Chapter 141 - 136. It’s Dark Under The Sun
The first loud thing people heard in the peaceful afternoon of Althrea’s southern riverside was that of a car door being slammed heavily. The nearby people, being startled, couldn’t help but turn to look in annoyance for the disturbance.
That annoyance, however, morphed instantly into astonishment as they saw a pair of amber eyes and platinum blonde hair.
"...near Mohan bridge. I don’t think there’s enough time to mobilize anyone, so just ask them to make an announcement," the man spoke in a low, husky voice that was familiar to the people of Althrea. "I’ll cast a dome, so just tell them to stand by."
"So complicated," another man came out of the passenger side, sporting a black mask and casting his blue eyes to the river. "Does securing a place always need so much protocol?"
The people, who were only gawking in surprise before, were now gasping. Why...were the two people who had been the talk of the entire federation suddenly show up in this part of the town? not to mention coming out of a plain car as if they were in the middle of a secretive date?
"Because there’s a possibility of people scamming and terrorizing the citizens using such things," the esper explained while shutting off his commlink. "They were told to only believe and follow the official announcement from either the government or the sentinel association. Especially when the emergency state is yet to be visible. It’s rather cumbersome, but..."
"It’s necessary," the guide nodded. It was easy to declare an emergency state in the face of eerie, swirling dungeon gates, and even without any emergency declaration, people wouldn’t go about frolicking near an active gate. But it was different with something that had not occurred yet, or a gate that wasn’t visible. "But won’t these people believe it if you’re the one who tells them?"
Bassena smiled, and then shifted his gaze toward the congregation of people that had been staring at them, some with their commlinks taking pictures and recording videos. "It’ll be better for you to go back home right now. There will be an outbreak from the river in a few minutes, so you people better evacuate."
The people around them paused, but Zein saw confusion rather than panic. They looked at each other with apparent doubt, and whispers spread among them.
’Outbreak? Here? But there’s nothing here, though. Is it a trick to make us go so they can have the whole place for their own?’
Zein had no idea whether he should laugh or feel annoyed by that reaction. One of them asked timidly, however. "Is...is it true? You’re not playing a prank or anything, right...S-Sir?" the person looked half doubtful and half scared.