The Great Wall was actually a neutral zone.
The number of chosen ones appearing here was even greater than Bai Ye had imagined. Compared to their previous encounter in the Soul Society, where the Soul Society’s chosen one market was merely in its nascent stages, the chosen one market at the Great Wall had already formed into the scale of a small marketplace.
To ensure the liquidity and vibrancy of a small market, the number of chosen ones active at the Great Wall, conservatively estimated, reached one to two thousand people.
In truth, Bai Ye didn’t find it odd that a large number of chosen ones were active at the Great Wall, given its neutral status.
After all, the World Battlefield had been open for four to five months, approaching half a year.
In terms of progress, the World Battlefield had already passed its initial phase, or to put it more brutally, those chosen ones who couldn’t adapt to the World Battlefield had mostly died.
Many forbidden zones had been opened, and people gradually acquired some surplus items, naturally leading to the formation of a trading market.
What displeased Bai Ye was that out of ten chosen ones operating at the Great Wall, nine had temporarily joined the Great Wall Guard.
Good heavens…
He had originally thought they were pure and innocent young girls, but it turned out they had been recharged countless times, even changing batteries once.
However, Bai Ye had correctly assessed that this area had potential to be explored.
By joining the Great Wall Guard, one could obtain numerous missions.
Broadly speaking, there were three major enemies outside the Great Wall: the Demon Race, the Bandits, and the Barbarians.
At the quartermaster’s, everyone could receive extermination and hunting missions daily. Stepping outside the Great Wall meant entering a dangerous zone.
The characteristic of the Great Wall as a neutral zone also existed: even without venturing out, one could strengthen their power to a certain extent.
Running errands, farming, blacksmithing, potion making, and house repairs could all yield missions. Moreover, shops within the Great Wall would hire long-term employees, and chosen ones could apply to gain long-term missions.
Of course, missions related to daily life offered very limited rewards. In the early stages of the World Battlefield, weaker chosen ones could use these as a stable method to enhance their strength, but nowadays, if one solely focused on these, their strength would inevitably fall behind others.
Yet, some people were still engrossed in it.
Getting stronger?
No, for many, having adapted to a quiet, simple, and peaceful life, they no longer yearned for combat. They felt that even if they didn’t leave the World Battlefield, they could live here for the rest of their lives.
Bai Ye really wanted to ask these people if they had ever considered that the World Battlefield opened only once every ten years, and what would happen to them when the next World Battlefield began.
Perhaps, many thought, living peacefully for ten years was enough?
Then Bai Ye could only say, "To each their own."
All in all, the land of the Great Wall was more prosperous than Bai Ye had imagined, gathering a large number of chosen ones. At the same time, Bai Ye’s idea of being "uniquely himself" was shattered.
There were plenty of temporary Great Wall Guards, and Bai Ye was not the only one.
"Pity that woman spoke so nicely, saying the Great Wall needs your sword, needs your strength…" Bai Ye said, stuffing a bun into his mouth. "A woman's mouth is a lying devil, only deceiving men's hearts."
"Bai Ye, hand me that plank."
The sudden shout made Bai Ye choke. He coughed, then grabbed the plank from the ground and handed it to Shou Yue, who was lying on the rooftop.
Shou Yue took the plank and began hammering and fixing it on the roof.
"Hey, even if we're all Great Wall Guards, aren't we considered an elite squad?" Bai Ye looked up. "Do you really have to do this kind of house repair yourself?"
Shou Yue smiled, "There's no fighting anyway, isn't this good too?"
"As long as you're happy." Bai Ye took out another bun and stuffed it into his mouth, mumbling, "How do you do it? You can make such ordinary food taste delicious."
Shou Yue leaped down from the roof, "It's good if you like it. Let's go to the next house. The wind has been strong lately, many houses are damaged."
"Okay, okay." Bai Ye shouldered the toolbox. "Let's go."
If Bai Ye’s temporary status as a Great Wall Guard differed from other chosen ones, it was that other chosen ones had actively applied to join the Guard after arriving at the Great Wall to take on missions. Bai Ye, however, was picked up by Mu Lan from the roadside, considered an invitation.
But…
It was rumored that half the members of the elite squad were picked up by Mu Lan. The seemingly powerful Kai was also like this, and Mu Lan even gave Kai his name.
Furthermore, the usually heroic and spirited leader was also fond of picking up animals, with kittens and puppies being common, and lions and tigers also appearing frequently. It was even rumored that Sister Mu Lan had once picked up an elephant.
Besides this, Bai Ye felt no different from other chosen ones. The missions available within the Great Wall were largely the same, and at best, he was more familiar with the members of the elite squad.
"Bai Ye!" Shou Yue's voice called out. "You've walked too far, it's this house."
"Huh?"
Bai Ye snapped back to attention, quickly took a few steps back, and handed the toolbox to Shou Yue.
While nailing the planks, Shou Yue said, "Don't be fooled by the current peace at the Great Wall; battles can erupt at any moment. So, don't be blinded by moments of tranquility; always be prepared."
Wooo, wooo, wooo…
Suddenly, the sound of a long horn echoed.
The heavy sound reverberated above everyone's heads and drifted into the distance.
"You have received a hidden mission."
"Repel the bandits and reclaim the provisions. Mission reward: Mechanical Parts x1."
Bai Ye stared blankly at the distant city wall, then said to Shou Yue, "So, this is what you call a battle breaking out?"
Shou Yue also came back to his senses, dropped the plank, and said, "I'll go find Sister Mu Lan."
Bai Ye quickly followed, saying, "Hey, what about me?"
Bai Ye swiftly kept pace with Shou Yue, then glanced at the bright screen again, and couldn't help but frown.
This mission…
It seemed a bit off!
Because…
The screen displayed it as a hidden mission!
The hunting missions within the Great Wall primarily targeted bandits, barbarians, and the Demon Race. Looking solely at the mission content, "Repel the bandits and reclaim the provisions," it was a very ordinary task.
But why would a very ordinary task prompt him with a notification of a hidden mission?
Bai Ye pondered, then suddenly looked at a man not far away.
The man was wearing a mage's robe over jeans…
Such a distinctive, fashionable, and imposing outfit could only belong to a chosen one.
Bai Ye immediately chased after him, grabbed his shoulder, and said, "Hey, have you received any missions?"