Consciousness seemed frozen, and the elder's mind went blank, echoing with those words just spoken, unable and unwilling to process the information within.
Unfortunately, the thoughts he dared not dwell on had already formed, even reaching the range that Qi Yuan could utilize, though he refused to acknowledge it.
Qi Yuan smiled brilliantly; after this job, he would become truly invincible.
His journey thus far had relied entirely on his enemies' imagination.
He was grateful to all his opponents, for they had shaped who he was today.
In stark contrast to Qi Yuan's radiant smile, the white mist entity gazed bewilderedly at the sky. Through this unexpected world glitch, his people had eagerly entered, only to be met by five figures wearing identical cloaks.
Dazzling light emanated from the humans nearby, a beam shooting straight into the clouds. The world glitch was sealed by this power, trapping his people permanently in this world...
The citizens of Jidu felt a sudden lightness, and they simultaneously looked up at the sky, their eyes reflecting that beam of light. The brilliant golden radiance reminded them of one person.
Like background characters saved by a messiah, they erupted in thunderous cheers, repeatedly calling out that name which brought them such comfort—Qi Yuan!
Viewed from above, one might have mistaken them for a cult, with their intense emotions, irrational shouting, and unconditional trust.
But things wouldn't end so easily. The High Priest performed another spatial collapse, this time sacrificing himself along with it, vanishing into the spatial compression.
The rifts widened, darkness seeping through the cracks. This time, even the earth wasn't spared, as abyss-like black fissures embedded themselves in the ground, painting a scene of impending apocalypse.
Just as despair gripped everyone, golden light appeared, with what seemed like golden particles dispersing through the air, halting the world's deterioration.
The people of Jidu discovered that no sooner had they escaped one danger than they found themselves in another, as a fierce battle raged in the sky.
The female clone's annihilation light directly engulfed several invaders. The invaders emerged from their initial ecstasy, as anger and hatred spread throughout their group.
"No choice now, let's deal with these natives first."
"Kill them to avenge our comrades!"
"Wait, something's strange here! Let's retreat!"
The few rational ones couldn't call back their out-of-control kinsmen. They had drifted outside the world for too long, existing without conflict, passing days in a daze. Perhaps the decomposing effect of the world's fissures had also affected their consciousness.
Massive thunder clouds capable of covering the entire city enveloped Jidu, with electric arcs dancing through the clouds, brewing terrifying power, like a fierce thunder beast waiting to roar down at a single command.
Is our Jidu going to be finished?
Everyone reached the same conclusion, having no doubt that the Reincarnation Organization would survive, just as they were certain of their own impending doom.
#$...%*
Suddenly, their minds filled with garbled code, as if everything around them had become surreal.
The thick lightning pillars strongly resembled the heavenly tribulation described in cultivation novels, with the thunderous rumbling alone making their ears buzz, drowning out all other sounds.
"BOOM—"
Blinding lightning struck down fiercely from above, like strands of light connecting the clouds to the ground.
We'll surely turn to ash...
Having endured such powerful malice, the people of Jidu had already resigned themselves to their fate.
The lightning passed through their bodies... huh?
Passed... through...?
They raised their hands in bewilderment, discovering they hadn't taken any damage at all.
Uh...?
Many people became like confused geese, their heads full of question marks. Was this whole thing just meant to scare them to death?
Though they had nearly suffered cardiac arrest, wasn't this a bit too theatrical?
Soon someone offered a theory, "It's an illusion, that guy's illusion!"
How dare they!
Actually referring to the great Qi Yuan as 'that guy'!
People searched around with fierce gazes, following the voice, finally discovering it was Director Yu Anhe shouting with a red face and bulging neck.
They silently shifted their gazes away—add another to the list of people they couldn't mess with...
Yu Anhe hadn't noticed others' stares at all. He was nearly moved to tears, understanding now why that kid had been so certain nothing would go wrong—so illusions could be used this way!
He had been running frantically, wanting to know Qi Yuan's plans, but now there was no need.
Yu Anhe returned his attention to the sky.
The five members of the Reincarnation Organization seemed to have known about this all along. They hadn't diverted their attention to protect the citizens of Jidu, instead engaging in a one-sided slaughter of those strange mist entities.
They were living beings, creatures capable of screaming in agony.
But none of the people present felt any sympathy for them; some even raised their arms and shouted.
"Die already!"
"Crush them!"
The heightened emotions ignited the entire scene, human mob psychology drawing more and more people into the emotional vortex.
The only quiet place wasn't as peaceful as it appeared on the surface.
Qi Yuan calmly watched the death of those mist entities. Although the Stolen Operator had voluntarily taken the biggest blame, these invaders' wails needed to echo across this land.
Without his help, how could others possibly hear the voices of consciousness?
He did all this for nothing else but the satisfaction of "feeling good!"
The white mist entity finally stopped deceiving itself and emotionally collapsed.
"You demon, you're manipulating everyone! The Common Operator is you, the Stolen Operator is also you! Hahaha... you're insane!"
With the experience card already produced, as long as death was avoided, it was fine. Qi Yuan paid no attention to its emotions, instead delivering even more devastating words.
"I've been watching you all along. Aren't you happy to have finally entered the world?"
Then he unilaterally blocked the white mist entity's consciousness. Most of the invaders were dead; it was time for the curtain call.
Golden light rose like the dawn of a new day, slowly sealing the world's rifts, bringing all hope to the despairing masses.
The black fissures and golden light remained in a deadlock for a long while...
Finally, Qi Yuan checked the time, yawned in boredom, and snapped his fingers in an exaggerated anime-like fashion.
The golden light completely crushed the black fissures, banishing darkness from this world.
People worldwide celebrated jubilantly, embracing each other whether they knew one another or not, showing joy at having survived the catastrophe, as if they had experienced some great disaster.
However, when various nations conducted their routine casualty count, they discovered that no one had died, not even seriously injured. The scattered golden particles from the broken golden light had a healing effect.
While people were still immersed in the thought that they had survived the apocalypse and there was nothing they hadn't seen...
The next day, news swept across the entire network.
People exclaimed that this was indeed something they hadn't seen before!
Qi Yuan announced that he had severed his connection with the world, becoming a drifter once again!
People discussed enthusiastically how they had misunderstood Qi Yuan as being a bit of a trickster... ahem, a person with unique character.
As for the person in question, Qi Yuan easily blocked his little brother's punches and kicks with one hand, giving him a contemptuous smile that made him howl in protest.
Who the hell wants to be a savior?
Besides, being bound to this world, how could he roam other worlds?
(The End)