Essential Pre-Battle Procedures

The gum was probably useless now.

The moment Wang Jixuan arrived at the border Military Fortress, he was called over for a strategy meeting.

The Black Shell Instructor, who had been waiting for some time, did not give him and Ling Tong even a moment alone. He eagerly brought out a whole stack of battle plans.

There were seven or eight backup plans alone.

The closest Wang Jixuan and Ling Tong had been recently was looking at each other across a conference table.

The two met each other's eyes. Daoist Wang did his best to show his gentleness.

Ling Tong blinked, a faint smile appearing on her fair face before she lowered her head and entered combat mode.

She was a professional soldier. During combat meetings, she gave them her full attention.

Daoist Wang: ...

Fine. Business first.

The Black Shell Instructor was the "Second Generation Mecha partner" who would be deploying alongside Wang Jixuan, as well as the frontline commander for this operation.

The follow-up raid by Wang Jixuan, the Peak Maid Group, and Black Shell was a top-secret military operation. For now, it could not be mentioned to anyone.

Their plan was divided into three layers.

Outer layer: The Half-Human Mech Group would receive orders to [replicate the previous operation against the King-Class Blade Beast] and strive to inflict severe damage on the Blade Beasts before the four King-Class Blade Beast groups on the northeastern front completed their assembly.

Middle layer: When the Half-Human Mech Group led the human forces in a frontal assault, the Buddha Hall Squad would circle around from behind and strike at the Beast Speaker.

Inner layer: If the first two groups progressed smoothly, Wang Jixuan, Black Shell, Peony, and the others would locate and lock onto the King-Class Evangelist, then deliver a lethal blow.

Each layer of the plan was more difficult than the last.

In particular, they could not fully predict what would happen next, nor whether powerful, troublesome enemies lay in ambush within the Blade Beasts' complex Underground Passage network.

There were too many unknown factors.

That was also the risk they had to bear by taking the initiative.

The first strategy meeting lasted two hours. The Half-Human Mech Group withdrew, and the eight of them hurried to their respective Exclusive Mecha for unified maintenance and inspection.

Wang Jixuan was left behind to continue the meeting. Only Black Shell and Peony remained in the conference room.

Black Shell sighed. "I really don't know why the Commander-in-Chief agreed to let you participate in such a dangerous operation."

"It's fine. It's not as if we have no confidence. Risks can never be completely avoided."

Wang Jixuan shrugged and spoke calmly.

"Our third group can adapt as needed.

"If everything goes smoothly for them, we'll target the King-Class Evangelist.

"If something goes wrong for them—for example, if the Buddha Hall Squad gets trapped—then we'll move against the Beast Speaker.

"Either way, the Beast Speaker must die. That is the price he must pay for directly threatening us."

"Mm..."

Black Shell folded his arms and pondered.

He had originally wanted to say more, urging Teacher Wang to prioritize his own safety and not charge into battle.

But when Black Shell thought of Wang Jixuan's miraculous abilities, he somehow felt...

Acting alongside Teacher Wang was rather reassuring.

Black Shell continued his introduction.

"For this operation, we are deploying one Terror Mech, one backup Terror Mech, forty-two Half-Human Mechs, and their accompanying support mechs. With Ling Tong's sword formation group as the core, we will try to catch the Blade Beast legion off guard and throw them into disarray before they fully assemble...

"One old and three new—the four King-Class Blade Beast groups are gathering here. The Blade Beasts may be planning to attack our General Headquarters directly from this location.

"So the outer-layer mission holds the greatest practical significance. Ours is actually an additional mission."

"We don't need to risk our lives if we can't complete it," Wang Jixuan asked with a smile. "Is that what you mean, Instructor?"

"More or less."

Black Shell turned serious.

"If someone has to risk their life, remember that there are old bones like us. Let us take that risk first.

"This isn't some pre-battle sentimental speech. I'm completely serious!

"You saved us. If we kill even one Blade Beast, half the credit belongs to you. You are immensely important to Human Civilization."

Wang Jixuan rubbed his brow. "Well, the pressure shot right up."

"Uh, I wasn't trying to deliberately put more pressure on you..."

"I was joking."

Peony, standing beside them, made a gesture and immediately said, "The Buddha Hall Squad has arrived as well. Their respective projections have been connected to the meeting room."

"Good." Black Shell adjusted his expression, switching in an instant from his previous relaxed state to a stern-faced instructor. A powerful presence radiated from him.

The second strategy meeting continued.

The operation was scheduled to begin three hours later.

Fortress No. 76, Seventh Floor.

Shen Qionglin stood with both hands in the pockets of her white lab coat, watching several busy figures in Uncle Tai's workshop.

She was now the guardian here.

Fortress No. 76 no longer held many high-value targets. The only valuable things were herself and the highly classified Stone Slab No. 4 wall that nobody knew about.

Red Snake was on her way to the northeastern front, deliberately exposing her tracks.

Their purpose in proactively exposing Red Snake's whereabouts was mainly twofold.

First, to draw the attention of the Blade Beasts and the Beast God Faction Psionicists.

The Blade Beasts had already begun targeting Red Snake and were calling her a "traitor."

Second, to release a smokescreen and mislead the Blade Beasts.

At Red Snake's transport speed, the earliest she could reach the frontline would be three days later.

—This time, she was traveling by vehicle along a surface route.

Yet from information Shen Qionglin had overheard, the human side's ambush against the Blade Beasts was supposed to take place within the next ten hours.

They're going to ambush the Blade Beasts.

Shen Qionglin walked over to the sofa, her petite body sinking into the embrace of the old couch as she considered it.

Whether from the education she had received or the intelligence she had seen, everything had told her that the Blade Beasts were powerful, that human technology could not resist them, and that only Psionicists could save humanity and help it reclaim its homeland... and so on.

Therefore, although Shen Qionglin resisted the Infusion Ceremony that created Psionicists, she had always believed that the sacrifices it created were necessary sacrifices for the collective and for humanity itself.

But that belief had now been overturned.

The internal propaganda of the Psionic Capital had infinitely exaggerated the role of Psionicists.

In truth, the main force resisting the Blade Beasts was human technology.

It was the military products continuously manufactured after all of human society sacrificed its individual living resources.

It was mechs, artillery shells, irradiation equipment, all kinds of advanced gear and equipment designed for energy efficiency, as well as countless unsung scientists...

The greatest use of Psionicists was to carry nuclear bombs in breakthroughs once sufficient advantages had been established along the human front.

Commonly known as: carrying nukes.

Mechs like Peony could shoulder that task as well, and in theory, could do it even better.

So how should the value of Psionicists be demonstrated?

Shen Qionglin thought quietly.

She had also come to understand that when Fu Jian had brought her back before, his indifferent attitude had not been an act.

The Devil Commander-in-Chief truly did not think much of her research results...

"What are you thinking about?"

Uncle Tai strolled over while yawning and handed Shen Qionglin a bottle of iced tea.

"Thank you." Shen Qionglin opened the cap and took a sip. "All right, another industrial product."

"It's cheap. Where would we get so much land to grow tea these days?"

Uncle Tai spoke with a chuckle, then dropped onto the sofa opposite her and lamented how exhausted he was.

"We finally made it through. The past few days were brutal. I only slept seven hours in total... I've lost count of the stimulant injection marks..."

Shen Qionglin smiled with narrowed eyes. "You are the chief scientist of Psionic Weapons. Complaining like that is not good for your image."

"Ah, what chief scientist?"

Uncle Tai waved his hand.

"It's all an honor given by Teacher Wang. I just work for Teacher Wang... He smelts the iron while I pull the bellows beside him. That's the sort of work I do."

Shen Qionglin smiled with narrowed eyes.

The scientists here were truly humble.

The academic atmosphere was far better than in the Psionic Capital.

She asked, "Do we need to do anything next? Should we patrol inside the fortress?"

"No need. We're scientific researchers. At this stage, we should get a good sleep and wait for orders from the frontline. Whatever they need, we produce it whenever necessary."

There was also concern in Uncle Tai's voice.

"In the past, the Blade Beasts always attacked, and we defended. Everyone was used to that pattern.

"This time, we're taking the initiative, and we're heading into the area where four King-Class Blade Beast groups are assembling. I don't know... It should be fine. They must be confident, especially since Teacher Wang has gone personally."

Shen Qionglin nodded lightly and continued thinking on the sofa.

She quite liked it here.

Except for those drinks that used industrial methods to imitate different flavors.

Three consecutive strategy meetings left Wang Jixuan dizzy.

Wang Jixuan had originally thought that a pre-battle mobilization was all they needed: a general shouting from the stage, soldiers charging to their deaths.

But after actually participating in the command of a large-scale battle...

Just looking at maps detailed down to the marker points of every squad was enough to make the Daoist's scalp go numb.

Fortunately, the Frontline Command Center was operating efficiently, so Wang Jixuan did not need to offer any constructive command suggestions.

At five-thirty in the morning, Daoist Wang finally finished the meetings and headed with the Maid Group toward a latest-model Stealth Transport Plane, preparing to launch the assault.

The transport plane was equipped with a complete Command System.

Wang Jixuan could survey the entire situation from there and directly intervene in regional battlefields.

This poor Daoist doesn't understand any of this. I should just watch from here on and not interfere rashly.

He silently warned himself.

From the Holographic Sand Table, he could see dozens of Mecha Force units already assembled at the border, with large numbers of armored vehicles around each unit providing fire support.

Several expansion buttons sat at the edge of the sand table.

With a single click, they could view the real-time situation at the rear military airport.

Seizing air superiority was the key to this battle.

Besides Black Shell, four Second Generation Mechas would participate in the frontal battle.

One of the Second Generation Mechas was stationed in the air. It would pilot a powerful mech designed specifically for Special Winged Dragons, dealing with any Special Winged Dragons that might appear in the sky and ensuring the safety of the airspace.

The full fleets of two Space Carriers had already assembled in the nearby airspace.

The Sub-King-Class Special Winged Dragon posed an enormous threat to Space Carriers, so they had no choice but to stay on guard.

Peony asked softly, "Sir, Commander Fu Jian has sent an inquiry. He is currently meeting with the commander of the Space Fortress. Would you like to observe or participate directly?"

"I won't participate."

Wang Jixuan opened a bottle of chilled beer, intending to relax a little as he casually said, "What could I do by getting involved in that kind of political meeting? Watch them make official speeches?"

Peony smiled. "It was an inquiry from the Commander-in-Chief, so Peony doesn't know either. Perhaps the Commander-in-Chief wants you to become his successor."

"Then I really must thank him."

Wang Jixuan curled his lip and tipped back a large gulp of cold beer, feeling refreshed all over.

The drink would not make him drunk. Its icy, slightly bitter taste was something that even the divine wines and monkey brews of his previous life had never possessed.

Daoist Wang said simply, "Help me decline any requests like that in the future. Focus on fighting... I mean, beating people up."

"Certainly."

Peony summoned a Projection Screen, her fingers moving rapidly.

She said softly, "For the later assault missions, if you trust us, you can leave them to Peony and everyone else. Our armor has also completed its upgrades and modifications, so we can bring out sixty to seventy percent of our own strength!"

"We'll see. I actually came to kill the Beast Speaker. If someone threatens me right to my face and I don't strike back, that would be far too humiliating. It wouldn't sit right with me."

Daoist Wang looked out the window.

The Underground Airport had six levels in total.

The level where their transport plane was parked was packed to capacity.

Soldiers and mechs were running everywhere.

Fighter jets were being refueled and having their Weapon Systems checked, while pilots received their pre-battle briefings.

Small mechs were being loaded into transport planes one by one while lying down.

Those mechs over ten meters tall were already standing in the departure area, hooks and cables from their bodies connected to heavy drones...

Wang Jixuan spread out his spiritual awareness and saw the full view of this Military Fortress.

More than a hundred thousand soldiers were preparing for the coming assault mission.

He did not know how many of them would return here after tonight's battle.

Wang Jixuan's spiritual awareness stirred slightly. He saw a familiar group of figures taking an elevator down from the Surface Camp and stopping on this level of the Underground Airport.

Their destination should have been one of the large transport planes on this level.

Among them was Sister Wan, the refined older woman now wearing protective clothing, and Wan Xiaoqi, dressed in a military uniform.

Of course, the most important one was the team's core: Ling Tong, the New Generation Half-Human Mech, dressed in bright white fitted armor with her hair tied in a ponytail.

Daoist Wang calculated the distance between them, glanced at the departure time, and moved as his heart willed, his heart following his intent. He rose and shot out of the transport plane, his hands rapidly forming seals the instant he landed.

Escape!

Twenty-three seconds later, Wang Jixuan appeared along the route Ling Tong and the others had to take. At the end of the corridor, beside the exit leading into the area, he leaned against the wall with his arms folded, pretending to admire the scenery.

Sister Wan passed by, chatting with several middle-aged women from the Logistics Team.

Wan Xiaoqi quietly passed by, carrying a small Mechanical Dog and studying the data on the display atop its head.

A set of bright white armor entered Wang Jixuan's field of vision.

To make piloting a mech easier, this type of armor had been designed to fit tightly around the body. Each component had been fine-tuned after scanning Ling Tong's physical data in advance. At a glance, it looked sexy, harmonious, and free-spirited, without the slightest hint of affectation.

"Hi—cough!"

Wang Jixuan suddenly spoke.

Ling Tong froze for a moment, her steps stopping as she turned to look over. The slight coldness on her face melted away like ice and snow, and light bloomed in her expressive peach-blossom eyes.

"How did you..."

"I was getting ready to set off here too, so I came to see you."

Daoist Wang stood there with his arms folded, squinting as he smiled.

"We didn't have time to chat during the meeting just now. Come to think of it, it's been a long time since we last met..."

Ling Tong suddenly stepped forward, her pace growing faster and faster. Before Wang Jixuan could think of a reasonable response, she had already arrived before him.

Without hesitation, she raised her Mechanical Arm, hooked it around Wang Jixuan's neck and the back of his head, and forcefully pulled him toward her. Closing her eyes, she rose onto her toes.

Daoist Wang: ...

He had just been drinking and hadn't had time to chew any gum.