From Today On, I'll Be the Demon King

How much did you even drink to get this drunk? The fragrant wine isn't strong at all! Yaxiu looked at Yu Lian as if he were examining a visual spectacle. If the other man hadn't just laid out his entire background as thoroughly as stripping off his underwear, Yaxiu would have liked to force a whole plate of antibiotics down his throat.

"Hmm, I haven't dealt with many soldiers from the Community. Are they all as humorous as you, sir?" He forced out a rather ugly smile.

"Mr. Jiang Yudong's demands of me are neither reasonable nor humane. You should understand that, shouldn't you? So I need your help. Didn't you almost throw someone into a sand crocodile's mouth earlier?"

"Goddammit, that's different! That mine owner and I aren't related, but Councilor Jiang is my employer! Have you ever seen a mercenary throw his own employer into a crocodile's mouth? At most, I'll agree to help you persuade him. But anything more than that is out of the question! If I keep helping you, how am I supposed to keep working as a mercenary?"

"When you first came to the Fairy Star System, you took advantage of the chaos and robbed a truckload of Mandralloy from the great pirate Saltai, then hauled it to the Alliance's New Ceylon Starport and sold it."

"...You dare threaten me!"

"What if your guildmaster found out that you sold the private photos of the association's inspector general, Miss, to the great pirate Gong Xiao..."

"How should I help you?" Yaxiu grabbed Yu Lian's hand, raised it to his chest, and squeezed out a kindly smile.

"In a while, the understanding and refined Miss Frederica and Miss Penny will deliver Councilor Jiang a late-night snack that will keep him from getting out of bed tomorrow. Don't worry, it really will only keep him from getting out of bed. It won't threaten his life. It might even help him purge his toxins and become healthier in the future. All you have to do is keep silent."

"This, this... Fine."

"Also, when the time is right, I will indeed launch an attack on the Sandfolk army. I'll need your strength then as well. Don't worry, the Governor's Office will pay you the full mercenary's fee afterward!"

"&...)￥#@!%￥" The string above was shouted in a dialect from some remote region of the Alliance that even Yu Lian could barely understand. We can interpret it as "Are you crazy?" or substitute any other profanity.

"You even... the sister-in-law of one of your association's board members..."

"Let's make a little plan." Yaxiu quickly reined in his anger and put his smile back on.

"Actually, the plan doesn't need to be too complicated. Just follow my orders when the time comes. Don't worry. We'll definitely win. Even if I truly die on the battlefield, I'll make sure I die in front of you."

That reassurance did nothing for him. The transcendent mercenary who had been high-spirited and cynical just minutes earlier was sprawled on the sand, his eyes dull and unfocused, like a stone chicken drying in the wind.

Yu Lian felt just a tiny bit guilty.

Although this guy had owed him ten million Star Credits and never paid him back—not now, anyway, but in the future—he had drunk with him several times and worked with him on several adventures. He loved bragging in front of Yu Lian. His endless slick talk was full of self-aggrandizing and illogical nonsense, but it had greatly broadened Yu Lian's understanding of psionics and all kinds of secrets. He could more or less be considered half a teacher and half a drinking buddy.

Thinking of this, Yu Lian patted him on the shoulder. "I have a very promising lead on some ruins, but the time isn't quite right yet. Anyway, we can go together when the time comes..."

As if I'd go with you. You chaotic bastard's seminal fluid! You demonic bastard! A gallstone coughed up by the spirit of the universe!

Yaxiu wanted to say that, but he only dared express his anguish through his eyes! He nodded heavily and stiffly, then staggered away. He walked even more unsteadily than Old Mr. Wang Yougui had earlier.

You look like a middle-aged, balding office drone who got fired by a newly appointed supervisor fifteen years younger than him, only to return home and discover his wife having a three-(meow)-some with the plumber and the telecom worker! Yu Lian thought.

In any case, the rest of the matter was easy to handle. The next morning, Councilor Jiang Yudong, who had been full of spirit, was laid out flat, looking as if he had somehow lost an entire circle of weight. Supposedly, he had been making a trip to the toilet once every hour since midnight, and it wasn't until six in the morning that his servants found him, nearly dehydrated, behind a rock in a remote corner.

The councilor fell ill just like that. Although Doctor Banks and the doctors accompanying the convoy were willing to stake their professional lives on it, Councilor Jiang Yudong really did have nothing more than acute enteritis. If he rested for a few days and drank some rice porridge and oral rehydration salts, he would still be a lively, strapping man.

But no matter how one put it, the councilor was genuinely on death's door and had no energy at all.

"Moving him recklessly at a time like this could very well put his life in danger. I must take responsibility for the councilor's life," Yu Lian told everyone, then added, "I'm not saying this merely because he's the councilor. As soldiers of the Community, we cannot abandon a single citizen, or a single subject who ought to receive our protection. In short, for Mr. Jiang's life and for everyone's safety, I implore you all to follow our arrangements for the time being. We'll observe the situation from this relatively safe canyon and wait for a better opportunity to enter the city."

Yu Lian's words were so politically correct that everyone looked at one another, yet they truly had no way to refute him on moral grounds. With the councilor down for the count, the various representatives of public opinion had lost their backbone. They were naturally a few inches shorter in front of military officers, and the one who had shouted the loudest earlier was now even more timid than the rest.

"Also, most of the civilians in the convoy lack clothing and food, but do we have any surplus supplies here in the military camp? I just discussed this with Councilor Jiang. I implore everyone to take out some supplies to help the others. Don't worry, I'm not appealing to morality, nor do I have the authority to requisition your supplies. So I'll record everything you contribute, and the Governor's Office will pay you afterward. Councilor Jiang has promised to supervise the Governor's Office's payment. That is his promise as a politician!"

I never said any such thing! Lying in the motorhome, the councilor nearly choked to death, but he couldn't even get out of bed, much less go outside and argue.

As soon as he said this, the buzzing that had only just died down grew clamorous once more. Some people wore gloomy expressions, some stared wide-eyed, and some gnashed their teeth as if their ancestral graves had been dug up.

Ina looked at Yu Lian worriedly, then at the imposing people in front of her, and placed her hand on her gun.

At that moment, Yu Lian continued, "Hmm, all right. Perhaps the Governor's Office's reputation isn't enough to earn everyone's trust. So I've already persuaded Miss Frederica to guarantee this for everyone. If the Governor's Office doesn't compensate everyone for their losses at market price afterward, the Zixin Flower Group will cover everything."

Clearly, the Zixin Flower Group's fame throughout the universe was far greater than Miss Frederica had made it sound. Everyone looked at the purple-haired girl in shock. Though she was young, she remained calm and composed beneath so many gazes, smiling warmly as if she had been born to stand in the center of everyone's attention.

The local nouveau riche of New Jade Gate couldn't help feeling ashamed of themselves, and they believed her a little more at once.

"My father is indeed a member of the Zixin Flower Group's board of directors, and I also have the authority to mobilize some of the group's resources. Of course, my transaction with Ensign Yu Lian and the Governor's Office of your country has nothing to do with any of you. You only need to know that everything you pay today will definitely receive reasonable compensation."

A promise from an Alliance heiress was probably more credible than one from a Community officer. Everyone's expressions eased somewhat. They whispered among themselves, and their attitudes loosened considerably.

At that moment, Old Mr. Wang seemed to have finally understood something as well. He discreetly gave Yu Lian a thumbs-up, then shouted, "All right, all right, you bunch of bumpkins! Usually, every one of you acts so high and mighty, but why are you making such a fuss at a critical moment? Little Dongzi, you too—when you're fleeing for your life, stop showing off and lie down properly. Break it up, break it up! The kid is the expert here. He practically saved the lives of you little bastards. Can't you have some shame? Listen to what he says! Go back and check your supplies. See what you can take out and distribute to the others. Didn't he say the Governor's Office can foot the bill, and the Alliance heiress is willing to guarantee it? What are you worried about? Are you all squirrels? Move, move, break it up! Go do some work!"

The old man now was completely different from his pitiful state the previous night. His voice was booming and his face was ruddy. He wore a fur cap, a denim jacket, and a sable coat, with a "mirror box" tucked behind his waist. He looked incredibly familiar to Yu Lian.

Of course, the "mirror box" wasn't the legendary guerrilla-warfare weapon, the Mauser pistol. It only looked somewhat similar. In reality, it was a Felka kinetic pistol produced by the Alliance's Asyra Arsenal. It had moderate power and decent accuracy, but most importantly, it had a simple, durable, wear-resistant design and excellent versatility. It was one of the best-selling "self-defense" firearms among civilians.

"Thank you." Yu Lian thanked the two precocious little girls, especially Miss Frederica. Anyone with common sense could tell that the real decision-maker here was the Alliance heiress.

"This is for our own sake, too. Politicians easily have to make themselves stupid in order to cater to their voters' short-sightedness, because that's the only way to make the voters believe they're one of them. But I was born into a family of businesspeople—realistic and pragmatic, selfish and self-serving, yet timid and cautious," the little girl said in a world-weary tone.

Yu Lian almost laughed, but before he could, the little girl spoke again.

"That's what my family says. I don't really understand it." As she explained unnecessarily, the little girl revealed a sly yet playful smile, finally looking her true age.

"Also, please don't think all the girls in the Alliance are like me. I'm actually too unconventional, so I'm not very popular in Nefei, the Alliance capital."

If all the girls in the Alliance were your type, the universe would be a much more interesting place.

"Of course, this is for the councilor's sake as well. I personally have no ill will toward Mr. Jiang. We've encountered quite a few dangers along the way, and the councilor has always encouraged us. He really did his best to rescue every refugee he encountered, so he's a warmhearted gentleman. His final action cannot erase all his previous efforts. As a foreign visitor who received his warm hospitality, I truly don't want to see him lose his principles because of the public's stupidity and shortsightedness, as well as his own cowardice at the end."

"Yes, the councilor is a good man. Our family received a lot of help from him when we came to New Jade Gate," Penny added. "It's just that, like my father, whenever he becomes pleased with himself, he always forgets who he is. Do all men become like this after turning forty?"

Yu Lian had previously spoken once with the little girl's father, Mr. Pierce, who worked in import-export and was now considering some industrial investment as well. He was a very cheerful gentleman—perhaps excessively cheerful. Yu Lian always felt that this sort of person wasn't suited to be a businessman, but the adult world was complicated. Who knew if that was simply the only side he showed? Also, like every greasy old father over forty with a beautiful, well-behaved daughter, Mr. Pierce was a daughter-obsessed man who was constantly looked down on by his daughter. Sure enough, the sorrows of this world were always similar.

"Then, as agreed, here is the collateral." Yu Lian handed over a bag of mithril. It was the portion of the spoils he had obtained from the Enlighteners' ruins that belonged to him.

The little girl didn't accept it. Instead, she asked, "...If the Governor's Office refuses to pay this money, what will you do?"

"Then the bag of mithril is yours. Take it back to the Alliance proper and sell it at a suitable time. It will be enough to buy food and supplies for a thousand people for more than a year," Yu Lian said.

"Yes, that's a great deal of money. Mr. Yu Lian, don't you feel the slightest pain?"

Yu Lian smiled. "Heh... If a person wants to accomplish something, the first priority is not to care too much about money. This thing is a tool, a prop, a weapon, even a toy—but never let the toy play with you."

Frederica pondered for a moment, then smiled as well. "After this matter, your nobility and compassion will circulate among the Alliance's upper circles, even though they have never met you."

"In the Alliance's upper circles, I'm afraid those aren't compliments."

"They aren't." The little girl's eyes narrowed into crescents from smiling.

As soon as the two little girls left, George sneaked over as well. He likewise patted Yu Lian on the shoulder with the air of a little adult, looking proud as if to say, We're partners.

"Did Xiaotao and the others receive their meals today?" Yu Lian asked with a smile.

"They did, they did! Not only did they get meals, but they also got new cotton clothes, blankets, and heating-energy packs." The little boy was extremely happy.

"So, big brother, now we're just waiting for a good opportunity to kick those nasty Sandfolk bad guys' butts really hard?"

"..."

"Hehe, don't tell Penny, okay? Whenever I talk like this, she lectures me. She's even harder to deal with than Mom. Dad would laugh along with me if he heard it. I think a real man should be like Admiral Zilico: drink from a big bowl, eat huge mouthfuls of meat, then take the fleet and blow the bad guys' butts apart!"

Isn't he a little young to be reading Admiral Zilico's Memoirs?

Also, my innocent young boy... from the perspective of history, we Earthlings are actually the big bad guys! What I'm doing right now is playing a demon king who doesn't follow the rules and kills a hero before he can even leave the starting village!

Yu Lian looked into the distance. Cowboy Calvin was leading a group of well-fed young adults in formation, more than forty or fifty of them in all. Under Baka and Yoyo's guidance, they were practicing the most basic yet practical tactical drills.

Mr. Calvin was working the hardest and taking it the most seriously, probably because quite a few women and children, and even some elderly people, were watching nearby.

Did he have family there, or perhaps a lover?

Farther away, even more people in windproof cloaks still sat on the ground around the heating equipment, but compared with yesterday, there was visibly more color and vitality among them.

The young mother was there, of course. She held her child in her arms as they shared a large bowl of meat soup. It was canned food and not particularly delicious, but at least it contained meat, vegetables, and potatoes. The mother and child ate with relish, their faces filled with vibrant smiles.

...So I'll be the demon king this once, Yu Lian thought.

For May Day, today's chapter is extra long, so gentlemen observers outside the box, please give me a few more recommendations!