The timing of this meeting suggested it was to discuss the defensive battle three days later.
Gu Ya didn't want to delay, but the desolate scene of ruin coupled with his somber mood made his legs feel as if lead had been poured into them, making it difficult to move.
Qiao Weiwei let out a soft "hmph," seemingly disappointed in his lack of progress, and turned to walk away.
This left Gu Ya alone, seated on the giant shoulder of a mecha, bathed in the dying rays of the setting sun.
Of course, Gu Ya didn't sit for long. Just ten minutes after Qiao Weiwei's departure, he finally couldn't resist the internal summons and slowly stood up, climbing into the mecha's cockpit.
The meeting was to be held in the eastern district of Xianxia City, several kilometers away.
The massive Youyin flew slowly through the air, and the further east he went, the better preserved the ground structures became, which gradually lifted Gu Ya's spirits.
Behind him was devastation; before him lay a city full of high technology.
Gu Ya didn't know what this portended. He hoped for a bright future and victory in the battle three days hence.
Ten minutes later, Youyin finally arrived beneath the building where the meeting was to take place. Previously, this had been a rather luxurious hotel for travelers. Judging by its opulence, it must have hosted many guests in its time.
However, it was now requisitioned by the military. Even if it hadn't been, it would have been deserted.
Gu Ya walked from the sunset into the light, treading the soft, beige illumination to the conference room on the fifth floor.
As soon as he pushed the door open, everyone seated around the circular conference table turned their gaze towards him.
Some had calm expressions, some brightened upon seeing Gu Ya, but most regarded him with a hint of caution and vigilance.
"Are they all Xianxia's War Gods?" Gu Ya mused inwardly.
There were a total of nine people seated around the circular conference table. There was a tall man with an upright posture, a plump man with a mysterious smile, a short woman in her thirties, and a young man only a few years older than Gu Ya.
Gu Ya also spotted Hong Yan among them. She was currently hooking her arm around the back of her chair, her expression casual, her eyes calmly fixed on Gu Ya.
The tall man pointed to the seat closest to the door at the conference table and said to Gu Ya in a firm voice, "You sit there."
This was normal. Gu Ya was not yet a Xianxia War God and had no epithet. His presence at the meeting was likely an exception, so it wasn't strange for him to be seated at the end.
After Gu Ya sat down, the others withdrew their scrutinizing gazes. It seemed as if in those few seconds, they had seen right through Gu Ya.
The War Gods seemed to possess an innate ability for instant recognition, much like Wang Shangmeng. Not to mention the War God with the highest strength in Xianxia, he was undoubtedly a master of understanding people.
With this thought, Gu Ya suddenly realized that among these people, he did not see the first War God of Xianxia, the old man with white hair and a placid expression.
"Could he have fallen?"
The others sat in silence, each lost in their own thoughts. After about an hour of this, the conference room door was pushed open again.
This time, several people in gray military uniforms entered. They held guns, blocking the doorway with their bodies, and formed two lines at the entrance, as if awaiting someone.
Soon, several footsteps of varying frequencies could be heard from outside the door.
Then, a slightly portly old man, not particularly tall, with a stern expression and determined steps, walked in and made his way towards the head of the conference table.
Everyone present quickly stood up, assuming a military posture. Gu Ya followed suit.
Behind the man were a man and a woman. The woman carried a black leather briefcase, while the man carried a black metal case.
Gu Ya's heart skipped a beat as he glanced at the metal black case. His system interface displayed: [Long-Range Control Cipherbox for Weapons of Mass Destruction].
This person's identity was not simple, which made Gu Ya recall Li Bojun, who had given him orders.
But reality surprised Gu Ya again.
The stern old man stood steadily at the head of the conference table, surveyed everyone, and said in a low, firm voice, "Everyone, the battle that will decide Xianxia's fate is upon us. I have decided to concentrate all forces from the various war zones within the cities. All twenty-four cities of Xianxia will enter urban warfare mode. Additionally, troops will be drawn from each war zone to reinforce Xianxia City."
The tall man seated to the old man's right said in a low voice, "Esteemed Chairman, we will fight with all our might to defend Xianxia City."
Chairman? Gu Ya was shocked. This man, not particularly tall and unremarkable in appearance, was actually the supreme ruler of Xianxia.
There were rumors that he had gone to the Northern Fort of Immortality, so why had he returned?
The old man looked at everyone, nodded heavily, and pressed his hands down, signaling everyone to sit. After everyone was seated, he continued in a heavy yet determined tone, "When the Xianxia building was destroyed, I happened to be at the front lines observing the battle and thus escaped. At this time, I will stand with all the soldiers to defend the city and will not retreat an inch."
"All war zones are currently rushing troops back to defend their respective cities. However, the enemy is too numerous. The reinforcements for Xianxia City need to break through the enemy's encirclement and will not arrive for at least five days. This means that with the current forces in Xianxia City, we must hold for two days before reinforcements arrive. And..."
The Chairman paused and said, "We do not know how many will be able to break through."
The Chairman's words were clear: the meager forces present must hold for two days. After two days, the reinforcements might be surprisingly few.
"Is Xianxia truly going to perish?" Gu Ya was inwardly stunned.
The Chairman continued, "I have just finished meeting with all the commanders. We have unanimously decided to fight to the death. They are the rear command, but the ones truly at the forefront are people like you."
"I, we, all of Xianxia, will not take a single step back."
At this moment, the conference room door was pushed open again.
The first War God of Xianxia, the white-haired middle-aged man, strode in. He sat in the seat to the Chairman's left and said quietly to the Chairman, "The elderly, weak, women, and children are evacuating in an orderly fashion. Selected female representatives are assisting the army in registering the information of those evacuating. The men have all decided to stay; they are currently writing their last wills."
The Chairman nodded gently, his tone heavy with a hint of emotion, "The people of Xianxia, regardless of their previous occupations or statuses, have now become as one. Esteemed colleagues, this is the spirit of Xianxia. Every one of us is doing wonderfully."
After speaking, the Chairman slightly turned his head and nodded at the woman standing behind him.
The woman opened the black leather briefcase, took out a portable holographic system computer, clicked it open, and pushed it towards the conference table.
A large holographic screen appeared in the center of the table.
"The list of new Xianxia War Gods. To facilitate identification, the Chairman has decided to disclose the information of all War Gods," the woman stated calmly.
"As of now, ten of the thirty-six War Gods have fallen, and one new one has been added. A total of twenty-seven War Gods."
"The newly added twenty-seventh War God is currently the captain of Eagle Squad Three, Gu Ya. His exclusive mecha models are Youyin, Yueying, and Kongnie. He currently has no epithet."
As the woman read out Gu Ya's information, everyone looked at Gu Ya seated at the end. Undoubtedly, he was the youngest War God currently on record.
The first-ranked War God cast a sideways glance at Gu Ya, a complex emotion flickering in his eyes.
"Twenty-six, Sha Xin, currently in the Yongguozhilan War Zone, exclusive mecha 'Taihu', epithet Qianjiu Hu."
"Twenty-five, Gao Xing Shui, currently in the Huangjizhi Ge War Zone, exclusive mecha 'Shan Bai Bi', no epithet yet."
"Twenty-four, Ju Tengwang, Northern Fort of Immortality War Zone, exclusive mecha 'Dianhai Shanda o', no epithet yet."
...
"Twenty, Wang Shangmeng, Kuanghaizhifeng War Zone, exclusive mecha 'Qilinlong 003', no epithet."
...
"Thirteen, Hong Yan, Xianxiazhiding War Zone, old exclusive mecha 'Wujiban Zhihong', has been given to her disciple Qiao Weiwei to use, current exclusive mecha 'Yan Hong Long'."
...
Next were the top ten ranked War Gods. Their real names were still not revealed, all using pseudonyms.
"Ten, Pseudonym Tengguang Jian, Northern Fort of Immortality, exclusive mecha 'Tanghua Jian'."
"Nine, Pseudonym Lang Wankun, Kuanghaizhifeng, exclusive mecha 'Bihai Zhinu', he is currently the strongest mecha pilot in the Kuanghaizhifeng War Zone." 138 Reading Network
"Eight, Pseudonym Liu Yin Xia, Xianxiazhiding, exclusive mecha 'Zhongjian Bajv'."
The plump man nodded at everyone with a smile.
"Seven, Pseudonym Bai Ling, Xianxiazhiding, exclusive mecha 'Bailing Chaofeng'."
The short woman in her thirties smiled shyly at everyone.
"Six, Pseudonym Hua Shengfeng, Huangjizhi Ge, exclusive mecha 'Wanfeng Tianshen', he is currently the strongest mecha pilot in the Huangjizhi Ge War Zone."
"Five, Pseudonym 206, Northern Fort of Immortality, exclusive mecha 'Jiudian Shou', he is currently the strongest mecha pilot in the Northern Fort of Immortality War Zone."
"Four, Liang Yuwei, Yongguozhilan, no exclusive mecha, currently the strongest mecha pilot in Yongguozhilan, and also Xianxia's strongest battlefield mecha mechanic."
"Three, Pseudonym Shen Jingming, Xianxiazhiding, exclusive mechas 'Hei Qiang', 'Hei Long', 'Hei Difu'."
The young man only a few years older than Gu Ya calmly stood up, bowed slightly to everyone, and then sat down steadily.
Gu Ya was surprised that someone so young held the third strongest rank.
"Two, Pseudonym Shu Feizhang, Xianxiazhiding, exclusive mecha 'Ba Can Ji'."
The tall man seated to the Chairman's right nodded calmly at everyone.
Finally, the woman stated steadily, "First rank, pseudonym, Ye Zhenjun."