176: Desertion

Tianshi City, South Street.

The clear moonlight illuminated the land, and the burning flames, like an out-of-control beast, devoured large areas of buildings, reducing them to ashes.

The thick blood seemed to stain the entire street red, and a nauseating stench permeated the air.

Lu Ming coldly watched everything before him; the entire South Street was like a living hell, covered in countless corpses.

Stepping onto the blood-stained ground, Lu Ming looked down and saw that the ground was covered in severed limbs and broken arms. Some of the Demon Slayer Guard's corpses looked incredibly gruesome, as if they had been torn apart by brute force. The distorted expressions on their cold faces clearly showed how much suffering they had endured before death.

A glance revealed that the corpses of demons were few. Besides the Demon Suppression Division personnel guarding the area, many civilians had also been tragically slaughtered by the demons.

Seeing this tragic scene, a flicker of anger flashed in Lu Ming's eyes. Although his emotions were usually subdued, witnessing such a sight still stirred a killing intent within him.

He quickened his pace, moving towards the location of Wangtian Tower.

As he walked, seeing the blood-stained corpses with despair in their eyes, the chill in Lu Ming's eyes grew even colder.

He had mentally prepared himself on the way, knowing that South Street had likely fallen. However, what he hadn't expected was how tragic the battle here had been. The Demon Suppression Division personnel guarding this place hadn't been repelled; they had fought to the death in their struggle against the demons.

Along the way, Lu Ming saw at least three to four hundred Martial Artists dressed in Demon Suppression Division uniforms, and there were likely many more in corners he couldn't see.

Suddenly, Lu Ming stopped, his gaze falling upon a dilapidated house.

The doorway was smashed, and by a pillar supporting the eaves, an Initial Realm Martial Artist, whose left arm was wrapped in a blood-stained bandage and whose body was covered in dozens of wounds, stood holding a long blade, locked in a stalemate with several surrounding demons.

The mocking sounds of the demons from the surroundings contrasted sharply with the sobbing coming from the Martial Artist's embrace.

Lu Ming looked closely and noticed that the Martial Artist held a three- or four-year-old child in his arms and shielded a six- or seven-year-old child behind him. Noticing the jade pendant hanging from his waist, he recognized it as the symbol of a Centurion.

“Humans, it seems your Demon Suppression Division is nothing special. Even your leader has run away, so why are you still fighting us to the death here?” A wolf demon licked the blood on its paw, speaking contemptuously.

It had always been the Demon Suppression Division hunting them, the demons. Because of this, without strong backing, they could only hide in the mountains. Now, under the leadership of the Red Scale Snake Matriarch, they finally had the capital to confront the Demon Suppression Division head-on, even occupying this city and freely enjoying these humans, who were like cattle and sheep.

Scarlet light flickered in the wolf demon's eyes, revealing its greed for flesh and blood.

“This human actually gave me a cut. Don't fight over him; I want his heart. It must be incredibly delicious.”

“Haha, in that case, I'll take this guy's two arms.”

“You're only looking at that human Martial Artist, but you don't know that the two children beside him are the most tender.”

Arguments broke out, and the surrounding demons began discussing how to dismember the bodies. Upon hearing those words, the two children, one in the Centurion's arms and one behind him, both trembled with fear.

“I don't think so. It's you who should die.” A cold voice came from behind. Before anyone noticed, Lu Ming had already approached.

This chilling voice instantly startled the four demons. The strongest wolf demon felt its heart suddenly pound. It turned its head and saw that, at some unknown moment, a figure had appeared beside it, a hand resting on its shoulder.

Their eyes met, and the wolf demon felt an icy chill, as if falling into an ice cellar, sweeping through its entire body, seemingly freezing its blood.

Just as it was about to react, a scorching aura suddenly erupted. Surging flames rapidly spread from the palm across the wolf demon's entire body. The burning blood-fire illuminated the surrounding darkness, and a mournful wail rang out.

“Save me, save me!” The wolf demon turned into a fireball, crashing wildly in all directions.

Heatwaves rose, and the intense heat made the other three demons flee in terror.

Buzz!

The air vibrated with the sound of a blade being drawn. The next second, a cold glint flashed. Almost no one could react. Blood splattered as the heads of the three demons rolled from their shoulders.

Almost instantly, the four demons were easily dealt with by Lu Ming, a scene that stunned the Centurion who had originally resolved to fight to the death.

Lu Ming passed the wolf demon's corpse, which had been incinerated into charcoal, and approached the dazed Centurion.

“That demon just said that the Commander here ran away. Is that true?” Lu Ming asked coldly.

The Centurion shivered. He saw a strong killing intent in Lu Ming's eyes, but it wasn't directed at him.

“Reporting, sir, from the start of the battle, we did not see Commander Zhao. Before we could even react, those demons charged at us. We fought bravely, but we were no match for the Peak Realm Demon. Besides me, the other six Centurions all died in battle. We did not flee.” The Centurion grew more agitated as he spoke, his eyes red, as if desperately trying to explain something.

Lu Ming silently watched him. After a long moment, he nodded slightly and said, “I know. You are all good men.”

How could he not know? The corpses along the way were the best proof. To defend South Street, to win this battle, this group of Martial Artists, carefully selected from various places and brought to Silver Feather City, were all good men.

These people fought bravely for the citizens of Tianshi City, but someone had been cowardly, abandoning his duty and choosing to flee.

“Don't worry, I will give you an explanation. Blood for blood, cowards shall be slain. It has always been so, from ancient times to the present.” Lu Ming said solemnly, his expression grave.

His gaze was deep as he looked at the city wall hidden in the night in the distance, as if seeing beyond the towering wall.

At the same time, Zhao Shouyuan, who had already fled the city, stood on a hillside looking in the direction of Tianshi City.

“It's not my fault; those people wanted to die. As a direct descendant of the Zhao family, how could I die in a place like this?” Zhao Shouyuan muttered to himself, as if defending himself.

In his opinion, those foolish Demon Suppression Division personnel who followed Wu Mingjian to guard the city were probably all doomed. The Red Scale Snake Matriarch had already broken through to Dao Realm Perfection, only one step away from the higher Dan Realm. How could Wu Mingjian be a match for that Demon King?

When that time came, whether he lived or died, the Demon Suppression Division personnel remaining in the city would also be slaughtered. It might not even require the Red Scale Snake Matriarch to free up her hands; her subordinate Peak Realm Demons could probably accomplish it.