### Chapter 9: Did You Overindulge in Brain Platinum?
==============================
The moment Lin Nan teleported into the sky above Cold Wind City, she was utterly stunned.
What… what is going on here?
Did you guys decide to turn this place into a water world while I was in seclusion?
The weather doesn’t even seem that warm!
Aren’t you worried about catching a cold with all this splashing around?
No wonder Lin Nan was shocked.
Inside Cold Wind City, it looked like it had been flooded, with puddles and mud everywhere.
Below her, floating atop the residual water were countless pangolin corpses—like fish fry that had suffocated in an oxygen-deprived fish pond, belly-up and stacked on one another.
Anyone with a fear of densely packed things might not last a second!
Not only that, but as she looked out toward the city walls, the shocking scars of a defense battle were clear, and the air wafted the smell of bl**d.
The wind rustled the embers of unburnt campfires with its whispering sounds.
A group of captured enemies sat silently on the ground with their hands tied behind their backs.
A deep sense of desolation washed over her.
…
What on earth happened in Cold Wind City?
Did someone sneak an attack while others were distracted, resulting in an all-out brawl?
Thankfully, her reliable subordinates, like Liáng Yuè and others, seemed fine, which put her slightly at ease.
Lin Nan slowly descended from the sky.
As she prepared her words to calmly inquire about what had happened,
Liáng Yuè and the others knelt in front of her, regardless of the muddy ground.
“Greetings, Great King!”
…
No one knew how that dark, cold figure had appeared.
It was as if a sense of clarity had struck the crowd.
Everyone suddenly looked up together.
In that instant, Qī Yǔ swore he had never seen a woman with such grace and ethereal beauty, cool yet undeniably alluring.
Her long black dress seemed alive, fluttering with the wind yet revealing only a hint of her jade-like feet.
Just a casual glance from her, even if it only met his eye for one-hundredth of a second, sent a chill from head to toe that made his heart tremble and compelled him to kneel in worship.
Could it be… she is the Cold Moon Great King!
It must be.
Sitting in Cold Wind City, orchestrating everything with her mysterious grasp.
How ridiculous for them, the so-called elite of the Evil Merman Cave, to get wiped out without even seeing the Cold Moon Great King’s face until the bitter end.
This really showcased the Cold Moon Great King’s mastery over the battle situation.
The more Qī Yǔ thought about it, the colder he felt.
If only the heavens could give him another chance,
He would definitely stop the Pangolin Monster and the Black Fish Monster from falling into the trap.
But alas, no “if only” exists.
“Greetings, Great King!”
At that moment, the woman in white in front of him had half-knelt on the muddy ground with the Tiger Demon, Wolf Demon, and others.
Startled, Qī Yǔ quickly knelt as well, not daring to lift his head.
“Everyone, please rise.”
Her cool voice echoed in his ears like a celestial melody.
But no one moved a muscle.
Liáng Yuè clasped her hands and said, “Your Majesty is too modest. If the Cold Wind City had been attacked without your prior guidance, even a victory would have come with heavy losses.
And this time, we sacrificed only six soldiers, yet captured nearly six hundred enemy troops, killing two enemy leaders and countless little demons.
With such achievements in the past, we would have never dared to dream.
Only under Your Majesty’s protection could we achieve such a glorious victory.”
…
This credit being attributed to me is making me dizzy.
Besides, when did I even guide you in any way?
You all simply overthought it, okay?
Moreover, you quietly wiped out all the invading enemies,
And here I was, the Great King, completely unaware…
Isn’t that a bit over the top?
Oh, right, I’ve been in seclusion these past few days, and I told you guys not to disturb me.
But for such a major event, at least give me a heads-up!
You scared me half to d*ath, thinking there was an earthquake or something.
Though her mind was filled with complaints, Lin Nan still kept a smile on her face.
No matter how big the situation, I can’t mess up my hairstyle.
After all, she’s a tiny cave king, and it wouldn’t be easy to find a safe place to hide again if she accidentally lost her authority.
“This matter has nothing to do with me; it’s all your own hard work,” Lin Nan said flatly.
Liáng Yuè replied, “Your Majesty’s wisdom is unparalleled. Seven days ago, you predicted that the Evil Merman Cave might strike at us,
And immediately issued several targeted directives.
At the time, we didn’t understand,
But now it seems Your Majesty was indeed far-sighted, contemplating all possibilities.
First, immediately cut off communication with the Spirit Tooth Cave and the three caves.
At that time, the Spirit Tooth Cave, Poison Butterfly Cave, and Fierce Spirit Cave had just pledged allegiance to Your Majesty, and the outside world, especially the Evil Merman Cave, was unaware of their true status.
On the surface, cutting off contact suggested everything was still business as usual to the Evil Merman Cave.
And besides the Tiger Wolf Cave, the Spirit Tooth Cave was the nearest cave to Cold Wind Cave.
Once the Evil Merman Cave attacked Cold Wind Cave, their army would have to field logistical duties to the cave closest to the battlefield.
In doing so, the Spirit Tooth Cave and the others became our best inside informants.”
At this point, Liáng Yuè continued,
The Hedgehog Monster, Flower Butterfly, and Bat Monster nodded repeatedly,
“No wonder. We thought Your Majesty was just worried we’d be discovered for switching allegiances to the Evil Merman Cave, which is why you halted communications.
Who knew there was such meticulous consideration behind it? Your Majesty’s foresight exceeds what we can understand.”
Qī Yǔ’s heart was shaken; indeed, only someone as top-tier as the Cold Moon Great King could devise such a layered strategy.
Liáng Yuè chuckled lightly, “Your Majesty’s second directive…”
Qī Yǔ was startled; there’s more?
He immediately perked up, eager to catch every word.
“… was to halt the grievance meetings.
Initially, Little Drill Wind didn’t understand,
After all, this initiative was vital for breaking down the little demons’ barriers, bridging their relationships, and enhancing their awareness.
If we stop this, wouldn’t we be undoing all our previous work?
But after the halt, we discovered that Your Majesty’s considerations reached beyond the immediate, working toward a long-term vision for the entire monster race.”
Liáng Yuè lifted her head, gazing at Lin Nan’s enigmatic face, with tears almost sparkling in her eyes.
“Liáng Yuè’s encounter with Your Majesty truly feels like a remarkable stroke of luck; I will have no regrets in this lifetime.”
As for the second directive’s profound implications, Little Drill Wind, explain it to everyone.
“Yes!”
Little Drill Wind exclaimed, “At the time within Cold Wind City, apart from the new additions from the Spirit Tooth Cave, nearly everyone participated in the grievance meetings.
The effects were remarkably evident.
I initially thought this could fundamentally transform everyone, creating a terrifyingly blind confidence.
As it turned out,
Your Majesty’s urgent halt was timely, cooling us down and giving us time to reflect on what we truly want.
The grievance meetings indeed revealed the roots of our suffering and allowed us to recognize that to avoid it, we must obtain equality and freedom, crafting a society of mutual respect.
But that can’t just be hot air; the key is how to take action.
If we’re simply stuck in our past experiences, unable to glance forward at the path ahead, it would be a massive obstacle to our entire monster race’s endeavor.
We all know Your Majesty’s heart is tied to the entire monster race, so we began to ponder how to align everyone’s hearts together.
Ultimately, I figured it out.”
Little Drill Wind’s eyes shone brightly,
“Your Majesty once said, ‘Those who work the land own it.’
Cold Wind City is no longer a place where we barely manage to survive, but rather a home for each of us.
We need to build new homes here, allocate lands, and distribute them to every warrior. You can love, you can marry—everything is yours, and no one can take it away.
Only this way can we establish the foundation for our struggle and reason to fight for it.
On this basis, we enlighten our citizens, learn writing, and everything in Cold Wind City will develop steadily according to Your Majesty’s original vision.”
Lin Nan, “…”
Back when I was enthusiastically promoting farming and communal property to you all, what other words did I share? Could you please let me know all at once?
Don’t just pop up like a landmine at critical moments.
“We merely announced the establishment of personal property, and the warriors in the city became so energized that within two short days, they built five water towers.
This shows that while rallying the slogan is one thing, we need solid actions to draw people together.
If this system can expand to the entire monster race,
Your Majesty’s name shall shine through the ages.”
I only asked you to stop the grievance meetings, not to turn the city into a ruckus that draws attention.
Why do you all act like you’ve overdosed on Brain Platinum, always coming up with all sorts of ideas?
Lin Nan felt a bit overwhelmed after hearing the second directive.
But she still had to maintain a high profile in front of her subordinates.
Being a Great King is exhausting…
Can’t you all give me a break?
But, fine, since the Evil Merman Cave was the aggressor, you managed to eliminate the threat without bloodshed, which at least reduces one major hidden danger.
“Third directive…”
What, still not done?
Lin Nan stared intently at Liáng Yuè,
The latter wore an expression that seemed to say how wise the Great King was and how lucky she was to comprehend the truth of it all.
“Restore the command authority of the Tiger Demon and the Wolf Demon, allowing them to lead troops out of the city.
This was another brilliant decision made after Your Majesty discovered the Evil Merman’s plot.
Your Majesty has grand ambitions and won’t settle for just a corner.
And the Evil Merman Cave is a ravenous wolf standing in Your Majesty’s way; taking care of it is simply a matter of lifting a finger for you.
Yet, Your Majesty entrusted the entire plan for dealing with the Evil Merman Cave to us,
The message is simple: to train us, to make us grow,
After all, Your Majesty can’t shield us forever.
At crucial moments, we must be able to step up.
Only then can we truly have the determination to confront the entire backward faction.”
Lin Nan, “…”
Where can I get my hands on that Brain Platinum? I’d like some too!
