"The sneak attack failed? Explain," the God King said, eyeing Baizhan, Beilie, and Flande. Beyond a brief flicker of surprise, his face was unreadable, leaving them guessing his mood. Unsure, they recounted last night's fiasco honestly.
"So, nearly a million hit you? Where'd they come from?" the God King asked, glancing at Keled. Though Keled wasn't in charge, he'd supplied the intel. This flop was on him.
Keled, sharp as ever, steadied himself. "Our scouts confirm our initial intel was solid. The extra five hundred thousand? Check where numbers dropped—that's the source. In the demon realm, only Yuri, right across from us, could reinforce Trank and Lang Wuyu that fast without us noticing."
Nobody there was dumb. The realization hit like a cold sweat. If the demons had pulled it off, the gods would've been crushed. Keled, stunned, thought: If His Majesty hadn't brought the army for a surprise strike, we wouldn't be standing here.
"Clever bastards," the God King mused. "This war won't end easily. Order both fronts to tighten defenses. Last night hurt them, but we took a beating too. A big fight's coming soon."
"Yes, sir."
Demon Palace, Great Hall
"The gods sank to such shameless depths!" the Demon King roared from his throne. "Fine, God King, you wanna play? Let's play!" At morning court, news of the gods' massive, "despicable" attack sent him into a fury.
"If you're throwing heavy troops, I'll match you, heh!" he cackled. Below, demon generals and officials stood tense, watching their king. His manic state screamed overstimulation.
"Mocha, take the Demon Beast Legion to Yelu City. Follow Yuri's orders," the Demon King barked.
"As you command," a burly, black-horned man replied, stepping forward. Mocha, commander of the elite Demon Beast Legion, had a face so cold it chilled the timid. No matter the crisis, his expression never cracked.
"Hongyu, how's the new recruits' training? How many are ready?" the Demon King asked. A petite female general stepped up, her alluring face framed by a delicate red horn. Hongyu, one of two female demon generals alongside Lalan, was a rank below but no less formidable.
"Your Majesty, since the god war began, we've trained a million recruits. Another six hundred thousand are in training," Hongyu said, her soft voice belying her reputation as the infamous "Red Demon."
"Good. Send the recruits to the front for seasoning. Demons grow up in slaughter—every one's got martial and magical skills. They just need structure. The battlefield's the best trainer. Send them to support Trank and Lang Wuyu," the Demon King said after a pause.
"As you command."
"Heh, been a while since I threw a punch. God King, you better not have gone soft these millennia," he muttered, staring at the pitch-black sky.
Human Realm, Wudu Imperial Palace
From the bedroom, sultry moans echoed. "Oh, Tian-gege, feels so good!" "Ah, I'm dying, I'm flying!" Zoom in: a bed sprawled with stunning beauties. Makino Feitian, clutching a cat-clan goddess, pounded away. Since last night, he hadn't stopped—sweat-soaked proof he's a man's man.
"Mimi, you're so tight down there—squeezing your brother just right," I said, patting the panting cat-girl Mimi.
"Really? As long as brother likes it," Mimi said, hopeful. "Tian-gege, think I'll get a baby this time?" Poor girl's baby-crazy, always fighting through "wounds" to stay in the game. Why no kids? Different species? Nah, beastmen are born from human-beast pairings. Gotta get Mimi checked.
"Probably. Don't worry, brother'll give you a healthy, bouncy little Mimi," I said, kissing her orchid-breath lips tenderly.
"Brother needs rest—too tired," Mimi purred, snuggling into my arms, her adorable "jade rabbits" bouncing against my chest with each breath. After non-stop battles, I was spent, only able to savor her firmness.
Dozing off, I heard Xue'er's voice. "Feitian, wake up! Urgent war report!" She shook my naked, sleeping form. Thank the stars, I stirred. Xue'er silently vowed to ration my "fights"—all-night romps left nothing for daytime duties.
"What's up, Xue'er?" I asked, kissing her softly. "Demons are moving. Our satellites spotted major troop shifts today," she said, helping me dress.
"Nice, things are blooming. Are the gods in on it?" I asked.
"No clue. Xiaohe's outside—he'll brief you. Ask him," Xue'er said.
"Got it. I'm off."
In my palace study, Xiaohe sorted files. "Majesty, here's the military satellite's report," he said, handing me a telegram as I entered.
It matched Xue'er's news. "Any god realm activity?" I asked.
"Nothing since their big troop shift to the demon realm yesterday. Want closer surveillance?"
"Yeah, tell them to stay sharp," I said.
"On it," Xiaohe said, heading out.
I dialed the Yanhuang Military District's secure line. "Mengjiang, ready your unit for combat now." "Majesty, for real? Hell yeah, war! Don't worry, ten minutes tops," Mengjiang whooped, dropping the phone to sprint to the command post, sounding the battle alarm.
Instantly, Yanhuang Star buzzed. Except for training recruits, all combat units mobilized. Vacationing soldiers raced to the nearest spaceport; barflies on Yanhuang Star dashed to barracks.
"Boss, why no action for us?" Along and his crew, quick on the draw, barged in to plead for a fight. "You three? You've seen plenty of war. This is for Yanhuang's recruits to toughen up. Next time," I said. Battle-crazed lunatics.
When I stepped off the Flying Dragon Warship, Yanhuang's troops were ready, faces lit with excitement. War's deadly, yet they're pumped?
"Attention! Salute!" a voice boomed.
"Hail, Your Majesty!" The shout was crisp, unified. Facing these vibrant young soldiers, I returned a salute. "No long speech. For your first fight, show our might. Board the ships!"
Yelu City, Demon Camp
"Hail, Your Majesty!" Yuri and Lalan bowed to the Demon King, seated at the command throne. "Rise," he said. To crush his old rival, he'd gone all-in, deploying the entire Demon Beast Legion and two hundred thousand palace guards. The gods would learn demons were noble and untouchable.
The God King, expecting the Demon King's arrival, knew he'd need the Second and Third Legions. After the sneak attack flop, not reinforcing from the god realm was suicide. He wasn't cocky enough for a one-on-two brawl. The Demon Beast Legion matched his 'God Special Forces' in power and outnumbered them. He never regretted invading—millennia ago, the Creator sabotaged his near-victory. Now, he wouldn't miss this shot. Human help would've cut losses, but victory was still his.
Outside Yelu City, the Demon King faced the god army. Seeing the God King's smug face, he fantasized about… violating him? Ugh, what's wrong with me? Fury addled his brain. No, send hundreds of demon dragons to ravage that bastard—that'd soothe his rage. Picturing it, he smirked.
"Little brother Demon King, been millennia, huh? Heard you're down bad—bullied by puny humans? Slipping, aren't you?" the God King said, feigning pity.
"Mind your own business. At least I don't stoop to your shameless, backstabbing tricks—sneaking attacks during wars. Fate's on my side, though. Seeing someone botch a sneak attack gets me quivering with joy. Surely not you, old brother God King," the Demon King fired back.
"Heh, we go way back—I know your schemes. Real talk: demons can't unify the three realms. Let's call it quits. Under god rule, we'll thrive—no more rotting in this dark, birdless dump. Think it over," the God King said, prodding to enrage him.
"Oh? Heard you begged humans and got shut down. When did the 'glorious' gods get so impotent? I'm worried for you, brother—pale face, probably kidney failure. Take care, heh," the Demon King sneered, his barb layered with jabs.
To the Demon King, it was just trash talk, but the God King's heart sank. How'd he know my secret? Is my concubine a spy? Impossible, but the insult stung his manly pride. "Damn you," he said, feigning calm, fingers clenched, itching to slug the Demon King back to his realm.
The Demon King, rough but sharp, caught the clenched fists. Knowing the God King, only a deep wound would rattle him. "No way—you are impotent! No wonder god numbers barely grew—you're dragging them down. Want a few of my sons? We're brothers; I don't mind sharing," he crowed, gloating.
Keled, seeing the God King's fury, intervened. "Majesty, they're baiting you." "I know, but he's vile," the God King said, calming himself.
Soldiers on both sides watched their mighty leaders trade spitfire insults. Majesty's majesty—even trash talk's legendary.
High above, in outer space, ten thousand warships hovered like predators. "Majesty, we're here. Attack now?" Mengjiang asked cautiously behind me.
"No, you're missing the point. Why are we fighting?" I asked.
"To unify the three realms?" Mengjiang ventured, puzzled.
"Partly. We lack nothing—except people. In this vast cosmos, population's our bottleneck. Humans were plentiful, but the human-demon war slashed numbers. We've recovered some, but for a space empire, it's not enough. God and demon fighters are key for our future," I explained.
Mengjiang nodded. "So, we're here to intimidate them into submission?"
"No, we're delivering gifts—one to each. War gets us people, but sacrifices some. Weaken both sides, and they'll have to agree," I said with a sly grin.
Mengjiang shivered, awestruck by my "elegant genius." His gaze turned worshipful.
"Scan the demon realm. Map their positions. Await my orders," I told an aide.
"Yes, sir."
The scan caught the God and Demon Kings in a verbal slugfest. For "primitive" civilizations, their psychological warfare wasn't bad. Shockingly, the burly Demon King held the edge.
"Little brother Demon King, strength talks," the God King said coldly. "That fits me better. Haven't you seen our power? With your measly numbers, how do you compete?" the Demon King shot back.
"Smaller, sure, but wars aren't won 'til the end. Heroes laugh last," the God King said. "Maybe, but today, laughing first or last ain't for you," the Demon King sneered.
"Oh, forgot to mention—Yelu City's got a few hundred thousand demon civilians. I don't mind them soaking your first wave," the God King said casually. Behind him, demon captives were marched up.
"Nice move," the Demon King growled. "Think that'll make us kneel? Wrong. Ever wonder why we're called demons? For our race's survival, sacrifice is inevitable. Demons fight to the last man, never bowing!" His righteous glare pierced the God King.
The captive demons, hearing him, transformed—chests out, fearless, magic aura rising. "Seal their magic, quick!" the God King shouted. "Your oratory's improved, little brother," he said, relieved he'd acted fast. A mass self-detonation would've gutted his side. The Demon King's words alone sparked their suicidal resolve.
"Demon Beast Legion, attack!" the Demon King waved. The ready legion charged Yelu City. As countless magic orbs neared, a barrier rose over the city, deflecting fireballs and lightning.
"Demon Beast Legion, fall back. Mages, prepare—half hit their barrier, half raise ours," the Demon King ordered decisively. Soon, as demon barriers rose, light-energy orbs burst from Yelu's shield, like suns igniting the dark demon sky.
Magic orbs clashed midair, sparking dazzlingly. Explosions roared, thinning both barriers, shrinking their coverage. Hand-to-hand combat loomed.
"Magic in the demon realm's gorgeous," Sky Dragon Empire soldiers in space marveled. From orbit, it looked like festival fireworks—deadly ones.
"Majesty, seeing this, won't forcing demons to submit backfire?" Mengjiang asked, worried by the Demon King's speech.
"No one's fearless. Absolute power negates that. Demons worship strength—might rules. They scorn gods because their strength's similar, yet gods used sneaky tactics for a slight edge. Nobody respects that. Beat them into submission, and unifying gods and demons is easy," I said. Grasping psychology is the key to breakthroughs. Mengjiang gaped, floored by my insight, glad he'd come.
Boom! The god barrier cracked first, then the demon one under relentless magic. The Demon Beast Legion's air units swooped on the gods, met by the 'God Special Forces' from Yelu's rear. The "air forces" tore into each other, plummeting, blood spraying.
A massive blast shook the battlefield, dust rising. Yelu's giant gate collapsed under a final demon mage strike. Demon beastmen and soldiers roared, charging. The God and Demon Kings, old foes, clashed, their wild energy scattering soldiers within thirty meters.
Simultaneously, south and west, Trank and Lang Wuyu's demon forces engaged the god First Legion and garrison troops in brutal melee.
"Hah, your army won't last long!" the Demon King taunted.
"Don't gloat yet. Until the end, victory's unclear," the God King said, pulling back after a palm clash.
"Demon Dragon Wave!" the Demon King unleashed his signature move. "God's Judgment!" the God King countered. Light and dark magic collided, exploding fiercely. Within forty meters, soldiers perished; only top god and demon generals survived, barely, collapsing exhausted.
Suddenly, a thunderbolt flashed. Eighty thousand god troops appeared, suppressing the demons' near-victory. "See that?" the God King smirked. The Second and Third Legions' arrival hammered the demons.
Lalan, seeing the shift, led forty thousand reserves and twenty thousand demon guards into the fray, easing the demons' retreat. Still, gods held a slight edge, poised to widen it.
"Launch missiles at both gods and demons—more on gods. Keep their strength even," I ordered Mengjiang. Sleek Flying Dragon Warships moved into position, firing air-to-ground missiles.
Missiles minimized casualties and hid our hand. Lasers would scream third-party involvement, uniting gods and demons against us—ruining my plan. The missiles, specially treated, left no trace post-explosion. If any did, gods and demons would peg them as human tech, dragging war back to the human realm. I wasn't about to let our hard-won human recovery burn again.
As the war raged, two clear fronts formed—small squads merging into army clashes. My missiles erased the gods' edge, locking both sides in a stalemate. They fought ferociously for Yelu City, blind to the space-launched missiles, mistaking them for enemy magic or self-detonations.
The battling God and Demon Kings noticed. The God King, stunned, saw his eighty thousand reinforcements gain no ground. The Demon King, equally shocked, saw his elites stall despite an advantage. A deadlock? Unthinkable.
"Brother Demon King, this is a death spiral—nobody wins. Truce for a day?" the God King proposed, stepping back.
Blood-eyed but not brain-dead, the Demon King sensed retreat. Now's the time for terms. "Want a truce? Easy—leave the demon realm and pay reparations," he grunted. "That's extortion!" the God King snapped.
"Don't like it? We fight to the death. Warriors, kill!" he roared, reigniting demon fervor. Another bloody round erupted.
"You're hurting us both. I'll meet your terms, but no reparations. Push me, and we both burn," the God King offered, his final line.
"Deal," the Demon King agreed swiftly, stunning the God King. He knew prolonged war meant mutual destruction. After human and god wars, demons were battered. Self-interest demanded agreement. An old demon saying rang true: "Keep the green hills, and firewood won't run dry."
Both kings halted their armies. Gods withdrew from the demon realm.
"We're done here. Back to base—prep for the next phase," I said. The bloody spectacle clarified both sides' strength. "God King, Demon King, this human king's got gifts for you. Soon, we'll meet—and I can't wait to see your shocked faces."
Reader's Corner: Yo, readers, Feitian's playing 4D chess while gods and demons bleed! Think his missile gambit will tame both realms, or will the kings sniff him out? And what's Meilina scheming in the shadows? Drop your wildest predictions in the comments—let's crack this cosmic plot!