N-A-A Chapter 1205 Now there's one more guy we need to be wary of!
Chapter 1205 Now there's one more guy we need to be wary of!
But Gao Yao was different. His goal was clear from the beginning: to unify the world. He wanted to end this chaotic world of warring states and widespread suffering, and establish a completely new order. To achieve this goal, he would inevitably have to challenge the most fundamental rules of this world. His training of a new army and promotion of new military methods might still be within the Temple's tolerance, since it only improved the army's organization and combat effectiveness, and essentially remained within the realm of cold weapon warfare.
But now he's even got cannons!
Muskets and cannons—what are these? These are gunpowder weapons, the prototype of firearms, the beginning of reintroducing "technology" into war! For the Temple, this is an absolutely forbidden red line that must not be crossed! Because it means that humanity has once again embarked on the path of "technology" that once destroyed it.
The analysis in the letter sent a chill down the spines of Han Xin and Cao Can. They finally understood that while Gao's order for them to stop and defend was partly due to concerns about dealing with the Qing Kingdom's border troops, the deeper reason was to observe, to test the waters, and to see how the temple would react to the "cannon incident."
With the artillery now in use, the news must have spread throughout the land through various channels. Whether the temple knows or not, Gaoyao cannot gamble. It must be assumed that it already knows, is observing in secret, and may even be preparing countermeasures.
Therefore, we must halt and remain steadfast in the face of change. The border troops of the Qing Kingdom are merely the visible threat; the truly unfathomable enemy lies in that distant north, in that snow-covered land. All our subsequent actions must take this factor into account. Before ascertaining the true attitude and strength of the Temple, any rash advance could lead to annihilation.
At the end of the letter, Gao Yao once again urged the two to firmly defend the city, train the soldiers, especially to help them adapt to the battlefield rhythm after the use of artillery, and also to prepare them psychologically, telling them that the enemies they might face in the future would be beyond their imagination. He himself would continue his seclusion during this time, trying to make another breakthrough in martial arts, and would also use all available resources to find out more information about the temple.
After reading the long letter, Han Xin and Cao Can remained silent for a long time. The tea on the table had long since gone cold, and the sunlight outside the window was gradually setting in the west, but their hearts seemed to be churning with turbulent waves. It turned out that what they thought was a glorious victory might have been a risky move that nearly led to catastrophic failure in a higher-level game. It turned out that the enemy they faced was far more than just the Qing Kingdom, far more than just Emperor Qing, but also the Temple—hidden behind the mists of history—that controlled the ultimate power of this world.
After a long while, Han Xin slowly and carefully folded the letter back to its original shape and put it into his pocket. He looked at Cao Can and said in a deep voice, "General Cao, we both know the lord's intentions. Previously, we were careless and almost ruined a great undertaking. From now on, we will follow the lord's orders, defend with all our might, and not make any rash moves."
Cao Can nodded, his expression solemn: "General Han is absolutely right. This matter of the temple... although it sounds unbelievable, since His Majesty has told us about it so solemnly, there must be a reason. You and I just need to do our duty and wait for His Majesty's next instructions."
After discussing the matter, the two immediately ordered the three armies to strengthen their defenses, fortify the city's defenses, and suspend all military operations outside the city.
Meanwhile, at the Gao Family Restaurant in Kyoto, Gao Yao held a newly delivered secret report in his hand, which detailed the reaction of the Qing Kingdom's court.
Just as he had predicted, Emperor Qing was furious upon learning of the annihilation of the 150,000-strong provincial army and the enemy's use of "Thunderfire." He immediately issued an edict to mobilize the most elite border troops, personally led by a veteran general of the Qing Kingdom, to rush to the lost territory day and night. At the same time, Emperor Qing also strictly ordered all intelligence agencies to spare no effort to find out the details of this mysterious army, especially the origin and production method of the "Thunderfire."
Gao Yao glanced at the secret report, a cold smile playing on his lips. Emperor Qing's reaction was entirely within his expectations. But at this moment, his mind was no longer on it. He casually tossed the report aside, his gaze once again turning northward.
“Satellite…” he murmured to himself, uttering these two words that only he could fully understand. “Based on the information we have so far, it is very likely that the temple’s control over this world is because there are still satellites in the sky.”
While it's unclear why those satellites are still operational after all these years, or what energy source sustains them, this is the most plausible explanation. Only with a space-based surveillance system like satellites could one so comprehensively and promptly grasp the trajectory of global development, and thus, at the opportune moment, dispatch so-called 'messengers' to intervene in events that have deviated from their predetermined 'orbits.'
Regarding the story of Joy of Life and the setting of the Temple, the book doesn't explicitly state it, but upon careful consideration, this possibility is extremely high. An entity capable of precisely locating every individual and deploying robots at crucial moments could absolutely not be achieved using only ground-based intelligence networks. Only satellites, those eyes that survey all living beings, could accomplish this.
“If there really are satellites…” Gao Yao’s eyes deepened, “then, could they have already seen me training the new army and building artillery here? And if they have, what will they do? Will they continue to observe, or will they intervene directly? If they intervene, how many troops will they send?”
A series of questions swirled in his mind. He knew perfectly well that everything he was doing was walking a tightrope. He had to expand his power as much as possible within the temple's "tolerance limits," while at the same time being prepared to face a thunderous blow from that mysterious being.
“Wu Zhu…” He thought of the robot that had always been by Fan Xian’s side. He knew Wu Zhu’s combat power. If the Temple really sent out a dozen or even dozens of beings like Wu Zhu, even if he was already a Grandmaster, he would definitely not fare well. What’s more, there might be even stronger combat models in the Temple.
"I need to think of a way to find out the truth about the temple," Gao Yao thought to himself. "But I can't go myself, nor can I send a large army. I need to find a suitable excuse and a suitable...person."
He thought of Fan Xian, Ye Qingmei, and the family with intricate connections to the temple. Perhaps he could utilize this relationship? But he had to be extremely precise in his approach; the slightest misstep could backfire.
Night fell, and a cold wind began to blow. Gao Yao remained standing atop the pavilion, like a statue. His thoughts had already soared across mountains and rivers, reaching the distant North Pole, and into the "temple" that would ultimately determine the fate of this world.
He knew that the real battle might not have even begun yet; and that his struggle with the temple might have only just started.