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"The other is Lady Fannanding, the ‘Mother of the Orcs.’ That’s the statue made of Han jade. Four hundred years ago, after the Glorious Battle, the orc army was almost completely wiped out, and all their high-ranking leaders were killed. Facing the threat of extinction, Lady Fannanding stepped forward, rallied and led all her clansmen, successfully retreating to their northern homeland. She ruled for forty years, dividing the land, restoring national strength, setting policies, and overseeing the construction of the War God Corridor's heroic fortresses. She was known as the ‘Crownless Queen of the Orcs.’ After her death, the War God Temple announced that from then on, female orcs could compete for any position within the alliance, including the throne of the orc king, all due to Lady Fannanding’s achievements and prestige."

I do not have a thorough understanding of the history of the Orc Alliance. In this world, there are no accurate and detailed historical records like those from my previous life; only epic tales are passed down, and even these I can only hear in fragments from wandering bards. So hearing Fat Cat’s introduction to these historical figures piqued my interest in learning more about their complete history.

However, at this moment, a group of people came to disrupt my interest.

"How dare you not know these great heroes? Are you even an orc? Stupid country bumpkin, go back to your straw hut and gnaw on bones! Don’t embarrass yourself in the Holy City."

I turned around and saw a group of ornately dressed orc youths surrounding a handsome lion clan youth standing nearby. Judging by their appearance and attire, these individuals were all of noble birth, with a few possessing considerable martial prowess. The one speaking was a young and beautiful fox clan girl, standing at the forefront, pointing at me with disdain.

For such outstanding individuals to suddenly appear here, especially in the vast square, and to overhear so much of our conversation, it would be hard to believe it was mere coincidence. If they had deliberately sought me out, who could have a grudge against me? Seeing the lion clan youth at the center of the group, I vaguely guessed their identity and purpose.

"Since you’ve found me, I assume it’s not to discuss historical matters. So, don’t you think it’s time to introduce yourself, Your Highness?" I ignored the sharp-tongued fox clan girl and directed my gaze at the lion clan youth.

The lion clan youth was taken aback, surprised that I had guessed his identity. But he quickly regained his arrogant demeanor, raised his head high, and declared, "Peasant, listen well. I am Samantha’s son, Dos of the Rending Fang family. Don’t think that just because you killed a few humans and subdued some half-orcs in the countryside, you’re a hero. Return Catherine to us, and I’ll let you continue being a country lord. Otherwise, you’ll learn firsthand what royal authority truly means."

Chapter 38: Living Up to the Name of Nine Yin

Since the orcs emerged from the north and entered the central Mainland ten thousand years ago, they were first suppressed by the vast elven kingdom, treated like beasts and livestock. Over time, they grew stronger and eventually became a dynasty capable of rivaling the elven kingdom. However, the naturally fierce orcs could not establish a stable nation like the elves. Even the single-race elven kingdom split into opposing factions, let alone the diverse orc races. Throughout the ten thousand years of orc history, there have been forty-seven empires that unified all the orcs, along with countless smaller kingdoms and warring factions. It wasn’t until three thousand years ago, when the Great Demon King invaded, causing massive losses among the orc tribes, that they united to form a stable national system.

That disaster also led to significant population and power losses for both orcs and elves, forcing them to teach humans many combat techniques and magic, ultimately leading to the irreversible rise of human power, which buried the millennia-old elven civilization and the mighty orc empire in the tides of history.

The current Orc Alliance system was established by Lady Fannanding, including the selection process for the orc king. History has proven her wisdom, as the alliance has steadily developed and strengthened over four centuries. Although the alliance does not match the billions of humans in numbers, compared to the most powerful human empires, no single human nation can compare to the alliance.

The orc king is a selected position, not inherited through bloodline. However, due to the respect for orc kings throughout history, their children are often highly respected as princes and princesses who will never inherit the throne, similar to the sons of powerful ministers in my previous life. Moreover, those who ascend to the orc throne usually have strong family support, which becomes even stronger due to the king’s election. Thus, even as heirs of powerful families, the children of the orc king hold extremely high status.

Standing before me was Dos, the eldest son of the current orc king and heir of the Rending Fang family, who had originally arranged a marriage with Catherine through her three brothers. Now, with Catherine defecting from the Warfang family and defending Fontainebleau with me, the original alliance and promised benefits between the two families had become void.

Without obtaining Fontainebleau, the orc king lost the chance to subdue the lower three wolf clans, did not gain the influential and well-connected Catherine, and missed out on the new golden trade route. Naturally, he refused to honor the promised fifty percent share of Lion Heart City. The Warfang family not only gained nothing but also lost the promising sword emperor candidate Catherine and the support of the War God Temple and “War Saint” Leimen, suffering tremendous losses. Both sides naturally held a deep grudge against me.

Of course, for such petty grievances, I had no need for self-reflection. Even if I were not Chen Xuanfeng, with my pride and lofty aspirations, I could still feign innocence and ask, "Is it wrong not to want to die or lose?"