Chang Jianyi never expected things to unfold this way. First, she couldn't fathom how Rongcheng could be breached so easily. It was a city of five million people, and its fall felt like a child's game.
Following closely, the most critical matter was the kidnapping of Shen Feng's family. The perpetrators were the ever-mysterious Tianya Alliance, an organization known for assassinating ability users in the past. They controlled useful abilities and sold off those deemed useless, their base of operations remaining unknown.
Adding to the urgency was the looming crisis of millions of refugees from Rongcheng heading south. Their primary destination, naturally, was Yuzhou, as it was the only place offering refuge. The sheer number of refugees was overwhelming, and Yuzhou lacked the capacity to accommodate them.
"Quickly gather the refugees and urge them not to travel south. I will arrange for grain to be sent," Chang Jianyi decided after a few minutes of silence.
Chang Jianyi understood the immense impact that four to five million refugees would have on Yuzhou. It could potentially shake the very foundations of the city. Yuzhou's current population was eight million, a figure achieved after absorbing refugees from surrounding areas. The sudden influx of so many people would undoubtedly ruin Yuzhou.
Therefore, even at the cost of significant grain losses, Chang Jianyi could not allow the refugees to move south.
"We can't stop them. We only have three thousand people here, and even self-preservation is difficult. Asking us to stop millions of people with such a small force is unreasonable," Chu Chaoyan complained indignantly.
"That's why I'm asking you to find a way! I know your situation is difficult, and I'm also trying to mobilize more personnel. Please hold on a little longer!" Chang Jianyi said helplessly. Yuzhou faced an unprecedented crisis. A threat from mutated birds could be dealt with through force, but this crisis was brought about by humans, by fleeing humans. Chang Jianyi felt powerless, only able to urge Chu Chaoyan and Li Keyi to find solutions.
At this point, Chang Jianyi couldn't help but think of Shen Feng. Her only hope was that Shen Feng would return soon to take charge. While Shen Feng might not have a perfect solution, his presence as a man would provide a sense of stability for Chang Jianyi.
However, Chang Jianyi didn't know Shen Feng's whereabouts. Even if Shen Feng traveled day and night, it would take him four to five days to reach Yuzhou. They had to endure these few days, at the very least, to prevent the situation from worsening.
Chu Chaoyan and Li Keyi were also at a loss. After hanging up the phone, they had a long, sleepless discussion. They had both set aside their past grievances. With the current crisis at hand, they could only try their best to overcome it. Their discussion concluded with a single resolution: "Only by eliminating all the earth bees can the people of Chuan Province be stabilized. Without external threats, internal morale can be restored, and people will no longer live in fear."
The conclusion was reached, and the method was clear, but neither of them possessed the ability to deal with the earth bees. Even with Chu Chaoyan's ability to control poisonous gas, the earth bees were not foolish. They would flee immediately upon sensing danger, never engaging in prolonged confrontations. Eradicating them completely was no easy feat.
"What should we do?" Chu Chaoyan and Li Keyi were both hesitant. If the earth bees attacked again during the day, the hard-won morale of over a million people would likely crumble into panic. These panicked individuals would continue to flee south, ultimately impacting Yuzhou.
They stayed awake all night. It wasn't until the next morning that they received good news: Shen Feng had arrived.
Upon hearing this, Chu Chaoyan and Li Keyi were overjoyed. They hadn't expected Shen Feng to arrive in Chuan Province so soon. They had thought it would be difficult for Shen Feng to reach Chuan Province in four days, but he had arrived in just over two.
"A Feng!" Upon seeing Shen Feng appear before her, dusty and travel-worn, Chu Chaoyan couldn't help but rush into his arms. In the past few days, Chu Chaoyan had been under immense pressure, with the survival of millions resting on her shoulders. Her in-laws and sister-in-law had been captured, and numerous issues awaited resolution. She was utterly exhausted.
Seeing Shen Feng's arrival, Chu Chaoyan couldn't help but rush into his arms like a little girl, weeping. She was overjoyed to see him at this moment.
Li Keyi also asked with concern, "A Feng, have you resolved the radioactive elements on your body?"
"It's fine. All the radiation on me has been cleared, and my body has recovered!" Shen Feng replied quickly, reassuring his wives.
"A Feng, there's something I must tell you immediately: Father-in-law, Mother-in-law, and Sister have all been captured. The group that took them is called the Tianya Alliance," Li Keyi quickly conveyed the most critical information.
Upon hearing this, Shen Feng became furious. He exclaimed, "What kind of garbage organization dares to kidnap my family! I will tear them all to shreds!"
Shen Feng couldn't believe that even in the midst of the apocalypse, people would dare to target his family. He was now China's strongest ability user, with few opponents globally. Yet, someone dared to kidnap his parents and sister, an act that naturally infuriated him.
"Don't worry about that for now. We have something more important to tell you!" Li Keyi continued.
"What is it? Was Rongcheng breached? I already heard about that from the soldiers," Shen Feng said.
"Dawn is approaching, and mutated earth bees will soon attack the people. The entire province is facing a great crisis. To resolve this crisis, the first step is to eliminate all the earth bees! Can you still fight at this time?" Li Keyi asked urgently.
Shen Feng's return in two days was no small feat. He had likely been using his abilities continuously. Even a superhuman, flying for two days and nights without rest, would be extremely fatigued. To then engage in combat, his body might not be able to withstand it. This was Li Keyi's primary concern.
Shen Feng replied, "It's fine. It's just fighting, I can handle it. Prepare the chlorine gas for me. When the earth bees appear, I will avenge the people here. Also, I've brought back a mount. It's over there. Take good care of it and don't kill it by mistake."
Li Keyi and Chu Chaoyan looked in the direction Shen Feng indicated and saw a giant swift on the ground in the distance. The swift's feathers were disheveled, and it looked listless, appearing to have undergone a strenuous flight, otherwise it wouldn't be in such a state.
Shen Feng then explained to his wives why he had returned so quickly. He had encountered a mutated swift on the way, a bird of incredible speed. Shen Feng had captured the large bird with a tornado, tamed it, and then ridden it back to Chuan Province. The swift had flown non-stop for two days, which was why Shen Feng could return in such a short time.
Hearing Shen Feng's explanation, Li Keyi and Chu Chaoyan had no choice but to instruct people to take good care of the swift. This mount had played a significant role and might be useful in the future. It must not be killed or allowed to starve; it needed proper care.
Next, Shen Feng wanted to understand more about the situation. He inquired with Xu Xing, who was not very clear on the details. He then found Xiao Sheng on his sickbed. Xiao Sheng was now paralyzed. A doctor had removed an iron ball embedded in his back, revealing that Xiao Sheng's lumbar spine had been broken. He had lost all sensation below his waist.
Xiao Sheng was shocked to learn of his paralysis and found it difficult to accept. He had always been a spirited individual, and the sudden news of his permanent paralysis, unable to walk again and confined to a bed, was unbearable for any normal person, let alone the proud "God of Fire."
Seeing Xiao Sheng's current state, Shen Feng knew he must have endured a brutal battle and tried his best to protect his family. Unfortunately, his brothers were killed, their heads taken, and he himself could no longer stand.
Shen Feng asked Xiao Sheng again about what had happened yesterday. Seeing Shen Feng's haggard appearance, Xiao Sheng could only recount the events. He repeatedly urged Shen Feng, "You must save Shen Yu."
Shen Yu was Xiao Sheng's wife. They had been deeply in love after their marriage. Unexpectedly, Shen Yu had been abducted by a group of unknown ability users. As her husband, he felt a profound sense of failure for being unable to protect his newlywed wife.
Shen Feng quickly comforted him, "It's alright, brother-in-law. I will bring Sister back."
Seeing Xiao Sheng's miserable condition, Shen Feng couldn't bring himself to blame him. He could only offer patient comfort and devise ways to help Xiao Sheng regain his mobility in the future.
Just then, shouts were heard from outside the tent: "The earth bees are back! Quickly take cover!"
Shen Feng was already in a fit of anger. Coincidentally, at this moment, earth bees attacked. Shen Feng found an outlet for his rage and walked out of the tent, saying to Chu Chaoyan, "Quickly use your abilities. Today is the day for us to show our cooperation."
Chu Chaoyan nodded quickly. While directing people to retrieve the high-pressure gas cylinders from the vehicle and open the remaining ones, she prepared a large amount of saline solution to create poisonous gas on the spot. A yellowish-green gas instantly spread outwards, exuding a dangerous aura.