Note: 4 chapters for today (including monthly goal chapters)! Thanks for the support 🥰

In the council hall of the lord’s mansion of the Iron Fist City, the rulers of the 3 empires gathered again, and the Fallen Angel Empire Prince Consort Aguile attended as a special guest.

The talk this time was very similar to the peace talk in the Dark Shadow Empire 2 years ago. However, in 2 years time, everything had changed. They were still the 4 negotiators, but the situation was completely reversed.

The Fallen Angel Empire, which was the weakest at the time, was already the existence that the other 2 empires needed to look up to, whether it was economic or military aspects. Under this disadvantageous situation, the Dark Shadow Empire’s Catherine the Great should unite with the Bloody Empire’s Lord Raizen to maintain the balance of power. However, Her Majesty Empress made a shocking decision in the martial battle championship to the surprise of everyone by tying herself to the battleship of Aguile. The Dark Shadow Empire was already the associate empire of the Fallen Angel Empire in a sense, so Raizen couldn’t calm down. Taking advantage of the opportunity that the 3 rulers were in the Iron Fist City Fort, he made a decisive decision to talk about it right away.

For this negotiation, both Catherine and Shea seemed to take it seriously. Catherine didn’t even look at Chen Rui because she represented the Dark Shadow Empire, and Chen Rui knew this very well. However, there was no need for mere formal communication between him and her now. If the love can last and stand the test of time, then there is no need to stay together everyday.

Shea and Catherine also nodded to each other as always, without any special gesture or indication.

Soon, the negotiation began.

As expected, the central topic of this meeting was the ‘confederation system’ mentioned by Chen Rui in the final. 2 years ago, Raizen dismissed this system of the 3 empires alliance, but now he was forced by the situation as it was a matter of life and death for the Bloody Empire, so Raizen had to bow his proud head and go back to that option. Objectively speaking, this new system was indeed quite tempting to allow the 3 empires to go hand in hand and truly grow together in a peaceful environment without war.

Chen Rui had also been thinking about how to further improve this ‘confederation system’ in consideration of the actual situation of the Demon Realm, so he shared some of his thoughts and understandings. Catherine obviously did the corresponding homework and proposed some very interesting and constructive comments which were more about fighting for a greater benefit for the Dark Shadow Empire.

Shea also put forward her own conditions. The Fallen Angel Empire was currently the strongest empire, but all this was because of Chen Rui. According to Chen Rui’s oath in the final, as long as the confederation was established, he would really withdraw and not interfere in the internal affairs of the confederation. Therefore, in order to ensure the long-term dominance and speaking authority of the Fallen Angel Empire in the future alliance, many aspects needed to be adjusted and transitioned to further ensure their own interests.

Raizen just listened without saying a word at first. When he first spoke, it was to oppose Catherine’s proposal that the rest of the royal family could join the confederation and have a certain independent voice.

Catherine’s intention was ‘diverting rather than blocking’. Giving the rest of the 4 fallen royal families a place would fundamentally eliminate the cause of the turmoil and fundamentally solve one of the causes of the Demon Realm’s turmoil. Meanwhile, Raizen’s opinion was to use tough methods to suppress or even eradicate all the fallen royal families that would not surrender to eliminate the hidden dangers.

This showed the special characteristics of Catherine and Raizen. Catherine was not stubborn. She just took the hidden powerhouse participating in the martial battle championship as an example, pointing out that the Demon Realm had a vast territory. It was impossible to completely wipe out the fallen royal families. It might also backfire in case of slight mistakes. Letting them participate in the confederation was not only a kind of tenderness, but also a strategy of advancing by retreating.

Catherine’s eloquence and planning were indeed extraordinary. Raizen couldn’t find a more convincing argument, so he asked, “If those royal families are stubborn…”

“Tenderness is not weakness and appeasement. Those who destroy the peace of the empire and the alliance will be spurned by the entire Demon Realm, and I will also not hesitate about wielding a blood-stained sword.” Catherine said lightly, but there was unconcealable murderous intent in her tone.

Raizen was very aware of how this ‘old friend’ had ascended the throne, so he finally nodded. After Catherine convinced Raizen, the topic changed to the magic game.

She put forward a special condition, which was to ask the Fallen Angel Empire to unconditionally share magic game technology and benefits. Not only economically, but also military aspects.

Some time ago, the Fallen Angel Empire military parade ceremony made everyone realize that the magic game was not only a huge cash cow and a special world to improve personal training, but it was also an unimaginable ‘special forces’ training base. Now the magic rifle soldiers and assemble puppets had entered the official legion establishment of the Fallen Angel Empire, and more troops were likely to appear in the future.

Catherine deliberately quoted Chen Rui’s original words. The original intention of confederation was to stay away from war and share peace. The 3 empires would cooperate and promote each other in economic and military aspects. The Fallen Angel Empire should not be dominating. Otherwise, the true meaning of confederation would be lost. If the Fallen Angel Empire was not willing to share, then the magic game must be banned.

Chen Rui secretly muttered. The child’s mother is really cruel, but I will definitely not agree to ban it. The magic game not only involves the economy and military, but also my training and the collection of faith power plans; it is also related to the Demon Realm’s future.

Facing Chen Rui’s objection, Catherine’s attitude was extremely firm. She did not give in at all because of her personal relationship with Chen Rui. At this negotiating table, she represented the interests of the Dark Shadow Empire.

Raizen naturally expressed support for this condition.

“The sharing of economic benefits can be considered, and the military aspect can also be partly shared, but technology is impossible. It is even more impossible to ban magic games!” Chen Rui pondered for a while, and he looked at the secretaries and guards around, “I’m not just thinking for the interests of myself or the Fallen Angel Empire, the specific reasons… I can explain it, but there can’t be a 5th person present.”

Raizen waved his hand, everyone withdrew except for the 3 rulers and Chen Rui, then he turned on the soundproof magic circle.

“First of all, let me explain that my strength actually comes from a special inheritance, the ancient alchemy civilization.”

As soon as he said this, not to mention Shea, even Raizen and Catherine also nodded in unison. Chen Rui had confessed this to Catherine, and Raizen had also seen the huge Castle in the Sky at the Warlock Fortress. Moreover, many ancient guardians who appeared in the Fallen Angel Empire’s military parade ceremony should be due to the ancient alchemy civilization, which can also reasonably explain why ‘Aguile’ could be the alchemy great grand master which shocked the Demon Realm. Perhaps it was also the reason why Aguile’s power surged beyond the norm.

“The technical principle of the magic game is actually an illusion similar to the kingdom. Users can get real exercise and training effects in the illusion. Each of the game helmets has a mystic crystal which stores a certain amount of magic power. Once the magic power is exhausted, it must be refilled. This is why the game needs to be recharged. The power of kingdom illusion is not equivalent to the kingdom of a super powerhouse, but it is generated with the special power of the central life crystal of the ancient alchemy civilization as the core. No one can control and use it except for me, the inheritor. Therefore, the shared technology that Your Majesty Catherine just mentioned is not plausible both theoretically and practically.”

Catherine and Raizen actually instructed someone to study the magic game long ago, and they also tried to ‘copycat’, but they failed without exception. They could naturally identify that Chen Rui’s explanation was not perfunctory.

“In fact, I developed this magic game not only for the purpose of profiting or training a small number of controllers of ancient weapons, but for another reason; an important reason related to the future life and death of the Demon Realm.” Chen Rui conveniently categorized the ‘magic gun’ into the ancient alchemy civilization. In fact, the magic gun was created with his limited knowledge of firearms in his previous life and the magic gun blueprint jointly studied by the Elf Grand Master Finoia and the Hobbit Grand Master Rick. The magic gun in the game was actually still at the semi-automatic level while Crystal Phoenix’ had successfully developed a fully automatic rifle, and its lethality was even higher.

Chen Rui’s next goal was to develop firearms that were more suitable for this world and more powerful (such as the demon version Desert Eagle, the demon version M200 Intervention, etc.). Although they could not replace the personal training and strength of powerhouses, they could increase an ordinary person’s combat power by several or even dozens of times. Perhaps a corresponding ‘profession’ would be derived as in the game.

Since firearms have entered this world, they are destined not to be unknown. Chen Rui had no doubt about this.

“Is it related to the future of the Demon Realm?” Even Raizen couldn’t help but interject, “Are you sure it’s not an alarmist?”

Chen Rui shook his head, revealing a solemn expression, “Have you ever heard of the term ‘abyss’?”

Raizen shook his head and said he didn’t know while Catherine frowned and spoke up, “I have studied ancient literature before. The word, ‘abyss’, in the ancient language, represents ‘taboo’, but the specific meaning is not clear.”

“Taboo?” Chen Rui remembered that Tetenis also seemed to have said this, “Hearing is false, seeing is believing. Instead of explaining it with words, it is better to use your own eyes to verify it.”

With that said, there was a faint blue light on Chen Rui’s hand, and everyone felt that the surrounding scene had changed. They were already in another place. The 3 of them were no ordinary people, so they soon realized that this was just an illusion that Chen Rui activated. As soon as they restored their calmness, the scene in front of them made the 3 of them stunned.

Endless fiery red filled with suffocating scorching heat. Their vision was full of tidal waves, waves of strange creatures.

Individually, these creatures were not very strong. They were about the level of a Higher Demon, but the terrifying thing was the infinite number. Millions, tens of millions, billions?

Through the buff of those strange red flowers, the strength of most of the creatures leaped from the Demon King to the Great Demon King level. Hundreds of translucent creatures with a length of more than 10 meters and a height of about 6 meters appeared in front of them. The limbs were strong, and the tail was long and sturdy. It was exactly what they saw in the military parade ceremony, the ancient guardian, giant crystal beast of the Demon Overlord level.

Demon Overlord would undoubtedly crush Demon King or Great Demon King. In the surrounding force field, hundreds of enemies were annihilated, but facing millions, tens of millions or even hundreds of millions of Demon King and Great Demon King, the force field of the giant crystal beast was so insignificant that it was soon completely submerged in the terrifying ‘tide’.

Judging from the ‘ocean tides’ that continued to appear afterward, this kind of creature was only a relatively low-level existence. No matter whether it was a high-level or low-level creature, there was only 1 special characteristic – destruction.

Wherever they passed, there was no life left, only a piece of scorched ground.

The image gradually faded, and the 3 rulers returned to the council hall. Chen Rui’s voice sounded, “This is the strength of the abyss. What you see is only the tip of the iceberg. I can tell you frankly, civilization as powerful as the ancient alchemy civilization and many others that I do not know of… are completely destroyed by this.”

Although Shea saw this video for the first time, she had heard a few words about the abyss from Chen Rui before, so she was somewhat prepared, but Raizen and Catherine saw the terrifying abyss for the first time. Their eyes revealed shocked expressions that couldn’t be concealed.

The 2 realized 1 thing at the same time. Facing such a terrifying abyss, the entire Demon Realm, no, even plus the human world, I’m afraid…

Chen Rui’s next few words made the 3 rulers change their facial expressions at the same time.

“There is bad news. As far as I know, the Abyss Family still exists, but it is sealed somewhere for some reason. Over the years, they have tried their best to return to the legendary world called the ‘Master Plane’. The Demon Realm has many secret worshippers of the Abyss, and I have destroyed more than 1 Abyss altar. The existence of these people, for the 3 empires and the Demon Realm as a whole, is even more terrifying than the ‘Bloodfall’. I have a bold assertion here, the return of the Abyss, I’m afraid… is just a matter of time.”

“Could it be those monsters and dungeons you set up in the magic game… Only Catherine’s mind turned quickly, and she related it to the magic game intel.

“Smart.” Chen Rui smiled and praised his woman unceremoniously, “There are quite a few monsters and specially made dungeons in the magic game were created by imitating the characteristics and habits of the abyss creatures in order to deal with the abyss disaster that may occur in the future. I hope that even if we leave this world one day, when our descendants face these terrifying creatures that suddenly appear, they can maintain strong confidence and the most effective combat power. “

Raizen’s gaze toward Chen Rui finally changed, showing his respect for the first time.

Catherine and Shea, who knew Chen Rui’s true identity, felt even more sentimental. There was a hint of tenderness in their eyes.

“There are my beloved women here, and my friends who go through life and death with me. This is my home. I will sacrifice my life to protect it and everything I cherish.”

This man, not only did he say it, he did it all the time.

He was human and this was the Demon Realm, but this was his home, the real home.