Why is his holy light red?

Chapter 111 Rescue on the Ground

Pomegranate Tree City, Tree Root District.

On the third floor of the abandoned factory, a dozen braziers crackled and popped as they burned. Mercury stood at the top of the stairs, gazing at the sky.

The downpour had stopped, and the skewed moon reappeared, its golden flares clearly visible.

Clearly, the angels of holy light have arrived on the moon and are pushing the fleeing moon back onto its proper course.

Mercury ignored the dirt on the floor, sat cross-legged, and quietly watched the moon.

This was the twenty-second gang stronghold he had traversed tonight. He had walked through most of the Tree Roots area all night and was feeling a little tired.

The process was largely the same: weapons and supplies were forcibly confiscated and distributed to the shivering civilians below. As for the gang members, those who were willing to lay down their guns and share the hardship are now huddled together with the disaster victims by the fire; those who were not are now floating in the stinking black water outside.

The heavy rain outside has subsided somewhat, but the water level has not stopped rising. It is estimated to have exceeded two meters, meaning the entire root zone has been submerged.

If we still want to rescue people, we'll have to go by inflatable boat.

A series of chaotic splashing sounds came from downstairs.

Mercury turned around. He saw Vincent stumbling up the stairs, followed by more than twenty other disaster victims supporting each other.

They originally went out with three rubber boats, but only two returned.

Moreover, the kid's appearance was simply appalling.

His bulletproof combat suit, issued by the association, was torn with seven or eight large holes. His chest and shoulders were covered in bruises, and blood from his forehead, washed down by the rain, smeared half his face. It was obvious how many sniper shots and stabs he had endured along the way to bring these two ships of people here safely.

Without a word, Mercury strode forward and patted Vincent's shoulder with his broad hand.

A warm, dark red holy light instantly shone, flowing into Vincent's body through his palm. Visibly, the lacerated wounds on Vincent's body began to stop bleeding and scab over, and his heavy breathing gradually calmed down.

Vincent wiped the blood off his face and spat out a mouthful of muddy saliva.

He was so tired that his legs were trembling and he could barely stand, but when he looked up at Mercury, he exuded an indescribable spirit.

Those eyes, which used to be wary and gloomy like a sewer rat's, were now frighteningly bright.

That sense of inferiority and resentment had long since disappeared. Although he was so tired he was about to collapse, he still had a smile on his face.

"There's no one left alive in this neighborhood. This is the last batch." Vincent's voice was hoarse as he pointed to the refugees behind him who were huddled around the fire pit for warmth. His chest heaved violently. "Not a single one died."

Mercury withdrew his hand, looked at the boy's straight back, and reached out to roughly ruffle his wet hair.

"Well done, hero."

No need for so much sentimental nonsense. In this apocalyptic flood, bringing people back alive is the greatest skill.

The warm light from the brazier illuminated their faces. The rescued survivors, holding bowls of hot water, looked at Vincent standing at the top of the stairs, and many silently bowed their heads in gratitude. Vincent didn't flinch, but simply clenched his fists somewhat embarrassedly.

"Now, standing by the window on the second floor, Vincent gazed at the unfathomable black ocean outside, his voice tinged with bitterness:"

"How many people will die in the Tree Roots area tonight?"

Mercury simply shook his head.

In impoverished areas like Shugen District, there hasn't even been a proper census. But the number of homeless people alone is at least 70,000 to 80,000, and if you add the elderly, infirm, and disabled in the shantytowns, the permanent population is at least 300,000.

Tonight he walked through almost all the poorest and worst neighborhoods in the Tree Roots district.

All told, he personally saved fewer than three thousand people, and the number of civilians who survived by virtue of his help was at most ten thousand.

What about the remaining hundreds of thousands? Those who were lucky enough to climb onto the rooftops are freezing in the cold wind; those who were unlucky, like the drug addicts soaking in the stinking ditches, probably sank to the bottom without even struggling a few times.

From the moment he kicked open the first door, Mercury never expected to be a savior.

He was only responsible for removing the most disgusting cancers. At least on this apocalyptic night, no gang dared to raid civilians' life-saving food supplies in groups, and no one dared to kill or set fires indiscriminately in the water.

He'd grab whoever he could. After all, he himself came from the Tree Roots area.

"When will this damn water recede? Where are all the association members?!"

Vincent slammed his fist on the window frame, knocking a handful of rust off his hand. Tonight, for the first time, he tasted what it felt like to be treated as a "hero." The way the refugees looked at him like he was a savior ignited the blood that had been pent up for so long.

If he could, he would jump into the water right now and pull everyone in the tree root area out.

But he couldn't do it. His fire could kill, and Mercury's fists could smash someone's head, but faced with this overwhelming flood, there was really not much they could do.

"The association is busy too."

Mercury took out his phone and swiped it. One of the advantages of this high-tech phone is that it never needs to be charged. As long as it's not broken, it can be used anytime.

Mercury glanced at the association's battle report: "Of the forty-eight registered heroes in the entire Auriga City, thirty-two went to the Upper City, twelve to the Mid-Level Industrial Zone, and four to the Root Zone, including the two of us."

Vincent was stunned and gritted his teeth in anger, but Mercury was unfazed.

Heroes are human too. These superheroes' mansions and families are all in the uptown area. If the apocalypse comes, who wouldn't protect their wife and children first?

Besides, the upper-level area is quite lively tonight.

Although the area was high up and not flooded, the looters were all eyeing the vaults in the wealthy neighborhood, where the alarms blared all night.

To Mercury's surprise, Richard, the branch president, was among the two remaining spots in the Roots District.

That old fox who usually talks about compromise and self-interest actually spent most of the time rescuing people in the tree root area tonight.

With his extremely efficient spatial teleportation and clone abilities, Richard pulled up more than ten times more people than Mercury tonight, single-handedly handling the rescue work in half of the Tree Roots area.

Seeing this, Mercury finally understood why Richard had a relationship with his father; the old fox deserved the title of hero in crucial moments.

But what good are there if there are many heroes?

In the face of such a natural disaster, the federal government forces should truly be on the front lines. But in the federal government, these armed men are probably off protecting the assets of some wealthy corporation on some front right now.

Seeing Vincent still indignant beside him, Mercury changed the subject: "What's going on between you and Rex? It's been so long, haven't you made up yet?"

Upon hearing the name, Vincent's volatile temper paused for a moment. He leaned against the cold wall and gave a self-deprecating laugh.

"Rex has never considered me a true friend, I know that." Vincent looked at the flickering brazier, his voice low. "He's like a transfer student. Among his peers, it's just Nora and me, he had no choice. He's never had any friends since he was little, so he drags me everywhere he goes, and he always forces good things into my hands."

"But he doesn't understand at all. There are places he likes to go that I can't go. I don't want to be a useless person who keeps spending my friends' money. I want to be a hero who can stand on his own. I'm just a spoilsport next to him. Actually, he's more suited to hanging out with you."

Mercury chuckled: "So, according to you, why were you shamelessly following me around again tonight?"

Vincent laughed and said to Mercury, "Because you're a poor wretch too. Only poor heroes like us would come to the Root District tonight to save people."

Mercury: "————"

No wonder people discriminate against him; this kid really knows how to offend people with his mouth.

There was a two-second awkward silence. Vincent suddenly lowered his head, his voice slightly hoarse but incredibly sincere, and said, "But thank you, Mercury." The boy took a deep breath. "Tonight, for the first time in my life, you made me a true hero. It was wrong of me to target you before; you did nothing wrong, it's just that I—I can't afford to lose."

I don't know what this "can't afford to lose" means.

But Mercury didn't care much. The two of them had worked together tonight to save thousands of people. Faced with that number, all the previous conflicts didn't matter much anymore.

However, Mercury still poured cold water on Vincent's enthusiasm.

"Don't be so quick to celebrate." Mercury turned around, looking at the endless darkness outside. "This isn't over yet."

Vincent was taken aback: "What do you mean?"

"No law enforcement record, no warning. Tonight we kicked down the door, used violence to coerce, and carried out a vigilante execution on the spot. By any measure, we've violated the rules." Mercury's tone was flat, as if he were talking about someone else's business. "Once the floodwaters recede, the higher-ups will start settling accounts. At best, we'll be expelled from the association; at worst, we'll be thrown into a hardened criminal prison."

"But we saved people!" Vincent said excitedly.

"You talk like someone living in paradise. This is the Federation, aren't you used to it yet? Whether we are guilty or not doesn't depend on whether we saved people or not, but on whether any of the people we offended will use this against us."

Vincent frowned and thought for a moment: "Probably not. Although the association has many restrictions on me, it wouldn't target me specifically for this. I didn't go to the upper city to steal their credit."

Mercury smiled slightly, patted him on the shoulder and said, "Then you're in a bad situation, because I happen to have such an enemy."

"Who?" Vincent asked curiously.

Mercury replied matter-of-factly, "The federal government, don't you watch the news? They still owe me compensation."

"ah?!"

Vincent then remembered Mercury's lawsuit against the Federation. This guy really slapped the Federation in the face, and he's probably on the blacklist now.

If the federal government investigates what happened tonight, it could easily cause trouble.

"Then what are you after?"

Vincent looked at him, puzzled. "With the points you've accumulated and that Level 2 Hero Medal, you're guaranteed a promotion even if you do nothing. Why risk going to jail to come here and save people?"

"No particular reason." Mercury exhaled a puff of mist, looking at the dilapidated streets floating in the black water outside. "I grew up in the Root District. This wretched place shouldn't be like this. Besides, as a superhero, when the apocalypse comes, I have to do something."

Vincent was stunned. He didn't know how to respond to such weighty words, so he could only awkwardly avert his gaze, trying to break the awkward atmosphere.

Vincent looked up at the sky, where the bright moon seemed to be getting closer and closer, and the golden flares on it were becoming more and more conspicuous.

"You said—" Vincent awkwardly started a conversation, "Can they really push the moon back into orbit? What if—"

I mean, what if, even the angels of holy light fail, is our world completely doomed?

The voice just fell.

In the night sky, the steady golden holy light suddenly flickered violently.

The next second, the golden light that had enveloped half the moon suddenly dissipated, as if someone had pressed the switch to turn off the lights!

The dilapidated factory fell into a deathly silence.

Mercury stared intently at the moon in the sky, his pupils shrinking to the size of pinpoints.

Vincent froze. He remained pointing skyward, his face deathly pale, trembling as he stammered, "Holy shit—I—I was just saying it offhand—it really has nothing to do with me!"

Vincent offered a rambling explanation, but Mercury didn't hear a word he said.

The moment the golden light on the moon was extinguished, an inexplicable fear crept into Mercury's heart.

An accident? Impossible!

Others may not know, but he knew all too well just how powerful that golden holy light was.

Even if it's only a small part, it's still a great power that transcends all living beings.

At worst, the plan to push the moon will completely collapse, and everyone will wait to die, but the Holy Light Angels will absolutely not be harmed.

However, just as he was trying to find an excuse to calm himself down, Mercury suddenly groaned, knelt down on one knee in the puddles, and clutched his chest tightly.

The last vestiges of golden holy light within his body suddenly went berserk without warning! They pierced towards Mercury's brain like red-hot iron wires.

"Here we go again—"

Mercury gritted his teeth, trying to summon the red holy light within him to suppress it.

The golden holy light had almost completely dissipated during the previous battle, so it should have been easy to resolve.

But this time, the golden holy light seemed to have come to life, incredibly resilient, and Mercury couldn't suppress it no matter how hard he tried.

The golden holy light pierced directly into his brain, and the strange auditory hallucinations began again.

In the past, people would encourage Mercury to become some kind of god who would destroy the world and kill anyone he didn't like.

But today seemed different; those indistinct sounds sounded somewhat familiar, only too faint for Mercury to hear clearly.

This was too strange. Connecting it to the disappearance of the holy light on the moon just now, Mercury had a vague feeling that something was wrong, so he deliberately relaxed his mental defenses in order to hear the faint shouts clearly.

Soon, the voice became clearer: "Mercury, lend me your power!"

Mercury was stunned the moment he heard those words, for it was his father's voice.