In stark contrast to the emerging domestic stability, the world outside remained plunged into a terminal spiral of chaos. Racial cleansing, extremist insurgencies, terrorism, mass riots, and bloody skirmishes had become the daily bread of a dying civilization.
Humanity, already driven to the wall by natural cataclysms, now suffered twofold under the cold-blooded cruelty of its own kind. The daily death toll surged to staggering heights, at times reaching hundreds of thousands. Famine, sub-zero winters, plagues, and relentless gunfire—a hundred calamities fell upon the heads of the survivors simultaneously.
As the value of law vanished and governments became toothless, the "beast" lurking deep within every human began to stir. In many regions, cannibalism became a horrific reality. To survive, people were willing to extinguish the lives of children or the elderly for sustenance. More sickening still, in certain areas, this barbaric behavior had mutated into a systematic, cold-blooded ritual of human hunting.
Comparison of the Global StateCategoryGlobal StatusLinh Nam StatusGovernanceTotal collapse / AnarchyIron-fisted military managementSafetyNon-existent; constant raidingHigh risk, but defensibleMoralityDevolved into cannibalism/slaveryCivil order maintained via strict lawPrimary ThreatHumans & MutantsMutated beasts
Lam Linh sat beside Thien Anh, her eyes fixed on the grim data flickering across the monitor. She let out a soft, heavy sigh. "The situation out there is atrocious. I truly can't imagine it."
Thien Anh had just finished the last of his rice pot. He nonchalantly kicked the empty pot under the table, picked up a toothpick, and kept his gaze locked on the news. Hearing Lam Linh's lament, he offered a curt nod.
"In times of chaos, morality is the ultimate luxury. Now, if you want to live in peace, you can only seek shelter under the iron-fisted rule of a government with actual strength, like here in Linh Nam. Anywhere else is a death trap. However, we can't exactly leave right now; the mutated beasts outside would shred us long before we saw a base gate."
Lam Linh had also finished her dinner, her expression clouded with worry.
"I feel the situation is deteriorating rapidly. Initially, our firepower could suppress those monsters, but their evolution rate is terrifying. At this rate, standard machine guns will soon be nothing more than scrap metal against their biological armor."
Thien Anh grew pensive.
"True. Facing those entities without high-caliber firepower is essentially suicide. I can craft basic firearms, but my skill is rudimentary. For weaponry requiring high technical precision and massive destructive yield, we need a true specialist."
Hearing this, a memory suddenly sparked in Lam Linh. She let out an excited exclamation:
"That's right! I have a friend who is an absolute genius in weapons manufacturing. I heard his monthly salary abroad was over twenty thousand Linh Yuan!"
Thien Anh was momentarily startled. That salary was equivalent to a high-tier assassination contract. This proved the person's skill was undoubtedly top-shelf. He looked directly at Lam Linh:
"Can you contact him?"
Lam Linh hesitated.
"I'm not sure. It's been a long time since we spoke. Actually, I only know him through Minh Hang; we aren't exactly close."
Seeing the worry on her face—the fear of letting him down—Thien Anh offered a reassuring smile.
"Give it a try. If it works, great. If you can't reach him directly, just give me a name or a handle. I'll find a way to track him down."
Lam Linh nodded. Together, they moved into the central computer hub. This room housed a compact supercomputer with staggering processing power, linked directly to the military satellite grid. Amidst the global collapse of communication infrastructure, this was their only stable tether to the outside world.
Lam Linh began scouring social media platforms. When Thien Anh glanced at the chat history between the two, he was momentarily speechless. On average, for every message Lam Linh sent, it took the other party a full week to respond. This frequency suggested neither was particularly fond of the virtual world.
The friend's name was Tomy, currently residing in Glendale, Arizona. His profile picture displayed a tall, Caucasian youth wearing gold-rimmed glasses, radiating the sophisticated aura of an intellectual. Standing beside him was a partner as stunning as a professional model.
Thien Anh dropped a rare, dry joke: "His partner looks incredible; no wonder he hasn't bothered with our Lam."
Lam Linh shot him a glare, huffing. "As if I care! But it seems he isn't online. It'll probably take a few days for a response." She turned to Thien Anh, tilting her head. "Should I leave a message and schedule a call?"
Thien Anh smirked, standing up. "Why wait? For a man as prominent as him, finding his physical coordinates is as easy as taking candy from a baby. Step aside, Lam. Make way for the expert."
Though slightly reluctant, Lam Linh yielded the seat. Thien Anh settled in, his fingers beginning a rapid dance across the mechanical keyboard, diving straight into the organization's hidden nodes to begin the trace.