I could only manage a brief word of caution to Elina before following the Dragon Girl into the palace. I didn't know when it happened, but dozens of people had gathered in the main hall, mostly elders, with a few young officers among them. Yet, everyone looked dispirited. Thankfully, several blood-soaked generals soon entered; though clearly exhausted, they carried a much better aura than those present moments before.

Long Xi sat high on the throne, the Dragon Girl positioned just below him, and I stood behind her. She quietly translated the court proceedings for me.

Long Xi declared, "Although the rebels have seized our outer city, they will not advance another step. Everyone performed bravely today, and rewards will be distributed according to merit soon enough."

At this, an elder spoke up, "Your Majesty, though we have temporarily halted the rebel advance, everyone has seen the million-strong rebel force outside the city. We implore Your Majesty to decide quickly on a strategy to repel them."

Long Xi looked decidedly displeased. If he possessed a viable strategy, he wouldn't have called this assembly for discussion. These old men talked eloquently on normal days, but when real action was required, they offered no help whatsoever.

"Let everyone offer their opinions first," Long Xi stated. "We do not know when the rebels will launch their next assault; time is short. I hope to hear a flawless plan for driving them back."

A heavy silence fell over the hall; no one spoke. Long Xi's gaze shifted toward our position. I lowered my head. I had no strategy for repelling the enemy; I advocated only for the evacuation of Dragon Mountain City. Only by preserving the spark of resistance could we survive. To fight to the bitter end, I feared, would bring disaster—a truth history had long proven.

Long Xi sighed deeply. "Is there truly no one who can assist Tai Hao in driving out the enemy?"

Hearing this, a thought sparked in my mind, and I discreetly asked the Dragon Girl, "Is there anyone named Zhu Rong among them?"

The Dragon Girl shook her head. "I know the names of every general in Tai Hao's service; I have never heard of the surname Zhu Rong."

I had been hoping for a miracle. If this person existed in myth and legend, there must be a prototype, and this individual must be the key to defeating Kang Hui. To find no such person suggested that perhaps even legends could significantly deviate from reality.

I prompted the Dragon Girl, "Think carefully. Is he someone from another clan? Or perhaps among the rebels? He is crucial; the hope of defeating Kang Hui rests entirely on him."

My words immediately made the Dragon Girl take the matter seriously. She rose and spoke a few sentences to her brother. At that moment, the assembled court began focusing their attention on me. Since Long Xi had not yet introduced me, many pointed and whispered. However, the generals who had participated in the recent siege battle looked upon me with deep reverence; having witnessed my combat prowess firsthand, they were clearly awed by my strength.

After listening to his sister, Long Xi summoned a man. This individual held a device resembling a mobile phone. I jumped when I saw him consulting it for information—a handheld computer from six thousand years ago! It was truly a super-civilization of the prehistoric age!

After searching for a while, the man shook his head and retreated. The Dragon Girl turned back to me, disappointment evident. "I apologize, Emissary Long. Tai Hao truly has no such person, unless he is a clone or an orc."

"Forget it," I replied. "Even if this person exists, his current obscurity suggests that defeating Kang Hui through sheer individual effort is almost wishful thinking. Let's discuss something practical."

The Dragon Girl looked thoughtful. "Emissary Long, are you certain this Zhu Rong can defeat Kang Hui? Is his power even greater than your own?"

"I don't know how powerful he is," I admitted. "I only learned from the prophecies in our homeland that a man named Kang Hui would cause chaos, and then a man named Zhu Rong would appear and defeat him. The result was that Kang Hui's defeat brought immense calamity, triggering the Great Flood that destroyed nearly nine-tenths of humanity."

The Dragon Girl was astonished. "Truly? So your homeland also has seers? How could the ending be such a catastrophe? Destroying nine-tenths of humanity—doesn't that mean extinction?"

I shook my head, closed my eyes, and considered this chaotic era: monstrous beasts running rampant, clones being mass-produced for use. Perhaps Kang Hui destroying humanity in this age of chaos was a necessary evil, which allowed for the later emergence of the 'perfect human world.' Of course, this perfection was relative; perhaps the beast races considered us the usurpers of their world.

My conversation with the Dragon Girl in our strange language had raised questions among several high officials. They incessantly queried Long Xi. Then, Long Xi left his throne, approached his sister, and solemnly took my hand. He spoke several sentences to the assembly in a loud voice, causing their expressions to shift to great surprise.

Instead of translating, the Dragon Girl began speaking along with her brother. She said a great deal, and I guessed she was recounting my 'glorious achievements.' Seeing the skeptical looks on the faces of the elders, they were likely treating it as a story.

At this point, one of the bloodied generals who had fought in the siege stepped forward from the ranks. After saluting me, he began speaking to the assembly. Only after hearing his account did the old men finally examine me closely. It seemed the general was vividly describing the scene of me aiding them in repelling the enemy earlier.

Only then did everyone seem to accept the Dragon Girl's words. They began bowing and greeting me. Since I understood none of it, I could only wait for the Dragon Girl's translation.

The Dragon Girl translated, "They believe you are the Holy Dragon Emissary from the Thormas Prophecy. Everyone begs the Emissary to help us repel the enemy and defeat the rebels."

Why was this being dumped on me again? If I had a plan, why would I hide it until now? No, they absolutely had to evacuate Dragon Mountain City. Even if the rebels didn't attack immediately, they would certainly resume assaults by tomorrow. At that point, I feared I couldn't maintain the defense alone.

"Dragon Girl," I instructed, "tell them that Dragon Mountain City is indefensible. A few walls cannot withstand a siege by millions. Even if they don't attack immediately, starvation will take us within months. Withdrawing from Dragon Mountain City doesn't signify defeat; it merely means the battle is beginning. Do you remember the fighting method I mentioned earlier? Now, the enemy is strong and we are weak. We must avoid their sharp edge and wage guerrilla warfare—a war of attrition—dragging the rebels into the vast ocean of popular resistance. Furthermore, we have already gathered many willing resistors along the routes; they are a force not to be ignored."

The Dragon Girl translated my exact words to Long Xi. He became furious; it was clear he could not accept my strategy. He spoke sternly to me, and the Dragon Girl relayed his message: "My brother asks, if we follow this method, how many years will it take before the rebellion is quelled and our territory recovered?"

I felt Long Xi needed a lesson on Protracted War. With his current meager military strength, talking about quelling a rebellion was laughable; surviving would be an achievement. If they didn't conceal themselves quickly to preserve and develop their power, the Dragon lineage might face extinction!

Suddenly, several ministers, their faces smoothly powdered and oiled, stepped forward and bowed. "Your Majesty, we agree with the Emissary's counsel. Please decide quickly to evacuate Dragon Mountain City so we can accumulate strength again to contend with Kang Hui’s rebels."

Long Xi slammed his palm down, shattering the table. "Anyone who dares mention retreat again will be executed without mercy! My descendants of the Long family have never bowed to an enemy! The noble blood of my ancestors flows in my veins; I, Long Xi, cannot disgrace my forefathers! I cannot let my ancestors mock me as a shameless coward! I will live and die with Dragon Mountain City! We will meet every obstacle head-on! I, Long Xi, am willing to spill the last drop of my blood for the dignity of the Dragon race!"

Seeing our silence, Long Xi slowly calmed himself. "You all must think me obstinate for endangering the lives of tens of thousands of citizens defending the city. But have you considered that in the current complex state of the Earth, our chances of survival outside Dragon Mountain City are even lower? Intelligence suggests that our other major metropolitan areas have already fallen to the rebels. If we abandon Dragon Mountain, we will become homeless dogs. Are you willing to do that? We have sterile adjustment chambers here—do you have them outside? Are you willing to go out and suffer the torment of sickness? Whoever wishes to leave, I will not stop them, but do you have the confidence to carve a path out of the encirclement of a million soldiers? Anyone thinking of treason should first consider what material they are made of; Kang Hui will not tolerate useless dregs near him. I have said all I need to say. Everyone return and prepare for battle. I fear the night will not be peaceful, so please strengthen patrols and vigilance. I, Long Xi, on behalf of the Long family, thank you all!"

The Dragon Head was in a foul mood. He retreated to his private chambers after speaking, leaving the assembly buzzing with discussion. Those battle-hardened generals approached me, their words filled with immense admiration. They hoped I would stay to bolster morale. The garrison now viewed me as a beacon; this filled me with a sense of gratification.

I addressed the group: "You are all the brave generals of Tai Hao. I witnessed your ferocious fighting earlier. You were the ones who truly drove back the rebels. The battles ahead will be even tougher; I hope we can cooperate fully to defend Dragon Mountain City!"

The men cheered loudly, startling the finely dressed men nearby, who glanced at us and quickly retreated. At this moment, even if the Supreme Elder descended from heaven, these individuals might not notice. In a time of life and death, humanity's inherent selfishness is laid bare.

Finally, everyone dispersed, leaving only the Dragon Girl and me in the hall. We gazed at each other in silence for a moment, finally sharing a bitter smile. I said, "Go back and check on your brother. Don't let him brood. If we aren't retreating, we aren't retreating; at worst, it's death."

The Dragon Girl slowly nestled into my embrace. Her body carried a beautiful fragrance, and even through the protective suit, it was deeply moving. "Emissary Long, you cannot die. None of us will die. You still have to take me back to see your homeland."

I reassured her, "Don't worry. In critical moments, I know what I must do. As long as I am here, you and Elina will be completely safe."

After the meal, the sky was completely dark. I took the Dragon Girl and Elina to patrol the city walls. Because the outer city's nuclear reactor had been captured, the inner city had lost power; only torches provided illumination. The half-circle of Dragon Mountain's walls stood like a giant dragon, defiantly facing the million-strong army outside.

After the inspection, the three of us sat atop a section of the wall, looking worriedly toward the brightly lit area beyond the defenses. Suddenly, a commotion erupted among the guards, and a general soon arrived with a report. At that moment, we too looked up and saw the scene unfolding in the night sky.

A swarm of flying saucers! The rebels had gathered their remaining craft to attack the inner city!