End of Days Game: I'm the Only One Who Can See the Hidden Cues

Jeremy's expression softened slightly as he carefully began to ask,

"So, why are you bringing this up with me now? I remember that I already agreed to work with you all to keep Moonlight City safe. Has something major happened recently that I'm not aware of?"

Liam nodded.

"Some major events have indeed occurred, though they aren't directly related to Moonlight City. All these events are centered around the safety of the capital."

Upon hearing this, Jeremy let out a cold laugh.

"Of course. The higher-ups in the Federation only care about their own safety. They couldn't care less about the safety of regular folks in other cities, could they? They've pulled all the elite forces from everywhere else, just to make sure that they don't face even the slightest threat themselves."

Jeremy was deeply dissatisfied with the Federation's leadership. He had always felt that their responses to the apocalypse game were abysmal.

Liam chuckled. In truth, he shared Jeremy's views entirely. However, he felt that complaining about the Federation's leaders was pointless right now.

"Yes, it's true that the Federation higher-ups don't care about our safety. But we can't just give up! Now that most of the elite forces have been transferred elsewhere, the only strength left to protect Moonlight City comes from you and me."

Jeremy nodded in agreement.

"You're right about that. So, do you have any plans?"

"My plan is simple: the two of us will split the city's defenses. You and your team will take responsibility for the East District since that's where you live, while I, along with the forces from the Special Situations Bureau, will handle the defense of the West District. As long as we can secure both the East and West Districts, the majority of Moonlight City's population will be safe from the monsters."

Liam's approach was, in fact, quite conservative. He felt that adopting any other plan might result in unexpected consequences.

After listening to Liam's proposal, Jeremy shook his head slowly.

"I don't think your plan will be enough to ensure Moonlight City's safety. While we have considerable power, there are numerous instances surrounding Moonlight City. If we truly want to protect everyone in Moonlight City, we must get to the root of the problem. Don't you think that the instances around us are a bit more challenging than those near other cities?"

Jeremy's question brought a hesitant look to Liam's face.

Though Liam had always felt that the instances around their city seemed tougher than those in other areas, he had assumed this was just the nature of things. After all, since the arrival of the apocalypse game, each instance had its own unique difficulty levels.

"You mean to say that there's some unknown reason why the instances surrounding us are harder than those in other places?" Liam asked, his tone cautious.

"That's exactly what I mean!" Jeremy replied firmly. "And during a recent mission, I've managed to get a rough idea of where the root of the problem lies."

Jeremy's tone was unwavering as he spoke the truth. Liam wanted to probe further, but after glancing around, he said,

"It's not safe to continue discussing this here. Come back with me to the Special Situations Bureau. We can talk in detail there."

With that, the two headed off toward the Special Situations Bureau. Meanwhile, Bonnie had been listening carefully to every word of their conversation. Like the others, she felt deeply concerned about the current situation.

After a moment's hesitation, Bonnie picked up her phone and dialed the number of an old friend from the capital. She planned to ask for details about what was truly happening there.

The call connected quickly, and a slightly lazy voice greeted her from the other end.

"Why are you calling me so late? Don't you know I'm the type who likes to get to bed early?"

"I'm very sorry for disturbing your rest," Bonnie replied, her voice polite but urgent. "The reason I'm calling is that I need to know what's happening in the capital right now. Is the security situation still as bad as before?"

At the sound of Bonnie's question, the tone on the other end shifted to one of mild irritation.

"The security situation isn't quite as terrible as it used to be. But despite all the elite forces directly controlled by military headquarters and the additional power of the Federation's leaders, they still haven't been able to drive out those strange monsters surrounding the capital. Everyone here is on edge because of their constant presence. Even I can't go out and enjoy myself as often as I used to."

After hearing her friend's response, Bonnie's face fell slightly.

"I see. Well, it looks like all the elite forces will be concentrated in the capital for the foreseeable future. We in these smaller cities will just have to rely on our own strength to keep ourselves safe."

As soon as Bonnie finished speaking, the voice on the other end of the line immediately asked,

"Why do you insist on staying in Moonlight City? I know your father is the mayor there, but that doesn't mean you have to stay by his side. You could easily come back to the capital. The security situation here, while not perfect, is still much better than in Moonlight City. If you came here, I could even offer you protection myself."

Without hesitation, Bonnie declined the suggestion.

"I have a deep love for Moonlight City. Even though the safety situation here isn't ideal, I believe I can keep myself safe alongside my companions."

No sooner had she spoken than she realized her words may have sounded a bit revealing. She began to think of a way to clarify her statement. But before she could find the right words, the voice on the other end replied, laced with complex emotions.

"Are you referring to Jeremy as that 'companion' of yours? Even here in the capital, I've heard plenty about him. He seems to be an extraordinarily talented apocalypse game player. If that's the case, why not have him transferred to the capital? Surely, his talents could be put to use here, couldn't they? And if you can't persuade him, I could apply some pressure through the Federation's leaders and military headquarters. I doubt he could withstand that kind of pressure."

Hearing this, Bonnie quickly interjected,

"You shouldn't do that! Where Jeremy chooses to go should be his own decision. None of us have the right to make that choice for him! Now, it's getting late; you should get some rest. I'm hanging up."

With that, Bonnie ended the call abruptly, unwilling to continue the conversation further. Her action left her old friend feeling deeply offended.

Unbeknownst to her, this friend of hers had connections to Kean. Although he himself was not an apocalypse game player, his family held significant influence among the Federation's elite. With this clout, he believed he had the power to make Jeremy pay a price.

After pondering for a moment, he dialed Kean's number directly.

"Calling me this late? Don't tell me you're trying to convince me to join you on some adventure again?" Kean joked as he picked up the call.

"I'm calling to discuss something related to Jeremy," came a statement from the other end of the line that immediately piqued Kean's interest.

Kean quickly pressed for more information.

"What do you mean? You're not an apocalypse game player, which means you're not an extraordinary. So why are you so concerned about Jeremy? And what exactly is it about him that you want to discuss with me?"

Kean's tone was serious, and Bonnie's old friend, sensing the intensity, felt a brief moment of hesitation. But he quickly composed himself.

"From what I can gather, the reason Bonnie insists on staying in Moonlight City is likely because of Jeremy. I want to see if there's a way to bring both Jeremy and Bonnie back to the capital. Do you think there's anything we can do to make that happen?"

Hearing this, Kean's expression softened slightly.

"It's probably possible to arrange that, but why should we? What's in it for us to have Jeremy brought to the capital?"

"You've always wanted to eliminate Jeremy, haven't you? Bringing him to the capital would give you more opportunities to face him head-on and finally take him down. I'd be willing to use my family's influence to help you achieve that goal."

Kean didn't respond right away. After a thoughtful pause, he finally replied slowly,

"Your proposal does have some appeal. Very well, go ahead and take action. I'll lend you some support, but you'll need to ensure your family can convince both the Federation's higher-ups and the military headquarters."

"Don't worry! I'm confident in my ability to do that. Just wait for my good news!"

With their agreement in place, they both ended the call.

Kean then began to strategize, considering the best ways to deal with Jeremy once he was brought into closer reach.