As the crowd moved forward, the road that had been rising up gradually smoothed out, and it wasn't long before Evan saw a statue rising from the ground.

The statue was imposing, more than 200 meters high, half a section higher than the city's tallest bell tower, and it seemed to be made of pure metal in terms of materials, and it looked very expensive.

Standing in the center of the square and looking around, Ivan found that this statue was the tallest building in the city, and the reason why he had not seen it before was because the city was low along the coast and high inland, and there were naturally many obstacles to obscure the view from the low and high.

The statue depicts a grown man, looking majestic and heroic—wearing a coral crown, holding a trident, wearing golden armor with spiked anti-armor, and a fat white seal at his feet.

"This is the god of the sea! They want to worship the god of the sea," Yi asserted with his first impression.

But in the next moment, he overturned his impression, because the statue was obviously a human - the sea god of the fish-people could not be human.

Just when Ivan was scratching his head, in front of the pedestal of the statue, a respectable-looking male elderly fish-man walked out. (The way to distinguish between male and female fishmen is simple, male fishes have physical characteristics that are more like fish, while female merfolk are closer to humans.) ）

Holding flowers, corals, and shells, it respectfully walked to the pedestal, and then solemnly knelt on the ground and kept kowtowing to the sculpture.

Bang - bang - bang!

I don't know if it's because the fish-people are slow to feel pain, or if this old man is simply the iron of his head, and when he kowtows, his forehead must touch the ground, and the smashing sound is thumping. It took nine times before the old fish stood up and handed the sacrifice to his retinue to carry it to the foot of the statue.

By this time, the square was already crowded, and the pilgrimage of the fish-people offered flowers, corals, and shells—and a thick layer of offerings was soon spread around the statue's pedestal.

After the sacrifices, the fishmen retreated to their original positions in an orderly manner, vacating the center of the square, and then quickly quieted down. In just a few minutes, the huge square became silent, and everyone remained silent, as if waiting for the second part of the pilgrimage.

"Fifth year! Today is the fifth year that the fish-people have been reborn from the lawless zone!" At this time, the elderly fish-man who took the lead in the sacrifice suddenly spoke, and his vigorous and powerful voice spread outward along the open area, and soon spread to all corners of the square.

"We've had a lot of disasters over the years...... In the end, they all survived. ”

As he spoke, the old fish-man suddenly stretched out his hand to point to the sculpture behind him, and raised his voice to emphasize: "Now our lives have returned to stability and abundance, but we must not forget who saved us from the brink of extinction!"

Hearing this, the fish-people in the square nodded their heads one after another, with a look of deep approval on their faces, and some even shed tears.

Ivan frowned, and his heart was very unhappy - the Menes Empire that subsidized the Fish-People, it was the Mechanical Legion that saved the Fish-People, and it was me who gave the order; in the end, you actually thanked the ethereal god!? Isn't this a bunch of white-eyed wolves who can't be raised!?

The old fishman didn't know what he had said, and his top boss, who had already offended his boss, still said in an extremely excited tone:

"Thank you to our Savior, for helping us to eradicate poverty and hunger, to help us escape from the clutches of the plague, and to give us a peaceful and prosperous life! He is also the eternal 'King of Holy Oil' and 'Benefactor' in the hearts of the Fish-People, the great 'Immortal King'!"

Hearing this, Evan's face darkened even more, and his eyes were gloomy as if he could rain rain - it was just a matter of sacrificing to your gods, and even snatching my honorific title, and really thought that I had no temper.

"Let us chant his name and pray that he will be blessed for a long time!" the old fish-man raised his hands in the air, his long beard curled up with excitement, and roared in the loudest voice: "Thank you to His Majesty the Great Sun King, and to our Savior, who is the Holy Immortal King!"

"Thank you, Your Majesty Ivan!"

"Thank you, Your Majesty Ivan!"

"Thank you, Your Majesty Ivan!"

Thunderous shouts erupted from the square, and the fishmen raised their hands one after another, their eyes full of reverence and fanaticism.

Because of this sharp turn, Evan was stunned for a while, and then he glanced at the statue in the center of the square-how does this look like the image of a middle-aged uncle, but it is me? Could it be that the fish-people are all face blind!?

It didn't take long for him to be relieved, because he couldn't tell the difference between the fish-people.

In the eyes of humans, the fish-people are almost all twins, almost out of the same mold, and in the eyes of the fish-people, humans are not the same.

In their eyes, there should be no difference between themselves and this middle-aged uncle-Ivan speculated silently.

After cheering, the old man took several deep breaths in a row to calm his mood, and then he praised endlessly:

During his reign, he built the Menes Empire into an interstellar empire with iron and blood, and won the crown of the overlord of the Far East, becoming the only military empire that can confront the Kashny Federation. Today, the territory is vast, the population is large, the races are different, and under the light of the Sun King, the culture is rich and developed, presenting a vibrant scene. ”

Speaking of this, he pressed his left hand to his chest, closed his eyes, and said with a solemn expression:

"Let us pray for him and for him and the great Far Eastern Alliance to live forever. ”

It didn't take long for all the merfolk in the square to close their eyes, and the city center was quiet again.

In the process, the more Ivan listened, the more strange he felt, and the more he listened, the more exaggerated he felt—he always felt that this kind of scene was very wrong, as if he was deliberately trying to sanctify himself and then distinguish himself from the Menes Empire.

Could it be that someone specially arranged all this!?

Thinking of this, he immediately broke through the air, returned to the royal court of the Hyperion Star, and then directly issued an edict:

"Let the Governor of the Ocean Planet come back to me at once!"

One by one, one by one

The next day, the side hall of the palace of the king.

The governor of the planet of the sea, a stocky fish-man high-ranking official, stood in the door of the side hall sweating profusely, his scaly face full of restlessness.

His mood at the moment can only be explained by panic and confusion.

Because Montgomery had no idea what he had done...... Since taking office, he has been conscientious and conscientious, never daring to take bribes, let alone neglecting government affairs. The only black spot was probably the great plague that nearly wiped out the Fish-Folk - but could he be blamed? Could it be that with a different governor, the evil Herder would not put the plague?

So why is His Majesty the Sun King angry?

Montgomery shuddered at the thought of the unkind tone in the edict, but he didn't know where he had angered the Sun King.

Just as the governor was thinking nonsense, Rennie, dressed in a crisp military uniform, walked up to him:

"Your Excellency Montgomery, Your Majesty is waiting for you in the hall. ”

"Your Excellency Rennie, Your Majesty...... Why is he angry?" Montgomery did not have the majesty of a feudal official at this moment, and there was only helplessness and pleading in the eyes of the female adjutant.

"I'm sorry, but I can't speculate on this kind of thing. Renee folded her shoulders and gave the other a helpless look.

"Alas!"

Montgomery sighed, then walked into the inner hall with his head bowed and an expression similar to that of an execution ground.

On the chair in the inner hall, Evan watched the other party walk into the room with a cold expression, and uncharacteristically did not sit down. When the Fat Fish Governor walked in front of him, he first snorted coldly, and then rebuked in a fierce voice:

"Do you know why I ordered you to come? Because you are confused!"

"Confused?" Montgomery looked confused.

"Yesterday I went to the City of Visit, and the people there are engaged in public sacrifices, do you know about this?"

"Yes, yes!"

Governor Fat Fish nodded repeatedly, and then said hurriedly, "They do this every year, but this year it is a little more solemn." If His Majesty thinks this is inappropriate, His Majesty will prohibit them from doing similar activities. ”

"It's not that I don't like civic activities!"

Seeing him show this appearance, Evan suddenly became angry, grabbed the newspaper in his hand, and slapped it on the head at once: "I just don't like you to please me in this way! If it weren't for the fact that you have been diligent and have managed the ocean planet well, I would definitely urge the cabinet to do you!"

"Flatter!?"

The Governor of Fat Fish was stunned again by his photo, and then hurriedly shouted injustice: "Your Majesty, that is completely a spontaneous action of the people, and it really has nothing to do with His Majesty! His Majesty has been busy formulating policies to encourage childbirth these days, where can he have time to engage in this kind of face-saving project." ”

“......”

Evan looked at him suspiciously, and after looking at him for a while, he suddenly spit out a sentence: "Hinting and acquiescing are also what you did!"

"Only acquiescence, no hint!" said Montgomery, puffing out his chest.

"It's really not you and your men?"

"Not really! Your Majesty can check it as you please! If there is evidence that I instructed, I am willing to accept the guilt!" replied the Fat Fish Governor with a full pity.

“......”

Ivan leaned back in his chair and just looked at him silently, not saying anything more.

In fact, after he came back from the ocean planet, he had already asked Xiao Xi and the spy robot to investigate, and he really didn't find fault with the other party, otherwise he wouldn't have behaved so restrained. As for the sacrificial acts of the Fishmen...... Evan did not believe that it was a spontaneous act of the people, and felt that it was wrong, so he wanted to meet the governor in person.

After a half-ring, Evan continued: "Don't you think it's strange?

"It's not strange, it's not numb!"

Montgomery raised his head and said calmly:

"His Majesty the Sun King has a grace for the Fish-People Race - if it weren't for Your Majesty, our Fish-People would have perished! Your Majesty sent a mechanical legion and a medical team to contain the disaster as soon as the Ocean Planet was affected, which is enough to prove that Your Majesty did not treat us Fish-People as an alien. After that, the fire of the fish-man civilization was preserved to the greatest extent...... Because of this, although the Fish-People were severely affected, no one was grateful to His Majesty. ”

"Wrong, wrong, wrong!"

Evan sank and looked at him sharply:

"It wasn't me who sent the legions and medical corps, it was the Menes Empire! It wasn't me who discovered the disaster at the first time, it was the Menes Empire! It was not the leader who gave you profits and subsidies in normal times, it was this country! It was all the people of the Menes Empire, and it was the main nation of the Menes Empire!"

"This ......"

The Fat Fish Governor lowered his head, and his momentum suddenly decreased.

"As the ruler of this country, I certainly have credit...... But I'm just a planner. I have the right to allocate the resources of the state, and by currying favor with me, of course I will get more benefits...... But where do the benefits come from? Isn't it from the main nation of the Menes Empire!?"

Evan stood up from his seat and looked at him with a gloomy expression:

"Even if the rituals in the city are spontaneous among the people, I can't be happy. Because you put all the credit on me, but ignore that I represent the Empire of Menes. I'm disappointed...... This is not the scene I want to see, this is crooked!"

"Your Majesty is ignorant!Please forgive your sins!" Montgomery hurriedly begged for mercy.

"It's good to understand. ”

Ivan walked up to him, the expression on his face gradually softened, and he said in a serious voice: "The Menes Empire and the Menes have always warmed your hearts, you can't let them chill." Even if it's love, you can't let one party pay unilaterally, otherwise dissatisfaction will definitely brew. ”

"Your Majesty understands! The Menes are good brothers of the Fish-People, and they should all give something to each other!" Governor Fatfish looked stupid, but his mind was very active, and he immediately changed his way of thinking.

"Hahaha!

Seeing that he was so sensible, Evan nodded with satisfaction, and finally admonished: "You remember, I want to see the situation of unity and friendliness, not unilateral gratitude to someone." ”

"Your Majesty take it to heart!" Montgomery nodded repeatedly, indicating that he knew it.

"It's useless to just talk about it. ”

"Your Majesty, rest assured, Your Majesty will definitely use practical actions to show Your Majesty my determination. ”

"That's good. ”

Evan thought for a while, walked to his seat, took a bag of tea from the coffee table, and threw it directly into the hands of the Fat Fish Governor: "I won't let you come for nothing, even if this bag of tea is my reward for you, take it back and pay it." ”

"Thank you, Your Majesty for tea!" Governor Fat Fish suddenly smiled.

When he was summoned to the royal court by an edict, the officials of the ocean planet thought that he was going to be cold, and now that he has this bag of tea, he will be able to raise his eyebrows when he returns.

.。 m.