Chapter 1439 - 81: Solace

"Spare us... We were forced into this..."

The leading Ancient Demon at Peak Level 3 immediately knelt, pleading with the individual. However, the soldier only shook his head lightly, seemingly regretful, seemingly sighing.

Then, after a brief silence, he extended his hand to these Demon Tribe refugees.

"Stand up first, I’m here not to kill you."

"I’m here to help you."

His fluent Demon Realm Language resonated from his lips. Upon hearing this, the dozen Demon Fiends were taken aback momentarily, immediately igniting the glow of hope in their eyes.

For these Demon Tribe civilians forcibly driven out of the Demon Realm’s Gate, even a sliver of kindness from the enemy is enough to awaken the last glimmer of hope within their hearts.

"Master, this is..."

The Demon Fiend spoke in disbelief.

Then he received a reply.

"I’m Marcus, that’s all you need to know."

...

Among ten Demon Fiends, there were elders, children, and three combat-capable adult Ancient Demons besides.

Described as combat-capable—only within the Third-level region...

As Demon Tribe members, they could only inhabit the Third-level zone; however, humans and mutant creatures were different. Any region of the tiered battle ground was the territory of Earth-native beings. In other words, these Demon Tribes could encounter Level 7 or even Level 8 professionists and mutant beasts here.

Just as the Soul Puppet released by the Demon Spirit posed no significant threat to the Zone 3 residents, those soldiers dispatched by Fran, or even the hunting squads, were akin to catastrophic calamities to these low-level Demon Tribes. Encounter would undoubtedly lead to execution!

Humans and Demons are irreconcilable!

This is the consensus.

But today, this consensus has a deviation on someone...

...

"I am Marcus, commander of the 562nd army brigade of the Yanjing military."

Upon saying this, Marcus paused briefly, then continued.

"My identity is not important; what’s important is that I’m here to help you. Knowing this is enough for you."

The commander of the military’s 562nd army brigade seemed prestigious; nonetheless, it was not a significant official—on the frontline of Zone 3, the fallen was the commander of the 333rd army brigade. Fran’s lack of reaction to the commander of the 333rd’s death clarified that this position was not exceptionally valuable...

This is indeed the case.

Reflecting upon his identity, Marcus fell into a brief contemplation.

He was not entirely sure where the problem arose!

Recalling when he joined Yanjing, Ray and Marcus were the leading generals of Yanjing, distinguished in strength, even selected by Lin Haifeng at some point as a trump card to counterbalance Wen Yu.

However, everything fundamentally altered afterward.

Unaccountably, Lin Haifeng suddenly lost interest in Ray and Marcus; the two continually marginalized until now, Ray and Marcus could even only lead an insignificant brigade doing trivial tasks.

The former orders of the Demon Lord—regarding protecting Tang Haofei and Lin Haifeng—naturally became completely meaningless.

Lin Haifeng did not trust them, and Tang Haofei did not need their protection; the tasks of both were poorly completed, further worsened by their transformation into humans, entirely cutting off from the Demon Lord, or even the Demon Palace. Now, Marcus feels like a ghost wandering the world, empty, lonely, unable to find a life goal, or a direction home...

Until he heard the information circulating within the military.

"Demon Tribe invasion in large scale! Not warriors, but pitiful civilians..."

Though pitiful, the military harbored no sympathy; to normal people, the Demon Tribe was merely the Demon Tribe. There is no military and civilian differentiation, naturally no mercy!

But this was not applicable to Marcus.

He felt he found the meaning of living...

He wished to save his kin... even a minuscule part of them.

...

"So, chaos in the Demon Realm, the Demon Spirit initiates a reckoning..."

The Demon Tribe behind him murmured about everything transpiring in the Demon Realm, explaining it to Marcus, who briefly pondered, then shook his head.

Being formerly with the Sequence Hunting Squad, he directly reported to the Demon Palace, acquired identity through Philip’s channel, then crossed the Demon Realm’s Gate to launch assaults on sequences—he hadn’t visited the Surface Demon Realm much, nor did he harbor deep emotions toward it.

Whatever the Demon Spirit, and whatever the Surface Demon Realm, held no direct relation with Marcus.

What he desired currently was merely to safeguard some Ancient Demon Tribal People, offering himself some psychological solace in a foreign land.

On the journey, they moved slowly, stumbling, encountering military personnel, or even Independents. Given Marcus’s identity, none dared meddle. As the journey elongated, the crowd behind Marcus grew larger, albeit exclusively Ancient Demons.

He ignored other species of Demon Fiends altogether...

This way, when Marcus arrived before a cave, a throng of over a thousand Ancient Demons followed behind him.

"We’ve arrived."

Marcus announced, then walked into the cave first.

...

The cave entrance appeared dilapidated, yet its interior was another story.

This was once a resource storage setup during Zone 3’s infrastructure developments.

The resources and such had long vanished, but the place remained, and it was abandoned—abandoned, meaning no one would come, thereby providing security.

When Marcus led the thousand-plus Ancient Demons to the deepest point underground, the silent, deserted building finally welcomed inhabitants once more.

"From now on, this is your new home..."

Marcus remarked, then looked backward.

He saw one Ancient Demon after another, eyes colored with gratitude, trepidation, and unease.

Marcus understood, understood this group of Ancient Demons’ yearning and demand for security; however, under the current scenario, this was the best condition Marcus could offer.

He paused briefly, then spoke again.

"I’ll bring you goods daily; you can rest here temporarily. When the situation changes, I’ll notify you."

A brief comfort, merely comfort—the situation isn’t likely to change, even if Marcus saves them; they could only linger hopelessly in this underground for life.

This form of life, indistinguishable from death for Demon Tribe members, yet the reality is Marcus merely wanted them alive, granting his soul some solace...

A selfish choice made by a selfish individual.

That’s all.