Chapter 645: Chapter 645
There was no grand ceremony. Du You didn’t know if it was because the other party felt it was unnecessary, or if it was due to the city still being in the process of rebuild, the preparations were inadequate. Regardless, Du You didn’t mind and simply walked in.
As he entered, a man who looked to be in his thirties was sitting at the back of the hall directly in front of him.
This man had a unique aura, as if all the sources of light in the hall were drawn towards him. Although he only revealed a hint of his formidable presence, Du You still felt immense pressure.
This was definitely a fourth-tier existence, Du You realized.
What shocked him even more was that the man had no tag above his head. As far as he knew, only Professionals and Semi-Professionals didn’t have tags. For others, as soon as they approached a certain distance, a tag would appear.
The name of their profession, their species name, and their level, nothing could be concealed from Professionals. It was this small tag that contributed to the major advantages Professionals held in many worlds.
But this person in front of him had nothing above his head. Could it be that he was a Professional? Du You was on alert, for if other Professional organizations had arrived in this world and grown powerful, it would bring trouble.
"Please sit." The man gestured towards the chair in front of Du You.
A number of people were already seated there. They were not lords, but officials from South Mountain City.
Most of them were third-tier individuals. The average person would indeed feel overwhelmed in such an environment. Soldiers lined both sides of the hall, their formidable presence indicating that they, too, were third-tier individuals.
Du You walked forward and sat confidently in the chair, while Lin Yucha and Lin Yushi stood behind him, their energy interacting with the surrounding soldiers, creating a stand-off.
Even though the two of them were no match for these soldiers, the interplay of their energies wasn’t limited by a simple matter of numbers.
"Lord Du You of the Mountain Territory, you’ve done a splendid job. I am Anlute, the lord of South Mountain City. I’ve heard that you’ve had quite a busy time before this. Now that I’ve seen your strength myself, I admit that you do an excellent job."
Du You was taken aback. This was the city lord. According to Shaliya, the mayor has always lived in the Imperial Capital of Divine Flame Empire. Moreover, those who could be dispatched here were almost certainly of unimpeachable identity, with their whole family of high repute. Anlute, a person of his standing, could not be a Professional unless he had been replaced by one.
However, this was highly improbable. Inside the Divine Flame Empire, replacing a person of significance was a major challenge.
Most importantly, Du You did not detect any suspicious implications in Anlute’s words.
"Not at all! Enhancing one’s strength is the utmost priority. Developing a territory is nothing more than a necessary preparation for enhancing one’s strength." Du You responded calmly.
"Well said. Unlike some people who only strive for power and profit all day long. One’s own strength is of paramount importance. Even if there’s power, what use would it be without strength?" Anlute glanced around the room.
Many lowered their heads, their faces showing expressions of shame.
Everyone knew the importance of strength, but isn’t enhancing one’s strength dependent on talent? Not everyone has remarkable talent like Anlute, who managed to reach the fourth tier at such a young age.
"First of all, by coming to South Mountain City, you have implicitly accepted its administration. In the past, territories didn’t need to pay taxes, but now that they have fallen under the jurisdiction of the Empire, that will change. However, considering the conditions in this area, normal tax will be halved. Of course, those in difficulty can now receive subsidies from the Empire."
This order seemed targeted at him. Apart from himself, who else could afford to pay taxes in the southern territories? Other people received subsidies and good news, while he was the only one at a loss.
Moreover, the taxes he would pay, just a small portion of them would suffice to subsidize the other territories. South Mountain City was set to make a huge profit, while he was expected to accept substantial losses. Du You was slightly annoyed.
"Young man, don’t be angry. All areas that are valued and controlled more rigorously by the empire are . Besides, isn’t this place also safer now?" Du You slowly subdued his annoyance.
He understood that the empire, or South Mountain City for instance, was not targeting him specifically, but acting in their own best interests. As for the regulations of the past, they were nothing more than promises not yet written down – who would care about them? Official source ıs 𝖓𝖔𝖛𝖊𝖑~𝖋𝖎𝖗𝖾~𝖓𝖊𝖙
The empire was powerful, and if he wanted to keep his territory, he would have to make a temporary compromise. Fortunately, they did not know the true extent of his income or cost information, allowing him to play his cards right.
Du You nodded, "Alright, but it shouldn’t be just me who incurs a loss?"
Anlute smiled satisfactorily at the response, thinking the young man a bit naïve. "Of course not, this is an order from the empire. Given your role in the south and your past merits, the empire has decided to grant you the position of count."
Had it been a local resident, they would’ve been overjoyed. But what use was this position to him? Du You could only put on a smile to express his gratitude, even if it was a bit stiff and awkward.
Once he became a count, his status would be completely different from before. A count belonged to the ranks of high aristocracy in the empire. The positions below count, the small aristocracies, could be achieved through military contributions. However, to attain the position of a count, substantial military merits were indispensable. He had made no small contribution last time, but still came away empty-handed.
To his surprise, he obtained it here. But considering the power of his own territory, which already exceeded that of many counts’ territories, he was bound to receive this position sooner or later, and thus felt a bit at a loss. Most importantly, was this of any use to him?
"Nowadays, conflicts are intensifying in the south. There will be lots of opportunities for you. Imperial nobles will also start taking an interest in this area, but you have the advantage of a head start and can seize more benefits. During the upcoming battles, if you perform well, not only your status, but other privileges can be earned."
Anlute’s eyes narrowed slightly, "For instance, some secret martial arts techniques can now be obtained through military merits."
The surrounding people gasped in astonishment, this was something that hadn’t been mentioned before. Everyone looked at Du You, their eyes filled with envy. Secret martial arts, this wasn’t something the average person could have access to.
Du You, however, was stunned. Would these things be useful to him? He was a Professional. All he needed to do was to continuously use Crystal Coins to level up. Those so-called secret martial arts techniques were only useful for natives. Even if he were to acquire them, wouldn’t it be a waste?