Getting Stronger By Fighting

At the true core of the Federation, the president, nearly fifty years old but without a single sign of aging and maintaining a youthful appearance, truly wished he could take up arms himself and subject Prince Zhan Shi to dismemberment, chopping him into pieces to feed the beast groups! Such foolishness, such tremendous foolishness. Those who bargain with a tiger for its skin, if they lack any power, can never meet a good end…

「…」

After a long while, the President reined in all his emotions. With his back to his vice-president, Chen Huafeng—an elder of the Cheng Family, one of the Federation's great families—he quietly gazed at the stars and the land beneath him, and at the ordinary people living out their busy lives.

Then, he closed his eyes and said, his voice betraying no emotion, "Notify the royal family. Try to bring Zhan Shi back to the Federal Security Department. Let him reflect on his dereliction of duty and give the Federation an explanation."

Chen Huafeng remained silent and did not oppose. His expression was indifferent, as if it were unimportant, and he simply said, "Alright."

"The Federation owes an explanation to the Federation's people and Federation Warriors who died. Let's do this: double the pensions for ordinary people, and increase it fivefold for Warrior Families. Implement this as soon as possible; we cannot allow resentment to fester in people's hearts. Tell them that the Federation belongs to everyone, not to a single person or to the Beast Clan. Therefore, we will absolutely not tolerate any traitor to the Human Race, nor will we let any culprit escape—all the murderers…"

All beasts deserve to die.

However, it was a pity that nobody knew that in this small room, the lives of tens of millions of the Human Race and countless fallen warriors were outweighed by a few words from one man.

「…」

「In a gloomy room.」

"Is it the Royal Family?"

A somewhat oppressive voice rose with a wisp of smoke, creating an inexplicable feeling of depression.

"...Yes."

"Heh, over a hundred years ago, our ancestors persistently fought and never yielded, setting a good example. They only chose to withdraw when they were forced into a corner, feeling unable to maintain the Royal Family's rule. Now they think they've gotten capable, going to meet with the high chieftain of the Beast Clan, aiming to weaken the power of the Human Race and make the Human Race a vassal of beasts! What is this? Do they think this Federation is still the Teppes Family's Federation?"

"...So what if it is? The dead are dead. It doesn't matter if he did it or not, or whether it was intentional or unintentional. You should know, the Federation belongs to both itself and the Royal Family, not to us; there's nothing we can do."

This place is the Federation. The Royal Family voluntarily abdicated; it is a Federation jointly governed by the Federation and the Royal Family. Therefore, even if Zhan Shi, as a member of the Federation's Royal Family, really did it, no one has the qualification, right, or ability to have him killed, or send him to his death! That is merely wishful thinking, and it would plunge the entire Federation into an irrevocable state of doom.

"Bullshit! The Federation has never belonged to the Royal Family; it belongs to the Human Race! The Royal Family is just the Royal Family. If they make a mistake, they should face the Federation's punishment, just like ordinary people!"

The person he was speaking with also felt an inexplicable annoyance, and his voice couldn't help but rise a notch. "Most people in the Federation are indebted to the Royal Family. Even among the Federation's Officials, at least half are loyal to the Royal Family—even some of your own subordinates! So you tell me, how do we punish them? Who do we send to carry out the punishment? You? Or me?"

THUMP.

The smoking figure kicked over the stool he was sitting on. Something crashed, emitting a heavy rumble that sounded much like the heavy breathing of two people.

"If the Federation won't do it, then let the Human Race do it! If no one will do it, then find someone to do it! Does the Royal Family really think they can hide the truth with one hand? Impossible! Someone has to be responsible for these tens of millions of lives!"

Then, a tall and robust figure pushed open the small door and stepped out, instantly free under Heaven and Earth.

Behind him, the mysterious man hiding in the darkness just watched him quietly. He watched as the figure receded into the distance, until a relaxed smile tugged at the corners of his mouth.

The Royal Family deserves to die. You're right. If no one will do it, then find someone who will.

"It's just that I really can't do it, nor am I suited to do it. So, it has to be you. Good luck, my... comrade!" he murmured to himself, unheard by anyone.

「…」

"HAHA, HAHA, HAHAHAHA! I survived! I survived! I actually survived!"

In the vast darkness, a figure who had narrowly escaped death was frantically hopping around on the wilderness, his face alight with wild joy, not even caring if he damaged the machine he carried.

He still remembered that scene, like the end of the world. A ring of light had shot straight to the heavens, seemingly ten thousand zhang long, not only illuminating a patch of sky but also sweeping up froth of blood and corpses that seemed to dye several clouds red. For a full ten minutes, a full ten minutes, he truly thought he was going to die.

Su Tao really believed he was going to die.

Even though, just before, Wang Zhan had randomly found a beast's corpse for him and Yang Qi to use as a temporary 'tomb'—a place that was sticky and warm all around, like a cozy home. Yet, he had truly believed he would die there, die in the belly of a beast, to age with the beast and turn into white bones and specks of dirt.

Who would have thought he would actually survive, even see the moon and stars in the sky, which seemed even more fantastical and beautiful than before, revealing endless, serene misty clouds.

But Yang Qi, unlike him, wasn't jumping around excitedly. He just casually glanced at his surroundings, his heart instantly filled with alertness.

Something's off. He could hear Su Tao's shouts, but apart from the rich fragrance of soil and grass mats, there was nothing else—no wind, no rain, no human voices, not even the chirping of insects, the calls of birds, or the roars of beasts. Nothing. Absolutely nothing!

His gaze, therefore, grew more solemn. "Stop shouting! Something's not right about this place…"

"Huh?" Su Tao's heart tightened. He quickly calmed down but, failing to notice anything amiss, asked in puzzlement, "What's wrong? Isn't it still a vast grassland, with a moon and endless stars in the sky?"

Yang Qi stared at him coldly, as if looking at an idiot, then enunciated slowly and deliberately, "Haven't you noticed that there's no smell here, no sound at all? You can't even smell blood?"

Su Tao almost burst out laughing, wanting to mock Yang Qi, but then his expression suddenly froze.

That's right! Why wasn't there any sound? If he remembered correctly, they should have been blown in the direction of Jing State City, which meant they weren't far from it. Being near Jing State City, given the chaotic grand scene tonight, surely meant there had to be a battlefield. But the problem was, there was none here…

HISS…

For some reason, Su Tao suddenly felt a chill run through him, unsure if it was from the night wind or the stars. Then, he looked up at the moon, feeling that something was very wrong. Only then did he recall some information he had read in the past, and his heart immediately clenched with extreme nervousness.

No way, no way! Could I really be this unlucky?

「…」

「The true wilderness battlefield.」

The furious tide of energy had already had a breach completely torn through it by the actions of over a dozen Martial Emperors. Even if it continued to advance, it could no longer cause much harm to Jing State.

However, none of the Martial Emperors felt relieved. Instead, a sense of shared sorrow, like a fox mourning a hare, came over them as they stared intently at their three old friends lying on the city wall. They appeared uninjured on the surface but were exceptionally fatigued and weak, no longer possessing the vibrant spirit they once had as Martial Emperors.

"It's my fault…" Yun Tianyi's voice was heavy. How could he have expected such a thing to happen at the very moment it seemed to be over?

Everyone was silent, but the three dying Martial Emperors managed to force a smile.

"Master Yun, how can this be your fault? This is our fate!"

"None of us expected the Beast Clan's Beast Nest to be so bizarre. We had no prior experience. Now, let the experience we've bought with our lives serve as a warning to the Federation… COUGH COUGH…"

"...I think your guess is correct. The Beast Nest is indeed one of the Beast Clan's most effective tools. But there's one point I suddenly thought of, and I hope you'll pay attention to it in the future… HUFF… I strongly suspect… are the Beast Nests single-use tools, or can they be continuously advanced and upgraded? What is their underlying principle? Who is designing them from behind the scenes? Until we figure this out, we will know no peace, neither eating nor sleeping…"

After saying most of what they wanted to say, these three elders, who should have been enjoying their golden years in the families or factions they had built, once again embarked on the journey they had left behind decades ago, not knowing if any brothers still waited to guide them on the path ahead.

Yun Tianyi gently closed their eyes. "Old friends, don't go too quickly. If no one is waiting for you, then wait for us old folks…"

Humans, never to be enslaved. It's easy to shout, but those who truly achieve it do so by paying with their lives. Even the most powerful individuals, at the critical moment of the Human Race's life-and-death crisis, might merely be insignificant sacrifices. Yet, shortly after, Yun Tianyi received a message from his old superior. This time, the Beast Nest Sky Curtain was confirmed to be the result of collusion between elements within the Human Race and the Beast Clan. On one hand, they divided the forces defending the Earth Federation on the Star War Battlefield; on the other, they blockaded news and concealed the truth, leading to the fall of three more Martial Emperor warriors.

HA... HAHA... HAHAHA…

His temples frosted, his heart chilled. For whose Federation did those who died in battle give their lives?!

「…」

"Wang Zhan! Wang Zhan! Wang Zhan!…"

In the wilderness area, a graceful, staggering figure was fumbling her way towards the core. But along this path, forget corpses, there wasn't even a trace of blood. Everywhere was barren, dug up three feet deep.

The self-detonation of a level 9 Martial Emperor possessed power comparable to the Human Race's most formidable forbidden weapons. But Yuan Mengru had no interest in any of this, even though her lovely face and her full head of dark hair were already stained with blood. She only cared about one person's life or death; she only wanted to hear one person's name.

"Wang Zhan, Wang Zhan…"

I've already confessed to you. Don't leave me...