Bang——
Han Meng sat onto the back row seat of the vehicle, forcefully closing the car door.
"Are there any survivors?" Tan Xin's gaze penetrated through outside the window, sweeping past the corpses all over the ground.
"All who participated in selling Coal, not a single one survived."
"What about Yan Shang?"
"Don't know." Han Meng paused. "However, he also cannot live."
Tan Xin's brows slightly lifted, not pressing with questions, but instead his gaze looked towards that figure in gray cotton clothes leaving alone. "Who is he?"
Han Meng was silent for a long time. "He is only an innocent child."
Today's Zhao Yi, in the end was considered a Fusionist, also the target of Enforcers to purge... Han Meng emphasized the two characters "innocent", exactly wanting to let Tan Xin let him off.
"Drive the car."
Along with the vehicle moving forward, Han Meng's heart finally relaxed down.
"In the Aurora Base, how did you feel?"
Hearing Tan Xin's words, Han Meng fell into silence. In his mind flashed those figures unrecognizable due to Human Experimentation, and Dr. Yi's hysterical furious roars. Only after a long time did he slowly speak:
"I... saw despair."
"Despair." Tan Xin nodded, his gaze looking out the window at the closely packed buildings. "We have never possessed true peace and stability. It was just the Cooking Smoke and Kites under the aurora, making us forget the original appearance of this world... Now, the aurora fades away, this beautiful dream should also wake up."
"Aurora City... is it truly beyond saving?" Han Meng's brows tightly locked.
"Yes, and no."
In Han Meng's puzzled gaze, Tan Xin spoke again. "In the early stage of the Great Cataclysm, a nuclear bomb once attacked this patch of earth. Tens of millions of lives were reduced to nothingness. Their souls were captured by a newly born magnetic field, transforming into aurora integrating inside... They created an unprecedentedly powerful monarch, a guardian deity beneath the aurora."
"You are saying, the birth of Lord of the Aurora?"
"Not wrong."
"What relationship does this have with saving the Aurora City?" Han Meng frowned. "The method to save the Aurora City, shouldn't it be prolonging the life of Lord of the Aurora?"
"With our technological methods today, it is fundamentally impossible to prolong his life... The only one who can prolong his life, is only himself."
"What do you mean?"
Tan Xin was silent for a moment, slowly spitting out four characters: "Beyond Ninth Rank."
Han Meng blanked out for a bit. "Beyond Ninth Rank? Tenth Rank? Is it really possible?"
"Don't know... From ancient times until now, never has anyone stepped out that step. But assuming that rank really exists, it is then the last hope of this Realm."
"But now Lord of the Aurora is already about to die of old age... how should he step into Beyond Ninth Rank?"
"I have already said it just now."
Han Meng in the first time didn't understand Tan Xin's meaning, but the next moment he then reacted over. "The birth of Lord of the Aurora... don't tell me, you guys plan to sacrifice the three million masses in the Aurora City, letting their souls integrate into Lord of the Aurora's body again??"
"Tens of millions of souls, created a Rank 9 Lord of the Aurora, coming again with three million souls... perhaps, there is a trace of possibility to knock open that door."
"Are you guys crazy?!!"
Han Meng who had always been calm and composed, at this moment his complexion also changed. "So those Explosives inside the base, are exactly used to blow up the Aurora City?? But what meaning is there in doing this? You guys killed everyone inside the Aurora City, even if you saved Lord of the Aurora, the Aurora Domain would also no longer exist!"
Tan Xin shook his head. "You are wrong. As long as Lord of the Aurora is alive, the Aurora Domain will then exist... perhaps three hundred years later, there will be a new city established upon a patch of ruins. Perhaps there will be new Seven Great Districts or nine great districts... As long as the aurora never fades away, the Aurora City will then be eternal."
"Today's Aurora City, came exactly like this."
Han Meng was stunned. He sat sideways on the back row seat, the streets on both sides retreating beside him... He didn't know how long passed, shaking his head again:
"But whether Beyond Ninth Rank exists or not is not even certain, whether sacrificing these three million people can let Lord of the Aurora step out that step is also not certain... on what basis do you guys think doing this can succeed?"
"The Aurora Base calculated before, the probability of this plan successfully being implemented, is less than 0.001%."
"Then you guys still..."
"Seeking a way out amidst slim possibilities, this is exactly humanity."
Han Meng opened his mouth, yet also didn't know how he should retort. He silently sat back to his own position, remaining motionless resembling a sculpture.
"...So, this is exactly the 'Hand of Salvation' plan?"
"No."
Tan Xin shook his head. "The name of this plan, is called 'Reappearance'... Reappearing the day of the aurora's birth, abandoning Human Nature and Morality, gambling three million living beings to exchange for a trace of vitality for Lord of the Aurora... This is currently the plan the Aurora Base insists on."
Han Meng blanked out for a bit,
"Then that 'Hand of Salvation', what is it again?"
Tan Xin turned his head looking at Han Meng, a touch of faint smile emerging at the corners of his mouth:
"Have you, heard a vinyl record before?"
...
The vehicle slowly stopped in front of the elevator of the Aurora Base.
Tan Xin opened the door and got off the car. On the hem of the black windbreaker, eight silver Markings silently flickered. He adjusted his collar a bit, his gaze calmly looking towards the profound passage leading underground.
"You just wait for me here."
Han Meng hearing this sentence, didn't follow forward, but instead quietly stood beside the car waiting.
Tan Xin walked into the elevator, pressing the button, his figure slowly sinking towards the deep underground...
"Deputy Director-General Tan Xin."
"Hello Deputy Director-General."
The metal door of the elevator opened. The guarding Enforcer at the side seeing him walk out from inside, immediately respectfully spoke. After finishing verifying the secret order, he then passed through layer upon layer of checkpoints, directly walking towards the deepest part of the base...
Ultimately, he arrived at the final checkpoint leading to the fourth floor.
Beside the door, a red-haired woman wearing a white dress shirt and wearing a necktie slowly raised her head. Seeing Tan Xin walk over, her eyes slightly narrowed.
"What kind of look is this of yours?" Tan Xin was stared at by her until somewhat awkward, doubtfully speaking.
"...Nothing." The red-haired woman closed the book in her hand. "Just want to confirm a bit, whether it's you yourself."
Tan Xin thought of the destroyed Ritual Artifacts on the third floor, seemingly lost in thought. "[Six of Hearts] has come before? He even turned into my appearance?"
"..."
"You wouldn't have really been deceived over by him right?"
"............"
The corners of Tan Xin's mouth uncontrollably rose up. The originally still dignified and gloomy face, emerged a wisp of relaxation. "Are all of you from the [Asura] Path, this thick-nerved?"
"Tan Xin, pay attention to your tone and attitude in treating your superior." The red-haired woman coldly spoke.
"Very sorry, respected Commander-in-Chief Hong Xiu."
"..." The red-haired woman took a glance at him. The furious intent in her eyes gradually dissipated, replacing it, was a kind of complex emotion,
"You've really thought it through?"
"En."
"...Good." The red-haired woman nodded, slowly standing up from the seat, directly walking towards outside the passage arriving beside Tan Xin, stopping her footsteps,
"You go... the remaining, leave it to me."