Chapter 440: An Open Conspiracy |
At noon on May tenth, the off-road vehicle provided by the Listening Wind Guild pulled into the clearing in front of the inn.
Si Qi had rested well at the inn and was in a remarkably pleasant mood. He was the first one downstairs, and he struck up a friendly conversation with the vehicle's owner. Within moments, the two strangers were chatting like old friends who had just been reunited.
The owner gripped Si Qi's hand, his voice filled with emotion. "You know, yesterday I offered to lend out my car on a whim and regretted it almost immediately. But now, I see I made the right choice. I'm glad to call you a friend."
Much like the Kyushu Guild, the Listening Wind Guild's influence in the real world was extensive and deeply entrenched. Though its organizational structure was looser than a fishing club or a weight-loss support group, its network of contacts spanned the globe.
The SUV had seen better days. Its owner was an extreme sports enthusiast who, just one day before the Final Instance began, had fearlessly embarked on a road trip into a nearby plateau the locals called the "Land of Death."
While the Final Instance was underway, the entire world had been thrown into turmoil by the players' gambits. Wars, disasters, and incursions of the weird erupted across the globe. Tens of millions of civilians perished, their bodies left unburied. The world had become a scarred landscape, a living inferno.
In stark contrast, the Shangri-La region remained uncannily peaceful. Aside from a few days of harsh weather and the occasional bizarre dream at night, nothing seemed out of the ordinary.
The owner was a carefree soul. He figured that since he had no family or friends to worry about and the world outside was in chaos, he wouldn't be going back anytime soon. So, he simply stuck to his original plan, drove on to Shangri-La Town, and arrived last night, checking into the hotel he had booked in advance.
Then, he received a mass message from the Listening Wind Guild's leadership, asking if anyone could get an SUV to Shangri-La Town by noon on May tenth for a pickup.
As Si Qi casually listened, he put the pieces together. The Listening Wind Guild clearly hadn't told the owner who he was or the real reason they needed a vehicle. The man's obliviousness didn't seem feigned, which meant the SUV was likely safe.
As for what dangers they might encounter on the road, that was beyond his control. And knowing Lin Jue, Si Qi was certain that the moment their vehicle left Shangri-La Town, the Weird Investigation Bureau would spare no effort in coming after him.
This was precisely why Si Qi had chosen to travel by car rather than by plane. Simply put, it offered a better chance of survival if things went wrong.
As their conversation wound down, Si Qi promised to take good care of the man's cherished vehicle. The owner waved his hand magnanimously. "Don't worry about it, my friend," he declared. "I like the cut of your jib. Consider the car a gift!"
Yu Jinsheng, Say Dream, and Jiang Junjue came downstairs just in time to hear the owner's heartfelt declaration. A shared sense of disillusionment washed over them.
Yu Jinsheng sighed to himself. He had known Qi Si for six years and understood him all too well. With his masterful grasp of human nature, Qi Si could make anyone in the world believe he was a trustworthy friend—just as he had done with Yu Jinsheng six years ago. But as a humanoid evil spawned by the Weird Game and unleashed upon reality, he was incapable of genuine sincerity.
After lunch, Jiang Junjue took the wheel while Si Qi, Say Dream, and Yu Jinsheng settled into the back seat. Si Qi had left Ciren Dunzhu behind at the inn to monitor the situation in Shangri-La Town. The car's owner, meanwhile, joined the main contingent of the Listening Wind Guild to evacuate by helicopter.
Si Qi dialed Lin Jue's number again. "Lin Jue," he said with a smile, "we're on our way. Something just occurred to me. When I told you I was returning to Jiang City, you seemed to find my decision perplexing. You thought staying in Shangri-La Town was the best option."
He tilted his head, like a child impatient for the end of a story. "So, I'm curious. Are you going to stay behind in Shangri-La Town and watch my progress in Jiang City from a distance?"
Lin Jue was standing among the Listening Wind Guild members. He ascended the boarding stairs and took a seat in the helicopter they had arranged. His expression was unreadable as he replied, "Yes. I'll be staying in Shangri-La Town for the time being. Neither of us has earned the right to become the Ancestral God. Until White Crow reveals herself, Shangri-La needs someone qualified to vie for godhood to maintain control."
The helicopter's destination was Jiang City. Once settled in his seat, Lin Jue opened a secure tablet and called up a message from the Weird Investigation Bureau's Jiang City branch.
[Mu Dongxu (Acting Director, Jiang City Branch): At midnight on May ninth, a bronze sword materialized out of thin air in the B5 containment chamber. Surveillance captured nothing. Preliminary analysis confirms it's a Weird Game item, level: above divine...]
[Mu Dongxu (Acting Director, Jiang City Branch): The situation stabilized after the Final Instance concluded, but there aren't many survivors left in Jiang City... Just moments ago, the rose-shaped anomalies launched another counteroffensive. We lost the last two investigators from Sections One and Two...]
Lin Jue's reply to both messages was simple: [I'll return as soon as possible. ETA before May twelfth.] He opened the first message's attachment, which contained a detailed analysis report and several clear photographs. The images showed an archaic bronze longsword unnervingly weeping blood. He closed his eyes for a moment, sifting through the vast archives of his memory. A moment later, he found a connection.
A month ago, the Balance Church had conducted an operation in the Gulan Autonomous Region. White Crow herself was present, negotiating with a long-standing local resistance group known as Truth Red. A grainy photo, uploaded by a field journalist, showed White Crow leaving the scene, cradling that very same bronze sword.
"I've just realized I can still control some of the anomalies," Si Qi's voice cut through Lin Jue's thoughts.
The young man's voice was light, tinged with a smile, as if he were merely making small talk. "The Colosseum that floats over random cities, the Insomnia plague that tormented North America for so long, and of course, the roses that consumed Jiang City... I'm sure you remember them well. The moment I die, my control over those anomalies will vanish. They'll erupt, I imagine, and the death toll will be staggering."
He paused, his smile widening so much it seemed to leave him breathless. "I know you've never cared about the deaths of a 'few.' In your mind, killing me is a clean solution, a net positive for the greater good. But I believe that coldly rational people like you are the true minority. Most people don't want to see calculated sacrifices. They can't bring themselves to discard the people they care about with such a clear conscience."
He didn't need to say more. Lin Jue already understood his plan. His finger swiped across the tablet's screen, opening the Weird Game forums.
The Weird Investigation Bureau had been stretched to its breaking point by the recent incursions, and moderation of the game forums had become lax. As a result, the boards were flooded with chaos.
Some posted their fears for the future, issuing alarmist proclamations of the apocalypse. Others shared baseless analyses of the invisible war being waged between the Kyushu Guild, the Sila Guild, the Balance Church, and the Unnamed Guild—their conclusions, of course, bearing little resemblance to reality. Still others were hawking so-called life-saving secrets at exorbitant prices, claiming to have inside information on the Final Instance. It was a carnival of madness.
But most were simply drowning in the terror of teetering on the brink of death. They cried out for help to no one in particular, venting a torrent of negativity, praying to any god who might listen as they waited to die.
#Everyone in my neighborhood is dead except me...#
#Can anyone come save me in Gouji Alley, Magic City?#
#Lord Fu will win, right? He'll resurrect everyone, won't he?#
Then, at noon on May tenth, a newly registered account with no post history shot to prominence. The avatar was a field of pure scarlet, the username was "Si Qi," and its very first post hit the top of the daily rankings in under thirty minutes.
#I am Si Qi, Vice President of the Unnamed Guild and holder of the[Scarlet High Priest]and[Foolish Trickster]cards#
[For the past three days, you have endured an endless stream of disasters, both natural and man-made. You have lived with death as your constant companion. I will admit, some of this was my doing. To vie for the right to become a god, I sacrificed countless lives.
[And now, though the Weird Game is over, the contest for godhood is not. Simply put, the killing will continue. I control several anomalies capable of mass destruction, some of which you may have heard of. I have no immediate plans to unleash them, but unfortunately for you, Fu Jue of the Kyushu Guild is determined to hunt me down.
[These anomalies are currently suppressed under my power and remain stable. However, the moment I die, they will spiral out of control and indiscriminately kill any human they encounter. Preliminary estimates place the death toll in the hundreds of millions.
[I assume you don't wish to see that future come to pass. Do you?]
Lin Jue had used a similar tactic when he seized control of the Weird Investigation Bureau. It was, without a doubt, an overt and unsolvable plot.
Every person who clung to life, every person who feared death, would now turn against Lin Jue to protect themselves and their loved ones.
Then, in a reply to his own thread, Si Qi added:
[Of course, you can choose to believe in me. Recite my divine name:]
[The Scarlet Lord, who walks alone through infinite time and space.]
[The Soul Master, who wields the authority of contracts and transactions.]
[The sole existence who travels between reality and illusion.]
[Perhaps then, some of you might earn a place in the new world that follows the apocalypse. Who knows?]