Demon King: Hero, don't run away!

The sound of reproach rose and fell, causing the scene to spiral out of control. Latis tapped the table heavily with a folded fan, her gaze sweeping over the aggressive negotiators from the Luo Ze Empire, and issued a command:

"Everyone, please calm down, do not disgrace the name of the Luo Ze Empire."

"My apologies, Your Highness."

Upon receiving Latis's timely command, the standing negotiators from the Luo Ze Empire immediately restrained themselves significantly and sat back down in their original positions, each displaying a different posture.

Ensuring that everyone had "calmed down," Latis faced Yang Yu and, representing the Luo Ze Empire, began to speak:

"As you can see,

the negotiator opposite, you have massacred our soldiers in such a brutal way, and our country simply cannot tolerate your atrocities.

The rules set by the giant dragon are meant to allow us to determine victory or defeat in an honorable manner.

Your methods lack fairness."

The general wearing a braid echoed:

"I agree with Her Highness's view; this is simply cheating, without any sense of fairness.

Negotiator opposite, do you know how much our army has invested in this war?

Now you all use cheating tactics to demand we pay compensation and withdraw troops—that's simply going too far."

When someone plays the villain, there must be someone else to play the good cop.

A white-haired negotiator from the Luo Ze Empire with an elegant long beard spoke:

"General Lock Agis, please be mindful of your words. We are at the negotiation table now. Speaking of investments, Wansheng Country has also invested a lot in this war.

The rules must be revised.

But before any revisions... I think we should properly reckon with the crimes of Wansheng Country first.

Only when you all acknowledge your mistakes can we talk peacefully."

Although the white-haired negotiator's tone was calm, he secretly laid a trap in his words, full of malice in his heart.

The statements and actions of the Luo Ze Empire allowed Yang Yu to gradually see through the Luo Ze negotiation team's strategy for this meeting.

No matter who it was, they couldn't stop bringing up the Great Fire of Benliang City, accusing Yang Yu of indescribable cruelty and inhuman behavior.

They were also indirectly telling everyone present that without the Great Fire of Benliang City, the situation of the war would be completely different.

This was always the way, in any era.

Some people, knowing they are at a disadvantage in negotiations, start to act unreasonably.

They try to pick a thorn from others' actions.

Then use that thorn to cut open someone else's skin and consume their blood and flesh.

Laughably, such childish tantrums often yield considerable results.

Wansheng Country and the Luo Ze Empire were neighboring countries, like two neighbors who meet up and down the street.

As long as one side desired peaceful development, it would not be possible to completely fall out and fight to the death.

In pursuit of "peace," the stronger side would invariably make suitable concessions.

The weaker side merely needed to find out the other's bottom line and timely back off to obtain more of what they wanted.

For instance, if your neighbor's child wanted your toy train and came directly to snatch it, and you punched him.

If he immediately cried to his parents, saying he wanted your toy train and thus took it, his parents might not stand by him; they might instead scold him further.

But if he cried to his parents, saying he just wanted to borrow your toy train for a few days, his parents might come knocking, demanding for fairness on behalf of their child, saying, "You've already hit him. Why not lend it for a few days."

If you were soft-hearted enough to lend it,

Great, you might find it hard to get your toy train back in the future.

The Luo Ze Empire had started probing the bottom line.

If things went as Yang Yu expected, once Wansheng Country showed concessions, the Luo Ze Empire would undoubtedly take an inch and want a mile.

They might say they have invested so much, and now the people live in poverty, have an unsustainable situation, and would hope to lease the Selovomen Plain as a compensation for Wansheng Country's cruel actions.

Then, they might decide, based on Wansheng Country's reaction, whether to stop suitably or to continue pressing their advantage.

Perhaps they would even pawn the incomplete city walls and cannons as a bargaining chip for Wansheng Country to maintain and protect.

Since the other party had decided to act like an insolent child, Yang Yu was even more determined not to let them succeed.

There are two key ways to handle a brat.

One, out-brat the brat by being even more unreasonable; two, out-adult the adults, showing the brat the harshness of reality.

As the stronger party, and with the giant dragon documenting this meeting, naturally, he could not out-brat the brat, leaving only one choice.

In front of everyone, Yang Yu stood up from his chair.

At once, all the negotiators from the Luo Ze Empire focused their gaze on him, intending to scrutinize this man from head to toe to find his few weaknesses and become heroes of the Luo Ze Empire.

However, what happened next was completely unexpected and shocking to all present.

Yang Yu bent down decisively, placing both hands on the table, then tapped his forehead on the huge round table.

The venue fell silent, until Yang Yu broke the silence with his voice:

"I'm truly sorry.

I'm deeply sorry for taking so many Luo Ze soldiers' lives with the fire in one fell swoop!

I must apologize once more to all the soldiers killed in the fire, to their families.

I'm truly sorry!"

Yang Yu's voice echoed throughout the hall, clear and audible; no one failed to hear what Yang Yu had just said.

It was because each word Yang Yu spoke was audible that made everyone incredulous. The seemingly invincible Colorful-haired Masked Man now so straightforwardly apologized.

The negotiators from the Luo Ze Empire looked at each other, momentarily unable to accept this outcome.

After a while, faint smiles appeared on a few Luo Ze Empire negotiators' faces.

In their view, Yang Yu was unexpectedly easy to deal with. It was unsurprising; as long as he wasn't truly cold-blooded, upon seeing that scene, some humanity would stir within him, becoming his only weakness.

Discovering that the monster was not invincible, the negotiators from the Luo Ze Empire suddenly grew somewhat proud and spoke:

"A mere apology cannot conclude this. We have absolutely no way to ascertain your sincerity."

"I understand that a mere apology won't resolve things, and I know you all cannot ascertain whether my apology is sincere, but...

I have already apologized.

I've apologized for my actions, even if you think it might not be sincere, I have indeed apologized.

However..."

Yang Yu lifted his head, a sharp look emerging from under his mask that made the Luo Ze negotiation team bristle,

"... what about you?

Can your Luo Ze Empire apologize for its own actions?

Even if not sincerely, can you apologize for your actions...

For all the Wansheng Country soldiers who were sacrificed on the battlefield, slaughtered by you."