Only I Walk Alone

The blades became dull, the swords broke, and the blood, too, had run dry.

The tiger demon stood on this land dyed red with blood, surrounded by the bodies of his comrades and enemies. He had been hit by several arrows, his eyes wide with fury staring at the enemy, but his body grew colder and stiffer. He was dead.

Another upright tiger demon wearing armor approached him, silent. Nearby, a goat demon carrying a pure gold jar walked up, opened the jar, and the soul of the deceased tiger demon was sucked into it.

The tyrant stepped forward, leeringly saying, “General, the wives and children of the escapee warriors have fled to the border. To completely eradicate them, let me lead the troops in pursuit. I promise not to spare a single one!”

The tiger general looked at his dead brother, saying indifferently, “Go.”

The tyrant, overjoyed, shouted, “Follow me to strike!”

However, just a few meters after he galloped away, an arrow suddenly pierced his chest. The tyrant looked down at his chest in disbelief, his chest gradually stained red with blood. He turned to look at the tiger general and saw an eagle archer with a great bow behind the general. He asked, “Why… why?”

The tiger general said flatly, “Your soul was also designated by the elders, so you must die too!”

The tyrant fell from his horse, clutching his chest, “Elders, you actually deceived me… I die with eyes wide open!”

The tiger general covered his brother’s eyes with his hand, saying, “Not killing you, my brother truly would die with eyes wide open.”

The goat demon came over, asking in confusion, “General, we already have enough warrior souls.”

The tiger general said, “Release my brother’s soul, replace it with that fool’s.”

The goat demon dared not speak out. The tiger general had been designated by the elders as the next king of the demon kingdom; they dared not disobey him.

So, the goat demon reluctantly opened the jar to release the tiger demon’s soul and then absorbed the tyrant’s soul. After being released, the tiger demon’s soul immediately dissipated into the heavens and earth.

Faintly, the tiger general seemed to hear his brother’s voice, seemingly saying, “Save my wife and children.”

The tiger general watched the dissipating soul silently. After a moment, he said, “Give a proper burial to all the fallen demons. We, prepare to return.”

The old goat stepped forward, “General, are we just going back like this? Is there anything else left undone?”

The tiger general frowned. At this moment, the eagle archer stepped forward, “General, do not worry, leave this matter to me!”

After saying this, he mounted his horse and led a large troop in pursuit of the fleeing women and children.

The old goat praised, “He’s a young man worth cultivating, General, what do you think?”

The tiger general did not answer, only coldly snorting.

The eagle archer, leading a large force, chased after the women and children. The leading fox demon saw them, gritted her teeth, then shouted, “Sisters, let the children and pregnant sisters go first, the rest of us will resist the enemy!”

The children cried bitterly. The seven-year-old Little Tiger shouted, “All children, do not cry, we must turn our tears into strength!”

Like father, like son, Little Tiger was no coward!

But the eagle archer’s force was overwhelming; they had no chance of escape. The women and children wore expressions of despair. Were they going to lose not just their husbands today but their children as well?

Some resigned themselves, thinking it might not be a bad option to join their family on the path to the underworld together.

The eagle archer’s troops were well-trained, and the women and children, not used to riding horses and battling year-round, were soon surrounded.

The eagle archer said, “I was ordered to come here. I hope you do not blame me after you’ve passed on. I will make it quick, hoping you do not resist to avoid unnecessary pain.”

The fox demon drew her short sword, and her sisters behind her also took up their weapons, enclosing the children firmly in the middle.

The eagle archer commanded, “Begin!”

Many demon warriors charged forward, but just then, a “crack” sound echoed from the sky.

The eagle archer was shocked, “How could this be? Didn’t the elders say the barrier would hold for another three years?!”

“Swoosh! Swoosh!”

At that moment, two black high-tech warplanes streaked across the sky.

The horses on the ground panicked, and the demons looked up at the warplanes in disbelief. The eagle archer shouted, “Don’t panic, maintain the defensive formation!”

Moments later, steam appeared in the distance at the border, and then countless mechanical worms and numerous tanks and armored vehicles drove in from the border.

Leading them was a huge war vehicle with two figures standing atop it — a man and a fox, the latter with nine tails.

The figures were Wu Ge and the Nine-Tailed Fox Immortal. Seeing the group of demons surrounding the women and children ready to strike, Wu Ge immediately ordered, “Chong Feng, lead your troops to save those demon women and children.”

Chong Feng, the commander of the Mechanical Worm Race, responded, “At your command!”

Turning around, Chong Feng shouted, “This is the first mission our lord has given us, we must not fail. Second and third, lead your teams to flank from both sides, the rest follow me in a frontal assault, and the ranged units prepare for sniping to ensure the hostages’ safety!”

With that, Chong Feng drew his chainsaw sword and charged forward.

The mechanical worm army advanced, and the eagle archer, panicked, drew his great bow and aimed at Wu Ge.

“Capture the king first!” he shouted, but before he could aim, a red laser instantly pierced his chest.

He incredulously looked down at his chest, blood oozing out, muttering, “What kind of weapon is this?”

Then, he fell from his horse. Seeing their commander dead, the other demon warriors immediately started to retreat.

After the demon warriors retreated, the mechanical worms quickly protected the women and children. The Nine-Tailed Fox Immortal stepped forward to explain.

The fox demon exclaimed upon seeing the Fox Immortal “My Nine-Tailed Fox grandmother! So the legends are true!”

The Nine-Tailed Fox Immortal frowned, “As demons, have you forgotten even how to cultivate?”

She noticed that these demons didn’t use magic in the battle; they were all fighting hand-to-hand, which is why they were defeated by the mechanical worm army.

The demons, confused by the Fox Immortal’s words, gradually understood that Wu Ge was there to save them.

But hearing that it was a human army, they were all greatly surprised.

Meanwhile, the tiger general frowned in the distance. Seeing his troops retreat, he scolded loudly, “What happened? Why did the barrier break? Did my brother die in vain?”

The old goat seemed to be communicating with the elders telepathically. After a moment, he suddenly sat down, disbelievingly saying, “It’s the humans! Humans have breached the barrier, the humans have invaded!”

That day, they seemed to remember again the fear that humans brought to them.