As Shao and King Richard were planning their next move, they received a message from a neighboring kingdom, the Kingdom of Xanthia. The message was from the queen herself, requesting an audience with Shao and King Richard to discuss a possible alliance.
Shao and King Richard decided to accept the invitation and traveled to the Kingdom of Xanthia. When they arrived, they were greeted by the queen, who led them to the royal hall where they could discuss their potential partnership.
During the meeting, the queen explained that her kingdom was also facing internal struggles and corruption, and that they needed help to overcome these issues. In return, the Kingdom of Xanthia could offer their support in the upcoming war to conquer the other corrupt countries.
After some discussion, Shao and King Richard agreed to form an alliance with the Kingdom of Xanthia. They worked out the details of the agreement and formed a plan of attack for their next move.
As they were about to leave, the queen stopped Shao and whispered something in his ear. Shao's expression changed, and he told King Richard that he needed to stay behind for a while to attend to some personal matters.
Shao traveled to a small village on the outskirts of the Kingdom of Xanthia, where he met with an old man. The man gave Shao a small, ancient-looking box, which he said contained a powerful weapon that had been passed down through generations.
Shao thanked the man and left the village, feeling a sense of anticipation and excitement about the weapon's potential. He returned to the palace and reunited with King Richard, ready to continue their conquest with their new ally by their side.