Battle Royale of the Sinners

July 15th, 194 AD.

Zhangye County, west of Wuwei County

Danxia Landform, a series of rainbow hills and mountains, was a part of Zhangye County. The scenery of this province was one of the heritages that the world recognized as a natural wonder. Aside from merchants who traveled through here to the west land, this place was a tourist spot that many scholars came here to broaden their horizon.   

On the Silkroad, a group of wagons, carrying 2,000 men and their supplies, journeyed through the colorful valley of Danxia Landform.

Pu Jing, Chen Gong, Zhang Miao, and their entourage continued traveling west, passing through the northwest territory of Liu Bei undetected. Because of their former wealth, they managed to amass their food supply and trade with the local merchants for profit.

Now, they had more wares, pottery, gold, and resources to trade with the westerners. Chen Gong was positive that once they reached the Kushan Empire, they would be able to hire more mercenaries and formed a new noble house in the foreign land. Then, they could start over by taking over weak countries in the west.

However, Pu Jing opposed the idea as he had another plan.

"My lord, what is this Roman Empire that you're talking about?"

Chen Gong still did not understand Pu Jing's goal.

"It's an empire that is currently a powerhouse, stronger than Kushan or Parthian at the moment, but they are currently in declination. We'll fish in troubled waters, but the risk will be worth it. If we play our card right, the entire European countries will fall to our hands."

"Yu-lo-pian? What's that?"

"Kuku, it's a region. Let's say it's a name of western barbarian land."

"Oh!"

Pu Jing's vision was not limited to just a single country. He aimed for world domination as he was not satisfied risking his life for a small territory of China.

The odds were against him in the previous political war between him, Cao Cao, and Tong. Since he could not win, Pu Jing did not want to waste his time struggling for a small piece of meat against elite players.

China possessed too many otherworlders and historical figures that regained their memories.

However, Pu Jing believed he held more chances in the west since there was not any strong competitor like Li Feihong, Tong, or Te Langpu. Without otherworlders, he could use his modern knowledge at his best advantage.

Pu Jing had many backup plans in his sleeves. He could enter Rome as a merchant convoy, mercenary band, or slave traders. Although it was impossible for an Asian to rise in Roman's central government, he could always force his way in their court by expanding his wealth and military power. Then, the desired political influence would follow naturally.

Or better, he could use his system skills to abuse the locals.

Gods and religions in this period were still vague as they came from different sources. A random madman could establish his religion easily if he had a bit of magic trick knowledge and skills.

Pu Jing, who could use system skills to either summon ice or bears, would be idolized as a prophet in an instant!

As Pu Jing and his caravan crossed Zhangye County, a system notification arrived.

<<Warning, you are leaving the battle royale area>>

<<Return to China Region immediately>>

Pu Jing scoffed, 'What if I don't plan to return?'

<<Failure to return, all system skills will be deleted, and your clan will be disbanded>>

Reading the penalty warning, Pu Jing frowned. He operated his system menu and texted a message to Lilim.

"Is there a way for me to leave China without getting my skills deleted?"

<<Ding>>

Lilim responded to his inquiry.

[I want a tribute of a hundred million lifespan. Then, I'll pull you off from this battle royale game.]

Pu Jing had the urge to scold Lilim that it was impossible. However, his negotiation experience and the past discipline stopped the former premier's action.

Negotiation was a form of agreement. If Pu Jing wanted to bargain with Lilim, the former had to give latter that the idea came from herself, and she profited from it. On the other hand, Pu Jing had to exploit this psychological thinking and get the best advantage out of it.

"I'll send tributes to you, but I can't at the moment. Do you think you can make an arrangement or adjust a few terms? I don't mind if my clan is disbanded in the process, but I want to keep my skills. I even paid my precious lifespans to buy them from you, remember?"

[… Right. Well, if you only want to keep your skills, I can reduce the total payment a bit. How about 80 million?]

"Can't it be lowered? 40 Million."

[Nope. 80, no less, or no deal.]

The terms were still not fair to Pu Jing, but he knew that he could always scam Lilim.

"Can I pay by installment?"

[Installment? Sure. I'll charge you with interests, though.]

"I don't mind. At the moment, I'm a 4-wing angel, and I can only cultivate 800,000 YLS (Years of Lifespans) a year max. Or, I can do 400,000 if I only cultivate during my sleeping time. I'll pay you 200,000 YLS a year. How's that sound?"

[That will take you at least 400 years to pay me all of that, and I haven't added the interest rate yet.]

"What's your price tag, then?"

[10% interest rate a year!]

"Don't be silly. Can you lower the total amount of lifespan fee and exempt the interest rate for the first 200 years? If you charge me a 10% rate a year, I'll have to pay you 8 million YLS of interest. That's a bit unfair to your customer, no?"

[… You're right. But 200 years are too long. I don't think I can give you too much time for that.]

"Try to put yourself in my shoes. 200 Years are 40 million YLS. Then, I still have another 40 million to pay off the debt, and the interest rate is still the expensive 4 million a year. Even if it's my term, I'm still in trouble, no?"

.

Meanwhile, on Mt. Tai, Lilim was sitting in her floating island, staring at a semi-transparent monitor before her, using a system calculator to check if this deal was profitable to her or not.

"200 Years … Then, he will pay me 40 million years, and he will have 40 million LS in debt … The interest will be 4 million a year … yikes!"

Lilim attempted to put herself in Pu Jing's shoes. By calculating what he had to pay and compared with his increasing outstanding debt, she had an idea.

"Can I make him my forever debt slave?"

She laughed as she pulled data from modern banks, researching a debt structure from the 21st-century world.

.

Back to Pu Jing

[Hahaha! You're right. Well, you're quite smart, aren't you? I'm surprised that you know a lot about this even though your previous government isn't into capitalism. I don't mind giving you two hundred years interest rate free!]

"Then, what about the total debt? Can you reduce it a bit? I only ask for two nonsensical skills and your permission to leave the country. I don't mind if I'm still in the game, you know."

Pu Jing began bargaining. This was a crucial point if he could fool Lilim with his scam trick.

[I won't reduce it, but I'll give you special interest rates.]

"How special?"

[First 200 years, interest-free. 1% Rate in the year 201 to 300, 5% rate for the year 301 to 400, and 10% rate afterward. The interest rate is so cheap that even loaners in your world are going to drool over this term, you know?]

It was a progressive interest rate from a loan shark in the 21st-century, which was a capitalism trap. If the debtee could not decrease their outstanding debt on time before the interest rate rose, they would be forever a debt slave, which would have to work for the rest of their lives paying off their interests.

However, Lilim overcharged the interest rate beyond the 400 years as she wanted to trap him.

In reality, Pu Jing could not possibly pay off for the debt at the moment. The 1% interest rate a year would still be 400,000 lifespan, which was higher than Pu Jing had agreed to pay annually.

"That's fine with me, but can I add a few terms?" Pu Jing pretended to fall for her plan.

[What terms?]

"Well, the minimum payment is 200,000 lifespan, correct?"

[Correct.]

"Then, hypothetically in the future, I cultivate a lot and get 800,000 lifespans that year, and I want to pay more than usual, say, 500,000 instead of 200,000. The additional amount I pay will reduce the outstanding debt I have, and it won't be calculated in your interest rate in that year."

[I get the picture. It's a modern loan payment system, right?]

"Yes, very similar to that."

[I see no trouble with that.]

"Also, I would like to add that if I pay off the debt within the first 200 years, I hope to get a reward from you."

[Extorting a reward from me?]

"Correct. I want to cultivate demonic arts, just like how Zhang Tong is cultivating."

[That's impossi-wait.]

Lilim almost said that it would be impossible, but she had another idea.

[I have another idea. Since this is a big tribute coming from you, I can give you a reward if you succeed in paying off the debt. I can make you cultivate both angel and demon wings, but you will have to complete the deal first to prove yourself.]

Pu Jing snickered. Everything went according to his plan.

"Alright. You promised."

.

Lilim cackled in a high pitch voice as she also conned Pu Jing.

It was impossible to cultivate both angel and demon wings without a unique constitution or bloodline. However, she learned a few tricks after she had experimented with Liu Yang's daughter, Hua Shi, and Sun Quan.

The resolution to this problem was simple.

All Lilim had to do was to reincarnate Pu Jing as one of their sons or daughters!

"HAHAHAHA! I know what you're trying to do, Pu Jing. Once you reestablished a new clan and recruited a bunch of immortals, you can just pay off the debt in the first 200 years by having them donating lifespan for you! I saw what Zhang Tong has done to his clan, fool!"

She did not care if Pu Jing might extort an additional cultivation technique by bribing her with lifespan. As long as this dimension grew stronger, she did not mind giving leeway to these sinners.

Moreover, she encouraged them to do it. Until the last otherworlder remained, she wanted them to abuse everything for the sake of their goals.

.

.

Getting the approval from Lilim, Pu Jing crossed the sinner game's boundary and exited the combat zone.

<<Ding>>

<<You have left the combat zone>>

<<Your clan has been disbanded>>

<<Warning, your location will be exposed to all otherworlders every month>>

<<Warning, you have to tribute at least 200,000 lifespans every year>>

<<Warning, you have a debt of 80,000,000 lifespans. Failure to tribute Lilim will result in death>>

<<You are exempt from loan interest for this year>>

Pu Jing heaved a sigh of relief that he exited the civil war. For now, he was safe from Tong, Lu Bu, and other immortals.

"Let's go. I want to conquer Europe within 20 years."

Everyone followed after Pu Jing to the west.