Gao Wu: A centenarian old man, many children and good fortune! Chapter 088

The full-scale attack launched by the Blood Demon Cult and the Brain-Devouring Terrors, aimed at overthrowing the Fourth New Nanjing City, was ultimately thwarted by the bloody battles of the three War Kings and the heroic efforts of numerous powerhouses represented by Xiao Yan. Although a heavy price was paid, with extensive damage to the city and immense casualties, the foundation of this steel metropolis was preserved, and a devastating catastrophe was nipped in the bud.

The post-war commendation ceremony was grandly held in the newly renovated city center square.

Sunlight pierced through the thin clouds, casting its rays on the neatly arranged warrior phalanxes in the square and the faces of the citizen representatives who came to observe the ceremony, dispelling the shadow of war and bringing new hope.

On the rostrum, Deputy Commander Liu Zhenbang and several high-ranking military and political officials looked solemn. The three participating War Kings, due to their severe injuries, were undergoing the highest level of treatment in a secret base and could not attend, but their merits had been eternally etched.

The ceremony first solemnly mourned the martyrs who bravely sacrificed their lives in this defense battle and highly praised the heroic performance of all participants.

Following that was the awards and commendations segment.

When the host, with an incredibly excited and reverent tone, read out that name, the entire venue instantly fell silent, and all eyes focused on the same figure—

“Next, let’s welcome the hero who, in this urban defense battle, took on a critical mission, turned the tide, continuously destroyed four enemy core altars, and laid the crucial foundation for the final victory—the Captain of the Third Division’s Special Operations Brigade, War General Xiao Yan, to come on stage and receive his commendation!”

Under the gaze of tens of thousands of people, Xiao Yan, dressed in a brand-new black general’s uniform with nine dazzling general stars on his epaulets, walked steadily and slowly onto the rostrum.

His face was calm, his eyes deep, and the powerful aura of a transcendent ninth-rank powerhouse naturally emanated from him, yet it carried a sense of composure and gravitas forged by a hundred years of trials, making everyone who saw him involuntarily feel awe.

Deputy Commander Liu Zhenbang personally stepped forward, his face beaming with sincere smiles and approval, and solemnly pinned a specially designed medal, crafted from rare alloy and inlaid with the city emblem and guardian shield pattern in its center, onto Xiao Yan’s chest.

“War General Xiao Yan,” Deputy Commander Liu’s voice echoed throughout the venue via the amplification system, “you stepped forward at the city’s most critical moment with extraordinary courage, exceptional strength, and precise judgment, turning the tide! You not only saved countless lives but also, by your own power, reversed the course of the battle! By the unanimous decision of the Fourth New Nanjing Supreme Command and the Alliance Merits Committee, you are awarded the—’City Guardian Medal’! This is the highest affirmation of your outstanding achievements! Your name will coexist with this city!”

Boom!!!

The square instantly erupted in thunderous applause and cheers!

“War General Xiao is mighty!”

“City hero!”

“Thank you, War General Xiao!”

Countless citizens shouted excitedly, their gazes filled with gratitude and admiration as they looked at Xiao Yan!

At this moment, Xiao Yan’s name completely resounded throughout the entire Fourth New Nanjing City! His merits were widely spread, making him a household hero! His status and prestige, in the eyes of the public and the military, were now second only to the three legendary War Kings who were recuperating!

…

After the commendation ceremony, a small celebration banquet hosted by high-ranking military and political officials began.

Inside the banquet hall, the atmosphere was lively and harmonious. Xiao Yan undoubtedly became the center of attention.

Almost at the moment the banquet began, at least ten groups representing the core figures or representatives of the major forces in the Fourth New Nanjing City, like sharks smelling blood, came forward with wine glasses, smiling, and surrounded Xiao Yan.

Leading the way, naturally, were representatives from within the military. The “Liu faction” personnel, represented by Deputy Commander Liu Zhenbang’s confidants and several division-level generals, showed the most enthusiasm and closeness towards Xiao Yan, constantly hinting at broader cooperation in the future.

Closely following them was the old established force of the city defense army—the Lin family. Lin Jianye and his brother Lin Tao personally attended, expressing their most sincere congratulations and gratitude to Xiao Yan, their demeanor humble and proper. They didn’t mention the matter of sending women before, as if it was a trivial matter. Lin Wei also followed behind them, and in her gaze towards Xiao Yan, besides awe, there seemed to be a subtle, hard-to-detect complex emotion.

A steady old man dressed in an ancient robe represented the long-standing old martial arts family of Fourth New Nanjing—the Chen family. He expressed his heartfelt admiration for Xiao Yan’s strength and subtly indicated that the Chen family was willing to engage in deeper cooperation with Xiao Yan in terms of martial arts resources and talent cultivation.

A sharp young man in a suit and gold-rimmed glasses, with a shrewd demeanor, was the representative of the emerging technology group—Blue Ocean Group. They showed great interest in Xiao Yan’s special physique, which was almost unaffected by evil energy, hoping for an opportunity for “cooperative research” and promising to provide top-tier technological equipment support.

A slightly plump, smiling middle-aged businessman was the representative of the Commercial Alliance that controlled part of the city’s commercial lifeline—the president of Zhou’s Commercial Bank. He brought generous “gifts” and expressed willingness to provide comprehensive commercial support and convenience to Xiao Yan and “Xiao’s Martial Arts School” (they had obviously also investigated that almost non-existent tutoring class).

Even some forces operating in the gray areas sent representatives. A muscular, scarred man, who claimed to be the president of the “Iron Fist Society,” an underground force in the southern city, expressed his “admiration” for Xiao Yan and hinted at willingness to handle some “inconvenient” matters for “War General Xiao.”

There were also several representatives from families affiliated with the three injured War Kings, as well as two other local prominent families whose strength was not to be underestimated. While they were not as direct and urgent as the previous few, they also came forward to express congratulations, tentatively trying to establish connections.

For a time, Xiao Yan was surrounded by people, with flattery, congratulations, and various overt and covert attempts at recruitment and probing, filling the air.

Although the eyes of these representatives from various forces were filled with admiration, deeper down, they all carried undisguised scrutiny and evaluation. They were all trying to determine, through this close contact, what kind of person this newly risen ninth-rank powerhouse was. What was his personality like? What were his preferences? Was the source of his strength truly as mysterious as rumored? Were there other unknown forces behind him? How great was his future potential? And… how much benefit could establishing a relationship with him bring to their respective forces?

Xiao Yan became a prized commodity, a mysterious book that countless people yearned to read and decipher.

Almost simultaneously with the banquet, all forces in Fourth New Nanjing City that were paying attention to Xiao Yan immediately activated their respective intelligence networks, like an invisible net cast wide, beginning to collect all information about Xiao Yan in a comprehensive, omnidirectional manner!

His past experiences, though mostly public military archives, they still tried to dig out any overlooked details—for example, did he have any extraordinary encounters in his youth? Did he make any special acquaintances in the military? Was his forty-year bottleneck at the ninth-rank truly due to limited talent, or was there another hidden reason?

His interpersonal network was a key focus of investigation. Especially his true relationships with Zhao Meng, Lin Tao, and Deputy Commander Liu, as well as his daily interactions with old neighbors and comrades in the military family complex.

His living habits, hobbies, and even daily consumption records were included in the investigation scope, attempting to analyze his personality weaknesses and possible breakthroughs from them.

And among them, what all forces prioritized as the highest-level investigation target was undoubtedly the incredible source of his strength and the secret of his rapid progress, like a rocket! How could an old soldier who only broke through to the transcendent realm at the age of one hundred, in just three years, leap to become a top powerhouse capable of slaying peak eighth-rank great priests, with strength comparable to peak ninth-rank?! This completely defied martial arts common sense! There must be an astonishing secret hidden behind it!

The Lin family’s previous successful case of sending women, and the fact that those few women seemed to be highly “regarded” by Xiao Yan, were repeatedly mentioned and thoroughly analyzed, becoming the best breakthrough point for many forces to emulate. For a time, countless plans on how to “present beauties” to Xiao Yan, “befriend his family,” and “invest in his industries” were repeatedly discussed and formulated in the secret chambers of various forces.

An invisible net targeting Xiao Yan, woven from interests, desires, curiosity, and apprehension, was quietly unfolding.