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Chapter 30: The Fall of Zhenbei City

Five o'clock in the morning, in the meeting room of the United Front Work Department.

Jiang Jianxin sat next to Yin Ju and listened to Cai Nianyun pointing at the map on the big screen with a serious expression.

"...We previously thought the global pollution outbreak in Tianma City was merely a rainstorm. However, according to the latest findings from the Bright Faction, released by the television station at 1:00 AM this morning, the devastating effects of this massive global pollution continue!"

Cai Nianyun picked up the black baton and pointed at the location of Tianma City on the map. The area was already painted black, growing on the map like a huge black mole, emitting an unsettling atmosphere.

"First, let me explain the situation in the city where the pollution outbreak occurred. Tianma City has been completely destroyed. Aside from the First Mental Hospital, which was urgently evacuated during the initial outbreak, no other ordinary humans have left.

Currently, Tianma City is wrapped in a layer of unknown substance, which can absorb mental power and distort light.

Within days of the pollution outbreak, both the TV station and the mental hospital, two major light forces, sent elders to spy inside many times, but they could not see anything. No one knew what was going on inside or whether the people inside were alive or dead.

Cai Nianyun's black baton turned downwards and landed in another place, which was near Tianma City, only separated from it by a few mountains.

"Just now, the TV station reported that in several cities near Tianma City, the old polluted areas that had been stable for many years suddenly expanded abnormally.

Among these surrounding cities, those where Chaos forces are stationed have already evacuated all ordinary humans. However, Zhenbei City, which our War Alliance is responsible for evacuating, has encountered problems."

After saying that, Cai Nianyun tapped the screen, and the original map switched to a new scene.

"A peach tree?"

Jiang Jianxin said in surprise when he saw the picture on the screen.

In front of me is an exceptionally sturdy and lush peach tree. Its trunk is about five or six meters in diameter, towering into the clouds and reaching the sky. Every peach blossom on the tree is in full bloom, like a pink dream.

Because it was too pink and dreamy, Jiang Jianxin felt it was unreal at first, as if it was a painting.

She leaned over and whispered to Yin Ju beside her:

"Is this a real tree?"

Yin Ju frowned, his young face full of old-fashionedness. He tapped the table with his fingers and whispered:
"Don't whisper during the meeting. Listen carefully to what Minister Cai says."

"Oh."

Jiang Jianxin turned back in disappointment and listened to Minister Cai continue speaking in front of the screen:
"The polluted area in Zhenbei City that experienced abnormal expansion was the formerly Class D polluted area, 'Peach Blossom Spring.' Affected by the 'disaster rain' pollution source, it spawned a large number of peach blossom trees in just a few hours and completed its capacity upgrade, becoming a Class A polluted area."

"If it were just A-level, it would be easy to deal with, but the strong man sent by the alliance to clean up this polluted area suddenly felt his innate ability rapidly depleted after entering Zhenbei City."

"As of now, he has completely degenerated into an ordinary person and is also trapped in the polluted area of ​​'Peach Blossom Spring'."

After these words were spoken, the conference room fell into silence. Everyone looked at each other, and no one dared to speak.

A polluted area that can devour talent...

This had never happened before, and it made all the powerful people in the war alliance present feel at a loss.

"Well... I wonder if the reason why that person's talent was devoured by the abnormality has been discovered yet?"

Someone coughed and asked the most crucial question.

Cai Nianyun looked at the stiff expressions of the masters present and shook his head heavily:

“That’s not known yet.”

The conference room was once again filled with silence so clear that one could hear a pin drop.

Everyone was carefully examining the pink peach tree on the screen, trying to find something from its appearance.

But the peach tree in front of him was dreamy and there was nothing strange about it, and it was impossible to tell whether it was the culprit for the disappearance of talent.

Jiang Jianxin was also looking at the tree. Her focus was different from others, and she noticed some insignificant things.

"There seems to be a black flag inserted in the crown of this peach tree?" Because no one was speaking in the meeting room, Jiang Jianxin's voice was particularly clear.

Cai Nianyun raised the position of the crown of the peach tree, and everyone looked at it intently.

Among the intertwined pink and green branches and leaves, one can indeed see a black shadow.

But it is impossible to tell whether it is a flag or something else. Perhaps it is just the shadow cast by the intertwining branches.

Therefore, after everyone looked at it carefully, someone immediately questioned what Jiang Jianxin had just said:

"Hey, how did you know it was a black flag? I think it was just a normal shadow. Everyone should understand the shade of a tree. Don't make random guesses."

Everyone looked at Jiang Jianxin, waiting for her explanation.

But she just frowned:

"Maybe... I saw it wrong."

Jiang Jianxin also felt strange about herself just now. The first moment she saw the black shadow on the tree canopy, she subconsciously felt that it was a black flag inserted in the tree canopy.

But she didn't understand why she had such a subconscious judgment.

Faced with everyone's doubts, Jiang Jianxin couldn't explain the reason, so he could only say that he had seen it wrong.

Someone in the room made a sound of laughter, and Cai Nianyun disappointedly zoomed out the picture, turning it back to a full-body picture of the peach tree.

I don't know who started it, but everyone started discussing the bright pink flowers.

Jiang Jianxin's mind wandered, and he stared at the faint black spot on the treetop with a frown.

The moment Cai Nianyun reduced the size of the picture, Jiang Jianxin's eyes refocused on the black dot, and the concept of the black flag flashed through his mind again.

Black flag... Black flag...

Strange, why did she always feel it was a black flag?

Has she ever seen the black flag stuck in the tree?
…I’ve seen black flags stuck on trees.

--Um?

and many more?

Thinking of the last question, Jiang Jianxin suddenly remembered something and his mind became dazed.

She elbowed Yin Ju next to her and said:
"My stomach hurts, I need to go to the bathroom."

After saying this, without waiting for him to show any condemnation, he left in a hurry.

"Da da da……"

Jiang Jianxin dragged his heavy feet into the empty corridor, squatted down somewhere, and summoned the Tangguang Sword.

She shook Tang Guang and shook out the pink Peppa Pig-colored Sword Master Diary in the sword space.

The diary paper, which had been old for many years, made a rustling sound in her hands as she hurriedly turned the pages.

"Black Flag... Where is the Black Flag... You're so silly... You saw it when you were a kid, Jiang Jianxin..."

Jiang Jianxin said to himself.

"Wow--"

The diary turned to the middle page, and the content she was looking for finally appeared on the yellowed paper.

(End of this chapter)