393: Chapter 393 Enough talk, let's fight.

"But look at it now!" City Lord Xuan De's voice echoed through the hall, shaking the dust loose from the ceiling.

Chen You was not intimidated by this display of power.

He pulled over a rough stone chair from nearby, brushed off the dust, and sat down with composed ease.

"What about now?" Chen You crossed his legs, resting his interlaced hands on his knees, his tone flat.

"Right now, everyone is living in peace and working happily. There is no bloodshed, no sacrifice."

"Just by stretching their limbs a little every day, they can make the prosperity of Sanjing City soar."

"City Lord Xuan De, shouldn't you be thanking me?"

City Lord Xuan De froze for a moment, seemingly not expecting this outsider to not only remain unfazed but also dare to talk back.

"Thank you?" City Lord Xuan De laughed out of sheer anger, his bell-sized eyes bulging and bloodshot.

"I should thank you for turning the bravest Berserkers under my command into soft-legged shrimps who only know how to wiggle their butts?"

"I should thank you for turning my blacksmiths into actors who only know how to blow kisses?"

"This is called industrial upgrading." Chen You remained unfazed, beginning his manipulation once more.

"Times have changed, City Lord Xuan De."

"How many gold coins can you earn from fighting and killing? You forge iron, you grind mobs, you risk your lives—and for what? Is it enough to feed the whole city?"

City Lord Xuan De's breath hitched. He stiffened his neck and roared, "We Orcs would rather die of hunger standing up than live on our knees wiggling our waists!"

Chen You shook his head, wearing an expression of disappointment, as if looking at someone who refused to improve.

"Narrow-minded! Far too narrow-minded." Chen You sighed, pointing outside the door.

"You think they're wiggling their waists? No, they are creating value! This is called the fan economy; this is called traffic monetization!"

"As long as there is firepower value and attention, gold coins will pour into Sanjing City's treasury like a waterfall."

Chen You leaned forward, looking City Lord Xuan De straight in the eye. "When that time comes, what divine weapon or legendary tool won't you be able to buy? How many high-level mages won't you be able to hire?"

"Isn't crushing your enemies with capital better than charging in shirtless to your deaths?"

City Lord Xuan De was left dizzy by this barrage of modern vocabulary.

"Industrial upgrading," "traffic monetization"—he didn't understand a single word.

But his primal combat instinct told him that the Cultivator in front of him was talking nonsense.

"Utter rubbish!" City Lord Xuan De swung his hand violently, whipping up a gust of wind.

"I only know that muscles that haven't been baptized in blood are just piles of soft meat! Eyes without killing intent can't even scare off a stray cat or dog!"

He strode to the weapon rack and gripped the two "Twin Swords" that were as large as door panels.

*Clang—*

The two giant swords were drawn. Their heavy blades frictioned against the air, letting out a series of low hums.

City Lord Xuan De turned around and slammed the crossed giant swords into the stone floor.

*Boom!*

The hard stone slabs instantly shattered, and spiderweb-like cracks spread to Chen You's feet.

"You want my mark?" City Lord Xuan De looked down at Chen You, white steam puffing from his nostrils.

"Fine! The rule of the Source Realm is that the strong are respected! If you beat me, you take the mark."

"If you lose, get the hell out of Sanjing City, and while you're at it, stop that bullshit talent show of yours!"

Chen You looked at those two absurdly thick steel plates, his lip twitching.

This Minotaur was truly stubborn and set in his ways.

"We really have to fight?" Chen You stood up and patted his robes. "I'm very busy; tens of thousands of gold coins go through my hands every minute."

"Less talk!" City Lord Xuan De grabbed the contract silk from the table and strode toward the exit. "Come! Follow me to the central square!"

"Why go to the square? Is this place not big enough for you to show off?" Chen You frowned.

"I want to defeat you in front of the whole city!" City Lord Xuan De didn't look back, his voice rolling out like thunder.

"I want to wake up those trash who are obsessed with talent shows! I want them to see that only power is the foundation of Sanjing City!"

Chen You sighed helplessly.

Fine, since you insist on a public execution, I'll grant your wish.

He stepped forward to follow City Lord Xuan De's back out of the City Lord's Manor.

...

Central Square.

By now, the square had been transformed into a massive open-air stage.

Multi-colored fluorescent stones hung in the air, flashing with blinding light.

In the center of the square, several NPCs were working hard to crank a massive mechanical phonograph, and a deafening electronic beat echoed through the air.

*Untz untz untz untz!*

"Follow my rhythm! One, two, three, four! Change poses! Do it again!"

A half-orc wearing a leopard-print bodysuit stood on a high platform, holding a megaphone and screaming into it with all his might.

Below the stage, hundreds of muscular men over two meters tall were frantically shaking their pectoral muscles to the beat.

Even more eye-searingly, several Berserkers in the front row were actually wearing pink skirts and performing a highly incongruous idol dance.

Their expressions were greasy, their movements exaggerated, and they occasionally blew finger hearts at the crowd.

"Ahhh! Niu Dazhuang! Mommy loves you!"

Cat-eared Girls and Fox-eared Maidens on the periphery screamed frantically, waving their support signs.

The entire square was a chaotic mess of demons dancing and a foul atmosphere.

Chen You couldn't help but cover his face as he watched this scene.

Wait, what kind of aesthetic is this?

*Bang!*

A loud explosion drowned out the thunderous electronic music.

The fluorescent stones in the air were shredded by a sharp burst of sword qi.

Immediately after, a giant sword the size of a door panel smashed into the mechanical phonograph in the center of the square like a meteorite.

*Boom!*

The expensive phonograph instantly turned into a pile of scrap metal, and the piercing electronic music came to an abrupt halt.

The entire venue fell deathly silent.

Everyone froze in their waist-wiggling and butt-shaking poses, stiffly turning their heads toward the square's entrance.

City Lord Xuan De walked over, holding his other giant sword, looking like a god of slaughter.

With every step he took, the ground trembled.

“City... City Lord...” The half-orc hype man on the platform shuddered, and the megaphone in his hand fell to the ground.

“Everyone stop!” City Lord Xuan De let out a sky-shaking roar. The sound waves turned into physical ripples, making everyone's cheeks sting.

He pointed at the group of Berserkers in pink skirts below the stage, his finger trembling.

“Look at yourselves now! Do you have even a shred of a warrior's dignity left?!” City Lord Xuan De cried out in grief and indignation.

“Your ancestors were warriors who tore dragons apart with their bare hands! Your muscles were born to rip out the throats of your enemies!”

“But now? You're actually here... wiggling your butts here!”

The warriors below the stage looked at each other.

A muscular Minotaur in a skirt muttered aggrievedly in a low voice, “But City Lord... they really pay too much for dancing.”

“If we can take first place, the reward is fifty thousand gold coins...”

“Shut up!” City Lord Xuan De was so angry he almost spat blood.

This was the part that made him most desperate.

This damn talent show was using an irresistible profit to corrode the very foundation of Sanjing City.

City Lord Xuan De turned abruptly, his giant sword pointing at Chen You, who was following behind.

“It's him!” City Lord Xuan De's voice rang throughout the square.

“He is the culprit behind that 'Voice of Star Source' thing! It was he who used these crooked ways to cloud your warrior minds!”

*Swish—*

The gaze of the entire square instantly focused on Chen You.

Chen You was wearing his moyuan star river robe today, looking ethereal and refined. Among the group of rugged Orcs, he appeared completely out of place.

“So handsome...” Several girls' eyes lit up.