"Tell me!" Samikina looked at Kodwen's resolute gaze in front of him and asked.

"I want her!"

Everyone's eyes followed the direction Kodwen pointed, only to see Xia Yu sitting among those in the investigation hall, confusedly looking at Kodwen staring at her, and pointed at herself in bewilderment: "Me?"

"No way!" Before Kodwen could continue, Pei Yan interrupted with a somber expression: "I have arrangements for everyone in the investigation hall, she must follow the team!"

What a joke, we are at most allies now, and already taking great risks. Letting his friend fall into a life-and-death situation is a losing deal he cannot agree to.

Hearing Pei Yan's words, Kodwen seemed to know this outcome would occur, and had no choice but to lower his head and sigh deeply.

"Mr. Shitang, don't rush to refuse, let him talk about his plan. If after he finishes, you think it's still inappropriate, then it's not too late to reject it!" Samikina timely interjected, smiling kindly at Pei Yan as he spoke.

Pei Yan saw this and couldn't reject it further, reluctantly nodding, deciding to first hear what Kodwen had planned. Kodwen, seeing that the two gave their approval, seized the opportunity to explain: "I have seen this lady's ability during the battle at the junction of the Bull Territory! If I am not mistaken, she can control steel, correct?"

"Sort of!" Xia Yu shrugged in response to Kodwen's eager gaze.

"I also witnessed your battle with Miss Hel, where you could control her weapon, even the metal of our world too, correct?" Kodwen continued to pursue.

Xia Yu nodded in agreement, seeing this, Kodwen turned to Samikina and said gravely: "I hope she can construct for me four steel fortresses on the road from Bern Lake to Snow Peak Ridge, connecting them into a defensive line!"

"Steel fortresses?" Pei Yan questioned in confusion from behind Kodwen.

"Yes!" Kodwen replied, gathering his courage to stand up and proceed to the light screen, pointing at the map and explaining: "Mr. Shitang, when you first assigned me this task, I had this plan but had many choices then, which is why I did not mention it. But now, Lord Samikina only gave me ten thousand veteran soldiers, facing an equal number of Disaster Legion Red Armored Warriors, fighting to the death is inevitable, but I lack confidence in holding out until the time you require."

At this point, Kodwen shifted his talking point and said: "However, if I have this lady's help in constructing a steel defensive line, with a fortress to defend, I can fully utilize the experience of these veteran soldiers."

Having said this, Kodwen looked at Pei Yan, who was deep in thought, knowing what he was worried about, and quickly continued: "Mr. Shitang, I will not let this lady join the formal battle. Once the defensive line is completed, she only needs to wait in the safest spot. If any wall is breached, I hope she can act to remedy it immediately, and set up a Teleportation Mirror within the city. If the fortress is indeed about to be breached, I will send her away in advance; I vow to guarantee her safety with my life!"

"We agree!" Before Pei Yan could speak, Gu Shenghui sitting beside Samikina responded first, then turned to Xia Yu and asked: "Is it difficult to meet his requirements?"

Xia Yu nodded in response: "If it's just to set up a steel fortress of our world, it's not a problem. But it looks like he wants to use the steel of this world to construct, then I need to absorb more steel from this dimension as a reserve to do it."

"That's not a problem, I will allocate all possible collected dark iron from fifteen shelters for you to use!" Samikina nodded immediately and agreed.

"Grandfather!" At this moment, Sifuer's face changed, quickly intervening.

"What's wrong?" Samikina looked at Sifuer confusedly, seeing her gaze directed toward Pei Yan standing in front of the light screen.

Feeling Sifuer's gaze, Pei Yan knew what she was worried about; these iron items were initially intended to be handed to him as per agreement. With this in mind, Pei Yan smiled wryly and shook his head: "Using them here or there doesn't change things. Since the battle situation is urgent, let's use them for her first, leave me a small portion, and I can absorb the rest after the battle."

Seeing Pei Yan say this, Sifuer breathed a sigh of relief. Then Pei Yan turned to Kodwen and said: "Since you've already spoken, what other requests do you have, speak them all!"

"If possible, I hope to receive the long-range strike support Mr. Shitang issued during the meeting that day!" Kodwen made an additional request.

"Yes!"

"I also hope for more Demon Fire and a large number of Vassal Army!"

"Yes!" This time Samikina responded: "I'll equip you with sufficient Demon Fire, three thousand Harpies, five thousand Hellhounds, three thousand Shadow Source Insects, and all the siege equipment you need, plus one hundred Warlocks who can summon Demon Crocodiles! But remember, those Warlocks will retreat from the front lines once finishing their summoning duties."

"Thank you for the grace, Lord!" Kodwen said, pounding his chest enthusiastically: "With this assistance, I assure all of you, I will live and die with the position!"

After Kodwen's resounding vow, the command meeting continued for a whole day, continually discussing combat details, and confirming each attack direction's assignment. During the meeting, those who had received assignments left to prepare, while others summoned joined to undertake their tasks in the campaign.

After the meeting ended, most attendees hurriedly left, as the new round-the-clock Red Scourge was imminent. Everyone knew at that moment the battle would commence right after this Red Scourge ends, time was pressing, military law strict, as soon as the internal conflict ceased, the Demon Race finally demonstrated its superiority, issuing commands and preparing fully, methodically.

On the other hand, Pei Yan and Xia Yu, who declined the banquet invitation, walked along to the storerooms of the Moonlight Valley shelter, led personally by Sifuer. The bright moonlight shone on the three of them, with an unfamiliar Xia Yu present, Sifuer couldn't ascertain the relationship between the two, resulting in an awkward silence between them during the march.

To break the awkward atmosphere, Pei Yan cleared his throat and casually brought up: "Uh, I heard that Lord Samikina is your uncle-grandfather!"

Sifuer paused with this question but then smiled: "Yes, is there a problem?"

"I heard from others that although his influence among the shelters isn't the strongest, it's not weak either, controlling a shelter of sixty thousand people, with over twenty thousand soldiers available. Why did you choose to head to the forest instead of joining him back then? Wasn't he a better option for you? Was it a matter of distance?" Taking this opportunity, Pei Yan asked about the doubt lingering in his heart for some time.