Chapter 417: Borrowing Momentum

"The directors of both the Dinglu and Huadu consortiums are here?!"

"Cars and people have almost completely blocked the road... What a spectacle! Who is that person wearing the golden mask??"

"The Golden Society, haven't you heard of them in recent years? It's said to be a mysterious organization that controls ancient gold treasures. Every year, they send an envoy to the main city of Hongchen to trade gold, and every envoy is incredibly powerful!"

"I've heard that too. Rumor has it that years ago, an envoy, in a fit of rage, massacred three flourishing super consortiums, which then allowed other small and medium-sized consortiums to annex their power..."

"So that's how the current five major consortiums came to be? No wonder all these directors are so eager to come and greet him... If you get on his good side, he's a god of wealth; if you cross him, he's the King of Hell!"

"But he didn't say he was from the Golden Society... Could someone else be impersonating him?"

"Are you foolish? Look at that mountain of gold! Besides the Golden Society, who else in the world could possess such a vast amount of gold treasure? And I saw that golden mask two years ago; he's definitely the envoy!"

"Holy cow, when that guy dragged the cart over just now, I thought he was selling scrap metal... How much is all that gold worth?"

The crowd waiting in line at the city gate had never witnessed such a grand display before. After a brief exchange, they looked at the dark silhouette in the sky, carrying a mountain of gold, their eyes filled with shock.

The two directors stood behind the gate, exchanging glances, each seeing a cold smirk in the other's eyes.

"Uncle Zong, even if you ran here barefoot, you still wouldn't be as fast as me..."

"Hmph, isn't it just because your Dinglu is conveniently located with your company nearby? If my house wasn't a few kilometers further, the envoy would probably be having tea at my place by now."

"Slow is slow. Even if you make a show of running barefoot, you won't be the first one here."

"Then let's wait and see."

Chen Ling stood in the air, observing their subtle actions. Both were ordinary people, devoid of divine aura, but their personal bodyguards exuded a terrifying presence, most of them above the fifth tier.

Their arrival didn't surprise Chen Ling; what he truly cared about was Fusheng Hui's attitude...

If he had caused such a stir in Aurora City, an enforcement officer of Gu Yuan's caliber would likely have a gun pointed at his face by now. Yet, Fusheng Hui had shown no reaction, indicating their control over the main city wasn't a form of hegemony.

If Aurora City was a militarized fortress in the Far North, then the Hongchen Domain was the East's trade hub. Given this, they had to ensure free trade and wouldn't interfere with his actions unless he clearly crossed the main city's red lines.

Realizing this, Chen Ling felt a slight increase in his confidence.

"What are you still waiting for? Let the envoy in!" Zong Wen quickly put on the shoes handed to him by a bodyguard, then strode to the group of police officers at the gate, angrily rebuking them.

The officers were stunned. They looked at Chen Ling, who was already hovering above the city wall, feeling speechless.

Flying so high, he didn't seem like he intended to use the main entrance!

"Well... Mr. Zong, the main city's security has been threatened recently, and we have regulations requiring entry procedures..."

"You need a guarantee, right?" Zong Wen waved his hand dismissively. His secretary immediately stepped forward with documents and a seal, promptly stamping out a guarantee. "Our Huadu Consortium is willing to guarantee the envoy!"

"And us, Dinglu," Lu Yuanzheng said, stepping forward and handing over a document he had swiftly prepared before coming.

The officer was momentarily dumbfounded. Such a joint guarantee from two top consortiums had never happened before. He quickly regained his composure and took both documents.

"Another requirement is that the transaction amount must be over 500,000... Uh... never mind, open the gate and let him through."

The officer glanced at the mountain of gold above his head and silently swallowed the latter part of his sentence.

As the main city's gate slowly opened, Chen Ling, suspended high above, casually cast a glance downward.

The next moment, he stepped forward with the mountain of gold, walking on air directly into the city, his black trench coat billowing in the wind.

"See? I told you he wouldn't use the gate..." the officer muttered.

Seeing Chen Ling enter the city, Zong Wen immediately opened the door of his luxury car, a smile plastered on his face as he said:

"Esteemed Envoy, you've had a long and tiring journey. Why not ride in my car? I'll send your goods to the auction later, ensuring not a single item is missed!"

"Esteemed Envoy, it's better to ride in my car. Our company is nearby... We can preview the goods in advance; there's no need to wait for the auction to trade..." Lu Yuanzheng, seeing this, responded with equal determination.

Chen Ling's eyes, behind the golden mask, narrowed slightly.

Of the two, Lu Yuanzheng's words were more appealing to him. However, at this crucial moment, he couldn't get too close to any single consortium, as it would inevitably alert rival consortiums. For instance, with these two consortiums present, if he were to go with Lu Yuanzheng now, the news of the Golden Society's envoy befriending the Dinglu Consortium would be exaggerated and spread throughout the city by morning.

Chen Ling intended to conduct major business, and now was certainly not the time to take sides. Moreover, these two consortiums were the first to appear simply because of their proximity; other top consortiums were undoubtedly on their way.

Business shouldn't be rushed; it's always best to consider several buyers before making a decision.

Chen Ling approached neither consortium, instead continuing to walk on air, pulling the mountain of gold, heading deeper into Hongchen's main city. His black trench coat swayed in the wind, making him seem like a deity untouched by mortal concerns, or a Golden Shepherd with singular focus.

"Lead the way, to the auction house," a low voice rumbled from beneath the mask.

Hearing this, the eyes of both consortium directors narrowed slightly, their minds secretly buzzing with activity.

Chen Ling choosing neither side wasn't necessarily good for them, but it certainly wasn't bad either, and they could roughly guess the envoy's reasons. However, they were somewhat puzzled: if the envoy wasn't willing to engage deeply with any consortium so quickly, why would he make such a show of having people greet him at the gate? Wouldn't it have been better, like previous envoys, to enter the city quietly without associating with any consortium?

Could it be that this envoy simply wanted to make a display? To use their financial and influential power to create a grand entrance for himself?

No, the envoys of the Golden Society were always mysterious and extraordinary; they wouldn't be so shallow... There must be a deeper reason!

The two directors couldn't quite fathom Chen Ling's intentions, but that didn't stop them from reacting immediately. Zong Wen, in particular, quickly said "Yes" to Chen Ling, then turned and shouted to his subordinates behind him:

"Everyone in the cars! Form a procession! Clear the way for the esteemed envoy!"

At his command, a large crowd immediately boarded their vehicles. As steam engines roared to life one after another, beams of headlights cut through the increasingly dim night, advancing steadily along the main road like a sharp sword slicing through chaotic traffic and onlookers.