Chapter 519: Chapter 339: In the Hour of Crisis (Part 2)
Fenrir rampaged back and forth through the horde of beasts, changing direction at sharp angles as if defying the laws of physics, carving out countless destructive zig-zags.
The sharp claws of the azure wolf slashed repeatedly, and the turbulent currents it generated converged into invisible tidal waves. Any beast, regardless of size or rank, shattered upon contact. The debris of beasts and building fragments were caught up in the hurricane, scattered everywhere.
As Fenrir once again stood firm, thousands of beasts around the corridor had all turned into fragments, with not a single one left alive. Only the towering figure of the Wolf King stood in the center of the sea of blood, its dark purple eyes the sole remaining trace of color.
Once the area around Fenrir was cleared, the single-soldier aircraft that had followed her began to land.
They were the Wolf Assault Elite led by Hibell, each having reached the third level in the seven-level extraordinary power system, with core members like Hibell having achieved the fourth level. They were all vital forces within the group.
The group hadn’t been standing for long when the roars of beasts echoed from the dark corridor interior, and the ground trembled faintly. Another wave of beast tide was about to arrive.
Standing at the front, Fenrir commanded, "The target is simple: stay here with me, and kill however many beasts come."
Someone asked, "What about the time? How long are we holding out?"
Fenrir’s eyes reflected the dark entrance as she solemnly said, "That depends on how fast the Rusted Wall’s doors can open."
...
[Eastern Border District]
The refugees were now arriving here one after another.
The appearance of Tunneling Insects not only brought fierce beasts but also affected the movement of the earth’s crust due to their intense subterranean activity, causing earthquakes of considerable scale in the Border District.
Though the earthquake was short-lived, its intensity was significant. Coupled with the substandard quality of buildings in the Border District, many had collapsed in the tremors, turning into piles of rubble and blocking numerous street entrances and exits.
Even more deadly, the late winter to early spring transition brought continuous rains, which should have nourished all living things. Instead, it had turned into another disaster, making the roads slippery and muddy, hard to traverse, and cruelly stealing the body heat from the refugees.
Following the massive evacuation last month, over 6 million people remained in the Border District.
Excluding those who had perished under the beasts’ claws or were trapped in other city districts unable to evacuate, about 4 million refugees fleeing to the eastern part of the Border District were still arriving in growing numbers over time.
The refugees dispersed along various streets, forming hundreds and thousands of groups, trudging along in pairs and trios, clutching their soaked clothes tightly against their bodies.
Some were fortunate, huddling with their families and enjoying the warmth of past times even amidst the catastrophe.
But many more had lost their families to varying degrees. All around were sobs rising and falling. Some couldn’t hold back their emotions, crouching and crying into their hands on the ground before standing again, like the walking dead, to continue onward.
Beyond the endless refugees, another group emerged in the Eastern Border District.
When catastrophe struck, no one expected it, but the first to step up and take responsibility was the previously feared violent group.
The Wolf Assault showed a remarkable sense of duty, carrying out Fenrir’s instructions admirably. The strong charged into the dangerous North District to hold off and intercept, while the relatively weaker members arrived in the East District to maintain order in the evacuation line, guiding everyone to evacuate faster and more orderly.
At that moment, a Wolf Assault thug was scanning the evacuation line and suddenly spotted a solitary little girl.
The little girl wore thin pajamas, obviously having fled without time to change clothes when the beasts arrived. Her lips were turning purple from the cold, and she was shivering all over.
The thug took off his waterproof leather jacket and draped it over the girl, kindly asking, "Child, where are your mom and dad?"
The little girl looked up at the thug with eyes full of irrepressible sadness and shook her head.
Sadness washed over the thug, who gently asked, "Do you have anyone else you know?"
The little girl shook her head again, "They were all bitten to death by monsters—my dad, my mom, and my sister..."
The thug bit his lip hard, eventually closing his eyes and letting out a deep sigh.
The girl’s gaze was somewhat vacant, her voice low and tinged with lingering bewilderment, "Big brother, am I going to die too?"
The thug calmed his repressed emotions, placing his hand on her shoulder, and said firmly, "No way, our leader has personally taken people to the North District. You have no idea how strong she is! With her there, for every beast that comes, a beast will die!"
"Don’t be afraid, child, just keep walking a bit longer. Once we get into the Inner City, everyone will survive!"
Hope rekindled in the girl’s eyes. She nodded gently and moved closer to the thug, sharing warmth with each other.
After about an hour of walking, the thug noticed the line slowing and stopping, with everyone peering ahead, uncertain of what was happening.
He was about to check it out but hesitated, glancing back at the solitary girl before carrying her on his back and running forward.
The line was long, and the thug ran for dozens of minutes before reaching the front and finally understanding why the line had stopped.
The city gate at the Rusted Wall was shut tight. Not only that, the holographic warning sign for the firepower identification zone still floated in mid-air, and its brightness was more glaring than ever.
He found a companion and urgently asked, "What’s going on? They’re not letting us through?"
The companion gritted his teeth and replied, "No, they said the ’Rusted Wall Isolation Act’ is still in effect, and ordered us to disperse and return home immediately."
The thug couldn’t help but curse, "Damn them! Don’t they know the situation in the Border District?!"
The front-line news quickly spread to the rear, and everyone soon learned of the Rusted Wall’s continued closure. Despair spread through the crowd, with pleas echoing one after another:
"Officers, save us! We’re already at the end of our rope!"
"If they don’t open the gate, the beasts will be here soon! What about my children?!"
"Please, give us a way to live!"
As the crowd called out, a buzzing sound came from the Rusted Wall Broadcast Tower, followed by the calm voice of the wall’s authority:
"Citizens of the Border District, please remain calm and don’t panic. Although these are extraordinary times, everyone must abide by the relevant laws and regulations and not trespass into prohibited zones without authorization."
"I know everyone is scared because this is not just a crisis of New Moon City, but an unprecedented crisis for the entire Human Realm."
"To those at the epicenter of the disaster, our hearts are with you. But the City Council has already made the necessary deployments, and we ask everyone to cooperate."
"In this moment of peril, let us all shout that inspiring slogan together—’The survival of humanity above all!’
The thug carefully set the little girl down and took a loudspeaker from his companion, stepping to the Edge of the firepower identification zone to shout hoarsely:
"Aren’t we humans?!"
"Ratatatatatata—"
Responding to the thug was a barrage of bullets striking the ground before him, spraying debris that left small wounds on his body, forcing him to retreat.
As the cries of surprise echoed among the refugees, the broadcast tower continued with the official tone: "I repeat, please comply with the regulations. Trust the City Council, trust the World Government."
"Under the wise leadership of the World Government, New Moon City will surely weather this catastrophe safely. Anyone attempting to defy the law will be met with merciless punishment."
The refugees stood, numb, as their spirits plummeted.
In front were the tightly closed gates of the Rusted Wall, and behind were the beasts that could come at any moment.
These displaced people had to face an extremely terrifying reality...
They had reached a dead end.
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