Chapter 62

【Second update, continue to support~~~】

In the darkness of night, under the moonlight, a fleet of steamships of various sizes slowly appeared on the distant river. The metal hulls reflected the moonlight, outlining the massive silhouettes of the steamships against the darkness. Huge chimneys stood on the decks, and above them, white smoke rose, as if giants were exhaling clouds.

Suddenly, a trembling red light flashed, followed by a sharp whistling sound. A geyser of water shot up from the river. The red light flashed again, the third time! This cannonball struck the riverbank, sending dirt flying and causing a deafening explosion.

As the distance closed, the ships gradually came within range. There was no need for Dugu Fu to say more; the reality was clear. The speed of the system steamships was faster than expected! The overwhelming power stunned everyone present. Although they were all rebels, prepared to fight the Immortals, when had they ever seen such powerful weapons, such incredible force?

One by one, they were stunned, as if turned to stone!

Not just the rebels, at this moment, it was dusk, and the small city was lit up with lights and the nightlife was just beginning. The sudden cannon fire plunged the entire county into silence. The lights stopped moving, the crowds fell silent, and all eyes turned to the riverbank where the cannon fire came from.

"What are you all standing there for? Get to shore, quickly! Help those who fell into the water, and get out of here! Get out of here!" As the leader, Lin Ziqing was the first to react, shouting with all his might. The rebel soldiers, as if waking from a dream, pulled and pushed each other, carrying and supporting one another, and quickly left the cargo dock.

However, the gunners on the steamships clearly knew their targets. They turned their cannons and fired, the explosions chasing the rebels' figures.

Fortunately, the speed of the ships was limited, and the water's turbulence affected their accuracy... Only a few people were injured by flying shrapnel, and no one was directly hit.

"Don't stay too close together! A single cannonball can hit a wide area, try to spread out!" Dugu Fu shouted amidst the crowd.

Dozens, nearly a hundred people, ran chaotically away from the riverbank and into the neighboring streets. In the bustling area, they temporarily escaped the pursuit of the steamships, and the rebels caught their breath, looking at each other in confusion—

"What's going on?"

"How did the system army get to Lingling?"

The sudden and overwhelming attack was too abrupt, and everyone's faces were filled with fear.

"What's going on?" Lin Ziqing's face was ashen as he grabbed the limp Lu Tao.

"I don't know! I don't know!" Lu Tao shouted angrily after the stone was removed from his mouth.

"Don't know? If you don't know, why did you run? Why did you take Miss Guo without my permission?" Lin Ziqing gritted his teeth. Everyone looked at Lu Tao with strange eyes.

"I'm not a traitor! I'm not a traitor!" Seeing everyone's gaze, Lu Tao cried out, "I, I, received an order from above!"

"An order from above?" No one believed him.

Lu Tao clenched his teeth. Since he had already spoken, he... whispered, "The order is still in my pocket."

Lin Ziqing was stunned. At this point, it wouldn't make sense to lie with something that could be easily exposed. After a thorough search, he found a scroll— "Before the hour of You, take the Guo family out of Lingling City. Do not tell anyone. Burn after reading." It was sealed with a small stamp.

"It's true... it's true..." Lin Ziqing examined the stamp repeatedly, but it seemed genuine.

"I was supposed to burn it after reading, but I thought the order was strange, so I... didn't burn it."

"Who gave it to you?"

"Each of us dispatched instructors has a separate line of communication..."

Lin Ziqing nodded, he knew this. He frowned deeply. If what Lu Tao said was true, he wasn't a traitor? Just a coincidence? He looked at Dugu Fu with doubt.

Dugu Fu shrugged. If it wasn't Lu Tao, then there must be someone else... The deception wasn't acting, but the truth, and his judgment hadn't failed him. However, he had clearly seen Lu Tao use a Jeet Kune Do move... perhaps he was mistaken? "If it's not Lu Tao, then there must be someone else..."

Lin Ziqing's face changed dramatically at these words: "Old Two, has anyone seen Old Two and his people?"

Everyone looked at each other, all shaking their heads.

Dugu Fu turned to Lu Tao: "Did you take the Guo family away?"

"Yes, I took them out of the city first, then came back for Guo Xingxing." Lu Tao said gloomily.

As they spoke, a loud shout came from nearby: "Here! Here! They're here!" A player was jumping and shouting at the steamships on the river, pointing at them.

Dugu Fu, with his photographic memory, recognized him as one of the players who had been eliminated earlier. He must have just come from the respawn point.

"Damn!" Lin Ziqing cursed, bending down and dashing forward.

"Damn..." Suddenly, a sharp whistling sound came. Dugu Fu, sensing it, pulled Lin Ziqing down to the ground.

"Boom!" A massive explosion, the shockwave spreading. The spot where the player had been jumping and waving was now just a large crater...

"Phew..." Lin Ziqing's scalp tingled, he drew a cold breath, "Thanks."

"No..." Dugu Fu waved his hand, but before he could finish, "Boom! Boom! Boom!" a series of explosions began to rain down on the street. Roofs collapsed, walls crumbled, debris flew, and blood and flesh were scattered...

"Ah... Ah..." There were people on the street, quite a few, and they were stunned by the first cannon shot. When the continuous bombardment began, they finally came to their senses. They screamed in terror, as if the end of the world had arrived, and fled in all directions. Some were directly hit by the cannon fire and lay on the ground moaning; others were trampled by the fleeing crowd, their cries of pain continuous. Still others, living in the houses on both sides of the street, were buried alive without knowing what was happening.

The peaceful riverside night market had turned into a chaotic battlefield in an instant.

"How... How... How can this be!" Lin Ziqing's eyes were bloodshot, his body trembling, "These are civilians! They are innocent."

Amidst the cannon fire, Lin Ziqing slowly stood up, his voice trembling: "Brothers, do you remember why we joined the resistance?" "Those who are not afraid of death, follow me..."

He bowed his head and suddenly dashed out.

The rebels, after a moment of hesitation, understood the innkeeper's meaning. Some were still hesitant, but others followed Lin Ziqing without a second thought.

Realizing the cannon fire was coming from the river, the panicked crowd was running along the streets, desperately heading for higher ground, away from the river.

Only they were moving in the opposite direction. They were running back to the river, becoming the targets of the steamships' cannons again. They didn't want the innocent civilians to be caught in the crossfire...

But their efforts were doomed to be futile!

"Don't go! It's useless!" Dugu Fu shouted with all his might, struggling to say his guess, "They plan to raze the city! They want to raze the city!"

Amidst the cannon fire, the rebels stopped in their tracks.

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