Chapter 2039: Absolute Desperation

Outside Monte City, the most common creatures were demon-monsters resembling zombies. They weren't human in life, but rather species from an unknown world. Holes in their bodies revealed their bones, yet they were vastly different from the clean skeletons seen previously in the secret realm. Most of their flesh and blood remained, though signs of decay were evident. Their skin seemed to be gone, leaving them looking drenched and slimy.

Fighting such creatures was out of the question; even touching the putrid fluids on their bodies risked infection.

Countless zombie-like creatures piled up like ants, climbing towards the city walls. Although each one was slow, their sheer numbers meant they quickly approached the top of the ramparts. However, the city's army seemed well-prepared. Massive boulders rolled down from the city walls, crashing down and causing the painstakingly piled-up zombies to collapse. Simultaneously, the city walls began to contort, and sharp spikes continuously protruded from the stone, impaling the zombies like candied hawthorns. Immediately afterward, the spikes retracted, sending the zombies tumbling down.

These were clearly the methods of earth-element cultivators. Next, a group of water-element cultivators stood on the city walls, unleashing attacks. A layer of mist appeared on the wall's surface, freezing instantly in the severe cold. The entire wall became slick and smooth, preventing the clumsy zombies from climbing further. Some that couldn't retreat in time were frozen into the wall itself. Their frozen bodies, along with the ice, served as a makeshift armor for the city wall, blocking ranged attacks from other demon-monsters.

At that moment, countless dark figures charged forward. Their speed was far greater than that of the previous zombies; these were the Crawlers that Zu'an had encountered before. These Crawlers possessed incredibly sharp claws, allowing them to traverse even the slick ice as if on flat ground. Furthermore, they were exceptionally agile. Even while climbing, they could twist their bodies to dodge arrows fired from the ramparts.

Soon, dozens of Crawlers reached the top of the wall. However, the demon race's army was already poised for battle. Spear formations thrust forward, and even though individual Crawlers were powerful, they were quickly slain on the spot by the disciplined army. Yet, the demon-monsters were too numerous. No matter how many died, they continued to charge upward recklessly. The demon army's defenses were repeatedly assailed, gradually losing their initial solidity.

In the sky, too, there were many demon-monsters. Various flying types attempted to bypass the city walls and directly invade the city. The demon forces first fired their air-defense crossbows and unleashed a volley of long-range spells. Simultaneously, many demon experts took flight to engage the enemy. Unlike humans, who typically needed to reach the Grandmaster realm to fly freely, many demons possessed innate flight abilities due to their natural talents and racial traits. Examples included the Eagle Clan, the Peacock Tribe, elves... and the Golden Crow Royal Family! In this moment of life and death, racial distinctions vanished as everyone fought shoulder to shoulder against the foreign invaders.

However, there were too many demon-monsters, and many of them could fly. The most troublesome were the Thin-Skinned Demons, each appearing to be nothing more than a sheet of skin. Yet, if they found an opportunity to envelop someone, they could instantly drain all their vital essence. They had witnessed the tragic fates of too many comrades, who were left without even the chance to commit suicide. But with the war reaching this point, everyone knew there was no retreat. Killing one enemy was breaking even; killing more was a profit.

The demon army also attempted counter-attacks. Various magical lights surged towards the demon-monster horde, each strike claiming the lives of a cluster of enemies. But there were simply too many; as soon as one group fell, another immediately filled its place. Soon, the demon-monsters also developed a counter-strategy: some insectoid demons could inflate their armored bodies, shielding their companions from the city's ranged attacks.

As the battle raged fiercely on the walls and in the sky, a sudden commotion arose within the demon-monster ranks. A vast section of their dense formation suddenly cleared, revealing a colossal, hundreds-of-meters-long worm slowly slithering forward, its presence instilling caution. The worm appeared plump and white, much like the caterpillars one might casually crush, but even the weakest caterpillar, when magnified to the size of a dragon, exuded an inexplicable sense of oppression. Furthermore, this giant worm possessed hundreds, if not thousands, of legs, each ending in what resembled a painfully twisted human face, making for an exceptionally chilling sight.

At that moment, the colossal worm suddenly reared half of its body upright. With a wary shudder, its belly began to swell immensely, as if something massive was rising within its abdomen. The demon race's high-ranking officials within Monte City clearly noticed its unusual behavior. They cried out, urging immediate attacks, determined not to let it unleash its ability. Countless runic crossbow bolts and blasts of cultivators' spell-light rained down upon the giant worm. Many Ironclad Beetles from the demon forces also took flight, spreading their wings to form a massive shield. However, the attacks from the demon race's most elite troops and experts were formidable; almost instantly, half of the Ironclad Beetles were shot down. The remaining luminous attacks continued to strike the giant worm. As a result, countless fleshy ripples appeared on the giant worm's body, as if its sheer bulk of fat absorbed and deflected the attacks. Nevertheless, some green fluid oozed from the worm, indicating it had sustained damage.

Seemingly enraged, it opened its massive maw directly towards Monte City, and the bulging mass in its belly now reached its throat. A torrent of green liquid, like a high-pressure water jet, rapidly spewed towards the city wall. The giant worm's body simultaneously began to shrink rapidly, as if this single discharge had consumed all its vital essence. The formation masters within the demon army swiftly manipulated their array plates, and a massive light shield soon manifested above Monte City. Although they didn't know what the green liquid was, its terrifying appearance ensured no one wanted to test it.

Almost instantly, the green liquid column struck Monte City's light shield. The defensive light shield flickered violently a few times, then shattered instantly. Countless drops of green fluid rained down. The formation masters below, unable to evade, were drenched. Horrific screams erupted as the formation masters melted at a visible rate, leaving not even a trace of bone. The green fluid continued to fall onto the ground, and the previously sturdy city wall began to emit green smoke. Soon, that section of the city wall melted away and collapsed at a visible pace.

The demon forces watched the scene before them in stunned silence. No matter what spells they cast, they could not prevent what was unfolding. The demon-monster army erupted in cheers, then began to surge towards the collapsed section of the wall. Everyone on the demon side was enraged. They knew that if the enemy breached the city, the entire demon elite would be annihilated, utterly, without a trace. Therefore, they all rushed recklessly to plug the gap. It was like a meat grinder, with countless lives lost in every clash.

The Little Demon Empress quickly arrived with her Golden Crow Guards. Gone was her usual charming and flirtatious demeanor; she was now clad in silver battle armor. Witnessing the scene, she didn't even have time to issue orders, leading her people directly into the fray. It was impossible to tell how many demon-monsters she had slain. If not for the empire's most precious armor protecting her, coupled with the Golden Crow Guards' selfless defense, she would likely have perished countless times over. Even so, her armor was covered in cracks, appearing as if the next blow would shatter it completely.

At that moment, her lady-in-waiting, Aunt Xiao, urgently pulled at her. "Your Majesty, please retreat! We will cover you. This city cannot be held..."

"Silence!" the Little Demon Empress glared at her, eyes bloodshot. "Speak of shaking morale again, and I'll have you court-martialed!"

Aunt Xiao gritted her teeth. "Your Majesty, even if you kill me, I must say this: only if you live does our demon race have hope. If you die here..."

"Then I shall die here!" the Little Demon Empress cut her off, her expression icy.

How could she not know? At this point, the city's fall was inevitable. But she had exhausted every strategy and idea these past days; this was the final, desperate stand. Was she to abandon everyone and flee alone? But where could she possibly go? Sacrifice the lives of so many soldiers just to prolong her own existence? She couldn't do it! As the mother of a nation, if she were to die, she would die honorably alongside her soldiers in battle. As long as she continued to fight on the front lines, the army's morale could barely hold. If she fled, what followed would likely be a one-sided slaughter. Even in death, she would make these demon-monsters pay a heavy price!

The Little Demon Empress's eyes were bloodshot. She had only one regret: if only the Regent King were here, they wouldn't have been reduced to such a desperate state... She knew well that he was currently among the humans and likely unaware of the developments here.

Just as despair gripped her heart, Aunt Xiao's startled cry suddenly pierced the air: "Wh-what is that?" The Little Demon Empress, having just cut down a lunging Crawler, looked up at the sound. In the distance, a dark mass of iron birds had suddenly appeared on the horizon. They seemed to be dropping something into the demon-monster ranks, and terrifying explosions immediately erupted within the enemy formation. Finally, the demon-monsters began to panic.