Origin Paradise!

"Of this 70%, the powerful clans and the military each take 20%, the top-ranking families take 15%, the middle-ranking families take 10%, and the lower-ranking families and commoner families share 0.5%."

"On the surface, the empire may seem rather shabby, but beneath the surface, there are undercurrents. Over the past millennium, the tax system has been utterly ruined. Fortunately, the current prime minister has implemented a military merit tax exemption law, which prevents the empire from losing the hearts of its soldiers."

"As for the future, who knows?"

Yu Jianyue, slightly drunk, explained that the empire was like a hierarchical pyramid, and the war with the dark races was the channel for upward and downward mobility. The best option for commoners to rise above others was to enlist in the military. The mortality rate in various training camps was not low, and those who survived had a chance to become strong.

Jiang He focused his attention on the distribution of provinces. In the present world, the aristocratic families of ancient dynasties often took the lead in tax exemption. If it weren't for the factor of extraordinary strength, the tax-receiving families of the empire would be no different from independent little kings.

"Hmm, you want to land?" Yu Jianyue asked, glancing sideways.

“If I don’t want to stop, I can parachute,” Jiang He said.

"Haha, what nonsense." Yu Jianyue laughed. "Friendly reminder, don't be too high-profile lately. The reason we were able to leave the fortress so easily is because your life level is only Silver. In common sense, you can't pose any threat to Yan Liang. Once you become famous in this area, not only the Yan family, but the entire empire will be interested in you."

"And you really can't withstand scrutiny."

The transport ship gradually descended.

Jiang He saw the edge of the province, densely packed with void ships, and numerous military camps.

The fleet includes over a hundred ships, including Perfect-class small ships, Supreme-class conventional ships, Undying-class capital ships, and an Epic-class flagship.

"Oh, the Yu family's Blue Fish." Yu Jianyue was slightly surprised. Even with the foundation of the Yu family, a superior family, they only had two epic flagships. One of them was severely damaged during the winter offensive and had to return to port for repairs.

He Xiaoqi's gaze turned solemn as he said, "I smell war."

“It should be… a spring offensive.” Yu Jianyue said uncertainly, “Grandpa has really gone mad.”

Jiang He withdrew his gaze. Before the troops move, the supplies must be prepared. Preparations for war take at least a month. The empire will naturally be faster, but it won't start fighting tomorrow.

The transport ship approached the ground and landed in Qingyu City, the core city of Cangwu Province.

Because it is located on the border of the empire, Qingyu City appears to have a distinct military defense function. Nominally, it is the fiefdom of the Duke of Yu, but in reality, as the core of the province, it is also home to dozens of other noble families. In the power struggle, being far from the core is tantamount to giving up power, so gathering together is an inevitable result.

The city of Qingyu is surrounded by mountains and rivers, boasting vast fertile plains, abundant resources, and a dense population.

The transport ship landed at the port, and the three disembarked. Yu Jianyue dealt with the port staff who came to "report for duty," while Jiang He looked around and found that Qingyu City was in a mixed state of ancient and modern times. While Chaofan was increasing production, it was hindering the leap in social structure.

"An ancient city in modern times".

Not long after, Yu Jianyue walked over, twirling a bunch of keys around her finger, and said, "You two can choose from the entire port parking lot."

"One?" Jiang He asked.

Yu Jianyue rolled her eyes at the other party and said, "Fine, you can all drive away. Anyway, I'm already drowning in debt."

He Xiaoqi stood there, feeling a pang of sadness. The core members had been defeated and captured, and his personal guard had suffered heavy casualties. None of his blood relatives who had gone to the battlefield with him had returned.

"Uncle, if you hang out with me these days, you'll live the high life." Yu Jianyue greeted him with a smile. She didn't have command authority and couldn't do anything about the war. Given the other party's current state, they probably wouldn't be able to return to the He family for the time being.

However, as long as the other party follows him, with the influence of the Yu family, the He family can at least barely maintain the status quo.

He Xiaoqi replied with a bitter face, "Okay."

Jiang He walked around the port but couldn't find a model he liked. It seemed that combining the ruggedness of an armored vehicle, the sleekness of a supercar, and the practicality of a large truck was no easy task.

He simply materialized his own gray warhorse.

At the same time, a prompt sound rang.

[Note: Main quest ① Return to Cangwu Province has been completed]

[Hint: You have obtained one Undying-level Skill Scroll]

[Hint: You have gained 10000 game coins and experience points]

[Hint: Your player level has reached LV32 (656/3200)]

[Hint: You have gained 4 True Attribute Points and Skill Points]

Jiang He allocated his true attribute points to Strength, Constitution, and Spirit.

[Strength: 42+2→43+2]

[Agility: 44+2]

[Constitution: 42+2→43+2]

[Spirit: 42+2→44+2]

[Charm: 49+8→49+8]

Four skill points are awarded to Gun Master.

[Gun Master LV53: When using spear-type weapons, deals 262% additional damage, and 10% of total damage is converted into true damage]

[Hint: Your Gun Mastery has awakened the ultimate skill, Impermanence of All Things—increasing the energy application effect of Gun Techniques by 50%, and allowing for free shaping of Gun Technique energy.]

All 10000 game coins were invested in a straight kick.

[Note: Your Prestige Kick has been upgraded to LV37, dealing 47% additional damage]

[Game Coins: 100]

Jiang He stared at the game currency for a moment, realizing that he seemed to have never been rich for a long time.

"Instant wealth."

He tore the Immortal Scroll to shreds, strengthening the Radiant Heaven and Earth.

[Name: Radiant Heaven and Earth]

[Category: Active Skill]

[Quality: Unfading]

[Effect ①: Radiant Heaven - Attacks contain Judgment attribute, dealing 70% additional Holy damage. For each attribute of energy stacked, it deals an additional 30% damage (energy type must be at least at the skill's Prestige rank)]

[Effect ②: Radiant Earth - Attacks contain the Death attribute, dealing 70% additional Death damage. For each attribute of energy stacked, an additional 30% damage is dealt (energy type must be at least the skill's Prestige tier)]

[Effect 3: Radiant Heaven and Earth - 30% of total damage is converted into true damage]

[Note: Thunder and fire—record the feats of reclaiming the world]

Jiang He's fingertips flashed with white light. The base damage of the ultimate spell and the immortal spell was vastly different. If it was just harassment and obstruction for the gold elites before, now it hits completely and can directly injure them.

When the upgrade is complete, the main quest will appear.

[Hint: Main Quest ② has been released]

[Task objective: To gain control over a mid-tier aristocratic family (actual control level > 40%)

[Task Time Limit: 90 calendar days]

[Quest Rewards: 1 Undying-grade item / 10000 game coins and experience points]

[Task Penalty: None]

Just as Jiang He was sorting out the harvest and tasks, Yu Jianyue and He Xiaoqi had already boarded a military armored vehicle.

Yu Jianyue tossed over a fish-shaped jade pendant and shouted, "Use this to contact me if you need anything!"

Jiang He caught it, casually draped it around his waist, and watched the armored vehicle drive away, his mind focused on the main mission.

The leader of a mid-level aristocratic family is at the peak of the Gold rank, equivalent to an Imperial Major General and a Prefectural Governor. To seize 40% of the family's control from such a powerful figure, especially without any blood relation, is something that a normal Silver rank person could hardly accomplish.

[Mo Ke: Location]

[Lemon King: Imperial Mainland—Cangwu Province—Qingyu City—Yuguo Street—Siming Marquis's Mansion, just leave the takeout at the door]

[Mo Ke: ?]

Having secured the position of an ally, Jiang He rode into Qingyu City.

The central street is Fish Kingdom Street, and the palace complex at the end belongs to the Fish Kingdom Palace. The Duke of Fish Kingdom, as a hero-level being, is on par with the Duke of the Dark Race and acts as the ruler of a province.

The gray warhorse continued straight ahead and stopped in front of the Marquis of Siming's residence.

Si Ning was clearly still somewhat human, as she knew to come out and greet them.

Her lieutenant colonel uniform was jet black, with a fitted design. The jacket had a small lapel, double-breasted style, and gold decorative lines on the cuffs and collar. The trousers were straight-leg trousers, with smooth lines and a dignified and refined overall look.

Most likely for the sake of appearances, this guy was wearing a large winter coat, and his otherworldly face was unusually cold.

Jiang He casually glanced around for a while. Unlike Yu Jianyue's creed of giving up, Si Ning had an extreme passion for power and authority.

Compared to her, the maid beside her seemed more like a young lady from a noble family, dressed in a silk robe and adorned with gold and jade.

"Miss, who is this?" the maid reminded her inwardly. According to etiquette, men entering the room should present a visiting card in advance, unless they are very familiar with the young masters or the situation is urgent.

"The lover I keep."

maid:"……"

If you don't want to talk about it, then don't.

Si Ning dismissed the guards on either side and led the person directly into the mansion, the two walking side by side.

In the front garden of the mansion, the trees are lush and green, and a clear stream meanders through the depths of the flowers and trees. After a hundred paces, the garden is flat and wide, where one can see the surrounding quiet halls and thatched cottages, secluded Buddhist temples, long corridors and winding pavilions, square buildings and round pavilions.

Si Ning's sword-like eyes shifted slightly, a ripple concealing her voice. She whispered, "The Si Ming Marquis's Mansion has many rules, and the direct lineage is both distant and numerous. Only the Old Madam knows where the Yinghuo Sword is hidden."

"My task is to take control of the mid-grade aristocratic families, at least 40% of the way through," Jiang He said. "This is our collaboration."

Si Ning nodded with satisfaction and took out eleven soul fragments, one of which was pieced together from fragments within fragments. She wasn't rich in these things; she had obtained them through legitimate means of swindling and deception.

"Here's the deposit. The Yinghuo Sword is an epic-level clan treasure. I'll try to find out about another epic item, and we'll make a move together when the opportunity arises. Let's make this clear beforehand so we don't make a fool of ourselves over the spoils."

Jiang He nodded and accepted the soul fragment. The foundation of long-term cooperation must be mutual benefit. Although the other party was occasionally unreliable, as an ally, their awareness and quality were basically up to standard.

Eleven soul fragments were used on the spot.

[Gun Master LV64: When using spear-type weapons, deals 306% additional damage, and 10% of total damage is converted into true damage]

[Hint: You have awakened the ultimate Gun Master ability, "Observation and Listening to the Waves"—a ten-meter radius around the area is a no-go zone for gunplay; you are fully aware of all attacks and possess master-level precognitive abilities.]

The two arrived at Rong'en Hall in the center of the Marquis's mansion. As soon as they approached, they heard a great deal of noise coming from inside. Through the windows, they could see screens on all sides and hundreds of people gathered together.

The old lady with a full head of silver hair sat at the head of the table, behind her was a portrait of the deceased Marquis. Twenty or thirty years ago, the Si family was once very prosperous, and the couple were both at the peak of their careers, deeply in love.

Duke Yu even personally wrote a memorial on behalf of the Si family, and in the end, the emperor generously bestowed upon them the honorary titles of both the Grand and the Lesser Siming Marquises. Unfortunately, not long after, the old Marquis died in battle on the Yong'an battlefield.

The matriarch of the Si family had five sons in her lifetime, and her concubines had countless more. Amidst various factors such as assassination, death from illness, disappearance, and death in battle, only two were deemed capable of great use and inherited the titles of Grand Master of Fate and Junior Master of Fate, respectively.

However, with the defeat of the winter offensive, the young Marquis of Xiaosi Ming, who was only in his forties, not only had his domain shattered, but also lost all his source power nodes and became a cripple. The culprit was Duke Merrick before his promotion, and this same duke had also killed the old Marquis ten years ago.

Outside Rong En Hall, Si Ning took out a pack of cigarettes from her lieutenant colonel uniform and handed one to someone familiarly. This cigarette came from her main force of giant mosquitoes. Because the production was too precious, she hadn't been willing to let the giant mosquitoes go into battle during the World War.

"Purely natural and pollution-free."

Jiang He reached out and took it to examine it closely.

[Name: Lemon Mosquito Coil]

[Category: Auxiliary]

[Quality: Perfect]

[Effect: Increases mental activity by 25%, concentration by 25%, mental agility by 25%, and mental resilience by 25%, lasting for 4 hours]

[Note: This mosquito coil is resilient and relieves stress; it is non-toxic and harmless, with a natural lemon scent, making it more suitable for those in knowledge-based professions.]

Jiang He paused for a moment, her hand still holding the mosquito coil.

"Are you planning to rip me off?"

Si Ning exhaled a puff of lemon-scented smoke and laughed, "Long periods of deep thought can be very taxing on the brain. I'm mainly worried about your health, but asking for a little bit of compensation isn't unreasonable, is it?"

Si Ning is quite confident, as this is a long-term trading product she has almost exclusively created for knowledge-based professionals.

“Name your price,” Jiang He said.

"One perfect bullet can be exchanged for a pack of six mosquito coils."

"can."

A glint of light flashed at Jiang He's fingertips, igniting the mosquito coil. His mind immediately showed a relatively significant increase in activity. After notarization of the origin, there were no negative consequences, and future sales were worth looking forward to.

"I don't like lemon flavor."

"There are no other flavors."

Si Ning slapped the already opened cigarette box in her hand to the other party as a sample for the customer, and then said, "Let's talk about the second cooperation. I plan to run an ammunition and cigarette business."

In the Eternal Dark World, the currency, gold, can increase cultivation speed, and the returns from business are immediate. Considering the endless wars of the past millennium, consumables like bullets and mosquito coils are necessities. Excellent products and a stable market are of great significance in these two aspects.

However, there is a huge problem that cannot be ignored.