Chapter 124: Three words


    Earth - 1st Quadrant


    Milky Way Gxy


    A worldwide revolution had engulfed the in thest six months.


    For thousands of years, humans were trying to find a rational argument for the Creation of the Universe and Existence. And for even longer, human beings were debating the veracity of a higher form, named God.


    What was supposed to happen when such a being had left behind a photographic image for all to see?


    Different religions imed him as a shadow of their gods. Some saw in him the face of Jesus, some saw in him the wrath of Shiva, and some imed him as a pure manifestation of the Universe''s consciousness. But the information released by ADA, backed by the top Dreamers,id waste to these ims.


    The ck-robed being with white hair wasn''t an image of unexinable things from the holy books. He was a God unto himself.


    Countless people came together to form a new religion, called Duality. And they worshipped and praised the living legend of the being called God of White and ck. An existence no one could deny and probably none dared to.


    Apart from the changes happening in the religiousmunity, the lives of Dreamers had hardly experienced any change. They were still dying, crying, and bing strong by days as they were before the incident. In their world, three things have garnered most of their attention.


    *


    In a Japanese restaurant, in a private room, countless dishes were ced, along with scintiting cups of sake.


    On three sides of the table, Hisakawa Tomiko, Choi Seong, and Tun Bo Ag were enjoying the delicacies. But the dazed look in Tomiko''s eyes portrayed a different picture.


    "What are thinking about?"


    Seong asked in broken English. Even Tun Bo Ag, now a guild leader, had learned to speak English fluently. The news had made Seong almost break the chopsticks when he first heard it aftering here. Before replying, Tomiko put down the bowl and used a towel to wipe her mouth.


    "Nothing! It''s just The strange disappearance of the Masked Menace has be a topic of immense joy and celebration for countless Dreamers. I am wondering why there are no statements from ADA. And why they are letting the people credit it as a blessing of the God of White and ck."


    A brief silence ensued as Tomiko mentioned God. Seong gulped down the entire cup of sake and let out a satisfying grunt.


    "Ah! Don''t think too much about him. I say good riddance."


    Tink! Crack!


    The empty cup of sake, in Seong''s hand, shattered. Tomiko and Seong looked up and found Tun with an iprehensible look in his eyes.


    "I am sorry. I am more concerned about the strange behavior of Baron Sho. Tomiko, why did he leave the Guild? Where is he now?"


    "Tun, I I don''t know. He hasn''t left the Guild. He just can''t be found anymore. It''s like he has vanished."


    "Waiter! More sake" Seong ordered and continued, "I saw a video of him and another Barons going for their Random-Allocation. So it''s obvious he is still alive and well. I am sure he has his reasons."


    Tomiko half-heartedly nodded. The waiter served another round of sake and the three unusual ''friends'' finished their dinner. The three walked out of the restaurant when Seong suddenly turned around and looked at Tomiko and Tun.


    "What concerns me the most is Baron Boomie. He took over the Thousand Faces Guild overnight, whose leader was Masked-Menace. I am more inclined to believe the theory that it was him all along behind that mask."


    Tun red at Seong as he approached him. Their shoulders bumped into each other, but Tun kept going forward, and only his voice reached Seong''s and Tomiko''s ears.


    "I don''t even care anymore what concerns you or whatnot. But I believe Baron Boomie''s words with no shadow of doubt"


    Tomiko looked up to the sky andpleted Tun''s words.


    "Go beyond the Rank of Baron in one year. Or die trying."


    *


    p!


    Boomie''s face didn''t move as Mrs. Guo pped him for the second time. The pain in their eyes, though the same, differed in nature.


    "Where is my son?"


    "Aunt, believe me. The ADA has seen great potential in Al''s skills. They are training him to be a member of the Anti-Dreamer squad. You have heard of them, right? The job needs confidential 1-year training."


    Boomie let out the exact words for the hundredth time. The blurry eyes of his motherlike aunt just didn''t seem to trust him anymore.


    "You think I don''t know you, Bernard? You think I won''t know when you are lying?"


    Mr. Ben put his hands around Mrs. Guo. Boomie, with no choice, had to look into his eyes too.


    "Boomie, son, she didn''t mean it. It''s just, we hadn''t heard from him for so long. And you know about thest year"


    Boomie gulped down, but there was no saliva left anymore, and his dry throat felt like pieced by thousands of thorns.


    "I Cough! I will talk to Ms. Wells, you know, the Director of ADA. Maybe she will listen to me."


    Boomie saw the disbelieving expression on Mrs. Guo''s face as she jerked her shoulder to go out of Mr. Ben''s embrace. She approached a portrait on the wall and put her hands together in prayer. The portrait was of a being with a blurry face, ck veil-type cloth, and white hair.


    "God of White and ck, please watch over my son!"


    Boomie walked out of the Guo''s house and walked along the busy roads of the old town. He hade out of hisa after 1 week of the so-called appearance of Doom and the Savior. When he opened his eyes, the Chairman let him know all that had happened. And before his raging mind could wreak havoc on the entire world, Mr. Edwin handed over something written by Aldrich for him.


    Boomie reached out in his pocket and took out a neatly folded piece of paper. The pain in his eyes was not for loss, but for being left behind. He unfolded the paper and read the prophecy-like sentence for the thousandth time.


    "It is I."