Cloud Peak Mountain Villa mourns its fallen warriors after a costly victory. The villa begins the arduous process of recovery, compensating families and replenishing resources. Meanwhile, plans are made for the "Coastal Campaign" against expanding sea creature forces, with a cautious strategy focusing on consolidating gains and careful troop deployment.
“The entry points are situated here, here, and here, with two primary combat divisions designated for each location.” Guangyao’s gaze then shifted to the individuals in charge of several combat teams. “The high-tier life forms being dispatched include Deacon Tong, Mo Ye, Chuyin, and the Death King Tree. Furthermore, the Female Guard will be accompanying these forces on this mission.” A palpable surge of morale swept through the assembled group. It wasn't a matter of distrusting the other combat teams; rather, the Female Guard held a special esteemed position within Cloud Peak. As the personal guards of the Cloud Peak King, they embodied Ye Zhongming’s authority to a degree. Moreover, their combat prowess was undeniable. A contingent of several hundred individuals, all at the eight-star level, equipped with gold-tier gear, and each accompanied by a warbeast exceeding level seven. A single unit of the Female Guard could engage two high-tier life forms simultaneously without yielding ground. Facing only one such formidable opponent, they could likely secure victory with minimal casualties! This exceptionally formidable unit, possessing incomprehensible combat strategies and an unwavering will to fight, was practically an object of reverence for all proud warriors of Cloud Peak. “Upon arrival, we will seek opportunities to launch proactive assaults, though the scale will be carefully managed. Our primary objective remains to contain the enemy, preventing any further territorial expansion.” Guangyao addressed the group. “In addition to the aforementioned combat divisions, once the teams within the mountain villa are reorganized, they will assume the duties of the units previously stationed across the country's territory. Upon their return, those units will subsequently join the coastal operations, including teams led by Little Peng and Commander Mu.” With his directives issued, Guangyao gestured towards Xia Lei before resuming his seat. His part was concluded; the stage was now Xia Lei's. The individual known for his shrewdness, referred to as the Black-Hearted one, stepped forward and addressed his comrades. “Our losses have been substantial this time. Perhaps sensing our current weakened state, our ‘Big Thigh Ye’ has timely delivered valuable resources.” A moment of collective surprise rippled through the assembly, followed by a shared burst of laughter. “Big Thigh Ye”—that was their leader, wasn't it? It was likely only Xia Lei who could address him with such familiarity in front of so many core members during a formal meeting. “Based on prior intelligence, the information and other details transmitted by Zhongming this time are significantly more comprehensive and refined.” Before Xia Lei could elaborate, Little Tiger eagerly interjected, “Did Leader mention when he plans to return?” Xia Lei shook her head. “He did not provide a specific timeframe.” “Allow me to continue. Firstly, regarding weaponry and equipment. This time, Zhongming has transmitted down an astonishing two thousand pieces of equipment.” Initially, when Xia Lei announced this figure, the attendees did not attach excessive significance to it. Considering the Cloud Peak King's esteemed status as a master craftsman, producing a thousand pieces of equipment seemed within the realm of possibility. It was common knowledge that even when crafting gold-tier equipment, if the Cloud Peak King focused solely on production without stringent quality control, he could generate twenty to thirty pieces daily. However, Xia Lei's subsequent statement rendered any semblance of calm impossible. “Of these two thousand items, one thousand are of purple-grade or higher.” The attendees were momentarily stunned into silence, before erupting in astonished exclamations. All purple-grade or above? What lay beyond purple-grade? Seven-colored equipment? And a thousand pieces of it! Everyone present constituted the core membership of Cloud Peak; outside this meeting, they were considered prominent figures within the country's territory. Yet, what was the caliber of their current equipment? They possessed purple-grade items, certainly, but the quantity was far from abundant. Each individual typically had only two or three such pieces, which nonetheless distinguished them as highly affluent evolved beings within the nation's borders. Without Ye Zhongming’s direct involvement, the pace of equipment upgrades had necessarily slowed. Occasionally, they could utilize the level-nine gacha, and if it yielded equipment, it was usually purple-grade. Coupled with certain beneficial items Ye Zhongming had previously provided for equipment enhancement, Cloud Peak's total count of purple-grade equipment had surpassed two hundred pieces. On average, each person still possessed only a few pieces. While some, like Liang Chuyin, Mo Ye, and Xia Lei, had more, even they averaged around five pieces, still falling short of complete purple-gear. This scarcity wasn't due to an inability to equip fully in purple; rather, in Ye Zhongming’s absence, maintaining equitable distribution of resources was paramount. Suddenly, their leader had provided a thousand pieces of such valuable gear. This revelation made the assembled individuals feel as though they were living vastly different lives. They were all human, so why such an immense disparity?
"Don't be too shocked. What surpasses purple-grade isn't seven-colored equipment, but rather a kind..." Xia Lei paused, contemplating for a moment before continuing, "...equipment that deviates from the familiar wheel system. If we must draw a comparison, it might only be marginally superior to purple-grade gear."
"The remaining thousand pieces are just a notch above gold-grade, falling short of purple-grade."
At this juncture, Xia Lei intentionally allowed a period for discussion, recognizing that otherwise, the attendees below would inevitably erupt in chatter.
As expected, murmurs of discussion immediately arose. Everyone eagerly debated what equipment superior to purple-grade might entail.
"How shall these two thousand pieces of equipment be allocated?" Xia Lei inquired, raising a finger. "One thousand pieces, slightly better than gold. Of the remaining thousand, five hundred are pure purple-grade, and five hundred are just above purple-grade. According to the intelligence transmitted by Zhongming from the cosmic races, this tier is designated as Red Condensation-grade equipment."
A hush fell over the crowd.
Superior equipment—a desire universally held. However, within Cloud Peak, the distribution of such items was far from a democratic process. Despite the sincere efforts towards fairness by both the former Ye Zhongming and the current Xia Lei.
"Whatever Sister Lei decides is fine."
"Indeed, your word is law, Xia Lei."
"Yes, we have faced life and death together to reach this point. Should we bicker over mere equipment? Xia Lei, you make the call. Any distribution method you choose is acceptable. It would be best to allocate them entirely to our comrades deploying to the coastal regions for combat; the adversaries they face are formidable."
"Agreed, this distribution plan seems sound. Regardless, superior items will emerge later. Let us not forget, our leader is the esteemed Big Thigh Ye."
A wave of conversation and laughter swept through the gathering, fostering a harmonious atmosphere.
Xia Lei nodded, visibly pleased with the assembled group's demeanor. Had this been the Cloud Peak of the past, she wouldn't have bothered soliciting opinions. However, with the recent influx of members—such as those from Five Rings Money, Cannibal Chain, Resistance Zone, Beast Villa, and others—a semblance of consultation, even if purely for show, was now deemed necessary.
"Given this sentiment, I shall proceed with the distribution as I intend," Xia Lei declared with gravity. "For the thousand pieces of equipment rated one tier above gold, our core members shall have the privilege of selection, allowing them to replace their current gold equipment. All replaced gold equipment must be surrendered to me for subsequent redistribution."
"Regarding the five hundred pieces of equipment rated superior to purple-grade, namely the Red Condensation-grade equipment, each core member may also freely choose to swap out their existing purple gear. The purple equipment relinquished shall also be handed over to me."
"The remaining five hundred pieces of pure purple equipment, combined with the purple equipment you have replaced and any residual Red Condensation-grade items, will be allocated to the Female Guard."
"Furthermore, the gold equipment surrendered, alongside Cloud Peak's existing magic crystals and surplus gear, will be utilized for gacha spins or negotiated with other factions to acquire purple-grade equipment."
"My objective is to outfit the entire Female Guard with fully purple-geared capabilities!"
