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墨書 Inktalez
Most of the vehicles that came into view had long since lost their side mirrors, crowded together in a chaotic mass. Accompanying the traffic jam were heads poking out of windows and the coarse shouts drowned out by a cacophony of honking horns.
On both sides of the street, pedestrians hurried by, their faces marked by panic, hands laden with bags of all sizes. It was a clear day with no clouds in sight, the sunlight abundant. Yet in this bright environment, William felt as if he were surrounded by a thick shroud of darkness.
He couldn’t afford to think too much; he urged himself to move, to act. He needed to numb his brain with action, to freeze out any unnecessary thoughts. If he didn’t, he felt he wouldn’t make it through; he might become just another frantic member of the crowd, caught up in the panic surrounding the Alien UFO.
Run. He pushed himself forward without considering his physical exhaustion, his mind blank as he finally reached East District Cross Street. There was no need for deep investigation; just seeing the thick plumes of black smoke rising was enough to understand the extent of the destruction caused by the riot.
At least a dozen shops had been vandalized, looted, and set ablaze. The air was thick with the acrid smell of burning debris, while scattered curses from fleeing pedestrians and gun-toting lunatics formed a nightmarish tableau reminiscent of a postmodern hellscape.
What chilled William to the bone was that at the head of East District Cross Street, there were only two other colleagues who looked equally pale. His voice came out hoarse: “Where’s the team leader?”
One colleague’s face was grim: “I arrived two hours ago and called; no one answered.” The other colleague had already taken a few steps back, clearly intending to leave East District Cross Street: “I tried contacting other team members too; no one responded.”
Clearly, Captain Pristow and the others were missing. It wasn’t that they had encountered any danger; it was impossible for them to have been easily taken down by rioters. Those who could enter the Investigation Bureau were all well-trained elites, equipped with bulletproof vests. How could they possibly be overrun by ordinary chaotic thugs?
The fact that he hadn’t seen Pristow or anyone else until now suggested only one possibility: they had fled. To use an idiom from Xu Lie, they had abandoned their posts in the face of danger.
William swayed slightly, as if he were a precarious building on the verge of collapse. Yes, it dawned on him; perhaps he was righteous, but that didn’t necessarily apply to his colleagues or seniors at the Investigation Bureau.
Last night on the Transport Ship, after discovering the arrival of the Serpent Support, Captain Pristow not only sneaked away but also demanded obedience to his orders. Given the existence of the Alien UFO, it was unlikely that someone as seasoned as Captain Pristow would continue to linger in the metropolis. Perhaps after returning home last night, he had already hurriedly evacuated his family from the city.
This morning's mission call was merely a ruse to buy time. It was laughable. Was justice just a joke?
William couldn't help but laugh out loud as he stepped into East District Cross Street with his gun in hand, determined to at least attempt to obstruct the rioters and maintain some semblance of order. He would not flee.
This scene left not only William's colleagues but also the onlookers dumbfounded.
【Is it me who has a problem? Or is it the captain of the Investigation Bureau who has issues? This is a classic case of abandoning ship!】
【Hey, buddy, this is normal. The resources provided by the Investigation Bureau are insufficient; with such little funding for a month, who would risk their life against aliens?】
【It takes a hero; I wonder if William's sense of justice can really uphold order in East District Cross Street.】
【This is outrageous! Not only did the captain run away, but even the other members of the search team have fled.】
The two remaining colleagues at the scene wanted to persuade William but were at a loss for words. One colleague took a few steps back, gritted his teeth, and turned to leave. The last one hesitated for a long time before finally deciding to follow William.
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