Outside Sunshine Tower, the sky was as dark as ink, and the rain was pouring harder and harder. The red and blue police lights reflected in the puddles, distorting like an abstract painting.
A dense line of police cars surrounded the building, blocking every possible route.
Officers, armed with firearms, stood alert, not daring to slacken for a moment. The atmosphere was tense and oppressive.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Suddenly, a noise came from behind, drawing the attention of many officers.
Deputy Director Tigimer turned around and saw several beige military armored vehicles approaching on the road, with two tanks among them. The dark barrels sent a chill down his spine. At the front was a military jeep.
“The military is here!” He thought with surprise and quickly instructed those nearby to clear the path.
One by one, the steel beasts rumbled by and eventually came to a slow stop in front of the crowd. A group of soldiers, wearing combat uniforms and carrying submachine guns, swiftly disembarked and formed a perimeter around the jeep.
The vehicle door opened, and an elderly Drumph, wrapped in a coat, stepped out. Ignoring the rain, he walked directly towards Tigimer and asked, “Have there been any updates on Yelling and Kanade? What about Coarmy?”
Morning Star was their most crucial force in resisting the apocalypse, and it was also the strongest Transcendent power under the government’s command. But now, two teams had mysteriously disappeared, and even his granddaughter Donlow was among them.
Even now, Drumph could hardly believe it. No one knew their strength better than he did, yet the facts were right in front of him. No matter how much he didn’t want to believe it, he had to prepare for the worst.
Deputy Director Tigimer didn’t dare to hide anything. “Since the message from Melania came through, there has been no further movement at the building. After Director Coarmy and Mr. Luca entered, we haven’t heard anything.”
“Luca went in too?” Drumph was struck as though lightning had just struck him.
Did that kid not understand the danger inside? Why did Coarmy follow along with his reckless behavior?
Luca was one of the few SSS-level players in Morning Star. If he died here as well…
Just the thought made Drumph’s vision go black.
Looking up at the dark building ahead, he gritted his teeth and said, “We’ll give it ten more minutes. If no one comes out by then, we’ll storm in! We’ll see the living if they’re alive, and if they’re dead, we’ll find their bodies!”
“I understand.” Deputy Director Tigimer’s expression was grim as he prepared to leave and carry out the orders.
Boom—! At that moment, the sound of several car engines roared from behind. Blinding white headlights sliced through the rain, and the growling sound of the vehicles filled the night, as a line of luxury cars drove straight toward the group of officers, disregarding the tense atmosphere around them.
Their brazen behavior made the soldiers protecting Drumph raise their guns in unison.
“Damn street racers, everyone be on alert!” Tigimer’s face contorted with anger. His hand already rested on his waist, ready to see who had the audacity to breach the blockade zone.
Drumph furrowed his brow as he stared at the approaching vehicles, remaining silent.
The line of luxury cars—more than a dozen in total—came to a smooth stop.
The door of the red Ferrari at the front slowly opened, and Hummer, accompanied by several heirs from prestigious families, got out of the car.
Behind them, Stormlook and Yuel also stepped down from a Maybach, their expressions complex.
Though they knew Hummer’s purpose in coming, they hadn’t expected him to be so urgent—he hadn’t even waited for the banquet to finish before bringing a group of people to Sunshine Tower. It was unclear whether this was a good or bad omen.
“Mr. Drumph, it’s been a long time.” Hummer approached Drumph with a gentle smile, appearing humble and not at all concerned by the guns pointed in his direction. On the surface, he seemed courteous, but in reality, his arrogance was undeniable.
Drumph didn’t bother with pleasantries. His voice was cold. “Hummer, what brings you all the way out here from the capital?”
Hummer, a third-generation member of the James family, was one of the most likely candidates to inherit the family leadership.
His father, Waymontane, was the second-in-command of the James Family, a prominent figure in the capital. With someone of his status suddenly showing up in the North District, it was clear he was up to no good.
“Don’t get worked up. I’m just here to find someone,” Hummer said casually, explaining his purpose.
He then turned his gaze to the towering Sunshine Tower, clicking his tongue. “Though it seems I’ve arrived at the wrong time.”
Drumph’s voice was icy. “I don’t care what you’re here for, but this is the North District, not a place where someone like you can cause a scene. If you’re here to stir up trouble, maybe you should have the James Family prepare your funeral arrangements.”
Despite his unassuming height and slightly hunched posture, Drumph exuded an overwhelming aura of authority.
Hummer’s smile slowly faded, and he squinted. “Mr. Drumph, don’t worry. I’m not here to cause any trouble. Otherwise, I wouldn’t dare show up in front of you. After all, we’ve all seen the fate of Zahilter and Zadownlow.”
At the mention of those names, the heirs from prestigious families behind Hummer couldn’t help but shiver.
News had spread in the capital that Zahilter had been killed on the spot, and Zadownlow had lost an arm. It was rumored that their downfall was due to offending Drumph, but at first, no one believed it. Now, however, it was clear that the rumors were true.
“You better understand.” Drumph didn’t bother explaining further; this was exactly the rumor he had spread in the capital.
He didn’t want to waste any more precious time on Hummer.
He turned his gaze to the soldiers, his voice deep and commanding. “Everyone, get ready. The moment the time comes, act immediately!
“No matter the cost, we must bring those people out from inside!”
“Even if it’s just their bodies, they need to be brought out!”
“Is that clear?!”
Upon hearing this, Tigimer and all the soldiers visibly tensed.
They straightened their backs, all responding in unison.
The synchronized voices echoed in the dark night.
A young man with a streak of blue in his hair shrugged at Hummer and said, “The person you’re looking for, Luca, seems to be one of the missing. Looks like we’re probably going to end up making a wasted trip.”
Hummer got into his sports car, not at all concerned, and smiled casually. “No worries, if he’s dead, it doesn’t matter.
“If that’s all he’s capable of, then it just means he’s not worth my time trying to recruit.
“This also indirectly proves just how stupid Celephais is, that he keeps failing against such insignificant ants.”
The young man and those around him couldn’t help but laugh. It was true—no matter Luca’s actual abilities, they could always spin the situation. In the end, the position of James Family heir would be Hummer’s.
And those closest to him would naturally rise in status as well.
The father and daughter behind them also overheard the conversation. Yuel looked at the towering building through the rain, her eyes betraying an unmistakable worry. Stormlook, beside her, let out a long sigh.
“Hopefully, that kid has better luck and can survive the monster.”
…
Meanwhile, on the 21st floor of Sunshine Tower…
The moment Luca stepped onto the floor, his brows furrowed.
The once spacious office floor was now eerily empty. The neat office area had been reduced to chaos, as if a typhoon had swept through. Papers and trash were scattered everywhere, and the bodies of office employees shared the same grim fate as the debris.
Scattered limbs and chunks of flesh were strewn across the floor, ceiling, office desks, and even the floor-to-ceiling windows. Everywhere he looked, it was as if a layer of red paint had been smeared.
The floor felt like it was covered in a thick red carpet, soft and squishy underfoot, with some parts of it sticky with blood.
His eyes scanned the entire office area, finally settling on the manager’s office.
There, standing in the center of the room, was a figure drenched in blood.
When Luca recognized the person, his breath caught for a brief moment.
The man was wearing a tattered black uniform, his body covered in wounds, and even his hair was dyed dark red with blood.
He stood with his back to Luca, gripping a gleaming long knife in one hand, while his other arm was empty. His arm was severed at the shoulder, the wound hastily wrapped in his own clothing, blood dripping freely onto the floor without a care. Yet, he stood there unmoving.
It was Quagmire.
Across from him was a silver-white fox, its size nearly that of a lion.
It sat on the ground, tilting its head as it watched Quagmire, calmly chewing on a severed arm.
The sickening sound of its chewing echoed through the silent office building, grating on the ears with each bite.
As if sensing the uninvited presence, the Void Crossing Silver Fox slowly turned its head.
A pair of eerie purple slit pupils locked onto Luca, and the blood-red corners of its mouth curled into a strangely human-like smile, one that was disturbingly unnatural.
“I do love creatures like you, those who don’t know when to die.” Luca took a step forward toward the silver fox, a wave of icy mist rising from his body. The blood pool at his feet froze in an instant, and a layer of frost began to coat the long blade in his hand.
“Only when I chop off your head will I feel satisfied.” He stared at the fox, whose expression had turned to one of shock, as emotions swirled in Luca’s eyes—like magma ready to erupt, yet also like ancient frost that never thawed, his killing intent palpable.
Only then did Quagmire notice Luca’s arrival.
He fixed his gaze on the Void Crossing Silver Fox, not daring to turn around. Gasping for breath, he asked, “How did you get here?”
Luca didn’t answer. He quickly walked to Kanade’s side, white frost curling around his hand as he used ice crystals to temporarily seal Kanade’s injuries. Afterward, he fed him a bottle of mid-tier magic potion.
The physical constitution of players was already far superior to that of ordinary people. While he couldn’t reattach Kanade’s severed hand at the moment, the potion would certainly be enough to keep him alive.
After drinking the potion, Kanade’s complexion improved significantly.
Though still pale, his breathing had stabilized.
The Void Crossing Silver Fox didn’t make any hasty moves. It stood up, watching Luca warily.
Sharp claws left deep gouges in the floor as it moved, its eyes betraying a sense of unease.
The animal instinct within it recognized danger from the boy before it.
Luca paid it no mind and asked, “What about Donlow and Fuzzsir?”
“That monster locked them in another space. I’ve kept it here, so Donlow and the others should be fine.” Kanade responded, his face still pale.
Luca let out a sigh of relief upon hearing this. At least there was some good news.
No matter what, at least a few of them were still alive.