Wow! The item-dropping rate is really high!

No more watching from the sidelines!

Bai E's heart grew tense as he received the same prompt on his panel.

He hadn't expected the contraption devised by the combat group to be so capable that it could actually make a beeline into the upper city district.

The city's security forces were generally equipped to deal with regular humans, at most carrying individual firearms.

Once it involved a mechanical giant of this caliber, it wasn't something the security team could handle; it would have to be an organization like the Mechanical Court, which specialized in high-end enemies.

And if the Mechanical Court got involved, refusing to negotiate and starting a fight with this mechanical giant in the upper district, the unrest could spiral out of control.

If the mission failed, all players who had chosen the side of Order would be expelled from the city due to their failure.

And even if one didn't consider the mission, they would have to think of the many residents in the city.

A fight between mechas and giants in the city, who knew how many areas would be affected.

Thinking this, Bai E shot forward, leaping into action.

With a flash, he plunged directly towards the small-scale battlefield where the combat group was entangling with the security team, and Bai E slammed his fist onto the steel road beneath him.

Under the mighty blow, the steel dented, and shockwaves rippled outward.

"Stop!"

The stern voice, propelled by Spiritual Energy, reached the ears of everyone present. Even the elite members of the security team who had been close to wrapping things up stopped in confusion and looked at this unfamiliar figure, halting their actions temporarily.

Caesar recognized the newcomer at first glance, and his eyes lit up with a hint of surprise as he called out, "General Bai!"

"Mhm," Bai E nodded at him, then turned to look at the old man from the combat group, "Are you the leader of this combat group?"

The old man, unsure of the newcomer's identity and motive, asked with a face full of confusion, "You are...?"

"He is General Bai E, a major general of the military district, currently in charge of military power, and also holds a position in the City Senate," Caesar quickly explained, "He has unobstructed access to the Hive and the high-dimensional space, and now that he has arrived, I advise you to surrender without resistance. Perhaps I can even request a reduction in your sentences."

There was no need for violence if persuasion could suffice—the longer the chaos lasted, the more the city was at risk. Quick resolution was the priority.

"A major general?" the old man murmured, gazing at Bai E with eyes full of doubt.

To be wielding current military power?

Weren't such generals typically the oldest and most capable among the military, those with long-standing credentials?

This man... shouldn't be someone who had just emerged on the scene, right?

It had been many years since he had left the barracks, but he remembered the faces from his time – if not by meeting them, then at least by name.

Bai E... why didn't this name ring any bells?

Still, coming from a military background, he couldn't afford to neglect someone possibly related to Marshal Lawrence.

After all, everything they had planned up to this point was for two reasons: one was to vindicate their existence as artificial beings, and the second... was to seek justice for Marshal Lawrence.

Both were equally important, without primary or secondary distinction.

"What is your relationship with Marshal Lawrence?"

Bai E's gaze flickered slightly.

These people hadn't caused wanton destruction along their path; he had stepped in wanting to see if there was a peaceful solution.

Now that he had a topic that might open discourse with them, he wouldn't let it slip away.

"It was him who oversaw our batch of recruits' shooting proficiency test and selected me out of protocol to join the special forces squadron to begin my service. So, what's your connection to him?"

Batch of recruits?

Shooting proficiency test?

Such familiar terms?

In the ranks of naturalborn humans... there were no such regulations, right?

Only their kind, the artificial beings, required ability testing. The recruitment of natural human soldiers was almost always via voluntary enlistment, except for those criminals who were conscripted as a form of punishment.

But these criminals also had their own talents; the military wouldn't suppress their strengths and had no need to test them.

The old man's eyes flashed with a moment of surprise, "You're an artificial being, too?!"

"Yes," Bai E nodded.

Even though everyone looked down on artificial beings as inferior, and all those who had promoted him thought that giving him the identity of a natural person was the greatest cover-up, he himself never avoided mentioning the fact that he originated as an artificial being in front of others.

"You're an artificial being?" the same question was asked again, but if the disbelief in the voice just now was mixed with astonishment, now it was pure shock.

If what the captain of the security team hadn't lied, then an artificial being had become the highest commander of the current military district and also secured membership in the City Senate—what an achievement!

Having been away from the barracks for so long, who would have expected the military to have become so enlightened?

If an artificial being could become the top commander, then the status of the common artificial being should at least be on par with that of an actual person, shouldn't it?

For a moment, the old man was overwhelmed with emotion.

He hadn't expected that, after so many years, the will of the old Marshal was completely carried through.

But if that was the case... what did their years of effort amount to?

The world had already reconciled with them.

The old man's eyes moved rapidly, his gaze fixated on Bai E as if trying to etch his image into his soul, "Is what he said just now all true?"