Nightmare’s Call

“Regardless, the Night Lord had made great contributions. Of all people, he had played the most decisive role.” Tenko Kasumi was still very fair in the matter.“All right, I’ve changed my thoughts about you, just a little bit.” Lin Sheng shook his head as he looked at the Night Lord.“So next…” As he wanted to continue speaking, suddenly a black dot flew slowly toward the city from a distance.

The little spot glowed in black light and was seemingly unafraid of being detected as it continuously let out a series of shockwaves.

And its flying speed was so slow as if it deliberate wanted to be noticed.

Lin Sheng’s eyes narrowed and he quickly recognized the true nature of the black dot.

He held his hand out and grabbed it.

An invisible protective ward force suddenly flew over and enveloped the black spot, before pulling it over quickly.

The black dot flew close and floated before him.

It was a black rectangular letter with a gilded surface.

The cover of the letter was clearly engraved with these characters: “To the Holy Emperor.”

“Interesting.” Lin Sheng reached for the letter and before he opened it, a surge of pure energy rushed out from the letter and tried to drill its way into his palm.

The surge of pure power was similar to Faldt’s netherforce, but this was of a higher level than the Magister’s.

“A letter from the Underworld, huh?” Lin Sheng purified the energy and tore the envelope open.

There was no letter inside the envelope, and the moment the seal was torn, a puff of black air burst out of it.

The black air condensed into a vague skeletal face.

“Congratulations, Holy Emperor of the Holy Sanctum. From today onwards, you and I each governs the human realm and the Underworld. As long as you are around, the Dark Pantheon shall not move against the human realm, and likewise, I hope that the Holy Sanctum would extend the same courtesy. Sincerest Greetings, I am known as Sanger, the current presiding Lord of the Dark Pantheon.”

As the speech was over, the black air suddenly dissipated and disappeared altogether.

“What is this, some letter of credence?” Lin Sheng laughed. “But I don’t have the time to look for trouble with the Underworld for now. Let’s get things stable first before we do anything else.”

“I never thought that there was such a mastermind behind the Dark Pantheon. No wonder the various Hidden Realms were always on the defensive and were unable to launch a counter-offensive into the Underworld.” The Steel Lord demurred.

“Since he could not come in the past, he is unlikely to come now. No need to worry about that.” Lin Sheng said.

“All right, I’ll leave the nitty-gritty to you guys, I’ll head home for a bit, before sealing myself to stabilize my level.”

“Leave everything here to us. Don’t worry.” The Steel Lord was very reliable as a subordinate ministerial material.

Lin Sheng nodded slightly, as he stepped out, as a shapeless ward appeared behind him, and propelled him away from the sentry tower, and toward the Holy Sanctum.

…

Sherminton.

In the garden at the back of the Holy Sanctum.

Lin Xiao accompanied her parents on a stroll after dinner.

What happened in the past two days had the entire family falling into what that seemed like a dream, completely unable to comprehend what was going on.

Did her brother, Lin Sheng not say he was doing business?

Did they not say the outer defensive perimeter was fine? How did it suddenly collapse, with so many casualties to boot?

It was clear now that the fortress cities were the only place that could provide people shelter, and now even this final sanctuary was about to be taken away by the Blacktide?

“I really don’t know what will happen to this world? What will it become?” Gu Wanqiu looked at the abnormally blooming flowers and softly sighed.

“It’s not like we will get a say in what it will become…” Lin Zhounian retorted.

Lin Xiao had no response and kept quiet.

Suddenly, she seemed to sense something and turned slightly to the back.

A tall and burly figure suddenly appeared quietly at the garden gate behind her.

It was Lin Sheng.

He gently looked at his sister, Lin Xiao.

Lin Xiao’s movements were noticed by Lin Zhounian and his wife as they too looked back as well.

“Chenchen!” Gu Wanqiu quickly hurried over.

“Mom.” Lin Sheng reached out and held his mother’s hand and felt like he was holding a pair of bean sprouts in his hands.

“I haven’t seen you for a while and you ran down again, mom.” He could not help but complain.

“Oh, cheeky now aren’t you, stealing your mother’s own line?” Gu Wanqiu playfully held her hand out to slap her son but could slap his shoulder after tip-toeing…

Lin Zhounian too had followed over.

“Son… you are now someone important…” His eyes were conflicted, and he held his father had become soft.

“An important person? At this day and age, what does that even do?” Lin Sheng smiled and shook his head.

“Yeah… most important people would die faster than the average person.” Lin Zhounian quipped.

“You and your big mouth.” Gu Wanqiu gave him a slap.

And this time, the slap landed, hitting Lin Zhounian at the back of his hand with a loud thud.

“Chenchen…you…” Lin Xiao looked at her younger brother and suddenly found herself at a loss for words.

She recalled that when she entered the inner sanctum of the Holy Sanctum, those clerics in heavy armor and the densely packed rows of guards and attendants suddenly kneeling down on one knee to welcome them in a fashion that was not even accorded to the president. Only then did she knew what sort of position and authority her brother held in the Holy Sanctum.

“Are you… all right?”

Position and authority naturally meant responsibilities.

Only when the hope of everyone is carried on Lin Sheng’s back will they willingly give him the highest courtesy and respect.

“Everything’s fine. All of you can live here safely while waiting for the situation outside to settle down. I will then arrange for someone to send you home,” Lin Sheng said.

“Don’t worry, I promise that everything will be all right soon,” he whispered.

“All of the hopes being piled on you… it must be tiring right?” Lin Xiao asked.

“Tiring?” Lin Sheng smiled. “If I cannot even bare this sort of pressure, then this world will…” He did not continue further. Somethings, his family was better off not knowing.

He will arrange everything properly.

“I came back just to see you, and I have something else to attend to right after. Might be away for a while.”

“Don’t worry, Khadula had been kind to us.” Lin Xiao smiled. “But how many Khadula’s are there? I wonder.”

“How many? Who knows…” Lin Sheng also smiled.

“Son, if you run into any trouble, don’t force yourself, if you cannot beat it, come back and we will figure it out together! There are so many elites in the Holy Sanctum, if everyone were to unite their powers we can win! Don’t be a fool and shoulder it all upon yourself!”

Lin Zhounian could not help but remind his son.

“Don’t worry, I’m not going to force myself.” Lin Sheng smiled. “I still plan to come home and live life easy. If I run into something I cannot defeat, I’ll definitely run away.”

Yes… Regardless of anything, he will persevere; not for anything else, even if it was just for this family before him, it was for him to never be alone.

Suddenly, Lin Sheng could empathize with Ancellia.

If he cannot win… then he shall throw everything he has into it…

He was not a sentimental person, but if every single person were to die, leaving only him alone. Even if he was to survive he would only suffer from wandering and loneliness.

That was not a world he wishes for.

So, he had to win.

He… would not lose.