Chapter 1360: Suffering

Not long after, a familiar figure in vermilion theatrical robes appeared in the underground palace.

"Finally back?" Jian Changsheng threw the candied hawthorn in his hand to the side. Just as he was about to throw away the poisonous insect sashimi as well, Sun Bumian spoke leisurely from the side:

"You can't throw those away; we still have to stir-fry them for dinner."

Jian Changsheng: ...

Chen Ling had indeed returned, but that didn't mean they didn't have to eat insects. The only difference was... they could eat something hot.

Chen Ling looked at the members of the 6-generation group and was slightly startled.

During the time he was away from the Abyss of Mockery, Jian Changsheng and Sun Bumian had both lost weight... Jian Changsheng was fine; he just ate less. But Sun Bumian was eating and purging, eating and purging. In just over three days, he had visibly lost a large circle.

Moreover, both of them had dark circles under their eyes, as if they hadn't rested well for a long time.

The only one who hadn't changed much was Jiang Xiaohua, who was currently sitting silently in a chair, staring blankly. His mental state didn't look as active as when he first arrived...

"Red Heart, where have you been these past two days?" Sun Bumian asked suspiciously. "Didn't you say you'd be back soon?"

"...There was an accident."

Chen Ling briefly told the three about the situation in the Embers of Civilization and mentioned the Angel of Extinction, Shen Qingzhu, but didn't go into depth about the background of him coming from another candlelight world.

After listening to Chen Ling’s account, the members of the 6-generation group were stunned for a long while before they came back to their senses.

"There used to be human civilization in the Gray Realm?"

"According to that, when the Red Star comes back, won't this world be finished??"

Whether it was the past of the Gray Realm, the origin of the Calamities, or the so-called meteor shower, everything overturned their cognition. If this were in the human domain, they would probably be arrested as criminals spreading panic rumors... But the members of the 6-generation group would never doubt Chen Ling. Since Chen Ling said so, it must be true.

"What is certain is that it will definitely come back." Chen Ling paused for a moment. "But what will happen when it comes back next time is unknown..."

"If the Red Star that comes back is the same one that pierced through the Gray Realm before, does that mean this Red Star will be weaker than the last one?" Sun Bumian suddenly asked.

"Why?" Jian Changsheng asked suspiciously.

"Think about it. When it pierced through the Gray Realm, it had already dropped so many fragments, giving birth to the World-Ending Calamities. It split again when it passed by Earth... So its size should be much smaller than before."

"Hiss... You have a point. So, does that mean we aren't completely without a chance when the Red Star returns this time?"

Jian Changsheng suddenly realized.

Sun Bumian recalled what his master had told him, hesitated for a long time, and finally fell into silence.

Chen Ling didn't respond either. He now stood from the perspective of a World-Ending Calamity; whether humans could survive this attack from the Red Star didn't matter. After all, as the Calamity of Mockery, even if Earth turned into a purgatory like the Gray Realm, he would still survive...

His own cheap life was truly as tenacious as a cockroach.

"No, why are you all not talking?" Jian Changsheng saw everyone silent, his expression somewhat unnatural.

Jian Changsheng didn't like the human domain, but that didn't mean he could accept the entire Earth being pierced through by the Red Star. Although this world was rotten, not everyone in it was rotten. If human civilization were truly extinguished, how long could they survive?

"It's useless to think so much." Sun Bumian glanced at him. "The Red Star is coming soon... With your rank, there's nothing you can do... When the sky falls, it depends on whether the tall ones can hold it up."

Jian Changsheng wanted to refute unconvinced, but he opened his mouth and couldn't find a rebuttal.

Sun Bumian was right. The time predicted by the Heavenly Pivot Monarch for the Red Star’s return was only a few months away. Even if he could advance to the Seventh or even Eighth Order like a rocket, it wouldn't be enough in front of the Red Star.

"Nothing happened while I was gone these past two days, right?" Chen Ling changed the subject.

"Of course not." Jian Changsheng replied. "Except for the sashimi being a bit... uh... too fresh, and then being a bit bored, nothing else."

"Mm, I’m going to rest for a while. I’ll cook dinner."

"Alright."

As Chen Ling went to his room to rest, Jian Changsheng and Sun Bumian looked at the poisonous insect sashimi on the table. After exchanging a glance, they both tacitly decided to save some room for hot food in the evening.

"Then I’ll go back and sleep for a while too." Jian Changsheng stood up and yawned.

Just as he was about to turn and leave, he stepped on the half-eaten candied hawthorn that had just fallen to the ground. Slipping on the smooth floor, Jian Changsheng lost his balance and stumbled forward.

And just at that moment, the restaurant door happened to open. A large scorpion carrying a freshly cut toad crawled in and was startled by Jian Changsheng, who was rushing over with a fierce look!

Before it could react, the tray on the scorpion’s tail hook fell and shattered into pieces. It tried to dodge in a hurry, but it was too late... Fortunately, Jian Changsheng now had extraordinary agility; he stabilized his center of gravity in time and stopped his movement abruptly on the scorpion’s body!

A tail hook exuding a chilling cold light was only a fraction of an inch away from piercing his forehead.

Jian Changsheng gasped.

"Are you okay?" Sun Bumian and Jiang Xiaohua ran over immediately.

Chen Ling, who had already walked out of the restaurant, heard the commotion and rushed over as well.

"...I’m fine, of course I’m fine." Jian Changsheng was stunned for a moment before he came to his senses and waved his hand. "Just slipped, that's all."

Jian Changsheng straightened the collar of his leather jacket dashingly and walked straight toward his room, looking like "a slightly dirty hem is not worth mentioning."

Seeing this, Sun Bumian’s expression shifted repeatedly, and finally, he sighed helplessly...

Chen Ling watched this scene from afar, his brow furrowing tighter and tighter.

……

*Rustle, rustle, rustle, rustle—*

"Rustle... rustle, rustle... This is Chen Yu, frontline reporter for the Xuanyu Domain!"

"Due to the tactical retreat of the defensive line, we have now begun to evacuate some residents of the Western District and are requisitioning some private residences and underground pipe networks to build a new round of defensive lines. If you and your family are within the requisition area, please do not panic. Someone will arrange for your evacuation immediately. Repeat, please do not panic; the frontline situation is still within a controllable range."

"At the same time, due to the high-frequency impact of the Calamity tide, some areas of the Xuanyu Domain have had their water supply cut off. Currently, our logistics personnel are rushing to repair it. Please do not panic, and do not take to the streets to scramble for bottled freshwater resources!"

"Currently, the Xuanyu Domain has requested support from the Lingxu Domain and the Nanhai Domain. Support troops from the two major domains are rushing over rapidly. This support force is larger and has stronger combat power. It is expected to arrive at the battlefield in the near future to stabilize the frontline situation once again..."