Chapter 555: Discussion
At this critical moment when tensions were high and internal strife could erupt at any moment, Jiang Zhaoyue and Jiang Yelan stepped forward from the crowd.
They were still emanating a black light representing 【Nightmare Corruption】. The two exchanged a glance, and Jiang Zhaoyue spoke coldly, her voice echoing throughout the entire city wall.
"All those who have reached the third level of awakening must remove all their equipment! Those who do not will be killed without mercy!"
As soon as the words were spoken, the members of the Beacon Fire Clan on the city wall were the first to respond, and they all took off their equipment.
But at that moment, Lin Feng checked his body and found that he could still freely use the power of the Apostles.
He slightly raised his hand, easing the tense atmosphere around him: "Zhaoyue, Yelan, no need."
He surveyed the Awakened below, whose eyes were filled with confusion, fear, and even a hint of struggle, his tone calm yet carrying an undeniable authority.
"The Nightmare Clan is malicious. By throwing out such an ultimate trial, they simply want us to kill each other after our victory and destroy the hard-won gains with our own hands."
Lin Feng's gaze swept over everyone.
"Those who can stand here have all crawled out of mountains of corpses and seas of blood. We have won so many battles that seemed impossible to win, not because of suspicion, but because of the trust we placed in our comrades."
I believe you will not fall for the Nightmare Clan's tricks, and please do not betray this trust.
He paused for a moment, his gaze sweeping from the sky to the city walls, and then over the hundreds of thousands of silent awakened beings.
"Don't be too nervous, everyone. Everything will proceed as usual. In half an hour, all core members of the Beacon Fire Territory and representatives from various countries will meet in the council hall."
Having said that, he fell silent and turned to fly towards the council hall.
Meng Yi, Bai Yi, Wan Renjiang, and the captains followed closely behind.
Fengxue folded its wings, and its massive dragon body drew a silver-white arc in the air as it followed.
On the city wall, Tie Dun put his armor back on and nudged Zhao Hu beside him with his elbow: "Brother Hu, shall we continue cheering?"
Zhao Hu rolled his eyes at him and said irritably, "What are you cheering for! When we get to the council hall, take off all your gear first! Anyone who messes up at this time, I'll be the first to chop them up!"
"Alright!" Everyone nodded, and the tense atmosphere finally eased.
Tie Dun bent down, picked up the shield from the ground, and hung it back on his back: "Okay... I'll go now."
He took two steps and then stopped: "So, did we win just now?"
Zhao Hu didn't turn around: "We won the battle, but sometimes the aftermath is even more difficult to handle than the battle itself."
Tie Dun scratched his head, said nothing more, and strode after Zhao Hu.
The Qin warriors on the city wall also put away their weapons, and the encirclement silently dissipated, but their eyes still occasionally swept over the awakened ones, and the vigilance in their eyes had not completely faded.
The awakened individuals from various countries on the city walls also began to put away their weapons one after another.
Some people silently sheathed their swords, while others bent down to pick up the armor they had just taken off and put it back on.
Their movements were slow, not because they were tired, but because everyone was repeatedly pondering Lin Feng's words.
That blinding red beam of light, along with the chilling declaration that "a single thought can determine the life or death of all living beings," struck like a heavy hammer into everyone's hearts.
Especially the phrase "lifespan as long as the plane of existence"—what terrifying temptation does such a few words contain?
In this cruel apocalypse, who doesn't yearn to live? Who doesn't long to escape the shadow of death? As long as one becomes a lord, one can live as long as heaven and earth, and be immortal.
...
Half an hour later, in the council hall of Hangu Pass.
The afternoon sun cast dappled shadows on the tabletop, but it couldn't dispel the somber atmosphere in the hall.
Lin Feng sat upright in the main seat, the soaring red beam of light still emanating from his body, enveloping him in an eerie red glow.
On the left sat the core members of the Beacon Fire Territory, and on the right were representatives from various countries.
But at this moment, everyone sitting here tacitly changed into a set of white-quality equipment with extremely low attributes.
On the left, Jiang Yelan wore a simple white dress, looking aloof and otherworldly, like a fairy untouched by worldly affairs, but the solemnity between her brows could not be concealed.
Jiang Zhaoyue changed into a white, fitted outfit, exuding a heroic and valiant air with a hint of menace.
Tie Dun was even more exaggerated. He wore a white robe that was so tight on his burly body that it looked like it might burst at any moment. He shrank his neck and didn't dare to breathe.
On the right, Zhou Guosheng was dressed in white cloth. Although he had lost the gold suit, his calm and composed aura as a veteran of many battles remained.
Isabella, on the other hand, wore a white mage's robe, her beautiful face filled with solemnity.
No one spoke; the hall was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.
Lin Feng's gaze slowly swept across both sides, and he said calmly, "Everyone, don't be too nervous. In any case, our nations of Blue Star have already won the battle against the Nightmare Invasion."
He paused for a moment, then continued, "That prompt, 'Life and death are in the hands of the Nightmare Lord,' does indeed have an eerie quality."
But power has no inherent good or evil; it depends on who wields it. Rest assured, I will not abuse this power.
At this point, Lin Feng changed the subject and his tone became serious: "According to the information I obtained from the Nightmare Lord's Token, the so-called 'Nightmare Invasion' is nothing more than a trial used by the Nightmare World to select Nightmare Lords."
Once you become a Nightmare Lord, you're on the war machine of the Nightmare World, and fighting against its opposing factions is inevitable.
"That's precisely why we can't afford to have internal strife at this time and waste our strength."
As for escaping the Nightmare World, that's a matter for the future, but it's unlikely to be easy. Traitors are unwelcome in any faction.
As soon as he finished speaking, Jiang Yelan stood up first.
A cool voice echoed in the hall: "Alliance doesn't matter. The lord's path is my path."
Jiang Zhaoyue followed closely behind: "I share the same attitude as Ye Lan. Since we've already come this far, let's continue. The lord's decision is my decision."
Zhao Hu also stood up abruptly: "There's nothing to say, just follow the lord!"
Zhou Guosheng sat in the first seat on the right. After the others on his left had finished speaking, he slowly opened his mouth: "I haven't had much contact with Lord Lin, but what Lord Lin has done and the achievements he has made are the best basis for judgment."
The Great Xia Dynasty unconditionally supports Lord Lin; to be an enemy of Lord Lin is to be an enemy of the Great Xia Dynasty.