Unlimited Ambition

The battle against the EU began the afternoon after Lelouch's death. I didn't even feel like waiting until the next day. A total of 30 million Chinese Federation-Ignore Artania Allied Forces, under the command of their respective commanders, swarmed out and launched a frenzied offensive from the east, west, and south.

The EU, however, was leaderless. The newly appointed speaker had been decisively defeated by me, resulting in the complete annihilation of the garrison along the southern Mediterranean coast. The EU leadership was terrified. Even in this futile situation, they still dispatched wave after wave of diplomats, pinning their hopes on bilateral mediation and peace talks.

Delusion!

I'm bursting with rage, ready to unleash it on you EU. Surrender?! Surrender is not accepted. Wash your necks and await your death!!

Faster! Faster! In the mountainous Central Asia, millions of Chinese Federation troops were mobilized, traveling in large troop carriers, transport mechs, transport planes, transport ships, armored trains, and most importantly, on foot. Every means of transportation that could move was mobilized.

Immediately afterwards, the three armies, each spearheaded by ten thousand Tiger and Leopard Cavalry mechs, advanced into the heart of Europe with unstoppable ferocity. Under my command, the entire army seemed to come alive. Like a raging flood, they devoured everything in their path that resisted them. No matter how many opponents they were, or how well-equipped they were, they were all slaughtered before the raging Cao Mengde, leaving no trace of their bodies.

Thus, fueled by a year of rest and recuperation, and fueled by his renewed rage at being manipulated by the same woman once again, the Chinese Federation army swept through Europe, achieving victory after victory. In just half a month, they advanced over a thousand kilometers into the interior of Europe, breaching five EU defense lines and annihilating over six million enemy soldiers. EU member states Russia, Belarus, the Baltic states, and Türkiye were declared extinct.

Thus, our army advanced directly towards Berlin, the most important city in Central Europe and the seat of the EU's highest parliament. Once Berlin was captured, our army would gain a tremendous political and psychological advantage. The EU, on the other hand, would further erode its confidence, and defeat would not be far off.

Besides, I have another concern: the treaty signed with Brittany stipulates that the entire territory of Germany is divided according to individual ability. I, however, have no intention of being polite and want to swallow the whole of Germany. Now, the Breton western army is encountering strong resistance in Normandy, and has made no progress on the North African front. This is my opportunity.

The EU was aware of the city's value, and even made the decision to completely abandon Southern Europe in order to defend it. They redeployed all the troops stationed in Iberia and the Apennines, gathering them along the various defensive lines surrounding the city.

A total of eight million troops, 150,000 mechs! The EU's olive-striped flag almost outshone the clouds in the sky.

We can't fight head-on. Looking at the Berlin defense map that the NKVD had painstakingly obtained, I sighed slowly. With such a defense, even a million-strong army wouldn't be able to break through if we responded. If the losses were too heavy, even if we captured Berlin, it would only benefit Brittany. I wouldn't do something so foolish.

Should we bypass that area and conquer other regions first?

However, Berlin stood like a giant bone blocking their path. How could they possibly get around it?! Eight million troops were no small number. If they were divided and their forces reduced, they might be wiped out, or even encircled and cut off. At that point, all their efforts over the past few days might have been in vain.

This is difficult, very difficult.

And so, I launched several probing attacks over several months. But the defenders in Berlin seemed to have been terrified of me. No matter how I provoked them, they simply cowered and refused to reveal the slightest weakness.

And so, winter arrived in the blink of an eye. The Breton army finally made progress. After suffering heavy losses along the Normandy front, Bismarck changed his strategy, shifting his focus to the poorly defended southern Europe.

With its powerful mech forces, the Breton army swiftly occupied both peninsulas, simultaneously crossing the Pyrenees and Alps, and advancing into the heart of Europe.

As a result, the EU military hastily redeployed troops, and those just transferred from the Normandy front were quickly overrun by Bismarck. Subsequently, all of France fell into the hands of Brittany.

By this time, the EU campaign had lasted for six months. The vast majority of its territory had been occupied by the Chinese Federation and Brittany. Only a tiny area of ​​less than 100,000 square kilometers in the heart of Central Europe, centered on Berlin, remained barely intact.

Just then, good news came from the research department: the weapon that could cause powerful damage through nuclear fusion explosions seemed to have been created.

Finally, we made it. I sighed softly. That was truly a divine weapon. Alright, our troops will retreat for now. Let's leave Berlin to Brittany—the EU is finished, it's time to part ways.

Thus, the Bretonnian army took over all aspects of the attack on Berlin. And two months later, they achieved significant success. The Berlin garrison was completely holed up in the inner city, surrounded by a Bretonnian army that outnumbered them many times over.

They then perished together.

Five nuclear bombs, named "Sunset," were dropped on the battlefield. A massive mushroom cloud rose in response. Over thirty million soldiers and civilians perished in this grand spectacle. Allied commander Bismarck was killed instantly, along with his fellow Knight of the Round Table, Gino Anya, who had been sent to the Chinese Federation as a liaison and survived the attack.

Without reason or excuse, the Chinese Federation once again launched an undeclared attack, plunging into its former ally. Brittany's territory, gained through a year of fighting, changed hands within a month. By this point, Brittany had lost over twenty million troops on the EU battlefield.

Amidst widespread calls for war within the country, former Chancellor Schneider, who had insisted on an alliance with the Chinese Federation, was forced to resign. Cornelia, a staunch advocate of war, was appointed War Chancellor to lead the Britannian army in continued combat.

Just kidding, I'll never be so foolish again, giving up anything for a woman who no longer loves me.

After discarding the intelligence report, the Chinese Federation army continued its southward advance, achieving successive victories across the African continent and wiping out the terrified Britannian garrison. By this time, the Chinese Federation had become a vast empire spanning three continents and four oceans. Its territory and population were far beyond anything Britannia could match. The balance of power had been instantly reversed.

In June of the second year after the Chinese Federation unified the three continents, the Emperor of the Chinese Federation announced his abdication to Cao Cao, the King of Wei. He was simultaneously made Empress by the new Emperor. The grand wedding lasted for a month, a time of universal celebration.

After the new emperor ascended the throne, he changed the era name to Langri, marking the beginning of the Langri era. At the same time, he granted a general amnesty and bestowed titles upon meritorious officials. He reformed the political system, implementing a highly centralized political system.

However, when the Imperial Household Department submitted a memorial requesting that the new emperor select concubines for the palace as is customary, it was refused. When someone asked about this, the new emperor smiled mysteriously and said, "I only need one beauty to enter the palace."

Chapter Forty-Seven: Immortality

I swear, when I return from here, I will raze this wretched island to the ground with the arrow that shot down the sun. Nothing good ever happens when I come here. I've said it before, I've had enough.

Muttering to myself, my heart was filled with resentment, resentment towards CC. What do you think I abandoned my country and wife to come find you for? Well, I've been ignoring you for two years now. Come to think of it, I've pretty much gotten my revenge—I mean, I'd completely forgotten about it; if the Imperial Household Department hadn't reminded me, I wouldn't have remembered at all.

Alright, this time I know the location—within the ruins. It's a good place to settle a life-or-death situation.

I parked the Killer Wolf truck outside the ruins and went in alone. The ruins were pitch black; I couldn't see anything. I was in a hurry and forgot to bring a flashlight or any other light source. But it was too late to regret it now. I just had to keep moving forward, little by little.

And then, just like that, something happened. I felt like I kicked something. I looked down—and upon closer inspection, it seemed to be a person. I touched it, and it was already cold.

A dead body? But it doesn't seem to have decomposed yet. Hmm, it's still warm... It just died recently, only about an hour ago. Could CC have killed it?

With that thought in mind, I became fully alert. I gripped the sword hilt with both hands, ready to draw it and strike at the slightest provocation.

I had no idea that the dead man I had just stepped on was indeed a figure of great renown. He was the brother of Charuru, the current emperor of Britannia, and also the current leader of the Geass cult. Like C.C., he was a monster possessing terrifying, immortal power.

He's dead now.

The journey was fraught with danger but ultimately safe. It wasn't until two hours later that I was nearly blinded by a sudden burst of bright light.

This is a huge, fantastical place; it looks almost like, well, it doesn't belong to the human world...

"Welcome to my temple, young man." A very unfamiliar—no, in a sense, very familiar—voice rang out.

That Brittany emperor, Charuru.

"It's a pleasure to meet you." I was slightly surprised, but I still smiled, cupped my hands in greeting, and then said, "But you said this is your temple? God? Yours? You don't actually think of yourself as a god, do you?"

The Emperor of Brittany paid no heed to my sarcasm, but simply nodded solemnly and said, "It is said that in the history of the Chinese Federation, there have been many emperors of great talent and ambition. They accomplished a great deal of great achievements, which can even be described as unprecedented and unparalleled... After that, what did they pursue?"

I sighed softly, "It is indeed a bit embarrassing to admit, but what you said is truly the truth. Although it's just an absurd legend, it has fooled so many brilliant people. It's really..."

Unlike me, the Emperor of Brittany wasn't as sharp-tongued. Instead, he comforted me, saying, "Fear of death is human nature. You can't blame them." Then, the Emperor hesitated for a moment before asking, "I also want to ask, how is my unfilial son Lelouch doing these days?"

"Lelouch?" I thought to myself, after all, he is Lelouch's father, and judging from his tone, he doesn't seem to have no feelings for Lelouch. How should I answer?

“Lelouch, ah, very good, absolutely wonderful,” I said.

The emperor didn't seem to catch the hidden meaning in my words; perhaps Westerners are all straightforward like that. He nodded and said, "Whether it's good or bad doesn't matter, as long as they're alive. Let's continue with the previous topic."

"Tsk, you were right." I rolled my eyes, thinking to myself.

The pursuit of immortality, the allure of becoming emperor and ascending to heaven—countless people have died from consuming heavy metal elixirs. Yet, so many still believe in this. Indeed, as he said, there is a fear of death, and the greater the power and the higher the status, the greater the fear.

"But if you can articulate such a reasoning, why do you claim to be a god?" I asked curiously.

The emperor smiled and countered, "With your wisdom, Your Excellency can naturally distinguish truth from falsehood—is the matter of immortality truly just a rumor?"

The immortal witch CC. Okay, I get it.

I nodded: "I understand. If that is the case, Your Excellency is indeed qualified to call yourself a god."

The emperor gave a smug smile, but said nothing more.

He didn't say anything more, but I took the initiative to ask: "Do you have CC?"

The emperor shook his head: "If she is unwilling, I cannot force her."

I nodded; that was true. While that woman wasn't a match for me, there really wasn't anyone in the world who could beat her, besides me.

Was she not here? Perhaps she got angry and ran away because I made her wait too long? Thinking of this, I felt a little disappointed and wanted to leave, but I felt it was inappropriate, so I forced myself to continue talking to this colleague.

“Then…” I waited for his explanation.

The emperor then said, "In this world, besides CC, there is another person who is immortal."

There's another one?! My heart skipped a beat. If so, if it's not CC, then...

"Before this, the one who possessed this power was just an unknown nobody. But now that's no longer the case," the emperor said, as if showing off.

"Don't tell me that this person is you." My eyes looked a little strange. I remembered what CC had told me years ago—that as long as I killed her, I could gain infinite lifespan.

Becoming emperor is like ascending to immortality! Do I not desire eternal life?!

Unexpectedly, the Emperor of Brittany laughed and said, "Cao Cao, Cao Mengde, his reputation is well-deserved." He was implicitly acknowledging my statement.

"You've brought this upon yourself," I said to myself.

"How about it? As a fellow emperor, are you a little envious?" The emperor, seemingly oblivious to the danger, continued to provoke me.

"Envy? No, no, no, it's not that simple thought." I chuckled. "It's an extreme feeling, a mixture of jealousy, anger, and a strong desire to take their place."

The emperor said, "Oh?" Then he shook his head and said, "To be honest, I don't want to be your enemy here."

I smirked, thinking, "Indeed, you're just an old man in your seventies or eighties. Even if you don't die, your agelessness is useless. How could you possibly defeat a young and strong swordsman like me?"

But he asked aloud, "Why is that?"

The emperor shook his head: "If it were thirty years ago, I would certainly have killed you. Because back then I was young and impetuous, and absolutely could not tolerate the slightest grievance. If it were thirty years later... even if I had not attained immortality, I would still kill you. Because in my old age, none of my children can compare to you. I must pave the way for them."

But now, I am no longer young. Years of political experience have made me much more worldly. And I will not grow old any longer. Therefore, I no longer need to serve my children. Therefore, I will not kill you.”

"Is it so that you have one more opponent, to add a little more fun to your endless life ahead?" I asked.

Brittany nodded: "Pretty much, that's the idea."

I casually picked at my ear and asked, "So, would you like to hear what I have to say?"

The emperor nodded: "I'm all ears."

"I am not making an enemy of you because of youthful impetuosity, nor for anyone else. I only need one reason to be your enemy."

The emperor asked, "Then, what is the reason?"

I drew my Heaven-Slaying Sword and charged forward, shouting as I ran, "You're blocking my way! You stumbling block!!"

I was only a few dozen meters away from the Emperor of Brittany. With a full sprint, I was in front of him in an instant. I thrust my Heaven-Slaying Sword straight at him—I was confident that I could finish him off with one strike!

The longsword thrust out, but to no avail—only the sound of metal clashing was heard, and then a figure appeared in the void.

"Queen Marianne, the British witch?! I have long admired you!!" I immediately recognized the person. After saying "I have long admired you," the sword's momentum surged several times, pointing directly at the queen's heart.

The Emperor of Brittany, now out of danger, took a few steps to the side and continued to watch the battle.

I never imagined that the Empress's swordsmanship would surpass my expectations. Holding a rapier, she unleashed seven thrusts in an instant—both ruthless and precise. Unfortunately, among all the sword techniques in the world, I have yet to find a way to break my Tai Chi sword style. Naturally, the Empress returned empty-handed.

In the blink of an eye, we had exchanged dozens of blows, and I had figured out her strengths and weaknesses—she wasn't anything special—not even as good as CC. At this point, I was getting a little bored. I prepared to end the fight.

At the same time, Mariana realized that her swordsmanship was far inferior to his, and she made a desperate decision to take him down with her.

And so, without prior agreement, both thrust their longswords straight at each other's chests—but I was slightly faster! It seemed a renowned empress was about to perish!

"Your Majesty, no!" The Emperor's eyesight was far worse. He only saw two long swords piercing the other's chest and thought that his wife was going to die with him. He steeled himself, thinking: I am immortal now, being stabbed will only hurt me for a moment at most. As a result, he rushed over and stood between the two of us. The two long swords then resolutely pierced in.

The result was quite unexpected—the emperor of Brittany died in such an absurd way.

"How...how is this possible?! Charuru?!" Mariana seemed very unwilling and fell to the ground. She threw herself on him.

Hmm, oh, I think I understand now. Codes can indeed be passed on through death—but there's a prerequisite: the owner of the code must wish to die. And the recipient of the code must also have the intention to kill him.

In this back-and-forth exchange, Marianne, when she thrust her sword, naturally intended to kill. Charuru, rushing out, was also determined to die. And so, in this absurd way, he died—but the code was passed on to Marianne.