The Heavenly Calamity Hall was something Yi Tianxing had placed great hope in.
He naturally hoped it could truly shoulder great responsibilities. This time, their intelligence work was commendable—they had been able to uncover some key information in a timely manner. Of course, gathering intelligence was only one aspect of the Hall's duties. Its true value lay in whether it could bring calamity to enemies: assassinations, ambushes, overt attacks—whatever could instill terror and deliver slaughter. That was the true essence of the Heavenly Calamity Hall.
"Soldiers come, generals block; water rises, earth dams. I want to see just what tricks you alien races think you can pull."
Yi Tianxing took a deep breath, his eyes flashing cold.Standing atop the city wall, he made no further movements.
PA! PA! PA!
The Mountain-Driving Whip struck the ground, sending ripples across the earth that grew increasingly intense and violent, quickly pushing Silver-Gold City forward.
After passing through the poisonous mists, they encountered no further resistance.
Masses of fierce beasts, sensing the aura of the celestial city, the pulse of the earth, and the presence of the Vermilion Bird Legion, instinctively fled in all directions, avoiding the migration route of the celestial city. It was a primal reaction to danger.
Unknowingly, dusk began to fall.The light dimmed, and darkness gradually enveloped the land.Tonight's gloom was heavy; the moon was hidden behind clouds, casting an invisible pressure over the wilderness—like dreadful monsters were lurking in the shadows.
But the soldiers of the Vermilion Bird Legion showed not a shred of laxity.Nighttime in the wild was the most dangerous time of all.
They could hear the roars of many beasts and monsters that had slumbered during the day, now erupting as night fell. The sounds of birds shrieking and beasts howling interwove with cries of slaughter—some beasts were already fighting to the death. In the skies, savage birds were locked in fierce combat.
Night in the wilderness was ten, even a hundred times more dangerous than day.
Yang Ye knew this all too well. He would not dare relax in the slightest.Within the legion, all bowmen had already notched their arrows and loaded their bolts, ready to fire at the slightest sign of disturbance. Scouts were moving swiftly in all directions.
If only there were more Golden Scale Birds, Yang Ye thought—they'd make ideal scouts. Even a single one per corps could provide an aerial view of the surroundings and collect intelligence effortlessly.
"Report! A mountain valley up ahead—lit with torches. Aliens spotted."
At that moment, a scout came back with an urgent report.
"According to intel, that valley is called Chaos Rock Gorge. It's a must-pass route on the way to Carp Lake. Avoiding it would cost us significant time. Seems the aliens have prepared for this and want to make their final stand here," Yang Ye said with a strange glint in his eyes.
"Commander, their actions are highly irregular. Such blatant displays usually mean treachery," Wu Yong commented thoughtfully.
"Whatever it is, since they've shown themselves, we've no reason to retreat."
The army pressed forward, eventually arriving at Chaos Rock Gorge.
Despite being called a "gorge," the place was more like a vast plain strewn with chaotic rocks, barren of grass or trees—an utterly desolate place.
But now, bonfires blazed across the valley, lighting up the area.
BOOM!
The ground trembled violently.Silver-Gold City had arrived at the mouth of the valley. Through the gorge, they could clearly see the interior.
The Vermilion Bird Legion swiftly lined up at the entrance, ready for battle.
"Come out! You light fires so openly to block our way—then don't hide like cowards. Let me see what makes you think you can keep obstructing Great Yi's expansion!" Yang Ye shouted sternly from the front lines.
"Expansion? You'd better look at this first."
A cold voice rang out.
Suddenly, a large number of alien races emerged—alongside countless emaciated human civilians. These people were clearly refugees—so skinny they looked skeletal.
There were elders, children, pregnant women, and young adults among them.Their eyes were blank, filled only with despair. They were forced to kneel on massive boulders, like prisoners awaiting execution.
Surrounding them were many alien warriors—armed with bows, spears, and killing intent. These human lives were entirely in their hands. At a command, they could be wiped out instantly.
"They're human! Our people!"
"Damn it! What are the aliens doing?!"
"So thin… How much have they suffered? Treated like slaves… worse than refugees!"
"Even pregnant women and infants? How could they survive? What are the aliens planning?!"
The sight of over ten thousand human civilians caused a massive uproar in Silver-Gold City.Countless citizens and soldiers were enraged. These weren't strangers—these were their kin, their people, their brothers and sisters.
Their despair was contagious—many could feel their pain. Before joining Great Yi, they too had lived through hunger and fear, through days without food, through bitter nights. Only after entering Great Yi had they tasted a normal life—full meals, fresh vegetables, even beast meat.
But those memories were branded deep into their bones, surfacing in their dreams even now.
And now—seeing these emaciated civilians, especially the children and pregnant women—many felt their rage boiling over.
"They actually dared…"
Yi Tianxing's fists clenched instinctively.A cold chill surged in his heart.
"Generals of the Great Yi Dynasty, stop! Withdraw from this area immediately—or face the consequences."
The two-headed ogre chieftain appeared in the gorge, his massive frame backlit by the bonfires, creating a terrifying silhouette. His voice was like thunder.
"See these humans? Your fellow kin—old, young, unborn. This is only ten thousand. Step forward even once—and people will die. But if you retreat and abandon your expansion, they will live—well fed, protected from beasts, even given shelter."
"One step forward—they die. Retreat—they live. You have one quarter of an hour to decide. If you refuse… we'll start the executions."
The ogre's words rang out clearly into the night sky.
"What?!"
The city exploded into outrage. Soldiers of the Vermilion Bird Legion had fury burning in their eyes. But when they looked at the kneeling civilians… no one dared step forward.
No matter how steely their resolve, no matter how fearless of death, no one could stomach seeing innocent lives fall because of their next move. This was a burden too great for anyone to bear.
"So vicious... using women and children as hostages. They're forcing us into a no-win situation."
Wu Yong gasped. Even with his wisdom, he had not expected the alien races to go this far. His whole body trembled.
He understood clearly—if this situation wasn't handled with care, it could cause unimaginable losses for the entire Great Yi Dynasty… and untold future consequences.
"So cruel? Could it be that my soulmate is summoning me to sing again? Don't worry, this emperor has arrived!"
Just then, an excited shout echoed across the battlefield.
A green light streaked through the air, landing between the two opposing forces.
Who else could it be but Green Emperor?
"Green dog! It's that damned mutt again! Get rid of it now—or I start killing hostages!"
The two-headed ogre's face turned black with rage.