Save the simulator and make Sarkaz great again!

When he arrived in the city, he found that the infected had already been taken into custody by the Golden Law Guard and the nobles' private soldiers. The soldiers, clad in golden armor and wielding musical instrument-like weapons, coldly led the infected away one by one.

Alexei stood at a distance, his brow furrowed, a sense of foreboding rising within him.

Where are they taking these people?

Alexei muttered to himself, his eyes fixed on the infected people who were being taken away.

He decided to follow them discreetly to see what these Golden Law Guards were up to. Although his status as a member of the Sarkaz Democratic Union was unpopular in Letania, no one dared to easily stop him.

After all, Kazdel's rise has instilled a new sense of awe in many nations towards the Sarkaz.

Alexei followed the King Law Guard's party through desolate ruins, finally arriving at a huge black tower.

The towering structure pierced the clouds, its body covered with intricate runes and magic arrays. The arrays covering the tower writhed in a ghostly blue light, like countless maggots gnawing at the air.

"The Tower of Origin..."

Alexei murmured the name of the tower, a chill running through him.

He huddled in the shadows, the putrid mud soaking the soles of his boots. With each flash of the runes, a low hum echoed from the base of the tower, like the stomach of a giant beast digesting flesh and blood.

He followed the group and witnessed the most shocking scene of his life.

Jin Lufa led the infected to a secluded room, whereupon several black-robed sorcerers approached. Holding rune-engraved daggers, they coldly forced the infected to the ground.

"Experimental subject number 321".

He mechanically recited the numbers, his fingertips tracing the chest of an Ursus infected. The man's skin, hardened like rock by Oripathy, was as brittle as paper under the warlock's dagger.

The moment the blade pierced through, the Ursus man let out a beast-like roar as the warlock's dagger precisely traced the bone, carving spiraling magic circles in its wake.

With each slash, the eerie light swirling around the blade's tip burrowed into their flesh like a living thing, devouring the lives of the infected.

The cries of the infected echoed in the air, but the warlocks seemed not to hear them, their daggers plunging into the bodies of the infected without hesitation.

Alexei's pupils suddenly contracted as he saw the sorcerers inscribing complex magic circles inside the infected bodies.

With each cut, the infected's body convulsed violently, blood flowing from the wound and staining the ground red. The sorcerers, however, continued their work expressionlessly, as if performing some kind of ritual.

"They are using the lives of the infected... to provide energy for the Tower of Origin..."

One of the infected individuals seemed to have noticed him.

Alexei's breath caught in his throat, his gaze meeting that of the infected man in mid-air. Those were lifeless eyes, pupils unfocused, as if they had lost all will to live.

There was no anger, no fear, not even pain in those eyes—only a deep, suffocating indifference.

The infected person's lips trembled slightly, as if trying to say something, but only a hoarse whimper escaped from their throat.

Alexei saw that the exposed Originium crystal on his wrist had been slashed open by the warlock's dagger, and a ghostly blue light was seeping from the wound, as if some strange life was devouring his flesh.

His stomach convulsed violently, acid rising to his throat. He bit his cuff tightly to prevent himself from vomiting. The air was thick with the stench of blood and burnt meat.

This was a brutal and blasphemous feast.

He had never imagined that the nobles of Letania could be so brutal. These infected people, already suffering from Oripathy, were now being used as energy, their lives squeezed dry.

Alexei clenched his fists so tightly that his nails dug deep into his palms. He knew he had to do something.

He quickly returned to his previous camp and picked up his backpack, only to find that Kim Yu-fa was preparing to take away more infected people.

Alexei rushed forward without hesitation and stood in front of the soldiers.

"Stop!"

Alexei's voice echoed in the air, carrying an unquestionable authority.

The guards were taken aback for a moment, then looked at him coldly. The leading sergeant stepped forward and sized Alexei up and down.

"Sarkaz?"

"It's so nostalgic... The last time I saw you was on those ruins you called liberation."

"I didn't expect you to speak up for these infected people. After all, you have a lot of blood on your hands. Are you now trying to show your hypocritical kindness?"

His words were spoken with deliberate pauses, as if he were savoring each word on the tip of his tongue, carrying a condescending elegance.

Alexei knew that the other person's elegance was just another form of arrogance, an attempt to crush him with words.

His eyes were sharp.

"We are avenging the sinners; you are slaughtering the weak!"

Seemingly surprised that the Sarkaz, who used to be so subservient to them, dared to talk back, the sergeant's voice remained elegant, yet carried an undeniable coldness.

"This is the will of His Majesty the Witch King, and no one can defy it."

"Now, please... don't interfere with our work, otherwise, I wouldn't mind showing you... Letania's methods."

For those loyal to the Witch King, the fact that the other Electors had signed a peace treaty with Kazdel had nothing to do with the city of Viseheim, which was not under the Witch King's control.

Alexei took a deep breath. He didn't answer. He put down the backpack behind him and, under their scrutinizing gazes, pulled out a flag.

That was the flag of the Kazdel Democratic Union, a symbol of the unity and hope of the Sarkaz people.

He raised the flag high, and the huge flag unfurled in the wind. He then had the infected behind him bring the flag to him.

They held up the enormous flag, as if even the air itself trembled for it.

In that instant, all the Golden Law Guards and noble private soldiers stopped moving. Their eyes were fixed on the flag, as if they had seen some irresistible force.

"This is the flag of the Kazdel Democratic Union!!"

"Damn it, he's one of that demon's men!!!"

Alexei's voice was firm and powerful.

"These infected individuals are under Kazdel's protection! You have no right to take them away!"

The guards exchanged bewildered glances, clearly not expecting anyone to dare so openly defy their orders.

The leading sergeant's face instantly turned ugly. His gaze was fixed on the fluttering flag, which seemed to have transformed into countless sharp thorns, piercing his arrogance inch by inch.

In the past, this arrogant and ignorant demon brat would have become one of their test subjects long ago.

"The Demon Lord's banner..."

He repeated the word softly, as if he wanted to crush it.

The tip of the tuning fork trembled slightly, emitting a faint hum, but it hesitated to issue the command to attack.

He knew all too well the weight of that banner—those electors who had once mocked Kazdel as "demon bandits" would now unconsciously lower their voices when mentioning that demon lord in the council.

However, Alexei did not back down in the slightest. He looked directly at the soldiers, his voice carrying an unquestionable authority.

"If you dare to touch them, Kazdel will not stand idly by. Are you really prepared to be enemies with Kazdel?"

The air seemed to freeze, and the Golden Law Guards fell into a brief silence. Kazdel's rise had already instilled fear in many nations, especially the nobles of Letania, who were well aware of Kazdel's power.

At that moment, a soldier walked up to the sergeant and whispered something.

"Sir, we should consult His Majesty the Witch King..."

"Their transport ship won't arrive for several more days, so they can't leave here for the time being. We still have time..."

Finally, the leading sergeant snorted coldly, a hint of resentment in his eyes, and waved his hand, signaling his men to retreat.

"let's go."

Alexei watched the soldiers' departing figures and breathed a sigh of relief. He turned around and looked at the rescued infected people, whose eyes were filled with gratitude and hope.

"You are safe for now. In a few days I will take you to Kazdel, where your loved ones are waiting for you."

Alexei said softly.

The infected people nodded, tears glistening in their eyes.

However, Alexei's heart remained heavy. He knew that the shadow of the Tower of Origin still loomed over this land, and that the cruelty of that Witch King far exceeded his imagination.

"We have to get out of here as soon as possible."

Alexei said in a low voice, a hint of determination in his eyes.

He settled the infected people in the temporary camp of the Sarkaz Democratic Union and then hastily wrote an urgent letter.

He knew he had to tell His Highness everything, and everyone in Kazdel.

The atrocities of Letania must be exposed, and Kazdel must prepare for the coming storm.

……

Wildfires still burn brightly across the land of Kazdel, golden waves of wheat sway in the wind, and silver production lines stretch out busily.

Shen Lin sat in his office as usual, and he read the headline of the newspaper in a low voice.

"The Emperor of Ursus has been assassinated..."

Throughout the year, Kazdel experienced numerous trade frictions with Letania and Victoria, but without any major new setbacks, and could be considered to have had a year of stable development.

However, Ursus, which was attacking the Eastern Kingdom outside of Kazdel, became quite lively. Just when everyone thought that the Eastern Kingdom was nothing more than Ursus's possession, an unexpected event occurred.

"Shortly after the defeat at the Battle of Bloodpeak in Ursus, the emperor met with misfortune in the palace. The new nobles declared that the old nobles had cast a shadow over the country and that they must begin to reform them..."

Shen Lin put down the newspaper and gently shook his head.

News from Theresis indicates that the Sarkaz members now incorporated into the ranks are basically proficient in using firearms, which is a huge boost to Kazdel's military.

Moreover, the previous aircraft have undergone significant modifications by Laterano Technology, enabling them to be mass-produced and, in addition to bombing, also possess air combat capabilities.

However, what Shen Lin was more concerned about was that the Moonshadow-class airships he had previously ordered to be built were now nearing completion.

This behemoth, which consumed half of the industrial output of more than twenty mobile cities in a single year, is now nearing completion.

Feeling Therese's shock and excitement, Shen Lin chuckled and shook his head, deciding to wait and see what kind of surprise he would give him.

Kazdel is now unafraid of any war.

Shen Lin couldn't help but sigh.

"Everything is going according to plan, and the five-year plan we originally set out for has developed much faster than expected."

A series of light and gentle footsteps interrupted Shen Lin's thoughts, and Theresa pushed open the door and entered with a cheerful expression.

"Shen Lin! This year's harvest is 30% higher than last year's."

"Our food reserves are enough to sustain the entire Kazdel through several harsh winters, and we even have surplus grain to export to other countries."

She had thought that the development of Kazdel that she had witnessed before was an insurmountable peak, but as Kazdel continued to develop, she suddenly realized that it was only the beginning.

The lands that were once unused in Laterano have now been cultivated into fertile farmlands, with irrigation systems spreading throughout the outer city of Kazdel and even extending to the more distant borders.

Every field was neatly arranged, with full ears of wheat, as if announcing to the world the revival of this land.

She had dreamed of this scene countless times, but never imagined that it would happen in such a short time.

However, the changes in Kazdel were not limited to agriculture. In the inner city, factory chimneys still soared into the sky, and the roar of machines continued day and night.

Originium refineries, steel mills, textile factories... one after another, modern factories sprang up, and Kazdel's industrial output increased several times in just one year.

A phrase came to mind: rapid and ever-changing!

What excites Theresa even more is the gradual improvement of the Kazdel education system thanks to the efforts of the Sarkaz Democratic Union.

Furthermore, for those infected in the outer city, in addition to a certain number of years of service, the Sarkaz Democratic Union has also opened up a talent policy, giving those capable of increasing industrial and agricultural output the opportunity to enter the inner city ahead of schedule.

This is a very stable policy system that has effectively increased the enthusiasm for development in the outer city.

Shen Lin put down the documents in his hand and gestured for her to sit down.

"The changes in Kazdel in just two years are nothing short of a miracle."

Theresa's voice was filled with barely concealed excitement.

The man chuckled softly, shook his head, and was about to say something when...

Just then, the office door was pushed open, and a Sarkaz official rushed in, holding a report. His expression was grave, clearly bringing bad news.

"Your Highness, you should take a look at this."

The official handed the newspaper to Shen Lin, his tone tinged with unease.

Shen Lin took the newspaper, his eyes quickly scanning the headline. Theresa noticed that his brows furrowed slightly, and his expression became serious.

The report details Alexei's experiences in Letania and the truth about the Tower of Origin.

Their eyes quickly scanned the paper.

"The Tower of Origin...The Witch King...Living Energy..."