This is a high-stakes gamble, a gamble concerning the life and death and future of three families.

Victory is the only option; defeat is not!

......

The deaths of Wanyan Ying and Tuoba Kang were undoubtedly the final straw that broke the psychological defenses of the Great Jin soldiers. The battlefield now turned completely one-sided, and the slaughter by the Red Flame Army grew even more ferocious. As the sky began to brighten, the bloodshed beneath the south gate continued, becoming increasingly horrific with time.

"Surrender, surrender!"

"Spare us, spare us."

...

More and more Great Jin soldiers started to lay down their weapons and surrender. They even abandoned the thought of escaping entirely because the city gates were already tightly shut, and from the inner city, more citizens poured out incessantly, some of whom were also martial artists, surging forward to block them. Together with the Red Flame Army charging from the outer perimeters, they continuously slaughtered them.

With pursuers in the front and blockades behind, escape was hopeless, and surrender became the only option.

Most of the Red Flame Army continued their frenzied slaughter, but a few, especially those who were the fiercest in the charge, showed a brief hesitation upon seeing the Great Jin soldiers lay down their weapons in surrender. They all looked up at Hou Yucheng and Hou Yujie at the forefront.

"Continue the pursuit, drive them into the midst of the citizens!"

Hou Yucheng, about to turn back to inquire, suddenly heard Hou Yuxiao's voice in his mind. His brows furrowed, and he immediately saw the citizens from behind also joining the chase and blockade of the Great Jin soldiers and quickly realized the situation.

"Rebel traitors, leave none alive!"

"Rebel traitors, leave none alive!"

The Red Flame Army soldiers who had just stopped and those from the rear who thought there was a change became emotionally charged again upon hearing these eight words and rushed forward, initiating a more brutal massacre.

Those Great Jin soldiers who laid down their weapons in surrender, caught in a moment of panic, had their survival instincts as martial artists triggered, awakening their inner ferocity. Seeing no hope in surrender, they started their last path of survival.

The defending army still numbered two million, even after being charged for two or three hours, leaving at least seven to eight hundred thousand. With such numbers, they dared not directly challenge the Red Flame Army, which had not suffered significant casualties. Their only option for survival was to charge towards the inner city, hide within the city, and await the successive changes in Shendu.

The problem was, at that moment, at least tens of millions of citizens had already gathered in the direction of the inner city, and more were coming over as time passed.

Fortunately, most of these citizens were just ordinary people, and even a few martial artists among them did not have high cultivation, at most reaching the Gang Qi Realm.

"Charge towards the inner city, infiltrate the city. Once the Retired Emperor returns with the army to Shendu, we may still have a glimmer of hope. Brothers, follow me in!"

Despite the deaths of Wanyan Ying and Tuoba Kang, there were still clear-headed individuals within the Great Jin army. At an order, the remaining soldiers quickly reacted. Except for those at the very back who were already engaged by the Red Flame Army, the remaining soldiers turned back, charging towards the citizens in the inner city.

Hou Yuxiao observed the actions of the surviving Great Jin soldiers, a cold glint flashing in his eyes, and turned to Jiang Yuyun behind him, speaking in a deep voice: "Prince, it's your time to act!"

Jiang Yuyun watched as the Great Jin soldiers began to massacre the citizens, just in time to see the cold glint in Hou Yuxiao's eyes, and a slight chill ran down his spine.

He nodded, directly leaping into the air above the inner city's citizens:

"Great Jin has acted ruthlessly and unkindly, causing chaos throughout the world, occupying Shendu for eight years, committing countless killings. Now that Shendu has returned to my Great Yu's control, they still dare to act so obstinate and reckless, harming innocent citizens. By the Prince's decree, all of Shendu's people are to take up arms, cooperate with the army to eliminate the Great Jin rebels, and ensure none escape!"

......

"Great Jin rebels, everyone must be exterminated!"

"The Prince himself has given the order, brothers, what are we afraid of?"

"Kill these Jin dogs!"

"We can't let them get into the inner city to continue harming people!"

"With the army's help, what are we afraid of, kill!"

"Kill the Jin dogs and welcome the Prince into the inner city."

......

Among the swarming crowd of citizens, several impassioned voices suddenly emerged, inciting countless citizens, whose emotions became increasingly fervent. Watching the charging Great Jin soldiers and recalling the sins committed by Great Jin in Shendu over the past eight years, their eyes filled with fierce light.

"Kill......"

With the first citizen rushing out, there came the second, the third...

Countless enraged citizens poured out in a frenzy. Of course, the fastest were the martial artists, but the emotions had brewed to such an extent that even ordinary citizens couldn't suppress the anger in their hearts and charged out directly.

The difference between millions and seven or eighty thousand people was vividly evident at this moment.

Those seven or eighty thousand soldiers of Great Jin were already hysterical, seeking a way to survive. But faced with over ten million reckless citizens, they collapsed without suspense. More critically, the Red Flame Army charged forward at this time.

The seven or eighty thousand soldiers of Great Jin clad in black-gold armor were like an inconspicuous stone amidst the vast ocean formed by the red tide and the citizens of Shenzhou, and it took less than a quarter of an hour both front and back to be completely obliterated.

The citizens had been completely driven mad, incessantly hacking at the lifeless bodies of Great Jin soldiers on the ground, all the while cursing and venting the anger accumulated over eight years.

Fortunately, Hou Yucheng commanded wisely, prompting the Red Flame Army to stop in time, otherwise encountering such a group of completely irrational citizens might have led to problems.

......

"Master of Hou Family, what does this mean?"

Watching the frenzy of the citizens, Lu Kangping's pupils shone with power, somewhat bewildered, and he turned to ask Chu Kuangren a question. He could roughly guess Hou Yuxiao's intentions, but there were still some puzzles left.

"The citizens of Shenzhou have all taken action, essentially eliminating the thought of surrender. Now, with over eight million people, the entire population has become soldiers. When Great Jin attacks, they will also help defend the city!"

"I can guess this, but the issue is, among these over eight million people, the vast majority are ordinary citizens. Martial artists make up at most just one percent, and they're all only in the body-opening Gang Qi Realm. What use are they?"

"You forgot, Emperor Yuliang has three million martial artists under his command. At least half of those martial artists are from Shenzhou. The over eight million people here are the relatives and family of those martial artists, and there's another significant issue..."

Chu Kuangren paused here, then asked quietly, "Even if Great Jin really breaks into Shenzhou, when these over eight million people all stand in front, dare they kill them?"

Lu Kangping's expression froze, and then his face suddenly changed.

......

Over eight million people, dare Great Jin kill them?

Isn't this nonsense? As long as Great Jin still seeks to control The World, it's impossible.

Instantly killing over eight million citizens happened in Shenzhou's history during the reign of the three major demons. Great Jin doing this would merely hand over a sound argument to the world.

"So, these over eight million citizens of Shenzhou have become our protective shield?"

Chu Kuangren first nodded, then shook his head, saying softly, "It's not that simple. The real protective shield is yet to come. These over eight million citizens are at most a layer of insurance, with the gate closed, allowing us to maneuver with Great Jin for a while longer."

The real protective shield!

Lu Kangping's expression slightly tightened, taking a deep breath and lifting his gaze to Hou Yuxiao.

Hou Yuxiao kept his head down, observing the scene on the ground. Watching more citizens recover from their rage, he found Hou Fei and others among the army, a glint flashing in his eyes as he quietly transmitted his thoughts to them.

Amidst the Red Flame Army, Hou Fei nodded knowingly, exchanged glances with Hou Ying Hou Cun and other soldiers nearby, and soon dispersed among the citizens.

"The rebel army is eliminated, the Sixteenth Prince returns, should inherit the throne!"

"Indeed, Shenzhou cannot be without a ruler. The restoration of Great Yu is imperative!"

"The tyranny of Jin is unjust, all states of The World spurn them. If the Sixteenth Prince can inherit the throne, he will surely receive universal support, and the momentum to repel Jin will become even grander..."

"Inherit the throne, restore Great Yu!"

"Inherit the throne, restore Great Yu!"

"Inherit the throne, restore Great Yu!"

......

Countless citizens shouted out these eight words together.

At the break of dawn, the light of the new morning slowly spread across the sky, adding a divine radiance to the restoration of Great Yu.

At this moment, the hope truly ignited in the hearts of the people.