Chapter 197

Chapter 197

As the divine entity on Earth had foreseen, the first group of residents who attempted to flee in their vehicles were met with military blockades and interception.

"Citizens within the city, please return to the quarantine zone immediately! You are not allowed to leave until further notice!"

"If you don't turn back now, we will open fire!"

The troops stationed at the edge of the city were fully armed, clad in hazmat suits, with their guns trained on those attempting to escape.

Some defied the warning, banking on the crowd behind them, believing that the military wouldn't dare take such action. They pressed down on their accelerators, attempting to surge forward.

"Bam! Bam! Bam!"

Without hesitation, the soldier at the forefront, under his superior's signal, fired a hail of bullets, causing a chorus of screams.

"This is your final warning!" The amplified voice from the loudspeaker was icy cold. "Turn back the way you came, there's no negotiation!"

The gunfire stirred the emotions of the journalists waiting outside, but unfortunately, they were firmly stopped by the soldiers, unable to enter and see for themselves what was happening inside the city.

"The entire nation is focused on the epidemic in Port City. They have the right to know the truth!" the journalist insisted to the soldier.

The soldier merely responded with a cold expression; he didn't have the authority to decide who could enter or not.

"Exactly, why won't you let us in? We're doctors; we can help," an international doctor who had traveled from another country asked, perplexed.

"What's really going on in there? If everything is truly improving, as you claim, then why can't I get in touch with my family?"

"Answer us, please!"

No one from the military replied. They were following their superiors' orders. Inside the makeshift tent, the colonel, collaborating with the Salvation Society, was deeply conflicted. Although the Society had paved the way beforehand, it wouldn't be long before the situation got out of hand.

It would blow up sooner or later, so why not ignite it now... and blame the church?

This notion flashed through his mind. After all, they were just an interest group gathered by money and power, prone to scatter at the first sign of crisis.

A smile tugged at the corner of the colonel's mouth. Just as he was about to step out of the tent and make a decision, he suddenly felt a momentary bout of dizziness.

"Colonel," his subordinate approached, "the journalists are causing a commotion again, and... some higher-ups are asking for information about the city. What should we do?"

"The situation? There's nothing to worry about in there." The colonel rubbed his forehead and said without hesitation, "Repeat this to anyone who asks. No one is allowed in or out, do you understand?"

"Yes…" The subordinate hesitated for a moment before complying.

...

Meanwhile, within the city, people were also taking action. Leading the resistance was Anthony, who promptly assembled his forces. They donned hazmat suits, grabbed megaphones, and took to the streets to inform the public about the plague.

"For your safety, please refrain from wandering outside unnecessarily. Those who have already left your districts, please do not return temporarily!"

"We're the ones who exposed the Church's scandals before. Trust us, we won't abandon you all!"

"Please, those who haven't left yet, stay indoors!"

The redundant announcements echoed endlessly. Yet, as the Milk Tea Dog on the vehicle watched the residents hurriedly return to their neighborhoods after hearing the news, it was overwhelmed by a profound sense of helplessness, and the foreboding grew stronger.

What would become of this city now?

In the Rebel Army's war room, a group of player representatives led by God on Earth and NPC representatives led by Doctor Phaethon were convening, discussing how to address the calamity that had befallen the city.

"To unite this motley crew, we need a authoritative figure in charge," God Among Us scribbled on the blackboard, then sighed after a moment's pause. "Originally, that role was meant for the Church, but now that they've abandoned their duties, our organization must step up. Our previous exposure of the Church's scandal has earned us some credibility among the people."

"But isn't that risky?" the tax collector asked. "We exposed the Church's misdeeds, and now they've retreated entirely from management. If we take on this responsibility and something goes wrong, the NPCs will surely blame us."

"It's possible they already do," the tax collector stated bluntly. God Among Us let out another sigh. "We can't just stand idly by. If we retreat now, who knows how chaotic things will become within the city."

"Has there been any update on the situation outside?" Dr. Forrester inquired.

God Among Us glanced at the forum where players organizing order were reporting their observations. A player approached, whispering into God Among Us's ear. The administrator took a deep breath. "It's not looking good. Despite our efforts to discourage players from returning to the community, some residents won't listen."

"So it's likely that the quarantine has been compromised?" Forrester asked.

"It already has," God Among Us said with difficulty. "We have reports of infected individuals forcefully entering the central districts, and there are also instances of people intentionally spraying various liquids on the streets."

The room fell silent, and after a moment, Forrester groaned, leaning his fingers against his forehead. "What about the situation outside? Weren't there residents seeking help? Surely the outside world is aware of what's happening here? When can we expect international or government aid?"

At this, God Among Us fell silent. The plan behind disseminating incriminating evidence against the Church through the Little Yellow Book was to cast doubt on the Church among the citizens, prompting them to reach out to the outside world and expose the Church's plot.

But what's happening now? Why can't we contact the outside world from within the city?

The players had attempted it themselves, only to meet with failure. It seemed that all electronic communication methods were rendered useless.

Why was this so...

"The Church might be interfering with radio signals," the Tax Collector speculated hesitantly.

Vampire crossed his arms and shook his head, saying helplessly, "It's like we've been transported back to the Middle Ages."

"Coincidentally, there's a plague going on right now," Meowmeowworldnumberone said with a smile. "Doesn't it just add to the atmosphere? Uh..."

He had intended to make a joke, but he found that no one in the room was laughing. Especially Foris, whose expression was horrifyingly grim.

In the game's history, a plague had also broken out, killing nearly a third of the population on one continent. Approximately 100 million people worldwide had perished due to the plague – its terror had never faded.

However, with advancements in technology and medicine, the plague had become more manageable in recent years, given sufficient medication and medical equipment.

But within the city now, they lacked everything. The players had already verified this fact.

The hospital's drugstore was cleaner than the freshly mopped floors.

These are the original words of Milk Tea Dog.

The present circumstance they confronted was this: the city lacked medicine, and protective gear was in short supply. The majority of resources were under the church's control, but for now, there was no immediate shortage. However, they were also unable to establish contact with the outside world.

"Isn't this equivalent to laughing while admitting defeat?" Blood Disciple sarcastically commented.

"Perhaps that's the intention of the Church - they're weeding out their followers," the God Amongst Men massaged his temples. "Since the people within the city don't obey, they're making them obedient, more or less. Those who oppose the Church contract the plague and die, while those who survive are believers of the Church. In a sense, they've gained control over the city. It makes sense, in its own twisted way."

"What should we do next then?"

Divinity Among Men pondered for a moment before saying, "At present, there are three things we can attempt..."

"Oh, there are three options," Cat Supreme looked eagerly at Divinity Among Men, as did Fors, her eyes filled with hope.

"First, search the city. The radio interference might be caused by certain devices, such as aluminum foil or metallic barriers. We could investigate the outskirts of the city and try to dismantle them if we find any. That might restore the signal.

Second, maintain control over the people within the city, especially preventing any riots. In extreme situations, people may act unpredictably. Moreover, if the Church's plan is indeed to eliminate dissenters, there might be infiltrators inciting unrest among the crowd. We must seize control of the situation immediately.

Third, infiltrate the Church. They have medicines and supplies. If possible, capturing key figures like the Pope would be ideal."

Divine Presence's articulate speech calmed the agitated players and NPCs in the scene. Nodding, they each took on different tasks and departed.

However, Divine Presence didn't have high hopes that these three measures would resolve the current crisis. At best, they could only buy some time.

No one knew when the pandemic might erupt on a large scale.