redvbooks Chapter 1466 743: The Flies' Frenzy
Chapter 1466 743: The Flies' Frenzy
November 7th, Luo Island was silent.
The usual hustle and bustle were nowhere to be seen; amidst the bleak desolation, everything seemed to have returned to its original state.
The once busy city center was now empty, and the lively shopping streets and malls had shuttered and turned off the lights. There wasn't even any cleaning staff; only scraps of paper and trash feebly twitched in the wind.
The Harmful Wind has arrived, plunging the entire Endless Sea into unprecedented silence.
As if in the endless long night, tossing and turning in darkness after the lights go out, listening to any noise outside the window, anxious and jittery, seeing danger in everything.
Bad news followed one after another.
Just yesterday, in the southern part of Endless Sea, the most renowned 'Free City' was utterly destroyed...
The offshore town constructed by oil workers using abandoned drilling platforms had undergone years of expansion and renovation, transforming completely.
Due to its special open regulations, it became the world's largest company registration center, regardless of your origin or identity, as long as you paid fifteen thousand, you could get a shell company recognized by many sovereign city-states in the current world. Under various factors, with its unique conditions, it became a hub for countless offshore capital operations and money laundering.
Now, it's gone up in flames.
In the flood of Disaster Beast, it completely collapsed, turning into ruins.
Even before that, it had been abandoned by the people who built it.
And such news is innumerable, more brutal or terrifying headlines are nothing rare, just not as famous as Free City, so no one cares.
Countless islands have been emptied because they are situated in the main path of Harmful Wind, survivors unable to escape, and the outside world has no way of knowing.
Now, the entire Endless Sea is in chaos, except for a few main routes of the Federation and Empire.
Transportation is mostly cut off.
Even the interactions between the Seven Cities have become sparse and difficult due to this, with many instances of Sea Locust attacks.
However, under the premise of proper guard work, small-scale Sea Locust invasions don't cause significant damage, just a waste of some bullets.
Yet still, there's fear in the air.
There's a palpable sense of fear and anxiety spreading with the tide. At times, the toughest moment is not the life-and-death struggle, but the long wait before it, akin to psychological torment.
The public is apprehensive, unable to settle.
Although calculations show that the location of the Seven Cities doesn't involve the main path of Harmful Wind, just side effects disturbances, who can really be sure?
It's like how the core value of Ji Jue's Sun Dial series product is 'what if' and 'just in case', aren't the best and worst words in the world just these two?
What if?
What if something really happens?
Who can guarantee with absolute certainty that nothing will go wrong? Even if guaranteed, who would believe it? Dan City said they would protect the Seven Cities, but what was the result? When they encountered a tributary stream, they ran back with their tail between their legs, didn't dare say anything!
A lot of people have been cursing Galisto of Dan City these days, from top to bottom, no one left without spitting.
Trying to play the role of hero when now everyone believes the 'critical moment' has really come, but where is the hero? Where did the hero go! When will the moment of reversal start?
Who will give me the grand climax I'm missing!
Damn you, Galisto, speak up!
Garist remains silent, pretending to be ill, lying at home resting now. Those below haven't revolted, already the Holy Tree is supporting his backbone enough.
And now, the precursor period ends early, Harmful Wind comes upfront like a popular song putting climax at the beginning, leaving everyone bewildered.
The last supper hasn't started yet, and it was canceled, who can you find to reason with?
The entire Seven Cities, without tourism, without transportation, without various dubious businesses after that, naturally, in desolation.
The mess gets worse and worse, more and more stinking...
Under the scorching sun, in the sweltering noon, there were few people in public places of Luo Island, even if there are, they wore thick masks or gas masks, walking in a hurry.
Occasionally a gust of wind blows from the north, the stench is eye-watering.
Under the facilitation of Harmful Wind, a large amount of algae started blooming on the sea surface, leading to a growth in fish and shrimp, then being preyed upon by starving mutants.
This cycle was considered sound, barely holding together, until some algae suddenly mutated and became poisonous... Thus, appeared dead fish, a large amount of dead fish, a sea of dead fish!
The rotten dead fish floated up from the sea, driven by the waves, gathered on the sea surface, seemingly forming a river, a mighty winding, stored on the windless back of the island.
Even across dozens of miles, the stench from decay is still suffocatingly strong.
To the extent, Luo Island hasn't even seen the shadow of Disaster Beast, already almost vomiting from dizziness.
A large amount of fish decay, besides the feast for flies, also attracted swarms of sea locusts to prey and lay eggs, therefore causing endless disturbances.
It's foreseeable that once sea locust eggs hatch, it'll be yet another wave of trouble.
Just saying, trouble is trouble, not lacking for a bit more, Ji Jue has almost gotten used to it, just like too many lice don't itch... some lice can be slowly dealt with later.
And some lice, once discovered by him, must die!
At one o'clock after noon, in the silence of Luo Island, all things were temporarily suspended, except hospitals and security, even the production lines of Coastal Industry were halted temporarily.
Under the mandatory order of the central government hall, all television screens, even those in shopping malls, showed the same scene.
Live broadcast.
The scenes in the live broadcast show the square outside the Luo Island government hall, and even the gallows that were completed overnight... as well as the miserable figures kneeling on the ground.
Right in front of the camera, those waiting to die are either crying bitterly, numb and dazed, or shouting that they want to see Ji Jue, and some still want to negotiate...
But no matter how they act, no matter what their past identities were, or how much regret they feel, it's all useless now.
Right under the dark gun muzzles, each person is dragged up by the exoskeleton armor, pushed onto the stage, and after their identity is confirmed in front of the live broadcast camera, the executioner beside them reads out their crimes and judgment expressionlessly before waving their hand.
With a click, the square gains another person swinging.
One after another, and then another, and another...
The charges against each person are simple: corruption, dereliction of duty, selling resources.
Just that simple!
It must be said that people's courage is boundless... there are still those running ships on the Endless Sea now; everyone's life is about strapping their heads to their belts, rolling up their sleeves, and getting to it!
When you're not afraid of death, what else is there to fear?
But as it turns out, no matter how courageous or bold you are, when death approaches, you will eventually be scared.
Being scared is useless!
You will still die even if you're scared!
At this crucial moment, under the monitoring of the Paradise System, under the high-pressure control of Ji Jue, there are still blind fools who dare to sell off the materials Ji Jue spent a fortune stockpiling.
This is no ordinary fool; it must be crushed immediately!
In just a quarter of an hour, forty-one swings have risen up, densely covering the square, displayed before all those watching from Luo Island and the Seven Cities, proving this determination from the Ruler.
All must die!
And in the best viewing spot—inside the office on the third floor of the hall behind the square, a room Ji Jue had rarely used, Ji Jue withdrew his gaze.
He looked across the table at the man sweating profusely and smiling obsequiously.
"Isn't it pleasing to the eye, right?"
He picked up his teacup and sincerely suggested: "See, how simple and effective it is. I recommend promoting this among the Seven Cities, then Mr. Fernan's difficulties would be resolved, no?"
"This…this is somewhat…"
The envoy from the Seven Cities Council wiped his cold sweat: "I will report to Mr. Fernan when I return, but the urgent matters at hand must be resolved. You see…"
"Yes, I'm watching, don't worry, I'll keep watching."
Ji Jue seemed not to understand, nodding continuously, showing he was paying attention.
Instantly, the envoy's expression twitched again, becoming increasingly complex: "The Chairman means that in these hard times, the Seven Cities must support each other… Luo Island surely wouldn't stand idly by, right?"
"Of course not."
Ji Jue's expression turned peculiar, half-smiling: "I've taught you the methods, haven't I? Can't you learn, or can't you implement them?
You surely don't want me to help you solve your problems, right?
I have no problems with that; please rest assured, council, as long as Chairman Fernan issues a document, as long as there's an order from the Chairman, I will help the Seven Cities eradicate all future troubles!"
The envoy's face turned quickly pale, and he hastily stood up: "No need, no need, Mr. Ji, truly no need!"
If Ji Jue were to solve them, it's likely that before dawn, all the higher-ups of the Seven Cities would have to go to the Coast's production line to await their fortune!
Even if death isn't on the table, living wouldn't be much of an option either!
He was just here to beg, not to get beaten… yet it would've been better to be beaten, just endure it and return, rather than suffer such mental torture?
Currently in the Endless Sea, most transportation has ceased, and without trade, no matter how rich or affluent a city-state is, they must tighten their belts.
Some people can still continue with music and dance, but some can hardly continue living.
Starvation, even!
Whenever the disaster comes, the price of grains shoots up insanely, like it's gone mad, rising dozens or even hundreds of times in a day, a morning, an hour like a rocket!
All restaurants have closed their doors, all markets have been ransacked, leaving the entire market empty, not a grain of rice to be found!
The Seven Cities Council immediately issued a grain price limit decree, of course, to no avail; even the former stable supply plan became just a piece of waste paper.
Fernan is probably having a brain hemorrhage right now.
There's no helping it; among the Seven Cities, at least the upper echelons of five cities are leading the charge on grain speculation, and they hold a sizable share!
Even in Pu City, where the Seven Cities Council resides, it's still the same!
The descendants of the Old Alliance Leader Aquilino are happily hoarding goods now!
Without everyone's push and help, how could things get so absurd?
A rare opportunity to make the masses suffer and leave the infamy to Fernan. As for how many might starve… the gentlemen's tables will never lack a dish, they won't worry about that!
So now it's time for good people to be facing the guns.