Miss Witch Doesn't Want to be a Diva
Chapter 99: Chapter 57: Cleanup Operation

Sitting on the returning train, Hexia hugged the gift box in front of her, feeling as if she was in a dream.

This was her first time traveling far alone, and then going to a strange and fresh place to attend an event. The last time was when she was very young, when she was held by her father on their way to her sister's academy to watch their winter festival evening party.

Outside the train window was the endless and empty Gobi wilderness, with the evening breeze gently blowing, bringing a bit of coolness and refreshment into the train, bathed in an orange halo light from the twilight-covered world outside.

The rhythm of the train's wheels on the tracks sounded out a regular beat, while some students nestled in their seats for a nap, others whispered among companions, and still others opened their personal terminals to browse through information and pages, creating a somewhat quiet environment.

After the re-examination, although no notices were issued, many students already had an idea of their results. With mixed feelings of joy and sorrow, everyone discussed their future destinations, lamenting the passage of time, as the moment to part with their classmates approached.

Holding her personal terminal, Hexia also opened the long-unvisited class group chat.

Jones: "My re-examination results are out, I got admitted~"

Everyone: "Congratulations" xN

Dudu: "Are you treating us?"

Bourne: "Dudu is going to fleece Jones again."

Dudu: "What's wrong with that? It's rare for Jones to get into his ideal high school, celebrating a bit won't hurt."

Jones was a small core among the boys in the class, keen on sports, and although his grades were average, he was always popular. He presided over many activities as well.

Jones: "Alright, alright, this time I'll splurge once. You guys recommend, is there any good restaurant? But don't make it too expensive, or I won't be able to afford it."

Everyone: "Jones the boss, mighty and generous~" Many people joined in the teasing.

Hexia swiped across the screen, then closed the page and lay her head on the gift box, gazing out at the night scenes through the window, enjoying the sensation of the evening breeze brushing past.

Although it was only a month before graduation, it felt as if a long time had passed, and the images of her classmates were starting to blur. She rarely spoke in class, seldom participated in many activities, and over time she became accustomed to staying alone in a corner.

Having completed the re-examination at Yuanting Academy that day, she should have passed, but it was a pity that she had to forgo Irene Academy because the times conflicted.

Originally, according to the life path she had once planned, she was supposed to go to that medical school for the re-examination and become a doctor in the future.

Unconsciously, her life had already taken another completely different path.

"Ding," a message came through on her personal terminal next to her.

[Cindy: Hexia, how did it go today? Did you pass the academy's assessment?]

[Hexia: Mm, the re-examination went pretty well...]

Her fingertips hesitated slightly, but Hexia still didn't type out the words "Yuanting Academy." She supposed there would be another round of questions if she mentioned it and decided it would be better to tell everyone after the official admission. She still had a fondness and nostalgia for her elementary school classmates.

They had spent six joyful years together at that school, playing and participating in activities, many memories etched clearly in her mind to this very day.

[Cindy: That's good, let's get together afterwards. The date is set for the afternoon of June 12th, at the Wind Dew Restaurant on Spiral Crystal Street.]

[Hexia: Okay, I got it.]

[Cindy: Be sure to come. ]

[Hexia: I will (*^▽^*)]

At the same time, her class group chat also settled on a time and place for a get-together soon after.

Jones: "So, on the afternoon of June 12th, Wind Dew Restaurant, don't be absent~"

Everyone: "No problem~" xN

Unfortunately, by then Hexia had already turned off the class group chat notifications, and by the time she looked again, it would probably be several days later.

——————

In the Underworld of Payin City, the cleanup operation was steadily advancing.

The immense dual-helix drill head continuously spiraled downward, emitting a fierce roar. The hard rock shattered incessantly beneath the massive drill head, approximately 10 meters in diameter. Water mist designed to reduce dust sprayed nonstop, and the fragmented stone dust was elevated by the threads of the drill head, moving to the sides.

While drilling, the two drill heads also rotated against each other, incessantly enlarging the entrance of the hole.

Six similar large drilling rigs were now deployed at the lowest layer of Payin City, where they would continuously burrow downward, piercing through the subterranean rock layers to connect the once hidden Underground World entirely. These six passages were also heavily guarded, with tank after tank of Viper-S52 model tanks monitoring each level's entry and exit points.

Squads of soldiers, equipped with exoskeleton armor, began to systematically clear each level. Any individual who violently resisted would be immediately shot dead. They would not show mercy to these Underground Gang members, who were not officially residents educated and indoctrinated by the Federation.

The question of what constitutes a 'person' was hotly debated during the Fifth Epoch, even igniting a great war. Now, in the current Sixth Era, countries across the Interstellar had reached a basic consensus.

That is, only residents who were legally born within the country and had received standard primary education would be granted human rights. All other humanoid beings, even if intelligent, would not be granted the rights of citizens.

Behind this seemingly simple statement lay countless bloody conflicts and painful lessons from the past.

"Lay down your weapons and come out one by one. Countdown starts now."

In front of the stronghold of an Underground Gang, two Viper-S52 tanks aimed their main cannons at the main door, and behind the tanks stood two fully armed squads of soldiers holding electromagnetic rifles, covered in white exoskeleton armor, shouting at the persistent resistors inside the stronghold.

Inside the comprehensive helmets, pale golden transparent metal visors displayed a variety of data indicators, while the data scanned by the detectors up front were also transmitted synchronously.

"Report to the captain, there are 21 people inside the stronghold, with 12 of Sequence 2, 3 of Sequence 3, and 1 of Sequence 4. The rest have weak Transcendent Magic Power."

"Received, wait another 40 seconds. If they don't respond, let the tanks breach the outer layer, and we will proceed with the clearance."

"Received, understood." The communication then went silent.

Meanwhile, inside the stronghold, the gang members were engaged in their final debate.

"Tiger, what should we do?"

A group of people looked toward the bald man sitting in the center, his face covered with scars, two metal bolts embedded in the side of his head, and a golden tiger branding tattooed on his body. This type of tattoo essentially involved embedding specially made metal wires into the flesh, creating a form of Transcendent branding to enhance the body. Although effective, it had severe side effects, and typically only those who operated in the gray areas would resort to this method.

Your next chapter is on m v|l-e'-NovelFire.net

"Surrender? Not a chance." He pressed his hands on his knees, his voice cold and deep.

"Expect me, Arqi Tiger, to walk out like a dog begging for life? Ha, if I were to agree, what would be the point of sitting here? Twenty years ago, I vowed to stand in opposition to the Federation, to flip it upside down and humiliate it terribly."

After speaking, his steel-grey eyes slowly swept over everyone in the room, several of whom couldn't bear it and looked away, heads bowed.

"Hmph."

He knew in his heart that many of these guys were afraid to die. If he suggested surrender, they'd probably rush out happily.

Would the Federation's army really show mercy and let them go? He's known for years how the Federation operates; it's unfortunate some here still harbor hopes of luck, which is laughable. But at this point, he couldn't be bothered to remind them anymore.

Once again, calls from the outside announced the final countdown.

"Take your weapons, and follow me out. If you've joined the gang, you follow its rules, even unto death. Understand?"

"Tiger... we understand." Although a few were restless, under the long-standing threat of the man before them, they never mustered the courage to object.

"Good, now follow me." Picking up the massive machine gun at his feet, the gang leader led his people towards the outside, step by step.

Soon, intense gunfire erupted, and the soldiers from the Federation started their counterattack.

Two minutes later, the gunfire ceased, and the soldiers began entering the stronghold to clear out the remaining gang members.

"Don't kill me, I surrender, I want to live."

In the corner of a room, a scrawny man raised his hands, crying out in a tearful voice, yet he was still targeted by the armed Federation soldier.

Bang! Bang!

With disbelief, the man fell, as dark red blood slowly flowed.

As the man from before had thought, in this operation, every squad of soldiers had orders to shoot the Underground Gang members on spot, never allowing them to reach the detention phase.

In fact, if it weren't for the potential of upsetting the law-abiding citizens within the Federation, they might not have spared a single one. When a person or a group of people strays from the Federation's society and system for too long, they are no longer regarded as 'people'.