I raised stunning young ladies, but they all wanted to possess me.

"Once the Black Tide recedes, I'll take you to Great Xia."

"Jinghai has the best xiaolongbao in the whole of Daxia, Shanglu has the most lively night market, and Jinling has the most beautiful sycamore-lined avenue."

"Wherever you want to go, I'll take you."

"You can eat whatever you want."

"I'll shop with you until dawn."

Yuzuru looked at him, and the corners of his mouth slowly curved up.

The smile was very small, but Gu Yan could tell that it was genuine happiness.

"Then it's settled."

"Pinky promise."

She extended her little finger.

Gu Yan was stunned for a moment, then extended her little finger and hooked it with hers.

Her fingers were cool, but tightly clenched.

"It's a deal."

The next morning, at the highest command post of the sixth defense line.

Xuanyuan Cheng sat in the main seat, his black robe gleaming dimly under the cold light.

A huge holographic defense zone map was spread out in front of him, and he had re-divided the entire deployment of the sixth defense line into several war zones.

The long table was filled with people, including senior generals from various war zones and representatives from reclusive families.

Gu Yan and Yu Sheng sat in the back seats; Pei Yu Ran and Lin Jin Yu were not there.

Their injuries were too severe, so Xuanyuan Cheng did not allow them to attend the meeting.

"Gentlemen."

Xuan Yuancheng's voice wasn't loud, but it carried an undeniable pressure, like a sword hanging over everyone's heads.

"The sixth line of defense is the last barrier on the Great Xia homeland."

"Behind us are the Beijing-Haikou Railway, Shanghai-Luzhou Railway, and Nanjing."

"We have no way out."

"Therefore, every subsequent deployment must be strictly implemented."

His finger moved across the holographic map.

The southern section of the defense line is illuminated by blue dots, the central core fortress by gold dots, and the northern section by red dots.

He would select a name for each area that was lit up.

"Mr. Ao Lie led his Ao family followers to guard the southern section of the defense line directly opposite the East China Sea eye."

"The Ao family has dealt with the sea for generations; you are the most familiar with things at sea."

Ao Lie sat on the right side of the long table, the deep-sea dragon tooth necklace around his neck gleaming with a pale white light under the cold lamp.

He nodded slightly without speaking, but the calm and profound spiritual energy emanating from him made everyone feel the pressure.

"Senior Zhuge Mingyuan was in charge of the astrological analysis and rune array coordination for the entire defense line."

"You are in charge of all rune supplies and energy allocation for all defense zones."

Zhuge Mingyuan stroked his long, snow-white beard, opened the yellowed bamboo scroll in his hand, and touched it very lightly with his fingertip.

The bamboo slips lit up with dense silver runes, like a miniature star map.

"This old man obeys the order."

"I will personally guard the core fortress in the middle section."

Xuanyuan Cheng pointed to his seat, his tone calm yet brimming with self-assured confidence.

"The remaining defense zones will be assigned to those present."

"The specific deployment has been distributed to your communication terminals."

Gu Yan glanced down at her communication terminal.

He and Chiyomiya Hanyu were assigned to the vicinity of Shanglu Beach, where a deep defense system along hundreds of kilometers of coastline needed to be built from scratch.

That area was once the most prosperous mudflat in the East China Sea, but now it is the weakest flank of the sixth line of defense.

"If there are no objections, the meeting can be adjourned."

After saying this, Xuan Yuancheng stood up, his black robe fluttering, and walked out of the conference room first.

Representatives from reclusive families followed him out in single file, their steps steady, each face radiating an undeniable confidence.

They believe their ancient heritage can end this black tide.

This confidence is written in their eyes, engraved in their bones, and has been passed down for hundreds or even thousands of years.

As Gu Yan watched their retreating figures, she suddenly remembered what Yu Sheng had said last night.

The position of commander-in-chief is incredibly stressful.

Now that position has been taken over by Xuanyuan Cheng.

He didn't know how long this person could hold out.

As soon as Gu Yan stepped out of the command center after the meeting, she saw Pei Youyi waiting by the roadside.

Today she wore a light gray trench coat over a moon-white cheongsam, and her hair was styled into a bun with a jade hairpin.

The sea breeze was strong, so she turned up the collar of her trench coat, and a few strands of hair fluttered gently in the wind.

When she saw Gu Yan come out, she quickly went to greet her, her face showing a hint of worry that she couldn't hide.

"Xiao Yan."

She walked up to him, her voice a little urgent.

"Yu Ran and Jin Yu refused to retreat to the rear defense line."

"They said they would stand guard on the beach with you."

"The medical officer said they need at least another week of rest; going to the battlefield now would be suicide."

"I can't persuade them."

"Yu Ran has always listened to you since she was little."

"Go and try to persuade them."

Gu Yan nodded.

He knew how stubborn those two people were.

Pei Yuran is the kind of person who never looks back once she's made a decision, while Lin Jinyu is even more stubborn and has a fiery temper.

He walked through the camp toward the familiar tent.

The sea breeze made his coat flutter loudly as he mentally tried to find the right words to persuade them.

As soon as the tent flap was lifted, he saw the last thing he wanted to see.

Lin Jinyu was sitting on the bed, with one leg already off the bed, putting on a boot.

She moved slowly because the injury to her ribs made her wince in pain every time she bent over.

Pei Yuran was still lying down, but her longsword was already lying horizontally beside her, and a thin layer of ice crystals had re-condensed on the tassel of the sword.

Her face was as white as paper, but her icy blue pupils revealed a determination completely incongruous with her injuries.

"What are you doing?"

Gu Yan stood at the door, her voice not loud, but both of them stopped.

Lin Jinyu raised her head, her golden pupils reflecting both the weakness of her lingering injuries and a stubborn light.

Her eyes were bright, like two flames that refused to be extinguished in the wind and rain.

"We're going to the beach."

"The defense line has been set up, and you and Yuzuru have been assigned there."

"We need to go help."

Gu Yan walked to Lin Jinyu's bedside, squatted down and looked at her.

Her left arm was still in a splint, and the burn on her face stretched from her cheekbone all the way to her earlobe. The gauze had only been partially removed, revealing the newly grown pale pink skin underneath.

Seeing her like this, he felt both angry and heartbroken.

"Your ribs haven't fully healed, your spiritual energy is disordered, and the stitches on your face haven't been removed yet."

"You can barely stand up now, what can you do on the beach?"

"Yu Ran's meridian burns have only just begun to heal, and she can't even hold her sword steadily."

"Are you going to help or to your deaths?"

Lin Jinyu turned her head away, her voice muffled.

"I don't care."

"I can't let you go to such a dangerous place alone."

"It's always the same; you always rush to the front."

"Aunt Youyi already said it."

You fainted last time.

"If Yuzuru hadn't circled around and killed that Calamity, you would have already..."

She couldn't continue.

Gu Yan saw that her fingers were clenched tightly on the blanket, and her knuckles were white.

"What do you mean, 'long ago'?"

Gu Yan interrupted her, speaking very softly and slowly.

He reached out and pried open her clenched fingers one by one, then held them in his own palm.

Her hands were very hot, like she had a fever.