Chapter 645: The Situation

Although it was another contest of strength with the Aesir, Li Mochen no longer needed to appear in person at the early stages of the war.

At this time, his command was stacked with numerous deities and mages; in terms of major god rank alone, their number exceeded that of any ancient pantheon. Although most of them were faith gods and law gods, before their faith was extinguished and their primal law force cut off, they were still genuine divine combat power. In three-on-one or four-on-one situations, they could still fight or pin down the enemy's same-rank ancient deities.

In February of the 4000th year of the Light Calendar, when the whole world was in chaos, the two-million-strong army of the 'Beast Empire' landed on Sumatra under the escort of four thousand sea beasts.

They ultimately chose Indonesia as their attack direction, rather than Malaysia, the ancient civilized country further north.

Notably, the Beast Empire no longer used ancient sailing ships; instead, they deployed a total of twenty-five ten-thousand-ton amphibious landing ships, along with numerous modern transport vessels, including two battleships, seventeen destroyers, an unknown number of submarines, and over a thousand landing assault craft.

This was not surprising; as Li Mochen knew, the vast majority of the South African fleet had fallen into the hands of the 'Beast Empire'.

However, according to Heydrich's intelligence, at least six of the warships used by the 'Beast Empire' this time were newly built.

Moreover, their army also featured a large number of modern firearms and heavy artillery.

This could not be ignored; Li Mochen already knew that time was not on their side alone. Odin and the Beast Empire's power were also growing day by day.

Yet despite the dire situation, Li Mochen held back until three months later, when the war spread to Kalimantan and Sulawesi, and the Indonesian government issued a formal request for aid and agreed to a series of conditions from the 'Sunrise-Light Demon' alliance and Australia, before officially sending troops into battle.

This was not exactly profiteering; waging war against a nation like the 'Beast Empire', with tens of millions of outlaws, would cost any force or country dearly.

Due to geographical factors, Australia and Li Mochen's forces had to get involved to prevent the 'Beast Empire' from expanding further, but they could not sacrifice countless soldiers and vast resources without gaining anything, only to hold Indonesia for the Lord of Light.

The war between the two sides first erupted on Java. It was a standard flank attack: a total of 850,000 soldiers and two sub-legions of the 'Divine Wing Knight Order' were deployed to the south of the world's most populous island.

However, the Beast Empire was also prepared; before the landing, tens of thousands of legendary sea beasts attacked the landing fleet at sea.

This massive naval battle lasted three days and three nights.

The Beast Empire's power in the ocean was extremely strong, but the Australian side had a geographical advantage. Missile positions at the military bases on Christmas Island and the Cocos Islands in northwestern Australia, along with 750 'Warrior' variant fighters and up to 600 bombers, provided strong support to the landing fleet.

In the end, these legendary sea beasts withdrew from the battlefield after leaving 1,300 corpses behind. However, the joint landing fleet's losses were no less than those of the Beast Empire.

They lost one battleship, seven cruisers, and fifteen destroyers, along with 300 legendary sea beasts and nagas killed.

Then, during the forced landing, their landing craft were fiercely attacked by shore-based artillery positions. They lost 147 assault landing craft of various types, nearly 50,000 soldiers perished at sea before landing, and another 47,000 died on the beaches.

An even greater blow came after the landing. The Beast Empire deployed a million troops to attack from east and west, turning the area around Surabaya, the capital of East Java, into a meat grinder.

The Beast Empire's warriors easily adapted to various gunpowder weapons. But even more terrifying was their performance in close combat, far surpassing ordinary magical energy professionals. One of their warriors could often match two or three.

Although coalition commanders tried to use firearms and ranged weapons as much as possible, due to harassment by sea beasts, the coalition's supply lines were not smooth, and ammunition was constantly in short supply.

Their only advantage now was in high-end combat power. Most of Li Mochen's six Archangels were not bound by the Treaty of Separation of Gods and Men and could freely unleash their power on the battlefield.

Correspondingly, although the Aesir also had some gods who had not signed the treaty, their ranks were generally lower, at most at the rank of major god, so Fenrir and the others could easily suppress them.

However, the Heavenly Mandate Church, bound by its doctrines, had to consider the civilians and cities near the battlefield, whether clergy or angels walking the earth. This island, the world's most populous, with an area of barely 1.3 million square kilometers, housed over two billion people. Its population density was extremely high by global standards.

This caused Robert and the others to be constrained in battle, unable to fully exert themselves. Especially in street fighting, they were often powerless.

"Damn Indonesian government, damn Nugroho!"

After one sortie, Hazel returned discontentedly to Li Mochen's divine kingdom, Destiny's Land, cursing the current president of the Indonesian government.

"If he had asked for help earlier, how could the situation have deteriorated to this point?"

"You are wronging him, Miss Hazel. Nugroho had the intention to seek help from the very start of the war, but various reasons prevented it. So it must be said that Odin, the ancient war god, truly lives up to his reputation. The situation in Java was the result of many factors, the will of the gods. The Aesir guided events to turn this island into a trap we had to step into, a meat grinder to wear down the Heavenly Mandate pantheon's military strength."

Garcia Feren, who also came to report to Li Mochen, frowned: "Your Majesty, I believe they could have annihilated all our landing forces in one go. The reason they didn't is to lure us into committing more troops. Also, Australia's defensive capability is weakening; we must be wary."

"I know! But letting Java and Sumatra fall into their hands would also be a terrible choice, wouldn't it? The war would inevitably spread to Australia, and they would gain billions of people to support their industry and faith. Indonesia's industrial capacity may be weak, but it's not nonexistent."

Li Mochen looked at the military map before him: "Since they want to lure us in, let's play along. Let's see if their open bag can contain the knife we thrust in."

Though he deeply regretted the enormous casualties this would bring, now was not the time for misplaced compassion.

Li Mochen was not without confidence. Not long ago, during the two months since the Beast Empire invaded Indonesia, the fourth sub-legion of the Divine Wing Knight Order had completed its initial formation.

Just ten days ago, the ancient Eastern nation provided three thousand powerful warriors as 'volunteers,' joining his 'Divine Wing Knight Order' as mercenaries. This was undoubtedly a shot in the arm, greatly supplementing his depleted talent pool.

Beyond this, the layout of 'Rising Sun-Light Demon' in that country had begun to take effect. Hundreds of factories and vast quantities of raw materials were continuously being converted into various weapons and war machines, replenishing their military. Just the 'Warrior' type variant fighter, which possessed demigod-level attack capabilities, could be supplied by the ancient Eastern nation at a rate of three hundred per month. Worldwide, the current production of fighters of the same level was only five hundred.

—Although that country's technology was slightly behind, it possessed the most complete range of industries in the world. In this era when America's basic industries had already been relocated abroad, it was undoubtedly the world's most productive industrial nation.

And Light Demon Industry's advanced fighter and battle armor manufacturing technology was the valve that opened this 'giant oil well.'

If Li Mochen had acted this way back when he was still a mortal, he would certainly have been condemned by American public opinion and politics, and would have been labeled a 'traitor.'

But now, no one would do that, nor dared to. As a powerful deity comparable to Zeus and Odin, his existence and vision had already transcended nations.

And if it ultimately came down to numbers to solve the problem, that country could provide him with over ten million 'volunteers' at any time.

Their war with America at the founding of their nation had already proven their war potential, and this was now Li Mochen's greatest and most reliable backing.

Unless the deities and immortals of that ancient Eastern nation also intended to participate in the struggle for the 'God Above Gods' of this world.

This possibility was slim. Although those great Dao Ancestors and Sovereigns had left their legacies in this world, most existed only as projections. Even if they intervened, it would be too late.

Besides, the nation and pantheon known as Japan, feeling the chill from Britain's destruction, had also reached an agreement with the Rising Sun Group and the Mandate Church. This nation would provide certain human and financial resources to ease their funding pressure.

Korea did the same, a vassal state entirely under America's protection. Under the pressure of the Beast Empire's vast army, it felt even more insecure. The financial support it provided, relative to its fiscal revenue, exceeded even Japan's.

"But this way, we may suffer enormous casualties. Your Majesty must be mentally prepared."

Then Garcia tentatively inquired: "Your Majesty! I roughly understand that Odin and Eris jointly push for war to enhance the primordial force of war. The more battles and conflicts in this world, the more powerful they become. When war covers every corner of this world, they will eventually gain the power to overwhelm the gods. But what about Zeus, Nyx, and the Lord of Light? Why do they allow war and conflict to spread?"

This concerned their judgment of the future war situation. Garcia, as the God of Strategy and overseeing affairs in Australia, had to understand.

"Let me explain."

It was Heydrich who answered him: "Everything they do is aimed at Gaia. A few days ago, Lady Roberta was ordered to launch a surprise attack on several Asgard temples in South Africa, and there she found this kind of thing."

What he displayed before the gods was a rod-like object shaped like a giant spear but of extremely exaggerated length.

"Our mages have identified it. They call it the 'Root Spike.'"

"Root Spike?"

Garcia's eyes narrowed slightly: "What is it used for? Sounds like it targets the Source Core?"

"It is a creation specifically designed to force Gaia out of the world's roots. Since the second World Collision, that Mother Goddess has entrenched herself deep within the world's Source Core. Her existence is like a tumor in the Source Core—"

Heydrich did not finish his words before Li Mochen gave a light cough, signaling his subordinate to maintain respect for Gaia.

Gaia could hear their conversation here, and they were currently allies.

At the same time, Li Mochen felt gratified. He knew that the vast majority of his subordinates intended to use the Mandate Pantheon as a stepping stone.

These people served him as the God King only to survive this chaotic age of divine war.

Once Gaia became the true God Above Gods and no longer intended to tolerate the Mandate Pantheon, most of these deities would discard him like a worn-out shoe.

Among his followers, those like Heydrich, who cared nothing for Gaia or the future, were few and far between.

"In short, this thing can force Gaia's divine body to withdraw from the world's roots."

Heydrich continued his explanation: "Lord Garcia must have guessed, right? These parties must have reached some kind of agreement. The intelligence we gathered earlier has confirmed this. In Indonesia, India, Britain, and South Africa, the followers of the Lord of Light have not suffered much oppression. Odin and Nyx mainly targeted the British gods, Buddhism, and the Hindu pantheon. Zeus did not participate because of his ancient covenant with Gaia; he cannot challenge Gaia directly. This one plays the trick of retreating in order to advance. But the only thing he didn't anticipate was that Your Majesty's appearance gave Gaia a new reliance. Then there is Ahura, who has a fundamental conflict with the Lord of Light and cannot coexist. Whether this one has joined the cooperation, I still need to verify."

Then he turned to look at Li Mochen: "But if they intend to target Gaia, there is one variable that must be resolved!"

"Your Majesty and Gaia have no additional covenant outside the roots, but they share common interests. If they do not plan to win over Your Majesty or offer compensation, there is only one solution."

Garcia Fallon said thoughtfully: "I roughly understand what to do next. Later, I will work with your generals to formulate a more detailed strategic plan."

Obviously, if these parties had indeed reached an agreement, then their worldly forces would certainly be the target of their joint attack.

This determined that they must adopt a more conservative strategy going forward.