Han Tuhu's eyes were filled with the coldest heat, as if they were magma that had been frozen by frost. Intense smoke was leaking out of his every pore. He was like a black silhouette that was marching forward alone in the smoke.
The black silhouette was deeply etched in Li Yao's heart, adding a touch of weird brilliance to Li Yao's belief. The road ahead had never been so clear.
Li Yao took a deep breath and said sincerely, "Thank you, Colonel Han. You've taught me a lesson. I know what to do now."
Han Tuhu smiled and stood up. "You've convinced me, but it is far from enough. The situation of human beings and the demon race is completely different.
"Time is on the side of the Xing Yao Federation. The Cultivation technology in the Tian Yuan Realm is developing much faster than the biochemical technology in the Blood Demon Sector. Even in the most arduous years of war in the past ten years, we still managed to establish sixteen legions in Crystal Suit despite the pressure. In the decades to come, we will only grow stronger and stronger.
"It is needless to say that we have discovered a brand-new world of human beings. Even if the assistance of the Flying Star Sector is only symbolic, the Cultivation systems of the two worlds will complement each other. The most brilliant sparks will be raised when they collide, and the Cultivation level of both worlds will soar exponentially!
"There will be plenty of time. As long as we have five to ten years to catch our breath, our technology and comprehensive capability will be far above that of the Blood Demon Sector!
Therefore, the peace right now is in the national interest of the Xing Yao Federation. It is the biggest reason why I'm willing to accept your proposal.
"But what about the Blood Demon Sector on the other hand?
"Right now, the comprehensive capability and the number of super experts of the Blood Demon Sector are still higher than that of the Tian Yuan Realm, but the gap is shrinking at a visible speed. It is also the biggest reason why the Blood Demon Sector is attacking the Tian Yuan Realm in a hurry.
"It is because they have to seize the most critical 'window'. After the precious ten years, they will have no chance at all.
"Right now, we have the help of the Flying Star Sector. Their comprehensive capability will be improving very fast. It is very likely that they will surpass the Blood Demon Sector in only a few years!
"If you were the supreme leader of the Blood Demon Sector, would you stop the war right now?"
"Come. Imagine that you are Jin Tuyi, the highest leader of the Blood Demon Sector and the commander-in-chief of the Coalition Army of Demons. One day, a Yuanying expert named Li Yao suddenly appears in front of you. If I tell you everything about the Flying Star Sector and the Imperium of True Human Beings, what will you choose? "
"Two options."
"Firstly, choose peace. Sign an armistice with the Xing Yao Federation and watch the communication between the Tian Yuan Realm and the Flying Star Sector get closer and closer. The technology of super long-distance space jump becomes more and more mature. A 'universal bridge' has even been established between the two worlds of human beings. The level of training arts and the production of magical equipment is developing rapidly. In only a few years, the capability of the Tian Yuan Realm will be far higher than that of the Blood Demon Sector.
"And then. The demons of the Blood Demon Sector will be fish on the chopping board. They can only count on the trustworthiness and mercy of human beings.
"But unfortunately, the history of the past five hundred years has taught you that human beings have never been a merciful species. In fact, we are not.
"Secondly, before the large-scale communication between the Tian Yuan Realm and the Blood Demon Sector begins and before the explosive technological breakthroughs take place, you will launch a strategic final battle immediately!
"Try to destroy the Flying Star Sector before the reinforcements of the Flying Star Sector arrive. Crush the Xing Yao Federation. At the very least, you will win a relatively favorable negotiation condition and maintain the balance of power between the two parties!
"Hehe. 'Jin Tuyi, the commander-in-chief of the Coalition Army of Demons'. They are the only two options you have. Which one will you choose? "
Li Yao was silent for a moment. Then he shook his head and said, "If we launch a strategic final battle now, the Blood Demon Sector will fail for sure."
"So what?"
Han Tuhu said coldly, "You're going to die anyway. You might as well wait for death. Instead of waiting for death, we might as well seize the last opportunity and make a great gamble!
"If I were the commander-in-chief of the Coalition Army of Demons, I would've gathered all the troops and planned the ultimate war against the Tian Yuan Realm without any hesitation the first second I learned of the existence of the Flying Star Sector!
"The rise and fall of the Blood Demon Sector will depend on this battle!"
Li Yao could not help but say, "However, under the threat of the Imperium of True Human Beings, it is impossible for us to waste our resources in a war of annihilation where both parties will suffer heavy losses! Even if we annihilate all the demons in the Blood Demon Sector in decades, so what? We will still be crushed into smithereens by the Imperium of True Human Beings! "
With a mysterious smile on his face, Han Tuhu said unhurriedly, "As the commander-in-chief of the Coalition Army of Demons, I highly suspect that the so-called 'Imperium of True Human Beings' is a lie. It is a strategic deception of the universal level!"
Li Yao was dazed for a moment. "What?"
Han Tuhu sneered. "Suppose I were Jin Tuyi, and I had received reliable news that a new world of human beings had been discovered in the Tian Yuan Realm, and the two worlds were preparing for a large-scale communication.
"The news was confirmed to be true time and time again. Also, my think tank had calculated that, once the large-scale communication between the two worlds of human beings began, the Tian Yuan Realm would likely develop a military and comprehensive national strength that was even higher than that of the Blood Demon Sector in five to ten years. As time went by, the gap would only grow larger and larger, and it would be impossible to catch up.
"My only choice was to launch the final war without caring about anything else!
"However, at this moment, I received another piece of intelligence. It was said that a powerful force named 'Imperium of True Human Beings' was marching toward the Heaven's Origin Sector and the Blood Demon Sector aggressively. In order to resist the force, I had to stop all the wars.
"However, the intelligence was not supported by any evidence except the empty promises of human beings.
"Let me ask you, should I believe the news?
"No. Absolutely not! I don't believe it at all!
"I highly suspect that it is a fake news that human beings threw out in order to delay our strategic war. Their purpose is to win a brief peace of five to ten years so that they can surpass us in terms of comprehensive capability during the time!
"In short, it is a stalling tactic!
"Therefore, our only choice is still to exploit the last drop of our strength and launch the final war that will destroy our country and our species, regardless of the cost!
"Either I destroy your country, or you destroy my species. There is no third choice. Peace? Dream on! "
Li Yao gnashed his teeth. "The existence of the Imperium of True Human Beings can be proved. In three to five years, their first minor apocalypse will arrive!"
"Yes, three to five years," Han Tuhu said. "The Blood Demon Sector cannot wait for three to five years. We can't even wait for three to five months. With every second that passes, the Tian Yuan Realm will be stronger, and the hope of victory will be slimmer!"
Li Yao opened his mouth, but there was nothing he could say.
Han Tuhu's judgment was too cruel. It was as impeccable as a well-functioning machine.
"The Dark Forest Theory?" Han Tuhu mumbled. "Whoever came up with the theory is not simple at all! Right now, the Tian Yuan Realm and the Blood Demon Sector are like two highly-strung desperadoes who are pointing poisoned daggers at each other's hearts in a dark forest. Far away, another desperadoes, the Flying Star Sector, are delivering powerful storm bolters to the Tian Yuan Realm.
"Do you think that the arrival of the Flying Star Sector will make the Blood Demon Sector retreat and choose peace?
"You're wrong. On the contrary, the arrival of the Flying Star Sector will only make the Blood Demon Sector take the risk and try their luck!
"Because in the Dark Forest, there is no way to prove whether or not the Tian Yuan Realm, equipped with storm bolters, will shoot the Blood Demon Sector after both parties put down their daggers and retreat ten meters!"
Li Yao slowly exhaled a breath of foul air.
It was not until this moment that he realized how insignificant his first step in the Dark Forest was and how simple he had thought human nature to be.
"What should I do?" he asked Han Tuhu sincerely.
"I suggest that you talk to Suo Chaolong and win him over," Han Tuhu said.
Li Yao was dazed. "Is it possible?"
"It is possible."
Han Tuhu said calmly, "Suo Chaolong and I are the same kind of people. We are real soldiers. Soldiers are the most realistic people in the world, because war is the coldest thing in the world.
"War does not believe in tears and slogans. War does not believe in heroic words and boiling blood. In a war, even the most tenacious will will be torn apart by roaring blades and burning bullets. The loudest slogans will be drowned in the rumbling cannons.
"If we want to win a war, we can only rely on head-on strength and calculations that are so precise that they are cruel!
"Therefore, compared to the politicians who are chanting slogans, the soldiers who have fought in the frontline have a clearer understanding of the competition between the two Sectors.
"It is especially so for a professional soldier such as Suo Chaolong, who was chased by three Crystal Suit Legions for thousands of kilometers.
"Suo Chaolong is definitely not an inflexible man, which can be seen from the fact that he set aside the racial barrier and cooperated with me on the island of the Nether World.
"Although we often have conflicts on the surface, we never cross the line tacitly. His seemingly reckless appearance is just a disguise. His heart is a hundred times calmer than he appears to be.
"Besides, his Blood Lion Battalion is a special case, too. They are different from the real silver-blood demons of the Blood Demon Sector."
Li Yao was slightly dazed. "What do you mean?"
"Don't you find it odd?" Han Tuhu said. "Suo Chaolong's troop is strong enough to compete with the most elite Crystal Suit Legions of the Federation. Why is it an awkward 'battalion'?"
Li Yao frowned. When he heard the name 'Blood Lion Battalion', he did feel that it was weird.
In the military system of the Blood Demon Sector, the largest independent combat unit of the Coalition Army of Demons was an 'army'. For a large-scale war, several armies could be combined into an 'army group'.
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