"Greetings, Commander Shen!"

"Greetings, Commander Shen!"

"Greetings, Commander Shen~~~"

The 50,000 souls of the Iron Flame Army knelt down on one knee before Shen Zhao.

They were the most elite soldiers of the Iron Flame Army, each a veteran of countless battles, having fought their way out of mountains of corpses and seas of blood, and were no longer afraid of death.

It was Shen Zhao who gave them courage, it was Shen Zhao who gave them the honor of being soldiers, and it was Shen Zhao who gave them the power to pierce through the darkness.

Even in their deepest depravity, upon seeing Shen Zhao, all the departed souls still showed him the highest respect, just as they had in life.

Looking at the soldiers who had fought alongside him in the north and south and died in the netherworld, Shen Zhao was deeply moved.

He stepped forward, his solid hand grasping Qin Ling's spirit body's arm, and helped him to his feet.

Then, he gave the face in front of him, which was already unrecognizable, a very affirmative look.

"Soldiers, get up! I can't bear your kneeling. I'm the one who should kneel!"

Shen Zhao shouted at all his soldiers, then knelt down on one knee.

"Shen Shuai is unbeatable~~"

Qin Ling knelt before Shen Zhao again, sternly trying to dissuade him.

"Commander Shen is the soul of the Iron Flame Army. How can he kneel before us? Please rise immediately. We cannot accept such a great honor!"

"No, you deserve this kneeling!" Shen Zhao roared. "I have failed your expectations!"

I have wronged you, causing you to perish in the netherworld and preventing you from enjoying the offerings and worship of mortals.

For so many years, I've wanted to say to you all, I'm sorry, my brothers.

I have not annihilated the Nine Netherworlds, nor have I fulfilled my promise to you. Please allow me to bow to you!

After speaking, Shen Zhao knelt down on the ground and kowtowed to the souls of the fallen Iron Flame Army.

The entire place was silent, and all the dead souls stared quietly at Shen Zhao.

After a long while, Qin Ling stopped Shen Zhao, who was about to continue kowtowing.

"Enough, Commander Shen, stop bowing. To die on the battlefield alongside you is my lifelong wish. We have never blamed you in the slightest."

We refused to enter the cycle of reincarnation simply because we all wanted to see Commander Chen one more time. Now that we have, we can finally let go of our last obsession.

Shen Zhao slowly stood up, her eyes red-rimmed.

These 50,000 Iron Flame Army soldiers were fearless in the face of death, one after another rushing forward to fight the evil forces and dying on the battlefield without regret.

Recalling those cruel years, Shen Zhao sighed again.

"Commander Shen, in this life, can we still fight alongside you on the battlefield and annihilate the Nine Netherworlds?"

Qin Ling asked in a deep voice.

Shen Zhao sniffed and said with a smile, "I will fulfill the unfinished wishes of the Iron Flame Army. However, you have all suffered too much. In this life, it is my turn to protect you."

"Commander Shen, we'll wait..."

"Stop talking, I understand what you want to say."

"But I want to tell you, your mission is over. Leave the rest to me."

"On the day I utterly annihilate the Nine Netherworlds, I will offer you three bowls of wine before the gates of the Yellow Springs!"

"In this life, all I want is to see you all live well. I really don't want to see you bleed for this irresponsible guy like me again."

"Promise me you will all live well, find your true lives, let go of the attachments of your past lives, and rest in peace."

As soon as he finished speaking, all the spirits of the dead were suddenly illuminated with spiritual light, turning the dim hall into daylight.

In an instant, all the dead spirits regained their appearances from when they were alive.

Su Yunying covered her mouth, quietly watching this miraculous scene unfold.

"Commander Shen, take care!"

"Sir, take care."

Fifty thousand soldiers bid a final farewell to Shen Zhao in unison.

Immediately, the spirit began to dissipate.

Suddenly, Qin Ling asked loudly, "Commander Shen, can you tell us if we are qualified soldiers?"

All the departed souls stared at Shen Zhao.

Shen Zhao looked up, his gaze unwavering.

"Your names will be forgotten, but your deeds will live on forever. Farewell, heroes!"

"Haa..."

Having received a satisfactory reply, all the heroic spirits responded with a joyful shout.

Qin Ling raised his hand, leaving behind his last words.

"Commander Shen, these are your things. We've been keeping them safe for a long time. Now we're returning them to their rightful owner. Take care, haha..."

The next moment, all the spirits materialized, and with a gentle breeze, their glorious lives came to an end.

At the same time, a military knife fell from the sky and stuck straight at Shen Zhao's feet.

This is his previous life's weapon, the Broken Army Saber.

The reforging of a broken sword symbolizes rebirth, glory, and above all, hope!

Sigh~

As he grasped the Broken Army sword, Shen Zhao let out a heavy sigh.

The hall returned to darkness, with only the Po Jun sword radiating a dazzling light.

Shen Zhao remained lost in thought for a long time, seemingly still immersed in that turbulent and cruel period of time.

"Boss..."

Su Yunying quietly grasped Shen Zhao's cold hand from behind.

"These heroic spirits can finally rest. I can feel the sense of liberation and release they felt before they left."

Shen Zhao grasped Su Yunying's soft, delicate hand in return.

"Yes, they are finally free. They no longer have to endure that heart-wrenching torment. They are free, truly free..."

Su Yunying gently hugged Shen Zhao from behind, burying her face in Shen Zhao's broad and sturdy back.

"Your soldiers are freed, but what about you? Who can understand the many hardships you have endured? How can we soothe your already wounded heart?"

"Yunying, I..."

"Don't say it, I know it all. You have never given up on your ideals, nor have you ever given up hope."

This chapter is not finished, please click the next page to continue reading!