Chapter 1196: Alarm Blaring

A buzzing sound—a loud air raid siren—reverberated over Wushan Town.

Lu Xun, Su Zhiwei, Yang Xiao, and Chu Changqing, who had been idly waiting in the safe house, simultaneously froze, then sprang from their chairs!

"An air raid siren??" Yang Xiao exclaimed in surprise. "What's going on? Why did it suddenly go off?"

Lu Xun frowned deeply. He strode to the window, pushed it open forcefully, and looked up at the sky.

Between the distant mountain ranges, missiles trailing flames shot up rapidly from the ground, constantly changing direction in the air before launching towards different locations!

Not only from the mountains surrounding Wushan, but moments later, dense fiery trails streaked across the sky like a meteor shower, leaving long white contrails.

Everyone witnessed this sight, not just Lu Xun, and not just in Wushan.

Nuclear weapons from military bases, from the desolate wilderness that the world had never paid attention to, and from the deep sea, roared out of their slumber like a destructive Sword of Damocles, carrying a dazzling cold light and aimed directly overseas!

Where were these weapons headed? America? Japan? Europe? Or even more places?

Was this a lightning strike, or a defensive counterattack?

No one knew.

When the global war arrived, most of the populace was completely unaware. In the face of this wave that would reshuffle human civilization, all previously swift social media platforms seemed to have lost their function, leaving only overwhelming and conflicting messages flooding the internet. Only a very small number of people could glimpse a corner of the truth amidst the vast amount of misleading information.

Of course, whether they knew the truth no longer mattered.

The moment a bullet left the barrel, destruction and death arrived before truth.

"It's started???" Chu Changqing watched the scene in shock. "How could it be so sudden..."

"It only seems sudden to us. To those who truly control everything, perhaps this has been long premeditated, or rather... perfectly synchronized," Yang Xiao, who had been silent until now, suddenly spoke.

"This probably isn't us initiating. Most likely, someone in the West has gone all-in and decided to throw the table over!"

"Quick!! Go find a civil defense shelter!!"

The four reacted quickly. Amidst the piercing air raid siren, they immediately took action, searching for nearby civil defense structures, then rushed out!

At this point, whether they would be targeted by Ying Fu no longer mattered. This was a moment of life and death for everyone. Neither the four of them nor Ying Fu's group could withstand a nuclear bomb. If disaster truly struck Wushan, it would genuinely be a case of all lives being equal.

"What about Director Chen?!"

"I don't know where he is right now... I'll text him!"

"I'll also text my uncle, telling him to quickly find a civil defense shelter..."

As they hurried away, Yang Xiao immediately pulled out his phone and sent a message using his mind, while Lu Xun typed as he ran. After they went downstairs, they saw many Wushan Town residents also running through the streets.

Not everyone among them knew how to react to an air raid siren, nor did everyone know that phones could be used to find the nearest civil defense shelters. However, official messages and detailed instructions had already been sent to everyone's phones. After a brief period of chaos, people began rushing towards nearby shelters.

"Emergency Alert System. This is not a drill. A ballistic missile threat is approaching Wushan. Seek shelter immediately. Repeat, this is not a drill..."

"Fellow citizens, our nation is facing an extremely severe nuclear threat. All citizens, please immediately enter civil defense structures or underground shelters, and stay away from windows. Remain calm and obey local command. We will protect the lives of our people at all costs..."

Broadcasts from local and central authorities echoed repeatedly throughout the Wushan area. Colorful ribbons on the streets fluttered noisily, eventually torn and scattered by the violent gale.

Brother Pao, who had just walked from the market to his doorstep, froze. The vegetables and meat in his hands fell to the ground with a thud. He rushed into the house, shouting:

"Xiao Yu!! Xiao Yu!!!"

"I'm here!" Xiao Yu replied, having just managed to change clothes in bed.

Without a word, Brother Pao immediately carried Xiao Yu on his back and was about to rush outside when he suddenly saw someone frantically rummaging through boxes and drawers. He immediately spoke up,

"Auntie! Stop packing!! Getting to the shelter is more important now!"

"But..."

"There's no time, Auntie!! Being alive is what matters most!! Hurry!!!"

Brother Pao carried Xiao Yu on his back while pulling her mother out of the house. At this moment, his other brothers also rushed over, their faces filled with unease and anxiety.

"Did you find the civil defense location??"

"Yes! There's a big one up ahead!"

"Let's go!!"

Brother Pao and his companions were young and quick-witted, and the unspoken understanding among the brothers was obvious. With just a simple glance, they sprinted with all their might towards the shelter.

The crowds surged, and people were terrified. Fortunately, emergency plans for broadcasts and information dissemination were perfectly executed, and a large number of public officials maintained order, preventing any large-scale stampedes or conflicts. Even on the large TV screens by the roadside, safety and first-aid measures for nuclear attacks were continuously displayed.

More and more residents took refuge in underground civil defense structures: some in dedicated shelters, some in underground garages, some in mall parking lots. The flow of people above ground gradually thinned, while the sound of anxious breathing underground steadily increased.

They frantically checked their phones, trying to find the reason for all this online. However, being underground with a large crowd, internet connection was mostly impossible, and even if they connected, there was little real information, only overwhelming anxiety.

At this point, Lu Xun and the others also entered the largest mall shelter, panting heavily as they looked for a place to sit.

"So, Wushan really is a target for nuclear weapons?" Yang Xiao frowned deeply. "How could this happen... Even if a world war breaks out, Wushan is just a small county town. Why would a nuclear bomb come here?"

"It's probably because there's a military base in the nearby mountains... Or it could be related to the Wushan Conference."

"Are you saying Western intelligence knew a large number of individuals with special abilities would gather here?"

"This vast land has spies from various countries in every city, especially those near military bases... If one nuclear bomb could eliminate both a base and a large number of individuals with special abilities, they certainly wouldn't hesitate."

"But I don't understand, why did it suddenly start, out of nowhere?"

"Do you remember the satellite malfunction we encountered when we came to Wushan?" Lu Xun paused, a scene replaying in his mind: countless red hazard lights intertwined on the roadside like a river, and Director Chen Ling's complicated expression as he watched it.

"Director Chen said it back then... 'Our time is running out.'"