Chapter 97

China’s supersonic aircraft had already left Britain, and Director Zhou and the others had watched the live stream; when they saw the people on several screens turned into mummies, their faces showed pity, their hearts heavy.

What would they do if this happened in China?

Could they stop it?

“Look! They’ve launched a nuclear bomb!” Zhang Ning cried out.

On screen, a massive mushroom cloud rose above the capital of Britain, then all live streams from the British capital turned to black…

Director Zhou and the other three hurried to the window; though they had already left Britain far behind, the altar’s projection in the sky was still faintly visible.

They quickly switched to live feeds from other regions of Britain—the altar’s projection still loomed steadily overhead.

The nuclear bomb did nothing.

This fact made their hearts even heavier.

%%

In the White House, Washington D.C., the President’s office.

On screen, a mushroom cloud rose above the British capital; everyone in the office wore grim expressions.

After a long silence, the President’s aged, weary voice spoke: “Enough. The facts have proven it—Earth’s most powerful weapons are useless against the altar. Even our sole S-Class on this planet couldn’t stop it. So who can tell me—” His cloudy, aged eyes swept over the high-ranking officials before him, his tone slow yet laced with fury:

“We’ve studied for so long—the altar’s operating principles, the exact composition of dark matter, the otherworldly demons—where are our results? Where did all our funding go?”

“We gathered the world’s top experts, plus a bunch of mystics, secretly funded countless human experiments—yet all we got were two barely A-Class awakened ones? Not even one comparable to China’s S-Class?”

“And now, facing the possible extinction of our nation, we have not a single strategy, not a single plan?”

“If that altar appeared over America today, today would be our end!”

The circular office fell into deathly silence—and similar scenes played out in the highest political centers of every nation.

&&

In a basement bar in the French capital, within a hidden private room, a group stared at the mushroom cloud rising on screen, their expressions varied.

The young man in the center was Hopkins Aubry, leader of this underground awakened group; everyone in the room were awakened individuals who refused to obey official control, and they had named their underground organization “Free Tigers.”

Hopkins Aubry stood up, looked around, and said with passionate intensity: “Friends, if you faced this altar, who among you could escape?”

“Yang Yi of China is the only S-Class awakened so far—now she’s vanished into the Wumbli Abyss; she may already be dead from the nuclear blast. If even she couldn’t stop the altar, what about us?”

“Who among us dares say they’re stronger than an S-Class? Who can kill a Fire Demon alone?”

The room fell silent.

Hopkins Aubry gave a bitter laugh, mocking himself: “I’m B-Class—I’m considered among the best of the awakened—but compared to an S-Class, I know I’m far inferior. I can’t survive even one missile, let alone a nuclear blast, or endure beneath this terrifying altar…”

The room grew even quieter.

“What if there was an opportunity—for all of us to survive safely, to enjoy wealth, power, status, everything you desire—on the condition that we sever ties with these old humans…” Hopkins Aubry paused, studying each person’s expression, noticing several showing displeasure.

He changed his tone: “Some among us may not care for such things—but life is only one. Even Yang Yi, called a god among men, is barely stronger than an ordinary person before that demon’s unfathomable power.”

“I know that in western France, the ‘Free Spirit’ group, and in the east, ‘Rush Forward,’ are considering accepting Veed’s offer. Australia’s ‘X-Star,’ Canada’s ‘Superpower Alliance’—they’ve all received Veed’s invitation. I’m certain that after today’s sight of Britain’s ruin, they’ll contact Veed immediately…”

The room erupted into noise.

Hopkins Aubry smiled faintly. “In fact, three days ago, I received Veed’s letter—inviting us to join the Divine Punishment Organization. I haven’t replied yet. But after today, if I wait any longer, it may be too late…”

The murmurs in the room gradually faded, and silence returned.

…

The nuclear bomb exploded over Britain’s capital, yet the altar remained unharmed—this sight filled countless awakened with fear, involuntarily recalling Veed’s speech during his hijacking of the United Nations.

He wanted to unite all awakened on Earth, joining the Divine Punishment Organization, achieving complete physical and spiritual awakening.

Only by sacrificing Earth’s old humans—these ordinary people—could one earn the right to survive under Divine Punishment! Only by becoming the demon’s follower could one earn its favor!

Countless awakened who had previously dismissed his words now finally wavered.

…

Amid global panic, as the world trembled in shock and terror, those whom Yang Yi had saved could not help but wonder:

Where is Yang Yi? Has she truly died? Killed by missiles or nuclear explosions?

Is the only S-Class awakened, the superhuman, the so-called god among men—Yang Yi—no longer able to save them?

%&

Yang Yi walked through utter darkness, now back in her childhood form.

She ran, her cousins and peers chasing her, calling her a fool; she bolted headlong into the night.

As she ran, the ground beneath her turned muddy, and torrential rain and wind poured down. She was afraid, but faint, demonic laughter from the children behind her grew louder; she looked at her wounds, clenched her teeth, and kept going.

The sound of pursuit never ceased. Suddenly, a little girl grabbed her hand, and they hid among the bushes.

When the footsteps chasing them finally vanished, the girl asked innocently: “Why don’t you go home?”

Yang Yi stammered: “I don’t want to go home.”

She had no home. No one waited for her. No one expected her.

“Oh, I see. Then I’m relieved.” The girl’s face suddenly twisted into a sweet, cruel smile, and she shoved Yang Yi into the swamp.

Yang Yi’s terrified expression froze on her face; she struggled desperately, but the more she struggled, the deeper she sank.

The girl on the shore merely smiled at her.

Mud covered her head. She sank into darkness and silence.

“No, no. I don’t want to die.” The instinct to live screamed—but the swamp dragged her relentlessly downward.

The girl on the shore smiled, watching two bubbles rise from the mud.

“A pitiful, tragic soul. Go on. Ending your suffering early is a mercy.” She whispered softly.