The instant He Ao finished speaking, everyone present fell into an eerie silence.
But Farn's voice soon broke the stillness. Lowering his voice, he said softly,
"Mr. Mayor, we can't go to South City. That's General Kovi's stronghold. All his core troops are stationed there. The Federal Bureau of Investigation won't get involved in our conflict, and we only have this many people. Going there with our strength would be like an egg striking a rock. We'd be walking straight into certain death."
"I need to see Kovi."
He Ao looked up at him, closed the suitcase beside him, and spoke calmly. "You don't need to go. I'll go."
Upon hearing that, even the Mayor's Guard members who had arrived carrying water changed expression slightly, clearly surprised.
Farn stepped a little closer and said hoarsely and rapidly, "General Kovi wants to deal with you. You're the one person who absolutely cannot go to South City right now."
His voice paused slightly. "And you're carrying such severe injuries. If you go to South City, you'll have no chance of survival. Those powerful weapons aren't something flesh and blood can withstand.
"The situation is completely out of control now. Even General Scott may not support you. The best course is to return to the Mayor's Residence immediately, take a doctor, and leave."
His gaze swept rapidly across the people around them, and his voice lowered further. "If necessary, we can head to the airport right away."
"Have you ever seen an Ilan City mayor abandon his city?"
He Ao looked at him and spoke slowly.
Running away might save his life, but once he ran, Lynn's political career would be completely over. He would have utterly lost this struggle.
What Ilan City would face then would be an even more vicious counterattack.