Chapter 2: New Century (Epilogue)
Shi Wei had no intention of leaving the Emerald Forest without collecting some interest after coming all this way.
He was a king first, and a knight second.
What did a king care about the most? It was naturally resources and national development.
Now that he was in the Emerald Forest providing humanitarian support, and with the crisis in the Emerald Forest resolved, the elves should, according to normal procedure, express their humanitarian thanks to him.
Since it was thanks, they had to show some sincerity.
Moreover, the Elven Empress no longer belonged to the Emerald Forest, so this sincerity had to be substantial.
Thus, Shi Wei waited under the two old oak trees for the first hundred players to gather.
The first to arrive was Gou Fugui.
His skin seemed to have gotten darker, and he was wearing a deep yellow robe with a reddish-brown lining. A triangular fire cube was hung on his chest, which was likely a powerful magic item. He wore a pair of rose-colored boots with an affinity for fire elements. The whole person looked like a wriggling flame. In his left hand, he held a mithril staff with a red crystal at the top, emanating faint fire elemental fluctuations, indicating a high rating.
Gou Fugui (I wonder if this reader is still following this book, sigh.)
As the administrator of the Most Territory, he and the Scheming Frog were now the wealthiest among the player group. It wasn’t too difficult for him to obtain a Grandmaster-level staff, and it appeared to be upgradeable.
“Your Majesty Winter, it’s been a long time!” Gou Fugui tipped his hat to the King of Winter and said with a smile,
“You haven’t visited our Most City lately? We’ve prepared a new play, ‘The Grey Bull and the Pumpkin Carriage and the Crystal Shoe.’ We just put up the posters, and all the tickets sold out without a single ticket being bought. However, we’ve reserved seats for you and your maids!”
He waved his staff, and a fire flashed in his other hand. With a “whoosh,” fifteen exquisite parchment scrolls appeared.
They depicted the Minotaur Warrior Carl, dressed as a princess and disguised.
He was running in a panic, looking back. He stepped on a crystal shoe with his left foot and his right foot was bare. The other crystal shoe had fallen behind, where a blurred figure was bending down to pick it up. He wore a golden laurel wreath and, needless to say, was undoubtedly a prince or king.
To be honest, Gou Fugui and the Scheming Frog did a remarkable job with these tickets.
Although the art style was very strange, it created a sense of suspense, making people curious why this bull-headed princess was fleeing, and about her crystal shoe and the pumpkin carriage awaiting her…
If Shi Wei hadn’t read the original work, he would have applauded, saying it was a great story, a work of great artistry, viewing pleasure, and educational significance.
But he had read the original work. It was like eating a dessert he had tasted before, only now it was served again, and the Black Forest chocolate on top had been replaced with something freshly excreted by Loli. The shopkeeper, with a smile, said, “What are you standing around for? Eat!”
“Ahem, I’ll bring the maids in a few days.”
Shi Wei still collected the fifteen tickets, and he indeed planned to bring Loli and the others.
Although the art troupe would also come to Winter City for a tour, it wouldn’t be the premiere. The maids would feel envious if they couldn’t see the latest play immediately.
Shi Wei didn’t want them to feel that way, especially Loli, Ruo Yi, and Connie.
However, when watching the play, he would close his eyes and ears. This was the last respect he could give to his own moral values.
Soon, the top one hundred players who had achieved the highest kill counts had arrived.
Among them was a Venom Dragon player riding a vampire.
The ID was King Kong Teddy. Its four claws were almost entirely on the vampire’s shoulders, its dragon tail was wrapped around the vampire’s body, and its dragon head was resting comfortably on the vampire’s head.
The vampire gritted its teeth, tears welling up in its eyes, and walked with trembling steps. With every step, it left an imprint on the ground. If it slowed down even slightly, it would be severely lashed on the backside by the dragon’s tail. Its pathetic state was truly eye-catching.
What was even more outrageous was that another player, ID Demacia, was riding on the Venom Dragon.
Shi Wei took a closer look.
Good heavens, that vampire had been subdued and turned into a mount.
“System, is this operation logical?” Shi Wei’s mouth twitched uncontrollably.
The system also seemed to have never seen such a situation. It was silent for a while, as if it were checking the system logs. After a long time, it mused,
“This is a logical error, but since he has been riding that vampire for an hour and successfully subdued it, and it is wearing the saddle issued by the mount system, then theoretically speaking, this operation is reasonable.”
Shi Wei: “……6!”
“All those who can stand before me are brave warriors who have made outstanding contributions in this battle!”
Shi Wei’s expression turned solemn, forcefully pulling himself away from the players’ eccentric operations.
“Now, follow me to claim the rewards for this mission!”
The players cheered and closely followed Shi Wei. A large group of them, like a swarm of locusts, charged into the Emerald Forest. The two Oakwood Guardians turned a blind eye and did not stop them.
The departure of the Elven Empress had disheartened them.
Less than half an hour after the empress left, Britt the Grizzly announced his succession as the new Elven King.
This made them even more furious.
Now, seeing the King of Winter’s demeanor, they assumed he was there to cause trouble, so they let them cause trouble. After all, the elves were already in enough chaos.
Meanwhile, in the Elven King’s palace.
Britt the Grizzly hadn’t even settled into his throne when an elf rushed in in a panic.
“Elder… Your Majesty, something terrible has happened! The King of Winter has brought a group of soldiers and is charging in!”
“What?!” Britt the Grizzly’s face turned ashen, and he almost fell off his throne. He shrieked,
“What’s going on? The undead are all dead, why isn’t the King of Winter leaving? Did he say what he wants?”
If it were in the past, Britt the Grizzly would have dismissed Shi Wei as a mere fart.
But now, how could he dare?
In terms of strength, the King of Winter was a Legendary Knight. In terms of power, he had almost conquered the North Continent and ruled over a vast territory.
In terms of background, he had seen the four Archangels in the sky before, which had scared him into hiding in the palace, afraid that the four Archangels would heal the Elven Empress.
It wasn’t until later that he heard from other elves that the Archangels couldn’t heal Alice Frost, that he finally breathed a sigh of relief.
“Uh, the King of Winter said he’s here to collect a thank-you gift…”
“A thank-you gift? What thank-you gift?”
Britt the Grizzly frowned, his face full of consternation. “The elf tribe has declined to this state, and he still wants a thank-you gift? Besides, we didn’t ask for support from the Wintery Empire. Adenasi invited him, so Adenasi should be responsible. Where is Adenasi?”
“Your Majesty, Elder Adenasi has already left the elf tribe…” the elven guard said, lowering his head.
“Left?” Britt the Grizzly was stunned for a moment, then let out a malicious sneer,
“That slut who’s been ridden by ten thousand men also knows she can’t stay in the elf tribe anymore. Fine, let her leave. Then, then invite the King of Winter in. I’ll have a heart-to-heart talk with this human king about my heartfelt gratitude.”
A thank-you gift? Not a chance.
The King of Winter wouldn’t get a single word out of him today.
Just then, another elven guard scrambled in and knelt before Britt the Grizzly, shouting,
“Your Majesty, the King of Winter wants you to get out here and see him within three seconds!”
* * *
Slipping Ruo Yi
