The sky seemed to split apart.
Above New Spring, the spreading darkness rapidly dissipated and contracted. As the Great Serpent's projection vanished, it was seen no more. The lingering taint of Great Evil was washed away by the rain of Mercury, and before long, the entire town had returned to its usual state.
As curtains of Mercury contracted and vanished one after another, the alarms came to an abrupt stop. After the Security Department lifted martial law, pedestrians once again appeared in the streets.
Still shaken, the onlookers exchanged glances and looks, talking among themselves as rumors sprang up everywhere. There had simply been too many changes in less than half a day—more than most people would see in their entire lives.
Some began to worry that the Coast was conducting some wicked experiment that might send all of New Spring into the sky. Others cursed them out. "Bullshit! I saw it with my own eyes! This is spiritual energy revival, get it? Factory Director Ji must have finally perfected his cultivation—
"survived the lightning tribulation, split the heavens with one sword, and ascended into the clouds atop a serpent!" All manner of such rumors spread and changed shape, their imagination dazzling and eye-opening.
It did not take long for the chaos to pass. Or rather, everywhere except the Coast's industrial park had always been rather chaotic; things had merely returned to their usual degree of disorder.
Before long, market stalls had been set up again, and everything resumed normal operation.
If one wanted to make a living outside the city, one needed a big heart.
These days, people dying in wind and rain was more or less commonplace. Nothing unusual about it. Besides, no one had died yet, so what was there to fear? Working this afternoon counted as