Chapter 522: Official Visit

"Boom!"

"Click-clack, squeak!"

"Hoo~ Wolf cub, can you still go for more?"

In the arena within the Great Temple, Wokehade stumbled back several steps and rolled onto the ground; the terrifying load transmitted caused the platform, which had been solidified by long-term immersion in the White Wolf's divine power, to crack under the strain.

This was a pure test of martial arts—Sinuoli did not use his Authority, and the Great Ulric did not borrow divine grace. Who would have thought that Wokehade was a rare berserker who, once worked up, would not stop until a life-or-death outcome was reached; Sinuoli had to transform into a stone statue to knock him down.

"You don't know your own strength; if you have energy to spare, go use it in the Chaos Wastes!"

Only after bracing himself to walk down the sacred mountain did Sinuoli cast healing spells on himself. Since ordinary weapons could no longer withstand the collisions of a peak mortal, they both used their most comfortable gear. Fury of the Winter Wolf—a two-handed warhammer with a broken tooth of the White Wolf god as its head—undoubtedly had the ability to pierce legendary armor and injure him.

"Send word to Anduonuofu and Tupolev: the Great Orthodoxy will still exist and compete with them fairly, but the persecution from secular forces will cease."

After thinking it over, Sinuoli decided to pay a formal visit to the Middenheim settlement on another day. Ever since he reclaimed the Southlands, the support from the "Plain Dwarfs" in terms of manpower and resources had never ceased; they must be allowed to share in the path of the Dwarf Realms' revival.

"Didi-da-didi! Woo~"

Greeting Sinuoli on the great bridge was the Middenland military band, and Elector Count Leopold had recalled all his courtiers. Having the opportunity to welcome the most active and perhaps most powerful Order Demigod in the Old World was the glory of the entire city.

"King of the Southlands, Demigod of the Dwarf race, your arrival makes Middenheim shine even brighter! The Teutons have always revered the strong and will forever stand with Justice."

"No need for such formalities, descendant of the Pious. I must thank you for bravely sheltering my kin during the most tense moments; you are a friend of the Qunshan."

"Haha, I have always believed that the brotherly relationship between our two races should be counted from the day the White Wolf god guided us here and leveled the mountain peak for us."

The Elector Count wore a magnificent top hat, with various feathers and decorations interpreting his own achievements and the prominence of his family in the most ancient way. The things the two chatted about were also old matters—

Although Magnus the Pious was born in Nuln, his ancestors had Teuton blood. After ascending to the throne, in order to strengthen his rule, he enfeoffed his son to Middenland to replace the original Elector Count who lacked a strong claim.

During the period when Dieter IV expelled and persecuted the Dwarfs, Leopold, out of multiple considerations, refused to execute the relevant orders and accepted many Dwarfs who had fled from other provinces.

"Ulric has gifted you the fur of the wolf; we, His claws and fangs, will follow the guidance of the Alpha."

Wokehade's injuries had also recovered; as a holder of the electoral right, his status was higher than Leopold's. The White Wolf god had conveyed His decision to him, and Sinuoli's strength had also made the High Priest admire him wholeheartedly.

"May I invite you onto the palanquin?"

The Middenheim Apostle Ximen stood with the Dwarf Elders of the settlement; they had prepared a palanquin shaped like a Shenkan for Sinuoli, but the Demigod still preferred the Golden Lamb more.

"If I don't show a little something, it feels like I'm letting the audience down!"

The White Wolf Knights cleared the way, the Elector Count walked on foot holding the Golden Lamb, and Sinuoli could not help but beam with joy. He snapped his fingers with a 'pop', and a cluster of golden celebratory clouds condensed above his head, scattering a drizzling rain of gold coins.

"Is this what it feels like to stand in the light?"

Xiwa still wore the cloak of the Assassin era, following behind Sinuoli, she secretly enjoyed the cheers of the crowds lining the streets; only a very few strong individuals let their gazes linger on her with suspicion.

The center of gravity for Ranald's forces was in the south, but Middenland also had a branch of the Black Knives; compared to the Eshin assassins who existed in legends, their availability was clearly higher.

"Fellow kin and Human friends, and other friends of foreign races! It is an honor..."

Heading down the main road, a podium had long been set up at the entrance of the Dwarf settlement. Sinuoli gave a speech themed on reviewing the past friendship between the Teutons and the Dwarfs and looking forward to future development, which received a great response.

"This trip went even smoother than I imagined, and what's more, there's you, an unexpected gain."

In the ship's cabin, Sinuoli rested his head on Xiwa; the half-elf's firm body made him crave more. Furthermore, the lingering mark of Slaanesh amplified his desires, leaving both parties thoroughly tested.

"Men, males are all like this, only willing to believe in what they've *had. By the way, are you really not taking me to your kingdom in the Southlands?"

"Haha, there's no one there who needs you besides me, but the Old World is different; my faith network needs a sharp blade in the shadows."

The beauty's coquettish protest made Sinuoli's old face flush, but he would not easily change his decision. A second-tier powerhouse without attachments and unrestricted could clear away too many obstacles for the Apostles.

He once thought that as long as a god wanted to, they could instantly boost a mere scholar to the peak or quasi-peak of mortals, but after practical application, he found that how much divine power one could bear was limited by their original foundation, and the loss was related to compatibility.

"Alright, remember to come and sharpen your blade regularly~"

Xiwa put away her smile and pushed the door to leave. The change in her aura in an instant made Sinuoli somewhat dazed, even though from the moment she took the initiative to offer herself to gain trust, he knew she was not content to just be a canary in a cage.

She was authorized to reorganize the assassin group and combine it with the tavern network accumulated by the Dwarfs over thousands of years to form a new organization called the "Circle of the Earth." This would become a powerful tool for Sinuoli and even the Dwarf Kings to interfere in the Human world from the shadows.

"Why does it feel like His Majesty's temper has gotten worse since returning from the Old World?"

"Yes, he is clearly a bit irritable, but isn't everything going smoothly? Could it be that our progress is dragging?"

"It's like a withdrawal reaction; my dad was like this when his pipe was smashed!"

Rushing all the way back to Gaoyuanbao, Sinuoli personally supervised the construction progress of the three major new institutions. This was a huge shock to the master-apprentice and guild systems that had existed since time immemorial for the Dwarfs; without him suppressing the situation, the resistance would be great.

"Let go and do it; what we lack most right now is time!"

In non-wartime, Sinuoli granted his ministers absolute authority to drastically overhaul all the old rules hindering development. The Southlands were like a terrifying machine roaring, rapidly devouring resources and converting them into war potential.

The first fast-track classes of the War Academy and the School of Economics and Management had already begun; dozens of mid-level civil and military officials gathered during the window of peace to unify their thinking and update their understanding to cope with rapid development.

Sinuoli saw many old faces, including partners who had fought side-by-side on the road to the wedding and during the support of Bordeleaux, as well as key members who had participated in the Southlands expedition.

With the promotion of their positions, they left Sinuoli's side to take charge of their own affairs, but the Dwarf King's ideas changed at every stage; some "His Majesty Sinuoli said" were already outdated, and keeping them on their lips instead brought obstacles.