Free Web NovelChapter 286: Chapter 286: The Fourteenth Road Attack
The attack came from a road that had not been counted among the thirteen.
A hidden fourteenth road opened beyond the council hall.
From it marched armored figures wearing mixed symbols: stolen child marks, merchant debt chains, soldier command brands, healer cages, scholar seals, beast collars, and refugee tags.
They were not a true faction.
They were everything the standards opposed.
The mission panel updated.
[Final Trial: Fourteenth Road Attack]
[Objective]
Defend the council using shared standards without crowning a central ruler.
[Warning]
If Qin Yuheng assumes total command, evaluation will decrease.]
Qin Mo looked at Qin Yuheng.
"This is extremely pointed."
Qin Yuheng nodded.
He stepped back from the table.
"Council decides."
Panic flickered.
Then General Han Mo stood.
"Emergency defense protocol. Active threat. I request temporary command over battlefield positioning."
Scribe Yan checked the draft.
"Requires seven roads."
Soldier Road approved.
Refugee Road approved.
Healer Road approved with civilian protection condition.
Farmer Road approved if granary exits were defended.
Merchant Road approved supply access.
Beastfolk Road approved flank autonomy.
Craftsman Road approved barrier repair.
Seven.
Temporary emergency command activated.
Qin Yuheng smiled faintly.
The system worked.
General Han Mo turned to Qin Yuheng.
"Candidate Qin, will you serve as allied strike leader under temporary battlefield structure?"
"I accept."
Not ruler.
Assigned role.
The difference mattered.
The Fourteenth Road army charged.
[Standard Devouring Legion]
[Level Range Equivalent: 60–68]
[Type:
Anti-standard corruption constructs]
The battle was large and chaotic.
Finally, raw action returned.
The Soldier Road formed shield lines. Beastfolk warriors struck flanks. Farmers used earthworks. Merchants distributed supply tokens under public ledger. Healers set triage zones without taking control. Scholars recorded enemy pattern changes. Craftsmen reinforced the hall pillars. Refugees evacuated noncombatants through agreed routes.
The council moved.
Imperfectly.
But together.
Qin Yuheng led a strike team with Qin Yuchen, Qin Lian, and several road champions. Qin Mo coordinated anti-standard formations from the table.
The enemy constructs attacked standards directly. freēwēbnovel.com
One beast tried to turn emergency command permanent.
General Han Mo cut it himself.
One serpent tried to make medicine collateral.
Lady Qiao burned its ledger.
One white cage tried to seize children "for safety."
Healer Mother Yun shattered it with tears in her eyes.
The council had learned.
Then the boss appeared.
[Fourteenth Road Tyrant]
[Level Equivalent: 74]
[Type:
Collapsed standards / crownless chaos / anti-council authority]
It had no crown.
It had many hands.
Each hand held a broken standard and used it as a weapon.
Temporary command became tyranny.
Resource coordination became monopoly.
Child protection became possession.
Identity verification became suspicion.
Public truth became mob judgment.
Self-ownership became selfishness.
Every good standard twisted.
Qin Yuheng’s eyes sharpened.
This was the final danger: any principle could rot if used without balance.
The Tyrant attacked the round table.
Qin Yuheng intercepted with thunder.
The impact shook the hall.
For the first time in this gate, he used more raw force.
His Primordial Thunder Emperor Body surged under control. Thunder wrapped his arms. The Five Roads Thunder Command Step became a chain of afterimages across the battlefield.
Qin Yuchen followed, spear-sword pressure steady.
Qin Lian cut the Tyrant’s shadow hands.
Qin Mo shouted instructions while slamming formation seals into the table.
"Do not let it touch the council stones!"
The Tyrant roared and released a wave of corrupted standards.
Several roads staggered.
Council trust dropped.
[Council Trust: 71% → 62%]
Qin Yuheng could stabilize it by expanding Chosen Road Banner Field over everyone.
He did not.
That would make him central again.
Instead, he shouted one word.
"Review!"
Scribe Yan reacted instantly. ƒreeωebnovel.ƈom
"Standards review! Identify corruption!"
Each road examined its own twisted standard.
Soldiers cut permanent command.
Merchants cut hidden pricing.
Healers cut possession.
Scholars cut rigid language.
Beastfolk cut forced uniformity.
Refugees cut helpless dependence.
Trust recovered.
[Council Trust: 62% → 76%]
The Tyrant weakened.
Qin Yuheng advanced.
The Tyrant tried to name him crown.
He used Nameless Self Mask for one breath.
Tried to buy him.
Clean Exchange Road Seal rejected.
Tried to make him responsible for every road.
Living Values Compass stabilized.
Tried to write his ending as council king.
False Destiny Ending Severing Bookmark burned the script.
Then Qin Yuheng struck.
Thunder pierced the Tyrant’s central knot.
But the knot did not break fully.
Qin Mo shouted, "It needs all thirteen responsibility stones!"
The roads understood.
One by one, each road pushed its plain stone toward the center.
Not to Qin Yuheng.
To the table.
Thirteen stones lit.
The Tyrant screamed.
Qin Yuheng delivered the final blow.
The Fourteenth Road Tyrant shattered.
[Fourteenth Road Tyrant defeated.]
[Council defended without crown.]
[Shared standards validated.]
[Thirteenth Gate opening.]
The Thirteenth Gate opened behind the round table.
No crown above it.
Only thirteen roads leading forward.
