As the battle concluded, the cleanup began. The monster horde that had descended upon the city from the outside numbered nearly half a million, initially attacking from all directions before concentrating their breakthrough efforts on the eastern front. However, Ye Chen surged out and annihilated them, with only a small, terrified fraction managing to flee, never daring to re-enter this restricted zone.

Across the vast battlefield, at least four hundred thousand corpses lay strewn about.

Blood dyed the sky crimson, the clouds thick and inky black. As the war ended, the impending heavy rain subsided, the weather softening as if an unseen wind had swept away the dense cumulonimbus.

A pale, golden light filtered down from the edge of the clouds, bathing the mountain of corpses on the battlefield and bringing an immense sense of comfort to the strong men hauling the remains of the monsters, silhouetted against the setting sun.

Ye Chen stood atop the city wall, his body trembling almost imperceptibly. An overwhelming fatigue washed over him like water, his face utterly grim, though thankfully concealed by his mask.

Who could discern the weakness hidden beneath that cold facade?

And who could notice the slight quiver of his frame?

He longed to collapse instantly and sink into an unending slumber, yet he dared not reveal any softness. He knew a pack of wolves, hungry and fierce, watched from a distance. The moment he displayed any weakness, they would instantly be drawn by the corpses and rush forward to seize the spoils, regardless of the cost.

The intensity of the war having passed, everyone gradually regained their composure and calmed down.

The people of the Huaxia Base City, having moved past their initial euphoria, felt a pang of covetousness upon seeing the countless monster corpses being transported into the city on the screens. Such an abundance of bodies—if fully utilized, what an immense treasure that would represent?

However, when they looked up at the towering figure on the city wall, all such thoughts vanished.

There were certain individuals who, simply by standing there, commanded profound respect and wariness from others, even without lifting a finger to harm anyone. Ye Chen was one such person.

Therefore, no one dared to organize a team to try and seize anything. After all, the Guangming Base City still possessed twenty thousand Black Armored Battalion warriors, and the journey from here to Shennongjia would take at least a full day. Unless an elite squad could charge straight through, they would have to fight monsters all the way.

When the Guangming Base City faced its most perilous situation, recalling the arduous journey ahead, people could only sigh in silent prayer, offering blessings for their fellow humans—which was, in essence, a prayer for their own safety.

All beings are like ants; ants are social creatures that struggle to survive alone. Are humans any different?

Witnessing so many monster corpses being dragged away now felt like a physical bleeding in their hearts. Envy, jealousy, and hatred fueled their minds, working faster than ever, wishing desperately for a sudden enlightenment—a time tunnel—to transport them instantly to the Guangming Base City.

It was clear: when pitted against each other, the pull of self-interest ultimately outweighed sentiment.

Guangming Base City.

Everyone shouted as they hauled the monster corpses into the city. Due to its recent founding, the base city was relatively small, capable of housing a maximum of five hundred thousand people. The original plan was to expand the area after successfully defending the city. Building the walls, after all, would only take a few days for the hundreds of thousands of construction workers.

As the corpses of the Demon Birds and other monsters were brought in, many pre-existing structures were torn down simply to save space. Considerable effort had been expended in their construction, yet as they were dismantled now, no one felt any regret; on the contrary, they were quite pleased.

With vast areas cleared by the demolition, more room was available to stack the monster bodies. The supervisory roles for this massive transportation effort fell to Xu Tianguo and Huang Tianci, along with the numerous elders and hall masters below. Though everyone bore wounds, their eyes shone with the feverish excitement of those ready to fight for three more days and nights.

Ye Chen knew that the residual blood and scent of the Purple Scaled Flood Dragon lingered here. Intelligent monsters could detect the danger emanating from it and would not dare approach easily in the short term. As for the unintelligent ones, their incursion posed no threat; lacking sentience, their strength was too meager—they were simply offerings.

Thus, seeing that there were no immediate crises, Ye Chen turned and walked toward the interior of the city. He avoided looking at others and spoke no word, fearing that opening his mouth would cause his entire effort to deflate, making him collapse.

Ye Zhu, Bai Long, and the others glanced at him with slight confusion, only to quickly notice that his gait was different from usual. Only those who had spent significant time with him and cared for him would notice such a subtle detail.

They discerned that something was amiss, yet none questioned him. Exchanging a knowing look, they followed silently behind Ye Chen, maintaining a respectful distance—close enough, however, to catch him should he suddenly fall.

The troop of heroes entered the city. Everyone involved in moving the monster corpses paused, their expressions shifting to awe and profound reverence. Many children, women, and elderly people emerged from nearby structures, lining both sides of the thoroughfare, applauding and shouting "Guild Leader!" If only they had delicate fresh flowers, the entire city would surely be a tapestry of blooms.

Ye Chen led the way, with Bai Long and the others behind him. Further back followed the wounded elders, supported by attendants. Seeing the weak, those incapable of fighting monsters lining the path, and observing the genuine gratitude, reverence, and adoration in their eyes, the heroes felt every one of their aches transform into glory!

Thus, despite the inner agony screaming for reprieve, they outwardly maintained smiles that looked foolishly joyful. Some even waved to the people, who were currently so endearing.

Ye Chen walked on silently, wishing only to quicken his pace, wishing the hidden surveillance cameras would vanish. He did not want to, nor could he afford to, display his frailty, for that would invite mortal danger!

Though he walked quietly, the gazes fixed upon him from the sides were nearly absolute, their fervor beyond description. Suddenly, a girl of sixteen or seventeen, summoning all her courage, rushed out from the crowd. She clutched a handful of wild grass, plucked from an unknown source, and approached Ye Chen. Tears streamed down her lovely face, her voice choked with a hint of timidity: "L-Leader, thank you!" Saying this, she presented the only treasure she could offer: the wild grass.

It was a pitiful gesture, yet no one laughed.

Ye Chen paused slightly, tilting his head as if to look at her. He extended a hand stained with gore—blood not his own, but clinging stubbornly to his grip. He took the bundle of grass, and his habitually indifferent voice emerged low from beneath the mask: "It is nothing."

Then, he brushed past her. It seemed he had brushed past countless women in his life, so he never thought to ask the girl her name.

The girl turned, her eyes bright with joy, looking at the figure entirely saturated with blood, a man who seemed to have stepped out of a pool of gore, walking down the street as if traversing his own isolated world, with no one ahead of him.

Her tears flowed freely, and she whispered with a trembling voice, "Without you, my mother would have died. Now, at least, we have a place to shelter..."

Moments later, she watched the figures following the man walk past. Among them was a rather handsome man, covered head to toe in blood, his expression intensely pale. He seemed to smile at her, making her wonder if it was a trick of the light. When she looked again, he had already moved on, following the lead man, continuing their procession onward...

The cheers and adoration floated into Ye Chen’s ears, yet they felt external, as if belonging to someone else. He seemed to have no need for such things; at that moment, all he desired was a vast, satisfying sleep and a full meal—that would be the greatest contentment!

As the head of a guild, he could certainly secure lodging. So, ignoring everyone, he lay down and instantly fell into a sleep that was deep, heavy, and absolute, as if shedding every ounce of fatigue. He slept soundly because he knew several people were guarding the outside, including the sister he trusted most.

And so, he slept in profound peace.

Until...

"Lazybones, wake up." A familiar, melodious voice called to him precisely one moment before he would have naturally roused, laced with playfulness and tenderness.

Ye Chen felt an instant reversal of time, transported back to the happy days of his studies. He didn't open his eyes, merely curving his lips into a slight smile, paying no heed. Soon, a small hand reached over and pinched his nose, accompanied by a sly, mischievous giggle. He responded with even greater cunning, opening his mouth to gasp for air.

The small hand quickly retracted, followed by a delicate huff. She said, "Hurry up, or there will be no food." Her threat was empty; she had already brought the meal and set it right before Ye Chen. He had long since caught the delicate fragrance emanating from the food, but he waited until her words were finished before lazily stretching, sitting up leisurely. When he opened his eyes, a delicate, lovely face appeared before him, her eyes alight with a cunning smile.

Ye Chen glanced at the light outside and smiled faintly: "It seems I slept quite soundly."

Ye Zhu giggled playfully, her smile blossoming like a flower: "Considering how hard you worked, I generously forgive you. It’s only been two days. I stopped disturbing you when I noticed your snoring fading. You must be hungry now. Hurry and eat, I made it myself! You aren't allowed to leave any scraps!"

Ye Chen responded with a mock salute: "Yes! I shall obey the sacred command!"

Ye Zhu burst into laughter, her smile radiant as blossoms. "Eat quickly! Xu Tianguo is waiting for you to decide how to process those monster corpses. I didn't dare interrupt you the last two days while you slept."

If Bai Long and the others had seen Ye Chen in this state, their jaws would surely have dropped. Where was the aloof demeanor Ye Chen usually maintained? It seemed this man only allowed himself a trace of a smile in her presence.

Ye Chen removed his cold mask and swiftly devoured two portions, using his hands directly—such an unnecessary item as chopsticks was clearly beneath him.

After finishing, he re-donned the mask and left the dwelling with Ye Zhu, heading toward the main hall at the city center. Along the way, everyone who saw Ye Chen stepped aside, their faces etched with reverence.

It wasn't fear, but absolute respect!

...

Swish, asking for monthly tickets, recommendation tickets, and clicks. Brothers who have none can offer yourselves in marriage!