194: Chapter 192 The Expeditionary Force Assembles: The Last Night Before Departure

"What are you thinking about?"

"I'm thinking about the Higher-Dimensional World."

Su Zhiruo's expression became serious.

As for the events in Antarctica, she had already learned the entire sequence through the General Zhan Kuang's briefing.

"That thing... will it really come back?"

"Yes."

Luo Yu didn't comfort her: "But not now. The beacon is destroyed, and they won't be able to find Earth's coordinates in the short term. By the time they can find it, Godzilla will have evolved to an unknown extent."

"Then what are you worried about?"

Luo Yu didn't answer this question; he turned to look at Su Zhiruo.

The sea breeze poured in from the open window, blowing through her bangs.

"Zhiruo."

"Hmm?"

"After the counterattack on the Abyss World, I want to go to the Higher-Dimensional World to take a look."

Su Zhiruo's eyes widened for a moment.

Then she lowered her head, remained silent for a few seconds, and when she looked up again, her expression was calm.

"Take me with you when the time comes."

"Don't go to the Abyss World, it's too..."

"I'm talking about the Higher-Dimensional World." Su Zhiruo interrupted him: "I've already been to a place like the Abyss World, and I have no interest in it. It's enough for you and Godzilla to go. But the Higher-Dimensional World is different. I haven't been there yet. Besides, you'll definitely need a Space-type Awakener to help you scout the path."

"..."

Luo Yu opened his mouth.

"Don't even think about refusing." Su Zhiruo added, her tone leaving no room for negotiation: "From Baijiang No. 3 Middle School until now, the path I've walked with you is already long enough. Don't even think about shaking me off at the end."

"Fine."

Luo Yu surrendered.

After parting ways with Su Zhiruo, Luo Yu returned to his dormitory.

Godzilla jumped onto the table, looked left and right at a plate of unfinished peanuts, then finally picked one up, threw it into its mouth, chewed twice, and spat it out.

"You, a planet-tier king of monsters, find even peanuts unpalatable?"

"Hiss."

Luo Yu swapped it for a plate of shrimp crackers.

Godzilla picked up a piece and crunched away happily.

Mothra was on the windowsill grooming its wings, golden scales occasionally drifting down, drawing tiny arcs of light in the air.

Pandora was coiled around the desk lamp like an ornament, its single eye half-open and half-closed, digesting the ball of atomic energy Luo Yu had fed it during the day.

One human and three beasts, each content.

Luo Yu leaned back against his chair and opened the system interface.

[Current spiritual power value: 856,000,000,000]

[Current level: tenth tier peak]

856 billion.

It was still some distance away from the planet-tier, but his combat power had already far exceeded that of a traditional tenth tier Abyssal Giant Beast. After all, his spiritual power was mixed with the atomic energy and Titan resonance fed back from Godzilla; its quality and purity were incomparable to those of the same level.

"If I eat a few more Abyssal Giant Beasts, I should be able to break through."

Luo Yu muttered to himself and closed the interface.

Outside the window, the moon hung above the East Sea.

It was much dimmer than before—after all, Godzilla had nibbled away twenty percent of its mass.

Astronomers had argued about this for several days, only to be shut down by the Dragon Country Aerospace Center with the line: "This is normal dietary behavior for Godzilla, please do not over-interpret it."

"Empress, let's go."

Luo Yu turned off the light.

In the darkness, a faint red glow radiated from Godzilla's dorsal fins, like a nightlight that never went out.

The five-day preparation period passed even more busily than Luo Yu had anticipated.

Coordinating the organization of the expeditionary forces from various countries alone took two days.

There was a serious disagreement between the Northern Border Federation's heavy mechs and the Dragon Country's Awakener squads regarding the collaborative combat mode; the former was accustomed to frontal crushing by mech clusters, while the latter preferred squad infiltration and decapitation strikes.

The staff groups from both sides argued at the conference table for an entire afternoon, until finally, Ivanov personally made the decision—listen to the Dragon Country.

The reason was simple and crude: "Whoever has Godzilla gets the final say."

When this reached the ears of the Eagle Country representative, the intelligence chief's face turned three shades greener. But... he didn't dare to make a sound. The incident with William had only happened a few days ago, and the Eagle Country's current diplomatic strategy consisted of six words: keep a low profile, shut up.

On the third day, the Global Expeditionary Force completed its assembly at the Shanghai Port.

The sea area south of the East Sea Defense Line had never witnessed such a spectacular sight.

The Dragon Country's "Kunlun"-class warships were arranged in three columns, their gray hulls gleaming coldly in the sunlight.

The Northern Border Federation's heavy mech transport ships were weighed down to the limit, with five hundred white-painted "Ural" heavy mechs neatly stacked on the decks.

The Western European Alliance's rapid response fleet was parked on the perimeter, the hive decks for the carrier-based drones already warmed up.

The Eagle Country's three hundred "freedom god of war" mechs were arranged at the very back.

It wasn't discrimination; it was because the story of how they had three units dismantled by Godzilla in ten seconds last time had spread throughout the entire army. When soldiers walked by, they would take an extra look. That kind of look... how should I put it, was just like looking at "rare specimens" kept in captivity at a zoo.

Aivie Stirling stood beside her mech cockpit, wiping her pilot gloves expressionlessly.

A Dragon Country soldier passing by chimed in: "Hey, is that the lady? The one from the ten seconds?"

"Nine point eight seconds." Aivie corrected him expressionlessly.

The soldier was choked up and wisely ran away.

Aivie clenched her gloves, her teeth grinding audibly.

It wasn't hatred; it was defiance.

Since that test, she had trained sixteen hours a day, pushing every performance parameter of the "freedom god of war" to the limit. She knew she would never be able to beat Godzilla, because this was a gap that effort could not bridge.

But in the Abyss World, her opponents were not Godzilla, but Abyssal Giant Beasts.

She wanted to prove that the Eagle Country's mechs were not scrap metal.

On the fourth night of the assembly.

The canteen at the East Sea Defense Line made an exception and extended its operating hours until two in the morning.

It was just that they were departing tomorrow, and no one could sleep.

The canteen was full of Awakeners and mech pilots from various countries, with Dragon Country baijiu, Northern Border vodka, Western European red wine, and Eagle Country whiskey spread across the tables.

Language barriers were not a problem. Clinking glasses didn't require a translator.

In the corner, Su Qingxue sat alone, a bowl of untouched clear noodle soup in front of her.

She stared at that bowl of noodles for a long time.

"It'll get cold if you don't eat it." Su Zhiruo walked over with two cups of hot tea and sat down opposite her.

"I can't sleep."

"I can't sleep either." Su Zhiruo pushed a cup of tea toward her.

The two remained silent for a while.

"Zhiruo."

"Hmm."

"Did he tell you about the Higher-Dimensional World?"

Su Zhiruo nodded.

Su Qingxue picked up the tea and took a sip.

"Aren't you afraid?"

"I am." Su Zhiruo's answer was very straightforward, "But what's the use of being afraid? He's going, so I'm following."

Su Qingxue's finger traced a circle on the side of the cup unconsciously.

"You are braver than me."

"Sis, you're the one who doesn't blink in the face of a nuclear bomb. You're telling me that I'm brave?"

Su Qingxue smiled, a very faint smile.

"Bravery on the battlefield and bravery in matters of the heart are two different things."

Su Zhiruo didn't respond.

She saw some things clearly: the seeds of Su Qingxue's feelings for Luo Yu had been planted since that night talk at the Frozen Mountains, but this woman was too proud and too disciplined, burying all her thoughts behind her military rank and responsibilities.

"Sis, tomorrow when we enter the Abyss World, you'll be the commander of the second formation."

"Hmm."

"Stay safe."

"Save that for him."

Su Zhiruo was choked up, and her face turned red.

Su Qingxue picked up the bowl of noodles and took a bite, her expression relaxing slightly.

"The noodles are cold."

"You insisted on waiting until they were cold to eat."

"Cold ones can be eaten too, no waste."

Two women, one eating noodles and one drinking tea, with the noisy voices of the canteen flowing around them—this was probably the last quiet night for a long time to come.