77: Chapter 77 Capturing the Iron Mine, the Gray Werewolf's Plea

"What is that sound?"

"What is happening?"

The people near the palace could not see what was happening in the distance; they only heard a thunderous sound and began to chatter curiously, but upon seeing the stern gazes cast by the solemn Imperial Guards, they quickly shut their mouths.

"Oh! Long live!"

A tsunami-like cheer erupted, making people feel even more impatient, eager to see what had happened.

Finally, as their patience was about to run out, they saw the scene they had been waiting for for so long.

"Boom—boom—boom..."

A black and golden torrent surged from the distance; it was countless Great Qin soldiers holding high their flags!

The rhythmic sound of footsteps made the earth tremble, causing it to shake in a regular pattern.

The golden halberd blades were like a moving forest, flashing with a cold light.

The Great Qin soldiers, wearing leather helmets and bronze-inlaid leather armor, advanced slowly. Their expressions were calm, yet they exuded a palpable Evil Qi.

These soldiers came from various legions and were all battle-hardened warriors; the number of lives or Corpse Beasts that had died at their hands was countless.

Behind the Halberdiers were the swordsmen. These swordsmen were highly skilled in martial arts, each an expert. They were not only adept at individual combat but also skilled in group warfare, forming the backbone of each legion.

Behind the swordsmen were the heavy-armored Golden Mace Warriors. These Golden Mace Warriors did not belong to any System unit, so all their weapons and armor were custom-made at the Blacksmith Shop, costing a fortune.

Every warrior was an expert who had reached the Peak of the Mortal level, and their squad leaders and platoon leaders were even Innate experts who had trained at the Warrior Altar.

Zhao Feng rode in a Dragon carriage, guarded by layers of Golden Mace Warriors, slowly approaching.

This Dragon carriage was extremely heavy. Although it used gilding technology, the large amount of metal meant that twenty strong men were required to lift it.

The magnificent Dragon carriage was intricately constructed, and the coiled Dragon on it was lifelike. Zhao Feng wore a crown and ceremonial robes, with a long sword at his waist. His expression was serious, and he looked awe-inspiring without even trying.

The people of Great Qin cheered one after another; those from outside tribes with ulterior motives were terrified, while those who agreed felt a sense of support.

Behind the army were the officials. Of course, "all officials" was just a figure of speech; the total number of mid-to-high-level officials in the Great Qin was less than a hundred, and with some remaining behind, only about thirty arrived.

The officials were also dressed in exquisite court robes, wearing clothing and headgear of different colors and patterns according to their rank. The civil officials' ornate caps were decorated with goose feathers, while the military officials' were decorated with eagle feathers.

If it weren't for the lack of jade mines near Great Qin, these officials would also have worn jade discs.

After entering the palace gate, there was a small plaza. The plaza was about the size of two football fields, and a red linen cloth was laid in the center, extending all the way to the ninety-nine steps.

The ninety-nine steps were divided into two sections, with a small platform between them. On the platform, a large red copper tripod shone brilliantly, cast with ancient and mysterious patterns.

The ministers stood still in the small plaza, while Zhao Feng and the Shaman walked onto the small platform one after the other.

The tsunami-like cheers ceased after the two of them stopped on the small platform. Zhao Feng pressed his hands down in the air, silencing the cheers of the soldiers and the people.

The Shaman took three thick incense sticks from the side, lit them, and inserted them into the large tripod. After bowing, he stood below and took out a black, gold-painted scroll.

"The sky covers its blue, the earth treads its yellow. Our majestic Great Qin, receiving the mandate of Heaven, exterminates evil spirits and creates a new world... Today, the nation is established as Qin, and City Lord Zhao Feng is promoted to King of Qin."

After speaking solemnly, the Shaman rolled up the scroll and put it into his sleeve, then shouted: "Civil and military officials and soldiers, pay homage to the King of Qin!"

"Greetings, King of Qin."

The civil and military ministers shouted and prostrated themselves on the ground.

"Greetings, King of Qin!"

The soldiers of the three armies knelt on one knee.

"Greetings, King of Qin!"

The people hurriedly knelt.

After Zhao Feng became the King of Qin, all officials were naturally promoted. After a grand banquet, Great Qin returned to its previous state; farmers tilled the fields, workers labored, and everyone performed their duties.

"Emergency intelligence!"

At the North Gate of Qin City, a rider carrying a red flag galloped in. Passersby dodged, letting him pass quickly.

"Reporting to the King, news from Yun City: an iron Ore deposit has been discovered near Yun City, and the reserves are immense." The travel-worn cavalryman knelt on one knee and said loudly.

"Iron Ore?" Zhao Feng stood up at once; this was incredible news. He strode over, took the leather scroll presented by the cavalryman, and examined it.

"King, this iron Ore deposit is currently occupied by a group of Grey Dwarves. Please decide how to handle it." The cavalryman continued.

"Good, you have worked hard. Guards, take him to rest well, and reward him with 20 copper coins."

After the cavalryman withdrew, Zhao Feng and his civil and military ministers began to discuss the matter.

"King, give me a garrison of troops, and I will definitely capture the iron Ore deposit." Gu said loudly. As the second-in-command of the field army and a newly promoted high-level official, his desire for battle was very strong.

"King, in my opinion, we should first communicate with the Grey Dwarves. If it can be obtained through trade, that would be for the best." After Si finished speaking, he shook his head. Once war broke out, it would inevitably consume a large amount of supplies. As the chief steward, Si certainly did not want a fight.

"That works. Send someone to talk first, and while you're at it, find out their true strength. Meng, prepare the army. Once it becomes impossible to negotiate, we must capture the iron Ore deposit with a total victory."

"As you command!" The officials bowed in submission.

The next afternoon, the envoy who had been sent out returned, bringing with him someone who surprised Zhao Feng.

"The envoy of the Divine Insect Tribe greets the King of Qin."

This was a person draped in thick animal skins; his head, hands, and feet were all wrapped in thick furs. Although the temperature was a bit cold, dressing like this certainly made Zhao Feng very curious.

His voice was hoarse, but his tone was neither servile nor overbearing, and he did not sound old.

Seeing Zhao Feng's scrutinizing gaze, he said again: "King of Qin, can confidential matters be discussed here?"

Everyone in the Chaotian Palace was Zhao Feng's trusted aide, and they all came from the System, so there was naturally no issue of trust. "Of course."

The strange person nodded and removed the wrapped animal skins, revealing his form.

"It's actually you?" Zhao Feng said in surprise. With a quick thought, he realized who the person in front of him was. Wasn't this the older brother of that little Grey Werewolf?

This was a Grey Werewolf; one of his ears was missing, and there were several more scars on his face than before.

"Lang Yan greets the King of Qin."

Zhao Feng and Lang Yan had only met once and were not familiar with each other. Plus, they had previously been on hostile terms, so naturally, he would not have a friendly expression.

"What is your business here?"

"King of Qin, your tribe... nation needs that kind of Ore. I can provide it." Lang Yan confidently dropped a bombshell.

Zhao Feng became interested. "Oh? Tell me about it."

"Our Divine Insect Tribe has subjugated those Grey Dwarves. These Grey Dwarves are naturally immensely strong and skilled at mining. As long as your country provides us with food and weapons, we will give you the corresponding Ore."

"We can mine it ourselves. Believe me, I can easily take the mine." Zhao Feng said with a playful smile.

"We have a common enemy! King of Qin, the interference from The Ten Great Tribes is coming soon. With our existence, The Ten Great Tribes will not be able to unite as one." At this moment, Lang Yan seemed possessed by Zhang Yi or the reincarnation of Su Qin.

"The rise of Great Qin has broken the rule of The Ten Great Tribes, and the Elders and Clan Chiefs are afraid. Once the philosophy of Great Qin is recognized by the people of the ten thousand tribes, it will inevitably shake their prestige.

Furthermore, my Divine Insect Tribe and Great Qin have a common understanding: why are some people born high and mighty, while others are destined to work themselves to death, unable to even eat their fill or keep warm? I want to break this situation and knock these rotten guys off their pedestals!"

Lang Yan was actually a primitive revolutionary!

Zhao Feng was dumbfounded. Indeed, the civilization of the Planet of the Dead had reached the late stage of the clan commune and the early stage of slave society. Leaders, Elders, and those who held power possessed vast resources, while the lower classes could not eat their fill or keep warm.

This situation was fine under the pressure of the apocalypse, as everyone united against the outside. But times were different now; the threat of the dead was no longer the main theme, so change naturally only needed a single spark.

"Good!" Zhao Feng stood up and applauded Lang Yan. "I admire your spirit. Since that is the case, I agree to your conditions. Someone will discuss the specific terms with you in a moment."

Zhao Feng had his own considerations. Lang Yan's words were not alarmist; this was an inevitable process. Although Great Qin currently looked very powerful, if The Ten Great Tribes blew their horn of summons and incited all the tribes to attack, Great Qin would certainly be unable to cope.

In this way, fostering a reformer like Lang Yan was very necessary. With Lang Yan outside, Great Qin could continue to develop quietly.

These twists and turns were just too troublesome for Zhao Feng, who didn't like politics. "Good heavens! When will I finally be able to plant the planet tree!"