Chapter 114: Unity Is Strength!

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Chu Xiao recounted the entire sequence of events to Number One. At present, Chu Xiao's demand for meteorites was immense; if they couldn't acquire the full amount, they would have to gather as many as possible.

"That's not a problem. I'll immediately arrange for all major media outlets to organize people to search for meteorites," Number One responded without hesitation. He knew that Chu Xiao would not have come to him without absolute confidence.

[Attention, citizens! We have an important announcement. Due to a shortage of materials for weapon manufacturing, a large quantity of meteorites is urgently needed. We earnestly request all citizens, for the sake of Jiuzhou, to search for meteorites and submit them to the Weapons Research Institute!]

The message was broadcast repeatedly across all televisions, computers, and mobile phones, while newspapers rushed to print it. Soon, the news spread to every corner of Jiuzhou.

Upon hearing this, everyone instinctively began searching for meteorites, eager to contribute to the defeat of the Underworld King and the restoration of peace.

"This meteorite has been passed down in my family for generations; I am ready to hand it over now!"

"I found this one in the mountains; here it is for submission!"

"I discovered this in the fields while farming; I’m submitting it now!"

...

Shortly after the announcement, people began bringing meteorites in droves, and the Weapons Research Institute quickly became bustling with activity.

The power of the people was immeasurable. Chu Xiao’s side soon received hundreds of meteorite fragments, with more people rushing in continuously.

All across Jiuzhou, individuals were searching for meteorites, and Chu Xiao also dispatched some troops to assist. Every person was contributing to Jiuzhou’s cause, no matter how small their effort. But when united, even the smallest forces could become incredibly powerful.

Chu Xiao and Number One watched this scene with great satisfaction. With such support, defeating the Underworld King was imminent; victory was theirs to claim.

Chu Xiao discussed with Number One the plan to simultaneously collect meteorites and begin extracting magnesium, for the extraction process was complex and required multiple steps.

Moreover, it was still uncertain how many weapons could be produced, so they would manufacture in batches as materials became available. Number One agreed with Chu Xiao’s approach.

Among the crowd, Chu Xiao spotted a familiar figure—it was Wang Lulu, who was also queuing. Curious, Chu Xiao approached her.

"Lulu, what are you doing here?"

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"I'm here to donate meteorites. This was entrusted to me by my grandmother before she passed. Since you need it, of course, I want to contribute!" Wang Lulu held a pendant made from a meteorite. Chu Xiao had seen her cradle it carefully before, fearful of damaging it.

"You should keep this. After all, it’s the only heirloom your grandmother left you. With so many meteorites here, one small piece won’t make a difference," Chu Xiao said thoughtfully. He could tell how much the pendant meant to her—usually, she treated it like a treasure, yet today she willingly offered it.

"No, many others here might feel the same as I do, but they are all donating unconditionally for Jiuzhou. How could I be so selfish?" Wang Lulu’s eyes were resolute. Chu Xiao said nothing further and took the pendant. He secretly vowed that once they defeated the Underworld King, he would give her an identical one.

Meanwhile, the Underworld King’s side had already produced the first batch of Hummingbird robots and tested their power. The Hummingbird robot had a wingspan of about one meter.

It was extremely agile, flying five to six meters per second, evading most conventional weapons. Its strength was formidable: its sharp claws could pierce a tree trunk half a meter thick in a single swipe.

Its wings, sharper than blades, could instantly cleave decades-old trees in two. Its feathers functioned like a machine gun, firing hundreds of bullets per second.

It could spray fire from its mouth and carry ten rounds of explosives internally. Essentially, it was a small combat aircraft with aerial maneuverability, and when paired with the giant serpent mechanical dogs dominating the land, it was nearly invincible.

The Underworld King was very pleased with his creation and laughed heartily, but he knew these robots were far from sufficient and hastened their production.

Taking advantage of the Underworld King's silence, the United States, North Sahara, and Euro-Strong nations caught their breath and continued weapon development. Though not as powerful as Jiuzhou’s, they could defend themselves.

They fortified their city defenses as best as possible, though these were mere stopgap measures. Jiuzhou, a powerful nation, had prepared over 300 days in advance, so it could only hope to fight the Underworld King to a stalemate.

The other three nations merely imitated Jiuzhou, which was insignificant in the eyes of the Underworld King and his ever-evolving robots.

Without Jiuzhou’s aid, their strategy would be to hold the city and drag the conflict out, but they would likely starve after months of siege by the Underworld King’s armies.

With Jiuzhou resisting, they had time to stockpile food and prepare for a protracted war.

The new weapons developed by the three nations were roughly on par with Jiuzhou’s Sunfire weapon, which the Underworld King regarded as child’s play, exerting no real pressure.

Mingzhu City.

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Chu Xiao’s injuries had healed rapidly in recent days, leaving him largely unscathed. Each day, he enjoyed the meals prepared by Wang Lulu, feeling very content.

Since preparing to confront the Underworld King, Chu Xiao had been extremely busy, often running between cities, sometimes unable to eat properly.

But since his injury, Wang Lulu brought him meals at every mealtime, with a different dish each time.

That noon, Chu Xiao finished his tasks early and waited in his office for Wang Lulu to bring his lunch, but she did not arrive.

Growing anxious, Chu Xiao rose to check on her when the office door opened, and Wang Lulu limped in.

"Lulu, what happened? Did you hurt your foot?"

"I twisted it walking too fast earlier, but it’s nothing. A little rest will fix it."

Worried, Chu Xiao hurried over and without hesitation lifted her onto a chair and rolled up her pant leg to examine the swelling around her ankle.

His heart ached as he fetched a bottle of medicinal alcohol from the drawer.

Opening it, he poured some onto his hand and gently massaged her ankle. Seeing Chu Xiao’s tender care warmed Wang Lulu’s heart.

"Why are you so careless? There’s no need to rush eating. Luckily, you didn’t injure the bones!"

Chu Xiao scolded her playfully, though his voice was full of concern. Wang Lulu found his care endearing.

After about ten minutes of massage, the redness subsided and he stopped, helping her put on her shoes and urging her to rest.

Chu Xiao opened the lunchbox and saw Wang Lulu had made a heart-shaped omelet, though half of it was burnt. He joked, "Are you sure your feelings for me are genuine?"