Gatekeeper Of All Realms Chapter 48

Two long rows of awe-inspiring, powerful knights filed out, forming a line.

Following them was a white-haired elder.

And a female elf whose face was hidden by a veil.

Then came the young officer—

Prince Norton!

Upon seeing Shen Ye, they immediately showed strange expressions.

“Is that you?”

Prince Norton said with a cold face.

What? He finally awarded a medal, only to give it to an infiltrator?

“Greetings, Your Royal Highness.” Shen Ye bowed respectfully.

“Tell me, what’s going on—don’t even think about lying, any falsehood will be instantly exposed, and I will personally kill you!” Prince Norton roared.

Shen Ye smiled slightly, glancing at Big Skeleton again.

“?” Big Skeleton.

Shen Ye had no choice but to speak himself: “This is my informant, Ferren, the battlefield quartermaster of the Undead Army’s Fifth Regiment. He’s been trading with me; we have a contract.”

“A contract? How is that possible? A human having a contract with an undead?” Prince Norton repeated.

“I get some intelligence on the undead from him,” Shen Ye said.

Prince Norton looked at the white-haired elder beside him.

The elder nodded: “He’s not lying. I’m continuously monitoring his words, deeds, and soul with arcane magic.”

Everyone gasped.

This… boy who survived a great ordeal has such means?

“Did you really get intelligence on the undead from him?” asked Yudria, the Royal Grand Mage.

“Yes, I’ve already handed it over to the Shadow Hand,” Shen Ye shrugged.

“It’s the truth,” the white-haired elder said.

Yudria nodded, stepped forward, and explained to Prince Norton:

“I believe him—I specialize in soul magic and am very sensitive to corrupted souls—his soul is very pure, full of anger and firm belief, he cannot be a puppet of the undead.”

Prince Norton’s expression softened considerably.

But this matter must be clarified. It concerns his reputation and prestige, and no mistakes can be tolerated.

“Why would an undead… form a trade relationship with you?” Prince Norton asked.

Shen Ye glanced at Big Skeleton again.

“?” Big Skeleton.

Shen Ye, vexed by Big Skeleton’s silence, cleared his throat and explained: “He suffered some unfair treatment among the undead and had a very difficult time…”

“Because of 996!” Big Skeleton suddenly cried out.

Everyone looked at it.

“996?” Prince Norton looked at his attendants in confusion, only to find them equally puzzled.

Big Skeleton suddenly had an inspiration and quickly continued:

“I suffered too much unfair treatment. You humans might not know, but there are capitalists among us undead.”

“Capitalists? Is that a new undead species?” the white-haired elder asked gravely.

“Exactly. Let me put it this way: among the undead, I am poor, without the means to produce and acquire wealth. I must surrender my labor to the owner of the means of production, the capitalist, and only by producing the value of my labor during the actual labor process, thoroughly exploited by the capitalist, can I barely survive,” Big Skeleton said.

Everyone pondered for a moment.

The white-haired elder nodded: “The undead are tireless and immortal. As producers, they are indeed the best subjects for exploitation.”

“Exactly,” Yudria joined the discussion, “they don’t even need to eat, they can just keep working. This way, capitalists save a lot on labor costs.”

“So, what is 996?” Prince Norton asked.

“Working from 9 AM to 9 PM, with less than an hour break at noon and in the evening, totaling over 10 hours of work, and working 6 days a week,” Big Skeleton recited flawlessly.

“That’s a bit harsh…” Prince Norton mused.

“Later, I even experienced 007,” Big Skeleton recited again.

“What is that?” the white-haired elder asked.

“From midnight to midnight, 7 days a week, no rest. Commonly known as 007,” Big Skeleton recited.

The humans gasped, a hint of sympathy entering their gazes.

Look how tired this child is, only a head left.

“I think I understand you a little now—but how did you survive until now?” Prince Norton’s voice held a touch more warmth.

Big Skeleton looked at Shen Ye, choked a few times, and then said:

“I remember that day… snow was falling heavily. When I escaped, I saw him—he was cold and hungry… with only a box of matches…”

Shen Ye quickly interjected: “Everyone, never mind the matches—”

“No,” Big Skeleton interrupted him, “It was he who struck the matches, lit a pile of wood, warmed me, and made me feel the kindness and warmth of humanity for the first time.”

“So I decided to rebel!”

Everyone looked at Shen Ye.

A line of faint text appeared on Shen Ye’s retina:

“You and your companion have made an accusation against capitalists, which has caused the new term ‘The Little Match Girl’ to flourish, now on par with ‘The Boy Who Lived’!”

Congratulations, my ass!

Are there no more serious terms?

Shen Ye looked at Big Skeleton with a strange expression.

But—

Then again, this skeleton is good.

—It can even act now!

“This… undead friend, how do you prove your identity? Do you have any evidence?” Prince Norton asked.

“There’s an osseous medal on my head,” Big Skeleton said.

The white-haired elder reached out and pointed at the osseous medal, chanting an incantation.

In an instant.

Wisps of dim soul fire emerged from the void around Big Skeleton, gathering above its head to form a line of Undead-language text:

“Awarded to Ferren, Battlefield Quartermaster of the Undead Army’s Fifth Regiment – by Terence, General of the Undead Battle Array.”

Only the recipient of the medal can ignite the soul fire!

And the recipient must be undead!

This is more scientific and less prone to counterfeiting than the medals of elves or humans.

Everyone was silent.

Such a thing—

It had never happened in history!

Is this what it feels like to witness history?

Prince Norton pondered for a few moments, then suddenly turned to Shen Ye and said:

“Oh, Boy Who Lived, you were severely wounded in battle, to the point of forgetting your original name.”

“Therefore, as a Prince of the Holy Violet Empire, I have the authority to bestow a name upon you.”

“—What do you think?”

“Thank you, Your Royal Highness, please bestow a name,” Shen Ye said very tactfully.

Everyone else around showed solemn expressions.

A name bestowed by a prince is a great honor. As long as one lives in the human kingdom and commits no major mistakes, a stable life is assured.

Even—

If he can achieve military merits—

No one dared to imagine further.

Prince Norton pondered for a moment and then said:

“Let’s call him Ha—”

Shen Ye suddenly interrupted him: “No! Your Highness, please choose another name—please, by all means, not one starting with ‘Ha’, consider this my most sincere request.”

“Alright, then how about Rolli?” Prince Norton complied readily.

Not Harry.

But Rolli?

Loli?

Me?

…I’d rather be Harry.

The prince was very perceptive and, seeing his hesitation, smiled: “In human history, there were two legendary children of gods, said to appear in the world when endless calamities strike, to save all devout followers.”

“One was called Rolli, and the other was called Peppa.”

“Since you don’t want to be called Rolli—”

“Then let’s call you Peppa.”

Peppa.

Shen Ye’s face twitched uncontrollably, and he opened his mouth several times, unable to utter a word.

If I had known there was a Peppa next, I wouldn’t have refused Rolli even if it killed me.

But now it’s too late.

The other party is a prince.

He had already refused Harry, and then Rolli; this was his limit.

If he continued to be so impolite, he might lose his life.

Moreover, he still wanted to get a third “one of us” evaluation term.

Damn it.

I’ll bear it!

If I, Peppa, one day return to Earth and hear children calling out my name, it wouldn’t be particularly cool either.

But it doesn’t matter!

As long as I don’t use the surname and don’t show my face, no one will know I’m Peppa.

Besides, as a proper man, I can’t be a loli!

Shen Ye comforted himself while saying:

“Your Highness, this name is good.”

“Indeed, a hero’s name is of course good. Come on—” Norton made a gesture.

The knights immediately stepped forward, forming a circle around Shen Ye, all raising their longswords.

This—what kind of ceremony is this?

Shen Ye looked bewildered.

He noticed that everyone’s expressions had turned solemn.

Prince Norton said in a solemn tone:

“Peppa, you must swear that from now on, you will never betray humanity.”

“If you break this oath, your soul will instantly shatter!”

All the longswords emitted brilliant divine light, shining upon Shen Ye.

—This was a strict sacred oath!

Only when Shen Ye completed the oath would Prince Norton be at ease.

Otherwise, if one day Shen Ye betrayed humanity, wouldn’t Norton, as the recommender and medal issuer, be accused of having poor judgment and being unfit for great responsibility?

“Swear it. As long as you don’t violate today’s oath, you will be a hero that everyone respects. If you achieve military merits in the future, you will eventually be canonized!”

Yudria, the Royal Grand Mage, said softly.

—This young man survived a great ordeal, and the elven race also owes him a favor. It’s said he also saved comrades on the battlefield, and now he has even turned an undead.

If he continues on this path, he will eventually become a legend.

The Prince also wants to confirm this matter in advance.

—Building momentum for this young man is building momentum for the Prince himself!

“Alright.”

Shen Ye also understood what the other party meant.

Canonization—

In other words, he was now a saint in his childhood.

This deal was not a loss.

Shen Ye straightened his posture, and solemnly recited: “I, Peppa, swear that I will never betray humanity, no matter what!”

The oath was spoken.

The knights simultaneously erupted in cheers, and the holy light transformed into a glowing short sword, landing on Shen Ye’s head, forming a golden short sword pattern.

The golden short sword flickered and quickly vanished.

The ceremony was complete!

Everyone smiled.

Only Big Skeleton, illuminated by the holy light, felt quite uncomfortable.

“Congratulations, child, from now on you are no longer Peppa.”

The white-haired elder said.

“No longer?” Shen Ye was overjoyed: “Completing the ritual grants a new name?”

“Exactly,” Yudria said.

“What is it? Tell me quickly!” Shen Ye asked eagerly.

Everyone revealed genuine smiles and said in unison:

“Saint Peppa.”