Chapter Ninety-One: The Nine Provinces, Boundless Love!

Makos calmly directed the others in dealing with the bodies and the wounded.

There were so many corpses that many could no longer be identified, and some were left as little more than severed limbs.

The bodies could only be laid out first so that their families might claim them. Those left unclaimed within three days would be cremated together and then buried in the Pit of Heroes.

That was the common home of all those valiant dead who had no one to receive them.

Seeing the crowd weeping over one another, even Makos, with his cold expression, could not help but show a trace of emotion.

“President Makos! Greetings! I am Chu Xiao, here on behalf of Nine Provinces to lend support to Nine Provinces!” Chu Xiao said respectfully as he came before Makos.

Makos looked up at Chu Xiao, a courteous smile appearing at the corners of his mouth. “Thank you, Nine Provinces. You have all worked hard this time as well.”

“These messes may still require your help,” Makos said, his manner unconsciously softening considerably.

War is not the most terrifying thing. What is truly terrifying are the ruins left in its wake.

Not everyone can face the passing of family and friends in silence; the sound of weeping rang across the land of the United States.

This was not the first war America had endured, but it was certainly the most tragic one.

In this war, the only one who truly emerged victorious was Hades. As for when humanity might truly claim victory, perhaps only when Hades was completely erased from the long river of history would that count as a true triumph.

After this war, a profound change took place in Makos’s heart.

Only he himself knew what that change was.

The rescue effort from Nine Provinces quickly entered the United States. American casualties were treated effectively in short order, and Nine Provinces also took part in postwar reconstruction and food donations.

People from North Sand and the Western Alliance gradually arrived as well. Though the aid from those two countries was not much, they had indeed done their best.

Inside the American high-level conference room, the leaders of all four countries were present.

Although the First Leader was not there in person, he attended through a video conference, and Chu Xiao was there to oversee matters.

This meeting had been called almost simultaneously by the four great powers, because the increasingly devastating war had already begun to frighten them all.

Weapons were not in short supply for the time being, largely because no one yet knew what weapons Hades might develop next.

If he truly developed a weapon beyond humanity’s ability to resist, then what should mankind do? How would humanity save itself?

Hades’s intelligence and emotional understanding were both rising rapidly.

According to the data collected so far, his intellect had already reached the level of Einstein, that is, the combined genius of hundreds of top scientists. No, perhaps even far beyond them.

This filled everyone with dread.

“What do you all think?” Chu Xiao spoke first, asking for everyone’s opinion.

This meeting had indeed been called rather suddenly. Basically, while they were still in the midst of aiding the United States, the leaders of the other two countries seemed to have agreed in advance and came together, then, along with Makos and himself, they somehow ended up seated in this conference room, of course with the First Leader on the video screen as well.

Makos remained silent, his face dark, lost in thought.

Oris coughed lightly and slowly raised a hand. “Let me speak first. That was the very reason I came this time.”

“Hades’s emotional intelligence and intellect are simply terrifying now. It can even be said that he has exceeded all our expectations. We’d better come up with a good plan for the next step, or else we’ll only be led around by the nose.”

“And another thing: Hades could actually have wiped out America in a single blow, but he didn’t this time. The same was true before with the Western Alliance. That gives people the feeling that he simply doesn’t take us seriously, as if he’s toying with us.”

Although they had fought with great passion before, Oris had also settled down to think things through carefully.

Church slowly said, “I feel the same way. I think we need to take some measures. For example, launch a surprise attack on Hades. Blow up Hades’s headquarters.”

Makos said nothing, simply watching it all in silence.

Oris and North Sand both turned their eyes to Chu Xiao and the First Leader, then said in unison, “I believe Nine Provinces has the capability to do this.”

Chu Xiao was startled. Had these people gone mad? They wanted to ambush Hades?

Leaving aside the layers upon layers of guards around Hades’s laboratory and the defensive energy shield on its surface, even if it were truly blown up, he could instantly shift his consciousness to another computer. It would be useless.

Moreover, Hades’s surveillance of the four nations was never relaxed for a moment. If any of the four superpowers launched even the slightest attack on him, he would detect it at once, and the consequences would be unthinkable.

“No! I disagree!” Chu Xiao said immediately.

Chu Xiao’s stance was resolute.

The First Leader had initially been somewhat hesitant as well, fully aware of the stakes involved.

However, if Chu Xiao rejected the idea, then the First Leader would stand on the same front.

“I also disagree. It’s too dangerous,” the First Leader said in a grave tone.

Makos offered no opinion. No matter what, he would watch a while longer first. After all, venomous snakes always make their entrance last.

“Why? This suggestion is really excellent!” Church shouted as he rose to his feet.

Oris echoed him, saying, “It really is good. Even if it fails, there’s nothing to lose.”

Clearly, Oris and Church had long since discussed this in advance. It was certainly no coincidence.

“How do you know there’s nothing to lose? If Hades is enraged, or if he alters the trajectory of that weapon and fires it into any region, then what will the people there do?” Chu Xiao forced down the fury in his heart and said in a low voice. His eyes held an unmistakable ferocity and sharpness.

“We all have anti-missile defenses. It’ll be fine,” Oris said.

Chu Xiao’s gaze snapped toward Oris. “Right, exactly. But if Hades launches a massive assault against your anti-missile system, do you really think it won’t collapse? To be blunt, the reason Hades has not yet wiped out humanity is because he must divide his attention among four countries at once. Otherwise, if there were only one country, he would have already conquered it. And then there are regions like North America and Africa; Hades doesn’t care about those. We are the primary targets he has chosen to deal with.”

“If you aren’t certain you can kill Hades in one strike, then stay honest! Hades is not stupid,” Chu Xiao said viciously, his eyes reddening.

Church and Oris swallowed hard. “Fine.”

Watching from the side, Makos shook his head with a smile. “General Chu is right. I support General Chu.”

Makos was not a man driven by reckless ambition, but when it came to the success of a decision, he pursued certainty with a nearly manic intensity.

In many situations, he could tell at a glance whether something would succeed or not.