As an official, what's wrong with raising a few monsters?

Chapter 294 Monsters Exist in This Era
"General Xu, hello, nice to meet you. My name is Mingchen."

Mingchen looked at the person trapped in the cage in front of him, waved his hand lightly, and greeted him with a smile.

They were sworn enemies, yet when they met, they were as warm and friendly as a spring breeze.

The disheveled leader raised his head.

Ten days ago, even after encountering a setback with Wang Huai, he never imagined that he would end up like this.

Everything happened so fast.

A tiny bird extinguished all hope. Xu Zhongling's last hope, Qi Yuan, and his Blood Warriors perished in the raging fire that would never be extinguished.

The little red bird stood on the city wall, and no one could break out of the city.

All the blueprints, all the wishes, had vanished like a dream. Xu Zhongling stared blankly at the person before him, his eyes filled with confusion.

When Qian Yuan arrived, everything was gone in just a few days.

This completely shattered all of Xu Zhongling's expectations.

[The King Ascends the Throne]

[A venomous scorpion lies hidden in the sand; the human king ascends the throne, unifying the world.]

Mingchen is not an ordinary person. Although he does not cultivate and is not considered a cultivator, he is not an ordinary person.

However, in some aspects, he was far more perceptive than cultivators.

The moment he saw Xu Zhongling, he felt as if he were seeing a dark, cold scorpion lurking among the swirling sands of the desert, sinister and treacherous, always poised to strike suddenly and deliver a fatal blow.

Following Xiao Xinyue, Hong Lingshuang, and Qin Lou, he surprisingly saw the same trait in Xu Zhongling.

Golden scales, whale sharks, fierce tigers, venomous scorpions...

Mingchen now has some guesses about these people.

This was the first time someone chosen by the King's Seal had become his prisoner. Mingchen was curious about what would happen if he killed this person.

The world will eventually be unified, and there will always be one person, and only one person, who can become the final winner.

This is destined to be imperfect.

To be king?

What if he insists on killing him?

The rise of an ordinary person is destined to be extremely difficult. Perhaps Xu Zhongling really had a plan and an idea, and the ability to write a script of his own, but unfortunately, his starting point was too low, his background was shallow, and he developed too late. Before he could gain momentum, he was defeated by Ming Chen.

"Mingchen, Ming... Master Ming?"

Xu Zhongling raised his head, his hair disheveled, his voice hoarse, no longer possessing his usual handsome and dashing appearance.

While Mingchen was looking at him, he was also looking at Mingchen.

This was the first time the two had met.

This meeting came at a great cost to Xu Zhongling.

This unpredictable person easily took away everything he had worked so hard to build and destroyed his beautiful dreams.

Xu Zhongling suddenly realized what was happening and knelt down on the ground, repeatedly kowtowing to Ming Chen.

"Lord Ming, it's a misunderstanding...it's all a misunderstanding!"

Surprisingly, this ambitious and ruthless villain had no pride or dignity whatsoever.

He was extremely humble, and his voice was mournful, as if he had suffered some great injustice.

Normally, Xu Zhongling is a calm and composed person. Even when he is terrified and completely lost, even if he scratches his skin raw, he still maintains a calm demeanor and a warm smile.

However, right now, he is completely unable to control his facial expressions.

"Misunderstand?"

Mingchen lowered his eyes and quietly watched the man's somewhat comical performance.

He's like a clown, so lowly, so shameful... right?

Actually not.

This man had once commanded an army of thousands, ruled over a region, and held a prestigious position. Yet, he possessed not a trace of arrogance, and was as humble as a servant.

If one is a proud and ambitious person, they might despise him and refuse to associate with him.

However, Mingchen would not do that.

On the contrary, Mingchen thought highly of him.

This man is shrewd; he hasn't given up hope.

Now that he's a prisoner with no power to resist, the fact that he can so readily abandon all pretense of dignity and kneel down to beg for mercy shows that he is even more dangerous.

He possesses both lofty stature and exceptional ability, as well as the courage to humble himself.

He has no bottom line, is willing to sacrifice anything, has a sharp eye, and can seize opportunities. He is a venomous scorpion, ruthless and decisive in his actions, using schemes and tricks without scruples.

He is not a good person.

However, he has the potential to achieve great things.

Mingchen's previous assessment of him was correct.

It's not that saints or people with good character can become kings. Quite the opposite, it's that ruthlessness, scheming, and decisiveness are necessary to become a leader.

It's a pity that he started from a low point and had too few cards in his hand. He needs a lot of time and energy to make up for all of this and grow along the way.

What he needs most is time.

He was like a newbie with an experience buff, whose natural talent was maxed out. But just as he left the newbie village, he encountered a max-level player who cornered him in the fountain and killed him.

Unfortunately, Mingchen's visit has extinguished the time he needed most.

If we let him continue to develop, or if he escapes, it will definitely cause a lot of trouble.

"Yes, Lord Ming, it's all a misunderstanding!"

"I am of one mind with Qian Yuan!"

"The villains rebelled against the Great Qi in order to help the Qian Yuan reclaim lost territory and make it easier for our Emperor Qian to advance eastward."

"The land I have reclaimed from the Great Qi is all to be offered to Qian Yuan!"

"Why does Qian Yuan attack villains?"

"Aren't we in an alliance?"

Xu Zhongling felt wronged and helpless, repeatedly calling himself a "small person," behaving like a timid and cowardly but loyal little man, and kept asking Mingchen questions.

Mingchen raised an eyebrow: "Are you blaming me?"

"Don't dare!"

"When did Qian Yuan form an alliance with you?"

“My messenger returned and told me this himself!”

Mingchen raised an eyebrow and asked him with interest, "Didn't you already execute your envoy and inform the entire army? They all know he fabricated intelligence and forged a false alliance, right?"

"You're telling me now that you don't know?"

"Forehead……"

Xu Zhongling forced a smile, looking trembling, and lowered his head even further: "This humble one...this humble one does know."

"However, my lord, I have no choice. My ancestors received the Emperor's favor, and I was taught from a young age to be loyal to the country. My loyalty to Qian Yuan is as clear as the sun and the moon!"

"Now that I see treacherous villains usurping the country and blood-clad rebels wreaking havoc, I am burning with anxiety and wish I could go to the battlefield to fight the enemy and die for my country. I dream of making meritorious contributions and serving the country! Those rebels of the Great Qi are the real enemies of Qian Yuan. How can a mere brute like Wang Huai become emperor?"

"Isn't it only right and proper for a villain to help Qian Yuan attack Da Qi?"

A clever scam.

Leave an obvious loophole that doesn't affect the overall situation for the other party to discover, thus satisfying their vanity.

Then, they simply admit it, pleading and begging, placing themselves in a subservient position while elevating the other person, doing their utmost to satisfy their vanity and make them look down on them. They use a trivial mistake to cover up a major one. They subtly shirk their most fatal responsibility and disadvantage, shifting the blame to others in order to survive.

The current focus seems to be on the assumption that the mastermind behind everything was merely a vain blunder orchestrated by an envoy sent by Xu Zhongling.

This is a misunderstanding.

The messenger is dead, and there is no way to verify his identity.

Xu Zhongling was a loyal minister; it was the Qi dynasty that was the rebel.

According to Xu Zhongling, his only mistake was being misled by his subordinates and using Qian Yuan's name without authorization. In a sense, he was still a hero in resisting the Blood-Clad Army and recovering lost territory!

It is truly not a crime deserving of death.

Despite his seemingly humble demeanor, every word Xu Zhongling uttered had a purpose and a clear yet subtle guiding influence.

Even now, Xu Zhongling is still struggling.

Now his expectations have been lowered to simply surviving.

Only by surviving can one have the opportunity to do other things.

Qian Yuan's power exceeded expectations.

His next plan was to survive, then find a job in Qian Yuan, and then act according to circumstances.

A man like Mingchen, so young, with a reputation that surpasses all others, is a first-rate hero. He should be even more arrogant and conceited... With this in mind, Xu Zhongling is searching for the only opportunity.

Mingchen shook his head and simply looked at the performer quietly: "General Xu, you are a smart man. Let's not do these unnecessary things. Why don't we have an open and honest conversation?"

"I can tell you that Daqi's condition is simply that Qian Yuan publicly publishes a proclamation to show his hostility towards you."

"Aren't you curious? Why did Qian Yuan go to such great lengths, traveling thousands of miles, and even helping Da Qi by sending troops to attack you?"

Xu Zhongling trembled, but remained kneeling on the ground, waiting for Mingchen to continue.

Mingchen looked down at him, without the slightest hint of contempt or disdain, and simply pointed to his chest: "It's because I believe you are a dangerous person who may threaten the safety of Qianyuan in the future. If Daqi is defeated by you, it may be difficult to deal with. So I request His Majesty to send troops."

"I'm probably a little smarter than you think; I can tell which are fake and which are real."

"So the more you behave like this, the higher your risk factor becomes in my mind."

"Don't worry, you're going to die anyway. I won't let you go no matter what."

Xu Zhongling: ...

Very good, the hanging heart is finally dead.

Mom, there's a see-through on the other side, how can I play?

Xu Zhongling was truly at a loss.

Ok!

He then asked why Qian Yuan would go to such lengths to send troops to attack him, only to find it all for nothing.

To say that he unilaterally and insignificantly declared an alliance with Qian Yuan would be petty. The eastern region is in chaos, with several separatist forces operating under the guise of Qian Yuan.

It turns out that this marquis had somehow set his sights on him.

The emperor actually listened to him.

How do you even play this?!
This reason is simply frustrating. How can matters of national importance be decided based on mere feelings?

He felt as if the person in front of him could see right through people's hearts, and all his thoughts had nowhere to hide.

"My lord... my lord, what do you mean? I don't understand!"

"I dare to swear to Heaven, to my ancestors, to my parents and relatives, and to my entire clan! I am truly devoted to the cause of Heaven!"

"I've been wronged!"

Xu Zhongling knelt on the ground, praying incessantly.

He had no choice.

He'll act in this role until he dies.

His temperament wouldn't allow him to believe what Mingchen said, and he wouldn't reveal his true feelings to anyone.

Even if he can't see a way out.

Such people are quite rare.

Mingchen shook his head.

"Since you're unwilling to speak properly with me, then forget it."

He knew that chatting with Xu Zhongling was probably pointless.

He dusted himself off and left only two sentences: "General Xu, cherish your days."

He already knew what he wanted to know from the moment he first saw Xu Zhongling.

I will give you to Wang Huai.

Upon hearing this, Xu Zhongling abruptly raised his head, looking at Mingchen with a face full of panic: "My lord, you mustn't! My lord, you mustn't!"

"Why?!"

"Wang Huai is the leader of the rebel army and an enemy of Qian Yuan. I am close to Qian Yuan and a loyal subject of him!"

Why should a loyal minister be handed over to a traitor?

He cried out to Mingchen in anguish, “To be close to traitors and distant from loyal ministers, the Qian Yuan dynasty is doomed! The Qian Yuan dynasty is doomed!”

Mingchen watched his performance, shook his head, and turned to leave.

Xu Zhongling had a future full of infinite possibilities, but he has now cut it off. Once it's cut off, he's no longer of any value.

Given his current attitude, there's nothing he can do to reason with him.

Xu Zhongling's only value is to be killed, so that Mingchen can see where the Human King Seal is.

"My lord...my lord..."

You can't do anything to me!

"I want to see His Majesty the Emperor! I want to see His Majesty..."

Xu Zhongling's energetic shouts echoed in my ears, gradually fading into the distance.

Wang Liu's friendship with Mingchen was not as deep as Wang Huai's.

But they are still old friends.

Someone needs to pay the price for his death.

Wang Huai would probably want to see Xu Zhongling.

Mingchen completely disappeared from sight, and Xu Zhongling's energetic performance also stopped, leaving the room eerily silent.

"Mingchen, Mingchen, Mingchen, Mingchen..."

Xu Zhongling lowered her eyes, no longer showing any of the humility and timidity she had displayed when she knelt before Mingchen.

His voice was low and he seemed delirious, repeatedly calling out the same name.

His earlier panicked expression had subsided, but once he calmed down, he found himself unconsciously scratching his body, his fingernails digging a chunk of flesh and blood from his thigh.

The scene looked somewhat eerie.

They failed; their last hope was ruthlessly extinguished.

Since the appearance of the Qian Yuan Army, everything has been out of his control.

Should it be given to Wang Huai?

what's the result?
It's obvious without even guessing!
Wang Huai is a reckless man; he's not hard to fool.

However, this brute hated him to the core and could no longer find a way to fool him.

Wang Huai will kill him using the most severe methods.

Fortunately, he was quite lucky.

He's a smart guy.

Now he knows.

Everything, everything, is Mingchen.

A terrible person...

They had clearly only just met for the first time.

Even from a thousand miles away, hearing only the smallest, fragmented pieces of information, one could glimpse into his heart.

He felt a deep sense of powerlessness in the face of this person.

All attacks missed.
His ambitions, his blueprints... will never come to fruition.

That's not his fault.

Monsters exist in this era.

……

"Young Master, has Fuyao performed a great service?"

After leaving Xu Zhongling's location, the little bird spread its wings and asked Mingchen triumphantly.

The fiery divine beast that had terrified Xu Zhongling was now affectionately rubbing against Mingchen's face, acting coquettishly in its own way.

"Oh?"

Mingchen raised an eyebrow, feigning confusion: "What great achievement did you make? How come I didn't know?"

"Humph!"

"I'm the one who caught Xu Zhongling!"

"Otherwise, he might run away!"

Even if he didn't want to, Xu Zhongling had already prepared an escape route for himself in case of despair. If it weren't for the little bird, with Qi Yuan and the Blood Demon, he might have actually managed to escape.

The little bird spread its wings and glared fiercely at Mingchen.

This bad guy is obviously teasing her.

"Oh, really?"

"But I remember Xu Zhongling was captured by General He!"

"Young Master~~~"

"Hahahaha~"

Mingchen picked up the little bird and patted her head with a smile: "Good, good, good~ We'll remember our Fuyao'er for a great service!"

"What do you want? How about I talk to His Majesty and ask him to give you an official position?"

"How about this, I'll give you an official position in charge of the imperial horses!"

Upon hearing this, the little bird glared fiercely at Mingchen: "Fine! Young master, you also want me to be the Keeper of the Heavenly Horses!"

She used to love Mingchen's stories the most. She naturally knew all the stories Mingchen had told at Xiangmanlou in Yueyang City.

"Hey~"

"Raising the imperial horses is no small matter!"

Don't be ungrateful!

"Hmph! Young master, you're too cunning! I will take this as a provocation!"

"Hahahaha~"

Mingchen smiled, as if remembering something, and asked him, "By the way, did you really burn that Qi Yuan?"

Mingchen was actually quite interested in this cultivator who had encouraged his elder brother to declare himself emperor and later betrayed him to join Xu Zhongling's camp, and he had some questions he wanted to ask him.

Was this person a spy planted by Xu Zhongling from the very beginning, or did he later decide to abandon Wang Huai and join Xu Zhongling?

Since they've already been divorced once, why not put on the red veil again? Xu Zhongling's defeat is inevitable, so why not betray him again and choose a wiser master?

Who is behind him?

What are his beliefs?
Mingchen wanted to know the answers to all these questions.

However, none survived.

The little bird didn't hold back and burned it all.

Fuyao nodded: "Like those blood-covered people, he has very low resistance to my fire. He burns away as soon as he gets a little bit of it."

"He's clearly weak, but he insists on fighting me."

Mingchen lowered his eyes slightly: "Is that so..."

Was this person's departure a bit rushed?

The little bird, unaware of Mingchen's thoughts, simply asked, "Young Master, are we going home?"

Mingchen nodded gently: "Mm."

Mingchen has achieved his first objective in coming here to fight this battle.

Another objective was not under his control; he did his best and left the rest to fate.

Whether it succeeds or fails, it won't change anything.

"But I might have to leave home more often in the future."

The irrigation canal in Beilie is about to be completed, and Tiger King is ambitious and preparing his troops.

The blood-clad army was reduced to ashes at sunset.

The first battle of Qian Yuan's eastward expedition has begun, and Yueyang City has been recaptured.

These are signals.

The chaotic world ruled by the Blood-Clad Ruler, like the Yellow Turban Rebellion of another era, was like a brilliant shooting star that quickly came to an end.

Next, a brand new era will begin.

(End of this chapter)