Chapter 110: Storm
Osena was already drenched.
She had been running in the storm for a long time. Even with a rain cloak, her thin body looked as if it could be blown away at any moment in the fierce wind and rain.
More than once, her subordinates urged her to return indoors, but she refused every time.
“If you have the time to persuade me, use it to get more things done.”
That was what she said, and that was exactly what she did.
Logically, after the arrangements at all the grain distribution points were completed and the issue with the supply convoy being attacked was resolved, there should have been no major problems going forward if things proceeded according to plan.
At most, they would need to worry about public order.
In the past few days, many of the residents outside Revival City’s outer walls had fallen into hunger due to war and chaos.
Although they weren’t unruly or violent by nature, it was unrealistic to expect people who had mostly spent their lives wandering the wastelands to strictly follow the rules. Many among them had blood on their hands.
In the long queue for food distribution, it was almost inevitable that some disturbances would occur.
She anticipated this and set up some guidelines. Armed soldiers would sternly warn the queuing citizens to follow the rules. Those who failed to comply would not only face suppression by the soldiers but would also lose their eligibility to receive food.
Additionally, through her tireless promotion, she assured the people that food supplies were sufficient. This greatly reduced the likelihood of conflicts or disturbances.
At first, everything proceeded exactly as she had planned.
Then the storm hit.
The moment the storm arrived, Osena felt a sense of dread.
Waiting in line amid rain and wind tested the citizens’ endurance, challenged their patience, and even strained her subordinates and the soldiers maintaining order.
Of all times, why did it have to storm now?
There was no choice but to grit their teeth and carry on.
This storm disrupted everything, greatly increasing the workload of her subordinates and creating numerous unexpected situations, each requiring her to make decisions or even intervene personally.
Many tasks couldn’t be handled by sitting in an office, listening to reports, and giving orders.
She braved the rain, moving between the various food distribution points, addressing issues directly on the frontline.
It was busy, exhausting, and grueling, but her resolve was firm.
This was the first day to build a bridge of trust between the Governor and the people of Revival City, and it was also the most critical day. She had to do everything in her power to ensure everything went smoothly.
No amount of rain or wind would deter her determination to see this through.
Then came the order to evacuate in two hours.
It felt as if her world crumbled.
She had endured so much hardship without complaint, but this news nearly made her collapse.
She couldn’t help but feel lost.
What was the point of all the previous efforts, even the sacrifices made by soldiers guarding the transport routes?
She stood there, staring blankly at the people queuing in the storm.
There were parents with young children, couples huddling together to shield a small space for their child from the wind and rain, yet the little boy, who looked only four or five, was still soaked.
There was a single man with a limp who slipped in a puddle deep enough to cover his ankles, struggling for a long time before he managed to get back up with the help of others.
Every person in the storm seemed so helpless, so worn out.
Were they really going to abandon them in just two hours?
Osena didn’t think she could do it.
But a moment later, she told herself firmly,
“You must.”
She couldn’t see the entire picture, but she wasn’t foolish. She could guess that the evacuation was due to this worsening storm. It even dawned on her that this storm could very well kill them all.
If there had been any other choice, the Governor wouldn’t have given such an order. It was because there was no other option.
Her job now was to ensure as many people survived as possible.
This had the same meaning as distributing food, only now it was even more difficult.
Every task was critical, every decision harder than before.
She wiped the rain from her face, but it was useless; more cold raindrops pelted her skin.
She waved a subordinate over, shouting into their ear through the roar of the storm, “Notify all distribution points! Every point should make way and instruct everyone who has received food to head outside the city!”
“Tell them this storm is a cultist plot! Evacuating the city is for their own safety!”
“Use every available loudspeaker!”
“Select volunteers from those who have received food, get them to inform everyone they know! Leave the city! Keep a few trustworthy locals to help maintain order!”
“Now, gather a squad of soldiers and set up a temporary camp outside the city in a sheltered area! Start up every vehicle we have and bring food supplies from the distribution center there!”
Then she connected to Lambert and ordered him to start moving the grain from the inner city out to the temporary camp.
After issuing these commands, she heard a rumbling sound.
At first, she thought it was thunder, but when the ground started shaking, she realized it was something else.
Looking out, she saw seven orange-red beams cutting through the sky and crashing into the ground in a circle around the city.
The same rumbling soon followed again.
A moment later, another seven orange-red beams fell from the sky.
Was this orbital bombardment?
What kind of threat would warrant the use of orbital strikes?
Osena shivered.
Although the bombardment was limited to seven points at the city’s edges, about ten to twenty kilometers from the city center, such terrifying firepower—if anyone was in the vicinity, they were likely…
She shook her head. That wasn’t her concern right now.
The matter at hand was far more urgent.
The grain distribution point was already in chaos.
The evacuation order had been issued.
Osena knew well that with her current resources, it would be impossible to ensure an orderly evacuation under such a storm.
She wanted to organize the crowds, to line up the poor in neat groups, each accompanied by at least a squad of soldiers to maintain order and guide them to evacuation points outside the city.
But that was simply impossible.
With more time, in a stable environment, she might have managed it. But now, with only two hours to evacuate as many people as possible, and in this storm, it was an uphill battle.
The howling wind, the pouring rain, and the intermittent thunder made it so loud that even if she screamed, her voice wouldn’t carry far.
Since the goal was to evacuate as many people as possible, she was willing to sacrifice some order, even if it meant the process would be chaotic. She needed to get this information out as widely and as quickly as possible.
Let the people find their own ways out. The locals would probably evacuate faster on their own than if she tried to organize them.
Her primary task now was to ensure that the evacuation routes remained open, so people wouldn’t be stuck at the city gates, unable to escape. She also needed to set up a reception point outside the city, ensuring a food supply so that those who survived the storm wouldn’t starve in the wilderness.
There was one task after another, and she feared she might overlook something critical. Each task was essential, yet under these conditions, each was daunting.
Time was running out; two hours—how much could she accomplish even if she pushed herself to the limit?
But as always, the only option was to give it her all.