Chapter 159. Orthodox-Unorthodox War (8)
“What is going on here?”
In a small throne tucked away in one corner of the Spirit Realm, the B-rank Constellation ‘Blue Beast,’ Yang Zhi, tilted his head.
He was also a member of the Great Unification Society.
“What on earth is the Strategist doing?”
The one Yang Zhi called the Strategist was the S-rank Constellation ‘Taoist of Transformation,’ Yang Jian.
Yang Jian was the leader of the Great Unification Society, whose goal was the unification of China.
The Orthodox-Unorthodox War currently raging in the Material Realm had also been born entirely from Yang Jian’s plans.
“He said he was preparing the final move to force the Unorthodox Coalition into complete submission during the Battle of Shanghai...”
But the fighting west of Shanghai was unfolding completely differently from the Great Unification Society’s plans.
Kang Yujin had suddenly appeared and attacked both Orthodox and Unorthodox forces indiscriminately.
He had even defeated White Forest Alliance Leader Yang Weizheng.
Now neither side dared move carelessly.
They were simply watching each other.
“At this rate, forcing the Unorthodox Coalition to surrender will be impossible.”
The Great Unification Society did not want to annihilate the Unorthodox Faction.
They needed those forces for the coming war against Pandemonium.
Their goal was to force them to surrender while preserving as much combat strength as possible.
“We went through all those schemes for this very day...”
Yang Zhi was a Constellation from Liangshan, born under the influence of the Heavenly Dark Star.
Like other Liangshan Constellations, he possessed [Demonic Star Descent], allowing him to control his Contractor’s body.
Recently, Yang Zhi had descended into the body of the White Forest Alliance Shanghai Branch Leader and massacred the entire branch.
He had dirtied his own hands to create a justification for the Orthodox-Unorthodox War.
“What exactly are you doing, Strategist...?”
Yang Zhi sighed as he thought of Yang Jian, leader of the Great Unification Society.
At that moment...
a dark-faced man with a reddish-black complexion suddenly appeared inside Yang Zhi’s throne.
“It’s been a while, Blue-Faced Beast!”
A burly man with a thick beard and a pitch-black face.
The moment Yang Zhi saw him, he sucked in a breath.
“Lee Gyu?!”
The B-rank Constellation ‘Murderer with Two Axes.’
Black Whirlwind Lee Gyu, one of his former comrades from Liangshan, had suddenly appeared in Yang Zhi’s throne.
“Why are you so surprised? I’ve visited before.”
“N-No... it’s just that you suddenly appeared after not contacting me for so long.”
Yang Zhi tried to play it off, but his guard rose immediately.
He knew Lee Gyu was allied with that ‘Nameless King.’
“Wow, you’ve got a nice Observer.”
Lee Gyu casually walked over and dropped onto the floor.
Then he scratched his back while staring at the screen.
“So who’s winning?”
“The Orthodox Coalition is still in the better position.”
“But everyone’s just staring at each other instead of fighting.”
Lee Gyu clicked his tongue.
“That kind of thing frustrates me the most.”
“Kang Yujin threw the entire battlefield into chaos... so now nobody dares move carelessly.”
“Ah, right. Kang Yujin would do that.”
Still sitting on the floor, Lee Gyu spoke in an indifferent tone.
“Then it should start soon.”
“Start? What will?”
“What else?”
Lee Gyu turned toward Yang Zhi and grinned.
“They’re going to eat the whole meal you people laid out.”
"...?"
“You don’t understand?”
“Lee Gyu, I have no idea what you’re talking about...”
“Tch. You’re really slow.”
What was he talking about?
A vague sense of unease began spreading through Yang Zhi.
“The unification of the Orthodox and Unorthodox Factions.”
Lee Gyu grinned wider.
“The Nameless King is going to accomplish it.”
“And far more perfectly than you people ever could.”
Yang Zhi shot to his feet.
“W-What nonsense are you talking about?!”
“Your plan was to deal a fatal blow to the Unorthodox Faction and absorb them afterward, right?”
“Th-That...!”
“But the Nameless King won’t do it that way.”
Lee Gyu shrugged.
“He’s going to make the Orthodox and Unorthodox Factions join hands peacefully.”
“Impossible!”
Yang Zhi’s face flushed red as he shouted.
“That can’t happen!”
“The Orthodox and Unorthodox Factions hate each other!”
“There is no way they can join hands peacefully!”
That was precisely why the Great Unification Society had gone through so many schemes.
They wanted to create a situation where the Unorthodox Faction had no choice but to crawl under the Orthodox Faction.
“Making the impossible possible is what that guy does.”
“W-What?”
“Hey, Blue-Faced Beast.”
Lee Gyu looked at him.
“What’s the fastest way to make two groups that hate each other join hands?”
“That’s...”
“A common enemy appears.”
“A common enemy...?”
The instant he heard that...
one word flashed through Yang Zhi’s mind.
“P-Pandemonium?”
“Ah. Now you’re finally following.”
“That’s ridiculous!”
Pandemonium’s invasion was still supposed to be some time away.
Through several channels, the Great Unification Society had gathered enough intelligence to determine that Pandemonium’s full-scale invasion would begin in about fifteen days.
That was why their plan had been to finish the Orthodox-Unorthodox War before then and form a unified army centered around the White Forest Alliance.
“Pandemonium isn’t supposed to move yet!”
“Everyone believes the Orthodox-Unorthodox War will be settled before the invasion starts!”
“Kehehe... is that really so?”
“What?”
At that moment...
a sudden thought struck Yang Zhi.
“Don’t tell me!”
He hurriedly operated his Observer.
The screen showing western Shanghai shifted rapidly toward the far north...
"...!"
Yang Zhi froze in horror.
“T-This is impossible...!”
“Kahaha! That’s right!”
Lee Gyu burst out laughing.
“Pandemonium isn’t supposed to move yet?”
“Not even close!”
“Pandemonium has already begun moving!”
"...!"
“In a situation like this, do you really think humans can keep beating each other senseless over some Orthodox-Unorthodox War?”
Lee Gyu grinned.
“Most of them probably can’t.”
On the Observer screen...
a demonic army larger than anything Yang Zhi had seen in years was marching south.
“What did you just say?”
Liu Xianfei, who was supporting her father Liu Zhenping, thought she had heard wrong.
The report brought by the subordinate who had rushed over was simply too shocking.
“Pandemonium’s forces... have begun advancing south!”
"...!"
“We don’t know the exact numbers, but it looks like a full-scale offensive from Pandemonium!”
“The force is that massive!”
Liu Xianfei felt dizzy.
Pandemonium invading in the middle of the Orthodox-Unorthodox War...
no one had expected this.
It almost seemed as if the demons had deliberately waited for the humans to start fighting each other.
“H-How are we supposed to...”
Liu Xianfei wasn’t the only one shocked.
The nearby Unorthodox Contractors were rattled.
So were the Orthodox Contractors who heard the report.
“Looks like no one will feel much like fighting anymore.”
“Y-You are...!”
Liu Xianfei’s eyes widened at the man who suddenly appeared beside her.
“Lord Ma Taesu! Where have you been all this time...?!”
It was Ma Taesu, head of the Korea Branch.
He had disappeared recently, making some people wonder whether he had fled back to Korea.
Yet here he was, standing perfectly fine in the middle of the battlefield.
“I was busy taking care of the elders.”
“The elders?”
“Yeah.”
Ma Taesu put a cigarette in his mouth and nodded.
“The preparations are mostly finished.”
“So watch.”
“What?”
“A show’s about to begin.”
