Chapter 318: You Become the Red King

"How is that possible?"

Luo De muttered softly.

Nobody knows this better than him.

As long as one makes an offering to the desert, they can receive the Red King's favor.

This is something he completely made up to deceive people in the desert.

Pure nonsense.

Later, the Academy officially launched aid to the desert; although this false rumor was still mentioned by some, since no one had ever actually received the Red King's favor, it gradually faded from people's minds.

Originally Luo De had planned to apologize to Sai Talei for this, then borrow some power from Nadixa or Lei Dianying as compensation.

But now what has he heard? Sai Talei says she has received the Red King's favor? Where did she get that favor?

Isn't the Red King already cold? This is something Nadixa, the Great Merciful Tree King, and even A Pup have personally confirmed.

"Could it be that he's not dead?"

Luo De couldn't help but furrow his brow.

If the Red King isn't dead, then it's actually not good news.

After all, given the Red King's mania before death, Luo De and the Great Merciful Tree King, who inherited the Flower God's spiritual light, might well become his attack targets.

And the might of this desert's first deity is tremendous.

That's something even A Pup acknowledges.

"No, not necessarily."

"Sai Talei doesn't even have a Vision, and she's never been in contact with any other gods; she might not be able to tell whether the favor is truly of divine magnitude."

Thinking this through,

Luo De then asked Sai Talei: "What favor did you receive? And do you remember what the scene was like when you received it?"

This is important.

Luo De must know.

Then Sai Talei's eyes showed devotion, her hands intertwined, making the standard gesture desert folk use when praying to a god, and she said: "That was the hundredth day I taught children in A Ru Cun; that night, I had just fallen asleep when a light of the Grass King appeared before me, but this light was completely different from the radiance of the Dendro Archon I had seen before—it was sharper, more powerful; merely basking in this light made my mind as clear as a mirror, the academic difficulties I had previously vanished like a sudden enlightenment, with no hindrance left; although that deity did not show his face, he was a man, and I am certain of that."

Sai Talei turned her head, stared at Luo De, and said: "You say, in this desert, aside from the Red King, what other male deity could be mightier than the Grass King?"

Finally.

She then added a sentence that made Luo De's heart tremble.

"People like me who have seen a god and used its divine light to solve academic troubles are not just one; most of us scholars from the Academy have had similar experiences."

Male deity.

A light stronger than Nadixa's, the Dendro Archon's light.

Moreover, it has the effect of expanding scholars' thinking and solving problems.

If it weren't for Lei Dianying explicitly stating, 'Ahemar is already dead,' Luo De would really suspect that the Red King isn't dead.

"Are you certain the Red King is dead beyond revival?"

Luo De quietly asked Lei Dianying.

"Certain."

"When the Red King fell, Sumeru experienced an unprecedented uprising; the Great Merciful Tree King requested aid from the nations of Teyvat, and I personally went to Sumeru, sealing that nearly mad giant dragon into the sealing grounds."

Lei Dianying's words are another unrecorded piece of history.

Not even A Pup or the Great Merciful Tree King have said this.

When the Red King died due to the contamination of forbidden knowledge, A Pup, honoring the pact, swallowed his corpse; ultimately, the clash between the Abyssal power and her Light Realm Power Dragon King's constitution nearly drove her into a frenzied rampage.

At that time, the Great Merciful Tree King exhausted her divine power, her body shrank to that of a child, and she could only barely cleanse the Abyssal power ravaging the desert.

But faced with the powerful, near‑insane A Pup, she had no recourse but to call for aid from other gods.

At that time, the Wind God was still asleep, the Hydro Archon gave no reply, the Ice God refused the request for support, the Fire God likewise, and the only ones who responded were Zhongli and Lei Dian Zhen.

Lei Dian Zhen's strength is feeble, so he naturally could not appear in person.

Thus the one who came to Sumeru to help resolve A Pup's berserk problem was none other than the shadow warrior Lei Dianying.

Therefore, Lei Dianying, who witnessed the Red King's death, can be absolutely certain that the Red King is dead with no chance of revival.

Based on her testimony,

the situation is clear.

In the desert there is someone of Archon level impersonating the Red King, using the rumors Luo De once spread to openly wield divine power; this person may not only be spreading their existence among scholars but likely also among the desert folk, thereby reigniting fervor for the Red King's name in the desert.

"No wonder the people of A Ru Cun suddenly developed faith in me."

This further confirms that the fervent faith of A Ru Cun's people in the Red King's divine envoy did not arise out of nowhere.

That's all.

Just relying on word‑of‑mouth, a cultic force can appear in such a short time—this is not a normal situation.

If someone had already been spreading faith in the Red King, this would explain it.

Moreover, among the desert folk, fervent faith in the Red King is a perfectly normal phenomenon.

If Luo De hadn't fortuitously met Sai Talei just now and heard this from her, he might not have noticed the problem.

"Just who is it?"

Luo De clenched his fists, producing a creaking sound that could be heard clearly even amidst the noisy school.

Suddenly, word spread in the desert that the Red King was not dead.

This is certainly not a good thing.

Originally Sumeru was a state of two opposing extremist factions; only with great difficulty had the hostility between them been subdued, but now a sudden rumor that the Red King is not dead has appeared, rendering all the efforts Luo De and his companions had made for ethnic integration go to waste.

Now, with great difficulty, we have finally suppressed the mutual hostility of these extremist factions; as a result, suddenly news emerged that the Red King is still alive, so all the efforts Luo De and the others had previously made for ethnic integration have come to nothing.

Moreover, anyone capable of impersonating the Red King must themselves have at least Archon-level strength.

Archon-level strength.

Uses grass elemental energy.

Has the ability to make people suddenly enlightened.

Thus these three elements are combined.

The only name that came to Luo De's mind was that one.

"Duotulei!"

Luo De narrowed his eyes, almost certain this was his doing.

Besides Duotulei.

He really couldn't think of anyone else who could impersonate the Red King and go around putting on airs.

Combined with what Seta Lei just said.

The time this false Red King appeared was the hundredth day after she took office at A Ru Cun.

That time was quite early.

At that time, Hope City was merely a prototype.

In other words.

Duotulei's impersonation of the Red King, exacerbating Sumeru's division, has been going on for a long time.

"Killing you is really the right thing to do."

Luo De cursed fiercely in his heart.

Duotulei's act of pretending to be the Red King came much earlier than the thought of killing him; at that time Luo De hadn't even been to Liyue yet, let alone negotiating with the Ice God to kill Duotulei.

The situation is urgent.

Luo De didn't have time to keep chatting with Seta Lei here, nor did he have time to bring Lei Dianying to continue touring A Ru Cun; he immediately set out to find Kantisi.

At the same time, Luo De also sent a warning to Nadixa and the Great Merciful Tree King, relaying exactly what he discovered in A Ru Cun: someone impersonating the Red King, intending to exacerbate Sumeru's ethnic division.

Then he found Kantisi on patrol and asked: "Does A Ru Cun have a list of those who claim to have seen the Red King?"

Luo De didn't need to ask further.

He was certain that Kantisi absolutely knows about the Red King's reappearance.

Just as a descendant of the Red King.

Her not expressing a stance is the only choice.

Otherwise, those extremist-faith desert peoples will be even harder to resolve.

Moreover, she even now doesn't want to give Luo De the list: "Mr. Luo De, I know what you want this list for, but I'm really sorry, I can't let the village have another disturbance."

Kantisi's meaning is very clear.

When the news that the Red King was not dead first spread but wasn't contained or clarified, this matter subsequently became impossible to handle.

Whether to acknowledge or not acknowledge that the Red King is dead? If acknowledging,

then how to explain the Red King's divine light appearing in everyone's dreams? If not acknowledging,

then it's even more doomed; the extremist faction in the desert will be completely uncontrollable, and the war between rainforest and desert will inevitably erupt again.

Regardless of which of these two situations.

Kantisi doesn't want to see it happen.

"I don't want A Ru Cun to be dragged into war."

"We."

"Having such a life now is not easy."

As they spoke, Kantisi, who always appeared strong, suddenly had her voice choke up.

And Luo De also fell silent.

He is not a cold-blooded person.

Otherwise he wouldn't have first thought of the benefits of the A Ru Cun that once took him in.

And precisely because he is not a cold-hearted, unfeeling person.

When Kantisi pleaded with him for the village, Luo De suddenly couldn't make up his mind.

Originally according to his plan.

He was prepared to finish investigating how many people were affected by the news that the Red King was not dead, then decide how to handle the matter based on its scale.

Anyway, no matter how it's handled.

In the end he will definitely say that the Red King is dead, so that the Red King's people won't be deceived by others.

Like what Kantisi said about the impact of the Red King being dead on A Ru Cun and the desert peoples.

Luo De can only do his best to ensure A Ru Cun doesn't fall into chaos, that's all.

The atmosphere momentarily fell into a stalemate.

Luo De, unable to make a decision, and Kantisi, who didn't want the village to fall into chaos again, locked eyes, each seeing helplessness in the other's gaze.

If this continues to be left unchecked, the whole of Sumeru will be affected.

According to the Electro Archon's true intention.

For the stability of all Sumeru, Luo De's best solution is to make the truth public, even though this will certainly affect the identity of the Red King's divine envoy, but this cannot be delayed; the longer it's dragged, the worse it will get.

After hesitating for a long time.

Luo De let out a sigh: "Let me think of another way."

After saying that, he turned and left.

Night fell.

Luo De, who had spent the day in thought, sat on a mountain not far from A Ru Cun, lowered his head to look at the lights below, his eyes still filled with hesitation.

As for the title of Red King Envoy.

Abandoning it would definitely have some impact on the public order of Hope City and A Ru Cun.

Including Luo De's own prestige among the desert people would therefore be greatly diminished.

However, Luo De originally governed the desert through killing.

'The Envoy's judgment: death penalty as the starting point.'

This isn't just mad gossip; it really was the case back then.

Luo De's fearsome reputation.

It is what gives him the confidence to abandon the title of Red King Envoy.

The impact on Hope City's side won't be too great either.

It's still the same saying.

The people there have become accustomed to killing; for them, as long as Luo De, that murderous star, remains in Sumeru for a day, whether the Red King is not dead or the Red King Envoy is a fake, none of that will bring any change to their lives.

In civil matters they acknowledge the Dendro Archon; in martial matters they acknowledge Luo De.

That's enough.

But A Ru Cun is different.

This place is originally one of the gathering spots of the desert extremists.

Even though Hope City, when it was established, diverted many of the extremists to become laborers, there still remained a considerable number of extremists here.

Moreover, Luo De's later stay in A Ru Cun was obviously shorter than his time in Hope City.

What he left behind in A Ru Cun were merely the anecdotes from when A Ru Cun first took him in and the title of Red King Envoy.

Such influence.

It simply cannot reach the level where, as in Hope City, a single name alone can suppress troublemakers.

"Luo De, Luo De, are you there?"

Just when Luo De, after much thought, could not find a solution, the voices of Nadixa and the Great Merciful Tree King sounded simultaneously in his ear.

They called out three times in succession.

Only then did Luo De come to his senses: "I'm here."

"Hah—"

Upon hearing his voice, the sound from the Void Terminal obviously let out a sigh.

Then Nadixa said: "We two have come up with a plan; do you have time now for us to tell you?"

"I have time; go ahead."

As soon as Luo De heard that Nadixa and the others had a plan, he immediately perked up, pricking his ears to listen to the voice from the Void, afraid to miss a single word.

But when he heard the plan they spoke of, Luo De froze in place.

"Since we cannot acknowledge that the Red King is dead, nor can we acknowledge that he is still alive,"

"Then you might as well become this Red King yourself, so they no longer believe in the Red King Envoy but transfer their faith to you."

To be honest.

This reason Luo De really hadn't thought of.

But upon further thought,

it actually makes a certain amount of sense.

The Great Merciful Tree King on the other end then continued.

"In the eyes of those desert people, you are essentially the Red King Envoy, without any dispute."

"You said yesterday that they have already derived faith power from you as their Envoy; that makes this an even better opportunity."

"All you need to do is step forward and openly acknowledge that you are the Red King; the so-called Envoy is merely a convenient identity for walking among mortals. Then, when you reveal the divine light of a god, similar to the so-called Red King's divine light, any problem you encounter now will be readily resolved."

(End of chapter)