Early morning on August 15th.
Baiyu entered the Academic Space and immediately noticed the changes on the Task Panel.
Special Task: Destruction Day
Description: The eerie often instills fear, terror, yet also obsession. What if you confront the eerie itself? What kind of scene would that be?
Requirement: Training for a thousand days just for this moment; your daily hard work and practice are precisely to ensure survival under any circumstances. Utilize everything you have learned and survive on Destruction Day!
Note: Don’t be afraid, there’s always a lucky one who survives Destruction Day, but it might not be you.
Reward: Strengthened affinity version of Black Moon Curse.
Baiyu was already too exhausted to comment on such a malicious note.
His main focus was on the words "Destruction Day".
This term was not unfamiliar to him.
He once heard it from a captured henchman of the Abyss Ascetic Association.
"Destruction Day, what is Destruction Day?"
He immediately turned on his computer and typed those words, but the information that came up was completely unrelated and offered no clues.
"Cang Yan, do you know what Destruction Day is?"
He looked at Cang Yan, who was resting within the space.
The plump hamster scratched its hand with its claw, looking a bit embarrassed, "These three words sound familiar, I’ve heard it somewhere, but I can’t remember. However, I do know about a Redemption Day, which is what the Black Moon Apostles call it. Every August 15th, the Black Moon will appear, casting its curse, transforming some people from ordinary to extraordinary beings."
Baiyu suddenly realized, "So, in the eyes of its followers, this Redemption Day is the day the deity grants them power, but the Black Moon is obviously an Evil God..."
He typed in Redemption Day, and this time, a lot of information appeared.
But it was basically the same as what Cang Yan had said.
Every year on August 15th, the Black Moon randomly shines down on a place, casting a curse; it’s like sowing seeds. Those who possess the Black Moon Curse will gain extraordinary power.
She clearly regarded the Black Moon Curse as a divine gift, an extraordinary ability granted by a god.
Baiyu’s face turned somewhat somber.
Destruction Day, Redemption Day... there must be an inevitable connection between these two.
Both are on August 15th.
"Could it be that the Abyssal Ascetic Association wants to borrow the Black Moon’s power for their ulterior goals? The Black Moon is a deity without self-awareness, acting purely on instinct, so it is not impossible to use it!"
This thought alone startled Baiyu.
But thinking it over carefully.
There seemed to be no other possibility.
He abruptly stood up; he couldn’t sit still any longer, and immediately went to Qiong Jiu’s room, knocking on the door despite the late night.
Qiong Jiu’s sleepy voice came from inside the room.
Even as a Tier Four Martial Artist, regular sleep was still necessary. Qiong Jiu, maintaining a healthy lifestyle, was somewhat unaccustomed to being woken up by Baiyu.
"Teacher, I have an important discovery!"
"Is it Spiritual Arts or another subject? Leave your questions on the living room table, and I’ll answer them in the daytime. Don’t you know that if a woman doesn’t get enough sleep, she ages easily?"
But you’re already grandparent-age!
Baiyu thought silently and quickly said, "No, I want to ask, what is Destruction Day!"
The moment the sound arose.
Baiyu barely reacted before a cold draft emerged from the room, and Qiong Jiu, in a large pink robe, barefoot, stepped on the floor, her expression serious, "Do you have any findings about Destruction Day?"
The situation was urgent at this moment.
Baiyu didn’t bother hiding, promptly sharing his guesses regarding the Black Moon on the fifteenth.
Qiong Jiu’s face grew solemn; after listening, she squinted her eyes, "Black Moon Apostles have always acted mysteriously, like cockroaches in the sewer, deeply hidden. We don’t know much. Can you confirm your speculation’s authenticity?"
"Very likely," Baiyu acknowledged.
In less than two minutes, Qiong Jiu dressed and took Baiyu straight to the Armed Department.
Pang Fei of the Armed Department.
Anomaly Bureau General Office.
Consultant Zhao from the Martial Arts School Alliance.
These prominent figures in Linjiang City’s establishment were all called up by her.
Linjiang City Government.
Qiong Jiu’s face was frosty as she sat in the upper right corner of the conference room, her gaze like two sharp swords.
Others sat in their respective seats.
Besides the visible leaders, heads of various government departments, the Bounty Hunter Association leader, and investigators from the four major districts were all present.
Linjiang had never been so grand.
Qiong Jiu had a lot of influence.
If judged by personal strength, she was the most powerful Martial Artist in Linjiang on the surface, Tier Four peak, possessing the Forbidden Armor Icebound Valkyrie, and cultivated the Qiong Family’s upper-level Core Technique.
So no one dared disrespect her influence.
What she said also intimidated. Anyone absent now, if events really transpired, would be the culprit.
Qiong Jiu’s gaze swept around.
Pang Fei took out his phone and browsed through his contacts, "Only the Prison Warden of Hades Prison hasn’t arrived, but his place is autonomous; we can’t interfere. Moreover, this Warden has always been stationed at Hades Prison, unable to leave. Recently, Kaz’s consciousness escaped; the Warden was so enraged he almost lost control, so he definitely won’t leave now."
"Then let’s begin," Qiong Jiu’s gaze turned to Baiyu.
The entire conference room’s attention fell on the young man.
Baiyu felt immense pressure.
Yet he could only step onto the main stage and begin sharing his compiled suspicions about the Black Moon and Destruction Day, along with the Abyssal Ascetic Association’s final possible counterattack.
After he finished speaking, the conference room instantly erupted.
Everyone present held high positions.
They naturally had access to much information.
But they hadn’t previously thought in this direction; who would imagine the Abyssal Ascetic Association would dare use another deity? It was the kind of madness only a lunatic would do.
"Today is August 15th; if anything changes, it will happen today."
"How could they use the fifteenth’s Black Moon? Everyone knows the Black Moon’s appearance is globally random. If they could guide a deity, they would’ve acted long ago."
"Three years ago, we also underestimated, and Kaz nearly destroyed Linjiang Shelter."
"Because he had the S-level Sealed Object Eye of True Wisdom, he found Linjiang Shelter’s weak point, and used tens of thousands for a blood sacrifice to gain the Evil God’s power."
"Then how can you be sure he can’t presently use Black Moon’s powers? The fifteenth’s Black Moon is a primordial god and one of the few without subjective consciousness!"
People in the conference room began arguing, but none provided a concrete plan.
No one wanted to take the blame.
This matter carries too much responsibility, the kind that is thankless and difficult.
"Stop arguing, worrying about pushing blame before it’s even happened? Look outside; it’s already begun!" Pang Fei’s face was stern as he shouted.
The crowd glanced at the conference room’s floor-to-ceiling window.
It’s already six in the morning.
During summer dawn, the sky usually brightens after five, but now, the sky was pitch black, with no sign of light. Dark clouds hovered over the entire city, like an apocalypse.
The sun did not rise as usual.