Arriving home late that evening, I saw many comments saying the last chapter was too short. Old Gu felt helpless. If you pulled three consecutive all-nighters, and then someone asked you to solve a tedious math problem, I guarantee it would feel harder than a full day on a construction site. Yesterday, I didn't want to type a single word. I used my mealtime just to sleep, catching a meager two hours before being dragged up by the person who asked me to write. You have no idea how agonizing that felt.

Within the Silver Soul Clan, their number is fixed at exactly one thousand. Always one thousand—not one more, not one less. If someone dies, a new life is instantly born! Conversely, if no one dies, new life is never spawned!

This race differs from other civilized species. Standard civilizations propagate through birth; these beings emerge directly from the Silver Soul Pool, blessed and empowered by the gods.

As Ye Chen marveled inwardly, the Silver-Eyed God of War withdrew his gaze from him, a flicker of deep concern surfacing in his mind. He immediately turned to the God's Left Hand standing behind Ye Chen and asked, "Brother Left Hand, we've known each other for so many years. I heard you plan to ally with the Blue Mountain Guild?"

The God's Left Hand remained expressionless. After a long pause, he spoke in a low voice, "From this day forward, the God's Left Hand no longer exists. I have pledged my allegiance to this man." He glanced briefly at Ye Chen's back, his eyes flickering for a moment before settling back into calm. He appeared utterly indifferent to the surrounding whispers, the praise, the insults, the scorn, and the dubious looks, as if immune to everything.

The Silver-Eyed God of War started slightly, then felt a jolt of alarm. He looked at Ye Chen, scrutinizing him from head to toe, but he dared not deploy his bloodline talent, the 'Silver Soul Eye,' for fear of suffering another loss.

His gaze gradually hardened. From Ye Chen, he perceived a black energy, incredibly dense, like ink that refused to dissolve. Those who hadn't awakened their energy couldn't possibly discern this profound aura. This observation confirmed that Ye Chen was a Level Hundred powerhouse, and someone capable of commanding the allegiance of the God's Left Hand could not be ordinary.

"It seems the news was true. The God's Left Hand was indeed defeated and has submitted to someone else," the Silver-Eyed God of War mused internally. "This fellow doesn't appear weak. My bloodline talent might be of little use against him. If we truly fought, a draw would be the best outcome."

His Silver Soul Eye bloodline talent possessed several abilities, increasing in number as his strength grew. Currently, he could see a person's soul, and he could also conjure illusions to confuse the opponent's mind for a decisive strike.

After a moment of thought, the Silver-Eyed God of War resolved his mind. He looked up at Ye Chen and Tosvacin, smiling faintly, "Since Brother Left Hand is so determined, I won't press the matter. Brother Tosvacin, I’ll have to rely on you more in the future. We shall conquer this land together and save humanity!"

Tosvacin smiled broadly. "Of course, of course. Humanity's future is for us to forge."

The Silver-Eyed God of War smiled faintly, casting a meaningful glance at Ye Chen beside him. "May I ask who this gentleman is?"

Tosvacin quickly made the introduction. "This is the true leader of our Blue Mountain Guild, named Ye Chen." He was adept at reading the room, knowing exactly when and how to speak.

The Silver-Eyed God of War nodded slightly, then raised his hand towards Ye Chen with a friendly smile. "Greetings. If I am not mistaken, you are from China?"

Ye Chen nodded slightly. He had a decent impression of this Silver-Eyed God of War; in his past life, this man was known as a good person. Although he might resort to unscrupulous means for fame and fortune, his heart always held the well-being of all humanity.

The Silver-Eyed God of War smiled. "China and our Russia have long been allies. I never expected that after the apocalypse, we would have the chance to cooperate and exchange ideas. It truly is fate. You must all be tired of standing; why don't we retreat to my place for a proper chat?"

Ye Chen waved his hand. "We'll speak next time. Going forward, the Blue Mountain Guild will need your protection within the Base City. As long as you cooperate, I can guarantee that the Blue Mountain Guild will never attempt to seize your Base City. Even if we ultimately unify all of Russia, we will not touch an inch of land in the Polish Base City!"

The smile on the Silver-Eyed God of War's face stiffened, then returned, even wider. At his level, one could often guess the other's true intentions, but social etiquette demanded they not point them out directly. He hadn't expected Ye Chen to be so direct, laying everything out on the table. While it initially sounded like a lack of worldly wisdom, upon deeper reflection, it revealed true enlightenment—the wisdom of a great sage!

Why had he come here?

Was it not to prevent the alliance between the God's Left Hand and the Blue Mountain Guild? If that union occurred, his status in the Polish Base City would be affected, as the merged Blue Mountain Guild, with the God's Left Hand integrated, would possess power rivaling the Base City military!

Ye Chen and Tosvacin were no fools; they understood this perfectly. If they engaged in polite niceties and veiled suggestions, wariness and a rift would remain between them.

But now, with Ye Chen stating things plainly, with tens of thousands of people present as witnesses, it would be difficult for the Blue Mountain Guild to tamper with the Base City later—at least, not openly, or they would face universal condemnation!

Human speech is sharp... Words cost nothing to utter, yet they can kill without drawing blood. They are the sharpest weapon. Even if the Blue Mountain Guild reneged on the promise later, no one would dare openly object. However, the underlying influence would shift. The dynamics were incredibly complex, understood only by authoritative figures like the Silver-Eyed God of War and Tosvacin.

"Since you put it that way, I feel reassured," the Silver-Eyed God of War chuckled. Since Ye Chen had been so open, there was no reason for him to hide anything further. Continuing the charade of ignorance would just make him look like a fool.

Standing behind the Silver-Eyed God of War, the White-Haired Demoness, Dalki, and the Asura Battle-Axe, Rufus, both turned to look at Ye Chen, assessing the black-clad man from China with furrowed brows. While they knew their Guild Leader wouldn't be so deferential to a weakling, they still found it hard to believe this man possessed the strength to make their leader wary.

"Since there is nothing else, we shall take our leave now," the Silver-Eyed God of War said with a slight smile, nodding to Tosvacin before turning and departing with his entourage.

The large group left in a grand procession.

News of this event would quickly spread. Many smaller guilds would disseminate it frantically, ensuring that within a few days, the information reached other Base Cities.

"Let's go," Ye Chen said, seeing that nothing else was required. He turned to leave. His spiritual energy had been heavily depleted from the preceding battle, leaving him mentally fatigued.

Tosvacin nodded in agreement, then instructed Philan, Misor, and others to issue deployment orders before following behind Ye Chen, walking shoulder-to-shoulder with the God's Left Hand. Behind the two leaders walked the Ute brothers, followed by Bai Long and his contingent.

Trailing behind Bai Long's group were the numerous Level Hundred experts from the God's Left Hand Guild, followed by their army of over a hundred thousand soldiers. It was a formidable spectacle. Countless onlookers parted to clear the main thoroughfare, watching the procession depart.

This day was destined to become the most sensational in Russian history!

Later historical records, chronicled in the Dark Ages Calendar, noted: On the [Month] day of the Dark Ages Calendar, the first battle occurred after the God of Slaughter entered Russia. This single engagement altered the entire future geopolitical landscape of Russia, becoming known as the Historic Battle, toppling the most powerful Base City in the Polish region—a feat fittingly dubbed "The God of Slaughter's Triumph!"

Back at the Blue Mountain Guild headquarters, Ye Chen was in high spirits. Not only had he acquired the high-potential Blue Mountain Guild, but he had also successfully absorbed the God's Left Hand Guild. The combined strength of the two guilds would advance their power exponentially. With a few more minor ruins exploited, they could rapidly develop within months to become the paramount force surpassing the Polish Base City!

As the saying goes, the first million is the hardest to earn; the rest comes easier. Once you clear that initial hurdle, the later stages allow you to leap far ahead.

Although the assimilation of the God's Left Hand Guild involved Ye Chen ruthlessly slaughtering the Undying Swordsman and tens of thousands of soldiers, such sacrifices were necessary for the greater objective. Otherwise, mere persuasive words would never have compelled a major Guild Leader to willingly submit.

If he hadn't intervened for the Blue Mountain Guild this time, history would have drastically diverged from its past iteration, leading to an unpredictable future. After all, the Fire Civilization, which the Blue Mountain Guild was supposed to obtain at great cost, now rested in Ye Chen's hands. This alteration of history would trigger a chain of butterfly effects. Perhaps the Blue Mountain Guild would have been annihilated, the Polish Base City subjugated by the God's Left Hand, and eventually, all of Russia unified under that banner.

Seated on the main dais in the headquarters hall, Ye Chen addressed Tosvacin. "From now on, you and Left Hand will manage the lower-ranking members. Merging two guilds will inevitably cause friction. Pay close attention to their psychological shifts and arrange matters accordingly."

Tosvacin nodded slightly, already grasping Ye Chen's concerns. The integration of two large groups meant older members might feel a sense of entitlement, becoming condescending or dismissive toward the newcomers—a mindset detrimental to future teamwork.

Small details could breed catastrophe. Truly successful individuals paid attention to minutiae while remaining unburdened by trivialities.

Standing beside Ye Chen, the God's Left Hand remained impassive. He told Tosvacin, "For this matter, consult with Dalki, Red Fairy, or Rufus. Their prestige within the guild is nearly equal to mine. From now on, unless it involves fighting the enemy, do not summon me." With that, he turned and walked away, paying no heed to anyone in the hall.

Ye Chen watched his retreating back but said nothing.

Tosvacin sighed with a wry smile and nodded resignedly. "Then I'll get to work."

Just then...

"Report!" A call echoed from a distance, and a messenger rushed into the hall, passing right by the God's Left Hand. The latter paused slightly, turning his head to look at the youth delivering the message.

"What is it?" Tosvacin frowned, recognizing the urgency in the young man's hurried cry that something was amiss.

"A massive army of monsters is attacking the city! The Base Commander has summoned all guilds to report. He said this siege will be designated S-Class, and every guild is obligated to participate!" the messenger stammered out.

"S-Class Monster Siege?" Tosvacin exclaimed in shock. Everyone else in the hall looked stunned, even the God's Left Hand, whose expression grew serious.

Siege warfare was tiered: D, C, B, A, and S. S-Class was the most severe!

Ye Chen had vaguely heard about the tiered monster sieges in Russia. He immediately descended from the main dais with a stern expression. "We move out now!"

His gravity stemmed not from the difficulty of the siege itself, but from the knowledge that war meant bloodshed... human blood! (To be continued)~~~~