Pat, pat!
The faint sound of footsteps quietly echoed in the chaotic mall. Counselor Roth swallowed a mouthful of saliva, his throat dry, and his trembling hands tightened their grip on the alien firearm.
He glanced at the alien robot lying on the ground, incapacitated, and cautiously skirted around it, exploring the upper floors of the mall with extreme tension and vigilance.
He arrived at the fourth floor of the mall.
The exterior walls of the building here were scarred with horrific craters from the recent alien bombardment, making it appear like a dangerous building, with signs that it could collapse further at any moment. On the corridor floors inside the building, various goods were scattered, along with shoes, hats, and backpacks lost by customers during their frantic escape earlier.
Counselor Roth walked slowly, pressing against the wall, paying attention to his footing, while keeping the alien firearm raised, ready to engage the invading aliens at any moment.
Just like that, he was about to pass by the entrance of a clothing store.
Counselor Roth's hand, gripping the firearm, trembled again. He suddenly heard a faint movement from inside the store—specifically, from a single changing room within the shop!
Who's in there?
Counselor Roth approached the changing room with his gun raised. As he neared the door, he could hear the sounds of living beings coming from within... Counselor Roth hesitated for a moment, then lifted his right foot and kicked hard at the door—
However, before Counselor Roth's foot even hit the changing room door, it opened from the inside, causing him to stumble forward and fall into the changing room.
At the same time.
Two agile figures inside the changing room stood to the side, one on the left and one on the right, perfectly avoiding Counselor Roth as he fell into the changing room.
"Counselor, sir?"
"Counselor Roth!"
His gun flew out of his hand, and Counselor Roth fell hard, more from fright than anything else. His face turned pale, thinking he was doomed.
He never expected.
Accompanied by two familiar voices, Counselor Roth was helped up by the two people beside him.
"You two, why are you here?" Counselor Roth's eyes widened in surprise and uncertainty, staring blankly at the young man and woman standing to his left and right. Weren't they Gwen, the class monitor, and Vincent, the student who had suddenly disappeared in the outer district?
Vincent said, his expression normal, "I was worried about Gwen, so I secretly came back here. I found her here, and so we've been hiding together inside."
"Yes, Counselor, we were both so scared..." Gwen's beautiful eyes flickered with misty tears as she spoke weakly, wiping the corner of her lips imperceptibly.
Well, it was nothing, just that her tender pink lips were a little swollen.
The girl secretly glared at Vincent.
Vincent was a bit helpless; could he be blamed? Who started it just now?
Counselor Roth naturally didn't notice this detail. He looked at Gwen and Vincent nearby, and thinking he was dreaming, he patted his shoulders. After confirming that the present was a real reality, this burly, tall man suddenly covered his forehead and began to sob.
Vincent and Gwen were both a bit dumbfounded.
"Counselor, sir, are you alright?" Gwen asked anxiously.
"I'm fine, I'm just too happy!" Counselor Roth choked out, "Earlier, when I returned to this city's war zone, in another place, I found the three other scattered students. We hid together in an underground parking lot, avoiding the alien search. As soon as the outside quieted down, I rushed over here to search for you two."
"Fortunately, I found both of you. This way, none of our classmates are missing. Before we left school, as your counselor, I said I would be responsible for your safety. So no matter what happens, since I brought you to New York, I must bring you back unharmed."
"Now, I've done it..."
Counselor Roth cried and laughed, venting his fear and lingering dread, while also feeling emotional that his students were all safe.
Vincent and Gwen exchanged glances. That their classmates were all safe was probably the most fortunate thing today.
Vincent looked at Counselor Roth and sincerely exclaimed, "Counselor, you are a true hero!"
...As night approached, the afterglow of the setting sun fell upon the modern urban area of New York after the war.
Electricity in the city had been urgently restored, and neon lights flickered everywhere on the streets. However, the once bustling and lively streets were now smoke-filled ruins.
Previously, New York City residents who had been forced to evacuate to the outskirts of the city had now partially returned, mostly ordinary civilians. After all, the wealthy had second and third residences elsewhere and clearly would not be returning to New York for the time being.
Fortunately, the alien war was over, and this city would eventually regain its vitality... Vincent, Gwen, and Counselor Roth reunited with the students led by the assistant counselor on the outskirts of the city.
The sounds of wailing continued, and red lights flashed everywhere.
Military and police helicopters continuously flew into the city, and large-scale modern military forces were stationed in the urban area, sealing off the most central war zone of the city to handle the aftermath of the Battle of New York.
In the outer district, many armed police maintained order, and numerous temporary relief stations were set up, beginning to rescue the injured and clear the deceased.
Whether it was joyful reunions and embraces with family or incessant weeping over the bodies of loved ones, such scenes were playing out everywhere in the outer district.
Vincent's heart stirred, and he lowered his voice to Gwen beside him, saying, "Help me deal with the counselor. I want to go somewhere to take a look; I'll be back soon."
"Okay, be careful." Gwen nodded softly.
Vincent secretly left the student group and merged into the chaotic crowd.
He quickly arrived at a certain urban location.
This area, as a heavily hit zone by alien forces, had many houses and buildings mostly destroyed, with only a few surviving streetlights illuminating the roadside.
However, Vincent saw it at a glance when he arrived.
On a dimly lit architectural ruin, several aid workers in protective suits were packing two bodies into white body bags. Beside the ruin, a red-haired girl stood quietly, looking somewhat helpless.
Vincent walked forward without hesitation and hugged the seemingly cold body from behind: "Wanda, if you want to cry, just cry it out."
The red-haired girl, who had been holding back, now seemed to have finally found someone to lean on. She turned and burst into tears in the boy's arms: "Mom and Dad are gone..."
"My brother is also gone... I have no family left..."
Wanda's doll-like face was covered in tears as she whimpered pitifully.
"That's not true." Vincent rubbed Wanda's red hair, recalling the domineering green-haired loli, and said with certainty, "You still have family protecting you, and Pietro will definitely be fine."
Vincent embraced the girl, paused, and then said sincerely, "If you'd like, you can also consider me family from now on."
"Really?" Wanda lifted her gaze, her reddened eyes wide, reflecting Vincent's face.
"Of course." Vincent placed his hand on Wanda's head and said with a touch of tenderness.
Wanda nodded, finally stopping her crying.
Just then, she seemed to sense something, inexplicably looking towards one side of the city.
"What's wrong?" Vincent followed her gaze, only seeing the far-off night sky at the end of the city, glowing red. But in the next instant, his ice-blue eyes suddenly contracted!
Someone was wailing... Actually, this was normal, as the entire city had just been struck by alien forces, and wails were everywhere.
However, the man's wail Vincent heard at this moment did not originate from the street he was on, nor even from within New York City itself!
Instead.
Beyond the city, at the edge of the night sky!
This wail had the characteristics of an ultrasonic wave; ordinary people couldn't hear it clearly, but those with extraordinary physiques could obviously perceive it acutely—
This was a wail that spread across the world!!