193: Chapter 191 The Eve of the Counterattack: Global Preparations

It was the third day since returning from Antarctica.

In the military conference room at the East Sea Defense Line, Luo Yu stood before a massive holographic sand table, staring at it for a full forty minutes without saying a word.

The sand table projected a 3D map of the Abyss World; to be precise, it was an incomplete version pieced together from intelligence he had gathered during his previous entry into the Abyss.

The explored areas were marked in blue, accounting for only about three percent of the total area, while the remaining ninety-seven percent consisted entirely of gray, unknown regions.

"Is this it?" Luo Yu finally spoke.

"That's it," General Zhan Kuang replied honestly, holding an unlit cigarette in his mouth. "Yeah, if you hadn't gone there, we might not even have had that three percent."

"..." Luo Yu glanced at him without refuting, because it was true.

There were quite a few people sitting in the conference room.

General Lie Huo and General Iron Wall joined via holographic projection, and Minister of National Defense Ivanov of the Northern Border Federation was also online. The Western European Alliance Military Committee sent three representatives, and even Eagle Country had shamelessly connected, although their intelligence chief kept the camera at the darkest angle the entire time, presumably too embarrassed to show their face.

"Counterattacking the Abyss isn't something you can just do after shouting a slogan."

Luo Yu turned around and traced a line on the sand table with his finger.

"The wormhole has collapsed. The first problem we need to solve is the door, which is to say, where we enter from."

General Zhan Kuang said in a deep voice, "The technical department has analyzed it. Although the East Sea Wormhole has collapsed, the residual energy of the spatial rift remains. Theoretically, if there is enough energy impact, a channel can be torn open again at the original site."

"How much energy is needed?"

"Roughly... the equivalent of detonating three hundred hydrogen bombs simultaneously."

Luo Yu looked down at his pocket.

Godzilla was curled up inside, fast asleep, with its two hind legs sticking out, kicking in its sleep.

"As for the three hundred hydrogen bombs, Godzilla just needs to sneeze a little more."

On the other end of the holographic projection, the Minister of National Defense of the Northern Border Federation twitched his mouth; he still wasn't used to this way of speaking where "a sneeze is a nuclear explosion."

"The channel problem is solved."

Luo Yu marked the location of the old East Sea Wormhole on the sand table. "The second problem: people."

As he spoke, Luo Yu looked at everyone present.

"I could take Godzilla and Mothra to solo it, but this time it's not about hunting one or two giant beasts; it's about systematically clearing out the entire Abyss World. I can't be in multiple places at once to sweep every corner, so someone has to do the dirty work."

General Iron Wall raised his hand. "The Dragon Country Awakener Expeditionary Army has already mobilized five thousand Awakeners of S-rank or higher from major military regions across the country, ready to depart at any time."

"We will also provide personnel."

Ivanov's loud voice came through the projection. "The Northern Border Federation has five hundred heavy mechs and two thousand Awakeners, all ready."

The representative of the Western European Alliance followed up: "Twelve hundred Awakeners, plus the latest tactical drone swarm, have already arrived at the Shanghai port."

The Eagle Country side was silent for a few seconds. The intelligence chief's voice came from the shadows, as quiet as a mosquito's buzz.

"Eagle Country... is willing to provide twenty-eight hundred Awakeners and three hundred fifth-generation mechs."

"Huh?" General Zhan Kuang deliberately leaned his ear in. "What did you say? I didn't hear you clearly."

"Twenty-eight hundred Awakeners, three hundred mechs!" The intelligence chief raised his voice embarrassedly.

"Oh." General Zhan Kuang nodded, his expression saying, "You should have said that sooner."

Luo Yu ignored their bickering and finished marking the troop numbers of each country on the sand table.

Total: over eleven thousand Awakeners, eleven hundred mechs, and over one hundred thousand logistics support personnel.

This was the first multinational joint expeditionary army in human history.

There was only one goal—the Abyss.

"The manpower is enough." Luo Yu took a deep breath and said, "The third problem: supplies."

This was the most headache-inducing part.

The environment of the Abyss World was equivalent to hell for humans.

The air was filled with abyss energy; ordinary people would suffer a mental breakdown after staying for ten minutes, and while Awakeners fared slightly better, they couldn't endure long-term exposure either.

"Purification devices." Su Qingxue's voice came from the doorway.

She was wearing a white military uniform today, holding a stack of documents, and strode into the conference room.

"The portable abyss energy purifiers developed by the Dragon Country Military Industry Institute have passed field tests. A single device can create a safe zone within a five-hundred-meter radius, operating continuously for seventy-two hours."

She handed the documents to Luo Yu, and their fingers brushed against each other.

Su Qingxue's fingertips shrank back, but she withdrew her hand with a composed expression and stepped back to stand at attention.

But this detail was seen by General Zhan Kuang; the old man grinned slightly but said nothing.

Luo Yu flipped through the documents. "Is seventy-two hours enough?"

"It's enough for the first phase," Su Qingxue replied. "The primary task of the expeditionary army is not to penetrate deep into the hinterland, but to establish a bridgehead at the wormhole entrance, stabilize the position, and then gradually advance."

"A bridgehead?" Luo Yu closed the documents. "Who is responsible for the design?"

"Me." Su Qingxue didn't even blink when she said this.

Luo Yu looked at her. Su Qingxue looked at him. The two stared at each other for two seconds, the atmosphere subtle.

General Zhan Kuang couldn't sit still and coughed twice. "Um... how about we discuss the operational organization first?"

...

In the end, the meeting lasted for a full six hours.

From troop organization to logistics routes, from communication support to retreat plans, every detail was carefully deliberated.

The final plan agreed upon was:

Phase one: Tear open the wormhole and establish a bridgehead. Luo Yu and Godzilla will lead the charge, clearing out the Abyssal Giant Beasts in the entrance area to open up a safe landing zone for the follow-up troops.

Phase two: Fan-shaped advance. Using the bridgehead as the center, sweep in three directions of the Abyss World simultaneously, with a mixed unit responsible for each direction.

Phase three: Core strike. Based on sufficient exploration, Luo Yu will lead Godzilla to storm the lair of the three kings of the abyss and completely eliminate the highest combat power of the Abyss.

"I have a question." General Lie Huo raised his hand and said with a smile, "After the three kings of the abyss were slapped by Godzilla across dimensions, intelligence shows they have already fled deeper into the Abyss. What if they keep running?"

Hearing this, Luo Yu took Godzilla out of his pocket and placed it on the table.

The Little Lizard opened its eyes groggily, yawned, looked around, realized it was a meeting, and immediately closed its eyes, preparing to continue sleeping.

Luo Yu flicked its head.

"Godzilla, what if the three kings of the abyss run away?"

"Hiss." Godzilla didn't even open its eyes and let out a sound. Translated, it meant: Can they run?

Luo Yu shrugged and looked at General Lie Huo. "With a planetary-level sense of smell, it can sniff them out no matter where they hide. Do you think a guy who can drain the moon dry wouldn't be able to find three bugs in the Abyss World?"

General Lie Huo smiled, nodded, and said nothing more.

After the meeting ended, Luo Yu didn't leave immediately but stood by the window, looking at the sea outside.

Su Zhiruo had walked up behind him at some point.