Chapter 3, The Dark Ages
On the 25th, the sun disappeared for 2 hours
Darkness! Darkness! Global crisis!
Thus, he understands that for him, whether it is defensive or offensive talismans or abundant resources, none of these are the most important. What truly matters is the ancient books; as long as the ancient books are present, he has the confidence to survive. Moreover, the ancient books are also the most important memento left to him by his parents after their passing. From this emotional perspective, the ancient books can indeed be considered a form of "family heirloom".
Regarding the creation of talismans, he had long ago analyzed two paths. One is a combat-oriented path. As his consciousness in the fourth dimension became increasingly clear, he felt more strongly through ancient texts that the celestial trajectory of the other-dimensional space was drawing nearer, and the danger was growing day by day. He needed to create a defensive and stamina-enhancing Six Armor Talisman, a Fire Soldier Talisman for modifying a handgun, and a Divine Weapon Talisman for a long sword.
Unfortunately, events do not unfold as one wishes. On the third day, specifically on the 24th, in the morning in the United States and evening in China, the sun disappeared once again for a duration of one hour. This disappearance caused significant chaos, with various crime rates soaring sharply. Some individuals, who were initially reluctant to believe in the apocalypse, were shocked upon receiving the news and rushed out to purchase supplies overnight. However, at that time, there were no stores still open; the clerks in supermarkets and shopping malls were also human and had long since fallen into chaos. The crime rates surged dramatically, and those who were initially skeptical about the end of the world, upon hearing the news, were stunned and hurried out to buy items, but by then, there were no stores operating, and the clerks in supermarkets and malls were already caught up in the turmoil.
Time slips away in this strange atmosphere, the weather outside grows increasingly cold, and heavy snow has begun to fall continuously. According to experts upstairs, we may be entering an ice age.
On the 28th, the world finally fell into complete darkness, with no time zone able to see the sun
On the 26th, the sun disappeared for 4 hours
When Chu Yunsheng made a decision while gently touching the ancient book, he understood that his aptitude was ordinary. If it were not for relying on the ancient book, he would be no different from other ordinary people, lacking any power of resistance. Only those with extraordinary innate talents, as mentioned in the ancient book, could awaken their fourth-dimensional consciousness in the purest atmospheric energy the earliest and the fastest, instinctively utilizing the energy of heaven and earth.
However, the situation is not developing in the direction that the government desires
Chu Yunsheng decided to stay at home properly, to go collect rations on time, and to avoid running around aimlessly. He currently lacks the ability to protect himself, and he is still unaware of the power of the only fire elemental talisman he possesses.
On the 27th, the sun disappeared for as long as 10 hours
The world has fallen into darkness, with an uncertain duration
Chu Yunsheng closed all the windows, yet the cold could not be kept at bay. The power supply can no longer be guaranteed, with only three hours of electricity available each day. The supply of coal and natural gas has also significantly decreased, leaving only water to barely maintain its supply
The only thing that brought comfort to Chu Yunsheng was that his Qi training finally achieved a glimmer of success today, allowing him to catch a glimpse of the vast primordial energy between heaven and earth, barely enabling him to refine some of that energy into his body
Chu Yunsheng, dressed in a thick down jacket, sat on the bed. It was already the 5th day of the Dark Age, and he had barely accumulated enough vitality within him to craft a low-level elemental talisman.
Chu Yunsheng sat blankly by the window. Although he had long predicted this day, when it actually arrived, he still felt an instinctive panic within. The world had changed, the rules had changed, everything had changed. What would the future hold? A brand new era was about to begin, and everything was unknown, not to mention the powerful beings from alternate dimensions that could appear at any moment. All disasters were just beginning
On the 23rd, after his phone call with Yu Xiaohai, Chu Yunsheng made another call to other relatives and classmates. The signal was intermittent, and he managed to inform them to be extra cautious and to stock up on supplies, even suggesting that they come to his place in case of danger
Thus, he only dared to rent a place nearby, which also allowed him to receive some incidental care from the military, though it was not overly strict. Through the window, he could see soldiers patrolling with submachine guns, which gave Chu Yunsheng a sense of security
Date: December 28, 2012
In addition to another route, Chu Yunsheng considers himself a conservative member of the farming faction. He also creates a fire soldier talisman that can modify a handgun to harness the power of the natural energies of heaven and earth, as well as a material storage talisman that can contain all the resources he has been continuously accumulating over the past three months
People are even resorting to directly robbing stores due to the inability to purchase goods, cash has become inaccessible from banks, various POS machines have also been shut down by banks, and the entire world has plunged into extreme chaos and paralysis
The situation has nearly spiraled out of control, prompting the government to ultimately deploy military force. The orderly tanks and armored vehicles moved slowly through the city like a torrent of steel. After warning shots were fired, those who attempted to resist the military were shot dead. Bloodshed continues to unfold across the globe, and no one seems to care about this matter anymore. Only the government-run television and radio stations in various countries continue to call for calm and restraint among the populace
The ATM machines for bank withdrawals have formed long queues, the supermarket is packed to capacity, and gas stations are crowded with people refueling. A significant number of police officers have appeared on the streets, and the order in the city is barely being maintained. If the sun does not encounter any further issues, the relevant departments are confident in their ability to maintain a harmonious and stable situation
This materialization talisman is slightly higher in rank than other talismans. If the fire soldier talisman is completed first, and then this materialization talisman is made, the time until it is close to the celestial track, as depicted in the diagram and book, will not be long. In this case, relying solely on the protection of a handgun significantly increases the level of danger
After much contemplation, Chu Yunsheng concluded that carrying the ancient books with him could likely result in their loss during a hurried escape or in a state of panic, which was something he could not bear. Therefore, starting from this concern, he must prioritize the creation of a materialized talisman, incorporating the ancient books within it, and then sealing the talisman onto his body, ensuring that nothing could go wrong.
On December 28, one hour before the sun disappeared, under conditions of good global signal, in front of the White House, the President delivered his final speech: "... Satan has resurrected among men, humanity will face God's test, and from this point, we will enter a dark age. Only those who yearn for light, freedom, and brotherhood will ultimately emerge from the darkness and return to God. ..." ... Satan has resurrected among men, humanity will face God's test, and from this point, we will enter a dark age. Only those who yearn for light, freedom, and brotherhood will ultimately emerge from the darkness and return to God. ...
Given his abilities, he estimates that in the limited time remaining before the overlapping of the celestial orbits in the alternate dimension and Earth, he can refine enough primordial energy from heaven and earth to inscribe at most three of these low-tier talismans.
When Chu Yunsheng rented a house, he took into account the serious situation and the potential involvement of the military. Therefore, he specifically rented a place near the government officials' compound and the neighborhoods of the powerful and wealthy. He did not dare to rent directly within those areas, as he anticipated that after the military takeover, there would certainly be a cleanup and inspection of key protected neighborhoods. Individuals like him, who had stored a large amount of food, were very likely to be regarded as speculators and detained.
However, it now seems almost impossible, as the military has taken over the city, imposing a citywide curfew and martial law. Each neighborhood is guarded by military personnel and police, and all necessary supplies are delivered by the military. Residents have been ordered to stay at home and are not allowed to leave without permission until the situation stabilizes
Chu Yunsheng began to experience new entanglements; on one hand, he feared death, while on the other hand, he became increasingly aware that he could not stay in these two houses for long. Soon, he might embark on a path of escape, making supplies extremely important.
This amount of energy is insufficient for him to depict the elemental symbol; he needs to continue refining his energy. Aside from refining energy, he truly has nothing else to do, as all communications have been interrupted. The soldiers outside can only use loudspeakers to communicate with the residents.
In the early hours of the 25th, Chu Yunsheng heard gunfire, real gunfire! Along with the rumble of tanks, the army had entered the city
Every day, he goes downstairs on time to collect the rations allocated by the military. Although he does not need them, he fears that the soldiers will discover the abnormalities in his home. On his way back, he overhears the experts upstairs discussing that riots have broken out in several places. The confined residents can no longer endure the apocalyptic atmosphere and have engaged in fierce conflicts with the local military, resulting in many deaths. It is even rumored that there have been panic incidents within the military.