Bubble Worlds are the representation of the failed possibilities within the real world. They are the replicas that have fallen off the Imaginary Tree.
As such, the Sea of Quanta is a hub of immeasurable information. Its existence spans far beyond Earth and the solar system. Every world has a connection to it. It is one of the most special places/entities throughout this world, housing chaotic phenomena throughout all eleven dimensions.
Some consider it as a devourer, while others think of it as the Imaginary Tree's anti-thesis.
At one point, it sensed the presence of a foreign power. It was something that did not come from the Imaginary Tree nor its Aeons. It is a completely independent power.
Its first exposure was the clash between Shi Tian and Nihility. The struggle between an Aeon and an immortal cultivator did not trigger its interference; Seele's exposure to immortal cultivation did.
As a product of its automatic mechanism, the Sea made its move. This resulted in Seele's presence being captured by the Sea inside a special Bubble World.
It is the only Bubble World free from the Sea's erosion, with its sole purpose to oversee Seele's changes.
Today, the Bubble World's bright blue skies met a new change. The streak of bright crimson flames could be seen amidst the scorching sunlight.
"That's too big to be a shooting star."
The girl climbed up an abandoned signal tower with cat-like reflexes. She did not fear tall heights. She squinted her eyes before placing her hand above it.
"Weird… it seems a bit bigger..?"
As the comet came closer, the girl finally reacted. Her entire body tensed up.
"It's coming closer!!!"
She tried to leave her vicinity.
It was too late.
Bam-!
Rumble-!
The comet landed one hundred kilometers away from the city's location. Even so, a deafening sonic boom and magnitude ten earthquake shook countless buildings.
Just as the people panicked, a strange force stopped the earthquake.
Everything stopped in place.
Fallen buildings are put into place. A strong telekinetic force reverted all the damages before it could occur.
The girl, Pardofelis, contacted that force.
"Fu..!"
She stopped breathing. All the hairs on her body stood. It was an insurmountable force that cannot be explained by common sense.
Just as her situation deteriorated, it stopped.
It wasn't just her. Everyone who came in contact with that force felt breathless. At the very least, none of the people beneath Pardofelis is an exemption.
She swiftly climbed down the signal tower with deft hands and feet. She was about to return to the warmth of her home when she saw an unconscious man nearby.
Her eyes landed on his robe. Its extremely high quality and engravings made Pardofelis' mouth water. High-end clothing meant the man is filthy rich!
Stealing his stuff is one choice, but Pardofelis is smarter than that. She can wait until the man wakes up and sees his reaction.
If he is bad-mannered, she can steal his stuff;
If he is good-mannered, she can help him return to whatever place he came from. That way, she will earn a good amount of remuneration.
'I am really smart!'
Just then, Pardofelis glanced at his face.
Time had stopped.
The peerless face is akin to a god's work. The perfect proportions could turn heads and charm women in one look. His closed eyes and steady breathing created a sense of serenity.
Whatever angle he is looked at, the man looks like a heavenly immortal.
'...Very handsome.'
Pardofelis snapped out of it. She blinked her eyes again and again. That sense of flawlessness appeared all over again.
It took a while for her to gradually adapt. Pardofelis was more convinced of his rich man identity.
She held his sleeves and took hold of his arms. The soft and smooth surface of his skin lit up her curiosity. The fine muscles on his wrist up to his elbow is enough to fascinate anyone—leave them drooling, even.
Fortunately, Pardofelis cared about the goodies more. She pulled herself together and snapped out of her daze.
She piggy-backed the man.
Amidst the busy and hectic people, she soon went to her hideout.
The subsequent events are luckily avoided by Pardofelis.
First, the 'government' started search and rescue. Some sections of the city are cordoned off. It is baffling to the people living in this section… or rather, "slums" of the city.
Nobody cared whether there were any honkai eruptions and zombies appearing here. It is abandoned by the 'government' and the power behind them.
Just then, they made a shocking discovery within the Sundown Alley:
A sanatorium is found to be housing patients suffering from honkai corruption.
Honkai energy at this point is akin to radiation. It slowly corrodes and destroys organs, killing its patients with multiple organ failures.
Moreover, the patients suffering from this disease will emanate honkai energy to their surroundings. The more infected people there are within a populace, the greater the spread of the honkai corruption would be.
Seeing a sanatorium housing more than a hundred patients is akin to a honkai reactor setting off in the middle of a city.
The government swiftly passed this matter onto their "higher-ups", the Fire MOTH. This organization is responsible for fending off any honkai-related matters.
In a matter of thirty minutes, a fully-specialized squad was led to encircle the sanatorium.
They did not bother knocking on the front gate. They want to euthanize the patients, arrest the masterminds, and find out what happened.
Unbeknownst to them, a wild beast is about to be set free.
A burly man stood at the sanatorium's front door. Behind him is a woman dressed in a nun's clothing.
"...You wouldn't say something?"
The nun shook her head.
"Tsk. You are unusually silent today."
The burly man, Kalpas, did not wait for her reply. He immediately set off the front gate. The sounds of battle resounded outside.
Aponia looked at the skies. The revelation brought by the crimson flames made her aware this is not the real world. It is merely a false world, a copy of what has been in the past.
The greatest evidence lies in her inability to see any more strings. It was supposed to be retained within this false world, only to be forcefully broken by the flames from beyond the sky. Only her power of Discipline remained.
As for those bright heavenly flames…
'The present's world's hope...'
*****
A/N: Bonus chapter.