Chapter 7: I Want to Be the Third Great King!
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“Clang clang clang!”
“Boom boom boom!”
……
Bright and early, the residents of Cold Wind City felt like their footsteps had developed a special rhythm, even their conversations were taking on a staccato vibe.
After a while, as the “clang clang boom boom” sounds gradually approached from outside the city, it dawned on them that they had unwittingly been led astray by what could only be described as a magical drumbeat.
“Great King! Good news!”
Rarely did they get such a proclamation right after the Great King emerged from his seclusion last night, and even more astonishingly, Old Drill Wind’s embassy was returning to the city with a bang—and everyone was utterly shocked to learn that Old Drill Wind had eliminated the Evil Merman Cave and brought back all the forces from that cave into Cold Wind City.
Standing atop the city walls and looking down, nearly three thousand troops led by Old Drill Wind marched in perfect unity, whether advancing or retreating, exuding an extraordinary presence.
Little Demons stopped their work and spontaneously flocked to the city gate to greet this unimaginable victory.
This triumph was definitely a milestone for Cold Wind City.
Second Great King Cold Moon made a snap decision, ordering the entire city to go out and welcome the victorious embassy, while also sending Little Drill Wind to fetch the Great King.
Ceremonies of this magnitude to welcome a victorious army could only be presided over by the Great King.
When Lin Nan heard Little Drill Wind’s report, she was completely baffled.
She distinctly remembered sending Old Drill Wind to negotiate a non-aggression pact with the Evil Merman Cave. How did he come back having wiped the entire place out?
Looking at Old Drill Wind’s innocent demeanor, he didn’t seem like a fighting type—where did he find such prowess?
Lin Nan was scratching her head in confusion.
“Are you sure he captured the entire Evil Merman Cave’s forces with just a team of less than a hundred?”
Little Drill Wind, not showing an ounce of jealousy towards Old Drill Wind, exclaimed excitedly, “Yep, Great King! No doubt about it! The surrendering troops are lined up all the way from the city gate far into the distance, just waiting for you to supervise.”
The Evil Merman King was supposed to be a regional boss. Did Old Drill Wind take him down that easily?
There had to be more to the story.
But whatever the case, let’s go check it out first.
What if they were faking their surrender? That would be a disaster.
……
“Clang clang clang!”
“Boom boom boom!”
As the percussion team noticed more and more Little Demons gathering by the sides of the road, they ramped up their enthusiasm.
Old Drill Wind lay back on his Giant Wolf, thinking that if the Great King was in a good mood later, he might reward him with a promotion to Third Great King.
With that, he’d become the top dog in Cold Wind City, second only to the Great King, and everyone else would be nowhere near his level.
Little Drill Wind and the like could only aspire to help him tie his shoes.
The accompanying Red Armored Spider and other big demons were gobsmacked by the towering walls of Cold Wind City, which had undergone such major renovations.
Used to living underground, witnessing such a majestic stone city ignited a sense of awe and envy in them.
Having seen the grandeur of Cold Wind City and combined with last night’s extraordinary spectacle, they were already convinced of Cold Moon’s power.
The Red Armored Spider was nervously fidgeting, and the other big demons looked tense.
“Angel Lord, how should we present ourselves?”
Old Drill Wind chuckled, “Don’t worry! With me, Old Drill Wind, around, you’ll never come to harm.”
In his eyes, there was no need for any pomp and circumstance—what mattered was making a grand entrance in front of the Great King.
It was just Cold Moon trying to show her prowess by meddling in his chance to shine.
Ha! He saw right through it.
Fine, they could cooperate then; if not, they could just tug along. After all, Old Drill Wind was on the verge of becoming the Third Great King, and Second Great King status would soon be his, too.
Ideally, all these surrendering troops would fall under his command, making him the most powerful being in Cold Wind City after the Great King.
With this thought, Old Drill Wind couldn’t help but grin from ear to ear.
“Old Drill Wind, can you tell your drum team to pipe down for a minute? It’s deafening!” Cold Moon suddenly shouted from afar.
Old Drill Wind rolled his eyes and pretended he didn’t hear her, turning his face away.
His exclusive BGM couldn’t just stop on command like that.
Following Cold Moon’s instructions, the demons residing in Cold Wind City, such as Tiger Demons and Wolf Demons, lined up in perfect formation at the city gate as their officers.
Then, Cold Moon stood next to the Great King on the city wall to accept the surrender of the big demons from the Evil Merman Cave.
After a few more orders from the Great King, the simple surrender ceremony officially wrapped up.
In a hurry, Cold Moon could think of nothing more to do. It was all Old Drill Wind’s fault for showing up out of nowhere that she hadn’t been able to prepare a grander ceremony. If he had given her a day or two heads-up, the whole surrender affair could have been a spectacular show!
However, it seemed Old Drill Wind was getting a little full of himself,
Before he even set out, she had done her utmost to satisfy all his requests to ensure he fulfilled his duty smoothly out of respect for the Great King.
What Lin Nan hadn’t anticipated was that Old Drill Wind had somehow not only wiped out the Evil Merman Cave but also brought back all its demon forces to surrender. The scale was nothing short of impressive.
This left Cold Moon certain that the guy was practically strutting around with his tail in the air.
Sure, whatever.
The Great King was wise and all-knowing; whatever arrangements there were for Old Drill Wind, she would just wait for the Great King’s orders. She had no objections.
At this moment, at the city gate of Cold Wind City, colorful banners were fluttering in the wind, and crowds were swelling.
Seven Feathers, who had only recently pledged allegiance to Cold Wind City, couldn’t help but feel emotional at this sight.
He had already surmised the Evil Merman Cave wouldn’t last long against Cold Wind City’s expansion, but he hadn’t expected it would collapse so quickly.
But then again, it made sense.
Last night, Cold Moon had just successfully crossed over a great trial and honed her skills, and today Old Drill Wind brought back prisoners as a gift.
Talk about a double whammy; luck was clearly on their side.
Good chance, if the Great King was in a good mood today, Old Drill Wind could score himself a high-ranking position too. He might even find himself on equal footing with Second Great King Cold Moon.
Perhaps it was time to develop a good rapport with the rising star.
This fella was truly a fortune-bringer for the Great King.
As the festive drumbeats echoed, amidst eager anticipation, the Cold Moon Great King finally appeared atop the city.
The scene from last night where the Great King emerged amidst petals still left the little demons in awe and fixated on pride; serving the Great King felt like a blessing earned in a previous lifetime.
Now that the Great King had appeared again, everyone’s eyes were riveted solely on her.
However, what they didn’t expect was that as they caught just a glimpse of her figure, an overwhelming pressure swept through, weighing down on their hearts like a heavy stone, making them too afraid to glance up at the Great King.
The atmosphere on the scene gradually turned silent.
The drum team unconsciously quieted down too.
Old Drill Wind swiftly rolled off the back of his Giant Wolf, kneeling on the ground with a faithful expression.
With a gust of fierce wind, dark clouds suddenly gathered over Cold Wind City, and the sky shifted ominously.
