Chapter 114 – The Discussion

Chapter 114 – The Discussion

Among the conditions required for Phoenix Village’s upgrade, only the number of transferred professions had been met. The rest remained unfulfilled.

The most challenging condition was having three Warrior-level combatants within the territory. Even Cheng Yang himself would need over twenty days to reach the Warrior level, and that was only possible thanks to the newly acquired Nirvana Divine Stone.

Cheng Yang wasn’t sure if the territory guards counted as combatants. If they did, fulfilling this condition would be much easier. Once Cheng Yang reached the initial Warrior level, the territory could upgrade.

The other two conditions weren’t particularly difficult. Most of the new buildings had been constructed, except for the Level 3 wall. Upgrading the Alchemy Hall and other shops wasn’t an issue either, as they didn’t require many materials. A day’s worth of gathering would suffice.

The real challenge was building the Level 3 wall. Although the required materials depended on the wall’s length and there was no size limit, Cheng Yang didn’t plan to take the easy way out. He intended to maximize the wall’s area.

The maximum area was thirty-six square kilometers—a six-kilometer square. Building such a wall would require 24 kilometers of material, or 24,000 meters. With each meter consuming four cubic meters of wood, the total would be nearly 100,000 cubic meters.

At Phoenix Village’s current logging rate, even if efficiency doubled, they could only produce 3,000 cubic meters daily. It would take about thirty days to gather enough wood. Additionally, Cheng Yang would need to spend 9,000 spirit energy points daily to purchase the materials.

Obviously, Cheng Yang couldn’t afford to spend 9,000 points daily. Despite his desire to build the wall, such a decision would be reckless. However, he already had a plan in mind.

As for the final condition—accumulating 100,000 spirit energy points—it was even less of a problem. Phoenix Village currently earned about 10,000 points daily. After accounting for expenses, they could save 20,000 points every three days. Reaching 100,000 points would only take fifteen days.

Moreover, with the contribution system in place, villagers could donate spirit energy. With over 2,000 combatants, each donating 50 points would instantly fulfill the requirement.

Cheng Yang used the remaining wood to upgrade all eligible buildings, consuming 1,000 cubic meters of wood and 100 cubic meters of stone. The upgraded shops looked more impressive, but the real changes were internal, with a wider variety of items available.

Cheng Yang didn’t have time to inspect the upgrades, as Liu Hao and others were already waiting in his courtyard for a meeting. The gathering included the five commanders, deputy commanders, and battalion leaders—Phoenix Village’s top management.

Each battalion now had over 540 members, divided into three companies. With thirty people present, excluding the deputy village heads of East Mountain and Xianghe Villages, plus Cheng Yang and Liu Xiyue, the courtyard was full.

“I’ve called you here today to discuss a matter crucial to our territory’s development and the welfare of all villagers,” Cheng Yang began. “Speak freely and share your thoughts.”

After a pause, he continued, “Some of you already know about the contribution system. Although Phoenix Village has been at Level 3 for several days, we haven’t formally implemented it. Tonight, we’ll finalize the details.”

Yu Kai and others, having been briefed earlier, nodded in agreement.

Cheng Yang smiled and gestured for silence. “The contribution system is straightforward—it measures how much you’ve contributed to the territory. Some might argue that serving in the military and earning military points counts as contribution. However, our military isn’t fully operational yet. Once it is, 80% of the spirit energy earned from battles will go to the territory, while 20% will remain with the army. The purpose of the army’s share will become clear later.”

Liu Hao raised a question, “If soldiers don’t keep the spirit energy they earn, why would they bother fighting monsters?”

Cheng Yang explained, “That’s what I’m getting to. The military operates under unified management. Soldiers will receive a fixed salary in spirit energy, regardless of whether they fight that day. The amount depends on their rank. You can work out the specifics later. Starting tomorrow, the contribution system will go live, and each battalion can formally establish its military unit.”

Though still puzzled, Liu Hao and the others didn’t press further.

Cheng Yang continued, “The point is, military points aren’t the same as contribution points. They’re a measure of military rank and status. Contribution points, on the other hand, evaluate a villager’s overall service to the territory. We need to decide which privileges will be tied to contribution points and how different contribution levels will affect access.”

Yu Kai stood up and suggested, “Lord, could we use the Nirvana Divine Stone as a special reward for those with high contribution points?”

Since only Cheng Yang and Liu Xiyue knew about the stone, Cheng Yang explained its significance. He then proposed, “Here’s my plan: the five battalion commanders, Liu Xiyue, and I will each have an unconditional slot. Each battalion will also receive one slot for their deputy commanders or company leaders. The remaining eight slots will go to the villagers with the highest contribution points. Any objections?”

No one disagreed. The commanders were already benefiting the most, and the deputies and company leaders were content with the opportunity to compete for the remaining slots.

Deng Hang, a company leader under Zhao Chuan, suggested, “Lord, perhaps using these privileges should consume contribution points. Otherwise, those at the top will always monopolize the best resources, which isn’t fair to others.”

Several others echoed this sentiment, and Cheng Yang agreed.

Li Wanshan added, “Lord, maybe we could tie profession statue advancements and skill learning to contribution points as well. This would mainly restrict mercenary groups while boosting soldiers’ pride and cohesion.”

Cheng Yang applauded the idea. “Good suggestion, but let’s not restrict advancements or common skills. Over-restricting could make the territory less attractive. However, we can impose limits on unique skills, with higher requirements based on their quality.”

As the discussion progressed, everyone shared their thoughts, and the privileges tied to contribution points became clearer. These benefits would span combat, daily life, and even future housing allocations.

Next, they discussed how to earn contribution points. Donations were already a confirmed method, as the system measured contributions in spirit energy. Ten points of spirit energy would equal one contribution point, and donations could be accumulated over time.

Materials and resources could also be donated, with their value converted into spirit energy and then contribution points.

PS: Seeking subscriptions, monthly tickets, and tips. Hoping for another bonus chapter tomorrow…