Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

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Chapter 102: Attack

Most people didn’t care about Ding Lao or Dong Lao. At most they were shocked by Xia Liang’s sudden change. The three major families had long studied this enigmatic old man, and now Xia Liang, a younger generation member, had emerged explosively, creating a level of impact no different from an invasion of the Erosion Swamp.

The theater was now secure, and people on the second floor and above were discussing it. The oldest “patriarch” of the Xia family had a dark expression and remained silent.

For most members of the three major families, Xia Liang was merely one of the symbols used to stabilize public opinion—at most a pretty doll. Now that the doll had turned fierce and brandished a blade, their first reaction was simply, “This spectacle is quite entertaining.”

The fact that the delicate and weak singer turned out to be Zhu Yanchen’s top strategist would be enough to fuel conversations for months to come.

However, for the upper echelons, the subtlety of the situation lied elsewhere. It wasn’t uncommon for geniuses to be overlooked, or for the younger generation to rebel against their elders. What was terrifying was that she managed to conceal it—there were quite a few people investigating Dong Lao’s identity, including Zhu Sheng himself.

After the discovery of the thesis, people mostly acknowledged that Zhu Yanchen was an outstanding researcher. However, many still doubted his tactical abilities. After all, people couldn’t split their hearts in half, and it didn’t make sense for Zhu Yanchen to work so hard on both ends.

If he had let Dong Lao handle the command while dedicating most of his time to studying the Erosion Swamp, it would have been more reasonable. Dong Lao had a grassroots background and was old, so it was understandable that it would be difficult to trace his origins.

But Dong Lao turned out to be Xia Liang.

Concealing the identity of a national singer and concealing the identity of an ordinary person were like the difference between heaven and earth in terms of difficulty. It would be impossible for Xia Liang alone to evade the investigation of the three major families.

Zhu Sheng stood at the highest level of the theater, overlooking the people settled in the lower hall, feeling an icy coldness in his heart.

It seemed that only after his son’s death did he truly understand this child. The little boy who was once weak, cried easily, and hid behind the nanny when he saw people might be a more exceptional leader than his eldest son.

No, perhaps he had indeed become an excellent leader.

The “incompetence” from before was now explained entirely—his dislike of appearing in public was most likely to conceal the physical abnormalities caused by studying the Erosion Swamp. His tireless efforts, not driven by “saving face”, were undoubtedly because he understood his own impending death and didn’t want frequent changes in the power structure of the government. Even when his thesis was ignored by the command center, he didn’t make a fuss; he simply continued entering the thesis into the research database.

…His son had planned the end of his life and the subsequent chain of reactions from the very beginning.

So, was the current chaos also part of Zhu Yanchen’s plan? Over a decade had passed, and his son’s abilities had become terrifying, while his naivety and stubbornness remained unchanged.

He didn’t misjudge it at the beginning; this child really didn’t resemble himself at all.

Zhu Sheng remained silent for a long time, then called his assistant over. “Is the communication still working? Contact Tang Heyu.”

“Yes.”

Dong Lao’s identity caused a great uproar in the theater, while Xia Liang swiftly made her exit. The soldiers fighting against the Erosion Swamp had no time to concern themselves with such earth-shattering gossip—the Erosion Swamp had turned into a giant sea urchin and was about to charge towards the front of the theater. Tonight, there was a celebration for the newly elected leader, where the elders of the three major families gathered together. If the theater were to be breached, the United Government would immediately become paralyzed.

At that time, not only Y City but other cities would also suffer for a long time. The security guards were anxious to the point of foaming at their mouths. When they saw Dong Lao appear, the team captains from the First and Third Squadron were on the verge of tears.

“You finally came,” the captain of the Second Squadron said with a bitter tone. “Is this really an Erosion Swamp? Its spikes are extending too far, and we can’t do anything about it. If we can’t stop it…”

“I know,” Dong Lao replied straightforwardly. “Don’t delay, and don’t think about saving anything for later. Use the command center and the nearest armories. Activate as many purifiers as possible.”

“But… but…”

“If we can’t stop the Erosion Swamp tonight, keeping those things will be in vain.”

The captain of First Squadron frowned. “If another one comes later, do we have to fight them barehanded?”

“Survive until that time, then you can think about it.”

“This thing is too terrifying. You can’t really see it just by looking at the screens…”

Dong Lao didn’t say anything, but the man beside him whispered softly, “Knowing is enough.”

“Arrange the purifiers according to this configuration.” Dong Lao exchanged a glance with the man beside him. “Using the nearby residential areas and the theater as the center; the number of devices must be accurate. After preparing, find some agile young people and have them carry the purifiers on their backs to control the Erosion Swamp’s advancing route.”

“This…” The captain of the First Squadron was about to blurt out, “Isn’t that the synthetics’ job,” but after uttering the first word, he realized that something was amiss—

They didn’t have the synthetics with them now. Not only did they not have any, but the synthetics were also lurking outside the city. If it weren’t for the Erosion Swamp’s indiscriminate attacks, they would have taken advantage of this opportunity.

But they had no other choice. The team captain didn’t speak up again and quickly followed the instructions.

Under the cover of night, Shu Jun carried Monday and stood quietly at the top of the theater. The theater was tall enough, and he was wearing a black uniform, so no one noticed his presence.

The position was impressive enough, but Captain Shu’s posture wasn’t handsome at all. He sat casually with his legs apart, absentmindedly stroking Monday and occasionally feeding it a piece of his erosion candy.

Shu Jun didn’t come to watch the spectacle; he had to serve as the last resort—just in case, if that Spiked Erosion Swamp broke through the theater, he had to find a way to naturally eliminate it.

Also, he was very curious about what the first battle against the Erosion Swamp would look like.

Ai Xiaoxiao’s research on Monday came to an end. Recently, Monday had been quite comfortable, and it had grown quite large. It squeezed out a wave of water crazily but still couldn’t fix the sword to its original size. Fortunately, Shu Jun was no longer a normal synthetic human, and he could wield the overweight sword.

As a simple wild Erosion Swamp, Monday had no interest in disputes between humans and synthetics and had no thoughts about Sigma’s side. Its values were quite simple—live comfortably, good; fight, work hard, and struggle for survival, not good.

As for its special ability of “Spitting Water”, it had no attacking power against humans, let alone other Erosion Swamps. Now that it had candy to eat and someone to groom it, it had long forgotten its initial dissatisfaction.

“East. Side,” it reminded Shu Jun in a rough voice, “Very. Close. Still. There.”

“Probably someone Luo Duan sent to gather intelligence,” Shu Jun casually said. “Sigma has suffered quite a bit from me in the previous battles against the Erosion Swamps, and they failed to gather a lot of information… Is the other Erosion Swamp small?”

“Human. Head.”

“A human head is probably not very powerful. It’s likely following the large Erosion Swamp.”

“Eat?”

“No, it can’t be eaten. We have to send it back as proof.” Shu Jun tapped the hilt of his sword. “Otherwise, the play between me and A’Yan would be in vain.”

“Tsk.”

Zhu Yanchen skillfully took over his move—even though he couldn’t appear in person. First, he used Xia Liang’s help to stabilize the situation of the Grand Theatre and the mob, while the Old Fourth followed up with medical support. This time, he used Dong Lao as a diversion and took over the command of the guards.

The human resistance was still going well.

Purifiers were placed on both sides of the Grand Theatre and residential area. To prevent the Erosion Swamp from finding other ways to bypass them, they stacked the purifiers like tall walls. The stored combat purification weapons were all deployed, and although the young members of the guard team were nervous and their steps were chaotic, they still managed to drive away the Erosion Swamp to some extent.

The “Spiked” Erosion Swamp was still an Erosion Swamp. Even if it could bypass one or two lines of defense, it hesitated in front of the overwhelming purifiers—it once again thrust its spines, attempting to destroy the purifiers. However, the power of the surrounding purifiers was terrifying, and its spines shattered before they could pierce the mechanical shells.

Having no intelligence, it immediately became furious after being injured. Its spines grew sharper and longer, trying to turn the tide. Zhu Yanchen immediately ordered a tighter purification circle, attempting to keep the Erosion Swamp outside the theater district.

This area was quite prosperous, but the tidy storefronts were riddled with black spines and quickly turned into dust. The young soldiers at the forefront were inevitably injured, and some clearly had their hands and feet contaminated by erosion, which would have led to amputation in the past.

Shu Jun watched coldly, without softening his heart much. With Ai Xiaoxiao’s research now, it was possible to keep these people’s limbs intact.

And they were being commanded by Zhu Yanchen.

Zhu Yanchen’s commanding style hadn’t changed. He never liked sacrificing lives for victory, and whether he was commanding humans or synthetic humans made little difference to him. Human soldiers were still soldiers after all, and seeing that the unknown monsters could be controlled, their fighting spirit rose.

However, just as they were tightening the encirclement, the Erosion Swamp suddenly reverted to a swamp-like state, attempting to surge towards the nearby sewer. Although the people in the rear reacted quickly and immediately propped up the frames on their protective suits, several in the front were swept away. The water reached waist-deep, causing them to scream in pain.

The humans quickly adjusted their formation. The block had numerous obstacles, and the terrain changed rapidly, making it impossible to urgently call for transport machinery. Instead, people resorted to manually carrying the purifiers, fighting the strange Erosion Swamp like they were extinguishing a fire.

During the process, two people were pierced through their protective suits by spines, causing injuries to their necks and internal organs.

The broadcast stopped, leaving only the deafening sirens in the dark night. The bright lights illuminating the scene were dazzling, and the buzzing sound of the operating purifiers drove people insane. The heat generated by the machinery directly raised the surrounding temperature by five or six degrees, causing the protective suits of many people carrying the purifiers to melt, and some were directly burned.

That black, liquid-like flame was still “burning”, and they didn’t know when it would shoot out spines or recede. The wounded were quickly evacuated, replaced by newcomers, and the smell of gunpowder in the air grew stronger.

This crisis-filled war lasted for eighteen hours, and Shu Jun quietly watched for most of it. From dusk until dawn, people charged forward and were carried away while lying down. There were many who were minorly injured, but there were dozens who were severely injured. Due to the diligent retreat of the personnel, there were no casualties.

The human battle against the Erosion Swamp wasn’t much different from the players. Considering the special abilities possessed by the players and the unique abilities of the Erosion Swamp, Zhu Yanchen had probably done his best.

As the small-scale war neared its end, it was a struggle between manpower and machinery. The young ones fell, and they were replaced by middle-aged individuals. When a machine broke, a new one was immediately brought in. Except for not deploying their newly developed “Suppression” weapons, this war was said to be regardless of cost.

Finally, the Spiked Erosion Swamp was surrounded within this circle built with money and was gradually worn down reluctantly. Before dissipating, it had almost depleted the entire Y City’s arsenal of purification weapons. Although it no longer moved, the people around it didn’t feel any joy of victory.

Was this truly a victory?

They were exhausted and in pain, about to face lengthy purification treatment. If the treatment wasn’t adequate, they would carry the remnants of the illness for the rest of their lives. And with just one Erosion Swamp infiltrating, they had expended most of their ammunition. What if two or three of them came next time?

A battle had directly claimed a batch of lives, so what would come next? They couldn’t possibly send ordinary citizens to the battlefield.

The post-war streets were unrecognizable. The Erosion Swamp struggled intensely, reducing the buildings to ruins and completely eroded them into debris. A large expanse of desolation appeared in the most prosperous area of Y City, like an ugly scar.

This was just an Erosion Swamp that suddenly appeared. In the past two centuries, there have been thousands of Erosion Swamps dealt with by synthetic humans alone.

Could there be even stranger and more powerful opponents than this Erosion Swamp? What would they do when that time came?

People silently cleaned up the remnants of the battlefield, without anyone cheering.

On the other side, the Erosion Swamp was dispersed, and the area beneath the Grand Theatre gradually became lively. After eighteen hours without food or water, people eagerly rushed towards the outside world. The end of this small-scale confrontation was only the first step, and faced with such a battered “victory”, the United Government would only be met with an even bigger mess.

Shu Jun stood up from the top of the theater, patting his numb buttocks.

Monday: “Hungry.”

“You can’t eat it. The brain of that Erosion Swamp needs to be preserved for research at the command center.” Shu Jun stretched his muscles and bones.

“Angry.”

Shu Jun shook his head and opened the candy tin in his hand, pouring the remaining contents into Monday’s mouth. Monday got a taste for sweetness and finally shut up.

“Captain Shu, how’s it going on your side?” Hu Yan sent a message, sensing the silence from this end.

“Not bad. Not much different from the estimated situation. We can continue.”

“Continue? You mean…”

“Attack Y City. Isn’t now a great opportunity?”

---

<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

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Chapter 101: The Song Stopped

Many years later, the people of Y City still remembered this night.

Originally, the human military was sealed off tightly, with the synthetic humans trapped between the Erosion Swamp and the western wall of the city center. When chaos erupted at the Grand Theatre and “Marshal Zhu” suddenly disappeared, there was a momentary confusion in the human blockade. Shu Jun didn’t miss this opportunity and immediately scattered the thirty thousand synths, infiltrating eastward through various strange routes.

Without the synthetic humans as a shield, the Erosion Swamp happily advanced, destroying the nearest protective wall. It successfully squeezed itself into the city and then dashed toward the direction of the Grand Theatre—where, at that moment, the most densely packed crowd in Y City could be found.

The Erosion Swamp didn’t distinguish between humans and synthetic humans. After all, consuming synthetic humans might provide special abilities, while consuming a large number of humans could quickly replenish its strength. This “Needle Spike” Erosion Swamp only cared about efficiency and didn’t pay attention to the nature of its food.

Inside the Grand Theatre, people heard the sirens approaching, and no one wanted to flee in the darkness. Those on the outermost perimeter rushed without hesitation into the tall buildings next to the Grand Theatre, hoping that the upscale structures would offer better defense. The people who had already been trying to squeeze into the theater became even more frantic, to the point where it seemed like their lives would be crushed out of them.

Under Zhu Sheng’s command, the doors inside the theater were opened wide. At this moment, no one cared about who was the leader or not; they desperately struggled to find a place to take refuge.

Some people even squeezed into the hall where the performance was taking place.

Ai Xiaoxiao had been walking through the erosion area for several days and was agile. She took advantage of the protruding decorations and pipes in the Grand Theatre, easily grabbing onto them and leaping out of the crowd. After making some adjustments, Ai Xiaoxiao steadied herself at the best vantage point and directed the rescue personnel from the Old Fourth to control the flow of people. However, the desire for survival was too strong, and even a group of burly men couldn’t withstand the constant pushing and shoving from the crowd.

After all, Ai Xiaoxiao was a researcher and not adept at managing such a crowd. Just as the situation started to ease slightly, it quickly deteriorated again.

Where did Zhu Yanchen go? What exactly is Shu Jun planning to do?

If things continued like this, lives would truly be lost here—although she had anticipated sacrifices, unnecessary sacrifices still weighed heavily on her heart. These panicked people were just ordinary civilians, and there was no reason to use them as targets.

As she observed the flow of the crowd, Ai Xiaoxiao shouted loudly into her communicator, to the point that her voice became hoarse. Unfortunately, she wasn’t skilled in this type of management. The more anxious she became, the more mistakes she made in judgment. The shouts of discontent and screams from the people grew louder, and more people continued to squeeze into the Grand Theatre.

What should they do?

Zhu Yanchen had just been identified as a “fake,” and exposing himself now would only lead to failure. Dong Lao wasn’t here, and even if he were, he wouldn’t be able to mobilize more guards in time. The nearest teams were fighting the Erosion Swamp outside, and the situation had become a chaotic mess.

The general public had no concept of an Erosion Swamp with brains, and even the human military didn’t know how to deal with regular Erosion Swamp. Even if Zhu Yanchen wanted to prepare in advance, it was unlikely that he could come up with any effective strategies. The preventive measures had been executed swiftly and accurately, but the impact it brought was unbearable for Ai Xiaoxiao.

She had to make judgments in the blink of an eye, and if those judgments were wrong, it would cost people their lives. Ai Xiaoxiao climbed onto a stone sculpture, overlooking the increasingly surging crowd below, and suddenly found herself unable to shout.

No, she couldn’t stop now.

Just as she took out her communicator, intending to contact everyone she could reach, the singing in the theater suddenly stopped.

Finally, more and more people flooded into the hall, and Xia Liang, who was singing on stage, also sensed that something was wrong. People were no longer intoxicated by the song; instead, their expressions were filled with fear, and many were crying out in terror.

Ai Xiaoxiao gritted her teeth and carefully crawled from the wall toward the direction of the hall. Her hands were covered in sweat, and several times she almost got pulled into the desperate crowd below.

There were still many people from the three families inside the hall, and there might be one or two commanders with abilities who could handle the situation. At this stage, she had to rely on luck—there were already a few unconscious people appearing in the crowd below, and the situation was extremely dangerous.

“There are still thousands of people outside trying to get in!” Outside the theater, people from the Old Fourth shouted anxiously. “The sirens are going off! Something is approaching—”

“The situation is really bad. You all should run as fast as you can. Your lives are the most important!” Ai Xiaoxiao’s voice seemed to be ignited, and it was a struggle for her to even utter a sentence. “I’ll figure something out inside!”

But what could she do?

The beautiful, thick carpet was covered in dust, and the decorative plants were knocked askew. The crowd rushed forward like a mudslide cascading down a mountain, ignoring everything in their path. People from the three families left their seats and ran toward the safer upper levels.

There were only a few pitiful bodyguards here, as the main force of the guard team was outside the theater and had long been dispersed by the crowd. Even if there were commanders present, they might not be able to control the situation.

Was it necessary to sacrifice these tens of thousands of people up close for the three families to take the Erosion Swamp problem seriously? Zhu Yanchen shouldn’t plan something so unethical, right?

Perhaps she should have controlled the situation? Did she overlook something important? God, at most, she could only provide medical assistance—

More and more people were getting injured, emitting cries of agony. Children screamed for their parents, and the elderly moaned weakly. Ai Xiaoxiao cursed silently with her mouth as her eyes slowly turned red.

If this ended with a bad outcome, she would definitely stab Zhu Yanchen in non-lethal places a few times—as a doctor, she couldn’t bear it.

In order to create more breathing space, many people squeezed onto the spacious stage. The light screen on the stage still flashed with dazzling lights, illuminating the bloodstains on the floor in various colors.

The canary was the slowest to retreat. Xia Liang seemed to be terrified by the scene in front of her, gripping the microphone tightly without moving for a long time. When the first person stabilized on the stage, Xia Liang’s assistant grabbed her and tried to drag her toward the backstage.

But Xia Liang still didn’t move. She looked at the injured person who had rushed to her, and her sweet smile disappeared, replaced by a strange expression.

“Miss Xia, you need to leave! It’s too dangerous here!” The assistant continued to urgently pull her.

In the corner of the hall, Ai Xiaoxiao grimaced, doing her best to approach the stage. She strained her hoarse voice. “I’m a doctor! Dr. Ai from the Ai’s Clinic! Do you have any bodyguards? There are two severely injured patients over there. They can’t be pushed down by the crowd anymore! Please help!”

Her voice had never sounded so harsh, as if her vocal cords were bleeding, but Ai Xiaoxiao raised her voice, and continued to scream louder. “Those bastards have all run away. Please, help us!”

Although she had no favorable impression of this rich young lady who lived in her own world, at this point, she could only hope that Xia Liang’s “kindness” reputation would come into play—before she could come up with a solution to the problem, she had to minimize the burden on the injured.

Xia Liang turned her beautiful, big eyes toward her.

In previous programs, the cameramen always liked to give close-ups of Xia Liang’s eyes. Her gaze was soft and pure, innocent, easily evoking a sense of protectiveness. But in this special moment, Miss Xia, dressed in a complex off-the-shoulder gown and standing on a stage that was about to collapse, wearing such an innocent expression… The whole picture had an indescribable sense of absurdity.

The assistant gave Ai Xiaoxiao a huge eye roll and continued to pull Xia Liang’s arm, but not too forcefully. “Miss Xia Liang! The previous sirens were a warning level upgrade. This place is already considered a battlefield. Please leave. The media isn’t here anymore!”

Xia Liang glanced at Ai Xiaoxiao, then looked at the increasing number of people on the stage. Xia Liang had quite a bit of popularity among the public, and even now, when people rushed onto the stage, they instinctively restrained their movements as if they were afraid of hurting her.

The innocence in her eyes disappeared.

When Xia Liang turned to her assistant, her expression carried a hint of strange cunningness. “You said this is a battlefield?”

Ai Xiaoxiao was accustomed to the black market and was good at reading people. In that brief second, Xia Liang’s demeanor subtly changed—the innocent fawn suddenly turned into a squint-eyed fox, quietly revealing its fangs.

The assistant had never seen Xia Liang in this state before, and now he couldn’t react in time, stumbling over his words. “Y-Yes, this is a battlefield! If you stay here any longer, Mr. Xia will definitely not spare me!”

“Oh, I haven’t experienced the frontlines of a battlefield before,” Xia Liang said leisurely, her eyes shining a bit brighter as she looked at the chaotic crowd in front of her.

“Oh my ancestors, this isn’t anything good. It’s fine if you don’t experience it! Hurry up. Your family is already on the second floor. Look, the madam is waving at you—I’m sorry!” Seeing that Xia Liang wasn’t scared to the point of being stunned, the assistant exerted more force, but he couldn’t pull her even a bit.

Ai Xiaoxiao remained silent, rubbing her throat and furrowing her brow. What kind of trick was this woman playing*?

*What kind of medicine is being sold in this gourd? It’s a saying used when one doesn’t know the other’s real intention (just like you don’t know what medicine is inside the gourd).

“You’re right, this isn’t a good thing,” Xia Liang responded happily. “To get excited about a situation like this, I guess I’m not a good person either. Now I understand. Someone’s judgment of people is really accurate, too accurate.”

The assistant stood there in confusion.

Xia Liang’s lips curled up again, but this time her smile had nothing to do with “innocence and cuteness”; it was filled with sarcasm.

“Good evening, Dr. Ai—”

She brought the microphone to her mouth, and her voice was amplified by the speaker, resonating throughout the auditorium. The tone of her greeting was frivolous, causing the crowded hall to momentarily fall silent.

Ai Xiaoxiao, who was called out by name, was filled with question marks in her mind and almost let go of the wall lamp she was holding onto.

“I was still troubled earlier—I’m not as great as you all. I just wanted to prove that the Xia family is nothing but a bunch of weaklings. Is this kind of method too rebellious?”

“What are you talking about?”

Unfortunately, Ai Xiaoxiao’s hoarse response couldn’t be heard by Xia Liang, but it seemed that she had no intention of listening either. “Thanks to someone, I’ve discovered it. I like it this way. I—”

She took off her high heels and stepped barefoot onto the blood-stained stage.

“I don’t have any great ambitions. But changing the fate of living people gives me an exhilarating thrill.”

“…” This statement seemed somewhat familiar, and Ai Xiaoxiao felt a bit dazed.

“The leaders of the Xia family are all watching, aren’t they? At this point, there’s no better stage than tonight.” Xia Liang tore her long dress and tied the hem, transforming it into a more convenient style for movement.

“You’re talking about some inexplicable things, but here I am dealing with my fucking life at stake—”

“I need to give myself some time to think.” When Xia Liang said this, the hall froze for a moment.

Her voice wasn’t soft or gentle; instead, it sounded like that of an old, withered man. After that sentence, Xia Liang returned to her original tone of voice. She freed one hand and raised her middle finger toward the upper levels where the three families were located.

The stage lights were still on, and under the intense illumination, she smiled boldly.

“From now on, listen to me. You, go down first.”

Assistant: “?!?”

“Go down and take the E17 corridor. You can evacuate the injured from there. The two injured patients aren’t strong, so let others help support them—Ai Xiaoxiao, you go diagonally from the fourth row to the sixth row! Just step on the back of the chairs. The injured patients are under your care.”

Her tone turned into a cold, commanding style.

“The one next to the goldfish statue in the northwest corner, move three meters towards the entrance! The benches over there can be folded up, freeing up space for ten more people. Everyone on the stage, go down and retreat to the escape passages on both sides! Those areas are also protected, don’t be afraid!”

“People in the northeast corner, try to stand close to the wall; don’t squeeze. You’re already safe here, there’s enough space. People in the southwest and southeast corners, take the paths on both sides of the stage. The backstage and dressing rooms can accommodate several hundred people. When I say stop, you must stop!”

“…The person with the orange hat as the center, follow the gaps between the chairs and head towards the stage…”

“…The woman with the bright red hood—do you see her? The tall one. Those of you in that area, don’t move!”

“Clear the central aisle, gather the injured there, someone will attend to them. Those with minor flesh wounds, don’t join in the chaos. I have a good view here. I’m talking about you, the bald skinny guy in the yellow coat!”

……

In less than ten minutes, the chaotic crowd quieted down, and a strange order emerged in the hall. People had freed themselves from danger, and the injured were being taken care of. Although most people couldn’t grasp what had happened with the national singer, even Xia Liang, who had always been well-protected, hadn’t retreated, so they didn’t have much to worry about.

Ai Xiaoxiao efficiently bandaged a broken arm and looked towards the stage.

It seemed that she wasn’t the only one arranged by Zhu Yanchen. These people were dissatisfied with Zhu Sheng and didn’t like the three families, so they might not willingly follow commands. However, Xia Liang was different. They had loved her for too long, to the point where they couldn’t immediately grasp the situation and could only subconsciously obey.

With this thought, it seemed that the only one who could control the situation was Xia Liang. Why hadn’t she thought of this before?

Thinking of this, Ai Xiaoxiao mentally compared the hunched Dong Lao and the charming Miss Xia, but the equal sign just wouldn’t come together. After a few seconds, Dr. Ai gave up thinking, shook her head, and continued examining the injuries of the wounded.

“Zhu Lao, you’re watching, right?” Xia Liang raised her head and shouted towards the top. “Almost there. Seal off the theater!”

Zhu Sheng didn’t say anything, and a few seconds later, a rumbling sound of protective doors closing could be heard from the perimeter.

That’s right, Zhu Sheng would use any means necessary to protect Y City. He wouldn’t delay time due to any matters of pride. Ai Xiaoxiao changed her blood-stained gloves and wiped the sweat off her face. The stage lights were still dazzling. The canary flew out of its cage, landing in front of her.

“The residential areas are mainly concentrated on the east side, and the residences nearby are scattered. The Erosion Swamp will definitely come rushing here.” She lifted a strand of her long hair, bent down, and spoke softly. “The protection here is similar to the protective walls, at most, it can buy some time. After dealing with these people, remember to go to the entrance of the theater—once the battle outside is over, there will be even more wounded.”

After saying that, she straightened her back, smiled charmingly at Ai Xiaoxiao, and then walked towards the exit of the hall.

“…Where are you going?” Ai Xiaoxiao asked hoarsely.

“The real front line. Don’t worry, I’m familiar with various hidden passages.”

Xia Liang casually tossed aside the microphone. “This scene is not satisfying enough.”

With the theater successfully sealed off, Zhu Yanchen adjusted his face mask and walked towards the underground escape passage exit of the theater.

A few minutes later, the heavy metal cover slowly moved aside, and a disheveled Xia Liang emerged, covered in dust. Her expensive gown was covered in dirt and had been violently torn by herself, making her look inconspicuous.

“Your cloak, Dong Lao.” Zhu Yanchen pulled out a large piece of dark fabric from his backpack. “We’re going to the battlefield.”

Xia Liang didn’t take it. “You knew I would make a move?”

“…If you chose to command just to rebel against the Xia family, I wouldn’t have chosen you from the beginning.” Zhu Yanchen didn’t give a direct answer.

Xia Liang brushed off a pile of cobwebs from her hair and suddenly smiled. She shook the black cloth, and, in the next moment, the familiar military figure of “Dong Lao” reappeared.

“Let’s go.” She didn’t continue questioning. “Considering that you can’t directly show yourself… Do you have any specific orders for the upcoming battle, sir?”

“Use all the old models of purifying weapons. Make sure we lose naturally, lose with difficulty, and keep casualties to a minimum.”

“Make Sigma think we’re at the end of our ropes? Understood. What about Shu Jun’s side?”

A faint smile appeared on Zhu Yanchen’s expressionless face. “It’s not time for him to make a move yet.”

“Tsk, how annoying.”

Xia Liang rolled her eyes.

“My cover is blown. You should hurry up and get rid of your corpse too. Otherwise, with the temper of my parents and your old man, I don’t want to go home.”

“Trust me. It will be soon.”

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<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

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Chapter 100: Cicada

The evening event took place inside the Grand Theatre, and ordinary people weren’t allowed to enter. For a moment, everyone stood still, stunned. Zhu Sheng was the first to react. He gestured to his assistants to go after Xia Yufeng.

Then the old man turned his back, calmly walked up to the stage, and signaled for communication to resume.

He politely patted the host’s shoulder, took the microphone, and turned towards the camera. “I apologize sincerely. Recently, we have been tracking the infiltration of synthetic humans among humans. They can control the erosion substance and disguise themselves as others… Take a look. This is the report.”

Zhu Sheng displayed a report on the Mirror Erosion Swamp of the Blackbirds. It clearly stated that the erosion substance could mimic the appearance of humans to deceive them. The commotion in the venue subsided for a while, and people more or less breathed a sigh of relief.

No one wanted to admit that their leader had truly changed and become a terrifyingly selfish person. Now that they finally caught an excuse, the people in the theater subconsciously wanted to believe Zhu Sheng. Unlike the people on the square, most of the individuals in the theater belonged to the three major families. Despite their two hundred years of open and hidden conflicts, at critical moments, they were still tied together by a common thread.

People with a natural advantage were easy to fool, especially when Zhu Sheng was always persuasive.

The old man stood upright on the stage, showing no sign of panic in his expression. This momentary show of authority temporarily deceived the people present. However, this aura of authority was greatly diminished for those not present.

Since the uprising of the synthetic humans, the citizens had been in the square for several weeks, approaching the end of the month.

The weather was getting colder, and resources were becoming scarcer. The box meals distributed by the rescue department, which had eggs and oil at first, had turned into overcooked dishes with average taste but balanced nutrition.

As time passed, the box meals with both meat and vegetables became flatbread with condiments, and eventually turned into just flatbread and fermented sauce. When biting into the hard flatbread, they could only taste the pickled vegetables without any oil flavor. Even so, people were reluctant to consume nutrition supplements. The unpleasant texture was still preferable to no texture at all.

The once well-dressed crowd now resembled refugees. Their hair clung together with dirt, and their thick clothes were covered in grease stains. Each person emitted an indescribable foul smell with a mixture of sweat, decomposing blood, and the sour odor of garbage, turning the air into liquid.

The people in the square had long forgotten about the three major families. They only knew one thing—regardless of whether Zhu Sheng or Zhu Yanchen was in power, their leaders had failed to fulfill their promises. Their stance was contrary to that of the three major families, as they simply refused to believe that the Erosion Swamp could mimic humans to such an extent.

Outside, the fake Zhu Yanchen was fighting, indicating that the situation wasn’t as dangerous as it seemed. If Zhu Sheng had sent the right people earlier, they might have made it home by now.

God knew how much they hoped that reality “wasn’t dangerous”.

“Fraud!” the young people shouted loudly. “It’s all lies!”

One of Zhu Yanchen’s previously arranged individuals discreetly stuck his head out and shouted even louder, “We need more concrete evidence!”

“We want the real Zhu Yanchen! Zhu Sheng must apologize!”

“Change the leader! Change the leader!”

“We want to go home!”

Xia Yufeng had already put on his mask and merged into the crowd, being jostled by the people around him. The crowd moved like seaweed, and with a slight tiptoe, he could be carried away by the flow of people.

Being swept along by the impassioned crowd, Xia Yufeng felt a bitter taste in his heart. These people seemed to understand the situation even less than those in the theater. They just wanted a seemingly “legitimate” outlet to vent their emotions and alleviate their heaviness.

When Zhu Yanchen was still the marshal, people scorned this “second-generation official”. Now that Zhu Sheng had become the target, Zhu Yanchen had suddenly turned into a buried tragic hero.

Xia Yufeng suddenly found it amusing. He had been frightened for so long, only to realize that he was just a drop in this timid river, as ordinary as could be. After two hundred years after the apocalypse, humans still remained terrifyingly primitive in some aspects.

He knew that those troublemakers were synthetic humans sent by Shu Jun, but in this strange emotional state, Xia Yufeng no longer wanted to avoid them. He tiptoed and let the crowd carry him away, shouting angry slogans at the top of his voice.

The demands of the people were numerous, but in the end, they converged into a unified slogan.

“Zhu Yanchen!” they yelled hoarsely, desperately calling out to the imagined ghost. “Zhu Yanchen!”

The square patrol team couldn’t control the unruly crowd anymore. Everyone pushed forward with force, but no one knew where this strange “temporary legion” was heading.

In moments like this, a few black sheep were enough in the flock. The synthetic humans in the front carefully adjusted their direction, leading the crowd towards the brightly lit Grand Theatre.

Seeing the illuminated building, there was no need for words to explain; people could determine their target. In the midst of decay, those lights were infuriatingly bright.

During this time, many people used screens to contact their loved ones and engaged in intense discussions about the sudden situation at the evening event.

It was impossible for the millions of people in Y City to all take to the streets. Most of those living in the city center chose to stay at home. Those who were willing to take action were mostly young and passionate individuals, as well as disgruntled migrants who had recently moved in from the outskirts. Apart from the largest gathering on the central square, people poured out from underground shelters, abandoned hotel rooms, and tents tucked away in corners. Like water flowing downstream, they converged from all directions towards the Grand Theatre.

“We want to see Zhu Sheng!”

“We want an explanation. We want the truth about Zhu Yanchen!”

The young people were especially enthusiastic. They cut dirty pieces of cloth and made impromptu banners, holding them high above their heads. Y City had never seen a protest or demonstration since its establishment. The people didn’t understand the procedure and desperately tried to squeeze through the sealed doors. The security guards attempted to block them, but the difference in numbers made them hesitate to use their firearms. The people at the forefront seemed more like they were being swept forward by a wave rather than actively charging.

The angry crowd had turned into a strange beast. It had tens of thousands of eyes, tens of thousands of mouths, and countless heads to match. At this moment, it howled in grievance and anger, emitting a terrifying stench.

Countless hands aimlessly pounded on the theater windows, striking the tightly locked doors. Many people were pressed against the glass, on the verge of breaking bones. It didn’t take long for the glass to shatter like thin sheets of sugar, and people fell to the ground, leaving countless wounds. The shards of glass, stained with blood, gleamed brightly under the warm lights.

Fortunately, there was a medical team from the Old Fourth nearby.

The members of the Old Fourth didn’t hesitate like the guards; they acted without restraint. Over a dozen tall and sturdy men pushed through the crowd, dragging out the injured individuals, without causing any fatal accidents.

Seeing the presence of doctors nearby, the people felt more reassured. The crowd surged into the hall, filling the corridors. They swung their fists, and the exquisite decor of the theater turned into fragments. The pristine wallpaper became smeared with dirt, saliva, and phlegm. If it weren’t for everyone being tightly packed together and unable to move, a few individuals might have even picked up lighters to vent their frustrations by starting a fire.

Zhu Sheng didn’t run away. He simply ordered the wartime protective doors of the theater to be closed. The thick metal door slammed shut, despairingly trapping the people outside the grand theater.

“Continue the show,” Zhu Sheng gestured, instructing them to continue broadcasting the footage from the center of the theater.

Seeing Zhu Sheng’s calm demeanor, others felt a bit relieved. Only the actors backstage, preparing for the program, remained unaware; their faces still beaming with smiles.

Onstage, light and shadows intertwined as the dancers’ graceful steps captivated the audience. The images from inside the theater were projected onto the surrounding walls. The previously fervent crowd quickly grew despondent—the beautiful and peaceful dance gave them the illusion of peacetime. However, the walls and the cold, heavy metal doors couldn’t be pushed open with flesh and blood.

If Zhu Sheng stayed inside overnight, by the next day, they would be without food or drink, and it would be impossible to keep them contained.

One hour passed, then another. As time went by and the night grew darker, the slogans became increasingly disjointed—Zhu Sheng was too calm, as if it was an adult facing unreasonable children. This attitude only made things more frustrating, and people started to doubt their own judgment.

Could it really be the work of the synthetic humans?

If it was Xia Yufeng impersonating Zhu Yanchen all along, the battle outside the walls wouldn’t be so intense, right? Even now, the sound of artillery fire outside the protective wall continued relentlessly.

The monster formed by the crowd lost its momentum, and the previously energetic atmosphere faded away, hinting at a sense of despondency.

The synthetic humans that blended into the crowd exchanged glances. One of them struggled to make their way out of the theater, disappearing without a trace. Seeing someone leave, the older individuals were the first to consider retreating.

But the hall was packed too tightly, and except for a few tall and strong individuals, the average person couldn’t squeeze out at all. The crowd roiled for quite a while, and people entered a strange state of semi-abandonment. More than half of the people fell into silence, gazing sorrowfully at the images on the screens.

“Before the next program, let me say a few words.”

Zhu Sheng cleared his throat, and the host, accustomed to the situation, quickly handed him the microphone.

“Many friends have arrived outside, and I know you don’t believe me.” Zhu Sheng cleared his throat. “Regarding the arrangements for the future—”

Before Zhu Sheng could finish his sentence, one of his assistants hurriedly ran onto the stage and whispered something in his ear. Zhu Sheng frowned slightly and sighed. “I have much more to say, but unfortunately, time is not on our side. The synthetic humans have suddenly intensified their attack, so I ask everyone to return to the designated shelter.”

“The theater is relatively safe, but it cannot accommodate so many people.” Zhu Sheng smiled politely. “I don’t mind squeezing in with everyone, but half of the people must return to the central square—the defense there is quite complete, making it one of the safest places within the city.”

“I suggest that the elderly, women, and children stay behind. We can make room to accommodate them.”

People looked at each other, pushing and shoving, but no one seemed to have any intention of leaving.

Zhu Sheng didn’t appear surprised.

“Delay the next program by an hour, clear the nearby hotels, and temporarily relocate people inside the hotels. The expenses incurred by the Tang family will be my responsibility. As for the recent situation, I will explain it in detail later.”

The voice of the elderly man was low and powerful, bringing a great sense of reassurance.

“In times of emergency, I admit that we have not done enough to provide for those outside the city. First, I would like to apologize to everyone here.” He nodded slightly, his words carrying an apologetic tone but still sounding authoritative as always. “For the next hour, I ask everyone to quickly return indoors. Miss Xia Liang’s performance has been postponed. Once you have found suitable rooms, you can continue to enjoy the evening celebration…”

The young people couldn’t match the craftiness of the old fox. With a set of tricks and a sweet date, the tens of thousands of people outside the theater immediately showed signs of softening. However, just as this passionate gathering was about to disperse, a terrifying rumbling sound came from the protective wall on the west side of the city center. For a moment, the city alarm blared, leaving people’s minds in chaos.

The monstrous crowd, on the verge of death, regained their energy and jostled and collided with each other. Zhu Sheng had to move to one of the private rooms on the highest floor of the theater, temporarily allowing some people to take refuge inside the theater.

Every move in the theater was seen by someone on the other side of the wall.

“Chai Xuyang did a good job,” Shu Jun said casually as his claws slid on the armrest fabric. “Disperse according to the original plan and let the Alpha Erosion Swamp invade the city. I’ve already gathered everyone. A’Yan should be able to handle this.”

“Captain Shu, Xia Yufeng has followed your arrangement and fled. Is it inconvenient for Marshal Zhu to appear again?”

“The desired effect has been achieved. Look, we have successfully broken through their blockade, no longer serving as mere cannon fodder.” Shu Jun smiled and said, ‘The deputy officer arranged by Zhu Sheng is good, but still far from A’Yan. He lacks experience in fighting against the Erosion Swamp and will definitely retreat on the spot. The defense will be disrupted, and chaos will ensue internally. What a great opportunity.'”

“Are you suggesting…”

“Let the Erosion Swamp take the lead and enter the city, while we act as the praying mantis capturing the cicada—Luo Duan always acts cautiously. He will certainly strike after we are severely weakened, playing the role of the ‘oriole’*.”

*Clarity: This is referencing the idiom “The praying mantis catches the cicada while the oriole follows”. It refers to while coveting the gains ahead, one should be aware of the dangers behind. || In this context, Shu Jun is planning for the synths to play the “mantis” role, lulling Sigma (as the oriole) out.

“Boss, are you really planning to start a war? That Erosion Swamp belongs to Sigma, and it won’t show any mercy.”

Shu Jun released his grip on the armrest and hugged Monday, who had become increasingly stout and strong recently. His smile gradually turned cold. For a moment, there was an uncomfortable and strange aura emanating from him. Hu Yan thought that some large beast from somewhere was panting at him.

“Both A’Yan and I have passed the age of playing house, so this is undoubtedly a war. I just gave humanity enough face in advance—the right timing, advantageous conditions, and the right people are all in place.”

“Let me count—I exposed my abilities, allowing A’Yan to create anti-erosion weapons; to prevent the settlements from panicking, I deliberately gathered them together for better management; fearing that Sigma would personally attack them unexpectedly, I didn’t kill that Erosion Swamp, giving them an opportunity for practical training; fearing that A’Yan’s prestige wouldn’t be enough to convince others, I forced Xia Yufeng to stage a big show… With these conditions, A’Yan cannot lose.”

“But… his compatriots will suffer casualties.”

Shu Jun’s smile grew wider. “What’s this? Do you want to protect humanity again?”

“No, no, of course not! I’m just thinking about your relationship… Haa, you know.”

“What are you thinking? I won’t forgive humanity on your behalf; I don’t have that right. Besides, I love A’Yan as a person, not his species.”

Shu Jun’s tone remained relaxed, but there was a suppressed feeling that couldn’t be clearly explained.

“This war is something humanity should endure. How can there be a war without sacrifices? If he hates me because of these things… it can only mean that I misjudged him.”

Hu Yan’s expression was quite complex. “Captain, not to criticize, but you can be quite ruthless.”

“Sigma stuffed my head with a bunch of first-person death records. Can’t help it.”

“What if Marshal Zhu has other intentions… Should we prepare for both scenarios?”

“No need. He knows. Even if I turn into a monster now and launch a surprise attack with the Erosion Swamp, we could easily kill off all the members of the three major families. But even so, he hasn’t shown up immediately with the purification weapon.”

“But…”

“No ‘buts’. Later, we’ll move to the east side of the city, near the refugee settlement. Let the humans deal with the Erosion Swamp, and we’ll focus on guerrilla tactics for self-defense. When Sigma comes on its own, we’ll have a tough battle to fight.”

“…And then?”

“Afterwards, we’ll watch their war closely.” Shu Jun’s smile disappeared. “Y City is the wealthiest city for humans. They will definitely fight to the death.”

“At first, I thought everything was planned between the two of you, but it seems like it’s all improvised.” Hu Yan sighed. “To be honest, I’m even more worried now.”

“The situation is constantly changing. Unless we stay together every day, we can’t come up with conclusive plans.”

Shu Jun lifted Monday and casually ended the conversation.

“I’ll go see how that Erosion Swamp is doing.”

The Erosion Swamp wasn’t feeling very pleasant. More precisely, it couldn’t understand the difference between “pleasant” and “unpleasant”. It only felt itself being squeezed into the cracks of a wall, moving very slowly.

It permeated the cracks with its erosion substance, transforming them into sharp spikes, forcibly prying open the wall. If it had taken the direct approach, who knew how long it would take to erode a hole.

Carefully, the Erosion Swamp squeezed itself inside the protective wall, but as soon as it showed itself, it was surrounded by various purifiers. The buzzing of those machines made it uncomfortable, causing it to sprout countless thorns that stabbed into the crevices of the machines.

With the hissing sound of erosion, expensive purifiers were scrapped one by one. The identity of “Zhu Yanchen” was in doubt, and he had disappeared again. The captains of several teams had to take out their hidden weapons and use their own skills to quickly drive away the Erosion Swamp.

Now it seemed that their approach had completely backfired.

The peculiar Erosion Swamp not only didn’t avoid the purifiers, but it also seemed slightly angry. If it weren’t for their sturdy armor, the recent soldiers would have been turned into hedgehogs.

“Until the new orders arrive, we must keep it contained in this area. Not far ahead is the residential area, and if this thing slips in…”

“The latest news is that most of those people have gone to cause trouble at the Grand Theatre. There aren’t many left. I’ve already started evacuating quite a few on my side.”

“Is it true or just a coincidence?”

“Who knows? The current problem is who will deal with them… I have no idea how to fight against the Erosion Swamp. We need to come up with a plan before the outer purifiers are destroyed.”

“…Is that Zhu Yanchen really fake? I feel like he’s quite skilled.”

“I’m not sure. I caught a glimpse of the show as well, and that person on the show doesn’t seem like him… Forget it. Let’s discuss it later. Hurry and contact the experts for a solution! Wait, what’s that sound? Why is there music?”

“The Grand Theatre is nearby. The show probably hasn’t ended yet. The building there has better protection, at least it can give the people some peace of mind.”

[Next… Miss Xia Liang will specially… perform a song… written for this period…] The intermittent voice came from a distance. The piercing alarm mixed with the sweet voice of a woman, creating a rather eerie sensation.

[Now, let’s welcome Miss Xia Liang… to bring us “Sleepless Night”…]

[…This song is dedicated to… all those who can’t fall asleep in the flames.]

The sweet and gentle voice started, mixed with the sharpness of the alarm and the hoarseness of electronic waves, sent chills down people’s spines. The Erosion Swamp wasn’t obediently trapped. It transformed itself into a hollow ball of spikes and sagged onto the protective wall, trying to break through the encirclement of purifiers from above.

And it succeeded.

The protective wall was incredibly high, high enough to escape the main influence of the purifiers. The wall’s anti-erosion material allowed it to anchor itself more securely. The massive ball of spikes rolled onto the top of the wall, rushing towards the most densely populated area of humans in this region—the Grand Theatre, just a few kilometers away, wasn’t far for it.

As it released erosion substance and continuously transmitted recorded information, it relied on instinct to charge toward the most bountiful prey.

It was late in the night, and the crowd was still surging outside the Grand Theatre. Those outside wanted to enter the well-protected theater, while those who wanted to leave couldn’t squeeze out. The scene became chaotic. The soft and beautiful singing voice enveloped the people, but the chaos showed no signs of abating.

No one noticed that in the most secluded corner of the theater, a young man kept his head down, displaying no signs of panic.

“You’re quite ruthless, Shu Jun. You’ve left us a way out, step by step. Thank you for your hard work.”

Zhu Yanchen extended his finger and made a few gestures on an invisible sand table in front of him. The chaos in front gradually faded, and he returned to that small virtual apartment again. Two children sat on opposite sides of the sand table, pouting in a game of strategy.

The “sand table” in front of him didn’t have cute architectural structures or monsters. It only had fear, chaos, and living, breathing people. This game couldn’t be escaped, nor could it be undone. A slight misstep meant someone’s life would be sacrificed—just like his previous work, except this time the commanding target had changed from synthetic humans to humans themselves.

Fortunately, Marshal Zhu didn’t need to make any adjustments to his command style. This time, he would ensure the survival of as many humans as possible.

Zhu Yanchen stood up and gave his seat to a confused elderly man. He patiently squeezed out of the theater and looked at the sky, tinged orange-gray by the lights. Shu Jun had changed their plans at the last minute, disrupting his retaliatory preparations. Thankfully, they had cooperated countless times on the battlefield, so he didn’t need to speculate on the “enemy’s” psychology again.

This might be the most brutal yet gentle enemy he had encountered.

“As the cicada, I should scream in agony more convincingly,” he murmured.

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<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

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Chapter 99: A Little Spark

Ai Xiaoxiao had been very busy lately.

The chaos had pushed the already overwhelmed healthcare system to the brink of collapse. Today, another forty to fifty thousand people flooded in from the east of the city, nearly depleting her medical reserves that the United Government’s team bought out. As a doctor, she had to take care of patients while conducting research on synthetic human drugs in the underground clinic. Over time, she almost emptied her stock of coffee and candy.

When she started the video communication at 2, her dark circles startled the other person.

“What’s wrong!” Ai Xiaoxiao yelled irritably. “I barely have time to catch my breath. Go bother that ‘temporary one’ if you need something!”

“But that person trusts the synthetic humans too much, and we don’t know their true intentions. I admire their methods, but I don’t trust them.” The other person, Two Dots, was quite straightforward. “The Old Fourth has connections with you, Ai Jie. I’ll be honest—I suspect the synthetic humans are planning to rebel.”

Ai Xiaoxiao remained silent as she bit hard on her candy, making a crackling sound.

“Lately, some people have been coming to the Old Fourth’s place to purchase supplies, but they’re buying strange things. I followed Four and Six for a while and discovered that they are planning a large-scale protest.”

“So what? Get to the point.”

“We followed them for a few days before we caught the main characters. They had a secret meeting in Five’s territory. It was difficult for us to find the clue—it was that fake Zhu Yanchen and one of Yi Ning’s assistants.”

“If you don’t get to the point soon, I’ll hang up.” Ai Xiaoxiao remained composed. “I have a surgery in twenty minutes. Hurry up.”

“Afterwards, Yi Ning’s assistant returned to the command center, and the fake Zhu Yanchen disguised himself and infiltrated the immigrant group in the eastern part of the city. He secretly met with Hu Yan from the synthetic humans’ side. Ai Jie, the synthetic humans must have sneaked in from the west of the city. If they genuinely wanted to cooperate, there would be no need to cause chaos at this time.”

Ai Xiaoxiao swallowed the crushed sugar residue. “Time and place? Don’t tell me you haven’t found out anything.”

“Tonight at 8, the inauguration ceremony celebrating Zhu Yanchen’s election. Should I notify the others?”

“No need. Don’t worry. Since they specifically planned at Five’s place, the synthetic humans have no intention of hiding.” Rather, this could be seen as a signal from Shu Jun. Otherwise, with Shu Jun’s vigilance, he could effortlessly find a more secretive location.

But this signal was mostly meant for Zhu Yanchen, to put Marshal Zhu’s mind at ease.

“Why?” For Two Dots, who was unaware of their relationship, Ai Xiaoxiao’s decisive response was confusing.

“Why ask so many ‘whys’?”

“You asked me about the time and place.”

“What kind of peaceful protest do you expect from those people in the city center? I guarantee someone will get hurt. I need to prepare in advance.”

Calculating the time, there should be some movement soon. The synthetic humans and the human military had been in a standoff in the city center for long enough. If things continued like this, forget about leaving any strength in Y City; just avoiding internal collapse would be considered a success.

“Tell Three Dots not to sell out all the medical supplies. Keep some for emergencies. As for the boss’ side, I’ll report it personally.”

Two Dots didn’t ask further. “Anyway, I’ll be prepared to escape. You should be careful too.”

After the communication ended, Ai Xiaoxiao drank a glass of water and began to contact Dong Lao. Recently, Zhu Yanchen was still serving as marshal, so there shouldn’t be any suspicious communication. Dong Lao’s value finally became evident. The Old Fourth was ultimately a civilian organization, with good business and connections, but when it came to military tactics, Zhu Yanchen’s trusted allies were more skilled.

“Causing trouble at the inauguration ceremony?” Dong Lao’s tone was a bit strange. “Led by Xia Yufeng?”

“Yes, and behind the chaos is Shu Jun.” Ai Xiaoxiao didn’t hold back, reporting the intelligence in detail.

“I knew it. With Xia Yufeng’s courage, what kind of chaos can he lead? Yi Ning’s assistant… Most likely Xia Yufeng noticed that something was wrong with him and actively joined forces. Yi Ning is probably unaware.”

“Unaware?”

“Yi Ning is capable, provided that it’s during peacetime. His weakness lies in his lack of understanding of war and his excessively high moral expectations of the people. I’ve met his assistant—a child from the settlement. He’s clever but overly logical in his actions. Yi Ning had intentions of grooming him, but to be honest, his personality isn’t suitable for a deputy… Doing something like this is probably to avenge Yi Ning.”

“I don’t understand.”

“You don’t need to understand all these twists and turns in the three major families. Just listen to the results—their goal with this chaos is probably to prove that ‘Zhu Yanchen’ is a fake and push Yi Ning into the leadership position.”

Ai Xiaoxiao remained silent for a long time, then said dryly, “You must live quite exhausted, constantly pondering these messy power struggles.”

“You still don’t understand?”

“What? I’m not interested in these things.”

“Then let me simplify it for you again—prepare what you need to prepare, because there’s a good show coming up.”

“What kind of show? I have no idea how much stuff I need to prepare. It’s about time you took action too, right? I haven’t seen you on the front lines recently.”

“I’ve been busy lately, and I’m guarding against fires starting from the rear. Zhu Sheng lacks intelligence, and Yi Ning lacks courage. Someone has to keep an eye on the city.”

“Fine, will you be there tonight? Let me make it clear first. My people will only deal with the wounded, not the chaos, and we might flee at any time. I can’t control it.”

This time, Dong Lao remained silent for a long time. “…I’ll be there.”

“That’s good. After this mess is over, let’s have a drink together. Shu Jun is really good at causing trouble, so there’s no reason to add to the chaos.”

“No. Honestly, I’m glad he’s not our enemy. He played this move beautifully, and his choice of candidate was accurate—Xia Yufeng doesn’t have much popular support, and if he secretly does things like this, we can’t defend against it. The number of sacrifices on the battlefield is fake, but Zhu Yanchen and him are truly fighting with real tactics. If he really comes with a cold gun, what do you think will happen?”

“…” Thinking about the chaos in Y City these past few days, Ai Xiaoxiao broke out in a cold sweat.

Recent days had been too difficult, so the two of them chatted casually to relax for a while before hurriedly ending the contact.

Night quickly arrived.

To divert people’s attention, the entire inauguration would be broadcast on the square’s screens. Having been besieged for so long, people no longer believed the flowery words on the screens, let alone the fact that Zhu Yanchen, a worthless person, was elected. If there was anything worth looking forward to in this ceremony after several days of boredom, it was the quite attractive program—rumor had it that Xia Liang would be present, performing a new song to soothe people’s hearts.

The first half consisted of tedious speeches and reports.

As the incumbent leader, Zhu Sheng spoke as usual about a bunch of new policies and discoveries. Unfortunately, the people’s stomachs were empty, their heads in a fog, and they barely registered a word, only knowing that this hellish life would continue.

However, when it was time for Zhu Yanchen’s speech, something went wrong.

Zhu Yanchen, who should have taken the stage, was late to appear. The host had no choice but to make a few jokes and play some video clips to buy time.

These were purely inserted recorded images. Even if Zhu Yanchen didn’t like to show himself, these images could still set the atmosphere. However, not long after the recorded footage began playing, the expressions of the people present changed.

It wasn’t a record at all. A person wearing a protective mask appeared in the footage, and their voice had been thoroughly modified.

“The real Zhu Yanchen has long been dead. The person currently commanding the battle on the front lines is just a puppet that Zhu Sheng had someone undergo plastic surgery to resemble…”

As soon as the first sentence came out, backstage personnel received orders and tried to cut off the broadcast. However, someone had tampered with the broadcasting program, and they couldn’t shut it down no matter what they did. Even if they severed the transmission line, someone would connect it again.

Undoubtedly, this was done by someone within the command center. This person not only had a good understanding of the inauguration proceedings but also had high-level access.

“The research conducted by Zhu Yanchen has yet to be fully understood. We have collected testimonies from relevant researchers as well as internal notices about research direction adjustments. These are ironclad evidence—if Zhu Yanchen is still alive, why would there be such a big fuss to have people interpret his papers?”

In the footage, photos of documents with signatures and seals were shown one by one, and the handwriting was quite clear. Whether it was related to Marshal Zhu or the subordinates of Marshal Yi, all the documents were there.

Then came the interviews with researchers. It was evident that these scenes were secretly filmed. The identities of the researchers and the environments they were in couldn’t be faked. These interviews, just like the documents, featured numerous prominent figures, whether they were researchers from the command center or the Tang family.

[To be honest, these papers startled me. The theories inside are too advanced. I can say with certainty that Mr. Zhu must have studied for at least ten years to reach such a high level.]

[We neglected the field of erosion substance research for too long. The security of the player system is far from sufficient. If we had researched related topics earlier, the synthetic human issue might not have reached this point.]

[Mr. Zhu didn’t conceal his discoveries. These papers were entered into the system a long time ago. However, due to different research directions and my personal negligence, no one took the time to read them carefully… As the leader in his research field, I owe him an apology.]

[If possible, I hope to have a face-to-face discussion with Mr. Zhu. The relevant application has been submitted, but it’s been days and we haven’t received any response from higher-ups. I can’t understand why the most important thing now isn’t to research more effective strategies?]

……

The intermittent playback ended, and that voice resounded once again.

“After Zhu Yanchen ‘returned’, he never published any research findings again. With the synthetic humans about to invade, the most reasonable approach would have been for Marshal Zhu to lead the research, while Marshal Yi followed Zhu Sheng’s instructions and went to the front lines to face the enemy. However, everyone has seen the current situation.”

“Zhu Sheng is consumed by power and rules with an iron fist. His tenure has come to an end, and to hold onto power, he didn’t even spare his deceased son. After Marshal Zhu’s accomplishments were exposed, he didn’t clear his son’s reputation but instead found someone to replace him, allowing Zhu Yanchen to continue being despised.”

“This footage should be clear enough—Zhu Sheng has buried his own biological son. Now he is forcing Marshal Yi to be his deputy and manage the chaos in the city center, making you redirect your anger at Yi Ning. Are you truly at ease with such a person leading the war?”

“It’s not too late for the three major families to wake up now! Even if we are destined to be managed by the three major families, we need more selfless leaders!”

After these words were spoken, Zhu Yanchen finally arrived, walking onto the stage. The flustered host, as if grabbing a lifeline, reached out and handed him the microphone—

However, this “Marshal Zhu” didn’t clarify the claims made in the footage. Instead, he fidgeted nervously, wiping his sweat and adjusting his breath before tremblingly uttering his words.

“Those words are true,” he stammered, his voice slightly altered. “My real name is Xia Yufeng. I used to be Zhu Yanchen’s assistant, so I know him quite well. Zhu Yanchen did indeed start researching the Erosion Swamp since his early teens, and I can testify… Some time ago, Zhu Sheng found me and had me undergo plastic surgery to resemble Zhu Yanchen, continuing to play the role of this ‘Marshal’, taking orders only from him.”

“Just now, many of the things shown in the footage were accessed with permission granted by me. I… I’ve had enough. The situation is dire now, and I must reveal the truth.”

As soon as the words left his mouth, Xia Yufeng instinctively shrank his neck and hastily fled, fearing being chased by the guards who had caught on.

Before exiting the stage, he took a deep breath and shouted loudly, “I’m not Zhu Yanchen! I don’t know how to fight at all!”

Following that, the live broadcast on the screens finally went blank. With the absence of the illuminated screens, darkness enveloped the square.

The crowd fell into complete silence.

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<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

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Chapter 98: Variation

Panic surged through the crowd.

The environment was hostile, and human society resembled isolated islands. The erosion was severe, and population growth was painfully slow. City mergers were yet to be completed, let alone the possibility of a war.

People hadn’t tasted the flavor of war for hundreds of years.

Rather than fear, the state of the people in the square was closer to bewilderment. No one knew what to do in this situation or how to proceed. Prior to the disaster, everyone’s lives were similar—spinning like a top between workplaces and residences, passing the time with a few scarce entertainment activities. There were no relocations or travels, and even outings for relaxation were rare. To be born in the city and die in the city was considered the safest outcome in this era.

After the Reunion Festival, everything was supposed to return to normal.

However, since the synthetic humans rebelled and disrupted the festival, everything had fallen into chaos. Y City resembled a massive and intricate machine, with each person dutifully occupying their position, moving forward slowly. But now the gears had come loose from their original positions, and the machine was emitting smoke, on the verge of collapsing.

Workplaces and residences were likely to be damaged, and people were extremely angry, yet unsure of where the mistake occurred and who should take responsibility. This anger seemed poised to surpass the dam’s water level, with the danger of losing control at any moment.

Zhu Sheng had been immersed in research with the researchers lately, trying to understand the enemy’s situation, so this mess was completely left to Yi Ning.

Medical supplies and resources needed to be allocated at any time, malignant disputes had to be resolved quickly, patrol routes had to be adjusted daily, and reports from subordinates summarizing the possibility of “potential chaos” flew in like snowflakes. The entire city had entered a state of war, with the population in the city center quadrupling, while the difficulty of management increased more than tenfold compared to peacetime.

During this critical period, lower-ranking managers were hesitant to make decisions. All the problems merged into a murky tide that covered the sky.

The new leader had just been elected, and the transition period wasn’t over yet. Zhu Sheng was still the leader, so he naturally wouldn’t bother with these thankless “trivial matters”. Yi Ning, as one of Zhu Sheng’s nominal deputies, had hardly been seen since the synthetic humans forced their way to the vicinity of the city center.

“Go downstairs and get me a few cans of coffee. And while you’re at it, check the situation of the rescue team—they should have returned to the communicable area by now, according to the time.” Yi Ning rubbed his temples and ordered his assistant without looking up.

However, he didn’t receive a response.

Lately, his assistant had been around less and less, and Yi Ning couldn’t help but frown. He shook his head, trying to clear his mind, and immediately activated the communicator. “It’s working hours now. Where are you?”

“At the city center square.” The assistant’s voice was indistinct.

“Come back.” Yi Ning rubbed his temples. “The afternoon meeting is crucial. If we don’t restore order to those streets in the Xia family’s district in the east, there’s a high chance of a bloody conflict erupting. We need to go there in advance…”

“I’m sorry, sir, but I need to take leave.”

“Leave?”

“I don’t want to clean up Zhu Sheng’s mess. This whole situation is pathetic—Zhu Sheng got a fake Zhu Yanchen to earn fame while leaving you to deal with all the troublesome work. If we do poorly, it’s our responsibility; if we do well, it’s his credit as a superior.”

Yi Ning fell silent.

A thousand words squeezed at the back of his throat, but in the end, he couldn’t say anything. Yi Ning wasn’t angry; he only felt an inexplicable sense of desolation, as if he couldn’t distinguish whether the other person was truly overwhelmed with anger or if they had exchanged fear and resentment for a different form of outburst. The other person was someone he had personally trained, but now they weren’t much different from the rioters in the square.

Finally, according to regulations, Yi Ning could only throw down one sentence.

“Return to the command center within three hours, or I will have someone forcibly bring you back. At this time, internal conflict is the worst choice.”

“…Marshal Yi, as someone who grew up in the settlements, I thought you would understand.” The assistant’s voice sounded angry and aggrieved. “Man will destroy heaven and earth for their own sake. Well, now heaven is destroying us*. Can people really unite in the face of such events? Do you truly believe that? …You’ve really disappointed me.”

*Proverb that basically means karma. If an individual acts selfishly and disregards the well-being of others or the world around them, there will eventually be consequences.

With that, the young man immediately terminated the communication.

Yi Ning remained silent for a moment, then transferred the communication to the patrol team and swiftly sent the assistant’s information.

Without his assistant, he had no choice but to personally contact the rescue department to inquire about the situation of the rescue team.

“Three hours ago, the rescue team reached the communicable area,” the leader of the rescue department reported seriously. “The disaster situation in Y City and its surroundings is under control. Once the frontlines in the city stabilize, we can bring the personnel back.”

“Good. Does Zhu Sheng have any instructions?”

“Considering the current situation, the rescue team is tentatively scheduled to enter the city in three days.”

“…”

“Marshal Yi?”

“It’s nothing. Thank you for your hard work.” Something wasn’t quite right. Zhu Sheng’s arrangements were a bit strange. Yi Ning held his buzzing head.

Several kilometers away, at the rescue team.

Xia Yufeng ultimately didn’t stay in that settlement area. For that, he had found a more than sufficient reason for himself—if there was no one left in the settlement area, it would be troublesome if something happened. On the other hand, to protect his own life, he expressed his thoughts in a roundabout way, such as “I won’t necessarily follow orders when outside” and “The situation is urgent, so it would be best to assess the situation before entering the city.”

The rescue department was considered under the influence of the Tang family and wouldn’t obediently listen to Zhu Sheng’s words.

The captain simply gave him a somewhat surprised look, without asking about his identity or providing a definite answer. After reaching the communicable area, the rescue team set up camp according to the original plan. Seeing that the other side didn’t move, Xia Yufeng fell into a state of hesitation about whether to escape or not—which was quite a dilemma.

Zhu Sheng would definitely lure the synthetic humans to this side. It would reduce the burden on the one hand and increase the hatred between humans and synthetics on the other—killing two birds with one stone.

He wandered anxiously at the edge of the encampment, finally stomping his foot and setting off towards Y City on a mudsled.

He had always been the substitute for Zhu Yanchen, but this time Zhu Yanchen should be his substitute.

When he arrived at the border of Y City, Xia Yufeng removed his mask and greeted the city guards confidently, “How’s the situation?”

The guards looked at each other. After all, Zhu Yanchen was a legitimate marshal, and it was unlikely that he would come here to ask about the situation from a couple of low-ranking soldiers. However, Xia Yufeng’s face was convincing, so the guards stood at attention and gave a detailed account of the latest battle report.

They were mere onlookers, unable to access any confidential information. Even if the other side was a synthetic human, they couldn’t obtain any intelligence. Thinking this way, Marshal Zhu might just want to assess them.

“That old man really has ulterior motives,” Xia Yufeng murmured. Then he raised his voice. “Get ready to immediately support the rescue team. Also, inform the rescue department to prepare emergency supplies thoroughly. The preparations of the rescue team this time weren’t adequate, and they’ve suffered a lot.”

When it came to putting on an official demeanor, he was definitely better than Zhu Yanchen.

A few hours later.

Marshal Zhu was resting at the camp when, suddenly, his neck was grabbed by a pair of arms. He instinctively frowned, then gradually relaxed his brows. “Why are you here?”

“To assassinate you.”

“Don’t make trouble.”

“The situation isn’t right. I have to confirm it with you.”

Shu Jun removed his soldier’s mask and loosened the tightly fastened uniform collar. “The movements of the rescue team are different from what was initially agreed. According to Zhu Sheng’s plan, we would definitely bypass and attack this team, seize their resources, and use them as food.”

“Yes.” After seeing the monster for several days, when Shu Jun appeared in his human form, it caused Zhu Yanchen to be somewhat dazed. “He would most likely do that.”

“And then we’ll stage another show for Sigma, with both sides suffering heavy losses. Then I will capture these people, pretending to negotiate terms and reconciliation with you, to lure Sigma out.”

“That’s the plan, so what?”

“I specifically asked Tang Lao to pass on the message, asking the captain to listen carefully to Zhu Sheng’s words, and now the rescue team has taken action.” Shu Jun sat on the edge of Zhu Yanchen’s desk, crossing his long legs. “You owe me an explanation, Chief Strategist. I admit, I can’t figure out the reason behind your strategy change—could it be that you wanted to see me?”

“I really wanted to see you, that’s true.” Zhu Yanchen replied seriously. He had long been accustomed to Shu Jun’s teasing and decided to turn the tables, watching as the other’s ears slowly reddened. “But that wasn’t my strategy change.”

With that, he crossed his arms and pondered for a while. “Xia Yufeng.”

“What about him?”

“Xia Yufeng ran away with the rescue team. He probably wants to find a place to hide. It’s not good to corner him too much, so I decided to turn a blind eye. But I didn’t expect…”

“You didn’t expect him to come back on his own. He must have seen through Zhu Sheng’s methods. That kid still has some backbone.” Shu Jun immediately understood. “A’Yan, this time you’ve been made a substitute. How does it feel?”

“Not great.”

“Now the original plan won’t work. I need time to move from the sandwich between the Erosion Swamp and the humans. If the formation is disrupted and you still forcefully act with me, Zhu Sheng might suspect something fishy.”

“Indeed.” Zhu Yanchen frowned again.

“It’s different from the settlement. Faking a massacre under Zhu Sheng’s nose carries too much risk.” Shu Jun tapped his claws on the table. “Moreover, with forty to fifty thousand people, I have never created such a large fake scenario. It’s highly likely to be exposed. If Zhu Sheng and Sigma both discover the problem, our performance will be in vain.”

“If we bring all forty to fifty thousand people into the city, the resource burden in the city center will be too heavy. We must move quickly.” Zhu Yanchen wrote and drew on the screen. “Hmm…”

Shu Jun wasn’t as focused. As he used his claws to play with Zhu Yanchen’s hair ends, his eyes slightly squinted. He silently watched Zhu Yanchen jot down the battlefield situation and only spoke after a few minutes.

“I have an idea.”

“Please.”

“For the upcoming situation, let me take the lead. We’ll be like before, countering each other’s moves.” Shu Jun smirked, revealing a mischievous smile. “Mr. Xia really did me a big favor.”

“We can discuss—”

“No.” Shu Jun immediately waved his hand, and the mischievous smile at the corner of his mouth grew more apparent. “My approach is too extreme. You won’t like it.”

Zhu Yanchen raised an eyebrow, realizing that Shu Jun was still enigmatic. He helplessly shook his head. “Then I’ll leave it to you.”

“But to be honest, I put a lot of effort into this trip.” Shu Jun showed no intention of leaving the table. He leaned down, turned his head to the side, and his sharp teeth lightly pressed against Zhu Yanchen’s Adam’s apple. “What a perfect opportunity for an assassination. If I were to take a bite…”

As the words slipped out, the soft lips of the other grazed against Zhu Yanchen’s neck. Zhu Yanchen reached out and cupped Shu Jun’s face, lightly kissing his lips. “You can’t do it.”

“…A’Yan, you’ve become shameless.”

“Thank you.”

“That’s not a compliment… Anyway, considering what’s coming up, it’s good to be thick-skinned.” They separated, and Shu Jun pecked his lover’s lips again. “With this, the war will end even faster.”

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<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

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Chapter 97: Natural Disaster

“The synthetics team has split into two major groups and currently occupies the residential area in the west of the city. There is also a large Erosion Swamp approaching from the west. The synthetic humans have halted their advance, likely due to the movement of the swamp.”

Zhu Sheng’s assistant pushed up his glasses.

“In addition, the identity of that giant monster has been confirmed. Just as you suspected, it is Captain Shu Jun of the Blackbirds.”

“Has it been leaked?”

“Currently, only Squadron One and Three are aware of it.”

“Keep this information secure. If news of ‘resurrection of the dead’ reaches the public, it will cause chaos. How is Xia Yufeng performing?” Zhu Sheng’s voice was steady.

“The front line is retreating, but they are maintaining a stable and consistent style. It shouldn’t be a problem for now.”

“Well, the election is almost over. After it ends, have Mr. Dong support him—has Mr. Dong been found?”

“Not yet. He was originally chosen by Marshal Zhu as a civilian without official credentials, and his whereabouts have always been uncertain. Since Xia Yufeng became the substitute, he has rarely appeared.”

“This person still has some ability. Find him as soon as possible. Also, divide the people in the square into groups and reorganize the residential areas. How is Zhu Yanchen’s paper interpretation progressing?”

“Well…”

Zhu Sheng tapped his fingers lightly on the table, furrowing his brows.

“It will still take some time,” the assistant replied stiffly. “The researcher has just switched from other projects, and it takes time just to interpret the data. Applying the theory to weapons is not something that can be done in a day or two.”

“Hmm. Keep a close eye on Yi Ning during this time. At least until the election results are announced, stabilize him completely. As for the matter of the rescue team…”

“I will take care of the families.”

The assistant bowed and left the room.

Zhu Sheng sat on the sofa. The years had thinned and worn out his once robust body. The current situation was unprecedented, requiring careful consideration every minute and every second. A wrong step could lead to irreversible disaster. Under such heavy pressure, the old man’s spine finally bent slightly.

For the first time in many years, he sighed aloud.

“The rescue team…”

Several days passed, and Xia Yufeng had already left Y City. He followed the rescue team towards the largest settlement, living a relatively carefree life along the way, although the food and drink weren’t particularly good. The rescue team wore anti-corrosion face masks, so he didn’t have to worry about exposing his troublesome face.

As the flames of war ignited, Xia Yufeng had only one thought—

He had had enough.

If Zhu Yanchen was willing to engage in power struggles with his father, then let the Zhu father and son fight among themselves. Since Zhu Yanchen returned to Y City, Xia Yufeng hadn’t had many opportunities to show himself. Previously, he was pretending to be Marshal Zhu, and after that, he was at best Zhu Yanchen’s temporary substitute—he even got shot because of it!

With Zhu Yanchen around, Zhu Sheng wouldn’t notice his disappearance. And although Zhu Yanchen was ruthless in his methods, he never caused trouble for his family. He took advantage of Zhu Yanchen’s fighting spirit and slipped away. After all, it wasn’t like Zhu Yanchen would bother his elderly parents.

It was easy for a group of people to get involved in a war, but wasn’t it easy for one person to hide? He had internal information and knew that the synthetics could only hold on for about a month. As long as he acquired weapons and water, he could hide in the settlement for a month—by the time the war ended, he could change direction with the wind.

Speaking of which, there was also a problem with this rescue team. They were supposed to escort tens of thousands of people back to the city, but the supplies they brought with them were completely inadequate. Although the large settlement had its own reserves, it was still embarrassingly insufficient. Xia Yufeng had originally planned to sneak away with some aid supplies, but he never found an opportunity.

Moreover, the journey wasn’t easy. The closer they got to the erosion area, the higher the concentration of erosion substance in the air. People trudged forward in heavy protective suits, silently, on the soft and muddy ground.

Ahead was an endless haze, and behind was chaos. Since Y City was sealed off, the signal quality had deteriorated significantly. This team seemed to have stepped out of reality, no longer affected by time, as they mechanically moved forward.

No one spoke; there was only the sound of the sled scraping through the rotten mud.

It was bearable for a day or two, but after four or five days, Xia Yufeng started to lose it. He couldn’t figure out if this team was on a rescue mission or heading straight for hell.

Just when he was about to go crazy, they finally arrived at their destination—the once bustling settlement was now reduced to ruins. There weren’t many signs of war in this settlement, but several surrounding settlements had been massacred by monsters or the people had fled. Communication between settlements had suddenly been cut off, and individual settlements without the means to produce food wouldn’t last long.

The residents trembled and huddled in the ruins, barely surviving. When they saw the Y City troops arrive, tears almost filled their eyes.

Everything went smoothly; he just had to wait for the rescue team to leave, and he could quietly take some supplies and survive for a while longer.

However, the rescue team didn’t leave.

They seemed to have made up their minds to stay here and take a good rest. After completing the preparations, the captain leisurely started to record the names of the residents. This settlement had over fifty thousand people, yet the whole process dragged on for three or four days.

It felt like they were waiting for something.

It was impossible for such a large group of people to simply survive, and it was unrealistic in terms of supplies as well. The captain didn’t mention the crisis in Y City, clearly planning to take these people away. Besides the factor of escaping the war, what else could be the reason…

The election?

Yes, the elections. The election results were about to be announced. Xia Yufeng clenched his fist, quickly realizing the situation. Initially, Zhu Sheng used these people as bargaining chips in negotiations with Yi Ning. Naturally, he wanted to “pay one hand and deliver the goods with the other*”.

*Idiom referring to a situation where someone is giving with one hand while taking away with the other, or when there is a balance between giving and receiving (AKA give and take).

But upon careful consideration, the situation seemed a bit delicate—the elections weren’t completed in a day, and even if Yi Ning turned against them, it would be impossible to reverse the situation. They didn’t need to wait in the settlement for so long unless… unless Zhu Sheng needed to firmly secure Zhu Yanchen’s position to prevent Yi Ning from causing any trouble. Yi Ning wasn’t impulsive, so it would be difficult to force him into a desperate situation…

Xia Yufeng’s heart gradually grew cold.

The supplies brought by this team were completely insufficient, and now there was an obvious time delay… Could it be that Zhu Sheng never intended for these people to enter the city alive?

If the rescue team and the rescued people all died outside the city, Y City wouldn’t have to bear the burden of providing water and medical care for fifty thousand people, nor would they need to deal with the chaos these people might cause. If they were killed by the synthetics, Yi Ning would have to swallow this bitter pill. As a last resort, even if Zhu Sheng’s intentions were exposed, it would be too late, and Yi Ning would ultimately not be able to overcome the leader.

Losing a relatively small-scale rescue team in exchange for Yi Ning’s allegiance was a worthwhile deal. And for the ordinary residents of Y City, it would be convenient to attribute the sacrifice of the team to the synthetic humans.

…The captain was probably just following orders and unaware of what was about to happen. Having followed the Zhu family for so long, Xia Yufeng understood their modus operandi in private matters.

There was still time to tell the truth to this team.

As long as they took the supplies from the settlement, deliberately disobeyed Zhu Sheng’s instructions, and ensured their survival, there would be no problem. Zhu Sheng wouldn’t be foolish enough to massacre his own people right at his doorstep; he would definitely use the synthetics to intercept them. When the team reached the city gates and successfully made contact with the larger force, these people would still be able to return to Y City alive.

It wasn’t his concern, Xia Yufeng immediately warned himself seriously. For the sake of his own life, he had never challenged Zhu Sheng’s authority. He wouldn’t ruin everything over such a trivial matter.

Such a trivial matter…

He watched as a mother hugged her child and wept with gratitude towards the rescue team. Men busily made temporary stretchers for the elderly in their homes, happily preparing to enter the city. A few children with deformed heads ran past him and handed him a processed mutant bird’s egg.

Xia Yufeng gritted his teeth.

He had to gather supplies and find a place to hide them. He and the Zhu family weren’t from the same world. As a small fry, these people weren’t his responsibility.

With his identity as a rescue worker, it wasn’t difficult to gather supplies from the residents. In just half a day, he managed to collect enough food and purification equipment to sustain himself for two months. Xia Yufeng found a sturdy house that he liked and planned to transport the supplies inside while the team rested.

During the gap while waiting for the team to regroup, he leaned against the door of the house, expressionless, watching people bustling around, coming and going.

He suddenly remembered the muffin he had eaten in Zhu Yanchen’s office before being shot on the show.

…Just like ants. These people were the same. They only knew how to enjoy the sweetness in their mouths and had no idea what awaited them ahead.

Xia Yufeng squatted in front of his secret base all night, lost in thought for an entire day.

The next day, with his eyes bloodshot, he sought out the captain of the rescue team.

“…I have something very important to report,” Xia Yufeng said slowly.

In the city center of Y City, a different scene unfolded—

The election results were announced, and Zhu Yanchen won by an extremely narrow margin, becoming the new leader. Instead of cheering, people let out disappointed sighs—accumulated dissatisfaction was ignited and nearly erupted on the spot. Fortunately, Zhu Sheng had increased the number of patrol teams in advance, suppressing the chaos.

“Zhu Yanchen can’t even suppress the rebellion of the synthetics! How long has it been? We have nowhere to go back to!”

“If Marshal Yi were the leader, things would definitely not be like this—”

“It’s behind-the-scenes manipulation, definitely behind-the-scenes manipulation!”

The commotion didn’t last long before a sweet female voice sounded in the square. “There is a strong erosion source approaching near the city center. I repeat, a strong erosion source is approaching near the city center. Please take shelter immediately in buildings, tents, or other enclosed environments, and activate the purifiers around you. The strong erosion source may cause erosion rain…”

The resistance movement died before it even formed.

No one was arguing this time—the images were only visible to the command center. However, on the other side of the protective wall, many civilian institutions had installed image transmission devices. Someone broke through the light screen blockade in the city center square and transmitted the footage.

Just a wall away was a living hell.

A strange monster roared at the camera, its feet treading on a massive Erosion Swamp. This swamp was completely different from what people had seen before—every time human soldiers approached, the swamp would expand with countless spiky structures, resembling the skeletal remains of a pufferfish. The thick protective suits were pierced, and those who attempted to get close were quickly swallowed by the Erosion Swamp.

Meanwhile, the monster ignored the Erosion Swamp beneath its feet and clawed at the walls with sharp claws, emitting a mournful and desperate cry.

The synths stayed far away from the swamp, choosing other directions to attack. Abilities clashed with purification grenades from the human camp, causing frequent explosions and making the earth tremble noticeably.

War had never been so close.

People finally realized that this chaos was not merely a “weapons rebellion”. However, at this point, they had nowhere to escape. After more than a hundred years, the impression of “X City’s natural disaster” finally returned to people’s minds.

No one shouted about going home anymore or expressed dissatisfaction with the election results. Everyone fell silent in front of the screens, as if attending a strange funeral.

Yi Ning’s assistant stood in the center of the square, spitting on the image of the light screen.

---

<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

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Chapter 96: Last Step

The upcoming election ceremony was about to end, but the initial lively atmosphere had disappeared. The incident initially occurred at the celebration square outside the city. The residents of Y City heard that the ceremony was unexpectedly interrupted, but not many people took it seriously. However, when the residents of Y City themselves became the targets of attacks, no one had the mindset to focus on the election anymore—they only hoped that the government would quickly intervene and resolve the pressing issue of the city lockdown.

They could endure for three or four more days, skip a few showers, and rely on nutritional supplements. Most of the belongings of the residents outside the city were still inside their homes. As the artillery fire and explosions around the city perimeter continued, people became increasingly restless, and protest groups began to form.

Some were dissatisfied with the current quality of life, others worried about the upcoming wave of unemployment, and many even attempted to sneak out and salvage their properties in the empty outskirts of the city.

In this restless atmosphere, the two candidates no longer attended any debate programs. The screens on the square began to play soothing music, with vibrant colors that contrasted with the mess all around.

The waste disposal system had to handle four to five times more garbage than usual, and the entire cleaning chain was on the verge of collapse. Public facilities were overwhelmed, and many fire hydrants were opened for people to wash and do laundry. The city center square was packed with people, and a few elderly individuals collapsed due to the increasingly cold weather, while children fell ill due to the foul-smelling garbage. In just a few days, the once vibrant crowd quickly fell silent.

“It’s a good thing you didn’t get elected,” Yi Ning’s young assistant said. “This is the first time I’ve seen such a scene… Taking over this mess, if you don’t do well, people will hold a grudge against you.”

Yi Ning stood on the high floor of the command center, gazing at the chaotic square without uttering a word.

“If Zhu Sheng wants this position, just let him have it,” the assistant continued muttering, seeing no response from Yi Ning. “The dirty deeds they’ve done will be exposed sooner or later. Marshal Yi, I even feel that this chaos is fate.”

“Stop talking.”

“At the very least, our fellow residents in the settlements should know the truth.”

“Now is not the time to discuss this topic!” Yi Ning’s anger flared up, and it took great effort to control his tone. “Now is not the time to argue about who gained fame, understand? I brought you out of the settlement because I wanted you to slowly guide the children in the settlement to come out, not…”

He let out a heavy sigh.

“Never mind. Zhu Sheng will probably be able to save around fifty to sixty thousand people. He has also promised to leave a team outside the city to organize the remaining settlement residents. My initial idea now seems like child’s play. I…”

The residents of Y City were generally considered to be of high quality, but after a few days of hardship, even these “respectable individuals” started becoming agitated. Yi Ning had to admit that he completely underestimated the destructive power of war on ordinary people. The current unrest was far from being resolved by a few nice words.

It was evident that Zhu Sheng was trying to solve the problem, but he was unable to do so.

All the comforting words and considerate policies meant nothing when faced with basic needs. One concrete solution was worth more than ten thousand words of concern.

In order to ensure the survival of some settlement residents, he agreed to help Zhu Sheng sacrifice another group of people. Zhu Sheng, on the other hand, was willing to sacrifice entire settlements for the residents of Y City. Was there really such a big difference between them? What right did he have to blame Zhu Sheng?

If he were to take charge of the player system, could he really find a better way to handle things? Countless lives depended on the system to continue. Did he really have the courage to terminate the system and start from scratch?

Yi Ning’s face was filled with anguish.

The assistant remained silent for a moment. “You’ve been deceived by Zhu Sheng. He deliberately made you choose this way to make you doubt yourself, Marshal. If you truly doubt yourself, then you’ve already been defeated by him!”

“You don’t understand,” Yi Ning murmured, not looking at his assistant. “Ever since we took in Luo Duan, it seems like I haven’t done anything useful.”

“We’re just one step away. Luo Duan said that as long as we find Zhu Sheng’s weakness, we’ll be fine! Marshal, you were so resolute before. How did you end up like this?!”

The assistant looked at Yi Ning, and his eyes reddened for a moment. He took a deep breath to calm himself, saluted, and left the room.

Yi Ning still didn’t turn around. He just stared out of the window, silent.

“A group of human teams has left Y City,” Chai Xuyang reported from outside the city.

“We cleared out the east side of the city precisely for their departure,” Hu Yan said without any surprise.

“What?! Why?”

“Why do you think the fire is weaker there, and there are no people? Zhu, I mean, ahem, our sister-in-law instructed me to keep the east side of the city vacant, and if a team leaves, pretend not to see them.”

“Sister-in-law?” Zhu Yanchen had never shown his face in front of synthetics other than Hu Yan, so Chai Xuyang didn’t think about that “male human collaborator”. Hearing this, he was now confused. “I say, isn’t Shu Jun unmarried?”

“Don’t worry about our Captain’s affairs!” Hu Yan raised his voice. “Anyway… if Zhu Sheng wants to recruit Yi Ning, he will definitely use the rescue of the settlements as leverage. That team will bring back quite a few hostages, and we’ll just wait here.”

“Don’t we have enough hostages from Y City?”

“All those people are in the city center. We can’t reach them for now. How else can we lure Sigma out without ‘massive human casualties’?”

“How many things have you discussed behind my back?”

“What’s the rush? There are many things I know that you don’t. Look at the cracked protective wall over there,” Hu Yan said, pointing at the cracked wall. “Now that all communications are cut off, even Captain Shu is guessing our opponent’s moves.”

“Is it really okay to continue like this?”

“I don’t know.” Hu Yan flicked his finger, and some small rocks bounced on the ground. “But to be honest, after fighting until now, I just want it to end as soon as possible.”

“Um, I understand. Wait, wait, I have communication again… What? An Erosion Swamp is approaching?!”

At the center of their conversation—Shu Jun, enduring intense artillery fire, collided with the city wall once again. The erosion monster he controlled was immensely huge, with two broken claws already gripping the top of the wall, showing a tendency to cross the protective barrier.

Another round of purification shells rained down, reducing half of the monster’s head to dust. Soon after, the erosion substance gathered into black smoke at the wound, twisting like living black vine tendrils, and the skeletal head resembling that of a wolf swiftly regenerated.

The monster let out a deafening roar, shaking the entire protective wall.

“How do we deal with that thing?!” The captain of the Second Squadron stationed on this side nearly collapsed. “Sir, our artillery fire is limited. We can’t afford to waste any more. And we just received a message that a large Erosion Swamp is approaching from the west! We can’t fight this battle; without synthetics, we have no way to fight…”

Zhu Yanchen remained silent. He drew his gun and directly aimed it at the head of the Second Squadron captain. The latter immediately straightened up, and his reddened eyes were filled with fear.

“Are you calm now?”

“C-Calm… I’m calm.”

“The synthetics are also concentrated in the western part of the city. Fall back from the front line and let the synthetics advance a few steps, then lure the Erosion Swamp to cut off their retreat—the Erosion Swamp doesn’t discriminate between enemies. If used properly, it can become an asset.”

Zhu Yanchen swiftly retracted his gun. “Once you’ve confirmed the situation, withdraw to the vicinity of the city center. Remember to ensure the safety zone to the east of the city and provide support for the incoming population.”

“What about that monster—”

“It still has its sanity and has been protecting its comrades. It won’t just ignore the approaching Erosion Swamp.”

“…Sir, did you already know the Erosion Swamp would come? The command center hasn’t figured out the pattern—”

“Now is not the time for a science lecture. Go lead the team.”

“Yes!”

If they hadn’t detected any abnormal communication, the captain of the Second Squadron would have suspected that Marshal Zhu and the monster had some sort of telepathic connection—just as he finished making arrangements, the monster vanished from the city wall. The colossal black shadow swiftly moved towards the west of the city.

The First and Third Squadrons stationed in the western part of the city were terrified when facing such a large and strange creature for the first time. A barrage of purification rounds was fired without hesitation, turning the monster into a sieve.

The captain of the Second Squadron, who arrived at the scene, held his breath.

Perhaps due to the sudden increase in firepower, it was the first time he had seen the monster sustain such heavy injuries. This time, its recovery speed seemed considerably slower, exposing the “organs” within its chest cavity.

Within the pitch-black and contorted tendrils, a figure stood out. The captain of the Second Squadron immediately picked up his binoculars and carefully observed—

The upper half of the person’s body was partially suspended outside the monster’s chest, while the lower half was buried in writhing erosion substance, revealing only clean knees and a portion of the thighs. His bare upper body was covered in fine threads of erosion, resembling a full-body tattoo, giving off an unsettling and peculiar beauty.

As if sensing the observation from the human side, the person lifted his head.

Ashen white hair and eyes of the same color. The contracted vertical pupils were like those of a wild beast, causing one’s hair to stand on end. That face was remarkably handsome and seemed familiar—

The captain of the Second Squadron took a sharp breath.

“Isn’t that Shu Jun?” he exclaimed to his comrade beside him. “The captain of the Blackbirds from the Synthetic Human Championship! Didn’t he die? We saw him fall with our own eyes!”

As if unwilling to be observed, countless tendrils of erosion substance shot down. They nearly pierced the outermost layer of soldiers, hissing under the effect of purifiers.

“That must be their leader!” the captain of the Second Squadron continued to shout. “No doubt about it!”

Before he could finish his sentence, the pitch-black tendrils coiled once again, enveloping the figure within the monster’s chest cavity. And behind the monster, the horizon gradually turned into pure darkness—another large Erosion Swamp attacked the gap in the protective wall.

A massive sacrifice was imminent.

The human captains gritted their teeth and swiftly reorganized their formations following Zhu Yanchen’s orders. The synthetic humans seemed to be startled by the approaching Erosion Swamp as well, and their assault immediately intensified, tearing open the breach in the protective wall by several meters.

The monster was the first to squeeze in. It charged towards the neatly arranged human formation, scattering their defense. Countless synthetics rushed in immediately, evidently trying to evade the Erosion Swamp behind them.

“Indeed, we can’t hold it. Follow Marshal Zhu’s orders and retreat to the city center—let the synthetics handle the Erosion Swamp since they won’t repair the protective wall!”

The human army immediately withdrew, and within a few hours, the western part of Y City was occupied by synthetic humans. However, the human army firmly held the city center and the eastern side, establishing a solid and impressive defense line. The synthetics army gained a larger territory but found themselves sandwiched between the human army and the Erosion Swamp.

Chaos was imminent, and each person wore a more or less solemn expression. Throughout Y City, only one person wore a smile.

“They took the bait. Shu Jun, well done.”

Zhu Yanchen gazed at the image of the large Erosion Swamp and curled his lips.

“…Now it’s my turn to make a move.”

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The author has something to say:

Shu Jun: After this battle, let’s get married (×

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<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

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Chapter 95: Melee

The fire in the factory area lasted for four days without any sign of stopping. As the new elections approached their end, doubts began to emerge within Y City. After four days, the situation showed no improvement, and the staff of the United Government even set up tents and increased security guards. Regardless of how anyone looked at it, the rebellion of the synthetics didn’t seem like a minor incident.

“Now that the factory is burned down, how will my children find work?”

“I still have many valuable items that haven’t been collected. Is the outer wall safe? What if the synthetics break in…”

“Seriously, what is Zhu Sheng doing? He can’t even handle the weapons he created himself.”

The alley was crowded with people. During the election campaign, it had been lively, but now it only brought annoyance. Public restrooms always had long queues, and hot water could only be obtained at specific locations. The United Government had arranged several independent bathing facilities in the city center square, but even with water recycling systems, it was always in short supply. The environment couldn’t compare to the steaming hot bathtubs at home.

Most people were averse to trouble. Since the weather wasn’t hot either, many people chose to reduce their bathing frequency and endured it reluctantly. Sensing the oppressive atmosphere, the itinerant candy and snack vendors were nowhere to be found. The Tang family started selling box meals at reasonable prices, while the Old Fourth continued to fill the void, selling cheap yet tasteless nutritional supplements.

Children no longer ran around. They could no longer buy delicious candies and snacks, so they clutched their clothes tightly and stayed close to their parents. With the collapse of the factory and the city under lockdown, the supply of goods for various businesses ceased. This led to a sharp decrease in the advertisements on the light screens in the city center square, and now the continuous broadcasts only reported on the situation outside the city. The serious tone of the broadcasters made it impossible for people to relax their nerves.

As for those who originally lived in the city center, they closed their doors and windows tightly. They used all their connections to purchase nutritional supplements and preserved food. The more pessimistic ones even bought water purifiers and generators.

The dark clouds in the sky seemed to seep into the land, and an ominous silence spread among the people.

As the central hub of the entire continent, the once vibrant Y City gradually fell into silence. Given the current situation, people were no longer fixated on who would be the leader. Anxiety and fear slowly sprouted, and the most frequently asked question changed from “Who do you support?” to “When will this situation end?”

Four or five days passed, and both small businesses and high-end entertainment came to a halt. The Xia family’s nightclubs decisively closed their doors and securely sealed them with metal shutters.

The handsome host kept repeating on the light screens, “Everything will be alright,” but there was no sign of things getting better. Instead, they seemed to be heading in a worse direction.

“In the recent period, you must control the emotions of the people in the city,” Zhu Sheng said with a serious expression. “Put aside those petty tricks and find every possible way to suppress potential outbursts of riots. Medical supplies, food, and other resources are limited. Once a conflict erupts, the situation will only worsen.”

“Yes.” Yi Ning lowered his head.

“As for how to appease them, that task is entrusted to you. If you can’t even handle this, then don’t bother thinking about being the next leader.”

“…Yes, sir. However, I must clarify, how long will this blockade last?”

“At the shortest, it’s unclear. At the longest, it will be a month. Even synthetic beings consume food and medication. Even if they feed on humans, they won’t last more than a month.” Zhu Sheng didn’t look at Yi Ning as his gaze remained glued to the report in his hand. “On the other hand, the number of people in the city center is currently more than four times the usual amount. The infrastructure and resource pressure are immense. Considering the livelihood of these people, delay is not a long-term solution. Based on the current situation, it will last a maximum of two weeks. As long as…”

“As long as?”

“Nothing.” Zhu Sheng took a sip of his tea. “You may go now and manage those people well. Once the external fire is extinguished, I will personally take a team to provide assistance in designated settlements.”

“Understood.”

For a brief moment, Yi Ning felt a sense of relief. But the next moment, that feeling got stuck in his throat—in that moment, he couldn’t deny his own thoughts.

He had done his best in rescuing people. The one issuing this cruel order wasn’t himself, and he felt a weight lifted off his shoulders.

However, it was really unsightly, he thought in a daze.

The synthetics were indeed racing against time. After burning down the factory, they split into two groups and began attacking the outer defensive wall of Y City.

The unaffected humans wreaked havoc west of the city, while the synthetics utilized their abilities to hurl countless rocks and sandstorms towards the city wall, attempting to destroy the purifiers on the wall. The Y City military attempted to use weaponized purifiers, but due to their short range, they couldn’t reach the players operating from a distance. The inertia of the rocks prevented them from being dispersed by the purifiers.

After a few days, half of the purifiers west of the city were destroyed. As the concentration of the erosion increased sharply, the players’ abilities also became stronger. The alloy protective wall was twisted by metal manipulators, and the foundation was left in disarray by earth and stone ability users. The wall occasionally emitted a grating friction sound, and numerous cracks silently crawled up the base of the wall.

The front of the city was led by the monstrous synthetic leader. The massive creature, accompanied by heavily contaminated synthetics, tirelessly attacked the defensive wall. Those individuals seemed to have lost their sense of pain, repeating the same action regardless of the bullet rain or the immensely powerful purifiers they faced—installing explosives, protecting the explosives, igniting them, and then retreating.

Since bullets were ineffective, the human military had considered using grenades to blow them to pieces. However, when the grenades were thrown, they instantly ignited the explosives on the synthetics side. The explosives hadn’t been properly landed on the ground yet as they detonated directly in the air, nearly throwing the soldiers on the wall off with the terrifying wind blast.

“Mr. Zhu, if things continue like this…”

“The defensive wall has been treated for explosions; this is just a diversionary tactic. Squadron One and Squadron Three will go to the west side of the city to provide support, while Squadron Two and I will stay here to defend.”

“But, how do we defend? Bullets are ineffective against those heavily eroded monsters—”

“Explosives are effective.” Zhu Yanchen issued the order coldly. “Control the explosion point at a distance of fifty meters. The protective wall won’t sustain significant damage. Those synthetics that have been heavily eroded are more dangerous, so it’s better to eliminate them early on.”

“But that monster will go berserk.”

“You will relocate to the interior of the city wall and use long-range launchers to bombard it. The synthetics west of the city haven’t been affected by erosion, so theoretically, they still have an escape route.”

“Is it for deterrence? Understood!” The commanding officer who spoke stole a glance at Zhu Yanchen.

Previously, they were under Zhu Sheng’s command, and Marshal Zhu usually led the synthetics. Now, they were working under Young Master Zhu, and this person seemed to not be as useless as the rumors claimed—Dong Lao wasn’t with him right now.

“For the synthetics west of the city, exercise caution and don’t push them to desperation. The squadron in the front can freely engage and clear them out.”

Zhu Yanchen emphasized once again with a stern tone.

“Once the wall in the west is breached, use the pocket formation as a buffer, then focus on repairing. No matter what happens, those people must not be allowed inside.”

“Yes!”

At the same time, outside the city.

“The power of explosives has been discovered. They will carpet bomb the front of the city. You all retreat from the west side of the city, and I will continue controlling the ‘fake soldiers’ here.” Shu Jun controlled the monster and lowered its head as he gave orders to Chai Xuyang hidden in the dust. “The enemy’s main force has shifted to the west side of the city, and Hu Yan will face significant pressure. The city wall is about to be breached. Your close-range combat abilities will be helpful.”

“…Are you planning to stay here alone?”

“I have witnessed the power of their ammunition. Their attacks alone won’t harm me.” Shu Jun’s voice came out hollow and muffled from the monster’s mouth. “But you all will be in danger.”

“But can you be sure? In your current appearance, you can’t even contact anyone. Isn’t this just your speculation? What if you misjudge…”

“Then you can stay here and accompany me to eat explosives.” The monster grinned, revealing sharp teeth. “I just find it a pity—I can create a scene of carnage myself, but you’re willingly sacrificing yourself for the visual effect. That kind of determination is quite remarkable.”

Chai Xuyang abruptly shut his mouth and obediently led the detachment team to move towards the west.

As a result, as soon as they left the range of the ammunition bombardment, numerous missiles trailing smoke exploded. A cloud of smoke enveloped the front gate of Y City, and the exploding mud spots scattered like a downpour.

If they had stayed there, they would have been blown to bits. Chai Xuyang swallowed his saliva and hurriedly led the team towards the west side of the city—

“Today, we’ll be able to blast open the wall. Be careful and don’t kill anyone. If you really itch for it, capture a few and keep them imprisoned.” Mr. Chai encountered Hu Yan’s operational meeting as soon as he arrived west of the city. “Shu Jun said that with his presence, the humans inside won’t be too ruthless towards us. They will likely focus on persuading us to surrender.”

“If we really surrender, will they let us go?”

“Bullshit! When have we, the Blackbirds, ever surrendered! …Even if they say so, don’t believe them. They’re just luring everyone in to kill us.”

“…Then why should we hold back from killing? They’re being shameless first!”

“Do you think I sympathize with them? But these soldiers are all from Y City. If we kill them, the resistance from the people of Y City will only increase. And don’t forget, Zhu Sheng is inside, waiting to stoke the flames. Do you understand? Compared to a bunch of indiscriminate humanoid weapons, principled resistors are more likely to gain goodwill.”

Hu Yan rubbed his head and felt that he was making a lot of sense. His face even brightened a little.

“Think about it, if the public sentiment outside doesn’t rise, Zhu Sheng will have to deal with the mess himself. The more chaotic it is inside Y City, the better it is for us to act. Being a human, you need to have some foresight—”

“Shu Jun told you all this, right?” Chai Xuyang grimly interjected.

“I just arrived at the critical moment, and what nonsense are you spouting? …Eh? Why are you here?”

“The front gate was bombed, so it’s no use for us to stay there. Shu Jun’s timing is precise; I’m afraid you will encounter big trouble here.”

“Tsk.” Hu Yan clicked his tongue softly. “This couple really started fighting with real guns and knives.”

“What couple?”

“Nothing, never mind. Okay, let’s follow Shu Jun’s arrangements.”

That night, the breach in the defensive wall was successfully opened. The defensive wall west of the city was the oldest and couldn’t withstand the relentless use of numerous abilities. It cracked open, leaving a one-meter-wide gap.

Meanwhile, in the less intense area east of the city, a human team sneaked out to rendezvous with the designated settlement of the synthetics.

No one noticed that within that small team, there was a young man who bore a striking resemblance to Marshal Zhu—Xia Yufeng carried supplies and belongings on his back as he quietly left Y City.

Under the same night sky, at a dark seaside, Luo Duan gently touched the Corpse Parasite messenger that came to deliver a message and fell into deep contemplation.

“Should I intervene?” The whisper of his lover echoed in his mind. “Shu Jun is besieging Y City.”

“I have a feeling something isn’t right.” Luo Duan sighed softly. “With his abilities, he shouldn’t let his own people get eroded.”

“But he wouldn’t joke about war. For the synthetics, once their resources are depleted, there’s no way to replenish them.” The voice continued gently. “There are many unexpected things in this world, aren’t there? Perhaps Shu Jun’s abilities aren’t that strong, and he just wants Zhu Sheng to compromise…”

On the gray sandy beach, twenty-one graves were neatly arranged. Luo Duan hopped off Sigma’s finger and sat in front of one of the graves.

“We can’t act recklessly.” His voice was gentle yet resolute. “Shu Jun might genuinely want war, or it could be a feint to lure Sigma out and join forces with the humans.”

“Perhaps they have already officially joined forces.”

“That’s not possible. I know Shu Jun; he wouldn’t be foolish enough to be deceived by the humans’ sweet talk. After entering <Erosion>, he has always acted together with the Blackbirds and wouldn’t have any true friendship with humans.”

Besides, compared to Shu Jun, he was the one who enjoyed analyzing the storyline of <Erosion> and actively interacted with the NPCs. However, even he, who had “cooperated” with Yi Ning, was merely using him.

“First, send an Alpha Erosion Swamp with sentience to investigate the situation. Given Yi Ning’s temperament, he will definitely try every means to bring the people from the settlement into the city… Since they are enjoying the killing so much, we might as well intervene.”

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The author has something to say:

The hail of bullets exploded into loneliness.

Shu Ge: Aren’t these balloon people made by me especially lifelike? (/ω＼)

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<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

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Chapter 94: Flames

The first shot rang out in the night.

The synthetic humans didn’t attack the defensive wall immediately. Shu Jun led the interception team to target the factories outside the city first. Zhu Sheng completely sealed off the city, and there were no workers left in the factories, only the sound of operating machinery.

Facing the steel jungle, Shu Jun was the first to act—a more exaggerated hurricane than before, comparable to an explosion. In an instant, there wasn’t a single intact window left in the vast factory area. When the wind subsided a bit, Chai Xuyang took over the relay. Dust madly poured into the building through the broken windows, and the surrounding machinery soon began to emit smoke.

Players with close-range control over water, rocks, and metal quickly mobilized, making the damp factory area incredibly dry. The intricate structures inside the machinery were forcibly distorted. Within an hour, the factory area was engulfed in flames, and thick smoke billowed into the sky.

Shu Jun carefully adjusted the wind direction, and the spread of the fire was as fast as lightning. The players who controlled the earth and stones had preemptively protected the factories with biohazard risks, preventing the players from harming themselves in the process. The air around Y City became scorching hot and murky, with sparks occasionally cutting through the night. The sky was tinted grayish red by the flames, making the surroundings of Y City even brighter than in daylight.

As Shu Jun had guessed, not a single team emerged from Y City to protect the factories. The human military forces were stationed on the other side of the defensive wall, witnessing the destruction of the industrial area that had developed over several decades.

Zhu Sheng had completely abandoned the maintenance of the surrounding areas and was determined to protect Y City itself.

This was good. Shu Jun didn’t need to pretend to be a “monster” in front of ordinary players and cause unnecessary panic. Apart from the high-level personnel who knew Shu Jun’s situation, most players treated those scenes as special effects.

The smoke was thick, and if it weren’t for Shu Jun’s ability to control the wind and water, as well as the presence of many players with similar abilities, the high temperature and dense smoke alone would have forced the players to retreat. In such an environment, human reconnaissance machinery couldn’t get anywhere near, giving the players much more freedom to act.

“The focus is on the factories that produce food and purify water,” Shu Jun calmly instructed. “Check the underground areas to ensure that nothing is missed. Destroy any transportation or purifiers you come across.”

“Yes!”

People left the center of the fire and began to search for any remaining targets in the area. Chai Xuyang didn’t immediately walk away. He stood on the charred ground wearing thick protective clothing, gazing blankly at the sparks floating in the air.

“Feeling a bit more at ease?” Shu Jun kicked aside a burnt piece of metal by his feet.

“Not really. I feel somewhat conflicted after actually taking action.” Chai Xuyang didn’t look at Shu Jun; his gaze was fixed on the direction of Y City. “To be honest, there are times when I still think about going back home, thinking about the captain calling for a post-match review… Now, fighting against Y City feels like popping a soap bubble.”

“I apologize on behalf of Lao Hu for what he said before.”

“There’s no need for an apology. I also feel sorry for our comrade who was killed for no reason.” Chai Xuyang waved his hand, and the sand tapped against the charred surface of the machinery. “Since there aren’t many people around, Shu Jun, I’ll ask you directly. Your battle plan has always kept you separated from the rest—why? Don’t you want others to know your situation?”

“Take a guess.”

Chai Xuyang rolled his eyes. “The Blackbirds didn’t have this mysterious style before, did they?”

“To you all, I’m also a ‘monster’. Not everyone may accept my true situation, including you,” Shu Jun responded succinctly. “Although I don’t agree with Luo Duan’s approach of cutting off your retreat directly, some of his thoughts are valid. At this point, if our own people can’t unite, then we’re truly done for.”

Breathing heavily and struggling, Chai Xuyang’s breath felt burdened amidst the crackling sounds of the fire.

“I will lead you to victory, and that’s enough.” Shu Jun pulled down his mask, revealing a brilliant smile. “Xiao Chai, Groundwater and Blackbirds are old rivals. You should know that I won’t boast about this matter.”

Chai Xuyang sighed heavily, turned away, and continued destroying the surviving machinery that still emitted electric sparks. After a while, he muttered a few words in a sullen tone.

“I trust in your abilities, that’s for sure. It’s just that when you brought us to the cultivation stronghold last time, all the players were experienced ones. Seeing you in that state caught us off guard for quite a while. If everyone sees you like that, even after the war ends, you might not be accepted. It would be better to work on this aspect earlier, like boiling a frog in warm water*…”

*Idiom refers to a strategy where changes or negative situations are implemented gradually or subtly, so as not to alarm or raise resistance in the beginning.

“Thank you for your concern.” Shu Jun’s smile became even more radiant. “I will consider it.”

According to Chai Xuyang’s perspective, he might just had survived his erosion and experienced a mutation in his abilities. Even if players may feel fearful they would still consider him a member of the synthetic humans, but once he revealed his true power, he was destined to disappear in this war, whether viewed from the perspective of humans or the interests of the synthetics.

But that was fine.

Y City, Command Center.

Even though Yi Ning was in the city center, he could still see the glow of the fire outside the city. Y City was surrounded by a reddish-gray light, and the air seemed to have heated up. With the facilities around the city destroyed like this, the signals transmitted to the settlements were likely to be affected.

…If there were any survivors left in the settlements.

There was still a slight erosion contamination around the city. Those factory areas represented the hopes built by generations of settlement residents and Y City citizens, with their blood, sweat, and hard work. The factories had stood for a hundred years without falling, but now they were destroyed in a single night. Even if they won the war, the reconstruction work alone would be enough to wear down the human population.

At that time, Zhu Sheng’s praised “player system optimization” might be more easily passed through. However, the destruction of the settlements was imminent, and he had to first ensure everyone’s survival before considering the potential treatment issues in the future…

As Yi Ning thought about this, he paused for a moment. He sat silently in his chair for a while before finally turning on the camera device and began delivering the speech according to the script given to him by Zhu Sheng.

“In recent times, there have been frequent acts of resistance from the synthetic humans, but there is no need to panic. Most of them have been contaminated by the Erosion Swamps and are now on their last legs. It is recommended that during this period…”

Yi Ning gritted his teeth before continuing with the rest of his words.

“It is recommended that during this period, you do not leave your homes and stay away from the settlements. Once the situation with the synthetic humans stabilizes, we will send specialized teams to bring everyone into the city. The current acts of resistance from the synthetic humans are still under control, so please remain calm.”

No, these were all lies. The settlements that needed to be rescued had already been determined. Zhu Sheng just wanted to keep these people stable and prevent too much panic from spreading, causing internal chaos in Y City.

But he had to continue reading.

“Finally, regarding this election. I understand everyone’s support for me, but given the current circumstances, I hope you can set aside your biases and choose Marshal Zhu Yanchen, who has more tactical experience. In the face of this calamity, I will serve as Marshal Zhu’s deputy and provide the settlements with the utmost protection. As a war-time figure, three years later, I will once again participate in the leadership election…”

As he reached the later part, Yi Ning’s vocal cords trembled mechanically, ensuring that the words wouldn’t leave a trace in his mind.

This was necessary, he repeated to himself. This was necessary. It was the only way to ensure the survival of the settlements as much as possible. Besides this, he couldn’t do anything else. Just like at this moment, facing the burning fire around him, he could only mechanically read a speech prepared by someone else from a cold, lifeless device.

Yi Ning’s young assistant stood at the corner, clenching his fists tightly, with bloodshot eyes.

In another room of the same building, the atmosphere was completely different.

“You’re going to the front lines?” Xia Liang, dressed as an old man, asked skeptically. She crossed her arms and scrutinized Zhu Yanchen from top to bottom. “Oh, so you’ve finally come to your senses and decided to personally win some favor?”

“If you go, you may not understand Shu Jun’s intentions. We have collaborated for a long time, and we can devise the most reasonable tactics together. Even if we need to calculate Sigma, I don’t want any soldier to die just for the sake of a show.”

“Tsk, my teeth hurt just listening to you. Fine, I have the chip anyway, so I’ll take charge of the defense in the city center. But let me make it clear, the work on ‘Xia Liang’s’ side is not finished yet, and I’ll have to command in the identity of ‘Dong Lao’. My time is quite tight…”

“So?”

“So, I don’t want to manage the Fourth Squadron anymore!” Xia Liang’s voice became sharp. “Ai Xiaoxiao is doing a good job as the team captain. Why do I have to report to her? They only recognize their own people, and I’m just a clueless person who dropped from the sky.”

“They are merchants, and their main battlefield is not in Y City. They may not be familiar with the customs of the three major families. This group of people doesn’t like being controlled and rejects the three major families, which is why we have Ai Xiaoxiao. This group of people has big ambitions and is used to stirring up trouble, which is why we have you. Why did you suddenly bring this up? Did something go wrong with your meeting with Ai Xiaoxiao?”

“No, it’s nothing. Just complaining about having too much work,” Xia Liang muttered. “When it comes to fighting, why bother with the Old Fourth? It would be better to gather together for shelter.”

“Oh, you’re worried about them,” Zhu Yanchen said casually.

“…You’re thinking too much.”

“If you’re not concerned, it will only take a short time for you to point out the issues in the reports. Unfortunately, the activities of the Old Fourth are necessary. The lockdown in the city will only become tighter. Many things that cannot be traded openly will have to be handled by the Old Fourth.”

Xia Liang tightened her hood. “Alright, I’ll keep an eye on them.”

“Thank you for your hard work.”

“…Zhu Yanchen.”

“Hmm?”

“Over these years, as your subordinate, I am aware of your abilities. There is something I must say here—given the current situation, it’s only a matter of time before you become the leader. And for Shu Jun to protect the synthetic humans, he must win this war.”

“I know.”

“Even if the synthetic humans manage to avoid blaming ordinary people, they will definitely hold a grudge against the three major families, especially the Zhu family, which has been responsible for the player system. It’s impossible for them not to take action. In the current situation, it’s highly unlikely that they will be willing to shake hands and make peace with humans.”

“I know.”

“…When it comes to that point, how do you plan to end it?”

Zhu Yanchen glanced at Xia Liang but didn’t answer.

Xia Liang sighed as if having a headache, covering her face with one hand. “Fine, I understand. It’s another matter that needs to be kept secret, right? I won’t say anything else. I just hope that you won’t do anything foolish that sacrifices my happiness and the happiness of millions of families.”

“I won’t.”

After speaking, Zhu Yanchen lowered his head again and looked at the documents in front of him. However, Xia Liang’s words seemed to sting him. Marshal Zhu furrowed his brow. His gaze became unsteady, and he appeared noticeably distracted.

“I hope you say those words to Shu Jun instead.”

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<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

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Chapter 93: Two Teams

Ai Xiaoxiao bypassed the dark alley and headed towards the Xia residence.

As the leader of the Old Fourth and the captain of the Fourth Squadron, she ingrained caution into her very bones. After infiltrating Y City, she didn’t head straight for her target. Instead, she spent some time wandering through various underground markets. In her own words, she called it “washing off the shadows”.

The city recently held new election activities, and remnants of the gatherings and celebrations of the people were still evident everywhere. Confetti was crushed into the dirt, and partially eaten food was thrown into trash bins. In order to accommodate the urgent influx of residents from the surrounding areas, almost all hotels and basements were filled with people. Despite this, the central square of the city was still crowded with tents, and children ran around screaming.

The atmosphere was still lively. People had lived in a peaceful environment for too long and hadn’t yet realized what was about to happen.

A few children playfully ran around, grabbing paper windmills distributed by Yi Ning’s faction. One of them accidentally bumped into Ai Xiaoxiao, leaving muddy handprints on her black windbreaker. Ai Xiaoxiao lowered her eyes to the dirty handprint on her clothes and glanced at the little girl who was frightened by her gaze. The little girl had been holding half a piece of brown sugar cake, which had now fallen to the ground and collected a ring of dust.

Ai Xiaoxiao immediately picked it up. She carefully peeled off the thin skin of the cake, wrapped it in a handkerchief, and handed it back to its owner.

“I don’t want it! It’s dirty.” The little girl pouted, completely forgetting that she had bumped into someone first.

“Don’t waste food. It didn’t stay on the ground for long, and I cleaned the dirty part.” Ai Xiaoxiao squatted down; her voice as cold as ever.

“But it’s covered in dirt!” the little girl retorted.

“Dirty?” Ai Xiaoxiao opened her palm, revealing the peeled skin of the sugar cake. She squeezed them together into a ball, making it look unappetizing.

The little girl’s eyes darted around, then she made a fake gagging sound. “It’s too dirty! I won’t eat it unless you eat it and show me—”

Ai Xiaoxiao decisively put the cake skin into her mouth and swallowed it. “Only bad kids break their promises. Now it’s your turn.”

The girl and her friends stared in astonishment. After half a minute, the girl finally put the handkerchief-wrapped sugar cake into her pocket and looked at Ai Xiaoxiao with a hint of fear in her eyes.

“That’s right. Wasting is not good.” Ai Xiaoxiao stood upright and continued walking forward.

She knew the city’s fate in the coming days. When the war officially broke out, panic over hoarding supplies would inevitably arise. By that time, she feared that every trash bin would be scavenged clean.

As for whether famine would follow, it would depend on whether Shu Jun would betray Zhu Yanchen. To be honest, Ai Xiaoxiao didn’t have much trust in Shu Jun.

It wasn’t that she doubted Shu Jun’s character, but Ai Xiaoxiao was more aware than anyone else of what humans had done to synthetic humans. If her own loved ones and friends had suffered such treatment, Ai Xiaoxiao believed she would do anything. Zhu Yanchen was currently a “safety net” for Shu Jun, but she understood the level of self-sacrifice that came with that importance more than anyone else.

Now, Shu Jun was like a bomb capable of destroying the world, with a colorful balloon named Zhu Yanchen tied to it. Captain Shu floated in the sky, and who knew when he would come crashing down and explode.

Ai Xiaoxiao looked at the gloomy sky for a while, imagining for a few seconds what it would look like when the bomb named Shu Jun exploded. She walked past the crowded tent area and avoided the area where spit was flying. In the twisted alleyways, a few people sat on the ground, playing chess on plastic sheeting.

…Perhaps all these places would be filled with corpses in the future.

She quickened her pace.

Ai Xiaoxiao’s destination was the backdoor of the Xia family—the back door led to a hidden small courtyard, perfect for conducting business. She knocked on the door three times with just the right amount of force, and a response came from inside. “Dr. Ai.”

“Forty kilograms of refined clear moss. On the market, there’s only air-dried moss, and the Xia family can only obtain partially processed ones. I don’t have the time to handle raw materials slowly.” Ai Xiaoxiao was quite direct.

“Have some tea. No need to rush.” The person she was speaking to—a middle-aged man from the Xia family—extended his arm and made a “please” gesture towards a stone table in the backyard.

Ai Xiaoxiao sat on the stone stool, but she didn’t even touch the cup of tea. “You set the price. Just don’t go overboard.”

“Forty kilograms is not a small amount. I won’t hide it from you. The refined clear moss we have in our hands is also purified by our own people. And recently, there have been rumors from above. This lockdown is going to last quite a while, right? Many factories outside have gradually shut down, and these—”

“Clear moss can’t be used as emergency medicine. Don’t think I don’t know what you guys are doing with this stuff.” Ai Xiaoxiao rolled her eyes. “It’s just a byproduct of lichen acid that you use to dilute in alcohol and drink.”

“After diluting it, it’s considered a high-end health product. It always has some effect, right, Dr. Ai? This idea came from you.”

“Do you really think people will consume this stuff after the lockdown?”

“What if they do?”

“The Tang family doesn’t hoard useless things like this. Unless, of course, you think you have more business acumen than the Tang family.” Ai Xiaoxiao’s voice turned cold. “Listen, if you miss this opportunity, this shop won’t be available anymore. As long as Zhu Sheng remains in power, he won’t be foolish enough to allow you to profit from the lockdown.”

The middle-aged man’s expression turned unpleasant. “Dr. Ai, there’s no need for strong-arm tactics in business, right? I heard that you’ve been away from the city for a while, and now you’re buying these things. You don’t intend to sell them in another city, do you?”

“Uncle Liu.” A sweet call suddenly interrupted the conversation, and Ai Xiaoxiao raised an eyebrow.

The Xia family really didn’t know how to choose a place without any disturbance, unlike the Tang family.

Xia Liang, dressed in a casual plain dress, walked into the backyard with a smiling face. “Auntie Liu has been looking for you everywhere, and here you are, Uncle.”

With that, she glanced at Ai Xiaoxiao, and a hint of displeasure appeared in her innocent expression. “Who is she, Uncle? You wouldn’t…”

“She’s a business client, a business client,” the middle-aged man quickly explained to Xia Liang with an apologetic smile. “Xiao Liang, I’ll be there in a moment. Dr. Ai…. Xiao Ai, let’s go over there and talk.”

“Can’t I listen?” Xia Liang clearly had no intention of letting them off the hook, asking innocently. Ai Xiaoxiao felt a bit sour in her stomach.

“It’s boring,” the middle-aged man said helplessly.

“It’s okay, at least I can help prove, Uncle, that this beautiful sister is really a client. Our Xia family doesn’t engage in illegal business. It’s not like I need to avoid suspicion, right?” Xia Liang smiled sweetly.

Ai Xiaoxiao was well aware of the details of her business partner—this person was called Xia Liu in the industry. He owned several nightclubs in the city and made money by leveraging the Xia family’s advantages in the entertainment industry. But this person was short-sighted and easily influenced, and he didn’t make much money. Although Xia Liang was a younger generation, her identity as a popular singer forced Xia Liu to indulge her.

“Clear moss.” Ai Xiaoxiao couldn’t be bothered to dwell on the troublesome matters of the Xia family. She tapped the stone table. “Sell it or not, give me a definite answer. It’s not the first time I’m buying from you, so don’t drag it out.”

“But before, when you were doing research, you only bought one or two catties. Who would have expected you to buy so much this time…”

“So you’re a researcher. Quite impressive,” Xia Liang approached with a smile, seizing the opportunity to interrupt Xia Liu’s complaint. “Uncle, she’s buying the materials for research, isn’t that great?”

“Xiao Liang, you don’t understand.”

“I know about clear moss. It’s used for blending alcohol.” Xia Liang’s smile didn’t waver. “But it’s just something for blending alcohol. What’s there to hesitate about? The city won’t be sealed for long anyway. You sell these to this sister, take the money, and stock up on things that everyone can use. Isn’t that more satisfying than selling them after the lockdown is lifted?”

With that, she intentionally got closer, lowering her voice. “Grandfather has been craving beef lately. Why not stock up on more meat and show filial respect to him during the lockdown? If he enjoys his meals, maybe he’ll be willing to invest more money once the lockdown is over.”

“Well… yes, Xiao Liang is indeed clever.” Xia Liu was bewildered by her words and turned dazedly to Ai Xiaoxiao. “The situation is special now, so I’ll have to raise the price a bit. Is that okay on your end?”

“No problem,” Ai Xiaoxiao said in a deep voice. “I’ve been scouting the market these days, and if you want high-quality beef, I can make the arrangements for you.”

“Oh, thank you, thank you.” Xia Liu’s face lit up with joy. “That’s settled then.”

This person really had no brains. Stocking up on nutritional supplements and grains would be better than beef. When the city faced a crisis, they could distribute them to win people’s hearts. However… Ai Xiaoxiao couldn’t understand why the empty-headed canary would help speak up for her.

With that thought, Ai Xiaoxiao lifted her head and met Xia Liang’s gaze. Xia Liang smiled meaningfully at her and blew a kiss. “Sister Ai, please help me with that. I really want to eat tender and juicy beef.”

…Perhaps it was just a simple act of whimsy. Ai Xiaoxiao nodded indifferently.

The contract and deposit were quickly settled. Ai Xiaoxiao closed her briefcase and headed to the next battlefield—she had to meet the unlucky Dong Lao.

Although Zhu Yanchen had faked his death, he didn’t reclaim overall command of the Old Fourth. As the leader of the Old Fourth, she still had to report.

Bureaucracy could exhaust an individual. But seeing as she had successfully obtained the raw materials, she could barely control her temper.

Outside Y City.

“Consider this attack as a major mission.” Shu Jun displayed the aura of a team leader. “There’s only one thing you need to do—destroy the protective wall of Y City.”

“The inner wall in the city center?” Chai Xuyang murmured.

“A large number of purifiers are installed near the protective wall, making it difficult to use abilities in that area. Long-range attackers are responsible for throwing attacks at the wall. From now on, you will be the ‘siege team’ led by Hu Yan. The bombs should be ready by now, right?” Shu Jun ignored Chai Xuyang.

“They still have a lot of people,” Chai Xuyang continued to mutter.

“I will hold the front of the city, and you should focus on the weak defense on the west side of the city. We don’t have to destroy the wall in a single day. As the ‘interception team’, you will be led by Chai Xuyang. While the long-range attackers destroy the wall, you will go and sabotage the factories around the city.”

“…Are you really going to push humanity to the brink?” Chai Xuyang couldn’t keep his mouth shut. As soon as he finished speaking, Hu Yan couldn’t bear it anymore and smacked him on the back of his head.

“Do you have a problem with our captain? Or do you want to speak to your captain?”

Chai Xuyang’s face instantly turned pale, and he remained silent.

“Hu Yan!” Shu Jun raised his voice, his tone carrying a warning.

“…I’m sorry.” Hu Yan instantly realized his slip of the tongue.

The fact that Luo Duan had joined Sigma was not known to ordinary members of Groundwater. They only assumed that their team leader had other duties, which was why he handed over the command to Shu Jun. However, as their leader, Shu Jun didn’t hide the true situation from the higher-ups from Groundwater.

Chai Xuyang understood, whether it was the murderer who killed his comrade-in-arms during the Reunion Festival or the outcome after the departure of the twenty-one individuals. Exposed by Hu Yan, he lowered his head gloomily and remained silent.

“Do your best to destroy all the factories around Y City. Not even a single mechanical ant should be spared. You must completely cut off the supply to Y City, understand?” Shu Jun glanced at Hu Yan and continued.

Yu Jin sat in the corner, listening to this group of aliens discuss how to destroy the center of human civilization with a particularly complex expression.

“As for the team with less strength, you’re primarily responsible for reconnaissance and communication. Stay in various settlements and be on standby. You need to recognize the signals sent by your comrades and lead the people in the settlements to safety in a timely manner.”

Shu Jun pointed to the floating map of Y City in the air. “You must consciously guide them to the east side of the city. Within a week, except for the settlements with underground strongholds, I want all the residents of the settlements to gather in the east side.”

“Understood!”

“When the attack team launches the assault, make sure to create defensive fortifications based on the following guidelines… I’ll show you the blueprint first, and Hu Yan will explain it in detail later.”

Shu Jun adjusted his military cap and pressed a spot on the map with his claw. He was wearing the same marshal uniform as Zhu Yanchen, except that he had modified it to be pure black. Since he could simulate clothes with erosion, things had become much more convenient in his life.

However, even though their clothes looked identical, Shu Jun couldn’t emanate the peculiar aura of awe and chill that Zhu Yanchen had. Shu Jun wasn’t particularly concerned about having a leader’s temperament either. He simply rolled up his sleeves and loosened his collar, opting for comfort.

“Any other questions?” Shu Jun went through the attack details once again and poured himself half a glass of water.

“I don’t understand,” Chai Xuyang murmured. “Are you really planning to destroy Y City, or…?”

“Of course I am.” Shu Jun smiled. “A hesitant war won’t bring out Sigma.”

“But what about those humans? Will you kill them all?”

“I have my ways.”

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