Chapter Thirty-One: Ladies and Gentlemen, Please Return

The modified military jeep roared out from the capital city, heading straight toward Jiaodong.

It wasn’t that taking a plane was impossible.

With Lin Fan’s current status, he could request anything—not just passenger planes, even military fighter jets could be arranged with a word.

But Lin Fan wanted to see more of the land and scenery of Daxia, and also to observe how the situation had developed.

The first batch of Godslayer Army members were cultivating in the military jeep at that moment.

They knew Lin Fan hadn’t brought them out just to move bricks and mortar.

There was a battle coming.

And it would not be an ordinary one.

At such a time, every moment spent training was precious!

Lin Fan sat quietly in the lead jeep, gazing out the window.

Outside, hulking engineering vehicles thundered past, brushing shoulders with the military jeeps.

“These are all state-owned engineering teams requisitioned by the construction department,” Old Jin explained rapidly at his side. “All projects nationwide have been halted, and every state-run engineering team is being sent to Ludong.”

“The steel resources requisitioned from the national treasury have already been dispatched to Ludong.”

“Construction has begun over there.”

“The conscription effort is proceeding smoothly; in just two days, twenty million recruits have been enlisted, and the speed is only accelerating with time.”

“People say this generation of youth is a lost cause, but when trouble comes... they truly prove themselves.”

Lin Fan’s lips curled in a smile as he watched the engineering vehicles roar past like beasts.

Could the gods have ever imagined that Daxia would be so well prepared, even before their arrival?

These surging beasts of steel were now the nation’s power!

For a hundred miles, the torrent of steel never ceased!

This was Daxia’s attitude toward invading gods.

Yet—

Just then, Lin Fan’s gaze paused as he looked out the window.

A convoy of engineering vehicles appeared on the highway, lacking the markings of state-owned groups.

Even more minivans, packed to the brim, thundered toward Jiaodong.

Banners were plastered across them.

“Brothers from Jingzhou rushing to Ludong’s aid!”

“Stay strong, Ludong—Heizhou engineering teams are coming to help!”

Lin Fan frowned: “What’s this...?”

Old Jin chuckled beside him: “Those are civilian engineering teams, heading for Ludong to help after hearing about the danger facing Daxia.”

---

But,

Lin Fan’s expression showed no joy; instead, it grew cold and grim.

“Old Jin, you approved this?” Lin Fan’s voice was low.

Old Jin nodded. “Yes, I did. The construction department said they were short-handed, so...”

“What are you doing?” Lin Fan snorted, gritting his teeth. “Driver, stop the car. Block those private engineering teams for me!”

The driver—a member of Daxia’s Supreme Command—immediately accelerated, overtaking the dozen engineering vehicles and minibuses ahead. He slowed, braked, and grabbed the radio microphone.

A crisp, commanding voice broadcast from the jeep’s military loudspeaker.

“Vehicles behind, please pull over for inspection.”

“Repeat: vehicles behind, please cooperate. Pull over for inspection.”

Following the instructions from the military loudspeaker, the civilian engineering teams gradually slowed and stopped by the roadside.

In the car,

Old Jin looked perplexed. “What are you doing...?”

“Old Jin, what are you thinking!” Lin Fan’s face was dark, but he suppressed his anger out of respect for the veteran, speaking in a deep tone: “Did you forget our previous meeting?”

“The less disturbance to the civilians, the better!”

“Building a steel wall sounds simple—do you realize how dangerous it really is? A hundred meters tall; if one worker is endangered, what will you do?”

“What if the gods arrive early—what then?”

“That construction site could become a battlefield at any moment, one without smoke or fire!”

“I told you long ago: this must not affect the lives of the people. I wish I could evacuate every citizen from the eastern coast! How could you approve civilians rushing to the front lines?”

Old Jin was silent for a long time.

He knew what Lin Fan was saying.

But...

“It’s just impossible to stop them.” Old Jin rubbed his weathered face helplessly.

“Impossible to stop?” Lin Fan was taken aback. “You can mobilize armies of hundreds of thousands, even millions, with a wave of your hand.”

“But civilian engineering teams—you can’t stop them?”

Lin Fan was incredulous.

Old Jin nodded frankly, his expression strange. “It’s a different situation... Anyway, if you think you can stop them, go ahead and try.”

“You’ll soon understand what I mean by ‘impossible to stop’.”

Meanwhile,

The jeep had forced the three civilian engineering teams to a complete halt.

“I want to see for myself how they can’t be stopped.” Lin Fan, skeptical, pushed open the door and, escorted by several staff members, stepped out.

---

“Why won’t you believe me...” Old Jin sighed and followed him out.

On the other side,

Workers clad in dusty overalls emerged from the minibuses belonging to the three engineering teams behind. Their faces were darkened by the sun, their manner straightforward as they gathered together and walked forward curiously.

Leading them were three middle-aged men in suits and leather shoes, equally stained with cement and mud.

“What’s happening?” asked a slightly overweight middle-aged man, frowning at the driver of the vehicle ahead.

“Brother Zhang,” the driver replied, looking bewildered, “someone’s stopped us.”

“Stopped us?” The slightly overweight man frowned, glancing at the row of black military jeeps ahead, his heart skipping a beat.

After all,

Being stopped by military vehicles was intimidating.

But—

“Come on, everyone, follow me!” The man turned and called out loudly in his dialect, “Even if it’s the military, they can’t just stop us. We’re here to help!”

“That’s right! We haven’t broken any laws—who can stop us from doing our part for Daxia?”

The crowd of plainly dressed workers marched forward in force.

Before long,

Lin Fan, Old Jin, and their party met with the civilian workers.

Despite the bold talk earlier, the middle-aged man couldn’t help but tremble inwardly when he saw Lin Fan.

After all,

This was Daxia’s Supreme Commander, whose photo had appeared on television!

No one really knew what qualifications this young man had to hold such a position, but it was certainly not something a small contractor could challenge.

Moreover,

Standing beside him was the renowned Old General Jin, who had recently sparred with scholars at a press conference.

“Old Jin, these are the people you said couldn’t be stopped?” Lin Fan glanced at the workers before him, then turned to Old Jin, still dissatisfied.

Old Jin was helpless. “Truly, they can’t be stopped.”

“I want to see how that’s possible.” Lin Fan spoke, then turned to the workers who had volunteered to help in Ludong. He took a deep breath, smiled, and said, “Everyone, please, go back.”