Man on the ark, forced to become king

However, the 'End of the Earth' bar, located on Sunset Boulevard, is an outlier among them.

The decor here is just as nice as those upscale bars, but the prices are significantly lower, at the level of a regular small bar, and some drinks are even cheaper.

The usually stingy emperor was surprisingly generous when it came to the bar, seemingly unconcerned about the revenue generated there, simply enjoying having people come to drink.

This could be considered a kind of quirk.

However, looking at the patrons gathered in twos and threes, chatting and laughing, Lin Lu could understand to some extent that perhaps such a scene would make some immortal beings more comfortable.

Listening to the trivial matters and boastful jokes among ordinary people is indeed quite relaxing; perhaps the emperor feels the same way.

In Longmen, people of high status and influence don't come to the ends of the earth. It's not about class or identity; it's just that... they don't want to have too much contact with the Emperor, let alone get deeply involved with Penguin Logistics.

After all, some things can't be done in the open. Even if private transportation services are needed, they should be communicated through special communication channels and not brought into the open. It's best for everyone to keep their distance in public, which is beneficial for both parties.

As for those guys living in the gray area, they dared not easily appear in front of the Emperor, as Penguin Logistics' reputation still carried considerable weight in Lungmen's underworld.

There have been instances where unscrupulous individuals attempted to violate Penguin Logistics' shipping regulations, resulting in the goods disappearing along with their employers. This is the origin of Penguin Logistics' advertised '0.1%' loss rate.

So the people who come to this bar are really just ordinary people.

"It seems Texas is settling in quite well here. Haven't you taken any orders lately?"

Lin Lu and the Emperor huddled in the darkest booth, probably the most secluded corner of the entire restaurant. It wasn't very lively, but it was perfect for observation.

Neither of them felt uncomfortable about the transition from employee to partner; it was as if it was always meant to be this way, and the Emperor had indeed been prepared for it.

After all, people accumulate experience over time, and certain traits are ingrained in their bones and cannot be hidden, especially since Lin Lu has never been able to hide them.

From the very beginning, the Emperor knew that this kind of guy couldn't stay at Penguin Logistics forever. At most, this place would just be a foothold for him, nothing more. Just like Mostima, although she was also associated with Penguin Logistics, she rarely actually did anything.

However, the Emperor didn't care. Penguin Logistics was engaged in armed escort, mail delivery and intelligence trading, so it was naturally not just a territory the size of a bar, nor did it only have one or two employees on the surface.

Professional matters should be handled by professionals. Longmen is more like a retirement home he left for himself, where he can do whatever he wants and meet interesting people.

"A form? Where's the form?"

The emperor picked up his wine cup and drank it all in one gulp. His small eyes narrowed into slits, and his tone was filled with strong dissatisfaction.

"The commotion a few days ago was so big that Wei Yanwu is quite angry now. The Imperial Guard has been searching back and forth non-stop for the past few days. Who would dare to send anything that needs armed escort at this time? Even Black Steel International's office in Lungmen is closed to visitors and doesn't dare to move. They'll wait until this storm passes before those cowards dare to show their faces."

"That's not my fault. You should blame Wei Yanwu for this."

Lin Lu spread her hands, looking completely innocent.

This matter really has nothing to do with him. If he hadn't gotten involved, it would probably have escalated to an even bigger level than it is now. In this respect, the entire Longmen should thank him.

"Of course it should be blamed on him. That old man is really getting worse as he gets older. He got tricked and suffered a huge loss. He's made a fool of himself."

Others might give Wei Yanwu face, but the Emperor truly doesn't care. He says whatever he wants, even to his face, and behind his back, he mocks him at will.

Lin Lu neither confirmed nor denied this.

This matter is indeed difficult to evaluate, as it involves a genuine ancient deity whose legends have circulated on the earth for thousands of years. It is truly difficult to guard against the methods of such a person without prior knowledge.

His gaze shifted and landed on Texas behind the bar.

The girl, Luper, had long, jet-black hair that shimmered brilliantly under the bar lights. As always, she kept a cold expression on her face as she stood behind the bar as a bartender.

Judging from her technique, it's clear she had prior experience with these things. Perhaps her formidable combat skills gave her excellent control over her body and weapons, making bartending relatively easy for her to learn.

However, her aura was so strong that few people dared to ask her for a drink; most people only dared to steal a glance.

"The last descendant of the Texas family, how interesting, I'm even a little looking forward to it."

Following Lin Lu's gaze, the penguin suddenly seemed to perk up, looking ready to watch the show.

Lin Lu didn't know anything about the Texas family, but judging from the Emperor's reaction, they must have a story, and most likely involve some big trouble.

It has to be said that this family has really good genes. Lin Lu thought she had seen quite a few Luper in Lungmen, but she had never seen anyone as beautiful and elegant as Texas.

Despite being an assassin, she possessed an inexplicable air of nobility, like a noblewoman who had received an elite education since childhood. Perhaps she was once the eldest daughter of a Texas family? Was she forced into becoming an assassin after her family fell on hard times?

"Are you really not afraid of getting into trouble?"

"You talk as if you're scared."

The emperor scoffed dismissively, withdrew his gaze, and nestled his round body into the sofa, settling into a comfortable position.

"You've met the people of Syracuse, too. If you ask me, it's just a small place with no future. They're still doing gangster stuff in this day and age. They'll be eliminated by the times sooner or later. Their vision is so limited. I can't be bothered with them. If someone really comes looking for me, I'll just have some fun to pass the time."

"Oh, right."

He was belittling Syracuse when he suddenly seemed to remember something. He pulled out an invitation with a gold-embossed cover from somewhere and threw it on the table. It read "Ice and Snow Music Festival".

"Those Ursus people have suddenly gone crazy this year and want to organize a music festival. The name sounds pretty corny. I'm not planning to go, but you can check it out if you're interested. It's yours for the taking."

"music Festival?"

Lin Lu held the exquisitely crafted invitation in his hand and looked at it for a moment, feeling a little curious. He had never participated in any of the major festivals in this world, not even Lungmen, let alone Ursus, which only existed in books at the moment.

"If you don't have to buy tickets for music festivals, do they just invite you directly?"

"Isn't it as normal for a music festival to invite me as it is for people to eat and drink?"

The emperor didn't move, but the arrogance in his tone was impossible to conceal; it was clear that he didn't take this ice and snow music festival seriously at all.

"I might be a little interested in Siesta's Obsidian Festival, but this little-known event is a no-go. They probably can't even handle the security properly. Do they even deserve to invite me?"

"Tsk."

Lin Lu was a little skeptical, but she didn't refute it. After all, the invitation was clearly displayed, and judging from its workmanship, it was of a high standard. Perhaps this penguin was really awesome in the music industry.

He didn't really want to delve deeper. Anyway, how high the Emperor's status was in the music industry had nothing to do with him. He didn't really like that penguin singing and dancing routine.

However, the Ursus music festival might actually offer a chance to visit and experience some exotic festival activities.

Now that the Kazdel matter has come to a temporary end, and Babel Tower and the Royal Court Army have reached a preliminary cooperation agreement, what remains is a long string of trivial matters that will require a lot of wrangling. This will give him time to fulfill his promise to Chen.

Koschei, who kidnapped Talulah, is the Duke of Ursus. If the location of the music festival isn't too far away, it wouldn't hurt to go and take a look—if the timing is just right, and he hasn't been hunted down after rescuing Talulah.

Of course, there is also the worst possibility—that he will find Talulah is already gone when he gets there. This possibility is small but not non-existent.

They either try to rescue the person and run away, in which case they'll likely be caught, or they make a wasted trip. There's basically no third outcome.

After all, Talulah was kidnapped by Duke Ursus. How could she possibly escape the territory of a duke and run to the frozen plains to dig potatoes in the cold wind?

"The operas in Ursus are quite interesting, although I don't really like them."

The emperor glanced sideways at the invitation, and a perfectly lifelike, human-like wicked smile suddenly appeared on the penguin's face.

"There's no limit to the number of people you can bring with this invitation. You can bring your wife along. The Letanians have all slipped into Lungmen under the guise of the theater troupe. You should have gotten what you wanted by now, right?"

"Of course, otherwise wouldn't I have been swindled out of so much money by you for nothing?"

Lin Lu rolled her eyes, too lazy to pay attention to this cunning penguin who seemed to thrive on chaos. Feeling that it was about time, she stood up from her seat, stretched, and said disdainfully, "I have more than one wife to take care of. What are you, a single penguin, yelling about here?"

"Hey you--"

The Emperor's eyes widened, about to erupt in fury, but before he could utter a word, he saw Lin Lu's entire body covered in a layer of golden light, which then dissipated into specks of light and disappeared—the End of the Earth Bar was not far from the Golden Tree Courtyard, a distance that Lin Lu could instantly teleport back using the power of the Golden Tree.

"Ok?"

Lin Lu's mood improved considerably after giving the Emperor a piece of her mind before leaving. She stepped out from under the small golden tree, bathed in golden light, and was greeted by a slender figure with flowing pink hair standing in the courtyard.

"Lin Lu? You're back?"

Hearing the noise behind her, Theresa turned around and greeted them with a smile.

"Ah... why are you standing in the yard?"

Lin Lu looked around and realized that she was all alone; no one else was there, which felt a little strange.

So late at night... Could it be that he's still recovering from some kind of shock and is contemplating life by gazing at the moon?

"I ate too much for dinner, so I came out for a walk."

Theresa smiled gently, giving off an exceptionally soft feeling, like a quiet girl next door.

If you remove the titles that carry layers of glory, such as "Leader of Babel," "Hero of Kazdel," and "Demon King Who Rules Sarkaz," she would just look like a rather thin girl, not very tall, wearing a very ordinary dress, and appearing somewhat frail when a breeze blows through her.

Although she didn't say it, Lin Lu could still feel the slightly sad atmosphere surrounding her.

It's easy to say a sentence, but the meaning behind it is too heavy. It's normal to find it hard to accept at first. That's why Lin Lu deliberately invited her to Longmen for a few days to relax without telling Wei Yanwu.

Since she couldn't be of much help staying in Babel anyway, and the Doctor and Kal'tsit would handle the professional matters, she might as well go out for a walk and relieve her depressed mood.

Chapter 1 Theresa's Little Thoughts

Lin Lu could understand Theresa's mindset to some extent; in fact, their current situations were quite similar.

The difference is that he, who had only been King of Elden for a few days, could be considered to have retired successfully, returned to his hometown, and taken his wife and subordinates to another world to enjoy life and find some fun.

Theresa's situation was more tragic; she was the type who ran away after things went wrong.

The Sarkaz courts did not approve of her governing philosophy, and few of the Sarkaz warriors, who were passionate about fighting, were willing to follow in her footsteps. She herself was even willing to risk her life to give Babel a chance to survive.

In this situation, if she hadn't accepted the power of the Golden Tree and been reborn, she would have been doomed to die, with virtually no chance of being saved.

Didn't you see that even a wise man of the PhD level was helpless?

The resolution of her physical problems was a shot in the arm for her, and she felt that Babel might still be salvageable. However, unexpectedly, another accident occurred. At the negotiating table, even the Doctor expressed his lack of confidence in her, preferring that Theresis take control of the reunited Kazdel. This was the last straw that broke the camel's back for her.

What hope? It's all a lie...

She's not stupid; she has that much insight.