Chapter 126: Swaying the Balance of Power

How many had Fang Qingyun killed?

He did not know, nor did he have the time to keep count.

He only knew that the several hundred psionic rounds he had "borrowed" from the Northwest Military Academy were nearly exhausted. As for standard ammunition, he had already burned through tens of thousands of rounds, and those were running low as well. Ordinary bullets were used against common warriors, while psionic rounds were reserved for those of high rank and above.

He moved through the battlefield like a phantom, weaving recklessly in and out of the fray. The combined strength of the two armies approached two million—a staggering, overwhelming number. To an observer, the battlefield was a vast, dark, churning sea of bodies.

Human soldiers encountered him frequently. Even though they did not recognize him and he wore no standard military uniform, they would not attack him. As time passed, more and more human soldiers began to clear a path for him. Fang Qingyun realized that the danger to his own life was increasing. The fact that the human soldiers were actively assisting him meant that his reputation as a killer was spreading rapidly. However, he remained confident that, aside from a handful of individuals, there was no one on this entire battlefield who could be his match. Furthermore, his movements were erratic and unpredictable, making him an incredibly difficult target to track. From the very beginning of the battle, he had followed no discernible pattern.

"Bang!"

Another gunshot rang out. Eight hundred meters away, the head of a demon warrior exploded in a spray of gore. Fang Qingyun exhaled a long, steady breath, looked at his empty ammunition pouch, and felt a wave of profound exhaustion wash over him.

"Time to go."

He glanced at the ongoing slaughter across the field, sighed, and retreated toward the direction where Zhao Junhong had been.

There, Zhao Junhong was leading a group of men in a frenzied push. Behind them lay heaps of demon corpses, and the ground beneath their feet was soaked red with blood.

"Kill!"

"Bang!"

With another roar, Zhao Junhong cleaved a massive demon in two with his blade.

"Hah!"

He let out a long, ragged breath, and the aura surrounding him began to plummet rapidly. His berserker state had reached its limit.

"Brothers, I’m pulling out!" Zhao Junhong shouted, turning on his heel and sprinting away.

Are you kidding me? Once the berserker state ended, he would be plunged into a period of extreme weakness. If he didn't run now, he wouldn't have another chance.

The human soldiers were stunned, nearly cursing out loud. They were in the middle of a thrilling killing spree, and you’re just leaving?

"You bastard, how dare you!" a human commander roared. "Deserting on the battlefield? That’s a court-martial offense!"

"Get lost!" Zhao Junhong rolled his eyes, not even bothering to look back.

I don’t work for you. I’m not even part of the Beacon Fortress military, and I’m planning on leaving the human territories anyway—who are you going to court-martial? Besides, after I’ve earned you so much merit, you’re not even satisfied? Not a single word of thanks? Are you even human?

Seeing that Zhao Junhong didn't slow down, the commander shouted again, "Great warrior, don't leave! Keep fighting for a while longer, and I'll petition for your promotion. Join my army, and I’ll grant you the rank of General immediately!"

Any warrior above the rank of General could hold a military commission. For a young, high-ranking martial artist like Zhao Junhong, who had just slaughtered so many enemies, earning a General’s title would be effortless.

"I appreciate the offer!" Zhao Junhong called back, his footsteps never faltering, and in the blink of an eye, he vanished into the chaos of the battlefield.

With Zhao Junhong’s withdrawal, the loss of such a high-ranking powerhouse left a gap in the line. The demons immediately regained their footing; even if they couldn't launch a counter-offensive, they were at least able to organize effective resistance. The human commander cursed behind him, but there was nothing he could do. He realized the man wasn't a regular soldier—it was already a miracle he had helped at all.

When Fang Qingyun found Zhao Junhong using their tracking device, he nearly burst out laughing. Unable to move due to his weakened state, Zhao Junhong had simply dragged two massive demon corpses over himself to use as cover.

Seeing Fang Qingyun arrive, Zhao Junhong nearly wept. "You finally decided to show up?"

"That’s a hell of a way to put it. You should have added 'you dead ghost' to the front of that sentence to make it sound even better," Fang Qingyun replied.

Zhao Junhong thought about it for a second and was rendered speechless. He wasn't into that kind of thing!

"Alright, the fighting here is over. We need to leave." Fang Qingyun hauled Zhao Junhong up, charged out of the battlefield, and disappeared like a flash of lightning.

Next stop: Storm Continent.

They had done everything they could in this battle.

"Old Fang, how many did you kill?"

"I don't know. You?"

"At least three thousand!" Zhao Junhong gave a grim smile. "You wouldn't believe it—with this blade, I could cut down two with every swing."

"This blade really suits you." Fang Qingyun nodded repeatedly. He had seen Zhao Junhong’s performance on the field; with that weapon in hand, he was nothing short of a god of slaughter.

However, Fang Qingyun hadn't killed many fewer than Zhao Junhong. And in terms of the quality of his targets, he was absolutely leagues ahead.

After leaving the battlefield, the pair found a safe, secluded spot to rest. Zhao Junhong, in particular, would need at least three days to recover. It was the first time he had pushed his berserker state to the absolute limit. Now, the aftereffects left him feeling as though his very bones were itching with exhaustion.

"Bang!"

A signal flare rose into the sky in the distance. Seeing it, the two understood immediately: the battle was over, and both sides were retreating.

"Who won?"

"Who knows?" Fang Qingyun stared at the fading flare, his voice calm. "Perhaps there are no winners this time—only whoever took the smaller loss."

Fang Qingyun was not wrong. Following their secret agreements, Beacon Fortress had received support from the Black-Tooth Military Academy and the Duke of Song. Both sides had dispatched a hundred high-ranking warriors to reinforce the fortress, led by peak-level commanders. They had also brought several high-grade battleships—secondary capital ships nearly on par with primary flagships. Combined, they were enough to challenge an entire fleet.

The Snake King knew these reinforcements wouldn't stay at Beacon Fortress for long, so he had conferred with Xiang Tian to initiate this battle. Of course, the Snake King’s own breakthrough had been unexpected by both Xiang Tian and Blood-Mane. Beacon Fortress had certainly gained a significant advantage this time. However, they hadn't expected to achieve a decisive victory; their only goal was to weaken the enemy as much as possible. With several major human projects underway and Xiang Tian soon to be reassigned, the Snake King would be left to hold the fort alone. This was his last chance. If he didn't seize this opportunity, he would be forced into a passive defense against Blood-Mane for decades to come.

But no one expected the turn this battle would take.

A day later, the casualty reports were finalized, accounting for personnel, battleships, armored vehicles, and high-ranking warriors.

Blood-Mane, who had just returned and was nursing his own wounds, saw the casualty figures and his eyes nearly popped out of his head. He snatched the report, his hands trembling.

"Impossible!"

"Absolutely impossible!" He gritted his teeth and glared at his staff officer. "You have some nerve! How dare you forge the casualty report?"

The officer was shivering. The staff had already anticipated this confrontation; the moment they received the report, they knew Blood-Mane would be furious. Whoever delivered the news would likely be executed. This particular officer had the least potential and the weakest backing, so he had been forced to be the messenger.

"Lord Blood-Mane, the Giant Beast's Eye has indeed suffered heavy losses. We..."

"Splat!"

There was no need for the rest of the sentence; the officer was crushed to death by Blood-Mane.

Blood-Mane glared with bloodshot eyes at his remaining commanders. "When I was fighting the Snake King, did the humans' floating warships win?"

"No, the floating warships were locked in a stalemate in the void. Although we suffered heavy losses, the humans didn't gain any advantage!"

"Then... why... is... the... death... toll... so... high!" Blood-Mane spat the words out one by one. If not for the warships, who could have caused such devastation?

The commanders looked at each other in silence.

"Speak!" A roar like a thunderclap shook the room.

"There was an accident!"

"What kind of accident?"

"The humans... they had an incredibly powerful sniper!"

"Hahaha!" Blood-Mane laughed, though it was a sound of pure rage. "A sniper! A mere sniper, and you’re telling me he caused these losses?"

He looked back at the report.

"170,000 common soldiers dead, countless wounded!"

"How long did this battle last?"

"Less than a day! Even if you lined up pigs for the humans to slaughter, how many could they kill in a single day?"

"Four thousand low-ranking warriors dead!"

"Two thousand mid-ranking warriors dead!"

"One thousand high-ranking warriors dead!"

"Seven hundred general-rank warriors dead, including five at the peak of the rank!"

"Even if they stuck their necks out and let the sniper chop them down, could he have finished them all in such a short time?"

Blood-Mane’s teeth were grinding so hard they threatened to shatter. In their society, warriors were the aristocracy among the masses, a rule that held true in the military. Therefore, warriors almost always served as commanders, from squad leaders of ten to battalion or regimental commanders of thousands.

This battle had crippled Blood-Mane’s legion. More than half of his officers were dead. The loss of high-ranking and peak-ranking generals was particularly devastating and impossible to replace. A thousand soldiers are easy to find, but a single general is hard to come by. The resources required to cultivate a high-ranking or peak-ranking general were astronomical.

Blood-Mane had been planning to bully the Snake King more, hoping that once Xiang Tian left, he could goad the King into a mistake and take Beacon Fortress. Now, forget taking the fortress—it would be a miracle if he didn't lose his own lands. From this day forward, the Giant Beast's Eye had lost the qualifications to compete with Beacon Fortress.

"The cause truly lies with that one sniper," a peak-general-rank demon stepped forward. He was the only one who could. He was of the same clan as Blood-Mane, and rumored to be his descendant. His talent was exceptional, and he was expected to become a Divine General one day. Blood-Mane valued him highly, which was why he dared to step up. He had to stop Blood-Mane from spiraling further, or things would only become more chaotic.

As expected, upon seeing the demon, Blood-Mane’s expression softened slightly. "Continue."

The demon sighed. "A sniper who roamed the entire battlefield, hunting only our warriors and officers. His speed was incredible, and his marksmanship was superb. Even generals couldn't dodge his bullets. That is what caused such carnage."

"Heh." Blood-Mane smiled, but the smile was filled with infinite malice. "A sniper caused this much damage? What is the intelligence department doing? Why wasn't there a report on this sniper?"

If they had known about this person earlier, they would have found a way to neutralize him.

Many demon commanders muttered inwardly. The intelligence department was surely doomed. No one dared to plead for them; with Blood-Mane in this state, killing a few intelligence officers to vent his rage would only make them safer.

However, Blood-Mane only barked a few curses before ordering the intelligence department to atone for their sins. After clearing the room, he stared at the casualty report and let out a hollow sigh. He looked at the sunlight outside; the warmth he once loved now felt unbearably piercing.

"A sniper!"

He suddenly thought of that person from the Northwest Military Academy. Was there a connection between the two? Or were they, perhaps, the exact same person?

"Cough, cough!"

Suddenly, Blood-Mane coughed violently. When he covered his mouth, blood seeped through his fingers. Fortunately, he was the only one in the council hall.

...

"A sniper?"

Back at Beacon Fortress, the Snake King and Xiang Tian were also stunned as they looked at the report. After some questioning, they received the same answer. They looked at each other, their expressions filled with confusion.

"Your man?"

"I suppose so."

"Then why are you so surprised?" Xiang Tian roared. "Tell me, where did such a sniper come from?"

He was in a foul mood. He had been the one managing Beacon Fortress all this time, yet he had achieved nothing of note. Even with the Snake King’s help, they had barely managed to hold their own against Blood-Mane. Now, just as he was handing over power to the Snake King, the King had delivered such a thunderous victory. What was that supposed to mean? Why him? He had to know the reason for these casualties!

After a brief hesitation, the Snake King said, "It might be Fang Qingyun."

"That little brat? He’s capable of this?" Xiang Tian was dumbfounded. "By the way, why is he at Beacon Fortress? Where is he now?" His mind began to race with schemes.

"Don't bother looking for him. I sent him away," the Snake King said nonchalantly. "The kid was still holding a grudge, thinking I didn't do enough for those who died in battle, so I gave him an outside assignment."

"That kid is too disobedient!" Xiang Tian sighed deeply. "He doesn't understand how much you've sacrificed for Beacon Fortress, yet he holds a grudge? He doesn't think about who would want to stand up for their own people? Who would want to be cursed by everyone? It’s just that there was no other choice!"

The Snake King stared straight at Xiang Tian without speaking. This old friend, actually speaking up for him? Why did he find that so hard to believe?

Xiang Tian continued, "How about sending him to the Imperial Academy for some proper education? There are many aristocrats there, and many generals who have returned from the battlefield. Spending time with them will help him understand many things. He will realize that in life, one is often forced into impossible situations..."

"Alright, alright, that’s enough!" The Snake King waved him off. "You should get going. I won't see you off!"

Heh, trying to poach my people right in front of me? So what if you're a Heavenly Phenomenon expert? Believe it or not, I’ll beat you until you’re a dead phenomenon!

However, looking at the battle record, the Snake King couldn't help but take a deep breath. Without him noticing, this little brat had already developed the ability to shift the balance of the entire war.