"Quick! Get in the trucks!" Stila Gerrera urged anxiously.
Dozens of terrified civilians boarded the trucks with the help of Rebel Alliance warriors. The trucks joined the convoy and headed away from the battlefield.
Artillery still thundered all around them, countless shells streaking across the night sky with the sound of death.
Stila picked up her communicator and said, "There are over a thousand civilians on the southern section of Seventh Avenue. Send people to receive them."
However, Anakin Skywalker's somewhat impatient voice came from the other end. "I'm currently carrying out a combat mission. Contact our logistics division."
Stila Gerrera frowned, feeling deeply uncomfortable. Anakin had repeatedly promised to help her evacuate civilians, but now he was acting as though he could not care less. She could not help wondering whether she had been deceived.
But at that moment, an incomparably violent explosion suddenly erupted in the distance! It was completely unlike the brief, one-off blasts caused by crashing starfighters or missile bombardments. This was an earth-shaking explosion, accompanied by countless crackling detonations!
"What happened?" Stila Gerrera immediately became alert.
"Big sis! This is bad! This is bad!!" A Rebel Alliance warrior ran over in panic. "Central Trade Tower has been blown up!!"
"What did you say?! Central Trade Tower?!" Even Stila Gerrera, tempered by countless battles and possessed of an unshakable will, leaped in shock. "That building is over eight hundred meters tall!! At least ten thousand civilians were still trapped inside!!"
"That's right! The tower... the tower was destroyed outright! The whole thing collapsed! The surrounding area has practically been swallowed by dust and smoke!!" the Rebel Alliance warrior said.
"That's impossible! Central Trade Tower is extremely sturdy. Even a Proton Torpedo strike could not make it collapse instantly! Unless it was demolished from the inside out!"