"Everyone move! If you stay here, you'll all die!"
At the rough words of one of the District 45 organization members, an [Emerald] member, people bowed their heads and hurriedly moved.
No one could argue with the gang members who brazenly displayed tattoos all over their bodies. Especially since they were criminals from the notorious District 45.
But the world was said to be full of irony, wasn't it? The soldiers who should protect the city were trying to kill them, while conversely, the people trying to save them were those gang members.
"Hey! How's it going over there!"
"Don't make me talk! I'm busy!"
The [Topaz] organization members wearing yellow uniforms were also putting effort into evacuating citizens to District 45. In other areas, there were [Amethyst] organization members surrounded by green drugs.
Those who normally ground their teeth at each other and sharpened their blades were now working together to save the people gathered in District 44.
"Damn it. We're the infamous Emerald. Why are we in a place like this...?"
Smack!
"Argh! Which bastard was that!"
The organization member turned around and was startled. There was Camilla, holding a pipe emitting green smoke. Camilla blew smoke out of her mouth with a puff.
"This is a matter decided by all the organization bosses. Would a mere organization member dare to complain about it?"
"Ca, Camilla. That's not what I meant..."
"Don't make excuses saying that's not what you meant, move right now, you sluggish bastard!"
At Camilla’s roar, the Emerald organization member turned pale and hurriedly moved. Camilla sighed as she watched him.
"Good grief. What on earth is this situation all of a sudden?"
She had heard the general situation, but even so, it was still hard to accept reality. But this was something that had already happened. She intended to do her best in the given situation. This was none other than a request from Zero Ground.
'And knowing that man is involved in the current situation, I can't just stand still. All of District 45 owes a debt to that man.'
Thanks to that, even outsider Camilla was able to rise to a position with considerable influence in District 45.
"How's the situation?"
A man wearing a black robe and plague doctor mask approached Camilla and asked. He had a gloomy atmosphere and was one of the intelligence agents from Zero Ground. He was the type of person you wouldn't want to get close to, but what kind of person would a drug dealer choose? Camilla opened her mouth.
"It's not easy. We're opening as many passages as possible to get them into District 45, but there are too many people gathered. The crowd is no joke either."
"We're also doing our best to evacuate people on our side."
"I know. The sewer route, right? Those people would reluctantly go in."
"There are actually quite a few people resisting."
Camilla nodded. These were people who came to forget harsh reality. When the district was suddenly sealed off and soldiers started moving, who wouldn't be panicked? Moreover, those trying to help them were criminals from adjacent District 45 and people of unknown identity from Zero Ground.
The citizens' anxiety was bound to reach its peak. Naturally, there were quite a few people who didn't comply with instructions and rebelled.
With such commotion happening everywhere, evacuation was sluggish. No matter how much they tried to coax and soothe, it wasn't easy. There were too many people.
Additional bad news flew to such Camilla.
[Damn it! It's soldiers! Soldiers are coming to our district!]
Camilla’s face wrinkled. The military that had sealed off all other districts was now coming to District 45 to block off District 44.
"Will it be alright?"
The Zero Ground intelligence agent who had been quietly listening nearby asked. Camilla sneered and took a long drag from her pipe.
"Phew. How could it be alright? No matter how much District 45 is our backyard, the opponents are soldiers. They're people who came properly equipped and trained."
No matter how strong the District 45 organizations were, they weren't enough to face regular army troops. The moment they properly clashed, this side would be swept away like tissue paper.
"But we will never retreat."
The reason residents of District 45 could survive was simple. It was because they were armed only with evil and guts. You couldn't think of handling dangerous drugs with a sane mind and injecting them into your body.
"They're stepping foot into a district they ignored and abandoned as if it were nothing. That's more than enough to provoke us. Organizations like ours live on pride. They've properly touched that, so collision is inevitable."
So if they clash, they'll just fight back with all their might. Regular army? Sure. Come as much as you want. If you want to step on the land of District 45, you'll first have to step over our corpses.
And our corpses will emit poison more vicious than anything else in the world.
"Everyone, guests have arrived."
Camilla contacted the organization members waiting in District 45, especially the bosses of each organization.
"Since guests have come all this way, it would damage our reputation if we treated them poorly, wouldn't it?"
[Keke. Good grief. To think the day would come when we'd fight the military.]
[But I like it. I wanted to knock down those arrogant bastards' pride at least once before dying.]
[Uhahaha! It's a fight, a fight!]
Camilla grinned at the Zero Ground organization member.
"That's what they say."
"I see. Understood. We'll do our best in our own way on our side."
"Please do."
The person wearing the plague doctor mask bowed his head and slowly disappeared as if blending into the crowd.
Lukai looked at the map and received real-time news coming from District 44. In the short time of less than a minute, hundreds of reports were exchanged. Other colleagues were helping, but the reports Lukai personally had to handle were like a flood from a broken dam.
In the lake of information with vastly different values and meanings, Lukai had to quickly pick out what was needed for the immediate moment.
And among the news he received, the most serious was the shooting near the blockade order.
"The soldiers shot?"
[Yes. Because of that, multiple casualties have occurred near the blockade order.]
Bang!
Lukai struck the table with his fist. Even so, his anger wasn't easily relieved.
They were citizens. No matter how much they refused instructions from this side and went to confront the soldiers, they were people who had committed no crimes.
'They ruthlessly killed such people?'
This was clearly a massacre. But he couldn't argue about it. This place was sealed off, and news from inside wouldn't spread outside.
'The fact that they're using such cruel methods means they intend to kill everyone here. If they sweep everyone away, there won't be any witnesses left.'
For what reason? To eliminate the danger called heretics? That wasn't it. Just for their own desires. The redevelopment union and major construction companies, and the military and city government officials who joined hands with them and received lobbying. They were working together to carry out this deed. Because of money. For their own wealth.
The images of his dead daughter and wife flickered before his eyes. That moment when he held the two in his arms and wailed. The embers from that day still remained in his heart, burning hot enough to consume him.
-Crunch.
Lukai gritted his teeth. He couldn't just stay still like this.
"Combat personnel, listen. You must prevent outside soldiers from entering at all costs. And protect the citizens. That's what we have to do."
Along with acknowledgments, another wave of information rushed in. News that the military had also appeared in District 45, trying to seal off passages, and that District 45 residents were resisting.
And also that evacuation of people fleeing to Zero Ground through sewers wasn't going smoothly. A report came in that in the center of District 44, a knight presumed to be Osian was fighting something.
Since that man said it was something important to handle, there must certainly be something here.
'Time. I need more time.'
The sun had already set and night had come. They were lighting fires throughout the district to illuminate the paths, but as it got dark, evacuation would become even more difficult.
'I've evacuated more than half. But there's still over 30% remaining.'
That over 30% also boasted tremendous numbers. Until all these people safely escaped, they had to hold their position as much as possible.
-Crackle.
At that moment, a report came through the emergency line.
[Lukai!]
It was Dominic, one of the executives and someone who supported comrades with solid shooting skills. His voice was filled with fear like never before.
"Dominic? What's wrong all of a sudden?"
[You need to run right now! Right now!]
"Dominic. Calm down. Report the situation. What did you see?"
[Airships! Military airships are coming this way right now!]
Dominic had a prosthetic eye. And that prosthetic eye was equipped with a function that could clearly distinguish objects even at night.
Dominic saw them beyond - massive shadows cutting through the night sky approaching.
[Three bombers. And escort airships too!]
At the word bombers, Lukai's body trembled. He bit his lips tightly.
"They're going this far..."
Those bastards were now trying to erase District 44 itself. Along with news that airships had appeared, reports came to comrades who were confronting soldiers near the blockade order.
[Lukai! The soldiers are retreating!]
[Those bastards are building more solid barricades!]
Lukai realized that if things continued like this, everyone would die.
They had to stop it. But how? The opponents were airships floating in the sky. It was hard for them to dare resist.
[Lukai! We must retreat! If we stay like this, we'll all die!]
Dominic's argument was valid. If things continued this way, a large-scale air raid would be carried out on District 44. And everything here would turn to ashes.
They had to flee first. If he died, the comrades who believed and followed him would be sad. Lukai was the spiritual pillar of all liberation forces. Because he existed, comrades could run without rest toward their goal.
[Lukai. We have to go now!]
[Lukai!]
He could feel the executives pressing him. They knew too. If they left, the people left behind would be massacred by the military.
But there was no choice. If they stayed, they would all die together. At least those who could live should live.
After much deliberation, Lukai opened his mouth.
"That man."
[Pardon? What do you suddenly mean...]
"What is that man doing right now?"
Everyone knew who that man Lukai was referring to meant. With a hissing sound, an executive who was observing Osian answered.
[...He's fighting.]
"Against whom?"
[It appears to be minions left by corporations. And monsters using strange powers too. It looks like he's almost finished cleaning them up.]
"I see."
Lukai made up his mind at that moment.
"We're staying."
[Lukai!]
"Stay and evacuate people. Even if it's just one person. Save those we can save. This isn't an order but a request."
He put special emphasis on the words "final request." Lukai said that and turned off the radio. As if he wouldn't listen to objections. He immediately left the situation room. Comrades around him followed Lukai out.
"All of you evacuate. This place will soon become ashes."
"What are we supposed to do among ourselves without you?"
A liberation army comrade who followed beside him grinned. His appearance, having neither eaten nor washed properly, was shabby enough to remind one of a vagrant. But that smile was brighter than anything else.
"Don't even think about telling us to leave without you."
"Right. Who did we come this far following? We would all be dead without you anyway."
"Since it's come to this, let's try it once. When have we ever not fought because life was precious?"
Seeing the liberation army comrades each adding a word, Lukai closed his eyes tightly.
"What. Lukai, don't tell me you're crying now?"
"No way."
Lukai chuckled and opened his eyes. His wavering pupils became clearer than ever.
"Everyone. Don't die."
"Goes without saying!"
The liberation army scattered in all directions. Lukai also grabbed his weapon and gazed at the sky beyond. This must be how a small fish feels when facing a giant whale in the deep sea.
Tirna's gentle light illuminated the sky, and massive silhouettes could be seen slowly approaching.
And moving even faster, escort ships led the way, crossing over the ridge of District 44. Fast and small, but that was only compared to bombardment ships. The escort ships were plenty big too. And they possessed tremendous firepower. Gun barrels protruded from the lower part of the escort ships.
They're coming.
At the same moment Lukai thought that.
Boom boom boom boom!
The gun barrels spat fire.
It was the preparatory stage to begin the baptism of fire.