Chapter 287: A Bit Far, Let's Wait a While

For One-Eyed Man, his greatest fear was the unknown. What Wu Sheng spoke of seemed shrouded in mystery. Given their current situation, overcoming these unknown entities felt incredibly difficult.

"So soon?" Wu Sheng sensed the aura. Someone had activated the ancient formation, opening the passage that allowed them to travel from beyond the stars to this planet.

Lately, he'd been making a conscious effort to get closer to Lin Fan and Old Zhang, but with limited success. Nevertheless, he was deeply grateful to Old Zhang for guiding him towards enlightenment in the Great Dream Millennium Scripture. If his clan knew, they would be consumed with envy.

Should he tell them?

Better not. He'd keep this good fortune to himself. Besides, he still wanted Master to continue his acupuncture treatments. The boost to his strength was simply too exhilarating.

Lost in thought, he wondered who had activated the ancient formation. After arriving, everyone had dispersed, but it didn't matter. Since someone had activated the formation, he was no longer needed.

Just then, there was a knock at the door.

Wu Sheng opened it to find One-Eyed Man standing outside. He felt indifferent towards the leader of the special department, especially since the man seemed intent on building a relationship with him.

As far as Wu Sheng was concerned, that was absolutely out of the question. No matter what, he was the young master of a prestigious clan. He couldn't just casually swear brotherhood with anyone. Of course, he had wanted to become sworn brothers with Lin Fan and Old Zhang, but they hadn't seemed interested.

Thinking it over…karmic cycles were truly a sorrowful thing.

"Is something the matter?" Wu Sheng asked.

"Yes," One-Eyed Man replied. "I want to know what their arrival means for us. How will they deal with us?"

Wu Sheng looked at him, contemplating whether to reveal the truth. Based on his understanding of those individuals, things were likely to take a grim turn.

"To be honest, they might kill you all," Wu Sheng stated.

One-Eyed Man immediately felt an immense pressure weighing down on him.

Wu Sheng added, "Don't be too nervous. Perhaps the situation isn't as dire as we think. After all, there are plenty of friendly people like me."

Friendly people like him?

Preposterous.

You yourself said 'might'. Who knows what the real situation will be? It could be truly terrifying.

Several days later, on June 24th, countries around the world detected unusual cosmic activity. Their satellites captured images of massive ships emerging from a passageway in space, just outside the planet's atmosphere.

These ships remained motionless, simply floating in space. The world leaders, observing this, were deeply apprehensive. They had no idea what would happen next. To them, this was an alien invasion, and judging by the scale of the ships, their technology seemed frighteningly advanced.

In the United States, discussions were frantic.

"We must establish communication with them."

"But we don't know their intentions."

"Their intentions are irrelevant. We simply need to make contact."

The Americans wanted to be the first, ahead of all other nations, to establish contact with these extraterrestrials, preventing other countries from gaining potential advantages.

That same day, the United States initiated their plan. With personnel currently aboard the 'Space Station', they received orders to approach the alien vessels and attempt communication.

If all went well, it would be immensely beneficial for the United States.

China, too, closely monitored the situation in outer space. Seeing the American 'Space Station' actively approaching the mysterious ships, they felt a surge of anxiety.

In space, the 'Space Station' slowly drew closer to one of the large vessels, transmitting friendly signals in hopes that the aliens would receive and understand their peaceful intentions, welcoming them as guests.

Back on Earth, the American officials anxiously watched the screens.

"They're getting close."

"What kind of ship is that? It's colossal, and there's no one visible on the surface."

"Where does that passage lead? How was it even created? Our current technology is nowhere near capable of such a feat."

"If we could acquire their technology, we would remain the most powerful nation forever."

On the screen, two astronauts in spacesuits floated out of the 'Space Station' and gently landed on the deck of the alien ship. They longed to shout, to ask if anyone was there, but in the vacuum of space, their voices couldn't carry.

Suddenly, a startling event unfolded.

Both astronauts were stunned, as were the American officials watching the screens.

"They're walking in space without any equipment! How is that possible?"

"Damn it, this is unbelievable."

"Why do these people look somewhat similar to those from China? Could they be…?"

The more they thought about it, the more unsettling it became.

Suppressing their apprehension and curiosity, they instructed the astronauts to communicate with these mysterious visitors. However, the current situation was far from ideal. How could they possibly communicate?

Speaking was impossible.

Fortunately, one of the astronauts had the foresight to bring paper and a pen. He began writing in English: "Hello!"

They waited nervously.

This first contact with extraterrestrials was incredibly tense. They had no idea what the aliens might say. The anticipation was palpable.

Gradually, they noticed more and more aliens emerging from the ship's interior. Their attire was diverse and ornate, like something out of a movie, and each carried a weapon.

Even though the weapons remained sheathed, a palpable sense of killing intent emanated from them.

The aliens, in turn, looked curiously at the two astronauts.

"Who are they?"

"I don't know."

"They seem to be natives of this planet. Strange-looking and weak. What are they drawing on that paper? Is it some kind of provocation?"

"Remove their helmets. Let's see what's going on."

The astronauts, seeing the aliens' lack of response, grew curious. Perhaps they didn't understand English? Or were they equally surprised to encounter bipedal beings like themselves?

Just as the astronauts prepared to continue their attempts at communication, they realized the aliens were approaching them.

Nervousness and curiosity mingled within them. They had no idea what was about to happen.

But soon…

Crack!

With a brutal yank, the aliens tore off one astronaut's helmet.

"Ah!"

The astronaut clutched at his throat, his face contorted in pain and despair. He tried to scream, but no sound escaped his lips. He died quickly.

Watching the horrific scene unfold, the American officials roared in disbelief.

"What are they doing?"

"Why did they remove his helmet? They killed him!"

"Quiet! Don't you see? These aliens have no idea what a helmet is. Perhaps they were just trying to greet him, with no malicious intent."

"Yes, I think you're right."

As they debated, another unthinkable act occurred.

The beings they considered aliens ripped off the second astronaut's helmet. The officials stared in horror, as if witnessing a nightmare. They had never imagined that these "aliens" would be so hostile.

On the ship:

"These barbarians are incredibly weak. They can't even breathe in space."

"Indeed. Their inability to breathe is quite amusing."

"The natives of this planet seem very weak. There shouldn't be any problems."

"Don't be so sure. We mustn't underestimate them."

The news of the American astronauts' deaths at the hands of the mysterious aliens spread rapidly, reaching every corner of the globe.

In China, in the capital city of Xia Du, Elder Xu's face was etched with worry. He felt immense pressure. As the leader of the special department, he had never experienced such anxiety, not even during the demonic incursions.

Now, with the arrival of these enigmatic beings, he couldn't predict what the future held.

Suddenly, the space before him rippled, and a mysterious voice echoed.

"Who are you?" Elder Xu asked warily.

"Don't be alarmed, I mean no harm." Chi appeared before Elder Xu, continuing, "If you want to know who I am, you can consider me on par with a Demon God."

Elder Xu was shocked. He'd spent his entire life dealing with demonic entities, but he'd never encountered one like Chi, capable of human speech and possessing a humanoid form.

He could sense the immense power radiating from this mysterious demon, a power that surpassed his own. If Chi intended to kill him, there would be no need for this conversation. Realizing this, Elder Xu relaxed slightly.

"Please, have a seat."

Regardless of Chi's purpose, as the leader of the Xia Du headquarters, he had to maintain his composure, remaining unfazed even in the face of impending doom.

Chi said, "Allow me to introduce myself. I am Chi, one of the Demon Gods. I orchestrated the demonic attacks on humanity."

Such a blunt introduction caused Elder Xu's face to darken once more.

Had Chi come here to declare war, to launch a final, all-out assault?

If so, he would fight to the death to stop him.

Seeing Elder Xu's grim expression, Chi chuckled. "Don't worry. My purpose here is simple. I want to tell you who those beings lingering in space truly are. They represent a challenge, or perhaps an opportunity, for both of us…or rather, for all of us."

"What do you mean?" Elder Xu asked.

Chi continued, "Before I explain, let me tell you why the demons attack humanity. My explanation is that we hope to help humanity grow stronger, to evolve."

Elder Xu retorted, "And because of this 'reason', many humans have died."

"Haha," Chi laughed. "Survival of the fittest. That is the natural order. If we truly wanted to eradicate humanity, your strongest warriors would be no match for us. I alone could slaughter every single one of them."

"Chickens, ducks, pigs, and dogs are all weak, at the mercy of humans. To demons, humans are like these farm animals. Killing you is simply a natural course of action."

Listening to Chi's reasoning, Elder Xu found himself at a loss for words.

"That's a fallacy!" he finally managed to say.

Chi responded, "Whether it's a fallacy or not is irrelevant. Just remember, this is an opportunity for both humans and demons to become stronger. The mythical lands of miracles will appear, and those beings from the depths of space will compete for the opportunities they offer. Perhaps a single artifact could grant them the power to obliterate an entire human city."

Elder Xu questioned, "Why are you telling me this? You're a demon."

Chi paused for a moment before answering, "Because they consider us natives as well…"

Elder Xu fell silent.

So that was it.

Chi added, "Trust me. We should unite. You've noticed that demonic attacks on human cities have decreased recently. Of course, just as humans have factions, so do we demons."

He wasn't being entirely truthful. Being treated as natives wasn't the primary reason. The true reason was the inherent demonic nature to kill humans.

Naturally, he wouldn't reveal that.

Elder Xu said, "Is the Cockroach Demon also with you?"

"No," Chi replied. He was aware of the immense suffering the Cockroach Demon had inflicted upon humanity. He, too, was curious about its nature. Its near-invulnerability was not a typical demonic trait.

"Unity is impossible. Demons have been invading human cities for so long. Even if I agreed, others wouldn't. However, I can guarantee that as long as demons don't provoke humanity, we will not oppose you," Elder Xu stated.

He still wasn't certain whether Chi was telling the truth.

Therefore, he didn't want humanity to ally with Chi.

It was best for each side to mind their own business. As the leader of the Xia Du headquarters, he was wary of being tricked by a demon.

Chi said, "Very well. In that case, let's agree on that. Also, I advise you to pay close attention to unusual events around the world. They may be the first signs of these opportunities. Whether you can seize them depends entirely on luck."

With that, Chi vanished, departing as abruptly as he had arrived, demonstrating remarkable abilities.

Elder Xu sighed deeply, feeling the weight of the world on his shoulders.

He immediately contacted One-Eyed Man, urging him to keep a close watch on Lin Fan. Perhaps the key to resolving this crisis lay with him.

The existence of the Shadow Society was another source of concern for Elder Xu. Their presence could have a significant impact on humanity, and he couldn't rule out the possibility of them colluding with the mysterious newcomers to harm humanity.

He could only hope that his fears wouldn't come to pass.

Downstairs at the special department building:

"Lin Fan, what's wrong?" Old Zhang asked.

Lin Fan looked up at the distant sky. "I sense many powerful auras. They are strong."

"Really?"

"Yes."

"Should we go find them?"

"No need. They're a bit far. Let's wait a while."