A self-drawn map wasn't particularly remarkable in itself, but this was a map of the Dark Continent. Its value was inestimable, holding the same weight of importance as the information recorded in Law's book.
With a few sparse strokes of his pen, Don sketched out the rough outline of the Ashen Forest.
This didn't seem to be masterful artistic skill, but rather a certain feeling that could directly grasp the underlying structure.
First, a few strokes to outline the framework, then a few more to create the template, and finally, yet another few strokes to fill in the details. A corner of the map was completed just like that.
Though it lacked intricate detail, it was remarkably clear and evocative.
The entire process, from the moment Don started drawing to when he finished, showed that his artistic skills weren't even at a beginner level. Yet, he could render the map so clearly with just a few strokes.
This was because his skill with Divine Script was at a master level.
The more proficient one was with Divine Script, the greater their mastery over 'structure' became.
Fundamentally, the creation of Divine Script was a technique that involved first establishing a structure, then filling in the details.
If one's ability to construct the underlying framework was weak, no matter how strong their skill in filling in the details, the effectiveness of the Divine Script would fall below the standard baseline.
After drawing the Ashen Forest, Don lifted his head again, silently gazing into the distance.
The surroundings were quiet, utterly silent, and lifeless.
Suddenly, Don let out a sigh and muttered to himself, "Another dead end."
As he spoke, he put away the black pen, took out a red one, drew a circle within the outline of the Ashen Forest, then packed everything away. He turned and left in a different direction.
There were far too many places humans couldn't go, and the Dark Continent held countless such locations.
No one could go to the deepest parts of the ocean, so no one could possibly traverse the entire Dark Continent.
Encountering dead ends was inevitable because humans weren't gods. There would always be things they couldn't do, places they couldn't adapt to.
Just like the magma tides in the underground world, or the World Tree guarded by countless gatekeepers… these were places Don could only observe from afar but never set foot in.
The same was true for Law, as they were both human.
For all the places one could set foot in, there would be those one could not.
If there were a way, anyone would be unable to resist the urge to go and investigate.
However, the more places one visited, the more one could appreciate the insignificance of being human.
Withered, yellow leaves fall to the ground, buried deep in the soil without a trace. The next year, a blade of grass grows to meet the sun.
Thus, for every inch underfoot, for every moment in time, there will always eventually be a journey home.
...
The setting sun hung in the west, dusk close at hand.
The streets were bustling with people coming and going. Some trash littered the ground, trampled by countless feet.
Hawking cries traveled from one end of the street to the other. Murky water flowed down street drains into the sewers, where broken meal containers and empty drink cans were stuck next to the raised iron bars.
A grimy little cat approached a drain, lowering its head to lap at the dirty water. A sudden noise made its fur stand on end. With a leap, it quickly darted into an alleyway and disappeared.
The source of the sound was a food stall. It was inconspicuous on this street with its rather poor sanitary conditions, but business was good. Nearly all of the dozen or so tables and chairs were occupied.
There were no trash bins under the tables, so one could easily see plenty of litter like paper and cigarette boxes scattered about.
"Boss, the TV's on the blink again."
Directly in front of the tables and chairs was an antenna TV.
A slightly tipsy middle-aged man placed a hand on the back of the TV, yelling towards the boss who was cooking inside the food truck.
The noise that had scared the kitten was this man slapping the TV.
Inside the truck, the boss didn't look up, his voice slightly gruff, "It's not broken. Just give it a few good whacks."
"Oh, got it." The middle-aged man rubbed his palm, as if preparing to spank a woman's rear, and gave the back of the TV two sharp slaps.
The TV vibrated, but the screen remained full of static snow, emitting a grating noise.
The man frowned and gave it another smack, but there was no improvement.
"Move aside, move aside. This job still requires my touch." A shirtless young man stood up, walked to the TV, and spat a few times, making the middle-aged man quickly step back a few paces.
Under the expectant gazes of the crowd, the young man slowly raised his right hand, a devout expression on his face as if in prayer.
Smack!
A palm struck down without warning.
The TV screen suddenly flickered to life, showing a picture. The young man's face broke into a smug grin.
'This feisty TV indeed needed a faithful, young, and strong believer like me to handle it.'
"Well done!"
Instantly, applause erupted across the street.
The food stall boss paid no mind, focusing on stir-frying the dishes.
The TV picture was on, but there was no sound.
"How come there's no sound?" The slightly drunk middle-aged man asked curiously.
The young man was also puzzled. Then he noticed a cable on the floor and shot the man a look, "You idiot, you knocked the audio cable out."
Saying this, the young man picked up the fallen plug and very carefully inserted it back into the port on the TV.
A moment later, sound came through.
"Now for a local news update. Followers in the Yoru City parish have been kneeling in the streets. Reports indicate that twenty minutes ago, a shadow obscured the sky above the parish, lasting for approximately ten seconds."
"Witnessing this phenomenon so directly caused panic among the followers, leading them to spontaneously take to the streets for repentance."
"Currently, the cause of the shadow formation is still unclear. Next, we switch to our reporter live on the scene for interviews."
The TV screen changed to show a beautiful female reporter holding a microphone, with many people kneeling on the street behind her.
Standing next to the reporter was an excited-looking teenager, his arms hanging down, fidgeting, betraying his agitated state.
"Hello, as an eyewitness, what did the shadow you saw look like?" The reporter asked, holding the microphone out to the boy.
"I saw it! The whole sky went black. I know what it was." The boy's face flushed red with excitement as he yelled, "It was a UFO! I swear, it was definitely a UFO!"
"Thank you for your cooperation."
The reporter smiled and moved the microphone away, walking off to the side. The camera followed her movement.
"Believe me, it really was a UFO!"
The boy's voice could be heard from off-camera for a few seconds before fading away.
The reporter walked a few steps and encountered an old man holding a telescope.
Out of professional habit, she approached him and began a new live interview.
"You've found the right person! I was up on the hill stargazing at the time and saw it clearly." The old man said, his squinty eyes opening a slit. A faint smell of alcohol came from his breath.
The reporter perked up, quickly asking for details.
Viewers in front of their TVs also held their breath, waiting.
The old man waved the telescope in his hand excitedly, "With my eyesight and this professional equipment, I clearly saw the true form of that shadow! It was a huge, enormous bird!"
"And there were people standing on that bird's head!"
Feeling his description might be inadequate, the old man made several gestures.
The reporter glanced at the old man's small eyes, then at the telescope whose appearance didn't exactly scream 'professional'. She gave him a polite smile and said, "Thank you for your cooperation."
The camera moved on again, seeking the next interviewee.
After several interviews, opinions varied widely. Some spoke convincingly about it being related to weather phenomena, others called it a miracle...
The audience gathered around the TV couldn't help but start discussing it too.
Based on the experience of local news workers, this matter would likely only serve as dinner table conversation, boiling over for a few days before fading away.
However, two days later, an on-site recorded video was uploaded to the internet. After some fermentation, it actually went viral.
In less than a week, many people flocked to Yoru, this ordinary little coastal city.