The night wind is desolate, riots erupting in Dawn City, revealing unease and anger everywhere.
City Defense Guard Camp and Night Patrol Team have almost all been deployed, the main entrances to the three city walls are experiencing severe blockages and riot incidents, large convoys are rushing outward while small groups seeking survival supplies and shelter are taking the opportunity to slip into the city, Population Control Bureau’s alarm lights echo across the night sky.
The suburban streets’ iron barricade, billions of zombies surging like torrents.
Besides the iron barricade, Dawn City has three defensive lines: Wall No. 1, Wall No. 2, and Star Port Defense Base. The Underground City is currently the safest refuge, located beneath the Double Star Tower Star Port.
At the top of the Double Star Tower, the sprawling observation platform is empty inside, the lights dim, high-quality panoramic floor-to-ceiling windows seem to completely block out even the sound of the wind.
Ye Lan stands before the floor-to-ceiling window, in the Inner City and Outer City streets, the dense stream of vehicles with flashing lights, though distant, the noise of the riots seems to be right in front of him.
"The last ti I left this city, it was similarly chaotic, humans seem to never rember lessons, always forgetting that destruction starts from within."
Ye Lan’s voice is extrely calm, like a narrating observer.
Chu Zhaonan standing by the nearby window, listening attentively, responds
"Because most people don’t know that destruction is destined, like a book, placed there, no matter how many tis it’s read, how many insights gained, the outco remains the sa."
Ye Lan said: "In the three months, our understanding of Star Abyss has progressed significantly, we’ve found breakthroughs in shielding invasions, has your view changed in any way?"
Chu Zhaonan: "The day the Federation collapsed, I already said, between us there’s no issue of morality or political stance, only differing ans of survival, you and I both understand, humans have exhausted all technology and military power in this catastrophe, yet essentially, we still do not know what we are facing, high-dinsional life? Multiverse overlap? Dark world catastrophe? All are re conjectures, do you realize what it ans for a civilization to use all its power yet obliterate 99% of its population in an instant?"
He looks to the sky, calmly stating: "With human power, we cannot even accomplish 99% annihilation of a certain insect in the natural ecology, from this perspective, you should have more authority to speak on this matter, Professor Ye."
Ye Lan paused for a few seconds, looking towards the grand Night City below: "So you publicly promote the Underground City plan, secretly develop Eternal-level Low Temperature Hibernation Chambers, organize Breaking Curtain Plan, allow Zhou Mingyuan to ramp up political conscription thods, fabricate a hope illusion, is it for this mont?"
Chu Zhaonan’s gaze turned severe: "The essence of ideological branding is to keep humanity hopeful in an inevitably lost war." He looks to Ye Lan: "But hope, is truly the shackle!"
The room is silent, two figures stand to the left and right, the sound reverberating in the room like a tolling bell.
"I acknowledge your rationality, Chairman Chu."
Ye Lan continued: "I ca here this ti to remind you, for this eting, you’ve already had a result in advance, the reason is because between us exists communication, understanding, we’ve known each other for 26 years, the deeper this understanding, the less deviation there is in the result, but the problem is, between humans and darkness, there is no such communication."
"I know."
Chu Zhaonan’s gaze slightly flickered: "Therefore, this inevitably lost war for humanity, the Vanguard Plan is our quickest response, Professor Ye, oh no, Commander Ye, you and I both know, fundantally, Phoenix Society and Dawn City are the sa, both gambling, the only difference is I’m more objective, you are more idealistic, since you know the outco won’t change, you risk coming to Dawn City, is there any advice you wish to offer ?"
Ye Lan: "No."
Chu Zhaonan: "Star Abyss expansion?"
Ye Lan: "Uncontrollable, humans cannot even control themselves, otherwise the issues of Dawn City and Deep Red World would not exist."
Chu Zhaonan: "Existence is reasonable, universe survival law has only one: abandon old morals, survive by any ans. Descent Faction or Salvation Faction, so-called faith is nothing but a self-imposed moral constraint by individuals seeking survival, I’ve also pondered, if all humanity were exterminated and Deep Red World survived in a special form, who can say it’s not a continuation of human civilization?"
Ye Lan: "I’m surprised you think about problems from such perspective."
"Surprised?" Chu Zhaonan stated blandly: "76 years ago, the original intent of Phoenix Society’s establishnt was exactly this, regarding this point, you should not be surprised."
"And Chu Jing?"
Ye Lan looked at him: "In your view, is he moral or a ans?"
Chu Zhaonan’s expression tightened, he said solemnly
"He’s a clever child, from the mont he took over Breaking Curtain Plan, he clearly knew, he and I stand on the human perspective, not father-son stance."
Ye Lan nodded gently, softly stated: "Alright."
"So, what is Phoenix Society’s purpose for coming?" Chu Zhaonan clasping his hands behind, sideways looking at Ye Lan.
She turned back, hidden in shadow, the neon glow of Night City now sweeping over Ye Lan’s calm as water face, said to Chu Zhaonan
"To clean up the aftermath."
Finishing her sentence, she strides out, her tall and thin figure swiftly disappearing into the shadow of the observation hall.
...
Jin Hai.
Based on safety considerations, Silent City landed slowly on a piece of vacant land in the city’s west suburb, the massive jet stream washed out a shock impact zone of deadwood ground twenty kiloters in radius.
User Comments
0 comments from readers