Always There
1042 Words
"Lucifer…" Lin Qiye still hadn't recovered from the massive amount of information Zhao Kongcheng had just shared. He stood frozen for a long moment.
"So, you're saying… ever since that mist appeared, gods from ancient myths began to show up one after another?"
"That's right. The higher-ups have been investigating this for years and have come up with two possibilities." Zhao Kongcheng raised two fingers.
"First, these gods didn't exist before. But when the mist appeared, some kind of mysterious change gave them form, pulling them out of mythology and into reality.
Second, myths weren't just ancient fantasies, but truth all along. After humanity became more active, the gods hid somewhere on Earth for unknown reasons, and the mist's sudden arrival awakened them."
Lin Qiye nodded slowly. "Then what you said earlier—about not all gods existing—what did you mean by that?"
"The number of gods currently on Earth is very small. Not every mythical being has appeared. The ones we've seen so far are only a tiny fraction of the massive mythological systems that exist. We don't know why it's them—it has nothing to do with power, popularity of the stories, morality, or borders. Their appearance seems completely random.
And it's not just the Bible. Greek myths, Norse myths, Cthulhu lore… the gods that humanity has encountered so far span across all mythologies."
"If that's true, then what about our own gods?" Lin Qiye asked curiously. "Like the Monkey King, the Third Prince, the Four Heavenly Kings, the Jade Emperor… Where are they? If they existed, they'd crush those Western gods easily, right?"
Zhao Kongcheng fell silent for a moment before shaking his head.
"We've wondered the same thing. For a hundred years we've searched across our land, trying to find traces of them…
But in all that time, not even a land god has shown up.
Some people say it's because the mist hasn't yet swallowed our nation, so our gods remain hidden.
Others say…"
Lin Qiye leaned in. "Say what?"
"…They say our gods have always been here."
"Always been here?"
"Think about it. Why is it that the entire world has been consumed by the mist, yet our nation alone survived? The mist presses right up against our borders, but can't advance even an inch past them. Why do you think that is?"
Lin Qiye's jaw dropped. "You mean…"
"It's only a theory. Or maybe just wishful thinking," Zhao Kongcheng sighed. "Whatever the case, we've never actually found any trace of our gods."
"…Alright."
Just from hearing all this, Lin Qiye felt like his worldview was falling apart. If he hadn't personally witnessed the existence of the archangel, he might've just called the asylum to drag Zhao Kongcheng away.
This guy's crazier than I ever was!
"Then what about that golden pillar of light from me last night?" Lin Qiye asked.
"f*******n Domain," Zhao Kongcheng answered. "When the mist enveloped Earth, the changes weren't limited to gods appearing. The mist seems to have mysterious effects on humans too.
Although it hasn't entered our territory, it carries an energy like radiation. For some people, it catalyzes their bodies. Children born after the mist appeared sometimes develop a strange inner power.
Under certain conditions, that power gets triggered and manifests as a unique ability that can alter the environment around them—like a personal domain. The characteristics vary widely from person to person.
This phenomenon is called a f*******n Domain."
Lin Qiye thought for a moment.
So basically, a f*******n Domain was like a superpower field for the lucky few.
If that was true, then his ability to sense everything within twenty meters, his enhanced dynamic vision, and even his ability to channel the archangel's might… all of that must've been part of his f*******n Domain.
"Can a f*******n Domain grow stronger?" he asked.
"Yes. Its power, range, and uniqueness all increase with the host's spiritual strength. Spiritual strength is the key factor.
Based on spiritual strength, we classify f*******n Domains into six realms:
First realm — Cup: like water in a cup, small and still.
Second realm — Pond: like water in a pond, larger but still.
Third realm — River: flowing water, plentiful and moving.
Fourth realm — Sea: vast and boundless like the ocean.
Fifth realm — Infinite: immeasurable, overwhelming power.
Sixth realm — Klein: infinite, inexhaustible, transcending dimensions, like a Klein bottle."
"Then what about me? What level am I?" Lin Qiye asked.
"You? You're just at the Cup realm—a newbie who's barely started using a f*******n Domain." Zhao Kongcheng smirked, clearly enjoying the jab. "At best, you're just… a slightly above-average human."
Lin Qiye was speechless.
So that explained it. Last night, he must've opened the doors of the asylum in his mind because he broke into the Cup realm. Opening Nyx's ward had to be for the same reason.
Did that mean that every time he broke into a new realm, he could release another patient?
"And you? You're so strong—what's your realm?" Lin Qiye looked at him curiously.
Zhao Kongcheng blushed, turning his head toward the window awkwardly. "Me… I don't have a f*******n Domain. Naturally, I don't have spiritual strength either."
"You don't have one?" Lin Qiye's eyes widened. "Then how did you kill that monster?"
He was genuinely shocked. That creature had nearly overwhelmed him even with his insane vision. Yet Zhao Kongcheng had crushed it with ease. And this guy didn't even have a f*******n Domain?
"That thing's called a Faceless Wraith," Zhao corrected. "I killed it with nothing but years of training and combat experience. Before joining the Night Watch, I was a special forces soldier, specializing in close-quarters combat."
He continued, "There are three ways to gain a f*******n Domain.
First, being born with it—a rare few lucky children.
Second, through objects. The mist didn't just affect humans; sometimes, items also develop f*******n Domains by chance. These are rare and often very powerful. If someone can wield them, they can tap into that power.
That's my case. I use a f*******n Item, but it's not for combat. It's a standard-issue support tool for Night Watchers. A signboard. Its only ability…
Is to open the [No-Boundary Zone]!"
- Writer
