Chapter 77: Chapter 72: Two Worlds
The scene was shockingly powerful, as someone had dared to defy death just to let the public see these papers.
Moreover, it was on such a special day.
“So pitiful,” someone said, looking at the papers while their arm trembled slightly.
They were all various ‘criminal’ records from the Underground City, and moreover, some papers had different contents.
The crimes described were too numerous to record completely.
“The person arrested that day, what he said was true, the former City State Guard Captain.”
“Also, the event from a year ago, the genetic experiments had also been tacitly approved by the Council, controlled from behind by the lab. Is this lab a devilish institution?”
“The slaughters in the black market, the slaughtered were not thugs but heroes who unveiled the secrets of the genetic experiments.”
Were the former City State Guard Captain and the Councilman’s murderer actually thugs?
They didn’t kill civilians, only significant figures; on the contrary, the Council might have killed countless civilians.
“We, we were never meant to rise, were we? No one could make it.”
“She’s so beautiful,” someone said tearfully and softly, “Elsa, such a nice name. She was injected with Genetic Evolution Liquid, turned into a demon by the lab, and they wanted to arrest her.”
“Yes, so beautiful,” someone else agreed, holding the same paper and reading about Elsa’s experiences.
Her father was once the secretary to the Councilman, and he was assassinated after the Valen Factory incident was exposed.
Elsa’s mother, who had become the mistress of Councilman Tyrone, was also driven to death.
Elsa had turned into a monster, as described by the City State.
Pursued by the lab.
So pitiful.
The sins her father committed had come back to haunt her.
Thinking that they had previously considered Elsa a monster, they couldn’t help feeling a bit of guilt.
Every incident was a secret.
Now exposed, the crowd did not even suspect.
These were all so real.
They actually knew deep down, they just didn’t want to admit it.
A year ago, they should have realized it.
They had always lived in a fake world.
The Underworld, not truly a world at all.
It was merely a factory, controlled by a laboratory.
A demonic factory!
Centered around the Arena, there were papers everywhere.
Due to the gathering of the crowd, the papers spread quickly, causing many to see and fall into an excited emotion.
The papers even exposed the inside workings of the Arena.
This was not a fair competition at all.
Some of the competitors in the Arena would die.
Others, in the future, would become “puppet” Genetic Warriors.
Even if they left the Underworld, they remained as puppets.
Unable to change their fate.
Moreover, the papers even recorded the fates of some former Arena competitors and former City State Guard members.
Those who died as martyrs, they were likely related to these individuals.
They were willing to die to expose this darkness.
The news started spreading towards the direction of the Arena.
The area became increasingly chaotic, mixing two conflicting emotions, indicating an impending eruption.
Members of the City State Guard and the Law Enforcement Team also realized something was amiss, they went to snatch the papers and were surrounded and viciously cursed by the crowd.
“Bang!”
In a certain spot, the sound of a gunshot rang out, and a civilian fell into a pool of blood.
This scene completely enraged the surrounding crowd, who charged and attacked that member of the City State Guard.
Gunshots continued, several people fell, but the City State Guard member was also knocked down and beaten to death by the crowd.
A storm was brewing.
…
The Arena, likewise teeming with people.
The Star Competition was about to begin, and a large projection appeared overhead in the Arena, showcasing the glorious combat records and fighting scenes of the contestants.
When those explosive fight scenes were paired with roaring music, the whole Arena was ablaze with excitement, almost like it was a different world from the outside.
Everyone found their seats and fixed their gaze on the projection, buzzing with discussion.
They were all guessing who might win the championship of the Star Competition.
Xu Mo followed Councilman Zornes into the Arena and entered a special lounge.
From here, through the floor-to-ceiling windows, one could overlook the Arena.
The view was excellent.
Soon after they entered, a waiter came to Councilman Zornes and pointed to a direction up in the stands.
Councilman Zornes looked in that direction. In the most conspicuous position, at the highest area,
a section was segregated that housed quite a few people.
The City State’s big shots were all seated there.
Including the Chairman and Doctor.
Councilmen, controllers of the laboratories, were all present.
There were also some people from the upper world.
Among them sat a fat man, the person responsible for the Arena, who Xu Mo had seen before,
chatting and laughing merrily with the person next to him.
The Chief of the City State Guard was also there, standing behind them.
Xu Mo noticed that around that area, there were numerous guards standing.
On either side, he saw the Mechanical Warriors.
The highest standard of security measures.
After all, all the “big shots” had arrived.
Moreover, they had not chosen to watch from the resting lounge, but opted for the stands, “sharing the joy with the people”.
“Understood,” Councilman Zornes nodded, and immediately the speaker left.
He glanced at Xu Mo, saw Xu Mo’s gesture, and waved his hand, and the others also left.
Only Xu Mo remained.
Xu Mo closed the door.
“Are you here for them?” Councilman Zornes asked, pointing towards the VIPs in the stands.
Xu Mo had asked about the combat power and weaponry of the Underground World the previous night, and had infiltrated the arena; it was natural for Zornes to guess whom Xu Mo had come for.
Xu Mo did not respond and looked that way.
“You heard what he said just now, only I can go there, I can’t bring guards, they have their own security measures, it’s impossible for you to sneak past,” Councilman Zornes continued. “There are Mechanical Warriors present, and covert protection in place, just give up; I can send you away, and pretend you were never here.”
“Leave the main city district, with your strength, you could live comfortably,” Councilman Zornes urged.
“Do you want to live?”
Xu Mo looked at Councilman Zornes, causing him to stare back.
“Who wants to die?” Councilman Zornes continued. “I have already cooperated with you to this extent, you should be able to feel my sincerity.”
Xu Mo looked out the window at the position of those VIPs.
He had infiltrated the arena naturally to kill those “big shots,” but had not expected the other side to be so cautious that even as the guard of Councilman Zornes, he had no opportunity to get close.
Moreover, with this level of defense, an assassination seemed unlikely.
“Who are they all?” Xu Mo asked Councilman Zornes.
“That’s the Chairman, the person behind him is a councilman, that’s the doctor, the head of the laboratory, there are many others in the surrounding area I don’t recognize, they’re business partners, they have factories set up in the Underworld, coming to join in the spectacle, and to scout for people,” Councilman Zornes introduced to Xu Mo.
“Scout for people?” Xu Mo revealed a hint of curiosity.
At that moment, someone went over to the City State Guard Captain Lei Ting and said something.
Lei Ting stood up and reported to Chairman Yi and the others.
Chairman Yi furrowed his brows.
The people around him also showed displeased expressions.
Outside there was chaos.
Someone today wanted to incite a riot.
“Mr. Yi, who could it be?” the doctor, sitting by Chairman Yi, asked.
Chairman Yi did not respond, but saw one councilman behind him say, “Anyone capable of orchestrating this incident must be in a high position or was once in a high position, the former chairman’s influence has not been extinguished, it seems trouble has arisen.”
Many people murmured, this was indeed very likely.
“What does Mr. Yi plan to do?” the doctor asked again.
The others also looked towards the Chairman.
Chairman Yi’s gaze narrowed as he stared ahead and said, “Lei Ting.”
“Present,” the City State Guard Captain responded.
“Summon the full force of the City State Guard to patrol outside the arena, do not let the riot disrupt the order inside the arena,” Chairman Yi commanded. “Also, authorize the deployment of Heavy Mecha for suppression, anyone who dares lead the riot, kill them!”
“Mr. Yi truly is a ruthless Chairman,” the doctor smiled and adjusted his glasses, seemingly very satisfied with Chairman Yi’s handling of the situation.
A bunch of ants!
Those dreaming of rebellion would be suppressed ruthlessly, and then the forces behind them cleared.
Lei Ting did not leave immediately, as if waiting for something.
Even the Chairman does not have absolute authority.
Deployment of substantial military force required Council approval.
The Council was not just about the Chairman’s say.
“Extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures, no need for signings, just do as I said,” Chairman Yi continued. “What do you think?”
The councilmen behind him nodded in succession, receiving majority approval, Lei Ting then left to mobilize the forces.
The City State Guard, in reality, served as the ‘military’ of the Underworld.
“Hmm?”
Xu Mo saw Lei Ting leave, but with the plate glass dividing them, he couldn’t hear their conversation.
However, from the reactions of those VIPs earlier, it seemed something had happened.
He couldn’t see it from here.
In the arena, the sound of a thunderous crowd rose, the big screen showed player introductions, and they began to enter one by one.
The Star Competition was about to commence.
Thirty contestants entered the arena from different pathways, after which, the doors of those pathways closed.
The Star Competition had ten more contestants than previous events.
These ten were ‘special invitees’, inherently strong competitors who joined the Diamond Competition to accumulate points and earn ten spots.
It was constantly speculated that these ‘special invitees’ were actually the children of powerful figures who used backdoors.
However, this was tacitly accepted by everyone, as it only added ten spots and did not take away any existing ones.
Moreover, this made the combat in the Star Competition even fiercer.
Furthermore, with the Star Battle passageways closed, there was no way back until the end of the fight, no early exits were allowed.
In the midst of roaring cheers, the big screen flashed to Chairman Yi and the VIPs around him, as Chairman Yi smiled and waved to the crowd.
In the stands, everyone looked up at the highest authority figures of the Underworld.
……
Meanwhile, outside the arena, a different scene unfolded.
On the stairs, members of the Federation Guard lined up, arms at the ready, facing the rioting crowd below.
The entire street was packed, chaotic, showing signs of riot.
Inside and outside, there were thunderous sounds, yet they were starkly different noises.
It was as if they were two different worlds!