Chapter 168

Chapter 168

The wandering poets were not actually wanderers, nor did they refer to any specific individual. However, they were indeed poets.

In an era where the written word was a luxury reserved for the nobility, common people learned about their nation's and ethnicity's history through bedtime stories from parents and elders, as well as the songs of wandering poets.

Wandering poets might not create new works, but they certainly knew many poems adapted from historical events. These poets, like merchants, enjoyed traveling and thus had access to a lot of information.

However, Ji Xinghai didn't have much time to linger in Egret City listening to the white-haired wandering poet sing songs. So he kidnapped the wandering poet and joined the group leaving Egret City for the capital.

"Sorry, this is compensation." The rich Ji waved a golden coin.

Instantly, the wandering poet had no complaints. After all, it was just a bit of travel; his old bones needed some exercise anyway.

So when the officer from Egret City came looking for Ji Xinghai, he was mostly sitting expressionlessly on a sled, listening to the wandering poet play music and sing songs. The songs were about how human ancestors found this uninhabited land and established a kingdom. Stripping away the exaggerated mythological elements, perhaps only a third of it remained true.

The officer looked puzzled. He waited until the wandering poet finished singing and then spoke with Ji Xinghai during a break.

Egret City had been blocked for over ten days, and the outside world changed daily, becoming unrecognizable.

The officer wanted to discuss matters with his subordinates, but they were even more confused. He wanted to talk to the crown prince, but the crown prince resented him for handing over the fire seed and refused to communicate. After much thought, the officer turned to Ji Xinghai.

Ji Xinghai thought, 'If you don't recognize it, I'm even more unfamiliar.' Therefore, he could only provide information from a few days ago, such as the chaotic situation where cities changed hands every day.

Whether the current rulers of these cities were humans or aliens was unknown.

Whether these city lords could hold their ground was also unknown.

It was all a mystery.

"How could this happen?" The officer from Egret City paced around in the temporary tent.

As a regular military officer, he had little connection with the Fire Thieves, but he had heard of their reputation. It seemed they weren't known to be so powerful, yet they managed to snatch back several cities from the squid people.

The more powerful they were, the more troubled he became.

"Are they seizing the fire seeds to establish a new kingdom?"

"Perhaps." Ji Xinghai shrugged. The officer from Egret City was deeply conflicted. As humans, the Fire Thieves were better than the squid people, but the problem was that they wanted to establish a new kingdom and elect a new king. And he still wanted to prolong the life of the old kingdom.

Would there be conflicts? Could he fight against so many city lords?

The officer from Egret City hadn't considered that Ji Xinghai also wanted to overthrow the old kingdom. Ji Xinghai was just one person; if he had a backing force, he wouldn't have come to Egret City to find the fire seed and a wandering poet.

Those city lords who held armies could easily transform into new kings—if they rebelled successfully and ignited the fire seed.

This possibility was quite high.

Holding his teacup, Ji Xinghai watched the officer worry so much that his eyebrows drooped. He found it amusing.

Indeed, watching others worry made him feel happier.

Suddenly, listening to the wandering poet sing long-drawn-out songs didn't seem so unpleasant anymore.

The capital was located at the center of six cities, standing atop the only hill rising from the plain. The hill appeared as if its peak had been cut off halfway, and the capital was built on the flat ground, replacing the tip of the hill.

This abrupt hill had three sides that were steep and impassable, with only one side having a gentle slope where stone steps had been carved out.

Due to the distance, it took nearly two days for the group from Egret City to reach the hill. But before they could celebrate, they saw four distinct groups gathered at the foot of the hill.

Well, apart from Blue Whale City, which had been under the control of the squid people for a long time, the other five cities were now under human rule again.

It was unclear how many of them were original inhabitants and how many were students.

Perhaps some original inhabitants had students behind them, just like the unfortunate student who drowned while advising the squid people.

The only certainty was that there were no cities like Egret City left—those hoping to restore the old kingdom. The city official from Egret City had already sent fast messengers to inform other groups about the crown prince's presence, but no one responded.

Moreover, the messengers brought back an unacceptable message—the capital had undergone a massacre three days prior.

Those damned aliens!

The officer from Egret City came to Ji Xinghai to vent, and Ji listened quietly. After being subjected to two days of lyrical songs, the officer's worrying time had become Ji's relaxation time.

Moreover, the officer would bring news of the current situation while complaining, and Ji was willing to endure it.

The wandering poet had sung through all the songs about the founding period, mentioning the fire seed in over a dozen chapters. Ji finally understood the significance of the fire seed to human society and why the squid people believed that once their own ascended to power, they could change the dynasty.

The fire seed was not just a physical symbol of royal authority; to some extent, it was a resource that could be controlled by individuals or factions.

In the era when humans faced harsh environments alone, individuals offered their fire seeds for survival. Grouping together indeed led to a period of rapid development.

However, such a contractual relationship couldn't keep up with the changing times. After territorial expansion ended, development slowed down significantly, and external conflicts gradually turned into internal ones. The royal authority, possessing the most crucial means of production—the fire seed—began exploiting ordinary people.

Why did so many humans turn against their own during the squid people's invasion? One reason was that they believed a change in leadership might improve their situation.

In reality, things got worse. Humans merely exploited, but aliens escalated to mass slaughter.

But ordinary people didn't understand; their access to knowledge was restricted, and the strategy of keeping them ignorant ultimately backfired on the royal family and nobility.

Of course, none of this mattered to Ji Xinghai, a mere student. He was just an observer. The only thing relevant to him was entering the Holy City to ignite the fire seed.

No wonder the officer from Egret City's eyes lit up when he heard Ji wanted to enter the Holy City to light the fire seed. This ritual had another name: version update, confirming a new user binding.

After igniting the fire seed, he would control the most significant means of production in this replica world, which he could either hand over to the old royal family or establish a new legitimate authority.

If Ji Xinghai had a team behind him, he might have been able to change the course of events, but since he was alone, the city guard of Egret City thought he could still make a stand.

The truth was, he couldn't.

The officers of Egret City had already seen the sunset of the old dynasty.

Yesterday's sun set in the west; today's dawn brings new life. But what about those left behind from yesterday? Where do they go from here?

"..." Ji Xinghai sat on a sled, holding a steaming cup of tea, watching as the city guard of Egret City gazed skyward at a forty-five-degree angle, leaving a poet-like silhouette of melancholy.

If this man didn't guard the city, he'd make a fine philosopher.

He then looked towards the approaching hill, where the encircling armies were becoming clearer, each with a dazzling beam of light at the forefront, even in broad daylight.

Finally, before the sun completely set, the troops of Egret City arrived at the foot of the hill and met with the armies of other cities.

"Do you know that most of the nobles in the capital are still alive, while countless commoners have perished?"

They looked up and saw a patch of pink on the hilltop, which had been previously covered in snow. It wasn't the blossoms of early spring; it was the blood spilled during the massacre.

Why did the nobles survive? Because they had long surrendered to the invaders.

The eyes of the city guard of Egret City were red with rage. He could no longer utter words to prolong the old dynasty.

If even he felt this way, how could the ordinary soldiers feel any different?

Perhaps the crown prince, trembling in fear inside the carriage, could provide an answer.

The hatred of the people below was ignited; they wished to charge up the hill, but the archers positioned above and the corpses of human warriors halfway up served as stark reminders to remain calm.

Rushing up without a plan would only hand victory to the enemy.

With so many armies gathered below, they needed to deliberate carefully on their next move.

The city guard seemed to accept reality and, instead of bringing out the disgruntled crown prince, took Ji Xinghai to visit the leaders of the other cities.

"I'll discuss with them how to arrange things properly."

"What use is there for me to come along?"

"You don't have anything else to do," the city guard said seriously.

"..." For the ride, at least.

They first visited the nearest leader.

The once squid-man-controlled Red Fox City now had a new leader, an NPC who was short and chubby, with a face that radiated friendliness and prosperity.

Upon meeting the city guard of Egret City, this leader spoke many flattering words, showing a particularly friendly attitude, but upon reflection, all were empty pleasantries.

After leaving, the city guard sighed.

Ji Xinghai knew why he sighed. Merchants value profit, and this new leader, though leading an army, was clearly here to take advantage of the situation.

Such a person would never be at the front lines. Moreover, if the human forces were suppressed, he might even betray them.

In the end, wherever short-term benefits lie, he would follow.

Next, they visited the current leader of Wuzhen City, Lady Pattaya.

From a brief glimpse, he remembered her as a brave and strategic native, but upon closer inspection, something felt off.

Could students still enter the game using the bodies and identities of NPCs?

Such a significant advantage must come with limitations, like not allowing others to notice any anomalies. Considering this, it was impressive that she managed to become a leader while maintaining her NPC identity.

Lady Pattaya warmly welcomed the delegation from Egret City. Before the city guard could speak, she filled him with a large dose of "the responsibility of every citizen to save the nation."

She consoled the city guard, "Ah, the hard-won legacy built by our ancestors nearly destroyed by unworthy descendants who chose to collaborate with the invaders, willing to sell out their country for their own pleasure. I will fulfill my mission, purge the traitors, and reclaim our kingdom for humanity."

This leader was straightforward. She aimed to establish a new nation and order. To gain public support and legitimacy, she planned to execute the traitorous nobles and royal family members.

What could the city guard do? He could only accept the reality with a bitter smile: "I understand all this, but I can't just watch... sigh."

Seeing his distress, Ji Xinghai tried to comfort him: "How about you close your eyes?"

The city guard visibly became more dejected. Thankfully, the next leader was someone familiar, giving him some renewed spirit.

Whitefish City, where Ji Xinghai had been detained in a side residence and later expelled. After the radical leader's unfortunate demise, his deputy took over.

This leader was known to the city guard, and the two chatted by the fire, sharing a flask of wine.

This leader was a moderate, not advocating the extermination of all squid-men, but also not supporting their presence. Humans were on the squid-men's menu; living together was like putting cats and mice in the same cage.

"After everything is settled, we'll send ships to transport the non-participating aliens away. Their fate after that is up to them."

Halfway through the flask, the city guard's face turned red, and his courage grew. He went to meet the last leader, the new leader of Wasp City.

This leader was a student, appearing as an ordinary young woman, showing no signs of the power she wielded in rallying forces to overthrow the old leader. They all knew she was a natural leader.

She made no secret of her ambition and led by example, making her incredibly charismatic. "Once upon a time, we lived happy and fulfilling lives, but look at us now—poor, destitute, struggling to make ends meet. Who caused all this? Is it because we deserve punishment? Are we too lazy to be treated well? No.

"It's the enemies!

"Those who leech off us, those among us who abuse and harm us, trampling on our dignity and self-respect!

"But we are not mere ants, not lowly dust! Only struggle can reclaim what is ours, and only weapons can protect the fruits of our labor!"

She wasn't just a speaker; she acted on her words.

So she led a few serfs to kill the thugs and took control of the farmers, dividing half of what they obtained equally to ensure everyone's livelihood, while the other half was given as rewards to the brave.

In the city, heads rolled, but for the first time, the oppressed serfs and laborers ate white bread and wore warm clothes.

In just a few days, she became the de facto ruler of Wasp City.

Thus, Wasp City had the most people, the most united hearts, and the most eager to try. Because they could truly get bread and milk, truly moving toward their goal.

Hardworking laborers deserve a prosperous and peaceful life. If they cannot have it, they will take it back with their own hands.

All enemies in their way will be utterly destroyed.

"Egret City is not an opponent in one battle; they fight for themselves. Fortunately, you are not enemies." After seeing the state of the Wasp City soldiers, Ji Xinghai turned to the city guard and said, "But don't feel too bad; at least you can still fight. Like Red Fox City, which loses before even fighting, they aren't even on the same level."

City guard: "… Thank you for your comfort."