Chapter 563 – Third Method

“Am I interested in Silver Frost City?” Xia Qingying looked at Shi Feng in confusion. “May I know what you mean by that, Guild Leader Shi Feng?”

It had already been over four centuries since Silver Frost City ruled over this region as a second-tier city, and the city’s City Lord position had never changed hands. It was also because of this City Lord that Silver Frost City could protect its rank for over four centuries.

Meanwhile, the number of upper-ranking hegemonic powers based in the city continuously increased throughout these four centuries. By now, there were at least five upper-ranking hegemonic powers rooted here. Because of this, Silver Frost City was above average compared to the several neighboring second-tier cities. It wasn’t an existence that could be shaken by just one or two upper-ranking hegemonic powers. This would remain the case even if the Green God Corporation were included in the mix.

Not to mention, Silver Frost City’s City Lord was only half a step away from entering the realm above grandmasters. So long as he succeeded, even the conglomerates operating on the Starlight Continent would have to show him a certain degree of respect.

!!

“There are three ways to take over a city in the Greater World,” Shi Feng stated as he looked Xia Qingying in the eye. “The first method is to have a three-star grandmaster contest for the position of City Lord.

“The second method is to take control of the city’s city legion in its entirety. That way, you can decide the city’s fate with a thought.

“As for the third method, it is to set a bounty!”

As soon as Shi Feng finished speaking, Xia Qingying grew even more puzzled.

“Set a bounty?”

The first method mentioned was the most commonly used means of taking over a mobile city. It was especially popular among the various upper-ranking hegemonic powers.

Typically, if an upper-ranking hegemonic power fancied a particular second-tier city, it would establish a base of operations there before having its own three-star mental strength grandmaster compete for the City Lord position. If the three-star grandmaster managed to gain the approval of half of the city’s residents, the position would change owners.

For this method, the chosen three-star grandmaster needed to be strong enough. At the very least, they would need to be as strong as the current City Lord. Otherwise, they would have difficulty gaining the citizens’ approval. After all, only a powerful City Lord could ensure the city’s safety.

As for the second method, the chances of achieving success with it were much lower. A city legion generally recruited members from all over the place. Hence, it was almost impossible for a single power to monopolize all of a city legion’s slots. Normally, this method would only be used by pseudo-apex powers in a hurry to expand their territory. Meanwhile, the way they would go about doing so was by having a large number of their talents join the targeted city’s city legion, outcompete the legion’s other members, and deprive the competition of resources. However, this method would only rarely be used.

As for the third method Shi Feng mentioned, this was the first time Xia Qingying had heard about it.

Seeing Xia Qingying’s confused look, Shi Feng chuckled and explained, “This method has only been successfully employed a handful of times throughout the Greater World’s history, so it’s not surprising that you don’t know about it, Miss Xia.

“By setting a bounty, I mean placing a bounty in the Greater God’s Domain on every member of the targeted city’s city legion and forcing them to leave the city legion!”

In reality, Shi Feng only knew of two instances where the third method had been used, and both happened during his previous life.

The first instance happened when Demon’s Gate placed a bounty on Zero Wing, while the second instance happened when Zero Wing placed a bounty on Demon’s Gate.

These two bounties had shaken the entire Greater God’s Domain when they occurred. Now, he planned to initiate a third instance, letting Silver Frost City know the price of targeting his friends and allies.

This would also be a warning to any city that dared to think of supporting Demon’s Gate, the mastermind behind this whole affair!

Should any city dare to support Demon’s Gate in messing with him in the future, he would have the whole city disappear from the Greater World!

“That’s simply unfeasible!” Xia Qingying was surprised by Shi Feng’s explanation. “The cost of doing so is completely disproportionate to the rewards! Moreover, who can possibly afford such an undertaking? We are talking about placing a bounty on all of the powers involved in the city legion!”

“It is doable,” Shi Feng stated confidently. “So long as we cast a sufficiently tempting bait, someone will take on the task.”

“Bait?” Xia Qingying felt a little confused. “Are you going to use a Divine Artifact as bait?”

What kind of bait would be tempting enough to get players and powers to go up against five upper-ranking hegemonic powers simultaneously?

A Divine Artifact?

Even a Divine Artifact would most likely be insufficient as bait. Two Divine Artifacts would be needed, at the very least. However, only a lunatic would probably use two Divine Artifacts or more to take over a second-tier city. Not to mention, if Zero Wing revealed that it had two or more Divine Artifacts in its possession, everyone would probably decide that it would be easier to rob Zero Wing instead.

“That won’t be necessary.” Shi Feng shook his head. “There is a simpler solution, and it is even something you are best at.”

“Something I’m best at?” Xia Qingying was thoroughly confused at this point.

She was not proficient at constructing Divine Artifacts. She couldn’t even construct Fragmented Divine Artifacts.

“Divine Patterns!” Smiling, Shi Feng said, “You should have heard of them before, right, Miss Xia?”

“You mean that lost art?” Nodding, Xia Qingying said, “I know about it. According to legends, divine patterns can strengthen items, raising their Basic Attributes by close to one rank. However, the art has disappeared from the Greater God’s Domain ever since the Mythical Era’s Ancient Divine War and only scarce remnants of divine patterns remain. Although various powers have tried researching it, nobody has achieved any noteworthy results thus far. Could you have found remnant records of divine patterns, Guild Leader Shi Feng?”

Divine patterns were indeed highly sought after in the Greater God’s Domain, their attractiveness no less than that of Secret Treasures. After all, the items produced by players generally had similar Basic Attributes so long as they were of the same quality.

If players could increase the Basic Attributes of a piece of equipment, even if only by 1%, they would gain an extra 10% in Basic Attributes or more if they could do so for all of their weapons and equipment. This would give them a significant advantage over other players with the same weapons and equipment quality.

“No, I don’t have any remnant records of divine patterns,” Shi Feng said, shaking his head. Then, he tapped on the quantum watch on his hand, summoning a holographic projection of the Basic Divine Pattern he had previously created, saying, “I have obtained a complete Divine Engraver Legacy!”

As soon as Shi Feng finished speaking, the lounge became incredibly quiet as Xia Qingying looked at Shi Feng as if he was joking with her.

It wasn’t just a remnant record!

It wasn’t just a complete record, either!

It wasn’t even multiple complete records of divine patterns!

Instead, it was a complete Divine Engraver Legacy?

If Shi Feng wasn’t fooling her, then she must be dreaming!

It should be known that becoming an official Divine Engraver would allow one to strengthen Fragmented Legendary items, letting them receive a qualitative improvement. If a player were fully equipped with Fragmented Legendary items strengthened by a Divine Engraver, the additional Basic Attributes they could obtain would be equivalent to the Basic Attributes of a Legendary Weapon.

Even in the current Greater God’s Domain, Legendary Weapons remained so rare that upper-ranking hegemonic powers could only afford to lend them to their peerless paragons. However, it was a different story for Fragmented Legendary items. Even ordinary hegemonic powers used full sets of Fragmented Legendary items as standard equipment for their paragons.

If Shi Feng was telling the truth…what he had in his hand could rewrite the history of the Greater God’s Domain!