Ark Undead

Only those who possess Originium Arts can protect their companions from all sorts of monsters.

It was precisely these people with Originium Arts who came together to form a society and become a city-state.

The earliest Yan Kingdom originated from this. They gathered together, they united, and from small villages, they built high stone walls to defend against the invasion of monsters.

Those chosen from among the people, those with power, became the leaders of the Great Yan Kingdom. After experiencing periods of division and reunification, the kingdom finally came to a unified state after a great catastrophe.

If you were to ask a prominent person now, "Do you believe in gods?"

Then you will definitely get this answer.

"Gods don't exist. What we Great Yan people rely on is always our own hands and the wisdom and heritage passed down from generation to generation. Those are just things we imagine and shouldn't be taken seriously."

Yes, the people of Dayan do not believe in ghosts and gods, and keep their distance from them.

But throughout countless ages, the people of this land regarded the worship of gods as their most important festival. They earnestly offered gifts to the gods who spoke out and decided to protect them, hoping for favorable weather and abundant harvests.

Inside the Great Yan Imperial Palace, the current Great Yan Emperor opened his eyes from his sleep.

His cloudy eyes looked at the general kneeling before him, the general in armor.

"Ah...my dear minister."

The emperor tried to sit up from his seat, but he could not muster the strength.

His frail arms tried to support the luxurious throne, but he could only barely straighten his upper body.

The two horns on its head felt as heavy as a thousand pounds at this moment.

After smoothing his somewhat unkempt beard, the king looked directly at the general kneeling before him.

"What brings you here today, my dear minister?"

The general, who was kneeling on the ground, lowered his head slightly and said in a deep voice.

"Your Majesty, I have important matters to report and have disturbed your rest. I beg Your Majesty's forgiveness."

"Go ahead."

The emperor reached out and gestured for the guards beside him to come over and help him sit up a little further back.

Even though he was so uncomfortable sitting, he was unwilling to stand up even a little bit.

"This matter is of great importance. I humbly request Your Majesty to dismiss those around you."

The emperor seemed to be very easygoing. He slightly raised his half-closed eyes and looked to the left and right.

The guards immediately understood and left through the small doors on both sides, while also closing the side doors of the palace.

Inside the entire palace, only the emperor and the elderly general, who was kneeling on the ground, remained.

"As you wish, my General Li."

After the guards left, the emperor seemed to relax a bit. He sat on his throne, casually shifted his position, then covered his mouth and coughed twice.

"Cough cough!"

The voice was slightly loud, but the emperor still tried his best to keep it down.

"Alright...alright...you don't need to be so nervous, my dear minister, stand up and speak."

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

The old general, known as General Li, stood up from the ground, but still did not look directly at the emperor. Instead, he stared at the ground in front of him and began to speak.

"I have only two things to report to Your Majesty on this trip back to the capital."

"First, the proportion of soldiers over there showing symptoms of Oripathy has been increasing recently. Often, after a single campaign, dozens of soldiers involved in the campaign will contract Oripathy. Even though this has happened in history, it should not be underestimated."

"Ah."

The emperor nodded and began to speak.

"My lords, you have worked hard. Those soldiers who have contracted Oripathy will receive an additional monthly allowance on top of their basic salary. At the same time, the medical expenses will be fully borne by the Great Yan Dynasty... cough cough! The Great Yan Dynasty...."

The emperor's cough seemed quite severe; he coughed again after only a few words.

"As for... as for the amount of the reissue, you can decide for yourself... Compared to human lives, these are nothing but material possessions, so don't be stingy."

"Your Majesty is so generous! On behalf of the soldiers stationed at the border, I thank Your Majesty for your great kindness!"

General Li knelt down again, supporting himself with his hands on the ground, to perform this grand salute.

The old emperor waved his hand, as if he wanted to say something, but then his throat felt itchy again.

He took a deep breath, suppressing the cough, and then asked further.

"There's one more thing."

General Li stood up again, in the same posture as before, looking down at the ground. He opened his mouth and remained silent for several seconds.

Then, he spoke in a calm tone.

"Your Majesty, I have come to bid you farewell."

"..."

The entire palace seemed to quiet down for a moment, and the sharp cries of birds could be heard coming through the windows from outside.

"Ugh."

The old emperor sighed, nodded, pondered for a moment, and then spoke.

"Old Li, how many years have you been guarding the border?"

"Your Majesty, if another month or two passes until the Spring Festival, it will be exactly fifty years."

General Li's gray hair was combed meticulously, and his beard was also neatly groomed, but the wrinkles on his face looked messy, like painted marks.

He had a strong, muscular physique, and wore clean chainmail.

You would never guess that he was a general returning to bid farewell to the emperor.

"Looking at the days, it's time for you to rest."

The emperor seemed to have anticipated this outcome. He raised his dim eyes and looked intently at the old general who had dedicated his life to the Great Yan Dynasty. He asked.

"Your child...I remember, is he also in the border army?"

"Yes, my son has been fighting alongside me for over ten years, and I wish to secure him an official position."

The general paused for a moment, then spoke again.

"If I could have him take my place after I'm gone, I would be completely satisfied."

This statement seems a bit presumptuous. If the emperor wants to bestow rewards, how can a mere minister have the right to interfere?

“My dear minister, your son is very handsome. Have you ever thought about coming to my side? It would be good for him to accompany the Crown Prince to rest.”

But the emperor's next words were unexpectedly spoken in a consultative tone.

But General Li bowed, stretched out his arms, and clasped his hands together in a gesture of respect.

"Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty, but my son was already aware of this when he accompanied me on the campaign. Now that he has married a virtuous wife, it is his wish to succeed me."

"..."

The old emperor pursed his lips, his beard trembled, and finally exhaled a breath of stale air.

"Approved."

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

The old general, with a strong voice, prostrated himself on the ground again and pressed his head down.

The old emperor sat on his throne, and for no apparent reason, he felt a pang of sadness.

"The day you set out on your campaign will be the day I ascend the throne. Fifty years have passed in the blink of an eye. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have realized that so much time has gone by."

"Your Majesty, please take care of your health."

"You don't need to worry about this. This Great Yan doesn't just belong to me; it belongs to countless people."

The old emperor seemed somewhat wistful as he continued.

"Since our ancestors received divine assistance, shot down evil spirits, and bestowed titles upon the gods, several hundred years have passed. The people of our Great Yan live in peace and prosperity thanks to these brave soldiers who have followed one after another. How could I not keep these things in mind?"

"But... cough cough!"

The old emperor seemed to want to say something more, but a sudden itch in his throat made him cough twice more.

The strength in his body was draining away even more, and he felt that even raising his hand had become difficult.

The emperor, who should have been living a life of luxury, looked even paler.

After coughing, the old emperor lost interest in continuing the conversation.

"Alright... my dear minister, how about you remove your armor after the Spring Festival?"

The emperor slumped on his throne and said weakly.

"Although I have become like this, I can still sit for a while longer... You don't need to be in such a hurry. Let's not talk about my elder brother. Just the handover of duties between you and your son will take some time."

"Thank you for your grace, Your Majesty!"

General Li buried himself even lower.

"May the Great Yan Dynasty prosper for ten thousand generations. Long live Your Majesty! Long live the Emperor!"

The old emperor struggled to open his eyes again and looked at General Li kneeling below the throne.

It was as if he wanted to etch the image of this beloved minister into his eyes, with such effort and such depth.

After a long while, the emperor closed his eyes and sighed softly.

"Sigh, go ahead."

217. Long time no see, General

A monster born from the shadows can never stand in the sunlight and bask in the elegant morning light.

But no one knows that they also yearn for the warmth of the sun, and long for the day when they can wash away the filth on their bodies and enjoy the gentle caress of the warm sunlight on their faces.

However, before the ideal is realized, any form of yearning for the ideal is just a yearning and has no practical value.

Shattered Bones put away the pocket watch in his hand and picked up the two portable grenade launchers that he always kept by his side.