This scene was, without question, both deeply bizarre and utterly shocking.
Many people would never forget what they witnessed.
More than twenty thousand people lined up and walked towards a giant pit of death, drowning themselves alive.
Those at the back clearly saw the people in front fall into the water and drown, yet they still marched forward without hesitation.
Even after falling into the water, none of them struggled. They simply allowed themselves to suffocate beneath the surface.
Every single one of them had their minds controlled by the Mirror Demon King. They felt no pain. Instead, they believed they were in paradise. Even as they suffocated underwater, they felt nothing. Only at the very moment death arrived did they briefly regain consciousness.
That fleeting moment of clarity allowed them to struggle ever so slightly before they died completely.
“Plop. Plop. Plop.”
Wave after wave of tribal soldiers fell into the pit of death.
The brothers of the Flame Demon Tribe had prepared themselves for a bloody battle. They had been ready to fight and die.
Instead, they witnessed a scene so astonishing and terrifying that it left them speechless.
They knew this giant pit better than anyone.
Building the city walls, laying dirt roads, even constructing houses, all required huge amounts of soil.
More than a thousand people had spent nearly two months digging this enormous pit, almost half a kilometre across.
Then heavy rain had filled it with water deeper than a man’s height, forcing them to abandon it.
Later, Langling had ordered supports to be built across the pit, then covered them with enormous tree branches, concealing the entire pit.
No one had understood why.
Many had even assumed their Chief wanted a clean water source or a huge artificial lake.
No one had imagined it was being turned into a deadly trap.
…
Constantine kept roaring desperately, sending wave after wave of soldiers into the Ghost Domain, hoping they could wake the men who were walking towards the deadly pit.
Yet no matter how many he sent, not only did they fail to awaken the trapped soldiers, they also joined them on the march towards death.
“Come back. Come back.”
Constantine shouted until his voice nearly gave out.
“Wake them. Go wake them.”
He lashed the tribal warriors beside him with his whip, forcing them into the Ghost Domain to save the soldiers of both tribes.
But even the elite guards of the two chiefs no longer dared enter.
Not a single person who went in ever returned.
Every one of them walked straight into the deadly trap.
Constantine and Alfonso could only watch helplessly as their soldiers marched towards death.
Constantine’s heart was no longer merely bleeding.
It had been torn to pieces.
He no longer even felt the agony. All he felt was icy coldness spreading through his body until he was almost numb.
He had fallen into Langling’s trap again.
How many times had this happened now?
The third?
Or the fourth?
The first time, Langling had dazzled him with gold coins, forcing him into an early war against the Ankara Tribe, allowing Langling’s foreign army to rebel successfully.
The second time, Langling had deceived him with a diversion, enabling the foreign army to enter the Ghost Domain and establish the Flame Demon Tribe.
The third time, Langling had provoked him into sending every soldier into the Ghost Domain, straight into hell.
He had known all along that Langling was cunning and treacherous.
Yet he still fell into his traps again and again.
This time, however, the pain reached the depths of his soul.
Fourteen thousand soldiers.
Every single one lost because of him.
That was nearly the entire military strength of the Chimera Tribe.
Now the whole tribe was left with barely three thousand second line troops.
Those fourteen thousand men had been Constantine’s entire foundation.
Now it was all gone.
Every household in the Chimera Tribe would soon be holding funerals.
His grand ambitions had burst like soap bubbles.
He truly had nothing left.
He stood there blankly, staring into space.
His body was numb.
His mind was numb.
Only after a long while did he finally feel an agonising pain twisting through his heart.
“Pfft. Pfft. Pfft.”
He spat out mouthful after mouthful of black blood.
The world spun around him.
The Chief of the Chimera Tribe, Constantine, collapsed unconscious onto the ground.
…
Alfonso, Chief of the Ankara Tribe, was no better.
He flew into a rage, desperately forcing the warriors around him into the Ghost Domain to awaken the soldiers walking towards the deadly trap.
The result remained exactly the same.
Everyone who entered ended up walking to their deaths.
Finally, Alfonso completely lost his reason.
He mounted his horse and tried to charge into the Ghost Domain himself to save his army.
But the female shaman Yin Ji stopped him.
“Foster Father, don’t go in. Going in means death.”
Using her spiritual power, Yin Ji forced Alfonso back to his senses.
The corners of Alfonso’s eyes split open, blood flowing down his face.
Fourteen thousand soldiers.
Gone.
Not long ago, he and Constantine had destroyed the Wild Horse Tribe together, doubling their territory in a single move.
He had been overflowing with confidence.
Once the Wild Horse Tribe had been completely absorbed, he would command thirty thousand warriors and sweep aside the Chimera Tribe within three years.
Langling’s rebellion with the foreign army had originally been nothing more than the Chimera Tribe’s internal conflict.
It had nothing to do with him.
His greed for one hundred thousand gold coins had allowed Langling to use him, dragging him into this enormous trap.
Not only had he fought Constantine for no reason, he had also followed Constantine into this campaign against the Flame Demon Tribe.
Of course, he had not been completely manipulated.
He had hated being used by Langling and wanted him destroyed.
Besides, Constantine’s daughter, Ninian, had become the Young Barbarian King’s concubine.
By helping Constantine, Alfonso had hoped to gain favour with him so the two of them could dominate the entire Silver Alliance together.
Instead, all fourteen thousand soldiers had been wiped out.
Now he had fewer than five thousand troops left.
He still had to defend both the Ankara and Chimera Tribes.
How could he possibly resist the neighbouring tribes that were waiting like wolves and tigers?
Inside the Ghost Domain, the march towards death continued.
Twenty five thousand people were simply too many.
Like countless ants, they packed together in endless lines.
One unit after another marched in perfect formation, smiling as they walked into the deadly trap.
Watching the horrifying sight, Alfonso hoarsely said, “Langling… he’s not human. He’s a ghost. A monster. A…”
He could find no words to describe him.
Yin Ji felt exactly the same.
Langling simply could not be human.
He truly was a demon.
A monster.
What kind of person could create miracle after miracle?
He was no ordinary man.
He was a terrifying prodigy.
He reminded her of someone from the human kingdoms.
Someone equally monstrous.
Someone who had created countless miracles.
…
The Wild Horse Tribe’s Chief, Duoduo, also felt his limbs turn ice cold.
His eyes were wide with disbelief as he stared at everything before him.
Although he was one of the victors, his entire body shivered with fear.
Even the way he looked at Langling was filled with awe.
His methods were truly beyond mortal comprehension.
Most terrifying of all was that Langling had planned every detail a full month in advance.
Otherwise, he would never have made that wager with him.
Duoduo remembered Langling’s words.
“I’m not worried about this battle, because we will definitely win. I’m worried about the next battle, against the Silver Alliance’s hundred thousand strong army.”
Sure enough.
Langling had won this battle.
And… without losing a single soldier.
The brutal battle everyone had expected never happened.
Instead, the war ended in this eerie, mysterious, breathtaking and horrifying fashion.
By his own strength alone, Langling had destroyed Constantine’s thirty thousand strong allied army.
After a long silence, Duoduo finally asked, “Is… this not offending the will of Heaven?”
Using something close to dark sorcery to send over twenty thousand people into a death trap surely defied Heaven’s order.
But…
Langling had already killed tens of thousands.
Hundreds of thousands.
Perhaps even millions.
He had long since offended Heaven beyond repair.
Of course, Heaven had already repaid him in full.
He had lost everything.
Even his life.
“Heaven has already punished me once,” Langling said calmly. “After I died, my fate no longer belonged to Heaven.”
…
Constantine’s wife, Gou Li, stood frozen, watching everything unfold.
Watching the soldiers of the Chimera Tribe walk one group after another into death.
A deep sense of terror, coldness and despair surged from the depths of her heart, spreading through every part of her body.
For a very long time, she felt no warmth at all.
Only one thought remained in her mind.
The Chimera Tribe was finished.
Constantine was finished.
…
The performance of death continued for nearly half an hour.
More than twenty thousand people marched one after another into the deadly trap, drowning themselves alive.
At last, it ended.
Over twenty thousand corpses completely filled the enormous pit.
Both sides stood in absolute silence.
Yin Ji turned to Alfonso.
“Foster Father, let’s go. It’s time to return.”
Alfonso continued staring blankly at the giant pit.
Yin Ji said, “Foster Father, we’ve lost more than ten thousand soldiers. The most important thing now is to return and suppress any rebellions before they begin. We must stabilise both tribes. Otherwise we’ll end up like Duoduo, with nothing left.”
Once again, she infused her voice with spiritual power.
Alfonso finally woke as though from a dream.
“You’re right. Return to the tribe. Restore order.”
Without even glancing at Constantine, he prepared to leave with his thousand remaining warriors.
Much of today’s disaster had been caused by Constantine.
Yin Ji stopped him.
“Foster Father, you must stand together with Chief Constantine now. Don’t forget that his daughter is the Young Barbarian King’s concubine. Your fortunes are now tied together.”
Alfonso thought for a moment.
She was right.
He had only five thousand soldiers left.
Defending two tribes and three hundred miles of territory was impossible.
How could he withstand the neighbouring tribes, all eager to seize his land?
The tribal world had always been one where the strong devoured the weak.
This was the perfect opportunity.
How could the surrounding tribes possibly let it pass?
Although Constantine’s losses were even greater, leaving him with only three thousand soldiers, his daughter was married to the Young Barbarian King.
No one dared target him.
If Alfonso wished to protect his own territory, he had no choice but to cling tightly to Constantine.
He immediately shouted, “Warriors of the Chimera Tribe, what are you standing around for? Carry your Chief onto the carriage and return to the tribe. I’ll cover your retreat.”
At this moment, Yang Gu had become the highest ranking leader of the Chimera Tribe.
Hearing Alfonso’s command, he quickly replied, “Yes.”
Then Alfonso led the remaining three thousand soldiers from both tribes, escorting the unconscious Constantine as they retreated in utter humiliation.
The Flame Demon Tribe’s first great battle had ended.
It was a complete and overwhelming victory.
…
Langling stepped onto the city wall.
He quietly looked down at the thousand warriors of the Flame Demon Tribe below.
“This battle is over.”
“Our Flame Demon Tribe has survived. We were not destroyed in our infancy.”
“From this moment onward, our tribe will enter a golden age of explosive expansion.”
“We have won. But there will be no celebration, no bonfire festival. Because I know you don’t want to celebrate. Neither do I.”
“I also know that you believe this victory had nothing to do with you. It was achieved entirely through the supernatural power of the Mirror Demon King and myself. Because of that, you even feel ashamed.”
Every warrior trembled.
Langling had spoken exactly what lay hidden in their hearts.
Yes.
It was shame.
The Flame Demon Tribe had won.
Yet they felt they had contributed nothing.
Everything had been accomplished by their Chief alone.
“I’m glad you feel this way,” Langling roared. “Only those who know shame can become truly courageous.”
Rain began to fall from the sky.
Drops struck every face and every body.
Yet not a single warrior moved.
“So let me tell you this. In the next battle, we will have nothing to rely on. There will be no miraculous death traps. No spiritual barriers. The only thing you can rely upon will be the swords in your own hands.”
“I fought this battle for you. The next one must be fought by yourselves.”
“How many enemies will there be? Eighty thousand? One hundred thousand? Perhaps even more.”
“Brothers, never forget that death is always less than three days away from us. Our struggle, our battle, has only just begun.”
“I now issue an order. Within three months, if we have not destroyed the Chimera Tribe, destroyed the Ankara Tribe, and expanded our territory thirtyfold, then the Flame Demon Tribe has no reason to continue existing.”
His final sentence ignited the blood and hearts of every warrior present.
Within three months.
Destroy the Chimera Tribe.
Destroy the Ankara Tribe.
Expand thirtyfold.
It was a new goal.
A miraculous goal.
An almost impossible goal.
“I’ll ask you one question,” Langling said coldly. “Can it be done?”
“It can!”
More than a thousand warriors of the Flame Demon Tribe roared in unison.
“Good. I’ll remember those words. If we fail to achieve this goal within three months, the Flame Demon Tribe will be officially disbanded.”
Duoduo’s eyelids twitched violently.
Langling was completely mad.
To make such an absolute declaration was the opposite of what a rational leader should do.
Yet, for some unknown reason, Duoduo’s blood also boiled.
He wanted to fight beside him.
To kill beside him.
To worship him.
“Long live the Chief. Long live. Long live forever!”
More than a thousand people knelt in perfect unison.
As they looked towards Langling on the city wall, their eyes burned with both fanatic devotion and profound reverence.
Everyone knelt.
Only the hundred or so remaining members of the Wild Horse Tribe remained standing alone.
Duoduo’s expression trembled slightly.
He remembered the wager he had made with Langling.
In the Barbarian World, a person’s word was sacred.
Any oath made had to be fulfilled.
Otherwise, one would never be able to hold their head high again.
Grinding his teeth, Duoduo dropped to both knees and shouted loudly,
“From this day onward, there shall be no more Wild Horse Tribe. I, Duoduo, together with my people, pledge our complete loyalty to Chief Langling. Please accept us.”
“Long live the Chief. Long live. Long live forever!”