Chapter 528 - 323: The Military God’s Edict: A One-Year Death Sentence (Part 3)

"This isn’t becoming a God; this is signing a death warrant." Han Feng clicked his tongue, but his heart sank.

’This trap was a bit deep.’

’Those two natives, the Thousand-Eyed Demon Moth and the Void Ghost Crab, certainly hadn’t mentioned this catch.’

’But then again, those two were native creatures to begin with, and they’ve probably been around for quite some time.’

’This kind of patch, aimed at "New Gods" and "Foreigners," most likely didn’t apply to them.’

’How awkward.’

’Originally, I just wanted to find a power bank for the base and have Ye Jinghong act as some free muscle on the side.’

’But in the end, I accidentally tricked the guy onto the road to the guillotine.’

"Are you sure you didn’t misread that message?"

Han Feng asked tentatively, "Could it be that you’re new to the position, unfamiliar with how things work, and mistook the ’novice protection period’ for a ’death countdown’?"

Ye Jinghong shook his head, his expression solemn.

"It’s a warning branded directly into the depths of my Divine Soul, like a sword hanging over my head. I can clearly feel that great terror.

It’s telling me: if you’re not strong enough, you die."

"And..."

He paused, his expression growing darker.

"This road... it’s one-way."

"What do you mean?"

"I can’t get out."

Ye Jinghong slowly stood up, walked to the entrance of the large tent, and looked at the Divine Realm’s protective barrier outside, which flowed with a faint golden halo.

"Becoming the God of this place means I’ve been bound to this land. My Divine Soul has already become a part of Dragon Abyss’s rules."

"If I tried to pass through that Mist Boundary Membrane right now, I wouldn’t even have to wait for the world’s rules to erase me.

The repulsive force of the dimensions alone would tear my soul to shreds in an instant."

"Unless I reach Tier Five and gain the power to resist the rules, or I completely refine this Divine Realm and ’pack it up’ to take with me.

Otherwise, I will be trapped in this Dragon Abyss prison forever."

Han Feng fell silent.

’If this news got out, all of East Sea City would probably erupt.’

’The Qilin Child of the Ye Family, the future top dog of the military, had played himself into a life sentence just to save these five thousand-plus people.’

’And one with a one-year stay of execution.’

’This sacrifice... was a bit much.’

"Do you regret it?" Han Feng asked, looking at his back.

Ye Jinghong turned around, the exhaustion and fear on his face having miraculously vanished.

In its place was that familiar, iron-willed fortitude Han Feng knew so well.

"What’s the use in regretting it?"

He sat back down in his chair, his fingers drumming a steady rhythm on the tabletop.

"I chose the path, and I’m the one who swallowed the Divine Crystal.

In that situation, it was either we all die together, or I take a gamble.

At least now, these five thousand-plus brothers are alive. That’s a win."

"Besides, one year may seem like a dead-end, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t a chance to break the stalemate."

A ruthless glint flashed in Ye Jinghong’s eyes.

"If I want to advance to Tier Five, relying on my own Cultivation definitely won’t be fast enough. The only shortcut on this Divine Dao is to pile on the numbers."

"Faith. A massive amount of faith."

He looked at Han Feng, his gaze burning.

"Advisor Han, based on your understanding of the native gods.

Help me calculate, to push my Divine Format to Tier Five, roughly how many believers would I need?"

Han Feng quickly calculated in his head.

Based on the system’s deductions and the data model previously obtained from the Thousand-Eyed Demon Moth.

"The current five thousand three hundred people have only barely gotten you over the threshold."

Han Feng held up two fingers, then added a third.

"If we’re talking about ordinary, general believers who just kowtow and chant scriptures, you’ll need at least three hundred thousand."

"If they’re fanatics like the men under your command, with their strong Will and absolute discipline, you’d need about..."

"One hundred thousand."

One hundred thousand.

The moment that number was spoken, a dead silence fell over the large tent.

The base currently only has five thousand people.

In other words, a shortfall of ninety-five thousand.

"East Sea City plus the surrounding Garrison Cities only have a Standing Army of a hundred-some thousand in total."

Han Feng spread his hands. "Even if the council chairman were your uncle, he couldn’t possibly send more than half his assets into this one-way cage to be your batteries."

Resources, population, time.

Three great mountains pressing down on them.

Ye Jinghong had obviously thought of this as well, but he didn’t despair.

"If people from the outside can’t come in, then we’ll use the people inside."

He walked to the simple map hanging on the wall and jabbed a finger heavily onto several of the red dots marked on it.

Those were the native tribes scouted during the day.

"The Hermit Crab People, the Snake Lizard People, the Black Fierce Apes, and that Spirit Fox Race you wiped out."

Ye Jinghong’s voice was ice-cold. He no longer sounded like a God who shelters all living beings, but more like a tyrant preparing to launch a war of annihilation.

"They’ve survived in Dragon Abyss for so long, so their populations must be considerable. Besides, they already have a habit of worshipping Totems, so the conversion cost isn’t high."

"I will wage war."

"Conquer them, destroy their altars, kill their Priests, and make them convert their faith to me, the ’Military God’!"

"Those who submit will prosper; those who resist will perish."

Han Feng looked at the current Ye Jinghong and thought to himself: ’So the side effects of the Divine Crystal are finally showing.’

’A Divine nature amplifies certain aspects of one’s personality.’

’Ye Jinghong was already a general with an extremely strong desire for control. Now, with the blessing of Divine Power, that "I alone am supreme" domineering aura was growing exponentially.’

’However, this was perfect.’

’If this guy had turned into some bleeding-heart saint who only pitied the heavens and mankind, then I would really have a headache figuring out how to recoup my investment.’