CHAPTER 437: CHAPTER 212: CANNON FODDER

It’s not only the Huaxia Army setting out.

As Chen Jian led the team away from Base 011, preparing to advance towards Baima Town to face the enemy, the Supreme Army gathered in Jinling City also began to move.

However, their direction of action was completely opposite to that of the Huaxia Army.

They were heading to the north side of Jinling City.

At this moment, just like Chen Jian, Zhang Tao had finished the pre-battle mobilization.

Looking at the massive and well-equipped Supreme Army about to depart, although he had just felt impassioned, there was a trace of worry in his eyes.

The Archbishop beside him noticed his emotion and stepped forward to say:

"My lord."

"You don’t need to worry too much."

"Our plan is perfect, and the preparations on all fronts are basically complete."

"Heading north from Jinling City, the Church Protection Army in various cities has already established multiple defense lines."

"They will consume much of the Beast Tide’s strength, and by the time the Supreme Army reaches Xuyi, the scale and impact of the Beast Tide should have significantly decreased."

"Moreover, we can rely on the natural water defense formed by Nushan Lake, Qili Lake, and the Hongze Lake line to block the Beast Tide’s attack."

"With the cover of giant cannons and heavy artillery, it shouldn’t be too difficult to stop the Beast Tide..."

"Not too difficult?"

A bitter smile appeared on Zhang Tao’s face.

"Actually, I remember, just a few months ago when I was still in the Guard Brigade, even a Level 4 monster would make us take things very seriously."

"And if it were a Level 3 monster, it would already make us feel like we were facing a great enemy."

"But now, we are facing a Beast Tide composed of hundreds, even two hundred monsters."

"And you actually think that stopping them won’t be too difficult."

"I don’t know either, whether it’s you who have changed, or we all have changed..."

As Zhang Tao’s voice fell, the Archbishop fell silent instantly.

Indeed.

What exactly has changed?

His gaze shifted to the well-equipped Supreme Army ready to set off, and after a brief pause, he spoke:

"Perhaps it really is that we all have changed."

"At least, the Supreme Army’s equipment is completely different from the Guard Brigade back then."

"We’ve abandoned the cumbersome armor and switched to lighter cloth armor and gear."

"We’ve replaced the weapons and equipped them with standardized Type 75 rifles."

"And those rocket launchers, those grenades, those giant cannons..."

"Perhaps the Huaxia Army is right."

"Only these equipments can allow our loyal soldiers to exert their maximum strength."

"Indeed."

Zhang Tao sighed lightly.

"So, the fact is, if we want to defeat the Huaxia Army—no, even if we just want to become as strong as they are, we all must align ourselves with their direction."

"We have become more and more like them, and in fact, I worry about this..."

"You don’t need to worry."

The Archbishop interjected:

"Equipment is just an external factor; these warriors are still the Holy Trinity’s most loyal flock."

"Their faith has never wavered, and it will not waver in the future."

"...That would be good."

Zhang Tao’s voice softened, as if talking to himself.

He subconsciously raised his hand to block the somewhat glaring sunlight, murmuring:

"If only we had ’airplanes’."

"Those angels belonging to the Holy Trinity originally should have provided us with more assistance."

"With airplanes, even relying solely on the Supreme Army, we could stop the Beast Tide’s attack."

"That way, we wouldn’t need to use one city after another on the north side as a ’barrier’ against monsters."

"Indeed."

The Archbishop sighed as well.

He then continued to say:

"We don’t have any choice right now."

"But I believe we’ll get through this soon."

"The Holy Artifact belonging to the Holy Trinity will ultimately return to His hand."

"And what we need to do is merely endure this crisis."

"I understand."

Zhang Tao nodded.

"You don’t need to say more."

"Now, we need to focus on what’s in front of us."

"So, do you think we can hold the Xuyi Defense Line?"

"Definitely!"

The Archbishop’s tone was firm.

"As I said, we can use the lakes as barriers."

"This is a tactic that has already been proven by the Huaxia Army."

"South of Jiujiang, they relied on just under 600 rabble and blocked the attack of a Beast Tide composed of nearly 200 monsters."

"What we have at our disposal is an elite force of a thousand."

"What they could accomplish, why can’t we do?"

"Even in terms of equipment, we’re not much different from them, right?"

"That’s true."

Saying this, a sneer appeared on Zhang Tao’s face.

"In terms of basic weaponry, they are quite generous, but once it involves the ’Mechanical Soul’, once it involves the true heritage and treasures of the Holy Trinity, they become stingy and closed to the extreme."

"Cunning... deceitful... or wise?"

"I really don’t know how to describe them."

Zhang Tao exhaled a long breath.

"Anyway, we should get moving."

"Order to set off."

"Our war has begun!"

...

Meanwhile.

Zhuolu City.

Outside the city, smoke signals rose, and monsters’ silhouettes loomed faintly in the morning sunlight.

This city had been surrounded by monsters, and the civilians who hadn’t managed to evacuate remained inside the city, no longer daring to flee into the wilderness teeming with monsters.

The city was filled with newly dug pits and piled earth, but these pits were not for burying corpses.

----In fact, bodies had not yet started to emerge.

Because the battle hadn’t really begun yet.

These pits were temporary "burrows" dug.

The desperate people were trying to use this method to evade the monsters’ attacks.

But even those desperately digging the holes knew in their hearts that this was merely a form of self-consolation.

If one could survive just by digging holes, why would humanity have been stalemated with monsters for over a century?

The purpose of doing this was merely to use "labor" to slightly alleviate their own fear and to keep themselves occupied.

The City Lord of Zhuolu City, along with the bishop of the Mechanical God Sect, did not stop this futile behavior.

For he knew he was no longer capable of saving the people here.

If he didn’t let them do something, the city might collapse into chaos and slaughter even before the monsters truly arrived.

Let them be...

The City Lord sighed, while the only remaining Holy Blood beside him asked:

"Have you made contact with the Holy Hall?"

"Will they send reinforcements to Zhuolu City?"

"I must know this as it will determine whether I leave or stay."

As the words fell, the City Lord smiled helplessly.

"If you can leave, then leave now."

"They’re not coming to save us anymore."

"What about the Supreme Army?"

The Holy Blood frowned and asked:

"I heard that the Supreme Army has already been dispatched."

"Indeed."

The City Lord nodded.

"The Supreme Army is moving north."

"But unfortunately, they’re not coming for us."

"They will establish defense lines around Xuyi to block the Beast Tide there."

Zhuolu City has been abandoned."

"We’re not something that must be saved."

"We are merely... cannon fodder to consume the monster’s strength for the Supreme Army."