Apocalypse Forecast

Chapter 968 - 764: Lost Souls

"Then, let’s return to the essence of the Heavenly Inquiry Route—"

Tong Ji tapped the little whiteboard and used an Event Branch resembling a feather pen to write the word [Sharing]: "From the beginning to the end, from the First Stage to the Fifth Stage, all the core concepts of Stigma are built around ’sharing’.

The manifestation itself is gradually interfering with the outside world through one’s own power, from the inside out."

The feather pen continued writing on the little whiteboard: Yin Soul, Mountain Ghost, Soloist,

"Initially, it’s based on negative Source Substance, and then through the revival of the Mountain Ghost, after forming an ecosystem, breeding a swarm—

Even if you take King Xiang’s branch route, it’s the same at this point, except the swarm type changes from mountain to sea."

Tong Ji paused for a moment and asked, "Can you understand until here?"

Huai Shi nodded.

"Then, after the swarm proliferates and spreads, it brings about a new problem."

Tong Ji said jokingly, "An overly dominant ecosystem will strongly impact the outside world, just like how wild rabbits invaded pre-bombardment Australia, and how dragon orchid grew vigorously in Indonesia... Such rough interference will bring unpredictable consequences."

"In other words, you will become—an invasive species."

Tong Ji told him, "The Hell Swarm itself is just that, if left unchecked, it will inevitably impact the balance of Current Circumstances as distortion increases.

Besides, prosperity followed by decline is the norm, the swarm itself cannot last long."

"What?"

Huai Shi was stunned: "How am I affecting ecological balance here?"

"Just a metaphor, only a potential consequence, but if unmanaged and left unchecked, it will surely reach that point eventually. The difference is just a matter of sooner or later."

Seeing Huai Shi’s puzzled look, Tong Ji made another analogy: "It’s like you’ve gathered a group of fans, formed a Paradise Prince Fun Association chat group, and those enthusiastic fans voluntarily promote you, spreading like a virus, one spreading to ten, ten to a hundred.

Causing more and more people, more and more, more and more... It’s just a pity, good times don’t last long."

Tong Ji’s smile turned mocking: "Before you know it, you find your fans are becoming increasingly aggressive towards outsiders, not just conducting fan control reviews and verbal abuse online, but also doxing those who dislike you or don’t want to become your fans, attacking them so much that your Feng Ping turns sour.

And this atmosphere gradually spreads into reality... Finally, you find you lost your friends, lost your job, lost your social life, you only have your fans left.

Besides that, the whole world becomes your enemy."

Huai Shi gasped coldly, stunned.

"No... way?"

Even he himself couldn’t entirely deny it.

"What’s the difference from an illegal church group when it gets this severe?" He asked in shock.

Tong Ji questioned back, puzzled: "Is there an essential difference between the relationship of fans and idols and that of believers and God? The only difference is the name of the aid funds and flower offerings.

If you go out and walk around the Huaizhi Gang horizontally each way seven steps, and tell them you’re actually the reincarnation of the World Honored One, do you think Ueno wouldn’t kneel on the ground and bang bang bang bow to you?"

"Isn’t this a bit exaggerated..."

"Do you think that’s the only problem? Not the least, Huai Shi."

Without waiting for Huai Shi to react, Tong Ji continued: "There’s something even more serious. Not only is there excessive external expansion, but you’ll also lose control internally.

Maybe at first, a Raven posted a borderline image in the Dream Cage, you didn’t pay attention, then the second person imitated, the third, fourth... Ultimately, the Ravens exchange various weird Little Book of Yingzhou and download links in the Dream Cage daily, their minds filled with desires, sharing strange fetishes, increasingly perverted."

By this point, Huai Shi’s face had turned green.

Tong Ji shifted her tone: "Or under the stimulation of some people, everyone starts to be dissatisfied with all existing strategies, criticize the Astronomical Society’s strategy, the Jurisdiction Bureau is bloated, the Existence Institute is all a bunch of idiots, the Archaeological Team is just skeletons, the Technical Department is a bunch of useless people, all utterly incompetent!

They should let our brother Huai Shi do this and that..."

"Alright, alright, stop talking!"

Huai Shi instinctively pinched her bird mouth, gasping cold several tens of times, almost shivering from fear.

In disbelief: "Would anyone be this self-destructive?"

"Do you think so?"

Tong Ji transformed into smoke, slipped through his fingers, reformed, and tidied her feathers: "Guess how many Soloists woke up to find their swarms gone compared to you?"

"..." Huai Shi was speechless.

"So, at this point, an administrator is needed to step up and act harshly..."

Tong Ji stood on Huai Shi’s shoulder, leaned close to his ear, whispered, and with her little wing made a throat-slitting gesture: "Whether it’s posting indecent images, or stirring up chaos among the swarm, all should perish.

Now, do you understand what the ’Great Priestess’ does?"

Huai Shi heard the sound of his jaw dropping to the ground.

"Surely, the Soloist represents growth and life, the Great Priestess represents decline and death.