Chapter 177 Critical Point

After a loud bang, the whole world fell silent.

Morris felt his consciousness drifting as if he had completely detached from his body. He didnt know where he was, what year it was, and even for a split moment, he had even forgotten his own identity. In his mind, the old scholar only saw endless nothingness thats surrounded by a turbulence of light and shadow.

It took Morris a very, very long time to reassemble his fragmented soul. Then, he remembered everything his name, place of living, job, and why hes visiting the antique shop today after learning something had nearly corrupted his daughter.

The answer was right in front of him: this family was from subspace!

Countless roars and harsh noises gushed forward like its tearing the earth apart at the thought. He had just mended his soul, and now, hes about to be torn asunder just as fast. However, its at the critical moment that a swirling mass of fog swept over him from every direction, shielding his senses from the chaos.

This layer of fog was called ignorance and stupidity. One of the blessings bestowed upon him by the God of Wisdom Lahem. Using this breathing room, Morris finally had the time to think and look around. From the act, he saw it, a flickering glimmer beyond the endless fog.

It was a glimmer of light formed by many large and small light sources. In the center was a red light, which was the size of a human head surrounded by dozens of small blue, green, and red lights. Its like some kind of matrix, flashing rapidly without order. Yet, it somehow contained some logic and rhythm to it

These regularly flickering gleams became the anchor point that completely stabilized Morriss mind among the countless turbulent flows of light and shadow. Eventually, he also realized what these flickering gleams were after a moment of astonishment hes confronting Lahem, the God of Wisdom himself!

Every university and laboratory of the Truth Academy always has the exact identical depiction of Lahem within the sacred codex. Its described that the God of Wisdom doesnt take a human form; instead, hes a series of shimmering lights beyond the boundaries of the fog.

Lord! Morris stirred with intense emotions as he quickly kneeled in servitude, Are you here to guide me?

Those flickering lights did not respond to the old scholar; instead, the lights issued a low sonic tremor that directly entered the old historians head.

Return, contact, understand, pass on

You Morris stared at the light in astonishment. He couldnt understand Lahems will, but the elusive god of wisdom did not allow him to inquire further.

A strong sense of rejection swept over his soul in the next second, bouncing him right out of this chaotic and terrible space.

His body shook, and his brain seemed to boil due to the overload of information that entered his senses at once traffic sound, distant bells, blowing wind, and the bicycle chime. Then there was the sound of rapidly approaching footsteps, the concerned voice of a girl that sounded vaguely like his students.

Mr. Morris?! Why are you here Are you alright?

Morris raised his head in a daze and saw Nina standing in front of him, but in the next second, the girl transformed into an arcing flame surrounded by ashes swirling around the figure!

Realizing its no dream, Morris stiffly turned to the side and met the twinkling giants gaze. The being was as chaotic as he recalled with those eyes exuding the power of subspace, but the facial outline had turned into a friendly middle-aged man showing concern for him.

The streets in the distance werent normal either they were shaking like an earthquake. The ground under his feet also squirmed like that of flesh. The door and windows in the antique shop had all become swirling black holes. Then theres the sky Morris had no idea how its possible, but the entire dark weather had become a sea of flame, constantly burning, churning, and spewing occasional amorphous limbs of screeching banshees bound within that hellscape.

Nearly fainting again at what hes seeing, Morris lowered his head with great difficulty and looked at his wrist. Hes still wearing the protective bracelet from the God of Wisdom, but this time, theres only four beads left!

Of all the misfortunate things to befall him today, theres one good news: the beads had stopped crumbling into dust. Whatever madness invading his soul had been kept at bay so far, and now, hes able to perceive the truth. At least, until the beads all crumbled into dust and the madness took his soul away.

Hes an old scholar so Morris didnt take long to judge his current condition hes at the critical junction point of order and madness thanks to Lahems protection. He may recover afterward, or he may find himself corrupted beyond repair and transform into an actual monster. Whatever the case may be, Morris had no say in it, that much he knew.

While Morris was thinking hard and slowly, Nina and Duncan were also eyeing the old historian with concern. Its clear the school teacher wasnt in a good state.

They were practicing with the bike earlier when they suddenly saw Morris standing in the clearing next to them. Originally Nina wanted to run over to say hello, but when she was halfway over there, she noticed that the expression on the old gents face had gotten weird and freaky.

Dullness, trance, unresponsiveness to the outside world, like falling asleep while standing with your eyes open.

It couldnt be Did he suddenly come down with dementia? Duncan muttered without confidence. Then reaching out with a hand to shake Morris back to reality, he turned to Nina after getting no response: Has your teacher ever fallen into a daze like this in school?

No, Nina shook her head and said as she stepped forward to support the old historians arm, Teacher has always been in good health, so how could he suddenly develop dementia!

We cant be sure about old folks, Duncan grabbed Morriss other arm, then glanced up at the sky, and lets not talk outside. See, the skys about to rain. Lets help your teacher inside first before he gets soaked.

Nina agreed by nodding. First bringing the dazed Morris inside, the girl swiftly trotted back out and got her bike inside as well. Meanwhile, Duncan had helped the old historian onto a chair next to the counter. The old gent was still stiff, but some light had returned to those eyes that had focused on Duncans figure.

Return, contact, understand, pass on Morriss last surviving sanity seemed to understand these words as they echoed in his ears.

Is this the will of the God of Wisdom? Have me continue contact with this existence?

At this point, Duncans figure had temporarily stabilized into human form through Morriss eye. Although the scene around the old historian is still shaky and squirming like a cave of flesh, its at least less chaotic than the nothingness he fell into initially. Here, he could still think and feel fear

This seemingly ordinary antique store owner was something that shouldnt exist in the real world.

His own student, the girl who always smiled gently and was always sunny and optimistic, was not a normal human being either.

And he, ordered by Lahem himself, was to continue to stay here and communicate with this family despite being on the cusp of falling into madness.

Despite his woes, another crazier and bolder idea was propping up in this historians heart: hes able to peer into subspace, the forbidden zone of mortals!

As someone thats verse in history, Morris knows all too well what the great of knowledge seekers did in the ancient Kingdom of Crete. Through a lifetime of preparation, potions, and ritual, these brave souls would use their last flicker of life to reach this equilibrium state to peer into the forbidden zone. Its both a sacrifice and a gift of knowledge to those still living.

And now, Morris was standing on this battlefield where countless sages died in eras past.

Slowly, the dazed look of the old gent changed from dullness to determination. Morris was no longer fearful but brave and strong, as all of those sages before him did when confronting evil. They are warriors of the book. They dont brandish swords or guns, but with knowledge and the book.

He will fight!

Hello, Mr. Duncan The old historian spoke with force as his hand formed a tight ball to subdue the urge to tremble.

Contrary to the combative stance of Morris, Duncan, on the other hand, didnt know whats going through the guests head and only got creeped out by the powerful gaze that seemed to pierce his flesh.

This old gent Why is he making such a scary smile?