Chapter 117: The Pillar of Heaven in Action

Sky Pillar.

"Old Lu, how much longer can our energy reserves last?" Bian Qiu asked, smoking a cigarette, his face etched with anxiety. In these few minutes alone, he had already smoked half a pack, filling the office with a thick, swirling haze.

This office belonged to Lu Yuan, head of the Coordination Department. It wasn't just Bian Qiu; the other department heads were gathered here as well.

Lu Yuan clenched his fists and sighed. "Less than twenty hours! If we head out now, there is an underground storage facility outside the city. It was stocked by a team sent out at the very beginning of the catastrophe, but we’ve never had the chance to retrieve it. There are metal resources there; if we can bring them back, it will be enough to keep us going for another ten to fifteen days."

Everyone fell silent, not knowing how to respond. After twenty hours, their time might be up. Yet, even in this moment of extreme crisis, the Big Boss had not shown his face, nor had he called a meeting in days. It was as if he had secretly run away.

"Do you think the Boss has slipped away alone?" Ruan Luoluo asked. Despite her worried expression, her naturally seductive aura remained uncontained, causing the men in the room to stir. But no one dared to harbor any inappropriate thoughts, nor could anyone focus on flirtation at a time like this.

Bian Qiu glared at Ruan Luoluo viciously. "Run? Run where? Does the Sky Pillar have another exit? Have you seen anyone leave in the past few days? With a million-strong horde of corpses outside, anyone who steps out is as good as dead."

Suddenly, the security surveillance system in the Coordination Department’s office projected a virtual human—the bald, robotic avatar of the Boss. The department heads were stunned. Had their conversation and every move been watched the whole time? Was this Boss really a system or an AI? Could he even be human? Only Bian Qiu’s expression remained unchanged, his gaze fixed deeply on the virtual figure.

"Minister Bai, Minister Meng, how are the preparations I ordered coming along?"

At the sound of the virtual figure’s voice, the eight ministers perked up. In fact, if not for these extraordinary times, the eight of them wouldn't have been in the same room together for years.

Bai Qingchu replied, "All genetic agents and antiviral serums are ready. This represents almost the entire inventory developed by the Research Department to date; it is enough for the action teams to use for this operation."

Meng Gaozhu added, "All 'Krypton Gold' series equipment has been withdrawn from storage, and various models of Gravity Suits have been pre-distributed according to authorization levels. We are ready to deploy at any moment."

The virtual figure nodded. "Minister Bian, do you have any issues?"

Bian Qiu scoffed, "My only issue is deciding how you want those predators outside to die!"

"Good!"

"I hereby announce that the Sky Pillar is entering a state of emergency. Inform the Lower and Upper citizens of the current situation. Every survivor has the right to know that the 'Noah's Ark' is about to capsize. If this is truly the final moment of our lives, they deserve to know."

"Furthermore, Minister Xun, ensure the Inspection and Law Enforcement Department is ready for internal oversight. If anyone tries to cause trouble or harbor ulterior motives at this time, execute them on the spot! Once the fighting starts, connect to all the screens within the Sky Pillar. Livestream the battle for our survival; I want every survivor to watch it!"

"Minister Bian, you may now lead the action teams to do what you intend. Whether we succeed or fail, we have tried our best and made a desperate gamble. But after this, I fear the sparks of humanity will only grow fewer..."

"Everyone, stick to your duties. Maintain the orderly operation of the Sky Pillar until fate finally descends. I am temporarily granting Minister Bian supreme authority; he may utilize all resources within the Sky Pillar and formulate the battle plan. The rest of you must provide full support to the action teams while ensuring your departments continue to function."

"Oh, and Minister Lu, find some time to clean up this office. It’s a mess."

With that final remark, the virtual light projection abruptly vanished.

"The Boss is truly the Boss... his ability to change the subject is sharper than a drift in a supercar... Old Lu, clean up the office."

"Hahahaha..."

The gloom in the hearts of the ministers began to dissipate; they felt better, at least having a clear goal. Of course, it also had to do with the last thing the Boss said—it was quite the mood-lightener.

Bian Qiu’s face remained solemn. The moment he received his orders, his aura shifted. The restlessness he had displayed moments ago vanished, replaced by the weight of a deep, unfathomable mountain. This was the aura cultivated through long-held power and constant bloodshed. As for the past of this most powerful man in the Sky Pillar, the others knew nothing, as he had never spoken of it. They only knew he was formidable.

"I believe that repelling the corpse horde is the immediate priority, but we must also guard against other factors. Minister Bai, please activate the 'Interference Field.' It doesn't need to consume too much energy; just enough to cover a few kilometers around us. While we fight the horde, we must remain vigilant against those with malicious intent. There are plenty of survivors who covet the Sky Pillar." Bian Qiu’s knuckles rapped against the desk, each strike sounding like a heartbeat in the room.

Bai Qingchu nodded heavily. Even without the Boss’s order, he would have followed Bian Qiu’s instructions. At a time like this, the big picture was all that mattered. When it came to warfare and strategic layout, the others knew to leave the planning to Bian Qiu.

"Minister Tong, once the battle commences, your Medical Department will be needed. I hope you won't be stingy with the supplies," Bian Qiu said, turning his gaze toward a woman in her late twenties.

Tong Yueting, Minister of the Sky Pillar’s Medical Department.

Along with Ruan Luoluo, she was known as one of the two goddesses of the Sky Pillar. Unlike Ruan Luoluo’s fiery passion, she was more like an aloof, thousand-year-old snow lotus. Tong Yueting wore a white lab coat over a khaki-colored, form-fitting fuzzy sweater, paired with tight black leather pants, all of which left her stunning figure clearly defined. Her delicate, beautiful face was framed by flowing, chestnut-brown hair, with elegantly arched brows and vibrant red lips. Her features were even more striking than Ruan Luoluo’s. If there were a beauty ranking within the Sky Pillar, this Minister Tong would likely be untouchable at the top.

Tong Yueting didn’t respond, merely giving a slight nod—her typical, polite way of acknowledging others.

"Good. Then everyone, follow the Boss’s arrangements. Let’s fight for our future today!" Bian Qiu said, his face cold as he turned to leave. A "death-before-surrender" attitude had always been his hallmark in battle.

However, the course of events would always exceed expectations.

***

Cao Fusheng was just about to step into the building when he saw the Sky Pillar, which seemed both far away and right in front of him, emit a dazzling light. The Holy Light, which had already been fading, grew even dimmer. At the same time, the surface of the Sky Pillar began to emit a strange, crackling sound.

Sudden gusts of wind began to erupt, blowing past Cao Fusheng, who was a kilometer away, and continuing even further. Cao Fusheng seemed to realize what was happening and hurriedly grabbed his walkie-talkie, but no matter how hard he pressed the button, there was no response.

Total failure!

This was absolutely infuriating! It turned out the Sky Pillar was the one behind it! Cutting off his communications at such a critical moment! And that wasn't all—this gust of wind was likely doing more than just interfering with signal waves.