"Huh? Your Majesty, you're finally back!"
When he saw City Lord Zhang, he was sitting at his desk, looking at something with a frown while holding a snack.
Hearing the footsteps, he raised his head in annoyance, ready to scold, but when he saw Qian Er, he froze. Then, a look of excitement spread across his face as he eagerly handed the documents in his hand to Qian Er.
"Your Majesty, please take a look."
Qian Er had originally wanted to joke with City Lord Zhang and catch up, but he didn't expect the man to jump straight into work.
Qian Er didn't say anything about it, took the documents, and sat down at City Lord Zhang's desk to read them.
"Huh?"
But after only a couple of glances, Qian Er frowned, a sound of surprise and uncertainty escaping his lips.
The document stated that the Void Sky Crane race had suddenly begun to shrink all of their forces. All members of the Void Sky Crane race were returning to their ancestral lands, including those in the former Sky Curtain Bull territory. Now, the territory that originally belonged to the Void Sky Cranes was completely empty.
According to past practices, the remaining three races should have already divided it up. After all, it was such a large and fertile piece of land; there was no reason to abandon it.
But that was the problem. The remaining two victor races hadn't made any movements. On the human side, it was because Qian Er wasn't around, so they were trying to avoid causing trouble as much as possible. But what about the other two races?
He carefully examined the document, flipping the few lines of text back and forth as if he could see something hidden within.
Silence fell in the office, broken only by the sound of City Lord Zhang chewing on his snack.
He was taking this opportunity to eat more, replenishing the mental energy he had just expended.
Seeing him eat with such relish, Qian Er couldn't resist taking a piece and putting it in his mouth.
But as soon as it entered his mouth, Qian Er almost spat it out.
"Too sweet, sickeningly sweet."
City Lord Zhang quickly poured a cup of strong tea and handed it to Qian Er.
"Your Majesty, this isn't how you eat it. You have to pair it with tea. This stuff is specially brought in to invigorate the mind. When you're working late at night and feeling sluggish, one piece really perks you up."
After washing it down with the tea, the bitterness neutralized the sweetness, and the taste improved.
"Old Zhang, what do you think about this?"
Qian Er pointed to the document and asked after swallowing the snack.
"Your Majesty, the Void Sky Cranes' actions are so abnormal. Do you think it's possible that their heritage has grasped a sliver of opportunity to break through to demigodhood?"
As the city lord of a border city, Old Zhang naturally knew some secrets. After all, only with good intelligence could he make the best decisions when facing various situations.
"Could that be it?"
Qian Er asked, tilting his head. After all, it was too abnormal. Qian Er was willing to bet that if humans had a heritage that had grasped an opportunity to advance to demigodhood, those people would definitely not say anything. They would definitely maintain the status quo, not letting anyone see any clues, while secretly withdrawing their top combat power and temporarily abandoning ordinary people and low-end combat power.
If they weren't discovered by other races, then naturally everything would be fine. Once the heritage successfully advanced, it would usher in the golden age of humanity.
But if they were discovered by other races, leading to a frenzied attack on human territories, then there would be no choice. They would avenge them after successfully advancing.
In Qian Er's view, that was the normal reaction. The Void Sky Cranes' blatant actions, as if they couldn't wait to announce to the whole world that something was happening in their home, were definitely not normal.
Legendary bait. Qian Er keenly sensed the scent of a fisherman.
"Your Majesty, the myriad races are not the same as humans. They have their own ecological habits. For example, some races have a large swarm ecology, and these races only have one consciousness. All members of the race are extensions of that consciousness. Other races will not easily give up any member of the race."
City Lord Zhang explained to Qian Er with a smile.
"Are the Void Sky Cranes that kind of race?"
But Qian Er's words directly choked him.
"... No!"
After a moment of silence, City Lord Zhang said decisively.
The one who knows you best is your enemy. Although the twelve victor races are relatively peaceful, with trade and communication between them, seeming very peaceful, everyone knows that they are mortal enemies. There is no hatred, purely a matter of competing for ecological niches.
So, just as other races understand the human race, the human race has long understood the other races thoroughly.
Therefore, City Lord Zhang could be sure that the Void Sky Cranes were definitely not that kind of race.
"Then ignore it and see what the other races do."
Qian Er said directly.
Involving demigods, even the Void Sky Cranes' allies would easily become restless. Qian Er felt that he didn't need to worry about it at all.
"Alright. There's one more thing, Your Majesty. Regarding the garrison matters in the Silent Desert, officials have already been sent to discuss it with me. Would you like to take a look?"
City Lord Zhang asked tentatively.
"No, you handle it yourself. I'm too lazy to play word games with those two-faced people."
Qian Er refused directly without even thinking.
"Alright. Also, Your Majesty, the spoils from wiping out the remnants of the Earth Dragon Alliance and the temporary base of the Peach Blossom Demon race last time have been transported back and are piled up in the warehouse. You should probably go take a look, right?"
City Lord Zhang wanted Qian Er to do something. After all, giving him so much authority really scared him. He hadn't slept well for days, relying on those sickeningly sweet snacks and bitterly strong tea to stay awake. The pressure was too great.
"What's there to see? Just send the resources I can use to my mansion. I trust your work."
Saying that, Qian Er patted City Lord Zhang on the shoulder and gave him a thumbs up.
After saying that, seeing that City Lord Zhang didn't intend to add anything else, Qian Er turned and left.
Watching Qian Er's back, City Lord Zhang sighed helplessly.
"To encounter such a superior is truly a blessing."
After saying that, he patted his face, forcing himself to perk up.
"Someone, bring a few more plates of snacks! The strong tea can't stop!"
Saying that, he picked up a new document again.
He had originally planned to go to sleep after finishing the previous one, but now it seemed he had to work a little longer. Otherwise, he would be letting down His Majesty's kindness.
After leaving the City Lord's mansion, Qian Er was stopped by someone. Looking up, a look of surprise and delight immediately appeared on his face.
"Ahem, this humble official greets Your Majesty."
A familiar cough sounded. The sickly Shen Yifei, a True King of the military and also the Empire's Marquis Wu and Commander of the Imperial Guards, stood at the entrance of the City Lord's mansion, his face pale and coughing occasionally.
This military True King was the Empire's Marquis Wu and Commander of the Imperial Guards, but because he hadn't been granted a royal title, it wasn't wrong for him to call himself a humble official when facing Qian Er.
"Senior Shen, are you making fun of me?"
Qian Er walked over with a smile and hooked his arm around Shen Yifei's shoulder. This man had helped him a lot. During the myriad races assessment, he had even been willing to risk restarting the myriad races war to protect him. Later, when Qian Er was used as bait, he and the other three True Kings had discussed dividing up a True King-level Gen Mountain Lion's thigh for Qian Er. His help at the time could be said to be considerable.
"Ahem, Your Majesty, this humble official is ill..."
Shen Yifei wanted to push Qian Er away, but Qian Er interrupted him directly.
"Senior Shen, it's just the two of us. It's no fun if you keep pretending to be a sickly ghost."
"Tsk, you."
Shen Yifei glared at Qian Er, reached out and pushed his arm away. His originally hunched back straightened up all at once, his pale face regained its rosy color, and he even stopped coughing.
"Let's go find a place to drink."
Saying that, Shen Yifei hooked his arm around Qian Er's shoulder and led him away.
