Heir to the Kingdom of 1.4 billion people

Chapter 139 Successful Advancement with the Blessing of 1.4 Billion

The dark clouds dispersed, and the sun hung high in the sky, its bright sunlight like golden honey spilling onto the stone pavement of the square.

Unlike the others who, upon regaining their senses, angrily rushed off to seek revenge on Ekus, a chestnut-haired girl simply stared blankly at the blue sky above.

Recalling everything that had happened so far, and all the ugly things she had done, she felt her mind suddenly go blank. As if she had lost all her strength, she squatted on the ground and buried her head deep in her arms.

I'm doomed. Lord Xinghuo Xia Mingyu will never talk to me again.

I have always been indebted to Lord Xia Mingyu, yet I am immersed in a false dream, even fantasizing about becoming his maid. How greedy and shameless I am!

Woohoo.

Anna couldn't help but burst into tears.

Tapping.

Then the sound of footsteps became clearer.

Realizing someone was approaching, the girl slowly raised her head, revealing a pair of pitiful, lake-green eyes filled with tears, like a little deer.

Through her tears, she saw a familiar figure—the person she dared not see most right now.

"Are you alright, Anna?" Xia Mingyu asked softly.

These words of concern made Anna unable to hold back her tears any longer. Large tears rolled down her reddened eyes and dripped onto the stone slab.

"I'm sorry, Lord Xinghuo, I have failed your kindness. I have become addicted to Twilight Tea and immersed myself in a dream, causing you to worry about me."

The girl's slender shoulders trembled with sobs, and she kept apologizing.

“Sometimes, people can’t resist certain instincts.” Xia Mingyu said calmly as he watched this scene.

When it comes to drugs that cause severe withdrawal symptoms and hallucinations, those who can overcome them are undoubtedly brave, but those who cannot are not necessarily cowards.

Because the truly wicked are always those who bring drugs.

"Your addiction to Twilight Tea is the fault of the merchant Ekus, the fault of the Lady of Twilight Rosa, and my fault, but certainly not the fault of a flower girl."

Xia Mingyu bent down and gently helped the girl who was squatting on the ground up.

"Did you heed my request and stop touching the twilight tea after I left?"

"Yes." Anna nodded vigorously.

Although her whole body felt itchy and painful, as if countless ants were biting her, she still remembered Lord Xinghuo's words and poured the remaining half cup of twilight tea onto the floor.

"That's enough. You've already tried your best."

Xia Mingyu smiled slightly and reached out his hand to the girl under her anxious gaze.

This time, instead of flicking the hair, he gently stroked the girl's smooth, chestnut-brown hair.

“When I was on the high platform, I also caught a glimpse of you, lost in your dream,” he said softly.

Upon hearing this, the girl, who had gradually stopped sobbing under Xia Mingyu's comforting words, blushed instantly, as if someone had colored her face.

A blush instantly spread across her fair skin, burning from the tips of her ears all the way down her neck, even turning her small earlobes almost transparent with red.

"Lord Xinghuo, this was just a dream, and it doesn't represent my true thoughts."

Anna stammered her explanation, but her words sounded so weak and feeble that anyone could tell she was forcing herself to lie.

"I see." Xia Mingyu rested his chin on his hand and pondered.

"I was originally thinking of hiring you as my maid to help Miss Anlia with her work, but now it seems I have no choice."

After saying that, Xia Mingyu turned to leave, but the girl immediately grabbed one of his arms tightly.

"Lord Xia Mingyu, please give me this opportunity. I will dedicate my life to serving you!" Anna shouted, her face flushed.

"Life is too long, let's focus on living well in the present first," Xia Mingyu said with a light laugh, shaking his head.

"Let's go, come back to Red Fox Castle with me."

"Mmm-hmm!" The girl placed her hands on her lower abdomen, following closely behind the black-haired youth as if in a dream.

The only difference is that this time it's not a dream, but a down-to-earth reality with a touch of excitement.

This was the happiest day of Anna's life.

Red Fox Castle, the highest-standard guest rooms.

Xia Mingyu pushed open the oak door and entered the room, smelling the faint fragrance of incense that the castle servants had already lit.

He buried his head in the silk bed covered with layers of bedding, looking completely unwilling to move.

Today is the biggest crisis he has ever faced since he transmigrated to this world.

The enemy can not only control crowds like those in the movie Resident Evil, but can even transform into an invulnerable, bulletproof, and overwhelmingly powerful pale giant who can kick away Berg, who has been promoted to a hunting master.

If he hadn't had an even bigger cheat code, and hadn't just happened to meet the activation conditions of the ability that people yearn for, he probably would have really lost his life there.

Experiencing so many emotional changes in a short period of time is undoubtedly a huge burden on his mind, to the point that he now even has the urge to just sleep and never wake up again.

"I need to be more cautious in the future. This world is far more complex and dangerous than I imagined," Xia Mingyu silently warned himself.

After lying paralyzed in bed for a long time, Xia Mingyu struggled to sit up, leaning against the pillows.

"Currently, my abilities include fluency in language, the spark of inspiration, camaraderie, clarity of mind, transcendence of the physical world, magic tricks, abundant harvests, the yearning of the people, and divine punishment with thunder."

Xia Mingyu counted on his fingers all the abilities he had acquired so far, as he wanted to conduct a clear review and analysis of his current combat strength.

"The former stems from the protection of being the heirs of 1.4 billion people, while the latter stems from a series of occupational protections."

"The abilities that can be used in combat are mainly magic tricks and Heavenly Punishment Dragon Lightning. The latter will drain your magic power once used and can only be used as a trump card. In other words, you can only rely on magic tricks in normal combat."

Thinking of this, Xia Mingyu let out a long sigh.

While his magic tricks are comprehensive and well-rounded, they only play a supporting role against enemies of the same level. In other words, without using the Heavenly Punishment Dragon Lightning, his one-on-one combat ability is even inferior to that of an ordinary Morning Star, let alone a top fighter like Berg who can easily defeat opponents of the same level.

"Forget it, everyone has their strengths. If I had everything, what would I need companions for?" Xia Mingyu shrugged and said self-deprecatingly.

Tapping.

Glancing out the window at the carriages carrying coffins into Red Fox Castle, Xia Mingyu decided to go out and take a look.

However, he collapsed again as soon as he got up.

I'm too tired, I'll lie down for a while longer.

dusk.

As dusk washed over the castle, it stained the stone walls with a mottled amber hue, while the last rays of the setting sun cast golden dappled patterns on the floors of the long corridors through the arched windows. The bronze weathervane atop the main building trembled slightly in the gradually rising evening wind.

The hill behind the castle.

Amidst a neat cluster of tombstones, several new tombstones have been added.

This is the highest-ranking cemetery in the entire Martha Territory, because Leo Martha, the Crimson Flame, the greatest knight in the history of the Southern Territory, is buried here.

The land is valuable because of the people who own it; that's all.

The silver-haired poet stood blankly in front of a brand-new tombstone, his gaze unfocused. Although he was looking ahead, the pupils of his beautiful, snowflake-like eyes were completely unfocused.

The pharmacist, Yud, stood beside him with a slightly worried expression.

Tapping.

This scene was broken only after footsteps were heard in the distance.
"Lord Mingyu, you've arrived!" Yude exclaimed with delight.

As he watched the black-haired youth approaching, Damien snapped out of his daze, placed his right hand on his left shoulder, and bowed deeply to the other man.

"Is this Mr. Harris Mond's grave?"

Xia Mingyu gazed at the inscription on the tombstone and couldn't help but ask in a low voice.

Damien nodded solemnly.

"Please accept my condolences." Xia Mingyu sighed and gently patted the poet's shoulder.

“Lord Mingyu, you misunderstand. I am not grieving for this man’s death. For him, being able to be buried in this land with his lost surname and a group of valiant knights is already a precious final resting place.”

Damien shook his head.

Upon hearing this, Xia Mingyu couldn't help but recall the impact of the last war on Earth on the people of that country.

It allowed a father who had been imprisoned multiple times and was an alcoholic to finally have his children stand tall in school and proudly call his father a war hero after he died in the war, and his wife to receive a pension and live a less arduous life.

At this moment, it is somewhat similar to Harris's sacrifice.

"Lord Mingyu, you are a sage whose reputation is praised throughout the Southern Territory. You must be well-versed in the truths of this world. May I ask you a question?"

Damien hesitated for a long time before finally speaking cautiously.

"Speak freely, there's no need for such formalities between us," Xia Mingyu said with a smile.

"Lord Mingyu, my father was the person I hated most in my life."

“I don’t hate him because he deserted his post on the battlefield, because I am also afraid of death, and I can understand that this is human nature. But his subsequent tyranny separated me from my mother, like a giant hand that covered the sky of my first half of life, shrouding it in darkness.”

"Therefore, I hated him to the core, and even thought countless times about poisoning him in a wine barrel, but I hesitated because I had the poison in my pocket."

Damien smiled bitterly as he took a small bag of poison from his pocket and gently sprinkled the milky white particles in front of the tombstone.

"But the person I hated the most saved me when I was about to die."

As he said this, the poet clenched his fist tightly, his five fingers digging deep into his palm, leaving four crescent-shaped, pale marks.

“Sage, do you think I should forgive him?” Damien asked with a complicated expression.

An indescribable expression appeared on his face, and his tightly furrowed brows seemed to hold a thousand kinds of sorrow.

Xia Mingyu: “.”

Why is everyone asking me about my family? I don't even have a family!
After a long silence, Xia Mingyu looked at Youde pleadingly, but Youde's amber eyes returned a look of helplessness.

He has never seen his father since birth, so how could he possibly answer such a question?

"Don't advise others to do good if you haven't experienced their suffering. So even if Mr. Harris risked his life to save you, I won't specifically ask you to forgive him."

"I think one of the most outrageous things in the world is to forgive on behalf of others, so I can't answer your question."

After thinking for a long time, Xia Mingyu finally spoke.

"However, let time do its work to resolve the current confusion. One year, three years, ten years. You will eventually figure it out."

"Live in the moment, Mr. Damien, a twenty-year-old singer. I think no man will dare to force you again in the future," Xia Mingyu said sincerely.

Unlike bards who are powerless to resist, singers are an extremely rare profession, even among the Morning Star rank.

Its unique core ability to influence the emotions of living beings through song—the Heavenly Voice—is an unparalleled weapon of war, capable of both suppressing the enemy and boosting the morale of the entire army.

Historically, there was even a high-ranking bard who single-handedly caused an army of tens of thousands to retreat.

This made it easy for every singer to become a guest of honor of the great nobles and even the royal family. In fact, as long as they were willing to be loyal to the kingdom, they would be immediately granted an honorary title (which could not be inherited and had no territory).

As for Damien, a singer who was only twenty years old, Xia Mingyu couldn't think of anyone in the entire Southern Territory who would dare to coerce him.

“All of this is thanks to your kindness, Lord Mingyu,” Damien said gratefully.

Back in the Nightingale Tavern, facing Bea's repeated pressure, if it weren't for Lord Mingyu's help, he probably would have committed suicide by poison to avoid humiliation long ago, instead of enjoying the freedom he has now.

“Kind and wise sage, your kindness to me shines as brightly as the sun in the sky, and I cannot help but kneel down to bask in your glory.”

"Lord Xia Mingyu, please allow me to serve as your attendant, to lead your horse and carry your sword, and to compose poems for you."

"I swear to the Seven Supreme Gods that I will dedicate the rest of my life to them."

The silver-haired poet knelt on one knee and bowed deeply.

Seeing this, Yude, who was behind him, subconsciously wanted to kneel down on one knee as well, but he quickly came to his senses and straightened up again, looking at the kneeling poet in front of him with envy.

He longed to become the Sage's attendant, but his ugliness would surely tarnish the Sage's reputation if he were to become his attendant; so he decided against it.
A singer's loyalty?

hiss!
Xia Mingyu gasped, feeling incredibly fortunate that the man had just offered his help.

If it weren't for this, he wouldn't have been able to resolve the calamity of bewitchment, nor would he have been able to inspire the people's desire to gather the power of 100,000 people. He might have actually been killed by the monstrous Ekus.

Fate is truly a wonderful thing!
Xia Mingyu couldn't help but sigh inwardly.

Then, suppressing his surging emotions, he slowly walked up to Damien and patted him hard on the shoulder twice.

“Damian Mond, I accept your allegiance; from now on, you will be my squire,” Xia Mingyu said calmly.

Upon hearing this, Damien immediately raised his head with a joyful expression. Just as he was about to speak, he suddenly saw a long line of emerald green text flash above the head of his lord.

Before he could even see it clearly, the emerald green text suddenly exploded, replaced by a line of deep purple text—"Heir to the Kingdom of the People 1409670292".

"1.4 billion people!"

The next moment, the silver-haired poet's handsome face, which was as beautiful as a woman's, was covered with extreme shock.

(End of this chapter)