# 1903
Chapter 1896: News
"Well... thank you, senior, for informing me."
After an unknown amount of time had passed, Lin Qiye finally calmed his emotions and spoke.
Regarding what the Dark Ancestor had mentioned—that he was the will of this universe—Lin Qiye still held reservations... not that he didn't trust the Ancestral God, but he believed that besides this, something else must have happened to him, otherwise his past couldn't be explained.
Just as the little boy had said, the Second Covenant could only tell him part of the truth. Perhaps more secrets would have to be uncovered by himself.
Lin Qiye looked up at the emptiness above, and a panel happened to pop up at that moment:
"Lin Qiye Treatment Progress: 88%"
Lin Qiye redirected his attention to the real world, and as if recalling something, asked:
"There's one more thing... now that the Ancestral God Temple has returned, the decisive battle against the Cthulhu Faction shouldn't be far off. When can you all recover your strength?"
The Dark Ancestor pondered for a moment. "Although we now have a source of faith power, the quantity is still somewhat insufficient. At this rate, it will take at least two to three months before we can possess a certain degree of combat capability."
Although Lin Qiye had scattered the source of life across the globe, the gestation and reproduction of life also required time. The faith power available now was naturally far less than what it had been during the Ancestral Gods' era.
"Two to three months, huh..." Lin Qiye murmured thoughtfully.
The things he had wanted to ask had been answered for the most part. Lin Qiye bade farewell to the Ancestral Gods and turned to walk out of the Ancestral God Temple.
Just as Lin Qiye was about to descend from the high platform, he suddenly stopped in his tracks.
"Senior Dark Ancestor... have any of you heard of Azathoth?"
"Azathoth?"
The Dark Ancestor froze, his gaze sweeping across the other Ancestral God statues, and he shook his head. "No."
"...I see. Thank you."
As Lin Qiye and Jinian departed from the Ancestral God Temple, the aura of the many statues returned to silence. The Dark Ancestor let out a long sigh and dispersed in front of his statue.
...
"So it turns out your background is this impressive?"
The two figures turned into streams of light, rapidly flying toward the direction of Great Xia. Jinian blinked. "The will of the universe, huh... so couldn't you just flick your fingers and snuff out the sun?"
"...If I had that kind of power, I would have slapped 【Chaos】 into oblivion long ago. Why would I still need to run away?" Lin Qiye said helplessly.
"Fair point..." Jinian patted his shoulder. "It's okay, you just haven't fully recovered your power yet! Smashing 【Chaos】 with a single slap is just a matter of time!"
Lin Qiye shook his head.
"Maybe, the so-called will of the universe, isn't actually me..."
But rather the little boy within his body.
Lin Qiye didn't speak the second half of that sentence aloud, but it was the most reasonable guess he could currently come up with.
Just as the two were conversing, the outline of the coastline appeared in the distance. Lin Qiye slightly startled, then came back to his senses:
"I almost forgot... with the mist dispelled, the mist wall surrounding Great Xia is also gone. No wonder I felt like something was missing."
"You dispersed the mist that had shrouded the Earth for over a century, bringing renewed vitality to this dead planet... this time, your merit is truly immeasurable." Jinian couldn't help but exclaim.
Lin Qiye glanced at the single remaining mark on his chest and shook his head.
"I'm merely the initiator of this covenant. The one who truly accomplished all of this was someone else..."
...
Great Xia.
"...As of six forty-two this afternoon, the mist covering the Earth's surface has been completely dispersed. Cities along the border of Great Xia have also emerged from the gloom and can once again see the color of the sky. Currently, various regions of Great Xia have begun organizing celebrations. Most businesses and schools have also announced three days off, to commemorate this historic day alongside Jinian..."
"...Our correspondent has arrived at Ning'an City, located on the border of Great Xia, to interview local residents who witnessed the mist disperse. Let's connect with our field correspondent, Sanjiu..."
"...Hello, host. My current location is on Modern Avenue in Ning'an City, which is the nearest traffic artery to the mist wall along the border. We've also invited several residents who personally witnessed the mist disperse. Next, let's have them describe the process of the mist clearing..."
"...It was divine intervention! Absolutely divine intervention!! At that time, I heard the bells of a temple ringing, and then the fog started to clear! But whether it was Amitabha's doing or the Immortal Lord of Sublime Blessings, I'm not sure..." On screen, a pixelated乞丐 said, waving his arms excitedly.
"...Yes, I witnessed the entire process with my own eyes. It was like a gust of wind swept across the sky, and then those mists were blown away, gradually fading. Then the setting sun spread across the city like gold... I've lived my whole life in Anning City and never saw the sunset with my own eyes. When I saw this scene, I really... wuwuwu... I don't know if this was a miracle or not, but I'm grateful for everything I saw..." A woman said, choking back tears.
"...Do you even need to ask? A miracle! Absolutely a miracle! I saw it very clearly. After the mist dispersed, something golden flew out beyond the border at lightning speed..."
"...That's right, I saw it too, and I even recorded a video... here it is. Though it's not very clear in the video. I remember, there seemed to be a figure with six white wings inside that golden light..."
Following this, a blurry and shaky video played on screen, where a six-winged silhouette could be faintly seen streaking across the sky like a golden meteor.
"Was it a miracle or a natural phenomenon? Where did the mist that shrouded the Earth for over a century come from, and why did it dissipate? Several well-equipped and experienced exploration teams have already set out beyond Great Xia. Will they find the answer to all of this?"
"Our correspondent, Sanjiu, will continue to bring you updates..."
On the most bustling commercial street in Shangjing City, all the large screens were playing this news broadcast. Countless people stood in place, pointing at the images on the screens, discussing something enthusiastically.
Among the crowd, a girl wearing a baseball cap slowly lifted her head, gazing at the fleeting six-winged figure in the news video.
"So... was it intentional, or unintentional?"
A faint smile curved Chloe's lips.
She pressed down on her hat brim, covering her distinctive Western features, and lowered her head as she walked toward the direction of the Night Watch headquarters.
Brrrm, brrrrm, brrrrm—
On the other side of the street, in an area enclosed by green construction barriers, unceasing harsh construction sounds kept emerging, as if multiple machines were frantically digging into the ground. Billowing dust drifted out from within, shrouding the entire street in a hazy fog.
"Tch, why is construction everywhere? It's so noisy day and night..."
"Weren't they supposed to be upgrading the underground rail system? I heard Lines 2, 7, and 8 are also closed for maintenance... I've had to bike to work these past few days. It's absolutely jammed."
"Why would they maintain the underground rail out of nowhere... these people really have nothing better to do."
"Exactly..."