“You’re all back, so what about the front lines?”
“There are deployments at the front; it won’t fall into chaos,” Longjiu said, her voice firm.
“In my heart, you are more important than any battle or any territory.”
Baining snorted softly, her words sharp despite her softening heart.
“Our three tribes can only remain stable if you are safe, allowing the war to proceed smoothly. This Lord does not want anything to happen to you.”
Ziya hugged Bai Li’s arm tightly, the little girl’s voice soft and sweet.
“Father is Ziya’s most important person. No matter the time, Ziya will always return to Father’s side as quickly as possible!”
As soon as the three of them finished speaking, the sound of intense fighting erupted outside the tent, only to settle completely within a few minutes.
A personal guard quickly entered to report, “Reporting to the Lords, the elite humans who attempted the sneak attack have all been captured. There were no casualties!”
With the crisis averted, silence returned to the main tent.
Bai Li looked at the three of them and said softly, “Thank you. You’re always there whenever I need you most.”
What he didn’t say out loud was—
‘I also want to protect you, but I can’t.’
Longjiu ruffled his hair and gave a domineering smile.
“Why are you being so polite with us? Protecting you is only natural.”
Baining returned to the battle map and spoke coolly, “The sneak attack has been dealt with. We will return to the front line immediately, crush the ambushing forces in one go, and take East City.”
Ziya nodded and responded cutely, “Ziya has already redeployed the Illusionary Realm. This time, no matter how many Holy Mages they have, they won’t be able to break it!”
Longjiu looked at Bai Li, her eyes tender.
“I’ll leave half of the Dragon Knight Order to guard the main camp. I will never let you encounter any danger again.”
Bai Li smiled and nodded, though a trace of lingering helplessness was hidden deep in his eyes.
“Alright. I’ll wait for your triumphant return here.”
The three departed once more, and this time, the war progressed without a single hitch.
2 hours later, successive reports of victory were sent to the main tent.
The 30,000 ambushing troops in Blackstone Canyon were wiped out by a surprise attack from the Dragon Knight Order; East City was easily captured by the main force of the Vampires; and Ziya’s Illusion Art completely threw the human central command into chaos.
Marshal Sok’s momentum was gone, and he was forced to send an envoy to request a Peace Negotiation.
But would this negotiation really be that simple…?
Bai Li looked at the victory reports, finally revealing a relaxed smile.
Before long, Longjiu, Baining, and Ziya returned to the tent side by side.
They looked at ease, yet they had not relaxed completely.
“It’s done,” Longjiu said, her tone as domineering as ever.
“The humans couldn’t hold out any longer and sent an envoy to sue for peace.”
Baining threw a scrawled draft of the Peace Negotiation onto the table, her brow furrowed in annoyance.
“But their attitude is extremely dismissive. They’re only willing to cede one city, the reparations are halved, and their oaths are practically non-existent. It’s obvious they’re trying to stall for time.”
Ziya tugged at the corner of Bai Li’s clothes and reminded him softly, “Father, Ziya used Illusion Art to scout their camp. On the surface, they are in total disarray, but they are secretly regrouping their forces. Furthermore… Ziya caught a very, very faint scent. It smells very similar to the scent of the legendary Hero…”
Bai Li’s heart tightened slightly, but he didn’t think too much of it, assuming it was just a mistake.
Longjiu snorted coldly.
“No matter what tricks they play, since they dare to come for a negotiation, they must follow our rules. Tomorrow, the Peace Negotiation will officially begin. I want to see what kind of games Sok thinks he can play.”
Baining said solemnly, “Negotiation is fine, but we won’t yield an inch. The cities, the reparations, and the oaths must follow our requirements. Otherwise, the war continues.”
Looking at the three of them and their serious expressions, Bai Li said softly, “I want to go to the negotiation as well. I understand the way humans operate; perhaps I can be of help.”
The three of them immediately objected, but they couldn’t withstand Bai Li’s persistence.
In the end, they could only compromise, keeping him protected in the very center of the group.
At noon the next day, the human diplomatic mission entered the Demon Camp, and the Peace Negotiation officially began.
The human envoy wore a set of luxurious robes and had an arrogant expression.
After taking his seat, he slapped a document onto the table, his tone contemptuous.
“I have come to negotiate on the orders of Marshal Sok, not to be at your beck and call. Three cities? That is sheer fantasy.”
Longjiu’s eyes turned cold, and her domineering Dragon Might instantly spread out.
“A defeated dog dares to act so insolently in the Demon Camp? Do you believe that I could tear up this negotiation right now and wipe out your entire army?”
The envoy’s face changed slightly, but he stood his ground.
“If the war truly continues, I guarantee that the losses your Demon Race suffers will not be low… We still have trump cards we haven’t used!”
Baining spoke up calmly, her cold pride like ice.
“You had better realize who is currently begging whom.”
“Begging?”
The envoy sneered.
“We have only suffered a temporary setback. As soon as the Marshal gives the word, reinforcements from the rear will arrive immediately. Even that Hero who disappeared might not fail to appear again.”
The moment those words were spoken, the atmosphere in the room instantly froze.
Ziya hugged Bai Li’s arm, her small body trembling slightly as she lowered her cute voice.
“Father… the Hero’s scent… really did appear for a moment…”
Bai Li’s heart leaped.
Memories of following the Hero to crusade against the Demon Race surfaced once more…
When he thought of that terrifying, invincible power…
His face turned pale, and he subconsciously pressed his hand against his temple.
Longjiu immediately noticed his abnormality.
The Dragon Flame around her surged as she barked a harsh reprimand.
“Enough with your delusions! The Hero disappeared long ago. Do you think you can scare us with nothing but empty words?”
Baining’s fingertips tightened, a sense of vigilance hidden beneath her expression.
“Less nonsense. Either accept the conditions or we see you on the battlefield.”
Ziya let out a soft chuckle as the mist of her Illusion Art began to flow silently, quietly helping Bai Li stabilize his mind.
“In Ziya’s Illusionary Realm, those who lie will be trapped forever~”
The three of them released their full auras, and the envoy was instantly pressured until he could hardly breathe.
Cold sweat poured down his face, and his original arrogance vanished.
“I… I need to go back and consult the Marshal,” the envoy said, his tone softening.
“Fine,” Baining said coldly.
“Give us a satisfactory answer within three days, or the talks will be permanently terminated.”
As if granted a divine reprieve, the envoy hurriedly stood to leave.
As he reached the entrance of the tent, his pace faltered for a moment, and he cast a secretive glance at Bai Li before quickly departing.
Silence returned to the main tent, but the atmosphere had grown heavy.
Bai Li held his forehead, barely suppressing the sharp pain in his mind, and said softly, “They are clearly on the verge of defeat, so why do they dare to be so stubborn? And… the Hero… will he really appear again?”
Longjiu immediately pulled him into her arms, protectively domineering as she carefully avoided causing him any discomfort.
“Don’t listen to his nonsense. Even if the Hero truly appears, I will protect you. Don’t push yourself.”
Baining coughed lightly and looked away, hiding her concern behind her pride.
“It’s nothing more than a bluff; there’s no need to take it to heart. Go rest first.”
Ziya leaned against Bai Li, gently massaging his temples and nodding cutely.
“Don’t be afraid, Father. Ziya will always stay with you~ You must tell me if you feel unwell.”
Just then, a personal guard hurried inside with a grim expression.
“Reporting to the Lords, we have just intercepted a secret letter from the human messenger. It was written by Sok himself.”
Baining took the secret letter and scanned it quickly.
Her face suddenly turned cold as she slapped the paper onto the table.
“What a cunning and treacherous man, that Sok!”
Longjiu frowned.
“What does it say?”
Baining said coldly, “He never intended to truly negotiate. This so-called peace is entirely a stalling tactic. On one hand, he had the envoy deal with us superficially to waste time; on the other hand, he is secretly contacting the remaining forces on the border to gather stragglers. He even sent people to find the Holy Sword left behind by the Hero, attempting to use its Sacred Power to break our Illusionary Realms and defenses. That sneak attack squad earlier wasn’t an accident either. It was a sacrificial pawn he set up long ago—even if it failed, it would serve to test our bottom line and defensive strength.”
Ziya’s small brow furrowed as she whispered, “No wonder… no wonder he dared to be so fearless despite such a major defeat…”
Bai Li’s heart sank.
He knew Sok better than anyone.
The man was insidious, ruthless, and would stop at nothing to achieve his goals.
The negotiation was a sham; laying the groundwork for a counterattack was the truth.
Dragon Flame flickered around Longjiu, her eyes cold and sharp.
“Since he wants to play dirty, then we will play with him until the very end. I want to see if the trap he’s set can withstand the wrath of the Dragon Race.”
Baining gazed coldly toward the human military camp, her voice carrying the chill of the Vampires.
“The negotiation three days from now isn’t the end; it’s a trap. If he wants to scheme against us, then we will beat him at his own game.”
Ziya gently took Bai Li’s hand, her voice small yet firm.
“Don’t worry, Father. Ziya will make the Illusionary Realm airtight. No matter how insidious Sok is, he won’t be able to hurt us one bit.”
No one spoke the truth aloud, but a layer of invisible gloom had quietly settled in the hearts of the four of them.
Outside the tent, the soldiers were still celebrating the victory.
The sounds of laughter and singing were constant, as if peace were right before their eyes.
The sun set and the night grew deep.
The Blood Tribe Camp was brightly lit, presenting a scene of harmony.
Nobody knew that the humans’ delay, the scent of the Hero in the shadows, the envoy’s secretive gaze, and the untouchable Magic Side Effects on Bai Li’s body… all these clues were quietly intertwining in the night, weaving an invisible web.
The war had paused momentarily, but the story had only just reached a new turning point.
The true storm was still waiting for them in the distance.