Li Ye thought while nodding, and he realized a problem.
That was: how long would the monsters continue to observe the silent treaty.
The epic intelligence had mentioned that from the activation of the silent treaty until now, it had already lasted 152 years.
In other words, humans and monsters had maintained a façade of peace for 152 years.
From that, it followed that in these more than a hundred years, although both sides adhered to the surface-level silent treaty, confrontations and schemes behind the scenes must have been endless.
The chessplay of these world-class forces must have been quite spectacular.
In central Western Wasteland Continent, in the Level 1 zone Red Ridge Zone, at the very foot of the Letun Mountains, the earth began to tremble faintly.
Immediately, rumbling came from underground, the surface cracked, and massive drill arrays broke through the earth.
One by one, Revelation Church’s underground-digging Mobile Cities emerged.
Moving underground was far faster than climbing and migrating on the plateau; in just a day or two, they reached their destination.By comparison, the airborne Mobile Cities led by Bishop Heth, traversing the Plateau Zone, were still far behind.
The underground-digging Mobile Cities each lowered passageways, allowing the boarded survivors to evacuate in turn.
The vast majority looked haggard and weak, and some were even vomiting.
That was because travelling inside those underground-digging Mobile Cities was not pleasant.
Spaces were cramped, packed with people shoulder to shoulder. And all through these days since evacuation, they had been moving at full speed, every moment the survivors felt the jolts and shakes as the cities advanced.
Moreover, during subterranean travel these Mobile Cities remained completely sealed—this was to avoid accidentally digging into underground rivers or gas fields, which would cause massive ingress of water or oil.
No need to worry about breathing though; these underground-digging Mobile Cities were typically equipped with internal air circulation systems.
Not far away on the surface, personnel from Revelation Church and the Titan Throne, who had been waiting for a long time, quickly arrived.
Their task was to receive these survivors and arrange accommodations for them.
That was a formidable workload, given that tens of thousands of survivors had evacuated via the underground-digging Mobile Cities.
But for two world-class organizations, it was not a problem.
At that moment, their deployed engineer-type Mobile Cities had already started up a few kilometers away, building one town after another.
The construction speed of Mobile Cities exceeded that of ordinary construction crews by over an order of magnitude—especially the engineer-type cities.
They could erect a whole town in just a few hours.
As for the food required by the tens of thousands, and by the hundreds of thousands of survivors yet to arrive, it would be delivered by airborne Mobile Cities and underground-digging Mobile Cities, while daily necessities would come from the cities’ production workshops.
That was the productivity and resource capacity of the Mobile Cities.
In a short time, a Mobile City could build a town for hundreds of people to live in, and provide a full suite of living resources.
Furthermore, it could manufacture heavy machine guns and artillery, various vehicles, and firearms for the town.
“High‑rise buildings appeared overnight on flat ground”—this was the best way to describe the Mobile Cities.
Additionally, in Red Ridge Zone, the survivors’ living conditions were somewhat safer.
Mainly because the monster civilizations in this region had already been eliminated, and the remaining monsters were fragmented.
Human survivors living here did not face much pressure.
Therefore, the survivor towns and Level 1 fortresses here far outnumbered expectations.
Humans here rampantly cultivated farmlands, extracted resources, built houses, and even constructed roads and utility poles.
Elsewhere, there remained monster-dominated zones, and zones where both sides were evenly matched or even in fierce conflict.
The Wasteland Zone, where the ship Tomorrow had previously been, belonged to a zone where humans and monsters were evenly matched yet relatively peaceful.
When they learned of the situation in Red Ridge Zone, the survivors’ hearts gradually filled with joy.
Here, they would begin a new life.
At the same time, in the Plateau Zone, on Revelation Church’s Mobile City Saint’s Pledge,
currently, with it leading, 22 Mobile Cities continued migrating through the Plateau Zone.
Their speed was similar to that of the Tomorrow Alliance.
In a small upper-room inside the cathedral on Saint’s Pledge, Bishop Heth stood silently with hands behind his back.
“Your Excellency Bishop!” his deputy pushed open the door and came in. “We’ve received a reply from above, requesting your immediate participation in a video conference!”
Bishop Heth’s brows twitched.
After waiting so long, it had finally arrived!
He nodded to his deputy and swiftly walked toward the communication room.
As the Mobile City of a world-class organization under Revelation Church, Saint’s Pledge was actually equipped with a video call device in its communication room.
Once Bishop Heth input a series of codes, the video call device powered up.
A figure appeared on the screen.
It was an old man.
The wrinkles on his face resembled etched steel scars. Though he bent slightly forward and remained silent, he radiated an authority beyond ordinary reach.
Merely sitting there made one feel like a mountain unmoving.
Bishop Heth was taken aback when he saw him.
“I did not expect it to be you? Your Eminence Lord Viktor.”
This time, the one he met was Cardinal Viktor, the high-ranking Cardinal who had always esteemed him.
Or rather, the Cardinal clothed in red.
Though he was currently a High-level Bishop, there were still several ranks between him and a Cardinal—for instance, Regional Archbishop and Continental Archbishop.
“Heth, I must say you have done very well this time.” Viktor spoke quietly. “The troops you evacuated from southern Western Wasteland Continent, and the human compatriots you rescued, were far more than we expected.”
Heth lowered his head and eyes, and said softly,
“Lord Viktor, I actually feel that I have done far from enough.”
“You have already done your best. We have all witnessed your performance.” Viktor quietly said. “The College of Cardinals and His Holiness have decided to reward you handsomely—commendation orders and promotion orders are already being prepared.”
Heth still only shook his head.
“More than that, Lord Viktor. What I care more about is... how did your talks go with the other Cardinals?”
Within Revelation Church, Heth was considered one of the more pragmatic individuals. He hoped to resolve the Zombie Civilization crisis as soon as possible.
Compared to other monstrous civilizations, the Zombie Civilization was truly terrifying.
And what Heth submitted in his report was...
A proposal for Revelation Church and the world-class organizations of the monsters to reach an agreement that would allow for the deployment of high-level Mobile Cities to eradicate the Zombie Civilization.
After all, to the monsters of Western Wasteland Continent, the Zombie Civilization was indeed a real and substantial threat.
Zombies attacked indiscriminately, infecting monsters and turning them into kin.
Therefore, Heth believed those world-class monster organizations would likely agree.
Under his hopeful gaze, Viktor slowly spoke.
“Rest assured, our negotiation went smoothly. A result will come soon. This time, the Zombie Civilization really has gone too far.”
“Re... really?”
Under Heth’s excited gaze, Viktor replied calmly.
“The preliminary agreement between humanity and the monster world-class organizations is to continue maintaining the silent treaty.”
“Neither side is allowed to deploy high-level Mobile Cities into battle. The Mobile Cities invested in the southern region of Western Wasteland Continent must be restricted to Level 2 and below.
“However, the item levels that can be equipped on Mobile Cities will be Level 3 or Level 4. This way, your work will be much easier.”
Heth nodded continuously as he listened, his heart settling.
While speaking, Viktor began coughing violently.
In truth, upon closer inspection, this Cardinal resembled more of a semi-mechanical being.
His left eye had been replaced with a mechanical prosthetic; beneath the deep red Cardinal’s robes was a body modified through machinery.
His lungs were replaced with a semi-mechanical steam bellows—every breath accompanied by faint hissing sounds—and his spine was made up of segments of reinforced steel bones, making it hard for him to remain upright.
Seeing this, Heth couldn’t help but feel a sense of solemn respect.
He had heard tales of this Cardinal.
Decades ago, during a continent-level war, Viktor had piloted his own flagship to engage in duel combat against a high-level monster Mobile City.
Though he survived, he became what he was today.
After coughing subsided, Viktor continued.
Not only humans—the world-class organizations of the monsters had also had enough of the Zombie Civilization.
So this time, they too would take action.
Heth was not surprised by this.
He looked at Viktor and asked his most pressing question,
“Then... what should we do about that main component possessed by the Zombie Civilization?”
The flesh technology of zombies might be incomprehensible to ordinary people, but Revelation Church saw through it at a glance.
Only one existence could master flesh technology.
That was the Wasteland God, Lord of Bones.
It was evident the Zombie Civilization possessed some part of the Lord of Bones, hence gaining the knowledge of flesh technology.
Clearly, those world-class monster organizations also wished to obtain this component.
After all, they all understood its value.
While Heth was deep in thought, Viktor once again spoke calmly.
“Heth.”
Heth snapped back to awareness and promptly nodded.
“Yes.”
“Your mission is critical—you must try to help us secure that component of the Lord of Bones,” Viktor said. “As for the monsters... they’re in no hurry to compete for it.”
Though a bit puzzled by Viktor’s final remark, Heth still nodded.
“So, Lord Viktor, when will humanity launch the counterattack?”
“We’ve reached an agreement with the monsters—each side has one month to prepare. It might even happen earlier,” Viktor answered. “When the time comes, everyone will initiate a full-scale assault.”
He also informed Heth of one more matter.
This time, regardless of whether they were human or monster world-class organizations, only Mobile Cities already stationed in Western Wasteland Continent would be allowed to participate.
As Heth nodded, Viktor lifted his gaze to him.
“Heth.”
“Hmm?”
Heth looked up at Viktor, a hint of curiosity in his eyes.
Under his gaze, Viktor spoke with a hoarse voice.
“I think you understand why I’m disclosing so much information to you.”
Heth immediately realized something, and became instantly excited.
“Yes. This time, the Holy See and the College of Cardinals will appoint you as the Supreme Commander of humanity's side,” Viktor said calmly.
Heth promptly pressed his left hand to his chest and bowed crisply.
“I shall do my utmost!”
Viktor scratched his head.
“Honestly... every time a super monstrous civilization emerges on the continent, everything gets thrown into chaos.”
To this high-ranking figure, the storm stirred up by the Zombie Civilization was indeed like an unexpectedly disruptive farce.
This catastrophe that swept across the continent vanished quietly amid the idle chatter and gestures of these mighty figures.
Heth too felt a surge of emotion.
"Indeed, zombies are terrifying monsters."
With a slight smile, Viktor said,
"In fact, in the eyes of monsters, we humans are also a kind of terrifying monster."
"Hmm?"
After a brief moment, Heth suddenly realized.
"Is it because in the Wasteland, humans are the only race that can gain loot by killing monsters?"
Viktor shook his head with a smile.
"No, it's not just because of that."
The monsters of the Wasteland could evolve, could form civilizations, and were incredibly powerful.
Yet humans, like remnants of an old era, who at any moment seemed on the verge of being swept into the dustbin of history, continued to persist like wild grass—resilient and indomitable, surviving blow after blow.
Generation after generation, humans endured, standing tall in the Wasteland.
One wave after another, an endless succession.
The conversation thus came to an end. Heth saluted Viktor and was about to close the communication channel and depart.
At that moment, Viktor suddenly called out sharply.
"One more thing!"
Heth instantly tensed up.
"Lord Viktor, do you have another command?"
Viktor looked at him quietly, then spoke.
"Whether you understand or not, our human side must prioritize maintaining the silent treaty. The longer it holds, the more beneficial it is for us humans."
Heth could not help but take a deep breath.
Although he was a High-level Bishop, he had not entered the core decision-making level of Revelation Church.
Thus, he could not grasp the true situation of the world.
But he vaguely felt that something was not right.
He looked at Viktor before him and slowly said,
"Lord Viktor."
"What is it?"
"I have always held one doubt in my heart," Heth said. "That is... just how many more years can the silent treaty last?"
After pausing for a moment, Viktor chuckled softly.
He did not answer Heth, and directly turned off the video communication device.
The old man sat quietly in his chair. He was still smiling, but that smile slowly turned bitter.
"Time is running out, Heth," he muttered, gently patting his knee. "Time is running out..."
"This view really is something," Li Ye nodded sincerely atop the Watchtower.
This vast region stretching across the central continent, with its majestic grandeur and breathtaking beauty, was awe-inspiring to all who beheld it.
The towering peaks, thousands of meters above sea level, were capped with snow year-round, glaciers cascading like silver screens and refracting diamond-like cold light under the sun.
Seas of clouds swirled around the mountainsides, sometimes tumbling like waterfalls into deep valleys, other times brushing across jagged ridges like faint veils.
"It really is," Lin Xia nodded beside him. "I never thought I’d see so much scenery on this journey."
She was now dressed in a down jacket and cotton pants with thick cotton socks, wearing a winter hat atop her head. Her delicate face was tinged with a rosy flush.
"Speaking of which, where are we heading next?" she tilted her head and looked at Li Ye.
Li Ye looked off in a certain direction.
"To a new zone," he said, then seemed to remember something and added, "Right, there’s also a sea there."
"A sea?"
Lin Xia froze, then joyfully clenched her fists and bounced slightly.
"That's amazing! I’ve never been to the seaside in my whole life!"
Li Ye smiled softly.
Compared to that, he was more concerned...
What lay beyond the sea?
As he absentmindedly turned to glance around, he suddenly noticed something.
Looking more closely, he froze.
"There's actually a survivor town in the Plateau π?"