Inside the Moonlight Lake Temple, Mo Lin looked up at the sky, which was a dramatic contrast. On one side, the night sky was as dark as ink, with thunder rolling continuously and lightning streaking across the heavens, like the anger of the cosmos, showcasing nature's wildness and ruthlessness. Beneath the thunderstorm clouds, torrential rain poured down, with each drop resembling a tear from the heavens, expressing an invisible rage. The howling of the storm was so close it made one's heart pound.
On the earth, the storm raged on, rivers churned, and the turbulent waters awakened the slumbering land. River water battered the banks, bringing a sense of chaos. Trees swayed in the gale, their leaves dancing in the rain, as if battling the roar of the tempest.
Yet beyond this dark world, the other half of the sky was a clear, serene blue. Clouds piled up like mountains, and from these countless peaks emerged a Buddha, sitting in the void, smiling gently with a finger touching a flower.
Above the Buddha's head was a radiant sun, its golden light warm and bright, casting a golden edge around the white-clouded Buddha.
Under this tranquil sky, the earth basked in gentle sunlight. The sunlight pierced through gaps in the clouds, casting golden beams like a sacred blessing, warm and peaceful. Under the sunlight, life's vitality awakened; grasses stretched out, painting a vivid picture of life.
At the boundary between light and darkness, it was as though a knife had sliced the divide, or like two colossal forces were engaged in a fierce struggle. The dark clouds tried to devour everything with the most violent force, with ferocious lightning tearing apart the old and weak, making all within tremble and stay silent.
Though the light slowly retreated, it resisted with a resilient strength, like spring rain that gradually dissolved the dark clouds, turning them into brownish masses and then into lighter brown strips, eventually dissipating into nothingness.
The struggle was tense, as if every corner of the universe witnessed this eternal battle. As time passed, the conflict grew fiercer; the earth saw alternating storms of rain and hail, golden sunshowers, and calm interludes.
Mo Lin silently observed, lost in thought. Sometimes, the power of darkness was unexpectedly strong, engulfing everything regardless of willingness or unwillingness; in the storm, not a single raindrop was innocent.
At times, light seemed so fragile, but the pure flame within it had unparalleled resilience, perhaps that was the hope of everything.
The abbot approached,"Mo Benefactor, do you also sense the turmoil in the heavens and earth?"
Mo Lin clasped his hands together in respect,"Master, is something important about to happen?"
"Mo Benefactor, the struggle between Buddha and the Demon King has reached a life-and-death juncture. I have a plan that might resolve the crisis, but it involves you."
"Master, please speak!"
"I heard you have a son, is that right?"
"Yes," Mo Lin's face brightened at the mention of his newborn son,"I'm going back tomorrow. It's a pity I missed his birth due to the premature arrival."
The abbot hesitated before speaking,"The Buddha's heir is now in a dire situation. If the Buddha's treasures are lost, we don't know when they will reappear. The awakening of Maitreya Buddha might be delayed for many years, and humanity will continue to drift in suffering. I have an unusual request—one I'm unsure if I should make."
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After that day, no one knew what had happened. Everything came suddenly and vanished just as quickly. It was said that after the principal woke up, the villagers gathered in unison.
"Principal, where did these monsters come from? Why did they choose our village?" The villagers' eyes were filled with fear and confusion.
"Principal, is our home still safe? Can we continue farming as before?" The farmers anxiously asked.
"Principal, are our defenses sufficient? How should we protect ourselves from these monsters?" An elderly villager clutched his hoe nervously.
"Principal, is this a portent of something worse to come?" The village elder frowned deeply, pondering.
"Principal, have our ancestors left any legends or records on how to deal with these monsters?" A young man urgently sought answers.
"Principal, should we seek help from the outside? Perhaps someone knows the secret of these monsters." A woman suggested, her voice tinged with hope.
"God, save us!" Some villagers knelt in prayer, hoping for divine protection.
"This is retribution; we must have done something wrong!" In fear, the villagers began to self-reflect, searching for the cause of their disaster.
The principal remained silent for a long time, as if it took a great effort for him to finally speak."Tonight, I must reveal a truth to everyone. Our children, all of us, have not encountered ghosts, but have become targets in an alien hunting game."
Gasps erupted from the crowd, but the principal continued,"Many years ago, my friend told me that during an alien crash incident over 30 years ago, they discovered the true purpose of the aliens' visit to Earth. They treat us as a form of entertainment, much like the gladiators of ancient Rome, subjecting us to life-and-death trials."
"Aliens cannot bring large numbers of alien warriors, so they spread a black spore with mutative abilities. Last time, the black spores only died out after all living creatures in the area perished. Unfortunately, this time we are experiencing it firsthand. Regrettably, I must inform you all that we have been infected by the black spores. However, no one knows when humans will mutate or what form the mutations will take."
The principal's words were like a bombshell, causing an uproar among the crowd. However, he did not stop and resolutely continued,"I've secretly notified the government and the military long ago, but their response was to tightly seal off the information, exterminate all infected creatures, and hunt down all those who knew about it."
"Principal, are you saying we will all be captured? Will we all die?"
"…"
The villagers, initially shocked, began to calm down, with some women quietly sobbing.