novelraw Chapter 1293 651: Fire and Sea
Chapter 1293 651: Fire and Sea
The great fire in Tower City burned for seven days.
Bit by bit, everything was destroyed in the fierce flames, treasures buried in the scorched earth, and thick black smoke rose like giant pillars, continuously reaching the sky. Suppress it on this side, and it rises on the other.
Looking out from the Federation Base, such a scene of being overwhelmed and retreating step by step was really a spectacle!
Gem Plaza, Federation Road, Imperial Street, Ronghua Commerce, smoke and flames everywhere, continuously spreading.
Even the Temporary Government had been completely burned down.
On the second day, the Temporary Government was flooded by the rioting crowd, and by the afternoon of the third day, the fleeing Temporary President was hijacked on his private jet.
While the radio announced the news, they plunged headlong into the Imperial Garrison Base...
Then, both the plane and the President were sent into the sky again by an anti-aircraft missile.
From this point, the curtain of chaos was completely unveiled.
Some may speak of protecting the nation, others of blood for blood, or even that the White King sent a dream, leading to rebellion by the officials... In just a few days, thirty-six rebel leaders and seventy-two trails of smoke surged from various parts of the White Country, even extending to other regions of Central Earth.
It's hard to believe there was no one behind the scenes fanning the flames, but even without such instigation, would there not still be chaos like this today?
At the end of their rope, the people of the White Country had nowhere left to go, and now with weapons in hand, the intent to kill naturally arose.
The first to erupt were those obedient and humble servant slaves.
Those in Tower City, like insignificant weeds, the attendants, servants, and even slaves, too many had become accustomed to their fawning and humility but could not see the flames in those hollow eyes.
"Yes, sir, no problem, sir, at your service, sir."
So, rope, knife, or gun, which one do you prefer, sir?
Those gasoline bombs thrown to eradicate the threat of the White King, those times guns were raised countless times to clear dangers... pretending they don't exist now, isn't that a bit too optimistic?
Even with such disparity and humility, once a person is capable of fighting to the death, how can they still bear the chains and shackles on them?
Thus, hollow eyes turned crimson, fawning smiles became hideous, and from submissive postures grew hysterical resentment and madness.
"Damn it, let's die together!"
Boom!!!
Outside Tower City, from the direction of the harbor, another loud explosion was heard.
With the previous example of 'Shekri,' the oil pipeline exploded once more, and amid the rising smoke, the hollow alarm sounded repeatedly.
The Flying Airship changed direction, setting out again under the cover of a fighter jet formation.
This happened countless times over the past few days.
The formerly bustling Federation Military Base was now still packed with people but had a more desolate and ruined atmosphere, with no smiles on the faces of those passing by, and everyone spoke in hushed tones except for the shouts of training commands.
Feeling the oppressive clouds overhead.
"So desolate."
On the terrace of the seaside restaurant, under the same parasol, Fan Yun gazed indifferently at the ruined scene, a mocking smile playing on his lips, ridiculing everything he had done.
The plot and schemes exhausted...
The old man sitting across from him was eating steak, clicking his tongue in appreciation, like Wind Sweeping Cloud: "I heard there's just been a new order from Central City, you've been promoted to the Navy Staff Office?
Not easy, huh? When you leave later, can you leave the chef with me? It's not easy to have a good meal in Central Earth."
"Suit yourself."
Fan Yun glanced at the devouring Lin Shouyi, letting out a cold laugh, "You're smart, the less you do, the less mistakes, unlike me... with a seeming promotion but hidden demotion, waiting to take the blame."
In less than half a month, the story of Pasarella was replayed in his own life, with an even more dismal outcome.
With the upcoming reckoning in Central City, who knows if there will be another chance to rise again.
"Hey, in this life, you go out with your head on your belt and do what you gotta do; it's all about winner takes all, isn't it?"
Lin Shouyi glanced at him, unconcerned, "If you were to make it big, you'd probably be saying different things, why brood here like a woman?
I lost three out of my five chiefs because of you; one died, and two were seriously wounded. Did I ever curse you once?
Oh, cursed now.
Didn't think of the consequences back then, and now you bemoan the impermanence of the world? Old Fan, after all these years, can't you Tian Yuan fools learn to admit when you've messed things up yourselves?"
"Who says the people of the Ruins are stubborn?"
Fan Yun smiled coldly, hiding nothing of his gloom, "I see you, Lin Shouyi, are as shrewd as anyone?"
"What's the use of being shrewd?"
Lin Shouyi gave him a look, "No matter how smart, I'm not sticking around to clean up your mess. You've made a complete mess of the White Country, Tower City is gone, and the grand situation is entirely lost; who do you blame, Lu Changsheng? Or Desert Market? Blame yourself!"
Fan Yun did not respond, only downing his drink in one go, "Done cursing? Roll out if you're done cursing."
"For so many years, we've smiled on the surface, bickering, but at least we have a beginning and end. For the sake of this bit of incense, I'll give you one last reminder."
Lin Shouyi wiped his mouth and told him, "Things are worse than you think, so don't think about scapegoating, lightening the load and letting it pass, it won't work.
Better think early about earning redemption through merit."
Fan Yun's expression froze.
"The Fourth Abyss was opened, just seven days ago, at the same time the White Deer beheaded the Wolf. It's still top-secret for now, I just got the news from Minister Pang before coming here."
Lin Shouyi glanced at him, not keeping him in suspense, "The Sha City survivors have forsaken the present world, offering the Gray King's legacy to the Great Sin·Vortex, turning to the Seeder…
"Impossible!"
Fan Yun frowned, "The entire Central Earth is..."
"Because it's not in Central Earth!"
Lin Shouyi interrupted him, "The Heavenly Governor Saints in your Central City have been deceived from start to finish, led astray by the information sold to you, half true and half false.
To the Seeder, Central Earth may be the foundation for placing pieces, but to exert influence, there's no need to fixate on Central Earth. What Shekri has concocted is merely a smokescreen to attract everyone's attention, a finishing touch. Losing it means only parting with some useless scraps.
The Federation and the Empire have both been played by the Seeder!"
"..."
Fan Yun was silent for a long time, his voice hoarse, "Where?"
"At sea."
Lin Shouyi grabbed the tablecloth to wipe his hands, finally glancing at him, turned and left.
Yet, at the restaurant door, he saw an unanticipated visitor.
Ji Jue.
His steps paused for a moment, appearing surprised, but in the end, he said nothing.
He patted his shoulder.
He left.
.
.
Seven days ago, beyond Central Earth, north of the Endless Sea.
In the bitter cold, chunks of floating ice meandered from afar, drifting with the waves toward the distance, those bits of pale white rotated on the black sea with the currents, colliding against the ship's hull, emitting sharp sounds.
One wave after another.
The sound of crying echoed, so feeble. In the damp cold sea wind, every face was etched with numbness and confusion.
On one makeshift ship after another, already crammed with refugees with nowhere to go.
Abandoning their final cattle and sheep, forsaking their homeland, forsaking the songs of tradition and the long-lost hometown, the people of Sha City threw themselves into the ocean, expending their last bit of life to crawl into the parched and hungry deep sea.
Furious winds and torrential rains, tsunamis and raging tides, disaster beasts and plagues, and day after day, increasingly severe mutants after leaving Central Earth had already claimed one-fifth of the lives within merely three days.
The rest were barely hanging on.
In the dim and enclosed cabin, a stench lingered, dull light flickered, illuminating the faces covered in cracks, like dried-up soil, flesh turning into gray-white sand, gradually peeling, breaking apart.
Some people could no longer move, the flesh of their fingertips completely fell away, under the remaining sand, blood vessels spasmed, intertwined on the white bones.
Silent wails.
Yet, the mutation continued to spread, with the curse entwined upon their bones, descending with ruthless ravaging the moment they abandoned the ancestral covenant.
In deathly silence, suddenly came a desperate howl.
A mutant on deck used all his strength, howling skyward, uncertain whether it was a curse or a plea, the sharp sound abruptly ended.
From those hollow pupils, the last gleam faded, the disintegrating body entirely turned to dust.
Following this was wave after wave of wails, the dying refugees could no longer suppress tears and sorrow, pleading, accusing, even mutiny.
"Go home! Go home!"
A hunched woman holding her child's ashes, tears fell from her sandy face, pleading as she kowtowed, "Let us go home, Salahuddin Elder, at least we can die in our homeland."
"Home?"
Salahuddin was silent, each wrinkle on his cracked face trembled in pain, mouth corners twitching, a spasm:
"We don't have a home anymore, our home was taken from us long ago... Central Earth doesn't have an inch of land for us drifting ash like this, don't you understand?"
There's no way back.
But there's no way forward either.
He no longer spoke, watching the sobbing hunched woman in silence, looking around at the patchwork of ships filled with spectral laments and howls.
Above the gloomy and ominous sky, the vast ocean black as iron, the narrow sea-sky a dead silence, like a cage, wherever one goes is a dead end.
No matter where you flee, there's no escape.
"Come out!!!"
He roared in fury, "Come out, Seeder!!! Didn't you want the heritage of us refugees! Then come out, face me!"
"I'm here."
At that moment, he heard the sound beside him, that blurred figure quietly watching him, "I've always been here, Salahuddin."
Salahuddin stiffened, bewildered.
"From the day you set out, I was with you, we embarked on the same dead-end road, never diverging, only... you've never been willing to see me, that's all."
The Seeder bent down, scooped up the dust from the ground, carefully, grain by grain, put it in a box, until the small box was placed in Salahuddin's hand, telling him, "You've never wanted to see me."
He said, "You simply have no choice."