A Crazy Decision!

That afternoon.

Southwest Military Region command center.

Lin Yuan pushed open the doors to the First Conference Room.

In front of the huge holographic sandbox, Zhao Dingbang was staring at a map while smoking.

There was no one else in the conference room.

Obviously.

This was a private conversation of the highest classification level.

"Colonel Lin, have a seat."

Zhao Dingbang stubbed out his cigarette, his voice sounding a little hoarse.

Lin Yuan pulled out a chair and sat down.

He keenly sensed that Zhao Dingbang's emotions held not only excitement, but also a hint of madness.

"The higher-ups just issued a kill order."

"The Beast Tide defense battle the day after tomorrow."

"The seven outbreak points across the country will simultaneously stream in the highest network-wide definition!"

Zhao Dingbang brought up a Red-Header Document, projecting it into midair.

Hearing this.

Lin Yuan narrowed his eyes slightly.

A network-wide livestream?

His immediate reaction was that this decision was far too crazy.

The terrifying destructive power of Ferocious Beasts was simply incomparable to movie special effects.

Once the defense line collapsed.

Tens of millions or even hundreds of millions of netizens would witness with their own eyes the hellish scene of humanity being slaughtered!

This would definitely trigger unimaginable social turmoil!

"How could the upper echelons make such a decision?"

Lin Yuan immediately spoke up to ask in return.

Ordinary common folk right now only knew that animals had mutated.

If they were made aware of a disaster like the Beast Tide, their psyches would undoubtedly collapse.

Zhao Dingbang gave a bitter laugh.

He crossed his hands and propped them on the tabletop, his expression incomparably grim.

"First, it can't be kept under wraps anymore."

"The foreign internet has completely spiraled out of control."

Zhao Dingbang's fingers tapped a few times on the keyboard.

On the side screen of the conference room, dozens of foreign internet video feeds instantly cut in.

Flames soared into the sky.

Blood stained foreign streets.

Packs of mutated wild wolves hunted civilians frantically in bustling metropolises.

Fully armed foreign soldiers opened fire with machine guns, only to be torn to pieces by a few huge mutated flying beasts.

Screams and explosions intertwined.

The footage was extremely bloody.

"Did you see that?"

"Foreign countries do not have the Basic Breathing Technique, and they don't even have martial artists in their militaries."

"Ordinary firearms can barely hold their own against First Order Ferocious Beasts."

"But once they encounter Second-Tier Ferocious Beasts, their defense lines are just like paper."

"Some nations have already fallen into anarchy."

"Countless refugees are trying to breach our borders."

"No matter how slow-witted our netizens are, they've already seen the harrowing conditions outside through various channels."

Zhao Dingbang cut the feed and looked back at Lin Yuan.

Lin Yuan fell silent.

Paper couldn't wrap up fire.

Rather than letting all kinds of doomsday rumors ferment wildly among the common people.

It is better for the authorities to step in personally and lay the truth out before everyone.

"Second."

"We must make the one billion four hundred million common people believe."

"In this apocalyptic frenzy, the Dragon Country military has the absolute strength to protect them!"

"This is the only way to reshape faith."

"As long as we win this livestreamed battle, the hearts of the people nationwide will coalesce to an unprecedented degree!"

Just at that moment.

Zhao Dingbang's tone suddenly turned severe.

This was a massive gamble.

Win, and the people of the Dragon Country would be united as one.

Lose, and faith would collapse, leading to mutual slaughter from within.

"Commander."

"Does the military have the certainty to hold all seven outbreak points simultaneously?"

Lin Yuan looked straight into Zhao Dingbang's eyes.

Even though they had prepared for half a year.

The might of ferocious beasts was still not something easily resolved.

Zhao Dingbang did not answer immediately.

He once again brought up an encrypted data report, pushing it directly in front of Lin Yuan.

"This is as of one hour ago."

"The latest data compiled from all military regions nationwide."

Lin Yuan fixed his gaze on it.

The numbers on the screen made his heart leap violently.

Total number of Dragon Country martial artists: 3,498.
First-Order Martial Artists: 3,473.
Among them, 2,545 are in the early stage, 651 in the middle stage, 192 in the late stage, and 85 at the peak stage.
Second-Tier Martial Artists: 24.
Among them, 23 are in the early stage and 1 is in the middle stage.
Third-Tier Martial Artist: 1 (early stage).

At the very bottom of the report, there was also a striking note in small print.

Reserve martial artists: 108,500 (already sensing spiritual qi, currently in the bodily transformation period).

Awe stirred in Lin Yuan's heart.

This was the terrifying aspect of the state apparatus operating at full tilt.

A million soldiers practicing the Basic Breathing Technique day and night had directly piled up a transcendent army.

"Colonel Lin."

"This data is the source of the state's confidence to open a nationwide livestream."

"Modern heavy firepower, combined with nearly thirty-five hundred martial artists."

"Those beasts that have just evolved absolutely cannot stir up much of a splash!"

A strong sense of pride permeated Zhao Dingbang's tone.

Lin Yuan nodded slightly.

Indeed.

If this force were concentrated together.

Let alone seven beast tide outbreak points, even ten could be forcefully flattened.

"Then how is the troop deployment arranged?"

A moment later.

Lin Yuan pointed at the seven red points on the holographic sand table.

Among them, the largest red point was located at the Emei Mountains outside the defense line of the Southwest Military Region.

That peak second-order ironclad mad ape was right there.

Zhao Dingbang sighed.

He pointed at the remaining six outbreak points.

"All second-tier martial artists, as well as the majority of first-tier martial artists nationwide."

"They have all been emergency-airdropped into those six theater commands via Military Transport Aircraft."

"Here in the Southwest Theater Command, besides conventional heavy-firepower units."

"Regarding the martial artist establishment, there are only nearly two hundred First-Order Martial Artists."

"..."

With the sound of Zhao Dingbang's voice falling.

The atmosphere in the conference room instantly turned peculiar.

Lin Yuan's mind rapidly deduced the battle situation.

Nearly two hundred First-Order Martial Artists, facing a beast tide numbering in the hundreds of thousands, were not even enough to fill the gaps between their teeth.

They could only serve as battlefield supervisors or clear out scattered stragglers.

The sharp blade truly resisting the pressure at the very front simply did not exist!

"What does the higher-ups mean by this?"

Lin Yuan's brows furrowed tightly.

"Because you are here."

"You are the country's only Third-Tier Martial Artist."

"Your combat power assessment has already exceeded the sum of the martial artists in those six theater commands."

Zhao Dingbang stood up, pressing both hands on the tabletop.

His body leaned forward, his scorching gaze fixing on Lin Yuan.

"The other theater commands require Second-Tier Martial Artists to lead teams to stabilize their footing."

"But the Southwest Defense Line only needs you as this pillar to calm the waves!"

Lin Yuan finally understood.

The higher-ups had staked all their chips on him alone!

Under the live broadcast camera.

He would be the sole focus of this theater command.

Not only did he have to win.

He also had to win overwhelmingly, winning in a way that made netizens across the entire network's blood boil!

"The higher-ups mean..."

"Let you alone pierce through the core beast herd led by that Peak Second-Order Mad Ape," Zhao Dingbang added immediately, fearing Lin Yuan would feel pressured.

"Of course, conventional artillery will flatten the ground for you first."

"If you feel it's too much of a strain."

"I will immediately request General Headquarters to transfer back at least three Second-Tier Martial Artists for support!"

Lin Yuan smiled.

He leaned back in his chair, a flash of intense battle intent crossing his eyes.

Support?

Unnecessary.

His three Third-Order Martial Techniques were only a hair's breadth away from the Mastery Realm.

And there was still one day left before the outbreak of the Beast Tide.

Lin Yuan had sufficient confidence to cultivate all three martial techniques to the Mastery Realm.

That Peak Second-Order monkey, along with those densely packed high-tier Ferocious Beasts.

In the eyes of others, they were fatal threats.

But in Lin Yuan's eyes, they were lambs waiting to be slaughtered.

"No need to call anyone."

"Leave the Southwest Theater Command to me."

"As long as I haven't fallen, not a single Ferocious Beast will cross the defense line by even half a step."

Lin Yuan stood up and tidied his military uniform.

There were no grandiose words.

Only absolute confidence.

Zhao Dingbang let out a long breath.

His taut nerves finally received a trace of relief.

"Good!"

"That's the kind of soldier we grow in the Southwest Military Region!"

Lin Yuan changed the subject.

He pointed at the data for second-tier martial artists on the report.

"Commander, I'm a bit curious."

"What's the background of these twenty-four second-tier martial artists?"

Lin Yuan knew the difficulty of cultivation very well.

Even with the blessing of the Spiritual Energy Tide.

To break through to the second-tier at this stage meant their talent was definitely at a monster-like level.

Zhao Dingbang smiled.

He relit a cigarette.

"That sole Mid-Second-Tier Stage one."

"You know her, too."

"She's Su Qingxue."

Lin Yuan nodded slightly.

This result wasn't unexpected.

Su Qingxue was a rebirth survivor and possessed cultivation experience from her past life.

Three days before the Spiritual Energy Revival.

Lin Yuan had spoken with Su Qingxue on the phone and knew she had already broken through to the Late First-Order Stage.

As for the Spiritual Energy Tide during the Spiritual Energy Revival, its boost to martial artists was exceptionally massive.

As long as Su Qingxue seized the opportunity, breaking through to the Mid-Second-Tier Stage realm wasn't anything strange.

"What about the others?"

Lin Yuan continued to probe.

Zhao Dingbang flipped open another page of the files.

"The rest of the second-tier martial artists..."

"Among them, seventeen are people from the list provided by Su Qingxue."

"Ye Qingshan is currently in the Magic City Military Region and has broken through to the Early Second Tier."

"Song Qingyin is in the Southern Military Region, also at the Early Second Tier."

"There's also Chu Tiankuo, Xiao Zhan..."

"All of these people have great talent and didn't miss the Spiritual Energy Tide."

"As for the remaining six Early Second Tier ones."

"They aren't on Su Qingxue's list."

"They are the top elite special forces kings from various military regions."

"Their experience scraping by on the edge of life and death made their comprehension of spiritual energy far surpass ordinary people."

"They forced their way through the threshold of the second-tier, relying strictly on that one hour of the tide."