Chapter 98: Tuhao choice

Lu Yao looked down at Salt City.

In this simple small city, there were noticeably more people on the streets than before, and the houses were expanding. The low walls that used to appear spacious were now tightly attached to each residential building.

Lu Yao clicked on the population tab in the upper right corner.

Population: 23,215

In the details, the population of Salt City was shown as 3,005, which was nearly 700 more people than a few days ago.

Due to the small base, it was impossible for the birth rate to increase so much in a short period of time.

There was only one reason: migration of outsiders.

On the streets, one could see islanders with bare upper bodies, wild people with hair dragging to their waists, and some foreigners with feathers inserted in their hair, mud and paint on their faces.

They seemed to have just moved to Salt City and everything here was novel to them. Many people were looking around, communicating with the locals through gestures and signs.

Salt City was a young city and relatively tolerant of outsiders. Especially among these outsiders, many of them brought special goods with them.

For example, colored pottery jars, clothes or hats woven with feathers, rare animal bones, bizarre wood carvings, and gemstones.

These foreign goods were very attractive in Salt City and were being snatched up by merchants. Some of the immigrants who came here became quite wealthy and extravagant.

Lu Yao noticed a small person wearing colorful feathers. This little person bought many things and directly pulled a camel to go shopping in the shops and streets.

The small person’s head displayed: [Chieftain] Dorennunu.

Dorennunu, the chieftain, did not understand the language of Yao City, but it did not affect his life as a chieftain in a foreign land.

Besides having two followers with feathered headdresses, he also had a local merchant accompanying him. The merchant was gesturing and explaining things to Dorennunu.

This translator merchant was none other than Shang Li.

Facing this foreign tycoon, Shang Li was very attentive.

“Chieftain, the houses in Salt City are so sturdy and beautiful. Just buying an ordinary house does not match your distinguished status.”

Dorennunu, the chieftain, stood with his hands behind his back, and a string of garbled characters appeared above his head.

But Shang Li seemed to understand.

He continued to persuade, “Look ahead, that is the mayor’s house, also the best residence in Salt City.”

A exclamation mark appeared above Dorennunu’s head.

It seemed that he understood.

Seeing this, Shang Li quickly guided him to a tall stone house next to the library.

“Chieftain, this is the mayor’s mansion.”

Dorennunu looked up and down, and another string of garbled characters appeared above his head.

Lu Yao glanced at it.

The mayor’s residence in Yulian was much larger than the surrounding houses. Two stone houses were connected, like a small row of villas. On the left side of the two houses was a small garden, and on the right side was a place that looked like a stable.

There was a large black dog lying at the entrance of the mayor’s mansion. It wasn’t noisy, just lazily lying on the ground.

After observing the mayor’s mansion for a while, a smiley face appeared above the chieftain’s head, and he spoke in a dialect.

Shang Li’s head lit up with a light bulb.

“Chieftain, the mayor’s mansion is not for sale.”

“This is where the most distinguished people in the city live. How could it be sold to you just like that, even if you are so distinguished…”

“Really? Do you really have to buy it?”

“Well, it’s not impossible.”

“Please wait a moment, let me go and talk to the mayor!”

Shang Li rode a horse and quickly traversed the streets and alleys, soon finding Mayor Yulian near the lighthouse.

He and Yulian chatted privately for a while, and an exclamation mark appeared above Yulian’s head.

Then the two of them rode back.

“Chieftain, I tried my best and finally convinced the mayor to give you this most luxurious and distinguished residence in Salt City.”

Shang Li said, “For anyone else, it would be impossible to buy this unique house. The mayor only agreed because he heard that it was you who wanted it.”

The smiley face symbol above Dorennunu’s head became even bigger, and he spoke for a while in the dialect.

“Do you want it now? Okay, okay,” Shang Li said.

Soon, the chieftain’s followers brought a camel, and the camel carried two boxes on its back.

The followers unloaded the boxes and opened them, revealing sparkling gemstones inside.

After paying the money, Dorennunu held his head high and walked into the number one mansion in Salt City.

The big black dog at the entrance seemed to have misunderstood the situation and barked at the intruder.

Anger rose above the chieftain’s head.

The two followers grabbed the dog and threw it out from the entrance.

The black dog became unemployed on the spot and lay down next to Mayor Yulian, with a question mark above its head.

After a while, the followers brought two colorful feathered wild chickens as a replacement for the dog. They walked slowly, elegantly, and restrained.

Yulian and Shang Li left the mansion with the jewelry box and the dog.

They bypassed the streets and came to a hidden corner.

“The third one has been sold successfully too.”

A smiley face symbol appeared above Shang Li’s head. “The name of the mayor’s mansion is really useful.”

“…”

Yulian let out a sigh above his head. “You have deceived three chieftains like this, the previous one in the east, and the one before that in the north. They must have realized they were tricked.”

“How can you say it’s deception, Mayor?”

Shang Li defended, “It really is the mayor’s mansion, and you really did live in it for a few days, didn’t you?”

“The hospital needs money, the library needs money, the roads need money, the walls need money, and the architectural institute that you, Mayor, have been longing for also needs money. This money is used for these things.”

Yulian said, “Alright. You do know how to make money.”

“That’s the duty of a merchant, Mayor,” Shang Li said.”Good heavens,” Lu Yao exclaimed.

The mayor himself is promoting real estate, huh?

At this point, Lu Yao had also figured it out.

The large influx of population into Salt City was mostly immigrants.

A significant portion of these immigrants came from the neighboring Yao City.

Yao City used food and material resources to launch a large-scale cultural output of faith, attracting many islanders, wild men, and mountain people. Among them were leaders like Dorennunu.

Once you’ve tasted fine food, it’s hard to go back to eating chaff and vegetables.

Especially the affluent class among these natives. They immigrated to Yao City, a big city, and enjoyed life with the wealth they brought.

Soon these people discovered that Yao City was not the best place.

Salt City to the west was a paradise for the rich.

There, they didn’t force you to pray and recite the gospel, nor did they prohibit animal fights and heavy drinking. Salt City had clean and beautiful streets and houses, abundant goods, and few restrictions on people.

So, some affluent immigrants made their way to Salt City.

As a result, Salt City reaped the benefits, indirectly stealing the affluent foreign population brought by Yao City’s evangelism.

However, because Yao City had the only school, the Theological Seminary, foreign natives would usually study there for a while, learning the local language and basic knowledge, indirectly expanding Yao City’s influence.

Lu Yao’s gaze shifted back and forth between the two cities.

He noticed something interesting.

Whether they liked it or not, these two cities were cooperating in some way.

Yao City, through its powerful cultural output, continuously spread the belief in gods and theological consciousness. They spared no effort in promoting it, greatly influencing the understanding of the natives everywhere, making them unable to resist coming to this city to observe.

Salt City, with its open and inclusive characteristics, firmly attracted this group of foreigners, making them migrate and settle down to enjoy a better environment and a relaxed life.

On the other hand, Salt City couldn’t independently digest a large amount of foreign goods, so it increased trade and exchanges with Yao City, indirectly stimulating the economy of both cities.

“What is this?” Lu Yao wondered.

A beggar version of Yao City Cluster?

Lu Yao remembered a forgotten place.

He switched his perspective and moved to the south, which he hadn’t paid attention to for a long time.

Seeing the situation in Sanilo, Lu Yao was puzzled.

What’s going on?

In the city of Sanilo, there were now sandworms appearing. These sandworms swaggered around the streets.

Are the monsters attacking the city?

Lu Yao looked again, the city wall wasn’t broken.

He observed more carefully.

Why are these sandworms digging canals?

Lu Yao observed for a while before confirming that he wasn’t mistaken.

Sanilo had learned to control the Transcendent creatures, the sandworms.

This was a big move made quietly.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep