Chapter 394 : Chapter 394

Chapter 394: This Turbulent World

Arriving at the room I booked for myself, I closed the door and plopped down on the rock-hard single bed.

It was genuinely hard to imagine that sleeping on this would be comfortable.

Going from luxury to frugality is indeed difficult.

The inn I stayed at in Ninglan New City was at least a place that hosted guests, but this one was probably for placating them.

No wonder this inn had so few people.

I wished they would go out of business soon!

After confirming that there were no problems here, I also set up some Solidified Spells and rune Inscriptions here.

I had considered using a Soundproof Spell or something similar, but realizing that it would cut off my perception of the outside world, I dismissed the idea.

I wasn't afraid of any threat, but the same couldn't be said for Qiu Ruxin.

After careful consideration, I didn't use a Soundproof Spell.

After all, in the early morning, no one should be making too much noise.

Now that all this busyness was done, it was almost morning.

So, I didn't rush to research the Summoning Spell but proceeded with meditation as planned.

As for Body Forging... there was no spare space here, and practicing outside would draw attention, so to be safe, I wouldn't create more complications.

I also didn't want to stain my hands with too much blood.

Moreover, during the time I was outside, I noticed some abnormality in my own cognition: I felt no aversion to killing those people—no nausea, urge to vomit, or physical discomfort, which was in sharp contrast to Qiu Ruxin.

I hadn't... killed many people before, had I?

Except... during the exchange competition, but those weren't real killings.

Even in Ninglan New City, I didn't seem to have killed too many people in the truest sense.

Yet, after arriving here, I inexplicably...

"Hehe... I'm really overthinking it."

I slapped my forehead.

Why think so much?

I should calm my mind.

My arrival here was most likely the world's fault.

If a Transcendent Witch, or even the Academy Head, came here, this world would probably be gone.

From a higher perspective, what did it matter if I killed a few guys who coveted my body?

Should I suffer the legal consequences of this world?

After discarding these distracting thoughts, I took out the small incense burner I had bought, lit the incense, and began to meditate.

Meditation was the foundation; I couldn't abandon it.

Time passed slowly.

Although meditation could still allow me to perceive the passage of time outside to a certain extent, it usually wasn't very noticeable.

Meditation time was typically based on the amount of incense used.

Because incense really affects the quality of meditation, I would generally know when the time was up once the incense burned out.

I also realized one problem during meditation: even in a different world, I could still meditate using the Primal Dream State.

So, the scope of the Primal Dream State mastered by the great Primal Witch... was it too vast?

I only sighed, then continued to meditate, feeling my mental power increase little by little.

This feeling was truly wonderful.

"Boom—!"

Accompanied by a terrifying explosion outside the inn, the old, dilapidated building shook, followed by a series of crackling sounds outside.

I, indoors, suddenly opened my eyes, a flash of shock in my eyes!

"A bomb? Firearms?"

I asked subconsciously.

Wasn't the noise outside the sound of gunpowder exploding and bullets firing from a gun?

But... how could this be possible?

Qiu Ruxin told me this world hadn't developed gunpowder-based technology yet.

She didn't even have much conceptual awareness of it.

Even if there were firearms, they should be driven by Earth Energy, not gunpowder explosions.

So, how could this accident not shock me?

Did Qiu Ruxin lie to me?

That possibility was small, but regardless, I opened the door and went straight to Qiu Ruxin's room.

With such a loud commotion, Qiu Ruxin couldn't possibly be sleeping soundly.

Perhaps I could take this opportunity to ask her properly.

"Qiu Ruxin."

I pushed open the door and saw Qiu Ruxin curled up on the bed.

"Yang Yuehan... Sis..."

Qiu Ruxin was in complete panic.

Only after seeing me did she instinctively peek out from under the covers.

"You... who are you!"

Even though Qiu Ruxin was under the covers, she instinctively reacted defensively when faced with the unknown.

"It's me."

I waved my hand, dropping the Disguise Technique.

Seeing Qiu Ruxin visibly relax her guard, it seemed she had subconsciously treated me as her reliance or backer in times of danger.

"Just call me Little Han Sis. It's easier to say."

I closed the door and walked to Qiu Ruxin's side, sitting on the edge of her bed.

"Okay, Little Han Sis..."

"Are you alright?"

"No... Thank you for your concern."

"Mhm."

I nodded, then looked toward the window where the noise continued.

"Qiu Ruxin, do you know what's happening outside? You must know, right?"

If Qiu Ruxin didn't know, she wouldn't be this frightened.

But my only source of information now was Qiu Ruxin.

I had no other options.

After comforting her for a while and as the sounds of explosions and gunfire faded, Qiu Ruxin finally calmed down.

"It's alright... can you tell me what's going on outside, Little Han Sis?"

I didn't rush to interrogate her about why she hadn't told me about the existence of lethal weapons like firearms in this world.

After all, such weapons could also cause instinctive fear in me.

My reaction speed was not fast enough to instantly react to a speeding bullet.

Perhaps I could face them without fear, relying on my mental power, reaction speed, and Self-Awakened Body Cultivation physique, but a sneak attack was another matter.

"Those, those people... are monsters... invaders. They are devils!"

"Invaders? Can you be more specific?"

I asked.

"I'm sorry... I, I'm a little emotional."

After realizing her reaction, she quickly composed herself.

"Those people are an organized group called Explorers, or... Secret Diggers. And... they also possess powerful abilities similar to your so-called magic... spells, Little Han Sis."

"Explorers..."

I had heard this term from Qiu Ruxin earlier when she asked if I was an Explorer.

Unfortunately, I hadn't paid much attention to the information then.

I hadn't expected to encounter them so soon.

"Then how do they possess firearms? Where did those weapons come from?"

"I... I don't know. Their weapons are terrifying... they seem to appear out of thin air."

"Appearing out of thin air."

I gained some understanding from this information.

This meant they very likely had Storage Equipment, or perhaps a Firearm Summoning Spell?

"Then, when you call them invaders, is it because they invaded from outside the world?"

I asked tentatively.

Since the technology tree didn't belong to this world, it must have been caused by an invasion from another world.

I hadn't expected this world to be so afflicted by disaster.

"I... I don't know, but they are all people from our world. That's for sure... It's just that they suddenly seem to have changed into different people, abruptly acquiring those abilities and acting recklessly..."

"Huh? They are local people from this world?"

This answer made my pupils shrink.

They weren't invaders from another world?

No, no, no, that's wrong!

A person couldn't just change completely and acquire those methods.

So... was this soul possession?

Or was it consciousness occupation, or perhaps body control?

But, what was certain was that this was very likely an invasion of this world by another world, just that the method was a bit beyond my expectation.

"Something like that... yes," Qiu Ruxin said, lowering her head.

"I remember you said your home was destroyed by these people, right? Don't your country do anything about it?"

"The country... how could they do anything? They even publicly stated not long ago that they would allow these people to act recklessly in Lanath Island... Those people in power don't care about the lives and deaths of us common people!"

Qiu Ruxin's tone was very emotional as she said this, with tears welling up in her eyes.

"Alright, alright, you're safe now."

I could only comfort her like this.

"Go back to sleep. Try to get some more rest now."

"I... I can't sleep..."

Qiu Ruxin whispered.

"It's alright. Just lie in bed, even if you just rest your eyes. You haven't slept much. Your mind needs a good rest."

"Mhm..."

Qiu Ruxin closed her eyes obediently, but she still couldn't fall asleep.

I quietly watched her.

I had to say, my favorable impression of this world dropped once again.

Were the countries of this world... completely useless?

Allowing those people to act recklessly on the streets.

Did they really think this was a free country, with gun battles every day?

Moreover, the people who lost their original homes didn't even have resettlement housing.

Even if the authorities provided basic supplies like tents for temporary settlement, Qiu Ruxin wouldn't have to suffer like this.

As I walked earlier, I did see many homeless people on the streets of this world.

It was highly likely due to this reason.

"I... I still can't sleep."

After struggling for a long time, Qiu Ruxin opened her eyes and said to me.

"You can't sleep? Since you can't sleep... then tell me a little about your world. I want to continue learning about your world. Just close your eyes and speak. I'll be listening by your side."

Seeing that Qiu Ruxin truly couldn't sleep, I stood up, took the nearby chair, and sat down by the bed.

But... I still felt strange.

The person who couldn't sleep was telling "stories" to the person who was trying to lull them to sleep.

But there was no helping it.

I needed to learn about this world.

"Mhm..."

Qiu Ruxin nodded, her voice subdued.

"Then what does Little Han Sis want to know?"

"Just tell me about those Explorers. Why are they called that?"

"Why... I don't know. But many countries, even large countries, officially name them Explorers, as for what they explore, I'm not sure."

"Official naming?"

I nodded in understanding.

This at least suggested that the invaders had made contact with the top tier of this world, and perhaps even reached some kind of agreement.

The small country I was currently in, Lanath Island, had only recently completely opened its doors to these Explorers, perhaps under pressure from other countries.

"Yes. But... I heard those people also call themselves Secret Diggers."

"Secret Diggers... Explorers, self-proclaimed, official naming... Interesting. Secret Diggers—are they trying to dig up the secrets of your world?"

"I don't know..."

"It's alright. I don't expect you to know this information. I'll investigate the rest myself later," I said with a smile.

But clearly, Secret Diggers was their true designation.

They were openly publicizing their goal, and the high-ranking officials of this country were using such methods to embellish their reputation.

This was truly intriguing.

Next, I asked Qiu Ruxin about a few other things, such as how long these Explorers had been around, their combat strength, threat level, and moral standards...

Through the series of questions, I gained a general understanding of these outsiders.

Firstly, these Explorers had existed for decades.

The exact time could no longer be traced.

Initially, these Explorers were only individually active, occasionally causing major incidents that led to social unrest.

Later, their anomalies caught the attention of various countries, who realized that the Explorers had already gained enough influence and power to establish a nation within a nation in some country...

This completely crossed that country's bottom line.

The Explorers' establishment of an independent nation served as the fuse, triggering a world war that lasted for three years, involving nearly half of the world's countries.

Most countries' participation was incited by the Explorers within their own borders.

At this point, I specifically asked about the motive, such as why they established a nation and triggered the war.

After all, if there was no profit, it wouldn't be worth so many people making a big fuss, let alone starting a world war.

But this world war started quickly and ended quickly.

It lasted only three years and then fizzled out, with no country even declaring the joy of victory.

Afterward, these Explorers were scattered across various worlds.

Lanath Island was originally a neutral country that did not participate in the world war, but now, out of necessity, it recently opened its borders to the Explorers, granting them freedom of entry and exit.

I listened carefully, also considering other possibilities.

After all, this was all relayed by Qiu Ruxin, carrying her intense personal prejudice.

During the Telepathic Communication, I could feel the fierce collision between her objective facts and personal bias.

Perhaps due to being harmed by the Explorers earlier, she held a strong prejudice against them.

However... considering that they were outsiders and Qiu Ruxin was a Child of Destiny, it couldn't be ruled out that this was a deliberate arrangement by the World Will or The Script.

But another point also made me very curious.

I indirectly learned from Qiu Ruxin that if these Explorers were outsiders, they should also be rejected by the World Will, suffering the Curse of Misfortune.

But Qiu Ruxin said they were not particularly unlucky.

So... based only on the information obtained so far, if the theory was that The Script was deliberately provoking conflict between the native inhabitants and the outsiders, then judging solely by the Curse of Misfortune, Qiu Ruxin seemed more like the outsider!

But she possessed a Seed of Destiny.

That was the key anomaly.

Teacher Ji Niang said that a Seed of Destiny cannot be transferred, and even if it could, it wouldn't be a level I could currently touch.

But Qiu Ruxin was clearly not an ordinary person.

But these speculations could only be kept to myself.

I continued to listen to Qiu Ruxin narrate some common knowledge about this world.

Until... I heard something strange.

"Wait, stop for a moment. What did you just say? The sky tore open with a giant gap, and demons furiously poured into your world?"

I suddenly interrupted.

"Yes... This incident was very serious. It seems... it seems that the arrival of these demons during the late stages of the world war between various countries and the Explorers accelerated the cessation of the war's effects, prompting a united front."

"Demons... Abyssal Demons?"

I didn't care about how this world formed a united front.

I only cared about this Demon.

Was it the same Abyssal Demon I knew!