Chapter 1202: Burning the Bridges
Yang Haoran had actually long since conceived a more suitable escape route in his heart. However, this route hadn't been fully prepared when the Apotheosis Platform suddenly appeared, leaving him with no time to perfect it. Consequently, he had no choice but to settle for a makeshift alternative that he’d conceived on the fly.
As for whether this hastily devised retreat was viable, he felt quite uncertain, but with no better options available for the time being, he could only proceed with it.
As for his trusted subordinates, Yang Haoran not only had full faith in them but also harbored no doubts about their executive capabilities. Even for stubborn individuals like Bai Xue and Ye Zhiqiu, he believed they wouldn't act recklessly. After all, his attitude had made everything clear, and he trusted them to understand the gravity of the situation.
Although he trusted his close subordinates, Yang Haoran still felt uneasy. Just then, he sensed the violent tremor of the Underworld Iron Tome.
With a wave of his arm, the Underworld Iron Tome was retrieved from his personal spatial dimension. The tome was vibrating violently, and due to the intensity of the tremors, it emitted a buzzing sound.
From the moment he first acquired the Underworld Iron Tome until now, he had never witnessed it vibrate with such ferocity. This alone was enough to indicate the immense importance and urgency of the command issued by the Underworld Office this time!
Although he hadn’t yet opened the Underworld Iron Tome, Yang Haoran knew without thinking what matter the Underworld Office was issuing a command about. Even though he knew the reason, he still opened the tome, for while he understood *why* it was shaking, he didn't know *how* the Underworld Office intended to handle the situation.
Upon opening the Underworld Iron Tome, only a single urgent command was displayed: aside from Night Watchers remaining on standby, all Underworld Officials were required to immediately proceed to the Underworld Plaza within twenty minutes. Any Underworld Official who failed to obey this command or did not arrive at the plaza within the stipulated time would be treated as a traitor!
In other words, with the exception of Night Watchers, who weren't considered true Underworld Officials, every bona fide Underworld Official had received this command. This was because all true Underworld Officials possessed an Underworld Iron Tome, even those who weren't Emissaries of Death managing a city.
The Underworld Office issuing such an urgent command at this moment obviously had to be due to the Apotheosis Platform at Snow Fox Mountain. However, what Yang Haoran hadn't expected was that the Underworld Office would summon all Underworld Officials, leaving only the Night Watchers to remain on standby.
“Night Watchers are always the most exhausted, and when trouble strikes, they're the ones who die in the greatest numbers. Yet, their treatment is the worst. Though the Underworld Office has always been unfair to Night Watchers, this time, their lesser status might actually save their lives. ”
Yang Haoran muttered to himself, his tone flat and devoid of emotion.
In Yang Haoran’s view, the Underworld Office issued such a strong command undoubtedly because they intended for all Underworld Officials to participate in this grand war. The reason Night Watchers could escape this calamity was simply that the Underworld Office didn't value their meager strength. Although there were Night Watchers who had opened their Heaven Soul, such individuals were, after all, a minority. Thus, the collective power of the Night Watcher contingent was deemed insignificant by the Underworld Office.
This was both the Night Watchers' fortune and their misfortune.
This command from the Underworld Office gave Yang Haoran a headache, as many of his trusted subordinates were Emissaries of Death. If he took all of them with him, a lot of gaps would appear in the arrangements he had previously made, which was far from ideal for him.
However, if he didn't follow the Underworld Office's command and bring all these trusted subordinates to the Underworld, they would be branded as traitors, a capital offense. This would also be pushing his own trusted people into a pit of fire, and he truly didn't want to do so until absolutely necessary.
Originally, he had harbored a slight glimmer of hope: with so many Emissaries of Death under him, surely taking a few fewer wouldn't be noticed by the Underworld Office. But a moment's thought extinguished that illusion. Since the Underworld Office dared to issue such a forceful command, they likely possessed some special means to conduct a swift headcount of all Underworld Officials. If he were to act cleverly, relying on a slim chance and leaving his trusted subordinates behind in the Guardian District, he would not only harm them but also himself.
After a brief deliberation, Yang Haoran had no choice but to temporarily alter his plan again. All his trusted subordinates who were Emissaries of Death would be taken with him. For those who were not, he could only rearrange responsibilities, assigning the tasks previously handled by Emissaries of Death to these other trusted individuals. While this would significantly increase the workload for his non-Emissary of Death subordinates, it was unavoidable given the current circumstances.
With his decision made, Yang Haoran once again conjured several Communication Talismans. As he was doing so, he also received a Communication Talisman himself. The sender was none other than his direct superior, Luo Yao, and Luo Yao's talisman was a direct urging, telling him to rush to the Underworld without a moment's delay.
Although Yang Haoran didn't have high hopes for this Apotheosis Platform battle, he was, after all, still a Guardian under Luo Yao. Therefore, he naturally couldn't ignore the Communication Talisman from Great Emperor Luo Yao. Upon receiving it, he respectfully sent a reply.
After gathering his trusted Emissary of Death subordinates, Yang Haoran quickly gave them some instructions. The primary purpose of these arrangements was to remind them to be extremely cautious in their upcoming actions. They were to prioritize their own lives above all else, and if they encountered an unbeatable opponent, they must not act rashly and throw their lives away. Only after receiving their affirmative replies did he grit his teeth, open the Ghost Gate, and lead them to the Underworld.
The Underworld was now overflowing with people, as all Underworld Officials had converged there, causing an immediate surge in its population. When Yang Haoran and his group arrived in the Underworld via the Ghost Gate, everywhere their eyes fell, there were Underworld Officials.
Previously, at the Bridge of Helplessness, Ghost Officials were responsible for verifying the identities of Underworld Officials. Today, however, that procedure was absent. Due to the pressing urgency, the Underworld had no time to spare for identity checks.
After Yang Haoran arrived in the Underworld through the Ghost Gate, he immediately tore through space, leading his trusted subordinates towards the plaza, which was also known as the Final Plaza among the Underworld Officials and Ghost Officials.
This Final Plaza was originally a term used to describe the souls awaiting judgment, meaning that once they crossed this plaza, their lives would be considered completely over. Those destined for reincarnation would be reborn and start anew, while those destined for hell would descend into it, enduring various torments.
Today, however, this Final Plaza held a different significance. It no longer referred to the souls about to enter the Hall of Judgment, but rather to the Underworld Officials and Ghost Officials of the Underworld Office. For they were about to step onto the battlefield, and whether they would return alive after leaving this plaza, no one knew. What was certain, however, was that many would never have the chance to come back.
When Yang Haoran arrived at the Final Plaza with his trusted subordinates, it was already packed with people, and many more Underworld Officials, like Yang Haoran's group, were still arriving in succession.
Twenty minutes was a short span, yet it was sufficient for Underworld Officials from the mortal realm to reach the Underworld Plaza. This was because today, the Underworld had not only abolished the identity verification process but had also lifted the ban on aerial flight. As long as an Underworld Official promptly opened the Ghost Gate, entered the Underworld, and then flew to the plaza, there was ample time.
For a big shot like Yang Haoran, capable of tearing through space for teleportation within the Underworld, twenty minutes was entirely unnecessary; the entire process could be completed in just a few minutes.
It was precisely because he had ample time that Yang Haoran was able to make quick arrangements before leading his trusted subordinates to the Underworld. Had he lacked the ability to tear through space within the Underworld, he wouldn't have had any extra time to organize his subordinates, for the Underworld was vast, and flying to the Underworld Plaza also took a certain amount of time.
Although the plaza was packed, it was not chaotic. All Underworld Officials stood in different designated areas according to their respective continents and districts. To help newly arrived Underworld Officials quickly locate their sections, the Underworld Office had set up clear markers for each area.
When Yang Haoran arrived at the plaza, he immediately spotted the district markers condensed from Spirit Power hovering above, and he promptly led his trusted subordinates to the area exclusively designated for Jingling Continent's Ninth District.
Yang Haoran once commanded several thousand Emissaries of Death, but with each major battle, some Underworld Officials would fall, resulting in his thousands of Emissaries of Death dwindling to less than two thousand. The losses were considerable.
However, compared to the other eight districts in Jingling Continent, the Ninth District's losses were relatively minor. Some districts had suffered astonishing casualties; had it not been for the constant promotion of Night Watchers to fill the ranks, some of the larger districts might have had very few Emissaries of Death left.
Before Yang Haoran, quite a few Emissaries of Death from the Ninth District had already arrived. Some were able to reach the Underworld so swiftly because they possessed the ability to tear through space within the Underworld. However, due to their insufficient status, they had previously never dared to do so. Now, with the situation critical and the Underworld Office having no time to bother with such trivialities, they naturally cast caution aside and experienced the sensation of teleporting by tearing through space in the Underworld.
Another portion of the Emissaries of Death did not possess the ability to tear through space within the Underworld. The reason they were able to arrive before Yang Haoran was that, upon receiving the command, they immediately opened the Ghost Gate, entered the Underworld, and then flew to the plaza at their fastest possible speed, without the slightest delay. This allowed them to reach the plaza before Yang Haoran.
The appearance of Yang Haoran, the Guardian, immediately drew the attention of these Underworld Officials, who greeted him with respectful salutations.
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