A single defeat—fewer than a thousand of the three thousand demonic troops managed to escape. As the last to withdraw, Lord Lockt himself survived, though his steed was cut into fragments by a dozen heavenly soldiers. His face turned ashen. Having served in the military for several centuries—whether as a common soldier, a captain, or later as a general—he had never suffered such a crushing loss. His illustrious reputation, once so bright, was now utterly destroyed, shattered by the hands of the heavenly realm. He scanned the surroundings, finding the morale deeply depressed. Several generals remained alive, but none was seen—except for Meili. "Where is Meili?" he asked softly. One of the generals shook his head. "I'm not sure. I remember she was the first to escape, and after that, I've never seen her again." "Unbelievably unfair. As a general, she should have prioritized the troops and not just herself. I shall hold her strictly accountable." He said with growing frustration. "Indeed? How exactly? Please tell me." Mili's voice drifted over from a few paces away. She moved her legs steadily toward the group, saying, "The retreat order was issued by you, General. You didn't specify how we should escape—so what's my business? Hey, look at all of us—everyone's injured. What happened?" Several generals, including Lockert, had sustained minor wounds, though not serious, and their appearance was quite disheveled. It truly does matter how much experience one has. Mili has been on Earth for so long—she hasn't just survived, she's learned how to protect herself. In fact, her achievements are truly commendable. Aside from the Chinese nation, she has nearly conquered humanity. In contrast, Lockert suffered a major defeat in his first battle, nearly wiping out his entire army of thirty thousand in a single engagement. If this battle is won, he will毫不客气地 claim all of Mirel's previous achievements as his own, becoming the greatest beneficiary of Earth's conquest. But now? Besides the credit, he might even have the idea to dismember Sakthos entirely. The total population of Crystalline Planet is only around ten thousand. After removing the elderly, the sick, and the young children, only about fifty thousand troops can be assembled. Mirel had already depleted seven thousand before, and then Locke defeated another thirty thousand—now the army is nearly exhausted. "General Locke, have you delivered the battle report to King Sakthos?" she asked with deliberate intent. The old general immediately looked deflated—he hadn't even yet informed Crystalline Planet of the defeat. "Why don't I take care of the report for you?" she said seriously. "Rest assured, I will speak fairly. I will hold strictly to the facts—each person's responsibility will be clearly attributed, and I will not add or subtract a single word." "No, thank you. I will personally deliver the report to the King. "Locket spoke coldly, 'General Mirel, I appreciate your insincere gestures—I've taken note of that.' 'By all means,' she replied, lifting her chin. 'With such a major defeat, there will surely be many casualties. Old General Mirel will likely be among the first to go. I'm pleased to congratulate you.' Congratulations—more like a dig, really. Locket felt his teeth itch with irritation, yet had no choice but to accept. In his heart, however, a bitter thought took root: Even if I don't make it, I'll drag a few behind me. At least on the way to death, I won't be alone. Late at night, he went alone to the summit. Mirel slept soundly until someone knocked at the tent door. She peered out, eyes narrowed, saying, 'What is it? It's past three in the morning—do you intend to start a fight?' "The visitor was also a general, who quickly explained: 'Milei General, please don't misunderstand me—I have no ill intent. I came to tell you that King Lockt, that old fool, has dragged us all into this mess. He attributes the current failure to inadequate intelligence, blaming it on your responsibility. He claims we were hesitant under pressure, not only dampening morale but even leading the retreat. Only then does he admit his own lack of command, which ultimately led to the collapse.' 'What?' The female warrior's eyes widened even further. The visitor nodded: 'This is exactly what I heard firsthand—there's no mistake. King Sacthos is furious, threatening to execute us all as a warning. I've been quietly following King Lockt, and I've heard every word he exchanged with the King.' 'Why would he do something so self-sacrificing and detrimental to others?" "Probably just trying to save his own skin. As the commander-in-chief, he's bound to face consequences. He mustn't be content with dying alone, so... " Mirel's expression wasn't very pleasant. She then asked, "Have the others been informed?" "I've already notified them..." "Good. Even if he accuses us falsely, we still have the opportunity to appeal. As long as everyone presents a unified front, we can avoid certain death." She said firmly, "Tell them several of us—this is a matter of life and death. We must stand together, unless he's willing to have Lockert join him in the grave." "Understood." After the man left, she managed to squeeze out a few words through her teeth: "Old man, if you're unkind, then don't expect me to be fair. I won't let you die at the king's hands." ... The celebration banquet was lively and bustling. After the heavenly soldiers had pursued and defeated the demonic forces, they returned to the heavenly realm—something Qin Feng particularly admired. They completed their mission and then withdrew, leaving no trace of their achievements, never demanding any rewards or recognition. Though a few remnants of the magical race still remain, those scattered survivors can no longer achieve any significant accomplishments, and the military strength of Crystal King Star is nearly depleted, making it impossible to dispatch a third wave of reinforcements. Thus, although the celebration is being held a bit early, it truly deserves the name. The Chinese military immediately informed the Americans of the decisive defeat of the magical forces and issued orders to the multinational coalition still engaged in fierce combat, urging them to lay down their arms and return to peace. Of course, should both sides be willing to continue fighting, China, as a generous nation, would never hesitate to offer any further words. Cheers and applause filled the hall, with Qin Feng and the group of cultivators drawing the attention of all present. Chen Jie, the brother of blossoms, was delighted beyond measure, accepting every toast with enthusiasm, no matter who approached him. Wei Grandfather exchanged a few pleasantries with the military and political leaders before walking over with a smile, "Little Qin, well done." "Heh, this isn't really my achievement." "He reached out and hooked his arm around Lei Feng's neck, saying, 'Without your loan of the heavenly troops, our Huaxia kingdom would surely have perished long ago. We must thank you—thank him.' 'Lei Feng Director, you've worked hard,' Wei Qingtian sincerely remarked. 'Wei Chairman, your kind words mean a great deal,' the elder replied with dignified composure. 'In the struggle against the demonic race, each of us has a duty. The Huaxia forces have performed exceptionally well—worthy of commendation.' At that moment, Qin Feng furrowed his brow, sensing a familiar presence. Looking up, he saw a golden-haired beauty dressed in a formal evening gown. Though she had undergone careful disguise, he instantly recognized her—Mei Li."