Chapter 990: What Wrong Have I Done?
"Dare I ask, what wrong have I done?"
With just that one sentence, General Prolos and the other imperial generals were instantly at a loss for words.
Yeah...
What wrong had Meng Zhang actually done?
He did nothing wrong!
It was they who initially insisted on not sending reinforcements or troops.
If you don't send troops, then naturally you don't get any merit.
It was also they who agreed to Meng Zhang's terms.
They stood idly by, even laughing on the sidelines, waiting to see Meng Zhang and Ling Zhan come crawling back in failure.
But now those two had taken the capital of the Demon Legion completely unexpectedly, and they were left outside with not a shred of merit to show for it.
Could they turn around and blame Meng Zhang now?
The truth was, they didn't even know what to say!
Seeing their growing silence and increasingly awkward expressions, Meng Zhang narrowed his eyes, his expression turning completely cold.
He spoke in a frosty tone:
"Everyone here witnessed the agreement we made back then."
"Faced with such an important battlefield matter, you so-called allies refused to dispatch troops. That alone already violated the alliance pact. As the chief commander of this final anti-demon campaign, I had every right to raise this issue at the Holy Council."
"But I didn't. And now you're here questioning me?"
"Let me ask—do you even deserve to?"
Meng Zhang's words were nothing short of cutting.
Like a sword, they pierced straight through everyone's hearts, leaving them all speechless.
"Don't forget how you mocked and ridiculed Ling Zhan before!"
"You swore up and down that he could never take the Demon Capital!"
"Let me make this clear: in this battle, Ling Zhan is undoubtedly the top contributor!"
"On the northern front, he faced two Demon Sovereigns—Sword Ten Thousand and Judgment—on his own. He killed Sword Ten Thousand and heavily wounded Judgment."
"He forced Sky Spirit to abandon the front line, and upon seeing Frostfall fall at Ling Zhan's hand, she abandoned the capital entirely."
"This merit is something you'll never be able to take from him."
"Furthermore, you have no right to make demands about how the merits are distributed. You're outsiders to this battle."
Those last three words—"outsiders to this battle"—were like silver needles piercing deep into their hearts.
And they caused real damage.
Though they'd come ready to argue, all they could do now was remain silent, not daring to say a word.
Even Prolos, who'd charged in earlier full of righteous fury, now had a face red with shame.
In truth, everything Meng Zhang said was aimed squarely at him.
Seeing the tense air grow even heavier...
A few other generals stepped forward, trying to smooth things over with a chuckle.
"Haha, General Meng Zhang isn't wrong. If you didn't participate in the fight, you don't get a say in the rewards."
"As for the sealed city gates..."
"That was just to prevent any surviving demon scum from escaping. No need to overthink it."
"Anyway, there's going to be a banquet tonight to celebrate our victory."
"You're all welcome to join in and share the joy."
"..."
One by one, the generals forced awkward smiles and nodded.
And just like that, the matter passed.
Because they really had no choice.
They were clearly in the wrong.
All they could do in the end was shake their heads and walk away.
Ling Zhan had watched the whole thing coldly from the side.
He really didn't believe any of these national commanders dared say another word.
With that, the matter was settled, and none of the generals dared utter another complaint.
Meanwhile, many of the other generals looked at Ling Zhan with growing awe.
It was as if...
Had it really only been a few years?
They'd first heard of this "non-specialist" during the Global Beast War Tournament.
Then again at the Hundred Ghosts Stronghold.
Then in brutal battles against the younger elite of various evil organizations.
After that, he'd entered the Holy Continent and made a stunning debut.
And now...
Here on the Demon Continent, the name of this non-specialist was once again echoing far and wide.
And he had racked up legendary feats of war, one after another.
So much so that no one dared underestimate him anymore.
By now, everyone knew the non-specialist from Dragon Kingdom had strength on par with world-class powerhouses.
Not only could he kill Demon Sovereigns, he also had outstanding military command abilities.
The fact that he shifted the front to target the Demon Capital showed just how far outside the box his thinking was.
Of course...
None of that would matter without his strength to back it up.
If he'd been weak, charging the capital would've at best startled the enemy.
......
......
With this massive battle concluded...
It marked a major success for the final campaign against the demons.
Why do we say that?
Because the Demon Capital would now serve as a huge springboard for the allied forces.
It was like building a cannon right on your enemy's doorstep—something the Demon Fortress absolutely didn't want to see.
But now, they had no choice but to retreat.
Even Demon Sovereigns value their lives.
What if HQ didn't send reinforcements?
Besides, this non-specialist's methods were just too unpredictable.
They had to find a way to counter him.
Until they did, it was best to be cautious. Losing a Demon Sovereign each time was a heavy blow.
Sure, they could mass-produce demon soldiers.
But Demon Sovereigns didn't come off an assembly line.
Even in the Demon Abyss, top-tier powerhouses were extremely rare.
At that moment...
The battle was over.
The Demon Capital had finally found peace.
The surrounding demonic miasma was completely cleansed, and the sky turned clear once more.
The allied soldiers, unlike their frustrated generals, were in high spirits.
Even if they got no merit, seeing the smooth outcome lifted their hearts. Many joined the celebrations.
For them, this was a joyful feast.
If they could take the Demon Fortress, victory would be 90% complete.
Then they could march into the Demon Abyss and wipe out every last demon.
At that point...
The entire lower realm would finally be safe.
As for Takamagahara, the Demon's Nest, and the Mountain of Terror—those three forbidden zones—
If they could clear the Demon Abyss, then cleaning those would be a breeze.
It might still take some time, sure, but it'd be far easier than this.
Looking back at the centuries, even millennia of struggle...
The Professional soldiers of all races were filled with deep emotion.