[Prologue]
The old, low-rise houses seemed to dissolve, turning into golden particles scattering in all directions. The crisscrossing streets nestled among skyscrapers rapidly faded away. Solid asphalt roads vanished, replaced by muddy soil.
Streetlights, greenery, signs, coffee shops, ramen stalls, wedding stores, Peace Bridge, offices...
Golden particles flowed like a flood, dancing in the air, rising skyward, and disappearing without a trace.
Everything, as if a dream, shattered in an instant.
"Mom... Mom..."
On the vanishing streets, a seven or eight-year-old girl stood, bewildered by what she saw. Before her, a woman was staring at her own body in horror.
She, too, was vanishing.
"What is happening? What's going on?" the woman murmured to herself.
Suddenly, she looked up at her daughter. After confirming the girl's body remained intact, a look of relief appeared in her eyes.
Deep within her gaze, some long-sealed memory seemed to awaken...
So, this is it...
She struggled to stand. By now, the entire right side of her body had disappeared. She staggered toward the girl, a faint smile on her lips, gently stroking the girl's head with her left hand.
"Tian Tian, Mommy's time is up... Over the past ten years, Mommy's happiest thing was having you... From now on, you'll have to face life on your own."
She looked up at the sky, her eyes filled with peace.
"Miracles... ultimately come to an end..."
Scenes like this unfolded across every corner of Cangnan City.
Countless people watched in terror as their loved ones and friends gradually vanished before their eyes, panic written on their faces.
But in the eyes of those vanishing, a sense of peace ultimately emerged, as if they finally remembered everything. Smiling, they bid farewell to those by their side.
In Cangnan City, 90% of the population was vanishing...
By the river outside Shannan City, in a speeding carriage, an elderly man sipped tea inside while his young attendant drove the horses forward.
Sitting within the carriage, Master Chen suddenly sensed something. His expression changed drastically.
"Master! Master!" the young attendant's panicked voice came from outside, "The city... the city... it's disappearing!"
Master Chen's face darkened. He sighed deeply, a look of helplessness appearing in his eyes.
"The day... has come after all."
"Master, what is happening?" the attendant asked in confusion. "Why is this happening? Has another god targeted this city?"
"No," Master Chen took a deep breath and spoke slowly. "All of this... is simply because this city was never meant to exist."
"Not meant to exist?"
"Do you know why the divine war ten years ago started?"
"Wasn't it for the superpower object Shiva's Wrath?"
"It was, but that wasn't the only reason," Master Chen explained calmly. "Ten years ago, Zeus, the King of Greek Gods, glimpsed the fate of the world and foresaw the birth of an unparalleled Godslayer. He pinpointed its location to Cangnan City in the Flame Nation.
To erase this existence before it could emerge, Zeus sent Gaia, the Earth Mother, along with some Nordic evil gods, to invade the Flame Nation's borders.
Shiva's Wrath was part of their plan, a weapon designed to annihilate the Godslayer."
Master Chen continued, "Cangnan City is a small, remote city far from the borders of the Flame Nation. With the combined efforts of the five strongest humans... I mean, the five strongest guardians, the invading gods couldn't breach the city. So, they resorted to using Shiva's Wrath..."
The young attendant, as if realizing something, spoke in shock, "You mean..."
"That's right," Master Chen's eyes burned with anger. "After obtaining Shiva's Wrath, Gaia exhausted her power to inscribe one name onto the artifact's scroll... Cangnan City."
"They used Shiva's Wrath to obliterate an entire city?!" the young attendant exclaimed.
"To eliminate a yet-to-be-born Godslayer, they wiped out an entire city... Once that name was inscribed, Cangnan City was wiped from the world. Not a stone, speck of dust, or drop of blood was left behind. A city of a million souls... annihilated just like that."
The attendant's mouth fell open in disbelief. "But... but... isn't the city right here?"
"It still exists because of Lin QiYe," Master Chen said, closing his eyes slowly.
"When Cangnan City was erased, only one person survived—Lin QiYe.
No one knows how, at the age of seven, he escaped the annihilation of Shiva's Wrath. But later, in an old, rundown house, our people found fragments of three divine artifacts...
A silver bracelet, a shattered crystal orb, and a uniquely shaped ring.
These three artifacts, buried beneath the house, formed a mysterious array. Perhaps it was this array that saved LinQiYe. But who left these artifacts behind remains a mystery."
"Even if Lin QiYe was the sole survivor, how did the city return?"
"After Cangnan City's destruction, Michael, the Angel King, codenamed 003 among the gods, chose the lone survivor, Lin QiYe, as his agent.
He granted Lin QiYe the inheritance of a divine ruin and infused him with an immense amount of divine power, burying it deep within his subconscious.
Then, a massive divine ruin enveloping the entire city came to be.
That ruin... is The Mortal Divine Domain."
Master Chen paused before continuing:
"With The Mortal Divine Domain, Lin QiYe became a walking terminal, unconsciously using the divine power in his mind to reconstruct Cangnan City and revive its inhabitants.
In short, he restarted Cangnan City.
Though Lin QiYe was unaware, he constantly used The Mortal Divine Domain to maintain the city's daily operations. He is the city's soul. The city... exists only because of him.
The divine power Michael infused into him could sustain the domain for ten years. After ten years, dust will return to dust, earth to earth... Even without this recent event, the city would have vanished in half a month.
These ten years allowed many things to happen. Every resident could live, work, and even leave Cangnan City. Because The Mortal Divine Domain left its mark on them, they could continue to exist unless the domain vanished.
Though they were originally erased, they could marry, have children... And most importantly, their descendants existed independently of the domain. When the domain fades, those children will survive.
These ten years were years of bloodline continuation."
The young attendant stared in shock. "The Mortal Divine Domain has such incredible power?!"
Closing his eyes, Master Chen said solemnly, "If we were to label the top ten divine ruins, Shiva's Wrath, ranked 008, represents 'Destruction.' Meanwhile, The Mortal Divine Domain, ranked 003...
Represents 'Miracle.'
This city, these ten years, are the greatest 'miracle,' all because of Lin QiYe!"
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Chapter 1: The Blind Man Named Lin QiYe
A Scorching August.
Beep beep beep——!
The harsh sound of cicadas mixed with the intermittent blaring of car horns echoed through the bustling streets. The blazing sun scorched the gray-brown asphalt road, causing heatwaves to rise, and the entire street seemed to warp under the intensity.
Under the few patches of trees lining the street, a few young people huddled together, smoking and waiting for the traffic lights.
Suddenly, one of the young men, who had been puffing smoke, seemed to notice something. He let out a light "huh?" and his gaze fell to a spot at the street corner.
"Arno, what are you looking at?" one of his companions asked.
The young man named Arno stared blankly at the street corner for a while before speaking, "Do you think... how does a blind person cross the road?"
His companion was taken aback, and after a brief hesitation, he slowly replied, "Well, usually blind people have someone guiding them or a guide dog, and in more modern cities, there are voice announcements at the crosswalks. If none of that works, they might move forward by listening to the sounds and using their guide cane."
Arno shook his head. "But what if there's no one to help them, no guide dog, no voice announcements, and even the guide cane is being used to carry peanut oil?"
"…Do you think you're funny?"
His companion rolled his eyes, following Arno's gaze. The next moment, he froze in place.
At the opposite corner of the road, a young boy in a black T-shirt was standing there, his eyes wrapped tightly with several layers of black satin, blocking out all light.
In his left hand, he was holding a cheap shopping bag filled with vegetables, while his right hand gripped a guide cane slung over his shoulder like a carrying pole. At the end of the cane, a large bucket of yellow peanut oil shimmered in the sunlight!
Wrapped in black satin, with the cane on his shoulder, vegetables in one hand, and carrying oil with the other...
This bizarre sight immediately drew the attention of many people nearby.
"Hey, look, that person is so strange."
"How can he see the road with all that cloth on his eyes?"
"Didn't you see the guide cane in his hand? He's obviously blind."
"What year is it? Blind people usually wear sunglasses; who still wears cloth to cover their eyes in this heat? Isn't he afraid of getting too hot?"
"Yeah, and have you ever seen a blind person who doesn't use their cane to walk but uses it to carry things?"
"These young people sure know how to have fun."
"…"
The buzzing of summer cicadas couldn't drown out the murmurs of the pedestrians around them. They curiously watched the boy and whispered among themselves, debating whether he was truly blind or faking it, all while eagerly eyeing the flashing green light.
At that moment, a crisp voice rang out next to the boy.
"Brother, let me help you cross the street."
It was a little girl, around twelve or thirteen, with a few beads of sweat on her face. Her large, dark eyes were filled with concern as she gazed at the boy, pure and simple.
The boy froze for a moment, then turned his head toward the girl. A faint smile appeared on his lips.
"Mm."
He hung the vegetable-filled bag on his right hand, wiped the sweat from his sleeve with his left hand, and gently grasped the girl's hand.
*Click—!*
The green light appeared.
The boy took a step, walking with the girl toward the other side of the street.
The girl was nervous, glancing around anxiously at the cars, taking small, cautious steps.
As for the boy... he walked steadily.
To the onlookers, this scene didn't resemble a kind girl helping a blind man cross the road, but rather like an older brother guiding a younger sister.
The street wasn't very wide, and in just a few seconds, they reached the other side. The boy thanked the girl and turned to walk down a narrow alley, without a second glance.
"He's not blind," Arno said firmly, "He can see."
One of the young men behind Arno rested his chin on his hand thoughtfully, then as if struck by a sudden realization, he exclaimed:
"I get it! He's playing a blind monk!"
*Smack—!*
A loud slap landed on his back of the head. Arno cursed under his breath, "Idiot, always playing games. Who the hell has nothing better to do than to pretend to be a blind monk on the street? Are you out of your mind?"
After a brief pause, Arno muttered, "Besides... the blind monk's cloth is red, not like this guy's."
"Arno, you can't say that about me…"
"Shut up."
"Okay."
While the two were bickering, a quiet young man who had been silently watching the boy walk away frowned slightly.
"What's wrong?" Arno noticed his gaze.
"I know him."
"You know him?"
"Yeah." The young man nodded. "When my cousin was still in elementary school, I heard that a student from their school had an accident and lost his sight. They wrapped his eyes with black satin, and he also had some mental issues..."
"Mental issues?" Arno was puzzled, recalling what they had just seen. "I didn't see anything wrong with him."
"That was ten years ago. Maybe he's better now. But at that time, the situation was pretty big, and soon after, that student dropped out. I heard he transferred to a special school for the blind."
At this point, another person eagerly chimed in, "By the way, what kind of accident was it? How could someone lose their sight and develop mental issues? Was he cursed?"
"I don't know." The young man paused, "But... I heard it was even more ridiculous than that."
"Poor guy," Arno sighed. "What's his name?"
"I think it was... Lin... Lin... Lin Qi Ye?"
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In the evening glow, Lin Qiye pushed open the door.
Almost instantly, the aroma of food wafted from inside the house and into his nose. He sniffed, swallowed, and walked in with his hands full of things.
Creak—!
The old door emitted a sharp, high-pitched sound, which drowned out the sizzling sound of cooking from the kitchen. A middle-aged woman emerged from the kitchen door. Upon seeing Lin Qiye, who was carrying large and small bags, she gasped and hurried over.
"Xiao Qi, why did you bring so many things back again?" The woman wiped her hands on her apron and quickly helped Lin Qiye with his bags, chattering on.
"A whole big bucket of peanut oil? You didn't misuse the government subsidy again, did you?"
"Aunt, the subsidy for disabled people is for living expenses. I'm just using it wisely to buy oil," Lin Qiye replied with a smile.
"Nonsense! That money is supposed to be saved for your college tuition! How can you misuse it like this? I've told you, my wages are enough to feed the three of us. Don't waste money!"
Aunt gently wiped the oil can, her expression pained. She muttered softly, "Such a big bucket of oil, and it's a good brand... must have cost a lot, right?"
Before Lin Qiye could respond, Aunt suddenly seemed to realize something.
"Wait a minute... how did you bring all this stuff back?"
"Oh, I ran into some kind-hearted people on the way, and they helped me carry it," Lin Qiye said calmly.
"Good, good... looks like there are still many kind people in society. Did you thank them properly?"
"I did." Lin Qiye shifted the topic. "Aunt, where's A'jin?"
"He's doing his homework on the balcony... By the way, the doctor from the mental hospital came for the regular checkup this year. He's resting in the room. You should go and see him, I'll finish making dinner and call you both when it's ready."
Lin Qiye paused for a moment, then nodded and turned toward the bedroom.
...
"Hello, I'm Dr. Li from Sunshine Psychiatric Hospital," the young man sitting on a small stool in the bedroom said as he stood up when Lin Qiye entered. He had large black-framed glasses and looked polite.
Lin Qiye raised an eyebrow, surprised. "Wasn't it Dr. Han who came before?"
"Dr. Han was promoted to deputy director last year," Dr. Li smiled, a hint of envy in his eyes.
Lin Qiye nodded. "I see... Dr. Han is quite old, and his medical skills are excellent. It's not surprising he was promoted. It makes sense for a younger doctor to come for my regular checkup."
Once Lin Qiye sat down, Dr. Li cleared his throat and took a stack of medical files out of his bag.
"Sorry, I'm new here and don't know much about your case. Let me quickly go over it," Dr. Li said apologetically.
Lin Qiye nodded.
"Your name is... Lin Qiye?"
"Yes."
"You're seventeen years old?"
"Yes."
"Hmm... According to the medical records, you went blind ten years ago and were sent to our hospital due to some issues?" Dr. Li asked.
"Yes."
Dr. Li paused for a moment, then asked, "Did you change your name?"
"…No. Why do you ask?" Lin Qiye was surprised.
Dr. Li awkwardly scratched his head. "Uh, never mind. I just thought..."
He pointed at the age on the medical record and then at the words "ten years ago," and continued, "You went blind ten years ago when you were seven years old, and your name just happens to be Lin Qiye, so I thought maybe you changed your name after going blind..."
Lin Qiye remained silent for a long while before shaking his head. "No, I've never changed my name. My parents gave me the name Lin Qiye before I was even born."
"That's... well, quite..." Dr. Li stopped midway, realizing he had been rude, and quickly shut his mouth.
"Quite a coincidence," Lin Qiye said indifferently, "It really is quite a coincidence."
Dr. Li felt awkward but quickly changed the topic. "Uh... The medical records don't provide details about the accident that caused your blindness and mental disorder. If you're comfortable sharing, could you tell me about it?"
Before Lin Qiye could speak, Dr. Li quickly added, "I'm not trying to be rude. The more we understand our patients, the better we can treat them. Of course, if you don't want to share, I won't force you."
Lin Qiye sat silently, his eyes hidden beneath the black silk ribbon, but it seemed as though they were still staring at Dr. Li.
After a long pause, he spoke slowly.
"There's nothing I can't say... but you may not believe me. You might even end up sending me back to the psychiatric hospital."
"No, no, no, don't think of our relationship as that of a doctor and patient," Dr. Li joked, "This is just a normal conversation between friends. Even if you tell me you were dragged into a pill furnace by the Supreme Old Lord, I'd still believe you."
Lin Qiye paused, then nodded slightly.
"As a child, I liked astronomy."
"Hmm, and then?"
"That night, I was lying on the roof of my old house, watching the moon."
"And what did you see? A moon rabbit?" Dr. Li chuckled.
Lin Qiye shook his head. His next sentence caused Dr. Li's smile to freeze on his face.
"No, I saw an angel." Lin Qiye said seriously, even gesturing with his hands in front of him.
"A seraph, with six white wings, enveloped in golden light."