[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-kill-the-sun":3,"chapter-kill-the-sun-kill-the-sun-chapter-252":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","Kill the Sun",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},665078,896,"Chapter 252 252 – Opening Up","kill-the-sun-chapter-252",252,"\u003Cp>\"Come in! Come in!\" Nick shouted as he gestured to one of the chairs before nodding towards the clerk.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The clerk nodded back, closed the door behind Julian, and went back to her workplace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Julian laughed a bit and sat down. \"It's still difficult for me to view you as a Chief Zephyx Extractor.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"And yet, you obviously are one.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nick laughed. \"I know, it's a bit strange. I think many people think like that but don't want to tell me.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"By the way,\" Nick added after he remembered something. \"I heard that you managed to become a Specialist. Is that true?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Julian laughed a bit in embarrassment. \"Where did you hear that from?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"From Wyntor,\" Nick answered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I wanted to keep it a secret for longer,\" Julian said, but his tone indicated that he didn't mind. \"I knew that I shouldn't have told Vernon. He's such a blabbermouth.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After Julian said that, Nick seemed to lose some of his high spirits.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nick was thinking about his second big meeting with the Manufacturers, which had happened several months ago.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, Nick couldn't talk about these things since these meetings were highly confidential.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You seem troubled,\" Julian said with a peaceful tone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nick looked at Julian.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, he sighed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yeah. It's just that during the last meeting, Vernon brought up the matter about raising the taxes in the Dregs once again, and this time, the governor accepted the proposal,\" Nick answered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The people in the Dregs now have to pay 104 credits per month.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Luckily, with the Riker Strikers and the Money Sink gone, the people of the Dregs have it quite a bit easier to gather credits.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"After all, the Riker Strikers no longer keep stealing to give credits to the Money Sink.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"So, even though the taxes have increased, the actual strain they have on the Dregs has lessened.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Julian looked at Nick. \"That sounds like a good thing. Why would that make you feel like this?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nick sighed again. \"Because it's only momentary.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Kugelblitz won't dare to ask about a raise in taxes yet since they just got a raise last meeting, but within the next three years, the taxes will probably get raised once again, which will put the Dregs back into its old position.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nick furrowed his brows. \"I just don't understand how someone can live with dooming so many innocent lives.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Julian looked deeply into Nick's eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It's how the world works, Nick,\" Julian said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nick looked at Julian.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"To be frank, I still don't understand why you are so dead set on improving the lives of people who couldn't care less about you,\" Julian added.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The people in the Dregs stole from you when you were at your weakest.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"When you were stronger, they feared and despised you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"When you were poor, they hated you for owning nothing.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"When you were rich, they hated you for owning too much.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No matter what you do or what you own, the people in the Dregs will hate you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nick looked at the table with a conflicted expression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He couldn't see how several mouths opened all over Julian's face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Why save people that hate you?\" the mouths spoke in an enchanting cadence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What has Crimson Fungus City ever done for you?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No one would blame you if you just ignored all these people that hate and despise you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The poor are poor because they can't see with rational eyes.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"They are blinded by hate and envy.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, Nick's body shook a bit, and Julian stopped talking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Julian realized that he had said something that caused some kind of reaction in Nick.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, that didn't matter for now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Julian kept talking about how terrible the Dregs treated Nick for a couple of minutes while Nick just silently listened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a minute, the Zephyx in the room rose to extremely dense levels, but nobody inside Dark Dream noticed, including Nick.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suddenly, all the Zephyx entered Nick's head and weaved around his mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some seconds later, everything returned to normal, and the additional mouths on Julian's face vanished as well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nick sighed and looked at Julian, who was just looking at Nick with concern.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I don't know. Maybe you're right, but I can't make a decision on that right now,\" Nick said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A small glimmer of coldness shot through Julian's eyes, but it didn't affect his friendly smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Don't worry,\" Julian said. \"These things take time. Just listen to your heart, and if you decide to change your mind, tell me. I'm always there to help.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Of course,\" Nick said, a bit of cheer back in his expression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Julian nodded but then remembered something.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Earlier, you reacted rather strongly to something I said.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nick looked at Julian with confusion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It was when I said that the people of the Dregs are filled with hate and envy,\" Julian said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nick's body shook slightly again, and Julian noticed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What is this about?\" Julian asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nick sighed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You know, in a way, I'm already endangering Crimson Fungus City at this moment,\" Nick said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Julian looked with more intensity at Nick, but his friendly smile was still there. \"What could you do that could threaten Crimson Fungus City?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nick grimaced and didn't answer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Julian's eyes narrowed slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Come on, you can tell me. I won't tell anyone else,\" Julian spoke in a special rhythm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nick seemed to struggle with something, and Julian leaned forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I wouldn't hurt you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I wouldn't tell anyone.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Come on, you can trust me.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Several seconds of silence passed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Eventually, Nick sighed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Do you know Envy?\" Nick asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Julian's smile brightened when he noticed that the conflict inside Nick had vanished.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No, who's that?\" he asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Envy is a Fallen,\" Nick said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Julian blinked a couple of times in surprise. \"A Fallen, you say?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nick nodded. \"And not just a weak one. Apparently, Envy is the servant of an Adversary that is at war with humanity.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Julian's smile widened, which made his eyes narrow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Oh? And why would someone like that be interested in you?\" Julian asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Envy can absorb the powers of Extractors,\" Nick said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You already know what kind of power I have.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"So, yeah. That's why Envy is interested in me.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When Julian heard that, an expression of realization appeared on his face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Several things made sense to him now, and one of them was something that Julian hadn't originally connected to Nick.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Nick, did you know that several Veterans and even some Experts have gone missing within the last six months?\" Julian asked.\u003C\u002Fp>",1089,"2026-06-02T07:52:31.266Z",1,"novelbin.me","56428c70ba0db7ca18768a0e63f8782131c0b3ada8f86826496cf4c89fbf19d7","kill-the-sun-chapter-253","kill-the-sun-chapter-251",992,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fkill-the-sun-cover.jpg"]