World-Ending Demon Emperor
Chapter 870 - 411: Fight to the Death!

Chapter 870: 411: Fight to the Death!

Zhi Li’s tent remained shrouded in darkness, as he continued to stare into the night, lost in thought.

At this moment, he was waiting to see if Duke Turing Tuo would enter his tent again. Although he didn’t know that Turing Chen had gone to negotiate with Suo Lun, he could discern many things with just a bit of thought.

"Your Highness, Duke Turing Tuo and Marquis FuE have come to visit," the voice of Eunuch Li Zhu resounded from outside.

Zhi Li almost leaped up and said, "Quickly, let them in!"

Duke Turing Tuo and Marquis FuE entered and respectfully saluted.

Zhi Li said, "What urgent matter brings the two of you here?"

Duke Turing Tuo said, "In today’s battle, Count Jian Ze, the commander of the right wing, put everything on the line and sent nearly a hundred thousand of his main forces in a mad assault against Tianlang Pass. Unbelievably, they scaled the wall three times, and on the last attempt, they directly breached Tianlang Pass. This provides us with a significant revelation."

Nonsense, the victory at Tianlang Pass was a revelation to everyone; anyone with eyes could see that.

But still, pretending to be clueless, Zhi Li said, "Oh? What revelation? You are a master of military strategy, Duke Turing, I am all ears."

Duke Turing Tuo said, "We still have nearly four hundred thousand troops at our disposal. Tomorrow, we’ll put everything on the line and attack the Fenglei Fort Defense Line, fighting to the death!"

Zhi Li fiercely slammed the table and exclaimed loudly, "Good! That’s exactly what we should do, a fight to the death with Suo Lun!"

Once the three of them reached a consensus, all the high-ranking officers and every noble once again assembled in Zhi Li’s camp.

After being silent for several hours, the Central Military Camp was once again abuzz with noise.

This time, however, there was no lavish banquet, but rather an atmosphere of grave solemnity.

Garbed in military attire, Zhi Li stood on a higher ground and bellowed, "The battle tomorrow will determine the fate of our kingdom. We shall fight to the last man, myself included. Whoever dares retreat even a step shall be executed without mercy! I swear on the throne, we shall not retreat from fighting Suo Lun until he is annihilated!"

Then, Zhi Li fiercely slashed his palm and spread a white banner, writing on it with his blood the words: "Fight to the death; retreat and die!"

Each of the eight characters, one square meter in size, was written with a ferocity and momentum that was astounding.

Subsequently, Duke Turing Tuo was the first to slice open his palm and pressed his blood-drenched handprint onto the banner!

Next came Marquis FuE!

Ultimately, every high-ranking officer and noble present stamped their bloody handprint on the banner!

This was a blood oath for battle, which wouldn’t end unless the enemy was completely vanquished.

There was no fleeing, no surrender, no peace!

Both sides would fight to the death; only one could survive!

...

Inside the Fenglei Fort Defense Line!

The final battle was imminent, and inside the defense line, the final war council was convened.

As the most crucial battlefield, Fenglei Fort was commanded by Suo Lun, Zhi Yan, and the Ashi Liren. Later, with the addition of the Luan Yang Revenge Army, Lord Tuli Ming also became a top commander in the battle.

Beyond the four supreme commanders, there were another ten centurions, including Tuli Yang.

"Tomorrow, Zhi Li’s four hundred thousand troops will madly attack the Fenglei Fort Defense Line. Every meter of wall will face the furious assault of a hundred foes," Suo Lun said. "Our cannons, burning oil, and trebuchets will cause maximum carnage. But, the enemy will assuredly climb the walls, and a battle of close-quarters combat will ensue."

"At the Fenglei Fort Defense Line, we have one hundred thousand troops against the enemy’s four hundred thousand. So, prepare yourselves for the bloodiest, most brutal fight!"

"If we win, Princess Zhi Yan will ascend the throne. Everyone present will become the backbone of the Rage Wave Kingdom. If we lose, we’ll be left with nothing, even losing our lives!"

There wasn’t much to discuss in what was called a war council.

It was simply informing everyone that there was no other path but to fight fiercely to the end!

Either emerge as the victor and take the throne, or be utterly vanquished.

...

"I didn’t agree to Turing Tuo’s offer to surrender. Do you hate me for it?" Suo Lun asked.

Princess Zhi Yan shook her head.

Suo Lun said, "This is like gambling with your kingdom as the stake and pushing it to the brink of a cliff."

Zhi Yan replied, "I’ve already told you, at least for now, it isn’t my kingdom."

Then, gently caressing Suo Lun’s face, Zhi Yan said, "Moreover, all the stakes on the gambling table right now are what you’ve earned. I owe my current situation entirely to you. So whatever decision you make, I support you!"

Suo Lun smiled and said no more.

Zhi Yan kissed Suo Lun and said, "Initially, I planned to continue to extract from you tonight, but tomorrow’s battle is too critical, and you need to conserve your strength to slay the enemy, so I’m going to sleep."

"Alright!" Suo Lun said.

Zhi Yan went off to sleep, but Suo Lun couldn’t. He walked alone to the highest point of the castle and gazed toward Zhi Li’s large camp in the distance.

The endless encampment, like a vast beast lurking in the darkness.

Tomorrow, that beast would launch its most ferocious assault on the Fenglei Fort Defense Line! What would the outcome be? Suo Lun truly had no idea.

"I’ve made a mistake," Suo Lun said.

In the darkness, a figure of unparalleled beauty approached, none other than the Ashi Li that had not been seen for many days.

Even shrouded in darkness, her form, like the undulating mountains and rivers, also emitted a bewitching charm.

That cold yet fragrant breath made one feel refreshed and delighted.

"What mistake?" Ashi Li asked.

Suo Lun said, "Because of the great victory at sea, I overestimated the effectiveness of the cannons. Earl Jian Ze pointed that out to me at the battle of Tianlang Pass."

Ashi Li asked, "Why then did you refuse Duke Turing Tuo’s capitulation?"

Suo Lun said, "Because I felt displeased in my heart."

Ashi Li asked, "If you lose tomorrow’s battle, what will you do?"

Suo Lun said, "Lead my family out to sea and become the overlord of the ocean."

Suo Lun put his interests before honor, impounding all of Hai Gang’s warships. Hence, there were no more forces on the seas that could threaten him.

Ashi Li asked, "If we lose tomorrow’s battle, Princess Zhi Yan will naturally be out of reach from the throne; what will become of my Rouran City?"

Suo Lun said, "It will be dire."

Ashi Li said, "If we lose the great battle tomorrow, I will relinquish my position as the Rouran City Lord and give it over to Zhi Li to appoint. Then I, along with Yuanba and his birth mother, will accompany you far across the sea, alright?"

"Alright," Suo Lun answered with a smile.

Ashi Li gazed at Suo Lun and said, "Do you know that, as you keep winning and your power reaches its zenith, I have grown increasingly hostile toward you in my heart?"

"Ah?" Suo Lun was taken aback.

Ashi Li continued, "Of course, I will always stand by your side. By saying I’ve grown hostile, I mean the feeling of excitement has greatly diminished, that I don’t like you as much. The more you triumph, the less I like you."

Suo Lun was at a loss for words.

Ashi Li said, "I also found it strange, but eventually, I figured it out. I actually have a love for tragedy."

Tragedy makes one three-dimensional, intricate!

Whereas a victor becomes proud, flamboyant, and neglects everything around them.

Ashi Li said, "Today you rejected Duke Turing Tuo, and I really liked it. Even though it might cost me the century-old foundation of Rouran City, I still like it. A crazed man is what truly excites a woman."

Then, Ashi Li stepped forward and gently kissed Suo Lun on the lips.

Suo Lun’s body shuddered, his mouth filled with fragrance.

"Suo Lun, stop thinking about an escape route or fleeing overseas. Tomorrow we fight a decisive battle to the death. Either win, or die," Ashi Li said with a trembling voice, her eyes full of fervor.

"Is this encouragement or a reward?" Suo Lun asked.

"Both," Ashi Li replied.

...

Early the next morning!

Zhi Li’s Forces erected tall banners, written in blood.

The eight blood-red characters read: A Decisive Battle to the Death, Retreat Means Death!

The entire army of four hundred thousand arrayed themselves, ready for battle!

Forty squares, stretching across miles, boundless to the eye!

Zhi Li led his elite personal guard, perched upon a chariot, situated at the end of those forty squares!

He was in full military dress, clutching a treasured sword!

Today, Zhi Li, though a junior lord, would also enter the battlefield; his personal guard, not only for supervising but when all other troops were spent, this force would charge toward the walls and fight Suo Lun to the death.

"Behind me stand twenty thousand overseers. Today we engage in a battle with no retreat. Whoever dares to take a step backward shall be executed without mercy!"

"No retreat includes myself. Once all of you have gone, it will be my turn!"

Finally, Zhi Li let out a mighty roar, "A Decisive Battle to the Death, Retreat Means Death!"

Under the command of their leaders, the hundreds of thousands roared in unison, "A Decisive Battle to the Death, Retreat Means Death!"

The sound was deafening, almost changing the color of the sky and making the earth tremble.

"Charge, to punish Suo Lun!"

With that command!

Four hundred thousand troops, including Zhi Li and all the lords, furiously charged toward the Fenglei Fort Defense Line a few miles away.

All or nothing, a decisive battle to the death, fight to the bitter end! The victor would reign, the defeated be damned.

...

Note: The first update is here. Lately, I’m suffering from severe insomnia, and I scarcely slept from yesterday to today, thus fewer words in this first update.

I will take a short sleep, thank you all.