The news that Lin Gui had opened a post office in New Covenant City spread like a massive boulder tossed into a calm lake, instantly stirring up a thousand waves.
It traveled through the small city-state at an incredible speed.
“Have you heard? On the main street! That messenger mage, Lin Gui, has opened a shop!”
“A post office? What’s a post office?”
“It’s a place that helps people send letters! They have a unified fee: 7 copper coins per letter!”
“7 copper coins?! For real? Where do they send them?”
“It’s on the sign! Caran City, some Fortress City of Shield... all the way to that place called Avalon!”
“Goodness! To places that far for only 7 copper coins? How is that possible!”
“Master Mage Lin Gui said so himself; how could it be false? He’s the one who made it back alive from Caran City last time!”
The news spread rapidly through taverns, markets, and alleyways, causing a massive sensation.
The price of 7 copper coins for cross-city delivery was so low it was practically free.
This was especially true given that the destinations included distant city-states that most people only knew through rumors.
This completely overturned everyone’s common sense.
Before long, the brand-new wooden door of the 7-Copper Post Office on the main street was nearly burst open by the crowds.
The shop was instantly packed, with people standing shoulder to shoulder.
The air was a mixture of sweat, low-grade tobacco, and various body odors.
The clamor was loud enough to practically blow off the newly built roof.
However, a careful look would reveal that not everyone in the crowd was there to send a letter.
A significant portion of them were there purely to watch the spectacle.
They crowded around the entrance or the windows, craning their necks to peer inside.
They pointed at the simple decorations and the large map on the wall, whispering and chattering among themselves.
“Heavens, can letters really be sent that far?”
“Look at that map! It looks so real!”
“7 copper coins? Isn’t this a scam? What if he takes the money and runs?”
Even more common were the young bachelors and lads.
They had caught wind of the rumors and come with a clear goal: to see the legendary beautiful elf.
Theia was currently busy beyond belief.
She was responsible for maintaining order and handling the initial registrations.
Her peerless face, silver hair, and the occasional displays of immense strength—which contradicted her slender frame—made her the most eye-catching scenery.
For instance, she would effortlessly push back several brawny men who had crowded too close.
“Miss Elf! Look at me! Look at me! I want to send a letter!”
“Elder Sister Elf! Please give me an autograph!”
Voices like these rose and fell in waves, making the scene even more chaotic.
Though Theia was a bit embarrassed by the stares, she thought about how she was helping Lin Gui.
She worked hard to maintain a smile and handle the inquiries as efficiently as possible.
Naturally, where there are many people, there are both good and bad sorts.
It was inevitable that some individuals with ill intentions would mix in, looking for a chance to take advantage of the situation.
A scruffy man with a sleazy look in his eyes used the pressure of the crowd as an excuse to pretend he was losing his balance.
His filthy hand moved with extreme stealth toward Theia.
However, before his hand could even brush her clothing, his wrist was seized in a grip that was cold, slender, but as unyielding as an iron clamp!
“Ah!”
The man let out a cry of pain, feeling as if the bones in his wrist were about to be crushed.
The smile on Theia’s face vanished instantly, replaced by a cold, sharp glint in her emerald eyes.
She didn’t even give him a chance to beg for mercy; with a flick and a pull of her wrist, a crisp sound of bone snapping rang out, followed by a pig-like shriek of agony!
Immediately after, Theia’s other hand moved like a flash of lightning.
She grabbed the man’s collar, used the power of her core, and executed a clean, decisive over-the-shoulder throw!
Boom!
The man was slammed into the ground like a ragged sack of grain.
A cloud of dust puffed up, and he passed out instantly without even letting out a groan.
The sudden turn of events caused the surrounding area to fall silent for a moment.
But Theia wasn’t finished yet.
With an expressionless face, she skillfully stripped the unconscious man’s outer clothing and trousers in a few quick movements.
She left him in nothing but a pair of loincloths to preserve a shred of his dignity.
Then, she grabbed a coil of spare rope from nearby and tied a sturdy noose.
She looped it around the fellow’s ankle, took a deep breath, and tossed him upward with a sudden surge of power!
Under the dumbfounded gazes of the crowd, the nearly naked man was hung upside down at the entrance of the post office.
He swayed gently in the breeze like a piece of sun-dried salted fish.
The bruises on his body and his visibly twisted wrist spoke of the agonizing price he had paid for his transgression.
The entire scene was silent; one could have heard a pin drop.
Theia clapped her hands together as if she had just finished a trivial chore.
She looked around the crowd, her face once again wearing that sweet smile—though this time, it carried a clear hint of warning as she spoke in a clear voice:
“Is there anyone else who would like to ‘accidentally’ take a fall? This shop provides free ‘wall-hanging’ services~”
Every man watching, especially those who had harbored similar intentions, felt a sudden chill in their lower bodies.
They instinctively squeezed their legs together and took a step back, their eyes filled with awe and fear.
None of them dared to harbor any more improper thoughts.
The order of the crowd improved significantly in an instant.
Lin Gui was squeezed behind the counter.
Piles of crookedly written letters and small heaps of copper coins sat before him.
His head felt like it was going to explode.
He had originally been worried that he wouldn't be able to collect many letters in half a day.
Now, his complaint was that too many people were coming!
Questions flooded his ears from every direction:
“Master Mage! how long will a letter to the Royal Capital take?”
“Can you guarantee it’ll get there? My brother is waiting for news!”
“Is this enough money? I can add more if it isn’t!”
“Can you take something with the letter? Just a small package of local specialties!”
He mechanically collected money, handled registrations, and worked hard to decipher and record the recipient information provided orally by the senders.
At the same time, he kept raising his voice to shout repeatedly.
“Form a line! Everyone, form a line! If you aren't sending a letter, please move out of the way! I can’t find people with just a name! It’s best if you can describe what the recipient looks like or where they live! We do not accept goods, only letters!”
His voice sounded somewhat feeble amidst the immense clamor.
Looking at the bustling, chaotic scene—which now featured a bit of “human decoration”—Lin Gui felt conflicted.
To stimulate the commoners’ desire to send mail, he had adopted a low-price strategy.
He had expected it to be popular, but he hadn’t anticipated it reaching this level.
Among the crowd were sincere longings waiting to be conveyed and people driven into a frenzy by the cheap price.
There were also those who were simply there for the spectacle or to see a beautiful girl.
“It seems... the idea of a ‘post office’ definitely has potential, but the management... that really is a problem.”
Lin Gui thought to himself as he frantically organized the copper coins and the letters, which had vague information and relied entirely on physical descriptions for identification.
He would have to plan things properly when he built the post offices in the next few city-states.
At the very least, he needed to hire a few literate people to help with registration and organization.
He also needed to establish some rules and ideally create a simple form so that senders could clearly write down the recipient's personal details and physical characteristics.
For now, he could only bury his head in this happy burden.
He worked to collect as many letters as possible before his departure tomorrow.
Rate on N.U.
