The Nangongs' little restaurant had started operating and the two seemed to learned much from the ensuing chaos during their first two days of business. They were beginning to get a hang of things. Silly mistakes, which came with the chaotic launch had gradually lessened and even if the number of helpers were reduced, they could still manage somehow. Rhe Nangong siblings were practically reporting for work everyday now and everyone else at home would just pop by if they were free. At least, all of them found something to do during their free time.
Vivian went about her ways (basically getting Hessiana to do the legwork) and managed to get in touch with a few old friends. As more information came in, it was safe to surmise that the "natural hostility" was fading away all across the world. It transcended race, distance and environment almost as if it was an automated process; a programme that kicked in automatically into the psyche of each and every feuding unusual creature after 10,000 years of conflict. Vivian gathered the thoughts of the surviving Ancients and as she predicted, the old coots who survived the fall of the Mythological Era were a smart and cautious bunch. They had already started monitoring the movement of hidden families all across the world to prevent events from spiralling out of control. With Vivian, the most venerable of Ancients leading, her fellow Ancients agreed to keep in touch, and face the upcoming changes that this phenomenon may bring.
Truthfully, the disappearance of the natural hostility was even more worrying than the 'Day of Return' prophecy as the latter was simply just soothsaying without much credence, and it did not change the two most teething issues the otherworldling face: Interfactional fracture and attrition. But now, a phenomenon that could be seen is happening before them, without any recourse or control over the speed it was spreading. Any being would be very pressured by this sudden change.
Vivian had spoken to Hessiana again today and as she put down the phone, Hao Ren started mumbling. "It's sort of funny you know. When we first started off we were wondering how awesome it would be if all the otherworldlings stop being at each other's throat and usher world peace, but now that it is happening, everyone is acting like world war three is upon us."
"Because that was no world peace to begin with." Vivian had a complicated sigh. "I wanted to end the interracial conflicts, but not like this.... If things goes out of control, the balance will be destroyed and there will be nothing but chaos."
Lily was clutching her notebook as she was checking for information. Upon hearing the two speaking she quipped. "Things have already went that way and if the otherworldlings wants to usher a new Mythological Age then world war three is inevitable. Say... Won't the setting of modern firearms against magic for World War Three cool? Doesn't it, doesn't it?"
Vivian glared at the werehusky. "Can you just keep your imagination from running wild at inopportune moments? This is not a joking matter."
Lily bore her fangs. "It's just my writer's imagination being agile. Is that wrong?"
"I've already submitted the report." Hao Ren said as he ruffled Lily's hair to get the husky to pipe down. "Raven said she's not interfering in this... I have full authority."
"Already knew she'd say that." Vivian shrugged. "Her job is to maintain the balance of the universe after all... Local issues is up to us then."
Y'zaks put down his papers, his face bore a deep in thought expression. "I've been wondering. What is this natural hostility?"
"Every otherworldling have that natural hostility against each other while the demon hunters have their Hunter's instinct. These phenomenon are technically the same thing. And for the natural life on Earth this is mostly formed by the living being's own pheromones." Lily looked up as she explained with a serious look. "But I don't think it's that simple with the otherworldlings... many races came from the Plane of Dreams, and from different planets to boot. Lets not even start the talk about pheromones, most of them can't even use their five senses properly."
Hao Ren was pleasently surprised. "You seem to know a lot?"
"Nonsense, I'm just too lazy think and open my mouth most of the time." Lily rolled her eyes at Hao Ren. "If you want to be serious, I'm the most educated amongst all of us. I had graduated from the University of Beijing a couple of times already!"
Hao Ren was brought to his knees by the revelation. "F*ck me! Graduated a few times? What were you doing there?"
"It was a chaotic time there, so I just found a safe haven." Lily pursed her lips. "Don't look at me like that. I was brimming with energy back then."
Hao Ren gave Lily a unbelieving look. His gut instinct tells him that the husky was blowing her own trumpet, but he did not dare to verbalise it. Despite how unreliable she may be, Lily had survived for a few hundred years and she had made a name for herself in those chaotic days. Even her abilities, if she had the heart for it, her being one of the prominent persons in the society or the underworld is not too far-fetched an idea...
Even more so, Lily had lived under the impression that she was a werewolf, and now that she found that she was a husky instead her worldview had never been the same.
Hao Ren dare not venture any further with this train of thought and stiffly tried to change the topic. "Why do you think that the natural hostility would suddenly disappear?"
"Maybe it has something to do with our activities in the Plane of Dreans... or...." Y'zaks frowned. "Not sure if I'm thinking too much into this... I suspect this is a countdown timer."
"A countdown timer?" Everyone exclaimed.
"The otherworldlings only developed this natural hostility against each other after coming to Earth. Didn't we agreed in our last discussion that there was 'someone' messing with their blood?" Y'zaks nodded. "If this is manmade, then this phenomenon is probably part of a 'plan'. This could be a countdown timer that lasted for ten thousand years, or perhaps a prerequisite has been met and had triggered a switch in the blood of the otherworldlings... Regardless, this doesn't sound natural at all."
Vivian nodded softly. "I will contact my friends. Will get them to gather more information on the movements of the supernaturals and demon hunters aside from monitoring the big families. We'll see if this was caused by some ancient relic or something, else our only explaination would be that it is a countdown timer."
Hao Ren gave an emphatic 'Oh' before looking up at the clock. It was half past two in the afternoon, and he was suddenly assailed by drowsiness. "Haaaaa.... You guys go busy yourself with whatever. I'll take a nap until dinner time. Need to catch up on my sleep."
Vivian looked at him. "What's with sleeping at this hour?"
"Have insomnia lately, and I didn't really sleep last night." Hao Ren waved his hand as he walked to his room. "Might as well try to get a snooze while I'm sleepy."
After Hao Ren went to bed, Lily mumbled to herself. "Mr Landlord seems to have insomnia for the last two days eh?"
"Perhaps it is stress. And he has been at the forefront of things alone everytime something happens." Vivian looked at Hao Ren's room. "A shame that my calming spells has no effect on him... I'll go get some herbs later then."
Hao Ren had no idea that he had a herbal concoction waiting for him as he was already on his bed trying to sleep. Perhaps it was stress, or that his body was out of whack, his sleep had been very disturbed for the past three days.
His slumber for the past three days was a dreamless, light sleep and everytime he was just about to get cosy his brain was being covered by a dense and ceaseless fog. Broken transmission ran wild in his head and he was in the state of half-asleep half-awake without him being able to do anything about it. Given now that he was feeling sleepy enough, Hao Ren was hopeful that he could finally rid himself of the insomnia.
As he lay on his bed, he looked up at the MDT which was laying on the top of his bedframe. "I'm gonna sleep. Get the protection up and running."
"Up your a*s."
Seems like the MDT was at least in a good shape. This was what Hao Ren thought before he slept.
The next moment he was awakened by a large explosion and raking gunfire.
Hao Ren opened his eyes and found himself not in his room, but a unfamiliar, bullet riddled street. Everywhere was fallen buildings and the carnage wrought by destruction. The streetside was literred with ammo casings and corpses. It was like a battlefield.
A series of explowsion and gunfire rang from a far.
The scene before him shocked Hao Ren, but he did not stand there like an idiot. His experience for the past year had thought him something at least and he immediately found cover to hide and tried to determine wherether whatever he is seeing was a dream, or reality.