Mantou's video and Singo's guide sparked an uproar across the player base. On the exchange, the temporary limited stock of ten Mysterious Invitations was completely sold out.
The major guilds stopped keeping up pretenses and moved to monopolize the faction contribution quests that no one had previously cared about, while gold-reward quests were suddenly given the cold shoulder.
And so, the players were swept up in a frenzy to chase Faction Contribution. They began working around the clock as free laborers for Cassius, even mobbing the quest boards in mad scrambles.
"Let me become a draconic bloodline sorcerer!"
"I want to be a dragon knight!"
"Aaaah! Give me god-tier gear!"
"The sky is a man's true romance!"
Feverish players shouting slogans like these could be seen inside mine shafts, along the city walls, atop rooftops, and even beside dung heaps.
Even Mezrolash was shaken by the players' surging enthusiasm for hard labor, hastily cobbling together a fresh batch of quests on short notice.
At this crucial juncture, Cassius pressed his advantage, administering another potent dose of medicine: he rolled out the automated chive-harvester he had been preparing for ages—the faction rank system.
Using players to govern players drove management costs straight into the negatives.
For now, only three low-level positions were opened: tax collector, scribe, and peacekeeper.
They were tasked with assisting in tax collection, recording and handling administrative paperwork, and maintaining the city's public order, respectively. The official administration of the City of Baator would issue them matching gear sets and provide them with lodging. Their sole salary would be daily Faction Contribution, with the amount scaling based on their performance.
Even for these low-level posts, the application requirement was set at 3,000 Faction Contribution—a figure most players had not reached even a tenth of.
Faced with this, ordinary players could only gaze in envy and keep burying their heads in grueling labor, daydreaming about a brighter future.
Yet at that very moment, the famed "Four Drudges" were thrilled. After eighteen days of inhuman torment, their contribution had long since met the bar.
[Faction Rank System unlocked!]
[Your contribution value is 6,457. Available positions: Tax Collector, Scribe, Peacekeeper]
[Note: Base daily salary for low-level positions: 100 Faction Contribution]
[You may earn bonus Faction Contribution through your duties.]
Pointing at the prompt on the interface, Mantou said, "This system is pretty sweet. A guaranteed daily wage of a hundred Faction Contribution right into our pockets. Looks like we won't have to scramble all over doing odd jobs anymore!"
"Yeah, it's finally over."
Xiaye Qiuyu nodded with lingering dread. If not for her consummate professional discipline, she wouldn't have wanted to spend another second in that filthy, gloomy mine.
Tiansheng Zhankuang rubbed his bald head. "It really is quite nice."
Scanning the detailed job descriptions at lightning speed, Singo summarized with practiced fluency, "Here's my take: I mainly recommend peacekeeper or tax collector.
"Peacekeepers get an extra bonus of 150 contribution for every crime or infraction they bust. Heh, knowing how players behave, you all know how high their crime rate is.
"Then there's the tax collector, where your bonus is calculated from the taxes collected. We might even be able to pocket some gold coins along the way—there's a lot of room to maneuver there.
"As for scribes? Processing four thousand words of paperwork a day for a guaranteed fifteen hundred contribution a month.
"Not even a dog would do that."
He delivered his classic verdict once more.
Tiansheng Zhankuang, Mantou, and Xiaye Qiuyu spoke up in unison: "Then let's go with peacekeeper."
For no other reason than that tax collectors drew far too much aggro.
Singo flashed a sinister smile. "Heh, then I'll take tax collector. I'll make sure the players learn that taxes, like death, are inevitable."
A shiver ran through Mantou's scalp as he looked at him, inwardly remarking once more that this guy was an absolute freak.
Who knew what kind of torment this tax collector would inflict on other players in the future?
[You have chosen the faction rank—Peacekeeper]
[You may reside in the City of Baator Peacekeeper Barracks]
[Please proceed to the City of Baator Administrative Hall to collect your matching gear and weapons.]
Mantou and his companions first went to inspect their new, surprisingly decent quarters before heading to the hall to claim their armor and weapons.
"Holy crap, this looks so badass?"
"The perks are way too good."
Mantou couldn't help marveling as he stared at the brand-new peacekeeper armor and sword of order in his hands.
This was infinitely better than the gear Singo had sold off before—a qualitative leap.
"Sing-dog might be a rotten bastard, but he really knows his stuff," Mantou murmured in admiration.
The armor was high-grade iron plate that was nearly impossible for players to purchase, and the weapon was a standard-issue iron longsword. The breastplate and the sword's hilt were engraved with an exquisite emblem: a golden vertical pupil ringed by flames—the exclusive symbol of the Cinder Nest.
They were even granted the right to use horses.
Donning his brand-new gear, gripping the longsword, and mounting a tall, handsome steed, Mantou recited smugly:
"*Basking in spring breeze, swift gallops my steed; in one day I view all the flowers of Baator!*"
He felt utterly triumphant, as if sweet fortune had finally arrived after all his suffering. His earlier gloom vanished into thin air, and even the way he looked down upon the players still slaving away grew noticeably haughty.
The players in the plaza soon noticed him. At first, they thought he was some NPC, only managing to recognize him when they spotted the tag floating above his head: *Wo Qu Chi Mantou*.
"Is that damn guy Mantou?"
"Where did they get that gear? It looks incredible!"
"Did he rob a bank?"
"Where'd he get a mount? I want to ride a horse too!"
"Seeing Mantou living so well hurts worse than seeing myself doing poorly."
A grime-covered player fresh out of the mines gasped in shock. "Holy crap, isn't that the Four Drudges?"
Hearing that, Mantou's eyes went wide. Leveling his longsword at the player, he barked according to the manual's instructions:
"Citizen! I am responsible for maintaining public order here! Mind your language!
"Provoking a peacekeeper is strictly forbidden!"
...
"Pfft!"
Lying in his cavern watching the broadcast, Cassius burst out laughing, nearly spewing flames from his maw. He thought to himself that this kid Mantou was certainly good at putting on airs.
The red dragon exhaled a plume of hot, sulfurous vapor.
Still, this worked out nicely. Turning them into model workers for the Cinder Nest would show all the players the value of grinding Faction Contribution, allowing Cassius to sit back and reap the rewards.
"Heheheh..."
Cassius chuckled slyly.
Once the majority of players reached the contribution threshold, he would roll out a "consumption upgrade."
He would move items equivalent to the Adamantine Shop tier into a brand-new Diamond Shop, multiply the contribution requirements several times over, and keep them working for him for free.
"Don't worry, everyone.
"There are plenty of long days ahead."
Barely a month into the closed beta, Cassius had already mastered the art on his own, thoroughly grasping the essence of harvesting chives from his past life.
Chapter 77