Chapter 144: An Unforgettable Picture

On the walls of Shampoo City, above the main gate, below the watchtower.

After the battle at the Eastern Peak Summit, Princess Royal Tanasha of the Empire had stayed in the city but kept to herself, unknown to others about what she was doing. At some unknown time, she showed up there. Female swordsman Susan and Grand Knight-Captain Roman Pavlyuchenko guarded her left and right. Behind them stood over twenty fully armed knights.

“Your Highness, should I go and order them to stop attacking right away?”

Knight Commander Pavlyuchenko frowned. He looked at the massive wave of the Nine-Nation Alliance troops surging back from the distance. Then he glanced at Shampoo City’s lineup of less than a hundred shabby soldiers. He felt a bit worried. He didn’t know what tricks that King Alexander, who had seemed clever before, was playing now. But whatever it was, willingly removing those fifty Zhebie-level archers was a huge blunder. As a seasoned war expert, Pavlyuchenko was an authority in this area. If he were to command those fifty Zhebie-level archers, he was fully confident he could wipe out this mob-like alliance army under the walls in the shortest time.

“A crowd of pigs clashing with a lion—there’s no need for us to bother!” Princess Royal shook her head. “Roman, today you might learn something. Remember King Alexander’s combat style firmly. Maybe someday you’ll put it to use!”

“As you command, Your Highness!” Grand Knight-Captain bowed, but he still frowned. “But the numbers are too uneven. After all, Shampoo City is facing the Nine-Nation Alliance!”

“Nine-Nation Alliance? Haha, Roman, you give them way too much credit. I didn’t see any Nine-Nation Alliance. What I saw was a bunch of fools who have rotted under the Zenit Empire’s protection. A tiny Third-Class Vassal State and some even smaller Fifth- and Sixth-Class Vassal States. Heh, their royal families have decayed into idiots with worms in their brains after too long in peace. They’re only good for wine and women. The Azeroth Continent is a dangerous jungle, but these pigs have lost all strength. If it weren’t for the empire’s shield, they’d be fresh meat for other ‘beasts’ like beasts, unfit to survive in the jungle. They’ve all lost the glory and duty of true kings. Even a little captain pulled from the Iron Blood Battalion in the Imperial Capital is a hundred times smarter than the lot combined. If Alexander can’t handle such a small problem, he doesn’t deserve to be the man who beat the Cold-Blooded Enchantress Paris!”

Surprisingly, Princess Royal spoke a lot.

Compared to Shampoo City’s current danger, she was more troubled by the Zenit Empire’s predicament.

The Vassal States had sunk this low. The empire’s might and roots were rotting away without notice. But the nobles and dukes in the Imperial Capital still loved fighting for power. They wasted time with infighting, blind to the approaching crisis. Emperor Yassin’s health was fading day by day. On the borders, the First-Class Spartak Empire, First-Class Light Energy Empire, Second-Class Saint-Germain Empire, and Third-Class Lyon Empire were all ready to pounce. Zenit seemed peaceful with its songs and dances, but it rocked like a leaf in the wind, in danger of falling any moment.

The Zenit Empire’s state was far worse than little Shampoo City’s current mess.

Besides shock and curiosity about Little King Alexander’s power and the wish to pull him closer, Princess Royal stayed in Shampoo City to observe how this amazing little king fixed a tangled mess. She hoped to learn some tricks for when her older brother Arshavin grabbed the throne later.

And Little King didn’t disappoint her.

In under half a month, his weird way of ruling with the twelve bronze warrior statue laws stunned her speechless. That copper warrior law, especially, covered everything so perfectly that Princess Royal found it hard to believe The Young Man who wrote it was just eighteen. She spotted no flaws at all—it could be used right away in the Zenit Empire. Sadly, smart as she was, she knew it would face huge hurdles in the tangled Zenit Empire. Not even the emperor could push it through easily.

Here, Princess Royal envied Alexander a bit. Little Shampoo City was his to shape freely. She’d known all about Sun Fei using the battle to oust Shampoo City’s traitor nobles by the Eastern Peak Summit. That only proved how clever the little king was. Anyone who underestimated him would be swallowed alive without knowing how they died.

The scene looked scary, but her command could make the Nine-Nation Alliance retreat instantly. Still, she held back. Shampoo City’s little king had shocked her too much already. She felt sure this was exactly what he wanted. No doubt, an unexpected twist was coming any second.

Besides, with his power, what could two thousand allies do if they got close? Even alone, the guy with his dog and two swords could butcher them all. Wasn’t that right?

Sun Fei’s wild invincible look from the Eastern Summit battle had burned deep into Princess Royal’s mind.

Watching enemies charge like a flood, Sun Fei rubbed his chin and grinned proudly. Placing pretty women out front really fired up men’s guts. Look! The whole Nine-Nation Alliance had gone stupid, rushing to their deaths blindly.

Up on the hill, a red flag flapped again in the breeze.

Silently, Shampoo City’s ranks shifted. The dozen huge Tower Shields blocking the front rolled aside swiftly. Then, the thirty big brats gripping Great Axes ran boldly toward the enemy like fearless heroes.

This seemed like Shampoo City’s only plan left.

Thirty against fifteen hundred.

Numbers couldn’t be more uneven.

It was like a dry stream meeting a raging river, like a clumsy pup facing a mountain tiger. Even a fool could guess the outcome—Smashing into force like that, Shampoo City’s thirty Great Axe warriors looked like lambs to slaughter. Forget holding out for the king to flee; they’d barely make a ripple before the heavy infantry swallowed them whole.

But even with this advantage, the Vassal State kings whom Princess Royal called “mindless gluttonous pigs” had learned a bit of caution from earlier fights.

They didn’t ride into battle themselves.

Staying put with guards, they watched carefully.

Each king kept some forces back, not throwing in every soldier. At least Redwater Kingdom’s angry king calmed down for once, waving to halt Flame God Iron Hooves’ charge for the moment.

Of course, it wasn’t wisdom—just cowards’ extra-fine danger sense.

They’d been spooked by Shampoo City’s tricks.

In battle now, “stream” and “river” were less than fifty meters apart. Sprinting foes could see each other’s fierce scowls and killer vibes. The soil warrior in front even sped up, sword raised, body glowing yellow, rallying the troops.

Down to thirty meters.

Then—

Rooooar!

Out of nowhere, Shampoo City’s thirty alone Great Axe fighters yelled skyward like thunderclaps. Before enemies could blink, the toughs spread out in a line. Gripping axe handles tight at the ends, they spun full circles fast while charging. Like spinning tops, they hurled Great Axes flying.

Good thing no one played discus here—they’d have loved this throw.

Whoooooosh!

Spinning axes became thirty deadly black blurs, slicing space toward heavy infantry.

Shenhua Kingdom’s happy front-row joggers wept instantly.

So unfair! Who’d expect dirty tricks like this? With such odds, they dared toss their only weapon away?

The cocky soil warrior in lead barely ducked. Wind whipped his helmet off. Behind him, ears filled with snaps and cracks—bone, armor, blades breaking. Then came blood spray and flying limbs. Expected stomping didn’t happen. Shocked, he turned back. And saw a picture he’d never forget his whole life—