Chapter Seven: The Merchant of Fate

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After reviewing the attributes of his territory, Lin Mu had a clear understanding of the situation. He assigned Chang Yin to manage the displaced people and to reorganize the entire area, while Feng Zhong was tasked with patrolling the surroundings. The village-level territory was only protected by rudimentary fences—fragile, with low defense and limited durability. If a fierce beast attacked, there was hardly any effective defense, and with almost no soldiers present, law and order were in a dire state.

Moreover, many aspects of the divine-level Village Creation Order, the Yellow Dragon Order, left Lin Mu perplexed. His previous life’s experiences might not apply here.

Since the territory was located in this isolated wilderness, it was inevitable that many wild beasts would attack the village, so defenses were essential.

In his previous life, many players built their territories in the wild, which attracted numerous ferocious beasts ravaging their lands, causing villagers to be unable to work in peace and soldiers to be slaughtered to near extinction—a tragic scene. Lin Mu was aware of such disasters and was determined to prevent anything similar from happening in his own domain.

With a god-like general like Feng Zhong guarding the territory, Lin Mu felt reassured. Although Feng Zhong’s current strength was only that of a junior general, it was still a stabilizing force.

After making all the arrangements, Lin Mu proceeded to another building within the territory.

Upon successfully using the divine-level Village Creation Order, the Yellow Dragon Order, five types of buildings appeared: the village council hall, a residential house, a junior mining site, a junior displaced persons camp, and the place Lin Mu now stood—the Dragon Temple.

The junior mining site was likely an additional production facility awarded by the system for special mineral veins.

As for the Dragon Temple, Lin Mu speculated it was a special product resulting from the successful use of the Yellow Dragon Order. Otherwise, with all his years of experience, he would certainly have heard of it. Admitting his ignorance, Lin Mu reminded himself not to be arrogant and to proceed cautiously.

Gazing upon the Dragon Temple, Lin Mu was utterly amazed. The building was not large, covering roughly half an acre, but one side of the temple’s door was about a meter taller than a typical entrance, around four meters wide and just as tall.

The grand door was exquisitely crafted, adorned with countless dragon carvings—some fierce and menacing, others soaring through clouds and mist in mysterious patterns; some appeared to be flying across the heavens, dominating the world, while others seemed asleep, yet majestic and auspicious. The variety of forms was endless.

The door’s lintel was intricately carved with auspicious beasts, dazzling Lin Mu’s eyes.

Most astonishingly, the temple’s top was hidden from view, shrouded in countless swirling yellow clouds, exuding an eerie mystery as if a colossal celestial beast resided there, instilling a chilling awe. Lin Mu looked upward, as if he could hear the dragon’s roar echoing through the celestial heights, resounding incessantly, reaching deep into his soul, leaving him profoundly shaken.

In his previous life, even in the divine capital Luoyang, Lin Mu had never witnessed such a sight.

Overall, the Dragon Temple gave Lin Mu the impression of grandeur, auspiciousness, and mystery, with an atmosphere solemn and majestic, as if a mighty beast was entrenched within.

Lin Mu slightly restrained his expression. No matter how mysterious it was, since it appeared within his territory, it belonged to him. He would have time to explore its secrets, he thought quietly.

Pushing open the door, the clang echoed inside. Lin Mu stepped in confidently, full of anticipation.

Before him were two rows of yellow wooden chairs, neatly arranged. At the front center stood an altar, covered with rows of redwood plaques arranged in an orderly fashion. Though some characters seemed inscribed on them, Lin Mu could not discern their meaning, as if he was not yet qualified to comprehend their mysteries, but he was undisturbed by this.

What surprised Lin Mu most was that at the far end of the right row of chairs, a man sat serenely. Such a solemn place must harbor an extraordinary person. Lin Mu briefly surveyed the surroundings and immediately approached him.

The man stood as Lin Mu approached, greeting him.

Lin Mu bowed slightly and politely spoke first: “I am Lin Mu, the lord of this village. May I ask who you are, esteemed sir?”

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“Ha ha, greetings, my lord. I am but a humble merchant unworthy of such a title. You may call me Number 9527, or simply Yuan Zhi,” the man replied.

The number 9527 made Lin Mu internally chuckle—he thought it would be better if he were called Tang Bohu instead, recalling a classic film from long ago.

—System notification: Lord Lin Mu, congratulations on being the first in the world to encounter the Fate Merchant. Great fortune befalls you! You are awarded 10,000 reputation points and access to the Fate Merchant’s trading privileges.

It was indeed the Fate Merchant!

As the name implies, Fate Merchants are merchants who appear as if by destiny. They are extraordinarily unique, buying and selling anything, provided certain conditions are met.

Haha, to receive 10,000 reputation points was an unexpected delight. When he established the world’s second village, the reward was only a mere 200 reputation points. Now, this was fifty times more! Lin Mu’s face lit up with joy.

It seemed this hidden achievement was extremely precious to players, truly fated.

Lin Mu had encountered Fate Merchants in his previous life, but only after many others, and without such generous rewards. Reflecting on all he had missed out on before, he resolved to make up for it in this life.

Yuan Zhi noticed Lin Mu’s sudden bright expression and found it somewhat odd.

“May I ask if you are the legendary Fate Merchant?” Lin Mu, despite hearing the system’s prompt, asked the man to break the ice and build rapport.

“Ah, my lord has heard of us?” Yuan Zhi was surprised. His kind were special merchants, sent to descend upon the Divine Continent only after the goddess Nuwa created this world—arriving even later than the arrival of the gifted. For this lord to already know about them and to possess the Yellow Dragon Order, such a divine artifact, was extraordinary—a transcendent achievement with remarkable potential and insight. Yuan Zhi resolved to rely on this man more in the future.

Yuan Zhi smiled broadly and praised, “I never imagined my lord to be so learned and wealthy, blessed with great fortune, outstanding strategy, unmatched bravery, wise and mighty… flowers bloom in your presence, carts bear your weight, gallant and charming, beloved by ladies and housewives alike…” He rambled on for several minutes, an unrelenting stream of flattery that reached divine heights.

Lin Mu listened with a wry expression, increasingly amused and bewildered. He longed to retort, “Where is your integrity? Where is your aura of immortality?”

Yet it was not entirely Yuan Zhi’s fault. Lin Mu had indeed stumbled upon a rare encounter. Shortly after the launch of Mythical Three Kingdoms, he had acquired the divine Yellow Dragon Order. To Yuan Zhi, Lin Mu was a prodigy, though Yuan Zhi himself was merely a merchant under a sage. He would need Lin Mu’s favor, and the more extraordinary Lin Mu became, the more rewards Yuan Zhi could receive from the goddess Nuwa.

Regardless of Yuan Zhi’s thoughts, Lin Mu found it amusing that such a prestigious group as the Fate Merchants would flatter him so profusely.

In his previous life, when Lin Mu met a Fate Merchant, he was at best a low-ranking general, later a county lord. On the Divine Continent, countless talented and extraordinary figures existed, and Lin Mu was hardly significant. Fate Merchants, revered by players as exalted beings, were usually aloof and arrogant, yet they were meticulous and scrupulous in business dealings.

Fate Merchants were unique traders who sold everything—even divine artifacts—though their currency was extraordinary: reputation and feudal fortune, not common gold or silver coins.

Their style was high-end and elegant. Players, no matter how humble, would fawn over them for divine artifacts. Lin Mu was no exception. For such treasures, losing a little dignity was trivial.

Reflecting on the contrast between past and present, Lin Mu smiled wryly.

“There’s no need for such formality. Since you call me ‘lord,’ I’ll just call you Yuan Zhi. No need for such politeness.”

“Very well! From now on, I’ll just freeload under your lordship!” Yuan Zhi responded warmly. Their long future dealings would benefit from such amicable relations.

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“May I ask if you have anything for sale now? Any divine artifacts?” Lin Mu cut straight to the chase.

“Heh, I am currently a junior merchant and do not yet have the rights to sell divine artifacts. However, as your lordship’s territory grows rapidly and our trading volume increases, I will also be promoted. Once I reach a higher rank, I will have the authority to sell divine artifacts. I hope you will support my business,” Yuan Zhi explained with a wry smile. Being asked about divine artifacts right away left him uncertain how to respond.

“Ha ha, I was just joking!” Lin Mu, too excited, had forgotten that Fate Merchants were also ranked. He smiled sheepishly.

Fate Merchants were divided into four ranks: Earth, Heaven, Mysterious, and Yellow, listed from highest to lowest. Lin Mu had not heard of any ranks beyond that.

Only from the Earth Rank upward could divine artifacts be traded. Even in his previous life as a county lord, Lin Mu lacked enough currency—reputation—to purchase such items, indicating their rarity and difficulty to obtain.

As Lin Mu exchanged pleasantries with Yuan Zhi, he opened the trading interface. As expected, there were five categories: Lifespan, Weapons, Equipment, Items, Supplies, and Others.

Both Items and Supplies contained a vast variety of goods, too numerous for Lin Mu to memorize.

But the first category caught Lin Mu’s attention instantly, unforgettable for a lifetime.

Lifespan—the ultimate goal all players desperately pursued.

All levels of Fate Merchants displayed this:

Lifespan

One unit of Vital Energy can be exchanged for a hundred years of lifespan * soul, stackable (requires a foundation of Vital Energy; if depleted, exchange is impossible).

One unit of Dragon National Fortune can be exchanged for one year of lifespan * soul, stackable (requires a foundation of Vital Energy; if depleted, exchange is impossible).

...

The “* soul” notation indicated it could affect the real world. For example, exchanging for a hundred years of lifespan in the game would grant the player a corresponding hundred years in reality, driving countless people mad.

Truly insane. When some players revealed this information, many rushed to enter the game, leveling furiously and investing heavily. Large conglomerates, wealthy merchants, politicians, national elites, and social elites had long received secret intelligence, continuously injecting funds into Mythical Three Kingdoms, propelling its rapid and prosperous development.

Mythical Three Kingdoms had become a massive arena of profit.

Where there is bustle, there is profit; where there is strife, there is gain.