Bai Feifei: “...”
Bai Feifei fell silent, not knowing what to say. Seeing the inexplicable friendliness of the people around her, she didn't feel particularly happy either.
Perhaps deep down she wanted to be loved and respected, but not in this manner.
Moreover, the source of the darkness had only just been uncovered. The smiling faces of these people gave her an illusion of false prosperity.
“It isn't over yet,” Bai Feifei murmured.
Instantly, all the chatter around her froze.
Now that she mentioned it, of course it wasn't over!
Zhulong had wanted to kill them all, and his conspiracy had already been completely exposed.
Almost everyone present had nearly been indirectly killed by the Xu family!
But because the implications were too massive—with the largest family in the Inner City involved—they were all somewhat hesitant to make a move.
But that was fine. At a time like this, there was more than one person present who dared to make a decision!
“It's a bit late for compliments now, isn't it?” Wan Qianhong walked up to Bai Feifei's side, standing there like a bodyguard.
“Don't you think it would have been more appropriate to say them beforehand?”
For some reason, Liu Yun had already vanished.
No one had seen when she left, nor did anyone know where she had gone.
Most of the traitors who deserved to die were already dead. Having now become an Edgerunner, Wan Qianhong held the most authority among everyone present.
Hearing her words, the instructors and students from the various academies looked rather embarrassed.
Wan Qianhong retracted her gaze and said coldly, “Prepare to return to the city. The time for reckoning has come!”
Then, she looked at Bai Feifei, her tone instantly softening.
“How are you feeling? Can you travel now?”
Once Bai Feifei nodded, everyone began to move.
The headcount, medical treatments, and equipment preparations had already been completed while Bai Feifei was unconscious.
Soon, all the armored vehicles roared to life, and everyone quickly climbed aboard.
Just then, Xie Xuan stepped out from the crowd and pushed up his glasses.
“We from Turing will tag along to see exactly who has been aiding those traitors of Turing City.”
Standing behind him, Xie Jin nodded in agreement.
Xie Jin's severed arm had already been replaced with a rudimentary mechanical prosthetic. To accomplish such a feat within a single day in the middle of this barren wilderness proved that Turing City's capabilities were not to be underestimated.
Wan Qianhong naturally did not refuse. When dealing with internal corruption, involving external forces was a common practice.
The doors slammed shut, and the engines of the armored vehicles roared in unison.
The convoy rolled over the gravel and red soil, driving away from this disaster-stricken land.
Everything was slowly left behind. The area reverted to an uninhabited wasteland, looking as though no one had ever set foot there.
Of course, it wasn't necessarily entirely deserted...
In the core zone of the red soil, two sturdy rock barriers still stood. Seated around these rocks was a circle of people exuding a fierce aura.
They were Scavengers.
Lying inside the rock domes were, of course, Aries Hong Jiu and Capricorn Xiao Xinghan.
No one knew when they would wake up, as they remained in a state between life and death. However, when they finally did open their eyes, they would cross an incredibly powerful threshold.
Prophet!
...
Dawn City, Inner City.
The Xu family estate occupied the prime real estate of the Inner City, its perimeter walls built half a meter higher than any other family's.
Xu Linyuan's study lay deep within the estate. Currently, he sat in a spacious armchair, clutching a teacup. The tea had gone completely cold, untouched.
For the past few days, he had been feeling exceptionally uneasy.
How was the Graduation Show going in the North District? Why hadn't any of the people they sent sent back any news?
The only report that had reached him was that the wretched Bai Feifei had killed one of their operatives before the Graduation Show had even begun.
Damned brat!
Why hadn't any good news arrived? Did they not know how to call? Or was the reception in the North District just that terrible?
According to his original plan, that girl should have suffered enough and was likely dead by now.
Heh... foolish youngster.
Bang!
The study door was suddenly flung open.
Xu Linyuan's hand jerked, spilling the cold tea all over himself. Veins instantly bulged on his forehead in rage.
The intruder was a highly capable manager of the Xu family. Seeing Xu Linyuan's state, he didn't even have time to beg for forgiveness and instead blurted out in a rush:
“Family Head!” The manager's voice was trembling. “Something... something terrible has happened in the North District.”
Xu Linyuan's eyelids twitched violently. He quickly set down his teacup. “What happened? Speak clearly.”
Gasping for breath, the manager rattled off a series of events.
...
“What?! How is that possible!”
This time, Xu Linyuan completely ignored the spilled tea and slammed the teacup to the floor!
The cold, aloof expression he usually maintained as a high-and-mighty figurehead was replaced by utter, disbelieving shock.
He glared at the manager.
“Are you certain? An aberration riot in the red soil restricted zone, wild gales, and some guy claiming to be Zhulong appeared?”
“And Zhulong even mentioned our Xu family? Is he insane?!”
“A riot across the entire North District red soil region, and it only barely stabilized because Prophet Liu Yun intervened?”
“Who brought back this news?!”
“The operatives we planted there,” the manager said, trembling.
“And that's not all. The entire magnetic field there has gone haywire. Our communication devices are completely useless, and even Turing City's equipment barely functioned.”
“That's why Prophet Liu Yun sent someone back ahead of time to warn Dawn City to prepare for the worst. Our contact rushed back to tell us the moment he arrived.”
Xu Linyuan slumped back into his armchair, frozen for a long time.
His mind was in complete disarray. He couldn't wrap his head around any of this.
He knew who Zhulong was.
But they were only supposed to be testing a drug. How did it trigger such a massive catastrophe?
According to the manager's description, this was practically a repeat of the disaster from thirty years ago!
At that thought, Xu Linyuan's heart trembled with dread.
In truth, even if something did happen and all the students ended up dead, it was still within their expectations and nothing to lose sleep over.
But why had it escalated to this point? Was Zhulong insane?
A whole day had passed... If things had truly spiraled out of control, the North District would have been completely wiped out by now, and Dawn City itself would probably be facing destruction.
Yet, no such catastrophic news had arrived.
Currently, the best-case scenario was that Zhulong had simply gone on a sudden, wild rampage, killing everyone who had gone to the Graduation Show.
Then, Liu Yun had managed to withstand the riot, Zhulong had gradually pacified the chaos, and all the experimental data had been secured.
Yes, that must be it!
That had to be what happened... right?
“Family Head,” the manager asked tentatively, “is this situation normal?”
Xu Linyuan: ?
Are you a complete idiot?
Did you ask that question using a human brain? How could this possibly be normal?!
Having no time to curse, he struggled to catch his breath and quickly ordered:
“Quick... get the special communicator. Contact Liu Yun...”
Rate on N.U.
