Worth It

News of Mount Tai defeating Bladehead, the largest kaiju to attack so far, swiftly spread across the world.

After all, many foreign media outlets had broadcast the battlefield live, drawing three to four billion viewers.

It rang across the world like a bolt from the blue.

Sakura Nation.

Pan-Pacific Defense Line Defense Force Command Headquarters.

Tanaka Shin looked at Bladehead's shattered head and laughed without restraint.

"Ha ha ha, look! That miraculous ancient Eastern nation has created another miracle!"

"It seems your calculations have come to nothing!"

Yamashita Teru, standing beside him, no longer wore his previous arrogant expression. His face was filled with disbelief.

He knew Nation Z was building a mech, since all of them had to be reported to PPDC headquarters for registration.

But they had not even found all the pilots. Even if they had found one, that pilot would have been a rookie. How could they have achieved such a brilliant record?

It truly counted as brilliant. Their opponent had been the largest kaiju ever seen.

Mount Tai had been pushed onto the battlefield at the last minute.

The result left everyone stunned. Not only had it killed Bladehead, but Mount Tai itself had suffered barely any significant damage.

"Oh, right, Deputy Commander Yamashita Teru. Although the Sakura Nation cabinet has approved my resignation and retirement report, the PPDC headquarters has rejected their proposal to have you succeed me as commander of the Sakura Pan-Pacific Defense Line theater."

"They selected Major General Chiori Tsurumaru instead, the man you have always looked down on. I wonder how you and your Lord Kishida feel about that."

Tanaka Shin turned around and looked mockingly at Yamashita Teru's ever-changing expression.

"Impossible! Absolutely impossible! Did you use some kind of trick?"

"Ambitious politicians may support people like you, but to the iron-blooded soldiers who have stood guard on the Pan-Pacific Defense Line all these years, this place has no need for opportunists!"

"Making you commander of a major theater would be the greatest insult to the entire Pan-Pacific Defense Line battlefield! It would also be an insult to our nation."

"Do not bring shame upon us again."

Nation E.

Pan-Pacific Defense Line Siberian Theater.

"Cancel the towing of Cherno Alpha and continue its maintenance."

After giving the order with effortless composure, Commander Kabrovsky turned and left the command center.

Only the deputy commander, left standing in a daze, and the Chernobyl Couple, who had just been mobilized and were brimming with fighting spirit, remained behind.

"??? So all that talking I did just now was for nothing! It took me forever to persuade this couple!"

"Oh, honey, I'm all worked up now. What should we do?"

"Then... shall we find somewhere to blow off some steam?"

The Chernobyl Couple left arm in arm.

Leaving behind only the deputy commander, who did not even have a name and existed solely as background decoration...

The U.S.

PPDC Headquarters.

For the first time, a smile appeared on Commander Jonathan Williams's tightly drawn face.

A short man carrying a cane walked up beside him.

"It seems Mount Tai is carrying quite an arsenal. China really spared no expense."

"No. All I know is that we have gained another force to defend the line."

"That is true. Mount Tai's performance may well surpass Explorer. Compared with Wanderer, it probably would not fall far short either."

"I really want to meet Mount Tai's pilots!"

"As you wish. I was just planning to gather all active mech pilots and reserve pilots for a special training session."

"You will have the chance to meet them."

With the crisis resolved, the residents of Hong Kong and its surrounding cities began emerging from the shelters one after another.

Since the battlefield had been chosen offshore, the city had not suffered any damage.

That was also in line with Xiao Shou's original intention.

He did not want Hong Kong to suffer the tragedy that Dalian had endured.

Mount Tai hoisted Bladehead's enormous body and threw it onto the shore at Kowloon.

This was also the most intact kaiju corpse ever preserved.

It could be studied by the nation's research departments and PPDC headquarters.

Kaiju corpses were immensely valuable to humanity.

It could be said that every part of them was treasure.

Their flesh, cells, and tissues could be studied. Bladehead's unique cellular regeneration ability could help overcome many medical challenges.

Its bones could also be used to develop medicinal materials. Bone powder developed from previously invading kaiju even had aphrodisiac effects...

They could also serve as materials for special weapons.

There was no need to mention kaiju blood. While it posed tremendous danger, it naturally also had tremendous uses.

The special components in its blood could serve as a new type of powerful explosive energy source.

It could also react violently with saltpeter, other special minerals, and steel, with destructive power no less than bombs and similar weapons.

Even its feces and other waste products could stimulate crop growth.

The effect was far stronger than chemical fertilizer.

Some young people hurried to Kowloon Bay, eager to see Mount Tai's true form for themselves.

They had seen it during the live broadcast, but how could that compare to seeing it with their own eyes?

Especially when Mount Tai had just protected their city, their homes.

The moment they arrived at the waterfront outside Kowloon Bay, they saw the ninety-meter-tall blue-black mech giant dragging the massive Bladehead and tossing it onto the waterfront.

They were thrilled. If soldiers and cordons had not stopped them, they would have rushed up to Bladehead long ago to take commemorative photos.

The government was probably afraid Bladehead would end up covered in graffiti reading "So-and-so was here"...

"Towing team, listen up! Prepare to tow Mount Tai back to the Shatterdome base for maintenance!"

"I repeat, tow Mount Tai back to the Shatterdome base for maintenance!"

"Yes!"

Having helped transport Bladehead, Mount Tai had completed its mission. After handing it over to the Guangzhou Military Region forces who had come to take over, it prepared to return.

The military began dismembering Bladehead on site, partly out of concern that it might somehow revive.

More importantly, it was simply too large. Without cutting it apart, no vehicle could transport it.

The heavy-lift helicopter towing team was fastening cables around Mount Tai in preparation for transport.

Through Mount Tai's viewpoint, Xiao Shou and Yu Shan saw people in the distance continuously waving and cheering at them.

Its right arm formed a fist and crossed its left chest in a striking gesture.

It was the salute of mech pilots.

Camera flashes flickered continuously, capturing this beautiful moment.

Mount Tai belonged to the people!

When the people needed us, everything was worth it.