Chapter 80

Pennywise's power diminished after the disappearance of the indigenous people, resulting in a period of weakness and a brief historical lapse.

Years later, due to the unrest caused by the massacre of the indigenous people, the colonizers began creating new horror legends. Stories emerged about vengeful Indian spirits and escaped monsters, reflecting whatever people feared the most.

Some said Pennywise could fly and teleport, satisfying people's imagination. Others claimed Pennywise could make children disappear without a trace, gaining the ability to alter memories.

This is another form of deification through belief.

"How impressive! You can have whatever ability you want," Randy remarked.

The only difference between Randy and Pennywise is that Pennywise acquires belief directly, consuming as much as he can, while Randy collects and channels these beliefs into real power.

Pennywise commented, "This isn't ideal; too much panic causes humans to adapt. I don't know who started the rumor that I must hibernate for 27 years each time I appear!"

Such measures effectively stabilize morale, as people tend to believe such fears are true.

Reluctantly, Pennywise had to enter hibernation.

This was somewhat beneficial, as it allowed for the sustainable development of the local population.

However, when Pennywise revived after many years, his power had weakened significantly, and his old tactics were forgotten. Therefore, he chose to target more easily frightened children, adopting the friendly image of a clown.

He specifically targeted one generation to avoid dealing with significant figures.

The argument next door ended with Carrie temporarily gaining the upper hand. After all, strength determines the power of speech, but Carrie still dared not go too far and even accepted many unreasonable demands.

Randy merely shook his head.

"Alright, go find that child abuser. I know you're eager for some dessert," Randy said.

Pennywise gave a dry smile.

Pennywise initially enjoyed filming torment videos to spread his influence, but ultimately, whether or not someone was killed didn't matter much. Pennywise consumed fear and souls, while Randy needed physical nourishment.

Since there was no conflict of interest, Pennywise was willing to invite the local legend.

This meeting certainly couldn't take place at Randy's home. The two moved to a dense forest, where Pennywise found a secluded spot and set up a haunted house, and they waited inside.

"It's been a while. He should have finished by now, right?" Randy asked, sitting in a chair with an expressionless face.

When the local legend arrived in Derry, he only briefly greeted Pennywise before rushing to ambush Mark's house. He didn't even bother to say hello to Randy, a very rude fellow.

"It should be about time. Normally, a kid would only be tortured for an hour or two. It's been two hours since sunset," Pennywise speculated. "Should I summon him now? The method might be a bit bloody."

Randy waved his hand, indicating to proceed.

Pennywise grinned maliciously, pulling out a projector from his coat. Randy scanned the trash in front of him, which was Pennywise's prop collection. He had spent a long time collecting it again in the afternoon and found a new storage place.

Pennywise also retrieved a videotape and inserted it into the projector.

This was a horror video recorded by the local legend. After his death, the curse was embedded in the video, so watching it could summon him.

There was an even simpler method: accessing his website. Unfortunately, Pennywise never saved it on a computer, as computers were not particularly common 27 years ago.

"Giggling!"

As the projector showed the video, a blood-red room appeared on the dark wall, with the masked local legend bowing and greeting the camera before starting his torture.

The scene was horrifying.

Pennywise took the opportunity to observe Randy's expression, but unfortunately, Randy didn't show any discomfort and even seemed a bit drowsy.

In Randy's eyes, such figures were no different from animals or plants.

Would you scream in terror if you saw someone peeling potatoes?

As the video played, the scenes began to change. The local legend's image grew more real, and he seemed to notice the audience's gaze, slowly approaching the camera before jumping out of the screen.

It was as if he had crossed dimensions, bizarrely appearing in reality.

He removed the old mask he used for crimes, revealing his terrifying face underneath.

"Pennywise," the local legend greeted, then casually glanced at Randy before ignoring him completely.

"Child abuser," Pennywise smiled.

The two shook hands warmly as if they were old friends. Just as Pennywise was about to introduce his boss, the new legend of Derry and the dark realm of Maine, the local legend began to question.

"Why did this happen? Didn't you say that family was ordinary? Why do they have divine protection? They are monks and clergy!"

"This?" Pennywise was somewhat taken aback.

The local legend continued, "I almost couldn't return. I nearly got dragged into a church by a Bible!"

Seeing the seriousness of his words, Pennywise looked puzzled. He turned to Randy, as he provided the information.

Randy was also confused but wondered if it was Catherine's Bible. But Catherine was clearly weak.

It was possible that due to excessive piety, she might have been blessed by God, gaining the power of the Holy Spirit.

He had just taught her a lesson earlier that day. It seemed she had won after all.

"How did you get back?" Randy asked.

But the local legend did not answer, instead casting an evil look.

"I'm asking you, how did you get back?" Randy repeated, feeling a bit embarrassed. His friend seemed rather dim-witted, lacking any perceptiveness.

"The Holy Spirit appeared from the Bible and tried to drag me into the church for purification, but I managed to escape," the local legend's head turned towards the clown.

"Pennywise, I came to help you, but not only did I not benefit, I even suffered losses. Shouldn't you compensate me?"

"Oh? How would you like to be compensated?" Pennywise asked.

"You know, I have a special interest in Asians. Although he seems close to adulthood, he can still stir up my desire for torment! If you want to cooperate with me, you should offer him up," the local legend said.

"Pffft."

Pennywise laughed aloud.

Such arrogance, the local legend was clearly seeking his own demise.