Chapter 132: Next Stage (3)

At the same time that the trio was trapped inside the anomaly, the world was shaken by the sudden clashes between the clans and the government.

The citizens were already used to occasional tension between the two forces, but it had yet to escalate into a full-scale war. Everyone was taken aback, and the world was suddenly shrouded by darkness and uncertainty.

The clash occurred in a yellow zone not too far from the capital, considered one of the bases that surrounded it. The zone was strategic in some sense and had particular value for both forces.

It had a population of more than ten million. Despite being a yellow zone, it was quite stable, with the government and clans having heavy forces inside.

Usually, the citizens never even sensed when trouble came, as they were already nipped in the bud before they affected the city. However, they would realize once more that this world was not as peaceful as it seemed.

A huge explosion shattered the tranquility of the night; the ground shook, and the air instantly became oppressive. Everyone woke up and was shaken.

The streets instantly became lively; terrified expressions lingered with everyone. There were so many questions, but one overwhelmed all of them.

“Is it a monster attack?”

That was the first thought of almost all of the citizens. No one would even dare to think that it came from the clash of two behemoths.

Suddenly, another explosion shook the city. This time, the one behind the explosions became clear. The citizens struggled with where they stood, their expressions one of shock and terror.

Espers!

Espers were fighting.

The very same espers that were protecting them were not fighting, disregarding the buildings and citizens. It was unknown who started to run, but the crowd began to scramble to escape.

The sheer possibility that the war between these espers might destroy the city was enough for everyone’s thoughts to spiral chaotically.

After all, if they were monsters, espers were there to protect them. However, now that these espers who were supposed to protect them against monsters were fighting amongst themselves, then who would save them?

The mass panic quickly overtook the city. Since the fight was not happening in one area, but in other areas of the city as well. The death toll quickly rose.

Although most of the casualties came from the citizens trampling each other. The espers only targeted buildings associated with their opponents.

Yet, the impact of it was enough to drive every citizen in a frenzy. No one was calming the crowd. The army was also busy supporting the government-affiliated espers on the front lines.

“Mom…”

“Dad!”

“Baby, come here…”

“Fuck the government! Fuck everyone! Let’s all die—ughh!” Someone just jumped from the top of the building; his body fell into the running crowd.

He did not die from the fall, though, but from being trampled. They never bothered to help him get up; everyone’s focus was on escaping with their family or by themselves.

The chaos was spreading, and it was only the start.

It was not long before some soldiers and government-affiliated espers arrived. They began to control the panicking crowd and helped with the evacuation.

At least, in this regard, the government had a conscience. Or, more accurately speaking, the clans did not rely on citizens to thrive and exist, but the government did.

At the top of a building, a group was looking at the chaos below. Some looked gloomy, while a few were itching to fight. These were mercenaries, not affiliated with the two forces, but sooner or later, they would be part of this war too.

“This is inevitable.” One huffed from his cigarette, his expression calm, but his voice carried a heavy tone.

Everyone knew, as long as one had been in the industry for so long, that the clans and the government would clash to determine who was the overlord of the current era.

“Who do we support, clans or the government? ”

“Well, who pays me more,”

There was lighthearted laughter amidst the uncertainty.

“How about you?” Someone asked the man smoking.

The man shrugged. He looked at the chaotic scenery of the city.

“Who knows?” He blew on the smoke once more and glanced at his companion. “Maybe they are not the right choice.”

The companion was a bit taken aback, confused. The others were also surprised; they had never seen such a fervent gaze from their boss before.

“You’ll know soon,” the man vaguely ended with that.

The master of this chaotic world only needed to be the strongest. Neither the clans nor the government fit the criteria.

Only the leader and his companion deserved it.

The fanatic gaze replaced the gloom in his eyes.

Soon…

This anticipation did not only come from him but appeared in every part of the world.

Unbeknownst to the whole world, another force was waiting to participate. Were they saviors or the final nail in the coffin?

Only one decided that.

And that person was currently away and exploring as though the chaos did not affect them in the slightest. In a way, it was really not.

The next day after their guiding session, they decided to leave. They had been held off for too long. According to Aegi, the time of the outside world and the world he created differed.

Based on real-world time, they spent almost four days inside the abandoned town.

Aegi was not with them, since anomalies could not easily leave the place they were born due to some restrictions. However, Ayen could utilize his abilities, but he did not know how to.

He could only figure it out with Khal’s and Devion’s help. As for Aegi, the child was more comfortable staying in the town despite it being lonely; his mother was still there.

Now, they were inside the car and trailing the road towards another zone. Khal was in the driver’s seat while Devion and he were in the back seat.

They had managed to acquire a car, and coincidentally, it was the same car they used in that conjured past.

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