I'm a villain, not a devil

"kill!!!"

The bright red blood and dark green juice mixed together and splashed on the dust, weapons, and corpses.

The densely packed Imperial Army and the Treeman Army were already fighting each other. When the battle came in close combat, the Imperial Army, which possessed long-range weapons with higher lethality, became the restricted party. They could not open fire because their comrades had already mixed with the enemy.

When the most primitive and purest instincts erupt, everyone only sees their enemies.

The vetoers went to heaven and earth, and the weak and miserable people mobilized their energy together, but they were facing enemies that far outnumbered them.

The tree people were like a green wave, advancing slowly and powerfully from afar, turning all the rocks and mountains into dust wherever they went.

They seemed to have completed their evolution again. The tree people in the front dug their strong legs into the soil, and their arms turned into the strongest shields. The underground roots helped them move, like a moving city wall.

Behind them are tree people with particularly long and slender arms. These tree people hide behind their companions, and their arms turn into branches all over the sky. The spikes on the top are either poisonous or blood-sucking. As long as they catch the imperial soldiers, they will insert the branches into the gaps in the opponent's armor and quickly take the opponent's life.

Behind them, there was a large group of huge tree people. They were like huge moving wooden stakes. The top of the wooden stakes had sunken crowns, and many small acorns were squatting inside. Whenever the tree stumps took a step forward, the acorns would fire seeds that were like energy bullets, turning the enemy into a hornet's nest. Whenever a long-range attack came, they would shrink back and use the bark of the wooden stakes to block it.

At the back is a large group of tree people with flower and plant heads. They have female features and seeds like water drops hang from their heads. Whenever their companions are hurt, they will throw seeds over to heal them.

The treeman army, with clear division of labor and tacit understanding, seems to be more regular than the imperial army. Not only that, there are also treeman troops joining in from the rear.

The Imperial Army was already showing signs of collapse. The number of enemies far exceeded their imagination. Although everyone was fearless, the gap in strength was gradually emerging.

Finally, the imperial army could no longer hold on.

"Retreat! Retreat first!"

The imperial army barely maintained their formation and retreated, but how could the tree people let them go?

In the end, the Imperial Army, which had already lost nearly 50,000 men, left behind another 20,000 bodies.

The smell of blood and gunpowder filled the battlefield, and the victorious tree people stopped where they were.

They opened their arms one by one, raised their heads towards the sky, and showed a sad expression: "The fertile land of birth has become fertile again, and your people have returned their strength to you."

Large spots of light emerged from their treetops, and the dead tree people simply dissolved and seeped into the ground. This was the tree people's unique way of mourning.

However, they did not need to feel so sentimental and sad about the corpses of the imperial soldiers.

"Put your roots down."

Behind the army of tree people, a long and ancient voice slowly echoed under the sky, and all the tree people dug their feet deep into the ground.

Because their numbers were too great, the entire ground surged like the sea, and the bodies of the imperial soldiers were entangled by the emerging roots, and then quickly shriveled up.

This group of tree people were actually using the corpses to replenish the energy they had consumed.

"Degradation." The voice sounded again.

All the tree people raised their hands again, and suddenly, the evil dome above the sky began to tremble.

The iron-blue evil sky, like a dark cloud, melted like butter hitting a hot knife.

The sun, which rarely appears in the wasteland world, generously sheds its light and heat, restoring strength and sanity to these races that are closer to nature.

"Rest - tomorrow, continue to move forward!"

The tree people shook their branches and leaves happily, cheering for their leader's decision.

The world became silent, and the leaves swayed gently in the breeze, blowing the remaining smell of blood and smoke away into the invisible distance.

It seemed as if nothing had happened here, only the shriveled corpses on the ground seemed to be silently telling of their loyalty and sacrifice.

……

"Marshal, our army... suffered heavy losses..." The old general, who had lost an arm, fell to his knees on one knee, with only guilt and regret on his face.

General Shi Hai, who once had some friendship with Sean, is one of the most prestigious generals in the Imperial Army. Moreover, Shi Hai is also a veteran who has fought his way out of mountains of corpses and seas of blood and has made great military achievements.

The military was relieved to let him take charge of the front-line command.

However, after hearing the news of the defeat, Shi Hai led the imperial army in retreat again and again.

Seven days, seven whole days, just seven days, and the entire imperial army lost half of its manpower.

The Treemen chasing the Imperial Army stepped on the corpses and advanced forward, one hundred kilometers a day! The battle line that was originally near the coastline quickly collapsed, and the waves of the Treemen had completely swept into the Empire!

However, the imperial troops who finally returned to fight in an area they were more familiar with did not win anything; they retreated, retreated, and retreated!

Defeat! Retreat!

General Shi Hai's face was covered in blood and dirt. He reported everything to Wu Xiao and was about to raise the sword bestowed upon him by the emperor to his neck!

"General Shi Hai!" A sharp light flashed across Wu Xiao's glasses, and he reached out to snatch the weapon away.

"Marshal, I..."

Wu Xiao slammed the table fiercely and cursed: "Ridiculous! The army is defeated and the general wants to commit suicide?! Are you still a brave soldier of my empire?!"

Shi Hai's eyes were red, and he lowered his head tremblingly with white hair on his forehead: "I was not doing well in the battle, and countless imperial soldiers died in front of me. As the first commander on the front line, I don't have the face to see my colleagues again, see you again... see your majesty again..."

Wu Xiao sighed deeply and his expression softened.

He helped Shi Hai up: "You are indeed responsible for the defeat of the war, but the defeat of my imperial army has nothing to do with you... General Shi Hai, I know what kind of person you are and what you are capable of. I am also very sad that the soldiers died powerlessly, but they will not blame you - if you commit suicide now to meet them, those old brothers will really blame you..."

Shi Hai slowly closed his eyes, his voice extremely hoarse: "Marshal... I know I was wrong..."

After sending the exhausted Shi Hai to the hospital for treatment and rest, Wu Xiao returned to his seat and pinched his brows.

The people's hearts were scattered, the military strength was greatly reduced, and the country's borders were lost...

To Wu Xiao, these were not problems that were so serious that they could not be solved, but there was a terrible fact before him.

The words he used to comfort Shi Hai just now were not just official words...

Yes, Shi Hai did not make any mistakes.

The number of the treeman army suddenly increased dramatically, but the experienced general did not make a mistake in panic. On the contrary, he made a very correct choice. Wu Xiao asked himself, if he were to go, he could do a little better than Shi Hai, but only a little.

There was only one reason for the defeat: the huge gap in military strength that was difficult to bridge with strategies or formations.

Three times the strength of the Imperial Army...

Wu Xiao dismissed everyone else. He leaned back in his chair and looked at the empty ceiling with some fatigue.

If the numbers were the same, he believed that the Imperial Army, which was stronger and better-equipped, could suppress the other side, just like the previous front line. Except for being caught off guard at the beginning, the Imperial Army had been suppressing the tree people since then.

If the number of tree people was twice that of the imperial army, Wu Xiao also believed that with the bravery of the imperial army, the strength of the empire, and his presence, the tree people would still not be their opponents.

But three times... three times the fully evolved tree people...

We can win, but it will be a miserable victory...

But the most crucial problem is that the follow-up troops of the tree people are still coming in an endless stream, and the news brought by the spies is shocking.

If the enemy's strength is three times greater, the existing force can win a tragic victory. If the enemy's strength is four times greater, the force of other regions can also win. If the enemy's strength is five times greater, the entire empire can be mobilized and there is no need to worry.

But what if it was more? Six times? Seven times?

Wu Xiao, who rarely showed any emotion in front of outsiders, took off his glasses. He stared at the ceiling in a trance and murmured, "Teacher, I advised you to hold all the real power in the military and expand the size of the imperial army, but you didn't want to... I advised you to give birth to a child as soon as possible, and I would use my life to support him, but you didn't want to..."

"Your back is the goal I will pursue my whole life, but... you, who are born noble and invincible, will never understand me... what did the child you picked up from the pile of corpses see that day..."

"So the moment I became the Imperial Marshal, I understood that the sword of the Imperial Army must be heavy enough, sharp enough, and cruel enough. Even if you don't want to, I will do it."

"So I secretly cooperated with Bai Zhan and tilted the military resources towards him, just because he could meet all my needs for building this sharp blade called 'Empire' - only if there are enough soldiers holding the sword can we resist this crazy and desperate world."

"But now, maybe it's not my turn to prove whether my theory is correct or not..."

"Teacher... where on earth have you been..."

Wu Xiao was silent for a moment, then he stood up.

The confusion, sigh, and regret on his face just now disappeared, and the Imperial Marshal became stern and cold again.

"The knife is not sharp enough... But I am your student after all."

He opened the door and took off his glasses.

There was a chilling madness and arrogance in his bloodshot eyes.

"Until you return, I can hold the Empire."

He glanced around, and the soldiers who had never seen this side of the marshal lowered their heads involuntarily.

"Pass on my order. All troops outside the imperial capital must retreat 300 kilometers."

Someone widened his eyes in shock: "Retreat 300 kilometers? Doesn't that mean that the tree people will penetrate deep into the heart of the empire in just a few days?"

Wu Xiao threw away his glasses casually and said in a deep voice, "Pass on my orders."

"Yes Yes!"

The Marshal wiped his face vigorously and smiled in front of his subordinates for the first time, but this smile was full of madness.

"The white moon will always be prosperous, and the military fortune will flourish!"

……

"These damn tree people are pushing so fast?"

Sean, who was concentrating on eating, raised his head in surprise.

Bai Ye, who had just returned from the construction site of the statue of the founder, frowned and nodded: "After the tree people received a large number of reinforcements, the imperial army was greatly defeated and retreated. The tree people's army advanced 100 kilometers every day without stopping for a whole week."

"However, Wu Xiao ordered all troops to retreat another 300 kilometers, directly giving the hinterland of the empire to the tree people. The tree people frantically advanced 200 kilometers on the second day. On the third day, the imperial army retreated another 100 kilometers, and the tree people advanced another 200 kilometers."

"Then, the Imperial Army and the Treemen army fought again, but this time the battle ended very quickly. The Imperial Army retreated 300 kilometers again. The Treemen pursued them relentlessly and caught up with them in two days. However, they stopped where they were and did not continue to advance. No one knew what they were waiting for."

Sean counted on his fingers and swallowed the food in his mouth. "At this rate, if the tree people advance for a few more days, we can see a large 'oasis' in the distance as long as we stand on the Royal Mountain."

Bai Ye frowned and said, "I tried to ask Marshal Wu Xiao if there was any strategy behind the Imperial Army's retreat, but he didn't say anything."

Sean chuckled: "That proves that Wu Xiao is a smart man."

Bai Ye frowned: "When are you still teasing me?"

Sean shook his finger. "No, I'm not kidding. I don't know what Wu Xiao is going to do, but I know one thing very well. His plan must not be known to the tree people, let alone the imperial army. The successive defeats of the empire are almost fatal to the entire military. The morale of the invincible imperial army has dropped to the extreme. In this situation, even the generals can't hide the truth."

Bai Ye sighed: "But there are some things that you should at least tell other senior executives about, right?"

Sean sneered: "Wu Xiao may tell some senior military officials about his arrival, but he will never tell you."

Bai Ye was stunned for a moment. She covered her temple with her hands as if she had a headache. "I think I know..."

Sean said cheerfully, "Wu Xiao doesn't believe in your royal family at all now."

Bai Ye did not refute, but he knew he could not refute.

Because Wu Xiao had contacted and cooperated with Bai Zhan privately before. Although he didn't know what the two were planning, everything was ruined once Bai Zhan died.

But this is not even the key point. The key point is that before, the tree people were frantically advancing the front line, and Wu Xiao personally went to the palace to ask the emperor for resources. However, his father only gave Wu Xiao higher mobilization rights - the problem is, Wu Xiao himself is a marshal, and the military is his subordinates, what does he need these for?

Wu Xiao requested the emperor to send out the Silent Ones, a powerful crimson guard, but was rejected by the emperor.

Then, Wu Xiao asked the emperor to suspend the construction of the statue of the founding father and focus on dealing with the impending enemy, but was rejected again. It is said that Wu Xiao almost caused a scene in the palace that day.

At the court meeting the next day, numerous high-ranking officials made the same suggestion, but they were rejected one by one by the emperor...

"Oh..." Bai Ye sighed.

Sean took another bite of the food and laughed uncontrollably: "At this moment, our Marshal must be in love with the Empire - a country founded on military power, hahahaha."