CHAPTER 71: PESTS

"Why the anxiety?

"I sent backup, didn’t I.

"Took me some effort to get the old men in the Military to approve it.

"And trust me, they weren’t too keen to expand the resources and men on the Southern Battle Administration Area.

"In the grand scheme of things, the area isn’t strategically worthwhile or in terms of resources and production, not good enough for us to maintain it."

The Secretary’s cheeks jiggled as he spoke.

Rodney wanted to take a deep breath of smoke but realized that he didn’t have his cigar in his mouth anymore.

He cursed silently, held the phone closer to his mouth, and said, "Secretary Hanselman, I don’t care about your politics and pork barrel dealings with each other.

"The wall has been breached.

"We’ve sustained a massive number of casualties, people are dying.

"You better send troops, essentials and medical aid right now.

"Oh, and one last thing, the Southern Pillar is now dead.

"Courtesy of the Shadow Lotus."

Secretary Hanselman was calm about the fact that there were a massive number of casualties, but he startled for a moment when he heard about the demise of the Southern Pillar and Shadow Lotus.

Without the Southern Pillar, the Center Administration’s plan of rejuvenation for the Southern Battle Administration Area would have to be halted.

In the plan, when the time was right, they were supposed to get the Southern Pillar out of hibernation.

And with a final push, Athena would fight with the forces from the Center Administration to get rid of the Apex, Transcendent and Primordial Tiered demonic beasts that were ruling the mountains and woods.

Now that Athena was gone, his grift and gravy train canvassing resources for the final push might be stopped.

To make it worse, the Shadow Lotus members were erratic, and no one knows what they wanted.

He thought for a moment, trying to come up with a new plan to sustain his grift.

Secretary Hanselman struggled for a bit as he tried to sit up straight in his chair, making the chair creak as it did its best supporting his heavy weight.

"I’m sad to hear the dire state that the area is in right now.

"I will do my best to get the budget and manpower to assist in the recovery.

"Let me get to work as soon as this call ends.

"Do your best to maintain order."

He ended the call and Secretary Hanselman passed the phone back to his assistant.

"Get me to the Central Leader’s office."

His assistant bowed and got to work.

Rodney fumed and looked at the screen of his phone when the call ended.

He wasn’t sure if Secretary Hanselman would deliver what he said.

But there were no other avenues for him.

He looked up and saw that things were moving along smoothly.

The demonic beasts had cleared out of the city and the injured were being sent to the hospitals.

Rodney got on an armored car with a few men and Thorne Blackmore, and they made their way to the underground base.

...

Underground base.

Charles and Wendy’s office.

Patricia was sobbing with Wendy by her side.

Wendy was also sad, but she forced herself to keep it in.

In front of them was Charles’ body, laying motionlessly.

It wasn’t so long ago that he was alive, working hard and caring for his family.

But now...

Patricia stopped sobbing, anger rose from within, and she turned towards Jules Robertson.

"You! Because of you and Edric Robertson, my father died!"

Flames appeared in her hands, and she tried to lunge at Jules Robertson.

Emma stepped in and gave Patricia a chop on her neck from behind.

Making her unconscious immediately.

Wendy quickly went over and took care of her.

"How much longer do we have to stay here?" Rex asked as he gave Jules Robertson a stare.

Jules Robertson who was tied up together with his father, sitting on the floor outside the office, avoided his stare.

He never had to endure such humiliation before.

And worse of it all, Patricia hated him now.

He didn’t dare to look anywhere but onto the ground.

Jules Robertson stole a glance at Lukas and thought about the different status they were having now.

How the times have changed.

Lukas had gone from an outcast from high school to an awakened superstar now.

As for himself, he had fallen from heaven to hell.

A life of riches gone and destined for the gallows.

The thought of it made Jules Robertson feel worse than being dead.

Lukas was discussing with Riley and Harianto about the Southern Pillar.

Not once did Lukas even bother with Jules Robertson, as if Jules Robertson was just a pest to him.

But Jules Robertson didn’t even dare to feel anything about it.

He and Lukas were no longer in the same realm.

The next moment, footsteps could be heard that were approaching.

Rex didn’t have to wait long for his answer, Rodney and Thorne Blackmore arrived shortly after.

"Director, quite a mission you got us on." Riley said and he brushed his long blue hair.

"I will settle the rewards with you later, but first..." Rodney walked over to Edric Robertson, and he gave him a kick in the chest.

"Argh." Edric Robertson gave out a cry in pain but couldn’t do much except beg for his life.

"Stop. You can’t do this. It’s against the law."

"I don’t think the law should apply to scums like you." Rodney said and stomped down onto Edric Robertson’s thigh.

It made Edric Robertson twitch in pain.

"Now, tell me all that you know about the Shadow Lotus." Rodney looked down onto Edric Robertson and said.

"I’ll tell you what I know."

Edric Robertson then disclosed how someone had contacted him through a business contact called, Peter Lim, from the West Battle Administration Area.

And how this group called the Shadow Lotus proposed a plan to him.

He agreed to the plan and helped coordinate for them to plant the devices outside the wall.

"Peter Lim... Devices..." Lukas mumbled to himself as he thought about what Edric Robertson had said.

The next moment, he looked up and suggested, "Harianto might be able to get some clues out of those devices out there."

Rodney nodded but frowned.