"Attention, esteemed travelers! Attention, esteemed travelers! The flight to the Imperial Capital, Maple Leaf Snow, is expected to arrive in approximately half an hour. Please keep a close watch on your belongings and maintain order to avoid congestion when boarding the airship."
"Attention, esteemed travelers..."
The gentle and melodious voice of the announcer reverberates continuously throughout the waiting hall of the airship station, where a myriad of people fills the vast and open space.
Today, the weather is unusually clear, as the massive storm cloud that had lingered over the southeastern region of Debang has finally dissipated.
Consequently, the airship flights that had been suspended for nearly a week due to heavy snowfall have resumed, drawing countless individuals who had been stranded in Tianxin City back into the bustling waiting hall.
The sounds of children crying and playing, coupled with the chatter of adults, create a lively atmosphere reminiscent of the most vibrant marketplace. However, amidst this cacophony, there exists a starkly discordant presence.
A mane of gray and white hair lends him an air of weariness and age, while the gray cloak draped over his shoulders, thin and insubstantial, offers no warmth against the chill.
Typically, waiting halls are equipped with temperature-regulating magical formations to ensure a comfortable climate year-round, yet in this remote provincial capital, the magical array has long been damaged, and the government has shown little inclination to arrange for repairs.
After all, in a secluded city like Tianxin, there are few outsiders to draw in.
Moreover, the steep price of airship travel often deters the common folk, who generally opt for the slower yet more affordable and comfortable magical trains for their journeys.
As a result, the airship station's annual revenue barely covers its expenses; were it not for the desire to maintain the dignity of a provincial capital, it is likely that the governor would have long since ordered its closure.
Thus, apart from the sturdy dome and walls that shield against the external blizzard and biting winds, the temperature within the hall is no different from that of the barren square outside.
The patrons are clad in bulky garments, resembling a multitude of dumplings swaddled in massive cotton layers, making the solitary figure of the man in a mere cloak stand out dramatically.
In this frigid winter, his meager attire evokes a shiver at a mere glance, yet colder than the wintry air are the man's indifferent and unfeeling eyes.
They seem encased in ancient, unyielding ice, as if they have borne witness to the most profound despair of the human experience. The depths of those eyes resemble a stagnant pool of hopelessness, unruffled by even the slightest ripple, exuding a haunting aura that renders them impossible to gaze upon directly.
In this crowded and lively hall, filled to capacity with people, a three-meter radius around the man remains untouched, as if his very presence emanates a chilling aura that extinguishes all hope.
The cold man, isolated and abandoned by the world, is accompanied only by a charming little fox.
This diminutive creature, a silver-white fox no larger than a fist, playfully bounds along the bench beside him, its pudgy paws lifting and pressing down in a lively dance, resembling a joyful sprite.
For the little fox, the mere act of being near this man transforms even the most mundane game—one that would bore a three-year-old—into a source of immense joy.
Yet, the indifferent man seems oblivious to the fox's antics; his cold gaze is cast downward, obscured beneath the cloak and tangled strands of gray and white hair, concealing his expression from view.
(Ah, dear boy, we are about to depart this city! Soon, you will officially step into the conflicts of this continent! How do you feel? Excited? Thrilled? Hahaha... Just know, there are countless beautiful maidens awaiting your affection! Haha...)
"..." Having grown accustomed to the devil's incessant chatter, Xiao Mu Yu replied coldly, "Conflicts? What concern are they of mine?"
(Hey, indeed! The disputes between nations and factions hold no relevance for you, ahahaha... I almost forgot your cold, heartless, and selfish nature. I wager that even if a stunning beauty were to be ravaged before you, your emotions would remain utterly unmoved.)
(Hmm, I daresay you might not even be able to achieve arousal, right? Hahaha... Quite fitting, indeed! A man incapable of experiencing the greatest pleasures of manhood would hardly be expected to engage in the continent's conflicts. What a sin—hahaha...)
The cold man remained unperturbed by the devil's mockery; for one who had witnessed the most terrifying and powerless darkness, mere verbal jabs lacked the power to unsettle him.
Within the confines of his consciousness, the devil continued to ramble, expelling its vibrant energy.
However, the icy man offered no further response, his gaze fixated on the raucous crowd before him, his expression inscrutable, a mask of cold lines that concealed his thoughts.
And so, time flowed quietly...
Minute by minute...
Minute by minute...
Until...
"Help... Help me!!!"
A frantic scream erupted from the entrance of the hall, a desperate cry that seemed to drain every ounce of strength from its source, momentarily drowning out the din within the hall. Everyone instinctively turned to follow the sound.
In the next breath...
"There's been a murder!!"
"There's been a murder!!"
A chorus of terrified women echoed through the hall as a blood-soaked man staggered through the slightly ajar door, his frantic steps resembling a desperate flight from unseen horrors.
Ah, indeed, those horrors were... demons.
Before anyone could fully comprehend the situation, skeletal hands shot forth from either side of the door, seizing the bloodied man with a ferocity that left no room for resistance.
Before he could react, he was yanked backward with overwhelming force, disappearing from the sight of all present in an instant.
In that moment, the vast hall fell into a brief, stunned silence, all present bewildered by the sudden turn of events, save for...
Only the faint sounds of something being devoured echoed from beyond the slightly ajar door.
Have you ever witnessed a starving dog devouring raw flesh? Ah, indeed, it was a sound reminiscent of that.
The bloodied man, having let out a single, anguished cry, fell silent thereafter.
Everyone exchanged instinctive glances, swallowing hard, the sound of their throats constricting echoing loudly in the stillness of the hall.
Even the most mischievous of children, affected by the atmosphere of terror, clung tightly to their mothers, fearful eyes darting among the silent, terrified adults, uncertain of what had transpired.
"Creek..."
A soft sound broke the oppressive silence as the door was gently pushed open, revealing several human figures stumbling into view.
"Oh? Is this a prank? Hehe... What a dull jest, but I must admit, you've managed to startle me, my friend."
Near the door, a seemingly extroverted and lively young man let out a sigh of relief, smiling at the approaching figures.
If those could indeed be considered "humans"...
"Roar!"
A roar erupted just as everyone was about to relax, and in an instant, those "humans" lunged at the extroverted young man, overwhelming him.
"Crack!"
The sound of breaking bones resonated as one "human" sank its teeth into the young man's throat, blood spraying forth, while its companions tore into him with the frenzy of starving demons.
Chunks of flesh and blood flew amidst the feeding frenzy.
In under ten seconds, the once-vibrant young man was reduced to a mangled heap, and had a bystander been unaware, they would never have guessed that this pile of shredded meat had once been a living person just moments before.
"Ah!!"
Screams erupted, and some courageous men prepared to intervene in the public slaughter, only to be interrupted by the door crashing open with furious force, halting their advance.
The rising winds and snow, mercilessly pouring in through the open door, chilled the air, stealing away the last remnants of warmth.
Yet colder than this biting winter was the horde of "humans" surging in from outside, like a tidal wave.
These demons roared as they charged toward their former brethren, their emaciated, virus-ravaged hands reaching hungrily for the moving flesh before them.
In an instant, chaos enveloped the hall, as all present were rendered bewildered by the sudden upheaval. Those nearest the door were swiftly overwhelmed, becoming mere remnants in a matter of seconds.
"What... What is happening?!" A girl, lost and helpless amidst the chaos, cried out in despair.
Yet, nearby, the cold-hearted demon, shrouded in his cloak, rose to his feet.
Gray and white strands of hair fell over his eyes as he coldly regarded the approaching demons, his gaze as frigid as water frozen for millennia.
In this hall, where the demons devoured the hopes of the living, if even the gaze of the gods no longer graced this place, who then could save these lost lambs?