307: Suppression

The Pastoral Area rebels launched a charge, driving a wedge straight into the Corporate Army's encirclement.

"Old Cripple's unit has collapsed on the left flank!" A roar came through the communicator, mixed with electromagnetic noise and the gasps of the dying.

"Order them to fall back to the second defense line, use the captured mechs for cover."

Qing Xuan calmly issued orders, commanding the battlefield on the Taiyi Sect's side.

At this moment, the Corporate Army's encirclement was tightening further.

Qing Xuan knew that if they didn't break out soon, the company side wouldn't wait any longer.

He waved his hand, calling over a young man with yellow hair. This man was formerly from the company, and moreover, the commander of the Grace Group Security Force's Third Tactical Squad.

"Pass down the order. According to the original plan, we break out from the northwest direction in one hour."

"I will lead the team personally."

Hearing this, the young man also showed a hint of hesitation.

"The Gang guys won't listen."

"Then let them die." Qing Xuan turned towards the northwest.

There stood the Corporate Army's heavy mech Formation. Six Core Formation-level mechs stood like steel colossi, each equipped with Phase Cannons and Mana Disruptors, capable of easily shredding the Pastoral Area's temporarily captured armored vehicles.

But Qing Xuan knew that the pilots inside those six mechs likely didn't possess Core Formation strength.

Such enemies are the least resistant to mental attacks; they often break down before their mechs do.

"Prepare the 'City Breakers'." Qing Xuan ordered.

The so-called "City Breakers" were the result of Qing Xuan handing over simplified Formation blueprints to Mo Ran, who then directed the modification of mechs captured from the military factory.

By sacrificing most of their performance, they gained stronger mental attack capabilities, specifically targeting the Divine Sense of mech pilots.

Those piloting these mechs were mostly former company security personnel, laid-off elites, or employees who awakened after witnessing the company's atrocities.

They were experienced; even with degraded mech performance, they could still deliver considerable combat effectiveness.

"All units, attention. Spell teams, prepare for the first volley." Qing Xuan pressed the comms key.

Five thousand two hundred and seventy Cultivators began casting Spells. Most were only at the Qi Refinement Stage, and because they hailed from the Eastern Region, their cultivation was a notch weaker than ordinary Qi Refiners.

But quantity made up for the lack in quality.

Ripples appeared in the air, and metal fragments on the ground trembled slightly.

The Corporate Army's detectors immediately sounded alarms, and the six mechs simultaneously raised their Phase Cannons.

But it was already too late.

The Spells released by the Pastoral Area Cultivators were not attacks, but concealment.

A sandstorm mixed with electromagnetic pulses and mana disruption erupted on the battlefield. Black metal particles and golden mana rays intertwined into a murky barrier, reducing visibility to within five meters.

"City Breakers, charge!"

Twelve modified industrial mechs, like giant beasts charging from Hell, rushed straight towards the designated position.

The Corporate Army reacted extremely quickly.

Even with obscured vision, their sensors still captured the vibrations of the charging mechs.

Phase Cannons began firing. Blue energy beams pierced through the sandstorm, directly vaporizing the two "City Breakers" at the forefront.

The rebels in the cockpits ejected at the last second, only to be immediately shot down mid-air by Exoskeleton Soldiers.

But the remaining mechs had already closed the distance, instantly releasing Divine Sense attacks that breached the enemy's defenses.

Immediately, the rebels dismounted from their mechs, rushed forward to drag the pilots out of their cockpits, and swiftly took over the enemy mechs.

Pre-prepared replacement personnel also immediately boarded the vacant mechs. The entire process was seamless.

"Mo Ran, I'm almost done on my side. What about yours?"

There was no response from the other side for a long time.

Qing Xuan understood that pressure was being applied from the company side.

He had known all along that the Gangs wouldn't follow orders, which is why he sent Mo Ran to the other flank.

Now, with the prolonged silence, it was likely the other side had no intention of encircling them but had directly assaulted the encirclement.

The situation Mo Ran encountered was almost exactly as Qing Xuan had anticipated.

At this moment, the enemy had already been scattered by the golden giant lion transformed from Yuan Chenling's statue and was ultimately successfully routed with the assistance of the rebels.

But unlike Qing Xuan's side, which consisted mostly of Taiyi Sect members, Mo Ran's side was primarily composed of Gang members.

Although he was still nominally in command, amidst the frenzy of victory, he was starting to lose control of the situation.

"Everyone, slow your advance, maintain Formation!" Mo Ran tried to issue the order over the comms channel.

But few responded.

The exhilaration of a successful breakout swept through most of the rebels, especially the troops from the Gang Federation.

They shouted loudly, waved their weapons, and accelerated their charge towards Grace City.

Mo Ran could only try his best to keep his direct subordinates disciplined. But he had less than five thousand men under his command, and their influence was minuscule against an army of three hundred thousand.

Four hours later, the outline of Grace City appeared on the horizon. The rebel vanguard had reached the industrial zone on the city's outskirts.

Mo Ran swept his Divine Sense and found the place deserted, with only abandoned vehicles and garbage on the streets.

It was too quiet.

"Halt! Everyone, halt!" Mo Ran roared into the communicator.

At that moment, a low rumble came from the sky, like distant thunder, but more rhythmic and heavy. It was the sound of massive thrusters at work, larger than any aircraft.

The rebels heard it too.

The charging ranks gradually slowed. Everyone looked up.

The clouds were parted by some enormous object.

First came the shadow, enveloping half the industrial zone.

Then came the armor. Dark grey composite armor, carved with flowing runes, shimmered with an eerie blue light in the twilight.

Then the head, its optical sensors like two burning suns.

The shoulders were mounted with unprecedented weapon Systems, their muzzle diameters large enough to swallow a truck.

Finally, the whole thing revealed itself.

A giant mech over thirty meters tall slowly descended from the clouds.

It didn't even stir much dust upon landing. Some kind of anti-gravity field cushioned the impact, which was even more terrifying because it demonstrated absolute control over energy.

The comms channel fell dead silent.

A Nascent Soul-level Titan Mech.

The company's ultimate military force. It was said the Grace Group possessed only three.

This was not a war machine; it was a mobile natural disaster.

The mech's head sensors scanned the rebels below, like a deity looking down upon ants.

Then, an amplified voice, calm, icy, and unquestionable, resounded across the battlefield.

"Lay down your weapons and kneel to surrender."

"You have ten seconds."

The Vibration Blade on its right hand extended again, emitting a low hum.

"Nine seconds left." The voice from the sky stated.

"Wait!"

A shout came from the crowd.

Amidst the silence, the voice was particularly jarring.

Immediately after, a bearded man flew out.

"I'm Old John from the Tavern! I have a deal with Young Master Wang. He said as long as I brought these people in, you could dispose of them as you wished. I—"

Before he could finish, he was vaporized by a laser.

Similar scenes played out on other battlefields as well.

Only Qing Xuan's side, having not advanced recklessly, still retained its combat strength.

"Seven seconds left."

Just as everyone was falling into despair, Mo Ran stepped forward, using his mana to lift the "yuanwu xielü" high and shouted.

"Praise the Taiyi God!"

The voice was like a spark to dry grass.

The masses, who had been swept along by the Gangs, were once again ignited by the passion of that day.

The seeds Mo Ran had sown with his previous speeches now sprouted. In this moment, despair and indignation collectively erupted, flooding into the yuanwu xielü.

Finally, the original statue stood up.

The Titan moved.

The Titan charged forward.

The statue was in danger.

The Titan fell.

Let us offer praise to the Taiyi God.

At this moment, Yuan Chenling, who was controlling the yuanwu xielü, wiped his forehead.

"Fortunately, it wasn't time yet. Solved it within exactly seven seconds, otherwise that guy would have gotten to show off."

"Qing Xuan really has a way. Knowing the other side would betray us, he specifically placed Mo Ran here. It could earn another wave of Power Of Faith, preserve combat strength, and incidentally root out the spy."

Now they had to rush to support the other positions.

Because Mo Ran was here, they had to deal with one Nascent Soul mech.

The other positions were relatively weaker.

Although the rebels still had considerable forces and could generally resist, aside from the initial defectors being killed, there were no major losses.

Soon, Mo Ran joined forces with Qing Xuan and saved most of the people.

Everything seemed to be developing in a positive direction.

Meanwhile, in a secret room.

A middle-aged man with slicked-back golden hair and sharp eyes leaned against a table, sipping Spirit Wine.

"Sir, forgive my bluntness."

"Your actions this time are not very friendly. I did as you said, violently harvesting them."

"But then you went and found outside help, deploying so many people to a small city. Where does that leave my Face?"

"How am I supposed to explain this to my good brother Wang Defu later?"

He looked towards the yellow silhouette standing before a map, his gaze growing increasingly dangerous.

The yellow silhouette stopped examining the map, turned around, and casually pulled out a chair.

"Forgive my bluntness, King Dong."

"Although you were granted the title of king, ultimately, you jumped ship from the Lianxing Pavilion."

"Otherwise, only the notoriously infamous School of Life would have been willing to take you in."

"Therefore, your Face cannot serve as a bargaining chip."

That middle-aged man was none other than the "King Dong" who had previously claimed he would integrate the School of Life. Hearing this, his Face darkened.

Clearly, his previous actions had deeper implications and were related to the silhouette before him.

"Alright, alright," he changed his tone, "As a businessman, shouldn't I settle accounts properly?"

"You bought so many Nascent Soul-level mechs from others and sent them to a third-tier city."

"What, are you trying to massacre the city?"

"Using so many mechs from others to slaughter a city under my faction will weaken my voice within the school."

"And this doesn't help our plan at all. Worse, you didn't even buy the mechs from me, so I don't even get to make a penny."

The yellow silhouette calmly wagged a finger.

"What is lost much will also be gained much."

"Care to make a bet?"

"Not a single one of these mechs will return."

"Not only will the city be fine, the only loss will be my money."

"As for Wang Defu..."

Although the silhouette's Face was unclear, judging by the tone, King Dong inferred the other was smiling.

"...He probably doesn't need you to explain anything. Just let him go back. He'll find his own explanation."