Chapter 128: The Leader of [Judgment]

"It’s already been half an hour."

Outside Aurora City, Han Meng checked the time, his brow furrowing tightly. "Why is there still no movement from Aurora City? Did you really transmit the information back to headquarters?"

"I transmitted it. Didn't you see it with your own eyes?" the Executor guarding the gate replied impatiently.

Han Meng’s gaze was icy. He had indeed seen the other party transmit the message with his own eyes, but given the severity of the matter, Aurora City should have reacted long ago. It made no sense for it to remain so quiet after such a long time.

Just as Han Meng was considering whether to force his way through the city gate, a low, thunderous sound rang out, and accompanied by flying dust, the heavy city gate slowly opened.

Behind the gate, there was only one figure.

It was an Executor also wearing a black trench coat, his gray hair as messy as a lion’s mane. Seven silver patterns on the hem of his trench coat shone brilliantly in the sunlight.

The moment they saw this person, the several Executors present widened their eyes. Even Han Meng felt a shock in his heart, and his gaze toward this person was filled with confusion...

There were only five seven-pattern Executors in the entire Aurora City, each of them holding great power and being figures that ordinary people could hardly come into contact with. Even these Executors who had grown up in Aurora City since childhood had never seen the face of any of them.

And now, a seven-pattern Executor had appeared behind the city gate.

"You are Han Meng?" The seven-pattern Executor scanned Han Meng and said faintly.

"...Yes."

"I am [Gu Yuan]. I am here to bring you into the city."

[Gu Yuan]?

Han Meng’s pupils contracted slightly. He was all too familiar with this name. He was the only seventh-stage [Judgment] path user in Aurora City, and also the current leader of [Judgment] in the world.

Years ago, when he first stepped onto the [Judgment] path, he had heard of Gu Yuan’s great name. It was said that he presided over the courtroom of Aurora City and possessed the highest power of judgment over all disputes and crimes, standing at the very peak of Aurora City’s judicial system.

At this moment, this legendary figure had actually come to the city gate in person to bring him into the city?

The other Executors looked at Han Meng with immense envy. They couldn't understand why an Executor from the Third District could make someone like Gu Yuan so solemn.

"...Into the city?" Although Han Meng was shocked, he was more confused than anything else.

He had only come to deliver a message for the Third District, yet he had stirred up someone like Gu Yuan. For a moment, he couldn't figure out what Aurora City’s attitude toward the Third District really was.

Gu Yuan glanced at him faintly and turned to walk into Aurora City.

Han Meng hesitated for a moment but followed him.

The several Executors guarding the gate looked at each other and silently closed the gate. With a low, thunderous sound, this city located in the heart of the Aurora Realm returned to a state of lockdown.

"Senior Gu Yuan, where are we going?"

"Headquarters." Gu Yuan’s answer was very concise.

Hearing this, Han Meng hesitated for a moment before speaking, "Although the situation in the Third District is severe, it shouldn't be enough to alarm you, right?"

Gu Yuan didn't answer, just walked silently toward headquarters. Han Meng followed behind him, his brow furrowing tighter and tighter...

"We applied for communications with Aurora City so many times, but there was no response. I thought it was because the thick fog was disrupting the signals, but Aurora City doesn't seem to be shrouded in fog." Han Meng looked up at the clear sky of Aurora City, where beautiful auroras flowed.

"Senior, you actually received the request for help from the Third District, didn't you?"

Gu Yuan remained quiet.

Finally, Han Meng stopped. He took a deep breath, his expression incredibly solemn:

"Aurora City... is it going to abandon the seven major districts?"

Gu Yuan’s figure paused slightly.

……

"You mean Aurora City would be detrimental to Brother Meng?" Xi Renjie shook his head immediately.

"No, that makes no sense. Not to mention whether they would abandon the seven districts, Brother Meng is a fifth-stage Executor, a top-tier talent even in Aurora City. Why would they make a move against him? Brother Meng has already proven his potential; he is no longer the rookie who could be slaughtered at will."

Chen Ling opened his mouth, wanting to say something more.

"Chen Ling, you’re overthinking it." Xi Renjie looked at him gravely. "The task Brother Meng gave us before he left was to maintain order in the Third District. The Third District is already chaotic enough; there’s no need to spread meaningless panic."

Chen Ling met his eyes for a moment and shook his head helplessly.

"I hope I’m just overthinking it..."

These were indeed just Chen Ling’s guesses, without any evidence. But ever since he saw what happened at the clinic, this guess had been lingering in his mind... He had even started to think about what he should do if Aurora City really abandoned the seven districts. How could he survive?

Chen Ling stared blankly at the steps beneath his feet. Seeing this, Xi Renjie patted him on the shoulder.

"Chen Ling, you don't need to push yourself so hard. Your talent is no worse than Brother Meng’s; you’ll enter Aurora City sooner or later... Perhaps when you reach the city, you’ll realize that the Third District was just a broken stepping stone, and you don't belong here."

Hearing the undisguised envy in Xi Renjie’s words, Chen Ling couldn't help but ask:

"Is Aurora City really that good?"

"Good? Of course it’s good." Xi Renjie looked toward a direction in the thick fog and nodded firmly. "Although I haven't been there, it’s definitely different from the Third District... It’s a heaven-like world. Perhaps only by reaching there can one truly live."

"Then why don't you go?"

"Me?" Xi Renjie gave a bitter smile. "I’m not you or Brother Meng. My path is very ordinary, and my talent is even worse. It took me three years just to go from the first stage to the second... How could I enter Aurora City?"

Xi Renjie seemed unwilling to continue on this topic and waved his hand, saying:

"Alright, I should go continue my patrol... I’ll leave the western street to you."

With that, he walked straight toward the eastern street. His black trench coat moved through the messy street, gradually disappearing into the dim fog.

Seeing this, Chen Ling didn't stay any longer and turned to walk toward Frost Street.

Along the way, there were broken doors, bloodstains that couldn't be washed away, and residents dragging broken legs or limbs, crying on the side of the street. Their injuries weren't fatal, so they had been driven out of the clinic and were clumsily and amateurishly starting to treat themselves.

Chen Ling scanned them and continued forward. Until he approached Frost Street, it felt as if he had walked from a war era into a peaceful one.

There were no residents with missing limbs, no wreckage of houses, and even the air didn't have much of a scent of blood. Chen Ling took a deep breath of the relatively fresh air and exhaled slowly... Sure enough, the losses in Frost Street were very small compared to other districts.

As Chen Ling walked onto Frost Street, rustling sounds came from the side of the street, and residents opened their doors cautiously one by one.

They hid at their doors, their eyes filled with gratitude as they looked at Chen Ling.