[On the 24th of this month, the Dangerous Sanctuary City received a large influx of residents from the Yongming Survivor Base. However, as early as the 20th, the Yongming Base had already fallen. The Magic Sound Zombies that had flooded into Yongming Base did not slaughter the residents en masse, but instead... started raising them like livestock...]
[On the 23rd of this month, a massive swarm of Silver Armored Zombies gathered and launched an attack on the fallen Yongming Base. The residents of the base managed to escape safely... Regarding this incident, Council mber Su Sigui has not provided a definite response.]
"What!"
"It’s already... begun?"
"Oh my god!"
"The Nightmare Zombie King really did that!"
"What exactly is the Council doing? Are we going to end up like that too?"
The people crowded in the square imdiately fell into chaos. Many wore conflicted expressions as they stared at the giant screen. These individuals held deep, visceral feelings about what they were hearing. From the mont that humans began to see themselves reduced to the status of chickens, ducks, cattle, and sheep—it was sothing utterly unacceptable to them!
The intense sense of disparity evoked fear. If all of humanity were to et such a fate, what kind of world would that be? That would be hell, a literal hell! The notion of human rights would beco a joke—a re anecdote soone ntioned yesterday!
As the murmurs of discussion echoed from every corner, the atmosphere in the vast square grew suffocatingly oppressive. The emotions stirring within the people couldn’t find release!
"Quiet down! Haven’t you noticed? The ones from Yongming got out!"
"That’s... that’s right!"
"How did they escape?"
In the noisy commotion, soone was the first to snap out of the oppressive haze and reminded the others. Only then did everyone pay attention to the last segnt of the broadcast.
"The Silver Horde of Zombies?"
In an instant, the expressions on the faces of those in the square shifted dramatically. Tang Ye observed their reactions in silence.
[Without us even realizing it, we have already survived in this post-apocalyptic world for over a decade. Ti and again, crises have crept closer to us without warning. This ti, we are finally facing the most daunting crisis yet. The Lan Ou Corpse King stretching its claws toward us is just the beginning. It signifies that this will not be the last threat. The crises we will face in the future will be more dangerous than any before. But! We still have a chance. The remaining ti is our opportunity.]
[As Su Sigui said at the inception of the "Break the Cauldrons and Sink the Boats Plan," the only ones who can help us are ourselves. We are human. In this world, there has never been a god to save people living in hardship. It is always heroes who step up and courageously turn the tide. The ti has co for us to abandon all false hopes and fantasies and to face the trials before us head-on! Perhaps our fate will be no different from the Hidden Dragon Shelter City—decimated by the zombie swarm, powerless, and reduced to a zombie carnival. But we must still try. Rember the saying: while the outco is yet undecided, you and I may still be the dark horse. Anyone among us might beco the force that saves all of humanity, preserving millions of years of civilization on this blue planet.]
At this, the content displayed on the screen ca to an end. Following the broadcaster’s farewell, the screen transitioned to another program, showcasing strange discoveries from various regions and updates on the progress of the "Break the Cauldrons and Sink the Boats Plan."
Overall, none of these details caught Tang Ye’s attention.
Standing there, he stared at the giant screen for a long while, his mind replaying the earlier content.
[The Lan Ou Corpse King stretching its claws toward us is just the beginning...]
Shaking his head, Tang Ye seed to give up on sothing, murmuring to himself, "Whatever, I’ll leave tomorrow’s problems for tomorrow."
Rummaging in his pocket for the "glass" eyeball, Tang Ye wasn’t sure if Lu Xiaojie would want such an item. But then again, he figured, what did it matter?
He shook his head slightly and turned away, heading toward the cloud-reaching elevator piercing the sky. After arriving at the Sky Continent, Tang Ye didn’t imdiately return to their base. Instead, he ventured out toward the outermost ring of the Sky Continent. Previously, he had stood on the scenic overlook there, looking down at the ground-level cities of Cloud Gorge Base. The protective railing, bent by his hand to prevent people from falling, had since been repaired.
Everything was silent and still. And in the spot where he had stood, Su Sigui’s figure suddenly ca into view. Leaning against the railing, she gazed down at everything below. Wisps of cloud ascended in front of her.
"Been waiting for long?"
"Not really."
Tang Ye walked up beside Su Sigui and looked down at the city. If he focused on the distance, the sights grew unfamiliar—ruins of old cities abandoned for years, their neglected buildings tilting and cloaked in vines. All Tang Ye could see was a sea of green.
"Looks like your ti is running out," Tang Ye remarked.
"Seen everything already?"
"Yeah, if you’re asking about my impressions, I’d just say... it’s troubleso. Personally, I prefer simpler things. Maybe I’ve lived too long—ti feels faster and faster. I always wish it would slow down so I could enjoy everything I’ve missed, without repeating the sa old life."
"You’re not alone in feeling that way—everyone does, I think."
"Do you feel that way too?"
"I do. I always feel like I’m just playing around, wasting ti while knowing I’m doing it. And, sohow, I never figure out what I should be doing. Over ti, that nagging feeling turns into anxiety."
Su Sigui held a cigarette between her fingers, occasionally taking puffs and exhaling softly. Tang Ye didn’t respond to her words but instead remarked, "Didn’t expect you to be such a smoker."
Su Sigui laughed and replied, "The more vexed I get, the harder it is to quit. What? Want one? It tastes pretty good."
As she spoke, she pulled out a pack of cigarettes from her pocket. The blue packaging contained white cigarettes, an unfamiliar brand to Tang Ye. Given the design, he figured they were likely tailored for won.
"Won’s cigarettes, I assu?"
"Yep. Does it bother you?"
"Well... I might have so old-school masculine pride..."
"They’re not too different from what you guys smoke."
Not giving Tang Ye a chance to refuse, she plucked one from the pack and handed it to him. Feeling unable to decline, Tang Ye accepted it and asked, "Got a light?"
"Here."
She handed him a lighter alongside the cigarette before returning her gaze to the city below. Tang Ye lit the cigarette, inhaling deeply. He couldn’t discern any notable difference in flavor between these so-called won’s cigarettes and regular ones.
Reviews
All reviews (0)