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"Your Highness... you really dote on me."

"Very well, since it is His Highness's choice, I will not interfere any further."

Quessina's tone was icy.

"Quesatushta, those pardoners, your minions, the scars you left on us are still fresh in our minds."

"..."'

“Quessassina, Quessassina…you don’t understand, you will never understand, because you have never lived through that era.”

Quesatushta gently closed his eyes, seemingly lost in a memory.

After the end of the Quilon era, which established the royal court system, Kazdel spent thousands of years in chaos, and the Sarkaz entered an era of turmoil.

It was an era that had no shortage of great leaders, but was also full of mediocre ones. The selection mechanism of the Black Crown and the development of the royal court system meant that the demon kings of the Sarkaz were rarely great leaders who could unite the entire race.

He spoke softly.

"Long ago, in the dead of night after a fierce battle with the enemy, I looked up at the sky. It was a suffocating black, the campfire was dying down, and the flames were gradually cooling."

"The battlefield was littered with the blood-soaked corpses of soldiers, stretching from the front lines all the way to Kazdel. In just a few decades, we have once again completed a great defensive battle."

"But how many more times can Kazdel endure such trauma?"

"I've always wondered, can people like us Sarkaz really have what we call a happy life?"

“I was convinced that the day would come when Sarkaz would have a home again, but as time went on, I felt more and more powerless and unable to do anything about it.”

“Since then, all the Demon Kings except me… they are nothing more than puppets chosen by the Black Crown.”

Quesatushta's voice was low and hoarse, as if every word carried a heavy history and helplessness.

As he said this, his tone betrayed a hint of sarcasm and disappointment.

"They lacked vision, courage, and even the will to confront the real plight of the Sarkaz."

"They simply sit on their thrones, enjoying illusory power and satisfying their own desires, without ever truly thinking about the future of the Sarkaz."

Quessina frowned; she had never seen Quessutushta so bluntly denigrate those former demon lords.

In her memory, Quesatushta was always cold and rational, and never easily revealed his emotions.

However, at this moment, his words were filled with anger and disappointment.

“Some of them are not even as good as ordinary Sarkaz warriors. Kazdel has gradually lost its former glory in their hands.”

"I have personally witnessed a demon lord who, in order to consolidate his power, did not hesitate to sacrifice the lives of thousands of Sarkaz warriors."

"He ordered them to carry out a pointless attack, just to demonstrate his power to the outside world. And what was the result? The bodies of those warriors piled up like mountains, while he sat on his throne, watching it all with indifference."

A complex mix of emotions welled up in Quessina's heart. It was the first time she had heard the other person talk to her about these anecdotes. She had never imagined that those former demon kings could be so incompetent and ruthless.

"There is another demon lord who is obsessed with the power of the Black Crown and tries to control all the royal courts through the Black Crown in order to command all the Sarkaz people."

"She thought that as long as she controlled the Black Crown, she could control everything. However, she forgot that the power of the Black Crown was not omnipotent. It could not resolve the internal conflicts among the Sarkaz, nor could it resist external threats."

"In the end, she fell at the hands of the royal court, which deepened the rift between the royal court and the future Demon Lord, plunging Kazdel into even greater chaos."

"The Twin Kings... Compared to the previous Demon King, they have managed to get here with mixed bloodlines, which means they have some strength, but that's all they have."

"Theresia... to me, she is more detestable than the mediocre Elish. She drives countless Sarkaz to pursue her childish and ridiculous ideals."

"The Sarkaz have already shed too much blood; before they can realize that so-called beautiful vision, they will soon have no blood left."

Quesatushta's tone was calm, but Liz could feel the disappointment and anger permeating the air, and the accumulation of these negative energies made her frown.

"I see no future for Sarkaz in these demon lords."

"I am completely disappointed with Black Crown. I thought that Kazdel would never have a demon king who could truly lead the Sarkaz to glory again."

"But—perhaps it was the mercy and favor of heaven that brought this prince here... Kazdel has truly ushered in a turning point."

"No demon king has ever accomplished such great feats as him. Even going back to the first few generations, none of them possessed such a combination of strength and charisma."

"No one knows His Highness's origins. He seems to have no past. From the moment he appeared, he seemed to have been tasked with the mission of reviving the Sarkaz."

"In just two short years, he proved with the blood of those sinners, as well as milk and bread, how incompetent the previous Demon King was. He broke the shackles that had bound the Sarkaz for so long."

"I think the only right decision Theresa made was to give the Black Crown to His Highness."

"..."

A look of shock flashed in Quessassina's eyes. She had never heard Quessassina praise anyone like that, let alone a demon king.

However, at this moment, his words were filled with respect and trust for that man.

"He made the Sarkaz no longer grovel at the feet of those beasts, and made Kazdel eternal in countless tomorrows."

“You should thank His Highness; it was he who made me stop the Absolute Master’s previous plans.”

"Quesasina..."

His voice was deep and carried a long-lost sense of ease.

“I used to think that only by controlling everything could the future of the Sarkaz be secured.”

“I used to think that only through iron-fisted measures could Kazdel be saved from collapse.”

“I once thought that my mission was to protect this land, even at any cost.”

His fingers tapped lightly on the table, as if recalling those bygone days.

"But Your Highness made me realize that my previous understanding was flawed."

“My obsession was nothing more than a projection of my fears and anxieties about the past. I believed that only through control and blood ties could the Sarkaz be protected.”

"However, Your Highness showed me that true power does not come from bloodlines and control, but from hope and unity."

"He instilled in every Sarkaz an unwavering determination, he gave every Sarkaz a steadfast faith, and he made Kazdel rooted in the hearts of every Sarkaz—something I could never achieve in my entire life."

"If you are fortunate enough to be able to work by His Highness's side, you must cherish this opportunity."

"As you said, the White Horned Demon King, who died thousands of years ago, can finally rest in peace. Now, only one pardoner remains, dedicated to assisting Your Highness."

His voice carried a hint of relief, yet it also betrayed an undeniable weariness and complexity.

"Finally, I... I just wanted to tell you..."

“I am free, Quessina…”

Chapter 92 Long Time No See, Theresa

Three months passed in the blink of an eye, and Quessina and Liz were both settled in Kazdel.

Thanks to the Sarkaz Democratic Union's arrangements, Quessana has found a job, and Liz is now able to walk normally again.

The sky over Kazdel remained azure, and the sun shone on this land full of hope.

Shen Lin and Ersula inspected the agricultural development in the outer city together, while also observing this vibrant land.

Golden waves of wheat rippled in the breeze, and the infected people busily moved through the fields, the air filled with the fresh scent of soil and wheat.

"I never expected that after you, Shen Lin, agreed to the bill allowing infected people to enter the city, the population of the outer city would exceed one million in just three months."

“We’ve done some research, and we found that not all of these residents are infected; about half of them are not.”

"Because in most other countries, if only one person in a family is infected, the entire family will be ostracized by society, and some of them have brought their whole families with them."

“At the time, I was worried that this might cause some riots, so I tripled the number of guards in the outer city that day. But when they heard that we were from the Sarkaz Democratic Union, they cooperated unexpectedly.”

Looking at the dense crowds and bustling farmland before her, Ersula couldn't help but sigh. Her gaze swept over the residents working in the fields; their faces, though weary, radiated contentment.

This is an experience they have never had in other countries—being able to work freely and support themselves with their own hands, instead of being expelled or discriminated against.

"All they needed was a place that would accept them. Kazdel gave them that opportunity, and they repaid the land with their hard work."

Ersula smiled slightly, her gaze fixed on the golden wheat field in the distance.

"The arrival of infected people not only solved our labor shortage problem, but also brought many new technologies and experiences."

"Look at that irrigation system over there. It was designed by several infected people from Yan Country. It's three times more efficient than our previous system."

Following her gaze, Shen Lin saw several infected individuals adjusting a complex irrigation system. Water flowed evenly across every field through a sophisticated piping system.

Shen Lin and Ersula stepped forward and overheard their conversation.

"Wow, this land is so fertile! It looks like this year's harvest will be great!"

A young infected person wiped the sweat from his forehead and smiled at his companion beside him.

"Yes, thanks to the support of the Sarkaz Democratic Union, we have been given such good tools and technical guidance."

Another infected person patted the sickle in their hand, their tone full of gratitude.

"Back in Ursus, we didn't even have the chance to farm. We could only hide in a corner of the North and wait to die. The scouts said the crystals on our bodies would pollute the land, and we'd get whipped even if we just passed by farmland..."

"If they don't die, they'll keep capturing them and forcing them to mine. It's said that sometimes they even make the infected draw lots and then play a killing game. They're nothing short of devils..."

"Your Majesty... Oh no! I mean, Demon King, I never imagined that we could support ourselves with our own hands here."

Shen Lin paused, remembering the reports from the exiles. In Ursus, infected people were labeled as "sources of contamination," and even their most basic human rights were taken away.

At this moment, these infected people, who were once considered useless, are holding up heavy ears of wheat with their mud-covered hands, as if holding up their lost dignity.

They continued walking and came to a newly cleared field. Several infected people were installing an irrigation system, and their conversation caught Shen Lin's attention.

"Back in the mines, they wouldn't even give us clean water, forcing us to drink mud mixed with Originium dust... Now, they've even purified the water for irrigation."

The young man smiled wryly as he spoke, lifting the hose and letting the clear water cascade over the wheat seedlings, the water droplets refracting tiny sparkles in the sunlight.

“My father died from drinking that kind of water. If he were alive, he would have seen this wheat field…”

"He'll probably say we're living in a myth."

Shen Lin's fingers unconsciously rubbed the buttons on his trench coat. He recalled a Victorian nobleman's arrogant declaration that infected people should be burned like garbage.

Meanwhile, those people who are called "garbage" are turning the desert into fertile land through their own efforts.

"Shen Lin, that's the residential area over there that's under the jurisdiction of our Sarkaz Democratic Union."

Ersula pointed to a temporary settlement not far away, which had been gradually transformed into a permanent residential area.

"This house is really well built; it's much better than the slums we used to live in."

One of the infected men spoke to his companion as he laid bricks. His right leg was slightly lame—a wound sustained during the riots in the Qazimir slums.

"Back then, we slept in leaky tin shacks and wrapped ourselves in moldy burlap sacks for warmth in the winter. The patrol team would always come and smash our shacks, saying we were polluting the city."

Another infected person smiled and tapped on the brick wall, the dull echo carrying a sense of reassurance.

"They also provided us with free building materials and technical support, and even the window glass is double-insulated! My daughter said last night that she finally doesn't have to sleep shivering anymore."

He suddenly lowered his voice.

"To be honest, when I first arrived, I always suspected it was a trap... What country would genuinely take in infected people?"

"..."

Seeing that the residents of the outer city could still maintain a high level of happiness under such circumstances, Shen Lin was at a loss for words. In the end, he sighed softly.

"They are more easily satisfied than we imagine."

Following Shen Lin's gaze, Ersula also revealed a look of emotion.

“No country in Terra can accept infected people like we do, and I never thought that the social ills brought about by industrialization would be solved in this way.”

"All I can say is that Shen Lin, you are always ahead of us."

Kazdel's only hidden danger is the problem of logistical food supply. If trade routes are cut off during wartime, Shen Lin must ensure that Kazdel has the ability to produce food on its own.

The unity of most Sarkaz in the inner city is beyond doubt. Now, Kazdel only needs to ensure a stable food supply to the outer city to support any sudden war.

Now it seems that if people from other countries want to use the wealth gap to incite internal conflicts, it won't work in Kazdel, because there, infected people don't even have the most basic human rights.

Those empires couldn't temporarily adjust their policies on accepting infected people, because they had used infected people for years to sow discord within their societies, and the hatred between civilians and infected people was already deeply rooted.

In contrast, most of the Sarkaz are infected, and they are very accepting of infected people, which is why Kazdel was able to successfully convert these people into high-quality productivity.

Kazdel's current state of development is an unrepeatable miracle.

"By the way, the first batch of Sargon rubber has been delivered to Kazdel, and we have already sent people to take it over."

"However, it seems that Theresa did not return with the diplomatic corps. It is said that she plans to stay in Victoria to see a friend?"

Ersula suddenly seemed to remember something, and her gaze turned to Shen Lin.