Chapter 183: It's All Ours!

Chapter 183 – All of It Is Ours!

After Chen Jian set a five‑minute deadline, the first minute saw every unmanned combat unit shift into battle mode.

Drones rose, the spear‑troopers and Iron‑Wolf combat robots dispersed to seize the traffic arteries, the Xingtian unmanned vehicle claimed the high ground, erected heavy firepower, and trained its sights on the lofty Cathedral of the Mechanical Cult.

In the second minute, Chen Jian’s eight‑man squad donned their gear, ignored the guards’ counsel at the doorway, and stepped out of the room, ready for combat.

In the third minute, an electromagnetic shield was erected, cutting off all wireless communications across the entire city of Jinling; even the remaining guard regiment lost its dispatch.

In the fourth minute, bullets were chambered, parameters calibrated, and battle hung on a hair’s breadth.

After four and a half minutes, the Pope‑Saint who had rushed from the cathedral a kilometer away staggered onto the steam locomotive and fell before Chen Jian and his companions.

At that moment he had lost every trace of dignity, and beside him the archbishop was drenched in sweat, his face a picture of disarray.

Chen Jian glanced at his watch, gave a slight nod, and issued the order to abort the operation.

Yet even so, the unmanned combat swarm remained on high alert.

Countless infrared lasers locked onto the heads of the Mechanical Cult’s followers in the courtyard; should they dare any unusual move now, only a cold, merciless bullet would greet them.

The so‑called Saint gasped violently, yearning to speak, yet words failed him in that instant.

And those at his side had no idea how to introduce him.

Such a meeting protocol was foreign to them, and, in a sense, a profound humiliation.

But what could you possibly do?

The Huaxia troops could annihilate two thousand foes in Huadu within half an hour, and turn the whole city of Jinling into a furnace in five minutes!

No one could escape their grasp; before reinforcements arrived, their only option was to show weakness!

“I am of the Mechanical Cult. The eighty‑ninth Saint. I am the lord of Jinling City. The ruler of Jinling City.”

“I hold no disrespect toward any of you, I”

“Name!”

Chen Jian cut off the stammering self‑introduction, his tone icy, his gaze cold as he stared into the man’s eyes.

His entire head was sheathed in an exoskeletal helmet, and the faint red glow of the battlefield‑situational awareness system glinted like the eyes of Death, fixed on the pope still lying on the ground.

The latter stared blankly, unsure how to answer.

Thirty years had already passed.

Since he had taken the seat of “Pope Saint,” no one had known his name.

He himself had almost forgotten his own name.

He had come to think that his name was simply “Saint.”

Yet today, someone asked again.

His mind seemed to short‑circuit, while Chen Jian continued:

“I will not ask a third time.”

“Name!”

The pope finally regained his composure, struggled to his feet, and answered:

“Jin Cheng, I am Jin Cheng.”

“Very well, Jin Cheng.”

Chen Jian gave a slight nod, then asked:

“Do you know why we summoned you here?”

“.Please forgive me, I truly do not know.”

Jin Cheng panted heavily, defending himself:

“As I have said, I, and the Mechanical Cult, bear no disrespect toward you or your Huaxia troops.”

“But the war beyond the city has not yet ended, and within the walls peace still eludes us; I had assumed that once your forces entered the city, you would first take a brief respite.”

“I have arranged for the formal meeting and talks to take place tomorrow night; today’s encounter was meant only as a friendly conversation.”

“Perhaps that caused a misunderstanding; that is our fault.”

“Had you held this attitude from the start, you would not be in such a sorry state now.”

Chen Jian smiled with a hint of sarcasm, then said:

“You are right; we indeed need a short recuperation within the city.”

“The formal talks need not be rushed so hastily.”

“But you ought to have come to see me of your own accord; that is basic etiquette.”

“In my eyes, you are neither pope nor saint.”

“You are merely the beleaguered ruler of Jinling City, and we are the saviors who have just lifted you from the flames.”

“So now, do you understand what you have done wrong?”

“I understand.”

Jin Cheng bowed solemnly, his face showing no trace of anger, not even a hint of resentment.

Either he truly believes he erred and has surrendered in the face of overwhelming power,

or he is a man of deep calculation.

Chen Jian thought he was the latter.

After all, one who has climbed to the summit of the Mechanical Cult cannot be a mere commoner.

Thus, even as the other bowed, Chen Jian kept his guard unwavering.

He maintained his defensive stance and then spoke:

“Before the formal audience, I need you to accomplish three tasks.”

“First, tell every citizen of Jinling that the victory over Huadu was not achieved by the ‘Supreme Saint 81’, but by the Huaxia troops—a force that does not worship the so‑called God of Ten Thousand Machines.”

“You may describe us as allies, but do not let the people think we belong to the same camp.”

“Second, prepare all the materials required for the forthcoming negotiations, and list every chip you possess in advance.”

“We will not strip you of everything, but this massive battle has cost us dearly; I expect you to repay that debt.”

“Third, I require detailed information on the Mechanical Cult: your doctrines, scriptures, annals, and any written records you can locate.”

“These should have been delivered when the Huangshi Peace Accord was drafted; your delay has been our forbearance, but our patience is not infinite.”

“You have twenty hours to fulfill these three items.”

“By noon tomorrow, I must see the results.”

“Otherwise the peace treaty will be torn asunder.”

“And the price will be one you cannot bear.”

“.Yes, I understand.”

Jin Cheng nodded once more.

Chen Jian waved his hand and said:

“Very well, return to your decayed sanctuary.”

“Withdraw all the nearby Imperial Guard regiments; I do not wish to see a single guard in my sight.”

“Of course—yet I must point out that those loyal guards were originally meant to safeguard you.”

Jin Zhong bowed humbly, while Chen Jian sneered:

“You know better than I do that our safety does not depend on your protection.”

“Now, leave this place.”

“As you wish.”

Jin Cheng turned away without hesitation, this time refusing to board the soot‑spewing locomotive.

As he turned, not far away Jin Zhong watched him with a tangled gaze.

That look held a measure of disappointment, a hint of bewilderment.

Yet above all, it bore a fierce sense of ruin.

Six hours later, at eight o’clock in the night, outside Nanjing City.

Huang Yu shouldered a massive pack, its contents a half‑assembled Model 191 rifle and a cache of ammunition, while in his hand he clutched a Model 201 machine camouflaged with rags and straw.

At that moment his nerves were stretched to their limit.

Though not long before he had received a dispatch from the regiment commander detailing the battle’s outcome and ordering him to “march straight into Nanjing,” the unknown city—still evidently under enemy control—left him unable to lower his guard.

The distant lights grew brighter, and Huang Yu on the deck grew increasingly uneasy.

When the steamship, after a series of shudders, finally halted at the pier, his tension peaked.

He turned and waved to the other residents of Huangshi City waiting alongside him; all rose in unison, forming, with a rare order on this wasteland, several ranks that trailed the other travelers, awaiting the inspection before disembarking.

The line gradually shortened as each traveler passed the Imperial Guard’s check, and when it came to Huang Yu, his hand had already slipped silently onto the trigger of his machine gun.

Had the guards tried to seize his weapon under the pretense of inspection, as they had with those before him, he would have opened fire without hesitation, declaring his stance.

Those arms were hard‑won by the commanders, and from the records they left he had learned the single most vital rule.

Never be without a gun.

Handing your weapon to anyone but a comrade is tantamount to surrender!

Huang Yu’s heart hammered; he was ready.

Yet as he stepped down the steamship’s gangway and faced the inspecting guard, events unfolded in a way he had not anticipated.

“Name and origin.”

The guard asked briefly.

Huang Yu drew a shallow breath and replied:

“Huang Yu, from Huangshi City.”

“Huangshi City?”

The guard lifted his head in surprise, then asked:

“The Huaxia Army?”

“Yes.”

Huang Yu nodded again, instinctively raising his gun, but the guard cleared a path and said:

“Proceed, and thank you for your assistance.”

Huang Yu stared, a flicker of doubt in his eyes.

They’d let us pass so easily?

That empty peace treaty—has it truly been fulfilled here?

No, it must be the commanders’ merit.

Perhaps they earned a miraculous feat in the battle at Huadu, persuading the Mechanical Cult with their own strength.

Indeed, that is the most plausible answer.

Huang Yu exhaled, and before he could react, the long‑awaited hosts stepped forward.

“Honored guest of the Huaxia Army, I greet you by the saint’s command.”

“Follow me; your superior awaits within the manor.”

“Very well.”

Huang Yu gave a slight nod, then turned and made a concealed gesture toward the city‑defense troops of Huangshi.

All who saw the signal adjusted their stance, lifting the hidden barrels of their guns just a fraction.

Even now he could not be sure whether the Mechanical Cult’s intentions were benevolent.

Thus, vigilance remained his safest course.

A procession of over a hundred followed the hosts, threading through Nanjing’s most bustling main avenue.

For Huang Yu, it was a true revelation of how grand the city—boasting the largest scale in the entire south—could be.

Streets illuminated by electric lamps, shop signs awash in colored light, crystal‑clear glass, towering sculptures.

Travelers still drinking in taverns deep into the night, merchants busily sorting cargo, and the bustling ji‑women hawking their wares.

Imperial Guard soldiers in armor trudging heavily, the roar of steam locomotives, cold cannons perched aloft.

This truly was a great metropolis.

The Mechanical Cult, too, proved the mightiest power upon this wasteland.

They were indeed formidable!

If that is so,

are the commanders still safe?

Though they may have earned merit, venturing rashly into the Cult’s stronghold still seems overly perilous, does it not?

The man earlier spoke of a “manor,” not a “hostel”; could the commanders already be under house arrest?

A cascade of pessimistic thoughts churned within Huang Yu; at this moment he felt more tense than when he first learned that Huadu would assault Huangshi.

Yet his steps did not falter.

He knew that even if a mountain of knives and a sea of fire lay ahead, he must press onward.

The procession slipped deeper into Nanjing’s inner ring, and the nearer they drew to their final destination, the more strange, incomprehensible sights emerged.

Huang Yu stared wide‑eyed at the “humanoid machines” patrolling the streets, watching them deftly kick discarded trash from the ground to the curb with their articulated feet.

Then he saw a drone, larger than those the commanders employed, sweep overhead and hover directly above his head.

The unease of being watched made him itch to raise his gun and bring the drone down, yet he dared not act rashly.

For that drone, too, bore a weapon.

Huang Yu's steps grew increasingly heavy, and when he looked through the manor's gate and saw the massive “elephant”—or rather, the tank—parked in the center, his heart died completely.

This is something that only the Mechanical Cult could possess.

It must be what they call the Triune Sacred Elephant.

Now that the Sacred Elephant has been deployed here, it means the commanders' situation is far from optimistic.

——

But the good news is that the gun in his hand is still with him.

As long as the gun remains, there is still hope.

He stepped resolutely through the manor's gate, and at that moment he saw four statues—once seen on the street—now moving.

Mecha.

Huang Yu's heart grew even colder.

How could a handful of pistols in his hands possibly deal with these things?

Had he known, he should have dismantled that massive‑caliber machine gun and brought it along!

What now?

Huang Yu's mind raced, but before he could think, the approaching “statue” had already removed its helmet.

The instant he saw the opponent's face, Huang Yu was stunned.

He stood there in disbelief, then shouted in a slightly hoarse voice:

"Commander?!"

The opposing Chen Jian stepped before him, smiling, and said:

"You've arrived."

"Well done, your formation looks immaculate."

"How are you feeling after the urgent rally, the long‑range maneuver, the exhausting travel—tired?"

"Not at all!"

Huang Yu reported excitedly:

"Following your orders, we have left behind the heavy weapons we cannot transport for now, and have already completed concealment preparations."

"We have taken as many light weapons as we can on our persons."

"All 124 members of Huangshi City have assembled, awaiting your command!"

"Excellent!"

Chen Jian nodded approvingly, then said:

"Strip off your gear and rest here on the spot."

"Rest assured, this place is safe!"

"Understood!"

Huang Yu quickly nodded, his tense expression finally relaxing.

He looked around, then, out of curiosity, asked:

"Commander, are these machines sent by the Mechanical Cult to protect us?"

Hearing this, Chen Jian was taken aback.

He chuckled, shook his head, and scolded:

"What nonsense!"

"They are ours!"

(End of Chapter)