Chapter 584: The Black Calamity

The Mercury Creature seemed completely unaware of Mo Ling and the Mysterious Healer in the ship. It was singularly focused on piloting the silver vessel to escape, its body trembling uncontrollably. Fear nearly caused its liquid form to collapse, scattering countless droplets onto the ground.

He gently took out an object resembling a circuit board and began to write on it with his own fallen droplets:

“Year 3700 of the Mercury Calendar: We discovered a life-form within the Rift Void. This life-form occupied an entire Rift Planet, blanketing its surface. For the sake of exploration, we landed on this planet.”

“After landing, we immediately began to study this black organism. At first, we believed it to be a low-level mechanical life-form. Its basic units were small black spheres, which combined into various forms to forage, reproduce, and fight…”

“This Rift Planet was completely occupied by this species. We found no other life here, not even soil or water. We speculated these might be buried beneath the layer of black organisms. The planet also had no resources of any kind; even the atmosphere was extremely thin.”

“Meanwhile, the longer we stayed, the more we noticed the organism’s forms beginning to diversify. These forms posed an ever-increasing threat, growing more and more dangerous. They were highly aggressive toward outsiders. We suspect they also possess a certain capacity for learning, allowing them to grow stronger through combat.”

“Finally, while exploring a canyon, we suffered casualties. We decided to return to the ship and leave this Rift Planet.”

“But the creatures had no intention of letting us go. They launched a more ferocious assault, shooting our ships down to the ground and even giving chase. Only after losing several vessels did we manage to escape the planet.”

“However, even after leaving the planet, we could not escape their pursuit. They aggregated into colossal tentacles and began attacking us in orbit…”

The Mercury Creature continued to scrawl on the circuit board as its body gradually broke down. The spike had not only pierced the ship but had apparently wounded the creature as well.

His movements grew slower and slower as he continued to add to the record on the board.

“Planet coordinates…”

“Organism designation: Black Calamity.”

“Characteristics: Black spheres, aggregate organism…”

After he had painstakingly recorded this information, his body suddenly began to disintegrate. His once-solid mercury form softened, slowly melting away…

Finally, the circuit board fell into the pool of mercury.

“This is the source of the disease,” the Mysterious Healer beside Mo Ling said suddenly.

“Is it that creature?”

“No, it’s that record board.” The Mysterious Healer extended a withered finger, pointing to the board in the pool of mercury.

“This ship will slowly fly to the Mercury Creatures’ homeworld. Their people will find this record board and, in turn, learn the coordinates of the Black Calamity Planet. Then, they will begin to observe the planet. Once the observation begins, the Black Calamity on that planet will become active.”

“Soon, the Black Calamity will flood into the Rift Void and utterly destroy the Mercury Creatures’ homeworld…”

There was no discernible inflection in the Mysterious Healer’s voice, but everything he described left Mo Ling utterly shocked.

“Why will the Black Calamity destroy the Mercury Creatures’ homeworld?”

“Because the Mercury Creatures believe the Black Calamity will destroy their homeworld,” the Mysterious Healer replied flatly.

Hearing this, Mo Ling understood everything in an instant.

The Black Calamity was not a “calamity” to begin with, but because observers believed it to be a “calamity,” it became one.

“The destruction of the Mercury Creatures will attract the curiosity of other races. They will investigate the cause, which will lead them to discover traces of the Black Calamity. Once they learn that the Black Calamity is the source of the destruction, they too will come to fear it…”

“And so, this ‘calamity’ will spread throughout the Rift.”

“The more importance they place on the Black Calamity, the more they fear it, the more terrifying it will become.”

“Those who fear conspiracy are destroyed by conspiracy.”

“Those who fear war are destroyed by war.”

“Those who fear plague are destroyed by plague.”

“Until the Black Calamity breaks out of the Rift and enters the Abyss…”

After listening to the Mysterious Healer, Mo Ling was overcome with dismay. The thing they called the “Black Calamity” might not even be a life-form, yet it had become an all-destroying catastrophe in the eyes of other races.

“Doesn’t anyone realize the true nature of the Black Calamity? Can’t they just stop observing it?” Mo Ling didn’t quite understand.

“Even if you told those races the truth, they wouldn’t believe it…” The Mysterious Healer’s words carried a faint sense of resignation.

“It is impossible to make a race stop monitoring a powerful enemy. Even if a few among them are clear-headed, they will be drowned out by the ignorant and fearful majority.”

“It is a biological instinct to stare wide-eyed when encountering an enemy. To tell them to close their eyes, shut down their senses, and leave themselves vulnerable—they would only think you were trying to harm them.”

“Who can guarantee that ‘stop observing’ isn’t disinformation spread by the Black Calamity itself, or by other hostile races?”

“Once the chain of suspicion is forged and information about the Black Calamity has fully spread, the truth becomes meaningless. Every race will choose the ‘safer’ option: they will keep staring at the Black Calamity, praying the terrible disaster won’t befall them. But they would never imagine that when they gaze into the Black Calamity, the Black Calamity also gazes into them…”

At this point, Mo Ling understood. It was all irreversible. The moment the first creature observed the Black Calamity, the disaster became inevitable.

No one is willing to close their eyes, so the Black Calamity will spread unchecked, becoming a deep-rooted plague of the Abyss.

Looking at the record board in the pool of mercury, Mo Ling finally understood why the Mysterious Healer had called this the source of the disease.

“If this record board isn’t delivered, does that mean the Black Calamity won’t spread?”

“Yes. This is the very root of the problem,” the Mysterious Healer replied.

Mo Ling was stunned for a moment. “You’re using a root-cause healing method?”

“Of course. Didn’t I tell you this was the past?”

“Then can you erase it?” Mo Ling pressed.

What Mo Ling didn’t expect was that this Mysterious Healer, who exuded a terrifying aura, would state directly that he was powerless to help.

“The impact is too great. The butterfly has already stirred up a hurricane. The energy required for a cure is inestimable. I cannot change this established past…”

The Mysterious Healer’s tone remained flat, but the fact he conveyed was despairing.

To find the cause of a disease but have no way to solve it—this is the regret of every healer.

Mo Ling looked at the record board lying in the pool of mercury, hesitated for a moment, and said:

“Let me try?”