"Commander's life or death is unclear. You've searched below for three hours and found nothing—so how can you be sure the Commander is dead!"
SLAM!
A burly officer slapped the table and pointed angrily at Dai Huabin. "Frankly, I even suspect you of killing him!"
"..."
Dai Huabin clenched his teeth, showing an aggrieved look.
"That's my own brother! We share the same blood, same mother! How could I possibly do something so beastly!"
"Enough, Old Zhang. Since the Commander specifically appointed Huabin as his successor, there's really nothing else to discuss. Both are legitimate sons of the Duke's manor, and Huabin's talent isn't bad. In just a few years, he's reached Soul Emperor rank—the Duke's House will need his strength someday."
"Hmph. Who knows..."
Dai Huabin wiped his crocodile tears, "Thank you all for your support—then I… won't refuse any longer."
"…"
After everyone left the tent—
Two black-robed figures emerged from the darkness. The leader grinned wickedly:
"Commander Dai, your acting isn't half bad… Truly don't want to join our Holy Spirit Cult?"
"Heh. I, as the Duke White Tiger's legitimate younger son, would never be swayed by you. Leave your stuff and get out." Dai Huabin replied contemptuously, completely different from his sorrowful performance moments ago.
"Hmm?" The black-robed man seemed taken aback.
"So Commander Dai refuses further cooperation? I thought our partnership was just beginning."
"Heh. A bunch of sewer rats like you—do you deserve my loyalty? Once I gather the broken remnants and force you all back in defeat, the Star Luo Empire's entire border army of a hundred thousand will be mine!"
"Even if I retreat to the Star Luo Empire, I'll be a celebrated commander, a star, enough to clear my former grievances. Why would I mix with you good-for-nothing types?"
Dai Huabin scoffed.
"Tsk tsk, those mood swings…" The black-robed man wasn't angry—he just shook his head with a sigh and tossed over a diamond ring.
"Our Holy Spirit Cult keeps promises better than you.
Surely you don't think your brother's ability to weave through enemy territory with a thousand remnant troops, rallying morale and blocking the Sun-Moon Empire's armies, is just on account of his 'Commander' title?"
"Isn't it?" Dai Huabin sneered. "Aside from being older, in all other aspects — talent, command — he can't hold a candle to me."
"Heh…"
The black-robed man shook his head regretfully and glanced at Dai Huabin before leaving.
This was the enemy's main camp—there were several eighth-level soul engineers, even a ninth-level one. If they fought here, they'd be wiped out instantly.
He was eager to see this noble scion's performance on the battlefield.
Dai Huabin paid no mind—just examined the ring, his eyes flashing with excitement.
This was equipment to outfit a soul-engineer group of several hundred.
Enough to arm his personal guard to the teeth.
Rumble—!
The earth shook.
Soul-guided shells rained down like bullets.
"What's going on?! We can't even hold the front?!" Dai Huabin, soul engineer's binoculars in hand, stared at the enemy's interlinked defensive soul formation advancing steadily while his own troops retreated in disarray, near collapse.
"You don't know?!" The officer beside him was even more dazed.
Weren't you just sleepwalking when the former Commander was leading the battle?
"I… bunch of useless fools!" Dai Huabin gritted his teeth.
"Then why is it that when Dai Ya--- cough, big brother was commanding, we could always rout the enemy?"
"That was by breaking into small squads to keep harassing and striking before the enemy's defensive array fully formed. Once their array took shape, we'd immediately fall back since their speed was slow and they'd never catch us—that's how we gained the upper hand..." The officer shook his head speechlessly.
"And that's the most basic tactic. You still have to adjust based on terrain, numbers, and so on."
"Such a pain in the ass!" Dai Huabin fumed.
"It's bad, Commander! Our 3rd Army is completely routed, the 2nd Army is scattered—heavy casualties!"
"Should we retreat?!"
The messenger dashed over.
"I…" Dai Huabin hesitated.
He'd hoped to defeat a Sun-Moon Empire soul engineer regiment with steel and gunpowder, proving he was no worse than Dai Yaoheng and securing his position as Commander.
Who would have thought—fighting wars actually takes brain work!
He really thought he could just charge and kill and be done with it.
"Commander, what should we do?"
An elderly man with white hair spoke gravely—he was the last remaining ninth-level soul engineer in the Star Luo border military.
"Retreat!!"
Seeing disaster snowballing, Dai Huabin gritted his teeth and gave the command.
If not, even his personal guard would be lost.
But in the next moment—
Enemies in black—the evil soul masters—and white-robed men from the Spirit Hall blocked the retreat.
"Go!"
The white-haired elder cried out.
He barely had time to shout before taking out his ninth-level flying soul device and fleeing on his own.
Dai Huabin: "..."
Damned old fox—running off and leaving your commander?!!
The other eighth-level soul engineers also led their survivors fleeing in every direction.
Only Dai Huabin's personal guard stayed close and protected him.
"Commander Dai, we meet again."
A black-robed figure from the Holy Spirit Cult watched Dai Huabin with a mocking smile.
"Compared to the last Commander, you lack far more than just strength—in both character and tactics..."
"You!!" Dai Huabin's eyes reddened.
This was a killing blow.
With his personal guards dying around him, the words rang truer than ever.
And the look in his soldiers' eyes grew colder.
"Commander, there's a burrowing soul vehicle!"
Dai Huabin's eyes lit up—but it was just a shabby seventh-level soul burrowing device.
"What trash!"
"No time to choose, Second Young Master, go! We brothers will cover your retreat!" the guard urged.
"…"
Dai Huabin was silent.
From the Duke's mansion till now, they'd always followed him.
"Let's go!"
"Damn it!"
Fuming, Dai Huabin climbed in. The drill roared to life and they vanished underground, their aura masked, destination unknown.
"Chase! Leave no one alive!"
"What? Dai Yaoheng died?"
Su Wen looked at Nana in some surprise.
The young girl, in a crisp maid's dress, reported:
"Yes, the Star Luo Empire's frontlines suffered massive upheaval. White Tiger Duke went missing, half the army dead or wounded—but Dai Yaoheng stepped up, brilliantly commanded the remnants, inflicted serious losses on the Sun-Moon Empire's legions. But a few days ago, his whereabouts leaked. He was found by an enemy legion and killed. His younger brother, Dai Huabin, took over."
"Didn't expect that guy to be a total waste, abandoned Dai Yaoheng's tactics, rushed all in, got encircled and crushed."
"But he's got some talent—just him, in one night, escaped Sun-Moon Empire's pursuit in a beaten-up burrowing soul vehicle, traveled hundreds of kilometers and reached Star Luo City."
Su Wen: "..."
Damn, all his points are in driving?
A master of running away, at least.
Reminds me of a certain historical figure in my past life.
"The Car God of Mingdou Mountains."
"And... Dai Huabin's personality, at this timing—seems a bit..."
"You mean...?" Nana asked in surprise.
"After all, he's a real brother; no matter how cruel, he wouldn't..."
"Heh, who knows."
Su Wen waved it off.
"By the way, Ju Zi heard and rushed to the Star Luo Empire overnight," Nana coughed lightly.
Su Wen: ???
"She's going to assassinate Dai Huabin?"
"Mm-hmm~" Nana laughed. "You promised her, remember?"
"..."
Su Wen shook his head. "Forget it, I understand."
Once Nana's shapely figure left, Su Wen drummed on the table, pensive for a long while before muttering,
"If she succeeds, protect her as she leaves. If she fails..."
"Take care of the loose ends."
"Alright, my lord..."
Outside the wooden cabin window—
A snowy white giant ape, over ten meters tall, nodded and disappeared from sight.
"The mirror is so handy," Su Wen smiled.
Hurricane went to take the Wind God's Test, so the one outside was Mirror, of course.
"By the way…"
Su Wen called in his spiritual sea:
"Go to the Mingdou Mountains and see if White Tiger Duke is there. If so—settle the matter too."
"Understood!" Mirror replied serenely.
He could kill a Title Douluo or storm Mingdu City without hesitation.
"Tsk tsk—"
Su Wen hummed a little tune, sunlight pouring through the wooden hut.
"Honestly, Huo Yuhao, you should thank me." Su Wen sighed. "In the original, you never avenged your mother, but I did it for you."
"Even if by accident..."
"But it's done."
Rumble—
A pillar of light rose skyward far away, coloring the sky with vibrant hues.
The aura of the Dragon God reappeared.
Terrifying and shocking.
A few days ago, when his second martial soul caught up to the first and reached Soul Douluo, he gave this Pokéball to the Golden Dragon King.
That brat just couldn't wait for the third soul...
Meanwhile—
In the God Realm Committee
"Tang San, before you could rely on the Sea God and half the Asura God's position to sit here. Now, without the Sea God, what gives you the right to be equals with me?"
Destruction sneered openly.
The Goddess of Life said nothing.
Ji Dong and Fiery pretended to sleep, Electrolux watched the show with a smile.
Only Tang San, face dark, spat:
"I'm not the Asura God—who is?!"
"Heh, the true Asura is Xiao Wu. You inherited the Sea God. Dual godhood is hard to hold in one body, so the Asura God merged her slot into Xiao Wu..."
"Originally, because Xiao Wu was a soul beast and there was a rule forbidding them to become gods, she was blocked. But now… now that Dragon God is revived, the current Asura God is probably fully merged with Xiao Wu."
"So why are you still hogging the Asura God Sword? Why don't you give it back?"
Destruction crossed his arms, disdainful.
"You!!"
Tang San's heart jolted. He hadn't expected the guy to suddenly target his weak point.
Indeed.
With the Dragon God's revival, the God Realm's rules had begun to shift.
Originally, Xiao Wu served as the sword's scabbard, and the Asura God's position was only temporarily inside her—with only Tang San able to use its true power.
But now... he could feel it: the Asura God position was merging with Xiao Wu.
When that process finished, he'd lose even the right to wield the Asura Sword—not to mention holding the position himself.
More awkward still—
He once held two god positions. Even if he lost one, he had the Sea God and the realm authority, so he remained on the committee.
But now—
He'd lost even the Sea God's position.
In other words, if Xiao Wu ever stopped listening, he'd lose everything. He might not even get to stay in the God Realm.
In such circumstances, others like him would've already gone to the mortal realm to party.
Wait!
Tang San turned suddenly—meeting Electrolux's smiling eyes.
He glared hatefully across the table; clearly this guy was behind all of Destruction's taunting!
Damn it!!
"They're all to blame!"
"I still hold the God Realm's central authority, a power left by Kindness and Evil, specifically appointed to me. Hmph. Unless you can summon them now, I absolutely won't hand it over to a brute like you." Tang San retorted coldly.
"Tch, I don't care about the realm's core," Destruction snorted.
"But committee rules have always been that only King-level gods may participate. Tang San, you're heavily injured and godless now…"
"Next meeting, you're not qualified to join. If the true Asura comes, no problem—but you, fake, don't show up."
"You!! Destruction!!!"
Tang San's rage almost became tangible.
Such humiliation—this was the first time.
But the other side ignored his words. If he tried to argue from a legal or authority standpoint, he could still push back.
But this—just kicked him straight out of the power center.
"Don't go too far! The original Asura God approved me, not Xiao Wu!"
"Heh. I only care about now—who controls the Asura slot is the Asura God!"
"You?"
"What a joke!"
Pant, pant—Tang San's eyes bloodshot, breathing hard, he could only storm away.