Striving for Science C112 pt2

After hanging up the phone with Minister Wang, Uncle Zhang started frantically dialing Shen Chang'an's number, but for some reason, Shen Chang'an's phone was unreachable at the crucial moment.

"What's the use of having a god as a boyfriend." Uncle Zhang threw his phone aside, tucked his magic artifact into his clothes, and said to the otaku ghost, "Hide yourself, some fierce ghosts escaped from hell, and they love to use ghosts like you as supplements."

"Master Zhang, please don't worry, I've been with you all day, and I've learned some ghost-catching skills." Chen Yuan pressed a ghost that was trying to escape back into the bag, and tied the bag shut, "If you need any help, just ask."

Uncle Zhang looked at Chen Yuan for a few seconds: "How's your relationship with the ghosts in the neighborhood?"

"I don't get along with the ghosts who roam around all day, but I'm pretty good friends with those who like to stay at home." Chen Yuan pulled out his phone, "What do you want to know? I'll ask them for you."

"You ghosts... have group chats too?"

"That's right, even as a ghost, you can't give up your interest in surfing the internet." Chen Yuan clicked on the group chat, "Those who can get online on their own are doing pretty well." Speaking of which, he was worried that Master Zhang would wipe out all his ghost friends in one fell swoop, so he quickly explained, "Don't worry, they're not evil spirits, they just like to surf the internet, so they stayed behind in the human world."

Uncle Zhang: "To stay online, they even gave up reincarnation, commendable spirit."

"Actually, it's not entirely because of his internet addiction that he's lingering in the human realm." Chen Yuan sighed. "The ghost friend I met last month was only seventeen when he died. He couldn't go to the underworld because he hadn't reached the age of death. He had good grades, but he loved playing games. His parents, who wanted him to succeed, sent him to a rehab center. The center gave him electroconvulsive therapy, and he suddenly had a heart attack and died."

"After his death, his parents cried their eyes out, saying they regretted it, but what good did it do?" Chen Yuan sneered. "You only get one life. Once it's gone, it's gone. Can a few words of regret bring it back?"

Uncle Zhang sighed. He had heard of such things, but there was nothing he could do.

"Ask your friends if anyone has seen Shen Chang'an." Uncle Zhang opened the door to the rooftop hallway. "I'll go check out the apartment complex. If any dirty things try to cause trouble, I can stop them."

Chen Yuan, while asking in the group chat, followed Uncle Zhang downstairs.

Some elderly men and women were standing or sitting below the apartment complex, gathered together to complain about the power company. They didn't even give them a heads-up about the power outage, making them miss their favorite TV shows.

Seeing Uncle Zhang come down, they greeted him with smiles. "Old Zhang, going out to practice your Tai Chi sword again?"

"Yeah." Uncle Zhang smiled. "Let's go for a walk."

"It's good to go out for a walk anyway. With the power outage, there's nothing we can do." An old lady said. "Once the power comes back, I'll make mutton soup with my old man. I'll bring you a bowl when it's ready."

Uncle Zhang was taken aback, forcing a smile. "Don't worry, the electricity will be back on soon."

Leaving the ghost-free apartment complex, the smile on Uncle Zhang's face vanished. He looked at the gloomy sky, feeling the biting cold wind pierce through his flesh.

"Daoist Zhang." Dharma Master Yan Yin, Master Yun Feng, and several other masters dressed in monk robes or Daoist robes hurried over. Their faces were grave, even tinged with a sense of determination.

"Didn't you go to Mount Tai?" Uncle Zhang looked at Yunfeng, surprised. "Why are you back so soon?"

"We calculated that the life force was in Wuming City, so after the sacrifice to Heaven on Mount Tai, we rushed back to Wuming City. Unexpectedly, this happened as soon as the plane landed."

"How's the airport?"

"The situation isn't good. Multiple planes are making emergency landings, and flights that haven't taken off dare not take off anymore." Master Yun Feng shook his head. "It's the same in all countries. There are already rumors of the apocalypse on the internet…"

"This isn't a rumor." Uncle Zhang chuckled bitterly. "If we can't overcome this hurdle, the apocalypse might really be upon us.

"Is there any word from Mr. Shen?" Yun Feng paused for less than two seconds before regaining his composure.

"Can't get in touch with him." Uncle Zhang shook his head. "The human realm is already in chaos, who knows what's going on in the underworld."

"We'll know by asking." Yun Ffeng's expression was solemn. "Things have reached this point, we should cooperate with the Underworld.

"How do we ask?" Uncle Zhang was a little helpless. The people in the Underworld don't use cell phones.

"Set up an altar."

"Times have changed, maybe the Underworld will respond to us."

***

Master Yun Feng was right. The Underworld is also in chaos now, but unlike the human world, in the eyes of many female ghosts, the sudden chaos in the Underworld is because those straight-male-cancer ghosts are deliberately causing trouble because they are dissatisfied with the changes in the Scissors Hell rules. So as soon as the Underworld became chaotic, some tough female ghosts stood up on their own initiative to help the ghost officials maintain order.

If any evil ghosts took the opportunity to cause trouble, they would be held down and beaten by several female ghosts, and after the beating, they would be tied up with ropes and dragged before the ghost officials.

Many male ghosts, in order to make a good impression on the ghost officials and secure a good reincarnation in their next life, were also very active in maintaining order, eager to write "I am the Hell Hound" in big characters on their faces.

So after a brief period of chaos, the Underworld gradually returned to peace.

In the Hall of Hell, the King of Hell and the four judges did not breathe a sigh of relief because the Underworld had returned to peace. They looked at the chaotic scenes of the mortal realm in the Yin-Yang Mirror and realized that something was terribly wrong.

"Life is unstable." Judge Cui closed his eyes, sensing something in the space around them. "But it's gradually calming down now. Though still weak, it's not yet on the verge of extinction."

"Are you saying it's Life Dao?" Judge Wei furrowed his brow. "Did Heavenly Dao discover Life Dao's whereabouts and attempt to devour it, but failed?"

"No." The King of Hell shook his head. "Life Dao has not been extinguished because Heavenly Dao has protected its path."

"But... isn't Life Dao supposed to restrain Heavenly Dao?" Judge Zhong was puzzled. "When did Heavenly Dao become so merciful?"

"Why do you think Heavenly Dao and Life Dao are enemies?" Judge Cui said, "The claim that Life Dao restrains Heavenly Dao, while a persistent rumor, has never been substantiated by us in the Underworld. We've never encountered Life Dao, nor have we seen them clash with Heavenly Dao. Heavenly Dao, it seems, has never actively sought out Life Dao either. They are like the most distant of existences, never encroaching on each other's domains. The so-called restraint is merely the wishful thinking of certain beings."

"They don't mutually restrain each other, are they actually in love?" Judge Zhong waved his hand dismissively. "It's too late anyway, Heavenly Dao is currently interested in a human."

"Human?"

A flash of insight crossed the King of Hell's mind, but it vanished as quickly as it came. He felt like he had overlooked something incredibly important.

What is it?

Several wisps of incense floated faintly into the King of Hell's Hall. Some floated to Judge Wei, some to the other Judges, and even a few floated to the King of Hell.

"Incense of petition from cultivators in the mortal realm?" Judge Wei caught the incense, frowning. "We haven't responded to incense of petition from the mortal realm for many years. Cultivators have gradually become more sensible and stopped coming to see us. Why are there so many incense of petition suddenly today?"

"The four Judges, you go see them." The King of Hell released his hand, and the incense of petition disappeared in the hall.

"The human realm is in chaos now. It's a special time. "Responding to humans' requests for an audience isn't against the rules.

***

Across the entire land in all directions, in every temple and Daoist monastery, countless cultivators sat cross-legged, chanting scriptures for peace.

The scriptures, accompanied by the faint scent of incense, slowly flew towards the sky, piercing through the clouds, finally merging into an invisible stream, entering Shen Chang'an's body, repairing his battered body.

Major power plants began to activate emergency power generation equipment.

Staff from all departments returned to their work stations.

There were no traffic lights, but there were traffic police and volunteers directing traffic.

Cell phone signals were poor, but street offices and community volunteers in each neighborhood coordinated efforts. Even hospitals sent ambulances to densely populated neighborhoods, and doctors from clinics and pharmacies all went on high alert.

For thousands of years, the ones who truly saved humanity were never gods, but humans themselves.

As long as they don't give up hope, there will always be a glimmer of life.