sinovels Chapter 28 Rainbow Bridge
Chapter 28 Rainbow Bridge
Tokugawa Koji's voice, filled with humility and urgency, was exceptionally clear on the empty Seigaku Island. He bowed deeply, his posture extremely humble, but his gaze was fixed on Eishō's strange face.
Upon hearing this, Yingzhao turned its horse slightly, its tiger-striped wings folding a little as it looked down at the lonely young man who had no divine beast inheritance. "No emotional crystals?" Its voice was unreadable, yet it made Jiang He and the others listening involuntarily prick up their ears.
"Yes, sir." Tokugawa Koji lowered his head even further, his hands clenched tightly. "I... I obtained the opportunity to enter this world, but I did not obtain the inheritance of the divine beast, so Lord Luo Jiuchuan was unwilling to trade with me, and I had no way to collect the emotional crystals." His words were filled with undisguised disappointment and resentment.
Chen Yang curled his lip and whispered to the people beside him, "See? I told you, extras are miserable."
Jiang He ignored Chen Yang's mutterings; she was more concerned about how Yingzhao would respond.
Su Fan chuckled inwardly. What would a poor wretch like him do on Bright Island? Bright Island's very existence was to exploit the emotional baggage of working-class people like Jiang He, Chen Yang, and Wang Jianguo.
The emotional baggage of these people in the early stages can be largely taken away under the guise of paying off debts, but what happens after that? Bright Island is just a place for them to spend their money later.
Su Fan had not yet made up his mind about the arrangements for Tokugawa Koji.
Yingzhao's eyes sized up Tokugawa Koji for a moment before he slowly spoke, "I take others to other floating islands because they can pay me. So, what can you give me?"
Tokugawa Koji's body visibly tensed. Eishō's question was direct and realistic, without any beating around the bush, which made his already uneasy mood sink even further.
What does he have? He has nothing.
His mind raced. Wealth and status in the real world were meaningless here. He lacked the potential to demonstrate his divine beast inheritance, he lacked the emotional crystals as currency, and even his understanding of this world was far inferior to that of the four "companions" beside him who had already formed a small group.
But a strong will to survive and an unwavering determination not to be excluded drove him. This might be a tremendous opportunity; missing it could mean a lifetime of regret.
Tokugawa Koji wasn't stupid; he knew the potential of this Mountain and Sea Realm was immense. So he bowed deeply again, almost touching his forehead to the warm, jade-like ground, his voice trembling slightly with urgency:
"My lord... I, Tokugawa Koji, possess nothing but this body and... my loyalty and diligence toward the future." He raised his head, meeting Eizhao's inhuman eyes, trying to find a glimmer of hope within them. "I hope you can give me a chance, a chance to come into contact with the extraordinary, so that I too can go to Bright Island and come into contact with that thing that might change my destiny... I am willing to sign any harsh contract and accept any test! My future... my potential, perhaps, is the only bargaining chip I can offer."
Wang Jianguo said in a low voice, "These Japanese... these Japanese people who are living a good life are selling themselves!"
Su Fan was very hesitant about the issue of Tokugawa Koji and had not yet decided on his final attitude.
Yingzhao said, "Ha! The future? Not enough, I don't need it!"
Eizhao's refusal shattered Tokugawa Koji's illusions, and he then addressed Su Fan and his group, "What about you? Have you made up your minds yet?"
"I've made up my mind. I'm going to check out the eightieth floating island. Opportunity, here I come!" Chen Yang said hurriedly, half-running to Ying Zhao's side and putting down ten emotion crystals.
"Me too, I'll go take a look!" Wang Jianguo chimed in.
Among Su Fan, Wang Jianguo, Jiang He, and Chen Yang, Wang Jianguo had the fewest emotional crystals, since 90% of the emotional crystals he collected were used to pay off his debts.
The remaining half was also returned to Jiang He in exchange for her monthly salary. At least on the surface, the one who received the most emotional crystallization was not Chen Yang but Jiang He.
Two of the four people in the small team had already made their choices. Su Fan naturally followed the side with more people, and Jiang He eventually agreed to go as well.
After the four paid for the Emotion Crystals, Tokugawa Koji, who had been silent until now, spoke up: "This isn't fair. We're all outsiders. Why, why can they go to other islands while I have to stay here? Just because I don't have any divine beast inheritance, does that mean I deserve to be this miserable? First, I was attacked by monsters, and now I'm isolated. Is it a crime to enter the Mountain and Sea Realm without obtaining a divine beast inheritance and being unable to collect Emotion Crystals?!"
Tokugawa Koji was already somewhat deranged. After all, a great opportunity had clearly slipped through his fingers, but he could only watch it pass by. Nothing could be more painful than this.
"Hmph!" Yingzhao snorted coldly, and then a bolt of lightning appeared out of nowhere in the sky, as if it had eyes, and struck directly at Tokugawa Koji.
Tokugawa Koji was struck dead by lightning and returned to his spawn point.
Yingzhao remained indifferent, as if the thunderclap had nothing to do with him. With a light step, a rainbow appeared beneath his feet, the other end of which connected to the eightieth floating island.
The Rainbow Bridge, magnificent and sturdy, spans between Jade Island and the distant floating island shrouded in soft light, its shimmering light resembling a divine miracle.
"Alright, once you step onto this bridge, you can naturally go to Bright Island," Yingzhao said.
"Everyone, don't leave yet. Whoever lends me ten Emotion Crystals, I'll repay them later. I can also offer a reward of one million Japanese Coins, which is equivalent to fifty thousand dollars in your country. I can transfer the money after we leave the Mountain and Sea Realm." Since he was very close to the spawn point, Tokugawa Koji immediately changed his approach after being resurrected. As for Eishō, who had attacked him, at least on the surface he remained humble and showed no resentment.
Perhaps the Japanese have a national characteristic of fearing power more than morality! When faced with someone who slaps them hard across the face, they seem to have Stockholm Syndrome.
They are submissive and meek, not only daring not to resist, but even willing to act as the other party's lackey if the other party is strong enough.
"Ha! He thinks he can get the ticket to this great opportunity with a mere fifty thousand yuan? He's really blinded by greed. Uncle Wang, Brother Su, Sister Jiang, let's ignore him and go!" Chen Yang said with disdain. After all, in his opinion, such opportunities are mysterious and precious.
Ancient kings, nobles, and generals were powerful, but even after spending countless sums of money, they only encountered some charlatans.
Even royalty and nobility don't have the chance to encounter truly great opportunities, let alone a mere fifty thousand dollars; that would be an insult.
Great power originates from within; beauty, power, and wealth—all external things—must give way to opportunity.