novelraw Chapter 1687 - 1686 - The Shattering
Chapter 1687 - 1686 - The Shattering
"So, to sum up, while the US may have salvaged itself, at its most chaotic moment, a meteorite literally smashed into the east coast causing a magnitude 9 minimum earthquake in the west coast?" Lind felt like he was hearing about a bad movie.
What were the odds that just the right size of disaster would strike to not only take out the east but also the west at the same time? Sgt Keel had no problem answering it but it made him feel hollow.
The midwest was not spared as obviously such tectonic shifts literally shook the whole of the nation. Suffered as essentially 2 underground shockwaves collided, the buildings in the heart of the former country were never designed to withstand such things.
Airplanes had to quickly find clear areas to land if they were not knocked out of the sky by the shockwaves created by the falling rock.
Little was left of what happened immediately after but obviously they had far less land to use and way too many to feed. It was bad.
By the time they clawed their way out they had discovered the rest of the world was in about as bad shape. It was not only the US struck but other areas. The planet must have passed through a storm.
Why hadn't they seen such a thing coming?
Sgt Keel could not speak to others but apparently entire departments had been gutted to the point that if they did not make money, they did not exist.
Lind realized it had been far worse than she was saying. Having been alive when it started, he could see much more clearly that things must have gotten ugly. If every powerful figure tunnel visioned on profit, then everything would collapse no matter what natural event occurred.
It seemed to have spread far and wide with a few exceptions but because of how interconnected things had become, they were not spared when all the major powers collapsed.
Lind could not fathom how the entire world could allow that to happen but he had seen it in so many demon and human powers it was far from impossible. He sighed but it was all in the past.
It also meant his mother was long dead. She was no one powerful or well connected. If she survived, there was no longer any support for her medications she had already been taking before he died.
George was in a similar boat but his was due more to his lifestyle. He was still young enough that he might be still alive. There was no way for him to know but he consoled himself it was possible.
He dared not ask as it seemed the current regime was not kind.
Sgt Keel gave limited responses, only saying that Rose City was one of ten cities allied together after rising back up. The new powers had discovered caches of research and technology he had never heard of.
It seemed someone had been playing a long game but the Heavens had smited all of it to dust quite literally.
The energy weapons were not made to plan but with the best they could grasp. The knives and even swords were all found in a cache as well. Lind was mystified as that meant it was actually there before he died.
Where did the metal come from? He had no Qi to separate the alloy into its component parts so he could only do things the old fashioned way if he got the proper tools. How hot he would need to make the metal was unknown but he could make a few tests to easily confirm that.
Sgt Keel was very interested in his thoughts on it as they could not replicate it. He looked at her cooly as if she did not consider the attempts to kill him a reason to deny sharing such knowledge.
Still he then asked about the area where the Shattering started.
She hid nothing but it was bleak.
The heart of the east coast was struck not on land but just in the water. It started a chain reaction up and down where the waters surged and buried it followed but the very earth being ripped apart.
Lind found that odd. If it was the west coast, it would be more believable about the second part but the eastern coast was far more stable.
Even with such an unprecedented event, why would so much land suddenly be ripped apart?
A lead? Could it be a lead to his trial?
He filed that away and made sure to see if any safe passage existed that way.
Sgt Keel then asked how he could move so fast and take such powerful attacks but he stared at her in confusion.
"You know what I am but are surprised by my resilience?" No one he had met seemed shocked by his appearance to the point a small toddler happily pointed it out.
Now she looked confused.
"Because the others were easily hurt by our weapons. There are even 2 captured in Kalder City to the south." Lind was truly confused. Setting aside his natural abilities and rebuilt body, no beast below a Divine Realm cultivator could take the trial.
He was absolutely sure of it. Thus, such meager weapons should not even scratch them.
His head suddenly shot up.
"These 2 weren't by chance aquatic in nature? As in that they seemed more powerful near water?" Sgt Keel went wide eyed but confirmed nothing with words. Lind needed no more.
Those would be more susceptible without Qi to protect themselves.
As for the others, it had to be similar compatibility issues or maybe they did not refine their bodies enough. If there were other dragons, he would be knocking their heads!
It was the basics to make the body strong!
"Dare I ask what they did to make you attack them?" He already knew the answer but he wanted to be sure.
Sgt Keel became grim and unconsciously assumed a combative stance.
"They are enemies! They killed so many on a whim and kept demanding we obey them!" Lind felt another sigh escape him. Of course they did.
Powerful cultivators of any race would not take disrespect lightly. Yet, what was common in cultivation culture was not tolerated in a world like Earth. It was clear the natives would retaliate.
Lind wanted to strike someone!
"Have they claimed an area?" She nodded.
"We lost 2 of the northern cities but they seem to be distracted after that. They force people into mines looking for something as well as across the world." Lind could understand but the progress in the trial confused him.
It would not take a decade to conquer 2 cities or other areas and start looking into the state of the world but they ignored barren areas? That was odd.
Even a mortal cultivator would want to check out an empty area for possible treasure. Given it was a trial, the drive should be even stronger. So what were they doing?
He chose to ignore that as he looked south.
"Are there any chances I can negotiate the release of the 2 in the south?" Agt Keel shook her head but then paused.
"One of them, a man with short blue hair and claws for hands, killed children at school. He cannot be redeemed but the woman was not known for any crimes. She even tried to stop him but Kalder City claimed she was an accomplice." Her knowing such detail showed someone had reported it so why was the woman captured? Lind knew.
"She is beautiful, isn't she?" Sgt Keel tilted her head before her eyes turned cold. No further words were needed. It seemed she understood.
"Where is Kalder City?" His intent was clear but Sgt Keel knew such information was public. Hiding it was pointless.
"It is approximately where old Mississippi used to be. Most of that state and others near that river were destroyed." Lind filed that away too as that was unusual.
The destruction was unnatural even with all she told him.
He thanked her before pausing and asking about the Great Lakes. As expected, they too rose but due to being so far inland, the destruction was limited.
That seemed more natural to him but he still would look into any area that struck him as odd. Michigan was apparently devastated but the lower half endured compared to the total loss of the upper part.
It all meant his home was gone. Earth existed but his home was never coming back. He bowed to her before confirming she was ok to get home and then left. His speed was enough not to disturb others but he noted the inconsistencies of technology.
If that cache contained such fantastical technology that survivors could implement with relative safety, it meant his time had been lied to. Who knew what advances had been hoarded for some disaster only to be enjoyed by the few.
How much suffering could have been alleviated if it was shared?
His anger rose but the culprits were all dead. Even those that might have tried to profit from it found no safe place to hide. Island nations were just gone and areas that appealed to the rich and powerful had been wiped from the maps.
He paused at that. That was a bit too convenient. Still, it might be related to his trial. It all depended on what he found but he first had to resolve the issues in Kalder City.
He could only imagine the time lag the current world had for information but given all he had seen, it might be on par with his modern world still. He would have to see.