Chapter 490: Chapter 325: The Fourth Divine Artifact
Night descended, and the neon lights of the food street in the Lakefront Business District shone brightly. Various small stalls lined both sides of the street, enticing the taste buds of diners.
People came and went on the street, wearing assorted clothes, some just off work, others leisurely strolling tourists, all enjoying food here, creating a lively scene filled with a sense of everyday life.
Behind a grill where a roaring fire cooked meat, a chef skillfully flipped the meat, the sound of frying constantly ringing, steam rising as enticing aromas wafted out, drawing passersby to stop.
In an inconspicuous corner of the barbecue stall, Sikinkov, after work, had changed into a low-key casual outfit, wearing brown glasses to cover his face, sitting there eating dinner.
For someone of his status, meals are not only provided in specialized canteens, with ingredients of special supply level, but even dedicated chefs are on standby 24/7, ready to serve food whenever he unexpectedly feels hungry, so he doesn’t need to find a place to eat.
But the longer he worked at the City Council, the more he liked eating at outdoor stalls, because compared to the cold public canteen, there was more of a sense of life here.
Finding a small stall, ordering a few skewers, pairing them with egg fried rice, grabbing a couple of beers, eating while chatting with the owner about recent interesting events, was truly enjoyable.
The only thing spoiling the fun was the plainclothes hiding in the crowd, but it was necessary because the city was full of dangers, and personal safety needed to be ensured.
As he was eating, Sikinkov received a call from Su Mo.
"Hey, buddy."
On the other end, Su Mo had already sorted out the events Sikinkov needed to know and explained the upcoming "Beacon Incident."
Sikinkov was stunned after hearing it, and he instinctively glanced at his watch: "It’s not April Fool’s Day yet, right?"
Su Mo sounded helpless: "Why are you reacting like this... I’m not joking with you."
Sikinkov’s expression was quite awkward: "Buddy, I’ve always trusted you, but what you said is simply shocking."
He glanced around for a moment and lowered his voice: "You’re saying the border patrol station will fall, and soon countless beasts will come to New Moon City? Even movies wouldn’t script something like this, buddy."
Su Mo: "As I said before, don’t ask too much, just trust me."
Sikinkov hesitated for a while and whispered, "What good is it for you to tell me about something so serious? You should report it up, like telling Zhao Yiming."
Su Mo: "For some inconvenient reasons, I can’t explain my intelligence sources, so I can’t tell those people, only the people I trust most."
Sikinkov was taken aback for a moment and then couldn’t help but laugh: "So I’m one of the people you trust the most?"
Su Mo laughed and asked back: "What, am I not in your heart?"
Sikinkov smiled knowingly and said, "Then, my most trusted buddy, what do you need me to do?"
Su Mo’s tone became serious: "I’ll take care of the beacon, you just need to focus on one place, the Rust Wall."
"Once the disaster strikes, border people will surely rush to the Inner City. If they’re kept out by the Rust Wall, hundreds of thousands to millions of people may be slaughtered."
"So, I need you, a City Council official, to coordinate the appropriate departments, doing whatever it takes to get the Rust Wall Defense Team to let people in, and then properly settle them."
Sikinkov held his forehead, with a grave and oppressive expression: "You make it sound so easy, just open your mouth and the lives of millions are on me..."
Su Mo: "You’re not alone, this matter requires everyone’s concerted effort. I’m gathering every trustworthy force."
Sikinkov: "But have you thought about if my coordination fails? There’s no precedent for this, and the Rust Wall Defense Team isn’t directly under the Public Security Bureau. If the City Council doesn’t allow it, they won’t let people in."
Su Mo was silent for a moment, his voice deep: "If the worst happens, then we can only say... we’ve done our best."
Sikinkov licked his dry lips and said quietly: "You’re really putting me to the fire here... I can’t guarantee the outcome, but I can promise you I’ll do my utmost."
Su Mo: "Yes, I’m counting on you!"
The call ended.
Soon after the communication ended, a government vehicle stopped nearby, and Yang Le got out, jogging over to Sikinkov and saying: "Director, the Amir City Council President has called a meeting on short notice. I’m here to take you."
Sikinkov settled the bill and got into the government car with his assistant.
Upon arriving at the Municipal Center, the two walked into City Hall one after the other.
As Yang Le followed behind, he suddenly noticed Sikinkov stopping in front of him.
"Director?"
Only to see Sikinkov standing in place, looking up at something.
Yang Le followed his gaze and soon saw what he was looking at.
It was a phrase engraved on the central wall of the lobby, a slogan of the World Government.
This phrase didn’t originate from any head of state but existed before the World Government was even established.
When people first discovered this phrase, it was carved on a stone.
Later trace identifications confirmed that it was carved during the apocalyptic war that destroyed the old world’s civilization.
No one knows who engraved it, perhaps a leader, a general, or maybe just an ordinary soldier who once lived and later died in the war.
