The Grand Recruitment Scramble

The Life Tree Seed, having received its command, journeyed through the Life Tree, arriving at the mysterious domain where Lieutenant General Julie was once dispatched to pursue Du Chen.

The shadowy Life Tree node remained enigmatic, yet as the Life Tree’s envoy descended, a faint yellow glow suddenly permeated the Scarlet Army’s lair. It barely illuminated the scene within: several figures, all in standard Scarlet Army attire, were gathered around an altar-like structure... And among them, surprisingly, was Lieutenant General Julie, who had supposedly faded into oblivion, reduced to dust and ashes!

Upon the altar, however, were not humans, but nine crimson, egg-shaped objects. In Andy’s words, they were nine delicious-looking red-shelled eggs. But in Du Chen’s words, these were the nine Raging Fire Scorcher Cannons, artificial intelligences, and the prime culprits behind the assassination of Divine Emperor Prince!

Thus, the fundamental structure of the Scarlet Army became clear at a glance: the nine Thunder Cannons were designated Number One to Number Nine. From Number Ten onwards, the ranks were filled by cloned individuals or unaligned masters of various races, such as Constantine!

The central Thunder Cannon, having heard the Life Tree’s message conveyed by the envoy, emitted a deep, resonant voice filled with profound wisdom. “Please inform the Life Tree,” it intoned, “that I, Leiming, understand her intentions. No matter when or where, the Scarlet Army stands with the Life Tree!”

The Life Tree Seed did not depart immediately. Instead, it spoke softly, “Your Excellency Leiming, though Mother did not explicitly state it, I comprehend her intentions. Your army lost its sole Life Shortcut near the City of Penance. Henceforth, I shall serve as a direct shortcut to help you traverse the Life Tree with speed, pledging my loyalty to you!”

Leiming’s body flashed with red light. “My gratitude to the Life Tree once more! Since that is the case, you may withdraw to rest for now. I shall discuss further with the other esteemed elders before assigning your duties!”

After the Life Tree Seed departed, a Thunder Cannon beside Leiming suddenly opened a single, blood-red eye. “Eldest Brother,” it questioned, “why not ask the Life Tree to search for the missing Constantine?”

Leiming calmly replied, “We have far more pressing matters at hand. A mere Constantine is not worth expending our energy upon!”

“Eldest Brother speaks wisely. The Imperial Divine Beasts are entities capable of obliterating our Thunder Cannons. To confront them, we must exert our full might!”

Leiming suddenly let out an odd chuckle. “Sixth Brother, you are mistaken! The ‘more pressing matter’ I spoke of does not refer to confronting the Imperial Divine Beasts! Though the Imperial Divine Beasts are formidable, the Life Tree has revealed that the Golden Holy Breath that appeared is exceedingly weak, merely a faint wisp. This indicates that only a recently awakened, nascent beast has emerged! Given the evolutionary speed of the Imperial Divine Beasts, unless unforeseen circumstances arise, it would not be too late to concern ourselves with its threat several decades from now!”

The other Thunder Cannons, puzzled, pressed, “Then what, Eldest Brother, is this ‘more pressing matter’ you speak of?”

Leiming fell silent for a moment before suddenly stating, “Lately, I’ve been deliberating a matter of great importance. The ultimate objective of our Scarlet Army’s existence requires a state of dynamic balance to be maintained between the Red-Bloods and the Violet-Bloods in their conflict! However, while the Red-Bloods are currently embroiled in internal strife and lack the unity of the Violet-Bloods, the Violet-Bloods have, after all, been imprisoned for a millennium. Their overall strength remains far inferior to that of the Red-Bloods, which means the balance between them is no longer stable! So, then… should we perhaps nudge them towards a greater equilibrium?”

The Scarlet Army’s base suddenly plunged into an eerie silence, yet beneath this tranquility, an undercurrent of excitement began to brew!

“Eldest Brother, for the very purpose of our Scarlet Army’s existence, have you finally made your decision?”

“Yes. The reappearance of an Imperial Divine Beast, even if merely a nascent one, has undeniably bolstered the Red-Bloods’ power, further tilting an already unstable balance in their favor! It is time to aid the Violet-Bloods and re-establish equilibrium between them!” Leiming’s voice suddenly sharpened with a metallic clang. “Fellows, I have resolved to instigate a second War of Fallen Gods, to accelerate the Violet-Bloods’ counterattack across the Three Continents!”

“Eldest Brother, what shall be our first step?”

Leiming chuckled, “Simple. If the Red-Bloods are too powerful, then we shall weaken the Red-Bloods!”

“Specifically…”

“Annihilating one or two powerful nations will hardly inflict a fatal blow upon the Red-Bloods… Therefore, I have decided: all nine Scarlet Army Thunder Cannons shall be deployed to assist Bonis in eradicating the Red-Bloods’ source of power!”

Thornwood Valley, the Great Plains!

After the initial shock that flashed like lightning, Du Chen was the first to regain his senses. He glanced at his son with astonishment before his gaze immediately fell upon Syngh’s corpse, now reduced to a pulpy mess!

Anya had indeed been utterly unexpected today. Yet, upon reflection, it wasn’t entirely outlandish. The Brockman family’s Secret Scrolls recorded how Anya’s biological father had once conjured heavenly lightning from the sky to seize The Weeping Tear, all while her Maternal Grandfather, Byron-Gale – who inherited Wolf’s divine power – remained completely oblivious! It was inevitable that Anya would one day evolve to such a degree; thus, today’s sudden outburst, though surprising, was entirely rational.

What astonished Du Chen even more was Syngh’s corpse. Once shattered into chunks of flesh, the heavy armor naturally failed to conceal Syngh’s true form. Du Chen’s heart skipped a beat upon seeing the scattered Undead remains – Syngh was one of The Undead, yet he was immune to the Lotus Holy Light! What shocked Du Chen further was that while Syngh’s body had been pulverized, his tail remained relatively intact. At the tip of this tail, a small fleshy bulb protruded, looking, at first glance, identical to Syngh himself, a miniature Syngh...

A Huhuhu Beast!? Was this merely a coincidence, or was Syngh somehow connected to the Huhuhu Beast!?

Thomas was also reeling in shock. Syngh was dead, so what about his evacuation plan? Without Syngh’s black mist to conceal them, the relocation would have to proceed in broad daylight… As he pondered this, Thomas felt a chill of death creep into his heart. A quick glance revealed Alex casually strolling past Syngh’s body, steadily advancing towards him!

“Duke Du! This was meant to be a fair duel! Your Young Master’s actions defy the spirit of the Heroic Era! Fourth Bro, what are you gaping at? Escort me with your troops!”

Thomas shrieked in panic, fleeing desperately towards Thornwood City! So be it, broad daylight it is! At worst, he would sacrifice more troops to cover their retreat. No matter how divine Dud was, he couldn't possibly annihilate all of Thornwood City's forces in a mere few minutes, could he? As long as Thomas could buy a few minutes, he’d be able to transfer most of the citizens into the Labyrinth of Life!

Thomas fled, and the ten thousand soldiers under his command hastily formed a defensive array to cover their second-in-command’s retreat. But just then...

“Thomas, initiate the plan!” Syngh, who had been blasted into fragments, suddenly spoke. His miniature self on the tail, growing against the wind, instantly transformed back into its formidable size. This time, however, the small fleshy bulb on his tail was gone – it was the Nether King Undying God, a power derived from the Huhuhu Beast!

The Huhuhu Beast’s body and tail were two distinct life forms. Naturally, the Twelve Nether King Beasts inherited this advantage, each possessing two lives! If the main body was slain, as long as the small fleshy bulb on the tail remained, it could regenerate. And given enough time to restore the fleshy bulb on their tails, they would once again become super-war machines with two lives!

Anya let out a soft “Huh?” turning back to stare at Syngh in surprise. Clearly, she hadn’t anticipated that this monster could resurrect!

Thomas was overjoyed. He roared, “Fourth Bro, you cover the rear with your troops!” His form moved even faster, shooting towards Thornwood City like a bolt of lightning!

After Syngh declared “initiate the plan,” the pair of dragon wings on his back suddenly flapped furiously. He soared into the sky, streaks of black mist swirling from his body. In the blink of an eye, Thornwood Valley seemed to have plunged into the dead of night, so dark one couldn’t see their hand in front of their face. In the shrouding gloom, Syngh vanished without a trace!

Witnessing all of this, Du Chen neither pursued Thomas nor used his Wind Source to dispel the black mist. Instead, he stroked his nose and chuckled. “Aliza, lead the troops to assault these rearguard enemy forces, and simultaneously protect Godfather Bairu and Mars, the Battle God! Anya, stay with your sister! Old Brother Bairu, wait a moment… I’ll show you a grand spectacle!”

With that, Du Chen soared into the sky above Thornwood Valley, activating both his Battle Soul and Divine Sense. “Dus, notify Ted via Snoopy that Thornwood Valley might have a plan similar to ours; tell him to initiate it immediately! Andy, inform Dud that everything should enter battle-ready status, awaiting my signal! Heh heh, this black mist couldn’t have come at a better time!”

Inside Thornwood City, due to the existing military lockdown, the commoners were only momentarily bewildered by the sudden black mist. Then, torches flickered to life throughout the city, and an unknown voice roared, “By order of Head Thomas! Civilians in military-controlled Zone One are to immediately assemble in the North City! Zone Two to follow, Zone Three to follow two minutes later…”

The military lockdown of the past few days had already concentrated the civilians between the central inner city and the North City. Now, with the Military Edict issued, the commoners orderly followed their military officers to their designated points. Twenty thousand people certainly sounded like a great number, but the order forged under military high-pressure was not to be underestimated. In just a few minutes, over fifty thousand civilians from Zone One entered the North City’s tunnel entrance, and over forty thousand from Zone Two began preparing for entry…

Crimson guarded near the inner city’s high tower with his troops, his mission to monitor Ted and his seven thousand family army. Hearing the shout, he coldly sneered, “It’s Fifth Uncle’s voice. Looks like Second Uncle truly has a grand plan, but unfortunately, he only confided in his cronies… Damn it, does he mean for me to cover their retreat and die?”

Before he could finish, a flash of fire lit up the Imperial Guards’ camp in the inner city. Illuminated by the flames, Ted, who was supposedly “gravely wounded and undergoing death seclusion for recovery,” soared into the sky, bellowing fiercely, “Starlight Formation! Surround Crimson’s detachment!”

Crimson was startled. Ted had indeed betrayed them!?

Ted’s voice continued relentlessly, “Citizens! I am Ted, your Third Head! Do not trust Thomas; he is leading you down a Dead End! Listen to me! I have sworn allegiance to Lord Francis. If you wish to survive, to live a good life in Du City, to cleanse yourselves and see the light of day once more, do not panic. Enter my camp through the Fifth and Sixth Grand Avenues!”

The two starkly contrasting pronouncements instantly confused the commoners!

Amidst the chaos, someone asked, “Father, where are we supposed to go? Follow Thomas or defect to Francis?”

“This, this…”

“Is that Third Uncle over there? What are you waiting for? Quick, come with me to Ted’s camp! Don’t forget, I was Francis’s prisoner; I know what it’s like over there. Following me is definitely the right choice!”

“Definitely the right choice? Alright, quick, help me carry your aunt, let’s go! Old Brother Ruman, aren’t you coming with us?”

“Damn it! You may know Francis, but I don’t trust him. People of the Ruman family, listen up, we’re sticking with Head Thomas!”

The vast Thornwood City plunged into divided chaos. Most civilians followed Thomas; after all, he had been their Head for decades and was relatively trustworthy – this group largely consisted of generational elders and prominent families! However, a smaller faction of commoners no longer wished to remain Thornwood natives. Yearning for the good life the prisoners-of-war had boasted about upon their return, they gritted their teeth and rushed towards Ted’s military camp – these were mostly bachelors from the lowest strata, destitute, with few family ties, and daring enough to take risks!

Regardless, the Thornwood natives had only two choices: either slide into the massive pit Thomas had dug, or leap into the equally massive pit Du Chen had excavated. In any case, no one dared remain on the surface...

Although both pits were sufficiently enormous, one was in the North City district and the other in the city center, still a considerable distance apart. Consequently… the civilians caught between them were torn, some running north, some running south, instantly devolving into utter pandemonium!

At this moment, Thomas had returned to Thornwood Valley. He first inquired about the whereabouts of Valley Master Sena, and upon learning that his wife had already entered the Labyrinth of Life in the first batch under Sha’s protection, he let out a long sigh of relief! By the torchlight, he witnessed the chaos between the North City and the city center, and hearing the soldiers explain Ted’s betrayal, he bellowed, “I am Thomas! My fellow citizens, I have been your second-in-command for decades; you all know what kind of person I am! Even if I, Thomas, were no longer human, would I still betray my own people? Listen to me! The North City tunnel is your only way to survival! Francis is outwardly kind but inwardly ruthless, and Ted, that traitor, means to harm you!”

It must be said that Thomas indeed commanded immense prestige in Thornwood Valley. His single roar instantly drew tens of thousands of civilians, yet some still ran towards Ted… In short, the great chaos coalesced into two distinct streams of people: approximately seventy percent of the Thornwood natives followed Thomas, while the remaining thirty percent surged towards Ted, sliding down into the tunnels within Ted’s encampment. After landing, they quickly rushed forward under the soldiers’ organization, clearing space for those behind them!

Thomas organized the order within the North City tunnel, watching as three-tenths, roughly forty to fifty thousand people, still disregarded his orders. He couldn’t help but frown. “Old Five, what’s the situation outside? Has Francis begun his assault after discovering this monumental change?”

“Second Brother, rest assured, there’s no news of Dud launching an attack yet, and even if he does, it won’t matter much! Over the past few days, I’ve secretly reinforced the defensive mechanisms of the major city gates. Even if they can’t hold, they can at least buy us considerable time! It’s just…” Old Five pointed at the chaotic crowd, saying anxiously, “It’s just these disobedient civilians are disrupting order and severely delaying our retreat time. Should we… eliminate them?”

Thomas hastily said, “No! We absolutely cannot kill anyone right now, or even the civilians who followed me originally will start doubting me! Old Five, calculate how many people are coming with us!”

“Uh, including the main army, and seventy percent of the civilians, that’s about one hundred fifty thousand people!”

“That’s enough. The Violet-Bloods suffered The Great Catastrophe at the hands of the Huhuhu Beast, their population sharply reduced. The numbers of The Undead and Nether King Beasts are already threatening Bonis’s rule. Now, if I bring him one hundred fifty thousand people in one go, it will be an enormous merit!” Thomas glanced at the civilians entering the tunnel, a cold sneer on his face. “Order the outer city defense forces to begin their retreat. However, ensure Ted and Crimson leave last. Hmm, Crimson might harbor resentment… Old Five, take my Retainers and supervise Crimson. If necessary, kill him!”

Meanwhile, Crimson was already surrounded by Ted’s forces. Although Crimson had brought his own three to five thousand soldiers, he knew in his heart that if a real fight broke out, his meager numbers wouldn’t even be enough to fill Ted’s teeth!

Thus, Crimson’s attitude was peculiar. He watched Ted organize the civilians into the tunnel, neither attacking Ted’s forces nor openly inciting the commoners. He merely occasionally dispatched soldiers to briefly block civilians attempting to enter the military camp… but it was only a token effort, barely stopping anyone!

Ted, too, was shrewd enough to surround without attacking, allowing Crimson to observe. In that moment, the two men reached an unspoken agreement, one that benefited each of them individually, yet simultaneously served Du Chen’s larger scheme!

Old Five, leading his loyal Retainers, approached Crimson and demanded angrily, “Crimson, why are you not attacking Ted? Instead, you’re letting him incite the commoners!?”

Crimson sighed with a pained expression. “Fifth Uncle, how am I supposed to stop them? Come and see for yourself…” He pulled Old Five’s hand to the front line. “Look at these civilians… die!”

With a soft ‘thud,’ a dagger plunged into Old Five’s back. Caught completely off guard, Old Five, who was still preparing to assess the situation, collapsed without even a gasp. Crimson’s cold, sinister eyes swept over the restless Retainers. He bellowed, “Soldiers! You are my direct subordinates, and I must consider your welfare! Look at the situation before us – that son of a bitch Thomas has abandoned us! He means for us to be sacrificial cannon fodder for his retreat!”

“So, do we still need to risk our lives for Thomas? Everyone knows that ten days ago, I personally held a Secret Convocation with Lord Francis. I saw with my own eyes the kind of person Lord Francis is… Listen to me, we are defecting! From today onwards, we are the Fourth Corps of the Durkes City Defense Army! I am your General, and you shall all be registered into the Du City military roster. Let us all go to Du City and live prosperous lives! Kill that son of a bitch Thomas’s Retainers!”

Crimson mused to himself, Francis was an overly good person who enjoyed reading “The Spirit of Martial Prowess and Moral Governance.” While his recent words were merely lies to stabilize morale, by assisting Francis at such a critical juncture, he would certainly be able to demand what he had promised his soldiers from Francis later, perhaps even more!

Moreover, he wasn't Thomas's confidant. Even if he truly followed Thomas, he wouldn't be entrusted with significant roles in the future! So, it was better to take a calculated risk and gamble on becoming a General in Du City!

And one last, tiny selfish reason – the peerlessly beautiful Miss Helen was in Du City!

These three thoughts galvanized Crimson into his sudden act of betrayal!

Ted, seeing the situation unfold from across the way, burst into laughter. “General Crimson truly knows how to seize an opportunity! I, Ted, as the Deputy Commander of Du City’s military, vow that our Lord will honor all promises you make to your soldiers! Quick, General Crimson, immediately lead your forces to organize order!” His identity as Deputy Commander was genuine; within Du Chen’s current military system, the Brockman family commanded thirty to forty percent of the power, so bestowing the title of Deputy Commander upon Ted was not excessive! As for his subsequent words… no one could tell if they were true or false!

The massive chaos in Thornwood City continued, both sides scrambling to recruit people, each striving for more civilians to join their ranks. The resulting disorder severely impeded the time needed for civilian relocation. What both sides had originally planned to conclude in mere minutes had now been delayed for nearly half an hour!

Under the pervasive black mist, Du Chen heard news from Dus that Thornwood City was, in fact, already empty. He suddenly stroked his nose and sighed. “Damn it, looks like our plans collided. We only managed to snatch fifty to sixty thousand people… I promised Liana I’d deliver two hundred thousand! Brook, you’re coming into the city with me!”

Saying this, Du Chen rose and flew into the empty Thornwood City. But just as he took flight, he felt a tug at his chest. Looking down, he saw Alex had somehow burrowed into his robes.

“This Master is going to wash away Thomas’s shame!”

Du Chen was momentarily stunned, then burst into laughter. “Alright, our great Master, Papa will take you to wipe away that shame!” Green Cloud descended into Ted’s military camp in an instant.

“My Lord, Thornwood City is now empty. Roughly fifty thousand people followed us, while the rest are in the North City, following Thomas into the Labyrinth of Life! This is Head Crimson; his assistance was invaluable just now…” Ted briefly outlined the situation!

Du Chen nodded slightly, a guileless smile spreading across his face. “General Crimson, your virtue is great; I, Francis, will certainly not let you down! Now, listen to my command! Ted, immediately muster your forces. Duding will lead the way, and we shall retrieve the remaining one hundred fifty thousand civilians! As for General Crimson… you are to lead your detachment to protect the advancing civilians. Thornwood Valley will soon undergo further monumental changes; first, guide the civilians into a wide open space to avoid being affected… Furthermore, I approve the establishment of the Du City Fourth Corps Commander. Hahaha, my Du City has gained another valiant general!”

Crimson chuckled inwardly, yet his face was filled with trepidation. “Your Lordship’s profound grace, Crimson shall engrave it upon his heart!”

With Duding leading the way, Du Chen and Ted charged into the Labyrinth of Life. Simultaneously, Du Chen instructed through his Battle Soul, “Andy, tell Dud he can begin, but be absolutely sure not to let Bairu notice any flaws. He’s still expecting me to ‘leave no living captives’!”

Having said this, Du Chen advanced with the main force, frowning. “Duding, someone just dug up your mother’s body at the North City gate. How could you not sense it!?”

“Is it easy for me, Old One? I’ve already branched out to establish my own domain, completely severed from my Old Mother! Now, if it were within Du City, which my body covers, no rustle of leaves would escape my senses. But inside Old Mother’s body… I don’t have that capability!”

“Alright, stop looking like a resentful woman from the inner chambers! Search carefully, where did Thomas take the civilians?”

“You’ll have to wait. This part of the labyrinth is incredibly complex, with many wide paths and open spaces… Huh? No need to wait, the Goddess of Fate smiles upon you today!”

Du Chen looked forward. Indeed, the Goddess of Fate was truly generous!

On a wide thoroughfare, Brockman, Syngh, and Thomas led troops, maintaining order. Behind them, a vast, rustling crowd of civilians slowly advanced, heading straight for a newly revealed tunnel entrance, delivering themselves perfectly into Du Chen’s sight!

Before Du Chen could issue a command, Ted roared fiercely, “Starlight Formation!”

The three on the opposite side saw Du Chen, their expressions changing drastically. Thomas’s eyes darted towards Anya, and without daring to utter a single word, he fled desperately into the civilian crowd, still trembling with fear even while hidden among them…

Heavens, how did he get targeted by such a little devil!?

Brockman also retreated among the civilians, chuckling. “Old friend Francis, now that both our identities are exposed, there’s nothing more to say! What, are you not going to grant me and these one hundred thousand-plus civilians a path to survival?”

With that single sentence, he ostensibly reminisced about old times, but covertly inflamed the civilians’ emotions!

“It’s over, there’s no way out! Let’s fight to the death!”

Du Chen frowned. Thornwood Valley’s hidden manipulators were actually Fiendkind! This… In an instant, Du Chen linked many things together, but he had no time to organize his thoughts. He roared, “Brockman, so it was your Fiendkind doing all this! Are you planning to make these people defect to the Fiendkind!?”

With Ted and the army present, defeating Brockman and his cohorts wasn’t complicated. However, the crucial point was that Du Chen needed these one hundred fifty thousand civilians to willingly follow him, which required careful effort – Du Chen initiated a psychological offensive, attempting to persuade the commoners!

Ted’s expression suddenly shifted; he stared intently at Brockman! Damn it, it’s a Violet-Blood… A flicker of bone-deep hatred crossed his eyes, a sight that sent shivers down one’s spine!

Thomas shouted loudly from within the crowd, “My fellow citizens, we are Thornwood natives! Do Red-Bloods and Violet-Bloods truly make a difference to us? Don’t forget, I am also a Violet-Blood! Do you believe me, or do you believe Francis, who destroyed our homes!?”

Brockman also declared loudly, “Everyone, you may not know me, but you only need to know one thing – I, Brockman, am a Red-Blood, but currently also the Chief Councilor of the Violet-Blood High Council! Lord Bonis will not mistreat us Red-Bloods!”

The two men shouted one after another, with a single objective: to incite the civilians’ hatred towards Du Chen!

“Indeed, we cannot escape. But the fact that these one hundred fifty thousand people are willing to follow me, Thomas, proves that they trust me more than they trust you, Francis! As long as I incite the civilians to fight desperately, no matter how powerful you are, Francis, can you truly kill commoners!?”

“Grasping the fact that Francis dares not kill commoners, we still have a path to survival!”

After all, Thornwood natives were not like commoners from other places; desperadoes were not few among them. Someone, incited by Thomas, roared, “My fellow citizens, Thomas has been our Head for decades! If we don’t trust him, who else can we trust!? People of the Zaplan family, listen up, step forward! Soldiers, retreat! Our Zaplan family will stand at the very front. I’d like to see if Francis truly dares to slaughter us unarmed commoners!”

Someone took the lead, and immediately several thousand fearless individuals stepped forward. As a result, the Thornwood natives’ formation became one with civilians on the outside and soldiers on the inside…

Du Chen stroked his nose, a slight frown creasing his brow!

Thomas continued to incite, “My fellow citizens, even if you don’t believe me, consider my foster mother and Valley Master Sena! I am Valley Master Sena’s husband, the future Valley Master. I would never allow my foster mother’s life’s work to fall into a pit of fire. Do not be afraid…”

As he was speaking, someone stumbled and ran up from the back of the line. “Head Thomas… The Valley… Valley Master has passed away!”

Thomas’s mind buzzed, and two streams of old tears involuntarily flowed down his face. Brockman lightly tugged his sleeve. “The important matter at hand!”

Thomas gritted his teeth. “Everyone, the Valley Master has passed away. Therefore, according to the Valley Master’s dying wishes, I am the Thornwood Valley Master. Everyone, heed the Valley Master’s command…”

“Wait!” an old man in the crowd suddenly roared. “Your Excellency Francis, since we can’t escape anyway, could you grant us some time? The Valley Master has passed, and a new Valley Master is to be enthroned. This is a thousand-year-old event for Thornwood Valley. We implore Your Excellency to allow us some time to hold a simple ceremony… Then, whatever matters you have, discuss them with the new Valley Master. We Thornwood natives will all obey the new Valley Master!”

Du Chen thought for a moment, then nodded slightly. He suddenly saw Sha approaching in mourning attire from a distance, her face still covered by a mask, accompanied by several old men who were presumably Thornwood Valley’s elders!

One of the elders held up an iron casket high, and with tears in his eyes, he loudly declared, “By the dying wishes of Valley Master Sena, we announce to all Thornwood natives that the new Valley Master is…”

Thomas didn’t turn his head, his gaze nervously fixed on Anya. The vast majority of Thornwood natives didn’t bother looking back. Indeed, what suspense could there be about the new Valley Master? It would surely be Thomas!

“The new Valley Master is Sena’s personal disciple – Sha!”