Chapter 327: Crisis at the East Sea

Hurry, hurry, hurry!

Get into the city now! Head to the spots I mentioned!

Outside the city, as countless survivors urgently evacuate the East Sea Safe Zone, former East Sea officials and mid-level officers from nearby Battle Zones show wild flashes of excitement in their eyes as they race back into the city.

At that moment, their return to the Safe Zone clashed starkly with the retreating mass.

Everyone, we must rescue every single person from the East Sea!

This is our duty!

With greedy glares, the commanding officials from the four squads bellow out orders, their faces etched with responsibility.

They shared a knowing glance, each with a cynical smile in their hearts, and then charged headlong into their designated areas.

Though those still here were our own, a few unaware soldiers were yet to retreat.

We still have to shout those slogans.

“Director Yuan, are we really going to rescue survivors?”

“At this point, anyone who could escape already has!”

“If the Sea Beast catches up, we’re in deep trouble!”

Trailing behind Yuan Qian, a somewhat clueless First-Stage Awakener stared blankly at his superior.

He couldn’t understand how Director Yuan, usually content with tea and newspapers, could show such resolve in a crisis.

At this point, even the boldest looters would have fled after grabbing what they could.

Hearing his subordinates’ almost idiotic questions, the out-of-breath Yuan Qian glared in exasperation at the youth his relatives had shoved into his team.

“Idiot!”

“We’re here to salvage supplies!”

By now, Yuan Qian had no time for pretense. His team was composed of trusted aides—many of them high-ranking relatives—so he could speak plainly.

“Head to Tianbao Corporation!”

“Remember, grab the highest-value mutated materials and equipment!”

“Damn, those shady merchants have always catered to me. Who knows how many treasures they’re hoarding!”

“I’ve made a fortune off them; it’s high time they paid up!”

His expression was crazed.

Yuan Qian’s eyes locked onto one of the largest billboards in the East Sea Safe Zone, and his lips trembled with excitement.

To intercept these supplies, they forced the major merchant guilds in the Safe Zone to leave empty-handed by stalling their evacuation. Now, everything left was theirs.

But just the thought of risking everything to scavenge these supplies—only to later pay deference to their superiors—filled him with resentment.

Unlike the good news reported to the Military, they actually had men on the frontline.

The situation was dire—within fifteen minutes at most, a breached Sea Beast would be charging after the troops.

If they delayed even a bit, disaster was imminent.

But desperate times call for desperate measures! Even if the retreating troops had to cover them, the risk was worth it.

Especially since these supplies were so genuine, there was no need to fudge the accounts!

Later, if the East Sea merchant guilds stirred up trouble, they could claim the goods were seized by looters. Isn’t that far more profitable?

Meanwhile, four teams with the same mindset simultaneously raced toward their assigned areas, storming into the merchant guilds like bandits.

In an instant, shrill alarms blared sharply.

Unlike mere civilians, these Awakeners effortlessly breached the high-security vaults of the merchant guilds.

Yet no one cared about the surveillance cameras spread across the East Sea; they silently watched the chaos unfold.

………….

“Lord Yenir! What are they doing!?”

Stunned into silence.

Within the satellite city of the East Sea Safe Zone, Ming Luo stared at the surveillance screens in disbelief.

Baffled, his team had been ordered by Yenir to open the Ling Energy Gate of the Safe Zone before assembling here.

Seeing the high-ranking Safe Zone officials frantically loading supplies, they felt as if they were witnessing a ghost.

At first, watching the East Sea administrators vow to stay behind and save lives, they were impressed by the officials’ sense of duty.

But the scene before them made everything plain.

With a calm demeanor, Yenir’s eyes revealed no surprise as he fixated on the red dot on the screen—the Aviation Squadron about to enter the East Sea.

Haunted by memories of his past life, he wasn’t at all shocked by these officials’ actions.

Profiting from disasters and the deceased was the trademark move of these parasites.

In his previous life, the Military repeatedly tried to reclaim the East Sea from the Sea Beast, costing countless soldier lives partly due to pressure from various East Sea departments.

As regional administrators, who didn’t have their own stakes in the East Sea?

After all, the dead weren’t theirs. Once the East Sea fell, these greedy parasites feverishly pushed the Military to regain what they’d lost.

What happened next was all too ordinary.

“This is outrageous!”

“Aren’t they worried that if the Sea Beast arrives, there won’t be enough time to escape!?”

“The troops are already preparing to retreat, yet they dare to keep searching!?”

Angered, Ming Luo—who’d mostly stayed with the Action Team rather than in the field—couldn’t help but speak out.

He never imagined that if they couldn’t leave in time, these officials would force the retreating troops to cover for them.

To them, soldiers were merely expendable; their own interests trumped all.

Ignoring his squad’s outrage, Yenir silently calculated the time. Moments later, a strange glimmer flashed in his eyes.

Without hesitation, he contacted the Aviation Squadron responsible for fuel transport and issued new orders:

“This is Yenir!”

“As the commander of the East Sea, I order you to return immediately!”

“No need to set up fire barriers!”

A second later, without waiting for a reply from the Military, he reached out to a frontline general:

“If you value your lives, retreat from the sea area!”

“In three minutes, I will detonate the Spirit Energy Node!”

“Your only hope is to leave the sea area!”

On the other end, a high-ranking general, desperately trying to break free, stared in shock at Yenir’s message—his face blanching instantly.

“Yenir!? What on earth are you doing!?”

His heart skipped a beat.

In his view, evacuating through the gap in the fire barrier was the best option.

Wasn’t that already confirmed by the Military!?

Blow up the East Sea so they can escape from the sea area? What does that mean!?

Yet the only explanation from Yenir came in a few terse words.

“To be continued.”

“And the Sea Beast.”

“A gaping fire barrier is useless—they’ll chase you relentlessly through the gap.”

“By then, you’ll all be doomed, and so will the people of the East Sea. If you want any of your soldiers to survive, follow my orders.”