The moment the news spread, the Southern Capital did not erupt with excitement. It exploded.
Like a volcano that had been suppressed for far too long, its seal had been ripped away in a single second.
Ruins and neon lights mingled along the streets.
Cracked advertising screens still hung on the outer walls of old-world shopping malls, but what played on a loop had already become a unified announcement-
[Northern Expedition Mobilization Order · Activation across all territories]
The next second.
The city's broadcast system took over completely.
"All Psychics, proceed to your nearest assembly point immediately."
"All civilian Awakeners, join the reserve battle groups according to your assigned sequence."
"This is not a defensive war."
"This is-the Northern Expedition."
Those few words rang out.
The entire Southern Capital seemed to catch fire.
Some raised their weapons atop the ruins.
Some knelt on street corners and restarted their ability cores.
Some charged straight into military recruitment stations, shouting as they ran, "I can fight! Don't leave me behind!"
Even those who had been hiding in underground shelters began to emerge.
Because this time, no one asked, "Can we win?"
They asked only one question-
"When do we leave?"
Great Xia's central mobilization square.
The Northern Expedition ceremony officially began.
It was an enormous, hastily rebuilt Battle Platform, suspended in midair like a colossal blade hanging point-down.
Battle flags rose one after another.
From the old-world Great Xia Emblem to the New Army Banner that now incorporated the psychic system, they layered over one another like history burning.
Qi Wu stood at the very front.
Wind rose from beneath the Battle Platform, stirring the hem of his clothes.
He wore no armor.
He had not even deliberately restrained his aura.
He simply stood there.
Yet not a single