cut your losses in time and kill it and sell it?" The husband said in a hoarse voice. He picked up the boning knife and rubbed it, making a sharp sound.
He seemed to be comforting himself, "Although I spent a lot of money to buy these cubs, now they have grown up, and I can sell them at a low price, so I won't lose much."
Although labor, energy, and consumables are all costs that are difficult to estimate.
This will make him lose everything.
Elizabeth sighed, "Just wait a little longer, maybe there will be a way."
Grace, who came to visit, also kept nodding. Although she didn't quite understand these things, she felt that what Elizabeth said must be right.
The husband was anxious. "Wait any longer? What's the point of waiting? Spring is coming and the monsters will start looking for opportunities to attack. By then, there will be no shortage of meat in the town, and we will lose even more!"
Elizabeth's eyes lit up. "How about we release the monsters outside the town and let them eat some snow?"
As soon as she opened her mouth, she denied it herself, "No, no, there are people's small estates outside the town. These monsters are not tamed pets and will not obey orders. It would be bad if they destroyed other people's land."
The husband bit his lip, stood up, and walked towards the livestock with a knife. "Sarah, listen to me. Let's kill the beast quickly and sell the meat online. We can sell it to other towns that are short of meat. We won't lose too much."
"Okay." Elizabeth smiled, but tears welled up in her eyes.
After more than a year of hard work, perhaps at this moment, we will all become cannon fodder.
A natural disaster can destroy everything.
Grace remained standing, muttering, "Online shopping system...?"
"Wait!"
A loud roar interrupted the miserable conversation between Elizabeth and her husband. Grace clapped her fists and said in a surprised tone, "Then why can't we buy water through the online shopping system?"
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