Chapter 1269 Will-o'-the-wisp

The idol showdown concluded with a taste (or rather, survival) challenge, the outcome of which remains to be seen. On the judges' panel, Welt Yang felt more exhausted than if he had continuously used the power of the Herrscher of Reason to reconstruct a ruined city. He rubbed his throbbing temples and, taking advantage of the absence of onlookers, quietly slipped out of the noisy venue.

The cool night breeze slightly dispelled his fatigue, and he breathed a sigh of relief, wanting only to find a quiet place to rest.

"It seems that our great leader of the Anti-Entropy Alliance has been quite exhausted."

A slightly mocking, elegant, and familiar voice sounded from behind him. Walter stiffened slightly; without turning around, he knew who it was.

He slowly turned around and, sure enough, saw Otto Apocalypse standing not far away, the moonlight shining on his golden hair and his magnificent bishop's robes, his face bearing that enigmatic smile that seemed to never change.

(Perhaps I'd be in a better mood without you...) Walter thought to himself, but considering that Destiny and Anti-Entropy were currently in a period of relative peace, and even cooperation in some areas, he ultimately suppressed the urge to frown and maintained the basic courtesy on the surface: "Bishop Otto, what brings you here?"

Otto chuckled and approached with elegant steps: "Just passing by. It's rare to see an Anti-Entropy ally in Schicksal's territory, so I came to say hello." His gaze swept over the square where the noise was still coming from, then his smile faded and his tone became serious, "However, since we've run into you, let's also check on a situation. We've detected two anomalies."

He held up two fingers: "Two cities on different continents. In one of them, a large-scale, unexplained biological dormancy phenomenon has occurred in the past 48 hours, affecting both humans and animals, but their vital signs are stable, as if a pause button has been pressed. As for the other one, everything seems calm and normal on the surface, but three members of our Valkyrie squad stationed there have inexplicably lost contact during a routine patrol; communications have been interrupted and their location signals have disappeared."

Walter frowned, his previous weariness replaced by wariness: "Did they happen at the same time? Are they related?"

"There is currently no direct evidence to suggest a connection between the two, but the coincidence in timing is noteworthy." Otto nodded slightly. "We need to send someone to investigate immediately."

Walter's gaze unconsciously drifted towards the stage in the distant square. There, Amethyst seemed to have just escaped the "culinary encirclement" of Theophil and Benares, and was being chased by two unconvinced "idols" demanding to taste their "improved" new creations, creating a chaotic scene.

“Should we keep him informed?” Walter asked.

Upon hearing this, Otto gently shook his head, a complex smile playing on his lips. "No need. Walter, you and I both know we can't always place our hopes and responsibilities on those 'guests' who don't belong to this era. They've already done enough for us." He paused. "Besides... why bother him with such a small matter? Can't the two of us handle it?"

Walter glanced at Otto with some surprise. This guy, actually, has a moment of taking the initiative to be considerate of others? However, on the point of "not relying too much on external forces," he and Otto were unusually in agreement.

“I agree.” Walter pushed up his glasses, his eyes sharpening. “Anti-Entropy and Destiny should indeed demonstrate the responsibility that a local organization should bear.”

“Then, let’s divide the work.” Otto’s confident smile returned. “I’m very interested in that sleeping city. If you have no objections, we, the Destiny, will handle it.”

Valte nodded: "Okay. Then Anti-Entropy will be in charge of the other city, investigating the Valkyrie's disappearance."

The two briefly exchanged the city's specific coordinates and known information.

"I wish you success in your investigation, Lord Walter."

"You too, Bishop Otto."

Without further pleasantries, the two leaders, belonging to opposing camps, wary of each other yet forced to cooperate, reached a consensus under the moonlight. Otto turned gracefully and slowly walked towards the corner not far away.

Walter glanced one last time in the direction of the square. Amethyst seemed to have finally calmed the two persistent "chefs" down and was panting with relief. He smiled slightly, shook his head, and then left.

……

Kaspar held his breath, curling himself up tightly in the cramped space behind the large dumpster, his heart pounding in his chest. He could hear the clear footsteps of the Valkyries of Destiny coming from the street outside, and their calm voices reporting the situation through their communicators.

"...Patrol of Zone 7 completed. No conscious individuals found. Repeat, no conscious individuals found. The area affected by the slumbering phenomenon has not expanded..."

Only when the footsteps faded into the distance did Kaspar dare to cautiously peek out.

No matter how many times he saw the scene before him, it sent chills down his spine.

This is City A, his birthplace. Just two days ago, this city was vibrant, bustling with traffic and people. But now, as far as the eye can see, there is an eerie silence. On the wide main road, cars are parked haphazardly, some even slightly collided, but the drivers and passengers are slumped over the steering wheel or in their seats, fast asleep. On the sidewalks, couples strolling, elderly people walking their dogs, children playing… all are lying on the ground and benches in various natural poses, as if their consciousness has been collectively stripped away in an instant, leaving only their shells.

An indescribable silence hung in the air; even the sound of the wind seemed jarring. The Destiny Organization swiftly sealed off the city, evacuated some residents from the outskirts, and dispatched Valkyrie squads to patrol and rescue in the core area. Those like Caspar, who were stranded in the core area for various reasons (such as being in the basement playing games and thus escaping the first wave), were instructed to stay home and await rescue.

But Kaspar was a curious young man, and the interruption of the network signal and the blurry information from the outside world made him restless. He couldn't understand or accept this inexplicable "sleep." So, he disobeyed orders and secretly slipped out, wanting to see for himself what was happening.

The scene on the street was even more bizarre than he had imagined. He tiptoed among the "Sleeping Beauty" and "Sleeping Man," feeling as if he had stumbled into a huge and terrifying open-air palace.

As he passed by a park, he caught a glimpse of something unusual out of the corner of his eye.

A thing was floating near the fountain in the center of the park.

It was a pale blue, flickering halo, about the size of a basketball. It had no fixed shape; its edges constantly twisted and expanded, emanating a cold rather than scorching aura. It hovered silently above a sleeping homeless man, slowly rotating.

(What is that? A new type of drone? Or...?)

Kaspar's heart clenched, a nameless fear gripping him. Instinctively, he wanted to back away, to hide in the shadows of the building.

However, the moment he moved, the ghostly blue "wisp of fire" seemed to be startled! It abruptly stopped spinning, and a...eye seemed to coalesce on its previously blurry "surface"? An indescribable, malicious gaze locked onto Caspar!

"!"

Kaspar felt his scalp tingle; his survival instinct overwhelmed all thought, and he turned and ran!

"call--"

The will-o'-the-wisp moved! It was silent yet swift as lightning, leaving a ghostly blue trail, like a shooting star from hell, chasing straight after Caspar!

Cold! A bone-chilling cold spread down his spine; it wasn't just a matter of temperature, but a chill that penetrated to the marrow and froze his soul! Kaspar could even feel the hairs on the back of his neck standing on end.

He ran desperately, rushing through the silent streets, bypassing sleeping crowds and abandoned vehicles. He dared not look back, relying only on the ever-approaching chill behind him and the faint, hissing sound in the air, like ice crystals condensing, to determine the location of the will-o'-the-wisp.

"Help! Is anyone there! Anyone awake!" he tried to call out, but his voice sounded so weak and desperate in the empty, desolate city. The sleeping people around him remained peaceful, and no one answered.

He dashed into a narrow alley, hoping the complex terrain would shake it off. But the will-o'-the-wisp, like a persistent leech, easily pierced through obstacles and relentlessly pursued him. It seemed even faster than before!

His lungs burned, and his legs felt like lead. Kaspar's strength was rapidly waning, and fear and despair threatened to overwhelm him. He felt the cold breath touch his back.

"no, do not want!"

Kaspar let out a final, wailing cry, then his legs gave way at a corner, and he collapsed heavily to the ground. He struggled to get up, only to see the ghostly blue flame already hovering directly above him.

It descended slowly, its chilling malice almost freezing his mind. He clearly "saw" a crack appear in the core of the will-o'-the-wisp, like a mouth ready to devour souls.

The next moment, that dark blue light suddenly shot towards his forehead!

"what--!"

Kaspar let out a short scream, feeling as if an ice pick had pierced his brain! Intense, non-physical pain erupted instantly, and countless chaotic, distorted fragments of images flashed wildly through his mind, as if trying to tear his consciousness apart completely.

The impact lasted only a few seconds.

The excruciating pain receded like a tide, followed by an irresistible, profound weariness and drowsiness. His vision began to blur, and his bodily sensations rapidly faded. The sounds of the world disappeared, as did the cold touch, leaving only a warm, alluring darkness enveloping him.

The last thing he saw was that the ghostly blue flame, as if it had completed its mission, drifted away from him, its color seemingly dimmed, before silently dissipating into the air.

Kaspar's eyes slowly closed, and his breathing became steady and long. He lay on the cold ground, a trace of frozen fear still lingering on his face, but his body was completely relaxed, falling into a deep sleep of unknown cause, just like the thousands of people around him.

The alleyway fell silent once more. Only the faint sound of the Valkyrie's patrolling footsteps in the distance suggested that the outside world remained completely unaware of the terror unfolding there.