Chapter 371

The bustling Flower God's Birthday Festival finally arrived.

All of Sumeru Cheng, starting from morning, was filled with singing and dancing everywhere.

To prepare for the arrival of this day.

The Academy poured vast amounts of effort and money into making the city's security and all measures as perfect as possible.

Even the thieves' organizations were warned by the Academy officials, strictly forbidding them from causing trouble during the Flower God's Birthday Festival, especially from harming foreign guests, lest they damage the Academy's external image.

This measure provoked much criticism even within the Academy's subordinate Thirty-Person Group.

Anyone with common sense knows the Academy's warning.

Known as the Thief Inspector Organization.

In fact, it was warning the unscrupulous members of the Thirty-Person Group.

Everyone in Sumeru Cheng.

Who doesn't know that the Thirty-Person Group are themselves Sumeru Cheng's largest band of thieves?

This is a bunch of lunatics who would even rob their own people—damn scoundrels.

On this point.

Not only did the outsiders, the Youke, grit their teeth in hatred, but even people inside the Academy found it most displeasing.

If it weren't for the Academy's security still needing these mercenaries, the upright Academy officials would have already dealt with them.

However, anger remains anger.

When the leader of the Thirty-Person Group saw a regular army regiment transferred from outside Sumeru Cheng, a bad idea immediately sprang to his mind.

The Academy didn't know when.

It had already secretly trained a genuine troop.

Judging by these people's appearances.

This army consisted not only of rainforest people but also included desert folk.

Moreover, their equipment was extremely superb.

Their equipment was far superior to that of the Thirty-Person Group.

"The Academy will no longer need us in the future!"

The leader of the Thirty-Person Group horrifiedly thought of something.

What's more, it made him feel fearful.

That was the Academy's earlier warning to him.

"If we perform poorly this time."

"They will settle accounts with us afterward!!"

Once this idea arose, no matter how one thought about it, it seemed reasonable.

Even after finding many other reasons.

Unable to resist, the leader of the Thirty-Person Group dared not gamble on whether the Academy would really dare not punish him.

After thus self-PUA-ing for a while.

The leader of the Thirty-Person Group decided to issue an order.

【During the Flower God's Birthday Festival, everyone should perk up, hold their posts, fulfill their duties; if anyone acts dishonestly and breaks the rules, don't blame me for being impolite.】

With such an order issued.

It also caused quite a stir within the Thirty-Person Group.

As for the Academy.

These mercenaries from the desert region inherently had no goodwill.

Previously, the Great Sage of that time, harboring the idea of using magic to counter magic, hired them, and allowed the Thirty-Person Group to develop into a super-large scale capable of being stationed throughout the rainforest region.

Such rapid expansion also made the members of the Thirty-Person Group look down on the Academy even more.

In the era of Aza'er.

They even lacked the idea of outwardly complying while secretly opposing.

What orders the Academy issued.

They directly used them as toilet paper, too lazy to even glance at them.

Even so, the leaders of past generations still had a bit of sense, knowing that their mercenaries' strength, though strong, was due to Sumeru Cheng lacking a deity.

Divine right of kings.

Except for Mondstadt.

This saying applies to any nation in Teyvat.

Therefore.

Since Nadixa walked out of her cage, the current leader of the Thirty-Person Group immediately realized the great crisis.

To want to rebel is impossible.

No matter how many people inside Sumeru Cheng disobey the Dendro Archon.

But the Dendro Archon's divine authority in the rainforest region stands there.

Once they rebel.

A single word from the Dendro Archon is enough to make all of Sumeru Cheng's people unite against them in hatred.

The desert was originally their retreat.

This is also the basis for the Thirty-Person Group's long-standing disregard of the Academy's orders.

But who could have imagined.

Suddenly, a Red King Divine Envoy emerged in the desert, and from the moment of his rise, in less than a year he unified the entire desert; even those tribes and large mercenary bands long entrenched in the desert were exterminated root and branch under his suppression, leaving no chance of resistance, causing the desert, split for a thousand years, to once again approach unity.

And such a person, who should have been a child of the desert, instead pledged allegiance to the Dendro Archon.

What's more terrifying is.

He only became renowned throughout Sumeru Cheng when he rescued the Dendro Archon from captivity.

As long as that one person is in the desert for a day.

This also means the Thirty-person Squad can no longer use the desert as their retreat.

Thus, the leader of the Thirty-person Squad, who understood these serious entanglements, ignored his subordinates' protests, issued a death order forbidding them from causing trouble, and personally dealt with a squad member whose hands weren't clean, giving the Academy a stern demonstration of what it means to be wise and capable.

"This Thirty-person Squad is really obedient."

Although after arriving at Sumeru Cheng she no longer did city defense work, Dixiya still retained the work habit she had developed in Hope City, observing the streets back and forth for several days, confirming that the Thirty-person Squad was indeed behaving peacefully as Luo De had said.

"Their squad leader is a smart person."

Luo De smiled.

Being able to resolve the problem in such a peaceful way, he was still quite satisfied.

No matter how you say it.

The Thirty-person Squad, as a mercenary unit close in size to a regular army,

nominally called a mercenary unit.

In reality, the number of those bearing arms and armor is close to a hundred thousand, and due to constant clashes with the capital's guards and the desert mercenary units, their combat capability remains quite good.

If these people were to rebel,

Dealing with them would be dealt with.

It would inevitably cause some unrest, bringing considerable trouble to the Rainforest Area.

"How do you plan to handle these mercenaries afterward?"

Dixiya knew the Academy had trained a regular army, and she had personally seen the quality of those troops, clearly realizing in her heart that the Thirty-person Squad would eventually be replaced.

Luo De had already figured out this problem.

"Incorporate them."

"Those willing to join the army may do so, with full pay and benefits, but before official service they must undergo military training and can no longer remain lax as they are now."

She heard an unfamiliar term.

Dixiya asked curiously: "Service?"

"That means officially joining the army."

Luo De gave a brief explanation and continued: "Those mercenaries unwilling to join the Academy will be discharged to the desert folk, letting Kantisi incorporate them and have them serve as guards of A Ru Cun."

"Ah?"

"Can A Ru Cun afford it?"

Dixiya was so surprised she opened her mouth wide.

In her impression, A Ru Cun had only recently enjoyed good days for a few years; previously, a group of hired mercenaries, incited by the legacy of the God King, caused trouble and could have eaten the whole village into near famine.

Now suddenly forcing tens of thousands upon them, can they possibly bear it?

"Let me tell you a little secret—don't tell anyone."

Luo De leaned in close to Dixiya's ear and whispered to her a decision Nadixa had just made.

"What!"

"In A Ru Cun!"

Dixiya gasped, seeing the people around looking over, she immediately covered her mouth and whispered: "Really or not?"

What Luo De had just said.

It was the Academy's decision to build a large test field near A Ru Cun, using A Ru Cun as a supply transfer station for it.

Although the test field is normally staffed by the Academy itself.

But the construction of such a test field will surely bring A Ru Cun a great many job positions and considerable extra income.

And once the test field is established,

the scholars working there will inevitably bring their families, and these family members certainly cannot live in the hazardous test field, so they will inevitably settle in A Ru Cun.

In that case,

the population and commerce of A Ru Cun will also expand greatly once again thanks to this opportunity.

Income will rise, business scale will expand, and moreover the trade throughput of Hope City and the Rainforest Area will also improve year by year.

Looking at it this way,

absorbing several ten thousand at once really isn't much of a problem.

"Right, let's not talk about that for now."

"Have you found the people I asked you to look for?"

Luo De changed the subject, asking about a matter he had previously asked Dixiya to help with.

The person he wanted to find.

"Colloquially, it's called a proxy."

The Great Merciful Tree King has already gone to the Pure Good Palace and met with Nadixa, having conveyed everything that needed to be said; on the gods' side, Venti, Xiao, and Raiden Ei have all explicitly said they can act as proxies, helping to wave flags and shout.

Now they still lack some popular voices from the people, so that this Red King and Flower God can be more legitimately justified.

"Hmm."

"I've found the people you told me to look for."

"They also all agreed to help."

Dixiya nodded.

In some respects, her connections are still not bad.

Although it can't match Luo De's high-end connections.

But the low end also has its own advantages.

For instance, with the desert mercenaries, Luo De's name doesn't work well—it might even have the opposite effect—but her Flaming Mane Lion is different; the reputation she's earned over the years among desert mercenaries makes her appeals to them far more effective.

Especially after she promised some benefits that are hard to refuse.

Those mercenaries then all readily agreed.

The rainforest area is the same.

The Academy's scholars need not be mentioned.

This group dislikes Luo De a lot; unlike the desert side, which thinks the Dendro Archon bewitched the Scarlet King's envoy, they believe Luo De bewitched the Dendro Archon, which is why Nadixa issued so many orders unfriendly to the rainforest area.

Trying to persuade them.

That is basically impossible.

Except for diehards like Nafis and Jules, those Academy scholars opposing Luo De are more likely to cause trouble for Luo De on the Flower God's Birthday, adding fuel to the fire.

So Dixiya simply stopped trying to persuade the scholars and turned her focus to the common folk.

The power of the masses is the greatest power.

This is what Luo De taught Dixiya.

Dixiya finds it very reasonable.

Rather than trying to persuade those stubborn nobles, it's better to mobilize Sumeru Cheng's commoners, have them acknowledge Luo De—such a uproar might prove even more effective.

"As long as everything's ready, that's fine."

Luo De's mouth twitched into an unconscious smile, then he self‑mockingly added: "Oh dear, this is my first time pretending to be a god‑man, I'm still a bit nervous."

"Pfft—"

Dixiya burst out laughing with a "pfft" and said: "I don't see where you're nervous at all."

(She said.)

Her voice tinged with a hint of resentment, she said: "We clearly agreed to bring the kids along to play, but these past few days it's all been me looking after the children while someone else is busy who‑knows‑what all day."

"Uh"

Luo De's face flushed with embarrassment.

That's indeed impossible to refute.

But he really has been busy with important matters this period.

He has to attend the gods' banquet.

Envoys from various countries have invited him to attend.

In between, Apep and Navilate's meddling forces him to intervene as well.

He also has to guard against Duotolei causing trouble during the Flower God's Birthday.

It can be said that during this period he has to participate in nearly every major event in Sumeru Cheng.

Including when Nadixa can't make up her mind.

She won't consult the more experienced Great Merciful Tree King; instead she'll have Luo De help her decide.

This makes him even busier.

Each day he either stays in the Pure Goodness Palace or leaves early and returns late; forget about taking Ke Lai and the kids out to play—sometimes he doesn't see a soul all day.

"Let's wait until after this busy spell."

Luo De scratched his head: "Hopefully you can stay away from Hope City for a while; you're not officially employed here in Sumeru Cheng either, so I'll ask for a few more days off for Ke Lai, and we'll both have time."

"Hmph—"

"You always say that."

Dixiya pursed her lips.

Although she complained, she still waved her hand with a relieved expression: "Alright, go attend to your business, my busy person."

(Having said that.)

She then turned and vanished into the crowd.

"Tsk."

Gazing at Dixiya's back, Luo De clicked his tongue: "This time I really can't go back on my word."

He had promised Dixiya many times before.

But unfortunately.

They all fell through because he was too busy, forcing him to stand her up.

This time coming to Sumeru Cheng is no different.

Once Dixiya's figure disappeared from sight, Luo De turned his gaze back to the towering Pure Goodness Palace.

The place where he is.

It is the liveliest viewing spot in Sumeru Cheng today, also a viewing platform set up in advance by the Academy, from which one can overlook the Flower Knight's parade floats and the festivities along the way.

Before these viewing platforms, light curtains produced by the Void Terminal have been set up in advance, allowing one to watch at any time the theatrical performances that will soon begin at the Grand Bazaar.

This performance is also the most anticipated segment of this Flower God's Birthday for the people of Sumeru Cheng.

Back then, under the art ban.

In Sumeru Cheng, the legitimate artistic performances were suppressed to the lower city where the Grand Bazaar is, and they continue to be suppressed, with the result that not only have the Academy's scholars never seen such a performance, many residents of Sumeru Cheng have never witnessed a formal artistic performance in person.

Just thinking about the upcoming task of posing as a god‑man.

Luo De didn't know whether to put on an excited or embarrassed expression, so he took a deep breath, tried to calm himself, and muttered to himself: "At this point, Nadixa and the Great Merciful Tree King should be even more nervous than I am, huh, probably."

(End of chapter)