Han Meng strode through the bloodstained ruins of the streets, heading straight for the enforcer headquarters. Inside, figures bustled about, tallying the casualties from the attack.
When they saw the three enforcers approaching together, they bowed respectfully. One enforcer hurried forward.
"Brother Meng, we’ve roughly calculated the casualty count."
Han Meng stopped. "How bad is it?"
The enforcer flipped through the documents. "Preliminary estimates put the death toll at around seven thousand. Additionally, at least eight thousand are severely injured and receiving emergency treatment, with over ten thousand more suffering minor injuries..."
"Among them, Frost Street had the fewest casualties—almost everyone survived. Breeze Street and Frost Snow Street were next."
Hearing these numbers, Xi Renjie let out a slight sigh of relief. It was much better than he’d feared.
Han Meng paused, then glanced at Chen Ling beside him in surprise. He knew exactly which district Frost Street belonged to—and Frost Snow Street was adjacent to it. The fact that these two streets had such low casualty rates was undoubtedly due to Chen Ling.
For a newly promoted enforcer to achieve this was genuinely astonishing.
"Understood. Keep up the work."
With that, he led Chen Ling and Xi Renjie into the innermost office, shutting the door and drawing the curtains behind them.
In the quiet office, Han Meng’s expression grew visibly graver.
"Brother Meng, what’s wrong?" Xi Renjie asked, puzzled. "Didn’t you already eliminate all the Calamities? Why—"
"This Gray Realm convergence was abnormal." Han Meng slowly sat down, his face weary—whether from exhaustion after the battle or something else. "I entered the Gray Realm through the convergence point at the steel factory."
"You went into the Gray Realm?!"
Xi Renjie’s eyes widened in shock.
"Yes." Han Meng nodded calmly. "The spatial zone in the Gray Realm corresponding to District Three has multiple convergence points... The one at the steel factory was likely the first to form, so its range was the largest. The other points are still small and can’t yet allow Calamities to pass through, but it’s only a matter of time."
Hearing this, Chen Ling recalled the smaller convergence points he’d seen in the Gray Realm.
"Multiple convergence points... That’s impossible." Xi Renjie frowned deeply. "This has never happened since the Aurora Domain was established."
"I thought so too. But I know what I saw."
"So this Calamity attack isn’t over? There could be a second, even a third wave?" Chen Ling countered.
"Exactly."
Chen Ling felt a headache coming on. A single fifth-tier Calamity had nearly wiped out District Three. If more came, how could the three of them possibly hold out?
"That’s why I haven’t disclosed this to anyone else—only the two of you." Han Meng spoke slowly. "After this attack, District Three’s casualties are severe, and public morale is unstable... If word gets out, it could cause panic."
After a moment, Chen Ling suddenly asked, "Still no response from Aurora City?"
"None." Han Meng’s expression darkened. "Which brings me to my next point... I’m going to Aurora City in person."
Xi Renjie’s face flashed with surprise. "Aurora City? Alone?"
"It’s the only option left." Chen Ling mused. "If communication is down, the most direct way is face-to-face contact... Fortunately, Aurora City isn’t too far from District Three."
"Chen Ling’s right."
Han Meng nodded. "I don’t know if it’s because of this fog disrupting communications, but Aurora City hasn’t responded at all... This situation is too critical. If left unchecked, District Three could face annihilation. We must report to Aurora City immediately and request reinforcements."
"I’m the fastest. I can make the round trip within a day. You two maintain order here until I return."
"Understood." Xi Renjie answered solemnly.
Just as Han Meng was about to leave, he paused, as if remembering something.
"One more thing."
"What is it?"
"A Twilight Society member has entered District Three through the Gray Realm."
The moment these words were spoken, Xi Renjie’s face paled. "A Twilight Society member?!"
"Yes. A Fusionist, with extremely bizarre abilities... He even retains color in the Gray Realm."
Xi Renjie’s frown deepened. After hearing Han Meng’s description, his expression turned odd.
"Was he... wearing red?"
"You’ve seen him too?" Han Meng’s gaze sharpened.
Xi Renjie quickly recounted their encounter with the red-clad figure. Han Meng listened intently while Chen Ling stood silently to the side, eyes lowered as if deep in thought.
"The abilities match. It must be the same person."
Han Meng rubbed his chin, his usually sharp and experienced mind now clouded with rare confusion.
"A Fusionist who feeds on Calamities... Just who is this [6 of Hearts]?"
"They say Twilight Society members are all madmen. Eating Calamities doesn’t seem too strange for them, does it?" Xi Renjie’s face showed lingering fear—he hadn’t realized he’d been face-to-face with a Twilight Society member. "Though, honestly, how could anyone stomach eating those disgusting centipedes?"
"Centipedes?" Chen Ling stiffened.
"Those Calamities from earlier. Even though they were pitch black, their shape was clearly centipedes, right?" Xi Renjie said uncertainly.
"They were centipedes. From the Mocking Abyss, though only a minor branch of its insectoid kin." Han Meng added.
"Mocking Abyss? Where’s that?"
"Probably somewhere in the Gray Realm. I don’t know the specifics."
"Ah... Chen Ling, why do you look so pale?"
Xi Renjie noticed Chen Ling’s ashen complexion and asked in concern.
"...It’s nothing. I’m just tired." Chen Ling replied hoarsely.
Han Meng checked the time and didn’t linger further. He left the headquarters, vanishing into the thick fog like a black streak of light. Xi Renjie patted Chen Ling’s shoulder reassuringly.
"Get some rest."
With that, he too walked out.
Once alone in the room, the nausea Chen Ling had been suppressing surged up uncontrollably. He grabbed the trash bin beside the desk and doubled over, retching violently.