The Netherworld Research Institute remains as calm as usual. Everyone is quite at ease, just a step away from watering the flowers, reading the newspaper, and cracking sunflower seeds.
On other administrative planets, just keeping a close daily watch on the fluctuations in the depth changes between the virtual ocean and the material world would be enough to keep people constantly on their toes.
But in Heng Province, the lockdown level is extremely high, making it difficult to create rifts for creatures from the parallel worlds to flow into reality.
So it’s particularly leisurely here.
Chief Ma of the supervision office, with a thermos cup in hand and both hands behind his back, strides into the room.
There aren’t many people in the office, just a handful, barely enough to count on two hands.
"Chief, can we get off work early today?"
"Why? Is there something at home?"
Chief Ma asked with a smile.
"I’m lining up to buy merchandise of the champion of the Heng Province Top 100 for my girlfriend. That student Qin, after all, is someone who came from our Tai’an, and indeed deserves our support."
Li scratched his head and said.
"The reason is justifiable, I approve."
Chief Ma nodded. Besides, he planned to finish early today to pick up his child.
For Dongxia citizens, the Netherworld Research Institute always has a layer of mystery, as if it’s a place filled entirely with high IQ geniuses and lunatic madmen.
In reality, their job nature isn’t very different from agencies like the Meteorological Bureau or the Environmental Bureau that don’t have a strong presence.
The functional roles of both are to design defense plans and issue warning notifications against "disasters," without any armed forces.
"Speaking of, that student Qin once caused a deep turmoil in the Netherworld, leaving our institute in a mess."
"That’s right. That time at Old Factory Street, it made such a big splash, with the Four Pillars descending all at once, it was my first time seeing that."
"I heard Qin is going up against the Seventh Battle Group again; there’s a sparring match today."
Someone whispered, gossiping.
Instantly, the supervision room buzzed with activity as everyone chattered about that student Qin.
There aren’t many reports about him, but they are quite genuine, almost like a good kid next door.
Unlike the new generation’s Scorching Sun, who often comes from noble backgrounds, with elite grooming, top-notch education, almost like stars from another galaxy, unattainable.
Qin Shi’s image is very approachable, but there’s not much exposure, creating a close yet mysterious impression that piques the public’s keen interest, compelling them to discuss and dig deeper.
This is a deliberate publicity strategy of the Tai’an region regarding Qin Shi himself.
Because he has low enthusiasm for media interviews and attending events.
Thus, the Education Commission reduced the overwhelming repetitive reporting and instead increased a lot of related introductions from Old Factory Street, enriching Qin Shi’s public image from past experiences.
"Heroes emerge from the youth. The insight of the Four Pillars is indeed accurate, can be said to be farsighted, clear as a candle."
Seeing the lively atmosphere, Chief Ma offered some clichéd remarks.
He looked at the round clock hanging on the wall, considering how much longer to sit before slipping away.
But before the clock ticked a few times, a buzz-like alarm went off loudly.
"Chief, the depth value of the Netherworld has surged by ten points! It’s overlapping with the material world, causing a rift..."
The sudden unexpected change made the supervision room immediately switch into work mode, as each rushed to their control stations.
"The location is confirmed, it’s... why is it Old Factory Street again? It’s at Nanhuang Daoist School!"
The researcher reported.
Initially anxious, Chief Ma, upon hearing it was Nanhuang Daoist School, immediately relaxed, sitting back down.
"No need to worry. Nanhuang Daoist School reported in advance, it is intentionally unlocking the seal for short-term cultivation, procedurally compliant and legal."
The young researcher, watching the screen’s red data, asked worriedly:
"Chief, the Netherworld fluctuation is about to break through the peak value, the data changes are significantly abnormal, do we really not need to issue an advanced warning?
If unchecked, the formation of a stable rift could destroy half of Old Factory Street..."
Chief Ma waved his hand, calmly confident:
"It’s Nanhuang Daoist School. Even without a Grandmaster present, there’s still a Sitting and Forgetting Level Spiritual Witch.
With her presence, even a Great Demon descending can be handled."
Chief Ma remained steadfast, extremely composed.
The notorious reputation of the Spiritual Witch Yu Weiwei is well-known, especially to the institute that deals with the Netherworld for many years.
"I just wonder if we can catch a ’big fish’ of Great Demon level."
Chief Ma took a sip of goji berry tea, speaking leisurely.
He glanced at the various data fluctuations on the main control panel; his calm expression wavered slightly, suddenly thinking:
"The witch wouldn’t be blocking the door to kill, would she?
That wouldn’t be fishing; it would be equivalent to using dynamite to fish, which is very dangerous!"
The Netherworld is a spiritual affiliation place, not dependent on the material world. Quite the opposite, it is very independent, almost considered another universe dimension.
As the most accomplished scholar of Dongxia, Dr. Yan Tongxuan, puts it, the Netherworld is like a thick curtain between reality and fantasy.
Any living being passing through, entering into that vast and boundless deep ocean, will find all basic rules applicable to the material world no longer valid.
Everything inside is chaotic, the time of existence, all have different flow rates, countless variables fill the space, and nothing is certain.
Erosion, like endless fierce turbulent currents, constantly shrouds every creature entering the Netherworld. This content belongs to novelꜰire.net
Making them lost, insane, even entirely fallen and degraded.
Even with an unyielding will, as if branded with an iron mark like the warriors of the Judicial Court if swallowed by the Netherworld, cannot emerge safely, inevitably twisting into some kind of anomaly.