Chapter 171: Gwen Stacy’s Admiration
In a high-rise apartment in Manhattan's Upper West Side, the sound of a key turning in the lock echoed.
George Stacy, who had worked through the entire night and the following day, walked back into his home. After changing into slippers at the entrance, he stepped inside.
He took off his police uniform jacket and hung it on the coat rack by the living room entrance.
The living room was brightly lit.
His wife, Helen, and daughter, Gwen, were sitting on the sofa, watching a news report on television.
"As for last night's sudden disaster, the government has yet to give a clear answer."
"According to current statistics, there have been 338 deaths and more than 70,000 injuries. Estimated losses have exceeded 100 billion dollars."
"Prominent billionaire Tony Stark has established a disaster relief foundation, leading major tycoons in funding aid for affected residents after property damage assessments."
The serious voice of the news anchor came from the television.
Seeing Stacy return, Helen and Gwen both stood up. Helen poured her husband a glass of water.
"Dad, you've been tired all day. Sit down and rest."
The thoughtful Gwen pulled her father down onto the sofa. Seeing the exhaustion on his face, she gently walked behind the sofa and reached out to massage his temples.
Feeling the warmth of his family, George felt much of his fatigue fade away.
He accepted the glass of water from his wife Helen, took a sip, and looked at the television screen showing sweeping views of large areas of ruined Manhattan. He couldn't help but sigh.
"It really was a disaster."
"Yeah. What on earth were those things?" Helen was a middle-aged woman. Although faint crow's feet could be seen around her eyes, her features made it clear she must have been a great beauty in her youth.
Her daughter Gwen was young and fair, with delicate features. She had clearly inherited her mother's good genes.
Helen was very concerned about this question.
The entire family lived in Manhattan.
The sudden disaster yesterday had terrified both mother and daughter.
At the time, they had been out shopping when those monsters suddenly appeared and attacked them along with the other customers.
In their despair, that burly soldiers wearing power armor had stood in front of everyone. Holding a cross greatsword, he killed the monsters one after another.
Afterward, several more soldiers dressed the same way arrived and protected them.
Together with the police, they guided the group of civilians to an open area.
At the time, they had not understood why. Only later, when they saw those monsters spit out an energy beam that pierced through an apartment building, did they realize.
Fortunately, their whole family had survived, and their home had not been damaged.
At the very least, they did not have to live in a temporary camp like those residents who no longer had homes.
Even now, Helen and Gwen still felt lingering fear.
At the same time, they were filled with gratitude toward those mysterious soldiers who had saved them.
"I don't know. The corpses of those monsters are all gone. Not even a trace of blood was left behind," George said in a low voice after a moment of silence.
"How could that happen?"
Hearing this, both mother and daughter were stunned. Even Gwen's hands paused as she massaged him.
"We suspect those mysterious people did it. Because of that, many people are very unhappy."
George frowned.
His dissatisfaction was not directed at the mysterious soldiers, but at the higher-ups.
He was extremely unhappy with those people's attitude.
When it came to disaster relief in Manhattan, whether in policy or actual progress, everything was moving very slowly. Many people had lost their homes because of this battle.
Countless people needed help.
Yet those people were still concerned about the so-called monster corpses.
For that reason, they were carrying out large-scale searches, and even the NYPD had received orders related to it.
When George said those people were unhappy, that was not really the right word. It was not unhappiness. It was anger, and greed. It made him feel sick.
"A bunch of parasites. They're heroes. They saved all of us."
Young and hot-blooded, Gwen could not help cursing.
She now deeply admired that group of mysterious and powerful soldiers and believed they were hidden guardians.
In fact, it was not only her. Many people around the world thought the same.
After a full day and night, the impact of the Manhattan incident had long since spread across the globe.
It had drawn the attention of people from every country.
Online, the heat surrounding this matter remained high, and everyone was discussing it.
Of course, there were also people using this opportunity to spread panic, preach faith, and so on, but that was not worth mentioning.
Gwen had been there herself.
She had seen with her own eyes how those soldiers stood in front of her, her mother, and everyone else at the time. Facing those dense swarms of monsters, they had not taken even one step back.
"Yeah. A lot of people inside our department are unhappy too."
George did not stop his daughter. Instead, he agreed with her.
Those damned greedy parasites should have died at the hands of those monsters.
But that thought only flashed through his mind.
"Public opinion has already boiled over. It can't be suppressed anymore. I heard things inside the government have become chaotic, with all kinds of arguments and quarrels, all pointing at them."
"So what's the official statement now?"
Helen didn't care about those people. She cared more about the outcome.
"There is no statement. Even if there were, I wouldn't know."
George shook his head.
However, he knew very well that no matter what explanation came out, certain people would definitely set their sights on those mysterious soldiers.
After all, no one would fail to covet that kind of power.
If they were human, then why were they so strong? And the power armor they wore, along with their energy weapons—those alone were enough to attract greed.
Just as George thought, all sides were trying to make contact with or search for the Astartes and Raven, whether they were countries or organizations.
Especially America.
They, on the contrary, were not especially concerned about what the monsters that invaded Manhattan actually were.
After all, more than a thousand soldiers wearing heavy armor, able to fly through the sky and move underground, capable of causing massive destruction with casual punches and kicks, were enough to prove that warriors like this could already be mass-produced.
The meaning behind that was far too important.
Everyone longed to obtain that method.
At the same time, they were also wary.
They were wary of the organization behind the Astartes and Raven. A force with such a powerful army was far too great a threat.
As for the internet, all kinds of comments and discussions had completely exploded.
Photos and videos that had been taken and uploaded were gaining massive views and engagement.
Among them, many scenes that could be called world-famous paintings were being regarded as classics by countless people.
For example, one photo showed three Astartes in power armor standing in Times Square.
Under dim yellow streetlights, at a broad and empty intersection, the three soldiers stood shoulder to shoulder less than five meters apart, holding a battle axe and cross-shaped longswords upright.
Around them were collapsed buildings, wrecked cars, blood flowing across the ground, and piles of demon corpses stacked densely everywhere.
Under the light, the scene perfectly displayed the silence, solemnity, strength, and sacredness of the Astartes.