Chapter 97
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Chapter 97: Little Devil
Under the official statement, the lively spitting contest suddenly fell silent.
At this moment, in Tasmanian, the topic of the abyss has been sent far away. After a major denial program, denying the abyss has become mainstream. Governor Tasha secretly started the movement to "wash away imperial propaganda and restore historical truth." Like every major drama that stirs public opinion, people who have long feared the abyss seem to be going to another extreme, even starting to question whether the Heavenly Realm and the abyss really exist, and if demons are just a human deception.
Just then, the authorities said that there was indeed a hint of the abyss in the Angaso Forest.
The mocking, following the trend, and joking and scolding, which were going on vigorously, were like a bucket of cold water being poured on them. People who were still laughing and chatting looked at each other, unable to show full panic because the wind had changed too quickly.
Moreover, it was just a hint of the abyss.
No one was willing to be embarrassed all of a sudden. The magazines that mocked the "Abyss Researcher" the most immediately struggled and published revised statements. They analyzed the official statement consisting of only a few numbers, and their interpretation was quite reasonable: the official wording was, as always, precise. Since the report did not mention the discovery of abyssal visitors, abyssal relics, or abyssal ghosts, but just the hint of the abyss, it was unclear what caused it.
People with great abilities discovered the existence of the Aryan Empire’s "Abyssal Factor Detector." They presented a table of uncertain authenticity to prove that things with hints of the abyss do not necessarily mean the arrival of the abyss. For hundreds of years after the expulsion of the abyss, this instrument continued to work diligently, playing an important role in the persecution of other races in the Aryan Empire.
"The awakening of the Abyssal Descendant’s bloodline and some activities of wizards can also bring the hint of the abyss. According to a Mr. who once served in the Aryan Empire’s military, when Governor Natasha of Tasmanian activated the dungeon— the foundation of what is now the Free State of Tasmanian, the Abyssal Factor Detector also shone brightly. The shadow of the abyss has surfaced countless times over the past few hundred years, and the world remains peaceful, which is enough to show that our fear is completely blind and unnecessary." —"On the Diversity of Abyss Hints," Voice of Freedom Evening News, one of the important newspapers in Tasmanian, a significant competitor of Ribe Lake Weekly. This interpretation of the official statement, with its logical presentation and seemingly credible evidence, gained the support of many people, and the fear that had just arisen was somewhat suppressed. Like hearing a rebuttal, most people accepted this new interpretation, with only a few remaining skeptical and still quite nervous.
The next day, there was a turnaround. The publishing house "Abyss Watcher" released a publication titled "Abyss Hint = Abyss Factor? A Terrible Misunderstanding that Could Kill You," directly targeting the Voice of Freedom Evening News. This publication detailed the huge difference between abyss hints and Abyss Factor, warning readers that treating the discovery of abyss hints as detecting Abyss Factor was a terrible practice of confusing concepts, deceiving the public.
Unlike the well-known publication "Voice of Freedom Evening News" sponsored by the Walke Artist Association, the publishing house "Abyss Watcher" was unheard of before the recent event. It only gained recognition after publishing the "Don’t be Afraid of Abyss, Teach You How to Deal with Monsters – Known Monster Guide Complete". Despite being less famous than the former, this publishing house had connections with the Casters Association.
The author of the Monster Guide is a true wizard, the hundred-year-old Webster. Although his identity as a "Genuine Abyss Researcher wizard" is awaiting verification, his work at the Tasmarin Institute and clear mind at over a hundred years old have earned him respect from passersby. Half of this issue is still written by this old gentleman, and it also features an article by the renowned Druid theory expert, Mr. Colin. In the article, Mr. Colin explains the differences between Natural Aura and natural factors, delving deep into the similarities and differences between Abyss attributes and natural attributes. Mr. Colin, accustomed to writing popular science literature, presents his information logically, causing experts to see things clearly and many readers to listen to the authority.
The emerging Abyss Watcher cannot be compared to any mainstream newspapers in terms of readership. However, in terms of professionalism and targeting, it surpasses any established publications by far. The masses, who had just been reassured yesterday, find themselves confused once again, as one-sided public opinion is stirred up.
The situation then became even more complicated.
Some insiders have revealed that the source of information for the Voice of Freedom Evening News, the supposed "Mr. of the Aryan Empire military," is actually just a lower-ranking officer who doesn’t have enough evidence to support his claims. Does this indicate irresponsible reporting by the Voice of Freedom Evening News? Does it suggest that many past reports may have been distorted? What do the sponsors of the newspaper have to say about this?
Some have expressed doubts, suggesting that the author of "Whether the Abyss Has Returned," the "Abyss Researcher," could be Mr. Weber from Cretaceous College, listing out several pieces of evidence. If the two individuals claiming to be Abyss Researchers are the same person, can we infer from the lack of rigor in the past article that several current articles are also subjective fabrications? The hundred-year-old man is impressive, but he could also be confused.
Others have come forward accusing their relatives of being victims of Weber’s gruesome death over a decade ago, portraying Weber not as a noble scholar but as an evil, cruel black wizard who deserves punishment. A certain tabloid interviewed the relatives of the initial victim, writing about the thief’s unfortunate fate in a very emotional tone. The tabloid concludes the article by strongly urging readers to boycott such wicked characters and not to believe their reports.
The Walke Artist Association released a public statement, stating that all debates should be based on facts, not personal attacks. "Character and intelligence are not related. Judging academics based on character is unwise, and dragging disputes about theories and ideas into personal attacks is very despicable and foolish." The statement goes on to say, "The Walke Artist Association upholds the founder’s principles. I may disagree with your views, but I will defend to the death your right to speak."
As more people get involved, things tend to progress quickly, and even the initiators may not know where it’s headed.
This is not a bad thing.
Many newspapers and broadcasts take sides, various pieces of evidence emerge one after another, among which there are solid facts. The authorities will debunk some particularly absurd rumors, keeping this chaotic situation in check and not allowing it to veer off course. People all over Tasmania are debating, believing in different theories for various reasons, and trying to convince each other. When people are focused on arguing with each other, even the most fearful ones don’t act like scared rats before an earthquake.
After all, when times are good, as long as there is no concrete evidence of imminent disaster, most people will procrastinate before leaving their normal lives.
In this deadlock, the Tasmanian army was mobilized.
This was not a covert operation; on the contrary, it attracted a lot of attention. When news about the Abyss spread, some areas of the Angaso Forest were sealed off by the military. However, the authorities did not order adventurers to leave Deer Horn Town. Consequently, the troops surrounding the forest were constantly being observed by these self-proclaimed skilled and daring professionals. As the army mobilized, all the onlookers became agitated and excited. Before long, they saw a fleet of drones streaking across the sky.
"Look!" many people exclaimed at the same time.
The observing adventurers saw it, the people gathered in Deer Horn Town saw it, and the battlefield in the sky resembled a grand stage, openly displaying itself to all those with good vision. In front of everyone’s eyes, the drones chased a group of flying monsters out of the forest, causing these creatures to fly all over the place in panic, even making an appearance in front of the audience.
What kind of creatures were these? They had red skin, small horns on their heads, uglier than the ugliest children, emitting strange, laughing-like barks, and holding sharp steel forks. As the drones fell under attack, the soldiers furrowed their brows, and the onlookers gasped.
"They are Little Devils!" someone shouted, "I read about them in the Monster Guide!"
He wasn’t the only one who remembered, news of the abyss had been brewing for a month. If you couldn’t say a few words about it, you felt embarrassed to talk to others. The Little Devil was the most common cannon fodder for the Decaying Disaster, undoubtedly one of the calling cards of the abyss, like the first word in a vocabulary book that even the worst student could memorize. As the name of this creature was shouted out by everyone, exclamations filled the air.
The abyss has truly arrived.
It transformed from a distant concept into reality, hanging in the air, the second boot finally dropped, spreading unease through the crowd. Various widely circulated ways to deal with the situation that had been spreading in people’s minds over these days appeared as if it was the first practice after a long period of learning, but the effects seemed somewhat inadequate.
Fortunately, whether by coincidence or not, all widely circulated methods to deal with the Decaying Disaster attacks included items convenient for management and avoiding trampling, such as "huddle and cover your head," "stand still," "lie down and play dead."
Most onlookers were frozen stiff, unable to move, while a small group of adventurers acted recklessly, quickly subdued by the surrounding army. Before unease could fully spread and turn into fear, cheers erupted.
On this cloudless day, with a clear blue sky, anyone could see flocks of shadows flying in from the opposite direction of where the Little Devil was. Another kind of red tore through the sky, not far away, under the leadership of a giant dragon, the battle formation of dragon riders had arrived.
