Thrive in Catastrophe - Chap 93
“I was afraid if I left that the explosions would frighten you.”
“……Idiot……”
Gordon pressed his face against the large debris that separated them, his voice was low and serious. “Tell me. How are you?”
“…Well…the bad news is that I don’t have any feeling from the neck down.” Ervel’s voice was weak; it was clear that soon the blood loss would render him unconscious.
Gordon’s brow strained and trembled. “It’s okay. Talk to me. Stay with me…don’t fall asleep.”
“The good news is…I can’t feel any pain.”
“Ah…well wait until they dig you out and restore your nerves…or we can have Xiao Yan give you a shot of x-2. You’ll be fine.”
“Gordon…Do you think we did the right thing? Believing Casey…believing Jane..”
“I never believed in Casey or Jane-I only believed in you.”
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The armed forces rapidly mobilized. Large quantities of condensing agent were sprayed over the monument in the town square. Although the strongest support was nearly bursting apart, the agent stabilized it.
The Shire had already lost a third of the city. The troops were conducting search and rescue for the trapped citizens and attempting to repair the structure points around the city. The homeless crowded in the central part of the Shire, the air was a mix of disturbed silence and frightened cries.
The president leaned against the window as he let out a heavy sigh.
“We were lucky.”
“President?” Admiral Sharif looked over at him with an incredulous expression.
“The Shire is nothing more than a cage we have used to deceive ourselves. Valentin has shattered this illusion and reintroduced reality.” The president lowered his head and his voice dropped to a low and cold tone. “No matter what anyone said, I should have hunted Valentin down. But I was caught up in politics and ambition…now we must all awake from this illusion.”
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Xiao Yan’s craft flew upward toward the sun, hues of rust and blood stretched across the sky.
A heavy silence filled the cabin.
The muted atmosphere remained until the last tendrils of light disappeared into the horizon and the inky night washed through the craft. Lauren, unable to take the quiet any longer, finally spoke. “Do you think we are the only ones from the Shire that survived?”
“Of course not.” Xiao’s voice was thick with conviction.
Xiao secretly calculated the particle bombs needed to collapse the dome. It was impossible to transport it all by aircraft. Valentin’s goal was simply to spread fear and despair. No longer was the Shire a peaceful and safe place to live. Even if the Sharon virus could solve the zombie issue, without the shield of the Shire, Valentin will be even more ferocious in asserting his power.
The craft entered the base safely and Shen Bing waited for them at the end of the passage as usual. This time, his expression was even harsher and the wrinkles above his brow seemed to bear a crushing weight.
Xiao exited the cabin and saluted him. “Colonel, Shen Bing.”
“I am pleased that you have made it to my base safely.”
Other than the Shire, this base had the most powerful military might.
All the researchers exited the craft and Loch began to directly and anxiously fire off questions.
“Colonel has the Shire contacted your base? What is the situation?”
As Shen Bing headed to the main control room, everyone filed behind him. The researchers and armed forces were all hurried and busy; no one even bothered to look up as the elite researchers passed by.
They stopped at a huge holographic image, displaying scenes from the Shire.
“The good news is that the dome hasn’t fallen. Only a third of the city has been lost. The military is repairing all the support points as quickly as possible and attempting to ready living arrangements for the people.” Shen Bing stands with his hands clasped firmly behind him.
