The personnel of the Twin Lions Republic, who had been debugging the World Ark machine delivered by the testing facility, had already run out from the building.
They saw that the room, as well as parts of the city around it, were filled with a hazy, ethereal luminescence that was falling like dust.
“What happened? “
Many people had no idea what was going on.
No, it seemed almost everyone was clueless about what had transpired.
Including Kevin and Sword Thirteen, who were still discussing the earlier scene in the underground base, suddenly saw three specks of faint light fall almost in a straight line from the upper part of the nearby crystal wall, landing on Vanderloo, Princess Horne, and Captain Horne.
Sigurd, the Equipment Maintainer, who had been quietly listening to their conversation from behind, shifted his gaze from the three individuals, who were looking at each other with a hint of confusion, to the sky above.
A speck of light fell from the air, pierced through his dark armor, and brought with it a thin, narrow halo that enveloped him within his orange gaze.
…
Inside the Tourism Inn.
Hiding in the bar, Zheng Xintian, Anxi, Ruan Wenxiong, and the young guard next to General Shang were all soothing the group led by the farmer, including Mortaff and Begman, in low voices.
Amid the low buzzing whispers, they saw some faint, misty ripples, even lighter than gauze, slowly appear and fall before the two old elders of the Hellfire Sect, who had dozed off on the sofa booth further inside the bar.
Shortly after, the Grand President also looked down at his hand holding the staff, where something similar seemed to be materializing, gathering with a cool, tingling sensation.
……
Colonel Ang Pailisi gazed up at the shifting, tilted shadows of the starry sky.
So far, the Old General has not sent any relevant intelligence.
……
“Mr. Golden Lion?“
The pilot collecting his parachute in the wilderness glanced nervously left and right across the vast, pitch-black expanse.
“Damn it, didn’t he bail out?! “
Amidst the howling wind, Iska, who had barely squeezed from the back seat to the front, grabbed hold of the rather peculiar gear stick before him.
He then glanced at the glass, which reflected his own unusually bright pupils.
Startled, the Colonel leaned in for a closer look at the glass.
“Damn it, ” he said, catching his breath, “a curse from the Science Demon? “
Sensing the gravity of his own situation, he gazed out at the indistinguishable horizon.
Go back to Twin Lion City? It’s too far; an hour’s round trip to Talco would be enough for anything to happen.
Head towards Parrish? With him there, I’m not needed. One plus one doesn’t make more than two.
Besides, at this very moment, I’m the one having problems.
But the intelligence from Talco must be critical. Colonel Golden Lion fastened his seatbelt, labored to pull down the rear fairing, turned back to look at his own hands, and felt the eerie chill in the air.
This cold, sinister aura emanated from the destroyed Zero.
This was especially true of the pilot seat, which had already seemed abnormal earlier. It was said that the two previous pilots who flew it had not only become mentally unstable and paranoid from prolonged use, but even appeared to have aged prematurely compared to their peers. They all said this Science Demon aircraft was unconsciously sapping the life force of its occupant.
Colonel Golden Lion thought that perhaps he should go to the southern refuge camp to find a military expert who had extensive research on demonic blood contamination.
Suddenly, he felt a chilling aura around him, as if piercing through his entire being.
Esca instinctively sensed that he should expand some fundamental aspect of himself to cope with the approaching danger.
“What quintuple? “
He said subconsciously.
Then, like an electric shock, the man slightly lifted his chin, straightened his torso, and instantly recovered his energy, opening his eyes wide.
He paused and gazed at the last wisps of fine veins passing in the sky, finding it hard to believe that the sentence he had deduced during the day was true.
“Is this… the fifth… doomsday… rescue operation… from the Mist People…? “
……
Inside the pitch-dark room.
Beside the deeply sleeping Zhou Chan, Diudiu lay on a bamboo mat bed under the same sheet, eyes wide open, staring at the inky blackness of the ceiling.
The little girl noticed some very faint pale hues floating and gathering above.
They seemed as delicate as to be dispersed by a gentle breath; yet, in Little Diudiu’s indifferent gaze, they drifted downward and landed on her body and the sheet.
She felt a chill. Then, she turned her head to take a clearer look at the big sister breathing evenly beside her.
……
The light restored the long street to normal as the wind swept through the alleyways.
Running Major Lorenz slowed his pace, panting as he came to a stop. He looked around at the panicked people, then moved forward through the street where a few shouting, cheering citizens ran past him toward the outside.
Though they were still trying to identify the direction of the gathering and heading out of the city, at least this shadow that had shrouded their city—how great it was that it was finally dispersing!
After walking two more blocks, up ahead he saw the old factory building he had long heard of, the “Old Factory Headquarters of the World Ark’s Stateless Relief Committee.“
Stopped at the intersection were several massive trucks, with warriors lying atop the cargo beds and roofs, machine guns mounted at the ready.
The moment Lorenz appeared, those dark, hollow gun muzzles locked onto him.
“I’m from the Special Defense Command. My name is Lorenz,” he raised his hands, “I have an important message to report.“
Rapid footsteps approached from behind. The Fog-Man, who had been following him all along but had previously been hit by a falling wooden branch, causing him to miss and have a skirmish with another group, caught up from the street.
To his surprise, a few people from that group were also following from further behind.
“Who are you? ” The squad commander on site stepped forward, gun in hand, “Those behind, please stop for now. “
“I’m Lieutenant Lorenz from the Talco Air Defense Garrison. “
As Lorenz spoke, he noticed that the squad leader, whose aura seemed restrained, had eye pupils glowing. Unbelievably, they illuminated the rarest outermost ring, which could accommodate five rings of Demonic Blood Contamination.
A Senior Captain?!
However, considering the location, having such a person standing guard at the entrance felt somewhat reassuring.
“We have an extremely, extremely important report to make, sir, ” the following “Fog-Man” said, lighting up the disc on his chest and parting his dry lips.
The wind made it hard to keep one’s eyes fully open, yet this gale, strong enough to bend the trees, was no longer the kind of terrifying afternoon force that could flap thick canvas.
Lorenz felt his skin and hair eagerly anticipating the stinging lash of sand and dust carried upon the wind.
“This concerns the safety of this world. We must inform the highest authority here. That is, His Highness the Prince, who presides over matters in this place. “
The squad leader strode towards the two men as a distant explosion’s shockwave arrived.
A house with stone-carved patterns was destroyed, the entire building collapsing onto the street. Following that, the shattered rocks were blasted into dust by artillery, producing a series of booming sounds.
The commander turned back, took a glance at the “Fog Citizen ” in the tweed coat and the shrinking figure beside him waiting, and continued amidst the faint boiling commotion coming from World Ark Square:
“This place is still dangerous now; stay away if you don’t have identification. All of you, please leave. “
“I told you it wouldn’t work, ” one muttered softly.
Lorenz turned back and saw the man beside him shouting loud and clear, “I’ll notify someone inside. “
A faint folded line flickered into the air.
“Hey, anyone in there? Come pick us up. There’s important news about the telescope to report! “
Upon seeing the halo light up, a “click ” of bullets being pressed into the chamber sounded from the truck bed, with gun barrels continuously extending out from the openings.
Seeing this posture, the man who had just released the thin lines stepped back, his face turning unpleasant.
But at this moment, Lorentz’s eyes snapped wide open.
He noticed that beside this Mr. Mist Citizen, the several accompanying individuals, whether half-lowered or turned aside to avoid the wind, all had silver-white halos shining in their eyes—just like the squad leader’s—evoking a sense of awe.
“Let one person in. ” A loud shout came from inside.
The squad leader in charge of guarding this spot immediately turned sideways and waved his arm to the side.
The two large trucks covered in thick cloth that blocked the intersection let out a somewhat muffled engine hum, slowly reversing left and right to both sides, revealing a passage wide enough for a person to pass through.
“Please wait. ” The commander extended his arm toward the bewildered and hesitant Major Lorentz, who was about to step forward, and said softly:
“Stay calm, Major. The Crown Prince’s guard will send someone to fetch you. “
…
Zhang Yu rode a dual-wheel motorcycle with an engine surging with overwhelming power, as if it would never run out, with thick circular struts, and tires as wide and thick as horizontally placed millstones.
With a deep engine roar like a dragon’s chant, he sped across the wilderness land, where traces of steel crisscrossed here and there.
Wearing a windproof mask, he looked up at the sky that was returning to calm.
Sensing that the unusual sight just now might mean something was happening, Zhang Yu, feeling a sense of urgency, pressed his thumb against a mechanical button on the handlebar engraved with degree markings.
Woom~ Hmmn~
Inside the inner nozzle, encased in a thick metal shroud, faint streams of icy blue-edged flame sputtered out.
With a surge of steady force, the motorcycle shot toward the horizon.
……
Old Principal Kim Fairman looked into his own eyes in the mirror, closed them, and when he opened them again, the light slowly faded away.
Behind him stood Anna Beiru, accompanied by a woman around twenty-eight and a man, who appeared to be both protectors and caretakers, flanking the older man.
This man, whose face had aged considerably, was the former principal of Golden Shell Federation Institute of Technology and a research expert in physics. He murmured a single word.
The twenty-eight-year-old woman behind him leaned in slightly to listen, but the elderly gentleman clearly had no intention of letting his words be overheard. Hence, that previous word was merely a fleeting distortion of his lips, like an irregular exhalation.
However, Zhao Xinru caught a glimpse of something new on the old man’s face—his first change in expression since early morning.
The old man, who had maintained a deathly, aloof stillness, suddenly betrayed a flicker of dawning confusion spreading across his skin.
He stood up and turned sideways. As Anna Beiru and Zhao Xinru both stepped forward to support him, he swayed slightly and sidestepped their reach. He walked toward the door.
“What do you need, sir? Allow me to handle it, ” the man behind him said.
Anna Beiru also blocked the old principal’s path, “Principal. “
Kim Fairman looked at them, “What trick are you playing now? “
“Are you referring to that just now? ” Zhao Xinru carefully examined the old man’s eyes; there was no trace of that strange halo from before.
“Are you looking for your student? ” Anna Beiru, who had been dealing with everyone in the lab all along, said as Zhao Xinru and the man looked over, “I’ll go find him right away. “
The old man remained silent, saying nothing. Anna Beiru, dressed in a small black uniform, did not wait any longer. She hurriedly ran over, pulled the door open, and then closed it again.
Under Zhao Xinru’s gaze, the old man turned to face her.
The muscles on the woman’s cheeks moved slightly, and she took a step back.
After about three or four minutes, the door was pushed open, and rapid footsteps approached. “Teacher. “
A young man, also looking to be around twenty-seven or twenty-eight, with high eyebrows, a broad mouth, round earlobes, and somewhat pointed ears, stared at him with slightly constrained breathing.
“How could you also… ” The old man looked at his eyes with some puzzlement and found that a faint silver-white halo still lingered in this young boy’s eyes.
Trembling with agitation all over, he turned his head and glared at the people around him, “What on earth have you done to this child! “
He pointed diagonally and roared, “What have you done to us?! “
A young man outside the door stepped inside and said, “Principal, we still don’t know what’s going on. This isn’t our doing. “
“Teacher. ” This student of Principal Kim‧Firman spoke with a hint of quiet composure:
“I, I was in my room when it suddenly appeared. Mr. Li Aqin wanted to help block it at the time, but neither the force shield nor the energy from his body could stop that light point. “
The sound of hurried footsteps approached.
Annabel, out of breath, came running in with two others. A faint light of similar brightness flickered in their eyes as well, but the old principal didn’t even bother to look their way.
He sat back down in his chair, and his student approached, clasping both hands nervously.
“Adley, ” the old principal said. “I want to go back to Oetzweil. “
“T-T-Teacher, ” Liam‧Adley glanced at a few Fogfolk beside him, and said somewhat nervously: “From what I’ve heard, even the name Oetzweil was given by those from Fogland. “
“Prepare the arrangements and send me back. I want to return to the point where our plan first went astray, correct the mistakes, and continue the research—the very technology that could save the world through science. “
Liam‧Adley straightened up, glanced at the others nearby, then turned back to his teacher and said:
“I’ll go pack up now. “
Liam ran toward the door, but then stopped and looked back at the older man: “Teacher, let’s just leave now. “
The old man looked at him.
Liam‧Adley said: “It’s just some clothes anyway, teacher—just dress warmly. As for the data and books, there’s no need to bring them; everything’s stored right here in my head. “
……
On the dark road at the edge of the square, stepping on a glass bottle crushed by a car wheel, Lorenz quickly saw a layer of Stellar Yuan cover his foot as he lifted it to step and avoid a shadow on the path ahead.
The young man beside him bent down, picked up the deformed iron plate that had somehow fallen there, and threw it to a spot near the wall in the distance.
“Hey, don’t run so fast. Without me, you won’t get through even if you arrive. “
Lorenz looked back and said seriously, “I’ve been checked twice already. Although the city is safe for now, we need to prepare in advance to prevent danger from returning. “
“How can it return? ” The man, who wore no uniform and had an ordinary appearance but a slightly sharp air, said:
“President Yangliner has been eliminated by Mist Folk’s hero in death. “
Major Lorenz’s scalp tingled as his eyes snapped wide open. He opened his mouth in disbelief. As the man was about to speak again, he shouted excitedly: “No, don’t say anymore! “
“Thereisa hero! ” He turned and shouted: “But he isn’t dead! No! Ah! “
Thinking of the one who could defeat an opponent like that, he realized the people he had seen along the way, many with rings of light in their eyes, and the stars that had fallen like dust from the hazy sky, along with the strange vision of the city’s phantom being swept away and torn apart.
Lorenz shouted, “The hero isn’t dead! “
He ran out, “What died is just Griner! “
Pfft!
A wave of force shrouded over. Amid the roaring crowd noises of the wind and near the barrier’s edge, Lorenz, who had just bellowed two sentences, was swiftly overtaken by shadows surging from both sides of the dusk, knocked to the ground by two blasts of force.
A piece of wire on the ground pierced the skin of his back, but in Lorenz’s pain and the surge of courage within his heart, the wounds on his skin tightened up in an instant, making him feel that his earlier fatigue had greatly dissolved, and in a daze, he felt that his life had truly been extended.
Lorenz was pinned to the ground firmly by two powerful sets of hands.
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