Chapter 969: Won't Pay for Ling Zhan's Mistake!
"Mechanical unit, start mapping the strategic layout!"
"All scouts, disperse immediately!"
Ling Zhan continued issuing commands with calm precision.
The mechanical unit was composed entirely of Mechanics.
Using long-range remote-controlled magic drones, they deployed flying machines to observe the fortress city from above.
These machines aimed to detect enemy force distribution points.
Of course...
That was the ideal scenario.
Most of the time, Mechanics could only map terrain—enemy formations were impossible to see.
The enemy had long deployed various cloaking arrays.
But...
Even preliminary scans left the mechanical team in shock.
"This isn't good..."
"Heavenly Demon Capital's defenses cover nearly 100%!"
"There's a defensive facility every ten meters!"
"From anti-air floating turrets to ground-devastating magic mortars—everything's deployed!"
"And multiple Demon Towers stand tall across the city!"
"Each tower radiates dense Ten Thousand Demons energy!"
The mechanical squad's faces turned grim.
And as they reported this, nearby legion members weren't faring any better.
Clearly…
Heavenly Demon Capital had been fortified into a true iron fortress.
It made sense.
Heavenly Demon Capital was the frontmost fortress of the Ten Thousand Demons Fortress.
If it fell, coalition forces could use it as a launch point to assault the Fortress.
The enemy knew this.
So they poured in resources without restraint.
Maxing out its defenses.
Forget surrounding it…
Even if four sides attacked at once, the city might still hold.
And those towers signified the presence of Demon Sovereigns!
A rough count…
Ten towers!
Ten Demon Sovereigns in total!
The enemy was determined to hold this line!
In the southern command tent—
Azure Dragon Meng Zhang sat at the head, with top generals from every nation.
They'd been attacking the Heavenly Demon Capital for some time.
But still hadn't broken through.
The fortress shell was just too tough—and well-prepared. Energy readings showed it had enough reserves to operate for ten years!
Clearly, the Ten Thousand Demons hadn't grown complacent—they'd prepared.
They likely knew this day would come.
So even at their peak, they began stockpiling vast magical resources.
Otherwise, how could they possibly power such a fortress for ten years?
And they stationed ten Demon Sovereigns inside.
Three of them were elite—each having fought world-class powerhouses and come out ahead.
One was the Myriad Swords Demon Sovereign.
One was the Spirit Sky Demon Sovereign.
One was the Judgment Demon Sovereign.
Even in the Abyss, these three were top-tier.
They held high rank and were dispatched to defend the capital.
So the main force was struggling.
"Gentlemen, Ling Zhan has marched to the north of Heavenly Demon Capital."
"We're now in a pincer formation."
"Thoughts?"
Meng Zhang asked coolly.
The generals were stunned.
Huh?
Wasn't Ling Zhan supposed to flank the enemy?
Why was he suddenly on the main battlefield?
And why hadn't they heard a thing?
"I think this won't work."
"That kid's too reckless—he didn't even discuss it before acting!"
"Heavenly Demon Capital's defenses are near-perfect. Flanking won't help—it's impenetrable!"
"He's walking into a trap! We're in the south; he's in the north. Even if we wanted to help, we couldn't reach him in time!"
"Tell him to retreat! We can't support him!"
General Mike of the Free Federation shook his head firmly.
He frowned deeply.
That damn non-specialist again...
Did he really think the enemy was a pushover?
There were ten Demon Sovereigns inside! Three of them could solo world-class powerhouses!
Now they were divided north and south.
If reinforcements came from the Ten Thousand Demons Fortress, they would be the ones encircled!
After Mike spoke—
The other generals nodded.
Not because they disliked Ling Zhan—but because Mike made sense!
The fortress's defenses were unmatched!
That rift constantly released dense demonic energy, drastically lowering all attributes.
The enemy, fighting on home ground, got all the buffs.
Who would dare charge in?
"Too late."
"Ling Zhan didn't send a report to ask—he was notifying us."
"The Sanctum Council already granted him full authority. He doesn't need approval to change tactics."
Meng Zhang spoke calmly.
He wasn't worried about Ling Zhan at all.
That young man always thought his moves through.
Otherwise, the Council wouldn't have entrusted him with such power.
Meng Zhang trusted him—but the others didn't.
They thought the Lemoris victory was a fluke—a result of low enemy numbers and surprise.
But the capital was on full alert, guarded 24/7.
And...
Even if they wanted to let him sneak in, he couldn't.
Why?
Too many defensive installations!
Nearly full coverage!
The wards were so advanced that even world-class bombardments couldn't break them.
So how could Ling Zhan break through?
Even the main force couldn't draw away enough defenders to help him.
"Alright, since he's committed, we'll see how it goes."
"Sitting idle helps no one, right?"
Meng Zhang concluded.
"Fine, we'll wait and see!"
"But let me be clear…"
"If Ling Zhan gets in trouble, the Free Federation will not rescue him!"
"I won't let my men pay for his mistakes!"
Mike said sternly.
The other generals nodded.
Who wants to pay for someone else's error?
"Very well. In that case, if Ling Zhan succeeds in taking the city, the merit is his alone—no objections?" Meng Zhang asked.