Chapter 122: A Gap in Attitude

The video conference was plunged into silence.

Before this, the heads of state had all assumed that the Great Xia was merely posturing. They believed the talk of gods descending was nothing more than a fabrication by the cunning people of Great Xia. They thought the Great Xia was trying to manipulate other nations into following their lead—to exhaust their own national resources by building a "Steel Great Wall." Once the other nations’ strength was depleted, the Great Xia would then seize the opportunity to launch a surprise attack.

But now...

It was clear that the Great Xia wasn't just putting on a show!

That Steel Great Wall had actually been built! And it was equipped with countless heavy armaments, guarded by those Great Xia individuals who possessed extraordinary abilities!

"Our previous assessment was, in all likelihood, wrong," said Tom, the leader of the Great Britain, as he stood up. "If the Great Xia were only trying to deceive us, they would have only needed to make a show of it... but now, you have all seen it for yourselves."

"We must now consider whether what the Great Xia says is actually true."

"If it is true..."

Tom did not finish his sentence. But every leader present understood exactly what he meant.

If it were true, it meant that the gods would descend in three days! If those descending gods were as powerful as the Great Xia claimed, then the nations that had laughed at the Great Xia’s efforts—refusing to exhaust their own national strength to prepare—would likely be finished in a matter of minutes.

But even if they realized the truth now, what could they do? There were only three days left! Even for the Great Xia, it had taken more than a month to construct the Steel Great Wall. And that was the Great Xia—a nation with terrifying, jaw-dropping construction capabilities and national cohesion!

"If it's true... it takes us years just to build a high-speed rail line..."

"Even if we wanted to follow the Great Xia's advice and build a Steel Great Wall now, it is far too late... The Great Xia mobilized thirty million workers and fifty million soldiers, and the resources they consumed..."

As these words were spoken, the faces of the other leaders grew even more grim. The issue was no longer about whether to follow the Great Xia's advice or whether to believe them! Even if they believed, and even if they wanted to comply, there was simply no time! Furthermore, only the Great Xia could build such a Steel Great Wall in such a short time, and only the Great Xia possessed the terrifying national power to support such an edifice!

Suddenly, a sound echoed.

"Bang!"

The leader of the Freedom Nation slammed his hand hard against the table. His obese body trembled slightly as he gritted his teeth and said, "Impossible! This must still be a conspiracy by the Great Xia!"

"Exactly! It's a Great Xia plot!"

"What they want to see is us acting exactly like this!"

"What 'gods descending,' what total nonsense!" The leader of the Freedom Nation, his eyes narrowed into slits within his fat face, shot out a look of 'wisdom' once more. "I’ve got it! They only went to the trouble of finishing the Steel Great Wall because they saw we weren't buying it! They’re staging these drills to trick us into believing them!"

"Their goal is the same as before—to take the opportunity to bankrupt our national strength! As for why they were willing to spend so many resources... I’ve heard there is an old Great Xia saying: 'If you aren't willing to lose the bait, you won't catch the fish!'"

"Gentlemen!"

"We must not believe them!"

"If we believe them, we fall right into the Great Xia's trap."

When he said this, the other leaders were taken aback.

The leader of the Turtle Nation chuckled: "You're right. The Great Xia people have always been cunning. The more they want us to believe, the more we must refuse!"

"Exactly. The Great Xia has run out of tricks. As long as we remain skeptical, they can do nothing! This is the most critical moment!"

For a time, the leaders of the various nations chimed in with agreement! The truth was that they simply could not afford to believe in the descent of the gods! To believe would be to admit their own negligence, their own stupidity, and their own errors! If they believed, the sheer outcry from their own citizens would be enough to drown them!

"Not only must we not believe, but we must also take a firm stance!" The leader of the Freedom Nation gritted his teeth, his voice low and serious. "The Great Xia claims gods are descending and has built a Steel Great Wall to defend against them, right?"

"Then we shall do the exact opposite."

"Each of our nations has many citizens who look forward to the arrival of the gods, don't they?" the leader of the Freedom Nation asked.

The leader of Australia nodded: "Yes, many followers in our Australian churches are eager to witness the gods."

Tom, the leader of Great Britain, also smiled: "Indeed, our countries have well-established sects that help us manage the 'ignorant masses.' The believers who trust in God and the gods were overjoyed when they heard the news."

"Good," the leader of the Freedom Nation sneered. "If those believers want to welcome the gods, and the Great Xia says the God of the Ocean is coming, then we shall take the initiative to send them to the beach!"

"Not only will our official governments send them there, but we will provide them with all sorts of church supplies and welcome kits, provide them with food... no, we will even pay them a salary!"

"Let those Great Xia people building their wall see that we are not afraid, and we do not believe!"

"Besides, even if the gods do descend, if they see our people welcoming them so warmly, how could they have the heart to invade us?" The leader of the Freedom Nation touched his fat face and laughed. "Contrast this with the Great Xia, who built a 'Steel Great Wall.' If the gods really descend, they might have had no hostility toward us originally, but seeing the Great Xia's attitude, they might wipe them out in an instant."

"Of course, I am speaking hypothetically—if the gods actually descend. Heh, which is quite unlikely."

The leader of the Freedom Nation shook his heavy body, unable to stop himself from feeling pleased with his own brilliance. The other leaders applauded his suggestion in turn.

"Truly, the 'Old Big Brother' lives up to his name. Yes, we must show our stance—we simply do not believe!"

"The Great Xia has their ships and guns, hoping to trick us, but we won't fall for it! We shall have our citizens celebrating on the shore with drums and cymbals, welcoming them in droves!"

A gleam of 'wisdom' reflected in their eyes.

That night.

Lin Fan was still holding a briefing for officers at the regimental level and above, as well as members of the God-Slaying Army. He was detailing the upcoming battles, the weaknesses of the followers, and emphasizing the importance of coordinated operations between different military branches.

In the command center at the top of the Steel Great Wall, Lin Fan stood on a platform before a sea of officers. He pointed to an image on the projector. "These are Swordfish-tribe warriors. Their speed is extremely high, but their attack methods are simple: they use their sharp, serrated snouts to pierce and slash."

"Of course, as you can see, their bodies have been transformed into human forms by the gods, so even on land, they possess terrifying speed and the ability to breathe."

"But compared to land, their speed in the ocean, aided by their fins, is even more exaggerated. A ninth-rank Swordfish warrior can reach fifty meters per second—that is nearly two hundred kilometers per hour, a speed that crushes all warships."

"So, do not attempt hand-to-hand combat with them. However, their weakness is clear: their defense is low. These gleaming scales can be easily pierced by bullets. For this type of enemy, we do not seek precision strikes; we only seek wide-range firepower coverage and machine-gun fire from a distance. If you see silver light streaks skimming across the sea, or multiple silver gleams rushing toward you, provide immediate area coverage. Do not let them reach the wall..."

The officers below took notes; they would need to use these details to inform their soldiers later.

The atmosphere was tense—the suffocating calm before the storm.

Just as everyone was quietly taking notes:

"Knock, knock, knock."

There was a knock at the door.

Lin Fan stopped his lecture and looked toward the entrance.

He saw Elder Chen push the door open and beckon to him. Elder Chen looked exhausted; three sleepless nights were a heavy toll for an old man.

"You all should take a moment to review what I just said regarding the countermeasures for the Whale, Swordfish, and Octopus tribes," Lin Fan said quickly. "In five minutes, if you have any questions, be ready to ask them."

After speaking, Lin Fan stepped out of the makeshift lecture hall and looked at Elder Chen. "Elder Chen, you're awake."

"Later, you need to inject that Tianshan Snow Lotus extract. You've nearly run yourself dry staying up for three days. If you wait until the battle begins..."

Before Lin Fan could finish his instructions, Elder Chen waved his hand and pulled out his phone. "No time for that, look at this first."

Lin Fan took the phone, and his expression turned bizarre.

On the screen, on a beach with blue skies and clear water, a group of foreign citizens were singing and dancing. There were believers in church vestments performing rituals toward the ocean with faces full of pious enthusiasm.

Drums were beating, firecrackers were popping, banners were fluttering, and a massive crowd had gathered.

Balloons and flowers were laid out, looking like the scene of a grand welcome ceremony.

"This... what is going on?" Lin Fan asked, utterly bewildered.

"This is the west coast of the Freedom Nation," Elder Chen said, speechless.

Lin Fan was stunned!

The west coast of the Freedom Nation was exactly where another god was about to descend.

And yet, why were they singing and dancing over there?

The same vast ocean, but the two shores were worlds apart.

On one side, there was a Steel Great Wall, with ships and guns ready for battle, prepared for war.

On the other side, the national gates were wide open, with singing and dancing, as if they were welcoming...