Chapter 124: Chen Ling, Why Do You Look So Pale?

Han Meng walked through the blood-scented, ruined streets, heading straight for the Executor headquarters. Numerous figures were busy running about, tallying the number of casualties from this attack.

Seeing these three Executors walking together, they bowed respectfully. An Executor hurried forward.

"Brother Meng, the casualty count for this time has been roughly tallied."

Han Meng stopped. "How is it?"

The Executor flipped through the documents and said, "Roughly speaking, the number of fatalities in this attack is around seven thousand. In addition, at least eight thousand are seriously injured and undergoing emergency treatment, and over ten thousand have minor injuries..."

"Among them, Frost Street had the fewest casualties, with almost everyone surviving, followed by Cold Wind Street and Cold Snow Street."

Hearing this number, Xi Renjie breathed a slight sigh of relief; it was much better than he had expected.

Han Meng was slightly taken aback and glanced at Chen Ling beside him in surprise... He naturally knew whose jurisdiction Frost Street was, and even Cold Snow Street was adjacent to Frost Street. The low casualty rate in these two streets was likely due to Chen Ling.

For a newly promoted Executor to achieve this much was truly surprising to him.

Chen Ling also noticed Han Meng’s gaze and met his eyes. The latter looked away, nodded slightly to the Executor, and took the documents.

"I see. You all continue with your work."

With that, he led Chen Ling and Xi Renjie into the innermost office, closed the door, and pulled the curtains shut.

In the quiet office, Han Meng’s expression became visibly grave.

"Brother Meng, what’s wrong?"

Seeing this, Xi Renjie asked in confusion, "Didn't you kill all the calamities? Why are you still..."

"This Gray Realm intersection is very strange." Han Meng sat down slowly in his chair. Perhaps due to the exhaustion of mental power from the battle, his face was full of fatigue. "I entered the Gray Realm from that intersection at the steel factory."

"You went into the Gray Realm?"

Xi Renjie’s eyes widened in shock.

"Yes." Han Meng nodded calmly. "There is more than one Gray Realm intersection corresponding to the Third District's space... The one at the steel factory must have formed first, so it’s the largest. Although the others are still small and currently not enough for calamities to pass through, I estimate it’s only a matter of time."

At this mention, Chen Ling also recalled that he had indeed seen those smaller intersections in the Gray Realm.

"More than one Gray Realm intersection... How is that possible?" Xi Renjie frowned.

"I also think it’s impossible. After all, such a thing has never happened since the establishment of the Aurora Realm... But I know what I saw."

"In that case, this calamity attack isn't over, and there might be a second or third one later?" Chen Ling asked.

"Exactly."

Chen Ling felt a headache coming on... A single fifth-stage calamity had nearly wiped out the Third District. If more came, how could the three of them hold them off?

"That’s why I didn't spread the word and only told you two." Han Meng said slowly, "After this calamity attack, the casualties in the Third District are extremely severe, and the public mood is unstable... If they find out, it might cause a riot."

A moment later, Chen Ling suddenly spoke up, "Is there still no reply from Aurora City?"

"No." Han Meng’s face was solemn. "That’s exactly what I was about to say... I need to go to Aurora City in person."

Hearing this, a look of surprise flashed across Xi Renjie’s face, and he immediately said, "Go to Aurora City? By yourself?"

"Indeed... that’s the only way left now." Chen Ling said thoughtfully, "Since communication cannot be established, we have to use the most direct method: communicate with them face-to-face... Fortunately, Aurora City isn't particularly far from the Third District."

"Chen Ling is right."

Han Meng nodded. "I don't know if this fog is what disrupted the communications, but Aurora City hasn't replied... But this matter is too serious. If left unchecked, the Third District will likely face total annihilation. We must report to Aurora City as soon as possible and notify them to send reinforcements.

I am the fastest; I can make a round trip to Aurora City within a day. You two maintain order in the Third District and wait for my return."

"Understood," Xi Renjie replied solemnly.

Han Meng was about to stand up and leave when he seemed to remember something and stopped.

"There is one more thing."

"What is it?"

"A Dusk Society member has crossed the Gray Realm and entered the Third District."

As soon as these words were spoken, Xi Renjie’s expression changed instantly, and he repeated in shock and fear, "A Dusk Society member?"

"Yes, a Fusionist. Their ability is very strange; they can even retain color while in the Gray Realm..."

Xi Renjie frowned. After hearing Han Meng’s description, his expression became somewhat strange:

"Was he... wearing red clothes?"

"You saw him too?" Han Meng’s gaze sharpened.

Xi Renjie quickly recounted the situation of meeting the man in red, and Han Meng listened intently... Chen Ling stood quietly to the side, eyes fixed on his nose, silent.

"The abilities match. It seems to be the same person."

Han Meng rubbed his chin with one hand. This usually clever and experienced Executor had a rare look of deep confusion on his face...

"A Fusionist who feeds on calamities... Who exactly is this [Heart of 6]?"

"They say people from the Dusk Society are all lunatics, so is it strange that they eat calamities?" A look of lingering fear appeared on Xi Renjie’s face. He couldn't believe he had dealt directly with a member of the Dusk Society. "But then again, those centipedes are so disgusting, how could he bring himself to eat them?"

"Centipedes?" Chen Ling was stunned.

"Those calamities from just now. Although they were all black and hard to see clearly, judging by their appearance, they were centipedes, right?" Xi Renjie asked uncertainly.

"They were centipedes, but they came from the Ghost-Mocking Abyss, and were just a small branch of the insect-type creatures there." Han Meng added.

"Ghost-Mocking Abyss? Where is that?"

"It should be somewhere in the Gray Realm. I don't know the specifics."

"Alright... Chen Ling, why do you look so pale?"

Seeing Chen Ling’s face turn somewhat pale, Xi Renjie asked in confusion.

"...It's nothing, I'm just a bit tired." Chen Ling said hoarsely.

Han Meng checked the time and didn't stay any longer. He left the Executor headquarters and vanished into the thick fog as a streak of black light... Xi Renjie patted Chen Ling on the shoulder and comforted him:

"Get some good rest."

With that, he also turned and walked out of the room.

Once Chen Ling was the only one left in the room, the nausea he had been suppressing surged up. He grabbed the trash can by the table and began to retch violently!