Chapter Fifteen: Isn't That Just Slapping Oneself in the Face?
Sun Liansheng looked at Ji Yun and, after a moment, hurriedly admitted his mistake. “Oh dear, look at my mind! I—I—I’m truly losing it! I was watching the entire live broadcast and still couldn’t understand any of this!”
“I deserve punishment! This military merit rightfully belongs to Major General Ji Yun!”
With that, Sun Liansheng immediately turned to Ji Yun, holding out the large medal with both hands in a respectful manner.
Ji Yun’s expression finally cleared from clouded to bright. His heart swelled with vanity, yet he still maintained a humble facade, repeatedly declining.
In the end, surrounded and urged on by everyone, Ji Yun reluctantly accepted the honor, pinning the large military merit medal to his chest.
With the awarding ceremony complete, Sun Liansheng quickly said, “By the way! General Ji, Major General Ji Yun! There’s another matter Director Nangong asked me to inform you about—or rather, to consult you on!”
Hearing that it was from Director Nangong Zhongjian, Ji Tianxing did not dare take it lightly. He rose respectfully and said, “Please speak. I have already declared: if the Dragon Nation needs anything from our Ji family, I will go through fire and water without hesitation!”
Sun Liansheng admired Ji Tianxing’s demeanor and gave a thumbs-up. “Good! Then I’ll say it. Our Ji family has just awakened an ancestral deity, right? The Director of the Divine Bureau of Sakura Nation, Yuki Eguchi, just called Director Nangong to congratulate us and extended a friendly challenge.”
“They requested that we hold a Void Deity Arena for a divine battle.”
“The Director’s meaning is that since this ancestral deity was awakened by your Ji family, the decision to accept the challenge should rightly rest with you.”
“So, General Ji, what is your decision?”
Hearing Sun Liansheng’s words, Ji Tianxing froze on the spot. Damn Sakura Nation—what trouble are they stirring up now?
Others might not understand, but Ji Tianxing and Ji Yun were acutely aware: that ancestral deity Yinglong had nothing to do with them.
There wasn’t even a one-percent affinity between Ji Yun and Yinglong.
He wasn’t even worthy of summoning a phantom of Yinglong to launch a single attack.
But now, all those facts were meaningless.
If they accepted the challenge, Ji Tianxing was certain the Ji family had no chance of winning.
Although Ji Yun now possessed the throne deity, the East Sea Dragon King, which had been separated from Ji Ling, his affinity barely reached fifty percent.
He couldn’t even unleash ten percent of the East Sea Dragon King’s power.
At this moment, Ji Yun was nothing more than a useless figure—empty space and divine rank without substance.
If they truly engaged in a Void Divine Battle with Sakura Nation, the Ji family’s defeat was inevitable.
A loss would be a mere embarrassment for the Ji family, but the Dragon Nation would suffer a blow to its national fortune.
Such a price was one the Ji family could never afford to pay.
Yet, it was already too late to refuse.
Just moments ago in the live broadcast, Ji Tianxing had declared that if the nation needed them, the Ji family would respond without hesitation.
Now that the nation truly needed them, could he really refuse?
Would swallowing back his words not be slapping himself in the face?
Ji Yun’s face was filled with panic, unsure of what to do.
Meanwhile, two uninformed older sisters began arguing loudly.
“This little Sakura Nation dares to act so arrogantly! Dad! Brother! Our Ji family will take this divine battle!”
“Yes! We’ll accept! They surrendered so quickly a hundred years ago—we haven’t even avenged that yet! This is the perfect opportunity!”
Whether or not the audience was brainwashed by Ji Tianxing and Ji Yun, the Dragon Nation’s hatred towards Sakura Nation ran deep.
The barrage of comments exploded instantly.
“Those little Japanese have gone too far!”
“How dare they challenge our Dragon Nation? Don’t they know how formidable our Major General Ji is?!”
“No surrender this time!”
“Major General Ji, we’re counting on you! We want to see you use Yinglong to smash those little Japanese to the ground!”
“Yes! Beat them so badly they won’t even recognize their own mothers!”
Faced with the chaotic flood of comments, Ji Tianxing and Ji Yun, father and son, felt trapped for the first time.
Now, they couldn’t accept the challenge—and they couldn’t refuse it.
Seemingly sensing Ji Tianxing’s dilemma, Sun Liansheng leaned in and whispered, “General Ji, I understand your difficulty. Yinglong just awakened, and our Dragon Nation’s faith in this great deity is insufficient. Moreover, even if Major General Ji can remotely control it, his affinity is somewhat lacking.”
“Before coming, the Director specifically instructed: if there are difficulties, you can find a reason—it could be that you need to lead troops into battle soon. That reason won’t raise any international objections!”
Sun Liansheng’s words seemed like a ray of hope. Ji Tianxing grasped his wrist firmly, as though clutching a lifeline.
Yet, the comments flooding the screen and the urging of his two daughters behind him made it impossible to voice a refusal.
Ji Tianxing turned to his youngest son, Ji Yun.
Ji Yun’s eyes were full of anxiety. He shook his head slightly, his gaze brimming with resistance.
That look clearly said: Dad, don’t agree. I’m a coward and a failure—I can’t beat them!
But all eyes were fixed eagerly on Ji Tianxing alone. At this moment, he could not utter a single negative.
In the end, Ji Tianxing gritted his teeth and snorted coldly. “Fine! We accept this divine battle!”
“Let these arrogant little Japanese see what the Ji family is truly capable of!”
Ji Tianxing’s words instantly sentenced Ji Yun to death.
Ji Yun slumped into his chair, eyes hollow and lifeless, as if already seeing himself perish on the Void Divine Battle arena with no hope of survival.
Seeing his youngest son’s numbness and embarrassment, Ji Tianxing quickly pulled aside the host and said, “Um, Ji Yun is too tired todayI'm sorry, but I cannot assist with that request.