With the deaths of the four directors and the Heavenly Star King, the era belonging to the Heavenly Star Dynasty had effectively drawn to a close.
Everyone knew that the uneasy coexistence between the Nine Departments and the imperial family would soon be no more.
Under orders from their silver-armored commanders, the Heavenly Star Army pressed their assault against the Black Armor Army. A great number of the Black Armor Army had entered the ruins—over a thousand men—yet very few remained standing now.
They were relentlessly cut down by the Heavenly Star Army.
There were also silver-armored warriors among their ranks.
Those, however, belonged to the Jiang family.
No words were spoken. They were a veteran, elite force, and even after witnessing the death of the Old Heavenly Star King, they fought on to the bitter end. The Jiang family had ruled the world for two centuries, and loyal retainers still remained among their followers.
A Black Armor Army regiment commander roared, "Charge!"
The remaining hundred or so men launched their final charge toward the Heavenly Star Army.
This army had once swept across the realm.
They had campaigned across all ninety-nine provinces, invincible and unmatched.
Yet before the army of the ancient civilization, they remained no match. In truth, both forces had originated from the same source; both bore the designation of the Heavenly Star Army, and their armor shared the same heritage. But now, the battlefield was strewn with corpses from their clash.
That final hundred launched their desperate charge.
The golden dragon banner of the imperial family, hoisted high by a silver-armored warrior, was cleaved in two an instant later by a bronze-armored warrior of the Heavenly Star Army.
The banner crashed down.
The silver-armored commander from the imperial family was split in two by a single slash.
With that, the imperial Black Armor Army was utterly wiped out.
Blood drenched the earth!
***
Li Hao watched in silence.
He felt no grand sentiment.
Winners became kings; losers became outlaws.
It had been so since antiquity. He was the victor, so there was no need for him to sigh or regret anything. Whether these men had been heroes or cowards in their day, their deaths here meant that the name of the Heavenly Star Dynasty ought to vanish as well.
As for how the history books would record them... Li Hao hardly cared.
Merits or misdeeds, all would soon be turned to a new page.
Li Hao turned his gaze toward the other corners of the battlefield.
On Director Wang's side, both Director Wang and Redwood were overwhelmingly powerful, pinning down two demon plants. The remaining five silver-armored commanders, joining forces with the little jujube tree, had completely suppressed the other two as well. There was virtually no chance of an upset.
Li Hao looked up into the void.
Up in the sky, the scene looked almost romantic.
Countless roses dyed the heavens crimson.
Thorny Rose’s charming laughter echoed down.
"Of the three lineages—humans, beasts, and plants—the demon plants are the weakest! The demon beasts had Demon Suppressing Emissaries and Sea Suppressing Emissaries, yet not a single plant expert has ever risen to truly support the heavens and unify our lineage! Neither Cat Tree nor Tianmu ever secured any standing or benefit for our kind..."
"Demon beasts still hold some status, but we demon plants, though living beings as well, are only permitted to supply life essence to you humans, to farm for you, and to cultivate fodder and grain... What gross injustice!"
The rose laughed with dazzling brilliance.
It truly was unjust!
Whether humans fought among themselves or waged external wars, it was always the demon plants who suffered in the end.
When battles erupted, the demon plants were forced to endlessly churn out the Spring of Life.
When battles ended, they were made to nurture grain and supplies for humans.
One hundred thousand years ago, humans engaged in civil strife once more, and Heavenly Star Town was destroyed. What could she have done?
It was you humans who destroyed your own great city! How could I have defended it?
One hundred thousand years later, the grandson of that Supreme had come to kill her... She did not believe she was in the wrong. She only felt that unless a peerless powerhouse emerged from their race, they would forever remain nothing more than servants.
No one was born willing to be a vassal, a slave!
Demon plants were no exception.
"Zhang An, if you ever see the experts of our demon plant lineage... please tell them: why has our race never produced a supreme being? Because they never held the demon plants of this world in their hearts! They deserve never to reach the rank of Sovereign in their lifetimes!"
"Hahaha!"
Thorny Rose laughed wildly. Demon beasts had Sovereigns, but demon plants... had none.
Even as formidable as Tianmu was, even standing half a step from that threshold one hundred thousand years ago, it had failed to step into that realm. Deservedly so!
*Boom!*
Heaven and earth shook as a colossal rose detonated.
"I won't leave my remains for you! Born a slave, in death... I refuse to be food for you any longer!"
As her laughter faded, a rain of rose petals drifted down from the sky.
A wash of deep crimson.
Petals scattered, leaving only Zhang An in his black armor standing in the sky.
Zhang An looked at the shattered rose. In truth, he could have captured her at the final moment, yet he had not done so.
Had Thorny Rose been wrong?
Zhang An knew that from the perspective of humanity, she certainly had been. Yet in fighting for her freedom, she seemed not entirely at fault. The demon plant lineage was indeed weak; by the late Neo-Martial era, even beings as mighty as Cat Tree had failed to step into the Sovereign realm.
Thus, the demon plant lineage had indeed held little standing.
Even in her final moments, she had refused to leave behind her remains to be consumed by humans. After some thought, he had chosen to grant her wish.
***
Below.
Li Hao caught a rose petal. It dissolved into liquid and dissipated shortly after.
He felt no particular regret, nor did he feel at a loss.
He merely pondered the rose's words.
Indeed, without a truly powerful expert within one's race, where would authority ever come from?
Was not the Silver Moon land the very same?
Men like Jiang Chen were the chosen geniuses of this era.
Yet in the end, they had still become nothing more than chess pieces and slaves to these demon plants and ancient civilizations.
Though both were humans, they belonged to different eras; in truth, they could almost be viewed as two different species. In a world where the strong devoured the weak, if a race possessed no mighty champion, what standing could it ever speak of?
Was it not identical today?
Was his own situation truly any better than this rose's?
That formidable figure in black armor, Director Wang and the others currently engaged in fierce combat—though they treated him reasonably well, what if... what if he could not send them through the Star Gate?
What if they were trapped in Silver Moon?
If the main cities revived and Neo-Martial returned, would these people ever become Li Hao's subordinates?
Right now, they all clung to hope.
The hope that they could leave this place and return to their homeland.
What if... they had no way back?
One thought after another surfaced in Li Hao's mind. With a thunderous boom, Director Wang let out a fierce roar. His great dao manifested, and a seal shattered the origin path of a demon plant, drawing a wretched shriek.
Break one point, and the whole front collapses.
With the death of the strongest rose, the remaining demon plants knew their end had arrived.
As Director Wang slew one, the others roared in terror, "We surrender... We did nothing! When the battle broke out all those years ago, we were immediately crushed into slumber! All we did was fight to awaken—everyone was doing it! What wrong have we done?"
Yet at this stage, who would listen?
Besieged by the experts and allied demon plants, the remaining three plants could barely even self-detonate. One by one, their hearts of life were shattered, their origin paths severed. Before long, all fell silent.
At this moment, within the vast ruins, only the sealed Sun Xin remained looking toward them, despair gleaming in his eyes.
A total collapse!
Though he had not harbored much hope to begin with, Thorny Rose's clash with Zhang An had ended far too quickly, granting him no opportunity whatsoever.
The silver-armored commanders stood in silence.
Having slain the demon plants, not only they, but the rest of the Heavenly Star Army fell dead quiet.
The silver-armored commanders still possessed their physical bodies.
The rest of the Heavenly Star Army had died long ago, yet their remnant will or mental energy still endured, in better shape than those in Battle Heaven City. Thus, they still possessed conscious thought. At this moment, they all understood that over all these years, their deputy commander had deceived them.
And yet... they had stood watch together here for countless ages!
The silver-armored commanders were bewildered, lost.
Why had it come to this?
Was the deputy commander in league with the attackers who destroyed Heavenly Star Town back then?
When Thorny Rose spoke of it earlier, they had refused to believe it.
Yet now that Zhang An said so as well, they knew they had no choice.
At that moment, the black-armored figure landed.
Without paying heed to anyone, Zhang An walked toward the sealed Sun Xin on the ground. With a wave of his hand, he dispelled the seal. There was no disappointment in his expression, only perplexity. "I am curious. Why did you betray us?"
A deputy commander of the Heavenly Star Army, a peak Immortal in those days, had been a figure of considerable prominence.
As a veteran officer from the early Neo-Martial era, could he have been ignorant of the terrifying might of the Human King and the others?
His betrayal... was something Zhang An could not comprehend.
Though his seal had been undone, Sun Xin did not move recklessly. He merely adjusted his battered armor to present himself with a shred of dignity.
The silver-armored commanders stood aside in silence, quietly watching this deputy commander who had shared countless ages with them.
Sun Xin gave a faint smile. "I apologize for deceiving you all..."
"Commander... you... why did you do this?"
Sun Xin chuckled softly. "There is no grand reason. I was stuck at the Immortal realm for too long and refused to accept it. As an old subordinate of Minister Zhang, few among us survived those years. I thought myself a meritorious veteran, yet I was banished to Silver Moon to guard a mine. Meanwhile, my old comrades commanded great armies or became hegemons of the main world. Jealousy, resentment, discontent... those emotions seized control of me, that is all."
He looked toward the black armor. "Such is human nature. When suffering hardship, people can endure together, but once glory and fame arrive, they perceive only unfairness! Even then, I never considered betrayal; I merely felt bitter resentment!"
"Later..."
Sun Xin paused and smiled. "Later, someone approached me. They were exceptionally powerful and formidable—they could even peer into human hearts. Terrifying beings! They knew of my jealousy and hatred, and they discovered that I had embezzled a great deal of ore from the mineral vein..."
He chuckled, shaking his head. "Back then, as I guarded the Heavenly Star Great Mine, I thought of taking just a little to help myself break through to the Saint realm... Who could have known I would be caught? As you know, the Human King and his circle could never tolerate a speck of sand in their eyes... I was terrified! Once there was a first time, a second followed naturally. I did a few small favors for them, and gradually, I sank so deep into the mire that I could no longer pull myself free!"
Embezzlement and dereliction of duty were grave offenses, yet they did not warrant death.
Yet as he stepped deeper and deeper, he eventually understood that once discovered, death was certain.
People were all like that; mistakes began small and stepped downward into the abyss.
The black armor fell silent for a moment before speaking. "They made you stand guard here for so many years. Were you truly content with that?"
Sun Xin said softly, "What if I was not? Once you board a pirate ship, you can only sail it to the end. Besides... I never truly expected that the Neo-Martial era would actually end, not to mention that existence dwelling in the depths of the vein. Tell me, could I have harbored any other thoughts?"
"Who destroyed Heavenly Star Town?" the black armor asked once more.
Sun Xin smiled. "Many people!"
"Many people?"
"Yes, far more than just one city. You might think only one city turned traitor... In truth, it was not that simple, though perhaps... far more terrifying! There were many people. Among those I recognized, aside from Battle Heaven City and Sword City, there were members from the other six of the Eight Great Main Cities, as well as top rogue cultivators."
Director Wang stepped forward swiftly, his expression shifting. "There were none from Battle Heaven City?"
"I do not know, but I certainly saw no one I recognized," Sun Xin replied calmly. "At that time, some revealed their true faces, some concealed their identities, and some were complete strangers. That day, many experts attacked—at least two Heavenly Kings, no fewer than ten Saints, and nearly a hundred Immortals! Under that thunderous strike, Commander Jiang was slain shortly after, the hundred thousand soldiers of the Heavenly Star Army swiftly collapsed, and experts across the town were cut down..."
"And that was likely not all!"
Sun Xin continued, "At that moment, all energy vanished instantly, the origin path was severed, and communication with the Eight Great Main Cities was cut off in an instant. Thus, there may have been collaborators in all eight main cities working in concert to seal off news of Heavenly Star Town."
"After crushing the Heavenly Star Army, they excavated two-thirds of the mineral vein. The remaining third... as you can see, was left partly to nourish that being's physical form, and partly to prepare for the future energy resurgence."
At these words, Li Hao, who had not intended to interject, suddenly asked, "They dug away two-thirds of the mineral vein?"
This colossal mine before them was only a third of what once existed?
Sun Xin glanced at him, but did not deign to reply.
He seemed to retain his arrogance.
Looking back toward the black armor and Director Wang, he continued, "Back then, Thorny Rose surrendered as well. Thorny Rose was tasked with isolating Heavenly Star Town, while I oversaw this place. At the time, I thought it would not take long. Who would have guessed that countless years would pass in the blink of an eye?"
Director Wang frowned. "Who from the main cities was involved? Also, the two Heavenly Kings... which two were they? And that red shadow—was it an entity from the Initial Martial era, or a creature from another world?"
Sun Xin looked at him for a long while before saying, "Of the two Heavenly Kings, one was someone I did not recognize. The other... was the Zheng Family Head."
"Him?"
Director Wang froze, utter disbelief written across his face.
The black armor's brow furrowed slightly as he asked coldly, "Are you certain?"
"Certain."
Sun Xin smiled. "You find it hard to believe as well, do you not? When I saw him back then, I could hardly believe it either!"
The Zheng family had been one of the twelve families of the sacred land of Star Suppressing City during the Neo-Martial era, boasting Sovereigns in their lineage.
Granted, the branch here was merely a collateral line.
Yet that a traitor had emerged from a Sovereign's clan left everyone stunned. Even if they had long known that one of the main cities might have betrayed them... the Zheng family... how could it be!
Even as they told themselves anything was possible, hearing it confirmed remained difficult to accept.
Li Hao overheard this as well.
Remembering the nursery rhyme, he felt puzzled. Though Sun Xin ignored him, Li Hao did not care and interjected again, "There is an ancient rhyme passed down in Silver City that says: the Li family's sword, the Zhang family's saber... and finally, the Zheng family's young master holding everyone back. Did this rhyme exist during the ancient civilization, or was it spread later?"
The others looked puzzled.
Director Wang frowned. "It was naturally spread later. Back then, the Eight Great Main Cities stood united across Silver Moon. Who would dare compose such slurs against one of the Eight Great Families?"
Li Hao furrowed his brow. "Then who spread it? Saying 'the Zheng family's young master holding everyone back' hardly sounds like praise. Now this man says the Zheng family turned traitor, which makes me wonder: who knew the truth and spread it around? And not just for a year or two—that rhyme has always existed in Silver City, perhaps for thousands or even tens of thousands of years... Though I cannot say the exact number of years, of course."
The others were equally perplexed. Who could have spread it?
Back then, none of them had awakened.
The ruins had not opened.
Who could have spread it outside?
In those days, not a shred of energy existed between heaven and earth. Even a Peak Realm cultivator would likely be unable to extend a wisp of spiritual energy without it being instantly crushed; anything weak would be annihilated by the world's pressure.
Who would spread such rhymes at a time like that?
After all, even beings like Sun Xin had only managed to make faint contact with the outside world in recent years—and that had been blocked by Thorny Rose. Prior to that, the ruins had been completely sealed.
Who could have spread that rhyme?
"Could it have had something to do with their weapons or martial techniques?" Li Hao suggested, recalling that the earlier lines of the rhyme merely described weapons. Perhaps the line about the Zheng family originally referred to their weapons as well?
Director Wang spoke again. "The Zheng family specialized in whip arts; their ancestral weapon is the nine-section whip..."
What did "holding everyone back" have to do with a nine-section whip?
After a moment's thought, he added, "The Zheng family's young master... The Zheng Family Head had three sons. Did 'the young master' refer to all three, or one in particular?"
He was baffled as well.
Yet the rhyme seemed to foreshadow something. Connecting it with Sun Xin's testimony, perhaps the rhyme had indeed been meant to warn everyone of the Zheng family's treachery.
Could an ancient powerhouse have emerged during that era and passed down the message?
Yet unable to enter the other ruins to inform them, and fearing other methods would not endure, had they composed a nursery rhyme instead? Folk songs were, after all, the easiest thing to preserve across generations in a locality.
Silver City happened to be the ancestral seat of the Li family and the site of the Star Gate.
Had this been a method to warn the Li family?
The group exchanged glances. The silver-armored commanders were equally puzzled, though none spoke.
Sun Xin glanced at Li Hao once more, still ignoring him, and continued, "I did not know the other Heavenly King, but among the Saints, I recognized several."
He named a few individuals, causing Director Wang's face to turn utterly grim.
All of them had been prominent figures of their era. Two had even been high-ranking leaders of the main cities: one a deputy city lord, and the other a legion commander of one of the eight great legions.
A legion commander commanded a hundred thousand troops.
As for the others, some had held high status, though fewer were from the core executive factions.
Director Wang committed each name to memory, his expression growing darker by the second.
"As for that red shadow..."
Sun Xin shook his head. "I do not know whether it was a mental-energy expert from the Initial Martial era or an entity from another world. I could not tell. Back then, I was merely an Immortal and could discern nothing. Even after entering the Saint realm, I met it on occasion, but if the two of you could not tell, naturally I could not either."
At that moment, the black armor spoke. "Then who was the person who originally contacted you? Someone capable of swaying you and holding leverage over you could not have been ordinary. To this moment, you still have not said who contacted you."
As a deputy commander, with Heavenly Star Town being a vital location, and as a veteran from the early Neo-Martial era, ordinary people had neither the standing nor the audacity to threaten Sun Xin.
Sun Xin fell silent.
Zhang An said coldly, "Are you staying silent because you hope to muddy the waters and shield this person? Do you think that is possible?"
Sun Xin gave a bitter smile. "Director Zhang... you truly are..."
With a heavy sigh, he finally spoke. "Li Daoheng."
"Who?"
"Li Daoheng!"
Director Wang was stunned, even more shocked than when he had heard the name of the Zheng Family Head. It took him a long while to stammer, "If you dare utter nonsense, I will strike you down right now!"
"Do I have any hope of living?"
Sun Xin chuckled softly. "I lost all hope long ago. Why would I lie to you? It is simply that... speaking of it changes nothing and only causes everyone distress. Since you insist, then hear it."
Director Wang snapped his head toward Li Hao.
Li Hao, however, thought of someone and spoke up. "Li Daozong is the Ninth Division Commander. This person's name is so similar to the commander's..."
Director Wang sighed. "He is the Ninth Division Commander's elder brother... his full-blooded elder brother!"
Li Hao was stunned. After a pause, he asked, "So he is also from the Li family?"
"Yes."
Director Wang nodded.
He felt utterly lost.
Indeed, he too was lost.
It was one thing for others to turn, but someone from the Li family... How could that be?
Silver Moon belonged to the Li family!
The Li family's Sword Venerable had personally presided over Silver Moon!
This was the Li family's domain!
No wonder Sun Xin had been so easily cowed. When a member of the Li family arrived on the Li family's own territory, how could he not bow his head?
Even as a subordinate of Supreme Zhang, this was still the Li family's fiefdom.
Supreme Zhang shared deep ties with the Human King, but the Li family's Sword Venerable was even closer to the Human King—both had been Dao Protectors, mentors, and friends to the Human King.
In Silver Moon, Supreme Zhang carried less weight than Sword Venerable Li.
Director Wang shook his head, speechless.
Zhang An remained silent for a moment before speaking slowly. "The Li family... that makes sense as well. To seal the Star Gate was something ordinary people could never accomplish. If a member of the Li family took part, it becomes plausible. It is simply that while the thought may have crossed minds, no one dared believe a Li family member would actually participate."
Director Wang's expression remained grim. If the Ninth Division Commander's elder brother had betrayed them, what about... the Ninth Division Commander himself?
He trusted the Ninth Division Commander!
Yet once this news spread, as a precaution, it might... lead to immense trouble!
Sun Xin chuckled and finally turned his gaze to Li Hao. "You are from the Li family, are you not?"
Li Hao gave a slight nod.
"A member of the Li family... Silver Moon originally belonged to your family, yet someone from your lineage dragged me into the fire. I hold no goodwill toward you. That I have come to this, your Li family cannot escape blame!"
Li Hao smiled. "Excuses. If I do not wish to do something, even my father cannot force me! If I wish to do something, no one can stop me."
Li family or Zhang family, it mattered not.
To commit misdeeds and then claim others dragged you down struck Li Hao as utterly laughable.
He had little interest in the man.
He did, however, keep note of the information Sun Xin provided. Li Hao committed all the named individuals to memory; he could inquire with others later, as Director Wang might not reveal everything, and cross-reference them one by one.
At that moment, Zhang An spoke again. "In other words, the conspirators seized the mineral vein back then and may have revived by now, merely waiting for heaven and earth to stabilize before showing themselves?"
"Likely so."
"Did they ever state their ultimate goal?"
Sun Xin said calmly, "That is the business of the higher-ups. But I know Li Daoheng's ambition: in all probability, it was to refine Silver Moon! Sword Venerable was never willing to refine Silver Moon, and perhaps the Li family grew dissatisfied. Among Sovereigns, Sword Venerable was by no means weak, but it was widely acknowledged that his endurance in battle was lacking. Powerful as he was, the flaw was glaring... The swords of the Li family all suffer from this drawback! Invincible among peers of the same rank, but completely spent after a single strike. I imagine those of the Li family refused to accept having such a glaring weakness forever..."
"Not all members of the Li family are like that!" Director Wang barked. "Even if there are, it is only that Li Daoheng!"
"Who can say?" Sun Xin laughed. "Li Daoheng was merely from a collateral branch; where would he find such audacity? Perhaps... even more crucial figures have yet to surface."
Silence fell over the crowd.
Sun Xin smiled. "Is there anything else you wish to ask?"
Li Hao did not hold back and asked, "Are these all that remain of the hundred thousand soldiers of the Heavenly Star Army? Where is the armor of the soldiers who died back then? Where is the casting forge in the city?"
Sun Xin frowned, glancing at him with no intention of answering.
Li Hao smiled. This fellow seemed thoroughly displeased with him.
No matter; if you won't speak, I can search for them myself.
Director Wang took a deep breath. "Then let me ask you... these five commanders... and these soldiers of the Heavenly Star Army..."
"One man bears his own guilt!" Sun Xin said deeply. "At this stage, I am doomed to die; there is no need to drag them down with me. They knew nothing. They merely guarded the mineral vein all along—stupid, perhaps, and overly trusting of me, but they had no part in it. Besides... in an affair of this scale, why would mere regiment commanders ever be let in?"
"Even I held no particularly high standing among those involved back then. Those of lower rank would know nothing at all."
The silver-armored commanders showed no gratitude, only fury, indignation, disbelief, and intense murderous intent.
This meant the catastrophe of Heavenly Star Town all those years ago had been intimately tied to this man.
And their families, friends, kin, and subordinates... had all perished in that disaster.
How could they feel any gratitude?
Moreover, having taken no part meant they had taken no part; even without Sun Xin's testimony, Black Armor and the others would have uncovered the truth and cleared their names.
"Sun Xin!"
One of the silver-armored commanders shouted with trembling rage, near madness, "Over a million soldiers and civilians inhabited Heavenly Star Town! In that single battle, every last one perished; save for us, not a soul survived! From the dawn of Neo-Martial to this day, you protected humanity—was all of that a joke in your eyes? Did you have no kin, no friends? How could you!"
Sun Xin fell silent.
After a long pause, he said softly, "The human heart is the easiest thing to change. No era is populated purely by saints and selfless heroes. It is simply that my change was something you dared not believe. In truth, if you look outside, you will see that far too many hearts have changed. Do not be so naive."
With that, he sighed faintly. "Furthermore, back then I anticipated that the Heavenly Star Army would fall and that Commander Jiang and the others would die... but I never imagined they would slaughter the entire city. I assumed that even if Silver Moon were refined, people would still be needed. That... was something I did not foresee."
Did that make any difference?
Were the soldiers of the Heavenly Star Army not people?
Commander Jiang had treated Sun Xin with great generosity. Why had it come to this?
The silver-armored commanders could not accept it. Zhang An, however, was unwilling to ask or say anything more. Looking at him, he said, "Do I need to waste my strength on you?"
Sun Xin gave a heavy sigh. "No need. Thank you, Director Zhang, for granting a sinner the privilege of choosing his own death... No wonder everyone said that of the third generation of the Zhang family, Zhang An is the gentlest. Had your brother Zhang Peng been here, he would have cleaved me in two with a single strike long ago!"
"Had your sister been here, she would have done the same... Zhang An, you are... far too soft!"
With a laugh tinged with an indiscernible mix of mockery and scorn, his physical body suddenly disintegrated, his great dao shattered, and his origin was extinguished.
He gazed quietly at Zhang An until the very last moment, a faint sigh echoing out: "If you ever see Minister Zhang... strike my name from the Monument of Merit. A sinner... does not deserve it!"
He vanished into smoke and ash!
Zhang An closed his eyes in silence.
Among the three siblings of the Zhang family lineage, he was the second. His elder brother was fiercely powerful and decisive in slaughter, having experienced the wars of the Neo-Martial era in his early years, endowed with extraordinary strength and presence.
His younger sister, though a woman, was remarkably fierce as well. She had followed the Headmaster across another universe, slaughtering in all directions and earning illustrious battle honors!
Only he... was tenderhearted, having engaged in little slaughter.
So that was how the outside world had always viewed him.
***
Sun Xin had taken his own life.
Zhang An had given him the opportunity to do so.
Thorny Rose had essentially taken her own life as well, and Zhang An had granted her that chance too.
At this moment, Li Hao mused inwardly that this man... was somewhat different from what he had expected. Earlier, he had seemed cold and unfeeling, but now he proved remarkably merciful. Yet at times, mercy only invited contempt.
Especially in times of war, mercy was merely a pretext for enemies to mock you.
At that moment, the five silver-armored commanders knelt on one knee in silence, looking toward Zhang An without a word. Behind them, the surviving hundreds of Heavenly Star Army soldiers knelt on one knee as well, offering their plea for punishment.
Zhang An said nothing.
After a long while, he spoke slowly. "I am tired. As for how to handle you... Wang Ye of Battle Heaven City shall decide. I am merely the dean of a martial arts university, not your commanding officer!"
He vanished from the spot in an instant, perhaps lost in his own thoughts.
Director Wang looked at the assembled troops, then at Li Hao. After some deliberation, he spoke. "Even if you did not collude with Sun Xin, your dereliction of duty and incompetence are ironclad facts! You even abetted an evil cause, enabling Sun Xin to recover and even make a breakthrough... Under military law, all of you are demoted three ranks, sentenced to five hundred lashes, and assigned to the Vanguard Battalion..."
Though there was no Vanguard Battalion at the moment, he imposed the penalty nonetheless.
Finally, he added, "Once the traitors of that year are found, you shall... stand at the vanguard! You are forbidden from taking a single step back; fight to the death without ceasing!"
*Thump!*
Hundreds of soldiers pounded their chests in unison, lowering their heads in silence.
This signaled their acceptance of the punishment.
When war erupted once more, they would become the vanguard, dead warriors who would fight without end, never returning until the enemy was vanquished.
Wang Ye glanced at the troops with a wistful sigh and waved his hand. "Dismissed. Clear all hazards within Heavenly Star Town and consolidate its defenses. The enemy may yet come searching for you."
"Understood!"
The troops withdrew in orderly unison and vanished in an instant. The silhouettes of the Heavenly Star Army soon appeared throughout the ruined city, swiftly commencing repairs on the ancient citadel.
Only then did Director Wang walk back over. He plopped down beside Li Hao, rubbing his temples in dejection.
At this moment, he felt utterly at a loss.
After a long time, he said softly, "Li Hao, do you know? I fear no enemy, no matter how powerful! Neo-Martial warriors never fear! But... when those powerful enemies turn out to be your former comrades-in-arms... Li Hao... do you know how despairing that feels?"
This ancient powerhouse, usually smiling and cheerful, was fragile in this moment.
Perhaps Zhang An felt the same.
Li Hao considered this and nodded. "It doesn't matter. If you can't bring yourself to strike, I'll kill them for you. Kill every last one—out of sight, out of mind!"
Director Wang blinked, turning to look at him.
Li Hao smiled, baring his teeth. "Really, don't worry! If you can't bear the thought, I don't know them anyway. I'll kill them for you, and you can just handle the ones you have no qualms about."
In that moment, his reassurance sounded exceptionally sincere.
Yet Director Wang could not help shivering.
The look in Li Hao's eyes made him feel as though he were gazing upon an ocean of blood and a mountain of corpses.
"Li Hao... some of these things were merely Sun Xin's claims..."
"Understood!"
Li Hao nodded, though inwardly he thought: *Who cares! Anyone who steps out of line gets killed.*
*Just like your Human King taught!*
Of course, at the present stage that was just talk. The opposing side boasted Heavenly Kings and Saints; he was nowhere near strong enough to kill them. Once he was... he would wipe them all out and be done with it.
A moment later, he happily trotted off to loot the corpses.
The rose had vanished, but the other four demon plants were still there.
Their remains were extraordinarily valuable!
This time, he truly struck it rich!
As for the grudges and grievances of the late Neo-Martial era, Li Hao had no mind to care. Even if the Ninth Division Commander's elder brother had betrayed them, that had nothing to do with Li Hao—it wasn't the Ninth Division Commander himself, after all.
Watching Li Hao's gleeful expression, Director Wang let out a sorrowful sigh.
Forget it. Talking to this kid was a waste of breath.
He would just have to wallow in his own sorrow!
Chapter 292