It's already the transition from summer to autumn, but the weather is still scorching hot. (_)
As the sun set, after seeing Anna, Adam, and the others off, Sun Fei returned to the royal tent and entered the world of Diablo, beginning his race against time to kill monsters and level up.
After three months, Sun Fei has completely completed [ Assassin Mode ] and reached level 100 on Hell Difficulty.
The current target is [ Undead Magic Practitioner Mode ].
Sun Fei had a feeling that Undead Magic would definitely shine in the future. At this moment, he had already upgraded [ Undead Magic Practitioner Mode ] to Hell Difficulty level 10. If there were no other delays, he would be able to completely complete this class in less than two months.
As night deepened, Didikaka City, the capital of the new empire, remained brightly lit and bustling.
However, the Chambord Army camp was unusually quiet.
Time flies.
Before we knew it, dawn had arrived, and a new day was about to begin.
Emerging from the Diablo World, having finished cultivating his Spiritual Power, Sun Fei emerged from the royal tent, shirtless, drenched in sweat and steaming from his body. He stretched, and soon a guard brought him buckets of water. Sun Fei poured several buckets of cold water over his head, washing away the sweat and feeling refreshed.
We've already spent enough time in Didikaka City, and although we've achieved a lot, it's time to get back on the road.
Sun Fei looked up at the vibrant sunrise on the distant horizon, a sudden surge of emotion stirring within him. He paused for a moment, then said, "Send the order down. The army shall begin preparations. We will set off tomorrow, leaving Didikaka City to continue our conquest of the Anzhi Empire."
In that brief moment, Sun Fei, for some reason, suddenly made an incredibly firm decision: before continuing his path of slaughter, he must return to Chambord City to spend time with his family.
With the existence of the [ Ultra-Long-Distance Teleport Magic Array ], returning to Chambord City Chambord City the distant Didikaka City only requires six transfers and takes less than three hours.
It was almost noon.
Sun Fei's return brought a huge surprise to the two princesses.
After a passionate and unrestrained affair, and having eaten something haphazardly, Sun Fei, embracing the two stunningly beautiful women, actually had the idea of "a monarch neglecting morning court from now on." It wasn't until sunset that Sun Fei reluctantly got up. After thinking for a moment, he simply ordered someone to invite his father-in-law Best, Brook, and others, and then he and the two charming princesses personally cooked a rather lavish feast.
"Hehe, it's been a while since I've shown off my skills, I'm a bit rusty."
When the dishes were served, Brooke, dressed in extremely elaborate aristocratic attire, and Brook, dressed in casual clothes, had already arrived.
Since it had been agreed beforehand that this dinner would be a family dinner, and the two were already somewhat accustomed to King Majesty the King's style of doing things, they didn't stand on ceremony. The dinner officially began when Angela brought out the cellared red wine from the royal wine cellar.
"His Majesty has caused quite a stir in Alania this time; the entire Northern Region has been shaken."
The topic eventually returned to national affairs. The father-in-law Best, was the kind of person who always exuded aristocratic elegance. He gently cut the steak on the plate into almost uniform small pieces, spread on a special sauce, and looked up at Sun Fei, saying...
"Well, things are going a little better than we planned." Sun Fei nodded, then tilted his head back and gulped down the red wine in his crystal goblet like a cow. His crude manner made the handsome old man Best, who always insisted on aristocratic decorum, shake his head and glare, but he couldn't say anything.
"Speaking of which, it was His Majesty who pushed for that little guy named Leo to become a member of the royal family." Brook one of the earliest followers of Sun Fei, and the two had always had a mentor-student relationship. In formal occasions, this military commander of Chambord City behaved very properly, but in private, after Sun Fei made several requests, he gradually relaxed.
In private, many people don't understand why Sun Fei has always relied on Brook so much. In terms of personal ability, Brook is not as good as Drogba, Torres and Čech, etc. In terms of Zongheng, Brook is not as good as the old military veteran Arjen and several other emerging generals in the army. In terms of domestic affairs, he is not as good as the king's father- Best... Whether it is literary talent or military strategy, this former King's Guard is only of average appearance.
Such a mediocre candidate would have been understandable in the past, when Chambord City was weak and lacked troops and generals, allowing Brook to command the military. However, now that Chambord City is well-equipped with elite troops, skilled warriors, and strategists, it is difficult for even the Zenit Empire, let alone vassal states, to suppress Chambord City in terms of strength. Under these circumstances, it is somewhat unreasonable for Brook to continue to hold the top military position in Chambord City.
In fact, since the establishment of Chambord City, even Brook himself has realized this. He has asked Sun Fei several times to step down and give way to a more capable person so as not to block the way. However, Sun Fei has always refused and instead has repeatedly promoted Brook's status in the army. Now, Brook not only controls the kingdom's regular army and the King's Guard, but even the Gold Saint of the Twelve Golden Holy Peaks are under Brook's control.
Such trust and favor are probably unique in the entire country, no less than that of the political and military leader Best.
But how could others know that what Sun Fei valued besides Brook's unwavering loyalty was also his benevolence, fairness, kindness, and unchanging nature? No matter how high his position, Brook never showed arrogance to anyone, treated every general equally, never used his power for personal gain, and never made decisions about generals' appointments based on personal likes or dislikes. He was extremely kind and gentle even to roadside vendors and ordinary civilians.
Once, when Sun Fei was making an incognito visit to the city, he was surprised to see that Brook, the top military leader of the empire, was wearing only a coarse cloth robe and was sweating profusely as he helped an old woman who had lost her young son in the Dortmund raid to carry rice and flour.
Brook is the kind of person who is like a cog in a machine. When he is around, you don't feel his brilliance, but once he leaves, you realize that everything really can't function without him.
How could an ordinary person know that Sun Fei not only valued Brook, this hardworking and diligent native of Chambord City, but also respected and admired him, treating him not only as a reliable subject, but also as a true friend?
Throughout Chambord City, only veteran ministers like Best, Lampard, and Drogba could discern King Majesty's thoughts. These men were prominent figures in the Zenit Empire, and while they were indifferent to most people, they showed great respect to Brook.
Only those familiar with Brook can see the captivating personal charm in this unassuming, large man from Chambord.
Upon hearing Brook's question, Sun Fei couldn't help but burst into laughter.
"Haha, I guess many people have figured this out. The Alania people aren't all fools; there are wise men among them, so naturally, we can't hide it from them." In front of his own people, Sun Fei didn't need to hide anything. He smugly took a bite of the braised meat that Angela fed him, chewed it for a while, and shamelessly revealed everything with a smile, like a fox that had stolen some fish.
"I actually had the [ Letters and Visits Office ] thoroughly investigate Leo's background. It turns out he's the son of a nobody small merchant, orphaned after his parents perished in the Undead Frenzy. He has no relatives. That so-called royal token was actually forged by Charsi based on blueprints found in the palace ruins. Hehe, you all know Charsi's forging skills; she's a master craftswoman. Most people can't distinguish the real from the fake. Besides, even if someone notices the flaws, so what? The entire Alania royal family is dead. As long as the Alania commoners believe this story, hehe, those truly intelligent people definitely won't want to offend me and will know what to choose!"
"So, what's next? Is His Majesty going to turn the Alania Empire into a puppet empire of Chambord City?" The handsome old man Best nodded. As an experienced nobleman, he had seen far too many stories like this that defied morality, and he didn't care. What he was concerned about was Sun Fei's next plan. He said with a hint of seduction, "Actually, being a puppet empire isn't bad. As the King of a vassal state, remotely controlling a first-level empire sounds quite interesting."
"That's indeed a good idea," Brook, the honest man, said, his eyes lighting up.
Due to the limited territory of the kingdom, Chambord City's initial rapid development has slowed down, and its development pace has begun to decelerate. Lacking sufficient strategic depth, it would be extremely vulnerable in the event of war. However, Chambord City is now a first-class vassal state, bound by the monarchical Zenit Empire, and further territorial expansion is impossible unless Chambord City breaks away from the Zenit Empire and establishes itself as a nation. In fact, some high-ranking officials in Chambord City have already voiced their intention to secede from Zenit and establish their own empire. However, Brook, who knows Sun Fei very well, knows that His Majesty the King will absolutely not make such a decision, not only because of his friendship with the Second Prince Dominguez, nor solely because of concerns about Emperor Yassin's military strength, but to a large extent because of that slender figure on Martial Saint Mountain in the imperial capital, whose ashes have been scattered across the Zenit land.
"You also think it's a good idea?" Sun Fei chuckled, keeping everyone in suspense, then shook his head and continued, "I did initially consider this approach, but later I discovered that while the Alania people are a gentle and mild-mannered people, they possess an extraordinary fervor and fanaticism for the empire's independence. Besides, fledglings will eventually take flight. Controlling them this way might work in the short term, but one day, when the honeymoon period ends, they will try to rebel, ultimately leading to confrontation. And frankly, spending so much effort on such a thing is a bit of a waste. So, I ultimately abandoned my plan to control the empire from behind the scenes. Hehe, consider it a gift of wealth to that boy named Leo; I think that little guy is quite to my liking."
Brook and Best shook their heads, speechless. They thought to themselves that this windfall was far too great—the throne of an empire that had been passed down for over five hundred years and whose territory totaled over nine million square kilometers... Just how lucky was this guy named Leo to have picked up a throne for free? If they didn't know the kid's background, they would have seriously suspected that Leo was His Majesty the King's illegitimate son.
"Of course, we can't let what we've thrown out go to waste. Hehe, we won't control them to become puppets, but we can use other methods. Otherwise, what do you think I'm spending huge sums of money and manpower to help them build schools and military academies for? If handled properly, haha, the Alania people will automatically become vassals of Chambord City. I call this method cultural invasion, peaceful evolution."
Sun Fei's words made both of them's eyes light up, and they felt their thinking suddenly become clear.
"Once we conquer the Anzhi Empire, and other surrounding empires, I will use similar methods to make them allies of Chambord City and Zenit. This way, at least for now, we can ensure that we don't have to worry about our backyard burning when the inter-territorial empire war begins. Therefore, you need to prepare a large number of relevant personnel for me. Time is running out, and I need to get everything sorted out within a year."
Brook and Best took note of it; this was a serious matter, and they dared not be careless in the slightest.
To be honest, King Majesty's thinking is rather unconventional, and even though they have worked together for so long, they are sometimes not surprised by it.
The conversation quickly veered off course and returned to everyday matters. The group chatted happily, and time flew by. The meal lasted for more than three hours.
"Cough..." Sun Fei let out a burp, reeking of alcohol. As he saw his father-in-law and Best out, he suddenly remembered something else and casually said, "Right, have Garcia go to Didikaka City later. The [ Black-Robed Holy Temple ] is developing too fast there, its foundation is unstable, and it needs a true master to keep it in check."
Sun Fei didn't stay in Chambord City for long. Early the next morning, he returned to Didikaka City via the Teleport.
As it turned out, his return was perfectly timed, because less than thirty minutes after returning, he was astonished to be greeted by an extremely powerful opponent—a Young Supremes from outside the Northern Region, who descended with invincible power and challenged Sun Fei, displaying extreme arrogance.
"Hmph, a mere King of a vassal state dares to call himself [ Human Emperor ]? He's truly audacious! Today, I will shatter your aura and make you obediently relinquish the title of [ Human Emperor ], and from now on, you'll be a humble country bumpkin King."
The challenger's words spread throughout the entire Didikaka City.
This chapter shouldn't be separated; it should be combined into one.