Chapter 904: Day of Execution / Day of Godhood

Beep beep, beep beep...

A gigantic red alarm clock with arms and legs appeared in the sky above the city.

The alarm clock shook incessantly.

In the early hours of the morning, it reminded everyone in Utopia City.

Today.

Was the Day of Execution.

All the Train Conductors were jolted awake by the alarm.

They had made enough of a fuss, but they really couldn’t leave.

Most of them had already accepted their fate.

Some even naively believed that perhaps they would be able to leave once Fan Huo was dead.

But that was obviously impossible.

Utopia City had not blocked the Train Conductors from contacting the outside world.

Over the past few days, they had already spread word of everything happening in Utopia City.

Train Conductors who had joined different Guilds were reprimanded by the Seniors.

Ten Train Coins might not be much, but if someone was willing to give them to you for free, they would certainly demand more afterward.

That was speaking from experience, and it was a fact understood by all Train Conductors who had managed to survive for a long time.

In truth, quite a few people knew this.

But getting ten Train Coins for free was simply too tempting for low-level Train Conductors.

Besides, in theory, there shouldn’t have been any problem.

Free entertainment, free money, all they had to do was watch the execution of the Emperor’s Order as Utopia City had advertised.

They were only spectators.

What reason would Utopia City have to target spectators like them?

And so, those who clung to a glimmer of hope came here.

And so, they became birds in a cage, robbed of the wings of freedom.

Heinz.

The Mayor of Utopia City.

This Homeward-bound Soul’s purpose had already spread throughout the Wasteland.

He wanted to become a 【True God】.

To become the 【pinnacle】.

To become the 【End】.

And what he was going to do today was being livestreamed at that very moment in every human city across the Wasteland.

The City of a Thousand Stars, Suoluo City, the Hanging Gardens, the shattered Miranda City, even the City of Eternal Night, now reduced to ruins, as well as every city, great and small.

Because of Heinz’s plan, everyone reacted in their own way.

Disgust, irritation, anger...

Confusion, contempt, indifference...

But there was no doubt that he had made many people feel deeply displeased.

City of a Thousand Stars, Babel Tower, in the Homeward-bound Souls’ meeting room.

Lu Jiayun, the leader of the Homeward-bound Souls, sat here in silence.

“Lu Jiayun, do you know what Heinz is doing?”

Joel, the former ruler of the Nation on Ships, looked at Lu Jiayun with a cold gaze.

“He’s simply carrying out the Homeward-bound Souls’ mission. If he really can eliminate the Emperor’s Order and keep these tens of thousands of so-called Golden Age Train Conductors in Utopia City, the Train System’s authority will be greatly weakened.

What’s so bad about that?”

The chill in Joel’s eyes grew ever closer to murderous intent.

The expressions of the several people beside him were no better.

“He wants to be the one standing at the head of everyone. He wants to block humanity’s path, so that no matter how hard we strive, all we can do is chase after his back.

Lu Jiayun, I don’t care how many evil deeds you commit to get

</path> home.

Massacres, destroying worlds, cutting off an entire generation of Train Conductors, do whatever you like.

But I’ve told you before, don’t get in my way. Don’t stand in my path.

If those Emperor’s Order bastards can’t get in, or if they fail, then after he becomes that foolish pinnacle, I’ll take people there and kill Heinz myself.

If you try to stop me,

you can die too.”

After saying this, Joel stood up and vanished.

The others also left one after another.

Even Grace, now restored to a young and beautiful appearance, said nothing. She didn’t even spare Lu Jiayun a single glance.

Heinz had made everyone furious.

In the empty meeting room,

Lu Jiayun stared intently at the livestream of Utopia City on the Light Screen.

“Heinz... Go ahead and do it. If you can succeed... No... You will succeed.”

————

Time: 7:41:12

Weather today: Overcast

Whether they were Train Conductors or the surviving citizens, everyone awakened by the red alarm clock was now walking through the streets.

They were heading toward the Guillotine in the city center.

Anyone who tried to leave the procession

was immediately executed by Utopia City’s security forces, as a warning to the others.

After enough people had died,

the crowds fell silent.

Ye Qiyan, Achuan, and Zhang He’s little group was among them.

He kept the power of 【Arrogance】 active.

The Surveillant Devices circling in the sky couldn’t detect them at all.

“Brother Xiaochuan, do you think those people from the Emperor’s Order will really come?”

Zhang He cautiously asked Achuan, who was beside him.

After spending these past few days together, Achuan had more or less become part of their little group.

Unlike Ye Qiyan, who was only using these people to hide himself, Achuan truly regarded them as friends.

“Uh, well, I, I don’t know. Do you want them to come?”

Achuan scratched his head and gave an awkward smile.

“How should I put it... A lot of people in the Public Chat Room for my Sector are praying that the Emperor’s Order won’t show up.

If they don’t, then once that guy Fan Huo is dead, maybe we’ll be able to leave safely.

But, well...”

Zhang He looked troubled. In the softest voice, he muttered in Achuan’s ear:

“People in this city said they were going to make us the first residents of some Utopia, so how could they possibly let us go...”

Ye Qiyan, walking beside them, heard Zhang He’s words and suddenly asked, “Do you want to stay here?”

Zhang He shook his head without hesitation.

“Hey, we might be useless, and none of us has a talent, but it’s actually pretty fun to keep heading toward the next Station World in the Wasteland...”

“Mm. Then look forward to your next stop.”

Zhang He froze for a moment, watching Ye Qiyan walk toward the center of the crowd. The people ahead of him unconsciously parted, opening a path.

At that moment, in Zhang He’s mind,

a name began to grow hazy.

“Um, Brother Xiaochuan, what did he mean just now?”

Achuan grinned and patted Zhang He on the shoulder.

“It means you’ll definitely be able to leave alive. I promise.”

The gloom in the sky grew darker and darker.

The hands of the pocket watch in Ye Qiyan’s possession were about to reach eight o’clock.

【Silence!】

A sudden voice quieted the noisy square.

Tap... tap... tap...

Fan Huo appeared.

Two soldiers supported his body. Chains engraved with magical runes were wrapped tightly around him.

Step by step, they climbed the towering Execution Platform.

The sound of hard military boots striking the stone platform seemed to pound at everyone’s hearts.

When he reached the final step,

Fan Huo was forced to his knees, facing the Guillotine.

At that very same moment,

a countdown appeared in the sky on a Light Screen.

【4:59:59】

This was all the time remaining before the execution began.

It was also the countdown to Heinz becoming a True God.