Chapter 36: Sighing at the Livestream

Another sleepless night passed, and during this time, the "lucky ones" from several more countries in the Nine Provinces fell. No one knew how long these individuals could endure, or if the entire group would eventually be wiped out.

The next day, Qin Chuan instructed Shen Gongbao to protect Shangguan Ruoyun well, while he himself dove back into the lake, stripped bare. Qin Chuan had his own convictions, and so did Shangguan Ruoyun.

She set off into the forest with her equipment and supplies, only to notice that Shen Gongbao was following closely behind her.

"Are you following me?"

Shangguan Ruoyun recalled what Qin Chuan had said to the leopard before entering the water; the creature was surprisingly obedient. Shen Gongbao nodded in a distinctly human manner. Previously, it had been out of fear of Qin Chuan, but now, it followed willingly.

Shangguan Ruoyun thought of Qin Chuan and realized he didn't seem to need Shen Gongbao. With the leopard by her side, she would certainly be safer. She absolutely could not afford to die; she could not bring disaster upon her country. If she died, the lifespan of every citizen in her nation would be reduced by five years. She had to cherish her life and not squander her chance at resurrection.

"Then you must listen to me." Shangguan Ruoyun patted Shen Gongbao on the head.

The leopard nodded. As long as it was well-fed, it was happy to comply.

The broadcast screens shifted, and this time, the majority of netizens chose to watch Shangguan Ruoyun’s stream. As for Qin Chuan’s, only a few hundred thousand remained.

Before long, Shangguan Ruoyun was attacked by monsters. However, before she could even draw her weapon, a disgruntled Shen Gongbao stepped forward. It pinned the monsters to the ground and gave them a thorough thrashing, teaching them the consequences of angering "Lord Leopard."

Shangguan Ruoyun realized her bodyguard was truly formidable. Her own strength was roughly around one-and-a-half stars, while Shen Gongbao, after consuming the beast cores Qin Chuan had given it, was drawing closer and closer to three stars.

"Thank you," Shangguan Ruoyun said, contentedly stroking the leopard’s jet-black fur.

Shen Gongbao let out a roar: "Roar~~~"

*Translation: "You're welcome, just cook me something good to eat later."*

Shangguan Ruoyun, unaware of what the leopard was saying, continued deeper into the forest. With Shen Gongbao’s help, her safety was far more assured. However, resources were not easy to find. An hour passed, then two; she encountered plenty of monsters but found nothing of value. Shen Gongbao, meanwhile, had eaten many beast cores, but these low-level ones were insufficient to help it break through to the three-star level.

"As expected, it’s not that simple."

***

Shangguan Ruoyun found a spot to rest. It was then that a voice echoed throughout the Forbidden Land.

[Forbidden Land Announcement: The lucky one from the Yamato Empire, Jiro Ozawa, has discovered a two-star aluminum ore resource. This resource will be awarded to the Yamato Empire region with a twenty-fold multiplier.]

[The Forbidden Land will grant Jiro Ozawa a two-star level draw; this reward cannot be perceived by outsiders.]

On the second day of the national destiny trial, no one had received any rewards. But at noon on the third day, the announcement regarding the Yamato Empire shattered the peace of all streaming platforms. Countless nations were filled with envy, jealousy, and resentment. They had not expected that, following the United States and the Yan-Huang Alliance, the Yamato Empire would also secure a resource reward.

However, obtaining this resource had not been easy for Jiro Ozawa; he had sacrificed his only chance at resurrection to do so. Yet, the people of the Yamato Empire deemed this death worth it. They were now the third nation in the world to receive a resource reward, and a two-star one at that—one star higher than the United States. This was enough to make them proud and arrogant.

"Yosh! This is the spirit of the warriors of our Yamato people. Bringing glory to the nation—well done! The Empire is proud of you."

"Our lucky one just let others take a small head start; we will catch up with great effort soon enough. People from certain countries shouldn't get too cocky."

"Our people are skilled at coming from behind; history has already proven everything."

"Keep it up, warrior! The Empire and its people await your next miracle."

"Our nation is the most powerful in Central Continent. We must collect more resources; surpassing Yan-Huang is just a matter of time."

"Lucky one, keep going! I’ve already polished my blade, waiting for you to win more for our motherland."

...

Seeing these people being so arrogant, the people of Yan-Huang were instantly incensed and retorted:

"A bunch of imposters who won't even acknowledge their own history of aggression. You're so arrogant just because you got one reward; I don't know where you get the courage."

"Your lucky one is trash compared to our Qin Chuan. Our Qin Chuan kills monsters with a single punch. Your little warrior had to sacrifice his life just to get a reward—you have the nerve to be proud?"

"They always blow small things out of proportion. Let's just watch."

"Clowns making a scene. If you dare to invade our land, I’ll be the first to go to the battlefield and wipe you out!"

"Never forget the national humiliation; keep it in your hearts!"

...

Regardless of how arrogant the people of the Yamato Empire were, it was only temporary. Only by continuously obtaining resource rewards could long-term development be achieved.

***

Everyone was hoping Shangguan Ruoyun would find resources, but these things truly depended on luck. Having the strength to kill monsters did not necessarily mean one would receive a reward. This was the situation Shangguan Ruoyun found herself in; with Shen Gongbao’s help, one and two-star monsters were no threat, but she had yet to find a single resource.

As for Qin Chuan, he still had no discoveries. Two hours later, another Forbidden Land announcement rang out.

[Forbidden Land Announcement: The lucky one from Britannia, Kary, has discovered a one-star silver ore resource. This resource will be awarded to the Britannia region with a ten-fold multiplier.]

[The Forbidden Land will grant Kary a one-star level draw; this reward cannot be perceived by outsiders.]

"Haha! I told you our country’s lucky one couldn't be weaker than the others! See? We’ve received a resource reward too."

"Luck really is important. The brat from Yan-Huang relied on luck to get two rewards, and now our lucky one is starting to get lucky too."

"This is silver ore! Our nation’s silver reserves have increased."

"Kary, I love you!"

"You are the best!"

"Surpass the other lucky ones!"

"The return of the Empire on which the sun never sets depends on you."

...

Shangguan Ruoyun felt helpless. Her luck was poor, and hearing that other countries were discovering resource rewards one after another made her feel impatient. Although she knew it was unwise, she couldn't help it.

"Let's go. We must find resources!"

Shangguan Ruoyun refused to be left behind. Although Qin Chuan had secured two rewards, if they couldn't keep up with subsequent resources, being surpassed was only a matter of time.

After Shen Gongbao had eaten and drank his fill, he trotted happily behind Shangguan Ruoyun. To him, as long as there was food, he was happy to go anywhere.

Qin Chuan, naturally, had also heard the Forbidden Land announcements. His own stream was flooded with messages urging him to leave his current location, but alas, those inside the Forbidden Land could not see them. The netizens could only sigh as they watched.