Chapter 190: Daddy Is a Hero! [Double Chapter]
"Creak..."
After the worn-out door closed, the cramped room plunged into dead silence.
"Tap... tap..."
As the sound of the man's footsteps faded into the distance, Janice felt as if all her strength had been drained.
She slumped weakly against the door, unmoving for a long time.
She knew what Rowell was going to do.
During that period, the streets and alleys were abuzz with discussions about the Reduction of Working Hours and Increase in Wages Movement. The security bureau was arresting people every day.
They had even stormed into their textile factory, claiming that young women were involved as well.
Janice knew the movement was a good thing.
It spoke for the impoverished workers and fought for the welfare of the common people!
But... but... movements like this got people killed!
She had seen with her own eyes the arrested workers hanged in the square, left to the elements. The stench of rotting corpses was so foul it could be smelled from miles away.
During that time, she would rather take a detour early in the morning than pass through the square.
Every time Rowell went out in the middle of the night, she lay awake, her heart pounding with fear.
She was terrified!
Terrified that she might wake up one day to see Rowell dangling from those horrifying gallows in the square!
She had vehemently opposed Rowell's outings. She had hidden his night clothes, argued with him, shouted at him, even smashed a cup in anger.
She had screamed, "Even if it's the right thing to do, why does it have to be you?"
Rowell had widened his bull-like eyes but ultimately gave her no answer.
He continued to do as he pleased, growing even more radical—even modifying his limbs.
At the thought of this, Janice covered her face in agony.
She wanted to cry but didn’t dare, afraid of waking the children.
"Whoosh!"
The pitch-black room was suddenly illuminated by a light from outside.
Janice looked up in shock, not yet understanding what was happening.
"Bang! Bang! Bang..."
The bone-chilling sound of rapid gunfire, like a torrential downpour, crackled and roared into the room.
"Boom! Boom!"
Along with the gunfire came deafening explosions.
The relentless gunfire and explosions spread across the city in the blink of an eye, as if the entire Empire of Infer had been plunged into war.
The dark room flickered with the glow of flames outside.
"Mom!"
The eldest son and youngest daughter woke up in fright.
Terror written across their faces, they called out for their mother and rushed into her arms.
Janice quickly embraced her children, her face pale and her body trembling.
Her husband was out there.
The whole city was at war.
What about her husband...?
"Mom, where’s Daddy?"
The little girl suddenly looked up and asked.
Janice was at a loss, utterly unsure how to answer.
She could only keep comforting them, "He went out. He’ll be back soon. Don’t be afraid, don’t be afraid!"
The gunfire lasted for a while before gradually subsiding.
But Janice grew even more uneasy.
She had no idea what was happening outside. The intense gunfire filled her with dread and panic!
"Flash—"
A sudden burst of light from outside illuminated the dark room before vanishing again.
In that brief moment of brightness, Janice saw the fear in her children’s eyes.
"Boom!"
It was thunder!
The lightning before the thunderclap!
Thunder?
"Boom... boom..."
After that, the light in the house flickered even more erratically. The low rumble of thunder, unceasing and ominous, rolled through the city, far from normal, filling people with dread.
Until a calm voice broke through.
"Darkness has shrouded the land for too long. I think it's time for daylight."
As the words fell, the outside world abruptly brightened. Beams of sunlight streamed into the house, making the room glow brilliantly.
Within those golden rays, tiny specks of dust sparkled like playful elves, dancing and frolicking.
Janice had never seen her home at noon before.
She always left early and returned late, and for a moment, she was utterly transfixed.
The terrifying flashes of lightning and thunder also ceased in that instant.
"Mom, it's daylight!" her youngest daughter reminded her.
Outside, faint murmurs of commotion could be heard.
Janice mustered her strength and cautiously peeked out the window. She saw her neighbors, one by one, cautiously poking their heads out before stepping outside to investigate.
After watching for a long time and finding nothing unusual, she finally opened the door, intending to ask what had happened.
"Mom, look! It's Dad!"
"Dad’s in the sky!"
Her eldest son and youngest daughter exclaimed in unison!
Janice looked up in shock and saw that the usually gloomy sky had suddenly been replaced by an enormous canvas.
The image was so vast!
It nearly covered the entire capital.
On it, a man covered in gunpowder and blood stood atop the magnificent imperial city’s roof, baring his blue teeth as he waved a bright flag!
Beneath the image, a line of bold text struck terror into the hearts of all who read it:
"The Emperor of Infer is dead! From today onward, the people of Infer stand tall!"
Janice craned her neck, staring blankly at the scene, her mind reeling, her thoughts utterly blank.
By the time she saw her husband Rowell again, it was already dusk.
He was disheveled, his clothes filthy, the blood on them dried black. He looked exhausted, but his eyes burned with an unusual brightness.
"Dad, I saw you! How did you appear in the sky?"
"Dad! You’re a hero, right? Everyone says you’re a great hero! They even call you the Bluetooth King!"
Her youngest daughter and eldest son threw themselves into Rowell’s arms, chattering excitedly, gesturing wildly.
Janice walked over, pulling the children aside. "Stop bombarding him with questions. Let your father sit down and rest!"
Rowell burst into laughter, his face brimming with triumph.
"Haha, of course! Do you know where Dad went? Dad went to fight the bad guys!"
"Dad and his brothers stormed the Imperial Palace and slaughtered all those damned noble lords who fed on our blood! From now on, the Empire of Infer belongs to us!"
"See? From now on, we’ll have canned meat every meal—I promise, you’ll get sick of it!"
As he spoke, he pulled two canned meat from his pocket, teasingly handing them to the children.
"Wow! Canned meat!"
"I’ll never get sick of it!"
"Yay, yay! Dad, I want canned meat!"
By then, his wife Janice had already brought out a large bowl of mashed potatoes, a plate of toasted bread, and a thick slice of cured meat.
It was clear that Janice had prepared the food long ago, waiting for his return.
Seeing her husband's questioning gaze, Janice explained, "This was distributed when your people came door-to-door this morning to register the population."
Rowell's eyes brightened even more. "Really? I knew Mr. Aji De wouldn’t forget a single comrade."
Though a full day had passed since their victory, the excitement still hadn’t settled in his heart.
"These canned meat... where did you get them?" Janice asked, puzzled as she watched the children clutching the cans with delight.
"They were handed out in the unit! I didn’t finish mine, so I brought them back!"
"Ah? We have food at home—you shouldn’t go hungry!" Janice grew anxious.
"I wasn’t hungry! The unit had plenty of canned food, and there was roasted meat too! These were just snacks—I was already full. I just came back to let you know I’m safe. I’ll have to leave again soon!"
"Ah? You still have to go?"
"Of course! We’ve only just taken the Empire of Infer—there’s so much to do! I can’t slack off!" Rowell’s face was radiant with determination. "Oh, by the way, do you know? Guess who the great Mr. Aji De really is?"
"Isn’t Aji De an ideology? He’s a person?" their youngest daughter interjected blankly. She had always heard adults talk about "Aji De’s ideology," assuming it was some profound concept.
"Of course he’s not just a man! He’s a god! The great Internet God! Hahaha, I knew it—only someone extraordinary could lead us to victory!"
"Do you know? When we stormed the Imperial Palace, ready to drag that damned emperor off his throne, those wretched Four Primordial Gods suddenly appeared, ready to slaughter us all for that bastard’s sake! But then the great Mr. Aji De stepped forward and said, ‘The darkness has shrouded the land for too long—I say it’s time for dawn!’ And just like that, the sky brightened!"
"Can you imagine that sight? It was the first time I witnessed a divine miracle! So incredible, so magnificent!"
"The great Mr. Aji De is the true god!"
Rowell passionately and fervently recounted the divine miracle to his family.
"Dad, I heard that voice too! Was it the god speaking?" their eldest son chimed in excitedly.
"Exactly! You heard it too? Hahaha, wonderful! That was the divine voice—you’ll surely have great fortune when you grow up!" Rowell affirmed.
"Dad, I heard it too!" their youngest daughter cried out anxiously.
"Yes, yes! Our Little Tulip will also be blessed with good fortune!" Rowell quickly reassured her.
Satisfied, the little girl clapped her hands in excitement.
Suddenly, Rowell smacked his forehead.
"I have to go. Oh, here—this is Mr. Aji De’s prayer chant. Recite it, and miracles will happen! I promise."
Rowell pulled out a piece of paper and pressed it onto the table, winking at his family before turning to leave.
On the paper was the prayer chant he had carefully copied, worried he might not have time to teach his wife later.
After setting down the note, Rowell rushed out of the house in a hurry.
Though exhausted, his heart burned with unspent energy.
Never before had life felt so thrilling!
Tomorrow—it was something to look forward to!
"Creak..."
The dilapidated door creaked shut once more.
As the sound of her husband's footsteps faded into the distance, the panic on Janice's face had completely vanished. Though worry and concern still lingered in her heart, she felt as if a great weight had been lifted.
She turned and picked up the note her husband had left behind, pressing her lips into a faint smile.
When members of the Reduction of Working Hours and Increase in Wages Movement had distributed food, they had also handed out Propaganda Leaflets—one of which contained this very prayer chant.
Unconsciously, she began to recite:
"Great existence from the Azure Star, You are the Master of Language and Script, the Founder of the Internet. Under Your protection, I shall be interconnected with all living beings and the myriad things of this world."
As the words left her lips, a Virtual Screen materialized before her.
Even though she had already witnessed the power of the internet, Janice couldn’t help but feel a renewed sense of wonder and awe.
On the Virtual Screen, two icons appeared.
She had already tried both.
One was a lighting function.
The other was the Empire of Infer Gazette.
The lighting function needed no explanation. When she tapped on the Gazette, the Virtual Screen transformed, displaying a webpage filled with a dazzling array of content.
The layout resembled farmland outside the city—divided into uneven blocks, arranged like a virtual newspaper.
The largest block bore a bold headline:
"The Emperor of Infer is Dead! From This Day Forward, the People of Infer Have Risen!"
Clicking in revealed a photo of her husband, Rowell.
Of course, the report also included images—even videos—of Mr. Ben Keming and countless movement members charging on the frontlines.
The videos, in particular, faithfully documented the entire process of the Reduction of Working Hours and Increase in Wages Movement!
Watching them evoked an immersive sensation, stirring the blood with excitement.
Beyond the largest section, the other blocks were also filled with news about Infer.
Most were related to the Reduction of Working Hours and Increase in Wages Movement.
On the left side, a continuously updating feed flashed with the latest headlines:
"Alva City Announces Allegiance to the Infer Workers' Republic!"
"Chelston Cavalry Regiment Swears Loyalty to Infer!"
This news was one of the reasons Janice felt so relieved.
It was clear that the newly formed Infer Workers' Republic, after defeating the imperial family, was swiftly sweeping across the Empire—almost without a single soldier lost. How could she not feel reassured?
But was the unification of the Infer Workers' Republic truly so easy?
Obviously not.
Just as the Reduction of Working Hours and Increase in Wages Movement, led by Ben Keming, stormed the capital of the Empire of Infer, Yu Sheng'an's negotiations with the Four Primordial Gods reached a conclusion.
The two sides agreed:
1. All gods from both factions—including subordinate gods wielding virtual divine sparks—were forbidden from participating in the war!
2. The Internet God could not dispatch any beings outside the Vilia domain, to prevent the exposure of the Primary Domain of Azerai.
3. All disputes between the two sides would be settled by mortal empires.
4. Gods could only intervene by spreading divine techniques.
To be honest, this treaty severely restricted Yu Sheng'an's power.
After negotiating this outcome, Yu Sheng'an truly loathed the Emperor of Infer, Arvis—and even the Red-robed Archbishop of the capital!
If Arvis hadn’t colluded with the Red-robed Archbishop to interfere in the war...
Or if the Red-robed Archbishop had adhered to the rules, merely observing the shift in secular power as a shepherd would...
Then Yu Sheng'an wouldn’t have needed to reveal himself at all—he could have overturned the Empire of Infer effortlessly.
At that time, his acquisition of the Empire of Infer's assets would proceed smoothly.
At least it wouldn’t be as disastrous as the current situation!
Now, due to his exposure and the treaty signed between both parties, the Empire of Infer’s military and industrial power have been nearly paralyzed.
It must be understood that after thousands of years of development, the Primary Domain of Azerai’s path of magic had long diverged into two major branches:
Mechanical steam and flesh magic.
There was no absolute boundary between the two—they intertwined and complemented each other.
Among them, the mechanical steam faction heavily relied on the divine patterns of the Mechanical Steam God.
A significant portion of flesh magic involved accumulating mana through flesh and blood, then releasing its power via the mechanical steam divine patterns.
Now, because of his exposure and the intervention of the Four Primordial Gods, the Empire of Infer’s mechanical steam divine patterns had all failed overnight.
The frontline armies were instantly crippled, factories ground to a halt, trains stopped running, and societal activities nearly came to a complete standstill.
Faced with an Empire of Infer that had been forcibly paused, the Farlay Dynasty naturally seized the opportunity to launch a full-scale invasion!
At present, the Empire of Infer could only trade space for time.
It wouldn’t be long before the Farlay Dynasty’s forces reached the imperial capital.
"Mr. Aji De, the steam engines in all the capital’s factories have been mostly replaced. I’ve already dispatched personnel to transport magic steam engines from the rear, but I’m afraid time is running out. The Farlay Dynasty’s army has already breached the Osston Defense Line. At most, they’ll reach the capital in three days. Should we consider relocating the capital?"
In what was once the cabinet meeting hall of the Empire of Infer, Ben Keming reported to Yu Sheng'an, who sat at the head of the table.
At this moment, Ben Keming’s eyes were sunken, bloodshot, and his face was etched with exhaustion.
The joy of victory had long been swallowed by the new threat of the Farlay Dynasty.
He had never imagined that this movement would involve a conflict among the gods.
Even less had he expected the steam divine patterns to fail overnight.
Though Mr. Aji De had turned the situation to his advantage, swiftly consolidating local forces during the window when the mechanical steam divine patterns were inactive—
And though he had used the miraculous internet to control public opinion and stabilize morale—
Ben Keming still found himself mired in deep anxiety.
Mr. Aji De had said that the gods could not directly intervene in this war.
If that was the case, how could they possibly win?
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