Chapter 551 - King Landhar III's Friends
Inside the planetary fortress...
"What happened?"
While the Planetary Fortress Army fought the invaders outside, the citizens inside the fortress were also affected by the battle. They had surprised expressions on their faces as they glanced at the sky over their heads. The sky had been tinted orange. The surroundings were flooded with light and fire as far as the eye could see. The scalding airwaves slammed into the defensive barrier outside the planetary fortress. Even though it was blocked, they could still feel the burning heat.
The blinding light jolted everyone so hard they could not open their eyes. The three massive divine kingdoms concealed in the explosion and light formed an enormous phantom, and the pressure it emitted made people quiver from the depths of their hearts.
While everyone else was frightened, King Landhar III stood on the roof of a palace in the planetary fortress, his hands behind his back, squinting to stare at the sky.
"Your Majesty, a fight has occurred outside the city. The assailant must be at least starlight-tier, based on the intensity of the attack. Your Majesty, it's best if you don't stand here and watch. To avoid getting injured, please go into the palace and hide for a while."
A deep male voice came from behind King Landhar III. It was Hoen, who lowered his head respectfully.
"It makes no difference. I am not so weak as to die as a result of a conflict." King Landhar III motioned with his hand. On the surface, his reaction sounded dignified, but in his heart, he thought, 'I have waited so long. I had been waiting for this moment for a long time. The elves have already taken action. It is time for me to go out and execute my strategy! I am not sure how many elves have arrived. I hope they have more so they can survive a little longer.'
"Hoen, I want to watch the battle from a closer distance! In the past two days, Watson had changed the terrain of the entire Holy Dragon Kingdom, and he had brought the golden river into every city. He had also created an indestructible barrier like the nine planetary fortresses. There is no doubt that the Holy Dragon Kingdom would become the world's overlord. I saw many cities on the kingdom's borders. When Watson told the residents that the planetary fortresses were created to protect them, they had looked at him with so much respect and emotions."
Watson successfully explained the creation and use of the planetary fortress to the people in those cities due to King Landhar III's presence.
The residents regarded Watson more highly than King Landhar III. The latter could not achieve a miracle like the former, whose defensive magic covered the entire Holy Dragon Kingdom, especially since he had built nine tiers of defensive barrier.
Those citizens respected Watson. They believed that the fortress city took advantage of the chance to disseminate the church's teachings in those cities, which had lost their purpose due to the seven gods. The church began to function anew with their assistance.
Watson had also planted the intelligence personnel from the Severed Fingers gang in those cities. The two men he had just recruited, Duke Piggy and Deena, were in those cities, helping to build an intelligence network for Elven.
The Severed Fingers Gang's intelligence network was known as the Omniscient House. The Omniscient House was not built underground or in a secret location; it was the middle of several shops in the city center's streets. Nobody could recognize the Omniscient House apart from other stores from the outside.
Watson's idea was straightforward. Since he had united the Dragon Palace, the Holy Dragon Kingdom's transportation had grown more convenient. It would become even more convenient in the future after the mass manufacture of deep-sea submarines. What would have usually happened? It would have taken ten days to a month for the news to reach the kingdom's outskirts. Things had changed. Even if one did not have any magical technology, the information could reach one in a few hours at most.
A kingdom would benefit from greatly accelerated information transmission.
The ruler, King Landhar III, obviously comprehended it as well. Many of the Holy Dragon Kingdom's officials were initially upset with abandoning the three princes and choosing Watson as the future king. Those ministers, though, were debating when he would abdicate. They obviously could not wait for Watson to become King.
"He made the golden river, tamed the sea folks and the dragons, and is currently repelling the elven army and rebuilding the Holy Dragon Kingdom's barriers. His Highness Watson has accomplished a great deal. Of course, his current accomplishments are entirely due to His Majesty's direction. Watson would be a nobody at the border if it were not for His Majesty's discerning eyes and selecting Watson from among the innumerable geniuses in the Holy Dragon Kingdom."
Do you honestly believe Watson was promoted by me, Hoen?"
King Landhar III shook his head, a peculiar smile on his face, and remarked, "'Gold sparkles wherever it is—that's an old proverb in the Holy Dragon Kingdom. Even if Watson remains at the border, he will become renowned at some point. I am pleased that he came from the border rather than another kingdom. This is going to give me a headache! Okay, I will stop talking gibberish to you. I am going to leave right now. If someone asks, simply inform them that I am sleeping in my room."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Hoen agreed with a lowered head. When he looked up, the king had vanished. His pupils contracted before they returned to normal.
King Landhar III had left, but he instructed Hoen to lie and say he was asleep. He was obviously plotting something, and he was already used to it.
"I wonder what His Majesty is doing. Is this related to Watson?" Hoen muttered softly. He would not have cared about such things in the past, but his mood was somewhat different.
Perhaps it would be best that Watson became the Holy Dragon Kingdom's next king.
He was one of the few persons in the capital who knew Watson. He had watched Watson's growth and the expansion of the capital from the beginning to the present. Previously, the capital lacked any platinum-tier weapons or potions that could turn someone platinum-tier. They had increased not only their strength but also the quality of their lives. He, too, would visit the Holy Dragon Tavern on occasion to sample the sun fruit and moon fruit wines.
It could be argued that the changes in the city had been more significant in the short months Watson had been there than in the decades of King Landhar III's rule. If that trend persisted, nobody could foretell how affluent the Holy Dragon Kingdom would become. Even though Hoen was the King's devoted supporter, he thought Watson would make an excellent king.
"If only Watson and His Majesty could set aside their animosity and work together to create a lovely future. That way, I would not have to worry about it."
Hoen muttered to himself, a disappointed grimace on his face. Suddenly, a huge boom erupted from above his head. King Landhar III, who was wearing a black robe, was on fire. He flew down and stroked the flames on his body. Two other persons dressed in dark cloaks had emerged too. They were elves, judging from the pointed ears under the cloak.
"Your Majesty, didn't you go watch the battle up close? Why are you back?" Hoen widened his eyes and asked, "And those are—"
King Landhar III calmly extinguished the flames on his body. "It is nothing. I was too close, so the intruders' magic almost hit me. As for those people, they are my friends. They were watching the battle with me in the air and were also affected! We will continue watching from another place later. You stay here and don't ask any questions. "
As he spoke, King Landhar III flew to the back of the planetary fortress with his friends. Hoen was speechless. He ran to the back of the planetary fortress and watched the battle. Even though his line of sight was blocked, he knew His Majesty's friends were elves.
Who would believe him?