Chapter 509: Stalemate

"Deploy troops to the Bloody Land? How could I not want to?"

Li Mochen frowned. "This shouldn't be Michael Wood's own idea, right? He knows our situation; his advice was to sit back and watch. Has he changed his mind now?"

"Major General Michael Wood hasn't changed his mind, but—"

Eliza said, glancing out the window with a strange expression.

Twenty-three days ago, their ceasefire agreement with Philip I had expired.

Strangely, the other side hadn't immediately declared war on the Rising Sun Group and Conshuri as Li Mochen had expected. The situation in Atlanta remained balanced.

But the other side didn't seem ready to let things go either. Philip I, the three siblings of Margaret, the Howard family, and the Benedict family had all remained on war footing.

At this point, as many as twelve high-level mercenary corps had gathered in Atlanta. The total personnel was small, only about nine hundred, but they were all top-tier high-level outlaws.

Only about thirty percent were hired by him and Conshuri. The allegiance of the rest was obvious.

After careful consideration, Li Mochen's advisory team still recommended he abandon the preemptive strike strategy.

On one hand, dragging things out was indeed beneficial to them. The Rising Sun Group under Li Mochen, nourished by the resources from the Dragon Witch Sect, was growing like bamboo shoots after rain.

The establishment of six armored regiments and three mechanized infantry brigades had solidified Li Mochen's foundation. A private army of fifty thousand, plus forty thousand security personnel nationwide, made them fearless in direct combat.

Breakthroughs on the legendary path by 'Eye of the Sky' Howard Eisenhower, 'Natural Punisher' Dainn Stacy, 'Desert Magic Gun' Kamela Natasha, and Brigadier General Wallace Clayton, along with the addition of retired generals like Brigadier General Moro Lavis, Brigadier General Derin Gorthorp, and Major General Kevin Sarillo, had all strengthened them.

Thanks to abundant financial resources and the illustrious victory over the Dragon Witch Sect, the Rising Sun Group now boasted twenty-nine legendary-level experts.

Few could refuse the Rising Sun Group's invitation. This rising new conglomerate had unparalleled advantages in recruiting legendary experts looking to leave the mercenary or military world.

The rights and status granted by the Rising Sun Group, salaries at least twenty percent above average, and Li Mochen's divine authority over life and death made even mid-to-high-level legends willing to serve him.

In particular, four former agents of the Soviet Committee for State Security had joined.

This even alarmed the CIA, FBI, and Department of Homeland Security. After strict security reviews and Li Mochen's use of personal connections, these few barely passed.

On the other hand, Li Mochen's own strength was advancing rapidly. At least in Eliza's view, if the other side waited another three to five months, Li Mochen might well step into the legendary realm.

The government, too, didn't want turmoil in Atlanta.

Although the national and local elections had ended three months ago, both Atlanta's Citizens and Conservatives likely detested a dark war of this scale, which would engulf most of them.

Whoever fired the first shot would lose points with the government and face targeting by several law enforcement agencies.

Thus, Major General Michael Wood and many senior commanders, including Sampson Brute, generally believed the other side was waiting or preparing for something—a force that would help them secure victory.

But Li Mochen's strength and foundation were also growing rapidly, so there was no need to rush into battle.

So now, their enemies were mobilizing troops and deploying forces, while Li Mochen had to recruit and stand ready.

This had led to a stalemate at Saint Stone Fortress. Four armored regiments and two mechanized infantry brigades were stuck in the fortress, unable even to reclaim the two mines abandoned by the Nathan Group.

"But now there's a slight change. Michael suspects the vampires are secretly building a large military fortress in Rochelle Canyon, likely already of some scale. He plans to conduct a reconnaissance in force to see what's there."

Li Mochen's expression shifted slightly.

Rochelle Canyon—named after an explorer from three hundred years ago—was the most important entrance to the Bloody Land. If it were blocked, they would have to take a long detour, overburdening their supply lines and risking them being cut off at any time.

"Do we have to advance there?"

Li Mochen opened the operational plan provided by Michael Wood. "Can't we send a few legends to scout?"

Lind Emerson could handle it; he just needed a distant look.

"He believes the other side has top-tier illusionists. And this might be a trap set by our enemies to lure our high-level experts."

Eliza frowned. "He thinks this offensive can also test our enemies. He'll know when to stop and ensure our forces can withdraw from the dark world front at any time."

Li Mochen carefully reviewed the documents. After a long while, he closed the folder noncommittally.

"Don't worry about this. I'll go to the dark world myself soon and—"

His gaze fell on Eliza's right arm, wrapped in bandages.

She smiled bitterly and unwrapped the bandages layer by layer. "Disappointed? The fourth fusion attempt failed. Am I useless, A Mo?"

Her arm, now revealed, was pure black, completely mutated. It had seven fingers, covered in ape-like hair, scattered dragon scales, and patches of rot or pustules.

An ordinary person might have been sickened, but Li Mochen showed no disgust; instead, his eyes lit up with joy.

"This is great progress. I think you'll succeed next time. But you still need to make time—never mind—"

He had been about to say Eliza should spend more time on personal cultivation, but remembering that most of her daily tasks stemmed from him, he stopped. "How can you think you're useless? In terms of fusion, even the Collinson brothers aren't as good as you."

"Really? You're lying!"

Eliza stared at him doubtfully, then concluded he was just humoring her.

Over the past six months, Li Mochen had collected six sets of Moshlar bio-armor, giving them to her, Li Tailai, Sampson Brute, Thompson Adams, and the Collinson brothers.

He had also provided a method for them to use their own external elixirs to devour the power of the apostles of the Calamity Flame Dragon Maiden Adriana.

But the one making the least progress was probably her, Eliza Targaryen.