Chapter 439: A Desperate Gamble

**Thelma Zane’s POV** As the minutes slipped by and the water level steadily rose, the panic among the people grew. Parents clung to their children, their faces etched with despair. The cries of frightened infants mingled with the sound of rushing water, while older children stood in silence, their wide eyes betraying their confusion and fear. Even the so-called influential figures, those accustomed to wielding power, were not immune to the terror of impending doom. Many gathered their aides and stormed toward the Great Elder, demanding an immediate solution. “We must act now!” they insisted. “The bubbles surrounding the city must be removed!” Their pleas carried a dangerous edge, but their solution was no better than surrendering to chaos. Removing the protective bubble would cause the masses to surge toward the city gates in a frenzied stampede. The outcome would be disastrous, a tragedy of trampling and death before the floodwaters could even reach them. Yet doing not