NOVEL WEB Chapter 260: City Lord Ryan
Lai Feng did indeed see himself clearly, and Lu Hong, feeling awkward, spoke no further.
Then Lai Feng patted Lu Hong on the shoulder, "You shouldn't have any reservations, since you have come to my Golden Coin World, just enjoy yourself, it's a bit of hospitality from your host. I only hope that when your Star Sea starts to conquer All Heavens and Myriads of Worlds, you can spare this little corner of mine and consider it a token of goodwill with your Star Sea."
After speaking, Lai Feng disappeared from the platform.
Since the host had spoken in such a way, Lu Hong also relaxed, stepped down from the platform, and since he had been standing with Lai Feng for a while, everyone in the city who saw Lu Hong bowed respectfully and said, "Divine Envoy."
The creatures of this Golden Coin World looked no different from the Human Race, but they were essentially completely different, similar to the Eternal Race in the Terrifying Star Domain, like Earth Element beings. It seemed that this was a race created by Lai Feng himself.
Wandering around Golden Coin City, Lu Hong also discovered that there were many strong beings at the Third Transition Peak and even Demigod-level beings, abundant Spiritual Energy, and rich Earth Element, which presumably could nurture more Heavenly Gods than just Lai Feng.
But why was Lai Feng the only Heavenly God in this Golden Coin World?
Just as Lu Hong was preparing to leave, someone suddenly called out.
"Divine Envoy!"
Lu Hong turned around and saw a tall middle-aged man whose aura suggested he was on the verge of stepping into the Heavenly God Realm, ready to break through at any moment.
"My name is Lu Hong, you can just call me Lu Hong. May I ask who you are?"
"Hehe, I am Ryan, the City Lord of the Golden Coin City. I've been busy with official duties and couldn't meet you right away, please forgive me, Divine Envoy."
Ryan smiled amiably, looking very friendly.
Lu Hong nodded kindly, smiling, "I see that Golden Coin City is orderly and thriving, which I presume is all thanks to your hard work, Lord Ryan."
"Ha-ha, Divine Envoy, you flatter me. It's all in service of Lai Feng. There's no hardship to speak of. Come, come, I have prepared a lavish dinner for you. I hope you won't decline."
Hearing this, Lu Hong nodded slightly, "Then I'll take the liberty."
Following Ryan, they arrived at an opulent restaurant, where rows of Golden Coin beauties bowed, "Welcome, Divine Envoy."
Upon entering the banquet hall, a hundred-meter-long banquet table was filled with sumptuous food.
Ryan smiled, "Knowing that you are not from our Golden Coin Race, I wasn't sure what you'd like, so I brought up all the delicacies of the Golden Coin World, hoping they will please you."
Lu Hong casually picked a spot to sit down, "You are too kind, Lord Ryan."
"Not at all, not at all. You being on the platform with Lai Feng means you're his spokesman. Your every request is our goal."
The official rhetoric made Lu Hong slightly uncomfortable. Setting aside the topic, Lu Hong picked up the dish closest to him.
It looked like a golden tofu, but when Lu Hong tasted it, he realized it was pure Earth Element Spiritual Energy, intensely compressed and cooked until it had no texture but dissolved with overflowing energy, giving a sensation of ascension.
Ryan squinted and smiled, asking, "Divine Envoy, how does it taste?"
"Good, very tasty," Lu Hong nodded in satisfaction, then proceeded to try most of the delicacies on the table.
Not all the food was tasty; after all, the Golden Coin Race were Earth Element beings. For them, soil was their staple food and a primary ingredient in most dishes, but Lu Hong couldn't stomach it.
As for drinks, sorry, the Golden Coin Race never drank water, let alone alcohol.
The meal, eaten without liquor, proceeded quickly, but Lu Hong slowly noticed something amiss.
"I want to ask, Lord Ryan, how is the public order in Golden Coin City?"
"Ha-ha, Divine Envoy, I can assure you on that. For over three hundred years, under my management, Golden Coin City has never witnessed a violent incident or even a fight; it's completely peaceful."
"Stealing, theft?" Lu Hong asked.
"There is none," Ryan replied. "The residents of Golden City are very wealthy, blessed by the artifacts of the Lai Feng Heavenly God. The land yields endlessly, so there is no worry about food."
"What about the military and political aspects of Golden City?" Lu Hong continued.
Ryan chuckled, "There's really no need to fuss about that either. In the entire world of gold, it's just our people; where would any wars occur?"
"Has there ever been a civil war among the people?"
"Civil war... No, that has never happened. If people don't worry about food or shelter, what more could they possibly need?"
"What is your currency like? Could you show me?"
Ryan nodded, pulling a thumb-sized yellow crystal from his pocket: "This is the common currency of our golden race."
Lu Hong took it, feeling an aura almost identical to Ryan's, and asked, "Did you produce this yourself, City Lord?"
"Yes," Ryan did not deny it and explained, "The currency in Golden City can be produced by each clan member based on their individual strength. The value of each golden coin varies, and aside from being used as currency it can also be used as consumables to aid in practice."
"Since you don't worry about food or clothing and there's no internal strife, what do you practice for?"
"This…" The sudden question from Lu Hong caught Ryan off guard.
"Okay, let me change the question," Lu Hong continued as he observed Ryan. "Since every aspect of Golden City is without issues, I'm curious, what does the City Lord… have to busy himself with?"
Lu Hong's words seemed to touch a sore spot, and Ryan's expression started to look unnatural.
Seeing this, Lu Hong kept smiling, "What? City Lord Ryan, do you not plan to explain anything?"
At this moment, Ryan seemed to have composed himself, a smile returning to his face: "Well, I must say, how could the Lai Feng Heavenly God just randomly pick an outsider to be a Divine Envoy? It turns out you do have some skills. But, Divine Envoy, are you really sure that the Lai Feng Heavenly God will always protect you in the shadows?"
As he spoke, the earth elements surged, isolating the banquet hall.
Lu Hong didn't seem particularly concerned. Though he was still in the later stages of the Third Transition, his combat power was already fearless against demigods; as long as the opponent wasn't a Heavenly God, Lu Hong dared to face them.
"I'm also quite curious about something; perhaps City Lord Ryan could enlighten me?"
Seeing Lu Hong as composed as ever, Ryan frowned and then said, "Please ask, Divine Envoy."
"I see countless strong individuals within Golden City, and just as many demigod strong ones, but why... do I not see anyone ascending to godhood?"
"Ha ha, ha ha ha!" At Lu Hong's question, Ryan burst out laughing: "Divine Envoy, don't you find this question too ridiculous? Did Lai Feng not tell you, or are you feigning ignorance?"
"I really don't know," Lu Hong said, sharing the details of his journey with Ryan.
Hearing the story, Ryan eased off, "So it's all a misunderstanding."
As he spoke, the tension around him gradually dissipated.
"Although the world of gold is not very large, hypothetically it could totally sustain up to thirty Heavenly Gods," Ryan shared. "But Lai Feng does not want anyone sharing this vast world with him. So whenever someone tries to ascend to godhood, he secretly thwarts them. He lies to the golden race saying that every person who ascends to the Heavenly God Realm is sent by him to All Heavens and Myriads of Worlds to seek a broader universe and help expand our golden race, but in reality, those people who break through are killed by him, becoming nourishment that feeds back to the world of gold."
After hearing Ryan's story, Lu Hong fell silent. As an outsider, it was difficult for him to judge the actions of Lai Feng, the Heavenly God of the golden race; not expanding might prevent attracting the attention of demonic tribes and help maintain his eternal rule, benefitentially for Lai Feng himself, but for the golden race... it seemed extraordinarily unfair.
"So… Ryan, City Lord, you're also about to break through; what do you plan to do?"
"Find an opportunity to kill Lai Feng!" A cold glint passed through Ryan's eyes: "Even though Lai Feng Heavenly God created us, we are not beasts for him to command!"