After the Lord of the Abyss Awakens - Chapter 35.1

Meanwhile.

In an office near the Senate of the Continental Human Alliance.

Two of the five Sword Saints of the East, South, West, North and Central Lands – the Southern Sword Saint and the Northern Sword Saint – met to talk.

One person sat on the sofa. Their features were very plain, with no eyebrows, skin color almost transparent, medium build, and the whole person was very bland, with no discernible gender characteristics.

She was Lia Rost, the Southern Sword Saint, who had made a great name for herself entering and exiting subspace.

Lia looked at the person standing by the window and said, “What do you think about the Aust Empire situation?”

Hearing this, the Northern Sword Saint lowered his eyes, revealing an old face in the sunlight, as well as a pair of weathered eyes.

He was the old man the Aust Empire had previously sought help from, named Simon Jones.

“The Senate’s 176-person vote resulted in 100 to 76, with 100 people in favor of not providing aid to the Aust Empire. The result is already out, so why are you asking what I think?”

Simon’s gaze turned to Lia as he said flatly, “I was even one of the 76 people who voted in favor of aid.”

Lia stared at him intently and said directly, “You voted in favor because you knew your vote wouldn’t affect the outcome. You actually wanted to vote against it more.”

Meeting Lia’s eyes, Simon chuckled softly.

“Human countries go crazy, and every time the Continental Human Alliance has to clean up their mess. How many of our compatriots have died because of this?”

“If it were sacrificing to fight external enemies, many of us would certainly give our lives without hesitation. But to give up our lives for the stupidity of individual humans? That’s a joke. We can’t do it. Whoever wants to can go ahead.”

Lia remained silent, her eyes still on Simon.

Simon seemed to fall into memories and said, looking down, “During the chaos in the Aust Empire’s imperial city back then, we sent quite a few people, including my only three students. They all died, giving up their precious lives and losing their futures that should have been bright and brilliant, for a crazy maniac. Do you think I would still agree to let our people go to die?”

By the end, his eyes changed instantly, like a newly forged treasure sword, sharp and piercing.

Lia frowned deeply, and only after a few seconds said, “It’s a pity. If they were still alive, they would surely have inherited your position and become one of the Sword Saints protecting humanity.”

“You know that too?”

Simon’s face darkened, his words carrying killing intent. “The reason that king dared to go so crazy back then was because he knew our Continental Human Alliance would cover for him, that we would definitely step in to save humanity. You know what? When he first started causing trouble, the Continental Human Alliance already sensed something, but he concealed it in various ways. In the end, when it couldn’t be hidden anymore, he immediately came asking for help. Our young people heard about it and, without considering anything else, without even asking their teachers for instructions, rushed to the scene in the imperial city, and then were devoured by the power of an otherworld god.”

Lia was silent again, because she saw the killing intent Simon couldn’t suppress.

Simon’s hand gripping the window involuntarily tightened, crumbling the stone wall to dust. His eyes flashed with anger that was still difficult to extinguish even now.

“Those madmen know we will always save people, that’s why they’re so fearless! Heh, this time we can let countries around the world know that the Continental Human Alliance is not an all-purpose card that handles everything. We can coldly watch 40 million people die, so what are your individual countries? If you commit crimes, you have to pay the price yourself, not have others pay for you!”

What’s wrong with this generation paying for the mistakes of the previous one?

Wealth and glory can be inherited, but sins cannot?

“The Continental Human Alliance wasn’t established to clean up after a bunch of fools!”

Simon glared angrily, his killing intent overflowing.

“…”

Lia understood Simon’s anger.

Cultivating a student was too difficult, requiring who knows how much effort. Especially for combat professions like swordsmen – not only were they difficult to cultivate, but the attrition rate was also high. Unlike magicians who could stay indoors studying magic, where attending classes diligently was enough to become stronger, combat professions needed to actively go to battlefields and experience countless life-and-death battles to possibly become strong.

Those in combat professions tended to have somewhat extreme personalities, with heavy killing intent, valuing efficiency and not tolerating nonsense, for this reason.

Lia lowered her eyes, thinking that what Simon said was also true.

The gods of subspace were collectively called otherworld gods. The Continental Human Alliance had numbered them in order of discovery. The one offended by the Aust Empire was number 007, a relatively peaceful god. If you didn’t provoke him, he wouldn’t bother with you at all.

He had appeared on the human continent three times. The first two times, he left as soon as he was done, showing no interest in the human continent at all. The third time, he was forcibly “invited” back, and has been dwelling on it ever since. How could he let it go easily?

So, this would certainly be a bloody massacre. If the Continental Human Alliance wanted to intervene, they couldn’t possibly eliminate the crisis without using “god-level” combat teams.

If they went this time, how many people would have to die? How many more young people would have to die?

Although, the citizens of the Aust Empire were truly innocent. Those main culprits had died decades ago, the upper echelons had all been completely replaced, and now it was almost all people promoted from below.

Thinking of this, Lia frowned. The words she was about to say got stuck in her throat. Perhaps this was the Aust Empire’s tribulation, a destined destruction that no one could stop even if they came.

At this moment, Simon suddenly said, “That young Sword Saint from the West also resents the Aust Empire. I heard he’s already preparing to seize the Aust Empire’s territory.”

Lia paused, her expression changing. “He’s not worried about the otherworld god staying.”

Simon chuckled, “That otherworld god despises the human continent and won’t stay long. And their neighboring countries all have their own national protection measures, so what is there to worry about?”

His words sounded somewhat certain. Once a person strongly hopes for something to be true, they unconsciously ignore things that hinder it from becoming true.

Sword Saint Simon had grown old too.

Lia thought to herself that when people get old, they value emotions and companionship more. A teacher burying students was like digging out one’s heart and flesh – it wasn’t easy to get over.

And since this matter had already been decided by the Senate’s vote, anything she said now would be of no use.

She could only hope that Hero Luo Jie could display his former divine powers in the Aust Empire and save this crisis.

Lia stood up, just about to bid farewell to Simon.

Suddenly, someone pushed open the door and entered with a panicked expression, saying, “Two Sword Saints, news has come from the Aust Empire. Hero Luo Jie… has died in battle!”

“What did you say?”

Lia reacted first, and Simon also stood up immediately.

Lia’s eyes widened. “Hero Luo Jie…is dead?”

They were both stunned, unable to accept this news for a moment, doubting their own ears.

“Are you telling the truth?”

The messenger was sweating profusely and said with a trembling voice. “Yes, the Aust Empire is suppressing the intelligence, but our observers have confirmed it. On November 25, 1034 of the Humans Era, Hero Luo Jie fought alone and died in the Hero Memorial Hall of the Aust Empire’s imperial city. His opponent was an apostle of the otherworld god!”

“This…”

Lia’s pupils trembled, finding it truly hard to believe.

Hero Luo Jie was the only hero remaining in the current world. His symbolic significance was more important than the entire Aust Empire, yet he died in the Aust Empire. He had survived the Gods Era and the Demons Era, yet died in the Humans Era!

Lia’s whole body shook.

Hero Luo Jie might no longer have been powerful, but he was after all the hero who saved the world. How could this be possible, how could this happen…

Even Simon, who opposed aiding the Aust Empire, was stunned on the spot.

Because Hero Luo Jie was the idol of warrior-class professionals. He had been Simon’s idol back in the day too. He had thought Hero Luo Jie might not be able to save the Aust Empire and would decide to retire after everything was over, but he never imagined Hero Luo Jie would even die before the otherworld god descended.

He couldn’t control his anger and shouted. “Are the people of the Aust Empire all useless? How could they let the hero be the vanguard!”

As soon as he spoke, strong killing intent swept out, shaking the space around them.

The messenger was drenched in sweat, almost falling to his knees.

Lia came to her senses and used her power to reduce the pressure, but still wore a shocked and doubtful expression. She lowered her head and muttered, “Hero Luo Jie…”

With the last hero dead, did it mean the era of heroes had ended and a new era was about to come?

Then, in this situation where ancient gods were awakening one after another, threats from subspace were constant, and internal strife among humans was on the rise, what kind of era would the new era be?

Lia frowned deeply, knowing that great chaos was coming and the world would soon face a major reshuffling.

And it all began with “the death of Hero Luo Jie”. In this great reshuffling, who would preside over the rule? What exactly would happen in the future?

Her confusion was shared by many others.

Those in power and the strong had their own ways of gathering intelligence. They would know about what happened in the Aust Empire within a day or two.

There was a great uproar within the Continental Human Alliance. Some young people were furious and wanted to go to the Aust Empire to avenge the hero.

However, they were all suppressed for various reasons.

The leaders of the Star Observatory told the young people. “The Aust Empire is facing imminent danger. Don’t go stepping into those troubled waters. The otherworld god is already approaching the Aust Empire’s spatial coordinates. If you go, you won’t even be enough to die.”

The leaders of the Magic Institute also shook their heads, telling the indignant informed magicians. “The waters are deep. Don’t go. With your strength, you can’t even directly look at the true form of the otherworld god.”

The Intelligence Institute had a complex attitude towards this, reportedly maintaining silence. It was unclear whether they were allowing action or what.

The leaders of the Historical and Cultural Institute had somewhat different thoughts. An old man had an optimistic attitude, smiling and saying, “He might not even be dead. You’re young, so you don’t know Hero Luo Jie’s methods. Someone who could survive the Gods Era isn’t so easy to kill. I could die but Hero Luo Jie wouldn’t, haha.”

But regardless, this news had already caused huge waves, affecting not just the Aust Empire, but radiating out to countries all over the world.

Kings of various countries had their own thoughts, some angry, some shaking their heads.

When the news reached the ears of humanity’s top powerhouses, they had different perspectives of understanding.

“No way, although his strength had dropped to level 80 last time I saw him, he still looked like he could put up a good fight. Hmm, unless I see it with my own eyes, I won’t believe it.”

The third-ranked person was quite skeptical.

However, historians and wandering poets would be busy during this period.

Meanwhile, the Great Empire of Oedipus had already prepared its military and civilians.

The Western Sword Saint Ferrol Jupitis coldly gazed into the distance, then turned around after a few seconds, his gaze falling on a giant, pure black warship.

In 303 of the Humans Era, a super-grade magician brought back knowledge of “warships” from subspace. From that year on, flying warships powered mainly by magic became the primary tool of war and an important indicator for measuring a country’s national strength. For example, a great empire referred to a country that owned and could maintain more than ten warships.

Ordinary countries besides these, whether empires, principalities, kingdoms, federations, etc., all had national strength a notch below.

What would follow would be a war dominated by elite troops, not following the rules of disparity of the Goddess of Harmony, so Ferrol only brought a small number of high-level combat elites.

Seeing him look over, an attendant immediately walked up to him and bowed respectfully, saying, “Lord Ferrol, we are ready.”

They didn’t know in what way the otherworld god would destroy the Aust Empire, whether it would be like the previous times or if there would be a new method.

They might not be able to take the territory immediately and might have to wait for an opportunity.

But none of that mattered. Just watching was enough. With the warships, they had plenty of time to wait.

Ferrol smiled faintly, lifting his chin slightly and saying. “Good.”

The attendant looked up and asked, “Shall we set off now then?”

There was a certain distance between the imperial city of the Great Empire of Oedipus and that of the Aust Empire. Teleportation magic consumed magic stones, so it would be better to fly there normally if possible.

A hint of consideration flashed in Ferrol’s eyes, and he abruptly said. “Remember one thing, we are going to war to pay our respects to Hero Luo Jie.”

The attendant was stunned. “Pay our respects… you say?”

Ferrol said with an unchanged expression. “That’s right. This is what we’ll say both internally and externally.”

The attendant immediately understood. “As Lord Ferrol says!”

Half an hour later.

The Aust Empire’s military received the latest news.

“Good news, Duke Feman… the apostle of the otherworld god was killed by that mysterious person!”

An intelligence officer arrived at an underground gathering place and then discovered Duke Feman’s corpse.

Philip and others immediately rushed to the conference room, but before they could rejoice for long, bad news followed.

A mage from the Magic Tower ran in with a panicked face and said something that shocked everyone.

“The otherworld god’s descent has suddenly been moved up! There’s not much distance left between us!”

Philip and the others instantly turned pale.

Just two days ago, they had predicted it would take at least a few months or years, but now it was coming in the blink of an eye?

How much did he hate the Aust Empire to be so impatient to destroy them?

Eilinson had just rushed over from the palace. Hearing the news, she also froze on the spot. “Is it… already coming?”

The magician turned to look at her at the doorway, with an equally grim expression. After a moment of silence, he said, “Yes, it’s very likely. The space above the imperial city of the Aust Empire has already been locked onto. We predict he will descend from the sky, bringing us destruction.”

After hearing this, the air in the conference room seemed to be sucked out.

Things were happening too fast. They didn’t even have time to announce to the citizens to prepare for evacuation. Besides, evacuation would be useless – there was nowhere to hide. It might even be better to wait quietly at home, where buildings still had the protection of the Goddess of Harmony.

“What… should we do?”

Someone’s voice leaked out, unable to hide their nervousness and fear.

Everyone’s expressions were strikingly consistent.

Eilinson looked around the room, her fists clenched beneath her sleeves. She took a deep breath and said with determined eyes. “The original plan remains unchanged. Since he is about to descend, we’ll prepare for a war against a god and give it our all.”

Everyone in the room looked at her.

The situation was so urgent, and they had almost no combat power to fight against a god. How could they fight an otherworld god?

Even their strongest attack methods might not be able to harm an otherworld god.

But some were inspired by her and nodded firmly.