Chapter 109: Loyalty

Level 1 Settler: Chu Ping
Loyalty: 60%
Status: Poisoned, continuous bleeding; without treatment, death is imminent!
Note: If a lord loses their only settler, the lord system will shut down, and it will be difficult to gain new settlers’ loyalty due to low lord reputation!

“...”
This is truly karmic retribution.

Ye Da had just been happy to have gained a free worker, only to be hit by a boomerang blow. If he didn’t treat his settler, he would lose his status as lord.

His throne wasn’t even secure yet, and he was about to lose it?

Was this a hundred-day emperor? No—it was more like a hundred-second emperor.

Ye Da recalled having found two bottles of life potions while searching corpses.

He quickly took out one and handed it to Chu Ping. “Though I want to save you, I haven’t awakened the healer’s secondary class yet. We can only leave it to fate and see if this can cure you. If not, I’ll think of another way.”

“Thank you, Lord! Thank you, Lord!” Chu Ping’s way of addressing Ye Da changed instantly after the contract.

Ye Da wasn’t sure if this was the effect of the contract or if Chu Ping simply thought that having become a settler, he should call Ye Da lord.

Chu Ping tilted his head back and guzzled the life potion.

As he drank the potion, the bleeding from his chest stopped, but the spear still protruded from his chest.

Ye Da didn’t know how to handle it.

Especially with such a penetrating wound—any rash move might tear a blood vessel and cause massive bleeding.

“I feel much better,” Chu Ping said after finishing the potion. His face, previously as pale as paper, now had a faint blush, like a paper doll with rouge.

As Chu Ping recovered, the status prompt above his head changed.

Level 1 Settler: Chu Ping
Loyalty: 70% (Slightly grateful to the lord)
Status: Poisoned, laceration; if detox treatment is not administered within 24 hours, death is possible!

The continuous bleeding was gone, replaced by a less urgent laceration.

But what about the poison?

Could it be...

Ye Da looked at the spearhead lodged in Chu Ping’s back. The rough iron tip flickered with a faint blue glow.

These cannibal tribes had poisoned their weapons?!

“Can you walk now?” Ye Da asked.

“I can!” Chu Ping nodded foolishly, though the spear wobbled with his movements, causing him to frown in pain. “But... it’s a bit inconvenient.”

Ye Da pulled a sharp axe from his belt. “I’ll chop off the tip for you.”

“I’m fine, I’m fine!” Chu Ping misunderstood and immediately dropped to his knees, begging, “Lord, spare me!!!”

As Chu Ping pleaded, Ye Da watched his loyalty rapidly decline!

Loyalty: 65% (Extreme fear of a cruel lord)
Loyalty: 60% (Regret becoming a settler; feeling like one’s life is in someone else’s hands is unbearable)
Loyalty: 55% (Chu Ping is contemplating escape)
Loyalty...

“Uh...” Ye Da was puzzled by the text appearing above Chu Ping’s head. “Why would I want your life?”

“You said...” Chu Ping looked up at Ye Da but avoided his gaze, speaking cautiously, “You want to chop off my head?”

“I meant the spearhead,” Ye Da realized the misunderstanding and couldn’t help but laugh and cry. “The spear’s too long. It hurts when you move. I’ll chop off the front and back parts. When conditions allow, I’ll help you pull out the rest.”

“Ah? Oh, oh. Thank you, Lord, thank you, Lord.” Chu Ping finally understood.

The lord wasn’t rejecting him but trying to help!

Loyalty: 65% (I misunderstood the lord)
Loyalty: 70% (The lord is truly kind)
Loyalty: 72% (Grateful!)
Loyalty...

With the misunderstanding cleared, Chu Ping’s loyalty quickly recovered, even rising slightly to 73%.

Ye Da was quite satisfied; after all, he hadn’t done much and still earned 3% loyalty.

Chu Ping was truly a good settler!

Settlers who excel at self-imagination and embellishment are the best kind!

“Swish!”
“Swish, swish!”
Ye Da swung his axe, chopping the protruding parts of the spear from Chu Ping’s chest and back.

Of course, he left a fist-length handle in the front chest area.

Otherwise, when they had the means to treat it, they wouldn’t know how to remove the remaining wooden shaft.

After dealing with the spear, Ye Da led Chu Ping eastward.

That was where the giant carnivorous pitcher plants grew.

Giant Carnivorous Pitcher Plant: A huge pitcher plant capable of devouring small animals. Non-toxic. Its nectar is highly corrosive and can be used to make antidotes.

If Ye Da guessed correctly...

The antidote made from this pitcher plant should cure Chu Ping’s poisoning.

By then...

Ye Da expected to gain another surge in Chu Ping’s loyalty.

Having experienced Chu Ping’s loyalty plummeting over a single incident, Ye Da realized one thing:

Settlers’ loyalty must be raised to 100% as soon as possible.

Because once a settler’s loyalty reaches 100%, it won’t drop anymore—they transform from ordinary settlers into Ye Da’s zealous followers.

They will worship him and unconditionally carry out all his orders!

Though it might be harsh...

Ye Da sincerely needed a legion of tools!

“Lord, where are we going now?” Chu Ping asked after a while.

Poisoned as he was, he felt weak, barely able to catch his breath after a few steps.

“We’re going to find the giant carnivorous pitcher plants. They’re essential for making the antidote,” Ye Da explained casually. “You still have residual poison in your body. We need to make the antidote quickly to detoxify you.”

“You’re gathering herbs for me?” Chu Ping’s bright eyes widened.

Ye Da watched Chu Ping’s loyalty jump by another 1%. Quite amusing.

Loyalty: 74% (Waaah, my lord is going to gather herbs for me—so touching!)

“Uh...” Ye Da wanted to say—

He had originally planned to collect the pitcher plants to treat his pet bee.

But seeing how happily Chu Ping imagined the situation, he couldn’t bear to spoil it. He told a white lie: “Exactly!”

Chu Ping’s loyalty soared to 75%!

Truly a chosen worker!

However...

When Ye Da followed the herbal map to the designated spot and saw the vast sea of giant carnivorous pitcher plants below, he was utterly stunned!