Douluo 2: This Dragon God has too much martial virtue

Chapter 550 You have such a fast-paced commander entering the front lines...

After all, this land has been rife with authoritarian worship since ancient times, and the people have always been very tolerant of their rulers. Martyrdom is the only dignified way for a fool to end his ordeal, almost erasing all his stupid actions and proving that he is just stupid, not both stupid and evil.

To put it simply, there's nothing that can be done about you being an idiot, but at least you still have a chance to prove you're not a coward.

As the youngest marshal in the history of the Sun Moon Empire, Ju Zi clearly understood this principle, so she was determined to keep Dai Hao alive no matter what. If Dai Hao died, he would become a hero of the Star Luo Empire, even though he was also...

But as long as he lives, Orange believes he will always find a way to break this myth of war.

Inside the Sun Moon Empire's military camp, Orange's voice echoed clearly across the makeshift open-air execution ground. The young marshal, holding a battle report, read it aloud, word by word, to the imprisoned Duke White Tiger: "In this battle, our army annihilated over two hundred Soul Saint-level or higher experts from the Star Luo Empire, including sixteen Soul Douluo… I really want to meet your Star Luo Empire's current commander. After all, such a 'victory' is probably unprecedented since the founding of the Star Luo Empire, isn't it?"

Dai Hao's bloodied and mangled eye sockets twitched slightly, his broken limbs twisted at bizarre angles. Hearing Ju Zi's mocking voice, he suddenly let out a hoarse whimper, his broken ribs throbbing with excruciating pain with each breath. If he were in command of the army, he would never have made such a basic mistake. He would have gathered all the Title Douluos and launched a surprise attack before the Sun Moon Empire even realized what was happening, destroying all those damned detection soul tools. If they had simply regained air superiority, how could the Star Luo Soul Master Legion have fallen to such a state?

Ju Zi coldly observed Dai Hao's distorted face, clearly having guessed what he was thinking. "The White Tiger Duke, revered as a war god by the entire Star Luo Empire, wasn't he also ridiculously stupid when he spouted arrogant words to that lord? Otherwise... how could you have fallen to this state?"

Dai Hao didn't want to argue with her; saying another word would only give Ju Zi an opportunity to humiliate him. But when he heard Ju Zi mention Mu Xing, his tightly closed lips suddenly twisted into a ferocious arc. "Who do you think you're serving? Your Sun Moon Empire... has even abandoned its human dignity, willing to be a lackey of foreign races..."

"An alien race?" Orange keenly sensed something unusual. She dismissed all her subordinates before re-interrogating Dai Hao.

"What do you mean?"

"She is a dragon that fell to the battlefield after the holy war broke out more than four thousand years ago!" Dai Hao tried to disturb Ju Zi's mind with this news.

When he thought that Orange was so shocked by the news that she couldn't even speak, Orange showed a surprisingly calm demeanor. Of course, it's also possible that he could no longer see her and therefore had no way of knowing that Orange was currently having a mental breakdown.

What is Dai Hao saying? Is that a dragon? Oh! So it's a dragon!

Whether it's the original Douluo Three Kingdoms or the Sun Moon Empire, the accounts of that holy war differ, all belittling the opponent while glorifying themselves. However, the accounts of the dragon are consistently true.

"So the person next to her... is the Beast God Di Tian?"

So... even the ferocious beasts have become level nine soul masters, and the Star Luo Empire is still fighting with cold weapons?
"Then how dare you bark and howl like a mad dog in front of her?" Orange wondered what the difference was between this and courting death? The Sun Moon Empire had been fighting against people like this for decades! No wonder four titled warriors died at once on the Star Luo side, one of whom was the only Super Douluo with combat power in the Star Luo royal family.

Dai Hao, it's one thing for you to look down on women, but why do you also look down on the Dragon Girl?
If that lord hadn't been too lazy to take action and entrusted the war entirely to her, Ju Zi had no doubt that before the Sun Moon Army even entered the Star Luo Empire's territory, Star Luo City would have been ravaged by Dragon Flame.

Just like Shrek Academy, it was not only ravaged by dragon flames, but also swept away by a beast tide after relocating.

She really made me cry! That person could have deployed the Golden-Eyed Black Dragon King, but she only had the Beast God dismantle the defensive soul-guided array of the Northwest Army Group.

Orange wiped away the tears of laughter from the corners of her eyes. Talented people emerge in every generation. In just a few days, she had met two of them, both of whom were military commanders. When luck comes, you can't stop it!

At this moment, in the Star Luo Commander's tent, Xu Jiujiu's pupils suddenly contracted, and the color drained from his face instantly.

"You're playing me?!" Her voice suddenly rose, almost screaming, "You clearly promised to help!"

In that instant, all her carefully maintained composure crumbled. Admitting mistakes? Relinquishing command? These were merely expedient measures, a strategic retreat. She was the eldest princess of the Star Luo Empire, and from beginning to end, she believed that the army would ultimately obey her. As for martyrdom, such a suggestion was utterly absurd and laughable!
"I am the princess of the Star Luo Empire..." Her voice trembled with anger, but stopped abruptly when her gaze met Huo Yuhao's eyes.

Huo Yuhao's eyes remained completely calm: "My promise is to protect the common people of Xingluo. As for the nobles, they are not even in my consideration."

After glaring at Huo Yuhao for a long time, she finally understood the carefully designed word game. Huo Yuhao had been watching coldly from the beginning, watching her personally push the empire's elite into the fire.

"You!" At this moment, Xu Jiujiu only wanted to use her meticulously manicured nails to tear away Huo Yuhao's composed mask. "What do those soldiers' lives mean to you?!"

“They’re just unlucky. It was you who caused those two hundred Soul Saints to die in vain! Princess, do you think an apology is all it takes to get over this? They didn’t have to die!” Huo Yuhao picked up the scattered Star Luo map from the table, his fingertips brushing over the cities belonging to the Star Luo Empire. “If you and the Emperor die together, I can guarantee that the Sun Moon Empire’s army will not set foot in any civilian’s home, and the common people will continue to live in peace and prosperity.”

"Since you have the ability to protect civilians, why don't you help the soldiers of the Star Luo Empire?!" she nearly hysterically exclaimed. "Those soul-guided cannons are nothing but child's play in your eyes, aren't they?"

"Look, you're in such a hurry again." Huo Yuhao maintained his unhurried attitude. "So many people have died and you still look down on soul tools, thinking that having a Limit Douluo can solve all the problems. Do you think the Sun Moon Empire is really that afraid of Limit Douluos? What they are afraid of are Limit Douluos equipped with level nine soul tools!"

"Your Majesty is joking." Xu Jiujiu seemed to have suddenly calmed down, forcing a smile. "I am a princess of the current dynasty. How can I die so hastily like a defeated general? Even if I were to write a self-reproach edict, it should be done after returning to Xingluo City, in front of all the officials..." She thought of the glory that her family had enjoyed for four thousand years. Back then, the ancestors of the Xu family took over the crumbling empire from the corrupt White Tiger clan, turning the tide and rebuilding order. Now, every commoner living in peace and contentment in the streets and alleys should be grateful to the Xingguan Xu family. How could they possibly expect her and her brother to exchange their lives for a future where they would bow down to the Sun Moon Empire?
Soul Masters are born nobler than ordinary commoners; this has been an ironclad rule since the first Soul Master appeared on the Douluo Continent. Just as the Xu family ancestor chose to save the empire out of benevolence, not obligation; just as Xu Jiujiu believed that her past willingness to show a friendly side was a favor to the common people, not her responsibility as a princess.

Suddenly, a chill ran down her spine from the cold glint in Huo Yuhao's eyes. His gaze seemed to pierce through her carefully maintained facade, striking straight at her most vulnerable thoughts.

"An edict of self-reproach?" Huo Yuhao suddenly chuckled, the laughter causing the temperature in the tent to plummet. "His Majesty will at most reprimand you a few times. Does he really intend to betray his own family and cut off your head? Those Soul Saints are still alive, while their princesses are already scheming how to gracefully make a clean getaway."

Her knees, which had been kneeling on the ground for a long time, suddenly lurched backward. As she retreated hastily, she knocked over the chair behind her, which scraped across the floor with a sharp, grating sound. Only now did she truly realize that if Huo Yuhao wanted to kill her, it would be incredibly easy.

She maintained her last shred of dignity, but her voice trembled, "If...if you dare to touch me...you will be a traitor to the country and a defector to the enemy..."

Her threatening words caught in her throat as she looked up, and Huo Yuhao's figure gradually faded away. "Kill you? Princess, you flatter yourself too much. I have already given you the best solution. That's all I have to say. Princess, please do as you see fit."

She stood frozen in place for a long time until Huo Yuhao's breath completely disappeared, only then did she realize that her back was already soaked with cold sweat.

When Huo Yuhao returned to Dragon City, the distant scenery made him stop and gaze at it. At the border between the far north ice plains and the city, in addition to the majestic city walls, a nearly transparent pale golden light curtain, like the sky, enveloped the border.

The soft light pulsed with a unique rhythm, spreading out in a cyclical pattern like breathing. At this moment, a violent blizzard was raging outside the light barrier, and without the aid of mental detection, it was impossible to see the outside world through the chaotic snow curtain with the naked eye.

Huo Yuhao frowned slightly, a hint of surprise flashing through his mind. Could it be that a beast tide had truly broken out in the Northern Territory? But he quickly dismissed the thought. The far north had long since changed dynasties, and the ruler of that icy plain was no longer the proud Ice and Snow Maiden of the past, but a dragon descendant personally transformed by his teacher.

Although the brutal war that lasted for thousands of years left indelible scars on the far north ice plains and Dragon City, the two sides entered an unprecedented period of peace after the arrival of a new ruler in the far north.

According to information Huo Yuhao gathered from the city, the climate anomaly caused by the "beast tide" that erupted in the far north had turned the entire Frozen Forest into a forbidden zone, with even the most basic soul-hunting activities strictly prohibited. However, he immediately realized that this so-called beast tide was merely a pretext used by the Dragon Pavilion. With his teacher's influence, there must be a deeper scheme hidden behind that light barrier covering the border.

Five years later, a beast tide broke out again in the Star Dou Great Forest, forcing a large number of Soul Masters in dire need of Soul Rings to travel to the Frozen Forest in the North. However, the sudden "beast tide" ban issued by the far north brought an unexpected turning point for these Soul Masters. Although all wilderness Soul Hunting activities were suspended, the Dragon Pavilion announced a significant reduction in the price of Soul Spirit Balls, giving Soul Masters who had previously been deterred by the high prices a new option.

In the central square of Dragon City, all kinds of spirit orbs are displayed on specially made exhibition stands, ranging from ten-year to ten-thousand-year-old spirits.

"The Pavilion Master understands that you have come from afar but are unable to hunt souls," the Dragon Pavilion steward explained gently. "He specially instructed that supplies be offered at a discounted price."

Quiet gasps of surprise rippled through the crowd, and many Soul Masters were filled with gratitude. This unexpected turn of events only instilled in more people a genuine respect for the Dragon Pavilion.

The lingering gratitude had barely faded when the murmurs in the crowd gradually turned into anger, directed, of course, at Shrek Academy.

"It's all Shrek Academy's fault! They were the ones who started the beast tide five years ago!"

"It's them again! This time, the beast tide has swallowed up nearly a quarter of the Heavenly Soul Empire's territory, and even Sunset Forest has been annexed."

"Both beast tides were caused by those arrogant bastards from Shrek Academy! If it weren't for them, we wouldn't have to come to the far north to hunt souls!"

The Dragon Pavilion steward silently changed the Soul Orbs on the display stand, and every curse that drifted into their ears deepened the Soul Masters' sense of identification with the Dragon Pavilion.

"Damn it! It seems Long Xiaoyao wasn't lying to me; something really did happen in the far north."

In the midst of this harmonious atmosphere, a discordant muttering suddenly reached Huo Yuhao's ears. He subconsciously activated his mental detection, and a small, dark green figure instantly appeared in his field of vision—it was none other than the Sect Master of the Body Sect, Du Bu Si! Huo Yuhao felt a little guilty as he recalled the scene not long ago when he and Fu Rui swaggered away from the Soul Masters who were resisting the beast tide.

Given Du Bu Si's fiery temper, and considering that the Body Sect was indeed in the right this time, if he were caught, he would definitely be dragged to Long Xiaoyao's door to demand an explanation. Without saying a word, Huo Yuhao turned and ran, instantly activating his simulated soul skill, his figure completely disappearing into the crowd.

As if sensing something, Du Busi, who was some distance away, suddenly turned his head to look in the direction where Huo Yuhao had disappeared. His eyes gleamed as he scanned the crowd. Fortunately, Huo Yuhao's simulation soul skill had reached its peak, and Du Busi had not yet broken through to the Limit Douluo realm, so he failed to see through his disguise and could only reluctantly withdraw his gaze.

It seems the beast tide within the Heavenly Soul Empire has indeed subsided; otherwise, given Du Bu Si's temperament, he would never have brought a large number of Body Sect elites to Dragon City. Huo Yuhao secretly observed the group of Soul Masters whose physical characteristics were different from ordinary people. Their travel-worn appearance clearly indicated that they had just finished a battle and rushed to the Northern Territory to provide support.

Poison Undying was gesturing gruffly to the Dragon Pavilion steward, with seven or eight powerful elders from the Body Sect standing behind him. This display clearly showed he took Long Xiaoyao's story about the Northern Beast Tide seriously. Their warmheartedness made it hard to expose the truth.

Is the Poison Sect Master here in Dragon City to compete with the Dragon Emperor Douluo for the title of "Honest Man"?
Forget it, let's leave it to Senior Dragon Emperor to handle! Huo Yuhao felt no remorse for tricking Long Xiaoyao; his primary task now was to form a soul contract for himself.

(End of this chapter)