Chapter 82: The Nuclear Crisis

At this point, Shen Lie could only admit that his luck had run out. He already heard the chaotic footsteps coming from downstairs. It seemed that others shared his idea of heading to the highest floor in the entire town.

Leading the way upstairs was Long Lao’s group, numbering about twenty now. More than half were awakened individuals. Though they looked disheveled, they remained composed, without any loud noises.

Following closely behind were the teachers and students from Yangcheng University, whom Shen Lie found surprisingly all alive. Except for their pale faces from fright, none were injured.

It appeared these people had not left the town, or if they had, they encountered Long Lao’s group fleeing back. Otherwise, how could a single awakened individual among them have escaped from the spider monsters?

One after another, these people entered the hall, where they saw Shen Lie and Xia Ke standing by the window. No one expected anyone else to be here, so they all froze momentarily.

“It’s you two—you're still alive?”

One awakened member from Long Lao’s group suddenly recognized Shen Lie and Xia Ke. This was the guard who had been posted outside the round table earlier and had some impression of Shen Lie. He had thought Shen Lie was an ordinary person but, after a brief surprise, dismissed it, assuming they had been hiding here all along.

Shen Lie nodded silently. He did not expect to keep his awakened identity hidden—after all, the Yangcheng University students regarded him as a demon.

Sure enough, when those teachers and students saw him and Xia Ke, they whispered in shock. A few of the young men, bolstered by Long Lao’s presence, cast unfriendly glances at Shen Lie. One quickly approached an awakened man by Long Lao’s side and whispered something quietly while glancing toward Shen Lie.

Shen Lie ignored them. Given the circumstances, as long as Long Lao’s group wasn’t foolish, they wouldn’t attack him and Xia Ke. There was no grudge between the groups, and everyone was trapped here by monsters. Survival was uncertain; no one had time to settle personal scores.

As Shen Lie expected, after the whispered report, the awakened man didn’t even glance at the student or react. He simply murmured something into Long Lao’s ear—Shen Lie heard that he was being told Shen Lie was also awakened.

The student’s expression darkened with disappointment, unwilling to accept the lack of support from Long Lao’s group. He cast a resentful look at Shen Lie before reluctantly retreating back to his group.

In no time, the stairs downstairs creaked again as more than thirty people surged upward. Their condition was far worse; except for a few at the front, nearly everyone bore injuries. At the very end, a severely wounded man was carried on someone’s back. This person’s identity must be extraordinary; otherwise, he would have been abandoned long ago. The enemy now was monsters; there was no concept of taking prisoners. Being caught meant a gruesome end.

These newcomers were shocked to find so many already on this floor. Instinctively, they raised their guns, while Long Lao’s group assumed defensive stances. The two groups faced off briefly, then lowered their weapons amid the monsters’ howls from below.

Their true enemy was the countless monsters downstairs. Internal conflicts were impossible. Importantly, Long Lao’s group and the newcomers seemed evenly matched in strength, and both sides appeared to have notable backgrounds.

Without exchanging words, both groups moved to the windows to assess the situation outside. The base of the building was almost completely covered with monsters, and several large, green, flying spiders flitted back and forth at low altitude. The entire town had become a monster’s playground.

Everyone’s faces turned ashen as they stepped away from the windows. These spider creatures seemed reluctant to climb for now, showing no signs of rushing upward. Yet being surrounded by so many monsters made escape a far-fetched notion.

After a brief silence, someone from the newcomers finally spoke, addressing Long Lao’s group. They conversed at length, but no one knew what was said before they separated again, clearly strangers to each other.

Shen Lie had no interest in their origins. He felt an urge to leave this building, or at least not linger on the ninth floor. The building was vast; hiding elsewhere was better. Too many people here made them a big target.

Just as Shen Lie motioned for Xia Ke to leave with him, Long Lao, who had been silent until now, suddenly spoke.

“Since fate has brought us all together here, it means we are meant to be. I reckon everyone still alive in this town is probably here. We’ve all seen the situation—if we want to live and get out of here, we must band together. Acting alone might help evade danger temporarily, but not long-term.”

“Also, if anyone’s holding onto the hope of hiding in some secluded room until the monsters leave, I advise you to give up. Aside from food shortages, I have reliable news—this area has been included in the nuclear strike zone!”

“What?”

“A nuclear strike? Here?”

“Why?”

Questions rippled through the small crowd. Many shared Shen Lie’s thoughts, especially the Yangcheng University group, all ordinary people with no combat ability, desperate to find a safe place to hide.

Shen Lie was stunned by Long Lao’s words, his half-formed gesture frozen mid-air, unable to complete it.

Had anyone else said this, Shen Lie would have dismissed it as alarmism or at least doubted it. But this old man was mysterious, surrounded by so many awakened individuals, and his words demanded serious consideration.

If true, their location was within the range of a nuclear strike. Even if the blast center was in Yangcheng, they would be affected. If the epicenter was nearby, no matter how deep they hid, they could escape monsters but not the devastating shockwave of a nuclear bomb.

“Sir, are you certain about this? I want to know your source. Also, if there is to be a nuclear strike, where would the center be?” an officer from the other group asked skeptically, his face grim. Others looked on, incredulous.

Nuclear weapons were not casually used. Before the catastrophe, they were merely deterrents. No country would truly deploy them. But now, in this apocalypse, the possibility was no longer zero. With Yangcheng fallen, the nation was at death’s door. Facing an enemy like insects, no amount of deterrence mattered. The ultimate weapon might be unleashed.

“Don’t ask me for the source. Just know the information is unquestionably true. The reason is that Yangcheng has become a sea of monsters, with more emerging relentlessly from spatial rifts! More critically, several powerful monster species have appeared here, showing signs of moving toward the capital.”

“You might not know, but the capital is also on the brink, surrounded by monsters like Yangcheng. However, the capital lacks large spatial rifts and has stronger defenses, so it still holds. If the monsters move in force, the capital’s fall is imminent!”

Long Lao grew passionate as he spoke, taking a sip of bottled water handed by an awakened comrade. Then, expressionless, he continued.

“According to my information, nuclear strikes are inevitable—and not just one bomb!”

“Military leaders plan to create a quarantine zone with nuclear strikes at our location, preventing monsters north of Yangcheng from advancing south. Reports show this area has the most spatial rifts and the largest monster populations. In northern Qingshan Province, a massive rift has appeared, spawning prehistoric beasts—super monsters beyond human capability to fight!”

“So, the only way to buy humanity more survival space and a chance to counterattack is to isolate the monsters north of Yangcheng. A calculated sacrifice, a necessary amputation.”