Chapter 138 There was more than one
At 8:30 in the morning, Ming and David were crouching inconspicuously in the 109th district center. Ming held a coconut and sipped its juice while observing the crowd around them. As David had predicted, the people were divided into three distinct groups: several hundred old city residents stood to the south, several hundred new city residents to the west, and more than one hundred mutants to the east.
Although most of the mutants were concealed by clothing, Ming could discern that they were taller and more muscular than the old and new city residents. There seemed to be something else lurking beneath their clothing layers.
The three groups kept a certain distance, creating an uneasy peace. David gazed at the crowd worriedly and said, "For now, it seems peaceful, but who knows what the future holds."
Ming cracked open another coconut and replied, "Regardless of what happens, survival is our ultimate goal."
David nodded in agreement, smashing open his coconut and relishing the snow-white coconut meat.
The two fell silent, focusing on the tense situation before them.
...
In the 402nd district, Simon stood atop the command post tower, overlooking the surrounding area. During the three days without attack, he coordinated his team's efforts to work with the local survivors.
Thanks to his firm yet flexible approach, the unification of the 402nd district was achieved on the first day of the third chapter, despite a few minor setbacks. Now, Simon was solely responsible for the entire community.
"Has the battle plan been finalized?" Simon inquired of Robert, who stood at his side.
Robert consulted his notebook and replied, "Yes, the plan has been distributed as planned. All Barrier operators in the district have had their wristbands changed to green to ensure they can continue fighting during the upcoming battle with the Shared Monster. I will lead the Barrier at the front, while Quintus will lead all Elementalists and crossbowmen in the back row. They will each be equipped with ten spiritual and physical potions, and their psychic wristbands will be uniformly allocated in green. Jack will lead the charge and melee fighters as interspersed units in the upcoming battle. I will coordinate all the district's Spectral Dancer and Hymn Singers to provide enhanced support."
Simon still gazed out the window at the nearby district center and expressed concern. "I'm still a bit worried. You must be extra careful."
"Commander, don't worry. It's just one Shared Monster," reassured Robert.
Simon turned to face him, and his eyes were cold and determined. "How do you know that only one will come?"
Robert understood the gravity of the situation and nodded in agreement before hurrying out of the room.
...
In the 109th district, Alan sat atop the giant crab's head, peering through a telescope at the opposite side of the Great Rift. He could not participate in the upcoming battle against the Shared Monster and could only watch from afar. He fixed his gaze on his boss's back and hoped that he would be careful and emerge unscathed from the fight.
Ming rose to his feet and scanned the crowd for Mike, but he couldn't find him. Mike was usually early to these events, so why was he absent today? Has he had something happen to him?
"It's almost time. Are you feeling nervous?" David asked with a grin as he stood up.
Ming gazed ahead and responded, "How can I be nervous when I want to survival?"
"True, but I still nerve-wracking," David chuckled.
The two exchanged smiles.
In truth, everyone understood that while the rules of the third chapter allowed one to opt out of participating in the arrival of the Shared Monster, there were still consequences to face.
It was inevitable. If the monster were not defeated, it would not simply disappear. Moreover, the word "Shared" did not just apply to the distribution of rewards among those who beat the monster but also to sharing consequences among all the people in the district.
Ming noticed representatives from the three sides in the 109th district communicating with one another. It was a positive development, demonstrating that rational individuals comprised the majority. Ultimately, life was the most crucial consideration.
Later, he observed the three sides organizing according to their respective professions to ensure they could cooperate and assist one another. It was a commendable effort on the part of those who had previously harbored prejudices.
At this moment, everyone was on high alert, watching their surroundings and waiting for the arrival of the Shared Monster.
09:00.
09:01.
Buzz!!
Several white lights descended from the sky and detonated among the crowd.
"Damn it, there's no one!" someone shouted.
"All Barrier operators go front!" another commanded.
"Why did you push me?" someone complained.
"Don't run around!" someone else warned.
Crash!
The lights dissipated, but no monsters were seen.
"Fuck! Is the game system messing with us again?" someone cursed.
"Don't panic; it's just a ruse," someone else reassured them.
"Why were you all running so fast!" another person exclaimed.
"Wait a minute!"
Ming swiftly employed his Eagle Eye ability to scan the crowd, scrutinizing every person and figure.
"What did you see?" David asked, manipulating the sand between his arms and searching the crowd but finding nothing unusual.
"A humanoid! A five-star lord!" Ming exclaimed, locking onto a target and charging forward with his chainsaw. The crowd was too dense for him to use his crossbow.
"Everyone, get down!!" he shouted again.
David trailed behind Ming and yelled, "Everyone, be cautious! It's a humanoid zombie! Squat! Identify the zombies!"
"What?"
"What are those two shouting about?"
"It sounds like they're telling us to Squat?"
"Ah!!"
"What the hell...ah!!"
Suddenly, agonized groans reverberated from the crowd, and chaos ensued as people witnessed "humans" attacking and killing others. The cacophony of screams and moans filled the air, and for a moment, it was impossible to differentiate between friend and foe.
Pandemonium!
The sudden massacre shocked everyone, and they could only fend for themselves. Some individuals waved their weapons in circles, fearing that someone would approach them, while others held their weapons at the ready and questioned those before them.
"Damn it, why did you attack me?"
"Are you a zombie or a human?"
"Fuck! Are you blind?"
"Everyone human, reveal your face!"
Various voices could be heard in the tumult, but how many people were actually listening amid the pandemonium? How many remained calm and collected?
"It's chaos already! We can't distinguish between them!"
David trailed closely behind Ming, watching him use the chainsaw to sever the left arm of one of the "humans."
"What are you doing?" he exclaimed.
"Don't panic; it's just a five-star lord," Ming replied calmly.
Ming pointed to the zombie and instructed David, "Use your sand to wrap around its lower leg and mark it!"
"Okay!" David nodded and raised his hand to fire a burst of sand, entwining the zombie's leg with one arm. But how did Ming know about his skill?
"I'll go find the next one!" Ming immediately dashed towards another section of the crowd with his chainsaw, shouting to David without looking back, "Get some people to help you kill it!"
Meanwhile, Ming scanned all the individuals in front of him with wide-open eyes, but the disorderly crowd made it difficult for him to locate a target.
When the zombies first appeared, the most effective strategy was for everyone to Squat. But now, the disordered crowd rendered this tactic futile.
Behind him, David rallied a few people and shouted at them to assist him in dispatching the five-star leader-level zombie.
"I found one!" Ming observed another five-star leader-level zombie and charged toward it with his chainsaw.
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