"Who are you? Who are you! I've heard this question countless times. Does it matter who I am? Mr. Kodwen, speak your choice. Don't waste my time any longer." Faced with the elder's question, Pei Yan bluntly revealed the other's name, expressing impatience.

"I don't know what kind of forces you have hidden behind you, and I can't guess what your true intentions are, but the power of the Demon God in you makes me fearful. I don't want to be drawn into higher-level intrigues. You and your collaborator, Miss Sifuer, have won. We will lead our people out of the sanctuary immediately. But please, I beg you to give us a bit of time, because we need to prepare for heading to the next sanctuary; otherwise, many of us will die on the way." The elder known as Kodwen sighed, looking like a frost-stricken eggplant, shaking his head as he exchanged a look with his companions and conceded.

Pei Yan, who initially expected the opposite side to put up a strong front, was surprised by the elder's straightforward response. What he didn't know was that Kodwen and his people were not merely subdued by his power. They were even more apprehensive about what this power represented. Although they didn't understand as much as Sifuer, they could recognize the source of this power, and Kodwen deeply understood that getting on the wrong side of someone who could freely wield a Demon God's ability was a consequence they couldn't bear. Despite still having doubts, they had already gradually begun to believe Pei Yan's claim of being a Demon God's envoy.

"Oh, aren't you considering staying? I think Miss Sifuer would be glad to have you under her banner." Pei Yan looked at Kodwen and then glanced at Sifuer, hesitantly said.

"Of course, as long as they follow orders, from the outset, we haven't planned to drive away the current sanctuary inhabitants. As for the issue of personnel exceeding limits, we'll find a way to resolve it!" Sifuer, sitting in her chair, confidently replied.

Pei Yan didn't know where her confidence came from, but hearing her say this, he didn't bother to ask further and turned his head to look at Kodwen. The elder first gestured to his subordinates to carry away Andrew, who was barely breathing, then moved a chair aside and sat down, taking out a silver flask from his bosom, unscrewing the lid, and taking a big swig before wiping his wet lips and smirking bitterly: "Stay? Stay to serve you as cannon fodder?"

"Hmph, do you people not even have the courage to dedicate yourselves to the Demon God? Even if not for the Demon God, why not think about it for yourselves, for your descendants? Once the last Holy City falls and loses the support of Demon God's power, all sanctuaries will be reduced to nothing. At that time, where else can you hide?" Leohard listened as the elder spoke harsh words to these mysterious outsiders, feeling they tarnished the glory of the Demon Race, his face flushed with shame and anger, he retorted sternly.

"Young man, how many battles have you fought?" Kodwen raised his head, his gaze sweeping across the other. Leohard, at a loss for words due to this question, was about to speak when Kodwen interrupted, continuing languidly: "I've experienced the initial great victory against the Disaster Legion, participated in the Three Legion Annihilation Battle, the Rolling Stone Pass Battle, the Aig Peak Breakout Battle, and the Goat Horn Disaster Pillar Skirmish. Along the way, more defeats than victories. My two younger brothers, one son, one daughter, and five nephews died on this path. Do you think our family has dedicated little to the Demon God? If I remember correctly, Kataraga Autonomous Territory is the rear end of the battlefield, one of the last regions to fall, right?"

The elder's words left Leohard blushing with embarrassment yet unable to refute. Each of the battles mentioned by him was a renowned fierce fight against the Disaster Legion, and as the chief of the Thorn Flower Knight Order from the Kataraga Autonomous Territory, although he participated with Mr. Bailang in the initial Three Legion Annihilation Breakout, due to severe injuries he was sent back to the territory to recuperate, finally leading an army in the Defense of the Autonomous Territory and the Breakout, in terms of combat experience, he indeed could not compare with this elder.

"A veteran warrior like you, with such a sea of blood hatred against the Disaster Legion, don't you want revenge?" Hearing their conversation, Pei Yan became interested and interjected.

"Hey, young strong one, I'm not like you!" Kodwen looked at Pei Yan and shook his head helplessly, then drank from the silver cup filled with wine, dejectedly said: "You're still young, you have infinite potential and room for improvement. I'm already old; my current prowess is the limit I can reach!" Saying this, Kodwen lowered his head, looking at his trembling left hand, remarking: "If I could have a fair chance to fight, I would not hesitate to pick up my weapon and fight those damned maggots to the end until death. But there isn't any! Young one, there isn't! Warriors like us in the mid and lower levels of Demon Race battalions in the Red Disaster Zone are just cannon fodder, our lives spent fighting the worthless Insect Race army!"

Upon reaching this point, he looked at Sifuer and said in a deep voice: "Supporting the last Holy City and sacrificing for the Demon God, who doesn't know the importance of this? But before entering the Holy City's domain, one must pass through the Red Disaster Zone that covers everything. This path needs to be pushed forward with blood and lives. I want to ask Miss Sifuer, if we belong to you, who will venture this path?"

Kodwen's words made Sifuer bow her head in shame and struck right at others' wounds again. The stable life within the sanctuary had made these people strive to forget the harsh reality. Now, as the scars were torn open, the square fell into a sad and hopeless atmosphere.

"What if I could eliminate the Red Disaster, allowing you to fight under normal conditions?"

Pei Yan's striking words, delivered with tranquil confidence, were like throwing a torch into dry wood doused in oil, instantly sparking a flame of passion in the crowd. Bailang, who had long suspected this, stood up in excitement, while Kodwen, originally resigned, also lit up with brilliant eyes, looking at Pei Yan and said solemnly: "Young man, is what you say true? Do you truly have a way to eliminate the Red Disaster, are you not deceiving us?"

"Whether I can achieve it, I'm not certain yet. I need to observe the situation on site first before making a specific judgment. In that case, I assure you, if I fail to eliminate the Red Disaster, you have the right to refuse Miss Sifuer's command to fight under its cover; that can be acceptable, right? After all, Miss Sifuer said she has a way to solve the food problem, and you aren't in such a hurry to leave."

Pei Yan's words left the elder deep in thought. After a moment, he rose and entered the crowd, discussed with several people, then returned, this time carefully examining Pei Yan before solemnly declaring: "We will temporarily trust your words. As long as you have the ability to clear the Red Disaster's coverage, we are willing to follow Miss Sifuer's lead, sacrifice our lives, and take on the Disaster Legion with all our might."