I Have Nothing Left to Lose

Seeing the Beast Sovereign's impatient manner, it was clear he was itching for a fight.

To be honest, this was the most taboo type of general to have on a battlefield—one who was so eager to fight that they forgot the big picture.

Luo Li offered a small smile to Beast Sovereign Ricardo, attempting to soothe him for the moment.

"Your Majesty, please do not be in such a hurry."

"How can I not be? I have waited for you for an entire day. I thought we would launch the general offensive as soon as you woke up. What do you mean by dropping the ball now?"

"Your Majesty, there is no need for such agitation."

Seeing that Luo Li offered nothing but the same phrase, Ricardo could only seethe in silence.

Luo Li had single-handedly planned this entire operation. Although it had not been formally deliberated, she had essentially been established as the person in charge.

Even if Luo Li lacked the official qualifications to be the commander-in-chief, and neither the Beast Sovereign, the Dragon King, the Pope, nor the Elven Queen had formally acknowledged her as such...

None of them had raised any objections—that was a matter to be settled later.

Luo Li turned her head and looked at Asfield beside her.

"Dragon King, do you... share the same sentiment as the Beast Sovereign?"

The Dragon King raised an eyebrow.

"Do not compare me to this stupid cat."

"Who are you calling a stupid cat?"

"Oh? The stupid cat actually has self-awareness? How rare."

"Roar! Dragon King! Do you dare step outside for a fight? I have been tired of your attitude for a long time!"

"A mere overgrown cat requires my personal intervention? Shalin, Aigie."

The voices of two young women immediately responded from outside the carriage.

"Present."

"Here!"

"Wait!"

Seeing that these two were about to start a brawl, Luo Li could only push aside her frustration and quickly intervene.

If they truly fought in this setting, it would only grieve their allies and delight their enemies.

"Your Majesties, regardless of the circumstances, this is a battlefield. Our enemies are the demon race, not our comrades. Please set aside your prejudices for a moment. For my sake, let this matter pass."

Saying this, Luo Li lowered her head slightly.

"I beg of you."

The Dragon King glanced at the bowing Luo Li, then cut a sharp look at the Beast Sovereign from the corner of his eye, letting out a contemptuous snort.

"Hmph."

The Beast Sovereign looked arrogant, letting out a huff of lingering anger.

"Ha!"

Seeing that the two sovereigns would not actually go to war with each other, Luo Li felt a weight lift from her heart.

Both of them were among the strongest beings at the peak of the continent; it was only natural that neither would submit to the other.

Furthermore, the beastmen were currently the strongest race on the continent besides the dragons.

After all, the beastmen had numerous branches, each with their own duties, and most tribes had their own area of specialization.

In this light, the power of the beastmen was easy to imagine.

Taking the canine beastmen as an example, there were the grey wolves, jackals, wild dogs, white foxes, red foxes, and many more.

That was just the canines; there were also felines, hoofed tribes, and so on.

In short, the branches of the beastmen were so complex that even a biologist with a deep understanding of their race would find it a headache.

Therefore, generally speaking, the strength of the beastmen was beyond question.

The feline tribe alone had a population comparable to that of the entire human race.

Of course, such massive and complex branching led to frequent internal conflicts.

There were constant struggles between the different tribes.

While this caused some chaos within their borders, it also increased the hardiness of their race.

Those who could survive and reproduce in such a warring environment were all strong!

Thus, the beastmen were rightfully considered the second strongest race on the continent.

Luo Li looked at the Dragon King, then at the Beast Sovereign.

She was truly speechless regarding these two.

Even if she had not spoken up to stop them, they probably would not have actually fought.

However, as the acting commander, she had to maintain the stability of the army at this stage. She had to be as accommodating as possible to these two powerful figures.

"Lady Luo Li, I came here simply to ask for your opinion."

Asfield's expression softened slightly as he turned to look at Luo Li.

"According to the message you sent earlier, the demon army is still four and a half days away from the ambush point. What do you plan to do during these four and a half days?"

Hearing this question, Ricardo stopped sulking.

His large lion face leaned forward, and his slightly adorable triangular ears twitched as he listened intently.

"Dragon King, I understand what you mean. Though you do not say it, you likely wish to attack as well, correct?"

The Dragon King's expression remained calm as he nodded slightly, subconsciously glancing at the Beast Sovereign.

"According to the news sent back by my kin, the defenses of the Demon King's Castle are extremely thin right now. If the entire army attacks, there should be a chance of victory. However, I... am still somewhat concerned."

Luo Li smiled faintly.

"I believe your concern is justified. Do you remember the first time we met, when those demon elites suddenly appeared in the inland?"

The Dragon King's brow furrowed.

"Indeed. That is exactly what I am worried about. Do you know how those demons... managed to cross the Great Wall?"

"I do not."

Luo Li shook her head and continued.

"However, I feel that the Dragon King's concern is highly probable. Therefore, my suggestion is to besiege them without attacking."

"What on earth are you two talking about?"

Ricardo grew impatient listening from the side and leaned in to ask.

The Dragon King took a deep breath and crossed his arms, his golden armor clanking together.

"You do not know, but when Lady Luo Li and I first met, it was inside the Great Wall, beyond the Four-Ring Mountains. At that time, Lady Luo Li was battling nearly a hundred thousand demon elites."

"Wait a minute, the demon race broke through the Great Wall?"

The Beast Sovereign failed to react for a moment and asked instinctively.

"No, Your Majesty, the Great Wall remains secure. But those demons appeared abruptly inside the Great Wall."

Luo Li quickly added a clarification, a sentence that caused Ricardo to fall into immediate silence.

After a long while, Ricardo looked up in disbelief.

"Are you saying... the demon race has a way to send their elites past the Great Wall?"

"Exactly."

Luo Li smiled, reaching for the black tea Dominica had just brewed and pouring a cup for each of the two sovereigns.

"Please, Your Majesties. Listen to me explain slowly."

These two were, after all, leaders at the level of emperors. Hearing this, all traces of their earlier impatience vanished.

The air of an impending fight between them completely disappeared.

Instead, they both lowered their heads to sip their tea while deep in thought.

It seemed that although these two appeared to have some personality flaws, they were not actually dim-witted.

But that was only natural!

How could a fool ever become an emperor?

"The demon race has a way to transport their army inside the Great Wall. I was somewhat confused before, but now, after seeing that giant tentacle, I suddenly understand... the demon race is very likely using the underground to transport their troops."

The Dragon King and the Beast Sovereign exchanged a look upon hearing this.

Both of their gazes were heavy with gravity.

"Currently, our army is on the demon island, and there is only one way back. If that path is seized by the demon race, your elites might be fine, but my knights will surely all be sacrificed here."

"That is something I do not wish to see. Furthermore... if the demon army has kept a portion of their elites in reserve to launch a surprise attack from our rear while we are busy attacking, the dragons in the sky might be fine, but the beastmen and human armies will inevitably collapse."

"When that time comes, the forces inside the Demon King's Castle will coordinate with those outside. Caught in a pincer attack, Your Majesty... even you might find it difficult to save yourself, wouldn't you?"

"And finally, there is one more point..."

Luo Li took a sip of tea to moisten her throat before continuing.

"This time, our strategic objective is not to capture the Demon King's Castle, but to practice the strategy of besieging a point to strike reinforcements."

"Now, the Demon Emperor has been forced back into the city, and our army holds an absolute advantage on the surface. If this continues, the strategic objective of this war will be a success."

"With a strategic plan already in place, no single tactic should deviate from that strategic objective."

"Moreover... if there truly is some hidden card inside the Demon King's Castle, Your Majesties... if this strategic objective fails, what then?"

The two sovereigns fell into silence, clearly weighing this possibility.

Luo Li was in no hurry. The Dragon King was easy to persuade, and while the Beast Sovereign was impatient, he was not stupid.

These two would surely understand.

If they truly could not understand, then Luo Li would have to consider how to save as many of her knights as possible during a total collapse.

After all... clumsy allies were always capable of doing something disastrous.

"I understand. In that case, we shall do as Lady Luo Li says. I will order my kin to harass them without launching an attack."

The Dragon King was the first to realize the logic. He stood up, gave Luo Li a nod, and turned to leave.

Seeing this, the Beast Sovereign also looked up and spoke to Luo Li.

"I will also notify my subordinates to only harass and not attack. I will not trouble myself with the rest."

With that, he hurriedly left the Saint's Carriage as well.

In an instant, the interior of the carriage became quiet, though the outside grew lively.

The Beast Sovereign continued his provocations, and the Dragon King refused to back down, his every retort hitting the Beast Sovereign where it hurt most.

They walked away, bickering as they went.

Luo Li watched the two receding sovereigns with a smile on her face.

She set down her cup and raised her hands to massage her cheeks.

"Ah... it hurts..."

To keep herself from losing her temper, Luo Li had suppressed the urge to complain and maintained a constant smile.

She had smiled for so long that her cheeks were aching.

Looking toward the door, she saw that the Dragon King and the Beast Sovereign had already departed, and Ligeia walked in from outside.

Upon seeing Luo Li, Ligeia's first question was immediate.

"Your Highness, those two... they weren't rude, were they?"

"Not for the moment... At the very least, until this war is over, even if those two have any ambitions, they will restrain themselves."

Finally managing to rub the smile off her face, Luo Li set aside her teacup.

"Ligeia, if it isn't too much trouble, please brew another pot for me. Dominica's tea-brewing skills are... quite something."

Ligeia smiled gracefully.

"It would be my pleasure."

Dominica, standing outside the door, was stunned by the remark and silently vowed that after they returned...

She would definitely master the art of brewing tea!

Inside the carriage, Ligeia brought out her set of exquisite tea utensils.

Most impressively, Ligeia used detection magic on the tea set, allowing her to monitor the temperature of the boiling water at all times.

This allowed her to activate the tea's aroma at the perfect moment.

Listening to the sound of the spring water pouring from the spout and splashing into the teacup, Luo Li's heart finally found peace.

Ligeia looked up at Luo Li.

"Your Highness, those two... what did they come here for?"

As she spoke, Ligeia handed the first cup of tea to Luo Li.

Luo Li took the cup and gently blew on the leaves floating on the surface.

"It was nothing much. They just wanted to ask what to do next."

Ligeia's brow tightened.

"Your Highness... as far as I know, both of those sovereigns are prideful individuals. Since they wanted to attack, why did they come to ask for your opinion?"

In Luo Li's crimson eyes, the reflection of a single tea leaf standing upright in the cup appeared.

A faint smile, slightly disdainful yet profoundly meaningful, curled the corners of her lips.

"It is simple. Neither of those two sovereigns... wants to take responsibility."

Ligeia did not quite understand and looked at Luo Li in surprise.

"This... I don't quite understand. Responsibility for what?"

"The responsibility for failure."

"Failure?"

Luo Li took a small sip of the tea and nodded inwardly.

As expected, the tea Ligeia brewed was the best—fragrant and perfectly balanced.

Setting down the cup and savoring the lingering aftertaste, she let out a long breath.

"Phew... you are confused, aren't you?"

"Yes."

Ligeia acted like a diligent student, not ashamed to ask.

Luo Li had no intention of hiding it and smiled.

"The reason is simple. Because this war... was spearheaded by me."

Ligeia frowned slightly.

"But even so, those two sovereigns have the power to make the final decision."

"No, they do not dare to make the final decision, because the risks involved in this war are too great."

Ligeia was startled for a moment as if she had realized something, and her expression turned somber.

Luo Li smiled faintly and continued to explain.

"This war is the first counterattack against the demon race in a thousand years on this continent."

"This battle has inevitably drawn the attention of every race. It has become the focus of the entire continent."

"Do you still not see it? There is no official commander-in-chief for this war."

Ligeia instinctively argued.

"Then... why do the Dragon King and the Beast Sovereign listen to you?"

"Because I initiated the war. Only I know the details of the plan."

"But... why won't they acknowledge you as the commander-in-chief?"

"Because I am not qualified enough, and... they need me to bear the risk of failure."

"Your Highness, you mean..."

"That's right."

Luo Li nodded, her gaze fixed on the distance.

"They do not acknowledge me as the commander because they fear that if the war fails, whoever acknowledged the commander will also be held responsible."

"As it stands now, they have not joined as my subordinates, but have come as reinforcements and auxiliary forces."

"In this way, they evade the danger. They do not oppose my opinions..."

"Because once the war fails, they cannot bear the consequences of that failure."

Luo Li held the teacup with both hands, feeling the slight warmth it provided. A helpless smile touched her lips.

"For a thousand years, the races of the continent never thought of counterattacking. First, because it didn't involve the other races."

"Second... because no one could bear the consequences of failure. Once you fail, you become the loser of the entire continent."

"When that time comes, every race on the continent will point their finger at that person."

Raising her head to see the shock in Ligeia's eyes, Luo Li spoke calmly.

"And now, the demon race is attacking the Kingdom of the Sun. Once they succeed, they will surely march north to conquer the continent. That first restriction is gone."

"As for the second... I will solve it. They do not dare to counterattack because they fear the blame that follows failure."

"But I am not afraid, because... I have nothing left to lose."