Chapter 203: Expulsion

In the afternoon, Rain Town was once again hit by a heavy downpour.

The sky turned dark and gloomy, and the air was filled with a repressive atmosphere. Outside the movie theater on the central street, many vehicles were now parked.

Some of these vehicles belonged to the Vajra convoy, with undried bloodstains still on them. Others were vehicles that Ding Qing had collected from the town and repaired. These vehicles had little defensive capability, and their gasoline was not enough to drive one or two hundred kilometers.

In the underground parking lot, more than a hundred people walked out with their luggage, trembling under the watch of guns. The crowd was filled with an atmosphere of unease and confusion, with the occasional cries of children and sobs of women.

The moment they learned that the town was about to be destroyed, everyone’s first reaction was confusion and fear, clueless about the unknown tomorrow.

In the rain, some families began to move their luggage into the cars. A few people started organizing the survivors to allocate vehicles. Everyone moved in silence. On the street, the members of the Infinity team watched this scene, holding their guns.

Countless gazes were constantly directed at Lin Xian. Some people began to realize that this was the person who was about to confront the monster in the chemical plant head-on, and also the person who was making them leave this safe yet twisted sanctuary.

Those gazes directed at Lin Xian carried complex meanings. Lin Xian said nothing, quietly watching these people nervously load their cars, and then leave one after another.

He knew that most of these people might not live to see tomorrow. However, if the [mark] was confirmed and Lin Xian and his team successfully dealt with the monster, these people might be able to live a few more days.

After everyone had left, Lin Xian wasted no more time. He had his team members board the train and return, while he and KIKI stayed in the town, responsible for the detonation.

Considering the various issues with the [mark], Lin Xian had Lu Chang bring the Hell Black Chrysanthemum in that large box. He wanted to see if killing the monster would allow the Hell Black Chrysanthemum to absorb the black smoke.

On the Infinity’s side, everyone except Lin Xian and KIKI had returned to the train. Because the battlefield was too gruesome, Shu Qin only let those with stronger psychological endurance handle the cleanup. The others followed Chen Sixuan to organize and record the collected items.

The entire Rain Town station was filled with the smell of death and coldness. Because it was raining, the flowing rainwater was almost entirely red.

“12 first-level blood essences, 3 second-level blood essences, and 4 rocket launchers, two 12.7mm vehicle-mounted machine cannons. This Vajra convoy was really strong.”

Inside the car, Shu Qin looked at the record of the confiscated items, secretly shocked.

“If it weren’t for our heavy weapons, they probably wouldn’t have been wiped out so quickly,” Chen Sixuan also said.

“Useless.”

Lu Xingchen had a profound look on his face. “The fighting spirit of this group of people is gone. They are just stray dogs. Having become the hounds of demons, how would they dare to fight to the death? They can only do some petty thievery.”

Chen Sixuan fell silent upon hearing this. It was human nature to seek advantages and avoid disadvantages. The people on the Infinity, including herself, had been forced out of desperation, escaping through countless dark nights. Encountering a place that could provide shelter from the night, it was inevitable for ordinary people to have a change in mentality.

“Alright.”

Chen Sixuan looked out the window and reminded, “Everyone, get ready. We need to support Lin Xian and the others.”

With that, she turned to Da Lou. “Da Lou, take a few more people to urgently repair the tracks ahead. I’ve checked, the damage isn’t major, so we don’t need to wait for Lin Xian to come back. We might have to evacuate at any time.”

“Okay, Sis.”

Da Lou accepted the order solemnly. Car number 11 was equipped with track steel and various lifting and welding tools, which Lin Xian had always kept prepared. As long as there was no major terrain damage, even if Lin Xian and KIKI were not present, the others could handle the emergency repairs.

Chen Sixuan was meticulous and considerate. When Lin Xian was not around, and after she had thrown herself into battle, the gentle and reserved aura around her was gradually replaced by a calm and cold temperament. Everyone began to recognize her more.

Under Chen Sixuan’s command, the personnel in each car of the Infinity began to prepare for the retreat in an orderly manner.

Rain Town, Clock Tower.

Lin Xian held a remote control made from a simple communicator, looking at the silent town streets. In the depths of some broken windows, strange human figures could be vaguely seen.

Those gazes hidden in the buildings seemed to be able to sense an invisible threat, quietly staring in Lin Xian’s direction.

KIKI floated behind him with her arms crossed. “I was wondering why you specifically ran in there just now. It turns out you had your eye on that mechanical arm. Are you thinking of installing it on the train?”

“It’s not out of the question.”

Lin Xian spoke, “My mechanical Esper ability still has a lot of room for development. Just as you said, if we succeed this time, maybe we really will go to Star City and meet that federal government.”

KIKI raised an eyebrow. “According to the radio, the old federal government has renamed Star City to Dawn City and integrated the original garrison and the armed forces of some security groups into a ‘Federal Army’. Their strength is not to be underestimated. We’ll have to sneak in. The Infinity’s Gemini 11R nuclear-powered electric locomotive will be discovered as soon as it enters.”

“If nothing unexpected happens, their strength and prestige will continue to grow,” Lin Xian said.

“Are you saying many survivors will join them?”

Lin Xian nodded and took a deep breath. “If the theory of the [Dark Mark] is established, more people will definitely go to Dawn City. At that time, the debate about whether to flee or hold fast might trigger a new round of arguments among the survivors…”

“This situation is extremely unfavorable for the Phoenix Society.”

KIKI frowned upon hearing this and fell silent, saying with some unease,

“That’s right. If people are afraid of being marked in the dark, will the public opinion on Dawn City’s underground city project reverse? It will definitely cause a stir within the Phoenix Society, which has been moving globally.”

“Yes, but it won’t be that fast. After all, humanity still doesn’t have the ability to survive stably in the polar night. Just like the mystery of the unknown creature in Underground City No. 9 has not been solved. Whether to run or stay, everyone has their own opinion. Most people will still be inclined to flee the night, but they will have to work on solving the [Dark Mark].”

“Then should we still synchronize this information about the [Dark Mark] with the Phoenix Society?” KIKI asked with a hint of worry in her eyes.

“We must.”

Lin Xian’s expression was firm, and he said without hesitation, “The factional disputes among humans are our own business. But in the face of the dark invasion, our enemies are the same. If we can use the Hell Black Chrysanthemum to confirm this theory today, it might save many survivors who are currently fleeing, and also change everyone’s escape model. Compared to the lives of millions of people, factional disputes are not worth mentioning.”

KIKI nodded with admiration upon hearing this. “Not bad, very broad-minded. It’s just that those Adventists might not think so. They treat the monsters as gods.”

“Is that so?”

Lin Xian looked towards the chemical plant. “Then today, we’ll let some blood from the god in the hearts of these Adventists!”

Click~

“Lin Xian, the Infinity is fully deployed and ready to retreat at any time. You two be careful.”

Chen Sixuan’s voice came through the communicator. Lin Xian looked at the time, 14:40 in the afternoon.

“Everyone, prepare for impact. Detonating now!”