In the Next Life, I Will Still Be Your Soldier

[Douluo II Period]

Inside the Spirit Sea of Huo Yuhao.

That mental storm, capable of destroying the heavens and extinguishing the earth, finally calmed down slowly under the purifying power of Electrolux.

But calm does not mean forgotten.

The surging black resentment did not disappear.

It was merely forcibly compressed, condensed, and sunk into the deepest part of the Spirit Sea, transforming into a bottomless, icy darkness.

Like a black sun, it hung silently, radiating a terrifying aura that made even Sky Dream Ice Silkworm and Ice Empress feel their souls tremble.

[Hatred is one of the purest powers in the world.]

The ancient and weathered voice of Electrolux rang out once again.

[If you truly cannot discard it, then attempt to master it.]

[Let it become the sword in your hand, rather than the chains that bind you...]

Outside, the judgment of the Sky Screen did not cease because of the changes within Huo Yuhao.

After nailing the first crime of Dai Hao to the pillar of shame.

The scene shifted, and a line of even more shocking gilded characters slowly emerged.

[Next, stating the second reason regarding Dai Hao!]

[Hypocritical and deceitful, deceiving the hearts of the people!]

[Douluo II Period]

When these eight characters appeared.

Within the military camps on the border of the Star Luo Empire, a roar like a tsunami erupted!

"Nonsense! The Sky Screen is slandering him!"

"Hypocritical? How could that be possible!"

"Marshal Dai Hao's private life may be sordid, but when it comes to us soldiers, he truly has nothing to be faulted for! He is a genuinely great commander!"

A veteran with half an ear missing and a hideous scar on his face stood up excitedly.

He pointed at the Sky Screen, shouting with spittle flying: "My life was saved by the Marshal! Five years ago at the Battle of Blackwater City, if the Marshal hadn't led the charge himself and torn open the encirclement, our Third Battalion would have been completely wiped out! To call the Marshal a hypocrite, I am the first to disagree!"

"That's right! He loves his soldiers like his own children and leads from the front; this is recognized by the entire army!"

"Exactly! We don't care about the private life of the Duke, but on the battlefield, he is our God of War!"

"He is the commander for whom all of us are willing to die!"

The emotions of hundreds of thousands of soldiers were incredibly agitated.

In their hearts, Dai Hao might not be a good husband or a good father.

But he was absolutely an impeccable commander worth following with their lives!

However, the Sky Screen existed precisely to shatter such naive fantasies.

The scene began to play.

It was a tragic siege battle.

The city walls were towering, arrows fell like rain, and the sounds of slaughter shook the heavens.

In the scene, the soldiers of the White Tiger Guards fought bravely against the enemy.

And their commander, Dai Hao, wearing the majestic White Tiger Battle Armor and holding a battle sword, stood atop the city wall, letting out a deafening roar.

["Soldiers! Follow me in the charge! For the glory of Star Luo!"]

He took the lead, like a god of war descended to earth, charging into the enemy formation, invincible and unstoppable.

Seeing this, the soldiers in the camp all wore expressions of pride, as if the honor were their own.

"Look! That is our Marshal!"

"This is the Battle of Blackwater City from three years ago! I was there! I still cannot forget the divine might of the Marshal!"

However, immediately afterward, the perspective of the Sky Screen backtracked to before the battle began.

It was inside the commander's tent, during a classified pre-battle meeting.

A staff officer with a monocle and the appearance of a scholar was pointing at a sand table, explaining in detail to Dai Hao.

["Genji, according to the precise intelligence from our scouts, the enemy's main force and all their high-level spirit masters have secretly gathered at the East City Gate, preparing to ambush our main force."]

["Meanwhile, the defense of the West City Gate is already hollow."]

["At that time, you only need to send a detachment to feign a main attack at the East City Gate, sparing no cost to attract the enemy's full attention. Afterward, you can personally lead the elite forces to charge from the West City Gate, and you will be able to strike directly at the heart of the enemy."]

The staff officer pushed up his glasses, the corners of his mouth curling into a cold arc.

["This move, although it will sacrifice tens of thousands of soldiers at the East City Gate, will maximize the morale of the entire army and push your prestige as the 'God of War' to an unprecedented peak!"]

Dai Hao stood with his hands behind his back, nodding with satisfaction, a cold smile of calculated mastery appearing on his face.

["Very well, we shall proceed as you said."]

["War always demands lives. To trade their lives for victory—they can be considered to have died for a worthy cause."]

The entire Star Luo military camp fell into a deathly silence.

The veteran who had been speaking so righteously just moments ago stood frozen, his mouth agape, unable to utter a single sound. The faces of all the soldiers shifted from a proud flush to a shocked, deathly pallor.

[Douluo I Period]

In the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, Dai Mubai watched the Sky Screen, the gloom on his face dissipating slightly, even revealing a hint of approval.

"Hmph, what does it matter if a man has three wives and four concubines? As royalty, the most important thing is an iron-fisted approach!"

"This kid, on the battlefield, actually possesses a bit of the backbone of my Dai family."

"Benevolence does not command troops, and righteousness does not manage wealth!"

"How can one accomplish great things with the kindness of a woman? As long as the battle is won, using certain methods and sacrificing a portion of the people is a necessary tactic!"

[Douluo II Period]

Sun Moon Empire, Mingde Hall.

Sitting in his wheelchair, Crown Prince Xu Tianran watched the Sky Screen, a playful, cold sneer curling his lips: "Interesting. This Dai Hao, although a brute who only understands muscle, has managed to grasp the basics of imperial power struggles without a teacher."

"It's a pity, it's too crude, the traces are too obvious; it will never be fit for the grand stage."

Within the imperial palaces of the Heaven Dou Empire and the Heaven Spirit Empire, several monarchs also wore varying expressions.

But without exception, they all understood the political logic behind Dai Hao's actions, merely sneering at the crudeness of his methods.

The coldness of the high-ranking officials formed the sharpest irony against the despair of the soldiers.

And the judgment of the Sky Screen continued.

It was determined to tear the mask of Dai Hao's "loving his soldiers like his own children" to shreds, leaving not a single shred of mercy!

The final scene froze on a tragic breakout battle.

The troops led by Dai Hao were trapped in heavy enemy encirclement, suffering heavy casualties and teetering on the brink of total annihilation.

Just as everyone fell into despair, their commander, Dai Hao, stepped forward!

He stood at a mountain pass, his back resolute and tragic, shouting loudly to the remaining soldiers:

["Brothers! I will stay behind to cover your retreat! Go! Tell His Majesty that I, Dai Hao, have not failed the glory of Star Luo!"]

At that moment, countless soldiers were moved by his "boundless righteousness," tears streaming down their faces.

However, the camera of the Sky Screen gave a close-up of his eyes.

While shouting those heroic words, Dai Hao's gaze exchanged a subtle, fleeting glance with one of his trusted generals.

That general immediately understood!

He fell to his knees with a "thud," roaring with tears and snot:

["No! Marshal! You cannot die!"]

["You are the pillar of the Empire! You are the soul of our White Tiger Legion! We would rather die in battle ourselves than let you sacrifice yourself for us!"]

Following his lead, all the soldiers, kept in the dark, were infected by the atmosphere and knelt down, begging through their tears.

["Marshal! Please, go! In the next life, we will still be your soldiers!"]

A look of "pain" and "reluctance" appeared on Dai Hao's face.

After several "struggles," he finally let out a long, helpless sigh.

["Fine----fine! Since it has come to this, for the sake of the Empire, for the sake of you all----I shall take my leave first!"]

Having said that, he turned around without hesitation and, taking a squad of personal guards, quickly retreated through a pre-arranged secret passage.

He left behind only those soldiers he had treated as expendable pawns, using their own flesh and blood to buy precious time for his escape.

The whole world went quiet.