Everyone initially thought it was a countdown timer that was specially prepared by the Ress government body and that chain of assumption continued on until it reached Jin who was staring at it with despair.
The System's confirmation made it even more terrifying as it indicated that no one in the government body had created that special countdown nor it was part of the event's script. The worst of all was that it had detected Celestial Energy onto it.
There was no denying despite the fact everyone was still a celebratory mood. The Celestials were coming and they had given Ress their ultimatum. Enjoy or prepare all you can. When the clock strikes 12, the new year will usher in the swift judgement and punishment that you might expect.
There were no other warning signs and this was the possible explanation that whatever time left was what Ress could afford. Jin and the System had no idea whether this would be a one off fight or this would be just the start of their survival.
All Jin knew was that he had utilised all his dungeon supplier knowledge and whatever business management abilities he known to be applied to Ress. To him, this kingdom was his business and he had used his dungeon summoning powers not to provide entertainment for this kingdom of his and instead real survival options.
From food, materials to experience, all of this had been given bountifully to the group and this intervention which he had been inserted into to stop the Celestials from dominating this planet was a trial by a higher demon. Was it intended to be this way? Did Baal gave this trial to Jin to test his wits and strength against a portion of the Celestials?
Could it be that Baal had wanted Jin to use this so called trial, in a possibly doomed planet learn the actual meaning of despair against the Celestials? Was the eradication of Celestials his plan? Had Jin thought it through when he meant to fight the Celestials? Or did Jin's greed in succeeding in every single planet he stepped in, had clouded his judgement against the Celestials?
Perhaps to Jin, the Celestials might prove to be a powerful ally just as how Jin acquired Baal?
All those thoughts had been considered once during his stint as a King in Ress but it all suddenly surfaced once more, in an intensive manner that he could not understand why. Was it a reminder for him so that he had the resolve to fight against the Celestials?
Jin finally stood at the pedestal was once more and everyone stopped what they were doing, awaiting what the King was about to add. With his presence and slient demure standing at the pedestal, some started to doubt the existence of the countdown timer and start to assume the worse. Continue your journey on empire
And that infectious assumption once more quietened down the celebratory mood of the entire Central Square. As the silence from their king continued to linger in the air, the Rifle Mages Corps were holding onto their rifles tightly. They could already feel the dread and immense weight that the King was holding on as the countdown in the sky continued to tick downwards.
Jin looked at the Central Square once more. Filled with the citizens he had cultivated even though it was just a year in.
"I am proud." Jin finally spoke out as the Magic Screens echoed those three words. "I am proud and humbled by the citizens of Ress." Despite those words, doubts continued to cloud his mind until a middle aged citizen shouted back with gusto.
"RESS WILL PREVAIL! ALL HAIL THE KING OF RESS." He continued to chant the two lines repeatedly. For the next two lines, two more stood up and shouted the same thing and eventually people started to follow him. The shouts got louder and louder by the second that not just people from the Central Square were doing so. The Mages broke their slience and shouted too.
It was a collective cheer for the King who thought that he was standing alone in this upcoming fight. But he never knew that Jin had inadvertently inspired the kingdom he was managing from a business point of view to believe in him so much.
And it brought back memories how he had developed relationships with his beloved customers even though when he go back to his real life, it was only seconds that had passed for them.
But right now, right here. Jin was being supported by thousands of citizens who had seen the technological explosion that had happened, survived and thrived through the suffering. It was not easy but they had reached to this point. They already saw how terrifying how just one High Celestial was able to defeat their defences but they decided to walk through this thorny path with Jin.
"Disperse! Eat heartily! Prepare your gear! Because tonight we have guests. Guests that we will drag and dine in Hell!"