Guiding Principles

Mole Xiu watched Zhou Yu's retreating back with trembling fear. He subconsciously glanced at himself, then even seemed to sniff his own body.

"There's no smell at all!"

The four members of Allen's team, standing not far away, collectively collapsed upon hearing that. The stench on these Ratkin was exactly like the smell of a garbage dump, sickening beyond belief, yet they actually claimed they had no smell.

Allen's group of four were now the assistants to Zhou Yu's group of four. The reason was simple: although the Horned Demons were far stronger than them, they were somewhat lacking in social conduct and comprehension. Thus, most tasks were dispatched by Allen's group, who were responsible for carrying out Zhou Yu's orders.

Compared to the terrifying Arthur, the elegant and wise Zhou Yu had conquered the four with her personal charisma, making them wholeheartedly willing to work for her.

They had no choice but to be wholehearted. Forget Arthur and Avilan—even Zhou Yu was beyond their ability to resist. Especially as they watched more and more demons being born within the territory, they feared that one day those demons would charge out of the Messiah Great Forest and invade their worlds.

Yet now, they were even more afraid that these demons would attack their villages and slaughter all their relatives.

"If you don't want to die, go bathe over there to the southwest immediately, and make sure you wash yourselves clean. Lord Zhou Yu always keeps her word." Covering his nose, Allen pointed toward the southwest.

Mole Xiu had lived for quite some time and understood a little of how the world worked. He immediately led his clansmen running toward the riverbank.

As for running away, the thought had never even crossed their minds.

To be sheltered by such powerful beings and still have enough to eat—unless someone killed them, they would never run.

That was the survival law of the Messiah Great Forest.

The strong reigned supreme, while the weak relied on the strong to survive.

After more than a month of cleanup and repairs, Despair Fortress gradually regained its former glory.

Avilan sat in the seat of honor in the hall. The throne, once covered in scars, remained as it was. Avilan had not repaired it; he wanted to keep it as a memento, a constant reminder of the horror of human nature.

"Greetings to the supreme Lord Avilan!" Arthur shouted loudly as he took the lead in kneeling.

Zhou Yu followed close behind. The Ratkin and Horned Demon guards behind them also dropped to their knees and cried out loudly.

"Greetings to the supreme Sovereign Avilan!"

This was the form of address Arthur had emphasized. Lowly beings such as them were not qualified to address Avilan as "Lord"; they could only call him "Sovereign." Only those of Arthur's status and standing were qualified to call Avilan "Lord."

Dressed in full battle attire, Avilan lightly flicked his right hand, tossing the cloak before him behind his back. A faint breeze rose, causing the cloak behind Avilan to flutter in the wind, displaying all the bearing of a king.

Avilan nodded. "Rise."

There should have been no wind at all within this sealed hall. That gentle breeze had actually been deliberately released by Zhou Yu, who had just knelt, in order to accentuate Avilan's noble image. At first, even Aslan had not understood this.

Seeing Zhou Yu give him a knowing smile, Avilan nodded expressionlessly, though inwardly he could not help but complain.

Zhou Yu's skill at flattery is unmatched in the world. She usually never shows it, but every time she acts, it is just right, leaving no fault to be found.

Seated upon the throne, Avilan quietly looked out at the scene below the steps.

Nearly all his subordinates had gathered below. Looking down on everyone like this truly felt imposing.

Although the manpower here was not even a tenth of what the guild had possessed back then, the sights in the game and the sights in reality were completely different.

Even so—because the Throne Room was so vast, the scene before him did not appear crowded.

"I apologize for calling everyone here to gather."

Avilan apologized in a tone utterly devoid of guilt. It was merely a courtesy, but apologizing was very important. Although gathering everyone here had been Avilan's arbitrary decision, it was meant to let his subordinates know that Avilan trusted them deeply.

"Long live Lord Avilan! Lord Avilan, our supreme Sovereign who leads us! We will devote everything and swear loyalty unto death!"

"Long live Lord Avilan! Everyone should know just how great Lord Avilan, who possesses terrifying power, truly is!"

The cries of praise and acclamation from his subordinates thundered through the Throne Room.

Basking in the praise of his subordinates, Avilan thought to himself.

Perhaps this is heaven's compensation for the suffering of my previous life.

"Now then..."

Avilan looked over everyone before him.

"—Next, I will announce our guiding principles." At this point, Avilan paused. Every subordinate before him grew solemn. "We will make Despair Fortress an eternal legend."

He struck the ground with the Golden Cavalry Lance clenched in his right hand. As if responding to Avilan, the Golden Cavalry Lance emitted a brilliant golden glow, and the surroundings trembled with it.

"If there are many heroes, then kill them all and let everyone living in this world know the name of Demon King Avilan! If there are stronger people in this world, then use means other than force. If we encounter mages with many subordinates, we must find other ways to achieve our goal as well. This is only the preparation stage. Let us strive together for a future in which everyone knows the name of Demon King Avilan!"

He would spread this name into the ears of everyone in this world. As one of the top ten guilds in Myth's Chinese region, Despair Fortress had stood among the greatest, while Avilan himself had been one of the ten greatest experts in the Chinese region. Back then, his name alone had been enough to make countless Myth players scream.

That was why he wanted Avilan's name to reach the realm of legend, to become a name known by everyone, one that every intelligent life-form would recognize.

If this name reached the ears of the "players" in this world, perhaps something very interesting would happen.

Avilan's domineering voice was immensely imposing; it could be heard from every corner of the Throne Room.

At that moment, everyone gathered in the Throne Room lowered their heads and made a sound. It was a lofty sound that could be called prayer.

The entire Throne Room was suffused with an atmosphere of boiling passion and excitement.

Receiving the orders of their supreme ruler and acting together ignited incomparable fighting spirit in everyone. Those who had been assigned commands in particular were filled with fervor.

"Everyone, raise your heads."

Hearing Arthur's steady voice, all those who had just bowed their heads in prayer raised them together.

Avilan, who should have been sitting majestically upon the throne, had vanished without anyone knowing when.

Arthur's gaze remained fixed on the Avilan Royal Banner behind the throne—or rather, the guild's royal banner. The subordinates behind him were also watching that banner.

"Zhou Yu, tell everyone what Lord Avilan said to you."

"Yes, sir."