Chapter 408.2: Truimph! Players in Celebration

Finod waited a while but didn't hear any follow-up, so he reluctantly shut his mouth.

The steel-reinforced wings trembled slightly, driven by fusion energy, and the old-fashioned propellers began to rotate.

Accompanied by the whistling and buzzing, the majestic steel fort began to advance towards the east!

That massive body traveled over the wilderness, the sharply armored edges gleaming with the gold of the sunlight, scaring many wild species to retract into their burrows and flee in all directions.

Standing at the terminal in front of the bridge, Chu Guang had Little Seven connect the communication system to the speakers through the ship before he picked up the intercom on the table. He cleared his throat and spoke loudly, "Ladies and gentlemen, this flight will head to Clearspring City. Let us return home with victory and glory!"

After saying it once in the Federation’s language, he repeated it in Mandarin. Soon, he heard the thunderous cheers.

"

Awooo

! We can finally go home!"

"HUH?! Mosquito?! WHY ARE YOU HERE? Didn’t you fucking fly back already?”

"What does it matter! Can't a grandpa fly back before getting someone to drop me off? I parachuted over to join the airship!”

"What the fuck? What’s your problem?!"

"Right, speaking of which, where’s the lucky draw at the end of the battle? I want to enter the lotto! Motherfucking Spring Water... If he gets the damn prize again, I’ll kill him!”

"???"

"Giao! Roro, you're blocking the window!"

"Teng Teng! Quick, look at that! The early light of dawn and the end of the long night... This game is filled with love every day,

Wuwuwuwu

, it's so beautiful I want to cry!"

"

Wuuuuu...

"

No one knew who the hell was actually crying, but it sounded like they were truly touched by the people that surrounded them.

Chu Guang laughed and suddenly felt like drinking something.

However, just as he was about to open a bottle of something General McClennan kept for himself, Little Seven's anxious voice rang in his mind.

"Master! There are four unknown targets approaching on the radar."

Chu Guang's eyebrows lifted slightly. "Oh?"

Who the hell has the guts to mess with my mood now?

Without hesitation, Chu Guang ordered, "Prepare the anti-aircraft guns!"

The anti-aircraft guns at the top of the airship began to rotate, their barrels like porcupine's quills. They aimed at the flying crafts coming from 20 kilometers away.

Although the the ground-support cannons required manual operation, the 12 100mm and 144 20mm to 30mm guns used to shoot down flying targets were equipped with an automated fire control system.

Just the day before, Little Seven had taken control of the fire system. They quickly locked onto the area in front of the airship.

Chu Guang calmly stated. "We’ll set an alert range at 10 kilometers. If they don't connect to our communications, there’s no need to ask me. Just shoot them down!"

Little Seven buzzed. "Copy!"

At that point in time, Chu Guang could guess where those people came from.

The red dots on the radar were approaching, and just as they got within 15 kilometers, they suddenly stopped. At the same time, a communication request came through the channel.

Glancing at the screen, Chu Guang ordered, "Connect."

The connection was quickly established.

A composed voice came from the other side. "This is the Boulder Town Militia, I am the captain of the militia's air squadron, Li Hua, may I come up to speak with you?"

The name seemed familiar. It was probably from when the Pioneer first arrived.

However, Chu Guang had already forgotten where he heard it from. Maybe Luo Hua, maybe someone else... It didn’t matter.

Chu Guang thought for a moment before giving his reply. "Okay."

A dolphin-shaped aircraft approached from a distance.

It had a broad nose and a slender body, with two engines arranged one in front of the other at the bottom. They spewed enchanting pale blue arcs of fire, pushing the craft slowly through the Heart of Steel's directional shield, hovering under the airship's belly.

The cabin door slowly opened and the plane rose vertically, entering the cabin.

Standing in the U-shaped harbor-like landing bay, Chu Guang watched the sci-fi-looking aircraft stabilize before a man wearing an exoskeleton stepped off from it.

With him came three similarly dressed bodyguards. They were fully armed and standing by the aircraft.

Lu Bei stood emotionlessly beside Chu Guang, gripping his weapon tightly. His gaze was fixed on those who just disembarked.

If they had any ill intentions towards the administrator, he would act without hesitation.

However, the man didn't look at him but signaled his subordinates to stay by the vertical takeoff craft. He walked to Chu Guang alone.

"Let me reintroduce myself, my name is...”

“... Li Hua." Chu Guang extended his right hand and briefly shook his hand before letting go. "I am the administrator of the New Alliance. Please state your intentions."

Li Hua was momentarily stunned as Chu Guang had spoken in his stead.

Collecting himself, he continued, "I represent the city lord. If your airship continues forward, it will enter our airspace.”

Chu Guang looked at him expressionlessly. "According to the contract, we have ceded the airspace within the fourth ring and other directions within the fifth ring of Clearspring City. We promised to adhere to the agreement."

Li Hua's eyebrows furrowed slightly. "Your cannons have a range of at least 20 kilometers."

Chu Guang smiled faintly. "Who knows, maybe we have a range of 40 kilometers, maybe 100 kilometers. Who can say for sure?"

Li Hua narrowed his eyes slightly. "Aren't you afraid of an accidental discharge?"

Hearing Li Hua’s tone turning slightly threatening, Lu Bei's expression turned cold as he stepped forward half a step.

Seeing the young man's movement, the bodyguards by the plane immediately tensed up, their fingers unconsciously resting on the safety of their weapons.

The atmosphere in the landing bay instantly became tense.

Looking at Li Hua, whose eyes were filled with vigilance, Chu Guang spoke in a calm voice, "Since when has the New Alliance ever been afraid?"

Realizing the man before him was hard to deal with, Li Hua lowered his voice, his tone turning softer. "If you insist on passing through, I need to report this to the city lord."

"Sure. Go ahead. You can make your report, and I’ll go on my merry way.”

The New Alliance would negotiate with anyone, but they would never become anyone’s vassal.

As the administrator, he had no obligation to follow their orders.

With his visor closing, Chu Guang turned around. Glancing at Lu Bei and the other guards, he muttered, "See them off."

"Yes!" Giving a crisp salute, Lu Bei looked at Li Hua and spoke in a firm tone. "Sir, please leave."

Li Hua looked at him, then at the exoframe-clad administrator by the door and the armed soldiers beside it.

He had no doubt that if he said a word of refusal, he would immediately be thrown off the airship.

Biting his lip, he turned around. "Let's go!"

With their engines reignited, Li Hua and his guards flew away from the airship, passing through the directional shield and returning in the direction of Boulder Town.

The other three planes returned with him.

Watching the signals recede on the radar, Chu Guang felt vindicated.

As expected.

Equality only exists within the range of their cannons. Equivalent military strength was the prerequisite to speak properly to each other.

He was well aware that if he hadn't ordered Little Seven to prepare the anti-aircraft guns to cover them, their ‘allies’ who had been sharing a trench with the New Alliance just several days ago against the Army wouldn’t have spoken so nicely.

The city lord of Boulder Town might now be glad that those servants of his had some foresight and had boldly established diplomatic relations with the New Alliance.

Of course, Chu Guang would keep his word, the New Alliance’s airship would not enter Boulder Town’s airspace, and the exchange in economic and cultural fields would continue. The owed interest would also continue to be repaid. After all, credit was more expensive than gold.

Whether for the long term or the immediate future, a peaceful and stable Boulder Town was more beneficial to the New Alliance.

He would bring a new order to this land, not chaos.

Back on the bridge... Walking to the floor-to-ceiling window, Chu Guang, who stopped in front of it, looked eastward, his gaze already catching the gradually clearer outlines of the city.

He seemed to hear the cheers of the people.

A slight smile curled up at the corners of his mouth, and he ordered, "Keep going."

And from the side came Little Seven's energetic voice. "Roger that!"

...

The majestic Heart of Steel finally arrived at the outskirts of Clearspring City.

The Army’s emblem had been removed, their flags broken. They were replaced by the New Alliance’s flag hanging under the bridge. The several-meter-long banner fluttering in the wind amidst the cheers, rustling loudly.

Boulder Town's radar was tightly tracking that massive arrival, watching it head to the northern suburbs before lowering its altitude. They were utterly helpless.

The city lord had ordered to let it pass.

Not letting it wouldn't have made a difference, as Boulder Town's anti-aircraft guns and missiles might have fired at the airship, while their 400mm main cannons would rain death upon the city.

Heaven knows whether any nuclear weapon was chambered.

No one doubted whether those country bumpkins from the northern suburbs would fire. After all, they had dared to beat up the Army. It wasn’t just once either. They fucked them up twice... Maybe two and a half times if they considered smaller skirmishes.

On the radar station on the massive walls of Boulder Town.

Sitting at the terminal connected to the radar, the officer on duty pinched the bridge of his nose, silently praying, hoping nothing untoward would happen.

At the very least, not while he was on duty.

Just then, footsteps came from the doorway, and a soldier saluted. "Report, sir! The New Alliance’s embassy has sent a message, informing us that at exactly 8:00 tonight, there will be a fireworks display in the northern suburbs of Clearspring City, asking us not to be alarmed...”

It was clearly a notification. They weren’t asking for consent.

The moment he heard this report, the officer's blood pressure soared. He rose from his chair, grabbing the soldier by the collar. "A fireworks display?!"

"You better not fucking tell me they’re going to use that to fire off fireworks!"

Staring nervously at the irritable officer, the soldier gulped and stammered, "I-I don't know, they didn't specify...”