Whose Authority Dares to Speak So Arrogantly?

Haotian was a man who always slept well, especially after his yin-yang harmonization with his maid Sally. Last night was no exception, and he drifted into a deep sleep. However, this morning, he was awakened by a persistent rhythmic sound.

"What's going on outside?"

"Master..." Sally, the maid, explained while helping Haotian dress and wash up, "A lot of sandfolk have gathered outside. They believe the ancient war tree you built last night is a sacred tree and are now praying beneath it."

Trees held a sacred place in the hearts of the sandfolk, especially a towering ancient war tree that stood hundreds of meters tall. It was the largest tree they had ever seen, so it was only natural for them to revere it as a divine entity.

Haotian remarked, "Faith is good, but it shouldn't interfere with their daily work."

"I understand, Master," Sally nodded. "I'll speak to them and make sure they return to their duties."

Haotian asked, "How was your hunting trip?"

Sally giggled, "The knights took good care of me, and I've become quite skilled. I can now kill mid-tier undead creatures. Yesterday, I even killed a ghoul myself!"

"Impressive!" Haotian praised her with a smile.

After breakfast, Haotian stepped outside the town hall. The sandfolk had dispersed, but every time they looked at the ancient war tree, their faces displayed a profound reverence. They truly regarded the tree as a divine presence.

Haotian's gaze shifted to the Sapphire Lake, where numerous small boats floated on the expansive surface. The sandfolk were fishing with woven nets, aiming to catch all the native fish in the lake, leaving only the mystical Silver-Tail Fish. Over a thousand sandfolk were involved, with some casting nets along the shore, making the scene lively and bustling with activity.

The Royal Griffin Knight Regiment had already set out on their hunt early in the morning. As the lord, Haotian rarely saw them; these knights worked long hours, tackling the most arduous and dangerous tasks. Their dedication was evident, with the regiment's numbers having swelled to over twenty-one thousand knights after the latest recruitment drive.

Meanwhile, in Forest City, the old steward Hoden had gone to the Trade Guild early in the morning. After a series of appointments, receptions, and verifications, he finally withdrew nearly nine million gold coins from his crystal card.

"The efficiency here is getting worse," Hoden grumbled. It had taken nearly an hour to withdraw the coins, prompting him to consider using other guilds like the Magic Guild or the Bounty Hunter Guild in the future.

As Hoden and a group of Royal Justicar Knights were about to leave the Trade Guild, a middle-aged man accompanied by several servants blocked their path. These servants were beastmen, towering over three meters tall and clad in heavy armor, their bear-like faces covered in black fur. These bearmen, known for their immense size and strength, stood like living tanks.

"Step back!" a Royal Justicar Knight commanded coldly. Almost simultaneously, the other knights drew their secondary swords, ready to protect Hoden from any threat.

"Please, don't misunderstand!" the middle-aged man said, startled. His bearman bodyguards retreated a few steps. "I mean no harm. I merely wish to discuss a business proposition."

"We are not merchants," Hoden replied. "We have no business to discuss."

"Magic Master, I know your faction supplies elven spring water to the Crystal Trade Guild," the man continued. "Our guild, the Flamingo Grand Trade Guild, is far more powerful. If you partner with us, we'll sell your elven spring water without taking any commission."

They sought no profit, only the prestige that would come from selling the elven spring water.

"What guild do you represent?" Hoden asked.

"The Flamingo Grand Trade Guild," the man boasted. "We have dozens of trade routes and establishments in every major kingdom, including the Seven Seas to the south. We are also partners with the Royal Trade Guild of the Stanlo Kingdom. We can sell your goods directly in the capital of Stanlo, where elven spring water fetches a much higher price. That's something the small Crystal Trade Guild could never achieve."

"The Stanlo Kingdom," Hoden murmured, his expression darkening. The old king would never have imagined that the direct bloodline of the Tulip family had established a stronghold in the Kalar Desert.

After a moment of thought, Hoden said, "We'll discuss this next time I visit Forest City. If there's a chance for cooperation, your guild will need to prepare a security deposit."

"How much?" the man inquired.

"At least fifty million gold coins," Hoden replied before leading the knights away.

The middle-aged man stood in shock, only coming to his senses long after they had left. Fifty million gold coins? It seemed an outrageous demand, almost a mockery.

The man spoke into the air, "Take a team to the Golden Oasis. I want to know the strength of these people who dare to speak so arrogantly."

"Understood," a deep voice responded from the void.

The middle-aged man watched Hoden and his entourage disappear, his expression dark. His guild had already gathered information about the Golden Oasis from a swordsman of the Crystal Trade Guild. Sophia had risen to prominence after leaving the oasis, implying the elven spring water originated there. If negotiations failed, he would resort to force.

Unbeknownst to the man, Hoden had not been mocking him. The value of the over twenty thousand bottles of mid-tier elven spring water he had brought far exceeded fifty million gold coins.

"Steward, we're being followed," a Royal Justicar Knight reported.

"By the Flamingo Guild?" Hoden asked.

"Not just them," the knight replied.

Hoden glanced back, noticing a large group trailing them, with figures hidden in the surrounding forests. While traffic on the road to Forest City was normal, these individuals' focused stares were not. When they halted, so did the followers.

"Our information has leaked entirely," Hoden concluded after a moment of silence.

"Just as the lord predicted," the knight said. "While Miss Sophia kept the secret, the swordsmen who entered our territory did not."

"Ordinary swordsmen who haven't reached the king level can't resist the allure of bribes or the threat of force."