91: Section 91

Jing Yuan had only been guessing at first, but with this probe, he had his answer.

"What are you doing!"

"I want to know the truth!"

"Jing Yuan!" Ran Bing tugged at Jing Yuan's arm. In her eyes, the other man was just an innocent Upper Citizen.

Jing Yuan stared at Loriv. Time waited for no one, and Jing Yuan unconsciously released his Mental Power.

"Speak!"

A powerful surge of Mental Power slammed into Loriv's mind. The sharp light in his eyes instantly scattered, and his will wavered. "Fine! I'll talk!"

"This mission was a reward arranged for me by the Leader!"

"A reward for what?"

"During the last surface collection mission, I brought back the medicine the Leader needed from The Surface!"

When Ran Bing heard the word "reward," she already understood that this mission was nothing more than a transaction.

She was merely a tool being used.

Jing Yuan threw another punch, knocking Loriv unconscious instantly.

Seeing Loriv knocked out, Ran Bing asked in confusion, "Why did you have to beat him like this?"

"I need a testimony!"

The sudden turn of events left Ran Bing completely dazed.

Jing Yuan looked toward the doors of the Hall of Dawn. Sweeping with his Mental Power, he detected a brilliant aura rushing toward them.

Jing Yuan paused for a moment and smiled. "Mark should be fighting that big dog Sharif right now; he'll be here soon. When he confesses his feelings to you later, don't agree too quickly. Let that kid feel what you felt this afternoon!"

Jing Yuan's unscrupulous teasing caused a blush to creep across Ran Bing's face.

"Alright, wait for Mark here! I'll hide for a bit and come out once you two are finished!" After saying this, Jing Yuan walked toward a corner of the Hall of Dawn.

Chapter 93: Two Choices

A moment later, Mark, covered in wounds, burst into the Hall of Dawn.

Mark was shocked to see the Law Enforcers lying on the floor of the hall, but his primary concern right now was Ran Bing's condition.

Mark walked to Ran Bing's side and said in a low voice, "I'm sorry. I only just realized what it was that Red Calyx was willing to die to protect."

"Are you that idle?" Ran Bing said softly. "Are all the Phage Beasts gone? Is The Surface safe? Is there no longer a need to protect the Lighthouse?"

Mark froze. These were the exact words he had used when he rejected Ran Bing.

"I was afraid of losing you just like I lost Red Calyx!"

Then, Mark dropped to one knee, pulled out a small flower, and confessed to Ran Bing: "Ran Bing, are you willing to restore an old world family relationship with me?"

"Leave the Lighthouse with me! Let's go to The Surface and form our own family!"

Mark poured out a series of romantic confessions.

Jing Yuan listened from the side. He felt that even though he had seen the animation before, he couldn't have spoken such a passage.

This kid Mark was really a dark horse!

"Ran Bing, are you willing?"

"I am!"

The two embraced in the golden hall, weeping with joy.

Seeing this scene, Jing Yuan knew it was time for his entrance. So, he walked out slowly and gave a deliberate cough.

"Ahem!"

Mark saw Jing Yuan walking out, his face a mix of confusion and shock.

"Jing Yuan, why are you here?"

Jing Yuan shook his head and sighed. "Why am I here? To help you pair of star-crossed lovers, of course!"

Mark didn't react to Jing Yuan's words immediately.

"Mark, do you still remember what I told you before?"

Mark looked blank. "I remember, but what does that have to do with you being here?"

"You don't remember!" Jing Yuan retorted, repeating himself: "I told you, the relationship between you and Charles is already irreconcilable. If you don't kill him, he's going to kill you!"

Mark's expression grew solemn.

"Do you think Ran Bing coming to the Hall of Dawn today was really just a routine mission assignment?"

"What do you mean?"

"Mark, after fighting your way in here, I'm sure you've figured it out!" Jing Yuan looked at Mark. "You want to protect Ran Bing! But by breaking in like this, do you know what will happen?"

"Of course I know."

"No! You don't!" Jing Yuan said bluntly. "Ever since Lord Morgan announced that you would succeed him as City Lord, Charles has wanted to swallow you alive! Everything that happened here today is Charles's conspiracy. This Breeding Mission today was Charles pulling strings behind the scenes, deliberately arranging it for Ran Bing! His target is you!"

Hearing this, Mark's pupils dilated in surprise. He was a smart man; how could he not see the implications?

"I know Charles wants to be the City Lord. Since he wants it so badly, let him have it. I only need to be with the person I love!"

Jing Yuan shook his head and said, "Do you think Charles will let you two live to reach The Surface?"

Mark fell into silence. Even now, he didn't believe Charles would actually kill him!

In the original story, the reason Mark was backstabbed by a Dust Citizen was precisely because he never imagined a person could be so insanely depraved.

He thought too highly of these people.

Jing Yuan continued, "Things have already reached this point. Mark, you need to make a decision!"

"What decision do you want me to make?"

Jing Yuan pointed to the door and said, "Two choices. First, I'll accompany you to break out. We'll fight our way to the Armory first, seize gravity bodies and Armored Vehicles, then fight our way to the lift platform, and finally, we'll venture down to The Surface together!"

"Why would you do all this for me?"

"Not just me—Penny, Mo Cheng, Erica, and even Snow Peak and the others will have to go down together. You, Mark, would have escaped! But those of us close to you who remain on the Lighthouse will only become targets for Charles to vent his rage on."

"I was the one who broke into the Hall of Dawn alone. You don't need to accompany me out!"

"And the second choice?" Ran Bing asked Jing Yuan before Mark could speak.

The Surface was crawling with Phage Beasts; how long could they survive down there?

Jing Yuan looked at the two of them and said, "The second choice: I still accompany you two out, but I go before the City Lord to defend you and make Charles's actions public. If nothing goes wrong, we should be able to clear you of tonight's events. However..."

"However what?" Ran Bing asked with a worried face.

Jing Yuan stared at Mark. "Mark, regardless of the outcome of the defense, I need you to promise me that you will succeed as City Lord. Before the sun rises tomorrow, there must be only one City Lord on the Lighthouse, and that is you, Mark!"

"You want to start a coup?" Mark understood Jing Yuan's meaning.

"Otherwise, what do you plan to do? You broke into the Hall of Dawn today to save Ran Bing! What about tomorrow? Or the day after?"

Charles has already made his move. If you don't take this opportunity to crush him, he'll just keep causing trouble for you!

Today it's Ran Bing; tomorrow? It could be Mo Cheng, Snow Peak, or any of them. As long as it's someone you care about, he'll go after them one by one!

And you need to understand, Charles's greatest reliance is his father, the City Lord. If you, Mark, don't become the City Lord today, you won't be able to protect anyone—you won't even be able to protect yourself!"

The Hall of Dawn fell into a deep silence.

Mark was silent, while Ran Bing looked at him with concern.

Jing Yuan was breathing heavily.

If Mark insisted on being soft-hearted, then their only option was to venture down to The Surface.

Without the Lighthouse as a sanctuary, the danger and difficulty would be much greater!

Mark looked at Jing Yuan and asked, "I'm doing this for Ran Bing. What are you doing it for?"

Jing Yuan stared back. "So that we can have love in this post-apocalyptic world!"

Mark's resolve wavered, and in that moment, he made his decision.

Mark took Ran Bing's hand and looked at Jing Yuan together. "Fine! I promise you!"

"Good! Let's go!"

...On the top level of the Lighthouse, outside City Lord Morgan's room.

Charles had been waiting here for his "good news."

After Mark broke into the Hall of Dawn and successfully dealt with that big dog Sharif, a Law Enforcer had rushed to report the news to Charles.

Charles had immediately relayed this news to City Lord Morgan.

"This is absolute nonsense!" City Lord Morgan's anger flared, causing him to cough uncontrollably.

"Bring him to me!" City Lord Morgan ordered.