Am I going to be controlled by the players too?

“Now, I can help you reverse the source matter.” Sylvia looked at Freya. “Hurry up, the two true gods alone are not enough to fight against the Primordial Chaos.”

…………

(Sylvia, Goddess of Domination and Order, Impressionist Painting)

…………

The Realm of Dragons, the Battlefield of the Abyss.

"You've overestimated yourself..."

Himeko looked at the four primordial beings who had transformed into the Black Tide and murmured to herself.

The four calamities of earth, water, wind, and fire have been quelled by the four dragon kings, but the world that has been destroyed cannot be repaired. The land is littered with the remnants of war. More importantly, the land that has been fractured for thousands of miles is covered with layers upon layers of thick black mud.

dark.

This is the essence of the Black Tide, the embodiment of everything invisible. Anything that falls into it will lose its five senses, be swallowed up, and ultimately turn into mud.

unknown.

This is the nature of the Black Tide, the embodiment of the unknowable, giving it incomprehensible characteristics. No matter how Himegami analyzes its weaknesses and traits, all she gets in the end is chaos.

chaos.

This is the power of the Black Tide, the embodiment of everything incomprehensible. Anything that falls into it will be shattered into countless pieces or distorted into indescribable monsters, crawling out of the Black Tide and becoming the minions of demons.

Disease.

This is the malice of the Black Tide, the embodiment of all that is incurable, spreading throughout the world. Anything infected with the disease will inevitably decay, and the damage caused by the Black Tide is irreversible.

During the ten days and ten nights of war, even though Himegami possessed endless magic power, divine weapons, and an army of heroic spirits, he was constantly being worn down by such an unreasonable and unkillable monster; even when he imbued the heroic spirits with divine power, he could only hold on for a moment before becoming part of the Black Tide.

The Black Tide that was wiped out and conquered was only a small part of that endless malice. Even if Himegami tried his best to suppress it, he could only slow down its spread. He could not wipe it out or repel it at all.

Once these black tides invade the outside world, in no time, the entire world will be turned into hell, and there will probably be no one left alive!

"Perhaps, I shouldn't have come here..."

As the symbol of war, the goddess of war brings forth war wherever she goes—even against her will.

Perhaps, if she hadn't come to the Dragon Realm, this place wouldn't have been destroyed, and there wouldn't have been a premature war with the Primals.

I felt a little regretful again.

However, this emotion only lasted a moment before Ji Yushen suppressed it. She gritted her teeth, looked at the sky and the Wind King Dvalin, and finally made up her mind: "Dvalin, go up there and check on Freya and the others. If they succeed, quickly send a True God down to help me. If they fail, send down all the other Legends, and..."

She paused, took a deep breath, and said, "Notify Peng Longteng to send down a few 'generals and ministers'."

…………

"Fengtian Chengyun Emperor, the imperial edict said:

I have been ordained by Heaven to guard the Nine Provinces for ten thousand years, relying on the Amber Divine Seal to suppress the abyss and isolate the primordial enemy.

However, the Heavenly Way has crumbled, and the Divine Seal has shattered! The cataclysmic calamity has arrived, and the universe is on the verge of collapse. The sun and moon have lost their light, and mountains and rivers have sunk. Today, I personally lead the expedition, alone facing the abyss, fighting day and night. Yet the abyss is vast and incomparably deep, and my strength alone cannot save the world from collapse. In order to break the deadlock and prolong my life, I command the Imperial General to send his chief generals to the front lines to assist me in resisting the great enemy of the abyss.

I hereby decree that all citizens of the empire, especially those over 150 years of age, should sacrifice their lives for the country to become generals and ministers!

The common people, knowing they would die, were not afraid; knowing they would perish, they did not hesitate. Sacrificing their own lives to save the world from collapse, their unwavering loyalty shines like the sun and moon, their righteousness shakes the mountains and rivers, and will be forever etched in history! You, the myriad people, are the most magnificent and loyal souls of the empire throughout eternity; heaven and earth bear witness, and the nation will forever remember you.

I hereby bow to Heaven and repent, and issue this edict of self-reproach, proclaiming it to all under Heaven:

I, by the mandate of Heaven, ascend the throne and bear the heavy responsibility of ensuring the well-being of all people. Yet, my virtue is meager and my power insufficient, causing the common people to suffer the agony of facing death. All the sins lie upon my shoulders! I have failed Heaven and Earth, failed the nation, and failed the people of the world!

If this battle saves the world and restores order, I am willing to bear the guilt for ten thousand generations. This is hereby proclaimed to the world, so that all may know.

—So be it!

The Elf Empire, its capital.

Before the colossal statue of Ji Yushen, the imperial envoy who was reading the imperial edict looked around. Millions of residents of the entire capital had gathered here, from two-hundred-year-old elders to three-year-old children. Upon hearing the edict, everyone was in tears, their hearts filled with grief, yet not a single person fled.

With a sigh, the imperial envoy shouted, "All citizens of the empire, those over one hundred and fifty years of age, step forward!"

Having said that, he stood before the statue of Himegami!

The residents looked around, and soon, one after another, middle-aged and elderly people stepped forward, with the determination to die for their cause, resolutely breaking away from the crowd and standing under the statue.

Ten, one hundred, one thousand...

The crowd finally stopped when a full 100,000 people had stood beneath the statue. Then, eunuchs entered the crowd and pulled out those who were clearly still young from the line of sacrifices. In the end, only 80,000 people remained beneath the statue.

A million people can create one general or prime minister, but there are clearly not enough people under the statue in the capital.

Fortunately, the empire has many other cities.

At this moment, this scene is playing out in every major city: elderly people are voluntarily stepping forward, coming to the statue of God, and sacrificing themselves to save the world.

The soldiers brought farewell wine to each warrior, then dispersed the others, keeping them away from the statues, before returning to their ranks. Just as noon arrived, the statues of the goddess Himegami, scattered throughout the empire's major cities, suddenly shattered, emanating a thick aura of malevolence that enveloped the warriors.

The Order of Dyeing and Killing.

Ji Yushen never gave up on this plan. At the beginning of her ascension to godhood, she ordered the construction of divine statues and wonders throughout the country. In addition to satisfying her desire for dominance and pride, she also wanted to create enough generals and ministers in times of crisis!

Meanwhile, in the wilderness outside the capital, Peng Longteng led a massive army of one million men, ready for battle.

Seeing that the time had come, Peng Longteng raised his head and suddenly recited: "The measure of a general or minister cannot be asked, for whom is it so difficult to obtain? Perhaps he is a celestial official relying on incense offerings, or perhaps he is slaying dragons in the waves. Perhaps he is saving all the suffering people in the human world, or perhaps he is receiving divine orders in a righteous place!"

The awe-inspiring sound of war drums resounded, and soldiers from all directions roared along with Peng Longteng, their soaring aura enveloping them all: "Only I, the Supreme Commander of the Upper Realm, guard the four corner gates of the Heavenly Palace. My body is ten thousand feet tall, my hair disheveled, and all kinds of divine generals will come to greet me!"

With a "whoosh," Peng Longteng drew his long sword from his waist and held it steadily across his neck.

At the same time, all the soldiers and generals present, as well as all the warriors who had volunteered to join from all over the empire, raised their swords and put them behind their heads; everyone's eyes were cold and resolute at this moment, and even though they were about to face the torment and pain of immortality, there was not a trace of fear in the eyes of these mortals.

"I do not inquire about the door gods and household guards, nor about the good and evil spirits! I do not inquire about the mountain gods or malevolent spirits, nor about evil demons or unrighteous gods! I do not inquire about the city gods or local deities, nor about the people who come and go in the three realms!"

Accompanied by the rhythmic beat of drums, the blades slowly sliced ​​through everyone's necks, trickling blood down their cold blades: "In an instant, praise enters the altar realm, beheadings and dismemberment turn to dust! All because the common people are not the master, and the Way of Heaven is incomplete..."

In the final line, everyone shouted with almost all their might: "The flaws of Heaven's way can be mended by ordinary people!"

"Pfft—!"

Millions of people simultaneously beheaded themselves with their final shouts!

The soaring aura of malevolence, killing intent, and rage gathered in the sky, eventually transforming into towering, roaring, chaotic heads!

General! Minister! Head!

Each of the generals and ministers possessed pseudo-god-like combat power approaching that of a deity. They roared, wanting to vent their anger on the entire world, but were then controlled by Sylvia and quickly flew towards the direction of the theocracy's underground city.

One, two, three...

Nine generals and ministers flew into the abyss battlefield, which means that nine million people chose to sacrifice themselves in this sacrifice!

After sending the generals and ministers into battle, Sylvia, along with the remaining legends of this world, followed closely behind, and before they fell into the battlefield, she closed the dungeon gates once more.

Peng Longteng held his head, which had fallen to his chest, and tried to push it back onto his neck. He realized that although death had disappeared, he was neither dead nor alive. Even if he pushed his head back, he would only be a walking corpse, unable to commit suicide again for reuse. He couldn't help but sigh regretfully.

Then, looking at the soldiers lying on the ground groaning with their heads gone, he ordered those who hadn't committed suicide: "Give them painkillers, then have them all pick up their heads and line up! Come with me to the realm of the demons of death!"

"Yes!"

The soldiers busied themselves with their tasks. Peng Longteng sighed and looked at the head in his arms at the Demon of Death, which was piled high with corpses not far away.

It is unknown how long this torment without death will last.

Chapter 156, This is a necessary sacrifice

On the thirteenth day of the Papal Throne's emptiness, in the High Heaven Kingdom.

This is an island nation with a population of approximately 120 million. The land is barren and resources are scarce. For thousands of years, it has been a vassal state of the Elf Empire, barely surviving in the cracks of a chaotic world.

During the turbulent years of the collapse of the former Gao Dynasty and the rise and fall of the Ji Dynasty, Daji, a platinum-level immortal being under the command of the former Gao Dynasty, fled to an isolated island in the East China Sea to escape the purge and pursuit of the new Ji Dynasty. She changed her name to Tamamo-no-Mae and lived a life of seclusion.

At that time, Emperor Sun Xiaochuan of Gaotian Kingdom saw that a top-tier Platinum Warrior was lurking in the country, and his ambition was immediately aroused. He thought that with the protection of an unparalleled expert, he could break away from the control of the empire and establish himself as king. He brazenly tore up the vassal state alliance and declared independence.

While the two great powers, the Empire and the Kingdom, were locked in a fierce battle, Sun Xiaochuan, short-sighted and opportunistic, rashly launched a surprise attack on the overseas naval port of the Kingdom of Konoma, attempting to expand his territory amidst the chaos.

As a result, Vilette unleashed two devastating city-destroying attacks, causing the entire nation to collapse and become unrecognizable...

After all, the "Legendary Non-Proliferation and Restricted Use Treaty" is an agreement between the Empire and the Kingdom. How could it allow a mere foreign country to take advantage of the situation?

If I don't beat you up, who will I beat up?

After this battle, the Gao Tian Kingdom completely surrendered and became dependent on the Kingdom of Konoma, eventually becoming a slave to three different families...

Today, it will become the altar for "Death" to demonstrate his path.

Cheng Cheng and Freya had already agreed that Li Xianyu would inherit the title of "Grim Reaper," since she was the one everyone trusted the most.

Of the three legendary rituals of "Death," the first requires hundreds of years to plan, the second results in death upon attempt, and only the third, "to transform a kingdom into a world of the dead and, in the name of death, to offer a blood sacrifice of one hundred million intelligent beings to oneself," is the most suitable.

The High Heaven Kingdom, with a population of just over 100 million, is the best choice.

Above Heian-kyo, the capital of the Takaten Kingdom, the sky was deathly still, with dark clouds pressing down on the city.

Li Xianyu stood alone, gently stroking an ancient bone flute in his palm. His cold gaze swept over the hellish landscape below—the city was filled with wandering, howling zombies, and a deathly killing intent enveloped the entire capital, trapping the last vestiges of life.

Zombie demon.

Before Freya and the others entered the Dragon Realm, the outbreak of the zombie demon virus had already caused chaos. Many small countries were destroyed by the virus and turned into zombies. It seemed that the plague demon was about to invade reality through the little finger of the zombie demon...

As a result, the seal on the Amber God broke, and there was no need to go around in circles anymore; it could be directly invaded.

The ensuing chaos kept Freya and the others preoccupied, and they didn't even notice this small country when they were conquering the world and completing the [Glory] ceremony.

By the time Sylvia became a god, Freya and the others had stabilized the situation and looked back, the vast Kingdom of Takaten had already changed beyond recognition and its inhabitants had been mutated. Only in a corner of the capital, Heian-kyo, did the last trace of human life remain, clinging to life.

"Ugh……"

Li Xianyu sighed softly.

The zombie apocalypse, by a twist of fate, completed the most tedious first half of the Grim Reaper's ritual for her, turning the entire High Heaven Kingdom into a purgatory of the dead.

Next, all that's needed is to sacrifice these living corpses, and the rest of Heian-kyo, to himself in the name of death, and the "Grim Reaper" will be complete.

The final step, and the core of the ritual, requires her to personally conclude the ceremony, sacrificing the remaining living beings in the country in the name of death, thus completely fulfilling her goal as the God of Death.

Although she used tricks along the way, in the final step, she still needed to personally end the last batch of living people to truly "create the realm of the dead and prove the Great Way of Death with her own power".

"The dead should serve the living. To cut off the life of the living for power is a desecration of necromancy."

This was a creed that Li Xianyu had practiced throughout his life, but now he had to break it himself.

Li Xianyu sighed, looked down at the city, and muttered to herself: