Chapter 395: The Whole City Is Out of Control (10,000)

A near-angel-level battle erupted in mere moments, igniting the Survivor Square; Lu Xingchen's overwhelming fire-based destructive power and wide-area attacks left many convoy leaders with burning eyes—such a member was undoubtedly a Wangpai against the Night and the Weird.

High above, Qin Feng smiled faintly as he watched Lu Xingchen cease his attack: "Brother Lu, exceptional display of your ability—I'm certain your strength guarantees you a place among my convoy's Four Heavenly Kings!"

Lu Xingchen said nothing; his expression, unusually grave, took a deep breath, calculating the square's expanse and the dense crowd around him with a sidelong glance, then suddenly shot skyward. Qin Feng frowned at this, instantly guessing his intent and levitating after him.

If the opponent had considered the civilians, then as leader of the Wireless Alliance, he must set an example—and more importantly, he needed to demonstrate calm, proactive suppression, not passive defense.

Yet the higher he ascended, the more Qin Feng felt a searing heat like a boiling ocean; he looked up—and saw vast clouds of fire inexplicably forming overhead, stretching kilometers, crimson and endless, waves of flame rolling like tides.

Those below on the square all looked up, stunned to see the clouds seemingly burned into the shape of a phoenix's wings stretching across the heavens; flames scorched the sky, superheated air surged upward, and a violent wind swept across the entire Galagher black market district.

Qin Feng frowned, silently gathering immense quantities of metallic elements, which drifted like dark smoke around him.

"This guy's trouble—even if he's not angel-level, he's definitely over 9000. Must end this decisively."

Qin Feng watched the sky as he spoke into his comm:

"Deploy 200 Thunder Prison drones to assist me. Once I block his attack, knock him unconscious immediately!"

In the underground facility, Wen Dong faced dozens of technicians using AI to operate and monitor weapons and drones, with numerous equipment components prepped—all meant as "props" to showcase Qin Feng's mechanical manufacturing prowess.

No one expected the recruitment drive to go so smoothly—and now someone else had demonstrated mechanical ability for them. All they needed to do was help Qin Feng defeat Lu Xingchen swiftly; if no one else challenged afterward, the recruitment would be a success, and the Alliance could then aggressively expand its forces, leveraging the Federation's abundant resources, weapons, and even the Silver Star to execute a grand relocation.

"Two hundred Thunder Prison drones? That much power—won't something go wrong?" Wen Dong couldn't help asking.

"Don't worry. An apocalypse-level ability user's physical resilience is extremely high. Besides, I can't afford to lose face publicly. As long as he's alive and uncrippled, I'll catch him—and eliminate the following troubles at the same time." Qin Feng's planning seemed thorough. Soon, after receiving confirmation, hundreds of Thunder Prison drones surged in from all directions, launched from sky-airships, perfectly disguised as Qin Feng's own creations.

At that moment, a colossal fire erupted from the clouds—a massive, spinning fire tornado, like a crimson spinning top descending from the heavens, yet so vast it blocked out the sun, hundreds of meters in diameter, its violent rotation whipping up hurricane-force winds and crackling with the sound of searing air; those below, unaware, thought a giant meteor had fallen from the sky.

Above the tornado, Lu Xingchen stood with arms wide open, the Infinite Rings humming on his wrists, the violent heat making his hair stand on end. Gazing at this masterpiece born of his ability, he let out a triumphant shout:

"Divine·Heavenfall Flame!"

BOOM!!!

The explosive roar of the tornado instantly turned the faces of tens of thousands on the square pale; over a million viewers online erupted in chaos. Qin Feng, seeing this, turned ashen—he regretted only calling for 200 drones; he should've called for 2, 00…

But it was too late. He had no other choice. He had already reached angel-level standards; psychologically, he'd never believed himself inferior. Moreover, he couldn't dodge now—otherwise, all the grandstanding he'd done before so many would be wasted.

So Qin Feng let out a cold roar, summoning a towering black mist of metal that coalesced into a colossal sword, roaring through the air as it shot upward to pierce Lu Xingchen's tornado head-on!

BOOM!

Like a thunderclap, the black, razor-sharp blade slammed into the fire tornado. Instantly, molten metal spewed like molten sparks, the sky exploding into dazzling, dangerous, beautiful fireworks—so fierce a spectacle that countless onlookers gasped.

In an instant, Qin Feng felt the crushing heat of the tornado, nearly robbing him of breath. Before he could hold on for more than seconds, one-third of the sword had melted. Frantically manipulating magnetism, Qin Feng felt his skull pierce with agony, cold sweat pouring down.

At this point, Qin Feng was using all his strength—controlling the sword's ascent while screaming into his earpiece:

"All drones, flank him! Eliminate him!"

ZZZZZ!

Instantly, under remote AI control, the 200 Thunder Prison drones plus the earlier 200 artillery drones formed a dense swarm, soaring upward and precisely circling around the tornado to ambush Lu Xingchen from behind.

"Let you see the potential of mechanical ability—what intelligent warfare truly means!"

Qin Feng smirked silently, thinking: He'd only recently adapted to this ability-user body; the aftereffects and damage were severe, and his experience and ability differences meant his 10, 50 angel-level combat power might not fully overpower this Lu. But fortunately, this was his Zhuchang —no one could object to a mechanical ability user orchestrating drone-based, systematized combat.

Yet no sooner had this thought passed than thunder cracked above the fire clouds. Qin Feng looked up—and saw space above the tornado warping. Within the thunderclouds, a colossal mechanical gate slowly opened, its other side a swirling black hole like a far-forgotten star, lightning arcing wildly. Qin Feng's drones, suddenly uncontrollable, were sucked in en masse—then the gate snapped shut, vanishing in an instant.

Drip…

In the underground facility, several technicians monitoring the drone controls stared in horror as 400 drone signals vanished simultaneously from their screens, frozen in place.

"Lost contact?!" one technician shouted.

"What?!" Wen Dong's face paled: "What do you mean lost contact?"

"Our drones… they're all… gone!" another screamed as if seeing a ghost.

Wen Dong instantly sensed dread, pointing at the screen: "Quick! Send out all remaining drones!"

"It's too late…"

The monitor operator, eyes fixed on the screen, watched the giant tornado slowly devour Qin Feng's black sword, voice tense: "Too late."

Above the square, Qin Feng stared as his entire drone swarm vanished in an instant—his mind went blank.

"Where are my drones?"

"No…"

BOOM!

The colossal tornado surged downward like divine punishment, setting the entire square ablaze.

Qin Feng, now utterly dazed, lost mental control; metallic dust scattered chaotically. The sword, formed by his ability, rapidly disintegrated—from sharp blade to loose sand—swallowed whole by the tornado.

Seeing this, Qin Feng felt a deathly dread surge through him. Staring at the tornado about to engulf him, he forgot to defend or flee—his mind shut down, and he screamed:

"Stop! Stop! Don't kill me!"

WHOOSH!

The tornado instantly dissolved into a storm of fiery embers. Lu Xingchen stepped forward, standing atop the flames like a god. Hearing Qin Feng's plea, he immediately ceased his attack—but the explosion from the tornado's collapse still sent the stunned, motionless Qin Feng crashing down. Thousands watched as a smoking figure plummeted from the sky, thudding into the dry grass of the square's park, kicking up dust and leaving a human-shaped crater.

Silence.

The scene was terrifyingly still.

Countless eyes flicked between the fallen, unconscious Qin Feng and Lu Xingchen, standing amid the flaming clouds. The sudden reversal left everyone stunned.

Then, after several seconds of silence, the square erupted in chaos.

"That guy who fell—is that Qin Feng?"

"Dead?"

"Probably not…"

"WAAAAAHHHHH!!!" Roars of disbelief surged.

"Qin Feng's angel-level, right? How'd he get taken down in two minutes?"

"Holy shit, fire ability is insane!"

"Is mechanical ability really that weak?"

"I can't believe it—he was acting so cocky earlier, challenging 16 people, and now he can't even beat one of the Four Heavenly Kings? What a joke this recruitment is…"

"This is a disaster…"

At the convoy camps, Lin Qingyu, Lei Zhen, Luo Heng, Han Tiege, and other convoy leaders all rose to their feet. Xu Yufei, standing among the Four Heavenly Kings, looked utterly incredulous.

"Lost that fast?!" Lei Zhen widened his eyes, slapping his thigh and laughing: "Oh my god, what a humiliation! Hahaha!"

"An angel-level 10, 50 shouldn't lose so easily," Luo Heng murmured, watching the chaotic recruitment site: "Even if ability index is just a reference, can mechanical ability really not defend or evade?"

"Either he underestimated, or his angel-level is fake," said Fatty Han Tiege.

Lin Qingyu shook his head: "The Evolution Light rankings are verified by the Seraphim Division—no faking. But ability duels aren't about index alone—elemental differences matter greatly. Under the same index, beast-form or blood-based abilities stand little chance against fire or lightning. Still, Qin Feng lost too fast—he looked so composed just moments ago."

He glanced at Jiang Yun beside him, who remained calm—unlike the others. He asked:

"Jiang Captain, what do you think?"

"I think Qin Feng's concern now isn't losing the duel…" Jiang Yun lifted his gaze: "It's how this recruitment ends."

"True," Lin Qingyu's eyes darkened: "This is going to spiral."

The recruitment square was now in utter chaos. Li Jian led a team rushing over, yanking the charred Qin Feng out of the crater like a radish.

Fortunately, his body was protected by an interstellar-grade nanodynamic armor, and Lu Xingchen had held back—Qin Feng suffered no serious injuries, but he was unconscious, eyes rolling, foaming at the mouth, convulsing. His pitiful state stood in stark contrast to the heroic, world-saving speech he'd given earlier, challenging the Twelve Zodiac Lords and the Four Heavenly Kings.

Seeing this, Li Jian's face turned black. He turned sharply toward Lu Xingchen, storming over with fury:

"You cheated! Where are Qin's drones?!"

"Hey, are you serious?" Kiki stepped forward from the Four Heavenly Kings, sneering: "None of you others are allowed weapons. We haven't complained about you using hundreds of ready-made drones as weapons—now you lose, and you cry foul? Everyone saw the fight. Lose gracefully, can't you show some dignity?"

Kiki's words cut deep. The duel rules forbade weapons—but since Qin Feng was a mechanical ability user, most tacitly accepted his drones and armor as legitimate tools. No one had considered this inherently unfair.

What if he'd brought ten thousand drones—or a robot army? How could that prove ability superiority?

Kiki's words snapped many into awareness: You used pre-prepared drones to fight, and now you're whining because you lost?

Li Jian, hearing this, exploded. He glared at Kiki, realization dawning:

"Oh! I get it—you did this! You're a mechanical ability user! Give back our drones!"

"Pfft, who stole your drones?" Kiki, the classic troublemaker, crossed her arms, fiery little-girl stance: "Lose, lose. At a time like this, a convoy leader doesn't need to be the strongest fighter—he needs to lead his team to survival. Mechanical ability has endless uses: weapon and ammo production, convoy defense upgrades, expanding living space, farming and breeding tools, even shelters, vehicles, aircraft, starships—all vital potential. You can lose to fire ability, but at least respect your teammates! Is this how you treat your new recruits?"

Her words triggered a roar from the tens of thousands already recruited into the Infinite Convoy. The onlookers erupted in laughter, mockery, and chatter, making the new recruits feel deeply embarrassed. Their "captain" was being carried away, charred and unconscious, while the recruitment judge clashed with their own core members. The awkwardness drove many to consider quitting—some already began leaving the ranks.

"You!" Li Jian's face turned purple. He sensed the situation spiraling out of control. In his earpiece, Wen Dong shouted: "Stabilize! Assign squads and quarters—get everyone to the base!"

Li Jian's gaze shifted between Kiki and Lu Xingchen, then softened: "Fire ability is indeed powerful—its offensive strength is undeniable. Duel outcomes are inherently unpredictable. But our goal is the Weird. Miss Chen is right: as a mechanical ability user, you know best—mechanical ability holds the greatest potential for functionality and support. As a 【Civilization Creation】-level ability, its growth potential is immense. I believe if we unite, we can create miracles!"

Kiki smiled, eyes flicking toward the retreating Qin Feng: "Let's wait until the captain wakes up. Everyone's watching—many might think this fire ability user is better suited as leader."

Lu Xingchen immediately cooperated, crossing his arms and nodding: "I have no objections."

Instantly, the crowd's expressions changed. Eyes turned to Lu Xingchen. The spectacle of his divine descent had won him countless fans; online, his name exploded. In mere moments, he entered the ranks of renowned experts—even without appearing on the Evolution Light rankings.

Li Jian's face darkened. Even he now realized these three were saboteurs. But he was trapped—helplessly, he called Wen Dong:

"Bad! These two are here to sabotage—the situation's out of control!"

No sooner had he spoken than Wu Bin, standing among the Four Heavenly Kings, turned silently and walked away.

"Wu Heavenly King, where are you going?!"

A recruitment officer shouted frantically. Wu Bin said nothing, leaving the square—clearly not returning.

At that moment, Lu Xingchen and Kiki exchanged glances, then followed Lin Xian's instructions and departed the square…

Three of the Four Heavenly Kings were gone. Li Jian stared, dumbfounded. With these heavyweight figures gone, chaos erupted across the square—and many new recruits began leaving too.

"Done. Before recruitment even ends, internal strife and defections—this Alliance won't survive…"

"Not necessarily. Qin Feng's still angel-level, and their benefits are high—they'll still recruit."

"They'll recruit, sure—but with these top talents gone, this recruitment was pointless. And morale is shattered."

"Yeah, Qin Feng never needed a duel. Just show off his mechanical ability—these people would've flocked anyway."

"Exactly. Why force a battle? A powerhouse like this fire ability user just walked away—what a waste…"

"Look, so many large convoys are heading toward Chen Sixuan and Lu Xingchen—probably trying to recruit them."

…

On the square, Xu Yufei, the only one of the Four Heavenly Kings still remaining, sighed as he watched the mass departure of teams. His expression was disappointed; he had been willing to join if the team had been successfully formed, but now, even if he wanted to, his ten thousand men would never agree.

So Xu Yufei said to Li Jian: "It seems our cooperation must be put on hold. Tell Captain Qin, the Iron Bastion is withdrawing from the Infinite Alliance." Li Jian's teeth were gritted so hard he thought they might shatter; his eyes burned red as he watched the recruits he'd gathered slip away, powerless to act.

Wen Dong's curses poured endlessly through his earpiece, and he knew the underground city must be in furious uproar.

Originally, with Xu Yufei's inclusion, they had recruited over twenty thousand people, mostly elites. Through the Four Heavenly Kings, mechanical abilities, and the Twelve Constellation Lords, they planned to attract even more talent—this was the very model Li Jian and Wen Dong had devised. They were so close to success, yet Qin Feng, the Angel-class, had inexplicably been defeated before a million eyes. He simply couldn't accept it.

Soon, fewer than five thousand remained on the field, and only three of the Twelve Constellation Lords were left. After all, these people had all been key figures in their own convoys—capable and ambitious. A team that had lost its spirit couldn't hold onto anyone.

"Uncle, why not just let the Night Patrol strike? Grab those two troublemakers outright, then stage our own proof to turn things around. These people are here for protection and perks—I refuse to believe we can't recruit top-tier talent!" Li Jian muttered angrily as the situation spiraled out of control.

"No need."

At that moment, Wen Dong's voice grew heavy over the comm: "We just received word—the Council has been dissolved. Immediately bring all recruited personnel back to the orbital station for deployment. You and Qin Feng return to the Core Administrative Hall. Now!"

Li Jian's face changed instantly; he hurriedly replied, "Understood."

He handed over the scene to the recruiters and a few original officers, then left through the ground-level entrance with the unconscious Qin Feng.

Watching the hasty end of the recruitment rally, the crowd erupted in murmurs and complaints. It was already 16: 0. The failure of the Infinite·Silver Star Alliance's recruitment instead drew many new main forces to other large convoys.

Then, suddenly, chaos erupted as someone shouted in the crowd:

"Disaster! The Federation has dissolved the Council! Curfew lifted! All city gates are open!"

"What? The Federation dissolved the Council?!"

"What's going on?!"

In an instant, the entire city erupted. Countless people pulled out their phones. The Shuguang City intranet had nearly collapsed; all controls vanished. Many queues waiting to leave the city now found that the Population Control Bureau and City Defense Camp personnel had been replaced by Garrison Commander troops—and all passages were fully open, unregulated.

Not only were exits uncontrolled—entries were open too!

At the large convoy camps, the leaders of every convoy now wore grim expressions.

"Something big is coming," Jiang Yun said, watching the flood of incoming reports: "Sector E of the southern defense zone has intercepted over three thousand survivors carrying Level Two Dark Markers—all fleeing from Mount Qilian."

"Didn't you drive them away?"

"Can't drive them off. The Garrison Commander has isolated them in a separate zone in the outer city." Luo Heng, meanwhile, received word from his team: "There will be a massive battle tonight."

"People from the outer city are flooding in, and both exits and entries are completely jammed," Lei Zhen spat. He looked around. "Gentlemen, I'm leaving. We won't be going anywhere tonight—I suspect we'll be fighting a city defense battle. Once the gates open, the city won't be safe."

Han Tiege watched Xu Yufei's convoy speed away and said, "Xu's leaving fast."

"He got word and plans to leave tonight. Forget him—a coward," Lei Zhen said, then departed as well.

"Venturing out into the dark isn't necessarily safer than staying inside, but now the city's in chaos—many probably think Shuguang City is finished." Lin Qingyu's face was stern. He prepared to leave, then turned to Jiang Yun: "Captain Jiang, if you get the chance, let me meet that Lin Captain. Our alliances should watch out for each other during the evacuation."

"Of course."

After finishing his communication, Jiang Yun hurried to rendezvous with Lin Xian.

Among the crowd, Lin Xian, Ningjing, and Shizhi began retreating. He knew the recruitment had effectively failed. Seeing Qin Feng carried away, Lin Xian felt something stir—he'd located the nearest accessible entrance to the underground facility through his earlier scans. He prepared to contact Zhou Jin to discuss action.

In the Core Administrative Hall of Shuguang City, the atmosphere was heavy as they watched the recruitment plan collapse.

Zhou Mingyuan was furious, but as he stared at the chaotic crowd, he knew anger was useless.

He dismissed all former Federation officials and senators, leaving only Wen Hui.

Wen Hui, too, frowned deeply, completely disoriented.

The vast Core Administrative Hall now held only Zhou Mingyuan and Wen Hui.

Zhou Mingyuan slowly tapped his fingers on the table, lost in thought. After a long silence, he said: "Wen Hui, if it were you, would you choose to seek peace with the Phoenix Society and flee Shuguang City—or abandon the Vanguard Plan?"

Wen Hui frowned slightly: "I'd choose the former. But will the Phoenix Society spare us? If the cooperation becomes public, our own teams will turn against us."

Zhou Mingyuan nodded, sighed: "Yes. In this world, power rests solely on force—and we lack it."

He gave Wen Hui a long look, then waved his hand: "Go prepare the Traveler Plan."

Wen Hui's eyes darkened slightly, then she turned and left.

After Wen Hui departed, Zhou Mingyuan returned to the secret room. Inside, the superior host bodies Deep Crimson had selected for him included one he'd already given to his subordinate Ji Kun for testing—he had seen the results.

Risks, aftereffects, mental collapse, unstable lifespan—all these were his concerns.

Hss.

Zhou Mingyuan opened the first cryo-cabinet. A tall male body slowly emerged in the cold mist. He picked up the nameplate he'd studied countless times and sighed:

"It's come to this."

Wen Hui left the Administrative Hall, rode in a car under guard through the inner city, and headed outward. Along the way, she contacted all members of the Linglong Group's Wen family for an emergency meeting. The roads were jammed; she ordered the driver to detour while she communicated with Wen Dong.

"How is Qin Feng?" Wen Hui asked immediately.

"His ability overuse caused mental dissociation. Even if we save him, he might be an idiot—but we can't let Zhou Mingyuan or his people know," came Wen Dong's voice over the comm.

"He won't find out. I suspect he's already choosing his new body."

"Zhou Mingyuan's going to use an experimental subject?"

"He has no choice. Whether he flees with the Phoenix Society or boards Traveler 1, he needs a new body. Otherwise, he fears losing leadership without sufficient strength."

"What a cunning old fox. He doesn't know the fungal consciousness transfer can only last three months."

"Neither the Deep Crimson world nor our position has any obligation to tell him that," Wen Hui said.

"We've confirmed it—the man at the recruitment rally, Lu Xingchen, and Chen Sixuan—they're Lin Xian's people. That purple-haired woman, Chen Sixuan, is Zhao Enqi. I suspect they're after the Silver Star."

"Give it to them. Let the girl inherit it all. This world has only a little time left. What does it matter if she's a bastard daughter or what assets she claims?"

As Wen Hui spoke, she noticed the car had stopped in a narrow alley—no traffic jam, yet it remained motionless.

"What's going on? Why aren't we moving?"

The driver didn't respond.

Wen Hui sensed something wrong. She reached for her gun—but the door suddenly opened. A lithe figure flashed in and swiftly inserted a needle into her neck.

Wen Hui's pupils dilated, then slowly lost focus.

The lithe figure closed the door. A squad had already taken control of Wen Hui's entire convoy.

And the figure was none other than Chu Yan!

…

In the Galagher black market alley, Lin Xian's group met with Zhou Jin to consolidate information.

"Headquarters reports: our Taitiewei main force has reached Kangcheng. The fleet is in Pingcheng. After announcing the dissolution of the Council, Chu Zhaonan has handed Shuguang City over to the Phoenix Society!" Zhou Jin said.

"So suddenly?!" Lin Xian said.

"There were signs all along. Now Chu Zhaonan has bet everything on the Vanguard Plan—he won't care about anything else. But his announcement saves us a lot of trouble," Zhou Jin said.

"You mean Zhou Mingyuan," Jiang Yun said.

"Yes."

"So Shuguang City is now, nominally, in a state of anarchy?!" Qian Dele frowned.

Zhou Jin's expression was grim: "Correct. Supreme command has been transferred to Garrison Commander Lu Tianye and the Crimson Angel Division's Luo Ming. The outer city is in complete chaos—everyone's rushing inward!"

"Because of tonight's Dark Tide," Kiki added.

Jiang Yun shook his head: "More than that. Sector AB of the western defense zone has intercepted more and more Dark Markers—these are the last survivors fleeing from the Yunjiang Plain. We can't expel them, and we can't let them in. The Garrison Commander will have to fight a desperate battle."

"What about the Night Patrol and City Defense Camp?" Ningjing asked.

"I think they're now Zhou Mingyuan's private forces," Lin Xian said. "Earlier, Li Jian and Qin Feng said they'd leave in three days—we need to confirm that timeline."

"Given Chu Zhaonan's actions, I feel the Vanguard Plan will launch soon," Mo Nika said, arms crossed. "If I were Chu Zhaonan, the Vanguard Plan is already ready—possibly ready to launch at any moment. Otherwise, he wouldn't dissolve the Council now."

"Makes sense," Lin Xian nodded.

Zhou Jin added: "The Taitiewei will enter the city tomorrow for support, but I doubt it'll be easy. All military units here are Garrison Commander forces. Though Shuguang City was nominally handed over to us, we fear Lu Tianye won't let us in so easily."

Ningjing frowned: "You're worried the Garrison Commander will clash with the Taitiewei?"

"It's natural," Jiang Yun said. "From the Phoenix Society's standpoint, this concern is reasonable. The Garrison Commander and the Night Patrol were built on similar principles—the only difference is the Garrison Commander operates under formal Federation military structure, led by Lu Tianye. We'll need negotiations."

Lin Xian, holding a mobile terminal, rapidly scanned the city's situation.

The intranet was nearly paralyzed. The scene mirrored the night of the Apocalypse. Main roads were choked with bidirectional traffic; horns and curses intertwined. Refugees from the outer city pushed carts laden with belongings toward the inner city, creating deadlocks at intersections. City Defense Camp, Night Patrol, and Population Control Bureau personnel had vanished. All order was now under Garrison Commander control.

In Galagher Black Market and commercial zones, clashes and riots flared. Garrison Commander patrols fired warning shots, but chaos persisted.

Large convoys fled the city. Whispers spread through alleys: survivors rushed to tell each other "The Council is dissolved!" Some shouted, "All gates are open!"—sparking more terrified refugees to frantically pack and flood the streets.

Streets were filled with vehicles bristling with long and short guns, heavy armor—but almost no aerial vehicles. The sky now held only the former City Defense Camp patrol airships and various drones from refugee convoys. With curfew and controls lifted, these flying devices filled the air.

At the city gates, vehicle lines stretched for kilometers. Engine roars mixed with children's cries. After removing checkpoints, the Garrison Commander only checked for Dark Markers on incoming personnel—all other screenings were canceled.

Lin Xian felt something terrible looming. He pinched the bridge of his nose. The team's chatter buzzed above him. He took a deep breath.

"Tonight won't be peaceful. Commander Zhou, we must accelerate our operation."

Zhou Jin understood. He pressed his comm. Information expert Li Su handed him a mobile terminal and opened a terrain map.

"This is the underground military strategic facility map of the old Xingcheng. Top secret. I've reviewed it—multiple tunnels lead directly to Shuguang City's inner city, Xinggang. But now the inner city is fully sealed. Rumor says everyone from the underground city has been expelled."

"The underground city was evacuated because this place is tied to the Vanguard Plan's launch."

At that moment, Chu Yan's team transmitted a message.

"Target Wen Hui is secured. Bad news: from her consciousness, we learned Wen Hui, Zhou Mingyuan, and even Deep Crimson don't know the exact launch time of the Vanguard Plan. After preparing the plan, Deep Crimson ceased all synchronization with Wen Hui. She's now considered abandoned. She and Zhou Mingyuan plan to flee Blue Star aboard a starship named 'Traveler 1,' from a secret military base outside the city. Zhou Mingyuan intends to transfer his consciousness via fungal threads into another ability user. And Qin Feng? He's Ji Kun, commander of Zhou Mingyuan's Night Patrol…"

Chu Yan quickly synced the information she'd extracted from Wen Hui to Lin Xian's team: "But two critical points: First, based on Chu Zhaonan's personnel movements, Zhou Mingyuan and Wen Hui believe the Vanguard Plan will launch during daylight—specifically in the morning. Second: the Crimson Angel Division secretly transported a device containing Dark Shi cells to Xinggang—likely the key device for the Vanguard Plan's breakthrough!"

Hearing this, everyone in Lin Xian's group grew grim. All realized the gravity of the situation.

The underground city was now being evacuated. The entire Garrison Commander and Crimson Angel Division had sealed off the inner city. Entering the underground facility was unthinkable.

Lin Xian pointed to the spot beneath their feet on the map: "We'll have to enter here."

"Find someone from Deep Crimson?" Zhou Jin asked.

"Maybe not," Lin Xian said. "Since the Vanguard Plan requires fungal activation from an S-class organization, if we find the starship, we might find the person who connects to the fungal network. Even if we don't—I and Wangyue Shinji have mastered Deep Crimson's brain-machine interface tech. If we're forced…"

"Then we'll connect ourselves."

(End of chapter)