Countdown to War

Port Jin-Gallon. Alliance Military Base. Sitting on a bench near the save point, Fang Chang meticulously flipped through a copy of the *Survivor Daily*. Due to business involving Baiyue Company that required his attention, he had returned to Dawn City early last month before traveling to Ideal City to handle matters with the Changyue Group. It was not until late last night, after a series of transfers, that he finally made it back to Port Jin-Gallon. He had kept up with the situation in Bolo Province via the forums, even offering somewhat unpolished advice to some of the new players drawn into the events. However, to gain a more thorough understanding of local developments, he followed the advice of Yodu, secretary to the Governor's Mansion, and visited the local newspaper office to purchase a bound volume of the *Survivor Daily*. This was an innovation by the local *Survivor Daily* branch, which built upon the foundation of Dawn City's original edition and devised its own publishing format. With breaking news breaking out constantly in the region, special extra editions were printed every few days, making it easy to miss crucial information if one was not paying close attention. In this prosperous financial and trade hub, information meant money. Thus, at the request of readers, every month the *Survivor Daily* distilled key information from the previous month's headlines and extras, assembling them into a compilation for observers to pore over or keep as a collectible. Beyond that, there were quarterly and annual omnibus editions, typically featuring the prominent figure of that quarter or year on the cover. By now, branches of the *Survivor Daily* across settlements like Dawn City and Boulder City had also adopted this publishing model. Although the Port Jin-Gallon edition was an imitator, the Alliance was never overly pedantic about such things. After all, the Administrator had once remarked that as long as a voice was progressive, even if it emerged from the rotten boards of an ancient coffin, it was progressive all the same. What Fang Chang held in his hands at this moment was the quarterly compilation from the Port Jin-Gallon *Survivor Daily*, which effectively laid out the events of the recent period. *["Back from the Dead"! Cathedral Massacre Survivors Return to West Sail Port—A Miracle of the Silver Moon Goddess?!]* *[Abuseke Issues Public Statement Claiming He Personally Instructed Anwo to Secretly Evacuate Survivors from the Silver Moon Sect's Cathedral, Stating Reform Must Not Aim for Bloodshed, Even Wilante Blood.]* *[Bolo State Representative Anwo Gives Interview, Disclosing Unknown Details of the West Sail Port Massacre! Janusz Personally Ordered the Slaughter of Civilians in the Harbor District; Over Two Hundred Survivors Hung by a Thread!]* *[Envoy "Pangolin," Sent on Behalf of Triumph City to Bolo State, Arrested by Southern Legion, Highlighting Fierce Factional Strife Within the Legion!]* *[A Second Fire Ignited?! West Sail Port Massacre Repeats! Family Association and Other Civic Organizations Swept in Legion Bloodbath; Multiple Alliance Affiliates Deported.]* *[West Sail Port Authorities Sign Executive Order Banning the Family Association! Over 7,000 Members Arrested; Nearly a Thousand Executed by Firing Squad!]* *[Alliance Foreign Minister Cheng Yan Strongly Condemns Southern Legion's Barbaric Actions! Demands Immediate Halt to Persecution of Innocent Survivors!]* *[Suspected Infighting at the Highest Levels of Bolo State?! "Leopard King" Nigeli Furiously Blasts Abuseke's Policy of Appeasement, Accusing the Administration of Leaving West Sail Port's Survivors to Be Butchered by the Legion!]* *[Armed Petitions Spread Like Wildfire?! Demonstrations Erupt Anew in Tiandu! Reformist Junior Officers March in the Streets, Demanding Authorities Revoke Treaties Involving West Sail Port and Sever All Ties without Illusion!]* *[Abuseke Offers Passive Response to Demands of Junior Officers, Stating Bolo State Currently Lacks Strength to Reclaim West Sail Port and Will Not Abandon Negotiations with Triumph City.]* *[General Gulion Issues Defiant Response to Alliance Condemnation, Declaring West Sail Port a Gift from the Empire to the Legion, Warning Alliance It Has No Right to Meddle, and Continues Funneling Troops to West Sail Port!]* *[Outrage Across Heaven and Earth! West Sail Port Incident Makes Front Page of Dawn City's Survivor Daily!]* *[Lovett, Chairman of Boulder City's Workers' Association and City Lord, Vows Never to Abandon Suffering Laborers, Declaring Boulder City Will Support West Sail Port in Its Own Way!]* *[Protests Erupt Across Port Jin-Gallon, Tiger State, Leopard State, and Mammoth State! Participants Are Mostly Young Workers, Officers, and Students; Beyond Voicing Solidarity with West Sail Port Survivors, They Petition Authorities to Declare War on Southern Legion.]* *[Port Jin-Gallon Craftsmen's Representatives Furiously Denounce Federation's Weakness! Legion Provokes Repeatedly, Yet the Federation Pours Cold Water on Its Own People!]* *[Family Association Flees into Exile in Bolo State; Chairman Zayed Gives Exclusive Interview to This Paper's Front-Line Reporters in Lion City, Recounting Injustices Suffered by Laborers in West Sail Port.]* *[Tough Guy or Coward? West Sail Port Demands Extradition of Family Association Chairman Zayed; Abuseke Adamantly Refuses, Yet Keeps Wary Eye on Family Association at Every Turn!]* *[Front-Line Tensions Escalate as Southern Legion Deploys 902mm Heavy Siege Artillery!]* *[Negotiations Succeed! Representatives of Bolo Province's States Sign Ceasefire Agreement Under Alliance Mediation!!]* *[Gray Wolf Army Defeated; Remnants Scatter in Western Horse State.]* *[Nearly 2,000 Officers Head to Tiandu from Mammoth State, Tiger State, Leopard State, and Rowell State! Bolo Province's United Front Takes Preliminary Shape!]* The final article concerned the Emperor of Xilan, though it contained only a few brief words. *[The Death of Wutuo.]* Having reached the end, Fang Chang closed the newspaper and set it beside him. Just then, Lao Bai, who had just finished teaching a class for the young officers of Port Jin-Gallon, strolled over, took a seat beside him, and chuckled. "Why didn't you say anything when you arrived? I thought you were still on the plane." Fang Chang offered a faint smile. "I only touched down last night, then went straight to a meeting at the Governor's Mansion. Haven't had a free moment until now... I originally planned to tell you once I logged off, but then I remembered the save point was right here in the military camp, so I just came over." "Wait a sec." With that, Lao Bai stood up, walked over to a vending machine near the save point, bought two cans of coffee, and returned, handing one to Fang Chang. Accepting the can, Fang Chang pulled the tab and took a sip. "Thanks... Honestly, you even have vending machines here now." "Well, this save point has been running for almost two months," Lao Bai said casually with a grin. "By the way, how are things going with the space elevator? Progressing smoothly?" Fang Chang replied offhandedly, "Quite well. For some reason, the Academy suddenly abandoned its earlier uncooperative stance and actually took the initiative to offer us gravity well technology." Lao Bai's eyebrows twitched slightly. "Their terms can't be cheap, right?" Fang Chang nodded. "Definitely not cheap. Their list of conditions was as long as an Enterprise contract... But simply put, it's a technology-for-equity swap. And once the space elevator is finished, we have to build them a colony ship according to their specifications, with standards no lower than the stranded *Zhiyuan* in Ideal City. When the time comes, they'll return their shares as agreed." Lao Bai gave a wry smile. "That might end up being even more expensive than the space elevator itself." He had seen what the *Zhiyuan* looked like. The tallest skyscraper in Ideal City looked like a mere chopstick in front of that behemoth. Fang Chang nodded. "For now, that's true. But it's not without benefits for us. If they want us to manufacture it for them, they have to supply the corresponding technologies. For two centuries, they've been collating the technological legacy of the Era of Prosperity. That's going to be an enormous treasure trove." Lao Bai paused, stroking his chin thoughtfully. "Thinking of it that way, it's actually quite a bargain." Fang Chang smiled faintly. "More than just a bargain... Our friends in Ideal City were utterly flabbergasted. They spent over a century failing to pry the Academy's jaws open, yet we managed it in two or three years, and even got those folks to cough up so much good stuff." "Engineers at Ideal Group are already figuring out how to apply anti-gravity technology to construction. The Enterprise is about to see a new surge in profits... And naturally, so are we. In fact, since we're still a blank slate in many fields, we'll grow even faster than them." Given what he knew of the Alliance's Administrator, that gentleman never entered a losing trade. He had surely foreseen this day from the very beginning. Now, the space elevator was transforming from an unprofitable scientific research venture into an international megaproject that offered a win-win outcome for every party involved. Even though most games granted their NPCs cheats for the sake of balance and gameplay, Fang Chang could not help admiring Chu Guang's methods. Whether in capability or vision, the man was second to none. "...There's not much to say about the space elevator for now. At this stage, it's mainly a matter for the scholars and engineers. All we need to do is provide them with a stable environment where they can fully unleash their talents and creativity." "Right now, the most pressing matter is still the situation in Bolo Province. As things stand, this land has dragged in all the major survivor factions across the Central Continent." Fang Chang paused, took another sip of coffee, and looked at Lao Bai. "By the way, have they figured out Wutuo's cause of death?" That guy had died far too conveniently. It was hard not to suspect foul play. Hearing the question, Lao Bai wore an odd expression. "...You might not believe it, but the guy died of diabetes." "Dia... diabetes?" Fang Chang froze, completely baffled. Many incurable diseases in the real world could only be managed with maintenance therapy, yet in the wasteland, they were considered minor ailments. Not only were there treatments, but multiple avenues of approach. The simplest, crudest method was replacement—swap out whatever was failing. And if all else failed, Xiao Yu could give it a touch, rolling the dice on a glorious evolution. In an era more cyberpunk than *2077*, dying of diabetes was something Fang Chang simply could not fathom. Even if the man lacked Alliance medical insurance, he certainly wasn't short on money, was he?! Lao Bai's expression was equally complicated. "His medical records show that a few months ago, he was sent to a hospital on the outskirts of Port Jin-Gallon for an examination. Back then, they diagnosed him with diabetes and cardiovascular disease. The doctor recommended cybernetic implants, but the imperial ministers traveling with him refused, so they switched to medication..." Pausing, he let out a sigh. "Don't just think it's bizarre—even I suspect those ministers had sinister motives. Every single one of them put on a tearful show of grief, but deep down, they probably couldn't wait for him to kick the bucket." From the standpoint of the emperor or the imperial clan, the Alliance—which harbored no appetite for territory—was far more dependable than the Legion, even if the latter had enjoyed closer ties with them. From the ministers' perspective, however, that was not necessarily the case. The empire didn't belong to them anyway. What did it matter who signed their paychecks? Such were the inherent defects of feudalism. A system that appeared solid on the surface was actually held together by the mutual friction and internal depletion among various classes. As a result, while the empire seemed like a colossus from the outside, its net cohesion was negative. Now that Wutuo was dead, Xilan had truly drawn its final breath. "...Leave Wutuo's cause of death to the local police to investigate. There's no point in us meddling; it doesn't matter anyway. He couldn't accomplish anything while alive, let alone dead." Rubbing the bridge of his nose with an index finger, Fang Chang looked back at Lao Bai. "What about the Legion? They probably had a hand in his death. I'd wager they got the news even before we did." Lao Bai nodded, his expression turning solemn. "Our intel matches your guess. Almost immediately after Wutuo died, the Legion announced the Emperor's passing, while aboard the ship, Prince Dilip was still racking his brains trying to figure out how to gag everyone and keep the news contained aboard..." A helpless smile broke across Fang Chang's face. "What was he thinking?" How was that any different from plugging one's ears while stealing a bell? Did he think no one else could hear just because he covered his own ears? Lao Bai shook his head. "Who knows? Maybe Wutuo said something to him. Only he knows for sure... In any case, shortly after that, Crown Prince Akbar, who had fled into exile in West Sail Port, proclaimed his succession to the throne and scheduled the coronation ceremony for three days from now." Pausing, Lao Bai continued, "At the same time, General Gulion, the Southern Legion's theater commander for Bolo Province, issued an ultimatum to Mammoth State, demanding they withdraw from the northern three states within seventy-two hours and return the illegally occupied territories." Fang Chang's eyes narrowed slightly. "If Laxi yields to their demands, their next target will be Ox State in Bolo State." "Yeah," Lao Bai agreed with a nod. "That's what we think too, so we reached out to Laxi... He was quite easy to talk to, completely unlike Abuseke. From the very beginning, he harbored no illusions about negotiating with the Legion." "Abuseke is our biggest liability," Fang Chang said, his gaze dropping to the newspaper beside him. "He's nothing like Laxi. He lacks the courage to be an autocrat, yet he can't bear to relinquish power. Indecision is a cardinal sin in times like these." Lao Bai sighed. "Vannus is worried about him too, but we don't have a better alternative right now. You can't expect every card in your hand to be an ace." "Fair point... Only seventy-two hours left until war breaks out." Setting his coffee down on the bench, Fang Chang picked up the newspaper once more. "Fortunately, the united front has formed. There's only one issue remaining. If the Southern Legion declares war on Mammoth State in the name of the Xilan Empire, it becomes an imperial civil war. If we deploy our troops directly, I'm afraid it might undo the progress the Slime Mold Consortium has achieved." Not just the Consortium's gains—it might even trigger a repeat of the Battle of Sunset. If that fire truly caught, the entire Central Continent could be swept into the blaze. Previously, the Alliance had only faced the Eastern Legion's expansionist faction, which had already been crippled by the Great Rift Valley. Now, they were confronting the entire Southern Legion, which had reached an internal consensus. This thorniness went far beyond the battlefield, spilling heavily into the geopolitical arena. Seeing Fang Chang's furrowed brow, Lao Bai smiled. "Actually... you don't need to worry about that. Yesterday, the Administrator called specifically about this matter." Fang Chang lowered the newspaper, casting a surprised glance at Lao Bai. "What did he say on the phone?" Lao Bai chuckled. "He told us not to worry. After concluding his visit to Port Jin-Gallon, the Alliance's Foreign Minister traveled to the Eastern Legion's capital to negotiate, facilitated by Bannote, and has already achieved certain results." "I don't know the exact details, but according to the outcome of the talks, the Eastern Legion explicitly stated it will 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 was startled, then pressed, "What about Triumph City?" Lao Bai continued, "The same goes for Triumph City. In fact, they'd love for us to teach the Southern Legion a harsh lesson, preferably one like the Great Rift Valley dealt to the Eastern Legion. While they can't offer us much direct support, they've promised this war won't affect cooperation between us, let alone escalate into total war... In return, though, they hope we'll do our best not to spread the flames of war to each other's homelands and cause heavy civilian casualties." "Based on these factors, the Administrator has issued new instructions for front-line deployment. As long as the Southern Legion does not declare war directly on us, we will not declare war on them either, but instead respond with symmetrical military measures." Looking at the astonished Fang Chang, Lao Bai grinned. "If they invade Bolo Province as 'mercenaries' to help the puppet Xilan regime realize its ambitions, we'll disperse our forces, head to the front lines, and enter the war as 'volunteers'!" ... With Crown Prince Akbar's ascension and the Southern Legion's ultimatum, the fuse plugged into the powder keg of Bolo Province was fully lit. The war between the exiled Xilan regime and Mammoth State entered its final countdown. Both sides raised the stakes along their respective borders: on one side stood Wilante "mercenaries"; on the other, the Moon Clan resistance fighters and "volunteers" from the Alliance. What neither overt strategy nor covert schemes could secure would ultimately be settled on the battlefield. Any discerning eye could see who stood behind the opposing factions and what their true war aims were. Yet even having glimpsed the signs, people could only pray in silence that the catastrophe would not spread too far... Battlefield Atmosphere Group boarded the ship bound for extradition to Triumph City, with Penny accompanying him at his side. Arman fulfilled his promise, using his fleet to open a maritime route for the survivors of West Sail Port to Haiya Province. There were fleeing Moon Clan refugees, stranded expeditionary soldiers who had stayed off the books, and a host of survivors from other parts of the wasteland. Upon that land, where nothing existed except hope, they would build a new home from the ground up... Meanwhile, thirty legions of ten thousand men from the Southern Legion had already landed at West Sail Port, completing their final preparations before the invasion. Soldiers filled every corner of the harbor. On the other side, distant Dawn City remained calm and serene, just like Avent, the capital of the Southern Legion; on the streets and in the alleys, not a trace of impending war could be seen. This, in fact, was Chu Guang's intention. Since this conflict would not escalate into total war, there was naturally no need for mobilization. Moreover, the Alliance was no longer the fledgling organization of the past struggling on the brink of survival. It had a vast array of tasks on its plate and could not afford to expend all its energy on every single conflict. Inside Conference Hall No. 1 of the Alliance building. Sitting before the conference table, Chu Guang quietly scrolled through the forums, killing time before the meeting by checking who was talking behind his back about how handsome he was. After waiting for about twenty minutes, he sighed softly and spoke toward the holographic screen. "Still not ready, Xiao Qi?" A pale blue holographic figure popped up from the side of the screen, looking at him pitifully. "Ugh, sorry Master... The communication distance is just too great, and conditions across the Great Desert are extremely unstable. Our line is clear, but their side hasn't connected to us yet." The Eastern Legion had barely developed the Great Desert—practically not at all, having only recently built a few survey stations in the west. Still, thanks to those efforts, the two sides were able to manage "inter-regional" communication through Pioneer City as a relay station, combined with a few command vehicles and radio stations. Yet the issue of intermittent signals persisted. Just like right now. "There's no need to apologize for someone else's mistake. I was just prodding out of habit..." Chu Guang glanced at the time on the screen. "It seems our friend isn't terribly eager for this meeting. Perhaps rescheduling for another day would be better." His time was not limitless; he couldn't sit here waiting indefinitely. Just as Chu Guang was about to stand and leave, the communication icon marked with an exclamation point on the holographic screen suddenly flickered to life with a single bar of signal. "It's connected!" Xiao Qi's eyes lit up, and she instantly vanished from the screen. At the same time, a pale blue beam of light illuminated the space right in front of the conference table, and a flickering holographic figure gradually coalesced within the beam. "Ahem! A pleasure to meet you, esteemed Administrator of the Alliance. Unluckily, our signal corps ran into a sandstorm. My apologies for keeping you waiting... I hope it wasn't too long." Chu Guang was no stranger to the unremarkable face before him. After all, interactions between the Eastern Legion and the Alliance had not been infrequent over the past year, giving him plenty of opportunities to see it. Still, this was their first face-to-face exchange. Pocketing his holographic stylus, Chu Guang looked steadily at the man standing within the beam of light and offered an easy, composed smile. "Regrettably, I did wait quite a while, but fortunately, it seems my patience has been rewarded." Pausing, he continued, "...A pleasure to meet you, Commander of the Eastern Legion, Mr. Salen."