Man on the ark, forced to become king

Perhaps Theresa did have that kind of charisma during her conquests two hundred years ago, but now... that's clearly not the case.

Tsk, no matter how you look at it, this is all Kal'tsit's fault.

Lin Lu mentally labeled Kal'tsit, then smiled and said, "You are willing to fight for the Infected and thus joined Talulah's side. This is indeed a noble ideal, and I respect your thoughts."

"How long can a team like yours last?"

"The reality is that you are far from being able to compete with the regular army of Ursus. You can only be driven to the desolate ice plains and barely make a living."

"Without its own base and without a stable source of supplies, the Reunion Movement could be destroyed at any time."

"Without manpower and resources, all your ideals are castles in the air; you cannot do more."

"But the Golden Tree is different. I can provide you with equipment, weapons, food, supplies, and even medicine to alleviate Oripathy, and most importantly, armed protection."

"If you join the Golden Tree, the infected will be much better off than they are now. That should be more useful than your personal strength, right?"

"I……"

Faced with a choice, Bozokastie fell silent once again.

Reason told him that the man was right. If those promises could be fulfilled, the Reunion Movement would no longer have to cower in the desolate ice fields, worrying about survival. They could have enough to eat, wear, and get medicine, things he couldn't do.

The premise is that all of them must be achieved.

He has been through far too much and no longer believes in empty boasting.

But asking the other party to fulfill their promise first? He didn't have the face to do that.

"Don't worry, everything I say will come true."

Lin Lu saw his concerns and added fuel to the fire.

"You don't think I would appear on the ice plains for no reason, just out of kindness to help you, do you?"

“At first, I had no idea you existed. The reason I took action was entirely because of Talulah. She is my disciple’s older sister and has a close alliance with the Golden Tree. Even without you, I would have helped her.”

"If that were the case, I might just take Talulah away from Reunion."

Talulah has that kind of background?

Wendigo's eyes flashed red. He did feel that the young dragon in the tower had an extraordinary origin, but he didn't expect there to be this connection.

If that's the case, perhaps...

"I know what you're thinking. It's okay, I can keep my promise first, how about that?"

Wendigo's wavering was obvious, and Lin Lu added the final layer of leverage; he had no intention of making empty promises and then failing to deliver.

Helping the Integration Movement was also part of his plan; otherwise, he wouldn't have sent them to Chernobog.

The strongest fortresses are often breached from within. The Reunion Movement is currently very weak, but they are, after all, Ursus people.

There is a big difference between civil war and foreign war. If the Golden Tree wants to intervene in Ursus, they are the best springboard.

"...If you can keep your promise, then I will fight for you."

In the end, Bozokasti compromised.

It wasn't that he wasn't resolute enough; it was simply that the other party had given him far too much, far exceeding his personal value to the Reunion Movement and to the Infected.

He wouldn't hesitate to use his force to exchange for the opportunity to give the infected a real space to live and a better life.

Individual bravery cannot protect the Reunion Movement. The Empire doesn't even need to deploy many regular troops to wipe them out, just like today.

If it weren't for Lin Lu's sudden appearance, the six inner guards would have been enough to kill everyone on that icy plain.

Ursus's power is beyond the comprehension of the infected who live in a remote corner; even Talulah does not fully understand it.

Neither the Yeti nor the Shield Guardians have the ability to guarantee the survival of the infected, let alone allow them to live like human beings, but the Golden Tree might be able to.

So, for his beliefs and to follow his path, he was willing to risk his life.

His march has not yet stopped.

Chapter 77 How can Ursus be governed while surrounded by such insects?

That was in the far north of the earth, beside a vast wilderness, where traces of civilization had faded, and demons howled in the ice and snow, threatening to cast a shadow and swallow the world.

The first emperor overthrew the rule of the Eagles and built the strongest fortress on the endless ice plains, stopping the rampaging demons there.

The banner of the double-headed eagle flew over the city, and the empire of Ursus rose from that moment.

Then, the battle lines began to advance, and warriors born in the ice and snow traversed the cold and frost, keeping the evil forces at bay from civilization.

They fought in the north and south, conquering a vast territory that is praised by the world.

Centuries, millennia, the glory continues, its splendor illuminates the land, statues of emperors stand tall in the cities, and impregnable fortresses have never crumbled.

However, over the course of thousands of years, the former tundra has turned into fertile land, and magnificent cities have been built on the desolate wilderness.

The empire remains glorious and awe-inspiring, yet no one can see that the ancient statues at Saint-Germain Castle are stained with age, as if foreshadowing the future of this vast empire.

Perhaps they know, but they don't care.

The glory of the past is gone, vanished like smoke, and desires have sprung from the shadows, leaving behind only greed and chaos.

The magnificent palace sits at the very center of Saint-Germain Castle, a testament to the unshakeable imperial power.

However, the snowflakes falling from the eaves seemed to be telling us that the palace was not as peaceful as it appeared.

Beneath the most solid ice surface often flows an undercurrent powerful enough to tear everything apart.

"Six inner guards! A full six inner guards!"

Emperor Fyodor's roar could almost be heard outside his study.

His chest heaved violently, and his fingers gripping the paper first wrote that he would tear the report to shreds.

Six interior defenders! What does that even mean?

Since the battle to wipe out the demons in Sunset Canyon many years ago, the Empire has never suffered such a severe loss!

Most importantly, the Imperial Guard is the Emperor's sharpest weapon, the bulwark of the Empire, and an extension of the Emperor's hands. Wherever they set foot is the territory of Ursus. They are supposed to defend the glory of the Empire and the majesty of the Emperor!

However, six of the empire's most elite warriors have died silently, and the emperor himself is completely unaware of it!

If it weren't for the fact that the number of the inner guards was extremely small, and that each of them had a special magical mark that could determine their life or death, he might never have known about this in his entire life!

Upon realizing the weight of the knowledge, Fyodor felt his hands and feet turn icy cold, as if he were being pricked by thorns. The vast palace had become incredibly cold, devoid of any warmth, and every shadow seemed to harbor venomous snakes, ready to tear him apart!

In such a vast Ursus, such a powerful empire, if he cannot even trust his closest guards, who else can he trust?

Who is the true master of the empire?

“The Imperial Guard has betrayed me, Lord Witte.”

After a long silence, Fyodor finally calmed down, at least outwardly, and turned his gaze to the tall Ursus man with his head down... Islam Witt, the only minister he could trust, his most steadfast supporter, the Speaker of the Imperial Council, and the only person who agreed with his ideals.

"No, the Imperial Guards will never betray you, Your Majesty."

Vitt lowered his voice and shook his head, saying, "The inner guards will continue to serve you until this land is engulfed in flames—as long as you remain the monarch of Ursus."

As long as you remain the monarch of Ursus, the Imperial Guard will continue to serve you—in other words, implying that the emperor's position is not unshakeable.

This is a very real issue; the newly enthroned emperor has a weak foundation and is incapable of ruling everything.

The imperial guards served only the emperor, and the person sitting on the throne was not necessarily the same person.

If anyone else had said those words, Fyodor would have been furious. It would have been tantamount to a threat, something no one in power would tolerate.

However, it's different when the person who said those words is Witte.

Fyodor understood this minister, who was both his mentor and friend, just as Witte understood him.

He knew that Witt wasn't threatening anyone, but rather subtly reminding him of a fact.

Ursus is no longer a country where imperial power reigns supreme. The new and old nobles and the military check and balance each other, squeezing out most of the empire's power.

The brilliant and ambitious old emperor forged the world's largest war machine for Ursus, and both nobles and the army trembled under his authority, daring not to overstep his bounds in the slightest.

However, after the late emperor passed away, this massive chariot lost its helmsman and began to gradually spiral out of control.

Nobles and officers needed war, craved war. Through repeated conquests, they seized vast amounts of wealth and acquired power unimaginable to ordinary people. The old emperor brought them war, so they were willing to serve him.

The new emperor intended to stop this high-speed chariot and give the people of Ursus more time to recuperate, which infringed upon their interests, as the nobles did not care about the lives of the common people.

Even cattle and sheep grazing on the grasslands will tear each other apart if pushed too far. Nobles and officers are a hundred or a thousand times more greedy and violent than cattle and sheep. Anyone who tries to stop them from acquiring wealth and power is on the opposite side of them, even if that person is the emperor.

Once they unite under the drive of a common interest, the emperor's position is no longer secure; they can put anyone in that position, as long as it serves their interests.

Those old guys who once shed their blood, made great contributions, and expanded the territory of Ursus are no longer afraid of the imperial power, because they themselves hold the army and control the economic lifeline of the city.

The late emperor was able to conquer and suppress them, making them obedient, because his fist was big enough to crush all opponents. Just because he could do it doesn't mean anyone else can.

Fyodor knew very well that he couldn't do it. He couldn't even be sure that his orders could reach the territory outside of St. Gloucester. What could an emperor without military power possibly achieve?

The so-called emperor is nothing but a joke.

“I know, Lord Witt, I know, I know everything, but how dare they do this?”

The emperor closed his eyes in pain, his arms trembling slightly from the exertion; he truly didn't know how to vent his anger.

"The Imperial Guard is the emperor's sharpest weapon, an extension of my own limbs. But now, even they are deceiving me. Whom can I trust? Whom can I command?"

“Look at those six dead guards…”