World-Ending Demon Emperor
Chapter 853 - 404: Zhi Li’s Dilemma! Victor or Vanquished!_3

Chapter 853: 404: Zhi Li’s Dilemma! Victor or Vanquished!_3

Seeing Lord Tuli Yun bowing his head, Suo Lun nodded slightly but said nothing, heading back to the top of the castle.

Zhi Yan Princess stepped forward and, in front of everyone, affectionately kissed Suo Lun, then gently walked behind him.

It was not a reward, but an apology because she had made decisions privately, in front of Suo Lun.

Despite this being her prerogative, as she was the sovereign, she still worried that Suo Lun might harbor displeasure in his heart.

This woman, indifferent by nature and averse to managing affairs, was top-notch in her cleverness.

...

In the Central Military Camp!

Turing Duo kneeled before Zhi Li, her voice trembling, "Thank you, Your Highness, for saving my life!"

Zhi Li gazed at Turing Duo with a complex look. He had sent Li Chenglian on a griffin to save Turing Duo, not truly wishing to rescue her, but rather hoping she would die under Suo Lun’s arrow.

But unexpectedly, Suo Lun killed the griffin instead of Turing Duo.

In this scandal, Tuli Yang and his son could be said to have been used as substitutes.

Even Jian Liu could be said to have been Suo Lun’s lover, with preexisting collusion.

Because all these were without evidence, one could dispense allegations at will.

However, Turing Duo’s belly was hard evidence. Once her skirt was lifted and a fake pregnancy was revealed, it would be irrefutable proof.

But Zhi Li had obviously worried too much!

Now, all the nobles and marquises completely believed Suo Lun’s words.

Zhi Li and Turing Duo’s illicit affair, and their attempts to murder Tuli Yang and seize the century-old foundation of Luan Yang City, were believed to be one hundred percent true!

But in the hearts of the marquises, Zhi Li was utterly disgraced.

Because his actions completely trampled over the marquises’ bottom line!

...

"I am ruined, reputation shattered!" Zhi Li said.

"So what?" said Duke Turing Tuo. "Children worry about right and wrong; adults consider pros and cons. The true decider of victory or defeat is the battlefield! Your reputation is tarnished, mine is tarnished; so what?"

Zhi Li narrowed his eyes!

That’s right, his and Turing Duo’s scandal had been exposed, so what?

Those who truly cared about this matter were just a dozen or so marquises, right?

And was the grand army really crusading against Suo Lun for so-called justice? Don’t be ridiculous, that was merely a ploy to deceive the ignorant masses. The reason for the crusade against Suo Lun was for profit!

"The victor becomes king, the loser the outlaw!" Duke Turing Tuo said coldly. "As long as we defeat Suo Lun and exterminate the Suo Family, what harm can your and Turing Duo’s scandal do to you? It can’t even touch a single hair."

That’s right, history is always written by the victors; who cares about the truth?

"Your Highness, now is the time to call a deer a horse, to turn black into white," said Duke Turing Tuo. "We all must stand united. Anyone who harbors a second heart is a traitor and deserves death!"

Zhi Li nodded, "Very well, then let’s put on a show of calling a deer a horse!"

Zhi Li waved his hand, "Let them come in!"

A quarter of an hour later, all high-ranking civil officials, senior generals, a dozen marquises, and hundreds of higher nobles crowded into Zhi Li’s Central Military Camp.

At the same time, masters from the Demon Continent, eunuch experts, warriors from the Turing Clan, and masters from Yin Zhou surrounded the Central Military Camp completely.

Zhi Li looked at the assembled crowd and smiled, "Suo Lun has revealed the so-called scandal between me and Turing Duo. Do you believe it?"

The room fell deathly silent!

Come on, anyone with eyes could see that it was true.

"I do not believe it," declared Prime Minister Yan Wuji, the first to stand. Filled with righteous indignation, he continued, "The so-called father and son Tuli Yang are completely impostors. Although very convincing, I have identified at least nine flaws, given my extensive interactions with Tuli Yang."

Then Prime Minister Yan Wuji proceeded to list Tuli Yang’s discrepancies.

His serious demeanor made it particularly embarrassing. Speaking such blatant lies with such commitment and zeal, it was no wonder he could be the Prime Minister.

After Prime Minister Yan Wuji stood up, the second to follow was Marquis FuE!

"The so-called confessions from Jian Liu are also completely refutable!" Marquis FuE said. "As everyone knows, Suo Lun is my grandson, and what he excels at the most is playing women. Any woman in his hands becomes utterly enchanted. My granddaughter, Fu Yan’er, is the perfect example. She was already about to get married, and her husband-to-be was a hundred times better than Suo Lun at the time. Yet, she abandoned her reputation and future, running away with her cousin Suo Lun, completely mesmerized and losing all sense of reason."

Damn, another Oscar-worthy performance, not hesitating to use his family’s scandal to prove Zhi Li’s innocence.

"Alas," Marquis Fue said, "women, once they’re conquered by men, what lies they can’t tell!"

With these two Oscar-grade actors taking the lead, everything that followed became simple.

Nobles, generals, and civil officials present at the scene stepped forward one after another, righteously refuting Suo Lun and firmly believing in Zhi Li’s innocence.

That so-called father and son Tuli Ming must be imposters playing stand-ins.

Jian Liu was surely satisfied by Suo Lun, so she spoke nonsense with eyes wide open.

Furthermore, Marquis Jianyong and Jian Ning, the commander of ten thousand, were certain, swearing by heaven that they had discovered traces of indecent conduct between Suo Lun and Jian Liu, even finding love letters from Suo Lun to Jian Liu.

In the end, the conclusion was definite!

Both Tuli Ming and Tuli Yang were already dead, and they were murdered by Suo Lun!

To execute Suo Lun was to act righteously on heaven’s behalf!

The lords present, although heartbroken and indignant, who dared to speak a word of truth at this juncture?

Inside the camp, countless experts from the Demon Continent, eunuch masters, and Turing Clan Warriors were watching like tigers eyeing their prey.

Whoever dared to speak the truth would never walk out of the Central Army’s tent alive.

Thus, Zhi Li easily unified everyone’s will.

He and Duke Turing Tuo staged a textbook example of "Calling a deer a horse."

However, everyone was well aware of what exactly Zhi Li had lost.

If he emerged completely victorious from this great battle, all would be well.

If he lost or even just suffered some setbacks, Zhi Li would undoubtedly face a "domino effect" collapse, with walls tumbling down and everyone turning against him.

At that time, the nobles and lords who today called a deer a horse in his presence were certain to trample over Zhi Li a thousand times over.

The deception ended!

Zhi Li stood up, drew his treasured sword and fiercely slashed it across the command platform in front of him, crying out, "At dawn tomorrow, the army attacks, annihilate Suo Lun, destroy them before breakfast!"

He really was blowing his own trumpet, planning to defeat Suo Lun and then have breakfast?

...

The next day, at the break of dawn!

Before the sun had risen, the thunderous sound of war drums echoed through Zhi Li’s forces.

Countless horns were sounded.

"Boom, boom, boom, boom..."

Zhi Li, seated high on his throne, suddenly drew his treasured sword and pointed it towards the Fenglei Fort Defense Line, roaring, "Attack the city, heaven’s execution upon Suo Lun!"

Instantly, several hundreds of thousands of troops surged towards the Fenglei Fort Defense Line like a tidal wave.

"Boom, boom, boom..."

The countless footsteps on the ground made the earth tremble.

"Roar, roar, roar..."

Countless massive siege towers and battering rams, and squadrons of troops advancing step by step.

In this sort of battle for kingship, talking the talk was useless, righteousness was useless.

The only thing that mattered was the fight!

The victor would be king, the vanquished the criminal!

On Suo Lun’s side, uplifting horn sounds bellowed forth!

Then, on the walls of Wind Thunder Fortress, countless black cloths covering the openings were lifted.

Numerous large and thick cannons protruded out, revealing their cold and terrifying figures.

Hundreds of cannons of various calibers were arrayed, arrayed in levels all along the four-mile city walls.

...

Note: Sending the second update of over 5,000 words, please support, thank you all!