Lust...Lost...Last Survivor.

The moment the Dread Sovereign knelt, the battlefield plunged into a deafening silence. General Wu's heart pounded in his chest as if it were about to burst. His eyes, filled with disbelief, locked onto the demon lord who had just brought humanity to the brink of extinction—now bowing in surrender. His grip on his sword tightened, the blade trembling in his hand. 

"W-what… is this?" Wu whispered, almost to himself. His voice barely came out, as if the words caught in his throat. "Surrender?"

The soldiers behind Wu exchanged confused, disgusted glances. They had steeled themselves for a final, glorious battle, fully prepared for death. But this… what was this? Were the demons resorting to tricks now? Did they lack the courage to face them in an honorable fight? To give them the warrior's death they deserved? Could this be some kind of trap? Or worse—could the demons' surrender really be genuine?

Wu's mind raced. He was torn between the urge to strike down the demon before him and the small, nagging thought: could this surrender be real? He shook his head, trying to push away the rising hatred swelling in his chest, the urge to give in to this hatred.

"General!" a voice shouted from behind, breaking the silence. It was Commander Jin, his closest and most trusted advisor. He stormed up beside Wu, his eyes blazing with anger. "This is a trap! These vile creatures don't know the meaning of surrender. They want us to lower our guard, then they'll slaughter us!"

Wu nodded slowly, understanding that these demons had been slaughtering humanity for centuries. They had no honor, no code. Why would they surrender now, when victory was almost theirs? Who would throw away a certain victory like that? There was no need for deception—humanity had no defenses left. The demons could simply crush them in a straight fight, and that would be the end of it. The end of humanity.

Another voice rose up, this time calmer, but equally tense. "General Wu, I agree with commander Jin but I can't help but cling to hope, we should hear them out."

Wu turned to see Commander Li, a veteran soldier, his face hard but thoughtful. Li had survived countless battles, always thinking two steps ahead. "I do not want to trust them for a moment but If they truly are looking for surrender, we cannot afford to waste this chance."

Wu clenched his jaw, unsure. His gaze shifted back to the kneeling demon lord, His words echoed in Wu's head, "We are here to surrender."

Commander Jin spat on the ground as if the same words were echoing in his mind too. "Surrender… surrender? To what end? What scheme are they playing now?" His voice grew louder, and he addressed his commanders as much as himself. "After all they've done? After all the bloodshed? You expect me to believe this?!"

Commander Jin pointed a trembling finger at the demons. "You know what they are, General! You've seen the cities they've burned, the families they've torn apart. We have nothing left—nothing! My wife, my children… all gone because of these monsters!" His voice cracked with emotion, and he drew his sword, the blade shaking in his hand. "Kill them! Kill them all!"

A murmur of agreement rippled through the army. Most tightened their grips on their spears, their eyes burning with vengeance. It was clear. They wanted blood.

But then another voice cut through the growing tension. "And what will killing them gain us, Jin?" It was Commander Zhou, an older, battle-hardened warrior who had lost his share of comrades in the war. He stepped forward, his face worn with age but his eyes sharp with reason. "We are the last, Jin. Look around you! If we fight now, there will be no one left."

Jin snarled, "Then we die with honor, Zhou! We take as many of them with us as we can!"

"Honor?" Zhou scoffed. "You think dying here, on this cursed land, without a single soul left to remember our sacrifice, is honor?" He looked directly at Wu, his voice heavy with urgency. "General, if they're truly surrendering, we need to consider it. We've lost too much. If there's even the smallest chance for peace—"

"Peace?" Jin shouted, stepping toward Zhou. "You think these demons know anything of peace? You think they'll just bow and leave us alone? They are Monsters and monsters do not talk about peace!"

The two commanders stood face to face, hatred simmering in their eyes. The soldiers watched, uncertain of which side to stand on. Emotions ran high. This was their final moment, the culmination of years of pain, suffering, and sacrifice. And now, at the edge of annihilation, the enemy offers surrender.

Wu felt the weight of the decision crushing down on his old shoulders. His chest tightened as he thought of his own family, slaughtered years ago. His wife's face flashed before him, along with the children they never had. He remembered the night when the demons attacked his village. He had been a young soldier with dreams, all of which were burnt away in the flames. He could still smell those burning homes, could still hear the screams of his people. Could he ever forgive? Could he ever accept peace from these monsters?

"General Wu…" Li's voice came again, softer now. "Think about what's left. This is the last stand of humanity. If we die here, there will be nothing—no one. You can't just think with anger and hatred."

Wu gritted his teeth. "You think I don't know that?" His voice was strained, torn between his rage and the reality in front of him. His hand clenched the hilt of his sword until his knuckles turned white. "But how can we trust them? They have lied, slaughtered… they have taken everything!"

Li stepped closer, lowering his voice to a whisper. "Maybe that's why they're surrendering. Perhaps even demons are running out of time." He glanced at the seven demon lords, each kneeling quietly behind the Dread Sovereign. "They are fewer in number, General. Maybe they're just as desperate as we are."

Wu's mind was swirling with the weight of what this could mean. The burden of deciding humanity's future pressed heavily on him. He shifted his gaze to the kneeling Dread Sovereign, his eyes narrowing. "Why now?" he finally called out. "Why choose to surrender? Why not finish us off and take the world as you've always wanted?"

The Dread Sovereign stayed silent, his proud head lowered.

"General," Zhou spoke up again, his tone pleading now. "We can't let this slip away. We are all that's left. If there's a chance, even a small one, we must take it."

Jin spat on the ground. "Cowards, the lot of you! They've fooled you all with their fake submission!" He glared at Wu. "Are you going to stand here and let them live? After all they've done? You know what happens when you give the snake a second chance. It bites back harder."

Wu's hand trembled. He could feel the rage building, the weight of all that humanity had lost, pressing down on his soul. But behind that anger was the truth—the cold, bitter truth. If they fought now, it would be the end. Not just of the army, but of humanity itself.

He lowered his sword, but his heart did not settle. He turned to his commanders, his voice harsh, broken. "We have no choice."

Jin's face contorted with disgust, his voice rising in anger. "You can't be serious, General! You're going to let them walk away?!"

Wu shook his head, his voice filled with both pain and resolve. "If there's a way to end this… then we must try."

A heavy silence fell over the battlefield once again. The human army, torn between vengeance and survival, stood frozen. And General Wu, haunted by his decision, could only hope he wasn't making the final mistake that would doom them all.