Chapter 1040: Chapter 983: The Retired Emperor

On the next morning, Dass set foot on this Lake Heart Island for the first time.

Half of the old Jade Bud City was submerged in water, and the wood and rammed earth houses had their corners soaked by the lake, teetering precariously.

The Dragon Blood peppers hanging from the eaves were particularly red at this moment, and Slimes emerged out of nowhere like mushrooms, opportunistically devouring the breadworms raised by the Snake-men everywhere.

Traces of last night’s plundering by the city-state allied forces remained in the knife marks on the houses.

Outside the houses on both sides, clusters of fearful Snake-men inhabitants pressed their foreheads into the ankle-deep lake water, sincerely saluting the black-clad silver-armored soldiers.

If it weren’t for them maintaining order just in time last night, the entire Snake-men population in Jade Bud City might have been slaughtered.

In fact, over ninety percent of the Snake-men nobles and priests residing in the temple were completely wiped out.

Only a few temple attendants and timid servants were left for Dass.

Walking on the water’s surface, Dass complained in his heart about the potential outbreak of athlete’s foot but kept his expression unchanged.

Passing through the crowd lying on the ground and climbing up the intricately carved steps, the enormous pyramid came into view before him.

In front of the white stone-built large square, four Snake-men high priests lay prostrate before Dass with great reverence.

Standing before them were three Snake-men youths, fearfully and angrily flicking their tongues.

"Who are these three?"

"They are descendants of the mad Emperor Lalaka," the eldest high priest spoke reverently and obsequiously in poor Beastman language.

They had already heard from the city-state allied forces that the Holy Alliance initially intended to do business with them.

It was the militarized Lalaka, who thought highly of himself, asserting that the Holy Alliance was humiliating him and in turn insulted them.

This led to the whole series of disasters.

It’s important to know that this battle not only killed and destroyed Lalaka’s dynasty but also included twelve Snake-men lords and seven Beastman lords!

Besides those who fled or died in battle, half were captured, and even if some were lucky enough to survive, they’d likely have to submit to the Holy Alliance later.

As for this Snake-men empire, Dass had gradually figured out that it was actually a barbaric and loosely organized federation of chiefs.

They claimed to have 12 Snake-men lords and 7 Beastman lords, and beneath these 19 lords were small city-states and minor lords, with a combined population possibly reaching eight to nine hundred thousand.

They already had their own language and writing, as well as astronomy, calendar and their own history and judgement criteria.

Their term for "Emperor" actually directly translates to "Priest King above all kings."

Therefore, the worship of the Snake-men Emperor was more of a worship of a living god, regarding Lalaka as the incarnation of the Feathered Serpent God in the human world.

Hiss... Why does this feel somewhat familiar?

Dass quickly shook his head, discarding some heretical thoughts from his mind.

"Which of these three is the successor?"

"Uh." The high priest and the translator considered for a long time before replying, "Our Snake-men empire does not have a concept of successors; once the Emperor’s sons reach adulthood, they go to the frontier to establish a city-state, and when the old Emperor dies, whichever adult first reaches the capital becomes the Emperor."

"But wasn’t this Lalaka enthroned at thirteen?"

"Yes, but his father killed his other brothers, ascended the throne and died, so he was the only child."

"Alright." Dass glanced over the three children, "The hammer strikes, the sparks fly! Knights queue for swords and spears, the forge reveals whose face, armored and on horseback, you lead—"

Dass pointed to one of the Snake-men youths: "Good, you are the Snake-men Emperor now."

"Ah?" After realizing Dass’s intent, the high priest and the kneeling Snake-men lords raised their heads in bewilderment.

They had guessed that the Holy Alliance would install a puppet emperor, but they never thought it would be done in such a casual manner.

Dass, however, continued unperturbed: "I was planning to bring you the seeds of civilization and persuade you to do business, but you didn’t listen to reason.

So we had no choice but to counterattack, and in the process, this was also the rebellion and uprising of your subordinate city-states against Lalaka’s tyrannical rule—which is encouraged by our Holy Alliance.

Originally, we intended to abolish the so-called Emperor, but considering that your populace might not accept this outcome.

Thus we retained the throne, but your new Emperor must deliver the ’Manifesto of Humanity’ to deny his position as a priest and a living god.

Because inside the Holy Alliance, there can only be one God-man, and that is our great Sun, His Majesty Horn Gallar.

As for the operation of the state, it will be governed by elected city-state governors, forming a responsible cabinet through elections..."

Dass was methodically discussing the post-war arrangements for the Snake-men empire, including joining the Holy Alliance and land reforms.

But halfway through, he saw the Eighth Corps Commander rushing in from inside the palace, looking rather anxious.

Dass raised his hand to signal a pause, proactively walking toward the corps commander: "What happened?"

"Battle Commander, inside the pyramid, among those tombs of the Snake-men Emperors, we’ve dug up something remarkable..."

"Did I authorize you to dig graves?" Dass burst into rage.

Though he turned a blind eye to Divine Punishment Army’s private excavations, how dare they mention it in front of him?

"Spoils of war, surely the city-state alliance can’t feast on meat while we sip on soup... but that’s not the point, Lord Dass, you’d better take a look."

The corps commander was embarrassed but utterly helpless, having no choice but to keep pleading.

Reluctantly, Dass apologized, summoned the military chaplains to appease the populace and guard the treasury, then followed the corps commander into the pyramid’s interior.

Walking through the hole blasted open by artillery, in this sweltering eastern district of Black Snake Bay, a damp and chilly wind greeted him.

Lighting a torch, Dass followed the corps commander through several corridors, arriving at the location they talked about.

The giant amber-like eyeball, reflecting the torchlight, nearly made Dass jump at first sight.

Thankfully, he instantly realized this thing was already dead, and thus breathed a sigh of relief: "Immediately seal off the pyramid, no one is allowed entry or exit, send word to inform Modie and have him wait at the temple for me."

Only the messenger soldier had just reached outside the temple when a rider approaching over the water was seen.

Somehow, Modie had procured a short-haired horse, galloping past the accumulated water on the road and into the temple.

"Modie." Dass immediately waved to Modie.

"Just as well, I was looking for you!" Both spoke at once, then stared in surprise.

"I’ll go first; no, you go first!"

Again, they spoke at the same time.

Eventually, Modie settled himself: "What do you have to say, you go first."

Organizing his thoughts, Dass opened concisely: "Inside the pyramid of Jade Bud City, there’s a vividly lifelike head of a green dragon."

Modie was instantly astonished: "You mean a dragon, a Giant Dragon, the kind that flies, with its head?"

"No, I’m talking about the small kind that doesn’t fly and looks like pigs... how could it be, it’s a Giant Dragon," Dass replied irritably.

Modie rolled his eyes at him: "Take me to see it."

In the dim tomb chamber, Modie like Dass originally, took a long silence before speaking: "We must report this to His Majesty, it’s best to transport this dragon head out."

"Yes, we should consult His Majesty first; after capturing Jade Bud City, there shouldn’t be much trouble downstream, let’s maintain firm control here." Only then did Dass recall what Modie had approached him for. "What were you looking for me for?"

"It’s about the Holy Seat City, do you still remember the previous negotiations between the Pseudo-Pope Puliano and the Ogre Warlord?"

"I remember, what’s going on?"

"We’ve just received news," in the firelight, Modie sadly yet relievedly smirked, "At the end of November, the Pseudo-Pope gathered sufficient funds, but the envoy sent embezzled the military salaries.

This led the Ogre Warlord Cancun to mismatch the account; whether Cancun felt deceived or for other reasons.

He suddenly launched an attack and seized the Holy Seat City, on November 30, 1453, the empire’s Holy Seat City—fell."