Chapter 159: Executing the Storm Emperor and Recruiting the Grand General!
.....
Inside the Mingfeng City Lord's Manor.
Seito sat upon the high seat, his presence radiating an undeniable imperial pressure. Flanking him were the Harbingers, the guild executives, and the high-ranking generals of the Snezhnaya Empire who had accompanied the campaign.
Before him, two men knelt in silence. They were the Storm Emperor and the Grand General of the Storm Empire. Both were bound tightly with enchanted ropes, their gazes fixed squarely on Seito.
[Yord V—Storm]
Level: 100
[Yun Longzhen]
Level: 100
"I didn't expect the Grand General of the Storm Empire to have an Eastern visage," Seito remarked, his eyes lingering on Yun Longzhen. It was common knowledge that the Storm royalty harbored deep prejudices against those of Eastern descent, yet their military's backbone was a true son of the East.
"Merely a defeated general," Yun Longzhen replied with a slow shake of his head. He had attained his rank purely through an overwhelming accumulation of military merit and a prestige so vast that even the Emperor hadn't dared to move against him.
However, the suppression he faced over the years was significant, fueling the Empire's xenophobia. Had he not been the Grand General, he would have been banished to the Wastelands long ago. Despite the internal rot of his nation, he remained fiercely loyal, protecting his sovereign until the very end.
Shifting his focus away from the General, Seito turned his gaze toward the Storm Emperor. This was the bigger fish.
"Storm Emperor, do you have any final words?"
"None," the Emperor replied, his voice heavy with exhaustion. He glanced at Baifeng—the very Viscount he had once exiled. He never imagined that the man would return as a Level 100 powerhouse with divine-tier equipment and peerless combat skills.
The defeat was absolute. He had been captured before the enemy Emperor even stepped onto the battlefield. What he truly couldn't fathom, however, was why the Adventurers had flocked to Seito's banner. He had offered Orange-tier equipment as a reward!
What he failed to realize was that for most players, rapid leveling outweighed immediate gear. In this world, materials for crafting equipment were accessible, but the experience required to level up was becoming astronomically high. Seito's quests provided the one thing they craved most: progress.
"Very well. I hope in your next life, you find peace as a commoner." Seito didn't waste time with further pleasantries. He gave a subtle nod to Kanade Tachibana.
Seeing Kanade raise her Hand Sonic: Angel Blade, the Storm Emperor finally panicked. Wait, this kid isn't following the script! When I say 'None,' aren't you supposed to ask 'Why' or 'Are you sure'?!
"Wait! Wait—!"
"Wait for what? Execute him!"
Storm Emperor: "(#?Д?)"
Swish!
In a flash of cold steel, a headless corpse collapsed before the assembly.
[System: Congratulations! You have occupied the Storm Empire!]
[System: Royal Authority of the Storm Empire unlocked.]
[System: Your territory has expanded significantly.]
[System: Current War Merit: 10,000,000.]
Seito remained expressionless. It was just one empire, after all. However, ten million War Merit points were enough to purchase ten pieces of Orange-tier equipment. He planned to dump them into the guild warehouse, as he had little use for them himself.
Scanning the Merit Shop, he spotted a unique set. Since Lisbeth didn't have an Orange-tier set yet, he decided to purchase a specialized Blacksmith's set for her.
Returning to the present, Seito looked at Yun Longzhen. "General Yun, are you willing to join my Snezhnaya Empire?"
Seito valued talent above all else. His inner circle needed to be as formidable as possible. Beside him, General Baifeng grew visibly excited—Yun Longzhen had been his mentor and "big brother" in years past.
"Big Brother Yun! Stop being stubbornly loyal to a dead empire!" Baifeng urged.
"Don't you know a single loaf of bread costs 50,000 gold pieces out there now?"
He wasn't exaggerating. Under the players' market manipulation, inflation had reached a breaking point, driving the common folk into the arms of the rebel armies just to survive.
"I..." Yun Longzhen fell into a conflicted silence.
"Allow me," Seito said, waving Baifeng back.
Then, Seito began to speak. He channeled the passion of a visionary, speaking of the rise of the commoners, the fall of corrupt aristocracy, the philosophy of equality, and the blueprints for a new imperial system.
Yun Longzhen's expression shifted from indifference to surprise, then to shock, and finally to a burning fervor. He looked at Seito as if he were staring at a living deity.
"This general, Yun Longzhen, pays his respects to the King!" he shouted, dropping to one knee.
Baifeng and the other generals beamed. Hearing Seito's vision once more only served to cement their own unwavering faith in their monarch.
Seito smiled and cleared his throat. "Ranqi, you are responsible for investigating the former nobles of the Storm Empire. Those who have committed atrocities are to be executed; those who are merely entitled are to be stripped of their status and made commoners."
"Understood!" Ranqi nodded.
Seito then looked toward Baifeng and Yun Longzhen. "Generals, your campaign does not end here. Your next target is the Gamma Empire, our closest neighbor. Rest tonight. Tomorrow, General Baifeng will act as Commander-in-Chief, with General Green and General Yun Longzhen as his deputies.
'Old Twenty-Eight' and the other strategists will accompany the army."
"Yes, Your Majesty!" they roared in unison.
"As for your rewards," Seito added, "the Harbingers will deliberate and finalize the honors. I will not interfere with the process."
Yun Longzhen's heart skipped a beat. The Emperor... isn't centralizing all power to himself?
Truly, a magnificent empire and a peerless sovereign, Yun Longzhen thought to himself, deeply moved by Seito's charisma and trust.
....
Thank you for reading.