Chapter 28 - 27: 10 Minutes!

Chapter 28: Chapter 27: 10 Minutes!

Hong Yuxun had been keeping a close eye on Liu Zimo. Especially just now, Liu Zimo’s phone call with his family had provided Hong Yuxun with even more of the information he sought. By now, he was somewhat certain that the online post titled "November 11th, the Apocalypse is Approaching: A Self-Help Guide!" was very likely connected to the young man before him. It was even highly probable that this person was the author himself. Otherwise, it was unlikely he would have such a clear understanding of the post-apocalyptic disaster, let alone speak with such absolute certainty about things that had not yet occurred!

Hong Yuxun had actually skimmed that article—"November 11th, the Apocalypse is Approaching: A Self-Help Guide!"—when he was previously studying the Guiding Breathing Method. The post had only briefly touched upon the specific details and processes of the descending apocalypse; instead, it mostly explained how to escape and save oneself during the Demon Calamity. However, Liu Zimo had just mentioned an electromagnetic storm and a transmission passage. He had even explicitly given a time limit for his family to seek shelter! How could this not make Hong Yuxun suspicious and overthink?

But before he could even ask, the disaster suddenly struck. A plane crashed directly next to their martial arts hall. Seeing the adjacent residential building completely destroyed, engulfed in raging flames, with many surviving residents crying out for help from inside, Hong Yuxun had no choice but to temporarily suppress his doubts and quickly order his disciples to rescue the victims!

"Elder Hong!" Liu Zimo suddenly spoke up, stopping Hong Yuxun right as he was about to personally join the rescue efforts. "The disaster has arrived, and an even greater crisis will soon follow. Time is running out for Shangjing City!

"With your abilities, Elder, you shouldn’t just focus on these minor, immediate disasters. Wasting more time for the life and death of one person, a hundred people, or even a thousand people isn’t worth it. You have far more important things to do right now!"

WHOOSH!

Hong Yuxun’s figure instantly halted. He flashed to Liu Zimo’s side and sternly questioned, "Little guy, what exactly do you know?!

"And what could possibly be more important than me saving these people trapped in the sea of fire right before my eyes?!"

"Of course there is!" Facing Hong Yuxun’s interrogation, Liu Zimo’s gaze was resolute as he replied in a firm voice. "The entire Shangjing City, with a population of over thirty million, needs you to save them, Elder Hong!

"If you don’t take action now, it will be too late. In a dozen minutes, the Demon Calamity will descend, and the native beasts of Earth will mutate into demons alongside it, recklessly slaughtering humans within the city!"

Hong Yuxun’s expression changed slightly, and his brows furrowed. He didn’t think the situation would actually get that terrible. Shangjing City was the capital of Great Xia; whether inside or surrounding the city, there were hundreds of thousands of active military troops stationed there. The defense level was absolutely world-class. Hong Yuxun didn’t believe that a bunch of half-human, half-beast freaks could easily destroy Shangjing City!

"Boy, don’t be an alarmist. Shangjing City isn’t as fragile as you imagine!"

Hearing Hong Yuxun’s words, Liu Zimo couldn’t help but shake his head slightly. Sure enough, even a big shot like the Yu Xun Martial Saint hadn’t fully realized the severity of the situation at this very moment. In his previous life, at the beginning of the Demon Calamity’s outbreak, many people thought the exact same way. They assumed that their countries and cities possessed overwhelming firepower and abundant resources, making them perfectly capable of handling any unknown disasters and dangers.

But they completely failed to realize that the moment the electromagnetic storm erupted, all high-tech products on Earth would be completely disabled! Without power grids, navigation systems, and various weapon systems that relied on electronic devices, even the strongest modern army would be reduced to mere decorations. With transportation and communication paralyzed, heavy firepower became nothing more than mascots. Long-range missiles and nuclear weapons were reduced to useless scrap metal, good only for show. Only some of the simplest, purely mechanical firearms could still barely be used. Under such circumstances, facing a sudden outbreak of a massive, overwhelming tide of demon beasts, how could an army bereft of its command systems and heavy firepower organize an effective counterattack and defense?

"Elder Hong, have you really not noticed yet?" Liu Zimo shook his phone and said solemnly, "All the electronic devices in the entirety of Shangjing City—no, the entire world—have already been destroyed by the electromagnetic storm just now!

"There’s no more electricity, no more communication. Cars, planes, high-speed rail... everything related to electricity has become a useless decoration.

"Under these circumstances, do you still think the army stationed in the Jing Suburb and the guards inside the city can mobilize in time to protect Shangjing City?"

Hmm?

Hong Yuxun instantly frowned deeply.

"Is it true or false?" he thought. "If the situation is truly as this boy says, even without the descent of the Demon Calamity, it would absolutely be a colossal disaster that all of Great Xia—even the whole world—would have to face! No, I must figure out the situation as soon as possible. Otherwise, if the Demon Calamity really does erupt soon, the entirety of Shangjing City will truly be in danger!"

Hearing Hong Yuxun’s inner thoughts, Liu Zimo felt a bit of relief in his heart. He knew that Hong Yuxun had already started to believe his words. As long as Hong Yuxun, a Golden Body realm martial artist, took action in advance, he would definitely be able to minimize the losses in Shangjing City. At the very least, it wouldn’t be like his previous life, where more than fifteen million residents living in the city died in the jaws of beasts within a single day.

"Let’s go, little guy. Come with me to the Military Staff Department!" Hong Yuxun said. "If things are truly as terrible as you say, only the Military Staff Department has a chance of resolving this!"

WHOOSH!

Before Liu Zimo could even react, Hong Yuxun grabbed him by the shoulder, lifted him up, and flew into the air.

"This boy definitely has a huge secret on him; I absolutely cannot let him go easily!" Hong Yuxun thought rapidly. "Also, that manual of the Awakening God Technique he took out earlier must be extremely important, otherwise it wouldn’t have drawn out that demon fiend! I just wonder if he has a backup copy on him. I’ll find a chance to ask him later..."

Hong Yuxun’s mind raced, completely oblivious to the fact that his thoughts were already being simultaneously transmitted into Liu Zimo’s ears.

"Elder Hong, I truly bear no ill will! I only came to Shangjing on my master’s orders to warn you and to present you with the Awakening God Technique compiled by my master himself!" Liu Zimo explained, pretending to struggle. "In fact, your place was only the first stop on my itinerary, Elder Hong. If the Demon Calamity hadn’t erupted early, I was planning to go to Dalin Temple and Dragon Tiger Mountain next, to gift the remaining two copies of the Awakening God Technique to them respectively!"

Sure enough, upon hearing that he still had two copies of the Awakening God Technique on him, Hong Yuxun noticeably loosened his grip.

"Rest assured, I have no intention of making things difficult for you," Hong Yuxun explained softly to appease him. "It’s just that there are some questions you need to clarify at the Military Staff Department. There won’t be the slightest bit of danger!

"Also, didn’t you want to return to Luozhou to find your family?

"I can guarantee you that once the crisis in Shangjing City is over, I will personally escort you to Luozhou!"

Liu Zimo secretly curled his lips. By the time the crisis in Shangjing City was fully resolved, it would probably be half a year or a year later. Returning to Luozhou at that point would be far too late. There was no way he could stay in Shangjing City for that long, and his old man, his uncle, and his younger brother might not even survive until then.

As they spoke, Hong Yuxun had already flown Liu Zimo out of the area where the Yu Xun Martial Arts Hall was located. Seeing the chaos on the streets, filled with crashed cars and pedestrians shouting loudly for help in all directions, Hong Yuxun instantly fell silent. The vehicles on the roads had indeed failed and broken down. The planes, helicopters, and drones that were originally flying high in the sky had all plummeted out of existence. Inside and outside the city, the sounds of explosions, large and small, rose and fell continuously as smoke billowed everywhere. Ambulances, fire engines, and police cars that could always be dispatched promptly in the past were now nowhere to be seen. A disaster sweeping across the entirety of Shangjing City had already begun to take shape.

Meanwhile, in the void above their heads, the massive silver vortex showed not the slightest sign of stopping its spread. It continued to expand and descend, slowly coming down to swallow the ground like a bloody, gaping maw. At this rate, it would make full contact with the ground in at most seven or eight minutes. Perhaps at that exact moment, the Demon Calamity that Liu Zimo spoke of would officially erupt!

"Ten minutes!" Hong Yuxun thought, his heart trembling.

He suddenly recalled that when Liu Zimo was on the phone with his father earlier, hadn’t he mentioned this exact timeframe? Why did he insist that his father must rush back home within ten minutes? Perhaps this was the answer! He really did know a lot of things!