Chapter 123: Can Equipment Be Brought In?

Late at night, around 11 PM.

A commercial flight from Shanghai slowly landed at the Capital Airport.

Ren Ye and his two companions had no luggage, so they quickly reached the arrivals area, where they met their “long-lost” Boss Yan.

“Boss Yan, where’s Brother Huang?” Ren Ye didn’t see his mentor and asked curiously.

“The headquarters is in full motion now, and he has been assigned another task.” At this moment, Yan Duoduo appeared less composed than usual, showing a hint of impatience. He turned to Xu Peng and asked, “You’ve already taken on the mission for Qingliang Prefecture, correct?”

“Yes.” Xu Peng nodded.

“Report to headquarters immediately. Right now. I’ll arrange a car just for you.” Yan Duoduo looked at him and continued, “The regional leaders, as well as all Vigil Keepers taking on the Qingliang Prefecture mission, will be gathering at headquarters shortly. If I remember correctly, you should be close to max level in the first-tier, right?”

“Reporting to Boss Yan, I reached max level in the first-tier five months ago. If not for my stage mission being extremely demanding—requiring continuous experimentation with venomous insects and medicinal herbs, along with successfully developing a cure for a major illness—I would have advanced to the second-tier long ago.” Xu Peng answered with a serious expression.

“Understood.” Yan Duoduo nodded slowly. “Head to headquarters. There should be more important responsibilities waiting for you. Remember to communicate with the regional leaders and other mission participants to familiarize yourself quickly.”

“Yes!”

After finishing their discussion, Xu Peng left alone in an off-road vehicle, while Ren Ye and Tang Feng rode with Yan Duoduo, quickly departing the airport.

Inside the car, Ren Ye turned to Yan Duoduo and asked, “Where are my dad and my sister?”

“They went out sightseeing during the day, had a great time, and got pretty tired. They’re probably resting now.” Yan Duoduo’s expression grew serious as he looked at him. “I need to ask you a few questions. Once we’re done, you can go see them.”

“Alright.” Ren Ye nodded. “Ask away.”

“Here’s the situation: Headquarters’ understanding of the Star Gate in Qingliang Prefecture is currently limited to the report you previously submitted.” Yan Duoduo reached out and activated a small tablet. “I’m connecting to headquarters now for real-time recording. Give a brief summary of the Second Act, focusing on key mechanics. We need to analyze them.”

Ren Ye was very familiar with giving concise reports. He had already mastered this skill from attending case briefings back when he worked in law enforcement.

In about fifteen minutes, he outlined the five days he spent inside the Star Gate.

After he finished, Yan Duoduo turned off the tablet and asked, “Based on your experience, in the final battle, when recruited players from both enemy and allied sides collectively enter the Star Gate, do they, like you, assume specific roles and gain unique supernatural abilities and equipment?”

Ren Ye understood his point, thought carefully, then shook his head. “I don’t think so. They likely enter as outsiders. The most the Star Gate would grant them is a name, a set of clothing, and a simple background identity.”

“Alright. Then, can recruited players on both sides bring their own supernatural equipment inside?” Yan Duoduo asked again.

This was a sharp question, one that required his own judgment…

Ren Ye didn’t want to mislead Yan Duoduo, so he carefully recalled his experience before responding seriously, “I believe they can bring in supernatural equipment.”

“What led you to that conclusion?” Yan Duoduo asked with curiosity.

Ren Ye sat up straight and recalled in detail, “On the eighth level of the princess’s tomb, we saw a group of corpses—the tomb raiders I just mentioned. There were 216 of them in total, all recruited into the Star Gate and given corresponding missions. Among the corpses, we found a modern-day diary belonging to one of the players. According to their records… these recruits did not assume any roles within the Star Gate. They were essentially mercenaries, temporarily hired by that bastard emperor. Their inherited class¹ abilities and supernatural equipment were all fully functional.

“If we follow this logic, then this recruitment should work the same way. At most, the Great Qian Dynasty might provide them with some collective offensive equipment—such as warhorses and siege weapons.”

“I see.” Yan Duoduo nodded.

Beside them, the handsome Tang Feng added, “But I estimate that the original nine Qingliang Prefecture Star Gate players—including the four from Prince Huai’s faction, the four from the imperial faction, and the missing princess—should still be bound to their role-playing mechanics. They likely won’t be able to use their inherited class abilities or their supernatural equipment and can only rely on their exclusive in-game gear.”

“If that’s the case, then this opens up new possibilities,” Yan Duoduo replied. “The strategists in Headquarters’ Military Division have been analyzing this, and their conclusion aligns closely with yours.”

“What do you mean? What new possibilities?” Ren Ye asked.

“Let me ask you—how much does something like Spring Breeze Delight enhance a player’s combat strength?” Yan Duoduo asked.

Ren Ye was momentarily stunned.

“Players are important, but equipment is just as crucial. If players can bring their own equipment, it will significantly boost our combat power.” Yan Duoduo looked at them and spoke firmly, “That’s why we’re now engaging in an arms race.”

“Damn, Headquarters is really full of geniuses! They even found a loophole like this?” Ren Ye was overjoyed. “Just get me a divine-tier artifact, and I’ll be cutting through enemies like butter!”

“You wish! The gods don’t even manifest in this world, where do you expect to find a divine artifact?” Tang Feng looked at “Prince Huai” like he was an idiot. “And can’t you apply basic logic? What’s the hard limit on Star Gate recruitment? Only first-tier players can accept this mission! Use your damn brain—any equipment that breaks the balance and exceeds the first-tier Star Gate’s power limit is definitely either banned or suppressed by the Heavenly Dao. Otherwise, why would they only recruit first-tier players?”

As he spoke, he exuded an inexplicable sense of intellectual superiority.

“It’s not my fault I’ve entered Star Gates fewer times than you! It just means I lack some experience, right? Why are you acting all smug again, you eggless bastard?” Ren Ye rolled his eyes. “I swear, should I tell Boss Yan about you in the garden—”

“Bro, please don’t, alright?” Tang Feng gracefully covered his mouth.

Yan Duoduo, however, was patient with Ren Ye. After thinking for a moment, he explained in the most straightforward way possible, “Star Gates are designed for absolute fairness. Let me give you an analogy. A first-tier Star Gate is meant for first-tier players. If a player or an item has power exceeding the first-tier Star Gate’s limit, it will be suppressed by the Heavenly Dao. This is an unbreakable rule… Of course, fairness doesn’t exist in the real world.”

Ren Ye nodded in understanding. “For example, the Human Emperor Sword, the Human Emperor Seal, and that extraterrestrial entity from the ninth level of the princess’s tomb—no matter how high their rank or stage is, as long as they’re within Qingliang Prefecture’s Star Gate, their combat power will never exceed the first-tier Star Gate’s limit, right?”

“Correct.”

“Then why were those tomb raiders able to use supernatural abilities that exceeded the first-tier Star Gate’s limit within the Princess Anping’s tomb, despite their high stage?” Ren Ye followed up.

Yan Duoduo fell into deep thought and speculated, “Perhaps, during that era, Qingliang Prefecture’s Star Gate had a much higher standing. Or maybe the princess’s tomb itself is an independent, high-tier mini Star Gate that was downgraded just for you.”

Ren Ye contemplated the idea.

“Alright,” Yan Duoduo snapped back to reality and turned to Ren Ye. “We’re stopping up ahead. I’ll have someone take you back to the Annual Rings Hotel so you can see your sister and father.”

“Boss Yan, where are you going?”

“I’m going to engage in the arms race.” Yan Duoduo replied softly. “I need to contact the Fraudulent Merchants Association and purchase some equipment that aligns with ancient Star Gate rules—gear that doesn’t feel out of place, doesn’t exceed first-tier combat limits, and is suited for defense.”

“Fraudulent Merchants Association again?” Ren Ye was a bit taken aback. “Are they really that powerful? We’re an official organization, and yet we still have to buy ‘military supplies’ from them?!”

Yan Duoduo smiled mysteriously. “Never underestimate the Fraudulent Merchants Association. This organization is ancient and enigmatic. The original Fraudulent Merchants Association didn’t emerge in the real world—it rose within the Star Gate.”

“What do you mean by ‘rose within the Star Gate’?” Ren Ye was intrigued but unsure.

“You’ll understand in time.” Yan Duoduo folded his arms and looked at him. “In some aspects of resource management, we are actually weaker than the Fraudulent Merchants Association. For example, they can befriend Chaos Faction forces, do business with them, and exchange resources, while we can’t. The Freedom Faction operates between order and chaos, connecting both sides, and their resource flow is enormous… Plus, even though these merchants are all about business, they do keep their word. That’s why we collaborate with them in many situations.”

“Oh, I see.” Ren Ye nodded slowly, then suddenly remembered something. “That shadow who secretly helped me last time—does she have a high rank in the Fraudulent Merchants Association? Did you guys figure out why she’s so fond of me? Is it because of my looks…?”

“She’s the head of the Shanghai branch. From what I’ve heard, she’s apparently the current association president’s apprentice—a very high status,” Yan Duoduo replied, cutting him off before he could brag. “She’s also one of the top talents the Fraudulent Merchants Association is grooming. As for why she helped you, I can’t figure it out. Does she have a thing for rehabilitating criminals?”

Ren Ye pondered for a moment. “Then I won’t head back to the hotel to see my dad and sister just yet. Let me go with you to the Fraudulent Merchants Association. I want to broaden my horizons.”

“Fine, we’re heading to the outskirts of the city,” Yan Duoduo said, casually crossing his legs. He reached into his pocket, pulled out a handkerchief, and wiped away invisible dust from his suit. “The Fraudulent Merchants Association headquarters is called Pawnshop No. 10. You’ll see it soon.”

“Pawnshop No. 10? Now that’s interesting.” Ren Ye chuckled.

…

High-tier Star Gate—Great Qian Dynasty Territory, Changling Prefecture.

As soon as Emperor Jing’s secret edict arrived, the prefect of Changling Prefecture quietly gathered troops and prepared provisions.

Shortly after, an official recruitment notice for porters to transport supplies was posted on the city gate outside Changling Prefecture.

The wages promised on the notice were decent, attracting many nearby farmers to come and take a look.

In this sparsely populated frontier region, every time the imperial court waged war, they recruited large numbers of farmers to help build fortifications and transport supplies. To the locals, this was nothing unusual.

Several square tables were set up beneath the notice, where a group of officials sat drinking tea while selecting strong and capable farmers.

Not far away, a long-haired, emaciated, one-armed man stood on the main road, his gaze shifting between confusion and focus as he observed the scene before him.

It seemed like he had been here before. And yet, it also felt like he had forgotten everything about this place.

Dressed in tattered clothing, reeking of sourness and decay, he looked like a beggar on the brink of starvation.

The man stepped forward to stand by the notice. After a long moment of hesitation, he finally spoke with clumsy pronunciation: “…The court… is recruiting porters… where to? And why?”

A soldier glanced at him with a frown. “No beggars allowed. Get lost!”

Nearby, a kind-hearted older woman looked at the long-haired, one-armed man and softly advised, “Young man, don’t sign up. The court is going to war. They’re marching on Qingliang Prefecture to suppress Prince Huai. You’re too weak—you’ll die on the road…!”

“…I… I’m not a beggar.” The one-armed man stood in a daze for a long while before turning back to the soldier. “I have strength. I can work.”

“You deaf, you one-armed beggar?!” The soldier scowled and pointed at a large stone on the ground. “You think you can eat the court’s rations? If you’re strong, then let’s see you lift that!”

The one-armed man looked at the massive stone. “…If I can lift it, can I join?”