“Everything comes down to probability, there’s always a chance that I’ll make mistakes. As long as I make choices with the highest probability, our chances of making errors will be smaller than the enemy. Victory will then be ours,” Anwen replied.
“If only wars could be decided by numbers,” the Demoness said coldly.
“My success rate has been pretty good so far.”
“A weak commander like you is truly rare.”
Anwen wasn’t satisfied. “Strength and weakness should be viewed across centuries and millennia. You’ll understand the meaning of these numbers when you explore the void one day.”
“No matter how important these numbers are, it’s no match for absolute strength. Wait, look at that side. Why are the arachne and vampires together?”
Anwen glanced over and saw the arachne army was mixing with the vampire troops. The two forces were reforming their units in a certain pattern. Their smooth maneuvers went to show that this was a planned effort and not a sudden idea.
“Let them do what they want,” said Anwen.
Rolling explosions erupted as streaks of fire shot up over the horizon. The demonkin vanguard had already entered within range of the Imperial fortresses. The battle had begun.
The numbers around Anwen increased exponentially. Countless formulas descended, turning into orders that were eventually transmitted to the army.
The demonkin squads worked together to form a net of suppressive firepower that drowned out the Imperial volley.
The Imperial fortresses might be at a disadvantage, but they were extremely tenacious. Their firepower never faltered regardless of the enemy attack. Even more fortresses spat out flaming tongues as the demonkin forces spread out to the flank, effectively stunting the enemy attack.
In a different direction, Nighteye was standing in the air with Basil.
This arachne genius was fairly respectful around her. “The squads have been reorganized. Your Majesty, shall we…”
“Attack.” Nighteye’s words were short to the point.
An excited Basil waved his hand and pointed forward. A long bugle cry erupted as the mixed arachne-vampire army charged toward the Imperial fortress.
There were several bigger fortresses in the second row. They acted as the backbone of the fortress cluster, reinforcing and shielding the smaller fortresses nearby. The reserve troops in them would also mobilize when needed.
In the biggest fortress among them, Zhao Jundu was sitting in utter silence, resting for the upcoming battle.
An officer ran in, “Sire! The dark race units are starting to flank us. Shall we send out the mobile units?”
Zhao Jundu slowly opened his eyes. “What’s the rush? The real battle hasn’t even started.”
He walked out of the room and took to the air, arriving at the top of the wall in just a few steps. Gazing at the dark races mobilizing in the distance, he said, “Call me when their experts move out.”
“Yes, Sire.”
In that short moment of absence, a faintly discernible figure entered Zhao Jundu’s room and swiped a box of origin bullets from his weapons rack, replacing it with an identical box.
The battle was now in full swing. The second and third line fortresses were soon engaging in combat as hundreds of thousands of dark race soldiers bore down on the front lines. No one noticed this little interlude amidst the chaos.
As the dark races pushed in with full force, the Empire’s first-line fortresses were destroyed one after another, and the troops within them fell in droves. At this point in the fight, both sides were clear that there would be no prisoners.
Be it on the ground or in the air, experts from both sides were joining the battle, and fights were breaking out in every corner of the field. Strange whistles could often be heard in the sky as experts chased and flitted past one another, flashes of light or showers of origin bullets erupting between them.
In front of the Empire’s backbone fortress, a black pillar of fire rose into the sky and engulfed several counts. The only thing ejected from the whirlwind were white bones. The sable blaze was so tyrannical that it could reduce these powerful experts into skeletons.
Soon, a screaming Basil rushed out from the flames. Dozens of embers clung to his giant golden arachne body; one of his limbs was gone, and only half a sword remained in his hand.
Once out of the fire, he flew back to his forces without so much as looking back. Apparently, his injuries were so serious that he couldn’t even care about his race’s dignity.
Off in the distance, a pale Duke Wei appeared out of nowhere and began coughing up blood. He looked down to see blood seeping out of his chest. There was lingering demonic energy around his wound, effectively blocking his daybreak origin power and preventing the wound from healing.
Duke Wei took a deep breath. His resolve was visible on his face as he swung his sword, ready for the next fight. In front of him was a mass of rolling demonic energy which served to hide the Demoness’ appearance.
There was a demonkin duke bringing up the rear behind her.
Duke Wei glanced at that duke, but then he placed his full attention on the Demoness. Just now, he had slipped up because he was wary of that duke. Now that he was badly injured, his resolve to fight to the death was stronger than ever, and the glow on his blade grew even brighter.
However, the Demoness’ lock on Duke Wei suddenly disappeared. Her gaze was already on that black pillar of fire in the distance.
The Demoness vanished in a surge of demonic energy and appeared before that pillar. “Zhao Jundu, let us end that unfinished battle from Indomitable.”
The soaring black fire spun back into Zhao Jundu’s body. Standing with his hands behind his back, he said, “Very well!”
The most outstanding geniuses of each faction thus began their showdown.
However, Nighteye’s cold voice echoed in their ears at this point. “He’s my opponent, withdraw.”
“What did you say?!” The Demoness’ demonic energy churned furiously.
“I’m telling you to back off.” Nighteye left her with no face.
The Demoness had never suffered such humiliation. Her demonic energy expanded and contracted in turn, almost as though she were breathing heavily. But when Nighteye’s cold gaze turned toward her, she ultimately swallowed her pride and left.
“Fleeing in battle, note it down,” Nighteye instructed her subordinates before facing Zhao Jundu.
A dark origin-gun appeared behind the fourth young master. Its long barrel, slender body, and simple design proved that it was an ancient gun—a weapon Zhao Jundu would bring into battle had to be something extraordinary.
“Dark Sky? This gun suits you well.” Nighteye immediately recognized this rifle’s history.
Dark Sky was one of the Empire’s masterpieces. Although it was inferior to the ten Grand Magnums and Dragonspring which was destroyed in the Martial Ancestor’s hands, it was only second to the most powerful class of weapons.
The Dark Sky was powerful, but its weakness was also clear—its firing rate was slow. Missing the first shot would lose the wielder his initiative.
But for Zhao Jundu and his True Shot, Dark Sky’s weakness was completely negated. On the contrary, it was extremely powerful, and its long firing-range could be put to best use. Paired with its special bullet, Dark Sky possessed firepower almost rivaling a Grand Magnum. Even a duke might be heavily injured in a single shot.
Hearing Nighteye’s words, Zhao Jundu said, “It’s suitable for you.”
Nighteye smiled. “You’re welcome to try.”
“Where’s the Tempest?”
“I only need it for heavenly monarchs.”
Zhao Jundu’s pupils shrank. “Very well, I’ll take the slight handicap then. I won’t go all out with this shot, either. Feel free to retreat if you can’t take it. If we fight again tomorrow, we can go all out as though we don’t know one another. What do you say?”
Nighteye nodded. “Very well.”
She summoned Awakening Dream with a swipe of her hand. The sword scattered moonlight within a thousand-meter radius, covering several fortresses.
Dark golden specks emerged in the lunar glow, blossoming into illusory flowers with countless birds flying among them.
This area was where experts were doing battle. Many of them had deployed their domains, which clashed against one another amidst countless visual phenomena.
But they were all reduced to nothingness the moment Nighteye’s domain appeared. A sea of flowers and flying birds covered the entire landscape. Only Zhao Jundu’s black fire remained, but he had restrained it to within ten meters of himself. It almost seemed pitiful compared to Nighteye’s tyrannical domain.
Nighteye was ready to face Zhao Jundu’s Dark Sky with her domain and Awakening Dream.
Even though he was at a disadvantage in a contest of domains, Zhao Jundu never appeared panicked. He picked up Dark Sky, pushed a bullet into it, and took aim at Nighteye’s throat. Many Imperial experts saw their eyes light up.
This shot, bolstered with True Shot, was likely a chance for them to turn the tables.
Nighteye stood motionlessly. The two parties were less than a hundred meters away, the best distance for Dark Sky to exert its power. It was also extremely difficult to evade at such a distance.
Zhao Jundu’s eyes narrowed as Dark Sky jolted in his hands. A long, slender origin bullet left the chamber before the timber of the shot was heard.
Nighteye’s hands turned almost illusory. Awakening Dream drew an indescribably beautiful arc through the air and slashed at the incoming bullet.
Although no one could see the flying projectile, they could tell that Awakening Dream would surely slice it into two.
As Awakening Dream bore down upon the bullet mid-flight, it not only lit up the projectile but also everyone’s hearts. It was as if a blinding light had jolted people awake from a beautiful dream.
It was at this time that a dazzling light erupted from the bullet. A sun seemed to have risen on the battlefield, and the eruption of terrifying energy caused everyone’s heart to skip a beat.
Experts from both factions immediately thought the same thing—a heavenly monarch!
