151: Alliance meeting, strategists as commanders determine strategy

In front of Jixia Academy, on a spacious plaza temporarily built by Tiangong Dwarves and reinforced by Mohist Mechanical Arts and some Earth-type magic, almost all the high-level personnel and core combat forces of the Order Alliance were gathered.

The atmosphere was heavy as iron.

In the center of the plaza, a massive, three-dimensional dynamic sand table made of light, shadow, and solid sand floated in mid-air, emitting faint energy fluctuations. This was the "Battle Simulation Sand Table (Temporary Version)" that Li Mo had urgently constructed by commanding the Mechanical Goblins and Tiangong Dwarves, combining observational data, battlefield maps, and some reconnaissance intelligence. With the Land of Order as the core, the sand table clearly displayed the terrain, landforms, and resource point distribution within a radius of several hundred kilometers, as well as—the undead army marker surging in from the northwest like a black tide, occupying nearly a quarter of the sand table's area, along with the strikingly piercing, dark purple pillar of light representing the "gate of death."

Surrounding the sand table stood dozens of figures of various forms, all emitting non-negligible energy fluctuations.

Lin Zhou occupied the main seat, his black eyes calmly watching the sand table, his fingers tapping unconsciously on the armrest, his Divinity running at full speed to process the constantly incoming stream of the latest data.

To his left was Zhao Hao, whose complexion was still somewhat pale but whose eyes remained fierce and unyielding. The hero of his Red Dragon kin—a Dragonblood Warrior (LV48) nearly three meters tall, clad in heavy crimson dragon-scale armor with short horns on his forehead—stood solemnly behind him, his dragon might restrained yet still causing the surrounding air to distort slightly. Zhao Hao himself had his lips tightly pressed, his fists clenched until they creaked, clearly deeply provoked by the arrogant declaration of "Nether Bone" and the scale of the undead army.

To his right was Wang Meng, who had just arrived, still carrying the unshed scent of blood and exhaustion, yet standing with his back straight. His Behemoth kin hero—a Behemoth Giant Beast Elder (LV50) with dark gold fur, muscles knotted like steel, and protruding fangs—stood silently behind him, its pair of scarlet beast eyes staring fixedly at the undead markers on the sand table, a low, Battle Intent-filled purr rumbling in its throat. Wang Meng had retreated from the northwest with his remaining Behemoth kin (about 300 units, mostly lightly injured); having personally experienced the horror of the sea of undead, his intelligence was crucial.

Li Mo stood beside the sand table's control node. His Mechanical Goblins hero—a "Grand Artisan" (LV42) wearing multi-functional engineering goggles with four metal auxiliary arms extending from its back—was rapidly adjusting the data markers on the sand table. Li Mo himself looked serious, his eyes bloodshot behind his glasses, clearly having expended significant mental effort to construct this sand table and analyze the data.

Qin Qing had also arrived at some point. She stood a little further away, her posture straight as a pine. The pure white Judgment Angel hero (LV45, four wings, holding a longsword burning with holy flames and a codex) floated quietly behind her, the holy radiance forming a sharp contrast with the faint, oppressive atmosphere of death permeating the plaza. Her gaze swept over the massive undead markers on the sand table, her delicate brows slightly furrowed, as if evaluating something.

Su Yueyao stood behind and to the side of Lin Zhou, in a moon-white dress, as cold and clear as moonlight. She did not bring a kin hero, but the Moonlight Divine Power flowing naturally around her acted like an invisible force field, making those near her feel inexplicably calmed. Her gaze lingered more on Lin Zhou and the point of light representing the Land of Order on the sand table.

In addition, there were about thirty Deities on the plaza. They were all core members who had attached themselves early on, performed excellently in the Civilization · Enlightenment plan, and possessed relatively strong kin, or Examinees with special auxiliary abilities (such as Harpy Deities skilled in reconnaissance, Earth Dragon Deities proficient in Earth-type defensive magic, etc.). At this moment, most of them looked nervous, anxious, and even carried a sense of hidden fear, their gazes moving back and forth between Lin Zhou and the sand table, waiting for the decision of this "Dominator of Order."

"Everyone is here." Lin Zhou spoke. His voice was not loud, but it clearly reached everyone's ears, carrying a strange power of comfort and composure—a slight manifestation of the Fire of Civilization and the pressure of his Divinity. "Time is tight, so I will be brief. Li Mo, report the latest enemy situation."

Li Mo immediately stepped forward, pushed up his glasses, and spoke quickly and clearly: "Based on the continuous observation over the past hour (battlefield time) and the first-hand intelligence brought back by student Wang Meng, the updated data is as follows."

With a wave of his hand, the data markers in the undead army area on the sand table refreshed rapidly:

"Undead Army · Latest Dynamic Analysis":

Advancement Speed and Direction: The speed has increased to about 20 km/h. Direction slightly adjusted, with the axis of its vanguard main force pointing precisely at our core area of the Land of Order (Jixia Academy coordinates). Estimated earliest contact time: 16-18 hours later (battlefield time).

Military Composition Refinement (Frontline Observation):

Vanguard (distance about 120 km): Composed of about 800,000 Skeleton Warriors (LV10-LV15), 500,000 Zombies (LV12-LV18), and a small number of Ghosts (about 50,000, LV15-LV20). The formation is relatively loose, responsible for clearing the way, bearing the first wave of attacks, and polluting the environment.

Skeleton Warrior (Standard Template Enhanced Version): Strength 12-18, Agility 8-11, Physique (Bone Strength) 15-22, Spirit (Soul Fire Intensity) 5-8. Traits: "Undead Essence", "Bone Recombination (Slow)", "Death Force Attachment (Weapon)". When charging in a cluster, it receives the blessing of the Death Field, gaining the "Bone Resonance" effect: Defense temporarily increased by 10%.

Zombie (Standard Template Enhanced Version): Strength 18-25, Agility 4-7, Physique (Rotting Flesh) 25-35, Spirit (Residual Instinct) 1-3. Traits: "Undead Essence", "Plague Spread", "Rotten Meat Accumulation (Damage Reduction)". Moves slowly, but vitality (?) is tenacious, melee threat is high, and may explode upon death, releasing a poison cloud.

Main Force (distance about 150 km): Composed of about 1.2 million mixed Skeleton/Zombie troops and over 80,000 elite undead units. This includes at least 20,000 Skeleton Mages (LV25-LV30, skilled in Death Arrow, Bone Spear, Weakness Curse), 15,000 Death Knights (LV30-LV35, retaining some combat skills from their lifetime, mounted on undead warhorses), 30,000 Gargoyles (LV28-LV33), and over 500 Abominations (LV35-LV45, size like a small hill, estimated Strength over 60, possessing "Devour" and "Poison Breath" skills).

Core/Rear Army (surrounding the gate of death): Force is about 2.5 million, with the most complex composition, including a large number of basic undead serving as "reserves" and "conversion Materials," as well as elite units not yet fully deployed. Confirmed presence of at least five "Undead War Beasts" with energy reactions exceeding LV55 (form unknown, presumed to be siege/line-breaking units). Hero units "Skeleton Marshal" (LV58) and "Lich Lord" (LV55) are stationed in this area.

gate of death Continuous Production: Current summoning speed is stable at about 450 basic undead units per minute, with elite unit summoning frequency at about one wave every half hour (hundreds in number). Important Finding: Summoning speed is related to the Death Field absorbing free energy from the battlefield, the Divine Power output of the enemy Deity "Nether Bone," and the "Death" and "Despair" emotions dissipated from the destroyed Divine Kingdoms. It is inferred that its "clearing" behavior is not only to eliminate opponents but also to "charge" the gate of death!

Key Threat Points (Supplementary from Wang Meng's personal experience):

Hero Unit "Skeleton Marshal": Possesses the area-of-effect aura skill "Undead Command," significantly increasing the Attack and Defense of undead units within its command range (estimated bonus 15%-20%), and can force low-level undead to execute certain tactical actions (such as collective blocking, suicide charges). Its individual combat power is extremely strong; Wang Meng's Behemoth hero (LV50) clashed with it briefly and was actually suppressed in strength (Skeleton Marshal Strength estimated 65+), and its Rune Greatsword carries the "Soul Tear" special effect, dealing additional true damage based on the target's Spirit attribute when damaging non-undead units.

Hero Unit "Lich Lord": Skilled in large-area curses and Ice Spells. "Mass Slow Curse" can significantly reduce the movement and attack speed of enemy units; "Frost Nova" provides area crowd control and deals significant damage; more troublesome is that it seems to be able to cast a kind of "Life Link (Pseudo)," briefly connecting the vitality of some elite undead to share damage and increase survival rates.

Death Field Special Effects Confirmed: In addition to the known attribute suppression, healing reduction, and environmental transformation, it has a continuous erosion effect on the 'morale' of non-undead units. If exposed to it for a long time, kin will develop negative emotions such as "fear," "despair," and "war-weariness," and as time passes and friendly casualties increase, the effect will amplify drastically. Wang Meng's Behemoth Legion was initially brave and fearless, but after being submerged by the sea of undead and suffering 30% casualties, some Behemoths actually developed a rare instinct to "shrink back," which was influenced by this.

Corpse Conversion Speed: Faster than expected! Non-undead units (projections) that fall on the battlefield, in areas where the Death Field is dense, can have their corpses eroded by the power of death in as little as 30 seconds, converting them into the lowest-level Skeletons or Zombies (LV5-LV10), and join the battle under the unified command of undead heroes. Unless the corpse is purified by holy power, thoroughly incinerated (ineffective against undead with high fire resistance), or instantly vaporized by extremely powerful force.

Li Mo's report hit everyone's heart like a heavy hammer. The already heavy atmosphere was on the verge of freezing into ice. The last trace of color faded from the faces of many core members, and the wavering in their eyes became more apparent.

"How… how are we supposed to fight this?" a Deity who possessed Rock Golem kin (ID: Rock) muttered. His Puppets were known for their defense, but hearing about the erosion of the Death Field and the speed of corpse conversion, he couldn't help but feel terrified.

"Five million… no, millions of undead that are constantly increasing… and that kind of monster hero…" another Elf Deity skilled in Wind-type Spells (ID: Wind-Speaker) said with a trembling voice.

Zhao Hao slammed his hand on the stone table in front of him (temporarily cast by the Tiangong Dwarves), making a dull, loud noise that attracted everyone's attention. He growled with red eyes: "What are you afraid of?! You're chickening out before we've even fought? I was almost submerged by those piles of bones just now and I didn't chicken out! Lin Zhou, tell us, how do we fight? I'm listening to you! At worst, we fight them to the death! My Dragon Breath is not just for show!"

Wang Meng also said in a muffled voice: "My Behemoths can still tear apart at least ten thousand bone fragments." Although he was exhausted, his Battle Intent had not been extinguished; the bloodiness of the Behemoths did not allow him to retreat.

Qin Qing's cold voice rang out: "Fear won't solve the problem. The data has been given; what we need is a coping strategy. Student Lin Zhou, you gathered us, so you must already have a plan?" Her gaze fell on Lin Zhou, carrying scrutiny, but also a hint of imperceptible expectation. After previous cooperation and private study of Legalist classics, she was no longer completely repulsed by Lin Zhou's "Dao," but rather wanted to see what this "The Way of the Hundred Schools" could do in the face of such a desperate situation.

Su Yueyao stepped forward slightly, moonlight rippling, silently expressing her support.

Everyone's gaze finally focused on Lin Zhou.

Lin Zhou slowly stood up and walked to the sand table. His movements were calm and unhurried, as if he were not facing an army of millions of undead, but an ordinary game of chess. This composure inexplicably infected some of the people around him, causing the restless atmosphere to calm down slightly.

"Everyone," Lin Zhou started, his voice steady and powerful, "The enemy is strong and we are weak; it is clear at a glance. A direct confrontation means certain death."

This was very direct, even a bit cruel, but no one refuted it, because it was the truth.

"But," he changed the subject, his finger pointing to the point of light representing the Land of Order on the sand table, "we are not without a chance of winning."

"The School of Military says: 'Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will never be defeated.' Let us first look at the weaknesses of the 'enemy'." Lin Zhou's finger slid over the undead army area on the sand table.

"First, the bloatedness and sluggishness under absolute numbers." His fingertips glided across the long lines of the undead army, "An army of five million is certainly terrifying, but it also means a long chain of command and difficulty in overall turning and changing speed. Especially its main central army and core, surrounding the gate of death, are even more cumbersome. Although its vanguard is fast, it is mainly composed of low-level undead and has limited strength. This is the weakness of 'Form'."

"Second, a single composition and monotonous tactics. Although the undead army has a complete range of troop types, its core tactics cannot escape the 'three axes': 'numerical suppression,' 'pollution consumption,' and 'corpse conversion.' They lack surprise troops or tricks that can truly subvert the battlefield (the command of undead heroes is more of a tactical-level optimization, not strategic deception). This is the weakness of 'Technique'."

"Third, the core is clear and heavily dependent." Lin Zhou's finger pointed heavily at the dark purple "gate of death" marker! "This gate is the barracks, power source, and command center of the undead army, and it is also the core projection of its Divine Kingdom rules on the battlefield! It is powerful, but it has also become the biggest weakness! Once this gate is damaged or closed, the undead army will lose continuous reinforcements and field support, its offensive will inevitably wane, and it may even trigger a large-scale collapse. This is the weakness of 'Momentum'!"

"Fourth, the rules are mutually exclusive, not unsolvable." Lin Zhou's gaze swept over the crowd, "The power of the undead suppresses ordinary 'Life' and fears 'Order,' 'Purification,' 'Civilization,' and 'Fierceness'! We have student Qin Qing's Judgment Angel (Holy/Order), Zhao Hao's Dragon (Dragon Breath is fire-attribute, with slight evil-breaking properties), Wang Meng's Behemoth (the wild blood energy resists death erosion to a certain extent), and even more, the power of the Hundred Schools within my Divine Domain centered on 'Civilization' and 'Order'! The suppression of the Death Field has a much smaller impact on our core combat power than on ordinary kin!"

"Let us look at 'ourselves'." Lin Zhou's finger returned to the Land of Order.

"First, we have the advantage of terrain." On the sand table, the terrain surrounding the Order Alliance was highlighted. About fifteen kilometers to the east, there was a winding but sufficiently wide river (virtual battlefield setting); twenty kilometers to the south lay a continuous expanse of low hills and stone forests; to the west was relatively flat wilderness (the direction from which the undead were approaching); and to the north, it connected to more complex, unexplored areas. "We can utilize this terrain to build depth in our defense and negate the undead's numerical advantage."

"Second, we have the advantage of personnel (preliminary)." Lin Zhou's gaze swept over the core members present. "Over two hundred Divine Kingdoms, more than seventy thousand projected dependents, although chaotic, are not a disorganized mob. Through Civilization · Enlightenment and the constraints of Law, we have established a foundation of Order and cooperation. More importantly—we have no way back! Behind us is our 'home' (even if it is virtual), and surrender means death (failure of the examination)! With our backs to the river, our momentum may not be weak!"

"Third, we have elite forces." He pointed to Zhao Hao, Wang Meng, Qin Qing, and the faint projections of the heroes behind him: the Literary Heart Elves hero (Elwin, LV35), the Law Fishmen hero (Iron Inquisitor, LV38), and the Tiangong Dwarves hero (Grand Master, LV36). "Locally, we can form a sharp blade that uses quality to break quantity! The undead have heroes, and so do we! The undead have elites, but our elite forces are even stronger!"

"Fourth, and most importantly—we have the 'Dao'!" Lin Zhou's voice rose sharply, carrying an unquestionable conviction. "The undead represent 'dead silence' and the 'end of chaos,' while we represent 'civilization,' 'Order,' and 'endless life'! This is a battle of the Dao! It is not just about brute force, but about outsmarting the enemy and winning with the heart!"

His words were analytical, dissecting the seemingly desperate situation to reveal glimpses of vitality and flaws. The eyes of many core members lit up again, and their spines straightened unconsciously. Yes, the enemy was not invincible, and we also had advantages!

"So, Lin Zhou, what is your strategy?" Zhao Hao asked impatiently.

Lin Zhou took a deep breath, his fingers tracing rapidly across the sand table. Lines of light lit up beneath his fingertips, quickly constructing a complex blueprint for defense and counterattack.

"My strategy can be summarized in eight words: Hold fast to consume, elite forces to decapitate!"

"It is specifically divided into three stages, constructing three layers of three-dimensional defense to weaken the impact of the undead army layer by layer, ultimately creating an opportunity for our elite forces to strike directly at the heart and destroy the gate of death!"

"Phase One: Delay and Consumption — 'Slow as the Forest' (Outer Delay Zone)."

Lin Zhou marked an area about ten kilometers wide and five kilometers deep to the west of the Order Alliance, directly in the path of the approaching undead army.

Troop Deployment: Primarily composed of dependents from attached Divine Kingdoms with high mobility, or those skilled in long-range harassment and setting traps. For example, the Forest Sprite Archers of the Wind Whisperers (using stone forests and low hills for guerrilla tactics), and other gods possessing Wolf Riders, Harpies, and light scout units.

Tactical Points:

Layered Interception: Do not seek a head-on clash. Use pre-set simple traps (pitfalls, tripwires, a small amount of [Landmines (Magic Version)] provided by Li Mo), and long-range harassment (arrows enchanted with fire or light attributes as much as possible) to maximize the delay of the undead vanguard's advance speed and consume the number of low-level undead.

Elastic Defense: Set up multiple temporary warning lines, fighting while retreating, to lead the undead army into pre-set terrain more favorable for our subsequent defense (such as river bends or narrow mountain passes).

Objective: Delay the contact between the undead vanguard and our first main defense line by at least another 2-3 hours (battlefield time); simultaneously, strive to eliminate over 500,000 low-level undead and disrupt their vanguard formation.

Expected Casualties: Relatively high (30% - 50%), but acceptable. Units in this phase focus on harassment, disengaging upon contact, and not getting bogged down.

"Phase Two: Hold and Grind — 'Immovable as a Mountain' (Main Defensive Position)."

Lin Zhou drew an arc-shaped, more solid defense line about five kilometers west of the core area of the Order Alliance, relying on the south bank of that river and a relatively steep slope.

Troop Deployment: The main force! Including all dependents skilled in frontal defense and positional warfare. Wang Meng's Behemoth Legion (remnants) acts as the core anchor, deployed in the center of the defense line where the impact is most likely to be felt; the Rock Golem troops of the Stone Golem gods build the first physical barrier; other human heavy infantry, Dwarf Shield Guards, and Earth Dragons fill the battle line; all long-range units (Elwin archers, Dwarf ballistae, mage groups) are configured in tiers behind the defense line and on the flanks' high ground.

Tactical Points:

Maximize Terrain: Use the river (undead dislike water, and their wading speed is greatly reduced) and the slope (occupying high ground) to build natural advantages. The Tian Gong Institute and Mechanical Goblins will fully construct permanent/semi-permanent fortifications here: rammed-earth walls wrapped in stone, bunkers with firing slits, anti-charge caltrops, and most importantly—as many [Automatic Ballista Clusters] and [Simple Catapult Positions] as possible, uniformly scheduled and optimized by Li Mo! Objective: Inflict maximum damage while the undead army crosses the river and climbs the slope.

Tiered Configuration, Rotation and Rest: The defense line is divided into three to four layers. When front-line troops are exhausted or suffer heavy casualties, they can be replaced by rear reserves to maintain the defense line's sustained combat capability. The School of Medicine (remote support from the Imperial Hospital within Lin Zhou's Divine Domain) will set up temporary aid stations behind the defense line to minimize combat losses.

Focus Defense, Elastic Contraction: Concentrate forces to defend key river-crossing points and slope passages. If pressure at a certain point becomes too great, the defense line can be moderately contracted, using the pre-set second low wall (currently under emergency construction) to continue resisting, avoiding total collapse caused by a Breakthrough at a single point.

Objective: Wage a cruel war of attrition against the main force of the undead army here! Use defensive advantages to eliminate as much of the undead's effective strength as possible, especially their elite units. It is expected to hold off the main undead force here for at least six to eight hours, or even longer, grinding away their massive numerical advantage bit by bit. At the same time, one of the core objectives of this phase is to force or lure the undead hero units, especially the [Bone Marshal] and [Lich Lord], as well as those powerful war beasts, into the battle early, and consume their power as much as possible!

Expected Casualties: Heavy. But this is the price that must be paid. This phase is the key to the strategy; the defense line must hold!

"Phase Three: Counterattack and Decapitation — 'Swift as the Wind' (Core Elite Assault)."

Lin Zhou's finger drew a sharp, dagger-like arrow from behind the main defensive position, piercing directly at the dark purple gate of death on the sand table!

Troop Deployment: The entire army's most elite assault force! Including:

Lin Zhou himself and his most core Hundred Schools hero units (Literary Heart Elves hero Elwin, Law Fishmen hero Iron Inquisitor, Tiangong Dwarves hero Grand Master, and other possible awakened hero Soul projections from other schools).

Zhao Hao's Red Dragon hero and the most elite Dragon Blood Warrior squad (about fifty units, LV35+).

Qin Qing's Judgment Angel hero and high-level angel squad (about thirty units, LV30+, holy attributes have great restraint against the undead).

Wang Meng's Behemoth hero and a small number of the most valiant Behemoth warriors (about twenty units, LV40+, as assault vanguards and armor-breaking Sharp Weapons).

Possible surprise troops: Su Yueyao (Moonlight Divine Power, possessing healing, purification, certain attack, and stealth assistance, extremely precious). And a few core members with special dependents suitable for special operations (such as gods possessing high-level stealth units).

Tactical Points:

Timing Selection: This is the most exquisite and dangerous part of the entire strategy! The assault timing must meet at least two of the following conditions:

a. The main undead force (especially their core heroes and war beasts) is firmly attracted to the main defensive position, bogged down in bitter fighting, and unable to return to rescue quickly.

b. The defensive forces around the gate of death (the remaining elite undead and reserves) are relatively empty due to continuous drafting to the front line.

c. Our main defensive position, while under immense pressure, has not yet collapsed and can continue to pin down the main undead force for a period of time (buying time for the assault team to travel and fight).

d. Best timing: When the main undead force has been attacking for a long time without success, and their morale (?) is frustrated (manifested as slowing offensives, slightly chaotic formations), or their god "Nether Bone" appears momentarily exhausted or distracted due to the excessive consumption of maintaining the army and the gate of death!

Assault Route: Never rush through the sea of undead from the front! On the sand table, Lin Zhou marked a winding, concealed route that utilizes the complex terrain at the edge of the battlefield (areas not completely covered by the undead force field), and may even involve short-distance underground tunnels (being secretly explored by Tiangong Dwarves and Mechanical Goblins). The goal is to silently (or quickly and forcibly break through weak points) strike directly at the side and rear of the gate of death!

Decapitation Target: First priority — destroy or severely damage the [gate of death]! Second priority — kill or severely damage the undead hero in command (especially the Lich Lord; if killed, it will be a huge blow to the undead Spell system). Third priority — interfere with the link between the "Nether Bone" god's main body and the gate of death.

Combat Method: Blitzkrieg! If you don't move, don't move; if you move, it must be earth-shattering! Concentrate all the strongest attacks of the elites, and complete the raid in the shortest time (goal: resolve the battle or achieve the goal of severe damage within thirty minutes)! Regardless of success or failure, strike once and leave; never get bogged down! If successful, the undead army will collapse on its own; if it fails... the elite seeds must be preserved, and they must retreat to the core area for a final resistance.

Expected Risk: Extremely high! The assault team may be surrounded and wiped out. The main defensive position may be breached while the assault team is away. Misjudgment of timing may lead to total defeat.

Lin Zhou's explanation was clear and fast, and the deduction on the sand table changed with his words. Three defense lines, troop deployment, expected goals, risk nodes... all presented before everyone. This was not just a strategy, but a precisely calculated, interconnected battle deduction map!

The meeting room was silent.

Everyone was shocked by this grand and risky plan. Holding fast, consuming, decapitating... every step was full of huge risks, but it also truly grasped the weaknesses of the undead army, pointing to that glimmer of victory!

"This... can this be done?" An attached god swallowed hard.

"Timing! The timing is too hard to grasp! What if the judgment is wrong..." another worried.

Zhao Hao slapped his thigh, his eyes glowing: "Let's do it! That's how we should fight! Shrinking here is just waiting for death, might as well give it a shot! Strike directly at the heart, destroy that damn door! Lin Zhou, count me in for the assault team! I've long been annoyed by that skeleton marshal!"

Wang Meng hummed heavily: "My Behemoths will stand in the front! As long as you can destroy that door, even if I have to sacrifice my last Behemoth, it's worth it!"

Qin Qing pondered for a moment and nodded slowly: "Strategically, it is impeccable. The School of Military also values 'judging the situation' and 'No Exemption from Punishment'. This plan seeks victory in danger, but it is indeed the only chance for survival. The Judgment Angel squad is willing to be the vanguard to purify the evil." Her gaze sharpened, obviously having entered the state.

Su Yueyao nodded gently without saying much, but her silent standing indicated her attitude.

Li Mo pushed his glasses, typing rapidly on the portable computing device in front of him, and looked up after a long while: "According to the preliminary deduction of the existing data model, if all links are executed in place, the success rate of the plan... can be increased to 18.7%." He paused and added, "Compared to the previous less than 10%, this is already a huge leap. Moreover, this does not include variables that have not been fully quantified, such as the 'river of civilization' and 'Moonlight Divine Power'."

18.7%! A number that is still very low, but no longer desperate!

Lin Zhou scanned the audience, his eyes like torches: "The strategy is set, and the details need to be perfected. But the first thing — I need full command! During the war, all Alliance members, regardless of gods or dependents, must obey Orders unconditionally. Violators will be immediately executed under the wartime Laws by the Net of Law, with no mercy!"

His voice was decisive, carrying unquestionable majesty.

"Now, vote. Those who agree with this strategy and are willing to obey the commander-in-chief's deployment, please inject a wisp of Divine Sense imprint into the core node of the Net of Law (a slightly glowing magic circle next to the sand table)."

After a brief silence.

Zhao Hao was the first to step forward and cast his Divine Sense imprint without hesitation.

Wang Meng followed closely behind.

Qin Qing closed her eyes slightly, and then a pure light of Order was injected.

Su Yueyao's fingertips emitted a wisp of moonlight, which she gently tapped in.

Li Mo also injected his own imprint.

The core members looked at each other. Finally, led by the first few responders, one after another, Divine Sense imprints, some strong and some weak, carrying determination or anxiety, were cast into the magic circle.

Light flowed, and the Net of Law vibrated slightly. A closer and heavier connection was established among all the gods participating in the vote. This was not a simple Alliance, but a real wartime military Alliance, where glory and loss are shared!

Lin Zhou felt the vast and complex will gathering in the Net of Law and took a deep breath.

"Since that is the case, I, Lin Zhou, accept the appointment at a time of defeat and take the command in a time of crisis. Today, I will temporarily serve as the commander-in-chief of the Alliance."

"All generals, listen to my Orders!"

His voice instantly spread to the Divine Soul of every Alliance member through the Net of Law.

"Act immediately according to the plan!"

"Build the defense line! Sharpen the weapons! Prepare for battle!"

"This battle —"

"If we do not win, we die!"

The gears of war began to turn crazily. Under the shadow of death, the spark of civilization was about to face the cruelest tempering.