Wen Xishu's mind instantly began to simulate… If ordinary people and ability users lived together, it was highly likely that many of the ability users' status and positions would be very high, enjoying special privileges.
Tang Rui, Jack, Xiaoxing, Xiaotong, the reason they were miserable was because their abilities had not fully awakened, and they had attachments and kind hearts.
But they were indeed in the minority.
Normally, once a person discovered their abilities, they would soon enter a state of indifference.
Judging from the tense attitude of the head soldier, these ability users on the Ark must have done many bloody deeds.
Wen Xishu said:
"I am not nervous; rather, it is you who are nervous. I need to know the causes and effects. You don't need to care why I am asking these questions."
"You'd better honestly explain everything to me."
Wen Xishu's ghostly figure suddenly appeared beside the head soldier.
Not a single soldier could see Wen Xishu's movements clearly.
With the Power of Hidden Dragon and the ultimate kick, Wen Xishu's foot power could be described as abnormal.
This feeling of being able to bully others right from the start gave Wen Xishu considerable security.
It must be said, the Tri-phase Power saved Wen Xishu a lot of effort.
Thus—Wen Xishu quickly figured out the causes and effects.
This ship was called the Ark.
It was the last refuge of the Free State. The Ark had been sailing on the sea for five years. In the five years, it had achieved perpetual motion with the help of ability users, constructing an internal ecological circulation system.
The Ark had evaded the apocalypse, but internally, it was almost identical to the Bunker.
One could say the Ark was a small Bunker.
The hierarchies here were more entrenched than in the Bunker. The Bunker had Albert, but the Ark did not.
Of course, for human civilization to continue and for people to survive, they had to accept the system.
Everything was fine until the sixth year…
Somehow, the Ark suddenly sailed into a region named the Mysterious Sea.
At some point, a legend appeared, and it went like this:
If one sails on the sea for too long, they might enter an alternate reality—the Mysterious Sea. In the Mysterious Sea, there are many islands called the Fragments of Evil Land.
Upon hearing this, Wen Xishu recalled the old man who sold tea.
He even thought—
Could the old man be on the ship? Given the Ark's immense size and millions of beings, could he be among them?
But soon, his attention was diverted to the rules of the Mysterious Sea.
"Are you saying that if eight people are not sacrificed in the Fragments of Evil Land, it will result in the Mysterious Sea engulfing the Ark?" Wen Xishu couldn't help but question.
The head soldier, though curious about why this Eastern man was asking common knowledge, found it normal for ability users to have odd quirks.
He nodded:
"Yes."
The sixth year of the Ark's voyage, the fifth year after the apocalypse—
Suddenly, the Ark entered the Mysterious Sea from a normal sea.
In the Mysterious Sea, any ship, any life, would be devoured by the giant beasts beneath the sea.
"First stage, the giant beasts will be awakened. Second stage, the seawater starts to become turbulent, turning crimson. Third stage, the giant beasts begin to attack the Ark, causing many inside to fall into hallucinations…"
"Fourth stage... you will see the metallic bulkheads within the Ark covered in the beasts' flesh."
"There is no fifth stage. We must place the eight sacrifices in the Fragments of Evil Land before the end of the fourth stage, preferably at the beginning of the first stage."
"Only after staying on the island for twenty-four hours will all the dangers of the Mysterious Sea be lifted."
The head soldier was very nervous:
"So… sir, this is our current situation. Although you probably do not wish to be among those who land on the island, previously, you already took part in the draw."
"However… given your abilities and noble bloodline, you can choose to withdraw. We can immediately arrange for someone to replace you."
Ha, so I became a privileged person this time, huh?
Wen Xishu did not agree immediately. If he, as an ability user, could avoid landing on the island, would it mean—he missed the main storyline he was supposed to follow?
This place was one of obsession, much like the Human Cave Region. It appeared normal, complete with an ecological community, but it likely also hid incredibly powerful ability users.
If landing on the island could quell the Mysterious Sea's agitation, did that mean there were certain things on the island?
"What are the drawbacks of landing on the island? Why do these people, aside from Russell, look so gloomy, as if they are having their last supper?"
The head soldier sighed:
"Landing on the island itself carries the risk of getting lost on the island. The Fragments of Evil Land... make it very easy for people not to return. And those who do come back…"
Wen Xishu asked:
"What happens to those who return?"
The head soldier said:
"Those who return always have some issues. They... seem to have something erased from them."
Wen Xishu asked:
"What is erased?"
The head soldier said:
"It varies. Some are left on the island, unable to return. Some return, but they no longer have any concept of children. They see children as adults, children in their eyes are just adults."
"To be precise, the concept of children no longer exists for them."
"Some don't recognize water. Can you believe it… some do not sense water's presence. Even if they drink it… they think they are drinking something else."
"The most absurd ones believe they are already dead. In their world, living and life do not exist. That group of people plays a role of... inanimate objects."
"Every group that returns comes back with different symptoms, it's as if something is permanently lost from their lives."
Wen Xishu suddenly thought of a story.
"The City of 'If'," by gcx.
It talks about people living in a city where each week a new rule emerges, if xxxx happens this week.
For example, if this week there is no gravity.
Then in that week, everyone in the city would float.
If this week there are no parents, then in that week, no one would know who their parents are, and humanity would be researching how they were born.
If there are no fish, then all anglers would believe fishing is a spiritual, Zen-like activity rather than a form of hunting.
At this moment, Wen Xishu felt that these Fragments of Evil Land might be such a place.
He suddenly returned to the dining table and sat down obediently. He then spoke words that surprised the head soldier and everyone else:
"Okay, I roughly understand the situation. Please arrange for me to land on the island."
Wen Xishu could have learned more about the Ark's situation, but he was sure he could not avoid landing on the island.
He also wanted to know, what was the difference between the Fragments of Evil Land and the real Evil Land.
This scene, which constellation's affiliated region was it related to this time?