(Sensitive topic, imagine it yourself.)
It’s somewhat like the ecosystem of the League of Legends.
Most people are still rational. Ever since the Empire adopted an open strategy, its national strength has been elevated by several notches.
Especially, forming good relations with the new king of the Elf Clan, the High Elf Clan, is the only elf civilization led by males in tens of thousands of years.
Dan Dong Empire has abolished the elf slave markets and mandatorily freed all enslaved elves as a gesture of sincerity to commence trade with the Elf Clan.
This process has been ongoing for hundreds of years.
Now is the time when the generation that resented the elves are gradually dying off, excluding the long-living Wizard species; interspecies integration should be entering its next phase.
Interspecies relations are easier to deal with, yet, internal civil wars have occurred more than once among humans due to racial issues.
Tasu Descendants, once slaves of ancient Beastmen, are now independent but still linger in a primitive state.
Despite occupying the fertile plains of ancient Beastmen, they frequently face famine, which seems inconceivable to places like Dan Dong and Ice Plain.
It’s just something that should be manageable by hand.
Along the way, Lin Suo could distinctly see differences among people; descendants of Dan Dong were dressed more delicately, valuing etiquette even though not wealthy.
Descendants from Ice Plain were generally taller, with abundant body hair and rougher skin, giving them a humorous red-cheeked look.
This reminded Lin Suo of the warlike people from his homeland.
As for the Tasu people... better left unmentioned, it would be easier to accept a Giant Troll.
Those raw-meat eaters at least recognize their place, unlike Tasu people who are ignorant.
Then, Lin Suo saw a group of Enforcement Officers violently arresting five or six Tasu people harassing a fruit stall.
That brings the realism.
Shaking his head, Lin Suo headed toward another street. Before coming here, he had specifically learned about the Golden City—Lalaye, which has a Mysterious Alley specifically designed for wizards.
The books and reports described it as magical beyond comparison.
Lin Suo naturally wanted to have a look.
"Let me see, the third branch of the Golden Main Avenue, No. 186, a restaurant called Fuyan Mountain Barbecue..."
As he approached, Lin Suo felt a dizzying power sweep over him, of very low intensity, something even a Low Level Apprentice could resist with spiritual power, let alone him.
"So...is this the legendary Muggle Extermination Spell?"
Lin Suo looked intrigued as he entered the restaurant, unsurprisingly finding no one inside.
Approaching the counter, he wondered why the location had to be so secretive when the existence of wizards was no secret.
Lin Suo’s right hand manifested a Witchcraft Rune, lightly touching the countertop, and his vision immediately underwent a mirror-like spiraling transformation.
The mirror space returned to normal, Lin Suo stepped out, eyes wide with amazement at the "new world".
Fantastic and indescribable, just as he was randomly looking around, a muggle passed by him, leaving him quite astonished.
"Hey, you must be from a small place."
The voice was heavy and raw, Lin Suo shifted his gaze and saw only a big belly, looking up.
A Five-meter tall Giant, wearing a pointed Wizard Hat, his large fingers resting on his beer belly, scratching it.
His plump face and unruly hairstyle gave off a vibe of formidable potential.
He had a scent of the ocean about him, clearly, he was an Official Wizard who had integrated Giant’s Bloodline.
Lin Suo smiled amiably, not minding the fellow’s rudeness.
"It’s your first time here, right?"
"Yes, is there an issue?"
The Giant Wizard cheerfully pointed at Lin Suo’s back and said.
"Take a look behind you, walking on the Fuyan Road costs 10 Magic Stones as an entry fee."
By the time he turned around in astonishment, he found a red door frame behind him, without a door...
There was also a sign next to it.
[Private road, not for lending, walking without permission costs ten tickets.]
Ten... Ten Magic Stones is just absurd.
The Giant Wizard burst into hearty laughter.
"Although Mysterious Alley prohibits ordinary people from entering, those associated with wizards can come in as well, you should take the main road of Golden Avenue, there are signposts and banners, the gate is very wide, and it’s free!"
The meaning was very clear by now.
Lin Suo realized some information he read from books was not accurate, some wizards like to open doors all over Mysterious Alley, specifically to deceive wizards like him who came from smaller places.
And Koster isn’t exactly small, consider it medium.
It is still a typical mixed-living city, the concentration of Magic Power is not the lowest tier, and the direct wizarding supply stores of the three major forces are openly established.
Logically speaking, there should be more wizards in the capital, and such shops shouldn’t be mysterious.
But Lin Suo was somehow tricked.
In his mind, flipping alley, loving big melons floating around, and he believed it...
"Who do I give the Magic Stones to?"
"Just give them to me."
Lin Suo was taken aback and stared at him suspiciously.
"It wasn’t me, it’s official business."
"How could it not be? It was even proposed by the third headmaster of Golden Academy, let me repeat his exact words, cough cough—"
The Giant Wizard cleared his throat, changing to a deep, magnetic voice, quite pleasant to hear, it’s just that his face doesn’t really match.
[The academy is poor, various research consumes a lot of funds, training apprentices is even more costly, to alleviate the financial burden of the Empire, I propose the establishment of a fraud scheme...]
"To train the vigilance of domestic wizards and to enrich the academy funds?! That’s it?"
Lin Suo couldn’t believe it, originally he thought such a prestigious wizarding academy would pay extra attention to its reputation, but it turns out for a bit of benefit, they’d resort to deception?
"Don’t underestimate this small entrance fee."
"Golden City claims to have a hundred thousand apprentices, and this does not count wizards like you and me, wizards from outside and so forth; just the entrance fees from Mysterious Alley amount to this much in a day."
Lin Suo took a sharp breath.
That’s fifteen million Low-Level Magic Stones a month, with a daily number of deceived people reaching fifty thousand.
"Who did you hear this from?"
"Everyone knows it’s publicized by the headmaster, apart from the flipping gate, they even write books, misleading wizards who have never been to the capital, I’ve heard there are other undisclosed methods too."
"Anyway, the students of Golden Academy have been thoroughly swindled, crying and calling for their parents, continuously falling into traps, each time different from the last."
Goodness gracious, Lin Suo exclaimed.
No wonder during his history studies, it was thought to be bizarre humorous serious literature, who knew that the Elf Clan wasn’t swindled to their last underwear, they were still lucky.
Just a pity for the Nature Language family, that ordeal, heartbreaking for those who hear, tear-inducing for those who see.
"Alright, what’s your name, care for a drink?"
This Giant Wizard, being quite the social goliath, Lin Suo was interested in getting to know him better.