Apocalypse Forecast

Chapter 956 - 755

After daybreak, the news spread swiftly.

The alliance was not airtight; no matter how many rounds of rectification and purges were carried out, there were still some traitors that slipped through the net. Moreover, Huai Shi wasn’t the only one with intelligence on the situation.

Other associations also had their own channels.

And the severe circumstances lay before everyone’s eyes.

Once the Order of Nothingness is issued five days later, the order that the Tanbo Inner Circle has barely maintained will likely face an unexpected, horrific impact.

The resources and treasures, those with virtue reside there, while the unworthy wealth, akin to manure, is the favorite of the unvirtuous.

Over the years, the foundation laid by the alliance in Kyoto has attracted untold numbers of inquisitive eyes. Putting aside the rest, just the existence of the Empire Hotel alone is enough to draw countless malevolence.

Not to mention the friction and hatred with other organizations over the years?

Once peace is no more and a major reshuffle begins, the Tanbo Inner Circle, even if maintaining neutrality, will still become fat meat on someone else’s chopping board... because you lack backing and status!

The next morning, Huai Shi stood before the window, witnessing the raging tide of people on the streets outside.

Vehicles packed full of people were like crowds fleeing a calamity, nearly blocking the street, resembling a migrating swarm of ants...

They were escaping.

"Cowards! Bastards! You insolent thing!"

Ueno’s roar echoed from downstairs, angrily reprimanding the group member before him: "Have you forgotten the grace the boss bestowed upon you? Just because things are about to get bad, you want to run? You’re a traitor! Want to leave? Fine, cut your finger, you scum!"

He flung a Hwai Knife before the member, glaring: "Cut your finger and get out; once you step out of this door, you’re severed from the Huaizhi Gang, and don’t say we’re brothers anymore!"

The young member turned pale, kneeling on the ground, for a long time, before grabbing the Short Knife and placing his hand on the ground.

The surrounding people wished to persuade but dared not speak, others sharing his desire to leave... but they were horrified by the punishment before them, unable to speak.

Some hand reached out, holding the young man’s arm.

It was Yamashita.

"Hey! Yamashita! What do you think you’re doing?" Ueno’s face twisted with rage as he glared at the obstructer: "Are you conspiring with this coward?"

Yamashita glanced at him, unwilling to engage, and continued to look at the young man kneeling on the ground, asking: "You’re called Mizukuro, right?"

Mizukuro nodded blankly.

"The boss asked me to pass on a message to you." He said, "You just got married recently, right? Your wife is expecting?"

Yamashita’s words drained the color from Mizukuro’s face, the man trembling, kneeling on the ground, wanting to kowtow and plead, yet Yamashita pulled him up.

"Rest assured, they won’t use them to threaten you."

Yamashita shook his head, continuing: "The boss said: Life is hard, being a Hybrid is even harder, and a man must take responsibility for his family before discussing loyalty and others... You didn’t act like a scumbag running off after getting someone pregnant; you can shoulder responsibility, which is commendable.

Whether for your family or your own life, if you want to leave the gang, the boss won’t obstruct.

But since you defied the gang’s grace, don’t ever consider taking the Extreme Path again, cut your finger, and find a legitimate occupation.

Otherwise, you understand the consequences, right?"

Yamashita’s gaze turned icy; Mizukuro gaped for a moment, nodding vigorously.

"Very good." Yamashita slowly stood up, taking a boat ticket from his pocket, tossing it before him: "This is a wedding gift from the boss, consider it the Huaizhi Gang’s final sentiment toward you, Mizukuro, from here on, we’re severed."

Mizukuro was dazed for a long time, staring at the envelope on the ground, tears escaping uncontrollably.

After a while, he raised the knife in his hand, swung down suddenly, leaving behind a severed little finger, not even bandaging the wound, merely turned back toward where Huai Shi’s office was, kowtowed hatefully a few times, finally picked up the boat ticket from the ground, and walked away.

"Anyone else thinking like him, feel free to speak out."

Yamashita looked around the crowd: "The boss said, gatherings and partings are fated, forcing is futile. Anyone wanting to exit the Huaizhi Gang, he won’t prevent. Leave a finger, take the boat ticket, and leave, but it’s only until this morning—are you all dead? Speak up! Is he the only one who wants to leave?"

In the silence, gradually five people stepped out, picked up the knife from the ground, severed a finger in atonement, accepted the boat ticket, and either with gratitude or indifference, turned and left.

"Boss Huaizhi... is this really okay?"

Behind Huai Shi, Takuma asked: "If this spreads, won’t it negatively affect the group’s unity?"

"Is unity supposed to be maintained by something like this? Unity that can be severed by a finger, what’s its use?"

Huai Shi shook his head, sighing softly: "Let them go as they wish, at least it’s a way out... Also, you, Takuma, you should go too."

Takuma was taken aback, bewildered.

Huai Shi stretched out his hand, taking out a boat ticket from his pocket, handing it to him: "The ship leaves from the dock this afternoon, I’ve booked a premium cabin for you, it can accommodate your whole family... Don’t worry about those old furniture, after you arrive in White City, take the savings from these years and live a good retirement."

Takuma shook his head in fear: "I have no intention of quitting!"

"I know, but you’re an old man who can’t even swing a knife anymore, what use is there in staying? To be a burden?"

Huai Shi retorted, "After you were released, your hands haven’t been bloodied. Now it’s time for retirement, you should also consider your children."

"This, this..." Takuma looked blankly at the ticket handed over, shaking his head, "Boss, this isn’t according to the rules."

"Rules?"

Huai Shi shook his head and suddenly asked, "Do you know what Mr. Fujimoto said to me before he died?"

Takuma remained silent.

"He said: Please, Huaizhi-kun, I’m entrusting everyone to you..."

Huai Shi sighed, shrugging, "Forget about the young ones who can fight. He entrusted you, an old man, to me; did he ask me to send you to fight with others? Isn’t it just hoping you all can have a good conclusion? Originally, I planned to take things slow, gradually transition and clean up, but alas, time waits for no one... Go on, Takuma, what use is there for a bookkeeper to stay? Yamashita is waiting for you to hand over the work with him."

In the silence, Takuma stood motionless for a long time, slowly bent over, and received the ticket from Huai Shi’s hand with both hands.

"Thank you for looking after me all along."

In bidding farewell, unconsciously, tears already streaming down his aging face.

Huai Shi waved goodbye, watching him turn and leave, then for a long time, gazed again at the bustling crowds outside the window.

Time is still too short.

With all of his current ability, from last night until now, all he could do was secure a few smuggler boats, just enough to arrange a route for his gang to retreat, which is not easy already.

As for those outside, he is powerless to help.

Where can they go?

Those who made money, got a proper identity, and registered have long moved out of the Tanbo Inner Circle to cities with better security and more friendliness to outsiders.

And those in power, can directly fly on their private helicopters, hide in the best border hotels waiting for the storm to pass.

Yet those without registration and identification, where can they escape to?

It didn’t take long for his forecasts and predictions to be confirmed.

The hybrids who managed to escape the Tanbo Inner Circle barely caught a breath when they realized today’s police presence on Kyoto’s streets is astoundingly exaggerated, with inspections stricter than ever, especially those with obvious hybrid features, who are stopped by police after barely a few steps.

To live a few more years, far from the abyssal sediment, those who painstakingly smuggled from the border into Current Circumstances are already bankrupt, where is there more capacity to fix their identities?

As for those wanting to escape back to the border, they found out that even black accounts can’t get through customs, and Huangquan Slope has already sealed off, anyone without internal identification from Huangquan Slope can’t enter.

Under the shadow of the Order of Nothingness, all sides foresee the coming turmoil, in such times of self-preservation, where is there extra mercy to sprinkle on hybrids?

Those who gritted their teeth abandoning their homes to escape hit the brutal reality sooner rather than later, battered and in despair, nuanced reflections of past experiences led them to return dejected to their only refuge...

Left to fate.

"Woof?"

Just at the outer ring of Tanbo Inner Circle, at the entrance of the restaurant, the teenage girl starting her first day of work just lifted the front board, smelling unusual air from the street, gazing cluelessly toward the hurried crowds.

She couldn’t understand what was happening.

"Boss, boss, it seems like something’s happening out there." She curiously peered at the view outside.

Behind the counter, Lady Kinai put down the phone, dazed for a long time, sighed with melancholy.

"Sorry, Zhenxi, it’s your first day and you’re meeting this kind of situation, I’m afraid it’ll be unsafe here..."

"Ah? Am I fired?"

Zhenxi was dumbfounded, then promptly panicked: "Did I do something wrong? I can change it, if it’s about the wage being too high, it’s okay to be less, no wait, just meals are fine. I’m very hardworking!"

Lady Kinai upon hearing, glanced at the little horns revealed by Zhenxi’s hairline, unable to help sigh, reaching out to rub her hair:

"Let it be, since there’s nowhere else you can go, then stay here, you can keep company with Tomoko. But eat less, okay? The store’s food supply can’t handle your eating."

"For these days, try not to go out, just stay inside the shop." she instructed, "On the streets the gangs are about to fight, don’t get accidentally hurt."

"This I’m not afraid of, I’m very strong!" Zhenxi clenched her fists, earnestly assured, "If bad guys come, I’ll protect the boss and Tomoko!"

"Alright."

Seeing her naive yet serious look, Kinai couldn’t help but laugh, pinching her cheeks: "I’ll be counting on you then."