"One million. Thatâs the minimum."
The demon monster commander hesitated, then nodded.
"Second, Iâll list materialsâminerals, herbs, and local specialties. Within a set time, you must gather at least 80% of them for me."
Worried the demon might not understand, Ye Zhongming added, "Donât worry, the quantities wonât be impossible. You can just tell us the locations for some items, and weâll retrieve them ourselves. Those will count toward your quotaâbut such items canât exceed 20%. That means you must personally gather at least 60%."
The demon monster commander frowned. Though highly intelligent, human negotiation styles were still foreign to it. It took a moment to grasp Ye Zhongmingâs terms fully.
"Both conditions require us to remain here for some timeâpossibly quite a while. But the battle between our king and your ally has destabilized this place. Iâll agree, but if I sense this realm collapsing, no matter how much weâve gathered, we leave immediately. Rest assured, I wonât deliberately stall. If I do, youâre free to break our agreement."
Ye Zhongming agreed. This fell under force majeure. So be it if the Blue Secret Realm collapsed before they could finish.
"Third, once you reach my world, Iâll designate an area for you to inhabit. For one thousand days, you cannot migrate. It wonât be a wastelandâthe environment will be livable. My purpose is to use you as a buffer against local threats, but I guarantee you wonât be annihilated. Because... Iâll allow up to ten million of your kind to pass through the space gate. You choose who goes. This will help solidify your claim to the throne."
This condition left even Cloud Peakâs members puzzled. The demons were even more confused. But the commander understood one thingâit would decide who passed through the gate. That was enough.
As a level-eight mental-type demon freed from the Nine-Winged Crowâs suppression, many peers would resist its rule until it evolved to level nine. It had to plan ahead, and nothing would secure loyalty better than controlling passage to the new world.
This human understood it well.
A condition that could shape the demonsâ future was accepted without hesitation.
The same principle was applied to the demon monster commanderâsome risks were necessary.
"Fourth, in the future, when I need aid, you must assist me unconditionally three times. I wonât use you as cannon fodderâjust as allies. The tasks will be difficult, but weâll face them together. I promise."
This was Ye Zhongmingâs insurance. Ten million demons represented a colossal force. Not leveraging that would be a waste.
"No. Once at most. Iâve seen your strength. If even you need help, the danger will be extreme. One such mission is already my gratitude for your earlier offer."
The commander referred to Ye Zhongmingâs proposal about selecting who would leave.
Ye Zhongming pondered. "How about this: If you never evolve to level nine, you help me once. If you do reach level nine, you help me twice. Fair?"
The demon monster commander paused, considering. If it reached level nine, it would possess near-invincible power. Helping this human an extra time wouldnât be an issue.
It agreed.
Seeing Ye Zhongming about to continue, the demon monster commanderâs expression darkened.
"Outsider, these are already many conditions. How many more will you demand? You should know when to stop."
It didnât know human idioms, but the meaning was clear.
Ye Zhongming wasnât offended. "Fine, one last one."
The demon monster commander exhaled in relief. It had feared endless demands. Though powerful, it wasnât omnipotent. These terms alone would bind it to this human for a long time.
"Perhaps... killing your king yourself would better secure your throne." Ye Zhongming smiled at the commander. "Donât worry, Iâll assist you."
âŠâŠâŠâŠâŠâŠâŠâŠâŠâŠ
When the battered Deacon Water and others saw the sudden appearance of over a million demon troops at the mountain pass, they nearly died of fright.
The aftermath of the battle between the two level-nine beings had already cost them dearlyâlost war machines, mounts, and lower-level or poorly defended evolved. Their combat strength was at most 60-70% of its peak, and even after recovery, it wouldnât exceed 90%.
After all, the dead couldnât return, and some machines were beyond repair.
Facing over a million high-level demons now would mean annihilation.
They lacked Cloud Peakâs abundance of ranged weaponry.
But then they saw Ye Zhongming and the entire Cloud Peak force following behind the demons. Their expressions soured.
What was happening? Why were humans and demons together? What was Ye Zhongming playing at?
But with the two dying level-nine beings between them, communication was impossible.
The Nine-Winged Crow and the Armor King were both on the brink of death.
Their final, all-out strikes had been cataclysmic.
Originally, the Nine-Winged Crow should have won. But its clone entering Earth had severed its control, and avoiding a level drop was already a testament to its strength.
Then, it was ambushed and sustained heavy injuries. Its opponent was a tank with devastating offensive capabilities, wielding various skills that showcased the prowess of another worldâs elite.
Ultimately, it had leveraged space power to attackâonly to be wounded.
It lay motionless, seemingly dead, until its subordinates entered the valley. Then its eyes opened.
Seeing its forces aligned with humans, the Nine-Winged Crowâs gaze filled with mockery. It understoodâits trusted lieutenant had struck a deal with these outsiders. It had been abandoned.
After a glance, the Nine-Winged Crow ignored the subordinates it had never valued. Instead, it fixed its eyes on the Armor King.
Then it did something that sent every being in the valley scrambling backward.