Chapter 504: Chapter 505: Echoes of the Apocalypse Chapter 504: Chapter 505: Echoes of the Apocalypse Light Breeze Harbor, one of the City-States closest to the Civilization Frontier, has been an important stronghold for the Academy of Truth and the Explorers’ Association since the day it was founded.
A thousand years ago, a fleet led by Elf scholars drifted into the frontier due to a storm and discovered this large island that wasn’t docunted in any existing records.
According to these records, this fleet was chased by the storm for seven whole days. On the exhausted morning of the eighth day, land suddenly appeared in the sunlight between the storm’s gaps. The explorers were ecstatic, mustering their last bit of strength to steer their ships toward the shore. As they approached this unfamiliar island, the storm’s intensity suddenly weakened. By the ti the fleet mbers could see the lush vegetation on the island, the storm had completely dissipated, leaving only a light breeze in the surrounding waters—thus, the explorers nad this large island “Light Breeze”, which later beca the na of the new colony.
Many City-States were discovered by explorers wandering the seas, and these discovery processes are often accompanied by more or less thrilling or legendary stories. The truth of such legends is hard to discern, but the discovery and establishnt of Light Breeze Harbor are always considered “detailed and reliable” for a simple reason—because this City-State was established by Elves.
The explorer captain who initially discovered the island is now the Governor of this City-State—also serving as the president of the Explorers’ Association.
Sala l stood on the terrace of the official residence, gazing at the streets bathed in “sunlight” far away, looking at this City-State that he and his colleagues had gradually established and which had flourished to this day. Steam patrol walkers were parading down the streets, and the clear ringing of bicycle bells resounded; citizens were preparing to start their day’s work. Nearby, on the “high tower”, the Elf-styled do was slowly opening, driven by chanical devices. Heavy filters and lenses rose from the top of the tower, slowly adjusting their angles to track the rising sun.
The Elf Governor slightly squinted his eyes, wrinkles piling up at the corners.
Even for the long-lived elves, Sala l was no longer young; wrinkles had gradually begun to appear on his forehead since three hundred years ago. The characteristically golden hair of the elves was now frosted white. He had transford from a lively explorer captain into a somber, yet frail old man, but one aspect remained unchanged—he was still curious about the world.
“Your father was a respected explorer in his day, described as ‘extraordinary’ even by the Elves’ stringent standards. Such an explorer issuing a warning to the civilized world is, of course, serious, but I hope you understand—our concerns are also natural,” Sala l turned and said to the black-haired lady sitting gracefully at the terrace’s tea table.
“I understand, of course. However, my only task is to relay the ssage. How you handle it is up to you,” Lucracia replied indifferently. “My father also anticipated your possible reactions; his attitude is the sa—issue a warning, disregard the rest.”
“…From the Explorers’ Association side, I will intervene. No matter what, the ssage from Captain Duncan itself is important information that should alert the captains on their routes,” the Governor Sala said, then furrowed his brows, “But I do wonder… can a spherical subrsible truly dive deep into the ocean and witness our world’s ‘Primordial Blueprint’?”
“The risk is high, but the Frostfolk truly succeeded,” Lucracia nodded. “Of course, the pioneers half a century ago paid a hefty price—mortal minds are ultimately too frail to completely avoid the influences of the ‘truths’ from the deep-sea, and my father… is sowhat special, I do not recomnd you emulate him.”
“…If I were younger by seven or eight hundred years, I might have already started planning my own diving expedition right now,” Sala said, falling silent for a few seconds before shaking his head regretfully, “If I could witness those scenes firsthand, perhaps I could more confidently persuade others in the Association.”
A smile appeared on Lucracia’s face: “It’s alright, more warnings will be sent out soon—my father has already arranged to alert the Four Gods Church and various City-States, which should sufficiently signify the seriousness of the matter.”
Sala l nodded then hesitated, but eventually, he could not hold back, “I am still curious… Ms. Lucracia, has your father truly completely restored his humanity? I have lived for over two thousand years and never heard of anyone who could return from Subspace, let alone regain their humanity… How did he do it?”
“Who knows?” Lucracia shook her head. “If you are truly curious, you can ask him directly when the ti cos—he will be here in person soon.”
The calm and composed expression on Sala l’s face visibly twitched.
“Ms., you don’t need to emphasize that news again…” the Elf Governor said in an odd tone, “It’s not good for the heart—please be kinder to the elderly.”
Lucracia laughed, looking quite pleased—she seed to experience the satisfaction of Tyrion, then contentedly stood up and waved goodbye to Governor Sala.
In the next second, the figure of the “Sea Witch” suddenly transford into colorful, scattered papers twirling into the air by a gust of wind, vanishing from the terrace.
“This ‘witch’ really does co and go as she pleases…” Sala l muttered sotto voce, turning to head back inside—now, he had to consider contacting other City-State’s Explorers’ Associations and how to convey that dreadful “warning.”
However, just as he was turning around, the Governor of the City-State suddenly stopped.
As if a terrifying wind had abruptly blown across the edge of his consciousness, a sensation of indescribable horror and despair surged in his heart. Sala l felt as if this “emotion” was directly injecting into his brain, instantly seizing his mind, chilling his blood, and tensing his muscles!
He struggled to lift his head, looking in a direction that seed to be deeply etched into his mind, a direction that pulled him strongly. He looked toward the center of the City-State, toward those towering buildings—
However, he didn’t see the familiar City-State, nor any other familiar scenery.
Only a piercing blaze of fire and a giant tree so imnse that it defied description, its boundaries indiscernible, burning fiercely at the edge of his vision like a massive mountain range!
The giant tree resembled the World Tree “Silantis” from the ancient elvish legends, yet it was far more magnificent and awe-inspiring than anything poets and scholars had ever imagined. It seed to cover entire mountains and plains, sheltering a kingdom within its shade. It dwarfed any City-State or island Sala l had ever seen; the land beneath the tree was so vast it was beyond his imagination—
Yet all of this was engulfed in flas like those of the apocalypse.
Crimson flas devoured everything, reducing the giant tree and the surrounding forest to ashes, while flashes like bursts of released energy constantly shot from the edges of the flas, igniting the air and rending the sky.
Struggling to follow those strange, massive flashes, Sala l finally lifted his gaze.
He had found the source of the devouring flas.
It was the sky—the entire sky glowed with a horrific, scorching light, swelling and shining like a Steam Core Reactor about to uncontrollably lt through. Amidst the expanding glow, a sinister hue of dark red began to seep through.
Then, that dark red color quickly spread, consuming the fiery glow of the sky, casting the whole world into a terrifying, dark-red dusk. The fiery sky faded, but everything on the ground had already been burned to ash. The forests turned into scorched earth, and amidst the remaining embers, the giant tree, like a miraculous phenonon, collapsed with a thunderous roar.
The dark red sky grew dimr, giving off black stripes bit by bit. Ti seed to have passed for an eternity, yet it might have only been a mont. Sala l saw that night had fallen, the obscure night sky mixed with dark red covering the burnt world. In this brief “peace,” he thought he heard soone whispering in his ear.
They were unfamiliar voices—
“…I still rember them, rember their faces…”
“mory can be useful… We have a plan…”
“A Shelter, or a dying cage—there’s little room for optimism.”
“But at least there’s still a future…”
Sala l glanced around in alarm, trying to locate the source of the voice, only to see the world consud by fire, everything obliterated. Then, the ominous dark red sky began to crack apart, and chaotic light and shadows “poured” from the cracks in the sky. Ash and debris on the ground were quickly assimilated and disintegrated by this light and shadow, and everything rapidly vanished. An intense, unknown thought thundered in his mind, as if hundreds of millions of thoughts were sounding at once, resonating:
The Apocalypse of Rupture.
Sala l’s body swayed slightly.
Sothing seed to be receding like the tide, the intense emotions and horrific impressions lingering in his mind lted away like snowflakes in the sun. A second ago, he felt as if he had seen sothing, even vividly rembered sothing; the next second, however, he felt as if he had simply spaced out for a mont.
Those things had disappeared, like dreams dissipating in the morning.
Sala l stood there, unconsciously furrowing his brow, looking back in the direction where the “Sea Witch” had vanished.
“This ‘witch’ certainly cos and goes as she pleases…”
Sala l couldn’t help but mutter to himself before turning to go back into his room.
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