A phantom little girl in a maid's dress and apron appeared out of nowhere in Han City as time rewound. With a gentle point of her finger, she stopped the reversal, as though someone had pressed pause on a machine playing a film backward.
The people of Universe Country, who had been crying with joy moments earlier, froze at the sound of her voice. Their cries fell silent in an instant, and overwhelming terror filled every heart.
"Nyarlathotep?..."
"God, it's still alive? That Evil God wasn't crushed to death?"
"Don't look at it. Don't look at it..."
No one knew who shouted first, but the cry broke the silence. The people of Universe Country near Han City began screaming in fear.
Some clutched their chests and shook violently. Perhaps they could not bear the sudden swing in their emotions, or perhaps they could not withstand the Corruption that had crossed space when they looked directly at Nyarlathotep.
On the summit of Mount Tai, everyone who received the news hurried to Gija's side. In their panic, they stumbled over their words as they asked their ancestor what they should do. They had long since lost the courage to face an Evil God.
The team leader from the Department for the Administration of Mysterious Forces did not look down on them for it. If he were in their place, he could think of no way to deal with this except to seek help from a supernatural being.
Only a god could stand against an Evil God.
The realization struck him.
The Torch Dragon above Han City did not seem surprised by Nyarlathotep's appearance. It stopped turning the disc on the Sundial. Its human face, eyes closed, slowly turned toward the little girl and opened its eyes.
Then daylight came.
From the Eastern