Chapter 849: The Countdown to War

Chapter 849: Countdown to War

Golden Kangaroo Port.

Alliance Military Base.

Fang Chang, seated on a bench near the save point, was meticulously flipping through the pages of the *Survivor Daily* in his hands.

Due to business matters related to Baiyue Corporation, he had returned to Dawn City at the beginning of last month, then went to Ideal City to handle affairs for Changyue Group, and only after several transfers did he arrive back at Golden Kangaroo Port last night.

He had been keeping up with the situation in the Brahmin Province region on the forums, even offering some inexperienced advice to newcomers involved in the events.

But for a more comprehensive understanding of the local situation, he followed the suggestion of Yodu, the secretary of the Governor's Mansion, and bought a bound collection of the *Survivor Daily* from the newspaper office.

This was a novel publishing method devised by the local *Survivor Daily* office, building on the foundation of the Dawn City *Survivor Daily*.

Since local breaking news was constant, with extra editions printed every few days, it was easy to miss key information if one wasn't careful.

In this port, thriving on finance and import-export, information meant money.

Thus, at readers' request, every month the *Survivor Daily* would extract key information from the previous month's headlines and extras, compiling it into a collected edition for the public to peruse or collect.

In addition, there were "quarterly collections" and "annual collections," with covers typically featuring the person of the season or year.

Now, the *Survivor Daily* in settlements like Dawn City and Boulder City had also adopted this publishing method.

Although the *Survivor Daily* in Golden Kangaroo Port was an imitator of the former, the Alliance wasn't too particular about it.

After all, the Administrator had once said that any progressive voice, even if it came from a rotten coffin, was still progressive.

And in Fang Chang's hands at this moment was the quarterly collection of the Golden Kangaroo Port *Survivor Daily*, which had sorted through the events of the past period.

["Resurrection from the Dead"! Survivor of Church Massacre Returns to West Sail Port, Suspected Manifestation of the Silver Moon Goddess!?]

[Abu Sa'id Issues Public Statement, Claiming He Personally Instructed Anwar to Secretly Transfer Survivors from the Silver Moon Sect Church, Stating That Change Should Not Aim at Bloodshed, Even the Blood of the Willant.]

[Brahmin State Representative Anwar Accepts Interview, Revealing Unknown Details of the West Sail Port Massacre! Yannush Personally Ordered the Slaughter of Port District Civilians, Over 200 Survivors Hanging by a Thread!]

[Envoy "Pangolin" Sent by Triumph City to Visit Brahmin State Arrested by Southern Legion, Highlighting Intense Factional Struggles Within the Legion!]

[The Second Flame Ignited!? West Sail Port Massacre Recurrence! Multiple Civil Organizations Like the Family Association Bloodied by the Legion, Several Alliance Personnel Expelled.]

[West Sail Port Authorities Sign Administrative Order, Banning the Family Association! Over 7,000 Family Members Arrested by Authorities, Nearly 1,000 Executed by Firing Squad!]

[Alliance Foreign Minister Cheng Yan Strongly Condemns Southern Legion's Barbaric Actions! Demands Immediate Cessation of Persecution Against Innocent Survivors!]

[Internal Strife Among Brahmin State High-Ranking Officials?! "Leopard King" Nigeli Fiercely Criticizes Abu Sa'id Administration's Appeasement! Handing Over West Sail Port Survivors to the Legion for Slaughter!]

[Mutiny Becoming Trend?! Demonstration Activities in Tian Du Again! Grassroots Reformist Officers Protest on Streets, Demanding Authorities Abolish Treaties Related to West Sail Port, Abandon All Illusions, and Sever Ties Completely!]

[Abu Sa'id Responds Negatively to Grassroots Officers' Demands, Stating That Brahmin State Currently Lacks Sufficient Strength to Reclaim West Sail Port, Will Not Abandon Negotiations with Triumph City.]

[General Gurion Responds Strongly to Alliance Condemnation, Stating That West Sail Port Is a Gift from the Empire to the Legion, the Alliance Has No Right to Interfere, and Continues to Reinforce Troops in the West Sail Port Area!]

[Outrage of Gods and Men! West Sail Port Incident Makes Headlines in Dawn City *Survivor Daily*!]

[Boulder City Workers' Association President and City Lord Lovett States He Will Not Abandon Suffering Laborers, Boulder City Will Support West Sail Port in Its Own Way!]

[Protests Erupt Across Golden Kangaroo Port, Tiger State, Leopard State, Mammoth State, Mostly Involving Young Laborers, Officers, and Classroom Students; Besides Voicing Support for West Sail Port Survivors, They Request Authorities Declare War on the Southern Legion.]

[Representatives of Handicraft Workers in Golden Kangaroo Port Fiercely Criticize the Federation for Weakness and Incompetence! The Legion Provokes Again and Again, Yet the Federation Pours Cold Water on Its Own People!]

[Family Association Exiles to Brahmin State for Refuge; President Zayid Accepts Exclusive Interview with Our Frontline Reporter in Lion City, Recounting Unfair Treatment of Laborers in West Sail Port.]

[Tough Guy or Weakling? West Sail Port Requests Brahmin State to Extradite Family Association President Zayid; Abu Sa'id Refuses Strongly Yet Remains Wary of the Family Association!]

[Frontline Situation Continues to Heat Up; Southern Legion Deploys 902mm Heavy Artillery!]

[Negotiations Successful! Representatives from Various States of Brahmin Province Sign Ceasefire Agreement Under Alliance Mediation!!]

[Gray Wolf Army Defeated; Remnants Scattered in Western Ma State.]

[Nearly 2,000 Officers from Mammoth State, Tiger State, Leopard State, and Lowell State Head to Tian Du! United Front in Brahmin Province Initially Taking Shape!]

And the last report was about the Emperor of Xilan, but it was only a few words.

[The Death of Wu Tuo.]

Having read the newspaper to the end, Fang Chang closed it and set it aside.

Just then, Old Bai, who had just finished teaching a class to the young officers of Golden Kangaroo Port, walked over and sat down beside him, saying with a smile.

"You're here, why didn't you say anything? I thought you were still on the plane."

Fang Chang smiled faintly.

"I got off the plane last night, then went to the Governor's Mansion for a meeting, and haven't had a moment's rest since... I was planning to tell you when I logged off later, but since the save point is right in the barracks, I figured I'd just come over."

"Wait for me a moment."

With that, Old Bai got up, walked to the vending machine by the save point, bought two cans of coffee, and handed one to Fang Chang.

Taking the coffee, Fang Chang pulled the tab on the can, brought it to his lips, and took a sip.

"Thanks... They even have a vending machine here now."

"Well, this save point has been open for almost two months," Old Bai said with a casual smile. "By the way, how's the space elevator going? Progress smooth?"

Fang Chang replied offhandedly.

"Pretty good. The Academy suddenly changed its previous uncooperative attitude and even proactively offered to transfer gravity well technology to us."

Old Bai raised an eyebrow slightly.

"The price isn't cheap, is it?"

Fang Chang nodded.

"Indeed, it's not cheap. Their conditions filled an entire list, more verbose than a corporate contract... But to put it simply, it's a technology-for-equity deal. And once the space elevator is completed, we need to build them a colony ship according to their specifications, with standards no lower than the stranded *Zhiyuan* in Ideal City. Then, they'll return their shares as agreed."

Old Bai smiled wryly.

"That might end up costing more than the space elevator itself."

He had seen what the *Zhiyuan* looked like.

The tallest building in Ideal City seemed like a chopstick next to that thing.

Fang Chang nodded.

"Currently, that seems to be the case. But it's not without benefits for us. If they want us to build it for them, they have to provide us with the corresponding technology. Over the past two centuries, they've been organizing the technological legacy of the Prosperous Era, and that will be a vast treasure."

Old Bai paused, stroking his chin in thought.

"Thinking about it that way, it's still quite a gain."

Fang Chang smiled faintly.

"More than just a gain... Our friends in Ideal City are stunned. They spent over a century trying to pry open the Academy's mouth, and we managed it in just two or three years, getting those guys to cough up so many good things."

"The engineers at Ideal Group are figuring out how to apply anti-gravity technology to architecture; the corporation is about to find a new profit growth point... Of course, so are we, and in many fields where we're still a blank slate, we'll grow faster than them."

From his understanding of the Alliance Administrator, that man would never make a losing deal.

He must have seen this coming from the start.

Now, the space elevator was gradually transforming from a non-profit scientific research project into an international endeavor that could bring mutual benefits to all participants.

Although most games gave NPCs cheats for balance and gameplay, he still couldn't help but admire Chu Guang's methods.

Whether in terms of sheer capability or vision, that individual was second to none.

"…There is little to be said about the space elevator; at this stage, it remains primarily the domain of scholars and engineers. All we need to do is foster a stable environment for them, allowing them to unleash their talents and creativity to their hearts' content."

"The most pressing matter at present remains the situation in the Bhairava Province. As things stand, this patch of land has entangled every major surviving faction across the entire Central Continent."

Fang Chang paused for a brief moment, took a sip of his coffee, and continued as he looked at Lao Bai.

"By the way, has the cause of Wu Tuo’s death been uncovered yet?"

The fellow's demise had come at far too convenient a juncture, making it difficult for him not to suspect foul play.

Upon hearing this question, Lao Bai’s expression turned somewhat peculiar.

"…You might not believe it if I told you, but the man died of diabetes."

"Dia… diabetes?" Fang Chang froze, entirely thrown off balance by the absurdity of it.

Many incurable diseases in the real world could only be managed with maintenance therapy, yet on the wasteland, such an ailment was considered a minor affliction. Not only were there remedies available, but multiple paths to a cure existed.

For instance, the simplest and most brutal method was to replace whatever part was failing and call it a day.

If all else failed, one could even have Xiao Yu touch them, gambling on a glorious evolution.

In an era far more cyberpunk than even the year 2077, someone dying of diabetes was something Fang Chang could not comprehend for the life of him.

Even if the man lacked the Alliance's medical insurance, surely he was never strapped for cash?

Lao Bai likewise wore a thoroughly complicated expression.

"His medical records indicate that a few months ago, he was sent to a hospital on the outskirts of Golden Galen Port for an examination, where he was diagnosed with diabetes and cardiovascular disease. The doctor recommended cybernetic implants, but this was rejected by a contingent of imperial ministers traveling with him, so they switched to medication instead…"

Pausing, he sighed before continuing.

"Never mind your astonishment; even I think those ministers harbored ill intentions. Every single one of them wept so bitterly, yet who knows if they weren't secretly wishing the man would drop dead sooner."

From the standpoint of the emperor or the imperial relatives, the Alliance, which possessed no thirst for land, was clearly more dependable than the Legion, even if their relations with the Legion were cordial.

However, from the standpoint of the ministers, the matter was not necessarily so.

The realm did not belong to them in the first place; what did it matter for whom they labored?

Herein lay the rot of feudalism.

A seemingly stable whole was, in truth, sustained through mutual internal friction between the various social strata. This resulted in an empire that appeared a monolithic colossus on the surface, but possessed a cohesive output that was utterly negative.

Now that Wu Tuo was dead, the nation of Xilan had effectively drawn its final breath.

"…Let the local police department handle the investigation into Wu Tuo’s death. We won't join in on the commotion, as it holds no real meaning anyway. He could achieve nothing while alive, let alone now that he is dead."

Tracing the bridge of his nose with his index finger, Fang Chang looked at Lao Bai and probed further.

"What about the Legion? The man was most likely finished off by them, and I imagine they received the news even before we did."

Lao Bai nodded, his expression turning solemn.

"The intelligence we received aligns closely with your guess. Almost the very instant Wu Tuo died, the Legion announced the passing of the emperor, while Prince Dilip, still aboard the ship at the time, was busy pondering how to seal everyone's lips and contain the news on board…"

A look of mingled amusement and exasperation appeared on Fang Chang’s face.

"What on earth was he thinking?"

How was this any different from plugging one's own ears while stealing a bell, believing others could not hear?

Lao Bai shook his head.

"Who knows? Perhaps Wu Tuo whispered something to him, and the exact details are known only to his own heart… At any rate, shortly after this, Crown Prince Akbar, who had fled to West Sail Port, proclaimed his succession to the throne and scheduled the coronation ceremony for three days from now."

Pausing, Lao Bai continued.

"Simultaneously, General Gullyon, commander-in-chief of the Southern Legion’s theater of operations in Bhairava Province, issued an ultimatum to the Mammoth Country, demanding they withdraw their forces from the three northern states within seventy-two hours and return the illegally occupied territories."

Fang Chang’s eyes narrowed slightly.

"If Laxi accepts their demands, their next target will be the Cattle State of Bhairava."

"Yes," Lao Bai agreed with a nod. "We share that assessment, which is why we reached out to Laxi… The man is surprisingly cooperative, quite unlike Abhishek. From the very beginning, he harbored no illusions about negotiating with the Legion."

"Abhishek remains our greatest hidden peril," Fang Chang’s gaze fell upon the newspaper resting beside him. "Unlike Laxi, that man desires to be an autocrat but lacks the courage, yet he cannot bear to relinquish power. Indecisiveness is a fatal flaw."

Lao Bai sighed.

"Vanus is also worried about him, but we have no better options at the moment. We cannot expect every card in our hand to be an ace."

"True enough… Only seventy-two hours remain before the outbreak of war."

Setting his coffee down upon the bench, Fang Chang retrieved the newspaper he had previously set aside.

"Fortunately, a united front has now been forged. The only remaining issue is this: if the Southern Legion declares war on the Mammoth Country in the name of the Xilan Empire, the matter becomes a civil war. If we deploy our troops directly, I fear we might undo everything the Pan-Asian Cooperation has achieved."

It was not merely the achievements of the cooperation; if things went awry, even the Battle of Sunset might have to be fought all over again.

If this spark truly ignited a conflagration, the entire Central Continent could be dragged into the abyss.

Previously, the Alliance had only faced the eastern expansion faction of the Eastern Legion—a faction already crippled by the Great Rift Valley. Now, however, they faced the entirety of the Southern Legion, which had reached a consensus.

The thorniness of this matter lay not merely upon the battlefield, but far more so in the realms beyond it.

Observing Fang Chang’s tightly furrowed brow, Lao Bai spoke with a smile.

"Actually… you need not worry about that. Just yesterday, the Administrator made a specific phone call regarding this very matter."

Fang Chang lowered the newspaper, casting a surprised glance toward Lao Bai.

"What did he say on the phone?"

Lao Bai replied with a grin.

"He told us not to worry. After finishing his visit to Golden Galen Port, the Alliance’s foreign minister proceeded to the capital of the Eastern Legion for negotiations under Bannote’s introduction, and has already achieved certain results."

"I am not entirely clear on the specific details, but according to the outcome of the negotiations, the Eastern Legion explicitly stated they would not participate in a war initiated unilaterally by the Southern Legion. Furthermore, they hope we will treat them as a 'separate entity' rather than a vassal of Triumph City or an ally of the Southern Legion."

Fang Chang caught his breath, then immediately pressed further.

"And what of Triumph City?"

Lao Bai continued.

"Triumph City feels the same. They even hope we can teach the Southern Legion a profound lesson, preferably one akin to the lesson the Great Rift Valley dealt to the Eastern Legion. Though they cannot offer us further support, they promised this war will not affect our mutual cooperation, much less escalate into a total war… Though in return, they hope we will do our best to avoid spilling the flames of war into each other's homelands, preventing excessive civilian casualties."

"Based on these reasons, the Administrator has issued new directives regarding the frontline deployment. So long as the Southern Legion does not directly declare war upon our faction, we shall not declare war upon them either. Instead, we will respond using an equivalent military strategy."

Looking at the astonished Fang Chang, Lao Bai grinned and continued.

"If they invade Bhairava Province in the guise of mercenaries to assist the puppet Xilan regime in realizing their ambitions, we shall break into smaller units and head to the front lines, joining the fray as volunteers!"

…

With the succession of Crown Prince Akbar and the ultimatum issued by the Southern Legion, the fuse planted in the powder keg of Bhairava Province was thoroughly ignited.

The war between the exiled regime of the Xilan Empire and the Mammoth Country had entered its final countdown.

Both sides were raising the stakes along their respective borders—on one side stood the Wilanth "mercenaries," while on the other stood the Moon Clan resistance fighters and the "volunteers" hailing from the Alliance.

What could not be seized through conspiracies and open schemes would ultimately have to be decided upon the field of battle.

Any discerning observer could see exactly who stood behind the warring parties, as well as what the objectives of the war truly were.

Yet even as people discerned a few clues from those subtle traces, they could only pray in silence that the scope of this calamity would not spread too far…

The battlefield atmosphere crew boarded the ship extradited to Triumph City, with Penny by his side as well.

Yarman fulfilled his promise, using his fleet to carve out a route for the survivors of Westsail Harbor to the Seacliff Province.

There were fleeing Moonfolk, blacklisted expeditionary soldiers, and a crowd of survivors from other wasteland regions. They would rebuild a new home on that land, which held nothing but hope...

Meanwhile, thirty legions of ten thousand men had already landed at Westsail Harbor, completing their final preparations before the invasion; the entire port was filled with soldiers.

On the other side, the distant Dawn City remained as calm as ever, just like Avent, the capital of the Southern Legion, with no trace of impending war in its streets and alleys.

This was, in fact, Chu Guang’s own intention.

Since this war could not escalate into a full-scale conflict, there was naturally no need for mobilization.

Moreover, the Alliance was no longer what it used to be—it was no longer that small organization struggling on the brink of death. There were still countless tasks to attend to, and it couldn’t pour all its strength into every single matter.

In Conference Hall No. 1 of the Alliance Tower.

Seated at the conference table, Chu Guang quietly scrolled through the forums, half-reading who was gossiping about his good looks behind his back, half-killing time before the meeting began.

After waiting for what felt like twenty minutes, he let out a soft sigh and spoke to the holographic screen.

“Not ready yet, Xiao Qi?”

A pale blue holographic light leaped out from the side of the screen, and Xiao Qi looked at him pitifully.

“Um, sorry, master... the communication distance is just too long, and the signal conditions in the Great Wasteland are extremely unstable. Our line is clear, but it seems the other side hasn’t connected with us.”

The Eastern Legion’s development of the Great Wasteland was minimal—practically nonexistent—only recently building a few outposts and such in the west.

But thanks to that, both sides could manage cross-regional communication through the “signal relay station” of Pioneer City, along with a few command vehicles and radios.

Yet the problem of intermittent signals persisted.

Just like now.

“You don’t need to apologize for someone else’s mistake; I’m just habitually urging...” Chu Guang glanced at the time on the screen. “It seems our friend isn’t very eager for this meeting. Maybe another day would be more suitable for a rendezvous.”

His time was not infinite; he couldn’t wait here forever.

Just as Chu Guang was about to rise and leave, the communication icon marked with an exclamation point on the holographic screen suddenly jumped to a single bar of signal.

“Got it!” Xiao Qi’s eyes lit up, and she vanished from the screen instantly.

At the same time, a beam of pale blue light shone in front of the conference table, and a fragmented holographic image gradually emerged from the light.

“Ahem! First meeting, esteemed Administrator of the Alliance. Unfortunately, our communications officer encountered a sandstorm. Apologies for keeping you waiting a while... I hope it wasn’t too long.”

Chu Guang was not unfamiliar with that ordinary-looking face.

After all, over the past year, the Eastern Legion and the Alliance had had no small amount of exchanges, and he had found various opportunities to see it.

But this was the first time they had met face-to-face.

Putting away his holographic stylus, Chu Guang calmly looked at the man standing in the holographic beam, a composed smile on his face.

“It’s a pity I did wait quite a while, but fortunately, it seems my wait was worthwhile.”

He paused, then continued.

“...It’s a pleasure to meet you, Lord Saren, Commander of the Eastern Legion.”