Chapter 1933: Young and Ambition

"Thirteen... no, one of the Twelve Great Demon Nations, the Mount Meng Nation?"

The Demon King of Mount Meng Nation must be a mighty tiger. Every ruler is called Mount Meng Lord, and they are among Beijia's most powerful demon kings, commanding one of Beijia's top three powerful vassal demon nations.

The deployment of Mount Meng Lord clearly shows Spirit Void City's determination to win this campaign.

Zhong Shengguang nodded, his expression grave.

He Lingchuan immediately clasped his hands and said, "Your humble subordinate requests permission to lead the Ximo Legion to Jade Balance City."

A tough battle was imminent.

"Don't rush," Zhong Shengguang waved a hand slightly. "The meeting will start soon. I wanted to discuss something with you first."

A rare hesitation appeared on his face before he spoke: "We've just conquered Xianyou. How do you think we should handle this territory?"

Handle it? He Lingchuan didn't immediately grasp his intention. After a moment's thought, he replied, "The Xianyou Nation originally blocked our expansion route to the northwest. Whether for communication or trade, Xianyou always choked us. Now that we've conquered Xianyou, I suggest we immediately organize forces to clear the northwest corridor and open it completely. This way, caravans and travelers can set off from Baisha Bay, enter the Coiling Dragon Wasteland via the Jade Balance trade route, and continue on to the four northwestern nations. The entire route will be unimpeded, allowing free movement of people and constant flow of goods from all directions. Its value is immeasurable."

The above concerned economics and transportation. Next, he spoke about strategic security:

"With Xianyou's fall, the northern threat to the Coiling Dragon Wasteland is greatly reduced, allowing both the military and civilians to focus on production in peace. You understand this better than I do."

After listening, Zhong Shengguang was silent for a moment before saying, "So, you believe we should continue to control Xianyou?"

The word "Of course" almost slipped out, but He Lingchuan, now very astute, considered his words carefully: "Does the Commander wish to withdraw?"

"To stay or to withdraw, it's merely a matter of advantages and disadvantages."

"Personally, I believe we should keep this fruit of victory," He Lingchuan stated decisively. "Besides the reasons I've already given, Coiling Dragon City also needs more population and more land to develop better! Xianyou, in terms of its economy, location, population, and strategic importance to Coiling Dragon City, is comparable to the Mao River Plain's significance to Coiling Dragon City."

Originally, Coiling Dragon City was confined to the wasteland, with insufficient land fertility, a small population, and scarce resources. Coupled with years of continuous warfare, life grew increasingly difficult. The true turning points in the fate of this formidable city were, first, the great eruption of Emperor's Dew, and second, the capture of Jade Balance City, followed by the complete acquisition of the Mao River Plain.

The benefits brought to Coiling Dragon City by the fertile Mao River Plain and the unimpeded Jade Balance trade route need no further elaboration.

Coiling Dragon City's ability to deviate from its original historical trajectory, and even to conquer the Xianyou Nation, stemmed from its successful defense of the Mao River Plain.

"To become self-reliant and strong, to resist Beijia and the Heavenly Demons, and even to adjust our relationship with Spirit Mountain, we need greater strength, more ample supplies, broader maneuvering space, and a richer pool of talent!" He Lingchuan spoke frankly, "Forgive my bluntness, but Coiling Dragon Wasteland and Mao River Plain alone are far from enough!"

These two regions combined were still a mere speck compared to Beijia.

They could take root and grow here, but it wasn't enough to support a grander vision.

"Is this your philosophy?" Zhong Shengguang uttered several "good"s, feeling deeply gratified. "You're always like this, always ambitious. Coiling Dragon City now has many valiant generals, but truly few possess a vision like yours."

It was already afternoon, and the sunlight streamed through the window grates, illuminating He Lingchuan's brows and eyes, making his features appear as profound and strong as a sculpture.

Zhong Shengguang rarely admired someone so much: young, resolute, and vigorous.

Ambitious.

Yes, Zhong Shengguang saw ambition and optimism in his eyes. The young Tiger Wing General believed in himself, in Coiling Dragon City, and in Zhong Shengguang, even when facing a formidable power like Beijia.

Youth was truly wonderful, full of endless possibilities.

But Zhong Shengguang was sharp; he also saw something else in his eyes—

Ruthlessness.

Not coldness, but ruthlessness. A deep resolve to stop at nothing to achieve his goals, willing to use any means necessary.

Zhong Shengguang recalled his previous conversations with He Lingchuan and sighed inwardly, then added, "However, what you speak of is a long-term vision. We have immediate, practical problems to solve."

"Are you referring to the threat of Beijia's army, Commander Zhong?" He Lingchuan said earnestly. "With our current military strength and Jade Balance City's reserves, if we can withstand the first few waves of attacks and then transition to positional warfare, holding out for another year or two won't be a problem."

He wasn't speaking idly; Coiling Dragon City truly had more experience than anyone else in fighting while simultaneously managing its affairs. Furthermore, with the frequent outbreaks of Emperor's Dew in recent years, the spiritual energy environment of the human world had improved, and Coiling Dragon City's army had expanded rapidly, a stark contrast to five or six years ago.

"Compared to Beijia, our current strength is insufficient, and a direct confrontation is ill-advised." As Coiling Dragon City's top decision-maker, Zhong Shengguang remained clear-headed. "Moreover..."

He stopped speaking there, his jaw tightening. "I understand your opinion. Let's go, it's time for the meeting."

Based on He Lingchuan's understanding of him, Commander Zhong had likely made a decision, but that decision...

"Commander Zhong."

Zhong Shengguang paused, not turning back. "Yes?"

"Have you decided how we will ultimately defeat Beijia and the Heavenly Demons?" If the leader has no plan, neither will Coiling Dragon City.

This was the most dangerous aspect.

"Of course."

Zhong Shengguang dismissed the barrier and pushed the door open.

The Weapons Hall.

He Lingchuan arrived first and exchanged pleasantries with the attending generals for quite some time.

The number of generals present today was truly unprecedented. Besides familiar faces like General Nanke and Xu Shichu, most were newly promoted in recent years, including He Lingchuan himself.

There were not only humans but also several great demons.

By rights, the leader of the Wasteland Elephant Demon should have been there, but its massive size prevented it from fitting through the small door of the Weapons Hall. So, it sent a red-billed hornbill to act as its eyes and ears, to relay the meeting's spirit.

The red-billed hornbill was currently perched on the table, happily cracking open peanuts that He Lingchuan offered it.

Although everyone present was a core member of Coiling Dragon City, they were usually leading troops in battle or stationed in various locations, making it rare for them to gather together.

If sunflower seeds, biscuits, and fruits were placed on the table, it would quickly turn into a tea party.

After a short while, Zhong Shengguang finally pushed the door open and entered.

The moment he entered, the cheerful chatter abruptly ceased.

The moment of relaxation ended, and the serious business began immediately.

Zhong Shengguang's gaze swept across the room. Seeing so many talents gathered, he couldn't help but remark, "We should build another military and political hall; this Weapons Hall is becoming too small."

The generals smiled faintly.

This was a good sign, indicating a rapid increase in Coiling Dragon City's military strength.

Only the now prosperous Mao River Plain and Coiling Dragon Wasteland could support the increasingly vast demands of warfare.