Chapter 549: A Single Spark Can Start a Prairie Fire (2)

Chapter 549 -369: A Single Spark Can Start a Prairie Fire (2)

When she saw Wu Liangchen, she blew a large bubble, which burst with a POP.

“Way handsomer than his wanted poster,” the woman said, her voice carrying a husky magnetism that wasn’t the least bit unpleasant.

Wu Liangchen said nothing, merely sizing her up in silence. The woman wasn’t particularly strong—probably the equivalent of a level three or four Qi Scholar—but she carried herself with the sharp competence and vigilance of a seasoned veteran.

“Come with me. Old Ghost and the others have been waiting for you for a long time,” she said, straightening up.

“By the way, let me introduce myself. My name is Chi Lian. I’m with Starfire.”

With that, Chi Lian crooked a finger at him, then turned and slipped into a deep, dark ventilation duct.

Wu Liangchen followed without hesitation.

The inside of the duct was wider than expected, but a foul stench still permeated the air. They walked in single file through the darkness for about ten minutes before a sliver of light appeared up ahead.

It was a heavy metal door. Chi Lian tapped an inconspicuous device on it a few times, and the door slid silently to one side, revealing the scene behind it.

Behind the door was a vast underground space that had clearly been elaborately retrofitted. Wires and pipes crisscrossed everywhere, screens flashing with data hung on the walls, and various supplies were piled high in the corners.

Dozens of people were gathered in the space—men and women, young and old—all of them with wary eyes.

As Wu Liangchen followed Chi Lian inside, all eyes fixed upon him—a mixture of curiosity, scrutiny, and an almost imperceptible flicker of hope.

A wiry, white-haired old man with a deeply wrinkled face emerged from the crowd, his eyes exceptionally bright. He wore a set of faded work clothes and held a metal cane, polished smooth from years of use.

“Welcome, Mr. Wu Liangchen.” The old man extended a calloused hand, his voice radiating a steady strength. “I’m Old Ghost, the one in charge here.”

Wu Liangchen reached out and shook it. “Hello.”

“Heh, no need for formalities. We took quite a risk bringing you here,” Old Ghost said with a smile, gesturing for Wu Liangchen to take a seat.

Wu Liangchen didn’t stand on ceremony, taking a seat at once.

“I’m sure you must be wondering, Mr. Wu. So, before we get down to business, allow me to tell you about our organization,” Old Ghost said with a smile.

“Our organization has no grand backing, nor are we a formal army. We’re just a group of ordinary people who refuse to live on our knees. We came together on our own because we could no longer stand the tyranny of the Alliance Government and the Skydome Group.”

Old Ghost gestured to the people gathered around them. “Among us are ordinary citizens whose loved ones were taken by the Skydome Group, working-class people who were exploited by the Alliance Government until they could barely breathe, students who couldn’t stand the corruption, and even former government employees whose consciences weren’t yet extinguished…”

With each person he introduced, he would briefly share their story. There were no impassioned condemnations, no tearful laments—just a near-flat, matter-of-fact narration of fates crushed by the powerful.

For instance, there was a young girl whose parents were killed by the Skydome Group, forcing her to sell her body to support her younger brother and survive.

Or a former government engineer who was made a scapegoat because he lacked powerful connections, a tragedy that led to his family’s ruin and death.

Wu Liangchen listened in silence, a sense of shock rising within him.

He was beginning to see what made this organization different.

Unlike the so-called rebel army he had encountered in Black Stone Town, this Starfire Organization was completely autonomous. And it had survived to this day in Zhongjing, right under the noses of the Skydome Group and the Alliance Government.

That in itself was a miracle.

These were mostly ordinary people, yet they had managed to tenaciously survive under the intense pressure of the Skydome Group. That resilience alone was enough to command respect.

One could only imagine what sacrifices and efforts these people had made just to stay alive.

“Over the years, we’ve rescued persecuted citizens, passed along critical intelligence, and organized small-scale sabotage operations. Of course, we’ve paid a terrible price for it all.”

Old Ghost’s gaze swept over those present, a flicker of pain in his eyes. “Many of our people,” he said, “were lost along the way.”

He paused, his tone growing serious. “Mr. Wu, the Starfire Organization has survived this long because we have our own methods. We know every corner of this city. We have our own intelligence network. We know who can be won over, and who are the regime’s die-hard lackeys.”

“But our greatest weakness is our lack of a true heavy hitter—the kind of high-end combat power that can settle things once and for all. When faced with the Skydome Group’s well-equipped soldiers, especially their powerful Qi Scholars and cyborgs, we often find ourselves completely outmatched.”

Old Ghost’s gaze grew fiery as he stared at Wu Liangchen, speaking each word with deliberate weight. “And you, Mr. Wu, you possess the very power we crave most. Your appearance has shown us a new hope.”

“We took an enormous risk to bring you here because we want to propose a partnership.”

“You provide the firepower, clearing out our most difficult obstacles. In return, we’ll provide you with intelligence, logistics, and every other form of support we can muster.”

Old Ghost’s voice held a barely suppressed excitement. “We can be your strongest backers, so you’ll no longer have to fight alone!”

When he finished, Old Ghost and every other member of the Starfire Organization stared at Wu Liangchen, their gazes practically burning with anticipation and longing.