Chapter 87: The Fall of World Guidance

The storm outside mirrored the chaos within. Thunder rumbled in the distance, and the rain pounded against the grand halls of World Guidance Headquarters as if the heavens themselves mourned its inevitable downfall.

Inside the vast chamber, the remaining high-ranking Celestials, officers, and strategists sat around an oval table. Their faces were grim, their once unshakable confidence now shattered. Jin Shang stood at the head of the table, his body stiff, his eyes hollow. The weight of defeat pressed down on him like an unbearable curse.

Lillian sat beside him, her usual commanding presence dulled by the grief in her blue eyes. The room was filled with tension, an unspoken understanding that the empire they had built was crumbling.

Park Hae-In was the first to speak, her voice trembling with suppressed anger. "We have lost more than a battle. We have lost everything. The Celestials have turned their backs on us. The alliances we forged have been severed. And now… our own soldiers are defecting."

Chris Walker clenched his fists, his jaw tightening. "They were afraid. We all saw what happened. The demons didn't just fight—they annihilated us. Our forces stood no chance. Kaelros, Arden, Lysander, Rin… all of them gone." His voice cracked, and he slammed his fist against the table. "And for what? A war we weren't prepared for?"

Mr. Singh, usually the voice of wisdom, now looked decades older, as if the weight of the casualties had aged him overnight. "This is more than a mere defeat. We have no more reinforcements, no allies left to call upon. The people have lost faith in us. The Celestial Families refuse to support World Guidance any longer. We are alone."

A heavy silence settled over the room.

Jin Shang said nothing. His mind was a storm of rage and helplessness. He had done everything in his power. He had fought until his body was broken, until his Abyssal Core was nearly destroyed. He had lost his comrades, his future—everything.

And yet, it hadn't been enough.

"Jin." Lillian's voice was gentle, yet firm. "Say something. We need to decide what happens next."

He looked up, his eyes empty. "Decide? What is there to decide? The war is lost. The Celestials have abandoned us. The world sees me as a failure. Even my own men are questioning whether I deserve to lead."

Park Hae-In hesitated before speaking. "Jin… the council has been discussing…" She looked away, guilt shadowing her face.

Chris exhaled, shoulders tense. "They want you to step down."

Jin froze. "What?"

Mr. Singh interjected, his voice filled with regret. "The governing council believes that with your leadership, World Guidance is doomed. They think a new leader may be able to salvage what little remains."

Lillian's eyes flashed with fury. "So that's it? You would turn your backs on him after everything? After he bled for this organization? After he gave up everything for it?"

Chris sighed. "Lillian, it's not about what he did. It's about what's left. World Guidance is on its last legs. We're trying to find a way to survive."

Jin let out a bitter laugh. "Survive? There is nothing left to survive. The moment we lost our people's faith, we lost everything."

Park Hae-In's voice softened. "Jin, please understand. This isn't personal. It's politics. If you leave, there's a chance we can negotiate with the Celestials again. A chance we can recover."

Jin clenched his fists. "So you're saying I'm the problem? That my existence is what's causing this collapse?"

Mr. Singh hesitated. "Yes."

The word hit like a dagger to the heart.

He had fought, suffered, sacrificed, and now they wanted to cast him aside? He had given his life to this cause. He had lost his friends, his comrades, his very identity for World Guidance. And now, he was nothing more than a scapegoat.

"You're all cowards." Lillian's voice cut through the tension like steel. "Every single one of you. You think removing Jin will fix this? You think the Celestials will suddenly forgive us? That the people will miraculously trust us again?"

Chris sighed, rubbing his temples. "We don't know. But we have to try something."

Jin remained silent, his thoughts a tangled mess of pain and betrayal.

Then, Lillian turned to him, placing a hand on his arm. "Jin… what do you want to do?"

Jin inhaled sharply. He had no answer.

He looked around the table—at the people who had once stood beside him, who had once trusted him. Now, they looked at him as if he were a relic of a lost cause.

For the first time in his life, he felt truly powerless.

"I… don't know." His voice was barely a whisper.

And that was the most terrifying truth of all.

The doors to the chamber suddenly burst open. A soldier rushed in, his armor battered, his face pale. "Commander! It's an emergency! The rebels have breached the outer walls!"

The room erupted into chaos. People scrambled to their feet, barking orders, but Jin remained still.

Lillian squeezed his hand, grounding him. "Jin, you need to—"

He shook his head. "No. Not this time."

She frowned. "What do you mean?"

He exhaled, the weight of everything pressing down on him. "I'm done."

Silence. The words sent a ripple through the room.

Lillian's grip tightened. "Jin, no—"

He looked at her, his eyes filled with exhaustion. "Lia is dying, Lillian. I failed to save my comrades. I failed to protect this organization. And now… I'm about to lose the only person I have left."

Lillian's face twisted with pain. "Jin—"

"I can't keep doing this," he whispered. "I can't keep fighting a war that's already lost. I can't keep pretending that if I just push a little harder, I can fix everything."

The realization hit him like a blade through the chest.

He wasn't a god. He wasn't invincible. He was just a man who had lost too much.

Jin turned to the council, his voice void of emotion. "Do what you want. Choose a new leader. Make whatever deals you need to survive."

He turned and walked toward the exit.

Lillian followed him. "Jin, wait. Where are you going?"

He stopped at the doorway, looking over his shoulder. "To Lia. She's the only thing that matters now."

And then, without another word, Jin Shang—the Supreme Commander, the Abyssal Monarch, the man who once carried the fate of the world—walked away.

And behind him, World Guidance fell.