106: There is no such thing as a peaceful and tranquil life.

Shen Xiaochuan stood before the sand table, looking at the location of the black stone mine. The faith points on the screen were constantly rising. He stared at the map of the Japanese Gods' domain, his mind racing with thoughts.

At this moment, the communication channel rang.

"Yue Zhengzhong is third, Zhang Zhiyi is fourth, Wang Lin is fifth, and even Mu Guiying has entered the top five." Shen Xiaochuan whispered these names, his lips curling slightly, a hint of approval in his eyes. "We Huaxia have capable people too."

He opened the leaderboard and looked through them one by one. These people hadn't relied on stacking resources; they had fought their way up. He knew their combat power all exceeded eight hundred, with some nearing one thousand.

The chat channel suddenly flooded with messages.

[New God · Northern District]: "Just discovered a Black Rock Water Mine, very high purity! Coordinates sent!"

[New God · Western Wasteland]: "I found one too, but it's surrounded by exotic beasts, and I can't hold it."

[Mid-tier Deity · East Sea]: "Newbies, don't run around blindly. The outside is all territory of the old gods; you'll be killed as soon as you come out."

Shen Xiaochuan scrolled through the messages, seeing more and more new gods reporting resource points. Some wanted to seize them, some wanted to hide, and even more were asking how to survive.

A new message popped up.

[Yue Zhengzhong]: "All Huaxia Deities, pay attention. I have built a gathering area in the east, coordinates X-128, Y-307. Those willing to come, head this way. We don't seek hegemony, just a place to stay."

Three seconds after the message was sent, hundreds of replies flooded in.

[Response]: "Received! Leaving immediately!"

[Response]: "Too far, it'll take half a month to get there!"

[Doubt]: "Can you handle it alone? The Japanese Gods have already started clearing the area."

Shen Xiaochuan closed the group chat and looked at the enemy situation map. Yue Zhengzhong was indeed near the Huaxia base camp, but it was over three thousand kilometers away from him. Even at full speed, it would take more than ten days to arrive.

"Wait for you all to come?" Shen Xiaochuan sneered, his eyes filled with disdain. "By the time you arrive, it will be too late for everything."

He reopened the map and zoomed in on the rear of the Japanese Gods' territory. There were over a dozen small divine domains there, with weak defenses. Some hadn't even finished building their walls, and their resource fields were completely exposed.

"The main forces are all at the front line." He pointed at a divine domain marked in red. "No one is guarding this place. They think the rear is safe and no one dares to come."

His finger moved to another point.

"I can hit here first." He said. "Hit and run, don't give them time to react."

The communicator rang.

"Brother Shen, the progress of the second batch of power armor in the Industrial Zone is at sixty percent. The first batch will be ready in two hours," Lolia said.

"Don't stop." He said. "Continue production. I want firepower suppression, not some small skirmish."

"Understood."

He hung up the phone and walked to the control console. He opened the Faith Mall, and the page refreshed with items available for exchange.

[Heavy Machine Gun · Squad Type] — 8000 faith points/unit

[Anti-Material Sniper Rifle] — 12000 faith points/unit

[High-Explosive Shell · 155mm] — 500 faith points/round

He selected twenty heavy machine guns and five sniper rifles, confirming the exchange. One million three hundred and eighty thousand remained in his account.

"Once the three-day protection period is over." He stared at the line for the electromagnetic railgun. "The first shot must wake them up."

Footsteps came from outside the door.

Karl came in, holding a report in his hand. "Brother Shen, the statistics are ready. There are twelve thousand seven hundred combatants in the city, and the three major legions have completed reorganization. Yang Lie has cleared away the evil god's power and can enter the battle at any time."

"Notify the commanders of each legion." He said. "Meeting at nine o'clock tomorrow morning. I want to finalize the attack plan."

"Should we contact other Huaxia Divine Domains? At least let them know we are taking action."

"No need." He shook his head. "I will fight this battle myself."

Karl didn't say anything and turned to leave.

After the door closed, Shen Xiaochuan walked to the window. Outside, it was brightly lit, and the factory machines were constantly humming. He knew every single machine was preparing for battle.

He raised his hand and looked at the copper gear pendant on his cuff. There was a crack on it, caused by the vibration when he last used the Remnant Armor of the Thunder Emperor. He hadn't repaired it, nor did he intend to replace it.

"Given by Mom and Dad." He whispered. "Even if it's broken, I can't throw it away."

The communication screen suddenly turned red.

"Target approaching from the southeast." The System prompted. "Quantity three hundred twenty-one, carrying heavy weapon modules, combat power peak 423."

It was Kyukokawa Eiyori.

She hadn't retreated; instead, she had moved forward by one kilometer.

Shen Xiaochuan sat back in the command seat and brought up the surveillance footage. The opponents had already reached one thousand meters away, arranged in a fan shape. That woman was walking at the very front, her sword still in its sheath.

"She is probing." He said.

In the footage, Kyukokawa Eiyori raised her hand, and a ball of light appeared in her palm. This was a precursor to scouting.

Just at the moment she was about to cast the spell—

Boom!

The city gate opened. Steam sprayed out, forming a white mist. Twelve cannons rose from the walls, their muzzles glowing red. Three heavy mechs walked out, their footsteps pounding on the ground.

Kyukokawa Eiyori immediately took three steps back, holding the ball of light in front of her for defense.

"This can't be something an ordinary King-level Divine Domain could have." She whispered, shock in her eyes. "With this scale, it's impossible to achieve without half a year of development."

The adjutant's voice trembled: "How could they have these things? It wasn't in the intelligence report at all!"

"Shut up." She stared deep into the city gate. "Someone who can build these things won't hide in the back waiting to die."

She raised her communicator: "This is Kyukokawa Eiyori, discovered an abnormal divine domain, coordinates X-7, Y-9, requesting reinforcements! Repeat, requesting reinforcements!"

Before she could finish speaking, the broadcast rang out.

"Since you've come, don't be in such a rush to leave." The voice transmitted directly into her ears. "Let you see what a real industrial divine nation is."

Kyukokawa Eiyori looked up and saw a man in work clothes standing on the city wall. He was leaning against the cannon, the copper gear on his cuff swaying.

"Shen Xiaochuan!" She shouted. "Do you think a few machines can scare us? This is the core of the Japanese Gods! You have already been targeted by over two thousand gods!"

The other party didn't answer.

He just pressed a button.

The alarm in the city sounded.

The production line accelerated, sparks flying everywhere. Lolia stood in front of the control console, operating it quickly. Workers were assembling new armor.

"The first batch of thirty sets, eighty percent complete." She reported.

"Speed it up." The communicator said. "I want sixty sets."

"Understood."

Kyukokawa Eiyori watched everything before her, her pupils constricting. She had never seen any divine nation capable of mobilizing so much industrial power in such a short time.

"This is not a divine nation." She murmured. "This is a war machine."

The people around her began to retreat.

"Stop!" She roared. "Without orders, no one is allowed to move!"

She raised her communicator again: "Headquarters, this is Kyukokawa Eiyori. Target confirmed as high threat level, possesses an independent military-industrial System, suggest sending reinforcements immediately. If not handled, it will cause big problems."

A few seconds later, the response came.

"Are you sure? A god from the newbie area?"

"I am not wrong." She said. "This person... is different."

She stared at the city gate, her hand gripping the hilt of her sword tightly.

"If he doesn't leave the city, we cannot move." She ordered. "Set up camp on the spot, keep watch. Report any abnormalities immediately."

The camp was set up quickly. Searchlights lit up, illuminating the mist ahead.

On the city wall, Shen Xiaochuan put down his binoculars.

"She is waiting for reinforcements." He said. "Then let her wait."

He turned and walked toward the sand table, his finger returning to the location of the black stone mine.

"You won't let me have peace." He whispered. "Then I won't let you sleep well either."

He picked up the tactical pen and drew a line on the map. Starting from Skydome City, passing through the no-man's-land, straight into the weakest divine domain in the rear of the Japanese Gods.

"The first day, hit the resource points." He said. "The second day, blow up the warehouses. The third day... let them know what firepower coverage means."

He slammed the pen into the sand table.

He looked up and out the window.

The lights in the distant camp were still flashing.

The sound of machines in the city didn't stop.

He stood there without moving.

His hand rested on the edge of the sand table, his knuckles white.