161: Chapter 161: Task Allocation and the Peak Alliance

The morning sunlight didn't bring the slightest hint of warmth; instead, it made the massive light screen hanging in mid-air at the War Debt Liquidation Bureau look exceptionally glaring.

The light screen spanned across the sky above the Main Peak Square, looking like a massive, translucent bidding board, or a death warrant waiting to be filled. A dense list of tasks scrolled slowly across it, each followed by three lines of heart-pounding data: [Profit Value], [Estimated War Loss], and [Karma Conversion].

Shen Xingzhou stood at the back of the crowd, slightly tilting his head back.

In the eyes of ordinary Cultivators, it was just a glowing task list. But in his vision, the V2.0 System had already reconstructed the list, converting it into a detailed Excel-style spreadsheet where every cell flashed with red or green light.

[System Analysis: War Debt Bureau Task List V1.0]

Task Filtering Mode: Visible to the entire Sect

Task Examples:

Grade A: Black Swamp Yao Beast Decapitation

Profit: S (High Spirit Stones + Karma Medallion)

Estimated War Loss: B (Requires elite squad)

Recommendation Level: Extremely High (High risk, high reward)

Grade B: Northern Border Defense Line Maintenance

Profit: B (Fixed Spirit Stones + small amount of Karma)

Estimated War Loss: A (Harsh environment, high casualty rate)

Recommendation Level: Low (Dirty work)

Grade C: Logistics Coordination and Refugee Resettlement

Profit: C (Pure negative profit, requires out-of-pocket investment)

Estimated War Loss: C (Low combat risk)

Recommendation Level: Negative

In the System's sidebar, a line of small text scrolled silently, accurately predicting the chaos about to unfold:

[System Prediction: Sect Behavior Patterns]

Preference of most Peak Masters: Tasks with high profit, prominent War Merit, and seemingly controllable war loss.

Potential blind spot: Tasks with low profit but "long-term Karma bonuses" are usually regarded as trash.

Sure enough, as soon as the tension in the hall eased slightly, the originally solemn atmosphere was instantly shattered.

"That 'Black Swamp Yao Beast Decapitation'—my Tiangong Peak will take it!"

Before Sect Leader Ning Chenzhou could even speak, an Elder from Tiangong Peak jumped out first, pointing at the shining Grade S task on the light screen with eyes full of greed. "Our Formations are well-prepared; this is the perfect chance for a trial!"

"Wait!" A female Cultivator from Luoxia Peak followed closely behind, her voice sharp. "That 'Ancient Tomb Secret Realm Exploration' also has an S profit rating. I'll take it! Our Luoxia Peak is proficient in Puppetry, making us the most suitable for scouting!"

In an instant, the hall became as noisy as a wet market.

Tasks labeled with "High Profit," "High War Merit," or "Slaying Demons" became choice cuts of meat in the eyes of the various Peak Elders. They scrambled to wave their tokens, fearing they would be a second too late and someone else would snatch them away.

As for the risks behind those tasks? Who cared? As long as they could drive up profits this month, who cared if the lives of Disciples were used to fill the Black Swamp?

Amidst this frenzied grabbing, several tasks remained completely unwanted, hanging lonely in the corner of the large light screen with dull colors, looking exceptionally desolate.

"Northern Border Plague Control..."

"Border Refugee Resettlement..."

"Abandoned Spiritual Vein Sealing..."

These tasks either had extremely low profits or even required investment, or the environments were so harsh they couldn't be counted toward War Merit.

"That plague control... who will take it?" Sect Leader Ning Chenzhou asked, his brow furrowed.

The hall fell silent instantly.

The Elders who had been arguing until they were red in the face just moments ago now lowered their heads and played dumb, or put on hypocritical expressions of "our peak lacks the strength."

Plague? That was contagious! If things went wrong, the entire peak could die out. What War Merit would be left to talk about then?

Refugee resettlement? That was just a group of burdens with open mouths; not only was there no profit, but they'd also lose grain over it!

On Shen Xingzhou's System interface, next to these gray tasks, the System coldly applied a uniform label:

[Unwanted]

Note: The true Karma profit is hidden deep within. These tasks are the 'dirty work' that maintains the foundation of the Sect's Luck, but in the face of short-term interests, no one is willing to touch them.

Just as Ning Chenzhou's expression grew increasingly grim and he was prepared to forcibly assign them, a calm voice rang out from a corner.

"The Northern Border Defense Line project, the plague control, and the refugee resettlement."

Shen Xingzhou stepped out from the shadows, his tone neither hurried nor slow.

"Our Hengchuan Peak will take them."

The hall fell silent for a brief moment, followed by a burst of uncontrollable sneering.

"Ha! Hengchuan Peak?" The Tiangong Peak Elder covered his mouth with a look of schadenfreude. "Deacon Shen, have you gone mad from bankruptcy? That's the Northern Border! That's a plague! Aren't those scavenging Servants of yours just going there to die?"

"Exactly," another Elder chimed in. "This is true 'dirty work'—no War Merit, no Spirit Stones, only a mess. Are you trying to self-destruct?"

Shen Xingzhou ignored the mockery. He simply raised his head, his gaze passing over the crowd to look directly at Sect Leader Ning Chenzhou.

Ning Chenzhou looked at him deeply with a complex expression, eventually nodding. "In that case, let it be recorded under Hengchuan Peak's name."

The moment Ning Chenzhou nodded, an extremely complex evaluation box popped up on the System interface before Shen Xingzhou's eyes.

[Risk Assessment: Northern Border Defense Line + Refugee Resettlement]

Short-term Profit: Medium (even negative; requires significant resource investment initially).

Public War Merit: Extremely Low (few enemies killed; people might not even know what you did).

Hidden Karma and Karma-based Profit: High (saving one life is better than killing ten demons; guarding the border is guarding the Sect's Luck).

War Debt Mitigation Effect: Significant (the Heavenly Dao values 'persistence' over 'slaughter').

Recalculating Sect's overall risk...

[System Hint]

War Debt Explosion Risk: 72% —> 71.5%

(Slight decrease, but the trend is stabilizing)

Looking at that number which had only dropped by 0.5%, Shen Xingzhou knew very well that it wasn't enough. Relying solely on Hengchuan Peak's limited manpower to guard hundreds of miles of border and tens of thousands of refugees was like trying to put out a fire with a cup of water.

He needed cannon fodder—no, he needed "allies."

His gaze slowly swept across the edges of the hall.

Sitting there were several Peak Masters of small peaks who had been keeping their heads down, not daring to snatch tasks. There were Luoxia Peak, Danxia Peak (those who failed to grab good tasks), and several other subordinate peaks that were already unable to make ends meet.

They were currently staring at the few remaining "good tasks" on the light screen with pale faces and looks of despair.

"We're finished..." a female Peak Master from Luoxia Peak murmured, her voice carrying a hint of a sob. "We couldn't get any demon-slaying tasks, and we can't afford the logistics ones. Before this month is even over, we'll be at the bottom."

"Yeah... being at the bottom means being liquidated."

The Danxia Peak Master beside her also looked defeated. "Instead of being liquidated, it's better to just..."

"It's better to just follow me."

A voice suddenly cut in.

The group looked up sharply to find Shen Xingzhou standing before them at some point.

"You can't snatch high-profit tasks, and you don't dare touch the dirty work in the Northern Border," Shen Xingzhou said directly, without wasting words. "But if you don't take any tasks, you will surely die this month."

The group looked at each other, unable to argue.

With a flick of Shen Xingzhou's finger, a light screen contract popped up directly in front of them.

"I've already taken the Northern Border projects. But I don't have enough manpower." Shen Xingzhou pointed to the terms on the contract. "So, I need to borrow your troops."

"Borrow troops?" The Luoxia Peak Master was stunned. "That's working for you..."

"Correct, nominally you'll be working for me, included under Hengchuan Peak's coordination," Shen Xingzhou interrupted her. "However—"

He held up two fingers.

"First, I will take the lion's share of all profits, whether Spirit Stones or Karma, but what's left will be enough to keep you from being labeled as 'bottom.'"

"Second, after the tasks are completed, your Disciples will still be under your management. I am only borrowing command rights, not ownership."

"What's the difference?" the Danxia Peak Master asked, still hesitating.

Shen Xingzhou stared into his eyes, the corner of his mouth curling into a very faint arc.

"The difference is that when the accounts are settled, my System calculates for you first, and then for the Sect."

"As long as you don't cause trouble within my command System, I can guarantee your rankings. In this crazy month, 'staying alive' is the biggest profit."

Though Shen Xingzhou's voice wasn't loud, it was like a life-saving straw clutched tightly by those who were drowning.

The System interface was running frantically, with lines of data streams rapidly constructing a brand-new model.

[Poor Peak Alliance Model: Simulating]

Participants: Hengchuan Peak (Core), Luoxia Peak, Danxia Peak, and 3 other small peaks.

Alliance Nature: Community of Interests / Militarized Management.

Feasibility Analysis:

The various peaks are on the brink of despair, with a strong willingness to band together.

Shen Xingzhou holds the only 'survival plan' (the Northern Border project).

System Deduction Results:

Alliance Success Probability: 63% (and the probability will rise over time).

Estimated reduction in overall explosion risk: 3% - 5%.balance

Conclusion: This is currently the only way to bind all the weak together for survival.

The Luoxia Peak Master looked at that contract, her hands trembling slightly. She knew that once she signed this, her power as a Peak Master would be hollowed out, because all dispatch authority would belong to Shen Xingzhou.

But if she didn't sign?

What awaited her was Lord Bai Heng's Incinerator.

"Then... whose people will we be in the future?" She looked up, her eyes containing a final trace of reluctance and probing. "If one day Hengchuan Peak falls, will we be burial sacrifices?"

The hall was very quiet, and even the other Elders who had snatched good tasks couldn't help but prick up their ears.

Shen Xingzhou looked at her, silent for a second.

"As long as I am here, the accounts will be settled clearly."

Shen Xingzhou said calmly, "In this world, whoever settles the accounts clearly for you is the person you belong to."

"As for burial sacrifices..." Shen Xingzhou pointed to the light screen overhead. "If we don't form an Alliance, we are burial sacrifices right now. If we do, we might live to see next month."

These words were like a hammer, shattering the last bit of their pitiful pride.

At this moment, the System quickly captured this sentence, archived it in the background, and applied a golden label:

[Key Record: Potential Loyalty Binding Statement]

"Whoever settles the accounts clearly for you is the person you belong to."

Note: In times of chaos and liquidation crises, this is a bond more solid than a blood oath.

The Luoxia Peak Master bit her lip, closed her eyes tightly, and pressed her finger heavily onto the light screen contract.

"Fine! I'll trust you this once!"

"I trust you too!"

Seeing this, the Danxia Peak Master also gritted his teeth and followed suit.

Immediately after, the Peak Masters of two more small peaks stood up.

Shen Xingzhou looked at the glowing dots representing "Joining" that lit up one by one, feeling a slight sense of relief in his heart. Although this Alliance was loose, fragile, and full of uncertainty, at least in this fatal game of chess, he had gained a few more pieces that could be sacrificed... no, a few more pieces that could be placed on the board.

At the very bottom of the System's main screen, the originally dark area began to flicker with a faint light as names were filled in one by one.

[System Hint: New Module Preview]

[Poor Peak Alliance: To be established]

Current Status:

Core Member: Hengchuan Peak

Observing Members: 3 Peaks

Interested Members: 2 Peaks

Activate Alliance Contract Template?

[Yes] / [No]