Chu Xiu looked at the panicked crowd before him, his face showing a pained expression.

He could, of course, use the Burning Blood Golden Eyes to forcibly suppress this panic, but this action was akin to drinking poison to quench thirst. It would only eliminate the fear physiologically induced in them, and once their inner despair was forcibly suppressed, it would only lead to an even more violent outbreak!

At that moment, he realized that maintaining stability was far more complex than just killing the Extreme Dao; if confidence could not be built in people’s hearts, the massive population of Peng City would ultimately be crushed by this immense pressure and engage in large-scale mutual slaughter!

At this time, an officer from the shelter cautiously approached Chu Xiu and whispered, "Sir, you should leave here first. We will handle the rest."

Chu Xiu did not speak, he just glanced at himself silently. The energy that had dispersed during the battle was still swirling around him, and even though he tried to restrain it, it emanated an aura from an absolute upper-level being, enough to make ordinary people’s hearts tremble.

Chu Xiu remained silent for a moment, then with a flicker of his figure, he disappeared from the shelter.

After he left, the officer let out a long breath of relief. Even though he was a Fierce Tier Awakened, he couldn’t help but shiver in Chu Xiu’s presence; the oppressive aura from Chu Xiu was too overwhelming.

He shook his head and rushed deeper inside, shouting as he ran: "Everyone, don’t panic! The enemies have been dealt with! No one is injured! Trust the government, it will definitely guide us through these tough times..."

Under the government’s organization, the crowd finally calmed down, and the hole shattered by Chu Xiu’s battle was patched up.

But the oppressive thoughts brewed from the despair and fear in people’s hearts were, like this patched-up hole, only covered on the surface. In reality, they were not resolved at all. They accumulated under repression, waiting for an even more violent collapse.

People watched each other warily, the few dim lights lit to save energy made it impossible to see others’ expressions clearly. Anyone could potentially launch an attack, and any slight disturbance could incite panic, as trust between people completely crumbled!

In such a state of high tension, how long can one endure?

The shelter was unbearably oppressive and quiet, no one spoke, only the sound of heavy breathing rose and fell.

Suddenly, a shrill scream pierced through the night like lightning, resounding in the shelter. Under the dim yellow light, two people tangled together in a fight! One of them held a bright knife, raising it high in their hand!

The crowd that had been forcibly suppressed screamed again. The unarmed person was clutching the knife wielder’s wrist tightly, but it was the person with the knife who was crying: "Dad! Have you gone mad?"

"I’m not mad!" The person glared with bloodshot eyes, despair written all over his face: "I can’t take it anymore! I, I simply can’t survive, we will sooner or later be killed by others!"

"Son, kill me, quickly kill me! If you kill me, you’ll be able to survive!"

"Dad!!!"

In the shelter, only the son’s desperate cries and the father’s irrational roars remained.

The others watched the pair numbly, no one stepped forward to stop them. They seemed to see their own reflection in the father and son, and suppressed sobs echoed around, deeper and heavier despair spread among the crowd. Even the government personnel responsible for maintaining order stood there exhausted, momentarily unresponsive.

But just as the shelter was on the brink of further panic, an elongated finger appeared in everyone’s view.

A flame rose from that finger.

The flame was not large, but it was exceptionally bright, radiating a gentle warmth around.

The fighting father and son suddenly froze like statues, staring blankly at each other.

Under the flame’s illumination, they could completely see each other’s faces. Beneath the frantic and despairing expressions were tears that couldn’t stop spilling from their eyes.

Within those tears lay an intense love for their kin and an unyielding yearning for life.

"Clang."

With a light sound, the knife in the father’s hand dropped to the ground, and the father and son hugged each other, sobbing bitterly.