Girl Doesn’t Die in Fairytale Town: Chapter 9 – Ice Coffin Weapon
Yan City Anomaly Management Bureau, Supreme Council Chamber.
After the “Calamity Tide,” countless ability users emerged worldwide, possessing varying degrees of power. The traditional administrative structure was no longer capable of managing such complex and unstable elements.
After the establishment of the mega-cities, it was decided to create the Anomaly Management Bureau, recruiting ability users as much as possible, implementing a system of ability users managing ability users.
Ability users could choose to join the Anomaly Management Bureau or act independently, provided they registered with the Bureau.
Those unwilling to register would be stripped of their mega-city residency and permanently expelled.
This decisive resolution largely resolved the chaos caused by the emergence of ability users, but it also resulted in a series of severe consequences, most notably the rise of the “Dawn” organization—but that’s a story for another time.
Now, all the “Ruin” level and above high-ranking ability users in Yan City were gathered in the Supreme Council Chamber, formulating a plan to address one of the most serious crises in Yan City’s history.
“Ghost Town, a ‘Ruin’ level disaster event. If left unchecked, it could lead to the complete destruction of the mega-city.”
Presiding over this meeting was Hua Qiling, Director of the Disaster Response Department. Her expression was grave, and her fatigue was evident.
She was undoubtedly the most exhausted during this period. After the “Demonic Gaze” incident, the Disaster Response Department was severely understaffed, a gap filled by Hua Qiling’s tireless work.
Even a young body couldn’t withstand such high-intensity work. Despite putting on makeup specifically for the meeting, Hua Qiling couldn’t conceal her haggard appearance.
Fortunately, no one had died because of the “Demonic Gaze” incident. After immediate rescue efforts, aside from a few members with weaker mental fortitude, most of the team had gradually recovered.
“However, in the ‘disaster phenomenon’ of this incident, a suspected Devil’s Apostle has been identified. This ‘Ruin’ level disaster event may escalate to ‘Peril’ level.”
Hua Qiling said seriously, projecting a photo onto the large screen in the council chamber.
The image of an unbelievably beautiful silver-haired girl appeared on the screen, but several high-ranking ability users from the Disaster Response Department instinctively turned their heads.
It was mainly… psychological trauma.
Despite the severe incident like the “Demonic Gaze,” surveillance of Ghost Town and the silver-haired girl hadn’t ceased.
The Disaster Response Department had spent considerable effort devising various plans, and many members risked their souls to execute them. Finally, after paying a heavy price, they successfully maintained surveillance.
—The solution was to have high-ranking ability users observe. If a dangerous signal appeared, they could react immediately and cut off the power.
Even if they accidentally encountered the “Demonic Gaze,” the strong mental defenses of high-ranking ability users could withstand it for a short time.
Therefore, the high-ranking ability users responsible for observation reflexively averted their gazes upon seeing the silver-haired girl.
The high-ranking ability users from other departments didn’t react in the same way. Their expressions showed varying degrees of surprise upon seeing the silver-haired girl.
“Is she… really a Devil’s Apostle?” One of the high-ranking ability users couldn’t help but ask. “According to records, Devil’s Apostles usually assimilate to a certain extent with the demons they follow, so they should exhibit some inhuman characteristics.”
The concealment of Devil’s Apostles wasn’t foolproof. Due to these inhuman characteristics, they usually covered themselves completely.
But the silver-haired girl clearly hadn’t done so. Instead, she wore a simple gray dress. Apart from her stunning beauty and unusually pale complexion, she looked no different from an ordinary human.
“That’s the case. My personal speculation is that she is likely a follower of the ‘Witch of Envy.’ Her exceptional beauty is her inhuman characteristic,” Hua Qiling said gravely. “Therefore, I request the use of the ‘Ice Coffin Weapon’ to eliminate ‘Ghost Town’ before the incident escalates beyond repair.”
As soon as she finished speaking, the room erupted in an uproar. All the high-ranking ability users looked at Hua Qiling in shock, including those from the Disaster Response Department.
“This is absolute madness…”
“I can’t believe the Director of the Disaster Response Department would say such a thing… Is it because she’s too young?”
“Has she been working so much overtime that she’s lost her mind? The ‘Ice Coffin Weapon’ cannot be used so recklessly!”
Whispers filled the council chamber. Most high-ranking ability users spoke of the “Ice Coffin Weapon” with apprehension.
As for Hua Qiling’s position as Director, her age, just over twenty, was too young for them, so young that all her mistakes were magnified and questioned.
Just as the chamber became increasingly chaotic, a deep, clear shout instantly silenced everyone.
“Quiet!”
Everyone looked towards the source of the voice. A white-haired old man at the end of the conference table. He was the current Director-General of the Anomaly Management Bureau, Li Ping.
“Hua Qiling, you need to be responsible for your words.” Li Ping said each word deliberately. His voice wasn’t loud, but it carried an indescribable authority. “The use of the ‘Ice Coffin Weapon’ must be carefully considered. I believe the current situation hasn’t reached the point where it’s necessary.”
“I…” Hua Qiling opened her mouth, a flash of silver suddenly crossing her mind. Her gaze instantly hardened. “I believe it’s necessary to deploy the ‘Ice Coffin Weapon’ as soon as possible!”
Li Ping calmly looked at the young woman he had personally promoted and sighed.
“Such a decision is too radical and hasty, Hua Qiling. In your current mental state, perhaps you are no longer suitable to continue as Director of the Disaster Response Department.”
The Ice Coffin Weapon was the mega-city’s trump card, its use extremely limited, and its destructive power terrifying.
More importantly, once deployed, it couldn’t be controlled.
With “Ghost Town” so close to Yan City, the Ice Coffin Weapon could very well endanger the city itself.
Indeed, the simplest and most direct way to resolve the “Ghost Town” incident was to erase it with the Ice Coffin Weapon, but the consequences would be unbearable for Yan City.
Sometimes, the higher-ups of Yan City would rather abandon half the city, as long as the core area of the inner city wasn’t threatened, than use the Ice Coffin Weapon.
“You’ll temporarily transfer to the Investigation Department for rest. As for the Disaster Response Department… An Zaipao will take charge for now,” Li Ping said calmly. “As for your proposal, it will be taken into consideration.”
The Anomaly Management Bureau has four departments: the Disaster Response Department , responsible for handling disaster events; the Apprehension Department, responsible for apprehending wanted targets; the Exploration Department, responsible for outward expansion and exploration; and the Oversight Department, responsible for the overall management of ability users.
In the stable environment of Yan City, the Oversight Department was essentially a cushy job, as there were rarely any troublesome ability users.
Hua Qiling remained silent.
She wanted to say that the silver-haired girl’s danger was beyond imagination, that the situation in Ghost Town was completely different from the descriptions in the archives, and that the severity of this disaster event was immeasurable…
After this period of investigation, Hua Qiling’s fear of Ghost Town and the silver-haired girl had grown day by day.
She had a premonition that if this disaster event wasn’t resolved quickly, it could even escalate to the point of destroying Yan City.
But, in the end, Hua Qiling didn’t say any of this.
Hua Qiling knew she didn’t fully understand the cost of using the Ice Coffin Weapon, while Director-General Li Ping had personally experienced the incident where Yan City was forced to use it.
Perhaps… Li Ping’s decision was more appropriate.
Finally, under everyone’s gaze, Hua Qiling stood up in a daze, declining An Zaipao’s offer of support, and stumbled out of the chamber.
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