Large-Scale Sacrifice

He inwardly cried that it was over.

Feeling the slight pain at his neck, Xue Ying knew that from today onward, he would become a puppet in the other party's hands. The Curse Mark on his neck could take his life at any moment.

"Yes."

With the facts laid bare before him, there was no room for resistance. In the end, Xue Ying seemed to resign himself to his fate. Blind resistance would bring him no benefits; he might as well drag all those lords down with him. At that thought, hatred and jealousy welled up in his heart.

Why should I be controlled by someone else while those people think about how to carve up the spoils? Is it just because my territory is weaker?

The strong ruled the weak. This was true not only among the commoners at the bottom, but also among the lords themselves. In their ingrained understanding, the strong could manipulate the fates of the weak. Though Uchiha Yū's control over his freedom filled him with fear and unease, he could not summon the will to resist.

However, when it came to his companions' betrayal and their making him serve as a pathfinder, Xue Ying's heart twisted. In a hoarse voice, he said:

"My lord, those lords are gathering their forces and preparing to besiege your territory. If you need it, I can act as an insider and stab them in the back at a critical moment."

His desire to drag them down and his eagerness to demonstrate loyalty made Uchiha Yū nod slightly, tacitly approving his proposal. He added:

"I have a task for you. You need to escalate this war and make them send out every last bit of strength they have to attack us."

"Ah?"

Xue Ying thought he had misheard Uchiha