While Jeanne and the others began to explore the mountain range created by the miracle, across the continent, in places unknown to them, the world was far from peaceful due to this divine descent.
Far on the Ursus borders, the army groups and Imperial Innervents (Emperor's Blades) guarding the nation suddenly discovered that the state of the Collapsals was completely different from usual. Today, they seemed... eerie.
At first, these demons began to contract their bodies, frantically digging into the ground. It was as if they wanted to hide themselves in the depths of the earth at any cost, as if fleeing from something.
Others simply intended to abandon this land and flee, not even hesitating to crash directly into landships and slaughter soldiers just to escape. Even facing the shells of the landships, they were determined to leave this place.
Fortunately, they only caused a commotion for a short while before quieting down; otherwise, who knows how many landships and soldiers would have been sacrificed? These men were different from the soldiers under noble control; these were elite veterans who had survived hundreds of battles, yet they too were shackled to this land infested by demons.
After this state of chaotic demonic activity lasted for a period, all the demons ceased their movements and fell silent. They retracted their power, feigning death. This was likely the final trick a weak animal might think of to avoid a predator—betting that the Heavens would have no interest in their dead remains. But what creature could possibly threaten these demons?
These entities, which were nearly impossible to kill and fed on fear to continuously strengthen themselves... were actually experiencing the emotion of fear? They were even risking an attack just to stay here and play dead?
Even the demonic flesh and blood sealed within all the Ursus Imperial Innervents instinctively began to contract its power, pretending to be nothing more than a heap of harmless meat.
This granted these Innervents—who were no longer ordinary humans—an unprecedented sense of relief. From the day a "Blade of the Ursus Emperor" becomes an Innervent, they are destined to a future of saying goodbye to a normal body.
But now, the demonic flesh sealed within them actually stopped eroding them? They felt that even if they took off their masks, it wouldn't cause any impact on the surrounding environment...
Yet, this was precisely the reason cold sweat broke out on the Innervents' bodies. The opponent was someone who could make demons abandon everything just to hide; how exactly was Ursus supposed to stand as an enemy against such a being?
While their thoughts were racing, they felt something terrifying in the sky watching them!
A few of the demonic entities within certain Innervents even chose a different path: abandoning their demonic pride to become a permanent part of the Innervent. They entered a symbiotic relationship with the Innervent's body; although they were no longer free, at least there was no longer the threat of death...
After all, if a human truly accepted their power and fused with them voluntarily, the Being above the high heavens would likely not interfere in such trivial matters...
"All members, report your status!"
After that gaze vanished and the demons began to grow active again, the leader of the Innervents ordered all members to report their physical condition. This leader was an elder whose service traced back to the current Emperor's father's youth; he had stubbornly resisted the demonic erosion with his own strength.
Just now, the demon in his body had actually fused with him! The demon had changed its life form to adapt to him. If he didn't want to be human anymore, he could completely transform into a demon and continue living. It seemed that creature, while wanting to use his human identity to hide, had also planned to drag him down with it.
This was too shocking; he had to report this to His Majesty. While thinking, he sped toward the Summer Palace. Simultaneously, he monitored the reports of his colleagues to prevent any Innervent from truly becoming a demon and attacking a city to strengthen themselves through panic.
"Aaaaaahhh! Exusiai, what on earth are you doing?! Why are you just sitting there motionlessly? Turn, turn! We're about to hit the wall!"
Croissant, sitting in the back seat, was screaming. They had finally completed a mission successfully, and the three of them were happily discussing how to spend the bonus when Exusiai—who was speeding—suddenly stalled!
Texas was supposed to be the driver, but Exusiai couldn't restrain her desire for speed and had finally nagged Texas into letting her take the wheel. Who knew that halfway through, she would stop talking? Croissant and Texas were puzzled—how could Exusiai suddenly go quiet in such a short time?
"If you're going to sleep, don't do it now! We're in Lungmen! If the L.G.D. catches us, tonight's plan for discount shopping is going down the drain!"
Croissant shook Exusiai from the back seat while crying out. She truly didn't expect Exusiai to dare sleep at a time like this! And it wasn't her first time driving; how could she make such a mistake?
Beside her, Texas grabbed Exusiai and shoved her into the back seat, nimbly climbing into the driver's seat and making a sharp turn just in time to avoid a traffic accident.
"Ah! My eyes, my eyes!"
Croissant's voice could be heard clearly even outside the car. That scream, sounding like a butchered Fote, made people wonder if human trafficking was happening inside the vehicle.
In reality, Croissant had been bumped by Exusiai during the sharp turn, and that bright "fluorescent light tube" (halo) was shoved right in front of her eyes. As luck would have it, the halo suddenly began to glow brilliantly, exploding like a flashbang in front of Croissant. For a moment, Croissant felt as if she had lost her sight.
Texas looked helplessly at the two in the back and put a Pocky in her mouth like a cigarette. Though she didn't speak, a flicker of worry for Exusiai flashed in her eyes. She knew Exusiai wasn't the type to fall asleep while driving; with her rowdy nature and hyper-excitement, how could she fall into such a deep sleep instantly?
She just wasn't sure if this was caused by Originium Arts. If it was, when exactly had it been used on Exusiai?
"Lungmen Guard Department! Penguin Logistics vehicle ahead, do not move! You are suspected of reckless driving. Please come back to the station with us!"
A voice reached their ears. A blue-haired young woman with an impatient expression stood by the car—it was Officer Ch'en of the L.G.D. From her expression, it was clear Ch'en was in a very bad mood. It was better to go back with her and wait for the Emperor to send someone to bail them out.
"Officer Ch'en, let me explain! Exusiai suddenly fainted while driving and we can't wake her up! Can we go to the hospital first?"
Croissant hurriedly explained to Madam Ch'en. Going to the L.G.D. was fine; for them, it was like going home. But Exusiai's condition couldn't wait—what if it was a brain hemorrhage?
"Exusiai..." Ch'en looked at Exusiai slumped in the back seat. She thought the girl had been knocked unconscious by the sudden braking. Had she suddenly developed a severe illness?
"I recall she doesn't have a license. Driving without a license makes the crime even worse! Now, come with me to the station immediately!"
"But Exusiai..."
"The L.G.D. has doctors and the medical equipment you need! Those things that 'Char Siu[1]'(Swire) bought are finally going to be useful; if we don't use them soon, they'll gather dust..."
Ch'en didn't waste words. She hopped on her motorcycle and sped off. She knew these Penguin Logistics folks would follow her to the L.G.D. honestly. Rather than wasting time escorting them, she might as well finish her patrol.
[1] Cantonese term for BBQ pork, it's a nickname for Swire from the Chinese players base