A Preplanned Purge

An hour later, the golden orb still showed no signs of transforming into a human figure. Outside, the torrential downpour continued to batter the land. Some people, sheltering indoors, tried reaching out with their arms to touch the rain, only to pull them back with painful cries as the rain caused unbearable agony. When they looked down, their arms were already a bloody, mangled mess. It seemed as though every drop of rain carried an insufferable wound.

Mike, who was also waiting in the room, had performed a similar experiment. Human curiosity might kill them, but it was also an essential trait for pushing boundaries. Mike's experience was far better than the others; the black rain had no effect on him. It couldn't even harm his skin. Instead, it slid harmlessly across his surface, eventually falling to the ground.

"Can't even penetrate my skin?" Mike murmured, looking at the black raindrops seeping into the floor. "Ordinary liquids can penetrate my skin, but this... it can't."

"It seems almost... sentient. As if it knows it can't hurt me."

"And I didn't use any special abilities; it's just my baseline stats at work."

"That means survivors with higher baseline stats, especially those with combat abilities, are likely to survive this rain with a much higher chance."

Mike gazed out the window. His baseline stats were derived from Chen Dafeng. No doubt, that guy would be completely unaffected by the rain. With his cocky nature, he was probably running wild in the storm.

"This round of the apocalypse seems to favor combat-type survivors, completely overlooking those with functional abilities. Combined with the fact that the new shelter system can allow the acquisition of new abilities... it seems like there's an intention to guide us toward retaining combat skills?"

Mike muttered to himself, "If most of us survive by choosing combat abilities, could the next round of the apocalypse bring about a disaster specifically targeting combat-oriented abilities?"

"If that happens, humanity might suffer immense losses."

Mike had become adept at seeing the bigger picture. This time, he had already sensed something was off. If this black rain were truly a blessing for humanity, the apocalypse should have ended by now. But Mike didn't believe it would be that simple. There was a much greater crisis waiting for them.

"Seems like I need to remind the Population Resource Department to increase the retention of functional abilities in the new shelter's application scope. We'll need them for future uncertainties."

The storm's heavy downpour continued to batter the window, but it didn't distract Mike. Instead, it seemed to sharpen his mind, clearing his thoughts.

This state didn't last long before Lin Yue stood up to report.

"Sir! All communication channels have been checked!"

"None are out of service! All communication lines are running smoothly!"

"Departments in Jinling have responded well. There have been some injuries, but no more than twenty."

"Xinchang has taken greater losses—over 200 dead from the black rain, and over a thousand injured. But the situation is stable now."

"Xinchang lacks more effective disaster management tools. The affected personnel are being rescued by Captain Zhongshan, and a new casualty count will be provided before nightfall."

"Neither city's supply reserves are threatened. It's worth noting that due to the black rain, the number of man-eating bacteria is drastically decreasing."

"A biologist has just made a prediction: If the rain continues until dark, the black rain might wipe out the threat of man-eating bacteria on Earth."

"Also, the climate monitoring department reports that every 20-30 minutes since the rain began, Earth's temperature has been dropping by 2-3 degrees. The cooling rate is rapid!"

"This might mean that the black rain is also solving the temperature crisis from the first apocalypse."

Lin Yue delivered her report clearly, acting as both secretary and guard.

"Hmm?" Mike raised an eyebrow. He opened the window slightly, letting the wind and rain rush in.

Though the gusts were still warm and oppressive, the temperature had definitely dropped from the day before, carrying a hint of coolness.

"So, this black rain might actually be a good thing?" Mike asked.

Lin Yue responded cheerfully, "Given the situation, it seems the benefits outweigh the drawbacks."

Perhaps because Jiang Xiaoci wasn't present, Lin Yue wasn't as tense and had returned to her usual lively self.

Mike shook his head. "It's not that simple."

The end-of-days mechanism wouldn't just let them off the hook or relax their survival pressures.

"I think this is a premeditated cleansing."

"A cleansing?" Lin Yue asked, confused.

Mike leaned back into the sofa, his eyes fixed on the swirling golden light. "Yes, a cleansing."

"Consider Earth a battlefield. It's clearing the remnants of the first two battles to make room for the third."

"Once the cleansing is done, an even greater disaster will follow. This rain is merely humanity's rare breather."

Mike's tone was serious. Even without Jiang Xiaoci's reminders, he could already tell something was amiss. If this black rain were a true boon for humanity, the apocalyptic cycles would have ended long ago. But was that realistic?

Mike didn't think this trial was meant to be that simple. The real crisis was yet to come.

Soon, Jiang Xiaoci returned to the room with Li Ya, Zheng Xingxing, and others.

"Sir, we've confirmed the situation in the community. There are some injuries, but the rest of the people are fine, and supplies are intact. There are no other issues."

Jiang Xiaoci paused, emphasizing, "The situation is even better than we expected."

"I know. I won't let my guard down."

Mike nodded. He and Jiang Xiaoci had grown in sync.

He looked at Zheng Xingxing. "Master Zheng, how are the injured?"

"Two soldiers from the tech legion died," Zheng Xingxing said sadly. "I used all my healing magic, but I couldn't save them. Their internal organs were already corroded by the black rain."

"Just do your best."

Mike nodded expressionlessly. There were no immortals in the apocalypse. Losing only two lives to this bizarre rain was already a blessing.

Li Ya stood nearby, blinking as if wanting to speak but holding back.

Mike sat back on the sofa. When he was quiet, an undeniable presence filled the room. No one dared to break the silence easily.

Li Ya could feel it—her boss had changed. Recently, Mike seemed more like a true leader.

"Li Ya," Mike spoke suddenly, startling her from her thoughts.

"Ah! Boss, I'm here!"

"Has any research been done on the substances in the black rain?"

"We've sent samples to the community's research facility. Chen Qiuren and Zhao Siqi are leading the analysis. Results should come soon."

Li Ya hesitated, then added quietly, "But I don't think they'll find much. It doesn't seem like pure water—it's probably made up of substances that aren't native to Earth."

"Don't stress too much. Just uncover what you can."

Mike gave a reassuring smile, his respect for Li Ya evident. He valued research and her contributions.

"Squad Leader Wang, Lin Yue just contacted the military camp. Everything is normal there, but just to be cautious, I need you to make a trip."

Mike turned to Wang Shi, giving orders. "I authorize the military officers and captains to act independently according to the 'Jinling Apocalypse Disaster Relief Act' during emergencies, even without my orders."

"If the camp is in danger, they can leave at any time."

"Tell them that in times of crisis, the command hierarchy follows a top-down approach. Every officer must be prepared to take over in case of casualties."

"And remind them to coordinate well across different branches. The power of mages cannot be underestimated."

He paused and added, "Also, bring back two thousand mages for backup."

"Understood," Wang Shi replied, leaving quickly to carry out the order.

Mike was certain this rain wasn't as simple as it seemed. Perhaps one powerful mage wasn't enough in the community—he needed more non-technological methods at his side.

As the preparations continued, Mike issued more orders, organizing the future plans and possible scenarios. Jiang Xiaoci stood by silently, her gaze on Mike, filled with approval and admiration.

The man she had nurtured was showing the qualities of a competent leader.

With every passing day, Mike's management skills improved, his plans becoming more precise, and his demeanor evolving.

After another hour of detailed arrangements, the core personnel left the room. Only then did Mike turn to Jiang Xiaoci.

"You can handle things yourself. You don't need to bring everyone in to hear me give orders."

"But a gentleman should get used to doing this," Jiang Xiaoci winked, smiling brightly.

"Looks like I can't slack off anymore?"

Mike chuckled, gesturing for her to come closer. She obediently sat by him, leaning in as he wrapped his arm around her.

Lin Yue, still focused on her device, didn't dare look back at the quiet intimacy between the two.

Mike, though, didn't speak of sweet nothings. Their quiet discussions were about the future development of their gathering place and possible types of disasters in the third apocalypse. They also speculated about the origins of this black rain and its consequences.

This new warmth wasn't just about physical closeness—it was about shared goals and intellectual connection.

As time passed, the evening came.

The sky outside was still dark, thick clouds hanging over the city. The black rain continued to pour, but it seemed to weaken slightly.

"According to our predictions, when the black rain ends, that's when the third apocalypse will strike."

"Could that old man really be waiting until then to appear?" Mike thought to himself.

He had never seen a recruitment process take this long!

Just as Mike was pondering when the mysterious elder would make his move, a shout came from downstairs.

"The rain's stopping! Look, the rain is finally easing up!"

"Really? It's lighter now—I can finally bring in the laundry!"

"Are you crazy? It's soaked! Do you want to get yourself killed?"

"Stop scaring me! You're breaking the public safety rules... Ahhh! Look! Look outside!"

"What the hell is that thing?"

4o mini