The Nian Beast originated from folklore; this was a well-known fact.
Urban legends, by academic definition, were considered products of the collective unconscious.
They often reflected the deep, shared fears of a specific regional population.
An urban legend is an anomaly that defies everyday logic and cannot be explained by common sense.
Gu Ming connected the two, and upon careful consideration, found the comparison surprisingly apt.
However, if the Nian Beast were truly the manifestation of a "legend," its implications would be terrifying.
After all, even the most widespread legends at Wenquxing University were confined to just a few specific corners of the campus.
For instance, the truth behind a legend exposed last year turned out to be nothing more than a Ghost Element Pet Beast that had accidentally escaped from a professor's lab and was causing trouble.
But the Nian Beast was completely different.
Its legend spanned the entire nation, even crossing cultural borders.
