When the Black Flag Army reached Manchester, all that remained was a ghost city turned to ruin. Long before the Black Flag Legion arrived, Teng Shuo and Teng Kui, who were garrisoned there, had already led the remaining Manchester defenders in a retreat towards Wanluo.

While this turn of events was somewhat unexpected, it was still within the realm of possibility.

Indeed, the devastating rout and subsequent flight of the main Demon Luo Silver Peak army, deep in pursuit across the Byron Great Prairie, had already sent tremors of panic throughout the Thunder Flame Legion.

The news had also reached Manchester, and the stationed Teng Kui and Teng Shuo knew perfectly well that they stood no chance against the main force personally led by the Nine Luminaries Divine Truth.

Almost at the very moment Silver Rage Qu Lei was forced to flee into the Wanluo Mountain Range, Teng Shuo and Teng Kui received orders from Demon Luo Silver Peak to preserve their strength and withdraw to Wanluo.

Naturally, before departing, Teng Kui and Teng Shuo commanded that all strategic supplies within the city be transported out. Anything that could not be moved was simply put to the torch and burned to ashes!

It must be admitted, Demon Luo Silver Peak’s move was truly ruthless; even if Manchester fell into the hands of the Black Flag Legion, it would be nothing more than a ruined shell.

Although Manchester was finally captured, they gained absolutely nothing from it, which left Yin Shuang and the others feeling decidedly sour. Beside them, Yin Hu and Yin Tao were enraged, cursing loudly!

Before their eyes stretched a scene of desolation, punctuated occasionally by piles of smoldering ruins and broken eaves—an indescribable sense of barrenness and decay.

"........" I didn't know what to say either, instinctively glancing towards Ji Du and Yin Shuang.

"It’s quite an accomplishment to take Manchester," Ji Du quipped with a smile. "Did you expect Demon Luo Silver Peak to have wine and delicacies waiting for us?"

"Haha!" Ji Du’s jesting, however, significantly lifted the spirits of the group.

"Issue an order to the entire army: rest and reorganize on the spot," Yin Shuang continued. "Then, transmit the news of taking Manchester back to the Demon Dragon Empire."

"Yes!" The messenger accepted the order and departed.

Soon, the soldiers garrisoned in Manchester busied themselves with their respective tasks.

Though Manchester was currently reduced to rubble, its imposing, thick city walls still stood tall—and that was sufficient.

In the original plan, after capturing Manchester, the Black Flag Army intended to use it as a base from which to push further west across the Demon Sealing Continent.

Manchester’s unique geographical position and high walls made it a formidable fortress, difficult to breach regardless of who held it; this very point was what they valued most.

The previous siege operations had already cost the Black Flag Legion a significant portion of its strategic supplies, and personnel casualties had also been heavy. Although the morale of the entire army was high, they were forced to halt their advance westward and consolidate their position for rest and recovery.

Inside the makeshift command tent erected in the central plaza!

I maintained my usual demeanor, leaning back against the commander's chair, affecting a thoughtful seriousness!

By now, putting on a fierce or cool façade was second nature! The moment I leaned against the commander’s seat, my facial expression would instinctively stiffen.

What struck me as odd, however, was the indescribably peculiar way Ji Du and Yin Shuang, among others, looked at me!

I couldn't quite pinpoint what felt wrong, but I sensed the atmosphere was subtly different from before.

In addition to apprehension, there was a new layer of joy and relief—a feeling akin to the delight of recovering something long lost.

This left me slightly bewildered, and I instinctively turned to look at Ji Du.

Ji Du responded with that inscrutable, profound smile of his, which only made me more perplexed. Helplessly, I continued to stare upward with a set jaw, though my eyes kept flicking toward the others present.

Strange! Truly strange!

Yin Xi and Yin He, in contrast, were all beaming, looking like sly old foxes who had just feasted on a prize hen, their smiles deep and knowing.

As for Yin Shuang, she was radiant with vigor, exuding an air of composed magnanimity and strategic confidence. The overall impression was that the current Yin Shuang possessed far greater self-assurance than before.

But thinking about it, this crucial battle where they defeated Demon Luo Silver Peak was almost entirely orchestrated by Yin Shuang; she must have built up considerable confidence through this campaign.

Ji Du had informed me that during my period of unconsciousness, the entire Black Flag Legion managed to hold its ground largely thanks to Yin Shuang’s expert coordination.

While the concept of the ambush originated with Ji Du, the detailed execution was planned entirely by Yin Shuang.

It could be argued that Yin Shuang was the foremost contributor to the Black Flag Legion’s astonishing achievements today, which left me, the commander-in-chief, feeling somewhat uneasy.

Yet, it only strengthened my original insight!

Through this great battle, I clearly recognized that although Yin Shuang was merely a woman, she possessed exceptional military command talent.

Even a formidable commander like Demon Luo Silver Peak suffered a major setback by underestimating her, proving that in terms of marching and formation, Yin Shuang’s capabilities might not yield to Demon Luo Silver Peak’s!

It seemed my role was destined to be that of Xiao He, and Yin Shuang that of Han Xin. Thinking this, I felt a prickle of strangeness!

Perhaps seeing through my thoughts, that old fox Ji Du flashed that same inscrutable smile again, making my skin crawl.

The way he looked at both Yin Shuang and me was loaded with profound meaning! The atmosphere today felt profoundly off-kilter.

"Ahem!" A soft cough dragged my wandering mind back to reality. I looked up to see Yin Shuang's slightly dissatisfied gaze. This made me feel awkward; this was a strategic conference, and for the commander-in-chief to be daydreaming was highly inappropriate!

I quickly straightened my posture!

"Manchester has now been secured by our forces," Yin Shuang began, her expression grave, taking charge of the meeting. "According to the initial plan, the next target is Wanluo. Wanluo's defenses are no less formidable than Manchester's, and intelligence suggests that the Demon Sealing Empire's reinforcement army, dispatched from Demon Sealing City, is already en route to Wanluo. Clearly, the Demon Sealing Empire intends to make its final stand relying on Wanluo, making the assault on Wanluo significantly more difficult than taking Manchester."

"The troops sent to Manchester were the residual regular forces of the original Aotian Legion. It is worth noting that this contingent includes the Aotian Mage Legion, renowned for large-scale destructive magic. If they assist in defending Wanluo, the difficulty for our army will increase substantially!" Yin He added. "We can be certain that if we attack Wanluo, the ranged offensive power of this Mage Legion will be our greatest threat; even the Byron Chariots might not withstand it."

The Aotian Mage Legion!

I was startled. Yin He's words instantly recalled the breathtaking scenes of the Yuncheng battle: the soaring fire dragons, the sky engulfed in flames—those moments of earth-shattering, powerful magical explosions flashed vividly in my mind!

Yes, the terror of the Sky-Scorching Flame was something no one understood better than I!

I remembered how even the tall, thick walls of Yuncheng were nearly brought down by that spell. While the armor of the Byron Chariots was incredibly tough, they certainly couldn't survive a direct hit from the Aotian Mage Legion’s Sky-Scorching Flame!

Yin He’s concern was entirely justified!

And what I could never forget was the death of the previous generation's Fire Yao Jialie, and the sight of Da Lei being blown to ashes!

Every time these memories resurfaced, a sharp, piercing pain gripped my heart!

Although Demon Luo Aotian was dead, the Aotian Mage Legion remained intact. The score for Da Lei and Jialie’s revenge was only half-settled!

Ji Du beside me wore an equally grim expression.

It seemed it was time to settle the final account!

Perhaps sensing the intense killing intent radiating from me and Ji Du, Yin Shuang and the others looked somewhat surprised.

"The Aotian Mage Legion," I stated in a low voice, "will be dealt with by me."

"......." Yin Shuang, Yin He, and the others were greatly taken aback, not expecting me to break my long silence.

The Demon Dragon Empire! Inside the Imperial Palace!

Nine Luminaries Chongyang gripped the battle report, excitement surging: "A sweeping victory, another sweeping victory! This young man is too formidable."

"......" Luo Hou and Yue Yao were also overjoyed. Since Nine Luminaries Divine Truth set foot on the Demon Sealing Continent, good news had poured in incessantly, making them almost accustomed to it. Only recently, when Nine Luminaries Divine Truth was severely wounded and fell unconscious, had they felt a moment of true panic, especially after Yin Shuang’s almost reckless feigned defeat to lure the enemy—they had been genuinely terrified.

Now, hearing that the Black Flag Legion had finally succeeded in capturing Manchester, the tension in their chests finally eased.

"His Highness Divine Truth has completed the first phase of the operation; we cannot afford to lag behind," Shen Po stated seriously.

"Agreed." Nine Luminaries Chongyang forced himself to calm down. "What is the progress on forming the expeditionary force?"

"Thanks to the efforts of the Yun family, over 1.6 million people have been conscripted," Luo Hou reported solemnly. "I expect that once the news of the Black Flag Army taking Manchester spreads, even more people will volunteer. After all, His Highness Divine Truth is highly regarded in the Ranger World!"

"En." Nine Luminaries Chongyang was greatly satisfied. "Once the Wrathful Flood Dragon Corps opens the sea route, we will immediately deploy the expeditionary force to the Demon Sealing Continent. This time, we must make that damned shrew, Demon Luo Yinsha, utterly overwhelmed."

"......" Yue Yao and Luo Hou blinked in surprise, not expecting the sovereign to curse like that, but they could also sense the immense relief surging through Nine Luminaries Chongyang.

Only Shen Po seemed unfazed. "I believe Demon Luo Yinsha must be driven mad with anger right now, all because she thought she was clever by kidnapping Princess Shenyin."

Shen Po was truly insightful! Demon Luo Yinsha was indeed beside herself with rage!

Crash! The battle report was crumpled into a ball and thrown violently onto the floor! The serving maids nearby were so terrified they dared not even breathe loudly.

The other ministers in the great hall turned pale with fear! Demon Luo Yinsha was famously mercurial; no one knew what the Empress might do in a fit of rage, especially when the matter concerned Nine Luminaries Divine Truth.

Yes, ever since Nine Luminaries Divine Truth appeared on the Demon Sealing Continent, Demon Luo Yinsha had not known a moment's peace: the rampage of the Blood Wolf Corps, the defeat of the Aotian Corps, followed by the formation of the Black Flag Army, and now, even Manchester had fallen to him—and it was taken from Demon Luo Silver Peak, hailed as the continent's most exceptional commander. Capturing Manchester, praised as the First Fortress of Demon Sealing, was an unprecedented blow to the Demon Sealing Empire!

For a long time, Demon Luo Silver Peak had been viewed as the standard-bearer of the Demon Sealing military—invincible, taking everything he attacked.

But now even he had been defeated by the Black Flag Army! This demonstrated the terrifying combat power of the Black Flag Legion!

All this had transpired in less than four months.

It was a horrifying nightmare! How could Demon Luo Yinsha not be enraged and panicked?

Manchester was breached; next was Wanluo. If even Wanluo fell, with the flat plains stretching out beyond it, what remained to stop the mighty Black Flag Army?

"The Black Flag Army," Demon Luo Yinsha ground out through clenched teeth. "You people, tell me now, how do we defeat the Black Flag Army?"

"..........." Yin Cha, Tie Feng, and the others were all struck with terror!

Everyone present understood that if even Demon Luo Silver Peak could not win, their own chances were slim. The only viable action now was silence—at least until Demon Luo Yinsha cooled down, lest they accidentally provoke her fury and find themselves dead without knowing why.

"Yin Cha, what progress has the Strategy Department made in its research?" Demon Luo Yinsha’s somber gaze, like that of a hungry beast, was fixed intensely upon Yin Cha.

"........." Bright beads of crystal-clear sweat broke out on Yin Cha's forehead as he inwardly lamented.

Yin Cha knew perfectly well that a single misstep in his response could cost him his head. He, the leader of the Dove Faction and Chief Minister of Strategy, appeared immensely powerful, but who could comprehend the peril involved?

Yin Cha could no longer recall how many times he had felt this imminent threat of decapitation. He had to admit that human adaptability was terrifying; thankfully, his head remained firmly attached to his neck to this day, which afforded him a modicum of relief.

Perhaps only an old fox like Yin Cha and a simple brute like Tie Feng could maintain a façade of calm before the enraged Demon Luo Yinsha—at least on the surface.

"After thorough research, this minister suggests the best current course of action is to conscript the main forces of the Iron-Blood and Fiery Serpent Legions, send them to reinforce Wanluo, and combine with the remnants of the Thunder Flame Legion to jointly resist the Black Flag Army," Yin Cha continued, gathering his thoughts. "The best way to deal with the Black Flag Army is scorched earth and firm defense. By relying on Wanluo's ramparts and refusing to sortie, even the powerful Black Flag Army will find it impossible to storm Wanluo head-on. Once the Black Flag Army's momentum is spent, that will be the moment to annihilate them completely."

"But if we do that, won't the southern coast and the garrisons stationed at other fortresses in the Wanluo Mountain Range be left empty, allowing the Black Flag Army's Blood Wolf Corps and Wrathful Flood Dragon Corps to exploit the gap?" Demon Luo Yinsha immediately spotted the flaw in the strategy.

"The main heavy assault commanders in the Blood Wolf Corps and the Wrathful Flood Dragon Corps number only six; their offensive power is not the main concern. The truly formidable force is the Byron Corps, personally overseen by Nine Luminaries Divine Truth. If we can defeat this contingent, the other two routes will not pose a significant threat," Yin Cha explained. "Of course, to prevent being flanked by the Blood Wolf Corps and the Wrathful Flood Dragon Corps, we must retain an equal number of heavy assault commanders and regular troops, which should be sufficient to handle their attacks."

In essence, the strategic plan devised by the Strategy Department was simply to concentrate superior force and decisively crush the Black Flag Army.

Though straightforward, it was undeniably direct and effective.

In fact, had the Demon Sealing forces been able to gather sufficient heavy assault commanders and regular troops to defend Manchester earlier, the Black Flag Army would never have breached it!

But initially, no one anticipated that the newly formed Black Flag Army would be so terrifyingly powerful, leading to the defeat of even Demon Luo Silver Peak and the Thunder Flame Legion!

Now that Manchester had fallen, and the Thunder Flame Legion was nearly wiped out, everyone finally gained a proper respect for the Black Flag Army's might.

Now, when Yin Cha proposed this strategy, no one found anything unreasonable about it. The other ministers present nodded in agreement!

"Your Majesty," Tie Feng stated solemnly. "This subordinate believes this is the safest method."

Demon Luo Yinsha was pragmatic enough not to interfere with military strategy, and she held a degree of confidence in the abilities of her own Strategy Department.

Seeing that Yin Cha and the others had finally produced a viable plan, she felt a measure of relief. With the stalwart support of the Fiery Serpent and Iron-Blood Legions, surely Demon Luo Silver Peak could defeat the Black Flag Army!

Demon Luo Silver Peak, I have done everything I can; the rest depends on you. Please, do not disappoint me again.