At this moment, in Region 0043, there was a complete uproar because of Li Xiang’s words, “Those who submit to me will prosper, and those who defy me will perish.”
Those country lords who had long since pledged their loyalty were all beaming with joy, rejoicing at their wise decision.
At this moment, the Demon Country had won a complete victory. Although they could not be considered to have contributed much, it was naturally different to pledge their allegiance before the decisive victory and after the decisive victory.
As for those who had always been hesitant in the middle, they were also the country lords with the largest number of people. Although they heaved a sigh of relief, they were still very uncomfortable in the face of Li Xiang’s overbearing ultimatum.
However, no matter how uncomfortable they felt, they could only bear it in their hearts at this moment, not daring to reveal the slightest bit of it.
As for those country lords who had already pledged their allegiance to the undead race, it was unknown when they had been directly transformed into undead. Even if they wanted to pledge their allegiance to the Demon Country, they would not have the chance.
What was even more terrifying was that they had no control at all. Like puppets, they were manipulated to lead their own armies to attack their neighboring countries. Then, they were completely annihilated by the demon army that followed them, their bodies and souls vanishing.
“Fortunately, I’m smart. With a single glance, I could tell that the Demon Country had a deep foundation. It was not something that a nouveau riche like the undead race could compare to. I chose to pledge allegiance early on. Now, I’m also the lord of the Demon Country.”
“Hehe, what’s there to brag about being a lord? Aren’t you supposed to be Li Xiang’s lackey?”
“Eh, did this fish slip through the net? I’ll report it!”
However, just as this person finished speaking, the image of that country lord from before instantly dimmed.
It meant that this person was completely dead.
“Tsk tsk, this kid’s mouth is really tough, but he still wants to act pretentious when he doesn’t have the strength. This time, he even lost his life.”
“Although it’s a little late to pledge allegiance now, it’s still better than being exterminated. According to Li Xiang, those who pledge allegiance would be stripped of the title of country lord, so it is not bad to be a lord. There’s no need to worry about being killed every day. It’s also quite good to be able to live a peaceful farming life.”
“Other than thinking like this, what else can I do? An arm can’t beat a thigh. I’ve already submitted my application.”
“Eh? Oh right, where are the three leaders who took the lead in opposing the Demon Country?”
“That’s right! These three guys can’t be the Demon Country’s spies, right? They tormented us until we leaned towards the undead, and then waited for the Demon Country to win and harvest us? These three bastards!”
The Cherry Blossom Country Lord and the Divine Hawk Kingdom Lord, who had been watching from the sidelines, had bitter smiles on their faces.
The two of them had been implicated by Rev, the War Bear Country Lord.
Not long ago, the two of them had been attacked by the undead army led by the War Bear Country Lord.
Although they had defeated the undead army in the end, they had also suffered heavy losses.
“So hateful! I didn’t expect Rev to defect to the undead by himself. In the end, he even tried to trick us,” Duba cursed hatefully.
At this moment, Miyamoto Sakuragi and Duba were sitting opposite each other in the meeting hall.
The meeting hall, which could accommodate hundreds or thousands of people, was now deserted with only two people left.
There were originally seven or eight people here, but now there were only two people left.
“I’ve already submitted my loyalty application. Although I’m not willing to accept it, I don’t have the right time, place, or people. I’ll just be a common lord!”
Miyamoto Sakuragi said in a disheartening manner.
“You’re just willing to be a common lord?”
“Then what else do you want? Do you think you can still stir up some waves? Even the undead’s million-strong army was destroyed by the Demon Country. Our small army isn’t even worth mentioning.”
Hearing that, Duba’s expression kept changing. After hesitating for a moment, he slowly said, “I have two ways to solve this problem, but none of them are particularly good. Do you want to hear them?”
Miyamoto Sakuragi’s eyes lit up. “Tell me!”
Duba raised a finger and said, “First, we will lead the army now and take advantage of the regional war to cross the border and snatch another territory from the other regions. As long as we destroy the enemy, we can take over the magpie’s nest.
“The advantage of doing so is that not only can we avoid the threat of Li Xiang’s Demon Country, but we can also obtain some battle achievements. When the regional war is over, we can also obtain a certain amount of rewards.”
“What’s the disadvantage?”
“The disadvantage is that our strength isn’t strong. If we don’t choose the right target and we kick an iron plate, then the entire army will be annihilated, and there will be no chance for us to turn the tables.
“At the same time, even if we win and really get the upper hand, we will also be vulnerable to the enmity and attack of the other country lords around us. After all, as outsiders, it will be very difficult for us to be accepted. In fact, we might even be viewed as a thorn in the flesh by the powerful forces in the various regions, and they would quickly pull us out.
“In the end, it’s hard to say if the two of us will be able to withstand the pressure and attack.”
Miyamoto Sakuragi nodded and said, “This method is actually not bad. With our strength, we naturally won’t be able to compare with freaks like the Demon Country, Li Xiang. However, compared to those common country lords, we will still be much stronger. The key is how to choose the target!”
“What about the second method?”
“The second method is to choose a powerful force in the surrounding area to rely on. Then, we will pay a certain price and move over.”
When Miyamoto Sakuragi heard this, he immediately waved his hand and said, “Mentioning this method is useless! No matter how great the price is, by relying on others, we will never be able to make a name for ourselves. In fact, we will even be used and feared by others. This is the last resort.”
Duba also agreed with Miyamoto Sakuragi’s evaluation and said, “I think so too.”
“Hmph, if you choose the second option, you might as well choose to pledge allegiance to Li Xiang. I’ve studied Li Xiang before. Although he is a little overbearing, he treats his subordinates and those who pledge allegiance well. Even though one will lose some rights, at least one’s safety is guaranteed. Compared to living under someone else’s roof, this is much more comfortable.”
“Then what do you think of the first choice?”
Miyamoto Sakuragi shook his head and said, “It’s useless!”
At this point, he glanced at Duba, and he continued, “Think about the current strength of the Demon Country and think about how much time has passed since the regional war started. You will know that unless we can cross a few regions and plunder a piece of land, there is no meaning. We fought to the death, and in the end, just as we stabilized, we discovered that the demon army had once again arrived at our doorstep. Are we going to escape again when the time comes?”
Duba was somewhat speechless when he heard this.
“The regional war has only started for less than seven days! There are still nearly three months left. I really don’t know how much the Demon Country will expand in the end.”
At this moment, when Miyamoto Sakuragi said that, Duba himself did not have much confidence.
At this moment, Miyamoto Sakuragi slowly said, “I have a way too. Do you want to hear it?”
“It’s already so late, and you’re still keeping me in suspense! If you have a way, hurry up and say it.”
“My way is to directly go to the Demon Country Lord, Li Xiang, and tell him our intentions. Tell him that we want to make a difference and are willing to provide him with information or other assistance in the future. I think he won’t take two country lords like us to heart.”
“Hiss! Are you courting death? If I were Li Xiang, I would immediately get someone to kill you. Are you tired of living? I don’t think this will work!”