Chapter 494.1: Perfect! We Got Enough People To Play Mahjong!

Falcon City, in the plaza before the palace.

The gallows that once stood there had been taken down, leaving behind a broad platform. The lift platform from the airship descended, and a giant sword, metaphorical or literal, seemed to cleave the kingdom’s grand boulevard in two, from the castle gates all the way to the Levee.

King Morgott stood on the square, lowering his head slightly. “Falcon City awaits your arrival, honorable administrator...”

The nobles behind him followed suit, bowing their heads one by one.

Seeing those once-proud lords so humbled, the representatives of the Civilian Regulation Committee standing nearby felt a little awkward, unsure of how they should react.

Taut, however, had the good sense to recognize where his authority truly came from. Imitating the nobles, he quickly bowed his head as well in respect to the New Alliance.

Chu Guang didn’t care for ceremonial etiquette, but he was satisfied enough with the defeated rulers’ display of submission.

It was completely unlike the sore loser, Griffin. That general couldn’t even lose with dignity.

Even with no path left, Griffin still tried to drag his men into one final, desperate gamble.

Before disembarking from the airship, Chu Guang had already instructed the Skeleton Corps to stand in the distance, following the Army as they retreated.

There was no need to engage in combat. All they had to do was stay within visual range.

No matter where those troops retreated, no supplies would reach them again. No bullets, no shells, no fuel, and not even food or clean water.

Meanwhile, the Goblin Corps would continue tracking the Army’s movements. If they tried to requisition supplies from survivor settlements or villages along the way, they would be driven off by ground forces immediately.

If they stopped, the Skeleton Corps would surround them.

The upcoming ceasefire negotiations were critical.

Chu Guang needed to lock these 50,000 troops in a cage, then cut off their food and water supply.

That was more psychologically devastating than simply capturing them.

As for the defenses of Bist Town, to watch over their 100,000 captives, the Second Corps of the New Alliance would take over.

“You’re Morgott? King of Falcon Kingdom?”

The way he said the word made it sound foreign and awkward, Morgott clearly wasn’t used to it.

In the past, Klaas, Griffin, even the arrogant McClennan had treated him as an equal, maybe just a notch higher in rank.

But the administrator... He stood on a different level.

Age had caught up to him, and now all he could do was hope that this administrator would at least spare his family...

Noticing the royal family members behind Morgott, Chu Guang glanced over and couldn’t help but be amazed at how... prolific they were.

A dozen or so children, the oldest in their thirties, the youngest just five or six.

The king had brought his entire family out.

From the looks of how much they reproduced... It was no wonder every survivor settlement in the desert had populations of millions...

And yet, back in the River Valley Province...

Chu Guang couldn’t have found that many people even if he turned all of Clearspring City upside down. The Bonechewer Clan’s rampage across the province had only involved a few divisions units at most.

Hiding behind the slouched Morgott, a little girl peeked at Chu Guang with her wide and teary eyes full of fear.

People were killed in the plaza earlier at noon.

She had snuck a look through the window and been terrified by what she saw outside. If not for her father’s command, she wouldn’t have come out of her room at all.

Not wanting to frighten her further, Chu Guang gave her what he believed was a friendly smile and said gently, “There’s no need to be afraid. We’re not Wislanders. We’re here to end this foolish war.”

But to his surprise, the moment the girl saw him looking her way, her fear only deepened and she ducked behind her father completely.

Morgott’s expression stiffened. The wrinkles on his aged face seemed to lose all color as he shut his eyes in pain.

His head dropped even lower.

Among the crowd, a flicker of guilt flashed in the eyes of a court servant. Finally steeling himself, he whispered something to the nobles beside him.

Apparently, the rest of the nobles misunderstood something too.

Unaware of their hushed discussion, Chu Guang furrowed his brows in confusion, he hadn’t expected to frighten them this much.

Damn!

Is his smile really that scary?

The kids back in Clearspring City actually liked him!

Every time there were leftover sweets or chocolates from the prize draws that couldn’t be sold, he would hand them out to kids near the settlement. Sometimes he’d even have them delivered to schools.

Losing interest in soft approaches, Chu Guang turned back to the old king. “Before I came here, I’d heard many tales about the oasis, stories of prosperity and abundance.”

“But when I stood on the bridge of my ship, this settlement was so ugly it disappointed me.”

Morgott remained expressionless.

Such humiliation was nothing to him at this point.

But several royal family members behind him, especially the young men, wore expressions of guilt, or defiance barely hidden.

Chu Guang continued, “The streets are piled with barricades and cover. Everyone looks malnourished. You were born on the most fertile land, inherited the legacy of the prosperous era, and didn’t even have to face mutants or Slime Mold. Just tossing seeds into the soil would have yielded you entire fields of rice.”

“And yet you took all of that, and turned the most fertile land on this planet into this hellhole. You’ve disgraced the very god you claim to worship.”

A young royal glared at him, though he didn’t speak and tried to hide his resentment. In his heart, though, he cursed, “It’s your fault.”

If they had won the war, they would never be in a situation like that.

But his father was far wiser.

With head bowed, King Morgott said humbly, “This was never our intention... It was the Army. The Wislanders poisoned our minds and planted hatred in this land.”

He knew the administrator wasn’t the type to show up just to humiliate him. Despite the scorn in those words, Chu Guang was offering him a lifeline.

It was a way out, by publicly blaming the war on the Army.

It was also the only way he could hope to survive.

Chu Guang studied him with renewed interest. So Morgott wasn’t as dull as he looked.

“I accept that explanation. You were indeed manipulated and coerced by the Wislanders, so I’m not planning to pursue charges against you.” He paused. “... But that doesn’t mean you’re blameless.”

“As punishment, we will disband your military, strip your forces of all weapons, and rebuild your kingdom into something functional.”

“We hope you’ll cooperate.”

Murmurs rippled through the crowd.

Taut from the Civilian Regulation Committee was quietly excited. The nobles exchanged glances. The citizens at the edge of the square looked puzzled.

Hearing that harsh sentence, King Morgott sighed softly and nodded. “As you command.”

He had lost a great deal.

But at least he and his family were still alive.

All things considered, the outcome wasn’t the worst.

...

Although Chu Guang had humiliated King Morgott during the reception ceremony, at the evening banquet, he and his subordinates were still welcomed enthusiastically by the nobles.

Inside the castle banquet hall...

Urged on by the others, the perceptive Night Ten was the first to pick up a fork and poke at an unidentifiable meat steak.

After chewing with his eyes closed for a moment, he rolled his eyes. “No poison... You can eat it, but seriously, what the hell is this?! It tastes awful!”

The desert kingdoms’ cooking skills were clearly terrible.

Such rich black soil going to waste!

Old White chuckled, “Clearly you don’t know. In the Sunset Province, roasted sandworm meat is a delicacy, served only to the bravest warriors.”

Tomato Eggs, their master chef in real life took a bite and set his fork down immediately, shaking his head. “... Even Irena would disapprove...”

It wasn’t just the Burning Corps who got into the banquet, some freeloaders from the Silver Corps who’d tagged along on the airship also sneaked in.

A few loudmouths began gossiping about what they’d seen snooping around the castle earlier.

“Hey, where’s the administrator?”

“Probably busy, right? He didn’t stay long at the Lion Kingdom’s banquet either.”

Silver's Father’s eyes sparkled with mischief. He lowered his voice dramatically. “Speaking of which... I saw him lose his temper earlier.”

His mysterious tone immediately perked up Silver Hand and Silver Sword, who leaned in.

“What happened?”

“Spill!”