Global Survival: I Have Endless Skeletons

Chapter 561: Protect Their Homes.

Back at the Starfall estate, the atmosphere was completely different from the chaos spreading throughout Suncrest City.

Thoren sat with his family in the living room, listening to Elara excitedly talk about everything that had happened while he was away.

Serene occasionally interrupted her daughter to ask Thoren another question. As for Ardyn, he remained beside them with a satisfied smile, clearly enjoying having his son home again.

Suddenly, the television suddenly flickered.

The cheerful program that had been playing on the screen disappeared, replaced by a red emergency notification.

At the same time, their communication devices vibrated almost simultaneously.

A piercing emergency alarm sounded from the television.

EMERGENCY ALERT — HOSTILE THREAT DETECTED.

Instantly, the expression on Serene’s face changed. Her smile disappeared, replaced by shock and fear as she stared at the screen.

Elara’s body shivered.

She immediately moved closer to Thoren and wrapped both arms tightly around his arm, pressing herself against him as though staying close to her brother could somehow keep her safe.

Thoren looked down at her before turning his attention toward the television. The emergency broadcast showed footage from the city’s defense perimeter.

The image was chaotic.

Thousands of beasts were rushing toward Suncrest City, their massive bodies filling the land beyond the defensive walls while soldiers scrambled to activate weapons.

Another screen showed several areas inside the city where civilians were being evacuated.

Then the footage changed again.

A dark creature could be seen spreading across a street.

The broadcast immediately cut away from the image, replacing it with a warning message.

CIVILIANS ARE ADVISED TO REMAIN INDOORS AND FOLLOW ALL EMERGENCY INSTRUCTIONS.

Ardyn’s expression had become grim.

He stared at the television without saying anything, his eyes narrowing as he watched the emergency broadcast.

The atmosphere inside the living room had completely changed.

Thoren’s expression was solemn for a moment before returning to normal. However, beneath that calm expression, countless thoughts were already running through his mind.

’I need to find the cause of this immediately.’ His eyes fixed on the television.

’If this continues, it is only a matter of time before the city and everyone in it are all killed.’

His fingers slowly tightened.

The thought of his parents and Elara dying because he failed to discover the cause made his blood boil.

What he needed was information. He needed to know what had happened and where it had started.

Before anyone could speak, a sudden vibration came from Ardyn’s communication device.

Bzzzt.

Immediately, Ardyn looked down and the device vibrated again.

Bzzzt.

He picked it up and stared at the screen and an incoming call was displayed.

There was no name, only a number.

"Unknown number..." he whispered, loud enough for everyone in the room to hear.

Serene immediately looked toward him.

His first instinct was to reject it but something made him pause. He looked toward Thoren and their eyes met.

Thoren studied the device for a moment before giving his father a slight nod.

Ardyn understood and accepted the call.

"Who is this?" he asked calmly.

For several seconds, there was only silence and then a voice answered.

"Knight Order."

Ardyn’s brows furrowed.

Before he could wrap his head around the meaning of those words, the voice continued with the same strange calmness.

"Tell your son the Knight Order and he will understand."

Ardyn stared at the device as he clearly had no idea what the person was talking about. Slowly, he raised his head and looked at his son.

"Do you know the Knight Order?"

The moment Thoren heard those words, his expression changed instantly and his calmness disappeared.

Thoren stood up. "Father, let me have the phone."

Ardyn immediately handed the communication device to him while Serene looked at Thoren with concern.

"What is the Knight Order?"

Thoren did not answer immediately as he raised the communication device to his ear.

"Who are you?"

There was a brief silence.

Then the voice answered.

"I believe you know what we stand for."

It was not a question. It was a confirmation.

"Yes."

"I need to speak with you."

"About what?"

Another brief silence followed.

Then the person spoke.

"The things happening in Suncrest City."

Instantly, Thoren’s gaze immediately shifted toward the television. The emergency broadcast was still playing and his expression became colder.

"What do you know?"

"We know where it began."

Thoren’s eyes narrowed further.

"Where?"

The voice did not answer immediately.

Instead, it asked a question.

"Do you remember the group that came out of the Abyss?"

Thoren’s expression did not change as he could already connect the dots. But still, he allowed the voice to continue.

"Yes."

"We believed everything was related to them." The voice continued. "As for why we are reaching out to you... because we and you have the same goal."

"Which is?"

"Protect our world." The voice replied instantly.

Thoren was quiet for some moment, His experience with the Knight Order on the first floor had already won him. Many were selfish and only focused on their very own agenda but the knight order was different.

All they wanted was to protect their world.

Their homes.

Their families.

While many fought for glory and fame, they fought to protect and secure their land, standing at the front lines whenever danger threatened to overwhelm their land.

They did not seek recognition, wealth, or the resources that came with Thoren’s return from the Abyss.

Their only concern was keeping their people alive and ensuring that the place they called home remained standing.

Such selflessness was not something that could easily be found in humans.

Thoren had been waiting for the Knight Order to reach out to him the first time he returned to the surface, but they did not.

At the time, he had wondered why they remained silent, especially when they knew about the situation surrounding the Abyss and the danger that could eventually reach the surface.

And now, they had finally reached out to him.

Not to win him over.

Not for all the resources he might bring back from the Abyss.

Not even to demand anything from him.

They had contacted him because their city was in danger.

Once again, the Knight Order showed him that they were not hypocrites.

They truly meant business.

Protect and nothing more.