397: The world overlord who knelt down

Zhang Chen understood instantly.

It turned out that in the Holy Lord's eyes, the will of the people and global prestige were nothing more than fleeting clouds, merely tools to achieve his goals.

From the very beginning, he had never taken these things to heart.

"I have been enlightened." Zhang Chen bowed deeply, the awe in his heart for Mo Yan deepening by another layer.

"Alright, if there's nothing else, then withdraw. Don't disturb my sleep." Mo Yan waved his hand impatiently.

"Yes."

Zhang Chen was about to leave when he suddenly remembered something.

"Oh, right, Holy Lord. Just now, Robert—the leader of that Eagle Country delegation—requested an audience with you. He was stopped by the guards."

"I won't see him." Mo Yan refused without a second thought. "Let him wait."

"Yes."

After Zhang Chen withdrew, tranquility returned to the back garden.

The sound of the zither was melodious, and the scent of bamboo was sweet.

Mo Yan rolled over, seemingly having truly fallen asleep.

It was as if the world outside, which was being turned upside down because of him, truly had nothing to do with him.

Night gradually enveloped H City.

The clamor inside the Sumeru Arena also gradually subsided with the conclusion of the day's final match.

Lords from all over the world left the venue one after another, carrying moods that were either excited, dejected, or heavy.

However, outside the main gates of Cangming City, several figures still stood, looking exceptionally desolate in the cold night wind.

The one leading them was precisely the leader of the Eagle Country delegation, Robert.

He had been standing here from the afternoon until late at night, for a full six or seven hours.

Several attendants behind him had tried to persuade him to go back and rest a few times, but they were all stopped by his stern gaze.

He didn't dare leave, and he couldn't leave.

The news coming from home was each worse than the last.

Riots had spread across the entire nation; the military's defection and local tendencies toward independence left the entire Empire on the brink of collapse.

He was now the entire country's only hope.

He had to see that Holy Lord to beg for his forgiveness and help.

Even if it meant he had to kneel.

The gates of Cangming City remained tightly shut, without the slightest intention of opening.

The two guards before the gate, like statues, hadn't even twitched an eyelid from start to finish.

Robert's heart sank bit by bit.

He knew this was the other party giving him a show of strength, humiliating him, and retaliating for their previous arrogance.

He could only endure it.

Just as he was about to despair, the heavy city gates finally opened a crack.

Robert's spirits lifted, and he hurriedly straightened his wrinkled formal attire.

However, the person who walked out from behind the door was not the one he wanted to see.

Instead, it was a middle-aged man wearing dark robes, his hair meticulously combed, looking like an old butler.

It was exactly Uncle Qin.

Uncle Qin's gaze swept over Robert, and he said in a flat tone:

"My Master is currently resting and has no time for guests. Please return, everyone."

"No, we aren't leaving!" Duke Robert grew anxious and hurriedly took a step forward.

"Please announce us once more. I am Robert of the Eagle Country. I have a matter of extreme urgency and beg for an audience with Your Excellency the Holy Lord!"

"No matter the conditions, we will agree!"

"I will only say the Master's words once." Uncle Qin's gaze suddenly became sharp, and an indiscernible pressure enveloped Robert.

Robert felt as if he were being watched by a primordial beast; his blood nearly froze, and his subsequent words were stuck in his throat.

He looked in horror at this seemingly ordinary old butler before him.

What kind of... strength was this?

With just a single glance, he—a Lord with a B-grade talent—felt a shudder from the depths of his Soul!

If even a butler was this terrifying...

Then what kind of world-shaking existence must his Master be?

The last shred of pride belonging to a great power in Robert's heart was shattered to pieces.

With a thud, he fell to both knees.

"I beg for your mercy, sir! I beg for the Holy Lord's mercy! Please save the Eagle Country!"

The several attendants behind him were also scared out of their wits and followed suit, kneeling all over the ground.

Uncle Qin looked at the people kneeling before him, his eyes showing no ripples of emotion.

He had seen many such scenes recently.

Just as he was about to speak again to drive them away, a voice rang in his ear.

"Uncle Qin, let them in."

It was Bai Lingyue's voice.

Uncle Qin bowed slightly and replied, "Yes, Commander Bai."

He stepped aside and said to Robert, "Come in. But whether the Master sees you or not depends on your luck."

"Thank you, sir! Thank you, sir!" Robert felt as if he had been granted a grand amnesty. He scrambled up from the ground and, leading his attendants, walked cautiously into the city.

After crossing several streets, they were brought before a manor.

In front of the manor, Robert looked up at the unadorned plaque. It bore only three words: 'Holy Masters Mansion,' yet it seemed to weigh a thousand tons, making him unable to catch his breath.

He didn't dare hesitate in the slightest and followed Uncle Qin's footsteps, carefully stepping over the threshold.

The scene inside the manor was completely different from the magnificence he had imagined. There were no luxurious decorations, only a simple yet profound charm. Every plant, tree, brick, and tile seemed to contain some inexplicable law, bringing peace to the mind while simultaneously inspiring a reverence from the Soul.

Robert and the attendants behind him didn't even dare to breathe loudly.

They were led to a side hall. Uncle Qin motioned for them to sit, and a maid served clear tea before silently withdrawing.

"Please wait a moment. The Master... might see you." Uncle Qin left these words and then turned to leave.

Robert and his group were left looking at each other in the empty side hall.

Time passed minute by minute.

The tea went from scalding to warm, and from warm to ice-cold.

Robert was restless; he wanted to stand up countless times but didn't dare.

He knew this was both a torment and a test.

Waiting from the afternoon until late at night, and from late at night until now—

That Holy Lord intended to use this method to wear him down, to wear down the last of the Eagle Country's pitiful dignity.

The domestic situation continued to arrive like snowflakes through encrypted communications.

The riots were still escalating, and several important industrial cities were completely out of control.

Dissenting voices appeared within the military; some units had already publicly stated they refused to point their guns at their own citizens.

What made his heart and gall split the most was that the parliaments of some small countries had already formally initiated procedures for independence referendums.

They wanted to break away from the Eagle Country and seek protection from the Cangming Holy Land independently.

Disintegration!

This Empire, which had once dominated the world for hundreds of years, was moving toward dissolution at an incredible speed.

And he, Robert, was the last hope.

He could not fail.

After an unknown amount of time, a faint sound of footsteps came from outside the door.

Robert jolted and stood up abruptly, looking toward the door nervously.

A young man walked in slowly.

"Your Excellency the Holy Lord!"

Robert could no longer care about noble etiquette or dignity. He rushed forward a few steps, about to kneel again.

"Enough." Mo Yan spoke indifferently. "I don't do that here."

Robert's knees froze in mid-air; he couldn't kneel nor stand, feeling extremely awkward.

Mo Yan ignored him and walked to the main seat to sit down.

He didn't speak, and the side hall fell back into a deathly silence.