Chapter 598: “Audience” unrest

"Miss, are we really not going back?" Uncle Quan looked at the empty theater and the grey sky outside, stirred by the strong winds, his eyes filled with unease. "The Disaster Bell has already rung; it's not safe to stay out here..."

"Go back? Is it safe to go back?"

Huang Suyue, though also somewhat tense, was not flustered. She raised a finger and pointed at the ground beneath them, "Where else could be safer than by the Envoy's side?"

Uncle Quan opened his mouth, truly unsure how to retort, and simply nodded helplessly.

The grey sky enveloped the theater, pressing down on everyone's hearts like a lead weight. A cold wind, rising from an unknown source, swept beneath the theater's eaves, sounding like an endless sigh.

"Sir, it's very dangerous outside right now... Will they be alright out there?" Kong Baosheng's face had also paled as he asked cautiously.

"It's fine. They are 'professionals'."

Currently, Jack of Clubs, Ten of Diamonds, Nine of Hearts, and Jian Changsheng had all been dispatched. Except for Jian Changsheng, they were all veteran members of the Twilight Society, so there should be no need to worry about their safety. As for Jian Changsheng... well, as long as he doesn't die.

Chen Ling returned to the edge of the stage and sat down. He picked up a cup of tea that had long grown cold and took a small sip.

A slightly bitter coolness flowed down his throat. His gaze fixed on the howling wind outside the door and the white ash dancing with the wind. A question suddenly arose in his mind.

By now, Chen Ling had encountered the Grey Realm several times. Whether it was the "Abyss of Demonic Mockery," infested with various shadow monsters, or the "Forbidden Sea" residing in the icy northern waters, both were different territories from the Grey Realm. This time, what territory of the Grey Realm had the Crimson Sky Sect summoned?

"Sir, your tea is cold. Shall I brew you a fresh cup?"

Kong Baosheng's voice came from nearby.

Chen Ling nodded slightly, allowing him to take the teacup, but his thoughts remained on the previous question.

The cold wind from an unknown source, the strange ash fluttering with it... As Chen Ling was lost in thought, a wisp of white, fluffy ash drifted into the theater with the wind that swirled past the window. Upon seeing it, Chen Ling subconsciously reached out to catch it.

Meanwhile, Kong Baosheng, carrying a steaming teacup, quickly approached him:

"Sir, your tea is here."

The moment Chen Ling's palm touched the white ash, an inexplicable chill suddenly surged through him!

In the void behind him, pairs of scarlet eyes suddenly opened, fixating intently on the wisp of white ash. Their previously playful gaze instantly turned cold and eerie. A strange aura emanated from Chen Ling's body...

Bang—!!

The teacup Kong Baosheng was handing to him suddenly shattered without warning!

Amidst the boy's gasp, fragments of the cup scattered, and the scalding tea spilled entirely onto the theater floor, steam rising.

Chen Ling was startled. He abruptly looked back, but the gazes of those eerie spectators had vanished. No one else present seemed to have seen them; they were all now turning their heads to look at him in confusion.

"Are you alright?! Were you burned?" Huang Suyue sprang from her seat and quickly ran towards Chen Ling, her face filled with anxiety.

Li Qingshan also swiftly descended the stage, approaching Chen Ling.

Chen Ling's palm was indeed red from the scalding water, but it was hardly worth mentioning. He casually shook off the water from his fingertips, his brow furrowed as he looked down...

There, the scalding tea, spilled on the ground, had now interwoven to form a line of twisted, sinister characters before Chen Ling:

—Sighing Wilderness.

Beneath the grey sky.

Many pedestrians dashed along the street, their eyes periodically glancing around in terror, as if fearing something might emerge from any corner.

"It's an officer! An officer is here!" The figure running at the very front saw Wang Jincheng approaching from the opposite direction, and a hint of joy appeared on his panicked face. The few people behind him immediately rushed to surround Wang Jincheng.

Wang Jincheng, who was holding a walkie-talkie and searching the street with a grave expression, was forced to stop upon seeing them.

"You're an officer, right?! What exactly is going on?"

"Isn't this a Grey Realm convergence? But we've run so far and can't get out of this grey cloud's range... Do you know where it's safe to run?"

As the questions poured in one after another, a hint of helplessness flashed in Wang Jincheng's eyes. He explained, "The range of this Grey Realm convergence is extremely vast. Furthermore, due to the Crimson Sky Sect, nearby city trains and cars have all ceased operation... Trying to walk out on foot isn't realistic."

Upon hearing this, everyone immediately panicked.

"Can't get out? What should we do??"

"Doesn't the safety manual say that disaster monsters can emerge at any time after a Grey Realm convergence? If we can't get out, aren't we constantly in danger?"

"Will you protect us? You will protect us, right??"

"I'm sorry, I have other matters to attend to and cannot protect all of you," Wang Jincheng said with utmost seriousness. He paused for a moment before continuing, "The best thing to do now is to hide in your homes or other buildings, the more secluded the better. Running on the streets makes you too conspicuous."

Everyone's faces turned pale, but having no other options, they quickly glanced around and then sprinted towards the nearest restaurant.

This restaurant was a standalone building with an exterior constructed of stone, making it appear very sturdy. Inside, at least a dozen pedestrians were already hiding, their eyes peering out through the windows, filled with terror and unease.

Most residents of Red Dust Main City were experiencing a Grey Realm convergence for the first time, and given the unusually vast scope of this particular convergence, their fear and panic were understandable. Wang Jincheng watched as that group of pedestrians hid inside. Once he could finally take a breath, he averted his gaze and continued walking down the street.

"This is Wang Jincheng, no traces of disaster have been found ye—"

Boom—!!!

Before Wang Jincheng could utter his last word, the standalone restaurant beside him exploded!

A colossal, pale shadow, carrying terrifying kinetic energy, easily shattered the thick stone blocks into a cloud of dust. Along with it, dozens of residents inside were instantly crushed into a bloody pulp. The shadow then continued its straight path forward, smashing through a three-story building and a bank before rushing onward!

Flying dust swirled past Wang Jincheng's face, and his pupils subtly contracted...

It all happened too suddenly. The residents of Red Dust who had just sought his protection didn't even have time to scream before they were trampled into a bloody mess. More than a dozen buildings were instantly leveled. Even Wang Jincheng couldn't clearly see what that white shadow was.

Wang Jincheng's chest heaved violently, and a surge of anger rapidly built in his eyes.

He let out a low roar, and a section of the ground beneath his feet instantly tore away, carrying his body as he hurtled wildly in the direction the white shadow had departed!

After he left, in a corner of the city under the grey sky, mysterious alchemical arrays gradually lit up. From the remnants of the corpses that had turned to bloody pulp, numerous souls seemed to be drawn by something, slowly drifting towards a certain direction...