PGVCW 20

Playing God in Various Catastrophic Worlds

Chapter 20: Stampeding Provisions

Miao Xinghe successfully encountered the young maiden seated in meditative contemplation upon the architectural apex as the morning sun crested the horizon.

Just as she prepared to step forward, her pacing abruptly halted.

That immortal sect disciples naturally emanated radiance was a phenomenon the populace had long grown accustomed to.

Yet Miao Xinghe did not merely witness luminescence; she rubbed her eyes, blinking in sheer disbelief as she re-examined the scene, only to perceive translucent, semi-fluid ripples swirling in a synchronized, ascending vortex around Xia Wang'an.

Had she ever perused classical xianxia dramas, she would instantly have identified this phenomenon as língqì—spiritual energy.

It was that quintessential metaphysical essence manifested within television serials whenever protagonists practiced cultivation, discharged esoteric seals, or merely sought to project supreme aura. Depending on the elemental affinity of the cultivator's lineage, these spiritual currents shifted between transparency and prismatic pigmentation.

Should protagonists execute arcane hand seals devoid of swirling spiritual resonance during spellcasting, the visual sequence inevitably devolved into acute awkwardness.

One might analogize this to behind-the-scenes footage of xianxia productions: with visual effects engaged, the sequence radiated supreme sovereign majesty and immersive atmosphere; devoid of CGI, it resembled an amateur theatrical production executed by troupes of children.

Consequently, during previous minor demonstrations, Xia Wang'an had consistently maintained a tactical posture with her back turned toward observers.

Yet presently, fortified by over one hundred and ten thousand units of Faith Power, her operational parameters had undergone structural elevation.

Spiritual energy coiled naturally around her corporeal form like a high-budget cinematic rendering—seamlessly fusing effortless naturalism with profound metaphysical mystery and atmospheric gravity.

Miao Xinghe, who had spent the preceding hours steeling her resolve and rehearsing her formal discourse, found herself suddenly paralyzed by intimidation, hesitating to close the remaining spatial distance.

Meanwhile, Xia Wang'an’s internal cognitive processing operated on an entirely divergent frequency:

[This spiritual energy strongly resembles the vapor plumes rising around a skillet during stir-fried egg preparation; the sole technical divergence is its total olfactory neutrality.]

007 issued an immediate prompt: [Host, representatives from the Wheat-Excision Sect have arrived.]

Xia Wang'an, whose hands had remained resting upon her knees in a formalized hand-seal configuration, instantly terminated the gesture, her sleeve fabric sweeping through the air with effortless, untraceable grace.

The moment she concluded her cultivation cycle, the swirling vortex of spiritual energy vanished instantaneously.

Despite having locked into a rigid standing posture, she waited in vain for the indigenous petitioner to initiate discourse.

Suppressing the urgent physiological impulse to open her ocular receptors, Xia Wang'an queried mentally: [007, why is she failing to articulate her petition?]

007 remained equally devoid of telemetry.

Miao Xinghe remained silent for two compounding reasons: initial sensory paralysis driven by awe, followed by a profound, existential terror—not of Xia Wang'an herself, but of the harrowing prospect that her plea for succor might meet summary rejection.

After all, the Heaven-Saving Sect shared zero historical diplomatic ties or karmic obligations with the Wheat-Excision Sect; upon what rational grounds could she expect them to intervene?

Paralyzed by the terrifying probability of forfeiting her sole remaining beacon of salvation, Miao Xinghe found her vocal cords entirely paralyzed.

Yet the following microsecond—

bathed in the morning radiance, the youthful maiden opened her eyes, her gaze serene yet laced with a subtle trace of divine transcendence as she looked down upon the kneeling suppliant from her elevated vantage point.

"What ails you?"

As though intuitively comprehending the depths of her helplessness, she bypassed any critique of her hesitation, proactively extending an institutional lifeline.

Merely two concise sentences, yet they acted upon Miao Xinghe like a drifting spar encountered by a drowning mariner.

This specific visual and auditory sequence etched itself permanently into her psychological architecture; even across sweeping expanses of future time, the memory retained the pristine clarity of the present moment.

"Immortal Master..."

Emboldened by the tranquil, deeply compassionate demeanor of the transcendent being, Miao Xinghe executed a profound prostration, her knees striking the earth with a distinct impact (thud). When she elevated her visage once more, her ocular membranes were suffused with crimson emotion:

"The city of Wangtian confronts an impending extinction-class catastrophe. My sect has resolved upon a terminal defense to the death, dispatching only our junior generations as a preserved seed stock. Absent external intervention, Wangtian City shall inevitably fall. Having been blessed by fortune to encounter the Immortal Master here, I beseech you to grant your celestial aid to Wangtian City and deliver our sect from destruction."

She struck her forehead heavily against the stone floor, her internal state locked in hyper-anxious suspense, closing her eyes tightly as though awaiting the final judicial decree from a celestial tribunal.

The next instant, however, firm, supportive pressure gripped her upper arms.

The tactile sensation radiated profound warmth coupled with resolute physical strength. Before she could process the transition, her entire frame was smoothly elevated into a standing posture, locking her gaze directly into Xia Wang'an's eyes.

The immortal disciple standing before her—robed in flowing vestments whose ambient spiritual aura transcended mortal classification—offered a gentle, reassuring smile.

"Heaven delivers mankind through self-reliance; mankind assists Heaven to manifest divine salvation—this constitutes the foundational karmic tenet upon which our Heaven-Saving Sect was established."

"When the mortal realm confronts calamity, disciples of the Heaven-Saving Sect bear an uncompromised duty to intervene."

Miao Xinghe stood frozen in dazed shock.

An uncompromised duty—

Zero rejection. Zero hesitation.

She articulated it as an uncompromised duty.

Tears cascaded uncontrollably down Miao Xinghe's cheeks once more, though this aquatic release was driven entirely by surging emotional gratitude.

Through her tear-blurred vision, a gentle breeze swept across the courtyard, fluttering the hem of Xia Wang'an's garments. The morning sunlight cascading across her flawless complexion rendered her profile indistinguishable from an authentic, descent-phase deity.

Witnessing this tableau, Miao Xinghe felt her internal spiritual core saturate with overwhelming reverence.

Behind the residential structure, concealed within an absolute blind spot shielded by localized wind currents, Linke manipulated ambient vectors of [Wind] to suspend both himself and Yuanning within mid-air.

Yuanning clutched an oversized folding reflector panel, his visual focus locked onto the spatial coordinate ahead: "Slightly to the port side."

The airborne duo adjusted their coordinates laterally.

"Lower elevation."

They descended vertically by several inches.

Yuanning thrust the reflector panel into Linke's grip: "Maintain absolute spatial stabilization; do not oscillate. Reflected through this specific geometrical angle, Wang'an's facial topography projects zero optical imperfections."

With fluid dexterity, he redirected the orientation of the portable atmospheric aerosol generator clamped between his lower extremities, unclipped the auxiliary illumination array from his collar, and executed a remote-control input to deactivate the miniature fog-emission unit operating at ground level.

Linke maintained a rigid grip on the reflector: "Terminating aerosol generation?"

"Solar elevation has breached optimal thresholds. Background simulation protocols verified across multiple test runs confirm that immortal vapor-shrouded aesthetics achieve maximum visual efficacy exclusively during dawn cycles."

Executing rapid tactile inputs across his master control console while simultaneously tracking the dialogue unfolding ahead, Yuanning observed Xia Wang'an pivot to initiate her tactical withdrawal, immediately broadcasting his commands:

"Initiate kinetic wind currents! Elevate blower output parameters to simulate dramatic, ethereal garment displacement!" "Affirmative! Target vector departing—terminate output parameters!"

The operatives descended smoothly from their elevated hover, systematically dismantling their cinematic arrays and stowing the hardware components within encrypted storage cases.

Linke executed a subtle lateral pivot, causing the localized atmospheric currents circulating around his person to experience a micro-stutter: "Did you register the atmospheric telemetry?"

Yuanning sealed his storage vault, his cognitive processing instantly locking into defensive parameters: "Register what parameters?"

Linke’s olfactory receptors dilated: "The aromatic profile of stir-fried avian ova."

Yuanning: “……”

Sniffing the ambient air, Linke's refined facial topography registered definitive confirmation: "Confirmed. Stir-fried ova, executed via Daniu's culinary methodology—currently undergoing consumption by Wang'an."

Yuanning’s packing velocity accelerated exponentially.

Within minutes, the party was seated around the primary dining arbor, accompanied by steamed rice and individual ceramic receptacles brimming with aromatic stir-fried eggs.

Their somatic posture at table adhered strictly to elite behavioral conditioning protocols: operating in the presence of indigenous observers, their physical movements possessed peerless elegance, radiating ethereal immortal grace.

—The sole tactical anomaly lay within their consumption velocity, which maintained an aggressively accelerated cadence.

Gao Daniu masticated his rations while offering a concerned inquiry: "Thus, grand-auntie, your party intends to embark toward Wangtian City to arbitrate the impending Famine Tide?"

Deep anxiety shadowed his features: "Famine Tides possess catastrophic lethality; deploying a tripartite contingent introduces severe operational hazard, does it not?"

Given that both indigenous sects were openly preparing for institutional martyrdom, the localized Famine Tide confronting Wangtian City unquestionably eclipsed the localized biological contamination managed within Ming County.

Gao Daniu ventured a pragmatic suggestion: "Might it be prudent to petition your higher-tier sect elders for martial reinforcements?"

Sect elders presumably possessed combat metrics exponentially surpassing ordinary disciples.

Throughout the preceding days, the Wheat-Excision Sect delegation had thoroughly indoctrinated the village regarding the terrifying mastery of true immortal practitioners—feats encompassing topographic displacement, mountain-splitting strikes, and stellar manipulation. While the Gao villagers listened with spellbound fascination, they privately assumed such capabilities remained restricted to ancient patriarch-tier entities.

"Negative requirement."

Xia Wang'an cleared the residual grains from her bowl with surgical precision, gracefully accepting the silk handkerchief extended by Yuanning to cleanse the margins of her oral cavity:

"Our tripartite contingent possesses fully sufficient tactical bandwidth."

To the gathered villagers, this declaration carried an equivalent semantic weight to asserting: “The Wangtian City Famine Tide constitutes mere domestic refuse requiring routine sanitation.”

Consequently, the Gao lineage members seated around the arbor immediately radiated unadulterated awe and nationalistic pride, deeply convinced that their preliminary scaling of immortal combat metrics had suffered from a systemic lack of conceptual audacity.

Their grand-auntie possessed the martial capacity to independently contest a major urban Famine Tide.

By the ancestors, the familial burial mounds were actively venting auspicious purple vapors.

Grandpa Gao maintained a stoic silence throughout the meal, issuing zero direct commentary regarding his paternal aunt's upcoming military deployment toward Wangtian City. However, as the afternoon shadows lengthened, he approached their threshold leaning heavily upon his timber cane, executing a measured rhythmic rap against the exterior lintel.

Having long since cataloged the acoustic signature unique to Grandpa Gao's asynchronous gait—one footstep accompanied by a corresponding cane strike—the occupants executed immediate threshold egress.

"Elderly patriarch?"

Yuanning opened the portal, his facial topography instantly modulating into a mask of courteous perplexity.

"Ah, Immortal Master, I have brought several traveling provisions for my younger sister's expedition."

Grandpa Gao heaved a massive, overburdened bundle across the threshold—explaining the noticeably heavier kinetic impact of his approach cadence.

Unfolding the coarse fabric within the interior space, he systematically unrolled a sequence of material provisions:

"These constitute preserved dry rations prepared by Daniu's maternal lineage, designed to sustain prolonged transit parameters. These foot-wraps and footwear were fabricated by Daniu's paternal line; historically, your celestial transits utilized sovereign sword flight, leaving you unacquainted with the abrasive realities of terrestrial march routes."

"Should foot-wear sustain structural compromise, replace them instantly; otherwise, friction-induced dermal necrosis shall manifest blisters."

"Retain these ignition flints securely; activating thermal combustion vectors during nocturnal encampments ensures aggressive botanical life-forms and mutated fauna maintain safe operational distance."

"Furthermore, these pharmacological herbs were procured via local town physicians; oral consumption provides rapid palliation should acute seasonal pathogenic humors be contracted."

Historically manifesting as an emotionally fragile patriarch prone to weeping behind his timber cane, Grandpa Gao had consistently been processed by the younger generation as an infantile elder.

Yet witnessing him execute genuine ancestral solicitude regarding their operational logistics induced a profound sense of emotional disorientation among the youthful vanguard.

"When Daniu's paternal line historically undertook transit toward the prefectural center, I personally supervised their inventory packaging. Undertaking long-range excursions mandates redundant material security."

Deep wrinkles mapped across Grandpa Gao's visage, fluctuating between maternal anxiety and existential dread. Across his sixty operational cycles anchored within this micro-scale regional basin, his localized worldview remained fundamentally defined by pervasive exterior hostility.

Yet observing Xia Wang'an’s resolute commitment, coupled with the core salvific doctrine of the Heaven-Saving Sect she had previously articulated, he ultimately repressed the custodial instinct urging him to voice: “Abandon this endeavor; Wangtian City occupies a spatial coordinate entirely detached from our sphere.”

This psychological suppression mirrored the generational reflex executed whenever village youth mobilized to clear encroaching mutant flora from the perimeter forest to prevent structural engulfment—suppressing the instinctive counter-directive: “Cease intervention; the wilderness is fundamentally infinite.”

"Wang'an, what constitutes the internal structural reality of the Heaven-Saving Sect's foundational domain?"

Approaching the absolute twilight of his biological lifespan, the elder articulated the inquiry with quiet solemnity.

Xia Wang'an offered zero temporal hesitation:

"The majority of its territory is submerged beneath vast oceanic expanses; meteorological parameters fluctuate dynamically across distinct sectors, alternating between intense solar radiation, precipitation cycles, heavy snowfall, and overcast absolute shadow matrices."

"The topography encompasses high-altitude plateaus, alluvial plains, tectonic basins, plunging canyons, volcanic fault-lines, arid deserts, monumental river systems, alongside permanent cryogenic glacial massifs sequestered within the absolute northern and southern polar realms."

Grandpa Gao listened in trance-like cognitive suspension, processing the lexicon as divine mythology: "Such magnificent domains must surely represent the authentic celestial realm..."

"Our terrestrial plane shares absolute structural homology; future historical restoration shall inevitably achieve complete systemic reversion." Xia Wang'an maintained absolute conviction in the trajectory.

Though empirical sampling remained confined to Ming County baseline metrics, the cross-disciplinary research divisions had successfully isolated overwhelming evidentiary vectors confirming structural isomorphism between the dual worlds.

Statistically, over eighty percent of topological formations historically possessed by Blue Star maintained structural correlates within this indigenous reality.

Whether the spatial continuum represented a verified parallel dimension or involved complex ontological entanglement remained a subject of impassioned academic symposiums among senior analytical cadres.

Yet Xia Wang'an maintained a singular, uncompromised operational directive: regardless of theoretical discourse outcomes, she was bound to execute absolute physical intervention to forestall planetary annihilation.

007 issued a systemic query: [Host, did this terrestrial plane historically undergo systemic destruction?]

Xia Wang'an adjusted the heavy straps of her tactical inventory pack, stepping across the threshold past Grandpa Gao—who sat motionlessly upon the exterior stone step, silently tracking their retreating silhouettes with unblinking ocular focus:

[Systemic destruction is permanently canceled.]

Wangtian City—

Atop the towering perimeter ramparts, the respective sovereign patriarchs of the Wheat-Excision Sect and the Rice-Excision Sect stood in parallel alignment.

Above the firmament, dense atmospheric strata of obsidian storm-clouds churned aggressively, signaling the imminent unleashing of a severe precipitation cycle capable of supercharging mutant botanical propagation. Below the architectural threshold, masses of pale-faced citizens—clutching iron sickles or improvised bludgeon implements—maintained rigid defensive positions along the primary gates.

Positioned in the vanguard stood patched-robed junior disciples from both martial orders.

Stationed within the absolute rear were vulnerable generational dependents—geriatric elders and infantile progeny.

A sprawling obsidian mass—possessing volumetric proportions vastly outscaling the atmospheric storm-clouds—advanced across the desolate horizon in a synchronized, rolling kinetic wave.

Despite extreme spatial separation, the terrifying psychological pressure projected by the colossal Famine Tide instantaneously depressed collective morale to absolute baseline zero.

Acoustic signatures of raw emotional trauma echoed across the ramparts—stifled sobbing, explosive profanities, and somatic collapse induced by overwhelming autonomic terror, though immediate peer intervention systematically hauled fallen combatants back to verticality.

Atop the elevated battlements, the Wheat-Excision Sect Patriarch methodically secured his functional combat bracers, tightened his grip upon his primary agricultural sickle, and tucked his heirloom peace-talisman securely beneath his inner vestments. His characteristically volatile, heavily bearded facial topology softened with poignant emotional warmth.

The Rice-Excision Sect Matriarch lowered her gaze; her silvered strands whipped violently across her countenance under the gale-force atmospheric pressure, yet her physical posture remained rigidly absolute. Gripping her long-shafted combat spear, her visual focus drifted with profound tenderness toward the crimson ornamental tassel suspended from the upper spar.

"Senior Brother, was dispatching junior disciples on a posthumous pilgrimage to petition immortal intervention a pragmatic strategy?"

A bitter, self-deprecating chuckle escaped the Wheat-Excision Sect Patriarch: "Within the mortal sphere, authentic immortals remain an illusion; the maneuver served merely as an operational vector to preserve a residual spark of youth."

"Indeed... authentic immortals remain an illusion."

Murmuring the existential verdict, the Rice-Excision Sect Matriarch caressed the crimson spear tassel. Though advanced in chronological age, as she turned to offer a tear-filled smile toward her martial senior, her countenance mirrored the pristine innocence of a seventeen-year-old maiden first inducted into martial apprenticeship:

"Senior Brother... the time has arrived for our final audience with the Master."

Back in the Home Plane—

Having completed a grueling dozen-plus-hours trans-continental transit, the international expert delegation arrived at Great Xia state facilities in a state of severe physiological exhaustion. Denied even baseline recuperation cycles, they were instantly integrated into active high-level strategic briefings.

"Within the target dimension, Famine Tides represent existential catastrophic hazards; however, historical data processing has previously relied entirely upon oral testimonies devoid of direct optical telemetry. Integrating Wang'an's parametric descriptions, our technical divisions have successfully rendered a high-fidelity 3D tactical simulation."

The primary master display flickered, instantiating an active three-dimensional rendering.

The assembled international specialists held their respiratory function, furrowing their brows in rigorous analytical focus.

Instantly, a massive, obsidian 'storm front' materialized on screen, cascading forward with absolute momentum, generating suffocating psychological proximity.

It advanced with terrifying velocity...

Closer...

Closer—

—Snap!

A writing instrument slipped from the digital interface grip of a foreign senior technical expert, impacting the flooring with a sharp clatter.

"The Famine Tide constitutes... a synchronized stampede of organic agricultural provisions?!?"

His optical receptors locked onto the hyper-dense kinetic surge composed of galloping wheat stalks, charging rice grains, stampeding maize units, and charging Solanum tuberosum tubers, interspersed with airborne clusters of aggressive litchis, prunes, dark grapes, watermarks of watermelon spheres, and peach specimens, flanked by stray trailing squads of leguminous soybeans, broad beans, Cucumis sativus cucumbers, and Benincasa hispida gourds lagging behind the primary battalion.

This structural composition exhibited zero operational divergence from polished white rice and braised pork belly paired simultaneously with spicy river-snail rice noodles!

Accompanied by integrated post-prandial botanical dessert formatting.

The diplomatic delegate representing Nation F slammed his palms against the conference briefing surface, leaping vertically to his feet, thermal moisture rapidly accumulating along the margins of his oral cavity:

"All planetary civilizations constitute an indivisible familial collective! When kindred populations confront existential peril, passive neutrality violates moral universalism! I officially table an emergency motion: mobilize global sovereign combat assets!"

"Requisition and harvest those targets immediately!!!"