Newford, the administrative hall, was in a state of frantic disarray.
Uniformed staff members scurried back and forth, their hurried footsteps echoing through the air. In the midst of the chaos, documents were dropped and left abandoned on the floor.
Since the "big fall," the entire city seemed to have plunged into a long-forgotten chaos again.
"Quick, where is the A-grade SporeMirus cannon! Bring it out!" commanded a high-ranking officer, his voice laced with urgency.
"Sir, we can't locate the target!"
"Where did the mishap come from? The bell rang fking 5 times! Hope they haven't reached the city..."
...
Meanwhile, in the conference room, separated from the bustling hall by a solid door, an abrupt silence fell upon the occupants.
Four figures sat around a large table, each lost in their own thoughts. A group of formally dressed individuals, presumably secretaries, stood behind them, waiting to assist.
"Well. Alright, civilian staff, leave. Use any your abilities to help those outside. Sigh..."
The man with blond hair, seated at the head of the table, finally spoke up. He began his sentence with a sigh, his voice trailing off as sighed midway through his sentence and fell silent.
The staff looked at each other, then put down their materials, offered polite greetings, and exited the room one by one.
As the sound of their footsteps faded away, the conference room door closed, and the room seemed even quieter than before.
It had to be said that the materials fortified with Spore's special blessing had really excellent soundproofing effects.
"Larry, in the end, it's nothing..."
A man wearing white lab coat and glasses in the conference room suddenly spoke up, broke the silence, attempting to offer solace.
"Newford was merely a small town at very begining. It has never truly experienced peace since its inception. These turbulent times are to be expected."
"Hmph, yes! It's also normal for mayors to come and go!"
Another figure suddenly stood up, slamming the table and exclaimed: "I'm going out to help. Sitting here moping is useless!"
The man who had been comforting Larry frowned and asked:
"General Mundo, what do you mean by that?"
Without pausing, General Mundo strode purposefully toward the door, his voice cold and dismissive.
"Nothing, Dr. Luke. You should be more concerned about the shadows you've lost! First, the Mastermind lost its power, then the Bell disappeared. Newford is definitely cursed. Damn it... I shouldn't have run away and come here in the first place."
With a resounding bang, the door slammed shut behind him, further amplifying the profound stillness in the room.
Yes, with one less breath, it literally quieter.
Mayor Larry, head still lowered, never lifted his gaze. His face was supported by one hand, his head tilted, his eyes fixed on the table. Lost in his thoughts, he remained silent throughout the proceedings.
Feeling the weight of the silence, Dr. Luke awkwardly opened his mouth, then turned his attention to the only figure in the room who had not yet spoken.
"Max... regarding Wild Diver—"
Max raised a hand to stop Luke's words. He was a middle-aged man with broad shoulders, wearing a mask made of nuts and bolts that emitted a metallic sound whenever he spoke.
"They've all been called back. We will wholeheartedly protect Newford."
He nodded, and the sound of metal components on his body grew louder. Then he gave Luke an assuring look and added:
"After all, we also depend on Newford for our survival..."
"Oh my...Thank you so much! Newford won't forget Wild Diver's..."
"Yea...We're a family, after all..."
Max's tone suddenly paused, and he pulled out a white paper that had been folded three times from his pocket and handed it to Luke.
"Max, what is this?"
Luke received it with confusion, thinking it might be important information about what was happening outside the walls. However, as he unfolded and read it, his expression darkened.
"Dr. Luke, this is a draft of the contract we've prepared with the city. You know, Wild Diver also wants a legitimate identity... It would be great if we could have some protection outside of Newford."
Slam!
Luke slapped the paper on the table, his expression filled with anger.
"You want to use taxpayers' money to fund your private army!"
Max leaned back, shaking his head, and the metal nuts on his face made a rustling sound, signifying his disagreement. "Your words too heavy, it's just a fair deal."
"If you want Wild Diver's help..."
He continued, his voice tight with restraint.
"Raise your money."
Luke's face grew increasingly grim, his frustration manifesting in every line and crease. He even took off his glasses, as if removing a barrier between himself and some injustice he perceived. From his standpoint, he naturally had to fight for the weakened administrative body's right to speak.
Just as the argument seemed about to continue, Larry, who had been silent all along, suddenly burst into laughter.
"Hahaha..."
"Hahahahaha..."
"Hahahahahahaha... cough cough, hahaha."
His laughter grew louder and more unhinged, causing him to double over, clutching his stomach and coughing, like a deranged elderly king reveling in his madness.
The people on either side of the table forgot their quarrel and looked at this man with wary eyes, their gazes gradually widening.
Involuntarily, they all froze, instinctively stood up, and slowly backed away.
It had been months since the disaster struck, and it was no secret that Awakened individuals could lose control under certain circumstances. Larry, the mayor, exhibiting such abnormal behavior, was a clear sign of impending chaos.
But what truly sent a chill down their spines was the knowledge of Larry's Awakened level.
An Ascending-type, A2.
This class of Awakened was already known for their destructive capabilities, and combined with the fact that he was one of the only four A-rank Awakened in Newford, their positions at the heart of the city were even more precarious.
If Larry lost control here, the elite forces outside that were maintaining the stability of Newford would face unimaginable casualties. This level of risk was akin to declaring that Newford was about to plunge into weeks of chaos.
Max didn't show much reaction. He would save his own life and run with Wild Diver, maybe even get some benefits in this.
But for Luke, who was conducting research at the academy, this situation was distressing. He couldn't bear the weight of such risk.
"Max... We will consider your proposal. For now, stand here and... Max! Max! Oh damn, bloody wild divers!"
Max had disappeared. Luke had no idea how he managed to escape without opening the door.
As Luke worried about whether he would meet his end here, the laughter from Larry, on the other side suddenly ceased.
Luke swallowed hard and cautiously approached the door.
"Hahaha... You're afraid of Newford's destruction? That's hilarious!"
Just as Luke's hand touched the doorknob, he heard Larry speak with a voice that belonged to a normal human. Luke turned around to find the mayor staring at him with icy blue eyes, devoid of any emotion.
It was complete indifference, as if he were speaking to thin air.
Larry fell silent for a moment before speaking again.
"Newford's destruction is the most improbable thing. It will only lose its status. All of you, including myself, will become puppets from this day forward. What does it matter if you're an A-rank Awakener or the mayor? We're all just working for the stronger... Humans themselves are a resource."
Larry suddenly stood up and walked step by step toward the window, drawing open the massive classical curtains in the meeting room.
A glint shadow in his eyes as he stared at the distant sky, where a "meteor" approached Newford, little by little.
"Even if it's an S-rank, even it's on top, it's still just working for the era..."
Luke also caught sight of three points of light rapidly growing in size outside the window. He furrowed his brow and walked to Larry's side, his voice filled with confusion.
"What are those..."
"Yea, they are the consequence of bell strokes, the 'reinforcements' coming to support Newford."
Larry sighed and returned to his state of silence.
"You don't understand the meaning of the Bell. The moment it went missing, I reported it. But Newford's power is simply too weak, or rather, we are too close to Luzmell. The worst-case scenario has unfolded... Nevertheless... the wolf is at the door..."
"Even no mishap here."