Floating warplanes raced through the pitch-dark sky. Scott sat in the Control Room, lifting his head to gaze at the brilliantly lit buildings up ahead. "General, we’ve reached the Saint Ilan District." The communicator in front of him lit up, broadcasting a slightly coarse voice, "We’ve detected a Mecha Squad from the South City Defense Army stationed in the Saint Ilan District, they are currently en route to intercept us." "Corvey that Old Geezer is near death and still won’t evacuate these people. Order the whole team to accelerate forward," Scott said calmly, his gaze fixed on the buildings ahead, "Warn the people of South City to evacuate immediately. We come in the name of peace, but any who stand in our way, show no mercy." The voice from the communicator promptly responded, and then the communication cut off. The distant high walls trembled with a booming sound, and the high-rise buildings under the veil of night still shone with bright lights. The dispersed neon lights were reflected on the warplane’s front window, outlining glass-like flowing shadows, casting their reflection into the eyes of the man dressed in the General’s uniform. He looked down, then turned his head to the side to speak to the communications soldier, "Has North City sent any messages?" "Report, General, no!" The young communications soldier instantly straightened his posture, looking towards the General beside him, "All is normal!" Scott echoed the phrase, his gaze once more turning to the cityscape outside, his look profound. A young officer, holding a firearm, rapidly advanced along the bright corridor, reached a corner, then looked back at the soldiers in Stealth Exoskeleton Armor following him, raised his hand to signal them to wait. Then he straightened up, sheathed his gun behind his back, and looked up at the sign marked ’Gate Control Center,’ pulling out a silver box from his chest and pressing the button. A three-layer holographic map projected above the box. Dozens of red dots were now scattered across this three-layered holographic map, "Mid has stationed nearly fifty special forces soldiers here, with sentry patrols starting from the outermost perimeter. These individuals are Mid’s absolute elite; they can’t be bribed, so we move directly. Don’t hesitate," he said, drawing a line on the map, "Team One will create a distraction in Area A to draw away the perimeter guard, Teams Two and Three will follow me. Once Team One lures them out, we’ll head through Area B. Fit all firearms with silencers, keep quiet. Engage quickly and decisively in combat, don’t give them the chance to call for help or delay. Seize the Gate Control Center as quickly as possible and establish defensive positions. "Once the gate opens, it will all be over." He lifted his head, looking back at his soldiers, "Is everything clear?" The young officer drew his gun, twisting on the silencer, and stood up tall, looking at the soldiers around him, "Stay sharp, brothers. We have better gear and the element of surprise; we cannot fail. "By tomorrow morning, our accounts will be flooded with more money than we could ever spend. Even if you die here, your sons and daughters can lead the lavish life of a Saint Ilan Elderly and be guaranteed admission to the city’s best school, Saint Ilan University." The air in the corridor was somewhat oppressive, and in this silent stillness, a sense of rapid breathing slowly rose. Watching his soldiers in front of him, the young officer smiled, then took a deep breath, turned off the safety on his pistol, cocked the slide, and with a crisp mechanical clack, he stepped forward, rounding the corner, "Move out!" North City Command Center South Gate A soldier standing at the sentry post raised the firearm in his hand, aiming at the silver-blue luxury car stopped at the gate, "This is a military base, leave immediately!" The soldier’s voice also woke up a portly, balding officer who seemed to be napping not far away in a chair. With his eyes barely open and in an annoyed tone, he bellowed, "What’s all the yelling for? Can’t you see I’m sleeping? It’s past midnight. Don’t you know I have high blood pressure and heart disease? Are you trying to scare me to death?" The gun-toting soldier trembled with fright and nervously turned around, "Captain, someone’s here..." "What sort of person? What the hell is going on? Don’t you know we’re at war? Anyone who trespasses on the barracks is to be treated as a spy and executed." The officer’s face was filled with fury as he staggered to his feet, yelling while he opened his eyes and yawned toward the gate. His vision, which was initially blurred, was slowly becoming clear. It was then that the door of the old-fashioned car slowly opened, and an elderly man wearing a silver-gray suit, holding a brass cane, and with gray-white hair stepped out of the car. As the officer caught sight of the elderly man, the hand he had raised to yawn froze mid-air. The tired expression on his face disappeared in an instant. The soldier at the sentry post looked at the elderly man before him, then turned back to the officer, "Captain, should we... open fire?" In the midst of this conversation, the old man with the cane had already walked past the soldier and appeared in front of the officer in an instant. "Mayor Linen, good morning?" Staring down at himself was the elderly man with those cold eyes, the officer felt more awake than ever before as his body shook slightly, looking up and forcing a smile on his face. The sentry might not have known the elderly man, but it was impossible for the officer not to recognize him. After all, General Scott had mentioned the old geezer countless times during meetings. At this moment, all the surrounding sentinels finally snapped to attention, holding their weapons and watching the elderly man who had already crossed the threshold and the officer standing before him, their gazes filled with bewilderment. But some soldiers’ eyes were fixated on the side profile of the elderly man, appearing to recognize who was standing before them. He Ao looked down, his gaze calm as he addressed the officer before him. The officer swallowed, and after a brief hesitation, stood tall and promptly replied, "Yes, of course, he’s here!" Then he lowered his voice, "Mayor Linen, would you like to see General Scott? I’ll contact him right away." He started to turn away. The officer then heard the elderly man’s calm reply, "Where is he now? I’ll go to him directly." The officer froze, his cheeks trembling; he glanced up at the night sky, smiling apologetically, "General Scott’s whereabouts are confidential; I don’t know either." "Then you can directly tell me how to get to the control room." He Ao looked at him calmly. The officer looked up, hesitant, but when he met the elderly man’s cold gaze, his body involuntarily shuddered again. It seemed like an ordinary conversation and at the same time like an interrogation with life-and-death stakes. Not having an answer might actually lead to death. Finally, he swallowed, shaking as he lifted his hand and pointed toward the entrance of the nearby command building, "It’s over there, just go straight through the door, the elevator to the top floor at the end." The elderly man picked up the brass cane and calmly asked, "Do you have a visitation chip for the top floor?" Elevators in military facilities were encrypted; one could only reach specific floors if they carried the designated visitation chip, which would be scanned by the system inside the elevator. The officer swallowed, glanced at the surrounding darkness, and ultimately focused on the command building behind him, "But it’s inside the building, I’ll go get it for you." Then he lifted his leg and hurried toward the command building with He Ao in tow. He Ao held the brass cane, following at a steady pace. The surrounding soldiers looked at one another and, after a brief hesitation, followed them with their guns in hand. It wasn’t long before the officer led He Ao to the entrance of the command building. But as they reached the steps in front of the building, his pace slowed, and he looked up cautiously at the dark night on both sides. At that moment, a gentle voice sounded from behind him, "What are you looking for?" The officer’s body suddenly stiffened; trembling, he turned around to see the smiling elderly man behind him. A fine sheen of sweat seeped from his forehead as he forced a smile, fumbled around his body, and produced a chip card, "Mayor Lin En, I just remembered, I have a chip on me too." He chuckled, "Look at my memory." He Ao glanced at the chip card in his hand and reached out to take it. At the moment when He Ao took the chip card, a roaring sound exploded in the night. The officer jerked his hand back, attempting to retract the card, but found no matter what he could not budge the small card clenched by the elderly man. He quickly gave up on the card and stepped back to stand in front of the command building’s entrance. He Ao looked up into the darkness around him. One by one, Blazing Angel Mechs emerged from the night, their engines spewing flames that formed a giant circle of fire around him. And from afar, a faint glow shone, flashing past him. The Automatic Defense System was taking aim. "Linen, you don’t know, do you? There’s surveillance at the entrance! My men are always on guard at the door, just for a situation !" The officer in front of the door laughed heartily at He Ao; he had humored and smiled subserviently all this long, just waiting for this moment when reinforcements would arrive. Accompanied by the sounds of mechanical trembling, the Mechs in the sky slowly raised their main cannons, aiming them at the elderly man below. The officer stared at He Ao, eyes wide with joy of victory on his face, "So you’re a Transcendent, you’re strong, right? But are you stronger than a Blazing Angel Mech? Stronger than the Automatic Defense System? No matter how strong you are, in the end, you’ll just be shot to pieces by cannons!" Then his gaze swept over the soldiers who had followed them, who were now dumbfounded by the sudden turn of events, "What the hell are you bastards doing?" The crowd stirred slightly, and amidst the brief commotion, the soldiers slowly raised their Gauss Rifles, aiming them at He Ao. "Linen, there’s a road to Heaven, yet you choose not to take it; hell has no gate, yet here you come of your own accord!" The officer turned to He Ao, his smile almost filling his entire cheek, "You have no permission, yet you force your way into a military camp. I shall execute you publicly right now. Today the Goddess of Luck really favors me, granting me such a great merit on a silver platter." "Whose permission do I need?" He Ao held the brass cane, his gaze calm as he looked at him. "Of course, General Scott’s. General Scott is the supreme commander of North City. Anyone who enters the North City Command Center needs his permission." Looking at the Mechs floating around him, the officer stepped back, feeling for the steps behind him, and retreated step by step to directly in front of the entrance, distancing himself from He Ao and blocking the entrance to the command building, still with a smile, he explained. "So you’re saying, only the commander who can lead North City has the authority to grant permission?" He Ao watched him and asked in a low voice, "Then can the commander of North City enter the control room?" "Of course! The commander certainly has the freedom to enter as he pleases!" The officer laughed, "Mr. Mayor, stop struggling. Your trespassing into the military camp is tantamount to rebellion. I will try to leave you a complete corpse, but guns are blind, and if in the end you are not left intact, don’t blame me!" More mechas rushed in from the darkness, and an increasing number of automatic turrets also aimed at the spot where He Ao stood. The encircling ring, composed of war machines, was rapidly closing in. He Ao lifted his head, his gaze remaining calm, "Do I count as the commander of North City?" "You count as what comman-" The officer began, a smile uncontrollably spreading across his face, then he seemed to remember something, and the smile on his face instantly froze. "I now, in the name of the supreme commander of the South and North City Defense Armies, as decreed by the constitution of Yilan City Mayor," He Ao picked up the brass walking stick, lifted his feet, and appeared almost instantly in front of the officer. He lowered his head, gazing at the officer’s rigid smile, his tone calm but icy, "Move aside." The noisy night suddenly fell silent, as if even the roaring engines of the Seraphim mechas had quieted down at that moment. The officer standing in front of the gate looked up at the elderly man before him, beads of sweat seeping out from his temples, sliding down his large cheeks, drop by drop, falling onto the cold ground. His mouth was open, but no words came out. "Are you going to rebel?" He Ao’s gaze was low, watching the officer in front of him. Once again under that icy stare, as if thrown from a volcano straight into an ice cave, it was as if an egg was lodged in the officer’s throat; he stared at He Ao with wide eyes, mouth gaping, stuttering as if he couldn’t catch his breath. Eventually, his body twitched, he collapsed forward, tumbling past He Ao and rolling down the stairs in front of the door behind He Ao. At that moment, both the mechas in the sky and the soldiers in the rear tensed up, gripping their weapons firmly, their fingers on the firing buttons and triggers, trembling as they watched the silhouette of the white-haired elderly man. From the ground to the sky, and from near to far, the cold muzzles of the guns and cannons filled the night sky almost entirely, and with just one command, a torrent of firepower could engulf the man’s entire body. However, the elderly man didn’t seem to notice that he was being watched by so many war machines; he lifted his feet, walking into the entrance of the command building as if on a leisurely stroll, making his way along the corridor to the deepest elevator and pressed the button. Then they saw the elevator doors open, the elderly man walked into the elevator, slowly turning around to face the door. At this instant, everyone’s nerves tensed again. But the elderly man simply placed the brass walking stick in front of him, both hands overlapping, pressing on the gem at the top of the stick, calmly observing the nervous soldiers outside the door, as well as the guns that were just as tense as the soldiers. With the closing of the elevator doors, the silver-haired elderly man in a silvery gray suit was completely concealed by the silver elevator doors, and the upward arrow symbol appeared on the screen outside the elevator, and everyone let out a sigh of relief at that moment. Even the mechas in the sky quieted down. One soldier trembled as he crouched down and reached forward, lifting the life detector in his hand, aiming it at the neck of the deceased officer. Looking at the straight line on the screen, he swallowed nervously and said, Along with a clear sound, He Ao who was leaning on his walking stick, raised his head and looked forward. The silver elevator doors opened to both sides.