Chapter 636: At the Crossroads of Destiny

For a long moment.

Before everyone, Li Xuanguo looked at Yenir with a complex gaze. After a long, silent exchange of glances, he began to speak slowly:

“I want to know.”

“What do you plan to do next…?”

—————–

In that silent exchange, Yenir scanned every face.

Before him, every pair of eyes shimmered with anticipation and tension.

This battle was far from easy.

Although his presence kept overall casualties low, the worst losses were still suffered by the Otherworldly Ghosts undergoing Third-Stage transformation.

Yet even now, Yenir could immediately spot many with pallid faces—some with severed limbs or Awakeners being supported by fellow fighters. Even gravely injured, they stood before him.

Everyone had come to realize that once this battle ended, Yenir would no longer be the raw kid he once was; he would emerge as a true leader capable of reshaping the entire Huaxia Battle Zone.

From this moment on, every decision he made would chart the future of Huaguo.

“Huhu–”

In the bitter winter, shards of ice, transformed into blood-like water, lashed out like knives in the raging wind.

Yet the hearts of men burned fiercely; the scorching gazes and pounding hearts left Yenir parched.

“What I intend to do…”

To everyone’s surprise, under the weight of countless eyes, Yenir hesitated.

Gazing into the myriad of complex, varied eyes, he suddenly found himself at a loss for words.

He had assumed he could easily recite the well-rehearsed path—after all, he had held high office and never expected to show weakness.

His mind was clear; every plan and step had been meticulously calculated.

It was a route to salvation, deduced over countless sleepless nights, past lives, and rebirths.

Yet, at that very moment, an unprecedented pressure slammed down on him, stealing his breath.

Dazed and absent-minded.

Before Yenir, visions of the past intertwined with the present—as if he were not facing Li Xuanguo and the others, but countless comrades from past lives who fought until the bitter end.

Buildings crumbled as cold nuclear missiles rained down from above.

Amid the relentless barrage of artillery, an unstoppable behemoth, nearly a kilometer in length, charged forward.

On the ground, tens of thousands of Awakeners charged like an ant swarm; with every tremor, countless bodies were ground into pulp.

Starved and terrified, people cowered in the last fortresses, praying in despair.

In his final, sorrowful glance before death, he saw the trembling hand that, mustering every scrap of courage, pressed the fatal trigger.

…

“Can I really…do this?”

Yenir stood with his mouth agape, as the biting wind mingled with wailing cries.

Faces merged before him—countless images of death overlapping with the present.

It felt as though he stood at a crossroads of history, at the very nexus of fate between past and future.

Will the future truly unfold as he hoped?

Is everything he is doing really the right choice?

Though it seemed he was saving everyone and averting an apocalypse, must those he killed be condemned? Won’t it alter the future?

But what if…

what if he failed once more?

Does he really have the courage to face those disappointed, tearful gazes and bear it all?

No one could fathom the torment and weight of the choices Yenir now endured. After a long silence,

Yenir drew a deep breath, as if solidifying his resolve, and suddenly spun to draw his Longsword, gripping it tightly!

“Once this battle is over, I will lead you in cleansing the Capital! From the Northern Border to the Southern Regions! From the Western Battle Zone to the Three Northeastern Provinces—I will obliterate every obstacle!”

“I need no factions or splinter groups! From today forward, Huaguo will speak with one unified voice!”

“All Awakeners will be conscripted! After the purge, the Huaxia Battle Zone will instantly plunge into warfare!”

“I will lead you into a national war until we conquer all of Asia!”

His voice resounded across the battlefield as Yenir’s gaze swept over everyone.

With a cold, unwavering stare that disregarded his own status, he spoke again:

“I know the list includes many names you recognize—even your own kin, family, and comrades.”

“I also understand what igniting a war entails—the countless lives lost and the ensuing chaos.”

“I want you all to know that from the moment I set foot in the Capital, I was ready for anything!”

“We don’t have time. I can’t—and needn’t—explain why I’m doing this!”

“I will form a new military force and overthrow every old system.”

“If you choose to stay and trust me, I’ll ensure that each of you secures your rightful place!”

Clang!

A sword was thrust into the ground at his feet.

After speaking, Yenir fell silent, calmly gazing at everyone present.

Deep down, he knew that some things were best left unsaid, or at least less blunt. It was nothing like he had originally planned.

Yet for some reason, he no longer wanted to mince words or scheme meticulously.

His strength was now formidable; he had all the confidence to face an enemy’s counterattack.

At that moment, Li Xuanguo chose to trust him. He laid all his cards on the table, sifting out those truly committed to following him!

Since the path was chosen, there was no room for second thoughts!

Of course, Yenir did not reveal his ultimate plan.

Unifying global forces and building a final fortress sounded too illusory. Especially since, until the Aerospace Carrier emerged, Yenir knew he couldn’t achieve that.

In a silence as shocking as death itself, no one could have imagined Yenir’s words would come off as so ‘crazy.’

Under nervous, overlapping glances, many even thought that, in a sense, Yenir was beginning a power grab!

A voice!?

Whose voice? If we’re to abandon the current system, then what next? Not just purging traitors, but reestablishing Huaxia too!?

Even though every Third-Stage fighter present shared the same ideal—changing the status quo…

when faced with Yenir’s vision of a complete reboot, they found it far beyond their imagination. While they only intended to make minor repairs, Yenir aimed to shatter everything and forge a new world!

Not everyone had that kind of courage; for a moment, everyone was at a loss, instinctively turning their gaze to Li Xuanguo and the others.

“Prime Minister…this!?”

“Fang Tong…I think…”

Their tongues grew dry.

Everyone mumbled something, yet no one dared speak up. The rapid changes left them all in panic!

Yet, to everyone’s surprise, Li Xuanguo at the front seemed oblivious to Yenir’s subtext. He simply looked at Yenir calmly:

“Fine.”

“In twelve hours, I will issue an announcement to the entire Huaxia Battle Zone.”

“Rest now, Yenir.”

“Leave the Capital to us. Starting tomorrow, I’ll give you the answers you seek.”

He stepped forward.

Amid gasps from the crowd, Li Xuanguo pulled out the Longsword embedded in the earth and, with a resounding clang, returned its hilt to Yenir.

“No one will control you now, Yenir.”

“With that sword in your hand, your future path is yours to decide.”

“No.”

“Don’t disappoint us.”