The Chief Strategist, as usual, ignored his superior's words and began briefing Zero on Yaoqing's situation over the past three hundred years, "Thanks to you, the Yaoqing people never worry about food or clothing."
"Although there are occasional wars… military stipends have always been fully paid. The standard you first set has never changed, enough for them to live worry-free all their lives."
The Chief Strategist continued, "The household you want to visit, the husband died in battle, leaving only the wife and her son who's about to enter primary school. Do you want to go now?"
Zero immediately stood up, grabbed the bag of homework sheets, and followed behind the Chief Strategist.
All along the way, Yaoqing citizens gathered. Their faces were full of emotion, yet they very consciously kept a certain distance from Zero.
Children swarmed around him, stuffing him with fruit or candy, then darting away like the wind.
Zero was flustered, carefully holding everything in his hands.
"…Ah? Thank you."
Forced to stop and go, what should have been a ten-minute walk stretched into nearly half an hour.
Halfway, unable to carry everything anymore, Zero tucked them temporarily into the homework bag. After checking no one was around, he secretly stored the gifts into his system backpack.
The Chief Strategist glanced at him, "How many times have I told you? Next time wear wide sleeves to cover things up. Don't be so obvious, alright?"
Zero didn't care, nodding perfunctorily, then his attention was caught by a child.
The boy had blue hair and black eyes, and was absorbed in reading.
Zero opened the child's panel and froze in shock.
Every stat was nearly maxed. This was the most gifted NPC he'd ever seen. SSR? No, rarer than SSR, this was UR.
'This trip was worth it!'
A top-tier UR is something you encounter only by chance. This must be luck he bought with his own lifespan.
He decided then and there, this child would inherit his position.
And he himself would go out to conquer the world.
Zero, overjoyed, rushed over despite the boy's wary resistance, hoisted him onto his shoulder, and was about to tell the Chief Strategist, only to see him frozen-faced, conversing with a woman.
The child struggled violently, crying out for the woman to save him.
The woman froze a moment, then smiled awkwardly, "It seems the General is very fond of this boy."
Zero was about to say something when the Chief Strategist shot daggers at him with his eyes.
He had no choice but to plaster on a polite smile and nod.
The Chief Strategist forced a smile and dismissed him, telling him to take the child outside to play.
Carrying the squirming boy, Zero walked off, but something felt off.
When they reached a quiet spot, Zero set the boy down and tried raising his favorability, "You're amazing. How about taking over my position in the future?"
The boy ignored him.
Zero wasn't discouraged. He was a UR, after all, so what if he had a temper? That was personality.
'How to ease his worries? Maybe by taking care of his family?'
Zero suddenly remembered the boy liked reading, so maybe he liked refined speech.
Racking his memory, he fished out the most fitting old saying, "I shall raise your mother."
The boy, "…"
Zero pressed on, "I mean it."
The boy, "..."
Before Zero could say more, the boy suddenly lunged at him, fists clenched as if to punch him. But because of their huge height difference, he lowered his fists and instead fixed on Zero's hand.
Face red, the boy opened his mouth wide and bit down hard on Zero's leather-gloved hand.
Zero, "…"
It didn't actually hurt much, but it felt… weird.
He asked, "Did your tooth get chipped?"
Zero never got an answer.
Because the boy angrily tore off his glove, clutched his mouth, and ran home.
Zero sighed, pulled off his other glove, stuffed it into his coat pocket, and followed behind.
Entering the boy's home, his attention was instantly caught by a wooden memorial tablet inside.
'Uh, that name… looked like his?'
Why was his spirit tablet already set up while he was still alive?
Zero fell into thought. Just for losing 1% satisfaction, were the Yaoqing people already cursing him dead?
And this was even the family of a UR…
Seemed like from now on, he needed to pay more attention to their moods.
What if he marched off piloting the Colossus, and behind his back Yaoqing started rebelling? Then what?
Zero didn't understand, so he asked directly. Under the Strategist's sharp gaze, he turned to the woman, "Do you have any wishes you'd like fulfilled? Or, any complaints about me? You can say them."
The woman blinked, then smiled and shook her head, "You've given too much to Yaoqing. We all see it. How could we have complaints?"
Zero hesitated, still staring at the tablet.
The woman followed his gaze and explained with a smile, "That's a longevity tablet set up for you. Nearly every household has one."
Seeing his confusion, she elaborated, "It's said that long ago, Xianzhou people would set up longevity tablets for their benefactors, to pray for their blessings and long life."
Zero stammered, "Ah… ah? I don't think I've really done anything, though?"
Seeing her about to argue, he quickly diverted the topic, pointing at the boy clinging to her leg, "I plan to have your child inherit my position. He's very talented. Of course, he won't go to the battlefield, "
"This child could never take your place…" The woman bent down, instructing him gently, "You must study hard, don't disappoint the General's expectations, understand?"
The boy grudgingly muttered, "Mm."
Zero pulled out the homework sheets, trying to raise the UR's favorability, "Here, a gift for you."
The boy, "…"
The Chief Strategist, "…"
Anyone who knew would call it you trying to get close. Anyone who didn't would think you were just messing with the kid.
Zero tried patting the UR's head, but the boy maxed out his evasion, smoothly dodging every attempt.
So Zero looked around, spotted a small wooden bow, then slipped his hand into his pocket, opened the system backpack, and took out a finely forged Skyward Harp.
Don't ask why he had such a fine bow. If you must know, it's a sad story.
With a magician's flourish, he pulled out the exquisite bow, crouched down, and handed it to the boy.
Choosing his words carefully, he tried again to raise UR favorability, "What happened earlier was my fault. Sorry. Please take this bow as my apology."
The woman was startled, "How could we accept this?"
Zero replied, "Why couldn't you? It was my mistake. This has nothing to do with age or status. Please accept it. If you don't, I'll just have to keep offering."
The boy silently took the bow.
Zero breathed a sigh of relief, and cautiously rested his hand on the boy's head, patting lightly.
"His talent is outstanding. Surely in the future he'll be a genius who can shoot arrows through willows at a hundred paces and take a head among a thousand troops."
The news that the General, worshipped as a god by the Yaoqing people, had praised the boy spread quickly.
Passionate citizens sent countless exercise books, urging him to grow up fast, to study hard, and to serve the General.
The boy, "…"
He did homework day after day, grew into a young man, and, just as the people wished, entered the General's Manor to serve.
His senior mentor told him, "There's only one rule in the General's Manor, unconditionally carry out the General's orders."
The mentor led him to meet the General. But as soon as they entered, both were stunned by the chaotic scene before them.
Golden fruit cores lay scattered on the table. The General stood with his back to a man in a red mask, shielding the collapsed, bleeding Chief Strategist, and was shoving meat rolls into his mouth.
The masked man looked bewildered and asked the General, "Why aren't you dead?"
The General lifted his eyes just slightly, glancing at the two at the door. His gaze was icy cold, like a warning not to come closer.
The senior quickly pulled the youth back out and shut the door.
"…The General must have his reasons for this. Likely just some kind of drill."
'Reasons? Drill?'
The youth thought to himself.
'Real or not, our Yaoqing really is doomed.'
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