That night, lightning flashed and thunder roared, and rain poured down.
Outside the Chinese Kyoto Consulate General in Huaxia, more than twenty military trucks carrying thousands of Kyoto soldiers were orderly evacuating.
"I'm very sorry, Commander."
Lian Shou, his uniform soaked with sweat, was so ashamed he could hardly face anyone. "This is an order from the highest-ranking officer of the Ground Self-Defense Force. He requires us to lift the siege of the Kyoto Consulate General and return to our base as quickly as possible."
As the last military truck disappeared into the rain, the crowded street instantly became spacious, leaving only members of the Night Parade of a Hundred Demons ) on the scene.
Yugong Youjing didn't even lift his eyelids. "Is it pressure from Huaxia?"
Lian Shou nodded, his expression complex. " The Huaxia side also demanded that we stop arresting the motorcycle kidnappers. They said that if the kidnappers are truly guilty, they should return to China to face trial!"
"Ha!" Yugong Youjing sneered twice. The human sacrifice culture of their Yugong family has been known to the world and condemned by the international community. Huaxia will not only not try Su Hang, but will also promote him as an anti-feudal hero.
"However, there is also good news," Lian Shou said with a softening expression. "Although our military and police cannot make any more arrests tonight due to pressure from Huaxia, your personal underworld influence remains unaffected."
"And--"
Yugong Youjing glanced at him and said, "And what?"
" The Kyoto Consulate General's evacuation notice is effective until midnight, which means..."
Yugong Youjing narrowed his eyes. " Su Hang will definitely arrive at the Kyoto Consulate General before midnight tonight. I can bring the Night Parade of a Hundred Demons and wait for him to come to me."
"That's right," Lian Shou said in a deep voice. "Commander-in-Chief, if you successfully capture the motorcycle kidnapper, that would be the best outcome. If you don't, it's alright, as long as you hold out until midnight when the evacuation ends."
"Our military and police forces can then cooperate with you again to arrest the motorcycle kidnapper. We believe that he will be caught very quickly."
Yugong Youjing nodded expressionlessly.
Lian Shou bowed and departed, saying, "Good luck, I'll take my leave now."
"Your Highness, the Night Parade of a Hundred Demons has assembled." Xue Ji covered her mouth with her wide sleeves, her eyes flashing with a cold light. "One hundred were expected, one hundred are present."
Yugong Youjing turned around, all he could see were vicious and evil shadows. This group of hardened criminals had been with him for as long as eighteen years and as short as ten years, and were absolutely loyal. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to call them the Deadpool Gang.
"Tonight's opponents are far stronger than ever before. Are you afraid?"
"I'm not afraid!" Zashiki shouted, raising his sword.
"Fearless! Fearless! Fearless!" Those bloodthirsty eyes gleamed with a hunting red light as they raised their knives and roared.
Yugong Youjing said in a deep voice, "Listen carefully, tonight is the most difficult battle for our Night Parade of a Hundred Demons. Some of you will be injured, and some may even die."
Yugong Youjing suddenly exclaimed passionately, "But as long as we win this battle, you will no longer be despised death row inmates, but heroes of the Yugong Family, heroes of all Kyoto!"
"Hero!" Great Tengu shouted, raising his arms.
"Heroes! Heroes! Heroes!" Their ferocious faces lit up with a frenzied sense of glory as they roared and raised their arms.
Yugong Youjing turned around, his eyes sharp and fierce like a hawk's.
" Su Hang, it's time for us to settle the score!" she cried out, her voice filled with hysteria.
Sovereign Dominion Official Livestream Room.
The nearly 12-hour live stream was still incredibly popular, with the chat screen filled with rapidly scrolling comments.
"I'm so nervous! It's already 11 p. m., and there's only one hour left before the deadline for evacuation at the consulate. Will Exalted Emperor be able to successfully enter the consulate for safety?"
"Probably. The troops and police besieging the consulate have all withdrawn, leaving only that underworld organization called ' Night Parade of a Hundred Demons). Exalted Emperor is incredibly powerful; he might be able to take on a hundred of them."
"Little brother Nishang, how's your fighting ability in the Night Parade of a Hundred Demons?"
Yugong Nishang's expression was unusually solemn. "Although they are all serious criminals, they have all received proper swordsmanship training."
"72 swordsmen holding the fourth dan in Kendo."
"18 swordsmen holding the fifth dan in Kendo."
"Six sixth-dan kendo instructors."
"Three seventh-dan swordsmen."
"Kendo 8th Dan, 1 person."
The chat in the live stream was filled with rapidly scrolling comments.
Is there anyone knowledgeable who can explain this?
"I happen to know something about Japan Kendo. To put it simply, a fourth-dan swordsman can take on three adult men, a fifth-dan swordsman can take on five, and a sixth-dan master can take on ten."
"A seventh-dan swordsman can fight 20 to 50 adult men, depending on the sword style they practice. An eighth-dan swordsman is the most powerful rank, said to be able to take on a hundred men single-handedly!"
Why is it a legend?
"Because there are very few 8th-dan kendo masters, they are mostly old men with frail arms and legs, with only two 8th-dan masters being relatively young."
Yugong Nishang continued, picking up where the comments left off, "One is the current young master of the Kanzaki Clan, the successor of the Niten Ichi-ryū Ichiryu style [ Kanzaki Sakurazō ], and the other is my guardian cousin, the successor of the Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū [ Yugong Youjing ]."
One netizen gasped. "I just calculated the combat power of the Night Parade of a Hundred Demons), and it's equivalent to 500 adult males. That means Exalted Emperor would have to fight 500 people by himself."
The viewers in the live stream felt a chill run down their spines.
"Holy crap! One against 500? How is that even possible?"
"Brothers, don't forget, Exalted Emperor is also accompanied by the Great God Liuli; he can't unleash his full power at all."
"Even if they exert all their strength, so what? Those 100 members of the Night Parade of a Hundred Demons are equivalent to 500 adult men. If they just stand still and let you hit them, it would take until dawn."
"Since a direct assault won't work, let's use strategy! Just like how the heavens sent rain to the Liuli Yugong Shrine to save the goddess Ruri, let's do it again, and send the consulate general down from the sky once more."
"Brother, tell me how can something fall from the sky? The surrounding buildings are all low-rise, and the only tall building is the International Convention Center, which is only five stories high. There's no way it could fall from the sky."
"Furthermore, there's only one road leading to the consulate, and it's blocked by the Night Parade of a Hundred Demons. Exalted Emperor has no choice but to launch a direct assault!"
Silence fell over the live broadcast cabin.
Yugong Nishang knew clearly that this battle was inevitable. He looked at the beauty of Mount Everest, his heart filled with mixed emotions, and said, " Herald of Dawn... oh no, Sister Huyan Lan, are you aware of the Exalted Emperor's fighting strength?"
It's hard to imagine that nine years later, the real Herald of Dawn would join his Mao Rabbit's mission to rescue his sister, the Vice Captain of the Imperial Crown, who was once his most hostile, and the fiery Phoenix who loved to compete with him, the Yuejing, for the Imperial Emperor's favor.
There are also Mountain Lord and Silver Dragon.
Huyan Lan shook his head and sighed, "In his normal state, Su Hang is equivalent to a sixth-dan swordsman in your Kendo. Even with the Imperial Emperor Mask fully activated, he's at most a little stronger than an eighth-dan Kendo fan."
" Su Hang... has absolutely no chance of winning."
Yugong Nishang visibly became disappointed.
"Unless!" Huyan Lan changed the subject.
"Unless what?" Yugong Nishang's hope was rekindled.
"There's a very capable person who can help him!"