Chapter 287

Although they are the eastern and western kingdoms on the same continent, the lifestyle of the Deep Forest people differs greatly from that of the Radiant people.

For example, the Radiant people like to add white sugar to their bread and then dip it in honey, considering this an elegant upper-class dining tradition inherited from the elves.

But the Deep Forest people think those who eat sweet bread are useless pigs; true strong ones prefer salty flavors, and the filling must be a super-spicy sauce made from crushed wild mountain peppers.

But no matter how elaborate the inauguration ceremony, it's ultimately just a set procedure, so amid somewhat hesitant applause, the deputy walked up to the podium and began his speech.

"Esteemed guests, dear friends, hello everyone!"

Originally Ji Ming was paying tribute to the legendary scientist Hawking while sitting in his chair, but hearing this familiar opening line he sat up straight.

No, you…

Then I saw the deputy, who was about thirty or so, begin with rhythmic intonation, fluently reciting a speech obviously prepared in advance, and every sentence seemed to awaken Ji Ming's DNA.

"Today we gather together to jointly witness this solemn and sacred moment. First, on behalf of Alliance Leader Ke Li Si Ting, I extend a warm welcome and heartfelt thanks to all the guests who have come from afar! Thank you for sharing our joy and participating in this grand occasion on this special day."

By this point, someone in the audience started leading the applause, forcing everyone to join in the lively clapping, and amidst the bewildered crowd, Ji Ming also let out a relieved laugh.

These classic phrases are naturally the legacy of the Lionheart King, who, to prevent his vulgar subordinates from embarrassing him during state visits, besides imitating Napoleon by sewing buttons onto his sleeves, personally fixed a set of formal wording and terminology for official occasions in the kingdom.

Yet the Deep Forest people, accustomed to freedom, are especially fond of this red‑tape procedure, for this professional dictionary is quite thick; one can simply copy a few lines, stitch them together, and have something to read, which is extremely convenient.

Having precisely recited an opening remark neither too long nor too short—just about five minutes—the deputy gave a slight bow, then, as the host, announced that the ceremony was entering its second stage.

Then, from the corridor outside the door, came the growingly close sound of heavy hooves, accompanied by the faint clatter of metal striking and rubbing.

The guests stared at each other, their faces ashen, as if those hooves were not stepping on the floor but on……their skullcaps.

Soon, with the large wooden door being slowly pushed open by the mercenaries, a towering wall forged of steel was pressed in from outside.

Since its founding, the Deep Forest, which takes military might as the basis of its state, has had an extremely strong martial spirit, and for such an important occasion they would love to arm the protagonist to the teeth.

Thus, if the heavy cavalry of the cold‑weapon era is akin to a tank on the battlefield, then today's Ke Li Si Ting is a doomsday fortress capable of overwhelming three hundred li.

Slowly ascending the platform, which fortunately was entirely built of bricks—otherwise it would surely have collapsed today—she swept her gaze, hidden beneath her helmet, over the crowd, and almost every guest felt that the time her eyes lingered on them was unusually long.

【Savior, actually they're just mistaken; it's clearly you who has been stared at the longest, and your eyes are even flashing with killing intent.】

"I know, I don't want to know, shut up."

Ke Li Si Ting very much wanted to calm herself, but how could she remain calm at such a momentous occasion?

Still unable to restrain herself, she tapped the ground twice with her hooves to suppress her agitation, then pulled out a speech draft no larger than her palm.

She intended to settle everything with a single, interrupted statement, eager to embrace the victory that had been delayed for over twenty years.

But before she could utter three syllables, someone in the audience suddenly raised a hand, like a tombstone jutting out from a grave mound.

In an instant, the air in the hall, which had just begun to ease, froze.

"Holy shit…"

The guests sitting beside him were all terrified, scrambling to move away, fearful of accidentally getting blood on themselves.

Ke Li Si Ting didn't speak, but merely lifted her head slightly and glanced at him; he, frightened, instinctively wanted to shrink back, yet his eyes twitched slightly and he raised his hand again, high up, even as he was about to pull it back.

Ji Ming had a slight impression of this person; he seemed to be a manager of a small merchants' association in the Inner City, somewhat related to the Business Union, but also cooperating extensively with the Adventurers' Guild, making his affiliation hard to pin down.

Nevertheless, even though his self‑control was decent, that tremor still revealed much—for instance, the direction his eyeballs were shaking pointed to Suo La, seated more than ten guests away, who tonight must make a choice.

To cause trouble at this moment could be seen as giving Ke Li Si Ting little face, but fearing that delay would bring more problems, she could only pretend not to notice and continue reading her script.

But his hand was already raised, and he didn't care about fate anymore; how could the manager possibly let it go?

He seemed to gather his strength, sat down again, then slammed the table, making a booming sound.

"Ms. Ke Li Si Ting, could you please explain to us what happened with Mr. Fein?!"

His voice echoed throughout the hall, like a hammer striking cold hard stone… only to discover he was made of plastic, producing a brittle, cracking sound.

The guests who had been pretending to listen attentively to Ke Li Si Ting's speech also turned their heads, looking at the merchant who had suddenly spoken up, their faces showing surprise and confusion.

——Come on, man, they've already given you a chance; are you really planning to hang yourself like an old longevity star today—do you hate having a long life?

If he now pretended to be deaf and dumb, that would be cowardly; Ke Li Si Ting's brow furrowed slightly, and she lowered the speech draft in her hand.

"Regarding Mr. Fein's matter, we already have a clear investigation result."

Her voice was soft, yet it carried an undeniable authority… actually, if your weight were also measured in tons, you could probably achieve that too.

"He was ambushed and assassinated by rivals while on night patrol; the true identity of the assassin is still under investigation, but I believe I can lead the mercenary alliance to capture him—it's just a matter of time, and I will inform everyone of the latest findings as soon as they are available."

However, the merchant, who had already gone all‑in, did not relent; he strode to the center of the hall, his eyes blood‑red, faced Ke Li Si Ting, and spoke loudly.

"But as far as I know, after his previous assassination attempt Mr. Fein was left bedridden by the aftereffects—where would he get the energy to go out on patrol? Moreover, his wisdom is known to all; how could he possibly be killed in his own garrison?"

His voice reverberated through the hall, stirring up a commotion.

The guests began to whisper and discuss among themselves; although it hadn't yet reached the point of them joining in a frenzy, what the merchant said was exactly what they suspected.

Anyway, the fire won't reach me, so let's just make it blaze wildly and give everyone a show!

Ke Li Si Ting's complexion also shifted slightly; she hadn't expected this fellow to have such gall, daring to challenge her authority so directly.

She took a deep breath, calmed her inner turmoil, and then spoke coldly.

"Our conclusion is based on an objective investigation and will not change because of some people's one‑sided words; if you have any objections to the investigation's result, you may apply for a reinvestigation through proper channels."

But as soon as Ke Li Si Ting's words fell, the merchant retorted in a sharp voice.

"An appeal?"

This might be the loudest voice this small merchant has ever raised in his life, and he spoke as if slamming the table against the hardest wrist of Sunshine City.

"Let me tell you, I've filed appeals countless times! Yet you've never given a fair response."

"Today I stand here before everyone and demand that you give us a reasonable explanation!"

"You damn thing, old lady is busy doing proper business to give you some face, and you still dare to bark out orders like that?"

Now Ke Li Si Ting's face turned completely black; if she weren't a noble and there weren't many people around, she would have kicked the guy until his filling spilled out.

She naturally could see that the other party was someone's pawn, and likely Suo La had set this up here, but facts are facts—regarding the Fein matter she truly finds it hard to explain, and this punch of his hit her soft spot.

However, at that moment a low, firm voice suddenly sounded in the hall.

"Enough."

The voice actually came from the always silent Suo La, who stood up, his gaze cold and sharp as he swept over this merchant, then turned toward Ke Li Si Ting.

Miss Ke Li Si Ting, I believe your decision is just, and I believe you will properly handle this merchant's doubts, but now I hope you can continue to finish your speech, not let a small incident affect the overall situation.

The merchant was dumbfounded, pointing at Suo La, wanting to speak but only able to shut his mouth, and was dragged away by the mercenaries who had already couldn't hold back and stepped forward.

Normal people wouldn't seek death, unless overwhelming pressure breaks their spine, or something is more important than life, such as a lifetime's effort, or one's own family.

Ke Li Si Ting hadn't expected Suo La to speak up for her; she looked somewhat dazedly at the guests below, confirmed she wasn't dreaming, then gave a slight gesture to Suo La, receiving only his smiling nod in return.

Now the onlookers were even more confused; what's going on with this strange cooperation between the two?

Could it be that they had already secretly agreed to cooperate, planning to divide all the benefits of Sunlight City?

But regardless, Ke Li Si Ting had already finished her inauguration speech, officially becoming the Mountain Folk Mercenaries Alliance, or rather the second leader of the Sunlight City Mountain Folk Mercenaries Alliance.

The guests offered enthusiastic yet apathetic applause, acknowledging this new big shot, possibly even the birth of Sunlight City's currently foremost power.

And according to the customs of the Deep Forest people and the habits forged from years of warfare, in their eyes friends and family are quite important things.

Thus, after Ke Li Si Ting finished speaking, she did not step down but directly began the ceremony's third stage—guest speeches—under the adjutant's organization.

Anyone below could raise a hand to speak; the main content was blessings for the new Deep Forest leader, a way to declare one's allegiance.

Originally the mercenaries thought those who disagreed should cause trouble in this part, but they didn't expect someone to act so early, and directly completed the 'kill the chicken to scare the monkeys' segment.

Thus this stage also became the most relaxed part of the ceremony; everyone were old hands on the road, their skill at talking about ghosts wasn't exactly masterful, was it?

You praise one sentence of fearless bravery, he acclaims a voice of promising future, even Ji Ming was asked to speak as a representative of the Holy Light Church.

I—

As soon as he uttered a single syllable, Ke Li Si Ting's big-mouth-flower-like gaze frightened him; he swore that if he dared say anything strange, he would be torn apart alive by those who would collapse on the spot.

So he could only play to his advantage as an Earthling, perfectly inheriting the Lionheart King's linguistic wisdom; he said quite a bit, each sentence better-sounding than the last, but with zero substance, just water poured from a wagon wheel.

Unfortunately, Ke Li Si Ting couldn't tell, and thought he was praising her.

After Ji Ming finished speaking, although his face was still hidden beneath the golden mask, the smile in his mouth was about to spill over.

"Divine Chosen Sir's words are always interesting; actually I'm quite interested in your church's Holy Light doctrine—can you stay tonight to discuss it in detail with me?"

I can believe in my understanding of the Holy Light doctrine, but can I believe you won't acquire my knowledge tonight by any means other than listening?

... Well, actually I've never read the Holy Light scriptures, so I also don't believe you at all.

Ji Ming: "Maybe, perhaps, should, depends on the situation..."

Unfortunately, this basically counted as a refusal, landing in Ke Li Si Ting's mind as—he hesitated!

So he still has me in his heart, so my idea is correct, so I did right, so…

Just as Ke Li Si Ting was considering whether to use the Deep Forest Earl or the Marquis's high position to make Ji Ming, who likes the strong, agree to marry… marry herself, the harmonious atmosphere suddenly vanished.

Because it was Suo La's turn to speak, his face bore his usual gentle smile.

"Ke Li Si Ting ah, you're happy being the chief of the Mountain Folk Mercenaries Alliance, but are you still willing to be our tax department head?"

Ke Li Si Ting thought this wasn't nonsense; I'm now soaring high, I've even brought several of my close aides into the alliance, and still following you for what gain?

But before he could finish thinking of a proper refusal, he saw the other party exaggeratedly shake his head and sigh.

"Ah, yes, our union is too small; how could it accommodate someone as formidable as you?"

Now the guests were even more bewildered; just moments ago the two were still supporting each other and chatting happily, so how did they suddenly start speaking in sarcastic double meanings?

Suo La gave a hehe laugh, pointed to the empty spot left after the merchant was taken away, as if he were telling the crowd a joke.

"This kid, his work is simply too rough, really making everyone laugh; this is clearly obvious, why still bother talking about principles?"

He paused a moment, his smile gradually turning cold, and asked word by word.

"Ke Li Si Ting ah, when you killed Fei En here last night with that magic-imprinted Ma Mao, did you handle it smoothly?"