[Master, didn't I tell you to perform well in front of Governor Mohai?]
[What have you done?]
System 12345 muttered with frustration.
[They actually chased you halfway across the city?]
[You've offended your father-in-law badly this time. What are you going to do next?]
[You encountered two side quests right from the start, and you didn't make any progress on either.]
[You're even going backward—really disappointing.]
"Yi—" Shu Yichao stopped his horse and threw away the rope in his hand. "Thirty or forty dead and injured!? The losses are too great."
"They're just cannon fodder, after all."
"Even completing the newbie task was this difficult."
After breaking into the city, everything that followed went surprisingly smoothly.
Although the Esmans struggled in their dying throes, their rule here was not stable. Besides the vengeful Noma people, the city's residents instantly turned into a mob and attacked them.
In addition, their morale, which had plummeted, now faced the frenzy of Shu Yichao's personally led steppe army.
The result was inevitable—a total rout.
Shu Yichao had initially thought of capturing a few prisoners to see if he could exchange them for some money.
However, the neutral units accompanying him were ruthless and left no prisoners behind.
Shu Yichao couldn't help feeling regretful about the money he lost for nothing.
And there were also casualties among his own troops, which pained Shu Yichao even more.
"The recruitment of two days, all gone just like that."
"If I don't make some extra money, I'll be at a huge loss." Shu Yichao muttered, opening his personal interface.
"Loot, then abandon the city."
Occupying add Virtue but not earning much money—only a fool would choose this.
Sacking and being brutal also didn't pay, so Shu Yichao didn't choose it either.
Looting was the most satisfying. Watching several tens of thousands of denars suddenly appear, Shu Yichao couldn't stop grinning.
[You have gained a new talent. Would you like to choose it?]
"A new talent?" Shu Yichao was taken aback, then immediately clasped his hands together. "May the Jade Emperor, Buddha, and the Great Sage Equaling Heaven bless me... Please don't give me a useless talent."
With a click of his fingers.
[You have gained the talent "Scouring to the Last Drop."]
[Loot gains +15%, and the army earns a small amount of funds for each enemy killed.]
"Yahoo!" Shu Yichao jumped for joy.
"Hahaha, I love earning money through battles the most!"
"Hey, all you gods up there, please remind me of this blessing in my dreams tonight, and I'll return the favor next time."
"Brothers, keep looting for me!"
If not choosing to occupy, then after abandoning the city, one could repeatedly plunder.
This was the most basic moral standard for Shu Yichao as a player.
So, under the witness of the entire city, the "Khitans" who had come from afar demonstrated their astonishing talent for plundering.
Gold, silver, and valuables? Taken!
Silk and fur? Wrapped up!
Chickens, ducks, and fish? Caught!
Even the gold dust on the statues was thoroughly scraped clean by them, adding a hefty sum to Shu Yichao's treasury.
By the way, it also made the morale in the city of Sochiya soar.
After enjoying for a few days and confirming that this city had been stripped clean, with not a single penny left—
"The rest is all yours," Shu Yichao said casually to Madame Mati.
"Consider it a thank-you gift for your help."
"Although, in reality, you only provided support other than helping."
"Also, I want to buy some things from you."
"Wait, Khitan Batulu, are you saying you're handing this city over to us?" After some communication, Madame Mati was dumbfounded.
The other heads and brains who came to listen to the Khitans' "decree" were also dumbfounded.
Originally, they were all prepared to serve under Shu Yichao, but now Shu Yichao didn't want this city?
"Yes," Shu Yichao stood on the table as usual.
"Stay?"
"Why should I stay?"
Drawing his elite curved sword, Shu Yichao brandished it in the air and declared loudly.
"My mission is to save Constantinople and revive Rome!"
"Madame Mati, what is the Khitan saying?" someone asked Madame Mati in a low voice.
"He seems to be saying..." After several dealings, Madame Mati could barely understand Shu Yichao's words.
Therefore, her expression became even more strange.
"He has been called by the Lord."
"To go and save Constantinople?"
"Huh?" Everyone exchanged glances.
What kind of legend is this about a divine maiden descending?
Although with the appearance of the Khitan Batulu, putting on some makeup to pass as a divine maiden would be no problem at all.
But you, a Khitan from thousands of miles away, coming to save the capital of the Noma people—no matter how you look at it, it seems unreliable.
————————————
"Board the ship! Board the ship!"
A few days later, at a pier in Mohai, Shu Yichao commanded his three hundred steppe archers to board the ship.
Of course, going to Constantinople by sea was the fastest and most reliable way.
But the headache was, Shu Yichao couldn't recruit a navy.
Therefore, even with the help of merchant caravans, finding ships, hiring sailors, it still took him several days of effort to prepare until now.
As Shu Yichao prepared to board the ship, he suddenly noticed several other ships approaching the pier.
And at the bow of one of the ships was his old acquaintance.
That big sister with dark skin and no nose.
"Khitan Batulu." As the two ships approached each other, Madame Mati led a group of people, with a mixture of excitement and fear on their faces, walked forward.
"We want to go with you."
"Hey, what are you doing?" Shu Yichao looked at her curiously. "I've sold everything."
"Why are you still following me?"
"I once heard of a prophecy," Madame Mati replied, squeezing the sword in her hand slightly.
"In the distant east, there is a king of sacrifice."
"He will come with his invincible army to save the empire when it is about to be destroyed."
"But I've also heard the opposite prophecy."
"The double-headed eagle banner will eventually fall, and the city of God will burn in heavenly fire."
"It is said that the Sultan's two hundred thousand strong army has already surrounded the capital of the empire, Constantinople is on the brink of collapse, and then you appear..."
Madame Mati sighed. "One of the prophecies seems to be coming true."
"Khitan Batulu, I beg you to take us with you."
"No matter which prophecy comes true."
"We, the subjects of the empire, will witness it to the end."
"I see, you want to continue doing business with me." Shu Yichao gave Madame Mati a thumbs up. "No wonder you've done such big business and have so many people."
"Your vision is indeed much higher than ordinary people's—following me, there will be plenty of loot."
"Rest assured, I will prioritize selling any loot to you."
"Thank you for your generosity and kindness." Seeing Shu Yichao smile and give a thumbs up, Madame Mati breathed a sigh of relief.
[Master, I'm sorry!]
System 12345 cried out.
[I just realized now that I didn't install the language plugin properly.]
[So, Master, for all these days, you couldn't communicate normally with people?]
You must have been so lonely and scared. Maybe even bullied frequently.
No wonder you didn't complete the side quests before.
In this situation, being able to complete any tasks would be amazing!
[Sob, sob, sob, Master, you're still striving for the position of Empress, to complete the main quest? Sob, sob, you're really working hard.]
[Master, when I fix the program, I'll give you the strongest support first thing!]
With Master working so hard, what right do I have to be lazy?
System 12345 was filled with a burning fighting spirit.