Zhou Huai sat in a wheelchair.

He calmly watched everyone kneeling before him.

Through the Soul link, he could clearly feel everyone's emotions.

Excitement.

Elation.

Some were also afraid, terrified.

But they still chose to kneel here, begging to stay.

Although they had signed the Demon Lord Contract with him and would obey his every command, they were not thoughtless robots after all.

They also had their families, their concerns, and things they wanted to protect.

Zhou Huai always thought he was a selfish person.

He didn't actually have much affection for Donghai City.

From the first day he experienced Transmigration, Zhou Huai's sole goal was to become stronger.

To become stronger at all costs.

Establishing the Eternal Night Guild was to build his own power, to ensure he was no longer alone.

Manipulating Gandalf to travel overseas to seize the pendulum of life was to heal his broken body.

Everything he did, its initial root cause was only for himself.

However, at this moment, Zhou Huai's iron-hard heart wavered slightly.

If there was anything in this world that could make him truly let go of everything to protect.

Perhaps, it was this group of Guild members before him, who were willing to go through fire and water for him, revering him as a god.

He looked at Molly, the once timid and shy girl, who had now grown into a capable acting Guild leader.

He looked at Qin Ming, the originally reclusive and aloof youth, who, to complete a task, risked danger alone, venturing deep into the tiger's den.

He looked at Wang Hao, and at those Professional who once struggled at the bottom of society, considered useless.

They craved power, craved strength.

But the root of their desire for power was more to protect those they wanted to protect.

Before them, Zhou Huai suddenly felt that he was the true coward, the timid one.

If, as a Professional, he couldn't even protect his hometown, then what was the point of becoming a Professional?

Zhou Huai clenched the armrest of his wheelchair.

Earlier, outside the car window, looking at the helpless children and elderly on the street, Zhou Huai also hesitated for a moment.

Although he was selfish, he was not a hard-hearted person.

He needed a reason to muster this courage.

To stay for Donghai City.

Now, looking at the Eternal Night Guild members kneeling before him, Zhou Huai knew he had found his reason.

After a brief inner struggle, Zhou Huai took a deep breath, and his profound eyes regained their calm.

He spoke, his voice not loud, but it clearly spread throughout the entire courtyard.

“Have you truly thought it through?”

“If you stay, you will die.”

“In fact, many won't even make it through tonight.”

Everyone uniformly looked up.

Their gazes were firm as iron, without the slightest waver.

“Lord! We have thought it through!”

A shout like a mountain and a tsunami converged into an invisible torrent.

“Good!”

Zhou Huai's voice suddenly [N O V E L I G H T] rose!

In that voice, there was an unprecedented resolve and grandeur!

“Since you are not afraid of death!”

“Neither am I!”

“Then let's all stay!”

“Let us together, defend this Donghai City!”

“Lord! Absolutely not!”

Molly's face changed drastically upon hearing this, and she quickly tried to dissuade him.

“How can we let you stay and risk danger!”

“You are the Soul of our Eternal Night! If anything were to happen to you, we...”

“You should transfer first; Donghai City can be left to us.”

Zhou Huai raised his hand, interrupting her.

He shook his head, his dark eyes seemingly burning with stars.

“No.”

“I am your Lord.”

“You must always remember, your Lord will not abandon any of you!”

“I will always be with you!”

“Either, we live together!”

“Or, we die together!”

His words were powerful and resonant, like a clap of thunder, striking hard at everyone's hearts!

Everyone present could no longer suppress their inner excitement.

Hot tears streamed from their eyes.

They looked at the slender figure in the wheelchair, their eyes burning with extreme fervor!

At this moment, they finally understood.

This was their spiritual leader.

No matter when, they could offer him their loyalty and their lives!

The members said no more unnecessary words.

They just, by common accord, deeply kowtowed to Zhou Huai, to their only Lord in their hearts!

“Long live our Lord!”

“We, swear to follow our Lord to the death!”

“May we live and die with Donghai City!”

Just then, in Zhou Huai's mind, the cold System prompt sounded without warning.

【Ding! Detecting host's major decision, triggering hidden challenge quest!】

【Quest Name: Guard Donghai City!】

【Quest Objective: Successfully resist the beast tide and prevent Donghai City from being destroyed!】

【Quest Reward: Elite Profession Orb Pickup Opportunity X1 (Guaranteed SSS-Class)!】

Zhou Huai gasped, almost thinking he had misread it!

Elite Profession Orb drawing opportunity?

Guaranteed SSS-Class?!

In other words, no matter how bad his luck, as long as he completed this quest, he would definitely be able to draw an SSS-Class Divine Rank Profession for his next Clone!

That was SSS-Class!

It was the existence at the very top of this world's pyramid, like a god!

It seemed even the System was encouraging him to stay and defend this city!

With the stimulation of this challenge quest, the last trace of hesitation in Zhou Huai's heart completely vanished!

He looked at the dense mass of kneeling figures in the courtyard, and an unprecedented heroic feeling surged in his chest!

“Eternal Night Guild, all members listen to my command!”

His voice, like a grand bell, resonated through the sky!

“Head to the East City Wall!”

“Assemble!”

“Yes!”

“Thank you, Lord!”

“Long live the Lord!”

Amidst the earth-shattering shouts, all members rose.

Tears still streaked their faces, but in their eyes, an unprecedented Battle Intent burned!

They no longer hesitated, turning in unison without a second thought, transforming into a black torrent, and rushing towards the East City Wall!

In the courtyard, only Zhou Huai and a few others, like Ye Zhentian, remained.

Ye Zhentian stared blankly at the team with their overwhelming Aura, then looked at the calm young man in the wheelchair, feeling his brain was completely overwhelmed.

He opened his mouth, seemingly wanting to say something, but in the end, he couldn't utter a single word.

Zhou Huai ignored him.

He slowly closed his eyes.

His brain, at this moment, began to operate at an unprecedented speed.

Defending the city!

To defend this city, relying solely on Donghai City's current strength was nothing short of a fool's dream.

He had to mobilize all the power at his disposal!

Yasuo and Xiang Yu were still in their Profession challenge quests and had not yet succeeded.

Even if they came out now, they would only be S-Class Professional, not playing a significant role.

Now, the only one who could play a decisive role in a war of this scale was... Gandalf, with several large-scale forbidden spells, practically a mobile artillery platform!

Meteor Fire Rain!

Thousand-Mile Ice Seal!

Blazing Blade Storm! 𝐟𝕣𝗲𝕖𝕨𝗲𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝗲𝚕.𝗰𝚘𝐦

Giant Wave Surge!

If all these terrifying forbidden spells were released, they would be enough to turn an area of several thousand meters into scorched earth!

To defend Donghai City, for that SSS-Class Profession Orb!

Gandalf, it was time to return!