CHAPTER 837: CHAPTER 837: SACRIFICING THE PLUM TREE TO SAVE THE PEACH TREE

After leaving the camp, the Old Soldier didn’t stay for a moment and headed straight back to the inn.

It was now eight in the evening, four hours away from the appointed time.

Standing at the door, he knocked five times, following the pre-agreed rhythm of three long and two short taps.

After a two-second wait, there was the sound of wringing out a towel and a rustling of clothes being put on from behind the door before footsteps approached the entrance.

The door opened a small crack.

Seeing that it was Pangolin standing outside, Penny finally breathed a sigh of relief and turned off the safety of her pistol.

Her deep brown hair was wet, with droplets of water still hanging on her cheeks and neck.

The Old Soldier saw through the door a wooden bucket filled with hot water, with a towel and some personal clothing draped over its edge.

Speaking of which, this guy sure has some nerve—it’s such a time, and he still has the mind to take a bath.

But then again, having a big heart might not be a bad thing.

Especially when being anxious is of no use, staying calm is more important than anything else.

Sliding into the room, the Old Soldier gently closed the door.

Noticing his gaze on the wooden bucket, Penny’s face heated slightly, but she still managed to overcome her shyness and asked softly.

"...It’s hot water sent by the hotel, do you want to... wipe down a bit?"

This place is in the tropics, the climate is hot, she had worn her robe all day, sweating all over, she had no choice but to wash up.

Although the water in the bucket had been used by her, it was clearly not the time to fuss over it.

However, just when she had overcome all her mental barriers, the man called Pangolin merely glanced around the room, then said.

"We have to change locations."

Penny was taken aback, her expression immediately becoming serious as she hurried to her luggage.

"Change locations? Did your talks fall apart?"

"No, they didn’t."

"Then why..." Though she was asking, Penny had already begun packing.

"Absek wants to talk with others from the same faction and then plan a coup against Yanush. There are two uncertainties here, one is whether they can ’reach an agreement,’ and the other is whether they can ’pull it off.’

This bet requires tossing two coins.

Only when both land heads will they truly be safe.

If it was just him here, it wouldn’t matter, even if they failed, he would choose a dashing and seamless way to die and then come up with an excuse to escape.

But with Penny around, he could only be extra cautious, cherishing the Resurrection Coin which he must not use unless absolutely necessary.

While packing his own luggage, the Old Soldier briefly explained the negotiation results and the current situation.

As for the Alliance aspect, he selectively omitted it, as it wasn’t something that could be explained in a few words.

If this guy is curious, she can ask her old man.

However, Penny didn’t inquire further, seemingly having complete trust in him.

Holding the packed luggage, Penny looked at him nervously and asked.

"Where are we going? To that safehouse?"

"Safehouse? They might fight another battle, now there’s no safe place in Tiandu... We need to leave here first and come back once both coins have landed."

The Old Soldier checked the bullets in the magazine and tucked the pistol into his pocket.

Following him closely, Penny nodded nervously, then quickly glanced around the room to see if any luggage was left behind.

Maybe it was an illusion, but she felt like she was doing the work of a spy.

No.

To be precise, it was as a war correspondent, working with a spy...

The streets outside were under curfew, all the doors and windows tightly shut, occasionally one could see patrols holding torches passing through.

However, these patrolling soldiers were not professional, making it easy to avoid them.

At least for the Old Soldier, it was.

He was an Awakener of the Agile system, far surpassing these local people who might even suffer from "night blindness" in terms of reaction speed and vision.

The two took advantage of the night to leave the inn, crossing several streets, finally reaching the outskirts.

The houses here were getting sparser, and the markings on the map were becoming more abstract.

Reaching the edge of the woods, the Old Soldier was about to push through the underbrush but suddenly stopped, signaling for silence and quickly crouching down.

Penny mimicked his actions, crouching behind the underbrush, carefully controlling her breath while vigilantly observing the surroundings.

What was happening?!

She couldn’t see anything, nothing seemed to be around, but Pangolin’s expression of facing a formidable enemy didn’t seem to be a joke.

She even saw he had pulled out his pistol and released the safety.

To not be a burden, she tried hard not to make a sound.

Seconds ticked by, and it went on for about five minutes.

The Old Soldier suddenly let out a sigh of relief, turned off the safety of his pistol, and gently placed it back in his pocket.

"The alarm is over... it’s not headed for us."

"What just happened?" Penny asked in a hurry, voicing the confusion in her heart.

"A group of unidentified armed individuals passed by to our southwest, judging by the noise there were about forty or fifty of them... They were wearing exoskeletons, wielding light and heavy weapons, and using optical camouflage, they looked a bit like people from the Free State."

"Free State?!" Penny was taken aback, whispering, "What does it have to do with them?"

"How would I know, maybe they’re the comrades of the ones hanging on the city gate... These troublemakers always appear in unexpected places, probably here for some outrageous commission again."

Mercenaries from the Free State often get involved in all sorts of Wasteland affairs, but each time, apart from leaving a pile of corpses, they don’t seem to accomplish anything significant, so much so that the Alliance isn’t keen on dealing with them.

The reason for their presence here was worth noting, but now wasn’t the time to complicate matters.

Confirming that those people were gone and hadn’t noticed them, the Old Soldier gently tugged Penny’s hand, signaling her to follow him, then pushed through the underbrush, continuing along a pre-scouted path...

...

As the army was leaving Tiandu, Lion King Absek hurriedly summoned Horse King Shaluk and Leopard King, who were from the same faction.

The meeting took place in the tent, as always guarded by Absek’s most trusted Anvo.

As soon as they entered the tent, Tiger-backed Bear snorted, "Meeting like this isn’t a good thing. With Anush’s suspicious nature, if he finds out, he’ll definitely harbor suspicions."

"What? Are you scared?" Leopard King scoffed.

"Heh," Tiger King sneered, "If I were scared, would I still come?"

"I would have been afraid long ago. Let’s cut to the chase. I’m more interested in hearing what our esteemed Lion King has to say... What is so important that you had to bring us here personally?" the Horse King [whose name resembles a cunning fox, though he has a horse’s head and bear-like shoulders, immediately said after entering the tent.

Currently stationed near Tiandu, besides Absek, are Horse King Shaluk, Leopard King, and Tiger King.

It was they who put Anush in the forefront and offered advice, giving rise to the current Heavenly King Army!

Only Bull King Ami was not one of them.

But the heart is hidden within, and no one can say if it’s feigned or not.

However, matters like these can’t be easily concluded.

Surveying the three present, Absek spoke methodically.

"I have some important news to share."

The tent fell silent, with only the crackling sound of the furnace boiling tea remaining.

Three pairs of eyes were on him, filled with anticipation.

Staring straight into Absek’s eyes, Bull King Ami asked in a quiet voice.

"Oh? And what important matter might that be, our honorable Lion King?"

With deliberate calmness, Absek replied.

"It’s about planning a coup against Anush. We need to talk to others in the same faction and then plan the coup against Anush. There are two uncertain factors here: whether we can reach an agreement and whether we can succeed."

This bet requires tossing two coins.

Only when both land heads will we truly be safe.

The Tiger King, Duwata, let out a cold laugh.

"Do we really need that bunch of cowards, whom even the Vellante people look down on, to guide us?"

Absek did not deny his remark but continued.

"We didn’t need them before... but since the Southern Legion has tricked us, this path has become critical."

The three kings exchanged glances.

Finally, the Leopard King, Negri, squinted at him.

"What do you mean?"

Absek pointed at the photos on the table, waited for them to look over, and continued.

"The three thousand teams have already arrived. The equipment they have delayed in handing over to us is piled up at West Sail Port... Do I even need to say what they intend to do? We are just a spark they are waiting to ignite; their plot is bigger than we imagined."

Surprised expressions appeared on the faces of the Tiger King and the Leopard King.

The Horse King quickly walked over to the table, picked up the stack of photos, and flipped through them swiftly.

Initially, his face showed surprise, which gradually turned into seriousness.

Given the technological level outside the Poluo Province, the possibility of these photos being doctored couldn’t be ruled out.

But if these photos are real, then their trouble would be substantial...

Verifying their authenticity wouldn’t be difficult; just send someone to take a look.

Horse King Shaluk looked up at Absek and swallowed hard.

"... Can they really swallow the entire Poluo Province?"

After all, the Poluo Province has a population of over a billion!

Ruling this land isn’t as simple as coloring it on a map.

Absek slowly nodded.

"I also think they must be insane... but as it stands, this seems to be their plan."

Upon hearing this, the expressions on the three kings’ faces finally changed completely, heavy looks of concern spreading across their faces.

If we talk about ambition, they definitely had it, otherwise, they wouldn’t have dared to rebel.

However, this did not deter them from previously being soldiers who genuinely wanted to change the entire Empire.

To drag the whole Empire down, burying it along with their ideals and ambitions, was not something they could do to such an extreme.

"... Does Mr. Bennott still wish to help us?" Horse King Shaluk questioned with skepticism in his eyes.

Absek continued in a very soft voice.

"He indeed feels disappointed in us; after all, we betrayed him and killed many Vellante people. However, from a rational perspective, he doesn’t want the legion to be dragged down by people like us, as more people would die, potentially rendering all his efforts in vain..."

Leopard King Negri spoke heavily.

"What’s the way out he’s pointing to? Honestly, it’s too late to regret now. We can’t let Anush stay on that throne; once he has a free hand, we’ll be the first ones he targets!"

"That’s right, you’re correct; Anush must die, and he deserves it," Absek nodded, looking at the three kings and continued, "They want us to act quickly, change a flag, and then turn towards the Alliance."

Surprise dawned on the three kings’ faces.

Not only due to the idea of turning towards the Alliance, but more so because of the phrase "act quickly."

They indeed had plans to defect, but wouldn’t that wait until Heavenly King’s army completely toppled the Empire?

Leopard King Negri frowned deeply.

"Act before the civil war ends? But if we stir up chaos internally now, who knows what the seven kings fighting outside will do!"

Absek replied heavily.

"We can’t care about them now; we must change flags immediately, settle Anush’s issues, and disassociate from the Heavenly King’s army."

"Will the Alliance accept us?" Horse King Shaluk quickly asked, regarding this as his most pressing concern.

Compared to the seven kings outside, the attitude of a new patron was what he cared about most.

Absek shook his head.

"I don’t know, but Bennott assured me that they have already reached an agreement with the Alliance. The Alliance will help us suppress several forces within their range, halting the ongoing civil war until the legion withdraws."

Horse King Shaluk gritted his teeth, weighing the pros and cons in his mind, then looked up and added.

"That sounds good... Time is exactly what we need, but will the Alliance keep its promise?"

Absek remained silent for a while before speaking honestly.

"If they don’t keep their promise, they’ll have to face the legion alone... I can’t be 100% sure, but at least compared to the Southern Legion, which does things behind our backs, the Alliance has more reason to keep their word."

By now, he wasn’t naïve enough to think he was the only one with crafty ideas.

However, weighing pros and cons, the Alliance indeed appeared more reliable in keeping its promises.

The tent fell into silence again as the three kings engaged in anxious contemplation.

Roughly ten minutes passed.

This time, it was the Tiger King, Duwata, who broke the long silence.

"When do we act?"

He uttered this single sentence, but the resolute tone indicated he was fully prepared.

Seeing no objections from the other two kings, who merely watched silently, Absek felt a sense of relief, ready to reveal his long-gestated plan.

"We’ll wait until the Alliance’s messenger arrives then..."

"We must first let them see Anush’s true face and make it clear that we are different from him."

...

The night quietly flowed by, with another peaceful night passing in Tiandu unnoticed.

The three kings stealthily returned to their camps and began making earnest preparations for the impending action.

Actually, it didn’t require very meticulous preparations.

The Heavenly King’s army itself was a vast makeshift force; forget about complex networks of relations and interests—even their internal command structure wasn’t fully sorted, making it quite easy to change leaders.

As long as you’re ruthless enough.

Never mind a few days; a few hours would suffice...

Amidst the roiling undercurrents in Tiandu City, after a full three days of waiting, the Alliance’s diplomatic mission finally arrived, much to Heavenly King Anush’s eager anticipation.

With a crowd of welcoming personnel in attendance, four newcomers swaggered into Tiandu through the Western Gate.

To ensure no "grains of sand" got into the eyes of these "bigwigs" from the Alliance, Anush cleared out all the residents on the street from the west gate to the Imperial Palace, replacing them with his own people, arms wrapped in bandages.

However, Anush was destined for disappointment.

These "bigwigs" didn’t even notice the actors lining up to welcome them; all their attention was riveted on the "palace" floating in mid-air.

"Wow... using a starship as a palace."

"They’re truly something!"

The guide’s dog and the stick in the mud couldn’t help but quip, while the good fighter wolf just stared and took photos.

Though they had heard rumors about it on the forums, hearing about something was nothing compared to seeing it with one’s own eyes!

As for the Far-sighted eagle, he was chatting and laughing with the ceremonial officer of the Heavenly King’s army all the way, extracting a wealth of information during their talk.

The group was politely ushered into the main hall of the Imperial Palace, and soon they met the legendary Heavenly King.

Just as the rumors described, this guy was a good talker, with excellent eloquence—otherwise, he couldn’t have persuaded so many people to follow him to death.

After some polite exchanges, Anush, seated on the throne in the main hall, began to passionately speak about his dreams.

This included his plan to establish a utopia on the land of the Poluo Province where everyone is equal.

This included how he planned to realize this dream and so forth.

The previous polite exchanges seemed as if they were laying the groundwork for this subsequent persuasion.

And after describing his utopian vision, Anush immediately proposed the desire to establish diplomatic relations with the Alliance and gain their support.

Translated into plain speech, all those grandiose phrases boiled down to—Dad, send money!

Besides money, there were also the urgently needed weapons, food, and other supplies for the Heavenly King’s army.

According to this Heavenly King, they needed these things not to fight their own people, but to resist the legion landing at West Sail Port.

If they hadn’t seen for themselves whose weapons these guys held entering Tiandu, and whose forces they deployed against their own people, the Far-sighted eagle might have believed his nonsense.

Thinking of tapping into the Alliance’s gold coins?

Kid, you’re still too green!

Finally waited for this guy to finish his endless talk, Eagle sighed lightly and began to speak.

"I’m sorry, Mr. Anush, we can’t agree to your request."

The grand words were stuck in his throat.

Anush stared at him with wide eyes, and only after a long time did he manage to squeeze out a sentence.

"Why?"

The messenger unfamiliar with the Alliance answered, then hurriedly continued.

"You advocate equality, and so do we! Why are you unwilling to recognize us?"

He was genuinely quite anxious.

If he weren’t extremely anxious, he wouldn’t have gone to such lengths to meet a group of messengers.

The Anush Empire desires to survive in the cracks, needing to oscillate back and forth between the Army and the Alliance, using each side’s pain points for negotiation.

This was a strategy he had thought of from the start.

The Heavenly King’s army must show a stance of leaning towards the Alliance while using this as leverage to demand "recognition" from the Army to prevent the Army from tearing up treaties with the Alliance and the Company and directly dispatching troops.

If the Alliance doesn’t step in, relying solely on the little strength he has is far from enough to arm wrestle with the Army!

The Far-sighted Eagle sighed and patiently explained.

"Dear Mr. Anush, you might have misunderstood something; the Alliance is neither a country nor a religion..."

"What we care about is not the slogans you shout, but whether the survival rights of the survivors here are truly guaranteed."

There was another sentence he didn’t say.

The current Heavenly King’s army clearly cannot represent the survivors of Poluo province, those survivors are more like hostages drawn in rather than choosing from the heart.

The Alliance actually doesn’t care if the ruler here is a chieftain, a king, or a president, but clearly cannot agree with "kidnappers."

In this respect, this Mr. Heavenly King is the same as Charles in the southern sea area.

Just called by a different name.

Anush clenched his fists.

"How much more do I have to guarantee? I’ve already divided the land among them! Do I still need to feed them?"

The Far-sighted Eagle nodded.

"That’s commendable, but if it’s just a word to give them the land... isn’t it also a word to take it back."

Anush was stunned.

"Then what do you want?"

The Far-sighted Eagle patiently advised.

"Everything has to be done step by step. If you truly want to be like us, there’s no need to replicate our results. You can start by farming with them, let the people here have enough to eat, let them wear clean clothes, let them receive an education... So that those who rely on the land today can freely leave the constraining red soil tomorrow."

Anush relaxed his tight shoulders, leaned back against the cold hard throne, and pinched his temples.

"That’s stuff for after the war victory; we’ll naturally do it once things settle down..."

Seeing this guy still painting promises, Eagle shook his head helplessly.

Perhaps the Manager is right.

They really should reduce interference with the locals and let them have control of their own future as much as possible.

Lying seems to be an innate ability for people here.

Just like a young cuckoo instinctively knows to push out other eggs from the nest with its juvenile back.

It’s like an instinct.

An animal instinct forced by Darwin’s law, to evolve for survival.

Their nature might not be bad, but it has been forced into shape by the harsh environment of the Wasteland.

Swords cannot kill ideals, but lies can.

And quite easily.

"...Yes, you can certainly wait until after the Wasteland Era is over to do things, but if something can’t be fulfilled now, then I think it’s unnecessary to worry about it in the future."

Eagle paused, looking at Anush, looking at this Heavenly King of the Heavenly King’s army.

"Actually, you don’t need our recognition, we’ve never endorsed any entity, nor forced any Survivor Forces to be like us. If the survivors here spontaneously form a management system similar to ours, we would be very happy to share our experiences with you..."

Anush excitedly stood up from the chair.

"We are willing to be like you!"

Old Wolf, who had been silent, couldn’t resist interrupting.

"Then release those Sun People in the prisons first, and withdraw the orders you issued before... We’re not blind, we have eyes, if you do these two things we’ll believe you at least once!"

Anush replied without hesitation.

"Those are felons of the Empire, how could I release them just like that! What would others think?"

Old Wolf continued in imperfect United Human language.

"How about the Moon People then? Surely they don’t have much to do with you, right?"

Anush hesitated for a moment, initially wanting to nod, but then remembered that the women he rewarded his subordinates with included many Moon People.

He didn’t mind those prizes, but now wasn’t the time to touch those people.

After a period of silence, he spoke in a calm tone.

"Those are issues left from the previous dynasty, which require time to solve. You also know, such things involve one thing leading to another, it’s not possible to make decisions by just patting one’s head... But I can promise you, once we recover the entire Empire, we will immediately abolish all unequal decisions from the Empire era."

He really wasn’t lying with that sentence.

Once the entire Empire is recovered, he will have time to deal with those who helped him conquer the world.

As for now, it’s not yet the time.

Old Wolf’s mouth corner twitched slightly.

Goodness.

This is selective "patting one’s head."

He’s still too young; these NPCs are even more sinister than people.

Noticing the stiff atmosphere in the hall, Eagle quickly spoke up to take over the conversation.

"...Today’s meeting ends here. We’ve traveled by ship, then changed to carriage and ox carts, we’re truly tired. Also, there are some issues we need to communicate with the people in the rear; it’s impossible for us to make decisions alone."

They’ve already achieved their purpose, there’s no need to rush it now.

If nothing unexpected occurs, the Army’s messenger should have already contacted Absek’s side.

Next, they just need to quietly await the latter’s decision...

At the same time, they’ll also try to find Anvo, to gather evidence of Absek colluding with the Southern Legion.

This evidence is like Baiyue Corporation’s investigation report on the survival situation of Lowell Camp survivors; it may not be used in the end, but it’s essential to hold onto.

It’s a form of deterrence.

Also the last resort if things get ugly.

Anush did not insist on keeping them either, returning to the throne with a softened tone.

"Everyone, please go rest. Oh... We’ve prepared a palace for your stay."

He clearly still hasn’t given up.

After all, a group of messengers doesn’t prove much; in the end, the decision must be made by City of Dawn over there.

At this time, leaving a good impression on the messengers becomes particularly important, and that’s why he went to such lengths to make arrangements.

Eagle nodded slightly.

"Your kindness is appreciated, but we’ve already booked a hotel in the suburbs."

Hearing this, Anush laughed and said kindly.

"Those inns are for traveling merchants, they don’t even have direct hot water, how can we let esteemed guests like you stay there? Indeed, besides the palace for your stay, I’ve also arranged some local special programs, I’m sure you’ll love them..."

These all come from Witch Camel’s exquisite collection, some are untouched even by Witch Camel, not even by himself, mainly intended for hosting distinguished guests with special identities.

Of course, the culture of Poluo Province is reserved, and he didn’t speak too plainly.

However, the meaning between the lines and his ambiguous tone made it quite clear.

He’s planning to show them some "colors."

The dog’s eyes on the subtitles tube quickly lifted his head, looking at the NPC in surprise.

"Holy crap, is it real?!"

He had always been ranting in Chinese before, but this time he forced out his still not-so-fluent United Human language.

The Old Stick beside him was startled, quickly tugging at his sleeve.

"Holy crap, you don’t want your helmet?!"

Old Dog: "???

Without understanding their exchange, Anush just laughed and winked at the messenger who suited his taste.

"It must be real... Don’t worry, leave it to me, I have good taste."

Glancing at the internally conflicted Old Dog, Eagle coughed and said.

"No, no... The killing intent here is too much, I’ve been coughing since I came in, and I won’t be able to sleep at night."

He still had some limits.

After all, why gamble your helmet on something money can solve?

This isn’t the way to seek thrills.

Anush was bewildered, clueless about the connection between killing intent and coughing.

Why didn’t he feel any killing intent?

Although he’s indeed been feeling a bit drained lately.

Watching Eagle deny, he quickly continued with a smile.

"You’re too polite! The survivors of Poluo Province are very enthusiastic about you, it would be such a pity if you don’t experience it—"

Before he could finish, hurried footsteps entering the main hall interrupted him.

"Enough, Anush!"

"I’m just standing at the door and I can already smell that rotten stench coming from you!"

Hearing the thunderous shout, the Master of Ceremonies immediately turned to look at the door, saw the person standing there, and was so frightened that he nearly collapsed to the ground.

There stood an officer in a crisp military uniform at the entrance of the main hall, with a group of heavily-armed soldiers behind him.

They looked menacing, with an aura of killing intent, like a pack of ferocious wolves.

This time, Anush understood what real killing intent was, as evident from the expressions on these people’s faces.

The situation happened too abruptly, catching everyone off guard, leaving both Anush and the Alliance representatives dumbfounded, unclear about what was going on.

The guards inside the hall immediately stepped forward, attempting to draw their guns to confront this group, however, they found themselves faced with multiple "Blade" assault rifles.

Glancing at the pistols hung at their waists and then at the overwhelming firepower opposite, they could only reluctantly put their guns back in their holsters, making the motion to draw but not daring to move.

This group came prepared!

Even their safeties were off!

Anush widened his eyes, gripping tightly to the armrest of his throne, slapped it with a loud bang, and stood up.

"What nerve! Who the hell are you?!"

Glaring back unflinchingly at those fierce eyes, Anvo returned the glare without hesitation.

"I’m Anvo."

"Anvo? Where did this nobody come from—"

Before Anush could finish speaking, a gunshot rang out with a "bang".

His eyes widened in disbelief, looking at the bloody hole in his chest as he collapsed into the throne.

His brain momentarily forgot to think as many things flashed like a slideshow before his eyes.

Suddenly he realized something, as if catching a glimpse of the fleeting truth, but too late to speak.

It was too late!

"Bang—!"

Holding the pistol, Anvo aimed at his chest, mercilessly pulling the trigger a second time, then a third, and fourth... until the clip was empty.

The gunshots echoed through the Imperial Palace like the tolling of a church bell.

The surrounding guards and Master of Ceremonies just looked on in shock as their wise and brave king, like an electrocuted kangaroo, twitched on the throne before finally collapsing into a pool of blood.

Like a ragged cloth.

There was a dead silence on the scene.

He was dead...

The king just died like that?!

It hadn’t even been a week since he sat on the throne...

Including the representatives of the Alliance like Far-sighted Eagle and the disruptive Stick, everyone was left bewildered by this sudden upheaval.

Especially the former.

He did know about Absek’s plot, having exchanged information with Pangolin, but never expected that this so-called plot was merely a pistol.

This is ridiculously crude and straightforward!

Obviously.

The fact that these people managed to get here unimpeded suggests there’s an invisible hand manipulating things from behind.

Eagle’s mind raced quickly, rapidly sorting through all the known clues.

Anvo’s chest heaved violently as he stared intently at the corpse, then furiously threw the gun to the ground.

Like a true warrior.

With a determined voice, he shouted at the now voiceless corpse and the blood-stained throne.

"I rebelled to bring a new day to the Empire! Not for the likes of you to take charge!"

"I alone am guilty, do with me as you please!"

He knew very well he wouldn’t die.

Absek wouldn’t let him die, at least not in this act.

That’s what his "advisor and fellow believer" Yishel told him.

Simultaneously as he finished speaking, chaotic footsteps echoed from outside the main hall.

About a hundred people rushed in, raising their rifles menacingly, surrounding the twenty-some people at the door.

"What the hell have you done! Do you know what you’ve just done?!" the leading Centurion exclaimed, eyes wide with veins popping, aiming his gun squarely at Anvo.

Anvo indifferently stretched out his hands.

"I am fully aware of what I’ve done. I’ll plead guilty, but I won’t regret it."

"All for the Thousand Tribes of Poluo Province."

The Centurion gritted his teeth for a long time, ultimately refraining from violence, merely taking out a chain to cuff the man before him.

The remaining twenty-some soldiers didn’t resist either, promptly throwing their guns to the ground, surrendering alongside their Thousands of leaders Anvo, and being pinned to the ground.

Moments later, disordered footsteps once again arrived from outside the main hall, and with a plop, someone knelt before the throne.

"Your Majesty! Your Majesty!!"

The person cried heart-wrenchingly, forehead pressed tightly to the ground, pounding it with their fist.

The surrounding guards and Master of Ceremonies looked on with sympathetic expressions.

The dog’s eyes glanced at Stick Brother, whispering softly.

"I bet that’s Absek."

Stick Brother chuckled.

"Then you guessed wrong."

Old Dog looked at him in surprise.

"Huh?"

Stick Brother slightly tilted his head, whispering in his ear.

"This isn’t a palace drama, they probably won’t set up another king, but directly changing the flag wouldn’t win support... Wait and see, the one on stage now is probably going to play the villain, while the protagonist Absek is still preparing backstage."

This storyline isn’t that cliché, but neither is it groundbreaking.

Though only the beginning has played out, he seemed to already foresee the ending...