The Dog Emperor Lets Someone Else Die First

Because at a time like this, if you let a group of people fight based on their own abilities, it would mostly be a disorganized mess. Everyone would want to save their own lives, and in the end, they would die even faster. On the contrary, Wang Hao's unreasonable forced command could forcefully wring out a bit of order from the rotten situation in the shortest possible time.

However, understanding is one thing, being willing is another.

Rong Xiaotian was the first to blow his top: "Why the hell am I in the second tier? Why don't you go up first yourself?"

Wang Hao didn't even look at him, saying faintly, "Because you have thick skin, you're suitable for taking a beating."

Rong Xiaotian: "..."

"And haven't you always said that you have a tough life, profound serendipity, and heaven won't take you?" Wang Hao finally turned his head, smiling as he added a stab, "Now is a good time to verify it."

Rong Xiaotian was so angry his face twisted: "You—"

"You what you." Wang Hao's tone was calm. "You want to take the benefits of the Martial God Trial, but you don't want to put in the effort? Where in the world is there such a good thing. I didn't take back your mark on the spot, which is already considered a benevolent policy."

As soon as these words came out, the several temporary workers nearby who had just taken the trial rewards fell silent in unison.

Bad.

This logic is too familiar.

So familiar that they simply couldn't find an angle to refute it.

Ye Guyun was the most straightforward, sweeping out directly with a cold face: "Cut the crap, let's talk after we fight."

Gu Han also followed suit.

Xiao Chen clenched his fist, muttered "dog emperor" in a low voice, and still lifted his qi to charge into the left wing.

It wasn't that they didn't know Wang Hao was using them as consumables.

But the problem was that in the current situation, this was indeed the only way to fight. They had signed a 20-year contract of indentured servitude, and that contract was like a tightening spell that couldn't be shaken off.

At the very front, the Battle Souls took the first wave of impact. In the middle, the six of them who got the marks withstood the critical firepower. In the rear, the Great Zhou military formation cooperated with the Demon Suppressing Monument to seal the field.

And Wang Hao—

Stood in the safest, most core position.

He said "I am with you," but in reality, he was steadier than anyone else.

Yun Meng's mouth twitched as she watched.

This bastard's shamelessness could refresh the lower limit every time.

To say he was hiding in the back, he was indeed presiding over the overall situation, and the Lightning Tower and Battle Mark were continuously suppressing the Eerie Shadow. No one could say he wasn't putting in any effort.

But to say he was leading by example, that was complete nonsense.

The position he chose was exactly the center of the array eye that was least likely to be affected in the first instance in the entire underground palace.

Safe and conspicuous.

He could farm the prestige of "I sit and command the overall situation" without actually taking the harshest first round of beatings.

"He really knows how to scheme..." Yun Meng gritted her teeth and said in a low voice.

Ren Mingyue stood beside her, looking at Wang Hao's back, feeling very complicated.

She was now more and more aware that the most terrifying thing about this man was not his black heart, but that he would package his "black heart" to be exceptionally reasonable.

He never did stupid things that would arouse public anger at a glance.

He could always find exactly that point between "I earn the most" and "others can't find any major faults."

Just like now.

The Battle Souls go first, any problem? No problem, the Battle Souls are originally the power of the Martial God's outer hall, not using them is a waste.

The people who got the Battle Marks go, any problem? Also no problem, having enjoyed the serendipity, of course they have to bear the responsibility.

The Great Zhou military formation presses the flanks, any problem? Even less of a problem, they can't let the front line collapse directly.

Why doesn't the Wang family's old ancestor go? To command the great army and prevent enemy attacks, this is also very reasonable.

As for why he himself doesn't pounce on first—

Because the commander-in-chief needs to sit in the central hub.

You hear, how grand.

Boom!

The battle ahead had completely exploded.

Over ten ancient Battle Souls temporarily awakened by the Martial God Battle Marks swarmed up with intense killing intent, instantly crashing into that Eerie Shadow.

This time, everyone in the underground palace finally saw the true terror of the Eerie Shadow.

The Battle Souls that ordinary Sky Soaring Realm cultivators might not be able to shake were actually as fragile as paper in front of it. Every time it waved its claws, it could tear apart the ancient battle patterns on two or three Battle Souls; every time its black tail swept past, it could shatter large swaths of golden light.

But similarly, the Battle Souls were not living people, they would not fear, they would not hesitate. Even if they were torn to pieces, they would use their last bit of residual strength to lock down the Eerie Shadow for a moment.

And this moment was the life of the six people behind.

Xiao Chen was the first to seize the opportunity. His fist momentum was like a mountain, smashing straight into the Eerie Shadow's spine, and the strange fire immediately ignited the Eerie Shadow's back; Gu Han's sword light rose close to the ground, specifically slashing the faint black mist connection between it and the rift; Ye Guyun was even more ruthless, his sword taking a slanted edge, every sword thrusting towards the cracks on the monster's head.

Rong Xiaotian originally wanted to save some physical strength, but after being whipped by the Eerie Shadow's tail so that his qi and blood surged, he instead struck out with fiery temper, howling and raising his saber to chop wildly, cursing uglier than anyone else.

"Beast! See if I don't chop your head off to use as a chamber pot!"

Bai Zhantang was the most miserable.

He was already not good at head-on clashes. At this moment, he could only rely on movement techniques to constantly wander on the edge, throwing out a few underhanded moves from time to time. As a result, every time he just felt he was very agile, the Eerie Shadow's gaze would suddenly sweep over, scaring his scalp numb.

"I fucking knew it, concealment types suffer the most in this kind of situation..."

He wanted to cry while dodging.

Qin Zhiming, on the other hand, exerted a tremendous value.

Although this brain-type contestant's frontal combat power was not top-notch, he was the first to see which broken monuments in the underground palace could still be borrowed, and which collapsed array patterns could be temporarily reconnected. He almost shouted out points the whole time, commanding everyone to borrow positions, change positions, and borrow the array lines to unload force.

With him around, the originally chaotic situation of everyone fighting on their own forcefully gained a bit more order.

And Wang Hao in the rear looked very satisfied.

Very good.

Everyone is shining and heating up.

Everyone is realizing the value of their position.

Especially Rong Xiaotian.

This guy looks like he doesn't have enough brains, but when he charges, he is really fierce, suitable to be a consumable heavy hammer.

Gu Han is steady, Ye Guyun is ruthless, Xiao Chen is pressure-resistant, and Qin Zhiming is a typical brain-power support.

Hmm, the more I look at it, the more it looks like a usable team.

As for whether there is any danger to life?

Wang Hao felt this question was not important.

Being alive inherently has danger.

Moreover, if chosen ones don't experience a bit of life and death, how can they grow?

I am also helping them.

Thinking of this, a trace of heartfelt gratification even arose in his heart.

I am really a good emperor who cares for the younger generation.

"Your Majesty!" Wei Zhongxian leaned in half a step, lowering his voice, "If this continues, I'm afraid there will be casualties among the six."

"What's the rush." Wang Hao's expression was calm, "The time is not yet ripe."

"This Eerie Shadow just swallowed dozens of evil cultivators, and its momentum is very strong. Rushing up now, am I harvesting or delivering food?"

Wei Zhongxian instantly understood and immediately bowed his head: "Your Majesty is wise."

Yun Meng next to them heard this sentence and almost laughed in anger.

You master and servant are really more shameless than the other.

What do you mean the time is not yet ripe?

Those six unlucky bastards over there are almost getting beaten to a ripe state!

Sure enough, after just a moment, the situation changed again.

That Eerie Shadow seemed to be annoyed by the siege. It suddenly let out a sharp hiss, and the black mist around its body actually shrank in an instant, turning into dozens of long, needle-like black thorns, shooting out violently in all directions.

"Watch out for your divine sense!"

Just as Qin Zhiming shouted this sentence, he saw an evil path elder who had mixed in next to him failing to dodge in time, his glabella pierced by a black thorn.

The physical body had not yet cracked, but the divine soul collapsed first.

The entire person stood stiffly for a breath of time, then crashed heavily to the ground, his eyes filled with lingering terror from before his death.

This scene directly made many people's scalps tingle with dread.

A Skysoaring Realm expert, gone just like that.

They finally realized firsthand that the monstrous thing before them was no longer something they could simply overwhelm with numbers.

"I can't hold on!" Bai Zhantang rolled miserably to dodge an attack, his face deathly pale. "If we drag this out any longer, people are going to die!"

"If you know how to speak, then say a bit more," Gu Han replied coldly, though a line of blood was also seeping from the corner of his mouth.

Xiao Chen was in an even worse state; half of his shoulder had been corroded blue by the black mist, and the momentum of his punches had noticeably slowed.

Yet at this moment, Wang Hao still hadn't moved.

He merely slowly raised the Martial God Battle Seal and shouted in a low voice, "Suppress!"

Boom!

The remaining Demon Suppression Stele deep within the underground palace trembled once more. Several golden chains descended out of thin air, briefly shackling the limbs of the Eerie Shadow.

This strike wasn't enough to defeat the enemy, but it was enough to let the people on the frontlines catch half a breath.

And within this half a breath, everyone suddenly understood.

That bastard Wang Hao wasn't just purely watching the show.

He was using the Emperor's Qi Observation Technique to control the rhythm.

While the people at the front fought to the death, he used the battle seal and lightning pagoda to suppress the enemy at critical moments. He neither let the Eerie Shadow completely lose control, nor did he let the frontline fighters have it too easy.

To put it bluntly—

He was keeping the situation exactly at the threshold of "you won't die, but you'll be squeezed completely dry."

After figuring this out, let alone Rong Xiaotian, even Xiao Chen almost spat out a mouthful of blood.

Shameless.

Too shameless!

But there was absolutely nothing they could do about it.

Because if it weren't for those few precise suppressions, someone among them would have indeed died by now.

This was the most frustrating part.

You knew perfectly well he was using you as a stepping stone, yet you still had to accept his favor.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Another round of fierce fighting ensued.

The black mist on the Eerie Shadow's body was finally worn away by more than half. A deep wound tore open on its chest, revealing no flesh or blood inside, only continuously writhing black filaments.

Meanwhile, the sacrificial altar in the center of the underground palace was further cracked by the continuous clashes, exposing several core array formations beneath it.

Ren Mingyue had been observing the whole time. Her eyes finally lit up, and she said urgently, "Your Majesty! Now is the time! The rift's supply has weakened, and its connection with the altar has been severed by seventy percent!"

This was exactly the sentence Wang Hao had been waiting for.

The corners of his lips curled up. One moment he was as steady as an old dog, and the next, his entire aura abruptly changed.

"Everyone, fall back."

Just a few words.

The voice wasn't loud, but it carried an unquestionable oppressive force.

The few people on the frontlines almost instinctively retreated.

And Wang Hao finally moved.

At this moment, he no longer stood at the rear array core pretending to be the "wise monarch commanding from the center." Instead, genuinely holding the lightning pagoda, he stepped over the shattered battle runes of the underground palace and walked step by step toward the Eerie Shadow.

The Martial God Battle Seal released a brilliant golden light in his palm.

The surrounding ruined steles, battle souls, and demon suppression arrays all seemed to resonate with his footsteps.

That Eerie Shadow also sensed the danger. Its head violently turned toward him, and for the first time, an extremely obvious fury appeared on its twisted facial features.

"You... schemed against me..."

"How can this be called scheming?" Wang Hao smiled gently. "I merely let others play with you for a while first, lest you feel too lonely right after coming out."

At the edge of the underground palace, the group of "others" turned green in the face upon hearing this.

But before they could start cursing, Wang Hao suddenly struck.

The Thunder Abyss Demon Suppression Pagoda rose into the air, thunderclouds churning. A lightning phoenix plummeted, fiercely striking the crack on the top of the Eerie Shadow's head. Meanwhile, the Martial God Battle Seal transformed into a dark golden torrent, pulling upon the remaining array momentum of the entire underground palace to suppress its body from all directions.

What was even more terrifying was that his timing was extremely precise.

He didn't fight when the Eerie Shadow was at its fiercest.

He didn't fight when the Eerie Shadow had eaten its fill and surged in power.

Instead, he waited until it had been mostly worn down by the battle souls, geniuses, military arrays, and ruined steles, and after its rift supply was cut off, before pouring all of his ultimate moves down in one breath.

This was no longer just last-hitting.

This was kill-stealing.

And doing it openly.

Boom—!

The Eerie Shadow was forcefully blasted to its knees, countless cracks exploding across the ground.

It let out a shrill, miserable shriek. Several black tails whipped madly, but every time they were just raised, they were smashed back down by the lightning and the battle seal.

Wang Hao's expression was cold and stern as he raised his hand and pressed down again.

"Stay down for me."

Pfft!

This time, the Eerie Shadow's chest was directly blown open by the suppression, black threads scattering in all directions.

Everyone watched this scene, completely losing their voices.

Strong.

This tyrant was truly strong.

Even though everyone knew how important that massive amount of prior consumption was, when they actually saw his final string of attacks, they still instinctively felt a strong sense of shock—this guy truly had the ability to dominate the field.

Even Shen Xue's eyes changed slightly.

She had always known Wang Hao was not simple.

But it wasn't until this moment that she, for the first time, truly put the concepts of "Wang Hao" and "the person who can suppress the great tribulation" together.

Meanwhile, in the center of the battlefield, the Eerie Shadow had finally reached a dead end.

It stared fixedly at Wang Hao. The countless fragmented pupils in its eyes flickered madly, as if cursing him, or as if memorizing his face.

"You... cannot stop it..."

Wang Hao walked up to it, looking down from above, yet his tone was very calm: "I'll stop you first, then we'll talk."

With that said, he slammed a palm down.

At this moment, the New Emperor Sword at Wang Hao's waist suddenly leaped out, transforming into a cloud of black mist. Wang Hao could feel the hunger of the New Emperor Sword.

"Main body, leave him to me, leave him to me," the New Emperor Sword even shouted until its voice cracked.

Regardless of Wang Hao's reaction, the humanoid black shadow opened its bloody maw and bit down.

The head of the Eerie Shadow shattered explosively.

But just before it completely collapsed and vanished, an extremely blurry will, seemingly transmitting from somewhere deeper, suddenly used its remaining body to send out one last sentence:

"The true eyes..."

"Are in the Crimson Moon..."

As the voice fell, the black mist completely exploded and dissipated.

The entire underground palace was deathly quiet.

Everyone heard it.

Crimson Moon.

Demonic Cult.

In this instant, an extremely ominous chill rose in the hearts of many people.

And Wang Hao, standing before the spot where the Eerie Shadow had dissipated, lowered his eyes to look at that final wisp of black energy, a trace of an ambiguous light slowly flashing deep in his eyes.

Xie Wujiu's move hadn't managed to scheme him to death.

Instead, it had delivered him an even greater direction.

Crimson Moon.

Very good.

Things were starting to get much more interesting.

Wang Hao looked at it gnawing on the corpse of the Eerie Shadow as if it hadn't eaten in eight lifetimes, his face full of disgust.

The three women and the ten temporary workers scanned back and forth between Wang Hao and the New Emperor Sword with strange looks in their eyes.

The meaning was clear: the master was a pervert, and that sword was also a pervert. The two were a perfect match—truly despicable.