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Kaido was by no means a weakling. Compared to the thousand soldiers of the vanguard unit, he could easily be considered an absolute, top-tier expert in the hierarchy of Qin's Nation. He was a force of nature, an Emperor-level powerhouse.
Yet, the report Qin Yi received this time left him with the profoundly disturbing impression that Kaido's strength was utterly irrelevant, no different from that of an ordinary man. The result nearly stunned him into silence.
In an instant, Qin Yi shot up from his dragon throne, a terrifying, cold light bursting from his eyes.
The losses were devastating. This rash operation had inflicted serious, painful damage on Qin's Nation. Kaido, one of his greatest assets, was dead. His demise in this unknown world weighed heavily, not just as a loss of power, but as a chilling indicator of the true threat.
For the first time since the rise of his kingdom, Qin Yi felt a deep, instinctive fear of a world he had never even set eyes on.
"The Legend of Sword and Fairy…"
He murmured the name, lost in thought and hesitation.
In a short span of time, Qin Yi had already pieced together the grim truth. The Sword and Fairy series depicted an enormous, multi-layered existence, not limited to the mere Mortal Realm. Even though the first game's story primarily occurred among humans, it did not mean the world's true potential and power ended there.
Both expeditions, the vanguard and Kaido alike, must have instantly trespassed upon a forbidden existence of that realm, triggering immediate annihilation. Otherwise, given their combined power, there was simply no way they would vanish without leaving even a trace of information, let alone a dying battle cry.
"A Level-Five Starlight Civilization World… is truly awe-inspiring."
The pressure was immense. It was as if he were facing an enemy beyond all resistance, his body trembled slightly despite his iron will. In his mind, he suddenly recalled the long-ago image of a powerful Demon Immortal who, with a single palm strike, could shatter the heavens. The oppressive dread he now felt was almost identical, an unbreachable wall of cosmic power.
The Sword and Fairy world was vast beyond measure. As a nascent Level-Three Starlight Civilization, Qin's Nation was far from capable of opposing it. If he entered that realm himself, he would face not a single isolated world, but an enormous cosmos, one where Heaven, Earth, and the Human Realms were interconnected, and where demons, devils, spirits, and immortals coexisted.
The danger awaiting him there was on an entirely different scale from anything he had faced before.
"Your Majesty, shall we send another force?" The generals below spoke hesitantly, their fear palpable. The situation reminded them of the first great disaster in their nation's history, repeated failures, mounting fear, and the suffocating weight of defeat.
"No need!" Qin Yi's gaze hardened as he swept his eyes across the hall.
"That realm must house beings of unimaginable divine power, far beyond our current capabilities. No matter how many troops we send, it will all be meaningless."
He closed his eyes. Kaido's death had struck him deeply. An Emperor-level being, obliterated instantly without even transmitting a single report. Even if Qin Yi went himself, he doubted the outcome would be any different, and that risk was unacceptable.
But to give up now?
Qin Yi's heart resisted the thought. He had lost a thousand elite soldiers, a major general, and Kaido, an unbearable price. To abandon a world that was already within sight, yet gain nothing from it, filled him with reluctant, burning frustration.
"In that case… there's only one method left."
His eyes flashed coldly as he gave the next command.
"Cancel the plan for large-scale invasion. Switch to single-unit infiltration."
The officers below froze, uncertain what he meant.
"Ordinary people, even experts of the nation, are not the same as Kings. Compared to common soldiers, a King possesses far superior stealth, adaptability, and fundamental survivability when traveling the Myriad Realms."
"Since we cannot send an army, we must rely on an individual."
His gaze flickered again, a ruthless plan forming.
"Summon Li Yuanli."
…
Half an hour later, Li Yuanli stood before Qin Yi, his face a perfect mask of helplessness and profound reluctance.
"Your Majesty, what are your orders this time? What task do you need your humble subject to perform?"
Seeing his gloomy expression, Qin Yi couldn't help but chuckle.
"You're not stupid, Yuanli. I'm guessing you've already figured out what I want you to do, haven't you?"
When the Realm Gate Bell had tolled its six catastrophic chimes, the entire nation had heard it, including Li Yuanli. Having become intimately familiar with Qin Yi's cold, demanding temperament, he had immediately guessed the nature of this summons. Originally, he'd planned to quietly hide within his own territory until Qin Yi's attention drifted elsewhere, but to his despair, he'd been summoned almost instantly.
"Your Majesty… can I not go?" he pleaded bitterly, abandoning all pretense of bravado. "If even Kaido couldn't complete the mission, how could I possibly succeed? Sending me to a Level-Five Starlight Civilization is basically offering myself up as food!"
Li Yuanli's face twisted in genuine distress, it wasn't an act; it was pure, heartfelt fear.
"You're different from Kaido," Qin Yi said firmly, his expression solemn but with a faint, knowing smile. "I believe in your inherent nature as a King, Yuanli."
"And you should understand, the six tolls of the Realm Bell mean the situation is dire. In times like this, you're far safer investigating than anyone else in the entire nation."
"Or… do you mean to suggest that I should go in your place?" Qin Yi's tone grew sharp and cold, the unassailable weight of his authority pressing down.
Li Yuanli's expression turned even more bitter. He could now see clearly that the reason Qin Yi had helped him ignite his Fire of Civilization and supported his development so heavily was precisely for this moment, to serve as the ultimate, disposable vanguard.
"To think… my destiny as a King would end with me being used as cannon fodder! Ah, what a tragic fate! How pitiful!"
But Qin Yi had already spoken; there was no room to refuse. And truthfully, what Qin Yi said wasn't entirely wrong: Kings were innately safer than ordinary explorers when venturing into Otherworlds. They were naturally attuned to traverse the Myriad Realms, relying on their own internal power rather than external, easily detectable technology like the Realm Gate.
"Your subject understands," Li Yuanli finally said solemnly, his shoulders slumped in defeat. "I will depart immediately."
Once his decision was made, he hesitated no longer, bowing respectfully before Qin Yi.
"I await your good news," Qin Yi said with a faint smile and a simple nod.
Li Yuanli turned and left to meet his tragic destiny.
Half an hour later, under Qin Yi's watchful gaze, Li Yuanli stepped into the Realm Gate, his figure vanishing from sight.
At that moment, not only Qin Yi, but the entire Qin Nation held its breath, eyes filled with tension and expectation.
Upon Li Yuanli's shoulders now rested the fate of their entire civilization.
(End of Chapter)