Chapter 7

"Damn, it's so cold."

The onlookers couldn't help but shiver, seeing a layer of white mist wafting out of the box. When the mist dissipated, they finally saw what lay inside the wooden box—a thick and smooth bone.

The bone was emitting a bone-chilling cold!

"What is this thing?"

The people were stunned; they had never seen such a strange object before. Although they had no idea what it was, their intuition told them that it was likely a valuable treasure.

"This is a Wasteland Bone!" Lian Chengyu looked at the massive bone with a hint of satisfaction on his face. "The light patterns you saw earlier were to seal the coldness of this Wasteland Bone."

"Wasteland Bone? This is a Wasteland Bone?"

Most people in the crowd had never heard of a Wasteland Bone, but Yi Yun had heard Jiang Xiaorou describe it in detail.

In the vast Wasteland, there were powerful Wasteland Beasts. Each Wasteland Beast could easily destroy a small tribe like the Lian Clan.

Wasteland Beasts were terrifying, but they were also full of treasures.

Wasteland Beast meat was an excellent supplement, but human appetites were limited. A giant Wasteland Beast could be as big as a small mountain, and even if a person ate to their heart's content, how much could they consume?

Fortunately, the essence of Wasteland Beasts was concentrated in their bones, and it could be extracted using secret methods, reducing it to a small piece.

Such Wasteland Beast bones were the most precious parts of the Wasteland Beasts!

The Wasteland Bone in the wooden box looked like a segment of a Wasteland Beast's rib. Although it was only a small part of the entire Wasteland Beast, it was still extremely valuable!

"The reason for the shortage of food today is that we used more weapons to exchange for this Wasteland Bone! In fact, the arrows and soft armor you made were not enough to get it. I had to add a fairly good cultivation technique scroll I found during my youth, and only then did we manage to exchange for this Wasteland Bone!"

As Lian Chengyu spoke, an old man who looked like a secretary beside him explained the use and value of the Wasteland Bone to everyone.

The secretary spoke vividly, but the crowd found it hard to accept.

No matter how powerful the Wasteland Bone was, what did it have to do with them?

Even the most foolish person knew that the essence of the Wasteland Bone wouldn't be given to them to eat.

"I know what you're thinking. You're worried about the future, worried about starving to death. I understand your concerns, but think about it—when will this life of hardship end? There are countless small tribes in the Wasteland, like grains of sand in the desert. They have no means to protect themselves and can be destroyed at any moment!"

"The Lian Clan is one of them!"

"Do you want to live in constant fear, worrying about where your next meal will come from and whether you'll be killed by wild beasts while sleeping at night?"

"Do you want to live like this?"

Lian Chengyu's words were highly inflammatory, and many clan members couldn't help but clench their fists, feeling a surge of determination. This life was making them feel like they were on the brink of collapse. This was hell!

"I've had enough!" someone in the crowd shouted.

"Very good! I don't want to live like this either! Now there's an opportunity. In three months, a great human empire—the Tai E Divine Kingdom—will recruit young warriors on a large scale within its territory! If you can pass the Tai E Divine Kingdom's rigorous selection, you will become a warrior of the Tai E Divine Kingdom!"

"This is the highest honor and a great opportunity!"

As Lian Chengyu spoke, his eyes seemed to burn with a fierce flame!

Yi Yun understood this look; it was one of extreme desire and ambition!

Lian Chengyu was an ambitious man. He didn't want to be confined to a small Lian Clan for his entire life. He wanted to go out, leave the Wasteland, and become a superior being!

"No wonder he's willing to let many clan members starve to death to get this Wasteland Bone... He wants to prepare for the Tai E Divine Kingdom's assessment in three months!"

Yi Yun suddenly understood. According to his original thinking, Lian Chengyu could have gradually accumulated food by skimming a little off the top each time they exchanged for food, eventually getting the Wasteland Bone.

Now, by using this short-term, high-risk method, it probably meant that he was about to experience a significant leap in strength in the near future!

Lian Chengyu's words soon confirmed Yi Yun's guess.

"I, Lian Chengyu! Born and raised in the Lian Clan, I am a son of the Lian Clan, and I am willing to give everything for the Lian Clan! Fortunately, with this Wasteland Bone, I can break through to the Purple Blood Warrior level within three months! After becoming a Purple Blood Warrior, I will easily pass the Tai E Divine Kingdom's assessment and become a warrior of the Tai E Divine Kingdom!"

"At that time, I will be able to protect the Lian Clan. After becoming a warrior of the Tai E Divine Kingdom, I can lead the Lian Clan to settle in the towns of the Tai E Divine Kingdom. If I achieve great success in the future, I can even establish my own city! At that time, everyone can live in my city, enjoying a peaceful and prosperous life!"

"Three months! Yes, you only need to endure for three months, and I guarantee that you will have a life of abundance! Today, the sacrifices made by all the clan members will be repaid a hundredfold, a thousandfold!"

Lian Chengyu's words were highly persuasive. The simple and suffering people couldn't see through his ambition; they were intoxicated by the beautiful future he described, filled with longing.

Three months, just three months, and they could live in a city?

Is this true?

"This kid could be a politician on Earth."

Yi Yun thought to himself. At this point, he knew that no one would question the shortage of food. The mirage Lian Chengyu had created would make everyone silent. If anyone continued to question, they would be dealt with by the people around them.

This was the helplessness of the poor era. Here, human lives were as cheap as grass. A bag of food could be worth several lives, and the beautiful hope Lian Chengyu had created would make even more people willing to die for it.

The people here lived in such hardship and oppression that they needed hope, a spiritual support to keep them alive, even if that hope was vague and intangible. If someone stood up and said it was false, they might be beaten to death by those who were desperate.

Seeing that the people were still a bit confused, a sycophant suddenly jumped up and shouted, "Long live Master Lian Chengyu!"

The people, who never had enough to eat, were easily swayed. In fact, for many of them, to ensure the continuation of their race and the prosperity of their descendants, they were willing to die.

"Long live Master Lian Chengyu..."

A few people echoed the shout, but it sounded a bit weak.

Once someone started, more and more people joined in, even though many were still worried about tomorrow's food, they could only go with the flow.

This was the tragedy of the weak; they had no choice.

Lian Chengyu was very satisfied with the people's reaction.

This was what he wanted. The Lian Clan would be his stepping stone, and he would use it to achieve his own legend!

"Chengyu, you did well."

The old man in yellow walked behind Lian Chengyu and said.

"Grandpa, there's no need to praise me. It's nothing. If I couldn't stir up the emotions of these commoners, I wouldn't be able to do the next thing. To refine this bone, many people will die."

"Hmm..." The old man in yellow sighed lightly. He had long known that refining the bone would cost lives, but even if many died, this opportunity could not be abandoned.

"One general's success is built on the bones of many. Grandpa, why sigh? These people dying for the clan will be remembered by the clan. Besides... with fewer people, there will be more food left over, making it easier to last three months."

Lian Chengyu spoke casually, showing no concern for the sacrifices. How many people died in the Wasteland every day?

The death of a few ants to achieve a hero was worth it, because a hero could save more ants.

Moreover, this hero was himself!

No one else heard Lian Chengyu's words except the old man in yellow.

"Yun, what's wrong with you?" Jiang Xiaorou noticed that Yi Yun was distracted and pulled him. "What are you thinking about?"

"Nothing..."

Yi Yun shook his head. He had been lost in thought, not because of Lian Chengyu's speech or the plight of the Lian Clan's poor, but because a few faint light points had suddenly flown over, like fireflies in the night sky.

These light points entered his chest and disappeared.

Immediately, a cool sensation from the purple crystal became clearer.

Clearly, these light points had been absorbed by the purple crystal, just like the starlight it absorbed that night!

And the source of these light points was...

Yi Yun's heart skipped a beat. No way!