"Hey, it's not as bad as they make it sound, making it seem like I've developed a mental illness!" Pei Yan laughed and cried at Jiang Feiyang's words, "I've been a bit stressed lately, which is true, but as for the battle arrangements, I'm not sending people to their deaths for no reason. Though these people are not entirely trustworthy allies, neither are they enemies. I'm not that malicious. Not letting you go is like saving the best steel for the knife's edge. I have my own plans."

Pei Yan's relaxed attitude influenced his companions, who were feeling a bit nervous before the battle. However, this atmosphere didn't last long. Two days after the reconnaissance ended, when the team led by Gu Shenghui had not yet returned, everyone, including Pei Yan, began to feel restless. Just as they were about to inquire about their companions, Bailang personally came to their residence to inform Pei Yan to move to a new refuge, as the front had completed the acceptance work.

Strolling down the streets of the Moonlight Valley refuge, which was originally Friedrich's and more than ten times the size of Lin's, Pei Yan looked at the damaged buildings on either side of the street, the roadsides still not clean from bloodstains, and the eyes filled with fear, hatred, and curiosity peeking through the window gaps. Smelling the faint scent of blood in the air, Pei Yan turned his head and whispered to Bailang beside him, "It seems the reclaiming work isn't going smoothly!"

"Indeed!" Bailang nodded with a grim expression and said, "The territory of Buck House was easier to handle. After Lord Samikina arrived, except for a few oppositions being cleared, the rest of the people quickly accepted our rule. But the resistance here far exceeded our expectations. We didn't expect Friedrich didn't send his son to the Holy City but left him here. It was his presence, leading his father's confidants to refuse incorporation and resist to the death, that caused considerable casualties."

"Where is this person now? Dead?" Pei Yan asked casually.

Upon hearing this, Bailang's face darkened further before responding after a while, "He ran away!"

"Ran away?" This time, Pei Yan was surprised. With the team led by Gu Shenghui and the siege by Samikina and others, even his father couldn't escape, yet he did?

"Ran away. He actually had three Shadow Clan with him. One of them transformed into his likeness and died in his place. The other two protected him and escaped in the chaos." At this, Bailang sighed in annoyance, "This was our mistake. After all, you don't know the peculiarities of the Shadow Clan. Damn it! How could Leohard be so careless on such a crucial issue!"

Hearing this, Pei Yan became interested. The Shadow Race! This mysterious race within the Hell Plane sparked his curiosity. He quickly asked, "The Shadow Clan has such abilities?"

"Yes, besides being able to teleport arbitrarily in darkness or between shadows and control them with other magical methods, imitating others is one of their abilities. Of course, there are rigorous conditions. He must live with the person he wants to imitate for a period, fully grasp their shadow changes before he can transform into their appearance. By then, the two will look identical, with the only flaw being that the imitator's shadow becomes faint." Noticing Pei Yan's interest, Bailang decided to explain in detail.

"Oh, I see!" Pei Yan nodded, silently noting these details in his mind. As they spoke, Bailang led the group to a sprawling manor. Looking at the building before him, Pei Yan couldn't help but marvel that Lin's was indeed a small rural refuge. Look at this, where the rulers reside, a bona fide castle.

Inside the manor, servants and guards were constantly coming and going. Looking at the bloodstained grass and the damaged buildings near the castle, it seemed there had been quite a battle here.

Following Bailang into the hall, it was dinnertime in the evening. The aroma of food wafted into the noses of the people. Turning a corner, they indeed found a long table where the high-ranking members of the Kataraga Autonomous Territory Demon Race and the investigation bureau were dining in the hall.

Seeing Pei Yan and others arrive, Sifuer prepared to rise and greet them. Gu Shenghui, beside her, waved her down, indicating for her to sit. Then he looked up and said, "Why are you just standing there? Are you really waiting to be greeted? Forget these formalities, haven't eaten, right? Quickly, eat!"

Pei Yan shrugged and sat down beside Sifuer. Unlike Pei Yan's calm demeanor, Sifuer couldn't help but apologize, "I wanted to go out to welcome you upon hearing of your arrival, but Mr. Mu stopped me, saying we shouldn't bother with such trivialities."

"Everything follows the master's opinion. As he said, now during the battle, we don't have to be so particular about these formalities." Pei Yan said, grabbing the food in front of him and taking a big bite, "Actually, if it weren't for you guys maintaining it, I'd be fed up with this set long ago!"

"Hahaha!" Pei Yan's melancholic expression immediately evoked a knowing laugh from the Demon Race present. Amidst the laughter, Gu Shenghui, cutting the steak on his plate, asked, "How did the reconnaissance go?"

"Not great!" Pei Yan mumbled, tearing a piece of bread and placing it in his mouth, "First, let's talk about how much military strength we can muster!"

After Pei Yan said this, everyone's eyes turned toward Samikina, who was sitting in the chairman's position. The newly appointed commander of the allied forces put down the spoon he was using to drink soup, wiped his mouth with a napkin, and said, "One hundred and fifty thousand."

"Cough cough cough!" Hearing this number, Pei Yan choked on the food he swallowed, rubbed his chest with his hand, and said in surprise, "So many? Wasn't there any damage during the recovery process? Can there still be that many?" Based on the previous numbers provided by Sifuer, Pei Yan had estimated that gathering eleven to twelve thousand would be the limit.

"We've conscripted everyone who can fight, young and old," Samikina responded calmly.

"Oh!" Upon hearing this, Pei Yan nodded. Although the Demon Race had long lives and combat ability could be called full-scale conscription, among them, some were still prohibited from going to the battlefield. Apart from pregnant women and those caring for young children, the Demon Race reaching a similar age to humans at seventy or under fifteen were forbidden from going to the battlefield. The former's body is in decline, and the latter has not yet become combat-capable, sending them to the battlefield is like killing the goose that lays the golden eggs.

"How many of these people are there!" Pei Yan sighed, putting down the food in his hand.

"Over twenty thousand!" Sifuer responded in a deep voice, picking up the question.

"Understood!" Pei Yan nodded to indicate understanding, then said, "The reconnaissance situation is even more severe than we imagined. The three Disaster Territories are like being too close together. Perhaps learning of the Bull Territory's fall, the original Red Armored Warrior garrison has also been reinforced!"

"How many were added!" Sifuer blurted out in surprise.

"Fifteen thousand!"