Chapter 31

"Is there something I want to ask you two?" Du Nan asked tentatively.

Li Wenfu and Lu Sheng were serious, looking like elementary school students trying hard to listen to their teacher. At this moment, they thought Du Nan had some important information to gather, to better prepare for the battle.

"Can the Magic Network make money?" Du Nan asked tentatively.

The two almost fell over when they heard this.

Finally, after a deep breath, and another deep breath, the fat man first suppressed his urge to explode and said, "First, I don't know what Du Brother wants to use the money for, but there's one thing I want to clarify: as long as you become a Magic Energy Awakener, you can apply for the status of 'First-Class Citizen' in your local city. Once you become a First-Class Citizen, almost all public services are free. For example, in all public restaurants, you can eat and drink as much as you want, as long as it doesn't exceed eight dishes and two soups per meal. In all public clothing stores, you can choose any clothes you want, as long as it doesn't exceed three sets of high-quality outfits per month. In all public hotels, you can stay in any room you want, as long as it's not a VIP room or above. Finally, all public transportation can be used freely, as long as it doesn't exceed travel within the Blue Sea Star."

"Oh," Du Nan showed no surprise on the surface, but he was very shocked inside.

A meal with eight dishes and two soups, all you can eat; three sets of high-quality clothes per month, all you can wear; any room below VIP, all you can stay in; and all kinds of transportation within the Blue Sea Star, all you can use. The basic necessities of life for ordinary people... as long as you become a First-Class Citizen, these all become 'free' benefits.

Du Nan was a bit dizzy: are First-Class Citizens pigs, to be fed by the poor?

"Even if Du Brother hasn't applied for First-Class Citizen status, as a Magic Energy Warrior, you can apply for a living assistance fund. According to the regulations of Baiquan City, you can definitely get at least 100 million in a year. And Du Brother, don't even think about paying it back; no one on the Blue Sea Star has ever asked a Magic Energy Warrior for repayment. If you're willing to be a lifelong spokesperson for a company, except for the 'Top 800,' you can basically get a tenth of the shares," Li Wenfu said, looking like money was just a pile of paper to him.

"You still haven't said if the Magic Network can make money," Du Nan replied, looking like he didn't have any paper.

Li Wenfu was frustrated.

He was defeated.

The four-eyed Lu Sheng came to the rescue: "It can make money, and it's very easy to make money. On the Azure Region Network, the more famous you are, the more business opportunities you have. For example, I'm a Third-Class Soldier in the White Iron District. If I add a company's logo to my mecha, the usage fee for one battle is at least 150,000, just for one battle. Of course, if it's a losing battle, there's usually no money. For a Fifth-Class Soldier like Fat Brother, the fee is at least double. As for the top Ninth-Class Soldiers in the White Iron District..."

"One free-for-all battle, at least 2 million," Li Wenfu continued. "For celebrities like Sister Ling and Little Hua, it can exceed 10 million per battle. The military will review the tactical recordings of certain special individuals. If they think it could be useful for the enemy to study, they won't allow any advertising, no matter how much money is offered."

Du Nan smiled.

He was extremely shocked inside.

The Magic Network is a region of interest to all life forms in the entire starry sea... saying there are no business opportunities is a joke. He just didn't expect that the training matches on the Azure Region Network alone already had such terrifying commercial value. Some special recordings that the military thinks might 'expose tactics and weaknesses' are not even allowed to be obtained by other federations for research.

"I heard that in the Bronze District's Historical Battlefields, a single character in an advertisement can cost over 10 million," Lu Sheng said something strange.

Du Nan didn't quite understand.

Historical Battlefields?

What kind of map mode is this?

"About the same. Generally, commercial advertisements are: in the White Iron District's Historical Battlefields, one character costs one million. In the Bronze District's Historical Battlefields, one character costs ten million. In the Red Steel District's Historical Battlefields, one character costs one hundred million. In the Silver District, which is above four stars, you can't advertise in the Historical Battlefields; it must be thoroughly studied by the military before it's released. Du Brother, you haven't tried 'Historical Battlefields' yet, right? Have you heard of the Shallow Sea Battle? If we choose it, we might encounter a 'weakened version' of the hero, the Diamond Armor Master Qin Zhong. If we can beat him or help him defend the Shallow Sea Fortress, then..."

Li Wenfu rubbed his fingers, making a gesture of counting money until his hands cramped.

A look of 'you know what I mean.'

Hearing this, Du Nan understood a bit. Historical Battlefields are important battles that have actually happened in history, recreated by the Magic Network.

Remember the Shallow Sea Battle, which made Qin Zhong famous, forged his supreme combat power, and saved the Blue Sea Federation from destruction. Unfortunately, Qin Zhong died in that great battle. His mortal enemy is still alive and well. Even more ironically, the Red Dragon Star Federation, which was the invader at that time, is now an important ally of the Blue Sea Federation.

The world is unpredictable, and politics is full of drama.

Who would have thought that enemies who fought to the death back then would now sit together, smiling and taking photos? Besides the Shallow Sea Battle, the Blue Sea Star has many other important battles, all with similar stories... former enemies and rivals now gather to celebrate their achievements and sing of peace. The heroes who died, except for the military archives and the Magic Network, are no longer remembered by anyone.

Historical Battlefields.

Important battles that changed the history of a star or a planet, now only able to recreate their value on the Magic Network... commercial hype value.

Heroes.

Important figures who changed the history of a star or a planet... only the living are true heroes. Those who died can only leave behind a recording.

"Is Qin Zhong hard to beat?"

Du Nan was satisfied with the price.

He looked like he wanted to fight in the Shallow Sea Battle and asked again.

The fat man and the four-eyed one listened.

Their faces turned green.

Finally, the four-eyed Lu Sheng sighed, indicating that a genius's mind jumps too fast for ordinary people to keep up: "It's not that he's hard to beat, but it's impossible to win. The Qin Zhong Armor Master in the Shallow Sea map has never lost a battle of the same rank. I've heard that Master Li Qifeng has challenged the Gold-level Shallow Sea map more than a thousand times, and never once beaten the Qin Zhong Armor Master."

"Five stars against six stars, it's impossible to win," Du Nan wasn't surprised by the result.

"No, no, no, it's five against five," Li Wenfu was helpless, thinking Du Brother must not have understood the Historical Battlefields map: "Battle maps are ranked. For example, if we challenge the White Iron-level Shallow Sea and join the Red Dragon Star Federation's attack, when we encounter the Qin Zhong Armor Master, he will be at the level of a Ninth-Class Soldier in the White Iron District. Do you understand, Du Brother?"

"Join the Red Dragon Federation?" Du Nan only understood half of it.

"Historical Battlefields maps, you can join any side. If you join the Blue Sea Federation's defense, you'll be teammates with the Qin Zhong Armor Master," Lu Sheng explained.

"Ah, I see. So, in a battle of the same rank, has no one ever beaten Qin Zhong?" Du Nan asked again.

Li Wenfu and the four-eyed one looked at each other, confirming one thing: this guy is a genius in physical techniques, ancient literature, and Magic Energy tactics... but when it comes to common knowledge, he's almost an idiot.

"I can tell you very responsibly."

Li Wenfu looked serious, indicating he had never been this serious in his life: "On the Azure Region Network, the number of people who can reach Qin Zhong in the Shallow Sea map and engage him in battle doesn't exceed twenty. Du Brother, do you think the Shallow Sea Battle is guarded by Qin Zhong alone? In that battle, over three thousand Magic Energy Warriors died, almost a quarter of the Blue Sea Star. In the Shallow Sea map, any one of these three thousand people could potentially kill you, understand?"

Du Nan was shocked when he heard this.

He began to understand why the Historical Battlefields maps were so valuable. They not only have public recognition but also a strategic value in 'rewriting history.'

No wonder.

The White Iron-level Historical Battlefields cost one million per character, and a single advertisement can cost tens of millions.

"The Shallow Sea map is the hardest Historical Battlefield on the Azure Region Network. The Red Dragon Federation is still offering a bounty: they don't care about the outcome of the battle, just that someone can kill Qin Zhong in the Shallow Sea Battle and submit the recording to the Red Dragon military for study. In addition to the capital cities of each continent, they will give the person any city on the Red Dragon Star, with exclusive control of all resources," Lu Sheng revealed, indicating that the Red Dragon Federation still wants to 'kill Qin Zhong.'

"Wasn't he killed?" Du Nan asked.

The fat man and the four-eyed one shook their heads, and then Li Wenfu said, "He can't be killed; no one can kill him. His death was because he lured the Red Dragon Federation's army into the Shallow Sea Fortress and deliberately merged with the core energy of the fortress, causing a massive explosion. That explosion killed him and eliminated nearly half of the Red Dragon's forces."

"Oh."

The Shallow Sea Battle was the battle for the survival of the Blue Sea Federation.

If that battle had failed, the current Blue Sea Star would be a colony of the Red Dragon Federation. The Shallow Sea Battle was essentially Qin Zhong saving the Blue Sea Federation from destruction with his own strength. Du Nan didn't know that Qin Zhong's death wasn't a true death. He chose to self-destruct to secure the final advantage, with no soldiers in front and no reinforcements behind.

"Halfway through the Shallow Sea Battle, the Red Dragon Federation offered: if he surrendered, he would become the new leader of the colony, but Qin Zhong chose death," Lu Sheng added, his eyes filled with an indescribable admiration.

At the same time,

There was a hint of regret and a sense of injustice.

In the current Blue Sea Federation, new talents are constantly emerging, gaining fame and power. Due to the alliance with the Red Dragon Federation, the Blue Sea Federation fears that too much praise for Qin Zhong might offend their Red Dragon allies. Therefore, this national hero has been deliberately forgotten, with almost no publicity.

Hearing this, Du Nan had a strange feeling: did Qin Zhong die in vain? Did he leave something behind?

Was he really content to perish like this?