The four commanders and Melina were confused about what transpired before them. They did not know anything about what King Albertian talked about. Players, Second Floor, Dimensional Tower, and the System. Those were foreign terms for them, and this was the first time they heard about it.
"I am sorry, Tulahan. It seems I can't tell you anything about my family's secret. My time has come," King Albertian spoke in a low voice. It was supposed to be a goodbye from the King to his most trusted commander. "I am sorry, Melina. Please continue to live and protect our daughter. I am sorry that I can't raise Larissa together with you," The last part was meant for his wife.
"That's interesting," Zhang Mengyao did not immediately kill King Albertian, but she wanted more details, "I want to know how do you know that information? Does the System tell you that?" More details for the future, so she could use this information for the third floor. If what King Albertian said was the truth, the task to clear the second floor was not the same, but there was a familiarity with it, so more details would help her in the future.
King Albertian raised his head, "I have told you what you want to know, just end this!" The King had given up, and he was ready to die. He did not want to share anything anymore with Zhang Mengyao.
"I am the one who takes charge here, so you answer me, unless you want to see me rip apart your wife's remaining hand?" Zhang Mengyao glanced at Melina. The latter's body shook when she mentioned the remaining hand. The pain left deep trauma for the Queen, but she did not say anything. Her mind was in a mess, her thoughts were jumbled.
King Albertian gritted his teeth. This was the most frustrating moment in his life. He was not afraid of death or even pain, but it was totally different when it involved his wife. He just could not see his wife being tortured.
"All that information is left behind by my ancestor, the founder of Weingartner Royal Family. My ancestor leave a mural, and everything is on the mural,"
"Hmmm, where's the mural? I want to see it myself," Zhang Mengyao was interested in the information left behind by King Albertian's ancestors. The mural might contain some sort of secret about the System.
"The mural is below the castle in the capital city,"
Weingartner City, the Capital of Athilia Kingdom, was where the mural was located. Zhang Mengyao wanted to see it, but the circumstances did not allow her to see the mural right now.
"Tell me everything written on the mural,"
King Albertian looked at his miserable wife before starting to recount everything on the mural, "Weingartner Family is from a world called Horimus, but apparently we are banished into this place by the System because Weingartner Family lost in Doom Battle. Don't ask me what Doom Battle is because the mural doesn't tell anything about Doom Battle. The Weingartner Family lost in the Doom Battle and banished into the Dimensional Tower. My ancestors did not know which floor they were banished from, but you say it, we are on the second floor."
"Then in the last mural, my ancestor wrote to be wary of the players. The head of the family will be the target of the players because that's the condition to clear the mission issued by the System. I don't remember everything because I never took the mural seriously. We thought it was just a random prophecy from our ancestor until you showed up in front of me."
"That's actually interesting," Zhang Mengyao nodded, "Doom Battle? Is that the latter part of the Game? I need to see the mural myself,"
"Now we come to the last part where your head becomes the condition of the mission. Is it mentioning the head of the Weingartner Family? Or the people with Weingartner's blood?"
King Albertian furrowed his brow as he tried to remember the last part of the mural. The mural formed an octagon shape, meaning there were eight murals in total. He only read the first mural, the history of the Weingartner Family and the last mural, where it mentioned he would be hunted down by the players. He did not know why the woman wanted to know the exact words, but he did his best to remember for his wife.
After a minute of silence, King Albertian recalled the w0rds on the mural, "It's the head of Weingartner Family."
"Good. I will give you a chance to keep your life, but of course, there are a lot of conditions to keep your life. First, there will be no more Athilia Kingdom, but the Tang Empire. Everything belonging to Athilia Kingdom is Tang Empire's now. Second, you must serve the Tang Empire. Third, you, your family, and your trusted subordinates must take an oath to The Tang Empire. I think that's the price to keep your life, or do you choose death?" Zhang Mengyao gave the offer to the King.
"But why and how? You know right that you must kill me so you can return to your world?" King Albertian did not understand what made Zhang Mengyao change her mind all of a sudden, "Don't tell me you are aiming for the other kingdoms?"
"Ah, I see. The other Royal Families are also in the condition to clear the second floor too," Zhang Mengyao realized the second floor was completely different to the first floor. Clearing the second floor did not mean The Tang Empire would own the second floor. The other factions would have the same access as them as long as the other factions killed the King from one of the twelve kingdoms.
"No, there's no need for me to kill you if the condition to clear the mission is killing the head of Weingartner Family. You just need to hand over your position to one of your people or even a criminal in the prison. Then I will kill the new head of the Weingartner Family. That will clear the mission, no?" Zhang Mengyao shook her head, "How can you be a King if you can't think of this? That will not work if the condition to clear the mission is to kill the King with Weingartner's blood, but it's different if it's the head of the Weingartner Family. While the System is omnipotent, it leaves some loopholes. Just pray no one ever did this before because the System may patch the loophole if someone else did it before me."
"But why? Why do you bother to do that for me while you can just kill me?" King Albertian looked at Zhang Mengyao mindlessly.
"Doing that for you?" Zhang Mengyao let out a chuckle, "You are saying that as if I am attracted to you. I am not doing that for you, but for The Tang Empire. If we can keep you alive, then it will be easier for the Tang Empire to manage our territory in the Dimensional Tower. We don't need to choose a new person to keep watch over the Empire's land inside the tower. We want you to be the watchdog for the Tang Empire."
"What's your decision? Not like that's an issue, but a transition to a new ruler will take time. Not like I don't have other candidates, The Stanion Family should be okay for the job too. So what's your decision?"
"No! I will do everything as long as you spare my family. Let's try your plan, Ma'am," King Albertian immediately responded. This was his last chance, and if the plan worked, he did not have to die. If he was alive, then he could protect his wife and his daughter. There was no way he would miss the chance. He did not care about the Weingartner Family, at all. That was just a name in his eyes.
"Good, then you choose the pitiful guy that will replace you to die," Zhang Mengyao nodded, "However, we must make it official, make it as real as possible. Make it known to the others so the System will recognize the change."
The new stage and show were made. Soon, the news that the Athilia Kingdom subdued the Rebel Army was spread in the continent. It was shocking news because half of the Athilia Kingdom's soldiers rebelled. But the shock did not stop there because King Albertian stepped down from the throne. Following an emotional confession and speech in front of hundreds of thousands of people, the King stepped down and a new King was chosen.
The new King was King Albertian's adopted son as it was known that The King did not have a successor yet. That was even more shocking because someone that was not related to Weingartner's blood inherited the throne. This adopted son was also never heard by the masses. The adopted son just came out of nowhere.
It was a week of shows, making the new King recognized by the people in the continent. But the show did not end there. A week after the inauguration, The new King of the Athilia Kingdom was assassinated in his chamber. The Kingdom released the news, telling the world that the remnant of the Rebel Army killed the King.
[Congratulations! You have cleared the mission!]
[Congratulations! You obtained level 9 Treasure Chest as a reward and +2 Levels!]
[The players of the Tang Empire can exit the second floor now!]