Chapter 398 - Everyone’s Motive

Defeating the army was the first step in Han Wu’s plan. The second was to spread word that he intended to sell the lesser golems.

The news shocked every faction in the southern region, especially the gnomes. The Transmutation Golem and the lesser golems were valuable treasures that they had gone to great lengths to conceal from the other factions, yet Han Wu had deliberately made their existence known.

He wanted the world to see the lesser golems’ strength and announced that he would auction them off. The factions that had suffered defeat at the hands of his lesser golem army would do anything to purchase one.

Han Wu was certain that they would buy them no matter the price. Owning even one would increase the factions’ strength. Once they grew stronger, the smaller factions would have no choice but to purchase golems of their own to withstand the larger factions’ inevitable attacks. That was the only way for them to survive in a war between larger factions.

Han Wu had already anticipated criticism for selling the lesser golems but didn’t care. He was confident that the larger factions would shield him if trouble arose. As long as he declared himself a neutral party, they would all leave him alone.

Once the news spread that he intended to sell the lesser golems, the once-intimidating factions all sent envoys bearing goodwill. They apologized for their earlier rude behavior and offered various treasures in hopes of securing more lesser golems, or at least ensuring future purchases.

Han Wu had no interest in wasting time with them and decided to let Sun Qingnian handle the external affairs. He had a feeling that by the time negotiations ended, the large factions would be bleeding their coffers dry under Sun Qingnian’s hand. They would likely even have to offer up a princess or two to him in the process.

The news of the sales expanded the mine’s influence. Even the students from Imperial College were looking for ways to profit from the trade.

Regardless of what Han Wu said, he was still a first-year student. The second- or third-year students still had more experience than he did.

In a newly founded kingdom that admitted only women, Wei En, the president of the Saintess Club, sat on the throne and studied the report in her hand.

“Are you sure this is real?” Her voice carried gravity as she addressed the girl kneeling in front of her.

The girl nodded. “Yes, President. I’ve confirmed it through one of my spies. He’s a back-up[1] of mine that got this information from a gnome noble.”

Wei En stood up, mumbling, “The deep mountain ranges... The Transmutation Golem... Is this related to the Magic Ring? Prepare the vehicle. I need to visit Junior Han Wu myself.”

“Yes,” the girl replied with devotion.

Elsewhere, in a forest bathed in the glow of the setting sun, Huang Shengjun stood on a moving war wagon with a crown upon his head. He was monitoring the goblin army training to the side.

Since descending into the Middle Realm, he had chosen to nurture the goblins that he knew best. With his deep understanding of the goblins, he easily spread his faith and became their king.

The former king of the goblin kingdom, Caesar, stood in loyal attendance behind him and handed him a message. Huang Shengjun opened the report, and his eyes lit up. “The new faction from the mine defeated the allied forces of the various factions using the lesser golems they manufactured. Interesting. We should go see them for ourselves. Caesar, bring a few treasures. Let’s see if we can buy a couple of those golems.”

Caesar nodded.

Inside the Garden of Behemoths, Xiang Meng sprinted toward his friends, waving a flyer. “Xia Tian, Ye Ling! There’s a new faction from a mine. Apparently, they are selling lesser golems powerful enough that even the allied forces of the larger factions couldn’t stand against them.”

Xia Tian took the flyer and read it carefully. “Something’s off about this. I think one of us is behind this.”

“What should we do?” Xiang Meng asked.

Ye Ling answered, “We should go and check it out. There might be clues about the Magic Rings there.”

Xia Tian nodded. “Then let’s get ready to move.”

Within Ravendell, Elina had also received news of the rising faction. “Han Wu has found the Transmutation Golem! Even though it’s not as precious as the Magic Ring, it’s still a fairly valuable lost treasure. If Han Wu offers it to the Light, then he will earn the Light’s blessings. I must work hard and persuade him to return to the Light’s embrace.”

Back in the mine, Jing Jing commanded the tireless skeletons to build a grand stone palace that would serve as the trading location for the lesser golems’ sale.

The slaves were assigned to the intricate engraving work. Even though it was a daunting job, they embraced it with willing hearts as they were laboring for their god. No matter how exhausting the work became, they devoted themselves to it with unwavering zeal.

Jing Jing watched them closely. Her spiritual flames hidden beneath her twinkling eyes were dancing. By the slaves’ energy fluctuations, she could sense the purity of their faith in Han Wu.

“

Hmph

. My faith surpasses theirs. I must become my god’s only believer,” Jing Jing mumbled, then ordered her skeletons to work even harder.

Deeper within the mines, Han Wu was elated to see that his Transmutation Golem had grown to twenty meters. Its strength reached a new threshold, and its attacks were more destructive now. It had also acquired a new ability: the capacity to equip a new weapon called the Magic Cannon, which could also be fitted onto all manufactured lesser golems.

The Magic Cannon could absorb the magic particles in the air, condense them into a bullet, and release a devastating blast that could carve a ten-meter crater into the earth. The only drawback was that it required a three-minute charge time.

However, Han Wu didn’t consider it an issue. After all, it finally granted his lesser golems a ranged attack option. Naturally, he had no intention of fitting the Magic Cannons on the ones he planned to sell. The good weapons would remain his alone. Once he unlocked another ability, he could always sell the lesser golems with Magic Cannons later.

He was still considering his next steps when Qin Shuang, who had transformed into a Thunder Sparrow, flew to his side. “Han Wu, the third-year valedictorian Wei En is here to see you. Apparently, she’s here to talk to you about something important.”

Han Wu raised an eyebrow. “Wei En, the third-year valedictorian? She must be the one who founded the Saintess Club. Let’s see what she has to discuss with me.”

He followed Qin Shuang into the newly built courtyard, where Wei En and her two subordinates were waiting.

One of them spotted Han Wu and shouted, “Junior Han, what’s with this arrogance? You kept us waiting here ten whole minutes. How are you going to make it up to us?”

“Come on. I doubt Junior Han is stingy,” the other chimed in. “Junior Han, how about you give each of us a lesser golem? One would be more than enough to earn our favor. Surely that’s a bargain you can’t refuse!”

While the two girls chattered and amused themselves, Han Wu smiled and ordered, “Send them off!”

1. a simp basically ☜