Chapter 91: Before the Celebration

Time passed quickly.

The peaceful Shampoo City gradually became lively.

In less than four days, the young King Alexander would turn eighteen. He was about to receive the official coronation from the Crown Princess of the Zenit Empire, acting on behalf of Emperor Yassin. This would make him the eighth king of the Sixth-Class Vassal State, the Chambord Kingdom.

Over the past half month, Shampoo City had gone through many events. During this time, Alexander rose amazingly. He went from being a fool that everyone laughed at to a true king in the hearts of Shampoo City’s people. Because of this, everyone in the kingdom looked forward to this day.

As the day drew near, everyone happily prepared for the king’s coronation ceremony.

Everything had to make way for the coronation. Even Shampoo City’s two top military leaders, Herald Best and Brook, who were very busy with upcoming military reforms, put down their heavy work. They started to focus all their energy on preparing for King Alexander’s coronation.

According to Shampoo City’s tradition, the coronation was set at the Eastern Peak Summit in the city. In four days, when the first golden rays of the morning sun shone from the sea of clouds, that would be the moment Alexander ascended the throne.

Although Sun Fei repeatedly asked for a simple ceremony, each day, many supplies for the event were carried up the steep Eastern Peak Summit. Everyone was determined to make this coronation a grand occasion for Shampoo City. Alexander’s earlier actions had won the hearts of all the city’s residents. Most people truly wanted to accept the rule of such a kind and caring king. Men and women, old and young, all rushed to help. Those with money gave money, those with strength gave strength, those with goods gave goods, and those with people gave people. Everyone joined the preparation team for the ceremony.

To many people’s surprise, Divine Master Mazzola and Knight Luciano from the Holy Church in Shampoo City also joined the service team. The church’s monks and knight attendants showed unprecedented enthusiasm. They provided a lot of financial support. Mazzola and Luciano personally went up to the Eastern Peak Summit. Every morning, they prayed and held mass very devotedly. It seemed as if the one to be crowned king in four days was not Alexander, but His Holiness the Pope Sergiyeli.

At the same time, guests from far away entered Shampoo City.

Hearing that Alexander was about to come of age and be crowned, many small countries around Shampoo City, also vassal states of the Zenit Empire, sent envoys to congratulate him. Of course, out of the 250 vassal states of the Zenit Empire, only a very, very small number came to congratulate. After all, Shampoo City was only a Sixth-Class Vassal State. It was still uncertain whether it could keep its position in the upcoming Empire Martial Arts Tournament. Weak countries have no diplomacy; this held true on the Azeroth Continent as well.

…

Early morning, with birds singing and flowers fragrant.

The King’s council hall.

In the small pool at the center of the hall, clear water flowed gently. Red fish playfully swished their tails. On the stone seats on both sides of the pool, Shampoo City’s leaders gathered. They were holding a ‘people’s assembly’ for the upcoming coronation of King Alexander.

This was an expanded meeting. Besides military leaders and nobles, some respected and virtuous people from the country were also invited to attend.

On the first stone seat to the left below the throne, Herald Best was introducing the information he had gathered.

“…Prince Obina of Thrace Kingdom, Prince Modric of Reike Kingdom, Prince Dalei Wang of Shenhua Kingdom, envoy Neto of Blackrock City, envoys from Chanba Kingdom, Luneng Kingdom, Jinao Kingdom, Jinshan Kingdom, Hengda Kingdom, Leimo Kingdom…” The handsome elder Best listed more than twenty countries before he looked up. He slowly glanced at everyone on the stone seats in the hall and continued, “This is the list of envoys from various countries who came to congratulate His Majesty Alexander on his official coronation.”

“The Third-Class Vassal State, Thrace Kingdom, actually sent someone?” Brook, sitting in the first stone seat to the right below Sun Fei, frowned slightly upon hearing this. He seemed to recall something and said in surprise, “Aren’t they always friendly with Blackrock City? They even sent Prince Obina, one of the so-called ‘Five Eagles’ among the 250 vassal state princes?”

“Five Eagles?” Sun Fei keenly noticed this term.

“Yes, Your Majesty. Among the 250 vassal states of the Zenit Empire, many young masters emerged from the princes of various royal families. They were all extremely talented and outstanding. They received strong support from their respective royal families. Some busybodies grouped them together as the ‘Ten Heroes’, ‘Nine Braves’, ‘Eight Elites’, ‘Seven Wolves’, ‘Six Leaders’, ‘Five Eagles’, ‘Four Blades’, ‘Three Madmen’, ‘Two Recluses’, and ‘One Sword’. The young Prince Obina of Thrace Kingdom is the ‘Winged Eagle’ of the ‘Five Eagles’. It is said he has reached the Four-Star Power Level. Also, Thrace Kingdom is a Third-Class Vassal State, but they have always been close to our enemy, Blackrock City. They are considered one of Shampoo City’s potential enemies. I didn’t expect them to send someone to attend Your Majesty’s coronation ceremony, and the one they sent is the ‘Winged Eagle’ Obina… I suspect they have bad intentions.”

Hearing Sun Fei’s question, Brook immediately stood up. He briefly explained the origin of the ‘Five Eagles’ and also briefly described the relationship between Shampoo City and Thrace Kingdom.

Sun Fei nodded, understanding a bit more.

It was surprising that even a small Third-Class Vassal State had a prince with around Four-Star power. Besides the ‘Five Eagles’, there were also the ‘Ten Heroes’, ‘Nine Braves’, ‘Eight Elites’, ‘Seven Wolves’, ‘Six Leaders’, ‘Four Blades’, ‘Three Madmen’, ‘Two Recluses’, and ‘One Sword’. These people were clearly not ordinary. Especially the ten ranked before the Four-Star ‘Five Eagles’—‘Four Blades’, ‘Three Madmen’, ‘Two Recluses’, and ‘One Sword’—their power was even more frightening.

This discovery gave Sun Fei a sense of urgency. He felt he had been like a frog in a well, underestimating the world’s heroes… He originally thought Shampoo City’s recent development was good, but now it seemed far from enough. Relying only on the Hulk Potion was not sufficient.

“But aside from that, the Fourth-Class Vassal State Reike Kingdom has always been friendly with Shampoo City. King Branco of Reike Kingdom was very close with Your Majesty’s father; they called each other brothers. The young Prince Modric who came to congratulate is only sixteen years old but is already one of the ‘Ten Heroes’ among the 250 vassal state princes of the Zenit Empire. He has the peak of Two-Star power, and his future is limitless. I think Your Majesty should personally receive Prince Modric.” Best suggested.

“Hmm, regarding receiving the envoys, you arrange it. Just let me know the result.”

Sun Fei found such meetings a bit overwhelming. Countless trivial matters piled up were too tedious and not something he enjoyed. After thinking, he directly handed over the task to his future father-in-law Best, Brook, and others. Then, shamelessly, he patted his bottom and slipped away, turning to leave the hall.

The ministers in the hall looked at each other in surprise.

How many people in the world wanted to sit on the high throne? How many, after ascending the throne, tightly held onto their power, afraid of losing even a bit? But Alexander was the opposite; he avoided it like the plague. This king was truly one of a kind, but how were the ministers in the hall supposed to feel about this?

“Let’s… continue the discussion.”

Best shook his head with a bitter smile. “I will report the final result to His Majesty for a decision.”

There was no choice. Even if his son-in-law was lazy, as the father-in-law, for the sake of his precious daughter, he could not be lazy. He had to honestly help his lazy son-in-law clean up this mess.

…

Shampoo City’s Back Mountain, the former Iron Prison Water Dungeon square.

This area had long been marked as a forbidden zone and was completely sealed off. Of course, on the surface, it looked normal. The guarding soldiers, as before, were only four or five, lazily standing at the stone fort’s entrance, very relaxed. But secretly, the twenty-two Stone Bridge heroes each followed a strange route, quietly patrolling along the mountain passes. Even a mosquito flying in would be noticed immediately.

As the king, Sun Fei passed through the forbidden zone without any obstacles. He walked all the way without any hindrance and directly entered the Underground Grotto Labyrinth.

This dark, sunless underground grotto had greatly changed.

Compared to the quiet outside, inside was a scene of bustling activity. The sound of clanging metal was heard everywhere. Prison Warden Oleg and Royal Guard Captain Peter Cech were directing over a hundred carefully selected soldiers. They were renovating the Iron Prison Water Dungeon according to the drawings on the animal skin scroll provided by Sun Fei.

The over hundred soldiers working inside were the elites selected by Brook from all of Shampoo City’s people, following Sun Fei’s earlier command. They had clean backgrounds, were loyal and reliable, and had been tempered by the diluted Hulk Potion. Their strength had greatly increased. Although no one had reached the Star-Rank Warrior level, each had at least around a thousand jin of physical strength. They were strong and tough, definitely comparable to the twenty-two Stone Bridge heroes from the earlier battle. Under the training of expert Peter Cech, they followed orders strictly and were beginning to take shape as an iron army.

The originally gloomy and terrifying Iron Prison Water Dungeon was slowly changing.

Many blood-stained iron bars and torture tools were removed. In the huge stone hall deep in the passage, which was as spacious as the inside of a skyscraper, more than ten iron furnaces were set up. The best blacksmiths from Shampoo City, with their apprentices and the soldiers’ help, were constantly melting and reforging the delivered iron bars. They were making new, strange things according to the drawings provided by Sun Fei. These things were not swords or armor; most were odd tools whose uses many people could not understand.