The Commander nodded, addressing everyone, "An appointment on the eve of battle shows Xianxia's expectations of you. I will say the same thing again, I, like everyone else, will not retreat an inch! Let everyone get busy with their duties. The next few days will be tough. Victory or defeat hinges on this battle!"
The ten people present all stood up and saluted the Commander.
The Commander stood up, scanned everyone with resolute eyes, and then strode out of the conference room.
As the Commander left, the conference room fell silent once more.
After a few minutes of waiting, the War Gods began to stand and quickly exit the conference room.
Everyone was silent, and Gu Ya could tell that their moods were heavy, yet they also possessed a fearless resolve and bravery.
Soon, only Gu Ya and Ye Zhenjun remained in the conference room.
Gu Ya, having failed the War God selection competition, was unexpectedly appointed in this time of crisis.
In truth, whether he had the title of War God or not was inconsequential to him. His greatest concern now was how to defend Xianxia City.
Ye Zhenjun stood up and calmly walked before Gu Ya. Their eyes met; they had fought before, and now they were to fight side-by-side as comrades.
He exuded an amiable, natural, and powerful sense of security—this was the impression Xianxia's foremost War God made on Gu Ya.
"Young man, come here," Ye Zhenjun called softly and walked out of the conference room.
The two of them piloted their mechs directly outside Xianxia City. The bright moon hung high, the stars were dim, and the surroundings were pitch black and silent.
Under the illumination of the two mechs' searchlights, they stood side-by-side on a high mountain, looking out at the half-destroyed Xianxia City in the distance.
To the southeast of Xianxia City, dozens of hovercar streams converged into a rainbow bridge, flying towards the outskirts of the city.
After reaching the outskirts, the hovercars dispersed in different directions, scattering like stars across the Xianxia land, eventually disappearing into the night.
To the northeast of the city, it remained a scene of devastation, with sporadic fires raging within. The searchlights of mechs and rescue teams illuminated half the city.
Gu Ya did not understand why he had been summoned there. Xianxia City was in utter chaos, yet they were to linger here idly. Gu Ya felt somewhat uneasy about this.
"I want you to live well," Ye Zhenjun suddenly said.
Gu Ya was utterly bewildered by this unexpected statement.
"Don't you always want to know how I managed to 'catch a blade with bare hands'?" Ye Zhenjun turned, looking up slightly at Gu Ya.
He was slightly shorter than Gu Ya, around 1.75 meters.
Gu Ya had grown to 1.8 meters, a perfect height.
"You're going to teach me?" Gu Ya asked excitedly.
Ye Zhenjun nodded gently, transmitting the mech operational code for "Offensive Synchronization" to Gu Ya, and added, "It requires your full operation, you must practice a lot."
Then, he explained the principle behind "Offensive Synchronization."
After listening, Gu Ya grasped some of its subtlety. In simple terms, it was to use the mech's ultra-high frequency vibrations to make its body enter an energy wave resonance state, synchronizing with the enemy's attacking weapons.
To put it even more plainly, it was about making the mech and the attacking weapon the same.
It was conceivable that it would be impossible to mutually interfere with things of the same frequency, medium, and material.
This was the secret of "Offensive Synchronization."
"Master!" Gu Ya called out solemnly.
Since his childhood, he had studied under many masters: Wang Shangmeng, Liang Xun, Liang Yuwei, and now Ye Zhenjun.
Gu Ya learned extraordinary skills and knowledge from them, combining their strengths with his own efforts and the system's assistance to achieve his current accomplishments.
Ye Zhenjun smiled and waved his hand dismissively, indicating it was not necessary.
After several minutes of silence, Ye Zhenjun slowly spoke again, asking, "You and my daughter... when did it start?"
"Hmm?" Gu Ya was taken aback, not understanding what he was being asked. His daughter, his own daughter, when did it start...
Suddenly, Gu Ya's mind exploded like a thunderclap. His surname was "Ye," could it be?
"You... you aren't..." Gu Ya sighed in disbelief.
Ye Zhenjun smiled and nodded, saying, "A few days ago, when I went to support Kuanghai Peak, I took some time to see Ye Ying."
Gu Ya felt his heart leap into his throat, his legs wobbling precariously. This was too sudden, too sudden for him to have any psychological preparation.
This was a question from his future father-in-law.
A novel emotion and feeling flooded Gu Ya's heart: excitement, awkwardness, happiness, and at the same time, a sense of unreality, as if it were not happening.
"Surprised? When I saw your photo on Ye Ying's bracelet, I was also very surprised. To be honest, I was a bit unwilling and uneasy." Ye Zhenjun said with a calm smile. "Ye Ying is only 19 years old, and you're a few months younger than her. I was really afraid you couldn't protect her."
"But then again, you're like a child I've watched grow up. From our first meeting at the Xianxia National Defense Academy to the War God selection competition, and now. You've been improving rapidly."
"You have such strength at such a young age, and I see infinite potential in you."
"So, I am a little relieved now."
Gu Ya's anxious heart gradually settled with Ye Zhenjun's words. He let out a sigh of relief, calmed his emotions, and said firmly, "Uncle, please rest assured. Ye Ying has always been in my heart. I am willing to do anything for her. I... I even avenged her."
Ye Zhenjun smiled faintly and said, "Don't speak so absolutely. We are all Xianxia warriors; we must walk our own path in the future."
"However, you care so much about Ye Ying's affairs that I, as a father, am ashamed of myself."
"No..." Ye Zhenjun's tone carried deep regret, and he sighed heavily, saying, "I am not a qualified father."
"Uncle, you had no choice," Gu Ya quickly comforted him.
Ye Zhenjun turned and patted Gu Ya heavily on the shoulder, then said with a wry smile, "If I didn't do a good job, I didn't do a good job. Don't find excuses for me. Young man, for Xianxia and for my daughter, you must work hard. This is a bit of my personal bias."
"Please rest assured!" Gu Ya nodded emphatically and said.
...
As if an incredibly powerful bomb hung over everyone's heads.
Everyone was working through the night, unwilling to rest for even a moment.
As more survivors were rescued from the city, the elderly, weak, women, children, and disabled were gradually transferred outside the city, some by transport mechs to other cities, others setting up camps in the desolate Gobi.
Xianxia City gradually became deserted and silent.
On the second day before the enemy's final assault, Xianxia City had completely transformed into a city of resolute defense.
Tens of thousands of ground troops, employing guerrilla tactics, were hidden in various concealed locations throughout the city.
Massive ground-based armed mechs were covered with thick camouflage tarpaulins, ready to act at any moment.
Individual anti-mech guerrilla teams moved rapidly through the rubble and buildings.
Countless defensive weapons were deployed at various points in the city.
The Commander sat in an underground defense bunker, discussing defense tactics with various commanders.
The allied force of less than a thousand mechs, led by the ten War Gods, was dispersed throughout Xianxia City, ready to take flight and engage in combat at any time.
With only one day left until the final countdown, several enemy reconnaissance mech squadrons had flown to an altitude of ten thousand meters above Xianxia City, scouting the defensive forces within.
As of now, no one knew from which direction the enemy would attack Xianxia City.
As the date of the final assault approached, the Black Star Empire also launched bloody and brutal operations to capture Xianxia intelligence personnel.
Hundreds, even thousands, of Xianxia agents were secretly apprehended, hunted, and assassinated to prevent their attack plans from being leaked.
This was also why the intelligence department had suddenly fallen silent, as if deaf and mute, before the impending war.
Now, they dared not act rashly, lest the casualties increase further.
Equally tense, along with those in Xianxia City preparing for a desperate battle, was Fu Yafang, stationed tens of thousands of kilometers away at the Star Sink Military Headquarters.
She had been summoned to the lounge again by Mu Ye Star Sink.
However, at this moment, her dominant emotion was anger.
Mu Ye Star Sink sat calmly on the sofa, looking at Fu Yafang opposite him, and asked softly, "Do you know 'Black Yang'?"