Chapter 103: New World

Gold everywhere, then gold would become as worthless as dung, and that glittering thing would only be an eyesore.

It's precisely because it's neither too much nor too little that people think they can fight over it? No, because what's truly precious cannot be obtained even with money.

The King of Li Guo looked at the entire hall; gold was merely material for the walls. Countless gems were inlaid in the pillars, emitting different colors of light. If a wicked person entered, he would surely cling to the pillars, trying to pry them off one by one!

The king felt extremely bored. As a prince before, he had always longed for the power of being king, but once he actually reached that position, he grew to dislike it. He gradually felt bored, thinking it was not as free as when he was a prince.

"So boring." The king propped his head with his right hand, yawning as he spoke.

Beside him, two maidservants on his left and right waved the fans in their hands.

Gentle breezes blew over the king's face one after another, making him even more irritable.

Finally, he couldn't hold back and shouted at the officials below: "Go, call Yang Xin for me! Then, dismiss court!"

The officials saw the king's bad mood and all thought that due to the former king's accident, his temper had become unpredictable, so they slowly withdrew.

As the officials slowly left, the king also gradually returned to his former princely nature, playing and frolicking with the palace maids throughout the hall.

The maids' bell-like laughter came from within the Wanggong, and the king narrowed his eyes, seized a maid, and whispered in her ear: "Then it's time to accept punishment."

The maid hesitated, half-pushing, half-yielding, and asked cautiously: "Your Majesty, this isn't proper, I'm just a lowly palace maid..."

Before the maid could finish, the king suddenly grabbed her from behind and, in a commanding tone, said: "Tonight, you are all mine."

Upon hearing this, the maids were secretly delighted, yet they pretended to be shy. Taking advantage of the king's inattention, they lightly slapped their own faces to appear bashful.

"Your Majesty, are you looking for me?" Yang Xin shoved open the palace doors and asked directly.

But the next second, he forgot what he was going to say next.

The sight before him was enough for Yang Xin to remember for decades.

The king was half-naked, surrounded by a dozen palace maids whose faces were smeared with monkey dung. Their clothes lay scattered on the ground, and upon seeing Yang Xin, they cried out in alarm—if the king weren't present, someone might think the palace maids were being forced into illicit acts by thieves.

"Is this the king's game? No, no, this is indeed the king's game!" Yang Xin, looking at the night's scene, couldn't help but remark.

The king coughed lightly, the maids sensibly retreated, picked up their clothes from the floor, and went to the rear of the Wanggong hall.

"What do you want me for?" Yang Xin asked.

"What exactly is the Red-clothed Devil up to? And the city gate guards have lost contact for three days!" the king shouted.

"Lost contact?" Yang Xin felt puzzled, then thought: the dwarves' homeland had turned into desert; logically, they shouldn't die of thirst, and should be about the same. Yet why was there no movement at all? This Yang Xin couldn't figure out, until suddenly he realized a major fact—that the soldiers of Li Guo are all money-loving!

Yang Xin felt uneasy, then advised the king: "Your Majesty, I suggest we send a pair of your kin's soldiers to observe the situation of the city gate guards."

The king nodded and agreed.

As for the city gate, the dwarves had already become completely familiar with the two people's "impersonating" work; three days had passed. During the day they inspected the king's ships back and forth, and at night they began slowly reforging that black iron rod.

"Not good!" the dwarf shouted.

Feng Yan and Chen Hao were discussing the night attack plan when they heard the shout and headed toward the sound.

The two of them went to the dwarf and asked, "What's wrong?"

"Over... over there, a troop has come!" the dwarf pointed into the city, where a squad of soldiers was marching this way.

The two looked at the troop and immediately understood: these were exactly the king's imperial guard sent to inspect the city gate guards!

However, Feng Yan and Chen Hao were not in a rush; instead, they stood on the city wall, watching the soldiers slowly approach, while the dwarf was terribly frightened, and both Feng Yan and Chen Hao could hear his heartbeat.

That pair of soldiers slowly walked up to the dwarf-disguised soldiers and began to converse.

Those above watched the exchange sentence by sentence, fearing they might miss a flaw.

But their luck was good, or perhaps their disguise hadn't been seen through? Those so-called imperial guards of the king climbed onto the city wall.

The dwarves exhaled, thinking they had finally managed to bluff their way through.

"Ah, it's fine." The dwarf on the city wall sighed, completely unaware that the king's guards had already come near them.

After hearing that sentence all along: "Hey, there should be some contraband here—hurry up and offer it to the king to become our medicine!"

Upon hearing that, the dwarf immediately panicked and hid behind Feng Yan and Chen Hao's thighs.

Feng Yan blocked the dwarf, then shielded him, glaring at the so-called imperial guards and said: "This is mine!"

"What?" The members of the imperial guard began feigning deafness and dumbness, asking again.

Whoosh—only a gust of wind brushed past their faces.

But the next second, a black long sword was already at their throats.

"Headless or whole corpse? Choose." Chen Hao whispered into their ears with a demonic tone.

When that Black Sword was placed at their necks, they already knew who the two were, though they had never seen them before, only hearing that one person wielded an extremely terrifying sword.

The others dared not act rashly, watching the captured soldier; it was clearly the leader without doubt.

"Don't kill me! I'll tell you everything I know!" the soldier shouted.

"This is getting interesting." Chen Hao narrowed his eyes, looked at the soldier, and asked: "Then, tell us about your Red-clothed Devil."

"He sacrificed himself!" the soldier exclaimed.

Feng Yan and Chen Hao were shocked—he sacrificed himself? What kind of operation is that? Both felt puzzled, yet they took out a pill, gave it to the soldier to eat, and deceived him, saying: "This is poison; at first your body will suddenly itch, then your skin will gradually rot. After the third watch tonight, I'll give you another. Of course, if you don't come, the outcome will be obvious."

Chen Hao's tone was very mischievous, and then he slowly walked away.

Feng Yan also lowered his black sword, and that soldier was spared.

"Pah! Scum!" the dwarf spat at those guys and then followed behind Feng Yan and Chen Hao.

Only a few people remained standing in place—neither able to leave nor willing to stay.

The two walked side by side, but their path was blocked by a girl.

Chen Hao glanced at the girl, smiled, then patted Feng Yan's shoulder and walked off, making a gesture of encouragement.

Feng Yan felt helpless; as for Feng Yan, he most feared facing her.

Lin Xiyan smiled and asked Feng Yan: "I think liking a virtual girl isn't laughable; it's just disappointment with reality."

Feng Yan lowered his head, silent; he very much wanted to tell her those things, but he was afraid—afraid of her reaction to those matters—so he could only reply softly: "Mm, yeah, I've liked a virtual character, but I know there will be a day we part."

"But—I think it's pretty good." Feng Yan's tone was firm yet pitiable, which made her feel heartbroken and even more eager to know what had happened to him.

Lin Xiyan remained composed, still smiling as she said: "I am waiting, waiting for that day; I also hope you will meet the one you love."

"Love?" Feng Yan gave a cold snort, his eyes filled with immeasurable sorrow; in just an instant, that gaze returned to icy cold, and he continued: "That thing is too precious; I don't deserve to possess it, and I have always believed that I am a person rotten to the bone."

After Feng Yan finished speaking, he slowly walked away; his heart felt a little pain, but he no longer understood what the reason was. He turned back to look at Lin Xiyan, and finally nodded.

And Wuyou, looking at Lin Xiyan who remained in place, softly said: "Master..."

Feng Yan still did not tell her in the end; he was afraid, and he came again to the Dwarves, looking at that black iron rod, which had now been completely finished.

Feng Yan now felt that the conditions for victory were roughly in place.

"Tonight at the third watch! Move out!"

On another side, the World Tree no longer grew; its underground roots were connected to the corpses of the gods. They provided nourishment.

As for the roots, a huge worm was about to gnaw through the tree roots.

There, a person just like the Red-clothed Devil opened his eyes, gradually waking up.

He raised his head, saw a fellow who looked exactly like him, and felt curious.

"It seems this is no longer the world of the gods!" that person said.