Chapter 84
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Chapter 84: Title
Abyssal creatures manifested across Blue Star. The powerful nations fared relatively better, capable of responding to crises instantaneously to eliminate threats in their embryonic stages, employing swift measures to curb the abyssal corruption spreading through their territories.
Yet only five nations truly qualified as "great powers" on Blue Star. The remainder consisted of mediocre states barely maintaining stability during peaceful eras, or impoverished small countries still embroiled in warfare and destitution.
Though extraordinary individuals proliferated worldwide wherever human civilization existed, not all wielders of such power proved selflessly devoted to national interests. While conventional weapons could physically harm these entities, only awakened humans possessed the capacity for true purification of the abyssal taint.
Even major powers struggled with insufficient numbers of extraordinary individuals – let alone the resource-starved smaller nations.
The initial six-hour phase of the abyssal invasion concluded with major powers implementing city-wide sweeps and establishing checkpoints guarded by patrolling guards at every urban perimeter.
—This stringent containment became necessary after the tremendous effort expended to purge cities of the abyssal infestation.
"What’s the overseas situation? Still catastrophic?" Lin Jing inquired of Liang An, aware that Information Section 2 held the most reliable intelligence.
"Good news or bad news first?" The latter lounged on the office sofa, casually pouring himself water. With the abyssal invasion’s first wave having subsided fifteen minutes prior, both men finally caught their breath – though Liang An’s attempt to escape paperwork in Lin Jing’s office now faced interrogation.
"Good news."
"Reality proves less dire than your projections. Through coordination with foreign special departments and analysis of all available Blue Star satellite imagery, we’ve confirmed most spatial fissures cluster in eastern and western hemispheres."
Liang An sipped his water before continuing. "Though other nations experienced fissure formations, the emerging abyssal creatures number far below initial estimates."
"Why?" Lin Jing rotated a pen between his fingers.
"Preliminary analysis correlates fissure formation with three factors: Awakening of Spiritual Energy intensity, population density, and environmental conditions for flora and fauna. Essentially, regions teeming with life attract more abyssal manifestations."
"But spiritual energy concentration remains the dominant variable." Liang An’s eyes gleamed with scholarly fervor. Since joining the Special Bureau and compiling Awakening of Spiritual Energy research, his obsession with constructing a comprehensive database had only intensified.
The analyst had filed countless proposals for nationwide observation stations – essential infrastructure for meaningful data analysis. "Numbers don’t lie, and without sufficient data, we’re operating blind," he often argued.
His original vision encompassed global monitoring sites, theorizing that Eastern spiritual energy awakening and Western magic tide represented two facets of the same phenomenon. "Complete data requires worldwide coverage," he’d insist during budget meetings.
Practical constraints proved relentless. Beyond political tensions with certain nations, the astronomical costs of global deployment made sole Zhongxian funding impossible. Though global observation remained his ultimate goal, Liang An currently focused on implementing the "Net of Laws" under Zhongxia’s first triennial strategic plan.
This new system would evolve from the existing Sky Net – the decades-old surveillance network combining camera arrays and citizen databases that now proved inadequate against reality-warping extraordinary individuals.
Liang An’s proposal envisioned replacing technological surveillance with formations-based architecture. The Net of Laws would weave spiritual energy detection matrices across Zhongxia’s vast expanse, creating an esoteric monitoring web capable of instantaneously pinpointing supernatural activities.
In its final iteration, this network would integrate with the passive Jiuzhou barrier – the ancient dimensional shield protecting the land of Jiuzhou from external threats. Through this synthesis, the traditionally defensive barrier would gain proactive enforcement capabilities.
"Think of it as upgrading our celestial tortoise shell with claws," Liang An often quipped during briefings. "The Jiuzhou barrier keeps out interdimensional intruders, but soon it’ll also deal with domestic troublemakers."
The defensive measures were remarkably robust; otherwise, they couldn’t have maintained the containment against the abyssal creatures’ fissures for three full hours. Ultimately, their energy reserves depleted, forcing closure that granted the abyssal entities their opportunistic breach.
"And the bad news?" Lin Jing prompted, observing Liang An’s contemplative silence.
"The dire update remains – even with fewer fissures than projected, nations likely lack capacity to swiftly address domestic anomalies. Ninety percent probability they’ll beg for international aid while neglecting internal containment." Liang An sighed heavily, emerging from his reverie.
These were abyssal beings. Senior Ji Lang’s warnings echoed – their corruptive spread could surpass pandemic devastation. Epidemics merely killed hosts, but abyss-tainted victims transformed into slaughter automatons.
Pleading for external assistance… Which nation retained spare capacity now? Lin Jing’s silence stretched, contemplating the global carnage – even distant America lay ravaged.
"What of their worshipped deities? Any divine manifestations?" Lin Jing’s inquiry carried methodical curiosity. Their own operations having just concluded, consolidated intelligence remained pending – interrogating the walking database proved efficient.
As Chief of Information Section 2, Liang An’s cultivation-enhanced memory made him a living archive. "None," came his clipped response.
He mentally sifted through classified briefs initially deemed unnecessary to share. Yet Lin Jing’s probing warranted full disclosure.
"Your analytical report cited potential deity manifestations. Regrettably, this crisis shows zero verified godly appearances worldwide."
"Domestically, we only witnessed the Shaolin Temple incident – that fleeting appearance."
The second occurrence involved Fusang’s Ghostly Emperor, their Analysis Department still struggling to pin down its mythological identity despite exhaustive candidate reviews.
"Vatican City’s highest confirmation remains Archangel Michael. New intel notes France’s Son Hill successfully invoking Raphael’s descent."
"Russia’s cobbled-together mythology forced cooperation with dark council sorcerers under abyssal pressure…"
"America’s emerging extraordinary individuals – likely super soldier program graduates – remain intelligence ghosts…"
"Western abyssal purifications predominantly involve church priests wielding faith-bound divine spells post-deity emergences. Non-believers can’t replicate…"
"No additional Western developments currently."
"Egypt deployed Osiris’ priests against incursions. Unverified claims suggest God of Death manifestations…"
"India’s military-extraordinary counteroffensive faltered amidst chaos. Numerous abyssal entities disappeared post-landing – cause unknown…"
"African disarray persists. Most states remain fragmented; organized resistance crumbles swiftly. Jungle anomalies detected – investigation pending…"
"Fusang retains Blue Star’s highest deity manifestation frequency, yet this crisis saw only shamans, priestesses, and Onmyoji combating abyssals."
"The oceanic monstrosity matched Yamata no Orochi’s profile. Battlefield reports cite intervention by Fusang’s legendary Onmyoji – Abe no Seimei himself."
Fusang’s proximity to Zhongxia bred mythological parallels. Pre-crisis, Analysis Department theorized Yamata no Orochi might relate to Zhongxia’s nine-headed Xiang Liu – supposedly slain villain of myth, though some legends claim escape… Unsubstantiated speculation.
"What of spirit cultivators’ live stream debacle?" Lin Jing’s lips twitched with suppressed amusement.
Initial assumptions of desertion proved misguided – their dramatic exit backfired spectacularly, exposing human cultivators’ prejudicial miscalculations.
"Live streams terminated post-negotiation. Their rhetoric aligns with Dragon Lord’s perspective – doubting human cultivators’ capacity to safeguard Jiuzhou."
"So… genuine volunteerism?"
"Appears so. Their razor-tongued arrogance masks assistance – typical spirit cultivator theatrics." Liang An’s shoulders relaxed marginally.
"Urban abyssal containment succeeded through their efforts," Lin Jing acknowledged.
Preparations notwithstanding, without cross-city spirit cultivator interventions, completing Tier One purge operations within hours would’ve proved impossible.
Eastern Sea City’s collaboration marked the beginning. Recognizing spirit cultivators’ paradoxical nature amidst crisis enabled this uneasy alliance.
"New stratagems brewing?" Liang An’s eyebrow arched.
"Indeed." Lin Jing’s gaze turned contemplative. "The live stream incident inspires reconsideration – perhaps human and spirit cultivator boundaries shouldn’t be so rigidly…"
