Strength Against Strength

The difficulty of maneuvering a nation like a chessboard can be seen from the situation in the British Alliance State.

Any alliance, however nominal, implies the involvement of multiple factions, making unified mobilization as difficult as in a feudal dynasty.

To achieve this relocation, Naggs led his team on numerous campaigns, fighting bloody battles British Alliance State, and replacing his own people time and again, leaving only a handful of high- Sequence Holder remaining.

The cost is so high that few would take such a crazy step to achieve centralized power.

But amidst the chaos, the Scarlet Alliance State managed to carry out this mobilization in a bizarre way, which even Montespatton found hard to understand.

If we go back several decades, someone like Zhao Tianhua would have been the ruler of a small to medium-sized country.

Getting Zhao Tianhua to contribute his manpower and resources is difficult, but not impossible. However, getting a top expert like Zhao Tianhua to fight to the very end is an incredibly difficult task.

Only under a completely centralized system of government could Zhao Tianhua have taken such a step.

"How could the Scarlet Alliance State have achieved such unification without experiencing the horrors of bloodshed?"

Montes Clark's forced entry disrupted all the plans, causing Montes Barton to frown.

"I heard that Zhou Xin used to travel all over the country, trying to find people to reprimand him, but nothing worked. But after Zhou Xin left, things changed. That doesn't make sense," Montessler, who was also injured, said, puzzled.

"The current Scarlet Alliance State is chaired by Li Yingbo, and there must be someone else behind them," Montespatton said.

"These days, are there still people with such strong abilities who don't show their faces?" Montessler asked without a doubt.

The principle that the strong get stronger remains unchanged everywhere. The higher the power one possesses, the better the treatment one enjoys, and good treatment in turn enhances the individual strength of those in power, thus creating a virtuous cycle.

Montess couldn't understand why someone with greater strength didn't need power.

Only as people age, or as slight differences in their genetic makeup gradually narrow the gap between them, will this situation remain unchanged for decades. This is also the main reason why the political landscape in various countries is relatively calm.

In today's world, sequences reign supreme. Without sufficient sequence power, one doesn't even have the right to speak, and making changes in such a world is virtually impossible.

"Sequence Holder capable of suppressing Zhao Tianhua would need to be at least at the Seventh Sequence," Montesbarton said.

"Even Zhou Xin couldn't control Zhao Tianhua's gang, so what Seventh Sequence could accomplish these things?" Montessler asked.

"At least at the Seventh Sequence, perhaps they even have Eighth Sequence individuals?"

A thought that had never crossed Montesbarton's mind before came to him.

His guess was outrageous; it would require someone in the Scarlet Alliance State to remain silent in the Seventh Sequence and only unleash their power upon entering the Eighth Sequence.

The probability of this happening is so low it's almost outrageous, but only under these conditions could everything the Scarlet Alliance State could possibly achieve.

"It can't be those conditions," Montes Steel said in a low voice. "I have inside information that Zhang Qiaoen instigated a rebellion that killed two-thirds of the Western Capital City Committee members and severely injured many others. If they really had Eighth Sequence member, it's impossible that they didn't turn the tide during that period!"

"There are rumors that Pei Jing actually launched a rebellion as well!"

"I heard that the Scarlet Alliance State is holding some kind of youth challenge competition, which has selected many candidate committee members from among the young people. I wonder if this is related to anything!"

Later, as some people compiled the information, Montespatton felt that things were becoming increasingly complicated and difficult to understand.

But no matter what he thought, these people from the Scarlet Alliance State were extremely eager to fight, and were even willing to fight fiercely across different factions.

In the center of the vast arena, Zhao Tianhua continued to curse and swear, gripping his broadsword tightly, showing no fear as he looked at the strangely shaped Montes Clark.

Neither of them had a partner; both played solo.

In sequence battles, teamwork in doubles can be more effective at times, but for Sequence Holder who lack coordination, it's just another person to take a beating.

Zhao Tianhua remained stationary in the center of the ground, while Montes Clarke constantly moved back and forth, seeking opportunities to confuse and launch surprise attacks.

The shadow of the tree is the name of the man. Zhao Tianhua became famous thirty years earlier than Montes Clark. Even though Zhao Tianhua's strength was slightly weaker, Montes Clark did not take it lightly.

The Seventh Sequence resistance layer can absorb damage, but it is not indestructible.

"Zhao Tianhua, you're all talk and no action, yet you don't dare to move an inch!"

After nearly three minutes of struggle, Montes Clark couldn't find an opening, which made her let out a sigh.

"Damn it, you didn't say we couldn't ride horses or motorcycles in this kind of fight. I'm dressed in heavy gear, I don't want to run with you without a vehicle," Zhao Tianhua cursed back. "Stop talking nonsense, just come and die!"

"Since you have difficulty moving around, don't blame me for calling from afar!"

Montes Clark found it difficult to close in, so she quickly grabbed a black pistol after constantly changing positions.

With a casual shot, Zhao Tianhua's sword remained untouched, and his burly body nimbly veered to the side.

A bullet with a pale blue glow whizzed past his ear, and a stench of blood filled the air.

"You vile widow, I never imagined even your bullets were dirty!"

Zhao Tianhua swept his coat, creating a gust of wind. As the stench subsided, only the continuous sound of gunfire could be heard.

"If you don't want to smell the poison in bullets, then come and get me!"

Montes Clark wasn't embarrassed or annoyed; he just kept firing as he moved around.

Firearms are almost useless in high- Sequence Holder combat, but with certain design features, they can be incredibly disgusting, and the released toxic fumes can even have some effect.

Zhao Tianhua's immobility, like a target, allowed the poison gas to have the greatest effect.

"Damn it, you think you're the only one with a gun?"

When Zhao Tianhua uttered another curse, Montes Clark thought the other party was angry and embarrassed, but then he saw Zhao Tianhua pull open his coat, revealing a row of dark, round balls.

Before Montes Clark could even see it clearly, the ball inside Zhao Tianhua's coat had already bounced far away.

In a very short time, the sound of the explosion rang out loudly, and countless dust and black fragments flew everywhere.

This even caused chaos among the high- Sequence Holder in the distant stands.

Regardless, without reaching the Seventh Sequence, everyone's bodies were still honest and didn't like enduring this dense barrage of fragments.

"You dare to show off something like this in front of me?"

Montes Clark was undoubtedly unafraid of bombs; even if a bomb exploded near her, only the shockwave caused her body to sway slightly.

She had just made a sarcastic remark, trying to upset Zhao Tianhua, when her heart suddenly skipped a beat.

Amidst the dust, the blade of a nearly three-meter-long horse-slaying saber had unknowingly approached.

There was no sound of a blade whistling; the explosion masked the sound, and the dust and debris obscured the blade's sharpness. It wasn't until he was close enough that Montes Clark realized the blade was already at him.

Damn it!

A faint white light emanated from his body, and the intense pain of being cut in half at the waist surged into his heart. In a short moment, Montes Clark's body turned purple, and round spots resembling eyes appeared all over his body.

She swung her right arm downwards, producing eight consecutive sounds in an instant.

The ear-piercing impact caused the saber to tumble repeatedly, while the blade remained firmly at the waist, striking the body with a series of close-quarters blows.

"Cut!"

With the next shout, Montes Clark's left arm also crackled eight times in rapid succession.

This prevented the sword from staying close, and the shouts of "surrender" from the Scarlet Alliance State quickly followed.

As the dust settled, it revealed Montes Clark's pained, bent-over posture, while three meters away stood Zhao Tianhua holding a whitish, chipped-edge saber.

His heavy leather armor was torn, revealing flesh and bone, and there was a deep wound on his face that looked like a blood groove. Dust mixed with blood gushed out, and Zhao Tianhua was covered in blood.

"Damn it, Li Yingbo, what are you yelling about admitting defeat? This woman's swordsmanship isn't even as good as Li Qi's Goose Feather Slash Combat Technique. I can handle this!"

Zhao Tianhua glared angrily at Montes Clark, causing the aching Montes Clark, who was clutching his waist, to involuntarily take two steps back.

Montes Clark estimated that, given her serious injuries, she had a 60% chance of killing Zhao Tianhua, which would secure her victory in the first round.

If they could both stop fighting, Zhao Tianhua would be seriously injured, while she would only suffer minor injuries.

But Montes Clark didn't expect that she had encountered another 40% possibility.

If the fight continues, Zhao Tianhua will inevitably be seriously injured, while she will most likely be cut in half at the waist.

This Northwest King of the Scarlet Alliance State does indeed possess the strength to fight beyond the established order.