Chapter 46: Chapter 42: Hero, or Thug?
More than ten days had passed since the riot, and the order of the Underworld had gradually been restored. The situation around the Valen Factory had also been controlled, with no further outbreaks.
Outside the black market, there were fewer people on the streets than usual, but patrols by the Law Enforcement Team and the City State Guard could be seen everywhere.
New messages had come from the City State Council.
The incident at the Valen Factory was orchestrated by the former Councilman’s Secretary in collusion with Law Enforcement Team Captain Moke and dark forces. The former Councilman was negligent in his supervision and took bribes. He would be arrested and thrown into prison, while his Secretary had already committed suicide out of fear of crime. Further investigations would continue into who else was involved.
Moreover, it was found that the former Councilman’s Secretary had colluded with the black market criminal forces to traffic humans. This area of the black market was the largest criminal den, previously under the protection of the former Councilman’s Secretary and the Law Enforcement Team.
The City State Council decided to commend the heroes who had sacrificed themselves in this operation, those who fearlessly stormed into the Valen Armory to unveil the conspiracy.
At the same time, the City State Council would show no tolerance towards the thugs and would carry out a major cleanup operation against the black market and dark forces!
For a time, the outside world was abuzz with talk.
However, the majority of the lower-class citizens had long despised the black market and were thus clapping their hands in joy at this news, hoping for the eradication of criminal forces.
As for the deeper issues behind, the public did not think too much about them.
Although they vaguely felt that something was amiss, they did not delve into it.
Or perhaps, they simply did not have the capability to investigate further.
The previously angry emotions had gradually subsided, and a heavy price had been paid in blood. Now, the City State Members had given them an account.
What else could the common people of the Underworld do?
Perhaps, their only choice was to forget.
The black market had been completely sealed off, and no news from the outside world had entered the black market.
Those within the black market were still waiting for the dawn to arrive.
A new Councilman had taken office; with the incident over, everything should return to normal, right?
……
During this time, Xu Mo, besides cultivating in the Cultivation Room, was practicing Mecha control. He had become increasingly adept at controlling the Mecha, to the point where he had even tried activating the Source Power Device, causing a great commotion in the abandoned factory.
Once the Mecha Source Power Device was activated, it signified an entry into combat mode, different from the usual control. Xu Mo naturally needed to get used to it ahead of time.
Occasionally, when he had time, he would go out to see what was happening outside. Many people in the black market believed the blockade would be lifted, but he was not so optimistic, especially after seeing the situation outside the black market blockade. He faintly sensed something unusual in the air.
At this moment, Xu Mo was ready to go out and take a look again.
“Big brother Mo, take me with you, I also want to get some fresh air,” Xiao Qi said to Xu Mo as he put on his cloak.
Staying in the factory these days was really suffocating.
“Ask Sister Butterfly,” Xu Mo told Xiao Qi, not minding the company.
Qin Zhong hadn’t been paying much attention to this place recently, as it seemed he had other matters to attend to.
“Okay,” Xiao Qi looked towards Ye Qingdie as she glanced at him and said, “Follow Xu Mo.”
“Don’t worry.” Xiao Qi smiled and said, and the two of them left together.
The black market was as quiet as ever. Since the breakout of the incident, the black market had lost its usual bustle.
“Big brother Mo, did you sleep well last night?” Xiao Qi asked Xu Mo while walking on the road.
“??”
Xu Mo looked puzzled at Xiao Qi.
“Didn’t you, like, get up in the middle of the night?” Xiao Qi continued as he saw Xu Mo’s expression.
Xu Mo immediately understood and didn’t answer him.
“Big brother Mo.” Xiao Qi looked at Xu Mo mischievously, “Were you and Sister Butterfly talking about life instead of sleeping last night?”
“Go back and ask Sister Butterfly,” Xu Mo said with a smile.
“If I dared, I wouldn’t sneak out to ask you,” Xiao Qi said. “Big brother Mo, just satisfy my curiosity, did something happen between you and Sister Butterfly?”
“You guess,” Xu Mo, walking ahead, turned to look back and smiled at Xiao Qi.
This kid sure was curious.
“……” Xiao Qi became more curious, itching to know more.
Logically, it seemed unlikely.
But what did a lone man and a single woman talk about life in the middle of the night for?
Xu Mo ignored Xiao Qi’s continued questioning, only recalling that he was tired from Cultivation last night and had gone to casually sit with Ye Qingdie, who wasn’t asleep.
But Xu Mo guessed Xiao Qi was quite the optimist who could laugh in any situation. Even without a human body, he was always chuckling, which showed how carefree he was.
Whether he was using it to cover up inner sorrow, Xu Mo did not know.
He thought of Mia and wondered if Master Batu had settled her well in the City State Main City.
After the incident, the security of the Main City should have improved, right?
The two arrived at the ruins near the exterior, only to see that the blockade around the black market was still firmly in place, with plenty of Law Enforcement Team and City State Guard personnel appearing.
On the street outside the black market, a pure black vehicle slowly approached. If Xu Mo saw it, he would find that it was very similar to the models of the old world, but with more perfect overall aerodynamics and a pointed front, like a combat vehicle.
The gull-wing door opened and a man in his thirties stepped down, to whom many people bowed spontaneously.
Dressed in black with slightly sharp facial features and a strong aura, the man was
“Secretary Han.”
The heads of the City State Guard and the Law Enforcement Team stepped forward, the visitor being the new Councilman’s secretary, who had become an influential figure of interest.
Secretary Han nodded slightly and walked into the black market, followed by a figure clad in black Battle Armor. They entered the black market, walked a distance, and then no one was behind them anymore.
“Is everything arranged?” Secretary Han looked into the black market and asked the figure in black Battle Armor by his side.
“Yes,” the other party nodded, “Does the Councilman have any instructions?”
“Follow the plan,” Secretary Han said, “Of course, even after a thorough cleanse, we still need to be cautious. Don’t show your true face anymore… guard officer.”
“Understood.” The figure in black Battle Armor nodded. Secretary Han turned around and gave an order to the people from the City State Guard and Law Enforcement Team, and they all curiously glanced at the figure in black Battle Armor.
So he was a trusted guard officer of the Councilman. It would be good to make more connections in the future.
Secretary Han turned and left the black market, then drove away from the area.
The figure in black Battle Armor moved towards the crowd and said, “Begin the mission.”
“Yes, sir.” Several individuals nodded, and suddenly the Heavy Mecha activated, moving towards the black market, causing the ground to shake violently.
Powerful individuals from the City State Guard and Law Enforcement Team joined in, weapons in hand.
The ground of the black market shook violently.
Meanwhile, Xu Mo and Xiao Qi had been watching from afar, their expressions turning sour as they saw the Mecha head towards the market.
Xu Mo had overheard the two’s conversation and his gaze focused on the distant figure in black Battle Armor. An ice-cold chilling guess made his whole body shudder.
“What are they going to do?” Xiao Qi’s expression also changed, and even though he already knew, he couldn’t help asking.
Inside the black market, some members of the public who had been watching from a distance came out, including a woman with a teenage child in tattered clothes, who raised one hand and slowly walked forward, saying, “We’re just ordinary citizens of the black market; we haven’t committed any crimes. Can we leave?”
A blue light pierced through the woman’s head, and she fell to the ground.
“Mom!” The young master by her side cried out in despair.
Another blue light shot through, penetrating his heart.
“No…” Xiao Qi had a pained expression at the scene before him. Wasn’t the new Councilman supposed to be quelling the uprising?
Is this their way of pacifying?
They were just ordinary people.
The others who had stepped out instantly panicked and began to flee, having spent days in fear, not daring to leave their homes, secretly observing the outside situation.
Were they also not going to be spared?
Gunshots rang out continuously, with lines of blood splattering as the Heavy Mecha charged into the black market, carrying out a firepower sweep.
Xu Mo looked at the dense crowd; among those who had come were many in Battle Armor. After entering the black market, they began to disperse to execute the cleansing operation.
“Let’s go,” Xu Mo said.
An angry Xiao Qi, unable to contain himself, wanted to rush out to fight but was held back by Xu Mo.
The two of them retreated, and from a distance, someone spotted them and pursued, a figure in Battle Armor coming fast.
“I’ll go kill him,” Xiao Qi said coldly.
“Not so fast,” Xu Mo sped up his escape. The pursuer chased faster, the distance gradually closing, and his blade was already lifted.
All of a sudden, Xu Mo turned around, his body tracing an arc in the air as his cloak flew out. His War Saber unsheathed, sweeping out.
With a squelch, the War Saber broke through the armor, and the pursuer’s body kept moving forward, but his head flew off, blood spurting out.
Now Xu Mo was much stronger than before, the days spent cultivating in the abandoned factory many times more effective than his previous cultivation.
Without pausing, the two continued on their way back.
Upon returning to the abandoned factory, Xiao Qi said, “Sister Butterfly, they are massacring the black market.”
Ye Qingdie’s face immediately turned pale as she looked at Xu Mo.
“Sister Butterfly, do many people know that Qin Zhong is with Lao K?” Ye Qingdie asked.
“Very few, probably just the most core people,” Ye Qingdie responded.
Xu Mo understood then.
“Qin Zhong, he might be a man of the new Councilman,” Xu Mo said to Ye Qingdie.
That man in black Battle Armor was Qin Zhong; others had not heard their conversation, but Xu Mo did.
Ye Qingdie’s heart twitched, as if she also understood something.
So, was this Qin Zhong’s true purpose?
Investigating the trafficking case, exposing the genetic experiments, it wasn’t conscience or justice.
It was a power struggle among the upper echelons.
Xu Mo had suspected someone was instigating the incident from the outset, otherwise, it would have been quickly suppressed. In the world below, cut off from communications, news couldn’t spread so rapidly.
Unless someone was deliberately stoking the flames.
Therefore, to cover up what lay behind this incident, all involved had to die.
Those who fought for their beliefs, their fate had been sealed from the start. The ‘leader’ of the organization wanted them dead.
The suicide attack at Stran Street, Valen Factory was no accident; they were the cleaning targets. Once used, they had no value left.
Heroes?
Or thugs!