Everyone nodded in succession.

Tie Dun replied with a "Sure thing," Zhao Hu nodded, and Jiang Zhaoyue gave a slight nod.

Lin Feng gripped the Merit Token and turned to head up the stairs.

Jiang Zhaoyue returned to the first seat on the right and sat down.

Su Yuehua glanced at her sideways and nodded slightly; the two shared a tacit understanding.

Feng Qingyan lay prostrate on the table, her chin resting on the back of her hand, her eyes darting around as she thought about who-knows-what.

On the second floor, the territory core floated in the center of the room, its golden light illuminating the entire space.

Lin Feng walked up to the core and pressed the Merit Token into its halo.

The token merged into the core like a drop of water falling into a lake, creating ripples of golden light.

A system prompt popped up: 【Merit Token has been bound to the territory core. Quality: Gold.】

Lin Feng didn't go downstairs immediately. Instead, he stood before the core, closed his eyes, and extended his consciousness into it.

A brilliant golden light screen unfolded before his eyes, where the Mother Token of the Merit Token floated quietly, emitting a warm luster.

With a thought, the Mother Token trembled, and two golden strands of light were drawn from the core, condensing in the void into two slightly smaller golden tokens.

The surfaces of these tokens were carved with runes similar to the Mother Token, though they were finer and their luster was slightly dimmer.

Lin Feng opened his eyes as the two golden tokens emerged from the light screen and fell into his palm, feeling warm and heavy.

He turned and went downstairs.

In the Council Hall, everyone was still waiting.

Lin Feng walked to the main seat and sat down, placing the two golden tokens on the table, the golden light reflecting on his face.

"It's bound. Gold quality. Of these two golden tokens, one goes to Ye Lan and one goes to Lord Jiang."

He pushed the golden tokens toward Jiang Yelan and Jiang Zhaoyue respectively. "Ye Lan, Lord Jiang, take these for now. You decide how to distribute them among your subordinates. Before the system is fully operational, we can run a trial for a few days and adjust whenever problems arise."

Jiang Yelan stood up and took the golden token, looking down at it. Her fingertips lightly brushed over the runes, and she nodded without saying a word.

Jiang Zhaoyue also stood up and accepted the golden token. Holding it in her palm, she felt the warm sensation and looked up at Lin Feng.

Tie Dun scratched his head and finally blurted out, "Lord, does that mean I have to wear a token when I do missions from now on?"

Lin Feng looked at him. "Every Awakened in the territory will have a token that records their respective merits."

Tie Dun grinned. "Got it! Then I'll have to hang mine around my neck. It'd be a huge loss if I dropped it."

Wang Wu laughed from the side. "Aren't you afraid someone will snatch it if you hang it around your neck?"

Tie Dun glared. "Who dares? I'll squash them with my shield!"

Everyone burst into laughter.

Su Yuehua held her teacup and asked softly, "Lord Lin, what can merit points be exchanged for?"

Lin Feng thought for /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ a moment. "For now, they can be exchanged for supplies and equipment. In the long run, they can be used for Class Change Books, rare materials, and even slots for special troop types in the territory."

Su Yuehua nodded, a thoughtful glint in her eyes, but she didn't ask further.

Jiang Zhaoyue put away the golden token but didn't sit down immediately.

She turned slightly, her gaze passing over Su Yuehua behind her to land on a white-haired old man.

The old man sat in a rear seat on the right side. He wore a faded grey robe; his face was thin and his eye sockets slightly sunken, but his gaze was steady and bright.

On the table before him lay a bamboo scroll and a stone inkstone. The handwriting on the scroll was neat and elegant.

Jiang Zhaoyue nodded slightly to the old man, then turned to Lin Feng, her voice clear. "Lord Lin, this is Li Yuan, a High-level Scribe."

“Old Li is a native of the Nightmare World and has managed many affairs for the Moonflower Guild for a long time."

"Our guild's resource allocation, personnel statistics, and mission records were all handled by Old Li personally."

Lin Feng suddenly sat up straight.

A High-level Scribe—this was a talent even rarer than the Senior Tailor, Shen Mochuan.

Most natives of the Nightmare World lived at the bottom of territories, engaged in physical labor like farming, mining, and handicrafts. Those who could read, write, and were literate were a minority, and those who could become High-level Scribes were as rare as phoenix feathers or unicorn horns.

Given that Li Yuan had managed an organization the size of the Moonflower Guild for many years, his abilities were bound to be extraordinary.

Li Yuan stood up and bowed slightly to Lin Feng. His movements were unhurried, like an old bamboo stalk bending in the wind and springing back.

His voice wasn't loud, but it was clear and steady, carrying a reassuring composure. "This old one is Li Yuan. Greetings, Lord Lin. Now that the Moonflower Guild has joined the Beacon Fire Territory, I, despite my lack of talent, am willing to serve the Lord."

Lin Feng hurried to his feet, walked around the table to Li Yuan, and supported his arms with both hands, his tone sincere.

"Old Li, there's no need for such formality. You've played a vital role in bringing the Moonflower Guild to its current scale and order. The Beacon Fire Territory is exactly in need of a talent like you."

He paused, his gaze scanning both sides of the hall before returning to Li Yuan's face. He said solemnly,

"I would like to invite Old Li to serve as the Magistrate of Hangu Pass, responsible for resource allocation and personnel management within the pass. What do you think, Old Li?"

The Council Hall fell silent for a moment.

Jiang Yelan leaned back in her chair, her expression calm.

Jiang Zhaoyue nodded slightly, and a faint smile appeared at the corners of Su Yuehua's mouth.

Li Yuan remained silent for a moment, then looked up, his eyes meeting Lin Feng's.

His gaze showed no overwhelmed excitement nor any feigned hesitation; there was only a sense of certainty after careful consideration.

He bowed again, this time deeper. "I accept the command. I will not fail the Lord's trust."

Lin Feng helped him up, patted his arm, and turned back to his main seat.

He leaned against the back of the chair, his fingers lightly tapping the armrest twice as his gaze shifted to Zhao Hu.

"Zhao Hu, pass down the order later. For the towns and villages that newly joined today, the natives of those territories should still be managed according to the previous methods for now. Don't be in a hurry to make changes."

"As for the Awakened in those territories, those willing to join Beacon Fire will all be absorbed. Along with the original Awakened of Fenghuo County, they will be managed by you and Ye Lan."

Zhao Hu stood up, his right fist against his chest, his voice steady. "Understood. Ye Lan and I will first compile a clear personnel count and then organize them into squads based on region."

Lin Feng nodded and added, "With more people, there will be more affairs. You two can each select your own deputies to build up the framework. I won't ask about the process, only the results."

Zhao Hu nodded and sat back down.