Chapter 548: Highest Alert

"Brother, what did Seitenshi want with you?" As soon as Lingyun returned to the town, Tina ran over and threw herself into Lingyun's arms.

"Didn't I say earlier that there was a problem with the Monolith? Seitenshi just wanted me to discuss this issue!" Lingyun said.

"So, what was the final result of the discussion?" Senju Kayo asked.

"There isn't any result yet. I am currently waiting for an answer, and this answer will concern the final decision of our Lingyun Town," Lingyun said slowly.

"Waiting for an answer? What kind of answer?" Xiaona asked.

"Waiting for an answer from the citizens of the Tokyo Area! I just hope they don't disappoint me," Lingyun looked toward the bustling city in the distance and said leisurely.

"Right, send a message to Luo Yexi and the others, tell them to come back as soon as possible!" Lingyun said to Xiaona. "I have some things I want to discuss with them!"

"Understood!" Xiaona, who was on the side, nodded.

Evening, conference room.

"Lingyun, this is the current situation. Preliminary estimates suggest that the number of Gastrea gathered outside the Monolith has already reached about one thousand," Nangong Nayue said to Lingyun.

"One thousand? That's quite a large number!" Lingyun said.

"The most important thing is that more Gastrea are still gathering in this direction. We don't know how many Gastrea will have gathered at that location by the time the Monolith collapses," Nangong Nayue said.

"With our town's current strength, we don't need to fear these Gastrea," Lingyun shook his head. "What I want to know is whether anyone has discovered the changes in the Monolith yet. In this world, the most terrifying thing is never the Gastrea, but the human heart!"

Hearing Lingyun's words, the people present all wore grave expressions.

"Lingyun, what do you mean?" As someone who had walked through the apocalypse, Busujima Saeko knew just how terrifying the human heart could be when facing the end of the world.

"Seitenshi told me that the Tokyo Area has underground shelters, and these shelters can only accommodate thirty percent of the current population of the Tokyo Area. And from the tone of Seitenshi, it seems she wants to include the Cursed Children as well," Lingyun said.

"This is going to be a huge problem. In the eyes of many people, if the Cursed Children are also allowed into the underground shelters, it would be encroaching on their own survival space. Under these circumstances, we cannot imagine what kind of crazy things they might do," Busujima Saeko's eyes shimmered with an inexplicable light.

"Brother, something happened!" Just at this moment, Xiaona suddenly pushed the door open and walked in.

"What's wrong?" Looking at the grave-faced Xiaona, Lingyun took the laptop from her hands.

Displayed on the computer was the latest information on the Monolith. The Monolith, covered in white spots, was presented before everyone, and a reporter was loudly explaining something. But anyone could hear the unease and trembling in her tone. In the eyes of the people in the Tokyo Area, the Monolith was equivalent to the guardian deity of their lives; now that such an anomaly had appeared on the Monolith, it would be abnormal if they didn't feel panic.

"It seems that the Seikyo's ability to control information is really not up to par!" Lingyun shook his head.

"Regardless, the fact that the Monolith is changing is already known. Under these circumstances, we must take the worst-case scenario into account!" Chen Jing looked at the news information on the computer and said slowly.

"I'm afraid this helicopter won't be coming back," Luo Yexi said suddenly.

"Is that... a flying-type Gastrea?" Lingyun caught a glimpse of a shadow that flashed by.

Then the camera shook violently, the image was suddenly interrupted, and the screen cut back to the live broadcast. The upper half of the television displayed mourning text, along with the reporter's headshot and name. It seems the field team, who disregarded danger to film the gathering of the Gastrea, was unable to return to the inside of the Monolith after being attacked by the Gastrea.

However, the final image captured by the camera was imprinted in everyone's minds. A large group of Gastrea of all different sizes and forms were gathered behind Monolith No. 32, roaring at the sky, their scarlet eyes filled with a murderous glint that made one's hair stand on end.

After the screen cut back to the live broadcast, the director threw out another bombshell.

"According to the latest news, there are deep underground shelters prepared in the Tokyo Area, but they can only accommodate thirty percent of the population. The list of personnel is randomly selected by a computer and will only be announced on the day of opening. Among this thirty percent, the Cursed Children are also included."

Upon hearing this, everyone in the office had an ugly expression. Releasing this information at such a time was undoubtedly putting the Cursed Children of the Tokyo Area on the fire to be roasted.

"Tell all the Civil Security Officers of Lingyun Town to finish their current tasks as soon as possible and return to Lingyun Town. Perhaps our days of ease are about to end!" Lingyun slapped the table. "At the same time, Lingyun Town is issuing a highest-level alert. Increase vigilance against all strangers approaching Lingyun Town! When facing the apocalypse, some people will stop at nothing for a chance to survive!"

"Yes!" The people present all looked grim.

"Luo Yexi, you and the others go and quietly investigate whether there are any Cursed Children in the Tokyo Area who haven't joined Lingyun Town and aren't Initiators either. If there are still such children, try your best to bring them back to Lingyun Town. Their current situation is the most dangerous," Lingyun said.

"Understood, leave this kind of thing to us!" Luo Yexi nodded slightly.

"Na Yue, the monitoring of the Gastrea's movements on the outskirts of the Monolith is left to you. Your space magic has a great advantage in this regard!" Lingyun said to Nangong Nayue.

"Tch, you guy, you really are getting better at bossing me around!" Nangong Nayue flashed in front of Lingyun, and the lace fan in her hand knocked toward Lingyun's head. "Also, you are not allowed to add 'jiang' to my name!"

"Understood, Na Yue-jiang! No problem, Na Yue-jiang!" Lingyun dodged Nangong Nayue's fan with a flash and said with a grin.

"You brat..." Nangong Nayue gripped the fan in her hand, her expression turning malicious.

"Alright, I have some other things to do, so I'll be going first!" Seeing Nangong Nayue's tendency to go berserk, Lingyun chuckled, and then his figure disappeared from the room.

"This guy, he really is getting more and more presumptuous!" Nangong Nayue said through gritted teeth, but there wasn't a trace of anger in her eyes.

"Ruoxi, why did you call me here?"

As soon as he entered the Cloud Realm, Lingyun saw Ruoxi lying on a large bed, flipping through a thick book. Hearing Lingyun's voice, a flash of panic appeared on Ruoxi's face, and with a wave of her hand, the book in front of her instantly vanished. Afterward, she hopped off the bed and pounced in Lingyun's direction.

"Brother!"

Lingyun reached out and caught Ruoxi, picking her up.

"You were in such a rush to call me over, is there something the matter?" Lingyun asked.

"Of course there is, Brother, look at this!" Ruoxi flipped her small hand, and a scroll appeared in her hand.

"This is?" Lingyun took the scroll from Ruoxi's hand, waved it casually, and the scroll floated up and slowly unfurled in front of him. "A contract?"

"That's right, it's a contract," Ruoxi said with a grin. "This took me quite a bit of time to organize, the Cloud Realm Contract!"

"Is this contract meant to be signed with those children?" Lingyun asked. "The terms are very generous!"

"Yeah, they are coming to help me build the Cloud Realm, and they might even become residents of the Cloud Realm, so how could I treat them poorly? I'm not a Vampire!"

"Yes, yes, I know, our Ruoxi is a landlord with a conscience!" Lingyun smiled and pinched Ruoxi's delicate nose.

"Ugh, Brother, you're bullying me!" Ruoxi pouted, but her arms held Lingyun tightly.