Dawn of a New Era

Chapter 655 629: Preparations for Battle

When Chen Shouyi arrived in Zhonghai, the sky had already darkened.

A full moon hung high in the sky.

It was already September without him realizing, yet the scorching heat showed no sign of subsiding.

The streets were deserted, with no pedestrians except for patrolling soldiers.

A helicopter blinked its signal lights as it flew by at a low altitude, the sound of its rotor blades fluttering was audible from afar.

Two little ones peeked out from Chen Shouyi's head, looking around curiously.

"Isn't it nice here?" the Shell Lady asked, her tone hinting at a sense of superiority.

"Yes, it's nice!" Little Dot Number Two said with a curious gaze and a hint of timidity, whispering: "But there are so many giants!"

"These are the bad giants," the Shell Lady said, "But don't worry, there are good giants too, and he's really powerful."

"Yes, the good giant is the most powerful." Little Dot Number Two nodded vigorously, saying with utmost certainty.

This period has been the happiest days for her; she could eat delicious food every day and play novel, fun games with companions. No longer was she lonely, nor did she need to hide all the time.

At this moment, the two little ones swiftly ducked their heads back in.

"Stop, inspection!"

Chen Shouyi stopped and handed over the documentation he had prepared long ago.

A soldier quickly came over, and after opening it for a look, he couldn't help but shudder, hurriedly handing it back with both hands as if it were scorching hot, saluting and stammering, "Chen... General Manager Chen, hello, I... I didn't know it was you!"

"It's okay, don't be nervous." Chen Shouyi comforted him, casually tossing the document back into space: "Has anything happened here recently?"

"No... nothing!"

"That's good."

...

Chen Shouyi returned home, knocked on the door forcefully, and called out loudly:

"Mom and Dad, I'm back!"

"It's Shou Yi, Shou Yi's back... coming, coming!"

The lights in the parents' room turned on, and soon, Father Chen and Mrs. Chen hurried downstairs to open the door, with his sister following behind. Seeing Chen Shouyi back brought great surprise, and they kept asking questions nonstop.

Chen Shouyi smiled and patiently answered each question, his heart filled with peace and joy.

This is the feeling of home, the harbor of his soul. No matter how big a storm he weathered outside, as long as he could see his family safe and sound after returning home, it was enough.

"You've lost some weight after being in seclusion for three months, have you had dinner?" Mrs. Chen asked.

Chen Shouyi was at a loss for words, he didn't feel he had lost weight, but rather gained a few pounds: "Mom, I've already eaten, don't bother."

His energy acquisition had long ceased to rely solely on food. Apart from supplementing the necessary elements for the human body, he had little need for food. Moreover, ordinary food, even if he ate nonstop day and night, couldn't provide for his high-intensity life activities.

"Brother, is there going to be another war? I heard that there have been a lot of missiles deployed over at Luoming Island recently." Chen Xingyue asked.

Father Chen and Mrs. Chen also looked over.

The disturbances over the past few months had been astonishing, with four exercises conducted, the most recent just yesterday. Even the dullest of people noticed something was off.

Chen Shouyi remained silent for a while, then smiled: "Don't worry, it's nothing, just normal defense arrangements, nowadays there's never a day without some kind of war."

"That's true, alas, these are chaotic times!" Father Chen sighed, speaking.

Actually, he knew through and through that it couldn't be nothing, his son just didn't want them to worry unnecessarily.

...

The family chatted for quite a while, and Chen Shouyi returned to his bedroom with a stack of newspapers, closing the door.

The two little ones immediately jumped out impatiently.

"This is the lair of the good giant and Little Dot, isn't it beautiful?" the Shell Lady proudly boasted. The villa assigned to Chen Shouyi in Zhonghai might not show much from the outside, but inside it was quite lavish.

"It's so beautiful!" Little Dot Number Two couldn't take her eyes off, feeling dizzy and dreamy as she said: "But now it's also my lair."

Chen Shouyi paid no attention to the two little ones, heading to the bathroom for a refreshing shower.

He hadn't showered in three months, and although cleaning with willpower was more thorough, it always felt like something was missing.

After his shower, he returned with a basin of water and was speechless to find the two fighting again.

They arched their heads backward with effort, waving their hands into blurred shadows, with a fierce popping noise as they fought intensely.

Did something just happen again?

However, for these two little ones, this was just a daily activity. Chen Shouyi had long become accustomed to it, and it would be strange if a day went by without seeing it.

He separated the two stubborn little ones with a hand each, tossing them into the basin.

"Stop fighting and wash up!"

Then Chen Shouyi sat at the desk, picked up the newspaper, and began flipping through the news from the past few months.

"July 21: The trilateral military alliance summit was held in the Capital City, attended by the leaders of the Great Xia Country, European Union, and Lucy Country. During the meeting, the three countries signed a military alliance treaty, reaching agreements on cooperation and sharing in areas such as communication, electricity, and military technologies..."

"August 16: Our country's first intermediate-range missile was successfully test-fired in the East Sea, hitting its pre-set target after flying 1,200 kilometers. The success of the missile signifies our country's restored capability for medium-to-long-range nuclear strikes..."

"In My Eyes: Chen Shouyi"

"So approachable."

"Senior Martial Artist Qin Liuyuan said in an interview: 'I knew General Manager Chen from very early on, back when he was a Great Martial Artist... we have maintained good relations since then, and I've benefited from his support on numerous occasions... he's like a lighthouse guiding us martial artists forward...'"

Although he hadn't appeared in three months, reports about him had scarcely ceased.

Of course, he only skimmed over these.

...

Chen Shouyi scanned swiftly through the news, feeling the breath of war approaching.

He checked the local news in Zhonghai and found it to be no different.

"The storm is approaching," he murmured to himself, turning his head to the two little ones frolicking in the water: "Are you finished washing?"

"Good giant, Little Dot is finished washing!"

"Good giant, Little Dot is also finished washing."

Chen Shouyi smiled, dried them off, changed their clothes, then opened the window and silently flew into the high sky.

Soon, he landed on an uninhabited hill.

He took out meat paste with powerful Divine Power from space, first feeding the two little ones, then eating several pounds himself, before taking out a Divine Stone to begin cultivating.

Time was of the essence, and there was no time to waste.

He practiced all night.

Unbeknownst to him, the sun rose from the horizon, chasing away the darkness. The clouds seemed edged in gold under the light. Gazing at the distant skyscrapers of the city, he exhaled a turbid breath.

The breath was like a sharp arrow.

With a "snap!"

A tree several meters away had its bark shattered, creating a small pit.

"Guess there'll be quite a few people seeking me out today." Chen Shouyi thought inwardly, tearing off the ragged cloth on him and changing into new clothes before descending the hill.