Lu Yi's words, combined with the launch of the Jericho missiles, ignited the fury of all the soldiers present. They looked at the Jericho missiles approaching in the sky, then turned toward the direction of the command vehicle, burning with rage, wishing they could destroy it immediately.
But for them, it was already too late.
They were about to face the Jericho missile bombardment.
The Jericho missile had gained legendary status—it was the last publicly sold weapon developed by Tony Stark. The soldiers believed there was no way to escape, that death was inevitable.
To them, only someone like Lu Yi—a monster capable of killing without restraint—could survive.
Despair once again swallowed them.
But this time, when all hope seemed lost, an unexpected hope appeared—and it came from Lu Yi.
From his eyes burst dozens of red beams, each pair shooting down one of the smaller missiles scattered from the main Jericho missile.
After being struck by the red beams, every missile in the sky detonated prematurely, and a thunderous explosion shook the heavens.
A powerful shockwave descended, blowing soldiers off their feet and making it impossible to stand steadily.
Yet none of the soldiers cared—they were simply stunned.
They never imagined that Lu Yi would actually save them. A complex and indescribable emotion began to replace their earlier fear and anger.
"Don't get the wrong idea. I didn't save you to win your favor. That's useless to me."
Alright then.
Whether or not they were moved by that, something else took hold—anger.
Yes—anger seemed like a more accurate word now.
"Let's continue our previous conversation. I'll give you a chance to live—but you'll have to earn it. Your general is right there, inside that command vehicle. And he's preparing to launch a nuclear warhead missile." Lu Yi pointed casually at the command vehicle, as if discussing something insignificant.
What?
No—this had to be a joke!
The scene exploded into chaos. The shouting of tens of thousands of soldiers drowned out even the lingering echoes of the detonations.
"Quiet down. Your general will not spare you. First the Jericho missiles, now the nuclear warhead. This is your only chance for revenge. Let's play a battle royale."
Lu Yi's voice was icy cold.
"He is your target. Kill him, and you live. Fail, and you die. You have five minutes. When the time is up, the nuclear missile will launch—and you, as mere flesh and blood, will be annihilated."
The soldiers shivered at his words. Five minutes was not long at all.
"What are you waiting for? Do you want to die?"
The soldiers finally moved. Like a tide, they surged toward the command vehicle. Those who could drive rushed to nearby vehicles.
"How are you two?" Lu Yi asked Coulson and Natasha as he landed.
"We're fine. The fire was heavy—we were almost hit by stray rounds, but we're alright," Coulson replied.
"Oh! That's good."
"Mr. Lu Yi… will you really let the other soldiers go?" Coulson finally asked.
Thousands of soldiers had already died. If the rest perished too, the consequences would be catastrophic. He had to ask—not to judge, but out of responsibility.
"Who knows? It depends on their performance." Lu Yi answered vaguely, with a faint smile.
"Maybe—just maybe—you could spare them? They're innocent. They shouldn't have resisted." Coulson asked anxiously.
"I know," Lu Yi replied, "but they still chose to resist—and they shot at me. Just look at the ground—there are enough bullets to build a hill."
"That may be true, but—"
"Coulson, that's enough," Natasha interrupted. She glanced at Lu Yi, then turned to Coulson. "It's over. If those soldiers kill the general within five minutes, he won't attack them again. Right?"
Her last question was directed at Lu Yi.
"That's right. If they actually manage to do it."
These soldiers, to Lu Yi, were like ants—insignificant. Whether they lived or died made little difference to him. But if they could entertain him with this so-called "battle royale," then sparing them was no big deal.
After all, ants were just ants.
"Then I'm relieved," Coulson said. "Even if he's a general, killing him in five minutes won't be difficult."
Between the lives of tens of thousands of soldiers and the life of one general, Coulson clearly chose the former. It was undoubtedly the right choice.
"That's not what the rules say," Lu Yi said calmly, eyes glowing red as he killed a soldier who was attempting to flee.
"What do you mean?" Coulson asked, deliberately ignoring the killing that had just unfolded.
"Five minutes is actually plenty of time. If the general tries to escape in the command vehicle, he might actually make it."
"Is that so? In that case…" Coulson gritted his teeth. "You wouldn't mind if more people joined your game, right?"
"Of course not," Lu Yi replied. "But if you join, it's still five minutes."
"What about me?" Natasha asked.
"Five minutes."
"Can it be longer? Six minutes?"
"There are only five minutes before the nuclear warhead launches."
"…Alright then."
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