Apocalypse: System of lotteries

In Section 109, amidst the well-city, those who were injured ingested inhibitors, but others concealed their wounds. Not for lack of funds to acquire medicine, but rather in pursuit of newfound abilities—a notion far from uncommon.

Upon the city walls, most people lay against the crenelations, peering into the well-city square with much discussion. "To be frank, I had not envied these puppeteers before, but now I am both envious and jealous."

"If this is successful, the overall combat power of Section 109 will surely advance a level."

"Let's hope for success, then our days will be better."

"With more distinguished individuals among us, will we, the weak, have a voice?"

"..."

In the well-city square, Mike stood at the entrance of the tent, awaiting Alan and David to organize twenty-six puppeteers into a queue.

Nick added his two girlfriends in organizing the choir masters and shadow dancers around the tent, ready to provide support and enhancements.

Since his girlfriends had become the logistical officers of Section 109, he had ventured further and further down the path of a kept man.

In the clearing before the tent, Hawkins and nine others stood to the side, prepared to strike down any uncontrollable mantis beasts. They were none other than Region 109's Guardians.

At that moment, all eyes were on the tent entrance.

Suddenly, the flap opened, and Ming stood in the doorway. A mantis beast lunged to attack but was effortlessly dodged. Ming then pinned the creature's head outside the tent and looked to Mike, "Administer the drug!"

"Alrighty!" Mike stepped forward, skillfully handing over the pill. With no choice before the new veterinarian, the mantis swallowed the red pill. Its body and mind became paralyzed, and in the next instant, it was dragged out of the tent by those waiting outside.

Alan looked to the queue of puppeteers and shouted, "First one up for spiritual bridging! Remember, if you can't complete it, stop immediately to avoid injury!"

"Understood!"

The first puppeteer leaped up, straddling the mantis beast's neck and pressing both hands atop its head. Then, the puppeteer's eyes turned a milky white as the spiritual bridging process began.

David stood nearby, his body enveloped in hundreds of pounds of flowing sand. His role was to restrain the mantis, should the puppeteer fail to subdue it, and hand it over to the Guardian Squad for elimination.

The eyes of everyone, both within and atop the city, were fixed on the puppeteer. Alan stood to the side, mentally counting down. If the temporary spiritual bridge wasn't completed within eight seconds, he'd have to pull the puppeteer away.

If the temporary spiritual bridge were successful, the puppeteer could move aside and continue strengthening the connection while sipping on a mental elixir.

Three seconds later, the puppeteer atop the mantis's neck regained his vision and exclaimed in delight, "I did it! I succeeded!"

"…!"

Alan stared in disbelief, unable to fathom it. Damn! Why did it take him eight seconds? Was he that incompetent?

"Alright, hurry up and control your puppet to the side to solidify the spiritual bridge," Mike waved him away.

The man nodded excitedly, patted the mantis's head, and said, "Let's go, over there." The mantis beast then followed his directions.

"???"

Alan watched the departing puppeteer and his newly subdued puppet, feeling utterly defeated.

Damn it! Why did he make it look so easy?

"Alan, given the circumstances, what are your thoughts?" Mike approached with a mischievous grin, bumping Alan's shoulder.

Alan replied indifferently, "You don't understand puppeteers. He's only established a temporary bridge just now; it'll take some time to complete a full connection."

"Ha! I've completed the full spiritual bridge!" The man who had just subdued the mantis beast excitedly shouted.

Alan glanced at him, then muttered under his breath, "Damn it!"

Mike was about to burst out laughing when he was suddenly lifted into the air by two giant eagles. At that moment, Ming stood at the tent entrance and asked, "Where's Mike?"

"In the sky," Alan pointed at the man, suspended by the Eagles.

Ming looked up, "Mike, how long is the cooldown for the pills?"

"With the cooldown enhancement, it's about six minutes now!"

"Alright, could you two find another time for your banter? Do you even know what's happening right now?" Ming scolded before turning back into the tent.

Today, Mike was the main character. His unique ability to produce the necessary medicine was crucial. Roughly estimating, it would take about three hours to subdue all the mantis beasts in the tent at a rate of one pill every six minutes, without any interruptions.

His current concern was when the king-level zombie would arrive.

Four minutes later, Mike landed and exchanged a smile with Alan.

The tent flap opened again, and another mantis beast was tossed out.

Alan grabbed a bone and hurled it at the creature's head, shouting, "Mike! Go!"

"Damn you, we're not done with this," Mike grumbled but still rushed to administer the pill to the mantis. David, standing nearby, felt a twinge of envy. This was the purest form of brotherhood. He wondered when he would be able to integrate into their tight-knit group.

Atop the city walls, the onlookers observed the orderly be subjugated by the mantis beasts below. The initially tense atmosphere had relaxed, as they prepared to confront the imminent arrival of the king-level zombie while engaging in conversation.

"I have to admit, unique psychic abilities are amazing. I wish I could get one too."

"It's not easy to obtain. Last time, so many people were bathed in golden light, but only one person got a unique psychic ability besides Gutmann. and, others didn't have the exclusive weapon required to use it."

"They could sell it, though."

"Sell? That naive kid got excited and learned it "

"..."

At 11:00 AM in the good city, ten people had successfully subdued mantis beast puppets. The magician's tent flap opened once again.

Ming threw out another mantis beast and said to David, "Get those ten people ready to deal with the arrival of the king-level zombie. I don't think the rules will let us drag this on forever."

"Got it!" David nodded and immediately walked towards Hawkins.

"Prepare for battle."

"Alright!" Hawkins glanced at the tent from afar, "What if the king-level zombie arrives and the mantis beasts haven't been subdued yet?"

"Gutemann said that this rare opportunity to increase the combat strength of the 109th district shouldn't be wasted. When the king-level zombie arrives, you should try to kill it as quickly as possible while they continue to subdue the mantises."

"Understood!" Hawkins nodded firmly, "Have you considered letting someone try to subdue a five-star king-level beast?"

David looked at the puppeteers lining up and said softly, "No one has managed to do it yet."

"Then we'll kill it directly, leaving no future troubles!" Hawkins agreed.

At that moment, a beam of white light descended from the sky. The light pillar was enormous and dazzling.

"The king-level zombie is here!"

"Everyone, get ready!"

"Stop talking, just watch!"

People on and below the city walls watched the white light, which fell on one side of the well's center.