127. Battle Mobilization
"These Tianhuan people are really bold."
The footage transmitted by the drone made Du Zexin click his tongue:
"They're advancing along the edge of the storm. Without the detection module technology from Law III, even a Gamma-level [Mechanist] probably wouldn't notice them."
"But to actually dare travel alongside a natural disaster, are they insane?"
Du Zexin's complaint seemed exaggerated in Li Aozi's view.
"Is that all?"
Li Aozi said calmly:
"Back at the Hojo Group Tower in Qiongjing, they were even planning to bomb their own city."
"That's true."
Although Du Zexin found it hard to believe, it was a fact that couldn't be denied.
The Tianhuan people's logic was completely different from that of the Frost-Plated people.
If Frost-Plated soldiers dared to bomb the capital, they would be condemned and protested by the citizens, but the Tianhuan people had shown no such response so far.
Li Aozi wasn't concerned about this issue. He turned his head and asked, "More importantly, the Tianhuan soldiers will eventually come, and Youhelai could show up at any moment. How much longer do you need for the machine modifications you mentioned?"
Du Zexin lifted the welding gun of the engineering robot, his voice coming through the broadcast:
"At least six hours… Future Watch is too badly damaged, and your biochemical pool is too large. Without modifications, those who overindulge in immersive games are likely to become space junk, drifting toward black hole evaporation."
"Six hours is too long. Based on the Tianhuan's current progress, they'll probably arrive in less than four hours."
Without hesitation, Li Aozi dialed a familiar number:
"Xia Jianjing, when will you arrive?"
"We're dealing with a surgery right now. There are too many prisoners, and many are in critical condition."
Xia Jianjing's terminal was casually tossed on the table; she was busy herself, and the Akaban Squad members around her were all overwhelmed, most of them injured.
Li Aozi frowned:
"Can you even fight in this state?"
"Don't worry, I'll be there soon. Two hours."
Xia Jianjing wiped her sweat, and suddenly a man's voice came through the call:
"What's going on, Jing?"
Xia Jianjing turned to explain to the man off-camera:
"Nothing, you should rest. Gretorvo, you've already done 24 surgeries. If you keep this up, you'll collapse."
"I heard something about a battle."
The terminal was picked up, and a moment later, it pointed at the holder's face—a composed black-haired, blue-eyed man in a green surgical gown and mask, with a serious yet gentle demeanor, looking at Li Aozi on the screen.
"The video note says... Big Idiot Li Aozi—Jing, is this your friend?"
"Shut up!"
Li Aozi's eyes lit up, and he immediately said:
"Nice to meet you, Gretorvo Nightsong."
"You know me?" Gretorvo was slightly surprised. "You're quite stunning, almost like Jing."
"Thanks for the compliment. Let's get straight to the point—I'm Li Aozi, a partner of Miss Jing. I provided the intel and organized your prison break."
Li Aozi chuckled:
"My goal is to get to space. For that, I've prepared one—now, make that two nuclear bombs."
"Going to space… sounds too distant, something humans don't dare to dream of."
Gretorvo took off his mask, revealing a grateful expression:
"Thank you, Mr. Li Aozi. You've saved me and many innocents persecuted by the groups. I sincerely thank you for your help to the Akaban Squad's cause. This is a great victory for the people of Tianhuan. If you need anything, I'm at your service."
"I need you, Gretorvo." Li Aozi issued a heartfelt invitation, "I need all of you—warriors willing to fight for the world and conscience. Your actions will stand against the old world, but I promise you, the stars will remember your courage."
As he spoke, he repeated the same explanations he had given to the players and N4, along with pictures and videos.
"Entropy Lord… Calamity… Abandoned Mist. GTB monopolizes so much critical information. The Four Nations, to maintain their rule, willingly let themselves be strangled."
Xia Jianjing, as a revolutionary, visibly changed her expression upon receiving this information:
"These damned oppressors! Who do they think owns this planet? The people could be living good lives, but to maintain the status quo and keep exploiting the Outer World, they let GTB monopolize everything. They even wage wars for worthless resources."
"All wars are civil wars among humans," Gretorvo said solemnly. "If this is true, then we are all brothers and sisters. It's the Four Nations and GTB, colluding with cosmic forces, who refuse to disclose this to the people, leading to such tragedies."
"Frost-Plated has the Rose Army rebelling, the Red Arrow people are caught in endless competition, Tianhuan has our Akaban Squad fighting, and Zhengxu has given up on the struggle—if GTB's technology existed, the Outer World wouldn't even exist. They should have been our fellow people."
The perspectives of these seasoned warriors were much broader than those of Li Aozi and Du Zexin, often focusing on the suffering of the Outer World's people and the dirty politics of the Four Nations, leaving Li Aozi and Du Zexin feeling somewhat out of place.
"Sometimes keeping things hidden can indeed maintain stability."
Du Zexin explained:
"Technology isn't a Pandora's box; when used correctly, it can benefit humanity. But often, because of technology's unpredictability, nations and people have suffered even greater hardships."
"From our standpoint, Azure Star's suffering was never meant to be ours to bear."
Xia Jianjing's sharp and direct perspective cut right to the core:
"The current Four Nations are no good. They just want to maintain their rule, transferring suffering. The benefits go to the Four Nations, technology remains monopolized by GTB, and the suffering gets dumped on the Outer World—they are the most resilient. War, hunger, cold, even pollution from the Four Nations, and deliberately segregated slums within their borders."
"Technology isn't the issue. Even in the old era, despite being destroyed by Calamity, they still managed to give everyone a good life. The problem is with the people—the Four Nations, GTB, and those rulers. They're the ones who deserve the suffering!"
Gretorvo stood up and walked toward the door.
"Wait—Grey, where are you going?!"
"To fight," Gretorvo said. "If Li Aozi can reach space and connect with cosmic civilizations interested in Azure Star, then Azure Star can be saved. We won't have to endure the exploitation and enslavement of the Four Nations, so I'm going to fight and help him hold off the Tianhuan army."
Xia Jianjing stood up, immediately stopping him:
"No!"
"I have to go, Xia Jianjing. This is the only way to end the suffering."
"No, you don't understand!"
Xia Jianjing punched his chest, angrily grabbing Gretorvo by the collar and shouting:
"Grey, you shouldn't be killing… You should be holding a scalpel, not a butcher's knife."
"Jing. There's no such thing as should or shouldn't."
Gretorvo said calmly:
"Medicine can only heal the body's ailments but can't cure the sickness of the mind."
"What do you think I broke out of prison for? Why do you think I did all of this? To pull you out of one hell, only to watch you step into another?"
Xia Jianjing's eyes shimmered with a silver glow, the Ring of Order on her neck trembling. She composed herself, pleading:
"Think about me, Grey. You mean so much to me. I can't lose you, and neither can the Akaban Squad. Without you, the world loses a color, and we lose courage, strength, and soul. I don't want you to leave. Stay here, and I'll go fight."
"Commander Xia Jianjing." Gretorvo gazed into her colorless eyes and suddenly addressed her formally.
"Yes!" Xia Jianjing instinctively replied.
"Would you trade a private for a leader?"
"I would never do that."
"Gretorvo Nightsong, Private of the Tianzhi Akaban Volunteer Army, requests permission to fight."
Gretorvo pounded his chest:
"You know what you have to do."
Xia Jianjing bowed her head. One by one, the Akaban Squad soldiers stopped, standing still, unsure of what to do.
On one side was their painstakingly rescued hero, the soul guide of the Akaban Squad, Gretorvo Nightsong.
On the other side was their leader, the strongest warrior who had fought by their side at the front lines, Xia Jianjing.
Neither choice was easy.
But the Akaban Squad soldiers were different from Tianhuan's soldiers, different from those Tianhuan bastards; they knew what they were fighting for.
At this moment, they rationally chose silence, leaving the decision to their leader. They trusted that Xia Jianjing would make the right choice.
But for Xia Jianjing, the burden was enormous.
All expectations weighed on her shoulders. She didn't want to let Gretorvo leave, but the agreement with Li Aozi was made from the start. If they went back on their word, the army's discipline would soon become a joke.
Besides, if Gretorvo received special treatment, what would the soldiers think?
Oh, so as long as you have a good relationship with the boss, you're exempt from fighting.
That's no different from the Ring King and his corporate dogs.
"You really gave me a tough problem."
The Ring of Order on her neck trembled violently, and Xia Jianjing's pupils shrank. She felt the call of that voice again.
The so-called Gaia of the Hidden Society... once again showing her the dirty and dark sides of humanity.
That entity seemed to be telling her: no matter what she did, it was wrong, because humanity is irredeemable.
"Everyone believes in you, believes in ideals."
Gretorvo said:
"Please give the order, Xia Jianjing. I'll see it through."
"You make it sound so easy, you bastard."
"If it's Jing, she won't make a mess of it."
"Use my car."
"Hmm?"
"I said, drive my car."
Xia Jianjing put her hand down, smiled, and said:
"Go find Li Aozi, our Black Knight."