"What exactly happened? When did you discover this structure at the bottom of the sea? What transpired inside? Who is in charge of this city? Is it the Evil God?"
Du Qingyi bombarded him with questions, giving Duan Chen a headache.
"Whoa, whoa, hold on. One at a time. I'll answer them one by one. If you ask so many at once, how can I possibly explain?"
Duan Chen recounted the entire sequence of events to the group. He started from the moment they discovered the blood moon on the barrier, to entering the palace from underwater, learning from Li Yan that they were also psychic before, and finally, to encountering and killing Zhao Nan. He explained it all in detail.
"So, you're saying that the psychics who disappeared during the feast were all recruited by Zhao Nan to govern the异城 (Yì Chéng - Other City)?"
"That's right."
The others exchanged bewildered glances, finding it hard to believe.
Seeing their reaction, Duan Chen let out a wry smile. "See? It's all over, and you still can't believe it. If I had told you my suspicions back then, how many people would have believed me?"
He figured they would have thought him mad.
"No matter what, your actions this time were too risky, Niya. I don't want to see a repeat of this situation, okay?" Jia Yunlian said with a serious expression.
"Okay, Mom," Niya replied obediently.
"It seems children's intuition is sharper than ours," Qi Qing sighed.
"Let's head out now. When Zhao Nan was fighting, he drew upon the energy from the inside of the barrier on the beach. That barrier is probably about to disappear. We should hurry ashore and report this to the Spirit Hunter Guild in detail."
Duan Chen's palm suddenly ached, and he noticed blood flowing from his tiger's mouth.
"I have gauze here," Hill said, pulling some from his pocket and bandaging Duan Chen's wound.
"By the way, Hill."
Duan Chen explained the situation of Ning Yuan and the others. He was still very curious about how Zhao Nan had turned people into deviants.
"That... it's not difficult. Do you want to try it too?" Hill tilted his head, producing a scalpel.
"No, no, no... I don't," Duan Chen quickly shook his head.
"Don't underestimate a genius physician, you idiot!" Tu Feiyuan, perched on Duan Chen's head, swiped at him angrily.
"The principle is quite simple. Any physician who has studied deviants or anomalies can do it."
"Really?"
Duan Chen was slightly taken aback. He had assumed the process was much more complex.
They arrived at the statue of the Saintess in the center of the Other City. Duan Chen observed it closely, realizing that its sole purpose was aesthetic or as a mere decoration. Zhao Nan had simply wanted to recreate Mirror City one-to-one and become a second Evil God, showing that he harbored both respect and fear for them in his heart.
The entire Other City did not descend into chaos with Zhao Nan's death, suggesting that this small underwater city was not entirely dependent on him.
...
Outside the barrier.
"It's weakening!"
In the span of a single moment, Ming Yan and Du Yu witnessed the barrier shift from violent fluctuations to a gradual calming, and then to a noticeable weakening of its energy. Even so, they dared not rashly break it.
"I wonder how those few kids are doing..."
"Boss!"
Suddenly, a Spirit Hunter agent pointed at the barrier and exclaimed.
Ming Yan quickly looked and her eyes widened.
"Cracks have appeared on the barrier?"
Du Yu frowned. Logically, the feast should not have ended so quickly. Furthermore, he had consulted books about the feast, which clearly stated that if the feast ended, the barrier would not shatter but simply dissipate.
"All Spirit Hunters, prepare yourselves!"
"Yes!"
Regardless of the specifics, this indicated that the feast was likely over. Ming Yan prepared for the arrival of the异潮 (Yì Cháo - Strange Tide) and dared not act carelessly.
"Crack, crack!"
The cracks spread like a spiderweb, gradually covering the entire barrier.
"Bang!"
"Careful!"
Du Yu's gaze sharpened, and Ming Yan raised her exquisitely crafted spear, ready to defend.
The barrier shattered with a roar. However, there was no anticipated異潮, not even a single deviant in sight.
"Huh?"
Ming Yan blinked in surprise.
"Where's the异潮?" Du Yu was also bewildered.
"Wait, Duan Chen and the others aren't inside either!"
All that greeted them was the beach and the shimmering sea surface. It was as calm as could be.
"Over there?!"
Ming Yan suddenly noticed several figures emerging from the sea.
She and Du Yu, leading a contingent of Spirit Hunters, cautiously approached. Upon confirming it was Duan Chen and his group, they finally breathed a sigh of relief.
"Sister Ming Yan."
Duan Chen's appearance shocked her. He was covered in blood and grime, with blood at the corners of his mouth and a bandage on his tiger's mouth. It was clear he had been through a fierce battle.
"What happened? Was this not the feast?"
Ming Yan's expression was a little awkward. Everything indicated it was indeed the feast. Could she have been mistaken?
"It was the feast," Du Yu confirmed.
"Then where's the异潮? Did the feast end?"
Duan Chen let out a bitter laugh. The situation was too complicated, and for a moment, he didn't know where to begin.
"Let's go to the hospital first. Once you've recovered, you can tell me in detail."
"Alright."
Duan Chen and his group immediately underwent thorough medical examinations at the hospital. Fortunately, everyone was unharmed.
"What exactly happened?"
Du Yu was still confused and pulled his sister over to ask.
"Do you really want to know?"
"Of course! Don't tell me it wasn't the feast?" he twitched his mouth.
Du Qingyi sighed lightly. "You could say it was, and you could say it wasn't."
She then retold Duan Chen's experience to Du Yu. Clearly, even Du Yu, who had been through his share of turmoil, was taken aback by the turn of events and remained stunned for a long time.
"That's how it is."
Du Qingyi, on the other hand, appeared remarkably calm.
"You... you're not telling a story, are you?" Du Yu looked skeptical.
"Believe it or not. If you don't believe me, ask the others. See if their accounts differ from mine." Du Qingyi, clearly annoyed, walked away.
Unexpectedly, Du Yu first recounted the story to Ming Yan, who also looked incredulous. He then found some of the more reliable individuals, such as Hill, Qin Youran, and Jun Ci, and questioned them one by one. While their timelines differed, their narratives were largely consistent, with no significant discrepancies.
Ming Yan and Du Yu no longer doubted the story and reported the events to Jun Youguang and Qin Youliang. With this, the era of feasts might very well come to an end.
"I never imagined there would be such a development," Jun Youguang remarked with a sigh. "By the way, Ming Yan, give that kid a few days off to rest. After the holiday, he has an important mission."