Apocalypse: I Build A Doomsday Train-Chapter 952 - 384: The Dissolution of the Council!
In Dawn City, within the Great Hall of the Underground City Federation Parliament, several dozen senior members attended the meeting. The atmosphere was tense, and the expanse above the meeting hall seemed shrouded in dark clouds, suffocating those present.
"Monitoring report: Abnormal expansion activities near the edges of 5th, 7th, and 8th Star Abyss in the direction of Dawn City are continuing to intensify. It’s estimated that tonight’s darkness will arrive 25 minutes earlier than expected, with more than 227 frontline observation posts returning red alerts. Some urban areas have reported large-scale Abnormal Body activities."
"Sky monitoring: In the past week, there is a large-scale thunderstorm warning in the eastern Yunjiang Plain and Jinhai Dawn City area."
"East City Battle Zone frontline monitoring report: The main fleet of the Phoenix Society’s 83 Iron Guard Brigade arrived in Ping City 20 minutes ago, approximately 200 kilometers in a straight line from Dawn City. Ground forces have settled in Kang City, expected to rendezvous with the fleet by tomorrow evening. Our nearest post, No. 1341, can already visually spot the Iron Guard Brigade fleet, but the opposing side has not initiated frequency calls."
A Federation official continuously reported the emergency situation to all senior Dawn City officials in attendance, including leaders from the Ministry of Finance, Population Control Bureau, Resource Department, Underground City Management Committee, garrison, and Blazing Angel Department.
Federation Chairman Chu Zhaonan stood alone by the window, silently gazing at the vast structures of the Underground City outside.
From his seat, Zhou Mingyuan, hands crossed and face solemn, scanned the room and broke the silence first, saying
"The Phoenix Society’s troops are on our doorstep. Should we respond? At this critical juncture, a military confrontation would be disastrous for the human camp."
"But how should we respond? We don’t even know their objective," a council member said at this time.
"Isn’t it obvious? Using the Deep Red World as an excuse, they want to swallow Dawn City whole," someone stated.
"We all know why the Phoenix Society is here," said Xu Yan, the Senate leader, as he adjusted his glasses and glanced sharply. "Now, the crucial issue is the anomaly in the Star Abyss has happened; what can we still do?"
"Elder Xu is right." Zhou Mingyuan seized the critical issue at this point and asked Minister Luo Ming of the Blazing Angel Department
"Minister Luo, how much has this anomaly accelerated? Has there been a calculation, and what impact does it have on us?"
Luo Ming replied solemnly, "It’s not optimistic, it’s faster than ever. Right now, it might be fifteen or twenty days, but after tonight, it could drastically shorten."
"Fifteen to twenty days?" An elderly female council member looked fearful and hurriedly asked, "What do we do then, hide in the Underground City?"
"Data from the past week indicate the darkness invasion concentration in the Underground City surpasses the surface by 10% at night. If we enter Extreme Night so quickly, the Underground City won’t last beyond a month."
Everyone looked towards the voice, which came from Wen Hui sitting in the corner of the meeting room.
With a meaningful glance at her, Minister Luo Ming then turned to Zhou Mingyuan: "Vice Chairman Zhou, we’ve heard that in the past two days the Resource Department, Ministry of Finance, along with the City Defense Camp and Night Patrol Team, have been making some maneuvers. Do you have a series of coping strategies?"
Upon hearing this, the group in the meeting hall all had changed expressions, but Zhou Mingyuan remained unfazed, speaking earnestly.
"We’ve been attacked more in the past three days than ever before. With the Star Abyss anomaly and rumors within the city, to avoid unforeseen incidents, I’ve instructed all departments to tighten their operations. Resources are scarce right now, and we can’t allow for mistakes."
Xu Yan sighed at this time, wanting to say something but swallowing it back.
The meeting hall fell silent; high-ranking officials harbored various thoughts—anxiety, restlessness, panic, despair—as emotions inadvertently conveyed through breaths.
Just then, Zhou Mingyuan’s face darkened. He glanced at Chu Zhaonan, suddenly speaking loudly
"Chairman Chu, fellow colleagues, in the face of this crisis, we must respond. Since Apocalypse Day, we’ve implemented various measures—nuclear war, outer space colonization, the Underground City Plan, High Walls... None have completely solved the human survival crisis. We know Chairman Chu’s Vanguard Plan is a necessary effort to preserve human civilization, but we who remain cannot just wait for death. We must adopt practical and feasible self-rescue plans."
Hearing his words, some unwilling to face the situation wore sorrowful faces, and some even nervously swallowed.
It was the oppression before marching into the genuine despair of death.
"Vice Chairman Zhou seems to have some ideas?" Chu Zhaonan finally turned, responding earnestly.
Zhou Mingyuan no longer concealed himself and nodded affirmatively, saying
"I believe the best and most necessary strategy at present is to proactively choose to ally with the Phoenix Society!"
His words took many breaths away; in truth, many had thought of it but didn’t dare to propose it first.
"Ally with the Phoenix Society, relinquishing Dawn City?" someone asked nervously.
"Yes."
"But will the Phoenix Society agree?" a middle-aged man asked sternly. "Our resource allocation, our military, and the basic guarantee for high-status residents—if we ally with the Phoenix Society, do we still have a say?"
"At this point, still considering high-status residents?" Xu Yan responded coldly. "Minister Wang, you’re overthinking. The current issue is how to relocate and survive these 6 million residents!"
