We gained valuable rest time at Sun Chuanting's "Spark" base.

Wang Cheng'en was arranged in a separate room with specialized care. After experiencing consecutive days of mental shock and physical exertion, this chief eunuch had completely broken down, spending most of each day in drowsy sleep and delirious talk, temporarily rendered useless.


And Chongzhen showed only limited interest in this small fortress. He spent most of his time sitting alone on a rock at the highest point of the valley, looking down at everything below. I don't know what he was thinking, but I could sense that the deathly aura surrounding him was becoming increasingly "contained" and "dense." He was like a supernova compressing itself, capable of exploding with even more terrifying energy at any moment.

I became the busiest person.

I spent two full days writing down and sketching everything I knew about the game "Ming Dynasty's Divine War" - all the settings, monster data, key events, and hidden quests from my memory.


When I handed a thick stack of papers covered with modern simplified characters and simple drawings to Sun Chuanting, this last capable minister of the late Ming Dynasty showed a truly shocked expression for the first time.

"This... these..." he pointed at the drawings of the "King of Decay" in its fungal mat form and the modification process of the "Abyssal Walker," his voice trembling, "Who... exactly are you?"


"An 'observer' from 'another world'." I gave him an answer that would be easiest for him to understand, "Where I come from, your world is a... tragic history book that has been played out countless times. I am just a... reader who happened to fall into the book."

Sun Chuanting fell silent. He didn't ask any further questions but immediately gathered the core squad leaders under his command to study the "future history" I had provided.

This was exactly what I wanted.

I needed to quickly convert my "intelligence advantage" into actual "combat power." Sun Chuanting's small force, though only a few hundred strong, was well-equipped, well-trained, and absolutely loyal to him, making them the perfect executors.

"According to my 'history book'," I pointed to a spot in the Taihang Mountain range on the map, "After occupying Beijing, Li Zicheng's army will dispatch a separate force led by his general Liu Zongmin to march west and capture Shanxi. Their primary target is the Prince of Jin's mansion in Taiyuan—where there is enormous wealth sufficient to support his army of hundreds of thousands."

"And their marching route will inevitably pass through here." I traced a line on the map with my finger, "A canyon called 'One Line Sky'. The terrain there is treacherous, making it a perfect spot for an ambush."

Sun Chuanting's eyes lit up.

"You mean..."

"That's right." I looked at him and slowly said, "We need to set up an ambush. Not for victory, but for... 'capture'."

"Capture?"

"Capture the 'special units' in Liu Zongmin's forces." I explained, "Li Zicheng's army is no longer a purely mortal army. Among them must be 'Abyss Walkers' modified by the 'New Gods', and possibly even 'Divine Champions' who possess 'Human Realm Artifacts' like that general we encountered before."

"We need to conduct a small-scale, controlled battle to obtain these 'samples'." I looked at Sun Chuanting, "We need to understand to what extent our enemies have evolved."

A grave expression appeared on Sun Chuanting's face. He understood my meaning. This was not just a military operation, but also a... "scientific experiment" in knowing both yourself and your enemy.

"Fine." He finally made up his mind, "We'll do as you say. I'll lead the team myself."

"No." I shook my head, "You cannot go. You are the 'commander' here, and a commander should not take unnecessary risks. Besides, your 'righteous aura' is too strong, and once you get close to the battlefield, you could easily be sensed by the enemy's 'divine champion', alerting them to our presence."

"Then who should go?"

"I will." I said calmly.

Sun Chuanting was stunned.

"You?" He looked me up and down, this "frail scholar" who couldn't even tie up a chicken, "You going to the battlefield - how is that any different from suicide?"

"Of course I'm not going to charge into battle." I smiled, "I'm going to be... the 'bait'."

I paused for a moment, then continued: "'Sky Eye' has been taken out, and the enemy has lost their most efficient reconnaissance means. But they must have other methods. For instance, by sensing 'high-value targets.' And I, an otherworldly visitor bearing the 'Black Dragon's Curse,' am in their eyes a gleaming, priceless 'moving coordinate.'"

"As long as I appear on the battlefield, I can draw all the enemy's attention, creating the best ambush opportunity for your troops."

Sun Chengzong's expression became incredibly complex. He looked at me as if I were a madman.

"Too risky," he flatly refused, "I cannot let you..."

"Mr. Sun," I interrupted him, "This is not the time for conventional tactics and methodical approaches. This is a... devil's war. To deal with devils, we must use the devils' methods."

"Besides..." I looked back at the silent figure on the mountaintop, "I won't be going alone."

"I'll be taking 'him' with me."

Sun Chengzong's pupils instantly contracted to their limit.

"You're insane!" he exclaimed in shock, "Taking him to the battlefield? What if he loses control? That's not an ambush, it's suicide!"

"He won't lose control." I shook my head, a bitter smile appearing on my face. "Because I have already signed a 'contract' with him."

I told Sun Chuanting, half truthfully and half falsely, about the "sovereign-subject covenant" that I had established with the Chongzhen Emperor at the relay station a few days ago. Of course, I omitted the part where I had "manipulated" him, only emphasizing our cooperation for the "common goal" of "sweeping away false gods and reshaping the universe."

"We are now 'sovereign' and 'subject.' I am his 'Prime Minister,' responsible for planning. And he is the sharpest, yet most dangerous... sword in our hands."

I looked at Sun Chuanting and said, enunciating each word: "You, Mr. Sun, and the 'Spark' troops under your command, are the 'scabbard' for our 'sword.' Responsible for containing its sharpness after our sword has cut down the enemy, preventing it from hurting our own people."

"Sword, scabbard, swordsman..." Sun Chuanting murmured to himself. His worldview had suffered an unprecedented shock on this day.

He looked at me, his eyes filled with struggle.

He knew that the theory I had explained was mad, twisted, and even filled with blasphemy against imperial authority.

But he was even more aware that this might be the only feasible solution to break the deadlock at present.

To use a greater, more unspeakable "evil" to counter the "demons" before them.

This, in itself, was a... gamble with the devil.

"Fine." Finally, he squeezed out a word through gritted teeth, "I'll... take that bet."

He turned to the map and began rapidly deploying his troops, issuing clear orders one after another.

"First team, ambush at the eastern entrance of the canyon, responsible for cutting off the enemy's retreat."

"Second team, prepare rolling stones and logs on both sides of the canyon walls."

"Third team, serve as reserves under my personal command, providing support from the rear."

He looked at me.

"You and... Your Majesty will serve as bait, entering the canyon from the west entrance. Remember, you have only one task: to draw out the enemy's 'special units' in the shortest possible time. Once the target appears, signal immediately, and our entire army will strike."

"Understood." I nodded.

A strange ambush involving mortals, transmigrators, and evil gods was thus hastily decided.

I walked out of the stone house and looked up toward the mountain peak.

Chongzhen was still sitting there silently, as if unchanging for eternity.

But I knew he had heard our entire conversation.

I climbed to the summit and stood beside him.

"Are you ready?" I asked, "For your first... hunt."

Chongzhen slowly turned his head, and those pitch-black eye sockets, for the first and last time, showed me something... resembling a "smile."

"I... have been thirsting for this."

At that moment, I suddenly realized that the "lord-subject contract" I had signed with him perhaps... was not what I had assumed, where I held the upper hand.

It is me, requesting the devil to bestow upon me the power of vengeance.

Or is it the devil who has found the perfect excuse to satisfy his endless, all-destroying appetite?

Perhaps it is both.

We are, after all... monsters with two sides of the same coin.