Chapter 53: Chapter 53: The Lighthouse's Unexpected Visitors
Just as Victor and Bai Yuekui were rushing toward the lighthouse, Mark and the other Wasteland Hunters had returned to their airborne home.
Just like in the original timeline, as soon as Mark arrived back at the Lighthouse, he was summoned by City Lord Morgan.
Of course, several Lighthouse executives were also summoned to the meeting.
"...This is the action report for this mission."
Mark submitted his mission report immediately, holding nothing back.
The report focused mainly on the information about Victor and his companions.
However, after listening to Mark's account, everyone present, with the exception of Deputy Captain Ran Bing, showed expressions of confusion, shock, and disbelief.
Only Charles looked at Mark as if he were mentally unhinged.
"This is absurd, Captain Mark. Are you listening to what you're saying?"
"A man who flies on a sword and summons a rain of swords to kill pole devourers! Are you sure there's nothing wrong with your brain?"
"I think it would be best for you to see Dr. Carrie and have your head examined."
Charles' words dripped with sarcasm.
He had always harbored animosity toward Mark, the fighter captain, seeing him as a rival.
Whenever an opportunity arose to belittle Mark, he showed no mercy.
Hearing this, Ran Bing glared at Charles and was about to retort when Mark stopped her with a gesture.
Dr. Carrie, dressed in her white coat, showed an excited and somewhat morbid smile. "Help Captain Mark with a medical exam? That would be wonderful. Captain Mark, you wouldn't mind if I took some of your blood for research, would you?"
Mark ignored Dr. Carrie's disturbing comment and kept his eyes on City Lord Morgan.
"Mark, you seem exhausted. I'm going to grant you a few days of rest."
"Lord City Lord, don't you believe what I'm saying?" Mark sighed, disappointment evident in his voice.
Of course he understood how outrageous his report sounded.
If he hadn't seen it firsthand, he would have found it just as hard to believe.
"Lord City Lord, Captain Mark's words are true. Every member of the Wasteland Hunters and I can vouch for him!"
Ran Bing finally couldn't help herself.
She refused to watch her captain being questioned and ridiculed by others.
Charles scoffed. "Oh, testimonies? Who's to say you didn't all collude to help your beloved Captain spread this elaborate lie?"
Mark immediately shot back, "What would I gain by telling such a lie?"
Charles shrugged dismissively. "Who knows? Maybe you're tired of life aboard the Lighthouse and want to settle on the surface, so you made up this story."
"Enough. Silence."
Morgan tapped the table lightly, and the entire council chamber fell silent.
"There is no need to discuss this matter any further. There are no survivors on the surface. What you saw was probably a hallucination caused by exposure to scarlet particles.
Were there any survivors on the surface?
Of course there were!
As a City Lord who had lived for decades, Morgan knew far more than the others.
He also knew that among the survivors on the surface, there was a powerful white-haired woman!
Her name was Bai Yuekui!
But he could never allow anyone else to know this truth.
Once the inhabitants of the Lighthouse discovered that humans could survive on the surface, they would realize that life was possible below!
At that moment, the Three Laws that had governed the Lighthouse for decades would instantly crumble!
The lighthouse would descend into chaos.
He would never allow such a disaster!
"This meeting is over. Everyone return to your,"
Just as he was about to dismiss the assembly, City Lord Morgan suddenly noticed that everyone in front of him was staring at him with wide-open eyes, expressions of utter disbelief on their faces.
No, not staring at him, but... behind him!
City Lord Morgan immediately spun around.
He then displayed the exact same expression of shock.
Outside the floor-to-ceiling panoramic window, a man and a woman riding flying swords could be seen waving and greeting everyone through the glass.
"Lord City Lord, is this also a hallucination caused by scarlet particles?"
Ran Bing put her hands on her hips and smiled contemptuously, her voice heavy with sarcasm.
Don't you believe it?
Now that they had the proof right in front of them, let's see what excuse he could come up with!
Even Mark couldn't help but smile at this moment.
But what he hadn't expected was that Victor had actually come!
Knock knock knock!
Victor outside the window raised his hand and knocked on the glass, "Open up! Interdimensional Trade Opportunity!"
Two minutes later.
Outer ring corridor of the lighthouse.
Victor and Bai Yuekui walked towards the interior of the lighthouse, surrounded by crowds of commoners and superiors alike.
The one leading them was none other than Mark.
"If we had known Mr. Victor would be visiting, we should have prepared a proper reception."
Mark walked ahead, occasionally glancing back at the couple with a calculating smile.
Bai Yuekui kept an indifferent expression and followed quietly.
Victor, on the other hand, was her complete opposite.
He walked with frequent stops, looking left and touching right, showing curiosity about everything around him.
Mark, walking ahead, was forced to slow down accordingly.
Just then, a small girl in tattered clothes and covered in dirt squeezed out of the crowd.
Perhaps because she had pushed too hard as she emerged from the crowd, she momentarily lost her balance and began to fall toward Victor.
Mark took in the scene immediately.
Fear and anxiety flashed through his eyes.
This is bad!
It would be disastrous if the child soiled Mr. Victor's clothes!
Mark tried to run over and catch the little girl, but it was too late.
The girl collided directly with Victor.
The dirt on her body stained Victor's pristine clothes.
Seeing this, the little girl looked terrified, tears welling in her eyes, "I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean it.
The bystanders also looked worried.
Only the superiors wore expressions of glee.
But the scene everyone expected never materialized.
Ignoring the dirt on his clothes, Victor gently picked up the little girl and asked in a tender voice, "Are you hurt?
For a moment, everyone was stunned.
The little girl stared blankly at Victor and nodded unconsciously.
"I'm glad you're unharmed."
Victor flicked his hand and, like a magic trick, produced a pill from his system room and offered it to the little girl.
"Take this."
The girl felt no malicious intent from Victor, unlike the aura she felt from the Superiors. The fear in her heart slowly faded, replaced by confusion.
"What is it?"
"It's delicious candy!"
Victor gently ruffled the girl's hair.
This wasn't candy, of course, but a pill that could cure all illnesses.
He remembered the little girl in his arms.
She was the girl from the original story who suffered from leukemia but could not be treated.
"Candy?!"
Upon hearing this, the girl immediately showed delight and quickly popped the pill into her mouth.
The pill dissolved instantly, not only without any bitter taste, but also with a hint of sweetness.
"It's delicious!"
However, this little touch of sweetness was the most wonderful thing the girl had ever tasted!
This spoke volumes about how hard life was for ordinary people.
"I have more! I'll give them all to you."
Victor retrieved another bag of real candy from his system room and handed it to the little girl.
"Thank you, big brother!"