Chapter 396 - 173: "I am Chen Fan, from the Jiangbei Mortal Realm.

Chapter 396: Chapter 173: "I am Chen Fan, from the Jiangbei Mortal Realm.

"The Eternal Night Hall’s No. 3 and No. 4 Frontlines fell one after another during the rainy season."

"The casualties were immense."

"To compensate for the loss of Frontlines No. 3 and No. 4, the Eternal Night Hall spared no expense. They hastily established two new defense lines behind the fallen territories."

"Now, the Eternal Night Hall is severely lacking in resources."

"We can only build a single defense line at the entrance to the Yellow Springs Entrance Canyon region. The fractured Node there is smaller, and the required defense line is shorter. Defending one line is easier than defending two."

"I refuse to comply!"

Elder Qi roared in fury, "How can you abandon so much territory? Do you have any idea how many people will die?!!"

"At the very least... at the very least..."

"You should at least tell everyone, let everyone evacuate together."

Even hearing Elder Qi’s furious curses, the person on the other end had no reaction, merely continuing their dispassionate report.

"If you have that many Skeleton Horses and sufficient logistics, you can try to evacuate everyone."

"Or if you can complete the Jiangbei Defense Line and hold the No. 7 Defense Line without any support."

"How is that possible!" Elder Qi, more agitated than ever, bellowed, "Does the Eternal Night Hall not even have the Ghost Stones to build the Jiangbei Defense Line anymore?"

"We don’t."

"..."

After hearing the other person utter those two words so calmly, Elder Qi’s agitation suddenly subsided. After a long silence, he spoke with red-rimmed eyes and a hoarse voice.

"Understood."

"I will not leave. Not a single person from the No. 7 Defense Line will retreat. We will defend the No. 7 Defense Line to the death."

"I am only Elder Qi here at the No. 7 Defense Line."

"I will only die at the No. 7 Defense Line, not in some other territory."

This time, the person on the other end did not answer immediately.

Only after a moment’s pause did their voice, for the first time, carry a trace of emotion as they said hoarsely.

"The Eternal Night will end, and an eon of daylight shall follow."

"We send you to your death with respect, Elder Qi."

"We will win."

...

The Mother and Child Stone in his palm gradually lost its warmth as the connection was severed.

Elder Qi stood alone on the City Wall, his eyes filled with despair and indignation as he looked down at the tents below. The rain beat down on him, but it couldn’t extinguish the fire in his heart, only making him feel increasingly agitated.

「An unknown amount of time passed.」

Finally unable to suppress his emotions, Elder Qi, his expression on the verge of collapse, roared and began to furiously kick the City Wall in front of him.

’But...’

’But... the No. 7 Defense Line had already survived this rainy season.’

’The situation had clearly improved. Barring any surprises, the No. 7 Defense Line would have had no problem for the next few rainy seasons. It could have held for years, even become completely self-sufficient.’

But the Eternal Night Frontline had lost two defense lines this rainy season. The Eternal Night Hall no longer had the strength to build the Jiangbei Defense Line and had decided to abandon this region.

This news completely shattered his illusions.

’Everyone has to die...’

’The Four Areas Jiangbei, the Guanxi Plain, the Guandong Plain... so many people, all of them are going to die.’

He didn’t blame the Eternal Night Hall.

He knew the Eternal Night Hall had truly done its best; he just despaired at his own powerlessness.

He knew there was nothing wrong with the Eternal Night Hall’s decision.

"The Four Areas Jiangbei and the Two Areas of Guanxi" formed a massive coastal peninsula on the Eternal Night Continent. It was surrounded by sea on three sides, with two fractured Nodes that required two separate defense lines.

But if this region were abandoned, they could simply head east from the Guanxi Plain. At the Yellow Springs Entrance Canyon—the intersection point between their territory and the main Eternal Night Continent—they could establish a single defense line along the coastline. Then they would only need to hold one line.

When resources are scarce, abandoning an entire region is the only logical choice.

He could understand that completely.

But it was precisely this understanding, mixed with his indignation and powerlessness, that caused him such extreme anguish.

The joy from successfully surviving the rainy season vanished in an instant. In two years, Jiangbei would fall, and the No. 7 Defense Line would be the first to be overrun.

At the same time, everyone in the region west of the Yellow Springs Entrance Canyon would die.

Although he somewhat resented the factions on the Guanxi Plain for ignoring the No. 7 Defense Line’s calls for aid, he couldn’t bring himself to just stand by and watch them all die.

’That gentleman... yes, yes, that gentleman...!’

Elder Qi, suddenly struck by the thought, was like a drowning man clutching at a straw. A glimmer of hope flickered in his eyes as he began to fumble frantically in his robes for a Sound Transmission Talisman.

But soon, he froze in place.

That gentleman hadn’t left him a Sound Transmission Talisman. More importantly, even if he could contact him, so what? So what if his faction was a legacy from the Ancient Times?

’How could a single faction possibly build an entire defense line?’

’Even if I pleaded with him again.’

’And even if they were willing to help...’

’...they wouldn’t have the means.’

"..."

Elder Qi, his eyes bloodshot, stood there in a daze, staring at the tents at the base of the City Wall. Just then, a member of the No. 7 Defense Line passed by him.

Unable to contain his excitement, the man did his best to keep his voice down as he whispered, "Elder Qi, we held on!"

His voice was kept extremely low, but the excitement in his tone was practically overflowing.

Elder Qi paused, stunned for a moment, before forcing a grim, pained smile.

"Yes."

"We held on."

An inky, heavy darkness surged from the horizon. The eternal night had fallen.

This was the last night of the rainy season.

All the members of the No. 7 Defense Line were excited, swarming onto the top of the wall, ready to defend this final night.

They couldn’t let their guard down at the last moment.

Roaring, they stared out at the countless Ghost Tides surging from the sea beyond the defense line, as if in defiance, or perhaps in celebration.