Wang Yue described the situation on Lord Aurora’s end in meticulous detail, omitting nothing—especially the final words Lord Aurora had spoken to the Gaze Worm.
Lord Infinite listened intently, his elbows propped on the desk and fingers interlaced. He exuded the imposing aura of a high-ranking official.
The Lantern-Bearers rarely displayed emotion. Their bodies, forged from transcendent materials, were designed primarily for combat and exploration; their features were as static as painted masks. If a machine were to emit a simulated, human-like laugh, it would likely trigger the uncanny valley effect, appearing more farcical than intimidating and stripping away their dignity.
“Is the planet behind the mountains the true body of the Apostle?” Wang Yue asked curiously. “Legends say that at the end of the Epoch of Murk, the severed limbs of Outer Gods that had reached into this world bonded with primordial substance, giving rise to these powerful lifeforms.”
In reality, Shoggoths and Apostles were likely nothing more than stray hairs or dead skin cells compared to the stellar—or even galactic—scale of an Outer God’s true form. As those entities drifted through the vacuum of space, they might have accidentally brushed against this world, leaving these traces behind.
“We can essentially confirm it is a slumbering Apostle. Its power is not to be underestimated, and more importantly, we do not know if it will awaken upon being attacked,” Schumel confirmed, validating her suspicion.
Wang Yue forced a relaxed smile and asked, “Those two Lantern-Bearers won’t be facing the Apostle head-on, will they? An Apostle… doesn’t seem like something easily dealt with.”
She wasn’t joking. A dream that could blanket a city of millions, farming humans like cattle and sheep, was an existence that defied common sense. Lantern-Bearers were, at best, comparable to Lord-class monsters; facing an Apostle, they might not even be able to find their bearings.
“We are preparing to provide full support. This operation requires the approval of the Ethics Committee, and it will be granted. Furthermore, the Hush-Name Witches will likely deploy three or even four of their number,” Schumel said, spreading his hands with grim resolve.
Wang Yue stood there, dumbstruck.
Huh?
Were these people really going to risk their lives for a bunch of strangers? Fighting to the bitter end for the collective fate and welfare of humanity?
While it sounded noble and righteous, it didn’t feel real to her. Or rather, she felt the crushing weight of a problem involving millions of lives and a terrifying destiny, and she sensed she wasn’t ready to carry it.
Noticing the young black-haired girl’s loss of composure, Schumel offered a small smile. His face, warped by the uncanny valley effect, looked quite comical as he explained, “This isn’t merely Lord Aurora’s impulsive decision. It is the core value of every Lantern-Bearer. The Apostle uses a distorted mega-dream to conduct a Deduction upon millions of humans, subjecting them to constant agony and madness to harvest nourishment from their destruction… Since we possess the power to stop it, how can we remain indifferent?”
Wang Yue fell silent.
Humans grazed cattle and sheep, and the livestock produced meat, milk, and hide. The gods were the shepherds of humanity, and humans provided the gods with faith or offerings. Neither the livestock nor the humans had the right to refuse. It was cruel, yet it was the law of nature.
Schumel raised a slender, crystalline finger—a literal work of art—to his lips. “…Keep this confidential.”
Wang Yue nodded.
The only reason Lord Infinite had revealed the battle plan to her was that any operation would inevitably involve her and the Gaze Worm, as they served as information terminals. However, Wang Yue was not a high-ranking member of the Evernight faction, and her loyalty was questionable, which was why Lord Infinite appeared somewhat reluctant.
After a moment of thought, Wang Yue looked up and asked, “You mentioned you’re deploying the Hush-Names?”
“When dealing with power on the level of a god, the Hush-Names are our primary force,” Schumel said solemnly.
Wang Yue’s expression shifted. If it was as he said, the Lantern-Bearers were going all out, plus three or four Hush-Name Witches…
Although there were over a hundred and forty Lantern-Bearers, the vast majority had to remain stationed at the Lighthouses. They guarded the safety of various towns via the light-paths between the towers and could not leave their posts. The number of Lantern-Bearers who could move freely did not exceed forty. Putting all of them into the fray, along with the Hush-Names…
The Academy would be empty, and hostile forces would surely be lurking…
Suddenly realizing the implications, Wang Yue took a sharp breath. Her face stiffened and her gaze turned hollow. This did not feel good.
Following this, the high-ranking members of the Explorers’ Guild held a meeting with several Hush-Names from the Academic faction. When they left, they took three Induction Beacons with them.
In the Dean’s Office.
Wang Yue stood before Gwendolyn.
“Do you feel uneasy?” the Dean asked.
“Yes. Very.” Wang Yue didn’t hide it; she had come here specifically to find some semblance of security.
“You worry too much. Why don’t you just run?” the Dean asked, staring at her.
“Huh?” Wang Yue was stunned.
“In a shipwreck, the captain goes down with the ship. It’s understandable if the first or second mate dies at their post as well. But you’re just a passenger. Why aren’t you running? Are you planning to protect the school for me? Do you have the strength for that? If not, aren’t you just throwing your life away?”
Gwendolyn tapped her finger lightly on the desk, delivering a string of logic that was as strange as it was sensible.
Right, why don’t I just run?
Wang Yue’s mind raced. To be honest, if she weren’t so attached to the little witches, she would have slipped away long ago. As a Faithless, she could live quite well anywhere as long as there were gods in the world.
“I have many friends in this school. Besides, running at the first sign of danger…”
“Then take them with you when you run.”
“Huh?”
Wang Yue was baffled, wondering if her ears were playing tricks on her. Gwendolyn pulled a glass tube from her drawer and slid it across the desk.
“Take it. You’ll need it later.”
Wang Yue carefully picked up the glass tube, cradling it in her palm. Countless purple motes of light orbited inside the tube at specific trajectories and speeds, tracing the shape of a glowing sphere.
Without a doubt, this was an energy construct—but it wasn’t a set of Laws. It was a key.
The Quicksand Lowlands.
Wang Yue watched as the explorer teams evacuated in an orderly fashion. The Beret Girl waved goodbye to her, eyes downcast, unable to hide her disappointment at not knowing when they might meet again.
The expanded camp had become empty, though it had been left spotless. They had even taken their trash with them, demonstrating a high level of discipline. Seeing the tire tracks outside the camp being slowly smoothed over by the wind, Wang Yue felt increasingly restless.
If she were still alone like before, she could simply brush her sleeves and walk away. But now, she wasn’t just one person. She had to do something… if she did nothing, she would surely regret it.
She walked down the street to her rented house and pushed open the door. Hearing the sound, Helen ran out of the bedroom barefoot. Seeing it wasn’t Ed-Bear, she turned to leave immediately.
In the past, Wang Yue might have chatted idly, but now…
“Murder! Help!”
The little girl screamed at the top of her lungs as Wang Yue dragged her out of the room by the ear.
Wang Yue let go and said seriously, “It’s not safe here.”
Helen froze. The difference between a dim-witted brat and a clever one manifested instantly; she immediately shifted into a posture of focused listening.
“Good,” Wang Yue said, patting her head. She instructed, “I’m going to take you into a Demon Realm. You’ll stay inside and wait for news. Be good, be patient, and listen to the puppet lady named Fueuduo.”
“Okay!” Helen nodded in agreement.
Wang Yue took her hand and entered the Demon Realm. Helen’s eyes widened in shock at the spatial transition and the mysterious world within, but she remained obediently silent, following close behind. A clever girl knew that if the powerful “She-Devil” looked worried, a massive crisis was afoot.
Wang Yue organized the Demon Realm, bringing in certain materials from the lab, such as the Outer God cells and Pandora’s head. She kept only Helen, Hatsuyuki Karuta, and the large puppets led by Fueuduo inside; everyone else was evacuated.
Then, Wang Yue moved the Demon Realm out of the Academy and hid it nearby.
Although the Dean had hinted that she should flee if things went south, it didn’t mean she should run a thousand miles away before anything had even happened. To flee in terror without a single blow being struck would be social suicide.
Wang Yue still quite cherished the reputation she had worked so hard to build with the Explorers’ Guild and the Academic witches. One day, that “prestige” might just save her life.
