Chapter 279: Traitors
For some of the questions raised by a few individuals, a person claiming to be the overall commander of the United Fleet stepped forward and confirmed the previous message.
"Hello, everyone. I am Burke, the overall commander of the United Fleet and also the controller of the Noah’s Ark, the King’s Ark. Currently, our fleet is heading towards the Dawn, with the purpose of eliminating Waldo and his forces."
"As we all know, Waldo is a narrow-minded individual who is very belligerent. Once he becomes more powerful, he may unleash an unimaginable storm of war. All of us would be caught in an endless quagmire of warfare."
"So, for the sake of all survivors and, of course, for my own sake, we have formed the United Fleet to attack the Dawn and eliminate this time bomb."
Burke’s words were resolute, and his expression was serious and righteous. Instantly, he won the support of numerous survivors. Almost everyone deeply abhorred war, but Waldo’s previous actions had clearly broken that unspoken agreement. Ignoring the bigger picture, he had audaciously sunk the Heavenly Dragon.
Therefore, Waldo had become a target of widespread animosity. At this moment, several Noah’s Arks, including the King’s Ark, had formed a united fleet to punish Waldo.
People applauded and expressed their joy. "That’s great, Waldo is finally going to face retribution. Thank you for your efforts. This guy, Waldo, should have been eliminated a long time ago!"
"Yes, your fleet can take action without worry. We won’t blame you!"
"We wish you a complete victory and the total eradication of this cancer, Waldo!"
The overwhelming majority of people were wholeheartedly supporting the United Fleet’s actions.
Little did they know that they had already been manipulated by the United Fleet. The United Fleet exploited the public’s aversion to Waldo, leading them to support the fleet’s actions. After eliminating the Dawn, their goal was to become the rulers of the seas.
By then, they would inevitably engage in battles far and wide. When they realized what was happening, it would be too late. The timing, circumstances, and people were all on their side. The five controllers of the United Fleet felt confident of their success.
Subsequently, they decided to release the news that Waldo had already been killed. The main purpose was to crush the survivors of the Dawn’s spirits and make them surrender willingly. This would also make their mission easier.
When the news spread, many people found it unbelievable. They then praised the United Fleet wholeheartedly, believing that the Dawn was doomed and had little chance of survival. Nobody sympathized with the Dawn, and they thought that Waldo and his followers deserved their fate.
However, not everyone shared this sentiment. Survivors from the GMT+8 timezone felt that something was amiss. They knew Waldo very well, and he was extraordinarily formidable. It was impossible for him to be assassinated so easily.
"Waldo is dead? Is it true or false? I have my doubts! I have a feeling that something big is about to happen. Waldo wouldn’t be killed so easily. Let’s wait for further developments! To be honest, I still believe in Waldo’s character and strength. This can’t be true!" Some voiced their skepticism.
Waldo did have supporters, they were just drowned out by the majority. On board the Dawn, there was an atmosphere of gloom and despair. Many survivors felt pessimistic, thinking that their fate was sealed. Silva, AlannaHelen, and others who knew the truth remained highly vigilant, prepared to prevent any disruptions.
They were aware that Waldo was not dead, but the ordinary survivors did not know. Some believed that there might be trouble after Waldo’s supposed death, and their suspicions turned out to be correct.
Finally, someone, driven by wavering determination and the fear of retaliation, betrayed Waldo and the Dawn. Reeves, another level 60 rulers, took the lead. Under the immense pressure of Waldo’s formidable power, Reeves had refrained from making any moves, but he had been feeling increasingly frustrated.
Now, he saw an opportunity to act and decided that surrendering and kidnapping Waldo’s two women, Alanna and Helen, was the only way to survive. He led over thirty armed individuals toward the residence of Alanna and Helen, intending to abduct them and offer their allegiance to the United Fleet.
However, before they could even reach the door, they were apprehended by the concealed Dawn security team. Facing three level 60 rulers of the same rank, Reeves and his group were powerless to resist.
Silva sneered, "Just as expected, someone wanted to betray the Dawn, but Waldo had a better plan. We’ve just cleaned out a batch of traitors!"
Upon hearing these words, the would-be betrayers were taken aback. They had been resentful and planned to question Silva about why they hadn’t taken Waldo’s women. After all, Waldo was supposedly dead, and by surrendering to the United Fleet, they could have preserved their lives. Who would choose their own death over that?
However, upon hearing Silva’s statement, they sensed that something was amiss. What did he mean by "Waldo had a better plan"? Could it be that Waldo wasn’t actually dead? In an instant, a chilling feeling washed over them.
"No, no, no! I didn’t intend to betray Waldo! I was just too scared, overwhelmed by fear, please, spare my life!"
"Me too! I never wanted to betray Waldo! It was Reeves, he misled us!"
"Waldo isn’t dead, right? Haha, I knew it! Please, spare me! I didn’t mean to, I can promise there won’t be a next time!"
The would-be betrayers, now shaken from their stupor, began to sob uncontrollably, pleading for mercy.
"I wasn’t intentional," they cried. "I was just too afraid. Please spare me!"
However, Silva only sneered at their pleas.
"At a critical moment for the Dawn, instead of defending it, you tried to secure your own lives by taking the leader Waldo’s family hostage. What use are you to us? All of you will be executed."
As Silva’s words fell, the cries grew louder. Soon, gunshots echoed through the air, followed by an eerie silence. The aftermath revealed a scene of lifeless bodies and flowing blood.
Witnessing this from a distance, the remaining survivors of the Dawn were gripped with terror and dared not entertain any rebellious thoughts.
