While Lucy struggles with her worries, Henwell sits on a worn-out stool outside an abandoned estate near Hongfeng City, waiting.

  Half an hour ter, he looks up and notices several figures emerging from the shadows one by one.

  These are the allies Lucy called in, some of the most talented selectors from their chat group.

  A man dressed in a cssic suit, exuding an air of nobility, smiles and greets Henwell with a respectful bow, “You must be Henwell. I am Nathan.”

  Nathan, thirty-one years old, hails from The Sky Empire—a feudal state reminiscent of cssical Europe, and he is the fifteenth prince.

  He’s recently been granted the title of prince and commands the empire’s border defenses.

  Should a coup erupt in the imperial capital, Nathan would immediately lead troops to “defend” the throne.

  He’s arguably the closest, and perhaps the furthest from ruling the world.

  Born into nobility, he possesses both intelligence and martial prowess, along with a strong network of connections.

  Nathan has already id many contingencies to steer events according to his pns.

  Behind Nathan stands a man in a simple blue robe, carrying a sword and a painting scroll.

  He bows to Henwell and says, “Brother, it’s a pleasure to finally meet you. I am ZhangChe.”

  ZhangChe is twenty-eight, from The Haotai Empire, an Eastern dynasty with a prestigious family lineage, four generations of high-ranking ministers.

  During his father’s generation, due to national turmoil, the family shifted focus from schorship to military affairs, with his father serving as Minister of War.

  ZhangChe’s talents showed early, earning strong support from his family in both literary and martial arts.

  He is now the prince’s attendant.

  His path is clear: once the new emperor ascends, regardless of who becomes crown prince, he pns to stir up trouble.

  The empire teeters on the brink of colpse; with a little manipution, a massive upheaval is inevitable.

  When that time comes, ZhangChe intends to leverage the crown prince’s heirs, controlling the emperor to command the nobles and steadily advance his own power.

  Not only is ZhangChe an exceptional swordsman, but he’s also a formidable master of battle formations.

  On the other side, a tall man with a schorly air smiles at Henwell. “Little Henwell, finally we meet! I’m Fang Yuan.”

  Fang Yuan is thirty-three, from The Xiaan Empire, an Eastern dynasty. And he is the eldest son of the border general.

  After more than a decade of battles, he’s earned the rank of major general and commands fifty thousand elite troops. Should the court fall into chaos, he’s ready to carve out his own territory.

  In his previous life, Fang Yuan was a teacher. Much of the knowledge shared in their chat group comes from him.

  The Peace Haven curriculum was copied by Henwell directly from Fang Yuan’s materials.

  Following him is a man carrying both a saber and a sword.

  He bows to Henwell and says, “William.”

  William, twenty-nine, hails from the Yuehua Empire, a cssical European-style feudal state, and is the heir to a princely title.

  He’s currently striving to inherit his father’s rank and secure a hereditary title.

  Though he commands fewer than twenty thousand troops, many eyes watch him closely since he’s still just the heir.

  William’s pn is to first secure the hereditary princely status and then gradually expand his power.

  When the king and princes perish unexpectedly, William—being the closest royal bloodline, will step forward.

  William’s greatest strength lies in his personal ability.

  In Henwell’s power hierarchy, William ranks as a high-level Glory Knight.

  Among this group, he’s the strongest in combat.

  William has already decided that if his imperial uncle and royal cousins don’t die naturally, he’ll personally see to their demise.

  At this moment, with Liu Mang and Benjamin joining, all of Lucy’s summoned allies have gathered.

  Everyone remains cautious, discussing matters usually reserved for private chats, while simultaneously activating the twin palm marks on their arms.

  After confirming each other's identities, Nathan speaks first: “Henwell, you’ve gathered us. So, what’s the pn from here?”

  Henwell scans the group and asks, “First, how long can we stay here at most?”

  William answers, “Three years. But back in our own worlds, only three days will have passed.”

  Henwell follows with a second question, “What benefits do we get for helping Lucy complete her mission?”

  Nathan replies, “A lot. More than anyone can imagine.”

  Henwell asks the final question, “Who decides whether the mission succeeds? Lucy? Or someone above?”

  William responds again, “Someone above. Lucy raises the issues, we solve them, and then those above score our assistance.”

  Henwell clicks his tongue in admiration. Strong pyers really do know more.

  He nods lightly. “Alright, here’s my pn, everyone listen up. Lucy cks her own military force, which is a critical weakness. We need to fix that. Over these three years, we have to build our influence big enough to cover that gap.”

  ZhangChe frowns. “Henwell, isn’t this stepping over Lucy? Isn’t that inappropriate?”

  Henwell shakes his head. “Not at all. She called us in for combat help but underestimated our strength. If it were just fighting, William and I would be enough. Since so many of us have been summoned, it’s clearly not just about backing Lucy.”

  Nathan urges, “Henwell, go on.”

  Henwell pauses briefly. “I need everyone to cooperate. Each of you will have your own mission. Hiding your identities shouldn’t be a problem. Benjamin, you continue your rebellion and build an insurgent army. Liu Mang, infiltrate the Hongfeng Empire’s military. You two coordinate to boost experience and reputation.”

  The two exchange a gnce and nod, already scheming mischief.

  Henwell turns to ZhangChe. “ZhangChe, take on a new identity and participate in this year’s imperial exams. Try to get into the court.”

  Then he looks at Fang Yuan. “Fang Yuan, focus on building industries and providing funding to various factions.”

  Nathan points to himself. “What about me? Should I go into government too? My penmanship is average.”

  Henwell shakes his head. “No. Your noble aura is too strong to hide, and your more European appearance might not be accepted easily. Help Fang Yuan raise money and analyze the succession struggles in the court. Only you have the insight for that, we’re not insiders to the imperial power pys.”

  Henwell looks to William. “William, build your influence in the martial world, gathering and training top talents. Help our brothers clear obstacles. Whether in business or government, there are many barriers. If Lucy’s situation gets tight, come back and join me to complete her missions.”

  Finally, Henwell points to himself. “As for me, I’ll make a public appearance in the capital to draw attention from Lucy and her allies. That’s all I can think of for now. Any additions?”

  No one speaks up. They all begin discussing how to get started.