Chapter 512: Defensive Line
Inside the Imperial Senate, a tense military conference was underway. The primary topic of discussion: how to counter the full-scale invasion of the demons.
Cassius sat solemnly on the throne.
Langpu, Dolo, Medrolash, Alger, Anthony, and other senators occupied their respective seats with serious expressions.
As representatives of the Starborn faction within the Empire, the leaders of major guilds were also given designated seats.
Moreover, the Empire's allies—such as Genesis and Christina—had been invited to join the discussion on the war against the demons.
Christina glanced at the silver dragon in attendance and muttered under her breath, "These silver-skinned lizards think they deserve to stand before His Majesty Cassius? Their elders haven't even grown their wings yet."
Genesis and Adroville immediately glared at the blue dragon, their eyes filled with indignation.
"Enough."
"Bang."
Cassius lightly tapped his finger against the table, and the room instantly fell silent. All eyes turned toward him.
He then swept his gaze across the hall and spoke calmly, "Ladies and gentlemen, the Empire did not invite you here to quarrel. Right now, we have only one common enemy—the Abyssal Demons."
Under Cassius' overwhelming presence, the entire hall fell silent, with no one daring to speak recklessly.
After a long pause, Langpu finally broke the silence: "Lord Adroville, as a warrior who has fought on the frontlines against demons for years, you must have considerable intelligence on them."
At these words, Adroville nodded, his expression softening slightly as he stood and said:
"Your Majesty Cassius, esteemed members of the Empire, I have repelled demonic invasions countless times over the centuries and have gained some experience."
Adroville raised a hand, conjuring a magical image in the air. The projection displayed the grotesque forms of demons, accompanied by their shrill, ear-piercing howls.
He adjusted the glasses on his nose and continued, "As we all know, all creatures of the Prime Material Plane share certain fundamental characteristics.
Humans, dragons, griffons, mind flayers, and gnomes all require sustenance. They reproduce through biological means. However... we do not share these traits with demons.
Demons do not need to eat. While they may indulge in devouring live sacrifices, it is merely for pleasure.
Their lungs are incredibly resilient, making them highly resistant to external gases—including the Abyssal miasma, which is lethal to most beings of the Prime Material Plane.
Regarding their life cycle, demons do not age. They do not die from any natural causes.
If they fall, they merely return to the formless abyssal essence, merging back into the chaotic and evil nature of their plane."
Tinia tilted her head in confusion and muttered, "These guys are dumb. Don't they like frozen meat and collecting shiny gold coins?"
"..."
The hall once again fell into silence—this time out of sheer speechlessness.
After a moment of deliberation, Adroville finally responded, "Everyone, do not treat demons as any form of 'normal' living creature, nor should you attempt to understand their thoughts.
Their existence is more akin to... a conscious catastrophe."
Scholars among my kind believe that the Abyss seeks to return the universe to its primordial chaos through its creations—and demons are precisely such creations.
Most importantly, the very purpose of their existence is to spread chaos and evil—the core essence of the Abyss."
Langpu pondered for a moment before asking, "How many demons typically appear in each invasion?"
Adroville replied in a grave tone, "Endless numbers.
The Abyss is far deeper than the known 666 layers. The number of demons within it likely exceeds the total population of the entire Prime Material Plane. Therefore, they can never be completely eradicated—only repelled."
While their numbers are limitless, we can contain them by sealing demon portals and eliminating those that manage to cross into our world."
As someone wholly devoted to fighting demons, the mature silver dragon held nothing back, sharing every detail about demonic nature, weaknesses, and abilities.
The hall erupted into discussion, with everyone debating Adroville's intelligence.
"They truly are formidable foes."
"We've never encountered enemies like these before!"
"Wait... immune to death, chaotic, insane... why does this sound familiar?"
"Now that you mention it, it does seem familiar... Could it be—"
Over a dozen curious and scrutinizing gazes turned toward a particular group. The players seated nearby suddenly felt incredibly uneasy.
Iron Frenzy scratched his head awkwardly before hastily declaring his loyalty, "I swear, we Starborn are absolutely loyal to His Majesty Cassius!
We have nothing to do with the Abyss—not even a single copper nar!"
The hall's discussions grew even more intense as strategies were formulated—ranging from strengthening border patrols to deploying new weaponry, from mobilizing civilians for defense to using players as cannon fodder.
Dolo, representing the military, even slammed the table and boldly declared that he would personally lead the Imperial army to strike at the heart of the Abyss, ensuring that no demon would ever set foot on Imperial soil.
Suddenly, Langpu smirked and asked, "Lord Adroville, in your opinion, what is the most difficult aspect of fighting demons?"
Adroville answered, "Their numbers. There are simply too many of them, and they are capable of infiltrating anywhere. If they breach the Empire, the consequences will be catastrophic."
Langpu then asked, "And what is the Empire's greatest advantage?"
Adroville shook his head, "I am new here and unfamiliar with the Empire's military capabilities."
Langpu stood up, sweeping his gaze across the hall before proclaiming, "Firepower. Demons may instill fear in the people, but His Majesty once told me—"
He paused, turning toward Cassius with a sycophantic smile before continuing.
"Fear comes from a lack of firepower."
With a grand gesture, Langpu conjured magical projections into the air, displaying a battlefield engulfed in relentless artillery fire, where explosions illuminated the vast wasteland.
As the smoke cleared, the landscape was left riddled with craters, hills flattened by the sheer force of destruction.
Langpu continued, "Individually, the Empire may not hold much of an advantage against demons, but when it comes to large-scale warfare—we will never lose.
When demons gather in large numbers, we can unleash saturation bombardments, leveling them with our artillery and giving them a very 'warm' welcome."
"Boom."
Langpu struck his scepter against the ground, and a grand map of the Ember Empire materialized in the air.
A vivid red line appeared across the Empire's vast southern borders, stretching for hundreds of miles, encircling the entire region.
"Many of you have contributed to its construction without realizing its true purpose.
These fortifications are built from reinforced concrete, highly durable, and contain artillery emplacements, trenches, fortresses, kitchens, hospitals, and factories within their defensive perimeter.
The network is vast and interconnected, with larger fortifications even housing steam-powered rail systems.
This was all part of His Majesty's grand vision. From the moment the Empire seized full control of the North, we have been building this defensive line. I call it—"
"The Maginot Line?"
Iron Frenzy couldn't help but blurt out.
But upon receiving Langpu's sharp glare—and seeing the [Favorability Decreased] notification—he immediately covered his mouth, wishing he could slap himself.
Why couldn't he just keep his mouth shut? Why did he have to say it?
Only then did Langpu withdraw his murderous glare and continue, "The Wall of the Empire."
The hall erupted into another heated discussion—some expressed full support, brimming with confidence in the Empire's ability to repel the demons, while others voiced skepticism.
"So this is the Prime Minister's plan?"
"Can this really hold?"
"I see, so that's why some people were dragged off to work in secret excavation sites—it was for wall construction!"
Dolo scoffed slightly and said, "Lord Langpu, facing an enemy invasion, you chose to build a wall? Do you know how many resources this is costing the Empire?"
"Are we going to cower behind walls like those weak human nations?"
Langpu replied calmly, "Beyond the Wall of the Empire lies the vast and open Savedra Plains, which will become the graveyard of all demons."
The ogre's tone was particularly ruthless—even his injured ear twitched slightly, and the killing intent in his gaze made Dolo pause.
Only then did Dolo remember that the Prime Minister before him was an ogre—no, a dragon-blooded ogre!
A truly brutal existence, though his duties within the Empire often forced him to suppress his nature and remain rational.
Langpu's expression softened slightly as he smiled and said, "However... Marshal Dolo.
The demons have yet to launch a full-scale invasion, so it's not time to deploy the Wall of the Empire just yet. First, let's give them a taste of the power of two million Starborn."
"Your Majesty, please review."
Langpu turned back toward Cassius, tapping his scepter against the ground once more. A detailed tactical plan materialized in the air.
Two million Starborn—an uncontrollable force in the Empire's current state.
The solution was simple: send them south.
"Excellent."
Cassius said this calmly.
He tilted his head slightly, and a faint glow flickered in his deep, pale-gold eyes.
The Emperor's gaze seemed to pierce thousands of kilometers away, seeing through the darkness and chaos lurking in the depths of Anstica, his expression carrying a hint of anticipation.
Savedra Plains, outskirts of Blackstone Fortress, Leo Village.
The once-bustling village was now eerily empty.
"Old White, are you really not leaving? The Empire's special task force came specifically to evacuate civilians. There weren't many people in the village to begin with..."
"Stop trying to convince me. If you all want to leave, go ahead, but this is my home—I'm not going anywhere."
The man called "Old White" exhaled a puff of smoke as he spoke. He looked to be in his fifties, his face weathered with age.
His skin was dark, deeply lined with wrinkles, and his rough hands, which held the cigarette, were covered in thick calluses.
White was a native of Leo Village—he had been born and raised there, a lifelong hunter.
The farthest he had ever traveled was to Wright Village, twenty miles away, and that had not been a pleasant experience.
Under Northern Kingdom rule, he was a hunter. Under Ember Empire rule, he was still a hunter—only now he had swapped his bow for a civilian-issued "Enemy Breaker" rifle.
Over the past few years, most of the village's young people had left to seek their fortunes in the cities—even White's own son was no exception.
Now, even the remaining villagers were being relocated by Imperial forces due to the impending Abyssal invasion.
But White wasn't afraid.
He was already nearing the end of his life—fifty-three years old, which was considered a long lifespan for a Northlander in the past.
White only wanted to spend his final days guarding the home he had lived in for nearly fifty years—besides, he had a good hunting rifle.
"Hah—"
"I wonder what these demons even look like.
Everyone's gone. Guess it's just me now."
White blew out another smoke ring, gazing at the empty village before slowly closing the door.
He didn't particularly feel "loyal" to the Ember Empire—it had only been a few years, after all. But he also bore no resentment—at least, it was better than his memories of the Northlands.
Ever since the Empire took over, taxes had been reduced significantly.
People no longer had to kneel before knights sent by the duchy, nor did they have to worry about being randomly dragged away by some noble to become the lowest of serfs.
For that, at least, White was somewhat grateful.
But he didn't like how empty the village had become. He always felt like the Empire had cast some kind of spell on the young folk, making them flock to the cities in droves.
What White did enjoy, however, were two "new things" the Empire had introduced—cigarettes and firearms.
Cigarettes helped ease his gloom, providing a rare sense of enjoyment in his otherwise dull life.
But they were expensive—he had to trade a fine deer pelt just to get two packs from merchants in the city.
So he smoked sparingly, even saving cigarette butts in a small box.
As for the latter, firearms had become his greatest hunting tool. His aging body could no longer draw a bow, but with a rifle, he had regained his skill.
Thinking of this, Old White unwrapped his rifle from its thick cloth covering, carefully polishing the barrel.
"Those Empire folks said some so-called 'Starborn' undead would be stationed in this village. I've never seen an undying person before."
"Creak—"
The window slowly opened. White peered outside—his keen hearing had picked up a strange noise.
Then, he rubbed his eyes in disbelief.
At the end of the village road, a cloud of dust rose as hundreds of people charged forward in a frenzy.
Most were dressed in crude cloth garments—some weren't even wearing clothes, sprinting naked without shame.
"I'm here!"
"Oooohhhh!"
"Let's go!"
"It's a village! Time to ransack every chest and barrel—this is the essence of RPGs!"
"Dude, put some damn clothes on! The holy light is burning my eyes!"
"Why aren't there any NPCs around?"
"Don't forget the mission to slay demons—this is our frontline!"
These... these were the so-called immortal warriors, the Empire's vanguard—the Starborn?
Old White rubbed his eyes again. Either he was going mad, or his aging eyesight was failing him.
Otherwise, why did these Starborn look exactly like the village lunatic?