novelraw Chapter 356: The Situation is Critical
Chapter 356: The Situation is Critical
Qin Bai was silent for a moment before finally lifting his head. "You're right. Since Mr. Chen Qing is now a Guest Advisor of the City Lord's Residence, then naturally... he is someone we need to cooperate with."
His words were forced, but given the current circumstances, it was the biggest concession he could make.
After saying this, Qin Bai no longer looked at anyone, drinking his sullen wine alone.
Su Zhan took all of this in and raised his glass in acknowledgment. "Thank you, Elder Zhang."
This superficial peace was merely built upon a foundation of equal strength between the two sides.
The unwillingness in Qin Bai's eyes had not diminished in the slightest; this grudge was far from settled.
Suddenly!
The encrypted communicators on Mo Yuan and Zhang Daoxuan vibrated almost simultaneously, emitting urgent flashing red lights.
The smiles instantly vanished from their faces as they both retrieved their communicators.
When they saw the information displayed on the screens, their expressions abruptly turned extremely grave."Excuse us for a moment."
Mo Yuan said solemnly to everyone present and walked quickly with Zhang Daoxuan towards the soundproof meeting room next door.
This sudden turn of events instantly tensed the atmosphere in the banquet hall.
Everyone realized that something extremely serious must have happened; otherwise, it wouldn't have caused these two big shots to change their expressions simultaneously.
Su Zhan noticed that even Qin Bai, who had been sitting in the corner the whole time, stood up, his expression serious as he stared in the direction of the meeting room.
Approximately five minutes later, the meeting room door was pushed open forcefully.
Mo Yuan and Zhang Daoxuan walked out quickly, their faces even more grim than before.
Zhang Daoxuan walked directly to the center of the banquet hall, his voice heavy. "We have just received urgent military intelligence. The entire border of Daxia is simultaneously under attack from a large-scale assault by Mist Creatures. This is the largest Mist Surge in the three hundred years since the Mist descended!"
These words instantly detonated the entire banquet hall.
"What? The entire border is under attack simultaneously?"
"The largest-scale Mist Surge?"
"How is that possible..."
Exclamations of shock rose from all sides, and everyone's faces were filled with astonishment.
Mo Yuan took over. "The situation is worse than imagined.
Multiple breaches have already appeared in the northern Steel Great Wall defense line.
The western Yellow Sand Fortress fell half an hour ago.
Multiple coastal cities in the east are undergoing emergency evacuations.
According to intelligence relayed from the front lines, this Mist Surge has seen the appearance of a large number of Special-risk level Mist Creatures, as well as a significant number of Calamity-level entities."
"A significant number of Calamity-level?"
This time, even several of the highest-ranking Guest Advisors couldn't remain seated, standing up one after another.
Su Zhan's heart was shaken violently.
Nationwide attacks, defense lines collapsing, the possible appearance of Calamity-level beings... any single one of these pieces of news was enough to cause panic, and now they were all happening at once.
The severity of this incident far exceeded imagination; it concerned the very survival of Daxia.
Zhang Daoxuan looked around the hall and said gravely, "The situation is critical; there is no room for any further delay. City Lord Mo and I must head to the border immediately.
The scale of this Mist Surge is unprecedented. We need to mobilize all available forces."
Mo Yuan's gaze swept over the many powerful individuals present. It passed over Su Zhan, paused slightly, and then moved away.
He said solemnly to Zhang Daoxuan, "Old Zhang, let's go. Chen Qing is still young; let him stay in Black City this time."
Zhang Daoxuan nodded understandingly. "Correct. A Mist Surge of this scale is too dangerous. Moreover, geniuses are the easiest targets."
Mo Yuan's gaze fixed on the seven highest-ranking Guest Advisors. "Gentlemen, accompany me to the front lines."
The seven Ocean Realm and Calamity-level powerhouses stood up simultaneously, their expressions solemn. "It is our duty."
The banquet hall immediately fell into a flurry of activity.
The various powerhouses stood up one after another to bid their farewells.
The originally lively banquet instantly dispersed.
Su Zhan didn't say anything more. He turned and walked alone towards the elevator.
Pressing the button for the three-thousand-meter-deep underground training ground, the elevator doors slowly closed, completely cutting off the clamor from above.
When the elevator doors opened again, he was already standing in that enormous underground space.
Su Zhan looked around this place where he had trained for two and a half years, and his eyes gradually grew resolute.
He walked to the center of the training ground. Grayish-white mist once again seeped out from the void, rapidly coalescing into a Mist area that completely enveloped him.
This time, he did not hesitate in the slightest. He strode resolutely into the depths of the Mist.
The Mist slowly closed behind him, completely swallowing his figure.
This time, he would not come out until he broke through to the Calamity-level.
The path to the Calamity-level was clear and brutal.
He understood better than anyone that to break through that barrier, he must absorb the Life Essence of a Calamity-level entity.
But this was almost a vicious cycle.
With his Special-risk peak strength, facing a Calamity-level head-on would yield an unambiguous result: he would be instantly crushed to dust.
Initially, he had not been without thoughts of seeking external help.
For example, asking Mo Yuan for assistance.
If this unfathomably deep City Lord was willing to take action, to suppress or severely injure a Calamity-level Mist Creature for him, allowing him to deliver the final blow, that would undoubtedly be the fastest and safest method.
But this thought was extinguished by himself as soon as it arose.
Never mind whether Mo Yuan would be willing to personally take risks and venture deep into the perilous Mist zones for him; even if he were willing, this favor would be far too enormous. What could he possibly use to repay it in the future?
Entrusting the core secret of his advancement entirely to the goodwill of another was too dangerous and too passive.
Furthermore, there was another point: Mo Yuan had no time now either.
Therefore, he could only rely on himself now.
Another seemingly feasible path was to head to the currently raging border front lines.
According to intelligence, Calamity-level Mist Creatures had appeared there.
Amidst the chaos of the battlefield, perhaps he could find an opportunity to scavenge, or rely on the strength of military powerhouses to complete a hunt.
But this path was rejected by him without the slightest hesitation.
The reason was simple: the risk of exposure was too great.
Zhang Daoxuan's seemingly enlightened remarks might represent the views of a portion of the top-tier powerhouses, but they absolutely did not represent the attitude of the entire Daxia.
Su Zhan was very clear-headed.
The reason a mutant like Mo Yuan could be tolerated and attain such a lofty status fundamentally lay in his possession of absolute strength that forced the authorities to compromise.
The authorities needed to utilize his power to maintain Black City's special balance and needed the forces under his command to garrison the borders.
This was a transaction of interests based on equal strength.
And what did he, Su Zhan, have now?
He only had the alias "Chen Qing" and the potential of a Special-risk peak.
This potential was utterly fragile in the face of real power.
Once he appeared on the front lines, under the gaze of countless powerhouses, how long could his secret of absorbing Mist Creature Life Essence remain hidden?
In that extreme environment, would his identity as an Aberrant be treated as an enemy unit by certain factions?
He dared not gamble, and he could not afford to lose.
The overall hostile attitude of the authorities towards Aberrants would absolutely not change just because of the enlightenment of one or two high-ranking individuals.
He had personally witnessed how the Aberrant Purge Division cleansed Aberrants.
Qin Bai's eyes, filled with disgust, represented the mainstream of this era.