Chapter 91: Homecoming
“All of Jiangcheng County…?”
A chill ran down Li Shaoheng’s spine.
He looked up. A thin, unshakeable layer of gray fog had settled over the sky, casting a pall over Jiangcheng County.
“Mr. Li?”
The other team members realized the gravity of the situation, but whether to follow the White Witch deeper into the incubation barrier or retreat depended on Li Shaoheng’s decision.
“…The plan remains unchanged, we retreat,” Li Shaoheng said grimly.
An incubation barrier enveloping an entire city… although not unheard of, Jiangcheng County had always been normal, not like a Grotesquery incubation site.
Wait, normal?
This was the Puppet Ballad’s incubation barrier…
Li Shaoheng’s mind raced as he quickened his pace, still not quite used to not having his ability.
He usually used Spatial Distortion to travel even a kilometer, both for convenience and to practice his control over his ability.
As they retreated, they saw several city residents walking towards the incubation barrier.
They seemed relaxed, even chatting and laughing.
Li Shaoheng frowned. Were the people guarding the perimeter slacking off? At a time like this, how could they let ordinary people enter such a dangerous area?
Not to mention the Puppet Ballad and the mysterious girl, even the Grotesquery creations on the periphery could easily kill these people.
“Everyone,” one of the team members stepped forward, trying to stop the civilians.
But they ignored him, walking past as if he didn’t exist.
One of them even bumped into him, pausing briefly before continuing on their way.
The team member felt a surge of anger, wanting to stop these ignorant civilians.
The next moment, Li Shaoheng grabbed him, his voice trembling slightly with fear.
“Don’t move, look over there…”
The team member turned, his scalp tingling.
More civilians…
Dressed as usual, returning to their posts, mechanically yet vividly performing their roles.
Li Shaoheng even saw a few familiar faces, police officers Liu Songyi had assigned to help set up checkpoints around the incubation barrier.
Everyone seemed normal, as if Li Shaoheng and his team were the anomalies.
Something wasn’t right, something was very wrong…
Li Shaoheng wanted to call Old Madam Lu again, but he took out his phone and found that the signal was completely gone, the screen displaying static and distorted noise, like an old television.
“Shaoheng, we have to leave Jiangcheng County immediately.”
A firm, elderly voice echoed.
Li Shaoheng looked up and saw Old Madam Lu, her expression grim.
She extended a hand, and a gust of wind lifted the team members, carrying them away from the incubation barrier at an incredible speed.
“Is this… an Authority?”
Li Shaoheng recognized the power Lu Fangling was using. Within this strange incubation barrier, only Authorities could function.
After realizing that all their abilities were useless, and the true nature of the incubation barrier was revealed, Lu Fangling, guarding the perimeter, had made two arrangements.
One, to evacuate all personnel stationed outside Jiangcheng County, and two, to rush to the scene with her Authority and retrieve Li Shaoheng’s team.
Only eighteen people within the Company possessed Sacred Tools imbued with Authorities, and Lu Fangling was one of them.
As for Li Shaoheng, he didn’t count, because his method of using an Authority was a trump card, usable only once. Otherwise, he would have used it in the Realm of Nothingness.
“Madam Lu, what’s going on?” Li Shaoheng asked nervously.
Lu Fangling’s earlier composure was gone, her expression grave.
“Our assessment was wrong,” she said. “Actually, when I saw the incubation barrier in the city center, I knew it didn’t belong to a High-Risk Grotesquery, because it was too… ordinary.”
Even with its strange characteristics, compared to a Grotesquery within the top fifty Sequences, it was too ordinary.
The incubation barrier of a true High-Risk Grotesquery, a true “He,” couldn’t be this simple.
That was why Lu Fangling had taken over command from Li Shaoheng. She needed to focus on finding the real incubation barrier.
Not limiting her search to Jiangcheng County, Lu Fangling had dispatched the remaining forces of the Company branch to search the surrounding cities within the same Boundary.
But she hadn’t expected that the real incubation barrier… was the entire Jiangcheng County itself.
Normalcy, that was the rule of this incubation barrier.
Just now, when Luo Ling had eradicated the “egg’s” consciousness deep within, strange anomalies had begun appearing throughout Jiangcheng County.
First, the civilians outside the initial barrier had started acting strangely, then the police officers maintaining order had started rambling nonsense, and after the situation spiraled out of control, they had inexplicably returned to normal.
But this “normalcy”… was abnormal.
The civilians calmly returned to their positions, and even the police officers resumed their duties.
In a collapsed clothing store, the employees were arranging merchandise on empty shelves, a passing couple discussing what to have for dinner, then stepping into a collapsed building.
Except for Awakened Ones, almost everyone in Jiangcheng County had returned to this state.
Only a few remained unaffected, but their faces were filled with terror, as if they had seen something horrifying, most of them driven insane, rambling nonsense.
“The situation in Jiangcheng County is completely out of control. We can’t save anyone,” Lu Fangling said calmly. “Now, we can only take those who can leave… and leave this place.”
Li Shaoheng knew this was their only option.
But…
It was frustrating.
He clenched his fists and asked in a low voice,
“What did headquarters say?”
Lu Fangling glanced at him, not speaking, but conveying her words through the wind, directly to his ear.
“…Abandon Jiangcheng County. My branch has also been ordered to evacuate.”
Seeing that the High-Risk Grotesquery’s incubation was irreversible, Company headquarters wasn’t willing to suffer heavy losses here.
If they could kill the High-Risk Grotesquery, headquarters would be willing to pay a price for its valuable Sacred Relic.
But when the cost outweighed the potential gains, and the chances of failure were high…
The Company was quick to cut its losses.
In the words of the higher-ups, it was called avoiding sunk costs.
The Company… was always about business.
“…Typical of headquarters,” Li Shaoheng sighed, not saying more.
He knew that Lu Fangling taking those who could leave was already the limit of her ability.
“What about the local Awakened Ones?” Li Shaoheng asked.
“I gave them the choice,” Lu Fangling said softly.
Her gaze drifted towards the distance, towards the conspicuous white hospital among the mountains, a flicker of worry in her eyes.
…
Meanwhile, within Qingshan Psychiatric Hospital, in Ward Zero.
“Father, Mother has sent someone to tell us to leave.”
A woman in Republican-era student clothing held Ji Shinian’s hand and whispered.
The mysterious fourth administrator of the exchange group was Lu Manqing, Ji Shinian and his ex-wife Lu Fangling’s daughter.
The members of the exchange group surrounded the bed, everyone present except for the White Witch.
After realizing that the entire Jiangcheng County might be a Grotesquery incubation site, Lu Fangling had sent all the group members back to Qingshan Hospital.
Firstly, to let them decide whether to stay or leave, and secondly… Qingshan Hospital was located on the outskirts of Jiangcheng County, less than a kilometer from the county’s border.
Even if they decided to leave, they would have time.
Ji Shinian slowly opened his eyes. After some treatment, he could now perceive some light, but his vision wouldn’t fully recover.
Although still a Mid-Order Awakened One, his blindness rendered his ability practically useless.
As everyone watched and waited, Ji Shinian slowly sat up and sighed.
“To think it would come to this…”
He turned his head towards the sky, then closed his eyes in despair.
He had foreseen a great disaster coming to Jiangcheng County.
He had made preparations, including contacting the Company.
But perhaps because it had been so long since a true High-Risk Grotesquery had appeared, everyone had underestimated its power.
Including the Harbingers of Calamity.
The most terrifying part was that even if the Harbingers’ plan succeeded, they would only become nourishment for the Grotesquery’s revival.
Because… the entire Jiangcheng County was its incubation site.
It was a He, not an it.
He was mockingly watching his playthings perform their comical act on the stage.
“Leave,” Ji Shinian sighed.
He wanted to save them, but he couldn’t.
This small, remote city… no, not just this city, but the entire surrounding area, would likely be consumed.
If the disaster wasn’t contained, it might even spread further…
“…Alright.”
Liu Songyi nodded grimly.
Although heartbroken by this outcome, there was no other choice.
He pitied the ordinary people of Jiangcheng County, trapped by the Grotesquery’s influence, beyond saving.
They couldn’t violate the rules of the incubation barrier. Forcibly taking these affected people away would only trigger a greater disaster.
A heavy silence filled the ward.
Everyone present lived in Jiangcheng County, and except for a few, their families were ordinary people.
Among those abandoned, there were their loved ones.
But…
Precisely because they were Awakened Ones and understood the horrors of Grotesqueries, no one objected.
Perhaps after they evacuated, the Company would send someone to resolve this disaster, and those trapped in the city might still be saved.
Taking them by force, or staying in the city, was a death sentence.
“So be it,” Ji Shinian closed his eyes wearily.
“Go and pack your things. We’ll leave soon.”
Lu Manqing waved her hand, and everyone silently left the ward.
Only one person remained.
“You’re… Xu Qian, right?”
Lu Manqing bent down slightly, looking at the red-haired girl in the wheelchair.
Elsa nodded, and Bella, the teddy bear in her arms, said,
“She wants to find Big Sister Bai.”
“…White Witch, is it?”
Lu Manqing had seen the name in the exchange group but had never met her.
She knew this White Witch had an unclear connection to the Grotesquery plaguing Jiangcheng County. Little Xu Qian might be friends with the White Witch, but after the Grotesquery’s arrival, whether this “friendship” still held… was uncertain.
Especially with a Grotesquery like the Puppet Ballad, known for manipulating memories and emotions.
Elsa lowered her head slightly, seemingly fiddling with something in her hands.
“Let her go,” Ji Shinian’s weak voice suddenly came from the bed.
“Father?”
Lu Manqing frowned. This was sending the little girl to her death.
“Perhaps… following one’s heart… is the better choice,” Ji Shinian opened his cloudy eyes, as if seeing something. “Those who try to deceive fate will ultimately be deceived by fate.”
“…Alright,” Lu Manqing sighed, turning to ruffle Elsa’s hair. “Little sister, be careful.”
Elsa nodded repeatedly and, after receiving permission, quickly left the ward.
While everyone else was trying to escape Jiangcheng County, she was going deeper into this seemingly peaceful, normal incubation barrier.
…
“Yo, this is the place.”
A woman in exotic, sheer clothing wiped nonexistent sweat from her forehead and stretched languidly, her alluring figure on full display.
Beside her was a well-behaved girl with round-rimmed glasses, reading a book while leaning against a tree.
They were on a hill not far from Baiyan Village, just outside the massive incubation barrier of Jiangcheng County.
From here, they could overlook the entire county.
“Sister Gypsy, what are we doing here?” Wang Lili asked, adjusting her glasses.
Clearly, she wasn’t in her Seer state now.
“Of course, it’s to observe this ‘disaster’! Don’t forget, I’m the Harbinger of Disaster! I can’t miss such a good opportunity to rank up,” Gypsy Girl chuckled, finding a comfortable rock and lying down, her arm behind her head, a picture of relaxed indolence.
Walking their paths was how Awakened Ones ranked up.
But the specifics varied from person to person.
Most commonly, it was through consuming Holy Water of their corresponding path, but besides that,
Some needed to repeatedly use their abilities to deepen their understanding, some needed a special trigger, and some even ranked up after a good night’s sleep.
And Gypsy Girl, she observed disasters.
Hence, her title, Harbinger of Disaster.
“Shouldn’t we do something?”
Wang Lili looked worried, thinking her family was still in Jiangcheng County.
“Even the Company is running away, what can I possibly do?” Gypsy Girl rolled her eyes. “And you better not wander off, you’re a valuable asset…”
Wang Lili nodded obediently.
However…
“Sister Gypsy, can we get my parents out?”
Wang Lili touched the pocket watch on her chest, a birthday gift from her father.
“We can’t,” Gypsy Girl said softly, “And even if we could, it wouldn’t matter.”
“Why?”
“No reason.”
Gypsy Girl shook her head, her gaze falling upon Jiangcheng County, looking down at the people below.
Only pity remained.
“Just stay here. Even if you want to die, I won’t allow it,” Gypsy Girl said slowly.
She had lied to the people at the psychiatric hospital. Wang Lili wasn’t an Awakened One.
But Wang Lili was far more valuable than an Awakened One.
Whenever she entered her Seer state, when her mind wasn’t “normal,” she could see truths only visible to those who had encountered a Present Life Authority, including the Boundary and the Realm of Nothingness.
Once she awakened…
She would practically be guaranteed a Present Life Authority.
“Watch carefully, the beginning of this ‘disaster’…”
…
The warm body in her arms was rapidly losing its warmth.
The colors around her faded, a hazy gray enveloping Jiangcheng County.
Luo Ling had understood the truth about this incubation barrier before anyone else, after eradicating the “egg’s” consciousness.
That was why she had been so overcome with sorrow.
“No one could have imagined, even Ji Ying underestimated this…”
From the very beginning, everyone had been its food.
Whether it was the “egg” or Luo Ling, whether she or it emerged victorious, they couldn’t escape this fate.
But Luo Ling’s sorrow wasn’t because of her own defeat.
It was for Ji Ying, who, until her final moments, hadn’t known that all her efforts had been in vain, a futile struggle.
Luo Ling ignored the returning pedestrians, her expression bleak as she walked towards her final destination.
Home.
Her once warm sanctuary.
Also the place where she and Ji Ying had first met.
Luo Ling released her grip, and in the gray, distorted world, Ji Ying’s remains crumbled and dissipated.
She slowly raised her head and saw a familiar figure before her, her gentle gaze as if trying to melt her.
“Welcome home.”
“Xiao Ling.”
Leave a Reply