290 Serve the Knight King for the People (1/2)

”What kind of person is this Golden King?”

While walking on the winding road on the third level of the treasure house, the somewhat bored Wang Lu raised up a question.

The third level of the treasure house was not as simple and straightforward as the second level. The space structure here was extremely complex. According to Cliff’s experience, the trial subject of this level was a maze.

Because it was only the third level maze, the maze would have no large number of guardians or dangerous traps and mechanisms. The standard of the test was how quickly they got out. It was a peaceful and comfortable test, yet it wore down people’s patience.

According to Cliff’s understanding, in this third level maze, even if there was a big talent who could eliminate all the interferences and directly move forward according to the most concise and correct way, it will at least take half a day to go out—thus, their original choice of buyout was the correct choice after all.

And Wang Lu, as a professional adventurer, did a brilliant job in solving the maze, almost without hesitation in making a choice at each crossroad, then… According to Cliff’s intuition as a Nightwalker, it seemed like the exit was getting closer and closer.

However, all the way was uneventful, no guardian who blocked the way and no trap mechanism. Without anything else to do, Wang Lu began to get bored so he struck up a conversation and asked about Golden King.

The legend of the Golden King was basically known to everyone on the Western Continent. He lived in the Savage Age and was the most ancient king in the historical record of Western Continent. He built a strong kingdom in the middle of the continent, which was prosperous and has vast territory. His reign even lasted for ten thousand years, leaving behind untold epics and legends.

According to legend, his strength was glorious and world-shattering, well beyond the legendary level up to divine realm. Legend has it that he appropriated all the treasures under the heaven for himself and hoarded them in the King’s Treasure House. At the same time, he was also tyrannical, using his formidable strength and brutality to suppress his country.

The Nine Regions and Western Continent have enormous differences. Here, the historiography was far from developed. Thus, the legends that traced back to thousands of years ago basically just scratched the surface, and the authenticity was also completely unreliable. Today, many of the people’s understanding of Golden King came from the process of searching the treasure in the King’s Treasure House after they came in contact with the Golden King’s illusion. There were very few historical records that survived from ten thousand years ago.

Therefore, it was not easy to talk about the Golden King. One must be a very knowledgeable scholar to do it, and Cliff was far from it.

Fortunately, there was indeed a knowledgeable person within the team.

”I actually do know some of the history about the Golden King. After all, as he has the reputation of king of kings, so I had to study him… In the historical data, he is cruel and heartless, an absolute tyrant. But how could such a tyrannical person establish the first kingdom in the Western Continent and continue to rule it for ten thousand years? Actually, his brutality was mostly aimed at the mediocre people at the bottom of society. He is generous and kind to those with outstanding talents that could gain his approval. Some historical records indicate that he once bestowed many precious treasures to his trusted subordinates. He has a group of loyal and devoted courtiers, as well as a stable and solid regime. Therefore, I think, although most of the historical records criticize him, he ought to be a charismatic monarch.”

Wang Lu laughed out loud. ”You also think that he’s attractive?”

Aya, however, seriously shook her head. ”No, I’m disgusted by his reign. Although his achievements are glorious and earth-shattering, I think that it’s far from the right way...To be honest, I hate him very much.”

Wang Lu said with a smile, ”People often say people of the same trade has naked hatred of each other, it seems that it’s true. Both of you are kings, so of course, you hate him.”

Aya became a bit angry. ”In your opinion, am I that narrow-minded?”

Catching the hidden anger behind her pair of deep green eyes, the words ”How could an A cup girl talk about narrow-minded and broad-minded?” that were already on the tip of his tongue were immediately swallowed back by him.

Wang Lu hastily changed his tone. ”It’s a joke, don’t take it to heart. It’s just that… his accomplishments are so high that, as a person with the same occupation, it’s hard to win your trust.”

Aya earnestly said, ”The achievements of Golden King are indeed far higher than mine, and I also admire him for this. But, to put it another way, since he possessed peerless talent, with strength even comparable to gods, and during his reign, no formidable foreign enemy appeared on the continent, then how could his golden kingdom fall apart? How could his magnificent rule only be traced back from the ruins in Taobao City? Why are most of the historical records put a negative light on his rule? I think there must be a flaw in his way of being a king. I believe that virtues such as generosity, kindness, humility, and other moral excellence should be treated impartially, not differently. By only paying attention to outstanding talents and despise those from humble and insignificant places he can gain quick success, but this is also somewhat petty. Of course, the most important thing is that, as the king, the sovereign of the people, he should always uphold justice, must not indulge in selfish desires, not to mention wasting public funds for personal use. A monarch is more of a duty than a privilege. And if he does not recognize all of these, he is unworthy to be the ruler of his people. Without this awareness, rather than establishing a kingdom, it is better to live like the cultivators in the Nine Regions, living in seclusion high up the mountain or deep in the valley.”

Perhaps these heartfelt words of Aya have already been brewing for quite a long time in her heart without ever saying it to outsiders. Hearing this, Wang Lu could not help but inwardly be stunned, thinking, comrade Aya, with this awareness of yours, if you don’t serve the people, it is indeed a too f*cking pity!

However, deep inside, Wang Lu instead disagreed with Aya’s view.

Approachable and impartial? That’s a very good thing to hear, but not only this was just an idealistic point of view, it was also complete nonsense. Completely in contrary to objective rules of operation of things, no wonder Aya was reduced to a monarch of a destroyed country.

However, he already had these thoughts when he issued an oath to help Aya. Wang Lu realized that before he helped restore her Kingdom, he must first at least correct the wrong way of ruling of Aya. Otherwise, even if the kingdom is restored, it would still eventually end up destroyed like before.

Of course, now it was not the time train Aya. Debating with such a stubborn person would only destroy their relationship. The first thing to do was to coax her to make her feel good.

”Yes, you’re right, Aya. The authority of a ruler comes from the people, so they should serve the people wholeheartedly, and must not seek personal gain through power. To be an official, you must not think of getting rich.”

Aya’s countenance immediately lit up. ”If these are your true feelings, then I have a whole new level of respect for you! I heard that you developed a sect in Nine Regions, which attaches great importance to the betterment of the grassroots; I think your way is right.”

Wang Lu turned his head and hid his ‘pity for her’ eyes.

Aya, the subjugation of your Kingdom is really not wrong...

While talking, Wang Lu has led his team to the third level exit. The maze test that has trapped many adventurers for ten days to half a month was solved by Wang Lu in just a few hours.

With such a result, naturally, they won the golden key to the next level. The reward was also very generous. This time, they were awarded a cold and shiny precious blade, with several thousand magic coins in value, meaning that they fully earned back the admission fee. Strangely enough, though, that Golden King’s illusion didn’t appear again.

On the fourth level, things began to change.

The trial on the fourth level of the treasure house was unexpectedly simple and straightforward. From the entrance, they could see a circular arena, and at the other end of the arena, five golden guardians filled with murderous intent stood side by side.

Cliff’s complexion suddenly changed. ”Endless arena? This could be a problem!”