Chapter 2: The Nation-Protecting Divine Sect and the Holy Spirit Cult!
The system's cold prompt rang in Xu Nian'an's mind, making his body shudder.
"S-sys... system!"
Xu Nian'an's eyes widened little by little.
Because his memories felt so real and vivid, he had already started thinking of this as his kingdom.
In fact, he wasn't wrong. It was his kingdom.
The catch was, he had to hold on to it.
System... what even was a system?
It was the standard cheat for a transmigrator.
Without a system, you could hardly call yourself the protagonist.
With a system, none of the difficulties before him would be insurmountable.
Even if he had inherited this decrepit, crumbling kingdom, he could still turn defeat into victory and prop up the collapsing edifice!!!
"System, hurry and help me. Give me a hand!"
"Give me a few hundred Titled Douluo. I want to rule the Douluo world!"
At Xu Nian'an's call, the system responded the very next second.
[Beep. The system cannot fulfill the host's unreasonable request, which violates the rules.]
[Supreme Empire System!]
[This system can only assist the host in building an unrivaled empire.]
[Beep. Based on the host's current circumstances, the system has selected the optimal mission.]
[Main Mission: (A Nation Cannot Go a Day Without Its King) Host, please ascend the throne of your kingdom, the Starry Sky Kingdom, within three hours!]
[Reward: Three-piece beginner's gift pack! (Can help the host overcome his current dire predicament)]
Unbelievable. It couldn't give him a few hundred Titled Douluo, and now he even had to complete a mission before he could get a beginner's gift pack.
What was this?
Exploitation.
Had systems stopped treating their hosts like people these days?
He had to report this useless system.
Damn it!
Xu Nian'an grumbled as he got to his feet. He looked at his hands, which had shrunk by countless sizes, then tugged at his waistband and glanced down.
Whoosh~
Xu Nian'an snapped his head up, tears of regret welling at the corners of his eyes.
Damn it. If only he'd known before transmigrating, he would've treated himself to a little reward. Now he couldn't reward himself even if he wanted to.
Xu Nian'an shook his head, banishing the ridiculous thoughts from his mind.
Now wasn't the time for that. He needed to complete the system's mission.
He had to hold on to his position.
As long as his kingdom still stood, as long as he was still a prince, and he had a system, how could he ever lack women in the future???
"Ascend the throne! This prince is ascending the throne!"
Xu Nian'an looked up and spoke. In an instant, countless palace maids and eunuchs turned to stare at him, all wearing bewildered expressions.
"Your Highness, this isn't the time to ascend the throne. The Gulei Kingdom's army is already..."
Xu Nian'an's expression froze. His slightly chubby, babyish face was full of solemn resolve.
"Do I need their permission to do what I want?"
Whoosh~
At Xu Nian'an's words, the Imperial Guard immediately lowered their heads.
The Imperial Guard were absolutely loyal to the royal family. Only with the royal family in power could their authority outrank the armies and all the powerful nobles and aristocrats.
All their authority had been granted by the royal family.
Without the royal family, the Imperial Guard would be nothing but a band of soldiers with no special privileges.
The old eunuch and chief eunuch, Xu Fu, also widened his eyes when he heard Xu Nian'an's words.
Without another word, he threw his arms around Xu Nian'an's legs.
"Your Highness, please don't be rash! This... this goes against the rules and proper rites!"
"The late king and queen haven't even been laid to rest. What will people think of our Starry Sky Kingdom?"
"Please wait another day, Your Highness. Once the late king and queen have been laid to rest today... what do you think?"
Xu Nian'an looked down at Chief Eunuch Xu Fu, who clung to him for dear life, and his expression turned cold.
Wait another day?
He could wait, but would the army outside wait for him?
Hadn't the system given him only three hours?
What if the time ran out and he lost the beginner's gift pack?
Xu Nian'an looked down on this kind of system that made him complete missions to earn rewards, but the system was still his foundation for surviving in this world.
"Get lost!"
Xu Nian'an kicked Xu Fu away.
"A nation cannot go a day without its king!"
"Rules? Proper rites?"
Xu Nian'an looked around at the eunuchs and palace maids in the hall.
"I'm telling you, this prince's rules are the rules. This prince is propriety. This prince is the law!"
"Understand?"
Their reverence for royal authority, ingrained in their bones, made them bow their heads one after another.
"Now I'm ascending the throne. What are you standing around for? Hurry up and make the preparations!"
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh~!!
"Y-yes, Your Highness."
Only after everyone had hurried out of the hall did Xu Nian'an slowly turn around and look at the two enormous coffins.
By rights, he should have laid them to rest before thinking about ascending the throne.
But Xu Nian'an was afraid that if he did, it would all be too late. There wouldn't be enough time. So...
"Sorry, but you wouldn't want your child and your kingdom to be destroyed, would you?"
Two and a half hours later.
[Beep. Main Mission: (A Nation Cannot Go a Day Without Its King) Thirty minutes remaining!]
"Everything's ready, Your Highness."
At some point, Xu Nian'an had changed into a black Python Robe.
Looking at the robe he wore, Xu Nian'an gritted his teeth.
"One day, I'll replace this python with a dragon!"
Fortunately, he'd had the same name before and after transmigrating. Otherwise, changing his name would've been a hassle.
While the ascension ceremony was being prepared, Xu Nian'an had also taken another brief look at the Starry Sky Kingdom's current situation.
He looked up, his gaze resolute.
Thud, thud, thud!!!
One step, then another... then a third.
Xu Nian'an slowly walked up to the enormous platform erected in the palace.
Fortunately, preparations for the ascension ceremony had begun when the late king died. Otherwise, they might not have made it in time with everything so rushed.
"The Starry Sky Kingdom has stood for more than six hundred years. Many kings have ruled during those six centuries, but the kingdom has never teetered on the brink of collapse like it does today... its territory has been lost, and refugees and bandits are running rampant."
"The two great empires are watching like tigers at the gate, eager to carve up our Starry Sky Kingdom. The late king was murdered by criminals... it seems even our ancient kingdom is counting down to its end..."
"With the kingdom in peril, someone must step forward. Though this prince is young, he has the resolve to safeguard the nation. Today, as I ascend the throne, I make this promise to you all!"
"All my subjects will have bread and milk, a wife and children, and a warm bed by the hearth. They will no longer have to flee because of invasion. With money to spare, men will farm and women will weave, and every person will be able to live a good life!"
Xu Nian'an's voice was magically amplified, carrying throughout the capital of the Starry Sky Kingdom, Starry Sky City.
Countless people inside the city leaned out of windows or stepped into the streets, turning their eyes toward the palace.
An old man hurried toward the palace gates, his face dark with anger.
"Damn it, how dare he... how dare he ascend the throne at a time like this!"
"Behind him are the officials of every department in the Starry Sky Kingdom."
Xu Yi, commander of the Imperial Guard, lifted a heavy crown and was about to place it on Xu Nian'an's head.
A burst of footsteps suddenly sounded behind them.
"Wait."
"The young prince is only six years old. How can he bear the immense responsibility of ruling the Starry Sky Kingdom?"
"I say we wait. With my guidance as prime minister and instruction from the Internal Affairs Pavilion, he can ascend the throne once he comes of age!"
Xu Nian'an remained bent forward, his eyes already brimming with murderous intent.
The man hadn't attended the late king's mourning, nor had he come for Xu Nian'an's ascension. Now, just as the ceremony was about to be completed, he'd shown up to stop him.
He was practically begging for death.
"Pay them no mind. Continue."
Xu Nian'an's voice was icy. When Commander Xu Yi heard him, he didn't hesitate for a moment. He placed the crown on Xu Nian'an's head, completing the final step.
[Beep. Congratulations, host, on completing the system's Main Mission, (A Nation Cannot Go a Day Without Its King). Rewards...]
[Reward: National Fortune Martial Soul, Dragon Emperor Sword!]
[The host's kingdom is in grave danger. Reward: Nation-Protecting Divine Sect [Holy Spirit Cult]!]
[The host's life is not secure. Reward: Hand of National Protection (Long Xiaoyao), Level 99 Limit Douluo!]