The winter chill is still lingering over Lain Plateau and has not dissipated.
Dragon Court's hall could have accommodated many guards and subordinates, but at this moment, there was only one person, Yilong.
The former is perched on a huge throne, with his front paws on the edge, looking majestic; the latter is kneeling under the cold steps, with white hair hanging in front of his face and a rickety back.
Red Iron Dragon lowered his eyes and looked at the kneeling figure.
This once high-spirited lord of the empire is now kneeling here so humbly, kneeling under his red throne, begging for mercy for the people of his empire.
Is he a qualified monarch?
From the current perspective and the decisions Fafweil has made, it is obvious that he has made many mistakes.
The current situation of Holden is inseparable from him.
But now that the empire is in crisis, a majestic lord of the empire is willing to put down all his dignity for his people, and in the most humble manner, pray for mercy for another emperor who once stood on the opposite side.
"Stand up."
A deep voice sounded from the dragon's mouth, echoing between the four walls.
Hearing this, a trace of uncertainty flashed in Fafweil's cloudy eyes, but he still did not move, as if he was worried that this was just a test, and once he really stood up, all his pleas would be in vain.
Red Iron Dragon's eyes were as calm as a deep pool, and he spoke again, his voice unhurried and unhurried. "You are the master of a country after all."
"In Dragon Court, in front of my throne, even if Holden has reached its end, even if you ask me for help at this moment, I will still give you the most basic respect."
"It does not increase because of your posture, nor does it decrease because of your posture."
He paused slightly and tapped the edge of the throne with his sharp claws, making a dull sound.
"Besides, whether you kneel down or not will not sway my decision at all."
"If your request is beneficial to Aura, I will agree to it even if you don't kneel down; if it is not beneficial, even if you kneel down here and smash your knees, it won't help."
"So, stand up and talk."
After the words fell, the palace fell silent for a few breaths.
Fafweil slowly raised his head and looked into Red Iron Dragon's eyes.
He tried to read something from it.
Mockery?
Contempt?
Or is it the usual arrogance of winners when facing losers?
But he couldn't read anything.
There was neither contempt nor pity in the red dragon's vertical pupils.
Fafweil was silent, finally saying nothing more.
He supported his knees with his hands and stood up slowly. His movements were very slow, as slow and stiff as an ordinary old man. After standing still, he adjusted his clothes slightly so that he at least did not look as embarrassed as before.
"What I just did was not to gain sympathy, nor was it to belittle myself."
His voice was still hoarse as he said, "I did this just to express my sincerity to the greatest extent so that your Majesty can clearly see it, because I don't know any other way to convey my sincerity to you."
"I have never kneeled down to anyone in my life."
"But now, I am willing to tell you in this way that every word I say is true."
Immediately, he took a deep breath and slowly exhaled.
"Holden Empire, has gone against Sacred Aura more than once."
"From the time His Majesty began to rise, from the time Aura showed his strength, Holden has been hostile to you, obstructed you, and tried to suppress you."
"This is a wrong decision by the top management, our stupidity, and our arrogance."
"Including me, those of us sitting in the highest positions were blinded by the glory of the past and refused to face the arrival of a new era. We thought that Holden's dominance would never be shaken, and that the dragon could not truly build an empire that could compete with us."
"We couldn't have been more wrong."
He raised his head, his eyes met Red Iron Dragon, and his words became more sincere. "But the people of Holden are different."
"They have never hated Sacred Aura, and have never been hostile to Red Emperor. On the contrary, they respect the strong and feel that you are a symbol of strength and the embodiment of strength."
"You have been to Cloudpiercer City and seen their attitude with your own eyes. You should know that what I say is true."
Red Iron Dragon didn't answer, just looked at him quietly.
Fafweil lowered his head again, and his white hair fell from his forehead, covering his ravaged face. He said, "Your Majesty, I ask again, may your kindness be stronger than your anger. I hope you can give Holden's People a chance."
The hall returned to silence.
Red Iron Dragon remained silent and did not respond immediately. He quietly looked at the tiny human being under the stairs. There was no emotion in his eyes. After a few breaths, he slowly spoke.
"Fafweil."
The dragon called him by his name and said, "Have you ever thought about something?"
Fafweil raised his eyes, with questions in his eyes.
Red Iron Dragon slightly adjusted his squatting posture, moved his front paws to a more comfortable position, and said, "The fact that you are kneeling here to beg me has already explained a problem."
"Even if I suppress Abyssal Rift, maintain the stability of the countries, clean up the mess for you after your defeat, and prevent the spread of chaos, even if I spend a lot of effort and time for the order of Atlant——"
He changed the subject.
"But you, and Holden behind you, subconsciously still regard me as the cold-blooded Evil Dragon."
Fafweil's face changed suddenly.
He shook his head violently, his white hair spread out in the air, and the wrinkles at the corners of his mouth sank deeply, and said, "No, that's not the case, you misunderstood..."
"Listen to me first."
Red Iron Dragon raised his right paw and interrupted him directly.
Fafweil opened his mouth, then slowly closed it after a few seconds.
Red Iron Dragon looked at him and said in a calm tone, "Kneel here, lower your body to the lowest position, put your posture to the most humble, and just ask for my mercy."
"Because in your heart, I am a cold Evil Dragon who needs to be comforted and needs to be softened with tears and pleading."
"You feel that if you don't do this, I may reject you at any time due to anger or anger, or even destroy everything you hold dear."
"In your imagination, rational negotiation only angers me and groveling supplicants can possibly please me."
Fafweil's face turned pale slightly, but he made no sound.
He didn't know how to deny it.
Finally, Red Iron Dragon said calmly, "No need to be nervous, I'm not blaming you."
"Actually, I don't care what you think."
"What you think of me will not change the outcome that Holden's People deserves, nor will it change the judgment I will make. My decision will not be biased in the slightest."
He tilted his head slightly and continued unhurriedly, "As for your request, I need some time to think about it."
"In the meantime, keep quiet."
Fafweil nodded silently and said nothing more.
In the hall, one dragon and one person, one high and one low, were enveloped in silence.
One point.
Two points.
Three points.
Time flows by in silence.
It's not long, but it lasts like a year, enough for Fafweil to relive the clearest memories in his life.
He recalled the first time he stood at the Floating City airport when he was young, and the oncoming wind blew the hem of his clothes.
At that moment, he felt that the whole world was at his feet and that he could do anything.
He recalled the moment when he raised his right fist high on the military parade platform, and countless soldiers cheered like a mountain and a tsunami.
Flags fluttered, war drums shook the sky, and a torrent of steel rolled past the reviewing stand.
At that moment, he felt that Holden could defeat Abyss, defeat all enemies, and move towards a more glorious world.
He recalled the late night when he received the news of the defeat, and the lights of Floating City outside the window were extinguished one after another, as if the entire empire was being swallowed by darkness.
At that moment, he felt that he was worthless and had betrayed all trust.
But then, he realized that he might still be of some use.
That is, when the empire is about to collapse, we should try our best to find a way for the people of Holden to survive at any dignity and cost.
This is the only thing he can do and what he must do.
If he can't do it, then his existence really has no meaning.
Fafweil stood in silence, his surging thoughts gradually calming down. He stood quietly, with his back slightly bowed and his hands hanging by his side, like a prisoner waiting for trial.
Another three minutes later.
The giant dragon's vertical pupils narrowed slightly and locked onto the person under the steps again.
Fafweil noticed this gaze almost at the same moment. He raised his head, pursed his lips into a line, looked at the red dragon on the throne, and felt his heart beating heavily in his chest.
"As you wish, I will give the people of Holden a way to survive."
The dragon's deep voice sounded.
Fafweil was startled for a moment, and then the grooves on his face seemed to be a little shallower.
He bowed deeply and said, "Your Majesty, thank you for your kindness."
"The people of Holden generally receive excellent education. They know engineering, alchemy, magic, and management. They will not be a burden to Aura."
"They will contribute to the development of Sacred Aura, I guarantee you.
The giant dragon half-closed his eyes and said nonchalantly, "Excellent education? This is not important."
"In my eyes, Holden people are very stubborn. It can even be said that they are stubborn to the core. Moreover, this is not a problem of one or two people. This is the character of your entire nation."
Fafweil did not deny it and smiled bitterly.
"You are right, and to make you laugh, there are many times when even I feel troubled by the stubbornness of the people of the empire and am so angry that I can't speak."
Fafweil deeply loves Holden's stubbornness and pride.
This national background allowed Holden to overcome obstacles step by step, allowing their ancestors to build a civilization on the barren plateau, gain a foothold in the harshest environment, and finally ascend to the position of imperial overlord.
However, many things are double-edged swords and not only have good sides.
It is this kind of stubbornness and pride that keeps them in the wrong direction and never looks back, bringing them to today's desperate situation.
"Fafweil, with the character of you Holden people, if you want to be accepted by Sacred Aura, if you want to continue to survive on the land of Atlant, and accept the rule of a Dragon Empire, it is not as simple as changing a flag."
"They must go through some serious education."
A sharp color flashed in Red Iron Dragon's vertical pupils, "They need to be reshaped, their cognition, their loyalty, their way of looking at the world, and this process will never be gentle or decent. Some people will be dissatisfied and some will resist."
Fafweil didn't hesitate at all.
He immediately said, "This is inevitable, Your Majesty, please do not have any tolerance for them."
His voice paused slightly, and then he added, "I will fully cooperate."
"I will personally handle all Floating City's handovers, all personnel's comfort and management, and all possible resistance and backlash. I will personally handle, personally suppress, and personally resolve, and try not to let Sacred Aura waste any more time or consume more soldiers."
Garos looked at him.
The human being in front of him is also one of the most powerful monarchs in Bernardo.
Now he stands here, actively requesting severe reforms for his people, without any hesitation or reservation in his tone.
However, he is not betraying his own people.
Fafweil is fighting for a chance for them to live, even if this chance comes with iron and blood.
Immediately afterwards, the huge dragon head slowly lowered, making an almost imperceptible nod.
"Go back and prepare, Sacred Aura's legion will take over all Floating City."
"Before that, you still have time to deal with what you need to deal with, and I mean everything that needs to be dealt with."
he said.
Fafweil bowed deeply again and made a more solemn ceremony. "I will complete all preparations as soon as possible. I hope Sacred Aura will live forever and your glory will last forever."
He straightened up, turned around and walked out of the hall.
After returning to Floating City, Fafweil no longer has any worries.
He found a way to survive for the remaining subjects of Holden. This matter has been settled. Now, he can devote all his energy to another matter.
Ark Project.
Under normal circumstances, when the empire is destroyed, if a Ark appears that can go to New World and start over, the bigwigs will inevitably go crazy about it, crushing all obstacles at any cost, and trying to climb up.
Lies, conspiracies, assassinations, all available means will be brought to the table.
Even the King of Holden cannot stop this survival instinct.
But this is easy to solve.
The existence of Ark is extremely secretive and no one knows about it.
Moreover, Fafweil has been lobbying for a whole year, and the imperial dignitaries have gradually accepted the decision to surrender to Sacred Aura, and no longer have any luck.
Their attention is focused on how to protect their own interests under the new order.
For example, how to keep the family property, how to find a position in Aura's ruling system, how to prevent your family from being crushed to pieces in the transition between the old and the new...
No one has time to imagine that there is still a Ark.
So.
Under his operation, young people mysteriously disappeared from various Floating Citys one after another and boarded the Dark Star Ark located in the hidden dimension.
They were secretly recruited, taken away at night, and their names quietly erased from their household registrations.
With Holden's current situation, no one cares about the disappearance of these very few people. Amidst the roar of the collapse of the empire, the whereabouts of these young people are like a few drops of water disappearing into the sea, silently.
Soon, within Shadow Space, everything will be ready.
This is a dimensional mezzanine opened up by Dark Star himself. It is not vast, but it is hidden enough that even Sunlit Dawn, who is Immortal One, was unable to discover its existence.
This place is not spectacular.
There is no Floating City and Rune Bands, there is only a deep shadow, and a ship suspended in the center of the shadow, a Ark.
Fafweil stood under Ark, looking up at it.
Ark is not as majestic and majestic as the war fortress of Holden, nor is it as elegant and shiny as the Sky Shuttle ship.
Its silhouette is closer to the long-forgotten ancient craft of shipbuilding.
The bow is slightly upturned, the hull is broad and solid, the portholes on both sides are neatly arranged, the hull is dark gray, without any decoration, no emblem, and no mark that can indicate that it comes from Holden.
At first glance, it doesn't look like Ark carrying the last spark of an empire.
It is too simple and looks extremely ordinary and unremarkable like Dark Star.
But Fafweil knows what's in it.
hope.
New Holden's hope, a new thing that can be started from scratch.
At this time, a young man walked down the boarding ramp and came to Fafweil.
He was tall and tall, with broad shoulders and a chiseled face set in a pair of sharp gray eyes. He was one of the chosen seeds of revival.
Fafweil remember him.
Edistan, twenty-seven years old, has shown extraordinary talent in the field of alchemical engineering. Several sets of energy transmission schemes he designed once caused quite a shock in the Imperial Engineering Academy.
Dark Star personally guided him before his death and had high hopes for him.
More importantly, he comes from the common people but is not afraid of authority and remains open-minded to new things.
"Edistan, are you ready to board the ship?"
Fafweil asked.
"Everything is ready, the supplies have been loaded, the engine detection is normal, and the space coordinates have been locked... we can set off at any time."
The young man answered with a sharp tone and reported every piece of information clearly.
Immediately afterwards, his eyes looked past Fafweil to Ark behind him, then back again, and fell on the old emperor's ravaged face. He hesitated for a moment and stopped talking.
Fafweil noticed his hesitation and said, "If you have anything to say, just say it. Time is running out and now is not the time to pay attention to etiquette."
Edistan took a deep breath and took half a step forward.
"Your Majesty, there is still a little time left. Once the door to space is fully opened, there will be no turning back."
"Why don't you come with us?"
"New World is not Atlant. We can start over and rebuild Holden on brand new land."
"But no matter what kind of land or what kind of people, they all need a leader."
"You know very well that most of the people on Ark are in their twenties and thirties. We have never really ruled a country. In a strange world, without experience and guidance, we may make more mistakes than Old Holden."
Fafweil listened to him quietly, a faint smile appeared in his cloudy eyes.
"Edistan."
"New World doesn't need an old man. You said you might make mistakes. That's right. You will make mistakes, but it's not a big problem."
"The future is yours, yours, and all the young people on this list."
"I know many things, but most of them belong to the old era. How to balance the interests of major families, how to guess the intentions of neighboring countries, how to deal with the nobles and the royal family... These methods were necessary in the past."
"However, New World does not need it."
"The new Holden only needs you, your brains, your imagination for the future, and your courage not to be bound by the old rules."
"When I board Ark, I will only bring the decay of the old world with me, and I may not even be aware that I am doing this."
"When I encounter trouble, I will probably rely on channels and can't help but use old methods to solve the problem, shaping New Holden according to the model of Old Holden.
He paused and his voice became lower. "I have already destroyed one Holden, and I cannot destroy the second one."
Edistan opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but found that he could not find the words to refute.
Finally, he whispered, "You are too harsh on yourself, Your Majesty."
"Some failures are the torrent of the entire era and cannot be reversed by you alone. Those emperors known as great in history may not have been able to do better when faced with the situation you faced."
Fafweil shook his head slightly.
"As a king, failure is failure."
"I approved the policy and instigated the war. After enjoying the power of the king, I cannot blame the failure on fate. The excuse is meaningless."
He reached out and patted Edistan on the shoulder. "I see your confusion, which is normal. Facing the unknown future, I will be confused as well."
"When I took over Holden when I was young, I could not sleep all night long, thinking over and over about the problems I would face tomorrow, feeling that I would mess everything up at any time."
"But don't be afraid."
"Whether the journey is smooth or muddy, you will eventually find your own way out. I believe this."
Edistan nodded silently, took a step back, bowed deeply to Fafweil, then straightened up, turned around and walked towards Ark, walked a few steps, stopped again, and looked back.
Fafweil waved to him, as if sending off a junior who was traveling far away, and even managed a smile.
The young man finally stopped looking back.
He strode towards the boarding ramp until he disappeared into the Ark cabin door.
Fafweil withdrew his gaze and looked at Ark again.
As time passed, all personnel were in place.
Soon after, the light of the energy pipeline changed from dark to shining, and there were waves of low humming, like a giant beast waking up from its slumber and stretching its curled muscles.
The engine warm-up is completed and Ark starts to move.
Its speed is not fast, and it has a solemn dullness when it translates in the void. In front of it, the curtain of Shadow Space begins to twist, and a space door leading to New World gradually opens.
Ark drove towards this door.
Fafweil stood on the same spot, raising his head, and the self-light followed every inch of Ark's movement.
He watched as its head sank into the crack, then its body, and finally its tail.
Ark drove into the door of space inch by inch and was completely submerged in it. Then, the door closed, the light suddenly went out, and Shadow Space returned to darkness.
There are no surprises or dramatic twists and turns.
Ark drove to New World peacefully, and everything ended peacefully.
Darkness covered Fafweil's vision.
He still didn't look away. After a long time, he slowly closed his eyes and murmured in a low voice, "He----really doesn't care at all."
During the entire process from startup to execution of Ark Project, what Fafweil was most worried about was not engine failure, or errors in world coordinates, or unknown dangers that New World might have.
He is worried about Red Emperor.
He was afraid that the dragon's kindness was just superficial.
What if the calmness of those vertical pupils is just a cat-and-mouse joke?
Give hope, and then at the moment when you most think you can escape, stretch out your sharp claws and crush the hope to pieces.
For example, at the last moment when Ark is about to sail into the rift, Shadow Space will be torn open from the outside by an irresistible force. A red dragon claw will penetrate from it, grab the hull, and pull Ark back from the rift at the last second.
The hull will make a metallic Shatter sound in the dragon's claws, the engine will explode overload, and the faces of those young people will freeze in fear.
Then, the dragon's deep voice will sound in the darkness, saying:
Stupid bugs, do you really think I will let you go?
Fafweil has imagined this scene more than once.
But, nothing happened.
His fears were completely unnecessary.
Fafweil opened his eyes, raised his thin palms, and patted his sunken cheeks twice, trying to keep himself awake.
"It's my villain's heart."
He whispered to himself, "He has completely seen through my heart. Even without me realizing it, I still can't help but treat him as a cold-blooded Evil Dragon."
"But he didn't show any anger about it."
Putting himself in his shoes, Fafweil feels that he would not be so calm.
If it were him, facing a supplicant who always regarded himself as Evil Dragon in his heart, he would at least make the other party feel a little embarrassed.
For a moment, he somewhat understood why this giant dragon could erect a Dragon Empire in just a few hundred years.
Strength, wisdom, mind----
Red Emperor has it all.
Even the enemies who stand on the opposite side, except for a few extremely stubborn lunatics, all normal intelligent creatures, as long as they have truly felt his majesty, cannot help but be impressed by his magnanimity.
Compared with this dragon emperor, my level is too low.
He once thought he was a good monarch, but it wasn't until he faced Red Iron Dragon that he discovered that his proud ambition and foresight were just below the passing line.
It's a pity that I never clearly realized this because of my high position and power.
Power and position are like a high wall. People standing inside the wall cannot see the world outside the wall.
Now that I realize it, it's a little too late.
Fafweil shook his head, sighed, and gathered his chaotic thoughts.
"The fire has been sent away. Next, it is time to let the people of Floating City land safely. This is the last thing I can do for them as a failed king."
His eyes gradually became determined.
After Fafweil returned to the center, he issued Holden's last imperial announcement.
From now on, Holden will unconditionally surrender to Sacred Aura. All Floating City will be taken over by the Aura Legion. All Holden's People must fully obey the arrangements and dispatch of Sacred Aura.
As soon as the news came out, Floating City caused an uproar.
Angry doubts surged like Raging Tide. People denounced this as an act of subjugation to the country, chanted that they would rather be Jade Shatter than lose everything, and tried to organize armed resistance. Some radicals even secretly planned to blow up Floating City's engine, preferring to let the city crash.
However, Imperial Core makes no compromises.
Fafweil implemented the established decision with an iron fist and ordered the remaining Guards Corps to cooperate with the advance troops sent by Aura to suppress all resistance mercilessly.
The conspirators who tried to blow up the engine were all arrested on the eve of the operation.
Officers who tried to organize armed resistance were relieved of command on the spot and imprisoned.
There was more than one bloody incident, but every round of resistance was crushed in the shortest time.
Then, the dragon came.
Sacred Aura's dragon wings cut through the clouds.
The figures of giant dragons passed over Floating City, and the shadows cast by the dragon wings obscured the sky of Holden.
Aura Legion's transportation Skywheel followed closely, parking at the airport one after another. One by one, the fully armed Aura warriors stepped onto the covered bridge and airport of Floating City. They were strong and burly, like steel poured into iron.
In the shortest possible time, Floating City was taken over one by one.
The platinum flag was lowered, replaced by Sacred Aura and Red Dragon Banner, rising one after another, making a hunting sound in the strong wind at high altitude.
Then, Holden people began to fall from the clouds.
Regardless of whether they were willing or not, groups of Holden's People were organized to evacuate. Under the supervision of Aura soldiers, they boarded transport airships and walked in long lines across the airport corridor bridge, looking back at their homes getting further and further away.
Finally, they left the city in the sky where they had lived for generations and were taken to the ground.
Atlan Middle-earth, a territory awaits them.
This is a vast but somewhat desolate plain that was once an uninhabited land and is now designated Holden Resettlement Zone.
Through the joint construction of alchemy technology, magic technology, and some burrowing beasts, this huge gathering place rose from the ground in a very short period of time.
Because it was built in a short period of time, the gathering place is quite rough and crude.
The houses are closely arranged, and the streets still have traces of soil. They can only meet the most basic life, and cannot provide the Holden people with the days before.
Days spent leisurely drinking tea and overlooking the earth?
Gone forever.
Here they will learn how to survive on the earth and how to live under the rules of the Dragon Empire.
And above their heads, those Floating City that once belonged to them were suspended silently in the sky, reminding them all that the era of Holden has completely ended, and another era is rising among iron and fire.
Throughout the entire process, Fafweil has been at the forefront.
He worked day and night, dealing with the Dragons of Aura, Holden nobles and civilian representatives. He was personally present at every riot, and he personally witnessed the dispatch of every group of personnel...
He is no longer an emperor.
Now Fafweil is more like an old butler, handling the funeral affairs for the empire that is about to die.
And such high-intensity work made his old and weak body no longer able to bear it.
Until two years later.
New Calendar 751, an ordinary summer night.
Fafweil fell asleep at his desk and never woke up again.
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