Harem Legion: Queens of the Apocalypse-Chapter 216 She Begs to Fight, He Says No

"Forget it, Captain Specter," Lana suddenly stood up, voice firm as her eyes locked onto Magnus. She even changed how she addressed him. "Sorry for keeping it from you, but Dawn and I have already contacted everyone who came here from Blackdragon Province with us. We’re 83 in total now, and all of us are ready to take a shot at claiming Hanford City. Call it betrayal, rebellion - whatever you want. But this time, we’re asking the team to let us go."

Sophia had stayed quiet until now, but hearing that, her rage exploded. She stood, eyes blazing: "Let you go? Is that what you call it? Want to leave, just say it! No one’s stopping you. Don’t expect us to beg you to stay!"

"Let me finish, Sophia!" Lana shouted back. "All we want is one modified seat bus. Each person gets a gun and a Metal Crystal. That’s it - nothing else."

"Lana! On what grounds? Why should the team hand over gear to a bunch of defectors?"

"Because we still care about this team! Because we want to see it thrive!" Lana’s voice trembled with emotion, eyes red. "We plan to take Hanford City for the team. Everything inside - including all the meteorite crystals - is the team’s. We won’t pocket a single one!"

Dakota stepped in. "Captain, you think this mission’s dangerous, right? Fine. Lana and I talked - any risk, we’ll should it. Our original group volunteers to go first. The loot still goes to the team. All we ask is for basic gear. Is that so unreasonable?"

Their words silenced even Sophia. As much as she hated to admit it, deep down, she too longed for an assault - just on Ridgehaven City instead.

"Go if you want."

Magnus’s tone was cold. He got up, looked at Liana and said, "Liana, give them everything they asked for. Two Metal Crystals each, and a week’s worth of supplies."

Liana nodded quietly. "Okay. I’ll get it done." She also hoped Lana and the others would pull it off - holding Hanford would help them all.

The meeting fizzled out without any resolution. Magnus looked grim. He issued orders to a few vice-commanders.

Chloe was told to inform the kitchen - focus solely on making mantou from now on, and stockpile them just in case.

Amelia and Margaret were assigned to recheck all vehicles. Every engine had to be started and confirmed working.

As for the other team leads, they were to rally their squads - stay alert, be ready to fight anytime.

*****

At 1:30 PM, Lana, Dakota, Mia, and the rest of the 83 boarded the modified bus and rolled out toward Hanford City.

Sophia watched them disappear into the distance. She opened her mouth several times, but said nothing. She also itched to lead a mission out - but she knew that if she did so now, Magnus’s leadership would take a serious hit.

So she’d wait - wait the 10 hours Magnus asked for. By 5:30 PM, if that red light still didn’t show, she’d step forward, ask for permission to go.

By 4:30 PM, it had been 9 hours since the meteor shower. Magnus sat at the top of the hill, his eyes constantly scanning the sky. Beside him sat Emily, Sophia and Grace, and Charlotte. They looked up now and then too, each letting out a quiet sigh. They all trusted Magnus. But this time... five hours had passed. Nearly ten hours, and the sky still looked the same. Not a single anomaly, not even a sunspot.

Was the red light really coming?

Even they were starting to doubt.

At 5:31, Magnus glanced down at his watch, then raised his binoculars once more. Standing beside him, Grace also checked the time. She whispered, "Magnus, it’s 5:31. It’s been ten hours now."

"Two more minutes," he replied, standing up and checking the time again. "The meteor shower came at 7:33 this morning. If the timing’s precise, then it should be 5:33."

Five minutes crawled by.

Up on the hilltop, everyone stood, scanning the sky through their scopes.

Still no change.

"Magnus..." Emily sighed, "Maybe there really isn’t going to be a red light this time. We - "

"Keep waiting," Magnus cut in. "The red light should show. Maybe the timing’s just not exact."

"There’s no ’maybe’ anymore!" shouted Sophia. She couldn’t hold it in any longer. "Magnus! It’s not coming back. Get it through your head! It’s over!"

"Just a bit longer..."

Magnus lit a cigarette and looked out again through the binoculars.

Ten more minutes passed. Charlotte lowered her own scope and stepped in gently, "Magnus. Maybe we should go back. If you still believe the red light will return, we can leave a small squad to keep watch."

"Wait until six," he said flatly, eyes still locked on the sky. He didn’t move.

Deep down, the unease within him hadn’t waned these past ten hours - if anything, it had gotten worse. The timing... something was off.

At 6:10, Liana took a few steps up, lightly patting him on the back. "Magnus, you’re under too much pressure. Tonight, I’ll make you a ginseng porridge - something warm to ease your nerves. And if that’s not enough... I can ask Sarah and Ashton to - "

By 6:35, fatigue had settled across their faces. Liana, Charlotte... all had a tired look, casting uncertain glances at Magnus still glued to his scope. Sophia sat quietly on the ground, staring blankly ahead.

Only Magnus still stood, binoculars locked on the darkening sky.

Then, something caught his eye.

His whole body tensed.

The sun was nearly gone. And then - out of the blue-black heavens - one, two, then more... red lights burst across the sky, coloring the horizon crimson.

Massive beams of red light poured down like divine fire.

In an instant, every pair of eyes caught it.

The second descent of the red light - arrived.

"Magnus, look! LOOK!" Grace shouted, voice trembling with a wild mix of excitement and fear. "Is... is that the red light?! It’s really happening again?"

Everyone was stunned. Jaws dropped. Eyes wide.

One of the red beams had to be thirty meters across at least, striking the earth like a spear from above.

From those lights - things began to emerge.

Flying. Crawling. Leaping.

"WHAT IS THAT?!" Charlotte screamed, panicked. "They’re not centipedes - not spiders or flies either! Magnus! What are those?! Tell us!"