Chapter 374

Chapter 374: Chapter 371: "War God Dragon King Number One Player’s Strong Return...

"Swoosh."

Su Ming’an opened his eyes.

In front of him, flickering red flames danced within the fireplace, casting a warm glow throughout the room.

The snow and wind slipped in through the lifted curtain at the door, and the blonde youth unfastened his coat and slowly entered.

"You’ve arrived?" Su Ming’an turned around.

The words Noel was about to say were forcefully swallowed back.

"I’ve arrived," he could only say.

"Then let’s plan our next moves," Su Ming’an rolled up the map in his hands.

Wrapped in their thick clothes, Lv Shu and Lin Yin burst in and joined the action plan.

"According to the principle of equivalence, we might encounter some dangers outside the situation, such as deities. Or Sea Monsters," Su Ming’an said.

Lin Yin was puzzled.

"Why does the principle of equivalence exist?" she wondered. "Why does one side become stronger when the other does? That’s completely unrealistic."

Su Ming’an responded to Lin Yin with a smile.

"Perhaps it’s the hand of God orchestrating it," he said.

"God? Why would He care about such things?" Lin Yin asked, puzzled.

"...If a deity’s power source," Su Ming’an looked at her, "—were derived from people’s hatred and strife?"

Lin Yin was slightly confused.

But when the rules of the Maritime Banquet were distributed at twelve midnight, they immediately commenced their operation.

At five past midnight, the team quickly left the cabin, "coincidentally" avoiding the attacking party, including Luna, rendering the enemy’s plan for a fire attack futile.

At ten past midnight, Lin Yin, as an Occupier, was the first to reach Second Zone’s common stronghold, and under Sevya’s protection, she began capturing it. Shadow, at Su Ming’an’s command, stood alone at the Sixth Zone stronghold, driving away all approaching Players.

At twenty past midnight, the Second Zone stronghold was successfully captured.

At forty-five past midnight, Lin Yin reached the Fourth Zone stronghold, which was also successfully captured.

At one o’clock, Su Ming’an, accompanied by Archilev, went to the church,

It was a blood-red necklace.

The deep red, like a beating heart, the gemstone hung at the bottom of the chain, glimmering faintly in the dizzying light.

She looked at the necklace around her neck with some shock, trying to pull it off, only to find it starting to shine brightly.

An extreme sense of danger warned her that this item could truly threaten her life.

This was Su Ming’an’s method of controlling her.

He indeed had no intention of killing the Princess.

The Princess is key to the entire instance, and according to the information he had acquired about the "incubator," if someone killed the last successful incubator, they might become the last generation themselves.

If he killed the Princess, he might instantaneously become the Princess himself, or become instantaneously metamorphosed.

This was a very dangerous trap, one that he had discerned, and the Princess absolutely must not be killed.

But he had other methods of control.

"You, you... Su Rin! How dare you make me wear this... I tell you, if I die before the next ’incubator’ grows out, the Sea Monsters suppressed by the soul within me will go berserk—"

"You once said that Pulaya does not need a second ruler, that I should not come back." Su Ming’an looked at her: "But now, it is you who is no longer needed."

"My body carries the soul that suppresses the Sea Monsters in the vicinity—" the Princess angrily said.

Su Ming’an didn’t respond.

He didn’t tell the Princess, unfortunately for her, he also bore one, and it was the complete version.

He had thought the Princess knew this information, but now it seemed, only players like Boris who were engrossed in unearthing old tales were aware.

He wondered where Boris had found the old sailor who knew about it.

Facing the Princess who was so angry she lost her composure, Su Ming’an pinched the air with his fingers, and the pendant on the Princess’ neck started glowing.

She immediately lowered her hands, scared witless that it might explode.

Black Pike, on the other hand, dreaded damaging what he couldn’t afford to lose and dared not move a muscle.

"What... What do you want..." The Princess’s tone instantly weakened: "Su Rin, I’m telling you, you are still a participant in the Maritime Banquet. If you attempt to directly rule over Pulaya and eliminate the conflict between humans and the Soul Clan, the deities will never forgive you..."

"Deities?" Su Ming’an retorted: "Are there actually deities in this world who feed on the hatred and struggle between lives, stirring up wars like ’Demon Kings,’ deliberately maintaining the balance of war? Have the sources of a deity’s power become this filthy?"

"Prepare the succession ceremony." Su Ming’an let go, and the Ruby Pendant on the Princess’s neck calmed down.

"Today, I want all of Pulaya to hear the news of a new king’s ascension," he said.

"Do you want me to ascend to the throne, to become your puppet?" The Princess’s complexion improved slightly, her clenched fist loosening a bit.

As long as she was not killed, everything else could be discussed.

Even if she were to ascend to the throne and become Su Rin’s puppet, she could still accumulate strength, slowly find a way to remove the necklace, or quickly find the next vessel to transfer her body and seize an opportunity for a counterattack.

This was merely a stalling tactic... She could temporarily follow his orders.

As long as she became Queen, her chances of victory were even greater.

"It’s not about pushing you to power," Su Ming’an glanced at her.

"Not me? Could it be you? I am the only one of the royal bloodline, you are not worthy of ascending to the throne..." The Princess was so incensed she laughed, even daring to scoff in the face of danger.

"—’Do princes and generals have a family?’" Archilev, looking every bit the English gentleman, interjected.

Su Ming’an punched the Princess in the face, then turned to Archilev: "Well said, who taught you that?"

"Miss Lin Yin," Archilev smiled: "She truly is a wise woman. However... as I have followed you, I’ve gradually realized that, Father, you are also worthy of my loyalty."

Archilev had discovered the truth that Su Ming’an was Su Rin from over sixty years ago.

He knew who had saved him when he was on the brink of death, who had transformed him.

Between the two Protectors, Su Ming’an had chosen him over Sevya, which he believed represented Su Rin’s trust in him.

"I thought so."

Su Ming’an picked up the Princess in his hand: "It seems we still need to have a more in-depth communication."

"...No need." The Princess, with her swollen bun-like face, restrained the angry expression on her face.

In the face of Su Ming’an, who could make her cry with one punch, her voice became very small: "...I’ll arrange the coronation right now."

In the palace, warm with heating, Su Ming’an sat on the golden throne, twirling the royal crown that should have been on the Princess’s head.

In front of him, the Pope held a red leather-bound book, reciting a blessing text.

This was the traditional Pulayan new king’s ascension ritual. Only after completing these processes would the system recognize that Su Ming’an had seized the position of King of Pulaya.

The blessing text was finished.

The Pope bowed his head, his hand resting on the bright red book.

"Su Rin," he said softly, his eyes, aged with time, staring straight at the youth upon the throne, "you were once the deity’s most favored one. Why must you do this?"

Su Ming’an looked back at him.

In his eyes, there was an indifference born of a full understanding of the situation.

The Pope lifted his head, the book in his hands slowly closing, the cover over his hands, crimson as blood.

"...You shouldn’t have seized this throne, nor should you have chosen to unite humankind with the Soul Clan. Without their sacrifices and struggles, the deity will lose the power to maintain the Barrier," he said slowly, "This is a violation of the Divine Realm—this is betrayal."

Archilev’s Guardian stood in front of Su Ming’an, his face wearing an elegant smile.

"Whatever decision my father makes is his own," Archilev said, "As for what deity? A deity who cannot leave Yun Shang City and even requires your help to deliver messages, why should I submit to it?

——My father now possesses the ability to stabilize the Barrier.

Pulaya no longer needs the deity; my father should be the true ruler."

As he spoke, he knelt on one knee before Su Ming’an.

"I will follow all your commands, father," he said:

"...Please, lead Pulaya out of this meaningless sacrifice."

"Su Rin."

The Pope looked up, his voice booming throughout the hall.

His eyes bore directly into Su Ming’an’s golden ones, filled with immense sadness and regret.

"—You have forsaken your faith, defied the oracle of the deity to maintain the balance of war.

—You, the most despicable traitor.

You better pray you stay in Pulaya your whole life, pray that the deity never truly descends on Pulaya, pray that I can never escape, never summon the deity to punish you.

Otherwise, the day you ascend to Yun Shang City will be the day of your death—"

Su Ming’an looked back at him indifferently.

In the eyes of the Pope, there burned the wrath of a betrayal by a deity’s heir.

Su Ming’an raised his hand.

He slowly placed the spinning crown in his hand upon his own head.

At that moment, he heard the system’s authentication voice for the transfer of Pulaya’s royal power.

He had become the supreme ruler of Pulaya.

The crown felt somewhat heavy, his head dipping slightly.

"Your Majesty."

Jin Qiangwei, her face full of despair, handed him the scepter.