The internet overflowed with guesses and blame. Some screamed conspiracy: "They were testing something dangerous in that school!"
Others pointed fingers at school or the hidden organisations support behind it. "How dare anyone play with power like that?"
"What was the government doing—sleeping?"
But the government offered no answers. They focused solely on containment—pumping water, deploying more helicopters, anything to tame the heat so investigators could finally enter the crater. Official statements remained vague: "Ongoing emergency response. Public safety first."
Prime Minister Mordan arrived in Silas town by evening, stepping out of his armored vehicle to survey the destruction. He approached the edge of the school grounds, confident his cultivation—stage 1, substage 2—would shield him from residual heat.
The moment he drew near, the scorching wave slammed into him like an invisible wall. He recoiled sharply, skin prickling even through his protective aura. If I take one more step, my flesh will burn off, he thought, fear flashing through him.
Hiss… what even is this? A natural treasure? Something from essence flow?
Excitement quickly overtook the fear. In novels, such phenomena often hid ancient treasures or awakened artifacts—power beyond human tech. He imagined uncovering whatever lay at the crater's heart: a divine flame core, a sealed relic, something that could boost his cultivation exponentially. Of course he was scared—the heat alone proved this was no ordinary event—but missing the opportunity felt worse than the risk.
He dismissed human technology as the cause. No government lab, no black-ops project could produce something this terrifying. Current tech paled against it. That left only one real possibility: essence flow, magical, incomprehensible, the kind of force that rewrote reality.
Mordan straightened, eyes locked on the glowing crater. He would wait. Let the heat fade. Then he would go in himself and claim whatever secret waited inside.
***
In the town, Silas's Residence.
Silas had just logged out of Eternal Ascendancy, he exits his room, and stepped into the quiet house.
He walked straight to the kitchen, where his mother had left his meal covered on the table—simple rice, vegetables, and a piece of fish, still warm.
He ate alone, the house empty except for him. His mother and sister were working inside the game world. His father was at the school in town for some urgent meeting.
Just as he finished the last bite and set the plate in the sink, a firm knock echoed from the front door. Silas wiped his hands and went to open it.
A group of people stood on the porch—neighbors, family friends, familiar faces from the street.
Aunt Michelle was at the front, her expression tight. Uncle Munee hovered behind her, eyes downcast.
Silas blinked, confused. "What happened, Aunt Michelle? Mother hasn't returned yet."
He glanced at Uncle Munee. "And Uncle Munee, Father hasn't come back from school either. Is there something you need? I can tell him when he gets home."
No one answered. They stood silent, shifting uncomfortably, eyes avoiding his.
Silas frowned deeper. Why weren't they speaking? Neighbors, his parents' friends—everyone here, yet no one said a word.
Then a voice cut through from behind the group. "Hey, you all—evacuate quickly. The town is restricted. Move fast."
Silas leaned to see past them. A man in military uniform stood there, face stern, radio crackling at his belt.
Silas froze, mind reeling. What happened? I was only gone for half a day… and now the town is evacuating? Why?
He forced himself to stay calm despite the questions flooding his head. He looked back at the group. "Oh. So you came to inform us about the evacuation. You could've just sent one person. Why did you all have to come together?"
Still no one spoke. Aunt Michelle's lips trembled, but she only looked away. Uncle Munee swallowed hard. The silence felt heavier than any words could have.
Inside his mind, Silas wondered quietly, Are they worrying about my family?
He couldn't shake the thought—why would so many neighbors and friends rush here just to deliver an evacuation notice? They should have been evacuating themselves first, not gathering at his door.
He cleared his throat and spoke calmly. "Anyway, I'm going to call my mother and sister from their work in Eternal Ascendancy. Father should have already heard the news at school, so he'll be coming home soon. You all can come inside and rest while you wait, but I don't think that military person will give you much time. You should evacuate first. I'll wait for my family, then leave with them."
Saying that, he turned back toward the house. He pulled out his phone and quickly sent a message to his mother and sister—they would see it pop up inside the game, urgent and clear.
Just as he hit send, one of the men in the group finally broke the silence. "Silas… your father isn't going to come."
Silas paused, confused. "Hmm? Why? Has he already been evacuated?"
He assumed it made sense—if his father had been pulled out early and couldn't return to the restricted zone, he would have sent these people to fetch the family. That explains why they came, he thought.
"So that's why you're all here—to inform us and help us evacuate. Still, so many people… it wasn't necessary. Please, come inside and sit. My mother and sister should be logging out soon. We can go together."
He gestured toward the open door, noticing they still hadn't moved. They just stood there, faces heavy and eyes averted.
But no one stepped forward. Aunt Michelle finally spoke, her voice thick with grief, face twisted in sorrow. "Silas… your father isn't going to come. Because he had an accident… and now he is… dead."