Chapter 196: If Only the Devil Truly Existed
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Chapter 196: If Only the Devil Truly Existed
"Can you handle commanding all this alone?"
The Music Goddess Aphnora watched as Yu Sheng'an sat in the study, surrounded by Virtual Screens covering the walls, continuously issuing orders. She couldn't help but voice her concern.
After Yu Sheng'an secured the Empire of Infer, she had teleported over to help rebuild the shattered land and, incidentally, keep an eye on the Four Primordial Gods.
To be honest, Aphnora wasn’t particularly shocked by how quickly Yu Sheng'an had taken the Empire of Infer.
Though the Aji De ideology he promoted was indeed eye-opening, it wasn’t that Aphnora lacked discernment—it was just that Yu Sheng'an had already created too many miracles!
From surviving the siege of the Five Gods, to the emergence of the Dark Web, to strategic extortion, and even leveraging forces to divide territory with the Five Gods, declaring himself one of the Six Great Righteous Gods of the multiverse—
This series of illustrious military achievements spoke volumes.
In fact, Aphnora even felt that Yu Sheng'an had been somewhat slow this time.
After all, when he transformed the Keville Empire into preaching zones, it had taken him only two months to accomplish what countless gods had failed to achieve, from the top down.
Yet in the Empire of Infer, he had chosen a bottom-up approach.
Was he just practicing?
Or was there some deeper meaning?
Aphnora was certain there was a scheme here that she couldn’t yet grasp.
Otherwise, a wave of propaganda tactics would have been enough to spread the internet throughout the Primary Domain of Azerai!
"That’s why I called you here to help me!" Yu Sheng'an replied casually, his gaze still fixed intently on the Virtual Screens.
Tch. Can’t handle it?
Did I play Red Alert for nothing?
Of course, games and reality couldn’t be conflated, but to some extent, their essence was the same.
In fact, a gaming mindset could be even more terrifying—
Because it easily achieved the hardest requirement for a commander: mercy has no place in war.
Moreover, for Yu Sheng'an, the information-based combat system he had constructed was entirely unfamiliar territory for the Empire of Infer’s leadership—so much so that they didn’t even have a reference to learn from.
Thus, rather than delegating his tactics to subordinates for fragmented execution,
It was better to command it himself.
More reliable, and it set an example.
"Why didn’t you call Phoebus?" Aphnora asked again.
"Call him for what? Isn’t it better when men and women work together? More fun, no?" Yu Sheng'an smirked.
Inwardly, he thought: That old fox Phoebus has too many schemes. It’s best not to even tell him about the Primary Domain of Azerai.
"Fun your head!"
Aphnora’s willow-like brows arched, her clear eyes widening in feigned anger—though there wasn’t a trace of real fury in those sparkling pupils. If anything, there was a hint of delight!
Before Aphnora could fully savor the ambiguous atmosphere, Yu Sheng'an’s voice suddenly turned serious.
"Tan-04 tank unit is about to engage the Falei main force. The Four Primordial Gods must have cheated and warned them. Keep an eye out—let the troops attack freely and draw their fire!"
"Understood."
Aphnora nodded crisply, her expression gradually hardening.
Yu Sheng'an glanced at the Virtual Screens, watching as the Tan-04 tank unit began to disperse, then turned his attention elsewhere.
This is a feint attack force, primarily used to delay the Farlay Dynasty's main troops from advancing deep into the Empire of Infer's heartland, while also serving as practice for the local Fourth Calamity forces. Its strategic value is minimal.
His gaze shifted to another unit—the Ting-01 airship unit!
On the Virtual Screen, it was composed of countless small triangles—an aerial force entirely made up of airships. This was Yu Sheng'an's true main force.
Because the Mechanical Steam God had suddenly nullified the divine patterns, the Empire of Infer's army at the Osston Defense Line was instantly paralyzed.
Nearly all of them were captured.
The Farlay Dynasty, eager to exploit the Empire of Infer's vulnerability, launched an assault on the capital, leaving these prisoners confined at the Osston Defense Line.
Yu Sheng'an's target was precisely these captives.
Compared to the forces Ben Keming had trained, these were the real professional soldiers.
……
……
"Damn Infer pig, weren’t you so brave? Swore you’d never surrender? Hah! Order your soldiers to charge in and save you!"
In a military camp at the Osston Defense Line, an Empire of Infer soldier had his arms bound and was hung from a railing, brutally beaten by a Farlay soldier.
"Look at that coward, always hiding behind his men!"
"Look at your commander—he’s like a dog!"
"Hahaha…"
Several Farlay soldiers around them roared with laughter.
Behind these soldiers, a five-meter-tall metal fence held back hundreds of Empire of Infer troops.
Most of them were ragged, their clothes stained with blood.
Now, they clung to the metal fence, watching their commander being beaten, their eyes burning with fury. Their rage was so intense that some even twisted the bars with sheer strength.
But no matter how furious they were, none dared to charge out.
The heavy machine guns positioned around the fence were enough to tear even the strongest werewolves among them to shreds.
Because their commander, Yarman, had ordered them not to resist!
"Ugh!"
Amid the sickening thuds of fists striking flesh, even Yarman’s formidable physique couldn’t withstand the beating. He vomited a mouthful of blood.
"He’s vomiting blood!"
"He’s actually vomiting blood!"
"Mommy, I’m so scared, hahaha…"
The Farlay soldiers mocked him with exaggerated tones, laughing cruelly.
Yarman gasped for breath with difficulty, the pain wracking his body making it nearly impossible to breathe.
But compared to the physical agony, it was the humiliation in his heart that drove him mad!
He was the commander of the 6th Battalion of the Empire of Infer’s Border Regiment, the sixth-generation hereditary Viscount of the Yarman family. Never in his life had he suffered such a disgraceful defeat!
Because this defeat wasn’t their fault—their weapons had inexplicably failed overnight.
He had tried to fight with bayonets but was ultimately captured.
And because he was a high-ranking werewolf, he was turned into a blood bag, drained dry by the Farlay elites, then tossed into the prisoner camp.
"Heh…"
Yarman let out a hoarse laugh.
The sound silenced the jeering Farlay soldiers.
"If the divine patterns hadn’t failed, do you really think you could’ve broken through the Osston Defense Line? Your victory has no glory!"
Yarman suddenly roared with a surge of strength.
The vicious taunt brought an abrupt silence to the scene.
He was begging for death!
"What did you say?" A Farlay soldier standing nearby stepped forward.
Yarman raised his face, his expression full of disdain. "A bunch of cowards, only daring to bully prisoners! Come on, kill me! Let me see the might of Farlay’s soldiers!"
"Hum!"
The soldier’s arm suddenly folded, and a dark firearm barrel snapped out, pressing against Yarman’s chest.
"Got guts? Say it again."
"I said you’re cowards! Spineless wretches hiding in the rear!"
Yarman roared.
Yes, the Osston Defense Line had once been the front, but now it was the rear.
Those left behind were either recruits, veterans too weak for battle, or units sidelined by internal politics.
After all, everyone knew the Empire of Infer was hollowed out—now was the time to seize glory. Being stuck guarding prisoners spoke volumes about their standing.
Yarman’s taunts struck right at their weakest point.
"Right, we’re cowards. But what about you? A bunch of blasphemers abandoned by the Four Primordial Gods, unlucky fools! Hahaha..."
The Farlay soldier, who had nearly lost his temper a second ago, suddenly seemed to find clarity and sneered back.
The moment those mocking words left his mouth, Yarman’s face twisted with despair.
Not just him—even the once-defiant Empire of Infer prisoners froze.
Many who had been ready to fight slumped back, their hands loosening from the twisted metal bars.
Yarman’s lips moved, but no words came out.
"Hahaha..."
The sight only made the Farlay soldiers even more exhilarated.
If only the devil truly existed in this world...
The absurd thought suddenly surfaced in Yarman’s mind.
It was said the devil loved to tempt those drowning in despair.
To lure humans into trading their souls for power.
Because right now, he would give anything for strength.
Even his soul.
After all, the gods had already forsaken him.
Just as the thought took hold in Yarman’s heart, a startled cry shattered his desperate prayer.
"What is that?!"
"Can you handle commanding all this alone?"
The Music Goddess Aphnora watched as Yu Sheng'an sat in the study, surrounded by Virtual Screens covering the walls, continuously issuing orders. She couldn't help but voice her concern.
After Yu Sheng'an secured the Empire of Infer, she had teleported over to help rebuild the shattered land and, incidentally, keep an eye on the Four Primordial Gods.
To be honest, Aphnora wasn’t particularly shocked by how quickly Yu Sheng'an had taken the Empire of Infer.
Though the Aji De ideology he promoted was indeed eye-opening, it wasn’t that Aphnora lacked discernment—it was just that Yu Sheng'an had already created too many miracles!
From surviving the siege of the Five Gods, to the emergence of the Dark Web, to strategic extortion, and even leveraging forces to divide territory with the Five Gods, declaring himself one of the Six Great Righteous Gods of the multiverse—
This series of illustrious military achievements spoke volumes.
In fact, Aphnora even felt that Yu Sheng'an had been somewhat slow this time.
After all, when he transformed the Keville Empire into preaching zones, it had taken him only two months to accomplish what countless gods had failed to achieve, from the top down.
Yet in the Empire of Infer, he had chosen a bottom-up approach.
Was he just practicing?
Or was there some deeper meaning?
Aphnora was certain there was a scheme here that she couldn’t yet grasp.
Otherwise, a wave of propaganda tactics would have been enough to spread the internet throughout the Primary Domain of Azerai!
"That’s why I called you here to help me!" Yu Sheng'an replied casually, his gaze still fixed intently on the Virtual Screens.
Tch. Can’t handle it?
Did I play Red Alert for nothing?
Of course, games and reality couldn’t be conflated, but to some extent, their essence was the same.
In fact, a gaming mindset could be even more terrifying—
Because it easily achieved the hardest requirement for a commander: mercy has no place in war.
Moreover, for Yu Sheng'an, the information-based combat system he had constructed was entirely unfamiliar territory for the Empire of Infer’s leadership—so much so that they didn’t even have a reference to learn from.
Thus, rather than delegating his tactics to subordinates for fragmented execution,
It was better to command it himself.
More reliable, and it set an example.
"Why didn’t you call Phoebus?" Aphnora asked again.
"Call him for what? Isn’t it better when men and women work together? More fun, no?" Yu Sheng'an smirked.
Inwardly, he thought: That old fox Phoebus has too many schemes. It’s best not to even tell him about the Primary Domain of Azerai.
"Fun your head!"
Aphnora’s willow-like brows arched, her clear eyes widening in feigned anger—though there wasn’t a trace of real fury in those sparkling pupils. If anything, there was a hint of delight!
Before Aphnora could fully savor the ambiguous atmosphere, Yu Sheng'an’s voice suddenly turned serious.
"Tan-04 tank unit is about to engage the Falei main force. The Four Primordial Gods must have cheated and warned them. Keep an eye out—let the troops attack freely and draw their fire!"
"Understood."
Aphnora nodded crisply, her expression gradually hardening.
Yu Sheng'an glanced at the Virtual Screens, watching as the Tan-04 tank unit began to disperse, then turned his attention elsewhere.
This is a feint attack force, primarily used to delay the Farlay Dynasty's main troops from advancing deep into the Empire of Infer's heartland, while also serving as practice for the local Fourth Calamity forces. Its strategic value is minimal.
His gaze shifted to another unit—the Ting-01 airship unit!
On the Virtual Screen, it was composed of countless small triangles—an aerial force entirely made up of airships. This was Yu Sheng'an's true main force.
Because the Mechanical Steam God had suddenly nullified the divine patterns, the Empire of Infer's army at the Osston Defense Line was instantly paralyzed.
Nearly all of them were captured.
The Farlay Dynasty, eager to exploit the Empire of Infer's vulnerability, launched an assault on the capital, leaving these prisoners confined at the Osston Defense Line.
Yu Sheng'an's target was precisely these captives.
Compared to the forces Ben Keming had trained, these were the real professional soldiers.
……
……
"Damn Infer pig, weren’t you so brave? Swore you’d never surrender? Hah! Order your soldiers to charge in and save you!"
In a military camp at the Osston Defense Line, an Empire of Infer soldier had his arms bound and was hung from a railing, brutally beaten by a Farlay soldier.
"Look at that coward, always hiding behind his men!"
"Look at your commander—he’s like a dog!"
"Hahaha…"
Several Farlay soldiers around them roared with laughter.
Behind these soldiers, a five-meter-tall metal fence held back hundreds of Empire of Infer troops.
Most of them were ragged, their clothes stained with blood.
Now, they clung to the metal fence, watching their commander being beaten, their eyes burning with fury. Their rage was so intense that some even twisted the bars with sheer strength.
But no matter how furious they were, none dared to charge out.
The heavy machine guns positioned around the fence were enough to tear even the strongest werewolves among them to shreds.
Because their commander, Yarman, had ordered them not to resist!
"Ugh!"
Amid the sickening thuds of fists striking flesh, even Yarman’s formidable physique couldn’t withstand the beating. He vomited a mouthful of blood.
"He’s vomiting blood!"
"He’s actually vomiting blood!"
"Mommy, I’m so scared, hahaha…"
The Farlay soldiers mocked him with exaggerated tones, laughing cruelly.
Yarman gasped for breath with difficulty, the pain wracking his body making it nearly impossible to breathe.
But compared to the physical agony, it was the humiliation in his heart that drove him mad!
He was the commander of the 6th Battalion of the Empire of Infer’s Border Regiment, the sixth-generation hereditary Viscount of the Yarman family. Never in his life had he suffered such a disgraceful defeat!
Because this defeat wasn’t their fault—their weapons had inexplicably failed overnight.
He had tried to fight with bayonets but was ultimately captured.
And because he was a high-ranking werewolf, he was turned into a blood bag, drained dry by the Farlay elites, then tossed into the prisoner camp.
"Heh…"
Yarman let out a hoarse laugh.
The sound silenced the jeering Farlay soldiers.
"If the divine patterns hadn’t failed, do you really think you could’ve broken through the Osston Defense Line? Your victory has no glory!"
Yarman suddenly roared with a surge of strength.
The vicious taunt brought an abrupt silence to the scene.
He was begging for death!
"What did you say?" A Farlay soldier standing nearby stepped forward.
Yarman raised his face, his expression full of disdain. "A bunch of cowards, only daring to bully prisoners! Come on, kill me! Let me see the might of Farlay’s soldiers!"
"Hum!"
The soldier’s arm suddenly folded, and a dark firearm barrel snapped out, pressing against Yarman’s chest.
"Got guts? Say it again."
"I said you’re cowards! Spineless wretches hiding in the rear!"
Yarman roared.
Yes, the Osston Defense Line had once been the front, but now it was the rear.
Those left behind were either recruits, veterans too weak for battle, or units sidelined by internal politics.
After all, everyone knew the Empire of Infer was hollowed out—now was the time to seize glory. Being stuck guarding prisoners spoke volumes about their standing.
Yarman’s taunts struck right at their weakest point.
"Right, we’re cowards. But what about you? A bunch of blasphemers abandoned by the Four Primordial Gods, unlucky fools! Hahaha..."
The Farlay soldier, who had nearly lost his temper a second ago, suddenly seemed to find clarity and sneered back.
The moment those mocking words left his mouth, Yarman’s face twisted with despair.
Not just him—even the once-defiant Empire of Infer prisoners froze.
Many who had been ready to fight slumped back, their hands loosening from the twisted metal bars.
Yarman’s lips moved, but no words came out.
"Hahaha..."
The sight only made the Farlay soldiers even more exhilarated.
If only the devil truly existed in this world...
The absurd thought suddenly surfaced in Yarman’s mind.
It was said the devil loved to tempt those drowning in despair.
To lure humans into trading their souls for power.
Because right now, he would give anything for strength.
Even his soul.
After all, the gods had already forsaken him.
Just as the thought took hold in Yarman’s heart, a startled cry shattered his desperate prayer.
"What is that?!"
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