Huaihai CollegeExecutive Department.All executors from Huaihai College who were out on missions had now received recall orders. Each of them was required to return as soon as their current tasks were completed.Those who had already returned were temporarily suspended from further assignments.The entire focus of Huaihai City had now shifted to the looming threat—the great beast tide expected to arrive soon.On the city wall…Jiang Lei and Xi Yan, the two directors of the Executive Department, assembled all executors early in the morning."Today, I'd like to introduce a new member—Phoenix!"Smith stepped forward wearing a new phoenix mask.Although everyone recognized him, the identity of "Blood Moon" had officially been declared dead. Now, only "Phoenix," reborn from the ashes, remained.The group burst into enthusiastic applause.This time, Smith wasn't assigned to any squad. He stood independently in the executor queue."Silence," Xi Yan said calmly, pressing his hands down. Instantly, the crowd quieted, every eye fixed on him."The greatest threat we face now is the impending great beast tide.""It could come in two months—or three.""But regardless of when it arrives, we have one mission: to defend Huaihai City, our families, our friends, and everything we hold dear.""There is no retreat. The city wall beneath our feet is our final line of defense.""So we must hold it at all costs. Understood?"Xi Yan's voice wasn't loud, but its weight was undeniable. It struck a chord in every listener."Yes, sir!" everyone shouted in unison....With the pep talk concluded, they moved to tactical planning.No one expected to fend off the beast tide with city walls alone. Countermeasures had to be planned.Although Smith was technically just an executor, he was invited to the command center alongside Jiang Lei, Xi Yan, and others to contribute to the planning process.War Room.In the middle of the room stood a massive sand table, displaying Huaihai College, the surrounding terrain, and forests.Xi Yan and Jiang Lei stood in front of the sand table, actively discussing trap placements.Smith stood off to the side, silently observing for now."The charged cannon's max range is three kilometers," Xi Yan said, drawing a circle on the sand table, "while the explosive crossbows only reach two kilometers.""That makes the area between two and three kilometers the domain of the charged cannons."He drew another line to highlight the range gap."Then we place our first barrier at the edge of the explosive crossbow's range, to slow down the tide and give the cannons time to fire," Jiang Lei added, circling the two-kilometer boundary.Smith listened attentively.Huaihai City's defensive weapons were limited. They had just over a dozen charged cannons, with the rest being explosive crossbows. Compared to Tai'an City, which had support from the Holy Empire Legion, Huaihai's firepower was modest.The charged cannon was the strongest defensive weapon available. It used demon cores as energy sources, capable of handling up to a fifth-order core.The explosive crossbow was a notch weaker, using only up to a fourth-order core.Based on these weapons alone, Huaihai City's defenses were clearly outmatched by Tai'an."The final kilometer from the wall is our last defense line," Xi Yan continued, drawing one more line.Once the beast tide breached that point, supernatural fighters—psychics—would have to engage directly. No beast could be allowed near the walls."The zone between two and one kilometers is the prime firing range for the explosive crossbows. We'll build a second barrier there," Jiang Lei concluded.Three defensive lines. Two barriers.The setup was straightforward but essential."Smith, what do you think?" Jiang Lei suddenly asked, turning to him.Smith was caught off guard. He had assumed he was only there to observe.He approached the sand table. After examining the layout, he responded thoughtfully, "I think your deployment is solid.""But you experienced a beast tide yourself, right? Did we miss anything?" Xi Yan asked.Smith was surprised. Xi Yan, who had always been distant, was now genuinely seeking his input.No longer holding back, Smith said, "Based on what I saw during the Tai'an City incident, there's one critical factor we must prepare for—the demon king."He continued, "I encountered a fifth-order advanced demon king during the Tai'an siege. It stayed at the rear of the beast tide, attacking from long range with powerful supernatural abilities.""If our cannons and crossbows can't neutralize it, someone will need to go deep into the tide to take it out."The room fell into thoughtful silence.After a moment, Jiang Lei said, "If a fifth-order demon king appears, we'll personally take it on.""Then we should also set up traps—supernatural mines and the like—one to three kilometers out," Smith added."You mean energy mines?" Jiang Lei asked.Smith nodded. "Yes. Not just mines. Any kind of trap that can kill or slow down the monsters."Supernatural mines used concentrated spiritual energy. Their lethality depended on how much energy was infused. The best ones could kill a fourth-order beast, but they consumed a lot of resources."I agree," Xi Yan said. "Let's prepare barriers and mines as our next priority.""Great."Once the plan was finalized, Jiang Lei began assigning responsibilities. Executors were divided into teams for barrier setup and trap placement."Smith, you'll join the barrier team. Any objections?" Jiang Lei asked."None. I'll complete the task!" Smith replied firmly.The barrier teams were temporary squads composed of Huaihai's top executors.Ten teams were created in total, each responsible for establishing parts of the two barriers.Smith joined one of them....
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