Chapter 149
"Is it true that the Lesser Kusanali doesn't exist?"
Cyno couldn't help but ask. He had been staying here the whole time, listening to Camus's story. He thought he had learned some information about Aizen, but that information wasn't enough. He needed more information, so he stayed here.
Before coming to the desert, he had heard the two mercenaries say that the Lesser Kusanali did not exist, but he did not believe it. However, now that he heard the First Clan Chief, who followed Aizen, mention this matter again, he could not help but ask out of curiosity.
"Who are you?"
Chief Camus looked at Cyno, puzzled, but quickly gave up thinking about it, because there were too many people in the tribe now, tens of thousands, how could he possibly know everyone?
"Never mind, it's probably another child who joined the tribe later."
"Kid, it's normal that you don't know. Let me tell you, the Lesser Lord Kusanali of Sumeru never existed in the first place."
Why can you be so sure?
Cyno couldn't help but press for more information.
Camus couldn't help but laugh.
"The answer is simple. If the Dendro Archon were here, it wouldn't have been absent for 500 years. Most importantly, our Lord Aizen also possesses the power of the Dendro Archon. Do you see the trees in this city? They all grew when Lord Aizen stomped his foot. If Sumeru had Dendro Archon, it probably wouldn't be as much like the Dendro Archon as our Lord Aizen."
"Lord Aizen has mastered the power of trees?"
Cyno looked at the dense trees. He had been in the rainforest for too long and hadn't reacted much to the sight of the trees. Only now did he realize that this city was built in the desert and shouldn't have so many trees!
"That's right, these trees were all summoned by Lord Aizen's great power. Even if there is Dendro Archon in Sumeru, it should be our Lord Aizen takes on that role!"
At this point, Chief Camus laughed happily.
"But soon, there will be no more kingdoms of Dendro Archon, and naturally, there will be no need for Dendro Archon. Lord Aizen will lead us to conquer the rainforest. At that time, whether it is the desert or the rainforest, it will all belong to Lord Aizen. In the entire Sumeru, there will only be one god: Lord Aizen!"
"At that time, the entire Sumeru will belong to Lord Aizen, and to our kingdom!"
"All glory belongs to Lord Aizen!"
250. Alhaitham, Chief Steward of Las Noches
Chief Steward Alhaitham!
Yes, Chief Steward Alhaitham!
The city that Li Yue established, which the desert mercenaries call Lord Aizen, is called Las Noches. Although Camus, the first clan leader to follow Li Yue, received the title of First Clan Leader, there is a Chief Steward above him.
This Chief Steward is none other than Alhaitham!
As the first person to truly follow Li Yue to the desert, Li Yue put Alhaitham in charge of managing the desert tribes after he conquered them.
Alhaitham's personality is that of someone who doesn't like to manage things; he just wants to get his own business done and live an easy life. But faced with an increasingly large desert tribe, he has to step in and help manage it, especially a large tribe of tens of thousands of people. At least he can help manage it and find out what Li Yue's next plan is.
As Li Yue acted, he felt that Li Yue's power was unfathomable, and even suspected that Li Yue was really a god. Before, he thought that Li Yue just wanted to replace the Grand Sage, but now it seems that this is not about replacing the Grand Sage of Sumeru. And he did not start from Sumeru City, but from the desert.
This is a complete disaster for Sumeru City, because Sumeru City's defenses consist of only the Thirty-Three Group and some Fatui, with the rest being some Disciplinary Officer. Compared to these mercenaries who grew up in the blood and fire of the desert, these people are completely inadequate.
Alhaitham had never considered this matter before, but now, comparing the military strength of the rainforest and the desert, the combat capabilities of the two sides are simply not on the same level.
Previously, the desert posed no threat to the rainforest, partly because the rainforest contained the Greater Lord Rukkhadevata, and even if the Greater Lord Rukkhadevata disappeared, there was still the Lesser Kusanali. Furthermore, the various tribes in the desert were hostile to each other and never formed a unified whole, so they posed virtually no threat to the rainforest.
But now, it is speculated that the Lesser Kusanali does not exist, and the desert has been unified, so the power of the two sides has been completely reversed and is now asymmetrical.
"I wonder what he's planning to do next."
Standing at the entrance to the massive pyramid in the center of Las Noches, Alhaitham looked at the enormous city covered by the sky and couldn't help but sigh.
"With such powerful abilities that can easily change the world, if they want to target Sumeru, the Akademiya simply cannot stop them."
"At that time, Sumeru City will probably only face destruction."
The thought of his house in Sumeru City being destroyed filled Alhaitham with a sense of helplessness, but at the same time, he also felt a complex mix of emotions.
Because he was assigned a very large house in this Las Noches, exchanging his house in Sumeru City for this large house in the Las Noches. If this were an ordinary person, they would probably be laughing in their sleep.
However, Alhaitham's intuition told him that Li Yue was suspicious. He clearly had the ability to control the higher-ups of the Akademiya at will, and could even kill all the members of the Akademiya by himself, but he did not do so. Instead, he deliberately came to the desert, which was obviously a detour. This was very abnormal.
"Chief Steward Alhaitham!"
As Alhaitham was pondering, several tribal chiefs approached.
"Is there something you need?"
As the Chief Steward, Alhaitham was in charge of almost all the major affairs in the city. As for the minor affairs, they were handled by the tribal chiefs. After all, there was only one Alhaitham, and he couldn't possibly handle the affairs of tens of thousands of people at the same time.
"As per Lord Aizen's request, we have selected the bravest warriors in the tribe. Would Lord Aizen like to come and inspect them?"
Indeed, after establishing the Las Noches, Li Yue ordered everyone in the tribe to rest for a few days. However, during this rest period, the bravest warriors in the tribe were to be selected and formed into a powerful army.
Although it wasn't time for the break to end yet, they had already eagerly selected all the participants.
Because in their eyes, this powerful army was undoubtedly meant to be used to attack the rainforest.
They can't wait to attack the rainforest!
"This kind of thing doesn't need Lord Aizen's inspection."
Alhaitham gave a negative answer.
"All you need to do is assemble your troops. Lord Aizen will issue the order to attack soon."
"We understand. We will assemble our warriors and await Lord Aizen's orders at any time."
The chieftains left happily, while Alhaitham, who remained behind, watched their departing figures and expressionlessly shifted his gaze.
"Come out. You came here with the clan leaders, you must want to see me."
"Your strength is greater than I imagined; you were actually able to detect me."
Cyno stepped out of the shadows and looked up at Alhaitham.
"Grand Disciplinary Officer Cyno".
Alhaitham looked at Cyno.
What are you doing here?
Especially since Cyno was wearing the same style of desert mercenary clothing as Alhaitham, and when he thought about how Li Yue had transformed into Cyno to assassinate the Grand Sage Azar, he understood Cyno's current predicament.
"It seems you also came to the desert after being wanted by the authorities."
"Huh? What did you say?"
Cyno was puzzled as to what he meant by being wanted.
"What, don't you know you're wanted for killing the Grand Sage Azar?"
Alhaitham's lips curled up slightly, but he still pretended to be indifferent on the surface.
"Then you are truly pitiful, Cyno, the Grand Sage who is wanted for killing the Grand Disciplinary Officer."
"Alhaitham, what are you talking about? Explain yourself!"
Cyno drew his Staff of Scarlet Sands and pointed it at Alhaitham.
Alhaitham was unusually cheerful, and he crossed his arms and stared at Cyno.
"I advise you not to do that, because there are tens of thousands of desert mercenaries here, and I am their Chief Steward. If you make a move against me, they will pounce on you and tear you to pieces the moment you make the move."
Alhaitham's threat worked, Cyno withdrew his weapon.
"Very good, Grand Disciplinary Officer. Calmness is sometimes a necessary prerequisite for communication."
Alhaitham looked at Cyno and nodded in satisfaction.
"Since you can't understand, I'll tell you. Just like you discovered I killed someone and wanted to arrest me, in Sumeru City, everyone now knows that the Grand Disciplinary Officer Cyno killed the Grand Sage Azar and then fled. So now in Sumeru City, you are just like me, a wanted criminal on the run."
Cyno, who had served as the Disciplinary Officer in Sumeru City for many years, immediately understood what Alhaitham meant.
"You mean, I've been framed?"
"To be precise, you and I have both been framed."
No sooner had Alhaitham finished speaking than a figure appeared behind him.
"That's right, I'm the one who framed you."
Cyno turned his head and saw another Cyno smiling at him.
251. Cyno lost to [Cyno] in the corny joke contest.
Cyno saw another version of himself.
It looks exactly like me, its movements and habits are exactly the same, and even its voice and the weapon in its hand are exactly the same.
What's going on? Why is there another version of myself?
The other "Cyno" being watched by Cyno spoke directly to Cyno.
Do you know who keeps track of the number of chicks in Sumeru?
"Um?"
Cyno looked at Cyno with a puzzled expression, wondering why he would ask such a question.
"It's Alhaitham."
[Cyno] refers to Alhaitham.
"Because he's the chicken-counting official!"
!!
Cyno looked at [Cyno] in surprise, while [Cyno] crossed his arms.
"What, isn't it funny?"
"Hateful!"
Cyno suddenly knelt down.
"He can actually tell jokes!"
"I don't think this is a joke at all."
Alhaitham couldn't help but complain when he saw Cyno suddenly kneeling down and doubting himself.
Cyno looked up and stared intently at Cyno.
"No, this is a very clever joke. The homonym for 'counting chickens' is 'secretary,' so..."
"Alright, stop talking."
Alhaitham quickly interrupted Cyno's explanation.
Cyno, who was interrupted, was not angry, but rather very distressed.
"Could it be that he is the real Cyno, and I am actually an imposter?"
"Don't doubt your identity just because of a lame joke."
"There's no other way. Since you've issued this challenge, I have to respond in order to prove my true identity."
Cyno stood up and looked at Cyno with a firm gaze. Alhaitham couldn't help but speak again.
"There's absolutely no need to worry about this. You are Cyno yourself."
Do you know why the law cannot be broken?
"Why?"
Alhaitham couldn't help but ask a question.
"Because he'll be punished the moment he touches the line!"
"..."
"What, isn't it funny?"
Cyno asked Alhaitham.
"Not funny at all."
"Here, one touch means punishment, the same as one touch..."
"I know, don't explain!"
Despite being interrupted, Cyno remained unperturbed and instead looked at [Cyno].
"Now you."
"Why did you guys start a corny joke competition so coincidentally?"