Imperial Royal Legion, Depart!

In Far Capital, Eldest Prince Lin Mingyu and the Second Prince stood majestically behind the Luminous Emperor Lin Huang on the raised platform of the Empire's grand parade ground.

Below the platform, on the vast parade ground, battle flags snapped in the wind. Three hundred thousand soldiers of the Imperial Royal Legion stood in solemn, orderly ranks, clad in black-and-red iron armor.

Spears and armor, crossbows and warhorses, banners fluttering in rows—the Empire's three hundred thousand finest warriors all stared fervently at the figure on the platform clad in golden dragon armor.

"Bravest warriors of the Empire, for a century, the demon race has ravaged our lands and slaughtered countless citizens of our Empire. Whenever I recall this blood debt that reaches the heavens, my heart aches with grief and I cannot sleep at night. Those countless civilians and soldiers murdered by the demon race often appear before my eyes and echo in my ears, telling me that we must avenge them!"

"Now that the Empire has grown strong, our frontline soldiers are fighting the demon army fearlessly with their lives on the line. The Empire's eastern campaign is about to begin, and they are afraid. They fear us, and they have begun doing everything in their power to stop our expedition."

"They launched an attack against us first! But we have grown strong, and I have had enough of the days when they attacked and we merely defended!"

"From this day onward, I will send you brave warriors to fight in blood, to take revenge, and to slaughter every barbaric demon who invades our Empire's territory! I will tell them loudly that offense and defense have changed places! If the demon race can go forth, then so can the armies of our Empire! Warriors of the Empire, do you dare draw the swords you have long kept sharp against the greedy demon army? On behalf of your Emperor, charge forth, kill forth, and wipe out every enemy standing in the way of the Empire's eastern campaign!"

"We swear to slay demons to the death!"

"We swear to slay demons to the death!"

All the soldiers were stirred by the Emperor's declaration of war. Everyone roared, their voices shaking the heavens as they declared their resolve to kill the enemy and fight to the death for their Emperor.

After that night's council meeting, everyone had advised deploying the Empire's elite central force, the Royal Legion, which had trained for a long time, to teach the demon race a lesson at the front.

Every member of the Royal Legion had been carefully selected from armies throughout the Empire. They were equipped with the finest gear, had undergone years of training, and had consumed enormous amounts of imperial resources.

Over all these years, the Empire had trained only five hundred thousand soldiers for the Royal Legion. This time, three hundred thousand were deployed. First, they were to make the Imperial Royal Legion famous, resolve the crisis at the front, and ensure the Empire's eastern campaign could proceed. Second, they were to draw their swords against the demon race. The Luminous Empire of today was no longer the Luminous Empire of the past. Under the diligent governance of successive emperors, its national strength had reached its peak. They would serve as the vanguard of the Empire's eastern campaign and crush all enemies in their path.

After deliberation, it was decided that Liu Fengchuan, one of the newly promoted Five Tigers of the Empire, would serve as commander-in-chief, with the two princes as his left and right deputy commanders.

Through this battle, Lin Huang also wanted to select a qualified imperial heir to remain behind and oversee the rear.

Once the path for the Empire's eastern campaign had been cleared, he would personally lead the expedition, commanding the imperial army to conquer the Far East and even attack the demon race's stronghold, Demon God Fortress, accomplishing what ten generations of emperors had hoped to achieve.

The three hundred thousand troops marched grandly out of Far Capital, traveling by water and heading north all the way to Jiashan Fortress.

Liu Fengchuan and the two princes carried two edicts with them. The first was acceptable enough: they were to find Prince Lin in the Southeast Legion and swiftly escort him back to Far Capital. If he resisted, they could arrest him by force on the spot and escort him to Far Capital. But the second edict was filled with the Emperor's ruthlessness and bloodshed: the Third Prince was to be granted death. If he resisted, he could be executed on the spot, and control of Danna Camp was to be reclaimed.

Liu Fengchuan looked at the edict with deep regret. He knew the Third Prince. When the Third Prince had first gone to the front, they had met once.

At the time, he and the Third Prince had had an excellent conversation, and it had made him fully realize that this Third Prince was by no means the useless good-for-nothing the world claimed him to be.

Who would have thought that circumstances would change, and he would become the one sent to take him away? If the two princes were not accompanying him, he might have been able to maneuver around the matter. But under their watchful eyes, there was nothing he could do.

Southeastern Plains, Butler Province.

Lin Junyu naturally had no idea that someone was coming to take his life. Right now, he was facing a particularly thorny problem.

Looking at the demon army's camps packed so tightly around Bartley City that not even water could pass through, Lin Junyu worried over how they were supposed to sneak into the city.

The million-strong demon army had surrounded it like an iron barrel. Even Qu Tairan, hardened by countless battles, had no idea what to do.

"If only we could get in touch with the people inside the city. Then they could coordinate with our actions!"

Lin Junyu gazed at the distant city in great frustration. With the demon army surrounding it like this, not even a fly could get in.

"I have an idea!"

Zichuan Mingyue seemed to have thought of something, and her eyes immediately lit up.

"We can put on the armor of elite demon soldiers. The demon marshal sent several elite cavalry squads of a thousand men out to pursue the troops that broke through our encirclement. By now, some of them should be returning to report. We can pretend to be demon soldiers returning to make our report! But we can't bring too many people."

"Mm, this is our only option now. Once we infiltrate the demon army, we'll move toward the city gate and contact the defenders inside as quickly as possible. Mingyue, come with me. We'll take eight hundred Feather Forest Army soldiers with us. The defenders in the city know you, so there won't be any misunderstandings then! General Qu, continue hiding here and gather the troops. Watch for the signal we send from inside the city!"

"Mm!"

After discussing a few more details, they went to change clothes.

Holding a set of demon officer armor, Lin Junyu went behind a tree. He had just taken off his shirt, revealing his sturdy upper body, when he suddenly heard movement behind him. Startled, he thought it might be some mountain snake. When he turned around and saw Zichuan Mingyue, he breathed a sigh of relief.

"Big Sister Mingyue, you really scared me. How do you walk so quietly?"

Zichuan Mingyue's face was flushed red. Without even blinking, she stared straight at him so intently that Lin Junyu felt a little unnerved, and he hurriedly asked again.

"Big Sister Mingyue, is something wrong?"

Zichuan Mingyue came back to her senses slightly and asked in a soft, syrupy voice.

"The demon soldiers' armor is all made for men. Do you have any cloth strips for binding the chest or something?"

"Ah? I see. Let me think of something."

Lin Junyu took out the white undershirt he had washed and was about to put on, then forcefully tore it into a long strip of cloth. He walked over to Zichuan Mingyue and handed it to her.

"This is all I have. I just washed it, and I haven't worn it, so don't mind it. Make do with it and just wrap it around the outside."

As Lin Junyu walked toward her bare-chested, Zichuan Mingyue felt a powerful masculine scent rush over her and completely envelop her. Her face reddened even further, right down to the tips of her ears, and she became somewhat dazed and flustered.

Looking at the strip of cloth held out before her, her heart thumped wildly like a startled rabbit. She snatched it up and fled at top speed.

Lin Junyu scratched his head. What had happened? Why had she run off so fast?

Could there really be snakes here? Looking at the weeds around his feet as the cold mountain wind swept past, Lin Junyu shivered and decided he should hurry up, finish changing, and leave this place.

Meanwhile, Zichuan Mingyue, who had fled away, held a hand over her wildly pounding heart and gradually regained her senses.

Her heart was filled with shyness and astonishment. That little brat had really grown up!