"Heroes summoned with a token that already carries an entry should have an empty entry slot, right?"
Yun Shen pondered aloud as he stepped out of the thatched hut. He swept his gaze around, taking stock of his surroundings. A dense forest stretched in every direction, the terrain fairly level.
For a powerful lord, a forest start was a blessing—ample wood, no shortage of construction material.
But for the weak, forests brimmed with peril. Too many places for wild creatures to lurk, too many ways to die. Fortunately, the novice protection period kept him safe—at least for now.
Clutching the golden Hero Token, Yun Shen whispered, "Summon!"
The token dissolved into a streak of golden light. In an open patch of earth before him, the light flared into a gleaming gateway.
From it emerged a tall woman. Her short hair was tousled yet sleek, her silver-gray bodysuit hugging graceful curves.
Across her chest gleamed four archaic characters: **Xuantian Technology.**
The woman muttered, half to herself: "The Battlefield of Myriad Races… what a vast, magnificent world. So many avenues for research!"
Then she turned, noticing the only other person present. She inclined her head politely.
"Greetings, my lord. My name is Jiang Lan. I thank you for summoning me to the Battlefield of Myriad Races. Affection +10. Current Affection: 80."
Yun Shen's heart leapt. He hurriedly pulled up her status panel.
---
**Hero: Jiang Lan**
* **Race:** Human
* **Quality:** Gold – Legendary
* **Level:** 1 (0/1000)
* **Attributes:** Constitution 125, Spirit 295, Martial Soul 430 (excluding bonuses from arts/equipment)
* **Cultivation Arts:** Nano Core (Gold), Xuantian Codex – Perfected (Purple)
* **Skills:** Scientific Research – Perfected (Gold), Nuclear Fission Sword Qi – Proficient (Gold), Warp Step – Basic (Gold), Precision Shooting – Perfected (Purple)
* **Equipment:** Smart Neural Chip (Gold), Energy Reactor (Gold), Nano-Suit (Gold) [Current Load: 120/170]
* **Exclusive Buildings:** Xuantian Research Institute (Gold), Blackiron Valkyrie Production Line (Orange)
* **Troop Command:** Researcher Type (Gold), Blackiron Valkyries (Gold), Mechanical Units (Purple)
* **Affection:** 80
* **Entry Slots:** None (0/1)
---
"A… research hero with stats like this?!"
Yun Shen drew a sharp breath. A whole arsenal of Legendary-tier items, plus not one but two exclusive building schematics. Unbelievable!
Even knowing female residents had fivefold stat bonuses, seeing it in person shook him to the core.
By textbook calculations, Jiang Lan's total stats already touched the threshold of **Mythic-tier heroes**.
Above Gold – Legendary stood Red – Mythic. By sheer potential values, a Mythic's baseline was five times that of a Legendary.
And while the *Kingdom of Daughters* trait's boost had been halved by the "Wicked Matriarch" flaw, fivefold stats still placed Jiang Lan in a league of her own. Even as a science-type hero, her combat potential was unmatched among her peers.
Then Yun Shen noticed her entry bar—empty, ready to be filled.
"Refresh!"
Three glowing words materialized before him:
* **Research Focus (Purple):** Research speed +100%.
* **Arms Dealer (Purple):** +100% damage when using tech-based weapons.
* **Monster Drop Rate (Orange):** Grants passive skill *Monster Drop Rate*. Loot drop chance ×500%; guaranteed drop count ×500%.
"…No gold entries, but this drop-rate skill is insane!"
Yun Shen hesitated for a heartbeat, then grinned. "In the early stages, who could ever refuse quintuple loot drops?"
He selected *Monster Drop Rate*.
Jiang Lan's cool, intellectual demeanor flickered with surprise. Her eyes softened slightly as she registered his words: *a gift of welcome.*
**Your hero Jiang Lan has gained the skill: Monster Drop Rate (Epic).**
She, too, received the notification. Testing it, she marveled at its effects.
"Thank you… my lord."
The skill itself meant little to her, but the power behind it—the fact her lord could **bestow such traits**—stirred a rare spark of curiosity.
**Your hero Jiang Lan is intrigued by your mysteries. Affection +5. Current Affection: 85.**
Yun Shen exhaled in relief. At least she was approachable, not a prickly type. Winning her loyalty might be easier than he'd feared.
Because in truth, heroes and troops would never strike their lord. Yet if affection dropped below 30, betrayal became a risk.
Textbook cases abounded: a certain lascivious lord once tried to throw a grand feast to impress his people—only for every male resident's affection to plummet. Why? Because every "female" in his domain was, in fact, a lizardman. The women defected en masse.
Another destitute lord, starving and desperate, forced his people to eat the flesh of their own kind and drink irradiated waste water. Half fled instantly, the rest were poisoned beyond saving.
By contrast, max affection meant loyalty unshakable. *Do as you will; they will never leave.*
Still…
Jiang Lan's brow creased. Something about her lord unsettled her, though she couldn't name it.
**Your hero Jiang Lan harbors doubts. She wonders if this is a worthy home. Affection -1. Current Affection: 84.**
Yun Shen's heart lurched. He quickly banished the stray thoughts that had surfaced. No—now was the time to build, not daydream.
He cleared his throat. "Ahem. Jiang Lan, do you… know how to chop wood?"
Her lips quirked. "Chop wood? Yes, my lord. Do you require it?"
"Yes. The novice protection period only lasts twenty-four hours. I need a wooden palisade up before nightfall, or I won't sleep well."
He pulled out a blueprint for wooden fences.
For wealthy heirs, prefab fence models could be summoned directly, consuming only Source Crystals.
For him, who only had schematics, it meant both Source Crystals **and** raw materials.
A new lord could bring a maximum of 10,000 Source Crystals. Yun Shen had only 100.
"Very well, my lord. Do you have specific requirements for the thickness or length of the timber?"
"…No need to be exact. The blueprint just lists units of wood. Don't go overboard."
"Understood. I'll begin by clearing the trees inside our territory."
She turned briskly, moving with efficient grace.
"Wait, let me help—"
Yun Shen reached into his pack, retrieving a crude axe. He thought perhaps joining her would boost affection further.
But then Jiang Lan simply lifted her slender hand.
Silver-gray liquid metal flowed from her skin, surging into the form of a colossal greatsword—forty meters long.
With a single sweep—*whoosh!*—
A cold gleam flashed, and the trees surrounding her began to topple in waves.
One after another, trunks crashed to the ground, their impact shaking the earth beneath Yun Shen's feet.
Jiang Lan turned back, face calm. "My lord, what were you saying?"
"…Nothing. You did wonderfully."
Yun Shen quietly lowered the axe back into his pack.
A lord, after all, shouldn't trouble himself with such… trivial chores.