“Flatten it all along with the ruins.”
Ah-Lan looked toward the direction of the artillery fire in despair. “Maybe too many people gathered here, making too much noise, and we were spotted by the Inner City’s reconnaissance equipment or a patrol...”
“Or maybe some unspeakable Aberrant appeared in our area, so they want to clear us out along with the ruins!”
“The Inner City’s Purge Artillery targets areas within the Ruin Zone that they deem a threat.”
“Their bombardment has boundaries. Usually, it won’t cover the actual Non-Safe Zone because there’s no need.”
She glanced at the continuous flashes of explosions outside the window, her voice urgent:
“So, every time the shelling comes, the vagrants in the Ruin Zone know that staying put or running toward the Inner or Outer City is a dead end!”
“The artillery will turn them and their cover into dust! The only way to survive is to rush out of the bombardment zone and hide in the Non-Safe Zone before the artillery closes in and covers the area!”
“Even though there are Rot-Walkers and mutated beasts there, and the environment is harsh, compared to the certain death under the artillery fire, you might actually survive in the Non-Safe Zone.”
“Once the bombardment is over and the fire stops, everyone slowly crawls back.”
A deep sense of sorrow and numbness flashed in Ah-Lan’s eyes. “This is experience bought with lives.”
“This kind of Purge Artillery strike usually happens once a year, it’s just...”
She furrowed her brows, her face filled with confusion and unease. “This year’s big sweep already happened three or four months ago. Logically, it shouldn’t happen again until next year...”
“Why is it suddenly happening again?”
Listening to Ah-Lan’s explanation, Su Wan also had her doubts.
But right now, she didn’t have time to think too much.
She looked at the terrified vagrants in the hallway and raised her voice. “Listen up! This building,”
Su Wan looked around, her tone carrying an unquestionable certainty, “I can explicitly tell you that the artillery fire outside won’t scratch it in the slightest!”
“Staying here is the safest choice!”
“Trust me. Stay in the building and follow the rules, and I can guarantee your safety.”
“If you don’t believe me and want to go out and die...” Su Wan’s gaze swept over the shocking bloodstain on the floor, her meaning self-evident.
“From now on, everyone return to your assigned rooms or stay in the designated hallway areas. No shouting, and no approaching the doors!”
“C1, C2, maintain order and record any violations!”
Under the dual effect of Su Wan’s death threat and her guarantee of safety, the panicked vagrants finally began to move reluctantly.
They followed instructions, trembling as they retreated into their rooms or huddled in corners, but everyone’s ears were pricked, listening in terror to the explosions drawing closer outside.
Su Wan walked to the window and looked toward the southeast.
“System, continue monitoring the artillery impact points and their distance from the building. Assess the threat level,” she commanded in her mind.
【Monitoring... Current nearest impact point distance: 1.2 kilometers. Threat assessment: No threat to the building. Energy shockwaves have been dampened by 99.7% by the defense field.】
Su Wan narrowed her eyes slightly.
She knew that her Terminal Station Shelter would be the only island of safety under this deadly plow.
...
Inside the Inner City, atop the towering alloy walls.
This place was a world apart from the Ruin Zone.
The air was filtered through multiple layers, fresh and clean. In the distance, one could vaguely see neatly planned streets, lush artificial greenery, and brightly lit skyscrapers.
The wall itself was incredibly thick, its surface flowing with a faint energy luster, manifesting absolute defense and isolation.
At this moment, two people stood on the wall near the southeast direction.
Leading them was a middle-aged man in a crisp, deep-blue uniform. His face was cold, and his eyes were as sharp as an eagle’s. The epaulettes on his uniform indicated a high military rank.
This man was the commander of the City Defense Force responsible for this Special Purge Operation, surnamed Yan, known as Colonel Yan.
He was toyed with a sophisticated monocular observer in his hand. The lenses of this instrument could pierce through long distances and the pervasive smoke, magnifying the details of the artillery-covered area for observation.
His posture seemed casual, but every subtle movement exuded the composure of someone long in a high position and a hint of imperceptible indifference.
Standing respectfully half a step behind him was a young officer who looked like an adjutant with a slightly lower rank, surnamed Liu.
He bowed slightly, his gaze also fixed on the southeast ruins where artillery fire filled the sky, but a flicker of tension and expectation flashed deep in his eyes.
“Third volley of the artillery coverage area finished.” Colonel Yan lowered the observer, his voice flat and devoid of emotion. “Are you certain that Shadow-Stalker Beast fled into this area?”
Hearing this, Lieutenant Liu’s body tensed for an imperceptible moment before he immediately stepped forward half a step.
“Reporting, Colonel! According to the analysis of the residual energy fluctuations sent back by the tracking squad and the past habits of that beast, there is over a sixty percent probability that it retreated into the depths of the southeast Ruin Zone to recover after being wounded.”
“That area has complex building remains and intersecting underground pipes, making it perfect for it to hide.”
“To ensure nothing goes wrong and to completely eliminate the threat, saturation bombing of this area is the most effective and least labor-intensive method.”
He paused and added, “After all, that Shadow-Stalker Beast has already cost us three elite reconnaissance squads, and the Inner City Research Institute is pressing us very hard.”
“It’s better to kill by mistake than to let a threat escape.”
Colonel Yan didn’t respond immediately. He simply raised the observer again, seemingly observing the effects of the fire.
The cold wind atop the wall whipped the corners of his uniform, making a snapping sound.
Lieutenant Liu’s palms were slightly sweaty.
He knew he had an ulterior motive mixed into his words.
The probability of the Shadow-Stalker Beast fleeing into that area was something he had deliberately exaggerated to be more persuasive.
The real driving force came from a large bribe quietly given to him by the head of the Outer City branch of Panshi Exploration Company, along with a small request.
The people from Panshi Exploration Company told him that one of their three-man exploration teams had gone missing on the edge of the southeast Ruin Zone. Based on secret return data, they suspected the team had been attacked and killed by a local gang of pariahs.
To save face for the company and intimidate the vagrants in the Ruin Zone, as well as to erase any potential trouble, they hoped the City Defense Force could conduct a cleanup of that area while they were at it.
As for the reason, they could just use the excuse of hunting the elusive Shadow-Stalker Beast.
For Panshi Exploration Company, making a big fuss and sending people deep into the filthy Ruin Zone to search for a few low-level exploration members and a group of pariahs was neither dignified nor cost-effective.
It was better to use the City Defense Force’s artillery to settle everything once and for all, simple and crude.
Rate on N.U.
