Chapter 677: Breaking the Rules: Defensive Counterattack

The people of the City of Hope were in an uproar!

Every television station in the Human Alliance was broadcasting the same story: Gao Neng had single-handedly infiltrated the Beast Race Camp and successfully retrieved the body of the Sword Elder.

The report sounded almost fantastical…

But when the camera showed the Sword Elder’s body, draped in the flag of the Alliance, all doubt and disbelief vanished.

“Gao Neng really did get the Sword Elder’s body back!”

“He did it!”

“With enough faith, anything is possible!”

“…”

The people, who had fallen into despair from being besieged on all sides, now had a spark of light back in their eyes, as if they were certain to win this great war.

Meanwhile, in the West and South Districts, on the two major battlefronts, more than ten of the Strongest had also received the news.

Gao Neng had retrieved the Sword Elder’s body!

Something they had failed to do, Gao Neng had done alone!

“Well done!”

“There’s hope for the Human Alliance!”

“If Gao Neng could do that, how can we even think of retreating?”

“…”

In this atmosphere, the West and South Districts finally began to counter-attack.

Although the Alien Race Alliance Army’s assault on the two districts was ferocious, once people found their conviction, their combat effectiveness took a quantum leap.

The situation in the Eastern District was far more severe than in the South and West Districts.

If the Eastern District could hold…

Then there was naturally no reason for the South and West Districts to fall!

So fight!

Fight to the death!

…

「Eastern District Fortress.」

Inside a heavily guarded military tent.

The image of the cheering crowds slowly froze on the screen.

At the same time, two figures walked in from outside the tent.

Both were dressed in black military uniforms.

Their appearance was sharp and clean, drawing everyone’s attention the moment they entered.

“Councillor Gao!”

“Division Commander Shen, please, have a seat!”

“Commander Qin is still in a coma. If he knew that the Sword Elder’s body had been recovered, he would be very happy…” a voice said within the tent.

“Indeed!”

“Sigh…”

Sighs and murmurs of agreement echoed around them.

“The Sword Elder has fallen, and now Councillor Gao has brought his body back. I truly wish we could hold a memorial service for him immediately, but unfortunately, a great battle is upon us!” Wu Qingjing interrupted the surrounding chatter, his gaze turning to the approaching Gao Neng.

Gao Neng walked to the seat just below Wu Qingjing’s and prepared to sit.

Although he was now the supreme military commander of the Alliance, in terms of status, Speaker Wu Qingjing was actually his superior.

“This seat isn’t for you. Your seat is this one!” Wu Qingjing blocked him with a hand, then pointed to the seat at the very head of the table.

“Wouldn’t that be against protocol?” Gao Neng glanced over.

The seat of honor!

It was, indeed, his to take.

But the Chinese people have long considered humility a virtue, and he couldn’t just cast that virtue aside. When it was time to show a little reticence, he would play the part.

“When you fought your way into the Federation Government Building, were you thinking about protocol? When you gave orders to the Strongest, were you thinking about protocol? Enough! The facts have proven that we old folks are truly relics of the past. This is your era. That being the case, it’s time we broke the old rules. You sit up there, and I’ll sit down here!” Wu Qingjing “angrily” chided him before standing up and pushing Gao Neng down into the seat.

“Heh, Speaker Wu is right!”

“It’s time to break the rules…”

“They say you can’t have squares and circles without rules, but it seems that being too obsessed with them just ties our hands!”

Councillors immediately nodded in response.

Gao Neng glanced around. Although some councillors remained silent, no one stood up to object.

‘It really is just like the old saying,’ Gao Neng thought. ‘Only when you’re strong enough will people listen to what you have to say. Otherwise, your words are just farts in the wind.’

“Hahaha, is it about to start?”

“We old-timers thought we’d join in on the fun and have a listen…”

“Yes, don’t mind us.”

“Everyone, please sit…”

“…”

Soon, several more figures entered the tent.

Gao Neng recognized a few of them.

The first one in was, naturally, Qin Lei, followed by Li Tiannan. Besides them, there were a few unfamiliar faces.

There was no need to guess.

Five people in total!

All of them were Strongest!

And Qin Lei was clearly their leader.

After entering, the five Strongest sat down on their own, looking very quiet and showing no intention of leading the meeting.

Everyone’s gaze once again focused on Gao Neng.

“Alright, everyone is here. I will preside over today’s council meeting. As all you councillors know, Gao Neng has retrieved the Sword Elder’s body. However, the alien races, including the Beast Race, will certainly not let this matter rest. For the coming war, we will still need all of you to pool your wisdom and efforts,” Wu Qingjing said, speaking first.

“I don’t understand military matters, but I will do my utmost to guarantee logistics and support,” an old man spoke up.

“Yes, I’ll take responsibility for treating the wounded civilians.”

“As for military command… that’s better left to you all.”

“…”

As they spoke, their eyes remained fixed on Gao Neng from beginning to end.

Gao Neng knew that waiting any longer was just wasting time. He didn’t want to run a one-man show, but the arrangements he was about to make were truly staggering.

“The Supreme Council has one Speaker and sixteen councillors in total. Fourteen of us are here in this room right now!” Gao Neng began.

“If I remember correctly, aside from Speaker Wu, there are three other Ninth-Ranks present. That means that among the fourteen of us here, myself included, we have a total of five Ninth-Ranks and nine Eighth-Ranks!”