Chapter 9: Old Soldiers Never Die, They Just Fade Away

Facing the hypocritical, silver-tongued man, Luo Ke did not fly into a rage. Instead, he spoke with a solemn and honest expression, "I hear Captain Mark is set to take over as the Lighthouse Commander soon, and it seems the Lighthouse Association will be entrusted to him as well. I trust that even when you are no longer with the Association, you will still keep the Lighthouse in your heart, praying for humanity at all times! Because everyone knows that you, sir, are selfless and fair, willing to cast aside the bonds of the old world to practice the Three Laws!"

His tone was incredibly earnest, his eyes sincere; he looked every bit the loyal believer of the Lord of Light.

"You! You are quite right. Regardless of who the Commander or the Head of the Association may be, I will do my utmost and give everything for the continuation of the Lighthouse."

Charles’s lips twitched, and the veins on his temples pulsed. He could not afford an outburst; the words of this Dust Person sounded perfectly fine on the surface—they were practically flattery. If he got angry, he would only lower his own standing and give others something to gossip about.

Seeing the blonde man stifled, Luo Ke chuckled inwardly. Playing word games with him? This man was narrow-minded and arrogant. His words had struck two nerves: his career and his family.

To an outsider, it was just a simple conversation, but in reality, it was a hidden duel with blades concealed in every sentence.

"Hmph, let's go." Charles cast a deep, lingering look at Luo Ke, flicked his sleeves, and disappeared around the corner with his large dog, followed by the chant, "Light gives birth to all, all follow the light!"

The Dust Person who had consumed Upper-class food was also hauled away by the Law Enforcement Division. Only death awaited him, but as he himself had said, being able to eat milk and bread once before dying in this apocalypse was worth it.

The next morning.

The beautifully polished red Gravity Crawler, children in masks and robes, the brazier falling into the altar, the primal sacrificial dance, and the crisp, rhythmic chiming of bells composed a scene that was both tragic and ironic.

This was the "Exodus"—or rather, abandonment.

Standing in the crowd, Luo Ke’s lips curled into a sneer. Those elders were the founding heroes of the Lighthouse, yet they were sent to their deaths with pomp and ceremony the moment their hair turned gray.

"Old soldiers never die, they just fade away."

Even though Luo Ke knew that Instructor Aaron would later join the surface survivors, hearing the deafening cheers of the crowd at this moment still filled him with a sense of resentment. And when a man is angry, he always wants to find something to vent his frustration on.

So, Luo Ke turned his gaze toward the Defense Force. Specifically, Captain Senge.

If he recalled correctly, this brute had done little that was honorable. He was a partner in crime with Charles, colluding in the shadows and eventually undermining Victor’s real authority. Since he had nothing better to do, he might as well chop off Charles’s "hands and feet," leaving him to face despair alone.

Action followed thought. Luo Ke quietly approached Senge’s position, waiting for an opportunity. The ceremony was long and tedious, with Morgan droning on and on with a stream of platitudes.

"I’m going to use the restroom. Keep a close eye on things and watch out for any Dust People trying to steal!" Senge instructed before ducking into the corridor, muttering under his breath, "Damn it, just a bunch of old trash wasting food. Should’ve tossed them down ages ago. Still blabbering on, and the Commander is getting old too—so damn oblivious!"

He entered the empty restroom, unaware that a shadow was tailing him.

Luo Ke had changed into common linen clothes, masked his face with a scrap of fabric, and wore an ID badge he had swiped from a member of the Law Enforcement Division, letting a sliver of blue peek out from his inner lapel to create confusion.

He approached the unsuspecting Senge with a casual gait. Men have their guard down when relieving themselves; even when Senge heard someone behind him, he assumed it was just another Upper-class citizen.

*Why didn't he greet me?* Senge thought. *Usually, the common Upper-class citizens would at least call out "Captain Senge" when they saw me.*

He realized something was wrong and threw a backhanded elbow toward Luo Ke’s midsection, but in the next second, his wrist bone was shattered by a single slap from Luo Ke.

"Argh..." Senge’s scream was muffled by Luo Ke’s hand before it could escape.

*Squelch!*

A sharpened chopstick pierced through Senge’s neck with lightning speed, entering from the left and exiting the right. Blood sprayed instantly. Senge tried to speak but could make no sound; he struggled with all his might to turn around, clawing at the fabric on Luo Ke’s face.

Luo Ke knew well that "villains die from talking too much." Whether it was the previous slaughter of the Big-Nosed man or this execution of Senge, he remained silent, acting with ruthless efficiency. Any words could wait until he was burning paper at their graves.

"Mmph... mph!"

Senge pulled out his sidearm, but just as he was about to pull the trigger, Luo Ke locked his head in his arms and twisted with the full force of his upper body.

*Snap.*

The cervical spine shattered, the pistol clattered to the floor, and Senge, eyes bulging in a death stare, was dragged into a private stall.

Minutes later, Luo Ke walked out of the restroom carrying a bag of dust. He went to the terrace and cast it into the air; the wind caught it, blowing a cloud of grit directly into Charles’s face.

Although Life Source didn't mean much to Luo Ke, using these tactics against villains was immensely satisfying and cathartic.

After the Exodus ceremony concluded.

"I asked Jing Nan to help me access the core database. I want to confirm if what Luo Ke said is true," Mark discussed with Ran Bing.

"I’ll go with you," Ran Bing said without hesitation.

Mark hesitated for a moment, then replied, "Alright."

The two infiltrated the database. The plot unfolded just as it had in the animation; with the help of the administrator, their feelings heated up rapidly, and they left in a hurried state.

Desert Raider Base.

"Desert Raider Penny, please report to the Dawn Hall tonight at 10:00 PM sharp to execute Breeding Mission No. 21449." Penny, who was maintaining her weapon, shivered, her eyes filled with a grief that felt almost physical.

She looked desolately at Donnie, who was sparring with Mo Cheng on the ring. Since confirming their feelings, she couldn't bear the thought of being touched by another man.

A few seconds later, Donnie stopped fighting and tapped his headset.

"Desert Raider Donnie, please report to the Dawn Hall tonight at 10:00 PM sharp to execute Breeding Mission No. 21449." He had it on speaker, and those around him heard it clearly.

"Well, well, your turn again?" Mo Cheng wore a knowing grin.

Donnie shrugged and smiled back, "Just a mission."

"21449?" Penny, standing to the side, froze. She pinched herself in disbelief, joy and excitement washing over her. Perhaps this would be the happiest night of her life?

Desert Raider Dormitory.

Ran Bing leaned against the windowsill, the memory of her intimate encounter with Mark replaying in her mind, her fair cheeks flushed a deep crimson.

But the voice in her ear shattered all her fantasies: "Desert Raider Ran Bing, please report to the Dawn Hall tonight at 9:00 PM sharp to execute Breeding Mission No. 21440. Please acknowledge."

...

"General Victor, including Captain Senge, three Upper-class citizens have now gone missing mysteriously on the Lighthouse!"

"Captain Senge was last seen in the Level 12 restroom in the mid-level zone, but the other two have no tracks; we cannot determine their last known locations."

Victor lowered his brow, his mechanical right arm tightening around his teacup. The office was suffocating.

*Crack!*

The teacup shattered.

"Thoroughly investigate their social circles, who they had conflicts with, and find the mastermind behind this disruption of the Lighthouse’s order," Victor said, regaining his composure.

In all these years, this was the first time such a thing had happened. After all, in this apocalypse, under the iron-clad management of the Three Laws, no one would deliberately commit such crimes. Their primary concern was survival—prolonging their lives. Who would bother with the unprofitable business of murder?

Victor knew deep down that they would likely find nothing. Despite the strict order of the Lighthouse, it was severely lacking in many respects, and the flawed system constrained his reach.

He looked at the photos on his desk, a sense of unease creeping into his heart. "Why do I feel... like something terrible is about to happen?"