Chapter 2: Brand New Diplomatic Means

Have you already made plans for after the defeat? However, Joshua does not intend to flee

Therefore, Qiao Xiu, when the next war begins, I hope you can lead our people to find a new refuge. Norgus, Cecily, and the others will surely stand up to fight

In response to the inquiry from the Lord of the Demon Realm, Qiao Xiu confidently replied

Joshu, who plans to develop the entertainment industry in another world, is just taking the opportunity of movies and games to change the perception of demons in this world

The only master of this castle is the father of this demon prince

But this is a different world, a world with magic

He appears older than Joshua had imagined; rather than the image of a ruler, the image of a weary old father who has struggled to raise four children is more fitting for him

Of course, opinions and views can be changed, as long as there is time

Qiao Xiu walked directly into it, the corridor was astonishingly spacious, with towering statues over ten meters high standing on both sides.

Each statue represents the kings who have ruled this land throughout the ages; perhaps the demons living in the demon realm indeed refer to them as "king"

Qiao Xiu's plan in his heart has basically taken shape, and then he spoke to the Lord of the Demon Realm with more certainty

What does the next guardian signify? That is to say, the next lord of the demon realm

No, I have found a higher ideal, so allow me to decline

The Lord of the Demon Realm, Notleyan, gazed at Joshu for a long time, and then he issued a new command

A powerful and resonant voice came from beside Qiao Xiu; it was the voice of Qiao Xiu's elder brother, Knox. As the eldest son, Knox was naturally portrayed as a great general, commanding thousands of troops and guarding the borders.

Qiao Xiu's elder brother, second sister, and fourth younger sister have all arrived in this hall, standing before the altar

A solemn atmosphere permeated every inch of the air here, and Joshu's siblings did not even glance at him, instead leaving a space between the second sister and the fourth sister, clearly reserved for Joshu

They are now enemies, but I believe this relationship has the potential to change

"Norges, Cecily, Fia... you may leave first."

The Lord of the Demon Realm does not seem to wish to engage in war with humanity again

Could it be that he truly wants to force himself to become a king? Joshua suddenly recalled some traditional inspirational stories, which often feature tales of kings selecting a few of their offspring as heirs, where the one who ultimately succeeds to the throne is always the youngest son, who is the least favored.

"It is a completely new diplomatic approach. I cannot disclose the specific methods at this moment, but please give me a few years, and I will show you the changes," Joshua said.

Qiao Xiu spoke loudly to the current Lord of the Demon Realm

An appellation that appears unadorned yet is profoundly ancient

These statues vary in form, depicting characters that are all of the same race of chaotic demons as Joshu.

However, these monarchs privately have a unique title for themselves, which is "The Guardians"

Qiao Xiu, what is your perspective on the relationship between demons and humans

Higher ideals

Qiao Xiu has already decided to venture into the film and gaming industry. Being a king is such a tiring job; let my elder brother, second sister, or fourth sister do it if they wish.

It is the legacy of this demon prince that has made it possible for Joshua to pursue his plan of filming a movie in another world

This water element servant possesses the appearance of a human female, yet her skin surface exudes a liquid texture

Qiao Xiu now has a sense of being that "lucky little son"

When in Rome, do as the Romans do. Qiao Xiu stood before the altar like his siblings, his gaze directed towards the figure facing the altar.

For those who can keep up with the trends of the times, the impression of the existence of demons is fundamentally just one: handsome

Oh? Qiao Xiu, do you not desire to possess the identity of a guardian

With your strange inventions

"Is it possible to change? Humanity sees us as the embodiment of evil, filled with hatred towards our kind. The continuous wars with humans for a hundred years have already demonstrated this. Do you still believe that change is possible?"

What is the impression of demons in modern society? Fear? Terror? Utter disgust? Wrong! All wrong! None of these are correct!

The moment Notley spoke these words, the already serious atmosphere suddenly became tense

This can be considered a setting that Qiao Xiu anticipated

"Interesting, then I shall wait and see what you call culture will bring between demons and humans," said Notrain

Qiao Xiu was unaware of the meaning of this title, yet the history of the "Guardians" has been passed down from generation to generation, continuing to this day

"Take it easy, don't be so formal," said Notley.

It is certainly not a fear of some trivial matter that would lead one to pray to God

The image of the demon has undergone reinterpretation through various games, films, and literary works such as Dungeons & Dragons, World of Warcraft, Diablo, and Hellgate, among others

Accepting the culture of demons

The third prince allocated all his talents to "Invention and Creation," making him the weakest among the four siblings in terms of individual strength, to the extent that even the weakest, the fourth sister, could easily tear apart countless versions of himself

Notley stared intently at Joshua, unsure of where this confidence of his came from. The only thing his third son could boast about were those peculiar machines of his.

Qiao Xiu could foresee that from this point onward, his siblings would undoubtedly begin to stab each other in the back, so...

From the traditional villain archetypes commonly used in medieval religious contexts to the characters admired by modern people, the term "cool, domineering, and stylish" may seem vulgar, but it is very fitting when applied to demons

"Your Highness, the Third Prince, the master has summoned you to the guard room" Her voice sounded devoid of any emotion

All the siblings have left, and only Qiao Xiu and Nott Lane remain in the entire hall

There are many reasons. What nonsense about kindness, tolerance, and other noble qualities. However, Qiao Xiu believes that all of these are mere nonsense. At least in this world, those without power cannot bear the weight of the identity of "king"

After a moment of contemplation, Qiao Xiu replied to him

Indeed

Please allow me to withdraw from the candidacy for the position of Guardian successor

To put it plainly, Qiao Xiu cannot possibly outcompete his elder brother and second sister, and he may even be unable to surpass the fourth sister. Instead, he is likely to become the first victim in this contest for the imperial edict.

Understood

This is not Earth; we are all human beings. Since we cannot reach an agreement through conversation, we might as well take up swords and guns and have a confrontation. The differences in physical fitness will not be significant, making it quite fair

Moreover, compared to the concept of power, Qiao Xiu prefers to pursue some form of spiritual fulfillment, such as "traveling alone to Tibet for a thousand miles" and "drifting in Germany for three days and three nights to attend the Cologne Game Show" and so on. Essentially, Qiao Xiu has done most of the things that only somewhat foolish artistic youths would engage in.

There is no need for mind-altering magic; I possess methods that can encourage humans to take the initiative or to eagerly embrace the culture of demons.

The lifespan of a chaotic demon is considered to be the shortest among all races in the demon realm, lasting no more than two hundred years, which can be said to be comparable to that of humans in this world

It has been thirty years... I know that this time is not even enough for you to reach adulthood, but it is sufficient for you to mature.

The identity of the king? To rule over the entire demon realm, possessing everything within it, with a single sentence capable of determining the lives of tens of millions of people

Qiao Xiu did not expect that he would meet the ruler of this world so soon

The plan for Qiao Xiu to make a movie in another world has not yet been scheduled, when a water element servant hurriedly ran to Qiao Xiu's side

The decorations here are also very simple, completely inconsistent with a place like "the palace of a king". Apart from a stone mortar at the end that resembles an altar, there is even no throne.

Is it a magic that changes... that influences the mind? After this magic is discovered, it will only intensify humanity's hatred towards demons. The wars of the past century have brought too much trauma to our kind. If a new war is ignited here, I fear our kind will end in defeat.

The demon clan is not as powerful as Joshua imagined, and the humans from another world do not appear to be as weak as Joshua envisioned

One of the most famous events in China is the usurpation of power by the Sima family over the Cao family, which ended the chaotic Three Kingdoms period and established the Jin Dynasty. Meanwhile, in Europe, Richard III betrayed his nephew Edward and succeeded him as the King of England

Moreover, it is not inappropriate to describe culture as an invention, as culture itself originates from creation and dissemination

Father, may I ask if you have any instructions for me

However, for the chaotic demons, being merely twenty years old still places them in their youth. Joshu is only seventeen this year, and his younger sister, Fia, is even younger at just fourteen. At this age, even in the human world, they would be considered as belonging to the category of those sentenced to "a minimum of three years, with the maximum penalty being death"

Power, when placed in the hands of the weak, merely grants them a one-way ticket to hell

In summary, the history concerning the throne is always drenched in blood

And Qiao Xiu's father, the Lord of the Demon Realm, Notrain, is the current "Guardian"

Qiao Xiu walked through the corridor sheltered by his ancestors and arrived at a spacious hall

Nox, Cecily, Joshua, Fia

The Lord of the Demon Realm directly got to the point, posing the most pressing question currently facing the demons

Following the route he remembered, Qiao Xiu spent ten minutes traversing the intricately structured castle, arriving before a door that emanated an ominous aura

At this moment, Qiao Xiu finally saw the appearance of the Lord of the Demon Realm, who was quite elderly. The somewhat disheveled beard and the wrinkles on his cheeks formed the first impression of this Lord of the Demon Realm

It indeed sounds wonderful; power is inherently marvelous, but the prerequisite is to have a life to enjoy it

A voice filled with a sense of oppression sequentially pronounced four names

The drama of succession and usurpation, Joshu feels, does not require excessive elaboration. Whether in the medieval history of Europe or Asia, the struggle for the throne has always been an unending theme.

When the Lord of Terror, Diablo, makes his appearance in "Diablo," proclaiming "Not Even Death Can Save Me!" and when the dreadlord Mal'Ganis from the Burning Legion in "World of Warcraft" shouts "I am Mal'Ganis! I am eternal!" there is always a sense of exhilaration that stirs the blood

I have decided to select the next guardian among you in two years