CHAPTER 467: CHAPTER 02: NINE-PETAL SNAKE FLOWER FLAG (2)

Jones hurriedly entered his reception room with Dora: "Hello. I sincerely apologize for keeping you waiting."

The reception room was not particularly large. Located in the tower where Jones lived, it couldn’t be expansive.

The walls were all exposed stone bricks, appearing quite rough. A leather sofa set, a solid-wood coffee table crafted by dwarves, a cabinet for storing drinks and food, a small bar counter, and some decor consisting of armor and weapons—nothing out of the ordinary.

However, the view was exceptional. The balcony provided a panoramic view of the entire Giant Snake City. Even seated on the sofa, one could still see the scenery.

Of course, for a reception room belonging to a powerful Blood Clan Lord, it seemed overly simple. After all, the reception room of Hildeyard was a hundred times more luxurious than this.

Upon seeing Jones, after a brief moment of astonishment, the envoy from the Elder Council swiftly stood up and respectfully said, "Honorable Lord of Giant Snake City, it’s a pleasure to meet you."

"I’m also pleased to meet you. Please, sit, sir." Jones gestured for him to take a seat, then sat on the opposite sofa himself.

"Ah... Alright." The envoy smiled faintly, nervously sitting down. His eyes darted to observe Jones from top to bottom.

Jones was dressed in work clothes, his sleeves rolled up, yet his entire body was still smeared with oil and debris. Even his cheek bore a spot of some unknown red substance, making him look like a poor child doing odd jobs, rather than the legendary Giant Snake Lord.

By contrast, the envoy was dressed in a solemn black formal suit, adorned with an intricate brooch and a lavish bowtie...

When placed side by side, the two were truly incongruous.

"Dora, could you make us some tea? Use the red tea that Benedict Chairman sent."

"Alright."

Following Jones’ gaze, the envoy glanced at Dora, who was busy brewing tea near the counter. Her attire was similar to Jones’, entirely lacking the appearance of a dignified Blood Clan member.

"Benedict Chairman is...?"

"Oh, the chairman of the Southern Alliance. We’re friends. He sent me some red tea, but I don’t usually drink tea, so I’m not sure how good it is. If it’s not to your taste, I hope you won’t mind."

"You mean Benedict II, who leads the Southern Army of humans?"

"Yes."

"Oh." The envoy nodded slowly, then took a moment to gather his thoughts. Something seemed amiss, and he lifted his head to ask, "Human tea... Can we even drink it?"

"You can, though you’ll need to add something to it—Adelle gave it to me. To be honest, I haven’t used it yet. He gave it to me two years ago."

"Adelle is?"

"A child of the Sambo Family."

"Oh." Truth be told, the envoy’s thoughts were now a jumble, and he wasn’t even sure what he should say. His gaze alternated between Jones, the surroundings, and out toward the horizon through the balcony.

Under the night sky, the scenery of Giant Snake City appeared strikingly magnificent. This place was vastly different from the Blood Clan cities he was familiar with. Whether in style or substance, even the lord here was so distinctly unique.

Soon, two cups of freshly brewed tea were placed before them.

"Please." With that, Jones picked up his cup, sniffed it, and took a sip. "Hmm, it actually tastes pretty good. You should give it a try."

"Alright, thank you." The envoy picked up his cup, took a sip, and then fell silent again.

"Envoy, you already know my name, but I don’t know yours yet." Jones broke the silence first. "How should I address you?"

"Oh! Apologies, I completely forgot to introduce myself." The envoy hurriedly said, "My name is Don Morris. You... can call me Don."

"Mr. Don, my place here is a bit small, I hope you don’t mind."

"No, your place isn’t small; it’s already the largest city I’ve ever seen." Gazing at the distant scenery, the envoy’s eyes were alight with wonder.

"I meant the reception room," Jones clarified.

"Oh, really? Reception room? Uh... It is somewhat small."

"Yes, but this is the only reception room I have. I’m usually too busy and don’t have time to manage it, so I hope you won’t mind."

"No, not at all. After seeing your territory, no one would look down on you because of this reception room."

"That’s not my concern. I’m worried you might think I have better places but chose here to host you, making you feel I don’t value your visit."

"No, not at all. Of course not, how could I?" Don chuckled awkwardly and slightly lowered his head.

He had lost count of how many awkward smiles he had given since entering the room.

Perhaps because Don was visiting Giant Snake City for the first time, he was still somewhat shaken. Even his responses to Jones’ words felt mismatched and delayed.

After another brief silence, Don looked at Jones and said awkwardly, "Before coming here, I thought I was mentally prepared. But to be honest, seeing it in person is entirely different. This place is truly extraordinary. And the most extraordinary thing—no doubt—is the City Lord himself."

Jones smiled warmly at Don.

After pausing for a moment, Don continued, "They told me you’re only 76 years old. Honestly, I didn’t quite believe it. Until I’ve seen you with my own eyes. My goodness... To be honest, I still can’t fully come to terms with it. Seventy-six years... I’ve lived for over thirteen hundred years, and looking back, what have I done in all those centuries?"