After reaching the maximum level, my "soft rice system" finally arrived.

Around the bonfire square, a man dressed in a linen robe spoke in alarm: "I fled from Autumn Moon City. Fifteen years ago, before Autumn Moon City was swallowed by the Twilight Tide, the situation was exactly the same as it is now!"

"It's here again!"

"What are the governor and the council doing? Why haven't they released the intelligence yet! Issue the order to abandon the city and flee immediately!"

Some people looked flustered and angrily accused others.

Aurora City has managed to survive for nearly two centuries amidst the era of lightless disasters, which naturally suggests that it possesses its own unique management and decision-making model.

However, regardless of the governor, who is the most powerful figure in the city on the surface—

Or perhaps it's those highly experienced and respected council members.

The approaching twilight tide offers no sense of security to the residents of Aurora City.

"Abandon the city and flee? How can we escape?"

"We are now the only gathering place within a radius of hundreds of miles!"

"If there's nothing within hundreds of miles, then let's continue south! A few years ago, some wanderers came here and mentioned that there are some relatively safe and stable strongholds in the south of the kingdom!"

"That happened twenty years ago! Who knows what the situation is like in the South now, or whether those safe and stable strongholds from back then have fallen!"

People dressed in linen robes were arguing angrily.

In the face of disaster, it seems that only by turning the fear in one's heart into venting one's anger by blaming one's companions can one temporarily forget the fear.

"Moreover, even the youngest and strongest mid-level powerhouse faces immense difficulties in the darkness of the Calamity of No Light! Let alone the frail children and the elderly!"

Have you ever thought about how many people will die along the way?

"It would be better to stay and try to resist the twilight tide!"

Faced with accusations, the person who had previously proposed the escape strategy did not back down.

"Stay and resist the twilight tide? What's the difference between that and a slow death?"

"Those legendary cities that once stood guard could only perish in the tides of twilight. Even if we manage to resist once, how long can we hold out?"

"The surrounding empty city ruins are irrefutable proof!"

escape.

Or perhaps it's about holding on.

Such debates have erupted many times in Aurora City.

From casual conversations among ordinary people to debates at the highest levels of government, the issue has never ceased, nor has it ever been resolved.

"and--"

The man suddenly changed his tone—

"How do you know that the consuls and their men weren't secretly preparing an escape plan?"

"The number of Twilight Creatures in the same area is limited. Once the siege officially begins and the battle breaks out, there will inevitably be a relative lull in the surrounding area."

"At that point, it will be the best time to let a small group of elites escape."

As for us—

"Perhaps they were just abandoned in the city to attract the attention of the twilight creatures, so that a small group of people could survive!"

These words immediately quieted down the argument in the square.

In times of great calamity, conspiracy theories have always flourished.

Even though the governor and the council have led Aurora City to persevere for nearly two hundred years, their prestige has long been deeply rooted in the hearts of the people.

But at this moment, all the people couldn't help but have this thought—

If the escape plan is indeed going to happen, will the higher-ups notify him?

The answer is obviously no.

The reserves of firewood, food, and fresh water in Aurora City are extremely limited.

Furthermore, the large-scale migration of people will attract the attention of the Twilight Creatures, leading to their encirclement and suppression.

The idea of ​​evacuating the entire city was never feasible from the very beginning.

However, if the only option is to sacrifice the vast majority of people to allow a small number of people to evacuate...

Then.

Who can guarantee that they will be the one chosen...?

From the moment this statement was circulated, the seeds of doubt were sown in everyone's hearts.

then.

As the disaster gradually subsided, it grew stronger.

............

Seeing that his words had an effect, many people began to have doubts.

The man who had previously proposed the conspiracy theory was also quite satisfied.

After all, the more desperate the situation, the better.

The more people lose trust in their managers—

Then people will yearn to rely on external forces and outsiders to redeem themselves.

Chaos and natural disasters are fertile ground for the flourishing of religion and faith, as has been the case since ancient times.

He stood on the high platform, his face devout and compassionate, looking down at the crowd, and slowly began to speak.

"Gentlemen, please hear me out."

"In such a dark and desperate environment, only by worshipping the supreme god of the sea and storms can one be freed from this long, lightless calamity!"

His shouts sounded like commands.

Soon after, more missionaries took to the stage and began to preach.

............

On the high platform, the debate among the missionaries intensified.

They all considered themselves to be favored by the gods and were deeply convinced of their faith.

He was tirelessly preaching, trying to get the people of Aurora City to embrace the Lord they believed in.

At this very moment, under the pressure of the twilight tide and the imminent collapse of the entire city—

Indeed, more and more people are beginning to listen to the preachers' sermons and becoming potential believers.

Not far from the plaza where the Blue Flame Altar is located—

Inside a stone tower, entirely pale and forged from massive white stones.

A middle-aged man with graying temples stood on the top floor of the stone tower, silently watching everything that was happening in the square.

"Those missionaries are starting to bewitch people again..."

"Francis, should we...?"

A hoarse female voice came from behind the middle-aged man.

"Need not."

The middle-aged man, known as Francis, spoke briefly and shook his head slightly.

"We both know that with Aurora City's resource reserves and the strength of its superhumans, it simply cannot withstand the Twilight Tide for long."

"And the gods that those missionaries speak of... may have various hidden dangers."

"However, even the fallen, mad gods were still beings who once ascended to the throne of gods."

"As the twenty-third governor of Aurora City, in order to perpetuate the city's civilization—"

"To live up to the sacrifices made by my twenty-two predecessors in the past two hundred years..."

"Then even if it's an option that seems unreliable or absurd."

"I must also do everything I can to try every possibility..."

The hoarse female voice fell silent.

Francis, on the other hand, simply continued to calmly observe everything before him.

Unlike the younger generation who know nothing about the past, he, as the governor who bears the weight of two hundred years of civilization in this city, is no stranger to the history of the great catastrophe two hundred years ago.

therefore--

Of course he knows.

Belief in deities...

What are the hidden risks and the great disasters they will bring?

The collapse of the Church of God in an instant during the Great Cataclysm, and the countless believers who descended into chaos and madness, are bloody proof of this.

but--

Aurora City has truly waited far too long.