Spent an entire night daydreaming, seeing the astonishing features of this land brimming with beasts, and how she survived her night. During the night, no one heard any alarms, not even the shadow of the enemy was seen. The night passed quietly, while the firepit burned in the background, carrying the scent of roasted meat. Yan Xiaobao slept through the night, without dreams or abrupt awakenings. He managed to sleep until the sun rose, greeted by a strong smell of meat upon waking. Looking around, he saw many beasts waking up alongside him. His back ached terribly from lying in the same position for so many hours. He typically wasn’t a person who slept through the night, but this sleep was a welcome guest. Seeing the stiff sun rise, he smiled as if sharing the same back problems with it. He felt that today was a new day, a fresh beginning. He was convinced that things would be better than the day before.
The Emperor was tied to a tree, still waiting for his fate. Yan Xiaobao was unsure what to do with him. He knew they had to kill him and display his body somewhere, but he felt that the dignity of any ruler fell short of their physical existence. However, none of his beast friends cared about a ruler’s dignity. They only cared about territory, and the strongest were the survivors. That was the rule of the forest, the rule they followed here. After all, this was their new land.
Looking at the Emperor again, Yan Xiaobao realized they had to kill him. It was improper to let him live when his death was already decided, so Yan Xiaobao walked toward him. His body transformed into a Werewolf, the strongest form he possessed.
"You’ve come to kill me?" the Emperor asked calmly. His voice didn’t tremble, his gaze honest and direct. He seemed to have already accepted his fate before things turned chaotic yesterday. Yan Xiaobao nodded. He intended no deceit toward the man.
"I understand," was his only response. Looking around, it seemed as if he hoped to take one last glance at the sun and the garden before his eyes closed forever. He sighed, then turned to Yan Xiaobao. "You must be cautious," he said. His voice devoid of emotion, seemingly free of hatred. "Tell me, Great Marshall of the beasts, don’t you think your army is too confident of victory?" he asked, his eyes fixated on the azure sky. Yan Xiaobao frowned. He too thought this battle seemed incredibly easy for them. Who would deliberately send hundreds of thousands to their deaths just to kill a few beasts? Who would abandon the walls so readily as the Great Marshall had? After some thought, Yan Xiaobao didn’t answer the Emperor’s question, but his furrowed brows suggested the man tied to the tree might have a point.
"He abandoned the city and took all the Saints of the Siban Empire with him. They are waiting for the right moment to arrive so they can eliminate your last remaining forces. I believe he is relying on the Crusaders to slaughter many of you, but if the rest of you fight as my soldiers did yesterday, then I think he is in for a nasty surprise." The Emperor’s voice began to carry a hint of smugness. "If I must die, I hope he dies with me," he said matter-of-factly. Looking at Yan Xiaobao, the Emperor nodded once, then within seconds, his head was severed.
... ᴛhis chapter is ᴜpdated by novèlfire.net