Chapter 590: Pre-war Preparations

Half a day later.

Federation headquarters, highest readiness hall.

All external screens switched to the same image.

Lord Wei stood on the podium, with no slogans behind him, nor any inspiring motto.

Only a continuously refreshing list of names.

These are all confirmed sacrificed investigators, soldiers, security officers, and Folk Uncanny Practitioners since the Weird descended.

Someone died inside the Weird Domain.

Someone died in the Fake Person purge.

Someone died before the Gospel Church's flesh-and-blood altar.

Many more people didn't even have time to leave their names.

The hall was filled with people.

The front row were Night Watcher core members.

Jiang Yuan carried his Card Bag, his combat uniform still bearing scratches from the front line.

Su Ming leaned against the chair back, not lifting his head.

Qin Zhixia's mechanical prosthetic arm rested on his knee, its metal joints gently closing.

Liang Wen, unusually, had no pose.

He pulled up the collar of his black Windcoat, his peach-blossom eyes fixed on the names on the screen, motionless for a long time.

L sat behind the console, black-rimmed glasses reflecting the data stream.

She suddenly spoke.

"Global war readiness response rate, 93.7%."

"Defense lines everywhere have achieved three-level linkage."

"Registered Folk Uncanny Practitioners applying to fight: 214,609."

Liang Wen turned his head.

"That many?"

L replied.

"There are still people lining up."

Liang Wen muttered softly.

"I originally thought saving the world would mainly rely on looks and a cape."

Su Ming glanced at him.

"You have the looks, but no cape."

"You don't understand anything."

Liang Wen placed his hand on his chest.

"This is called a low-key kingly aura."

Jiang Yuan didn't respond.

Another name popped up on the screen.

Lei Yu.

Su Ming lifted his head.

That person had left the path for him before dying.

Now, more and more people stand here.

But the more this happens, the less Su Ming dares to relax.

The gods have not shown themselves.

The truly terrifying things never need to step onto the stage.

Lord Wei picked up the microphone.

The hall fell silent.

"I will not speak of victory today."

As the opening sentence, it made many people raise their heads.

"Because no one can guarantee victory."

"The enemy we face can create Weird, rewrite rules, and control hearts."

"Lu Dou, Sai Men, Crown of Sin, Blood Moon, Fake Person, Gospel Church—behind all these disasters lies the same hand."

Lord Wei paused.

Beneath his white hair, that face showed no hint of manipulative expression.

"Someone asks, since the enemy is this strong, why should humanity still fight?"

"The answer is simple."

"Because if we don't fight, we don't even qualify to be human."

On the screen, the casualty list stopped scrolling.

Lord Wei raised his hand, pointing backward.

"Over these past years, we have retreated."

"When the Weird Domain descended, we retreated."

"When Fake Persons infiltrated, we retreated."

"When Folk Uncanny Practitioners lost control, we retreated."

With each step we retreat, someone stays behind to cover the rear.

Those people never asked whether they could survive.

They only asked one thing.

Wei Gong spoke.

Can those behind survive?

Inside the hall, someone lowered their head.

A young security officer gripped his helmet, the back of his hand covered in old wounds.

He was originally just an ordinary policeman at a precinct.

Only after the Suppress Spook Bullet was put into use did he first realize that ordinary people could also handcuff a Spook Master and put them in a vehicle.

But when facing a deity, is the Suppress Spook Bullet still useful?

He didn't dare ask.

Nor did he need to ask.

Wei Gong's gaze swept over everyone.

"The gods want to treat us as experimental subjects."

"Then let them see clearly."

"Humans are not a petri dish."

"Not data."

"Nor are we sheep to be picked at will."

"We will feel fear, we will flee, we will make mistakes."

"But as long as one person remains standing, humanity will not surrender its choice."

The last sentence fell.

Inside the hall, there was first silence.

Immediately after, someone, starting from somewhere unknown, raised a hand and slapped the tabletop.

The second slap.

The third slap.

The applause grew denser.

Jiang Yuan stood up, his right hand pressed against his chest.

"Night Watcher Jiang Yuan, I request battle."

Su Ming gathered the fragments of the Time Marrow Worm back into his palm.

"Su Ming, I request battle."

Qin Zhixia rose, her mechanical prosthetic arm emitting a low metallic grinding sound.

"Qin Zhixia, I request battle."

Liang Wen finally straightened up.

He lifted his chin, his black windcoat flinging back.

"Abyss Walker Liang Wen."

"Apply to give the gods a lesson, a public lecture on how humans are not to be trifled with."

Su Ming added, expressionless.

"Suggest deleting the latter half."

Liang Wen glanced at him.

"You lack passion."

"I have it."

Su Ming said.

"I'm just not as outwardly expressive as you."

L raised a hand.

"Lin Linling, I request battle."

She paused for half a second.

"After the mission ends, I need to take three days of compensatory leave."

Liang Wen froze.

"Can that also be requested?"

"Yes."

"Then I, the prince, request ten days off."

L looked at him.

"Rejected."

"Why?"

"Your total time slacking off this month adds up to forty-eight hours."

Liang Wen opened his mouth.

Half a day later, he raised his hand and pointed at the control panel.

"This belongs to pre-battle settlement."

"The data is true."

"It's too true, and that hurts."

Someone in the hall couldn't hold back a laugh.

The thing weighing on everyone's chest was torn open a crack by these few words.

But no one relaxed because of it.

Because the alarm hadn't been lifted.

Outside the headquarters, the red warning lights that had been sounding continuously for several days suddenly went out.

L looked up.

"Application for outer perimeter permission."

"Identity verification in progress."

The screen switched to the base's outer wall.

The first unit to appear on camera had no uniforms and no numbers.

The people from the Ferry Port of the old city district have arrived.

Ji Bai held up the Old Black Umbrella with its worn rim, his black waterproof coat pulled up to his chin.

Behind him followed rows of Fierce Ghosts.

Du Yan the old ghost held up half an iron chain.

The resentful infant Xiao Li sat on a female ghost's shoulder, clutching the coin replica left by Ji Bai.

Lin Zhi walked at the forefront.

Her spiritual body's edge floated with Blue Flame of the Nether, her face showing little expression.

When the Ferry Port Hundred Ghosts entered the alert zone, the outer perimeter special police instinctively gripped their guns.

Ji Bai stopped.

Beyond the barrier, he looked toward Jiang Yuan.

"We've come to join the battle."

Jiang Yuan, through the screen, met that pair of weary eyes.

Ji Bai did not salute.

Nor did he say anything about pleasant cooperation.

He only added a sentence.

"Since you invited us, don't be so wary."

"Now that we know who's behind all this, let's end it all."

Wei Gong stood on the podium, silent for a long time.

Then he raised his right hand.

"Federation Investigation Bureau, in the name of the human faction, welcomes Ferry Port to join the front line."

Ji Bai nodded.

The Old Black Umbrella lifted slightly.

The Ferry Port Hundred Ghosts silently walked into the base.

The second identity verification door opened.

Large patches of blue flame rose from the ground.

Lin Fan walked out of the fire.

A simple black coat, jeans, his right eye azure, his left eye still retaining the stubbornness of youth.

Ling Xinyu stood beside him.

She had restored her original appearance, a white top, hair tied up, but her complexion remained excessively pale.

Lin Fan looked up at the high wall.

"Are you short of people?"

Liang Wen shouted through the screen.

"Short."

"Short of those who can press down and beat a Zhun S Ji."

Lin Fan ignored him.

Ling Xinyu walked to Lin Fan's side, her fingertip writing two characters in his palm.

"Be careful."

Lin Fan grasped her hand.

"Rest assured."

"This time it's not just the two of us."

As the words fell, footsteps came from the other end of the high wall.

Chen Shao appeared.

Black coat, behind him followed Xu An, Guo Zixuan, and a batch of Eden Garden's core anomaly controllers.

Chen Shao stopped at the edge of the high wall.

He first glanced toward the medical area where Chen Yao was, then turned his gaze back to Jiang Yuan.

"Don't misunderstand."

"Eden Garden has never been part of the Investigation Bureau."

Jiang Yuan rarely laughed, then asked.

"What are you here for?"

Chen Shao raised his hand, the Demon Eye in his palm slowly opened.

The gods want to treat everyone as chess pieces.

I don't like others touching my chessboard.

Xu An stood behind Chen Shao, his sutured lips not opening.

He raised the red wood ruler, writing two characters in his palm.

Join the battle.

Inside and outside the high walls, the Federation, Ferry Port, Eden Garden, and Symbiotic Fierce Ghosts—factions that would have fought to the death on meeting—stood together in the same area for the first time.

No one shook hands.

No one spoke of trust.

Yet everyone walked toward the headquarters' main battle zone.

Jiang Yuan watched this scene, the breath held in his chest finally finding an outlet.

Humans never lack contradictions.

What is lacking is an enemy that leaves everyone with no retreat.

And now, there is.

Qiu Ce Yuan.

In the infirmary.

Chu Che sat behind the desk, his doctor's lab coat neat and unwrinkled.

The computer on the desk was playing footage of the headquarters.

Wei Yan's lecture ended.

All factions completed their entry.

Weaponry depot access rights were opened.

Suppress Spook Bullets, Rules Containers, and Harmony Project devices were transported to various battle zones.

Chu Che raised his hand and pushed up his gold-thread glasses.

On the screen, Jiang Yuan and Ji Bai brushed past each other.

Lin Fan stood beside Ling Xinyu.

Chen Shao stood on the high wall, with Eden Garden behind him.

These people had once guarded against each other, used each other, and even hated each other enough to want to kill.

Now they stood together for the same goal.

Chu Che watched for a long time.

His expression was gentle.

That gentleness, however, lacked any human warmth.

Sai Men sat on the windowsill, a light laugh coming from beneath his gray mask.

Really lively.

Your sheep have finally learned to line up and enter the pen.

Chu Che did not answer.

He took a snow-white handkerchief from his pocket.

The gold-thread glasses were removed and placed on the desk.

The handkerchief wiped the lens edges, the motion slow, meticulous to the point of being almost harsh.

Sai Men tilted his head.

Are you happy?

Their cohesion exceeds expectations.

Chu Che spoke.

Fear did not crush them.

Good.

Only thus can they withstand higher-intensity treatment.

Sai Men laughed even happier.

You can finally complete the last treatment?

Chu Che finished wiping the lenses and put the glasses back on.

When he lifted his head again, the warmth behind the lenses had vanished.

On the screen, the human army was gathering.

Chu Che watched that scene, his fingers lightly tapping the desk.

Treatment has never been about soothing.

First, expose all the lesions completely.

Then thoroughly excise and heal.

The computer screen suddenly popped up a scarlet prompt.

Conditions for overt divine intervention.

One hundred percent.

Chu Che raised his hand and pressed confirm.

Observation ended.

Surgery begins.

He curled his lips.