Iron-Blooded Twilight

"Puff!"

The man's head was grabbed by a small, soft, white hand and slammed against the ground, then burst open like a deflated balloon. Red and white liquids gushed out, making the once clean and tidy ground filthy.

"In this way, the last of the fortresses was completely destroyed."

Angela withdrew her hand, took out a handkerchief, and wiped the grime from her hands, revealing a haughty and disdainful smile. It must be said that compared to the previous fortress, the commander of this fortress was clearly much more prepared. He not only opened the moat in front of his fortress, flooding a large area, but also employed oil tactics, using the principle that oil is lighter than water to lure the undead into the water before setting them ablaze. This method undeniably eliminated many of Angela's men. However, unfortunately, the number of humans killed by the Divine Punishment Legion along the way had more than doubled their already enormous force. Although this tactic effectively slowed down the undead and inflicted considerable damage, human strength is finite, and Angela's tactics remained unchanged—a direct charge, overwhelming the enemy with sheer force.

The army of undead is endless, and the soldiers are powerless to resist in the face of overwhelming numbers. The dual torment of the black clouds and the undead is unbearable for any living being. It can be said that as long as these soldiers live, they are no match for the undead army.

Even so, facing an enemy several times their size, these soldiers chose to fight to the last. It wasn't that they didn't want to retreat; it was simply that their rear lay the very heart of the Federation. If they retreated, this tidal wave of undead would immediately surge towards the most vital part of their nation, and by then, it would be too late. Moreover, every soldier had received a final order: they must hold off the enemy at all costs, even if it meant sacrificing the last man, even if it meant delaying them for just a second.

When Angela entered the command room deep underground, the enemy commander was prepared for a decisive battle. Unfortunately, even with his best efforts, he was no match for Angela.

"It's quite comfortable to sit in."

With a kick, Angela scurried away the corpse that had turned into a tattered doll, and then hopped and skipped to sit in the chair behind the desk. She swayed a few times on the soft velvet, then leaned back comfortably, squinting her eyes smugly.

"All troops cease operations and await further orders."

"Hey, kid, what are you thinking about?"

Hearing this, Kalin, who was standing to the side, became unhappy.

"Didn't you tell me to finish quickly? What's the point of stopping here now? It would be better to get this over with and go home. I don't want to stay in this boring and annoying place any longer."

"Since it's a banquet, the more people the better."

Angela closed her eyes, clearly not intending to pay attention to Kalin's complaints.

"If you have any objections to my actions, please feel free to report them to your master."

"I'm not that bored."

Hearing Angela's words, Kalin shrugged, then walked to the wine cabinet by the wall, took out a bottle of good wine, and waved it at Angela.

"I'd rather have a few more drinks than waste that time... Anyway, you only asked me to come and keep an eye on you so you don't wander off. I'll only feel at ease if you stay put. So, remember to wake me up when you start eating. I'm going to find a scenic spot with beautiful mountains and clear waters to go drinking. See you later."

"Solve your own problems; how can you be so lazy when you're the master's weapon?"

Angela closed her eyes and sneered, but at that moment, Kalin's figure had already disappeared outside the door.

Although Angela appeared unusually relaxed on the surface, she was not so calm deep down. The reason Angela stopped wasn't out of interest, but because Li Lin had just informed her of the latest news through their mental connection.

"According to Catherine's report, the Temple has decided to officially intervene. They have assembled 30,000 paladins, almost wiping out the entire strength of three of the Five-Nation Alliance to assist the Federation in its defense. Furthermore, we have discovered that the Temple's troops are gathering near the Federation's central city and should be fully assembled in about another day."

Although the Temple's response could be described as swift and covert, Li Lin still possessed satellites covering the entire region. Under their detection spells, no large-scale troop movement could escape Li Lin's notice.

The fact that the Temple has been mobilized indicates that the God of Justice has begun to fully shift its attention to the Prime Material Plane.

This was naturally good news for other gods, but it was different for Li Lin. Considering the timeline, it had been enough for the God of Justice to recover his expended power since his last forced divine descent from the Capital of the Magic Empire Divine Descent subsequent expulsion from the Prime Material Plane by Li Lin's spell. Given the current situation, since the God of Justice had shifted his focus from the "great liberation of Hell" and "eliminating the remaining forces" to the war on the Prime Material Plane, this large-scale mobilization of the Lesser God was very likely the work of a divine oracle. Although Catherine hadn't received... The oracle arrived, but because of the Seed of Holiness potion, the God of Justice seemed unaware that she was no longer the "original." Furthermore, Catherine, using her status as an ally, probed whether the Federation needed her assistance. However, this request was ultimately rejected by the Federation. After all, the Federation understood that the enemy's strength was unknown, and the outcome of this battle was uncertain. If the entire Five-Nation Alliance's forces were to perish in this battle, it would be a huge loss. Moreover, Dideyasi was far from the Vila Federation; by the time their army arrived, the war would likely be over.

Moreover, the Federation also stated that they possessed a secret weapon capable of turning the tide of the war, which would definitely make these invading undead creatures suffer greatly. After all, given Catherine's status as a saintess, no one would associate her with the undead legion, so naturally, they wouldn't keep such a secret.

Upon receiving this news, Catherine immediately and secretly informed Li Lin. Although she didn't yet know what the so-called "secret weapon" was, she still needed to remind Li Lin to be careful.

"Secret weapon? Hmph, even a nuclear bomb can't stop my undead army."

Angela closed her eyes, seemingly resting, but at this moment, through the soul connection, she confidently reported to Li Lin.

"There's no need to worry about the Five-Nation Alliance; I've already requested the Chromatic Dragon Kind to assist you in your attack. However, you need to be very careful with the Temple. As you've seen, warriors blessed with divine protection are not easy to deal with. Moreover, paladins possess divine grace, making them even more resistant to undead creatures. Furthermore, I suspect that the God of Justice might personally intervene this time."

So what if it appears?

Angela seemed somewhat dismissive of Li Lin's reminder.

"Didn't you expel him once before? What use would such a piece of trash be if he came back?"

"That's not how it works... Last time, he forcibly appeared in the Temple of Divine Descent in the Imperial Capital, a place that possesses a magical array capable of suppressing divine power. Moreover, Mina's possession wasn't complete. As a female priest, her body couldn't withstand too much pressure. The God of Justice's power had already been weakened. But this time, it's hard to say. If the God of Justice chooses to forcibly appear in this situation, then it won't be so easy to deal with. And even if he doesn't appear personally, he will definitely send out quite capable helpers. We must be fully prepared to prevent being caught off guard... And I will personally take action."

"Understood, Master. I will prepare the grandest welcome banquet for you, with corpses as the road, heads as the flags, and blood as the paving stone... Please wait patiently, I will prepare everything for you."

"... and books... then, I'll look forward to it."

At the same time that Li Lin and Angela were communicating, in the forest not far from the Federation capital city of Lorensa, the holy knights were slowly advancing.

White armor, white horses, white banners. A blanket of white resembles drifting clouds on a verdant grassland. The sacred knights, their faces solemn, grip their lances, holding the reins, advancing slowly and quietly yet with fervent passion, awaiting the day they would uphold justice and vanquish evil. This was their life's work and goal, and the belief they could never abandon.

"Hoo... Ah...!!"

Staring at the dark clouds on the horizon, Henderson's eyes turned red, burning with boundless killing intent and rage.

"Not yet? Aren't they all here yet?!"

"Reporting to High Knight Commander, the Holy Knights of Kudel have all arrived. But... but..." The knight beside him immediately began to report, but then stopped, looking troubled. However, when he saw the crazed and terrifying look in Henderson's eyes, he couldn't help but shudder and continued his report.

"However, some problems arose on the Dideyasi side. I heard that Her Highness Saintess Catherine requested assistance from the Temple to resist the evil army invading Dideyasi. Therefore... that group of Holy Knights did not participate in this joint offensive."

"That female fox...!!!"

Hearing this, Henderson grew even angrier; he clenched his teeth, and the muscles on his face twitched uncontrollably.

"How dare she do this... As someone who serves the gods, how could she defy their will?!"

"Your Excellency, Grand Knight Commander..."

Faced with Henderson's furious growl, the knight opened his mouth but said nothing. Since that nightmare, Henderson seemed like a changed man; he had become increasingly radical and fanatical, more proactive in his acts of slaughtering evil. The gods had also bestowed upon him considerable assistance. He now possessed the Wings of Holiness and the Sword of Holy Light, two powerful artifacts personally granted to him by the gods. However, everyone knew that the anger within Henderson had not vanished. On that day, he had personally executed his wife and daughter, but this had not extinguished Henderson resentment. This power made him increasingly strong, but also increasingly dangerous.

"Your Excellency, Grand Knight Commander"

However, despite the fear, the things that need to be done cannot be abandoned.

"Should we explain this to the Vila Federation? After all, they are unaware of our existence until now..."

"No need!! The will of a great god has no need for humanity to question it! Besides, who knows if any of those guys are spies from those evil creatures? We can't take that risk."

"But what if they mistake us for enemies..."

"Anyone who dares to stand in our way of eradicating evil is our enemy."

Henderson's eyes were resolute and crazed, and the stalks of his hands gripping the reins stood erect.

"Anyone who dares to stand in our way, human or undead, shall die!! Without exception!! This is the will of the great god!! No one is allowed to question it, no one is allowed to resist it!! Only the great god can make the right decision, and no one is allowed to attempt to defy the god's will! We, the Holy Knights, exist precisely for this purpose!! Our existence is to uphold the great glory of the God of Justice, and to shed our last drop of blood for our god!!"

With that, Henderson spurred his horse and galloped to the front of the group, raising his longsword and pointing it forward.

"For our eternal, great, and one true God!! We will shed our last drop of blood, and our souls will return to Heaven in glory! We will stop the spread of evil, and with our flesh and blood, we will stop their brutal and wicked deeds! All troops, attack!!"

At Henderson's command, the thunderous sound of galloping hooves rose up.

Dusk is approaching.

The crimson sunset shone on the beautiful Kasaren River, its turquoise waters flowing gently, as tranquil as ever. But a tense, solemn atmosphere hung over the banks of this beautiful river. A densely packed army stood guard; knights gripped lances, warriors wielded swords and shields, and archers stood on the city walls, bows drawn taut. Three hundred thousand men had completely occupied this riverbank. They had built formidable fortifications, sharpened their sharpest weapons, and donned their strongest armor. All of this was for the other side of the horizon—opposite to the setting sun, a dark sky stretched out, thick, relentlessly advancing clouds like the footsteps of demons.

"Perhaps this is the last time we'll see each other."

Sitting in the parliament hall, the old speaker looked at the fully armed generals and said in a low voice.

"Perhaps, when the sun rises tomorrow, we will all be gone. Or perhaps not. I know you are all nervous and afraid. I am old, and to be honest, I am not afraid of death. But I am afraid—afraid of having my throat torn apart by those filthy, terrifying undead creatures, afraid of them devouring my body. I believe you are just as afraid as I am. We are all just human beings; we are not fearless warriors. Gentlemen..."

As he spoke, the old councilor paused, stood up, walked to the balcony, and looked down at the soldiers awaiting his orders. Upon seeing the old councilor, all the soldiers immediately tensed, standing ramrod straight, staring at their superiors and general, awaiting their commands. The old councilor made a gesture, and soon another old man beside him began to chant an incantation in a low voice. Then, the old councilor spoke.

I understand how you feel.

The old council president's voice wasn't loud, but thanks to the power of magic, it traveled clearly into the ears of every soldier.

"I know you don't want to fight those evil undead creatures, and neither do I, none of us do. But I know very well, and you know very well, why we're standing here. Is it because of my orders? Is it because you're all soldiers? No, I don't think that's entirely true."

As he spoke, the old councilor stretched out his hand and pointed behind him to the beautiful city not far away.

"We stand here to protect our loved ones from the onslaught of evil. Our sacrifice will allow them to see tomorrow's sun. We stand here not for ourselves, but to safeguard our loved ones. There lie my family, and yours—your wives, children, and parents. If we cannot withstand the onslaught of darkness and evil, they too will perish. We have no way out but to fight to the death here. Though the enemy is powerful, they are not invincible. We have the protection of our ancestors! We will absolutely keep them beyond the beautiful Saren River!"

As he spoke, the old councilor looked around at everyone, observing the unwavering expressions on the soldiers' faces.

"We have no rear base; this is the front line. We have nowhere to retreat; we have no choice but to fight to the death! For our loved ones, we will fight to the very end!!"

At this point, the old councilor gripped the balcony railing tightly, his arms trembling slightly from the exertion.

"We will never fail! We will never be defeated by those evil undead creatures! For our tomorrow, for the tomorrow of our loved ones, we have no choice but to win! We will never give up!"

As the old councilor raised his fist, a thunderous shout resounded through the sky.

Dark clouds gradually approached the beautiful Saren River.

"Foolish, ignorant humans."

Angela stood at the forefront of the undead, smiling arrogantly as she gazed at the army that stood ready for battle.

"Awaken, my most beloved servants! Slaughter these obstacles, slaughter the old, women, and children hiding behind them! All who oppose our master must be utterly destroyed! I can no longer wait to hear their cries, their screams, and their pleas for mercy. The corpses of the weak will be the finest carpet to welcome our master, their blood will be the most beautiful scenery, and their heads, stained with fear, will be the most majestic banners! All obstacles must be destroyed, all enemies must be annihilated! But this is not enough; these people are far from sufficient for me. More! Let death and bloodshed rage even more fiercely, slaves, servants! Slaughter every living thing you see, and turn this world into Hell of death!"

As she spoke, Angela closed her fan and pointed forward.

"The order remains the same: those who block my way shall die; any enemy seen shall be killed!"