87: The final taunt and the bloody carnival
The outcome has been decided.
These four words, like four unshakeable mountains, crashed down upon the soul of every survivor.
Heaven's Choice: “What a pity.”
Just when everyone thought judgment was about to descend, that ID, which made their souls tremble, lit up again, slowly.
Pity?
The survivors’ brains could no longer process the meaning of this word.
Heaven's Choice: “If the Phoenix Empress hadn’t died, with her Phoenix Nirvana, she might have truly had a chance to overturn my fortress.”
These words, like a red-hot, poison-tipped dagger, precisely stabbed into everyone’s heart, and then, maliciously twisted twice.
Phoenix Empress?
The woman they treated as their leader, yet was defeated by Heaven's Choice at the very first moment.
Only then did they realize that the final form of Heaven's Choice’s fortress, that Sky-Shrouding God of Flame Bird, its core, came from the Phoenix Empress’s legacy—the 【Phoenix Egg】!
It was they who, with their own hands, delivered this ultimate power, capable of threatening Heaven's Choice, into his hands!
It was they who, with their own stupidity and greed, helped the enemy complete this incredible final evolution!
This was no longer just losing.
This was them, with their own hands, digging their own graves, then willingly lying inside, and even helping to bury themselves.
Heaven's Choice: “If you want to blame someone, blame your bad luck.”
Lin Feng’s gaze slowly swept over the battlefield, which had already turned into ruins, and in his eyes, a trace of almost imperceptible… heartache finally emerged.
He sighed softly.
He had put on such a grand show, even sacrificing his painstakingly managed level ten fortress, to successfully hatch the 【Phoenix Egg】 and complete this gamble.
The harvest was immense.
The power of the Sacred Phoenix Fortress was beyond doubt.
But… the cost was equally painful.
His legendary 【Sky Eagle Cannon】 with the 【War Frenzy】 attribute, capable of infinitely stacking attack speed, was forcibly dismantled by that idiot Dragon Aotian in the most frustrating way.
That was one of his most beloved toys, and the one with the highest growth potential among all his current defensive towers.
There was no other like it.
To fuse an identical one again, he would first have to draw a mythical 【Rapid Archer Tower】 with the 【Infinite Attack Speed Stacking】 attribute from the 【Destiny Roulette】.
But no one could predict the abysmal probability of the 【Destiny Roulette】.
As soon as he thought of this, Lin Feng’s mood instantly soured.
He looked at the trembling IDs in the channel, his eyes growing even colder.
Someone had to pay for my beloved toy.
“Ding!”
Just then, a series of pleasant and dense system notification sounds, like a fierce storm, furiously flooded his mind!
【System Notification: Lord “Dragon Aotian” attack failed! Punishment settlement in progress…】
【Congratulations! You have received Gold Coins: 152,400!】
【Congratulations! You have received heavy oil: 98,600!】
【Congratulations! You have received random defensive towers: Sniper Tower (Legendary) x1, Hell Tower (Epic) x1!】
【System Notification: Lord “Strategist” attack failed! Punishment settlement in progress…】
【Congratulations! You have received Gold Coins: 27,500!】
【Congratulations! You have received heavy oil: 15,300!】
【Congratulations! You have received random defensive towers: X Crossbow (Epic) x2!】
【System Notification: Lord “Iron Hammer” attack failed!…】
【Congratulations! You have received Gold Coins: 29,100!】
…
【System Notification: Lord “Dark Priest”…】
Over forty system announcements, like the most beautiful symphony in the world, instantly dispelled Lin Feng’s unhappiness at losing his toy.
On his resource panel, the quantities of gold coins and heavy oil soared like a rocket, increasing at an extremely exaggerated rate!
Five hundred thousand…
Eight hundred thousand…
One million!
Finally, when the last punishment settlement was completed.
Lin Feng looked at his long string of resource numbers, and even with his composure, his breathing couldn't help but quicken slightly for a moment.
【Gold Coins: 1,245,850】
【heavy oil: 783,400】
He struck it rich.
In one wave, he became incredibly wealthy.
This was no longer just being rich enough to rival a nation; this was directly ransacking an enemy nation.
“It’s… not a loss.”
Lin Feng’s lips curved into a cold arc once more.
His gaze, precise as a production line, locked onto the next target.
【Iron Hammer】.
The carnival was just beginning.
His gaze, like the sight of the God of Death, once again fell upon the gray member list of the Demon-Slaying Expeditionary Force.
The previous punishments were merely system rules.
What was coming next was the true carnival, prepared by me, Lin Feng, for them.
His will, like an arrow released from a bowstring, precisely locked onto the ID that had played the role of “dog-headed strategist” from beginning to end.
【Zhinang】.
As if sensing that lock from the soul level, Zhinang’s avatar flashed frantically, uttering incoherent pleas for mercy.
【Zhinang】: “Lord Heaven's Choice! No! Your Majesty Heaven's Choice! I was wrong! I was truly wrong! That bastard Dragon Aotian deceived all of us! I am willing… I am willing to be your dog! I am still useful! I…”
However, Lin Feng didn't even look at a single punctuation mark.
His finger had already coldly pressed the blood-red button.
【System Notification: Do you want to initiate an attack on Lord “Strategist”?】
“Yes.”
On the screen, an attacking vortex slowly opened.
This time, Lin Feng didn't even summon any units.
The God of Flame Bird, after merging with the main base, could actively attack by detaching from the main base during an assault.
It merely flapped its magnificent, gold-cast wings slightly.
【Holy Domain】.
Quietly unfolded.
…
On the other side, inside Zhinang’s fortress.
He watched with his own eyes as the blood-red attack notification, like a death warrant from hell, slowly popped up in the center of his screen.
He didn’t even have the courage to resist.
However, the thunder and flames he expected did not descend.
The entire world was silent.
“Hmm?”
Zhinang was slightly stunned, and he cautiously looked at his fortress.
Everything was intact.
Could it be… he let me go?
As this thought just arose, an indescribable, extreme heat, from all directions, completely engulfed his entire fortress.
No explosion.
No roar.
Only a pure, golden flame.
His proud city walls, his meticulously arranged traps, his hero just revived from the altar… everything, in that golden flame, like ice thrown into the core of a star, was silently and completely evaporated and vaporized.
Not even a trace of ash remained.
Zhinang’s mouth hung open unconsciously, and in his eyes, only that golden domain, constantly burning his soul and representing “true damage,” remained.
In the last moment before his consciousness dissipated, he finally understood.
It turned out that, before this deity.
He didn’t even have the right to make him use a single soldier.
【Ding! You have successfully destroyed Lord “Strategist”’s fortress!】
Lin Feng expressionlessly closed the settlement panel.
His gaze, precise as an assembly line, locked onto the next target.
【Iron Hammer】.
The carnival was just beginning.