Chapter 36: From Today Onward, I Shall Be the Demon King

"How much did you actually drink to get this wasted? This fragrant wine isn't even strong!" Ashut stared at Yu Lian as if witnessing a biological anomaly. If the man hadn't just spilled his entire life story like someone stripping off their own underwear, Ashut would have been tempted to shove a tablet of antibiotics down his throat.

"Well, I don't deal with many Commonwealth soldiers, but... are they all as humorous as you?" Ashut squeezed out a rather ugly grin.

"Mr. Jiang Yudong’s demands are neither reasonable nor humane. You understand that, don't you? That is why I need your help. Didn't you almost throw someone into the jaws of a sand crocodile earlier?"

"Damn it, that’s not the same thing! That mining boss and I were strangers, but Councilor Jiang is my employer! Have you ever seen a mercenary throw their own employer to the crocodiles? I can agree to help you persuade him, but nothing more. If I do anything else, how am I supposed to keep working as a mercenary?"

"When you first arrived in the Fairy Galaxy, you pulled a 'black-on-black' heist. You stole a shipment of Mandero alloy from the great pirate Saltai and sold it at the Alliance's New Selene starport."

"...You actually dare to threaten me!"

"If your association president found out you sold the private photos of the Association Inspector to the great pirate Gong Xiao..."

"How exactly can I help you?" Ashut grabbed Yu Lian’s hand, pulled it to his chest, and forced a kindly smile.

"In a moment, the sensible and well-read Miss Frederica and Miss Penny will deliver a midnight snack to the councilor that will ensure he can't get out of bed tomorrow. Don't worry, it really just keeps him in bed. It won't threaten his life; it might even help him purge toxins and be healthier in the future. You just need to remain silent."

"This, this... fine."

"Also, when the time is ripe, I will indeed launch an attack on the Sand People army. I will need your strength then. Rest assured, the Governor's Office will pay your mercenary fee in full afterward!"

"&…）￥#@！%￥" The string of words was shouted in a local dialect from a remote region of the Alliance that even Yu Lian barely understood. We can roughly interpret it as "Are you crazy?" or some other expletive.

"You even have dirt on your association director's sister-in-law..."

"Let's plan this out a bit." Ashut quickly suppressed his rage and put on a smile again.

"Actually, it doesn't need to be a complicated plan; just follow my orders when the time comes. Don't worry, we will be victorious. Even if I were to fall on the battlefield, I would surely die before you."

Such comfort was of no help to him. The transcendent mercenary, who had been high-spirited and cynical just minutes ago, lay on the sand, his eyes dull and unfocused, like a stone chicken being dried in the wind.

Yu Lian felt a tiny bit of guilt.

Although this guy owed him ten million credits in the future (no, wait, in the past), he had shared several drinks with him and collaborated on a few adventures. He loved to brag in front of Yu Lian, with all sorts of boastful and illogical nonsense, but he had greatly expanded Yu Lian's understanding of psionics and various secrets. He could be considered half-mentor, half-scoundrel friend.

Thinking of this, Yu Lian patted his shoulder: "I have a lead on a very promising ruin, though the timing isn't quite right yet. Anyway, we'll go together when the time comes..."

*I don't want to go with you! You Tzeentch-spawned semen! You hell-forged abomination! You kidney stone excreted by the spirit of the universe!*

Ashut wanted to shout this, but he could only express his tragic indignation with his eyes. He nodded heavily and stiffly, stumbling away—even more shakily than the elderly Mr. Wang Yougui from before.

*You look like a middle-aged corporate slave who just got fired by a manager fifteen years younger than him from a top university, only to go home and find his wife playing a threesome with the plumber and the cable guy,* Yu Lian thought.

In any case, the rest was easy. By the next morning, the once high-spirited Councilor Jiang Yudong was down for the count, looking as if he had lost a layer of skin. It was said that the councilor had been visiting the latrine once an hour since the early morning. By six o'clock, his servants found him behind a rock in a secluded corner, nearly dehydrated.

The councilor was laid low by illness. Although Dr. Banks and the caravan doctors were willing to stake their professional reputations on the fact that Councilor Jiang simply had acute gastroenteritis—and that a few days of rest, white porridge, and saline would have him back on his feet—he was truly on his deathbed, devoid of any energy.

"Moving him rashly now would likely be life-threatening. I must take responsibility for Mr. Jiang's life," Yu Lian told everyone, then added, "I don't say this just because it's the councilor. As soldiers of the Commonwealth, we cannot abandon any citizen, any national who deserves our protection. In short, for Mr. Jiang's life and everyone's safety, I implore you all to temporarily follow our arrangements, observe the situation from this relatively safe canyon, and wait for a better time to enter the city."

Yu Lian’s words were so politically correct that everyone looked at each other, unable to refute him on moral grounds. With the councilor down, the various public representatives lost their backbone; they felt naturally inferior to the officer, and the one who had been the loudest before was now the most cowering.

"Also, most of the citizens in the caravan lack food and clothing, but we in the military have no surplus supplies. I have discussed this with Councilor Jiang, and I implore you to bring out some of your own to help the others. Don't worry, this isn't moral kidnapping, and I have no authority to forcibly requisition your goods. Therefore, I will keep a record of all supplies you contribute, and the Governor's Office will pay for them later. Councilor Jiang guarantees that he will oversee the Governor's Office in making these payments. This is his promise as a politician!"

*I never said that,* the councilor, lying in his camper, nearly choked, but he couldn't even crawl out of bed, let alone protest.

As soon as these words were out, the "buzzing" that had just stopped flared up again. Some looked grim, some were dumbfounded, and others gnashed their teeth as if their ancestral graves had been dug up.

Ina looked at Yu Lian with concern, then at these people, and placed her hand on her sidearm.

Just then, Yu Lian added: "Hmm, well, perhaps the Governor's Office's reputation isn't enough to earn your trust. So, I have persuaded Miss Frederica to guarantee it for everyone. If the Governor's Office does not compensate you at market price afterward, everything will be covered by the Purple Letter Orchid Group."

Clearly, the reputation of the Purple Letter Orchid Group in the universe was far from the nonchalant way Miss Frederica had described it. Everyone looked at the purple-haired girl in shock. Though young, she remained composed and affable under the gaze of so many, as if she were born to stand in the spotlight.

The nouveau riche of New Yumen couldn't help but feel ashamed, and their trust increased significantly.

"My father is indeed a member of the Purple Letter Orchid Group's board, and I have the authority to mobilize certain resources of the group. Of course, my transaction with Sub-lieutenant Yu Lian and your Governor's Office has nothing to do with you all; you only need to know that everything you contribute today will be reasonably compensated."

A promise from an Alliance young lady was likely more trustworthy than that of a Commonwealth officer. Their expressions softened, and as they whispered to each other, their attitudes loosened considerably.

At this moment, old Mr. Wang seemed to finally understand something. He secretly gave Yu Lian a thumbs-up and said loudly: "Alright, alright, you bunch of hicks! You usually act all high and mighty, but why are you so timid when it counts? Little Dong, you too—you're fleeing for your lives, so stop showing off and just lie down! Break it up, break it up! This kid is the expert, and he saved your sorry hides anyway—can you show a little shame? Listen to what he says! Go back and check your supplies, see what you can share. Didn't he say the Governor's Office will pay, and the Alliance young lady is willing to guarantee it? What are you worried about? Are you all squirrels? Hurry up, hurry up, break it up, and go get to work!"

The old man was completely different from his pathetic state the night before. His voice was booming, his face was ruddy, and with his fur hat, cowboy gear, and mink coat—plus a "mirror box" pistol tucked in his waist—he looked incredibly endearing to Yu Lian.

Of course, the "mirror box" wasn't the legendary Mauser C96 of guerrilla warfare fame, but it looked somewhat similar. In reality, it was a Felka kinetic pistol produced by the Alliance's Assera Armory. It had moderate power, good accuracy, and—most importantly—a simple, durable, and versatile design, making it the best-selling "self-defense" firearm for civilians.

"Thank you," Yu Lian expressed his gratitude to the two precocious girls, especially Miss Frederica. Any normal person could guess that the one truly in charge here was this young lady from the Alliance.

"This is also for our own sake. Politicians easily become stupid to cater to the short-sightedness of voters, because that's how they convince the voters they are 'one of them.' But I was born into a business family; I am realistic and pragmatic, selfish and cautious." The young girl spoke with an air of maturity.

Yu Lian wanted to laugh, but before he could, the girl spoke again.

"That's just what my family says; I don't actually understand it," she added, revealing a cunning yet playful smile that finally made her look her actual age.

"Also, don't think all girls from the Alliance are like me. Actually, I am too unconventional, and I’m not very popular in Nephi (the Alliance capital)."

*If all girls from the Alliance were like you, the universe would be much more interesting.*

"Of course, it’s also for the councilor. I have no malice toward Mr. Jiang. We faced many dangers along the way, and the councilor kept encouraging us and truly tried his best to save every refugee he encountered. He is a warm-hearted gentleman, and his final actions cannot hide his previous efforts. As a foreign tourist who received his warm hospitality, I truly don't want to see him lose his moral standing due to the stupidity and short-sightedness of the masses, as well as his own final cowardice."

"Yes, the councilor is a good man. Our family received a lot of help from him when we arrived in New Yumen," Penny added. "It's just that, like my father, he’s the type who forgets who he is once he gets a little successful. Do all men over forty act like this?"

Yu Lian had spoken once with the girls' father, Mr. Pierce, who was in import-export and now wanted to make some industrial investments. He was a very cheerful, perhaps too cheerful, gentleman. Yu Lian had always felt that type wasn't suited for business, but the adult world is complex—who knew if that was all there was to him? Plus, like every greasy dad over forty with a beautiful, well-behaved daughter, Mr. Pierce was a doting father who was constantly looked down upon by his daughter. Indeed, the sorrows of the world were always similar.

"As agreed, here is the collateral." Yu Lian handed over a bag of mithril. It was his own share of the spoils he had obtained from the Initiator ruins.

The girl didn't take it, asking instead: "...If the Governor's Office is unwilling to pay, what will you do?"

"Then this bag of mithril belongs to you. If you take it to the Alliance and sell it at the right time, it will be enough to buy food and supplies for a thousand people for over a year," Yu Lian said.

"Yes, that is a large sum of money. Mr. Yu Lian, aren't you heartbroken?"

Yu Lian smiled: "Heh... if a person wants to achieve something, the first rule is not to take money to heart. This stuff is a tool, a prop, a weapon, even a toy, but never let the toy play you."

Frederica pondered for a moment and couldn't help but smile: "After this, your nobility and compassion will spread among the Alliance's upper crust. Even if they have never met you."

"In the upper crust of the Alliance, that's probably not a compliment, is it?"

"Indeed, it is not." The young girl's eyes crinkled into slits.

As soon as the two girls left, George snuck over. He patted Yu Lian on the shoulder with the same little-adult air, looking proud as if to say "we are partners."

"Did Little Tao and the others get their meals today?" Yu Lian asked with a smile.

"They did, they did! Not only meals, but also new cotton coats, wool blankets, and heating energy packs," the little boy said, quite happily.

"So, big brother, are we just waiting for a good opportunity now to kick those bad Sand People in the butt?"

"..."

"Hehe, don't tell Penny. Every time I say that, she lectures me—she's even tougher than Mom. Even though Dad would laugh out loud if he heard me! I think a real man should be like Admiral Zeliko: drink big bowls of wine, eat big chunks of meat, and lead a fleet to kick the bad guys in the butt!"

*Is it a bit too early for his age to be reading 'The Memoirs of Marshal Zeliko'?*

*Also, innocent boy... actually, from a historical perspective, we Earthlings are the big bad guys! What I'm actually doing is playing the role of a final boss who doesn't follow the rules, crushing the heroes in the starter village!*

Yu Lian looked into the distance. Cowboy Mr. Kelvin was drilling a group of well-fed, able-bodied young men, numbering forty or fifty. Under the guidance of Baka and Youyou, they were practicing the most basic yet practical tactical drills.

Mr. Kelvin was the most diligent and serious, likely because many women, children, and even the elderly were watching from the sidelines.

*Was his family there, or perhaps his lover?*

Further away, more people in windproof cloaks were still sitting on the ground around the heating equipment, but they clearly had a bit more color and vitality than yesterday.

The young mother was there, of course. She was holding her child, sharing a big bowl of broth—though it was canned food that didn't taste great, at least it had meat, vegetables, and potatoes. The mother and child ate happily, their faces full of vibrant smiles.

*...So, I'll just be the Demon King for once,* Yu Lian thought.