Chapter 137: Not Worthy

"Damn it!!" Zuo Tong, catching sight of the retreating crowd on the platform out of the corner of his eye, was nearly frantic.

At the same time, Uncle Zhao's face visibly paled. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a young figure being pushed away into the distance by the crowd, and a faint smile finally appeared on his weary face. His hands weakly released Zuo Tong, and he fell backward onto the ground. Thirteen scarlet wounds covered his entire body; streams of blood had almost turned him into a blood-soaked figure. The last vestiges of strength in his aged body had been completely exhausted.

Zuo Tong, panting and clutching his knife, spat on the ground, then continued to push his way forward.

Uncle Zhao lay on the ground like a corpse, trampled by the passing crowds. He watched as countless feet swept past his head. Above, in the unnoticed sky, stars twinkled silently, and in his daze, they seemed to transform into Zhao Yi's face once more.

"You brat..." Uncle Zhao's eyes involuntarily closed, and he finally stopped breathing.

A figure, bent at the waist, crawled like a dog between countless legs, eventually pushing through the crowd to reach Uncle Zhao's side, embracing him tightly.

"Dad... Father!!!" Zhao Yi saw the feet landing on Uncle Zhao's body, and his bloodshot eyes nearly burst with rage. He held Uncle Zhao's body, like a lion enraged to its core, his hoarse roar sounding as if he intended to kill.

"Don't step on my father!!!!""Don't you dare step on my father!! Get lost!!!"

The crowd did not stop because of his enraged shouts. Zhao Yi could only use his back to shield the figure in his arms, letting legs stumble over his bandaged body, as blood began to seep out again.

Under a hail of gunfire, numerous bodies piled up in front of the station. Raging flames spread wildly, blocking the relentless advance of the citizens.

A figure in a black and red uniform stumbled out of the fire, rolling and scrambling to extinguish the flames on his clothes, while hastily speaking: "Don't shoot! It's me!!"

Seeing that it was Zuo Tong, the enforcement officers who had instinctively reached for their triggers stopped, frowning.

"What took you so long?"

"I... sigh." Zuo Tong's expression was grim. He quickly threw his package into the carriage, then, clutching his knife, looked towards the citizens behind the flames. "Has anyone else not arrived yet?"

"Only Tan Ming and Officer Xi are left; they should be here soon."

"It looks like that calamity is coming this way... Quickly, pull the lever first!"

"But there are also people blocking the tracks ahead!"

"Ignore them! Just drive straight through!"

An officer quickly rushed into the driver's cabin, pulling various levers and handles. The needles on the dashboard rapidly spun, and the roaring sound of steam erupted from the front of the train.

Whirrrrrr—!!

As the transmission rods began to operate, the train slowly started with a clatter. Seeing this, the citizens who had rushed onto the tracks seized the opportunity to climb onto the train cars, but they were shot one by one by the officers leaning out of the doors. Some also tried to block the train with their bodies, but as the locomotive rolled over them, they were all, without exception, crushed into a bloody pulp. The train thus violently sped out of the station, breaking free from blood and fire, steadfastly traveling along the tracks towards Aurora City!

Seeing this scene, the many officers on board finally breathed a sigh of relief. They had escaped.

"I see them! It's Officer Xi and the others!" The officer who had been standing at the rear of the train immediately spoke upon seeing two figures sprinting in the distance.

A figure in a black trench coat moved through the sea of flames. Seeing the ground littered with bodies and spent casings, an unprecedented rage surged into his eyes.

"How... how could this be?!" Tan Ming stared blankly at the chaotic platform, his face deathly pale.

"It's Officer Xi...""Officer Xi!! Are you going to abandon us too?!""Please, Officer Xi... I don't want to die! There's still room on the train... can you take me?""If I can't go, please take my daughter? She's only two and a half... she won't take up much space!""Traitors!! You officers and enforcers are all traitors!! Where is Han Meng?! Why isn't he coming to save us?!"

The shouts of the crowd echoed behind him. Xi Renjie's fists clenched tighter and tighter. He gave no response, nor did he look back, but instead pursued the train alone along the tracks.

Tan Ming now dared not utter another word. He could hear Xi Renjie's heavy breathing beside him... He knew that Brother Jie was truly angry. Gritting his teeth, he still braced himself and followed closely behind Xi Renjie, chasing after the train.

As the train departed, large numbers of citizens jumped off the platform and followed closely along the tracks. Although they couldn't get on the train, they could still reach Aurora City by following the tracks, and that was their last hope. A vast throng of figures ran in the dim light. The once bustling station suddenly became empty, leaving behind only the bodies strewn across the ground and the silently burning flames.

On the blood-soaked ground, a figure covered in bandages held a blood-stained old man, unmoving like a statue.

After an unknown period, another figure, also wearing a black trench coat, slowly emerged. He walked through the scattered bodies and spent casings, approaching Zhao Yi.

Zhao Yi, with hollow eyes, raised his head. He saw a familiar face looking at them with a complicated expression.

"It seems I'm too late."

Hearing this, Zhao Yi's body trembled almost imperceptibly. He clutched the corpse in his arms and spoke hoarsely, "It's you... You're also an enforcer. Why didn't you go with them?"

"Unfortunately, I was also abandoned," Chen Ling replied truthfully.

"You're not with them?"

"No."

Chen Ling offered no further explanation, simply answering with a single word. Zhao Yi just stared at him, his bloodshot eyes full of unknown thoughts.

"Believe it or not, it's up to you," Chen Ling said calmly. "But if you're still filial, you should come with me now."

"Go... where?"

"Aurora City."

Zhao Yi froze. He looked at the cold body in his arms, his eyes filled with profound sorrow. "I..."

"I promised Uncle Zhao I'd look after you. Even though the Third District is gone, I intend to save your life at the very least," Chen Ling said slowly. "You can refuse and die here with your father... but you should know what your father truly wished for."

Zhao Yi's pupils constricted slightly. In his mind, Uncle Zhao's face seemed to come alive again. He vaguely saw him standing by the entrance of the breakfast stall with a stick, waiting for him to come home. He saw him almost kneel to arrange a stable job for him. He saw him scolding him with a broom to demand his wages from the factory. He saw the red eyes when he bandaged his wounds... Zhao Yi, of course, knew what his father truly wished for... it was for him to live.

"I..." Zhao Yi said hoarsely, "The officers left... I can't get into Aurora City."

"Officers?"

Chen Ling let out a cold laugh. His gaze fell upon the steadily departing steam train, and his calm voice seemed to come from the underworld.

"Some scum... do not deserve to enter Aurora City alive."