novelraw Chapter 695 [113] The End of the World is Approaching
Chapter 695 [113] The End of the World is Approaching
Chapter 695 [113] The End of the World is Approaching
Nestor, Mu Yue's butler, a gentleman with pure British baldness and impeccable manners, quietly left the back door of the Night Dragon Society headquarters and walked alone in the night.
Under the streetlights on a quiet street ahead, a dilapidated telephone booth was the meeting place he had arranged with the owner.
The alarm bracelet on his left wrist buzzed. Dark purple particles floated in the cold air where the acid snow had paused, giving Nestor's black suit an unusual sheen.
"Sir, why are you only willing to meet with me alone?"
Han Tiancheng, wearing a comical ghost mask, appeared in front of the phone booth. Underneath his long acid rain-proof trench coat were a white shirt and old police trousers, his tall boots shimmering in the snow and the dim light of the LED lampposts.
"Because I don't want to see Mu Yue with this face."
The glass of the phone booth had many cracks and was haphazardly glued back together with black tape.
"Sir, you should at least wear another layer of clothing. In this weather, you're only wearing a shirt and a trench coat..."
“Funny people don’t need warmth.” Han Tiancheng reached out and caught a snowflake blown by the wind, letting it melt in his hand. “We just need jokes.”
Nestor frowned deeply, causing his mustache to shift.
"Sir, we already know that the police car bombing was perpetrated by the Commissioner of Police. You shouldn't punish yourself like this anymore. Even if you have to fight, don't do it alone; stay with everyone!"
The comical ghost mask was hidden in the shadows, making it impossible to tell whether it was crying or laughing.
“The police chief and I are brothers. I trusted him for so long, but I never expected that... whether it was my wife’s matter or Mu Yue’s matter, I was always being used and deceived, and almost became his accomplice.”
"No matter what, you can't be called an accomplice, can you?"
“How can you say he’s not an accomplice?” Han Tiancheng let out a bitter laugh. “Do you remember when we went to the outer city to watch the bullfighting competition? I once told a young gladiator to go to the police department and find a job, just mention my name… Later, the police chief said he had arranged for him to join the police force, but I couldn’t find his file at all.”
Nestor carefully comforted his master: "Even so, we can't say for sure that the gladiator boy was killed. Maybe he never even went to the police station, and the police chief was just giving you the runaround. To put it another way, it's like you meant well but did something wrong."
"Can you excuse yourself just because you meant well but did something wrong?"
Han Tiancheng took two steps, and the snow under his feet crunched.
“I’ve recommended other talented people to the police department before, but they rarely come out in the open. I thought the police chief had sent them to do some covert work, but now I realize I shouldn’t think about it too much. I’m such a sinful person…”
The slender Nestor seemed to sway slightly.
"Sir, why don't you have a drink? It breaks my heart to see you like this."
"Hahahaha." Han Tiancheng laughed, "Nestor, you actually have the nerve to try to persuade me to drink? Don't worry, I haven't given up drinking."
Purple-black particles surged around him, creating a subspace window. Han Tiancheng reached in, took out a bottle of wine, squeezed the cork off with one hand, and poured it into his mouth as if he were drowning.
The comical ghost mask does not affect eating; strictly speaking, it is not a mask, but a layer of biomass growing on the face.
"While I'm not here, please take good care of Mu Yue for me... I haven't really taken good care of her before anyway."
After drinking, Han Tiancheng actually became calmer.
"Also, tell Qin Jiandan not to get too close to us clowns, especially not to get too close to Ibash."
Nestor raised his head slightly.
"Could it be that Ibash didn't really betray the company?"
“No, Ibash certainly wants to destroy the company,” Han Tiancheng sneered. “But he will do it his way. All the clowns have some kind of unseen connection with the original clown, and I can vaguely sense that the way he destroys the company will probably not be something ordinary people would like.”
With that, Han Tiancheng turned and left, drinking the remaining half-bottle of wine as he walked. The streetlights cast a long, pale shadow over him.
Nestor bowed deeply, as always with the same precision as when serving his master.
“Sir, I will remember what you told me. But no matter what you become, I still hope you can stay by Miss’s side. I am just a mere butler and cannot replace you.”
"I won't allow you to talk about yourself like that." A purplish-black fluorescent crack appeared in front of Han Tiancheng.
Before stepping into the subspace, he shouted, "You've long been considered family by Mu Yue and me. We, the comical ghosts..."
The rest of the conversation was drowned out by the sound of alcohol being poured into bottles.
Nestor sighed and looked up at the streetlights—their light blurred in the night fog, like a tearful eye.
The snow has started falling again, very light, like grains of salt.
Nestor walked heavily back alone to where the young lady was.
※※※
In a large classroom at the Eco Tower, several young Dongcheng police officers are learning basic nursing skills.
The lecturer was Su Xiao, the daughter of security team leader Su Yue. Dressed in a white nurse's uniform, she pointed to the projector and said, "Learning how to use biochemical bandages correctly can save materials when bandaging and speed up wound healing."
Behind the transparent glass of the pharmaceutical laboratory, Dr. Li's apprentices are formulating antibiotic alternatives using herbs produced from the vertical farm. A progress chart is posted on the wall: "This month's replacement rate has reached 40%, the target is 70% by the end of the year."
As always, Lao Zhao, the head of the vertical farm, was dressed in a black Chinese-style butler's uniform and led the young master and Jiang Chouyun on a tour of the construction progress.
He has no mouth; instead, an old-fashioned speaker prosthesis serves as his mouth, making him extremely taciturn. He only emits electronic sounds when absolutely necessary.
“Young Master, Brother Chouyun, as you can see, the Night Dragon Society is gradually breaking free from its dependence on medicines from the inner city.” Qin Jiandan nodded repeatedly, but Jiang Chouyun’s expression was not so pleasant.
Jiang Chouyun understood that the young master had summoned him to the Ecological Tower to persuade the Chouyun Group to relocate its core industries to the Border City Special Zone as soon as possible.
However, Jiang Chouyun has now taken control of District 1 and District 12. After the death of Ai Yangding, the district chief of Haihu District, and his family, Haihu District even began hiring members of the Chouyun Group as bodyguards.
Such a vast and thriving territory—Jiang Chouyun was naturally reluctant to relocate.
Qin Jiandan understood his mindset and kept trying to persuade him.
"Brother Chouyun, among the five group leaders of the Night Dragon Society, the Cherry Blossom Group and the Abnormal Group have already begun to transfer their assets. The only ones that haven't made much noise are the Chouyun Group, the Fire Pliers Group, and the Life Intelligence Group."
"I didn't invite Chen Tom and Zhu Shengzhi first, but I invited Brother Chouyun first, because I hoped that Brother Chouyun could set an example for Chen Tom and Zhu Shengzhi."
Jiang Chouyun subconsciously touched the mechanical watch on his left wrist. With his thick hair and beard, he looked like a rock singer who couldn't find his guitar.
“Young Master, I know this represents your trust in me. But the Sorrowful Cloud Group has its own difficulties.”
"The reason why the Cherry Blossom Group is willing to relocate is because the Second District, where the Cherry Blossom Group is located, is very close to the Third District, where the Border Town Special Zone is located. It is easier for them to relocate and protect their original industries."
"As for Ouyang Suixing's abnormal group, they are all eccentrics and berserkers who originally did not own any businesses."
"If the Sorrowful Clouds Group relocates its core businesses and withdraws its personnel, the Nean Society's influence will use the Haihu District as a springboard to re-encroach upon this area. This would be a net loss for the guild!"
Jiang Chouyun's messenger, Afei, followed behind. He added, "Young Master, even the Fire Pliers Group is in a much better situation than us. The 4th District, where the Fire Pliers Group is located, is right next to the 3rd District, and they haven't moved yet."
Qin Jiandan understood that Afei was a young man who knew when to advance and when to retreat. The fact that he dared to suddenly interrupt meant that Jiang Chouyun must have instructed him to do so beforehand.
Old Zhao snorted, "The young master didn't ask you... You're so young but you don't work hard. In the guild rankings, you only reached the Xuan level in the 'Heaven and Earth Profound Yellow' category. I kindly offered to teach you the 'Spirit Serpent Sunflower Hand,' and you still refused to learn!"
Ah Fei exclaimed urgently, "Learning that kung fu requires castration! Even though I broke up with my girlfriend, I don't want to become a eunuch!"
Old Zhao looked at him with utter contempt: "Only by castrating oneself can one cultivate the ultimate Yin internal energy, and then kill all the unjust people in the world!"
Jiang Chouyun found it a bit of an earache, as if he was an unjust person for not wanting the Chouyun Group to relocate.
Qin Jiandan put her arm around Jiang Chouyun's shoulder to show affection and whispered in his ear:
“Brother Chouyun, I said we should concentrate our forces in the Border City Special Zone to prepare for the company’s all-out attack on us. This is not just needless worry; I saw related future prophecies when I was fighting Alexander, the time-manipulating ability user!”
Jiang Chouyun frowned slightly, although his brows were not usually relaxed.
"If the young master really saw the prophecy, why didn't he tell everyone publicly?"
Qin Jiandan smiled slightly, his gaze sweeping over the signboard of Lao Wang Fried Chicken Shop, as well as Linda Lulu who was busy inside the shop and Aku, the ratman who was soliciting customers at the shop entrance.
"The scenario predicted is quite horrific. If I were to publicize it, it might cause unrest in the East City, leading to a rush of people into the Border City Special Zone and disrupting its construction."
Qin Jiandan pulled her arm away from Jiang Chouyun's shoulder. "I haven't told Chen Tangmu and Zhu Shengzhi about this yet. The reason I'm telling you first is because I feel closer to you."
Jiang Chouyun pondered for a moment. Ouyang Suixing was the young master's senior brother, and Xia was the young master's concubine; they must have known the inside story before the other group leaders.
Although Qin Jiandan's 'insider information' was not the whole story—Qin Jiandan withheld the truth that he himself had also become a 'time-manipulation ability user'.
"Young Master... on what day will the siege of Dongcheng actually occur?"
Qin Jiandan shook his head: "The prophecy isn't that accurate. We can only take precautions as soon as possible. If all of the Chouyun Group's assets remain where they are, I can't guarantee their safety. In the prophecy, at least 100 Primordial-level Yin Beasts will participate in the siege."
"1...100?"
Jiang Chouyun's hair and beard almost fell off from fright.
"I...let me think about it. If it's really that terrifying..."
In reality, Qin Jiandan only glimpsed about ten Primordial-level Yin Beasts in the time prophecy. But without exaggeration, how could the team leaders willingly transfer assets?
Meanwhile, not far underground from the Eco Tower, a subspace tunnel is slowly creeping forward.
As it approached the trigger range of the subspace detector, the tunnel stopped crawling, and a group of shadows inside gradually revealed their true forms.
Dr. Li's clone, Dr. Chen, wore a heavy white coat, with glasses perched on the bridge of his nose, revealing eerie pupils.
The flashing LED on his right wristband indicates that he is maintaining communication with the company.
Behind him stood nine T-unit members like white tombstones—numbered from T-011 to T-019.
Further out, countless cyborg ninjas knelt in a half-kneeling position, maintaining a terrifying silence.
"It's almost time..."
Dr. Chen looked up wearily. A sinister smile gradually appeared on his lips.
"Lord Remiel forced me to produce results within a month... and now the time limit has been exceeded, hasn't it? Qin Jiandan and Ibash killed Gabriel and Raphael's beloved son, the level 50 researcher Sat. Now the Night Dragon Society must pay the price."
As Dr. Chen raised his right hand, all the mechanical ninjas stood up at the same time. Their eyes were a ghastly green, and they trailed streaks of green light as they ran forward. Each of them had a long braid like an electric cable trailing behind their head.
The T-011 used its shoulder-mounted turrets to blast the ground apart, and mechanical ninjas swarmed out of the cracks like locusts.
Dr. Chen's orders echoed in the minds of every intruder.
"Kill them! Kill everyone you see!"
(End of this chapter)