The One-in-Five Conundrum

Lucy's expression turned grave. She nodded. “It is indeed the Stardra Battle Armor! But why would this armor, gifted by the Divine Emperor to his beloved Moon Goddess, appear on Dud?”

The two Grand Matriarchs exchanged a glance, beckoning Du Chen closer to examine the armor in detail. “The Stardra Battle Armor was originally silver, adorned with patterns of stars and crescent moons,” Lucy explained. “Its form could adapt to its master’s physique, making it difficult to recognize. Had it not been for the Moon Goddess’s unique emblem still preserved within the heart-protector back plate, we might never have identified it.”

Dud’s armor’s heart-protector back plate was indeed shimmering silver on the inside, bearing a distinct crescent moon emblem. Du Chen observed it, then asked, “My ladies, can you infer Dud’s identity from this Stardra Battle Armor?”

Lucy circled Dud, examining the armor. “When we sisters ‘fell in battle,’ this armor was still in the Moon Goddess’s possession. And while researching the later stages of the Godslayer War, I specifically studied the Divine Empress’s final whereabouts…”

Lily interjected, “The Divine Empress fell in battle alongside Senior Brother Sigurd and Sister Julie in the Amulang Mountains, north of the Auerbach Grand Canyon, just before the final decisive battle…” She gestured towards the distant, towering mountains and the sprawling canyon. “Right around here! And I distinctly recall that the Stardra Battle Armor was one of the betrothal gifts when His Majesty the Divine Emperor wed the Moon Goddess. If the Moon Goddess were still alive, there’s no way she would have gifted such a crucial item to an outsider!”

“Therefore, this armor must have fallen into Dud’s hands sometime after the Moon Goddess’s death, but before the Godslayer War concluded! Among both the Human Alliance and the Fiendkind Council, anyone with the qualification and power to possess such a significant sacred artifact would have to be a high-ranking general or even a Marshal! Thus, Dud must be a high-ranking general of either the Fiendkind or humanity!”

Lucy spoke with increasing speed. “According to your account, Dud only fused with the battle armor after being scorched by intense flames. Few flames could melt the Stardra Battle Armor, and in the later stages of the Godslayer War, there were only two battles that featured such scorching heat… One was the Amulang Grand Battle, where Senior Brother Sigurd, the Moon Goddess, Orbach, and a host of other renowned generals perished, and the other was the final decisive battle… the Sinking of Lance Isle!”

Du Chen chimed in, “Then all we need to do is check the lists of high-ranking generals from both races who fell in those two battles, and, crucially, whose remains had no clear whereabouts!”

Lucy replied, “We can narrow the list even further—the Stardra Battle Armor is an Eleventh-Tier Sacred Artifact, and its attributes were no secret during the Godslayer War: Fire and Earth! To wear the Stardra Battle Armor, one must possess at least one of these two attributes! This dramatically reduces the number of eligible individuals…”

As they debated fiercely, ever closer to their objective, Dud stood tall and silent.

*Will I soon discover who I am? It seems I’ve lived for a very long time, grown quite old… but is knowing my true identity truly that important?* Just as the answer seemed within reach, a thought he had never entertained before suddenly surfaced.

*Indeed, does it truly matter who I am? For me, what’s most important is to have troops and generals, to dominate the battlefield, sweeping through with blades and spears, scornfully watching enemy forces scatter and flee… That feeling, it’s simply magnificent!*

*Ah, yes, Porter mentioned before we parted ways that the thirty thousand beastmen prisoners would become my adoptive father’s army! Thirty thousand beastmen, the most elite warriors… how should I train them…?*

Dud’s thoughts had already flown to those thirty thousand Beastkin soldiers—*for some, who I am isn’t important; what’s important is who I *choose* to be!*

Grand Matriarch Lucy pondered for a moment, then, based on her research findings from Battle God Isle, she scribbled a list on the hem of Du Chen’s white robe. The first name on it was, astonishingly…

Annie’s ancestor, Batuoke!

*Please don’t let it be Batuoke! I want no further entanglement with Annie!* Du Chen’s eyes scanned the list, and the next name made cold sweat stream down his back—Lynch Baton!

He continued reading, finding three more names at the end. “My ladies, adding these last three—Sun God Mikael, Starry Sky Battle God Vinsler, Wind God Claywell… Isn’t the list you’ve compiled comprised solely of the ancestors of the Godslayer Five Families? Is there no possibility it’s a Fiendkind?”

“Dud could indeed be a Fiendkind,” Lucy replied, “but we are not as familiar with that side, and can’t immediately recall which Fiendkind generals would meet the conditions we just discussed… As for the Holy Alliance, only these five individuals fit those criteria and ultimately had unknown whereabouts!”

As she spoke, Lucy herself noticed the intriguing nature of her list. “It truly is peculiar, Francis, you are right! Among the generals who perished in the later stages of the Godslayer War, only the ancestors of the Godslayer Five Families had no traceable remains, yet only their descendants remain exceedingly powerful!”

This was indeed a very interesting phenomenon!

Du Chen presented the list to Dud. “Take a look. Does any name here give you a particular sensation? It’s possible you are one of these five!”

Dud’s blood-red eyes parted slightly, forming a slit. He merely glanced at the list before closing them slightly again. “Adoptive Father, seeing these names, Dud feels only battle intent!”

“This war maniac!” Du Chen had no better ideas. He told Dud to prepare for the body transfer, then he, the two Grand Matriarchs, and Deboning entered the commander’s tent. Along the way, Du Chen described the “colossal egg” from which Dud had “emerged,” and the details of Dud’s Transcendent-tier Sacred Artifact. Yet, neither of these points prompted any particular insight from the Grand Matriarchs.

They hadn’t even heard of the shape of Dud’s sacred artifact weapon.

For now, all they could say was that Dud *might* be one of the one-in-five! If no further anomalies occurred, perhaps he *must* be one of them! Du Chen, wiping away cold sweat, implored the two Grand Matriarchs to keep it confidential.

Early April saw the vast plains swept by gusts of spring wind. The morning sun hung high, and a faint chill permeated the beautiful scenery of endless green pastures stretching to the clouds. When Hawkins, the negotiation envoy, and Sonora, the liaison who had greatly assisted in the negotiations, arrived at Dud’s camp, they were met with a magnificent yet gruesome spectacle.

The camp gates were shut tight, and not a single sentry was visible. However, tens of thousands of beastmen corpses, meticulously arranged in rows and encased in ice blocks, lined the ground a hundred paces beyond the camp gate. Thanks to these ice blocks, the beastmen’s bodies were perfectly preserved, as majestic as they were in life. The only regret was that their armor and weapons had vanished without a trace—those items had already been airlifted back to Durkes City!

Apart from a few soldiers, only Du Chen and Deboning waited before the camp gate.

Hawkins stepped forward and heavily clapped Du Chen’s shoulder. Gazing at the bodies, he suddenly bowed deeply. “Our brothers’ remains are all intact, Francis. On their behalf, I thank you!” This straightforward beastman held simple beliefs: on the battlefield, each served their own master; whether one died or was maimed, no blame could be placed on the opponent. But diligently preserving the bodies—*that* was an act of true camaraderie!

He then handed Du Chen a Deed of Ownership, detailing minor matters such as when and how the ten thousand female slaves were to be delivered. Du Chen casually pocketed it, smiling humbly. “You and I are old friends, General Hawkins. There will be plenty of time for reminiscing, but we cannot keep our brothers waiting anxiously, delaying their return home, their embrace by the Supreme Father God! So, shall we proceed with the transfer of the bodies now?”

Hawkins nodded slightly, then said with solemn emphasis, “Begin counting the bodies. Prepare to bring our brothers home!”

A mournful and poignant drumbeat echoed across the plains. “Boom-boom,” it went, and from the receiving party, faint, choked sobs could be heard, though they were gently interrupted by Hawkins. “Children of the Supreme Father God, beastmen of the Great Plains, do not weep…”

Sixty thousand bodies, a colossal number, kept everyone busy until sunset, when the transfer of all bodies was completed. Hawkins cast a deep gaze at Dud’s camp. Though he dearly wished to personally meet the General who annihilated a hundred thousand with three thousand, the burial ceremony couldn’t accommodate his personal desire—the Beast Emperor had personally arrived at the foot of Amulang Mountain, waiting to preside over the ritual.

To the cadence of sorrowful yet stirring drums, the beastmen’s convoy transporting the bodies departed. Just then, Du Chen suddenly grabbed Sonora’s arm. “Senior Brother, now that official business is concluded, you and I, as brothers, must share a good drink! Come, a feast has already been prepared in the commander’s tent!”

Sonora looked troubled. “I still need to participate in preparing for the Earth Burial ceremony…”

“The Beast Emperor will preside over the ceremony himself. General Hawkins, how about you lend me Senior Brother Sonora for a while?” Du Chen asked loudly, while secretly giving Sonora a meaningful glance, hinting that he had something important to discuss.

Hawkins, surprisingly, had no objections, but Sonora felt a stir of suspicion. Du Chen joked, “Are you perhaps afraid, Senior Brother, that your Junior Brother has laid a trap within the camp to harm you?”

Sonora hastily explained, though he mused inwardly, *My identity is watertight. There’s no reason for you to harm me now. Besides, Lord Philip has already received word and is preparing to take command of the Nineteenth and Twentieth Army Corps!* Thinking this, he calmly followed Du Chen into the camp.

Du Chen, for his part, mused inwardly, *Sonora, dispatched as the Fiendkind’s Number Four spy, his capabilities are beyond doubt. If I want to make a move on him, it must be on my own territory, with all information sealed off. Otherwise, I’d risk merely beating the bushes and startling the snake!*

With arms slung over each other’s shoulders, they walked into the commander’s tent like brothers. However, Sonora’s personal Retainers did not follow them into the camp. They claimed they needed to conduct a soul-summoning ritual for their former comrades at the very spot where the bodies had been laid out moments ago.