Outside the former Kroshtyn Central Dispatch Station, countless people were sneezing in the camp.
In a tent, huddled on the ground wrapped in a quilt, Wager sat holding a cup of warm water, listening to the noise around him. Yang Buchen’s busy figure passed by the doorway.
Wager curled his lips and sighed softly, “Well, that works too. Where on earth did this guy just pop out from? “
……
The Demon Train blinked its eyes as it halted beside the hollowed-out ruins of the Kroshtyn Central Dispatch Station, guarded by a squad of soldiers from various nations.
These powerful soldiers were escorts assigned from the trains of multiple countries.
At this moment, they spontaneously stood by the side of the train that had saved countless lives, one whose achievements rivaled those of a great hero, to prevent anyone who might be short-sighted from trying to attack it. Their solemn postures also served to highlight the train’s meritorious deeds, giving support to this demonic being that lies outside the cognition of ordinary people.
“So that’s the pet of the Fogfolk, ” some passersby whispered in a language Little Machao couldn’t understand.
After being busy all morning, Yang Zicang, exhausted from a sleepless night, walked over and sat down beside the front of Little Machao’s engine. He accepted the gratitude of a crowd of City of Croston officials and gentry who were crying their eyes out, as well as the flashes of countless cameras from reporters.
“Excuse me, Mr. Hero, was this rescue act of yours premeditated? “
“Premeditated my ass! ” Instantly, the speaker was pinned to the ground by nearby disaster victims and given a thorough beating, a sight that made even the Demon Train close its eyes tightly.
A person who had arrived with the train, standing behind it, looked on in astonishment at the whole scene. Even now, he still hadn’t figured out where he had ended up. Was this a hidden city unknown to ordinary people, in the Zone of Frequency Loss? And who exactly was the one capable of summoning the Demon Train?
Another reporter, clutching a pen and paper, squeezed his way up to the human wall spontaneously formed by several railway personnel.
“Mr. Hero of White Violet City, why are you here? Uh, I know you planned to take the train to leave Havenlock, right? “
“Mr. Yang, what is your view on the disaster that has befallen Havenlock? “
Yang Zicang said, “I’ve been busy until now and still don’t know what’s happening over there. “
“Ah, I’m sorry, Hero. “
“Sir, as you said three days ago, will you release the information about the Steinhoff Blood Shell? “
When asked that question, Yang Zicang pondered for a moment, then replied, “The global landscape has changed dramatically, and I can prove that the accusations against me from Maxim of the Black Adminzke were a misunderstanding. So whether this information will ultimately be released depends on how the Black Adminzke authorities treat me. “
His words immediately delighted the questioning reporter—he had struck upon a huge scoop!
“Mr. Buchen, is this a gesture of goodwill towards the Black Adminzke? ” another reporter quickly asked, correcting the grip on their pen nervously.
“Drag him out, this troublemaker. ” From among the refugees watching from behind, a group of people dragged the man away, and the tilting pencil in his hand fell to the grass in an arc.
“Can’t even let someone ask a question? Are you trying to embarrass the Black Adminzke authorities? “
“What kind of low-rent reporter are you, working for some no-name rag? “
Just then, the ground rumbled again. The crowd standing there rocked violently left and right before barely steadying themselves. In the distance, at the base of a mountain range, a collapse like a pattern emerged from the earth’s veins, followed by surging waves of the ocean rushing out amidst crashing echoes.
A pulsing river of blue flowed across the land.
A majestic and comforting voice miraculously sounded in the hearts of everyone nearby.
{The world changed because of this. A new time began to unfold from this moment. }
{The Holy Ring Council has invested 123 years of chronology in the following nations: the entire Kingdom of Heivenzike, the entire Republic of Waldestadt, the southwestern and southern regions of the Grand Duchy of Herzenholczburg, the northern part of Fairheim… and other regions listed above. }
{Henceforth, the descendants of all people in the aforementioned regions will be eligible to immigrate to the next era. }
The voice faded like holy music, and the drifting clouds in the sky slowly dispersed.
After a long pause, the people on the ground erupted in thunderous cheers. Everyone who had ever heard the prophecies of the apocalypse now fully believed in the imminent catastrophe.
But they also believed that someone had been silently striving to rewrite the future disaster.
｛The Holy Ring Council declares that the Free Vanguard Legion and the Root Plan Committee have successfully nurtured the complete “Iridescent Brilliance. “｝
Yang Zicang was stunned when he heard a voice echoing in his heart.
｛I have obtained the mapping authority of one “Iridescent Brilliance. “｝
｛I can map any “Group Radiance Flash ” from this continent to the “Iridescent Brilliance. “｝
｛I have obtained a life catalog of the ” Iridescent Glory . “｝
“Did you hear that! Did you hear that! ” reporters cheered in the square.
The crowd, once immersed in grief, now erupted into fervor. Not a single one of them had perished; they had only lost their wealth. Yet now they understood why the central dispatch station had collapsed and why the seawater had flowed backward. It was all man-made!
Someone had done this to save the future of the world.
……
Zorro, still in his disguise, walked with a slight limp, leading another person to the edge of the large lawn littered with collapsed houses. Through the crowd, he caught sight of the train in the distance.
“Heh, that right there is my friend’s accompanying nightmare. “
With these words, a deep gloom settled over Zorro’s face.
Dereiano, dressed as a lumberjack, patted him on the shoulder. “We’ll help get to the bottom of this. First, let’s find a chance to meet our new friend. “
Yang Zicang, trapped in the middle of the crowd, felt a headache coming on as relentless greetings and inquiries buzzed around him. Everyone wanted to know whether he, the hero of Mistborne, had a hand in this incident.
“Make way, please make way. We are diplomats from Havenkon Consultancy. “
“Diplomats from Havenkon Consultancy! ” The surrounding crowd instinctively stepped aside.
These individuals, who were part of the opposing forces just yesterday, now, even without an official announcement, were seen as having their enmity dissolve.
“Mr. Yang, would it be possible to find a place for a private discussion? ” Zorro asked, blinking, his voice unmistakably his own.
Yang Zicang immediately lifted his head. “I’m afraid there’s nowhere suitable to stand here. Let’s talk on the train. “
-｛Distributor Loki Tata Mingqi expressed his “concern ” with utmost severity.｝
Closing the car door, inside the dim demon train, Zorro excitedly hugged Yang Zicang. “I never thought you’d show up at such a crucial moment. “
“I was just passing by, ” Yang Zicang said, turning to look at the man in his forties beside him, who was sizing up the demon train. He reached out with a firm, strong hand to shake Yang Zicang’s. “We owe you this time – your timely intervention filled in the final gap of our plan. “
“The final gap… ” Yang Zicang asked in confusion, “But won’t the collapse of the sea in various areas cause massive casualties? “
“We’ve already planned out the path for the seawater to flow. Now, with the parliament’s announcement, I believe the countries around Helenwark Vic will be willing to take in refugees in exchange for the route map. If handled properly, I’m confident we can avoid large-scale casualties. “
“Besides, don’t underestimate how much our townsfolk are hungry to share in this shining glory, ” Zorro said, smiling wearily.
-｛Distributor Tata Mingqi wants to set off.｝
The carriage, left in disarray after last night’s rushing about, was a mess. But Yang Zicang still found a bottle of wine in its usual spot. Wanting to share the taste of home, he tried offering some to the other two.
“I’ll pass. I’ve still got things to do, ” Zorro refused, his mind apparently elsewhere.
This wasn’t like him at all. Yang Zicang couldn’t help putting down the bottle. “What’s wrong? “
“We found many corpses of companion nightmare demons down in the tunnels. ” The moment heavyhearted Zorro opened his mouth, Yang Zicang immediately became alert. “I haven’t been able to get in touch with Little Red Horse for several days now. “
“How could this happen? Didn’t you say it was in a very happy amusement park? “
“That’s true, ” Dereiano said. “But last night, after we confirmed this secret, we mobilized all our connections to conduct an urgent investigation. Now, we think that so-called paradise might no longer exist. “
Hearing this unexpected news, Yang Zicang’s newly grown eyebrows shot up in surprise.
“What exactly happened? “
Zorro grabbed the handle of the dining cart next to Yang Zicang forcefully and said, enunciating each word:
“Perhaps there is another plan to deal with the end-times crisis. “
-｛Distributor Tatra Mingchi says “Depart. “｝
-｛Distributor April Oude seems concerned about my current life experience.｝
This news immediately dampened the cheerfulness that had been in Yang Zicang’s heart all morning. Without thinking too much, he knew roughly what might have happened.
“Based on the latest intel we obtained before finding you. Some nations’ elites seem to be building something called ‘Shadowvine Fortress.’ Actually, we received reports of this a long time ago, it’s just… we didn’t know they would actually use… materials like this. “
Thinking of that innocent little guy who often brought them boxed lunches by the Go table, Yang Zicang couldn’t help feeling a pang of sorrow.
“The mind force fields for training them—did some people create those from scratch themselves? “
“The intel we received suggested parliamentary involvement, but now I’m not sure. This news probably isn’t known to many in the Red Model yet, since quite a few have already set sail for the sea. Just crossing the ocean to the next continent alone will take several months. “
“So aside from continuing to support the implementation of the Seawater Backflow Plan, we also need to find a way to uncover who’s behind the ‘Shadow Vine Fortress Project.’ “
“I’ll help too. ” Yang Zicang immediately said.
-｛Distributor February. Di’an, with a wealth of experience, indicated that I am gestating the prelude to a brand new glory.｝
-｛Distributor Di’an wanted to pre-order the prelude to glory that I am gestating.｝
-｛Di’an raised the price for the prelude to glory I am gestating to 200%.｝
“No. ” Zorro shook his head with a somber, pained expression. “You can’t do this. There’s something else that needs you more right now. Your reputation is riding high in Havenport and Waldestadt, including the Grand Duchy. If you stay and take charge in Havenport, the people will feel more at ease. “
“Besides, you can easily gain access to many opportunities to participate in various events here, earning you quite a bit of Radiance. “
Dereiano caught his breath and continued to console him:
“Dear friend, although this is our first meeting, we’ve long been working side by side. With you, someone in the public eye, at the heart of our plan, joining forces with our agent, Mr. Ross, to tackle the difficulties here, we can also leave with peace of mind. “
-｛Distributor Di’an radiating a strong sense of regret.｝
“You’re leaving? “
“The matters here are mostly taken care of. There’s no need for us to arrange the rest—more of our hometown folks will step up to handle it. You know that.“
-｛Distributor May·Valkyrie gazes into my present life experience.｝
-｛Distributor Valkyrie anticipates the completed Heroic Flash she must trade with me.｝
While a few people were talking in the compartment, some old-fashioned gentlemen in suits and leather shoes walked in from outside. Among them, standing in the middle, was a man with a distinct military bearing.
These several men waited by the door of the compartment, speaking in hushed tones. Catching sight of them, Yang Zicang leaned close to the window for a look, then slid the door open. Immediately, they spoke up, “Hello, Mr. Buchen. We’d like to trouble you for a word, if you’re available?“
_”What can I do for you, gentlemen?
The men exchanged glances, then the group’s center, a gentleman in his fifties leaning on a walking cane and wearing a black velvet felt hat, was chosen to step forward. “Here’s the thing, Hero of the Mist Townsfolk.“
“I am a senior researcher in Materials Science from the Kearsdale Royal Academy, hailing from the Northern Border. We are all delegates from the academy. We’d like to request Mr. Buchen to see if you might lend your voice on our behalf for upcoming deliberation gatherings regarding our research.“
Hearing this, Dereiano glanced over at Zorro standing beside him.
Yang Zicang pondered for a moment and then let his gaze linger on that slightly dank and sinister railway vehicle. If these ordinary people came aboard, within less than ten minutes they would already be coughing and sneezing.
“Let’s take this conversation elsewhere.“
A group arrived at a large tent crowded with stacks of books. Two bespectacled scholars inside immediately rose and made space upon recognizing the hero who had saved thousands the previous night.
Several men spontaneously held back the onlookers a few meters from the tent entrance. Sitting in a corner with a troubled mind, Yang Zicang cut to the chase:
“What exactly did you mean by ‘ceremonial assembly’ earlier? “
The group deliberated for a moment, and then the elder with a bookish air beside the soldier-like man spoke up: “Let me explain. ” He stepped forward, met Yang Zicang’s gaze squarely, and said in a steady, unhurried tone:
“According to my family’s records, in the final years of the Crimson Glow Era of the Next Era Land, over four centuries ago, someone also successfully defied catastrophe and extended the duraofaofaofaofaofaofaofaofaofaofaofaofaofa of that era. “
“And then what? ” someone in the crowd interjected.
“And then came the Secret Box of Science—what we call the Scientific Vein. “
The elderly man’s gentle gaze swept over the survivors gathered around him in the tent—all refugees fleeing together.
“Much of humanity’s technology was lost during the Nightmare of the last era. Only a cherished relic survived beyond that cataclysm. The Nightmare of the next era may spawn anew in the very things we still use today. “
“So… ” Apart from the few in the know, a chill crept down the spines of the seven or eight others in the tent. “So the next era will be even more… backward? “
“Therefore, we need to begin preparations—selecting guardians and sealing our current precious scientific knowledge into the Secret Box. “
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