Chapter 597: Red Turmoil

The sudden ringing of the Disaster Bell interrupted all the operatic accompaniment and singing, leaving the audience, who had been completely absorbed in the performance, stunned in their seats.

"What is this...?""The Disaster Bell?! That's the Disaster Bell!!""Three rings of the Disaster Bell mean a Gray Realm Convergence? In the Red Dust Main City?""How is this possible...? As far as I remember, there's never been a Gray Realm Convergence in the Main City.""Not just the Main City, but the entire Red Dust Dominion has barely seen one. As long as I can remember, the Disaster Bell has seemed like a legend... Did it actually ring??"

The sound of the Disaster Bell stunned almost everyone for a few seconds. In their understanding, this bell was something that only existed in the safety manuals issued by the Police Department, and for a moment, they couldn't process it.

But the more unknown something is, the more easily it can incite panic. When the four unfamiliar words "Gray Realm Convergence" reached everyone's ears, all those present turned pale. Related incidents from other domains and the rumored brutal acts of Gray Realm calamities flooded their minds, and gasps of alarm rippled through the crowd.

Those who had been watching outside the opera house looked up at the sky. A strange gray began to spread in the distance, slowly at first, but as wisps of "smoke" drifted up from all directions, the grayness surged out like a tide!

The tide swept through, and within a mere ten-odd seconds, the surrounding sky was completely covered by a deep gray. There were no stars, no bright moon, only white ash, like willow catkins, silently drifting down...

Only the small area where the opera house stood remained under a normal, dark night sky.

Those in front of the opera house stared blankly at the anomaly in the sky. The next moment, their clothes billowed up!

A wild, cold wind from another world poured into the main city streets, roaring like a beast as it tore through the standing buildings, so sharp it seemed capable of scattering one's soul.

"What do we do?! Are those calamities going to come and kill us?!""Why are you still standing there?! Run!!!""I don't want to die... I still don't want to die!!""Everyone move! I need to go home!!"

The sudden celestial change completely shattered everyone's reason. There was no longer any leisure or elegance for watching the opera; they immediately started fleeing in all directions, terrified that if they were too slow, a calamity would snatch them away.

Meanwhile, the audience still inside the opera house scrambled to their feet and rushed outside, a surging crowd pushing through the old, narrow doorway. The scene instantly devolved into chaos, with exclamations, cries, and curses rising in a cacophony.

On stage, Li Qingshan's eyes were filled with bewilderment. He turned to look at Chen Ling beside him, who was gazing at the sky above, lost in thought.

"Brother Lin... what's happening?" Li Qingshan asked in a low voice.

"I don't know," Chen Ling shook his head. "But... this doesn't seem like a Gray Realm Convergence caused by a domain failure... Could it be man-made?"

"Then, can our play still go on?"

Chen Ling didn't answer. He looked down at the opera house, where the audience had already fled through the doors, leaving behind a chaotic mess of overturned stools and scattered fruit peels on the floor. The scene was in disarray.

At the entrance of the opera house, Jian Changsheng and Ten of Diamonds quickly walked towards the stage. Chen Ling met them, and the three gathered together.

"It's the Scarlet Sky Cult."

Ten of Diamonds spoke in a low voice, "It seems the worst-case scenario has come true..."

"The Scarlet Sky Cult?" A hint of surprise flashed in Chen Ling's eyes.

Ten of Diamonds reiterated to Chen Ling the information he had just shared with Jian Changsheng. Chen Ling's brows furrowed as he fell into contemplation.

"Out of nowhere... why would the Scarlet Sky Cult get involved? And why choose this exact moment to initiate a Gray Realm Convergence?" Chen Ling murmured to himself, "What exactly do they want to achieve...?"

"With such a huge commotion, the Transient World Painting won't just stand by, will they?" Jian Changsheng asked.

"Of course not; they must have already taken action."

Ten of Diamonds paused for a moment. "But I just checked; this Gray Realm Convergence covers roughly a third of the Red Dust Main City. That area is far too vast... Even if the entire Transient World Painting mobilized, they couldn't reverse the situation in a short time.

"Furthermore, if the Scarlet Sky Cult truly planned this in advance, they would surely use some method to guide a large number of calamities from the Gray Realm into the Main City, letting the Transient World Painting and the calamities fight each other to slow down their progress."

"Tsk, are those Scarlet Sky Cult members always so cunning?" Jian Changsheng couldn't help but complain. As if remembering something, he looked out the window. "Speaking of which, why haven't we been caught in the Gray Realm Convergence here?"

"...I don't know. Perhaps the Scarlet Sky Cult member responsible for this area failed their suicide ritual?"

"So, our opera house is safe?"

"When the nest falls, no egg remains unbroken... If the surrounding streets are overrun by calamities, it's only a matter of time before it reaches us. At most, we'll suffer a little later than others."

"Damn, are you saying the Scarlet Sky Cult planned against the Transient World Painting, but ended up involving us too?"

"...Though I'd rather not admit it, we have indeed been innocently caught in the crossfire."

"What do we do next?"

Chen Ling and Jian Changsheng both looked at Ten of Diamonds. With Nine of Hearts and Jack of Clubs out, Ten of Diamonds was the most senior person present, so they had to ask for his opinion on their next move.

Ten of Diamonds pondered for a moment, then quickly made a decision:

"Alright, Jian and I will go out to assess the situation first. It would be best if we could meet up with Jack of Clubs and the others as soon as possible. Red Heart, you stay in the opera house for now and adapt as needed."

"No problem," Chen Ling replied.

"Wait... we're both Fives, so why do I have to risk going to the Gray Realm Convergence while this guy gets to stay and rest in the opera house?" Jian Changsheng's eyes widened in protest.

"Red Heart is a key figure in our current infiltration, a pillar of support. This entire opera house belongs to him, so it's perfectly reasonable for him to stay here... You're just a ticket taker, what would you do staying behind?"

Jian Changsheng: ...

"Besides, I said 'adapt as needed,' not 'stay here no matter what'... Can your adaptability match his?"

Ten of Diamonds' two sharp remarks immediately broke Jian Changsheng's spirit. He drooped his head like a deflated balloon and silently followed Ten of Diamonds out.

Wearing his operatic robe, Chen Ling watched the two walk out of the opera house. Only when their figures completely disappeared at the end of the street did he turn back.

Inside the opera house now, only a bewildered Li Qingshan remained on stage, along with Kong Baosheng who was bending down to right a chair, and Huang Suyue and Uncle Quan in the front row of the audience.