Chapter 183 - The Number One Village of the World (Part 2)

Lu Ran’s appearance caused an uproar comparable to a national idol suddenly descending into their midst. Standing before the crowd of over a thousand villagers, even Lu Ran felt a little awkward. He stepped forward and cleared his throat.

“Uncles, aunties, elders, and siblings. Hello, I’m Lu Ran. My grandfather was Lu Hai, our previous Village Chief. Some of you may remember him. Just now, I had a discussion with Village Chief Lu Yan, and we agreed that I will assume the role of Village Chief for Lu Village. Does anyone have any objections?”

“Holy shit...”

As Lu Ran finished speaking, the younger generation erupted in excitement.

Who in the world would have any objections to this?

Previously, the loudest voices in Lu Village had been calling for Lu Ran to return and take on the role of Village Chief.

Now that this wish had come true, they could barely contain their joy. Meanwhile, the elders slowly lowered their walking sticks, staring at Lu Ran in shock.

They really managed to bring back Lu Hai’s extraordinary grandson?

“No problem!!!”

“Objections? Who would dare object? I’ll steal their chickens if they do!”

“Brother Lu, from now on, wherever you go, I’ll follow. Can you take me on a run through the ascension realms like you did with Lu Bing and the rest? Just once!”

“Can I get an autograph? Can I get an autograph?”

“I want to take a picture with you! Together with the Gale Sword Dog!”

“Has the Gale Sword Dog ever thought about breeding services?”

Faced with the younger generation’s cheers, the villagers of other age groups had no chance to get a word in. Lu Ran chuckled awkwardly.

Am I really this popular?

“Actually, I decided to return as Village Chief to lead everyone forward because I was entrusted with a responsibility.”

Uh...

This statement caused the villagers to freeze momentarily. Even Lu Yan blinked in mild surprise.

Lu Ran continued, “Do you all remember the myth about the Divine Deer, a sacred creature said to have once protected our clan?”

How could the villagers of Lu Village not know? Nearly every elder loved telling the story of the Divine Deer to the children. Of course, most people treated it as nothing more than a myth. Except for the older generation, no one really believed in it anymore.

“What if I told you the Divine Deer is real?” Lu Ran’s tone and expression were utterly serious.

The moment his words fell, the crowd fell completely silent. A few elders widened their eyes in disbelief. Compared to the younger villagers raised in the new era, those who had grown up in older times were much more sensitive to such matters. Back then, the village still held rituals dedicated to worshiping the Divine Deer.

“After the spiritual energy revival, I uncovered some hidden truths. The real reason I want to help Lu Village develop is that I received a dream from the Divine Deer itself. The Divine Deer exists, resting in a sacred location.

“In ancient times, the status of Lu Village was unimaginable to all of you. It was one of the top ten super tribes in the world. Over time, it declined, but with the Divine Deer’s awakening, restoring Lu Village to its former glory is no longer a mere dream.

“Long ago, due to unforeseen circumstances, the Divine Deer was gravely injured and forced into slumber to protect Lu Village. But now, with the revival of spiritual energy, the Divine Deer is nearing its return. Before its awakening, it entrusted me with resources and tasked me with leading Lu Village back to its peak.

“This, in essence, is the real reason I’ve returned to Lu Village. With the Divine Deer’s blessings, every member of the Lu Clan will receive abundant resources every month! Beastmasters will receive beastmaster skills, trait crystals, legendary familiars, and a large amount of crystal coins.

“Non-beastmasters will receive substantial cash payments, ensuring that every villager becomes a millionaire in no time. Additionally, extraordinary nutritional products capable of extending lifespans and curing diseases will be distributed...”

“Our first goal is modest. It is to become the number one village in the world. Believe me, we can achieve this.”

When Lu Ran finished, his words, which sounded eerily like a sales pitch, left both the younger and older generations clutching their wildly beating hearts, staring at him in disbelief.

But this was Lu Ran, the strongest fourth-generation beastmaster on Blue Planet. His credibility was nearly beyond question. Why would Lu Ran need to lie to them? The only exception was Manager Ying, who was secretly stomping in frustration.

This guy sure knows how to spin a tale!

“Divine Deer above!!! I knew it! I knew the Divine Deer had to be real!”

An elderly woman in her seventies suddenly burst into tears, falling to her knees. Startled, Lu Ran quickly gestured for others to help her up.

“Someone please help her up. Everyone, please calm down first.”

“I mean what I said. From now on, every member of the Lu Clan will enjoy the Divine Deer’s blessings.

“There’s no need to thank me. I’m merely acting on behalf of the Divine Deer. But remember, do not spread the word of this outside the village. If this secret gets out, Lu Village will lose its peace.”

“Who would dare to leak this!? Anyone who leaks this will be permanently exiled from Lu Village and the Lu Clan!”

At this, an elder slammed their walking stick to the ground, their eyes red with emotion. The elderly villagers, being the most devout believers in the Divine Deer, stared at Lu Ran with expressions of awe and reverence.

Is he truly the Divine Deer’s messenger?

Faced with the villagers’ overwhelming excitement, Lu Ran could only offer a wry smile. “If you’re grateful, direct your thanks to the Divine Deer. You don’t need to thank me.

“The Divine Deer also mentioned that those who make significant contributions to the village will be granted a legendary blessing. Seize this opportunity. With the Divine Deer’s favor, the strongest fourth-generation beastmaster on Blue Planet might no longer be me—it could be one of you. Everyone has a chance.”

“All for the sake of the village! The first reform I plan to implement as Village Chief is the establishment of a Divine Deer Festival. We will hold this festival several times a year to worship the Divine Deer, and it will be hosted by the elderly villagers who are no longer involved in productive work.

“As for the younger generation, beastmasters will continue forming teams to hone their skills in Limitless City’s secret realms.

“For those who are not beastmasters, I will invite professional professors from Beastmaster University who specialize in extraordinary creature farming and spiritual plant cultivation to assist with our industrial transformation. Together, we will transform Lu Village into a Beastmaster Village.”

“From now on, everyone will engage in Transcendent creature farming and spiritual plant cultivation to develop the village’s economy. I hope that through our collective efforts, Lu Village can reclaim its former glory.”

Lu Ran smiled faintly, though inwardly he winced.

The Divine Deer hasn’t provided any resources at all. All of the investments in Lu Village will have to come from my own pocket. And yet, the villagers will thank the Divine Deer instead, building faith energy for it...

It was so difficult. But considering the Broken Horn of the Divine Deer, he went along with it. Thankfully, Lu Village wasn’t too large, nor did it have too many people, so it shouldn’t bankrupt him.

“Number one village in the world!!! Number one village in the world!!!”

That day was destined to be one of extraordinary excitement for Lu Village. The younger generation, in particular, cheered passionately in response to Lu Ran’s speech.

In life, one of the greatest joys is discovering you have a billionaire father.

For Lu Village, their equivalent joy was realizing that their village had the genuine protection of a Divine Beast. At Lu Ran’s suggestion, the villagers began contacting those working or studying outside the village, urging them to return.

***

“Ah Bing, come home! The village is handing out gold bars!”

“Son! Why are you still at that dead-end job? Even if you’re a manager, come back immediately!”

“Brother, my dear brother, come back quickly! There are succubi in the village!”

That day, the fourth-generation beastmasters of Lu Village returned home and immediately did one thing: they sought out their elders to learn more about the myths surrounding the Divine Deer, treating the tales as sacred scripture.

For them, the resources mattered less than the chance to receive the Divine Deer’s blessings. Like Lu Ran, they dreamed of becoming legendary beastmasters and leading the era.

Believe in the Divine Deer! Contribute to the village!

With its already strong sense of unity, Lu Village now had a shared faith to further enhance its cohesion. The resulting vigor and vitality were astonishing.

Meanwhile, faint, glowing points of light began to converge in the village, rising into the sky and merging into ethereal deer-shaped spirits of faith—all of which were visible only to Lu Ran.

“This...”

Lu Ran stood frozen, staring in disbelief.

I haven’t even distributed any resources yet, but the faith energy is already flowing. Well, I suppose it makes sense. Even gods who give nothing have worshipers, let alone this Lu Ran... I mean, Deer God, who’s genuinely ready to hand out money.

“At this rate, Lu Village might really become the number one village in the world, where every villager is ridiculously powerful...”

Lu Ran murmured, stroking his chin. Beside him, Manager Ying’s mouth twitched in exasperation.

𝙛𝒓𝒆𝙚𝒘𝒆𝓫𝙣𝓸𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝒄𝒐𝓶

“Oh well. Anything for Captain Deer.”