Chapter 977: Dirty Bomb

"Dirty bomb? What's a dirty bomb?" Wu Duo asked, utterly bewildered.

Residents of this era's domains knew little about pre-cataclysm weapons, as most of them were unusable, and schools didn't specifically teach about them.

"A dirty bomb is a weapon that uses radioactive materials to cause mass casualties," Duran explained. "It spreads large amounts of radioactive material into the air through an explosive device, creating a radioactive contamination zone. These radioactive particles disperse with airflow, and human contact with them leads to radiation sickness."

"Is it similar to a nuclear weapon? But wasn't it said that nuclear weapons couldn't be used after the technological regression?"

"A dirty bomb is not a 'nuclear weapon'," Duran paused. "It doesn't involve strong fusion or fission reactions internally, nor does it have an overly complex principle; it merely disperses radioactive material."

"Before the Great Cataclysm, there was a barrier to producing dirty bombs, mainly because radioactive materials were extremely difficult to obtain... However, this is not an issue in the Boundless Domain."

"Materials Science... Boundless Lord," Fang Liangye said in a deep voice, understanding Duran's implication.

"Precisely. Before the Boundless Lord, even the most difficult-to-obtain radioactive materials are readily available. That's why the Silver King established numerous factories to process these materials and manufacture dirty bombs."

Fang Liangye understood. This explained the soaring disease rate within the Boundless Domain. Prolonged processing of radioactive materials would inevitably harm the human body, especially with an eighteen-hour exposure time, where even the most stringent protective gear couldn't guarantee safety. Furthermore, as time passed, the disease rate in the Boundless Domain would only continue to rise.

"He's preparing for a domain war..." Fang Liangye's eyes shimmered with insight.

"The Silver King is a demigod of the God-Stealing Dao. He might not be able to sweep through the five major domains with direct combat power alone. The Boundless Lord, Lou Yu, doesn't have enough Philosopher's Stones to unleash his full power, and furthermore, the Silver King likely wouldn't dare to fully unleash his power... This means he needs a method, a means of absolute deterrence against the five major domains. Dirty bombs inflict harm through radiation; both civilians and divine practitioners would be affected. If he were to launch large-scale dirty bomb attacks, the threat to the five major domains would be fatal."

Wu Duo gazed at Fang Liangye, whose eyes were deep with thought, and for a moment, she was lost in contemplation.

She felt that Fang Liangye today seemed different from before, whether it was his demeanor, tone, or his aggressive gaze...

Even Duran couldn't help but glance at Fang Liangye several times, surprised by the depth of his thought. After all, in Duran's perception, Fang Liangye was merely a manager at a Boundless Domain factory, and even if he participated in the human rights union's resistance, his focus would only be within the Boundless Domain itself.

But now, Fang Liangye's perspective of thought was entirely based on the nine major domains and humanity as a whole, which alone suggested he was no ordinary person.

"You're right," Duran nodded slightly. "What the Silver King desires is far more than just the Boundless Domain."

"Then how do we stop him?" Wu Duo couldn't help but ask.

Duran looked at the dozens of sick young people on the ground and closed his eyes in resignation...

"We are too weak... Let alone the Silver King, even all of us, the remnants of the Witchcraft Association, combined, are no match for any Arbiter."

Wu Duo opened her mouth, but ultimately fell silent.

The weak mice, unable to make the sun rise again, spread hope in the shadows and dampness.

"The Silver King, the Boundless Lord, the Arbiters, the Usurpers, and the dirty bombs... their power is too great." Wu Duo's eyes reddened slightly as she watched the struggling residents of the Boundless Domain.

"Can the Boundless Domain truly see the sun again?"

"Just because we can't do it doesn't mean others can't. No matter how powerful the Silver King is, he cannot obscure the sky of this era." Duran slowly raised his head, his gaze fixed on the utterly oppressive darkness, as if waiting for something to appear.

"The sun never dies."

Chen Ling left Chi Tong's office, closing the door behind him.

"The Rat Party, huh..."

Chen Ling walked along the luxurious corridor towards his room, his mind already racing.

Chi Tong had located a Rat Party stronghold and was preparing to breach it... From his words, it seemed he wanted Chen Ling to participate in the operation as a guide.

For a long time, Chi Tong had been trying to brainwash him, accusing the Rat Party of being a "group of warlocks secretly performing evil rituals." He even produced an investigative file claiming that the recent rise in disease rates in the Boundless Domain was due to the Rat Party spreading an airborne virus through witchcraft.

If he hadn't previously discussed the Rat Party with Spade 8, Chen Ling might have actually believed him to some extent, as the popular image of warlocks was indeed that of evil figures lurking in dark corners, performing various mysterious and strange rituals.

But now, Chen Ling was not naive enough to believe his nonsense or the dubious investigative file.

Nevertheless, Chen Ling ultimately agreed, even putting on a spectacular show of "angrily throwing down the questionnaire" and declaring immediate hostility towards the Rat Party. On one hand, he wanted to play as much of a role as possible to disrupt Chi Tong's plan; on the other, he hoped for an opportunity to contact Rat Party members and investigate his past.

"To be safe, I should send this back first," Chen Ling thought to himself, his fingertips rubbing the USB drive in his pocket.

After Chen Ling left.

Chi Tong slowly leaned back in his chair and let out a long sigh.

"Finally got that guy settled... easier than I expected."

Chi Tong's biggest headache had been Chen Ling's constant harassment, which he couldn't counter without betraying his persona. Now, he had not only resolved the issue of Chen Ling's harassment but also turned him into a pawn to use against the Rat Party. This move was truly brilliant!

Even if the Silver King returned, he would likely commend Chi Tong for his effective handling of affairs.

As Chi Tong rejoiced, an Usurper nearby asked, "My lord, when will this encirclement take place?"

"Tomorrow, I think. The sooner, the better, to prevent them from getting wind of it and relocating," Chi Tong pondered for a moment. "This time, Huang He and Lan Yu will lead the team, with Chen Ling as a guide... Also, include Hong Xiu; have him ensure Chen Ling's safety while trying to capture Rat Party members alive."

"Understood."

As the Usurper departed, Chi Tong slowly rose from his seat.

He walked to the window, and with a casual grab in the air, a file, seemingly conjured from nowhere, appeared in his hand. Beneath the dirty bomb blueprints was a long string of numbers, indicating the current dirty bomb reserves in the Boundless Domain.

"Preparations are almost complete..." Chi Tong murmured to himself.

"Next, we wait for the King's return."