Free Web NovelChapter 828: Chapter 737: Touring the Divine Kingdom
On the boundless Desolate Stone Plateau, two figures draped in gray cloaks walked. They traversed mountains and forests, crossed rivers and valleys, reached the barren desert, and climbed the cold cliffs overlooking icy chasms. The ten-thousand-meter canyon seemed like the scars of the world, witnessing the passage of time.
The grand sacrificial altar emerged, the high-raised altar weathered by the marks of time and was dilapidated. The towering Ouroboros totem had collapsed and lay broken across the cliff, the windblown dust on its surface silently narrating a brutal history; this place had been plundered by the corporation.
The two young girls stood before the totem, their figures so small as to appear like mere dots when viewed from afar.
"Pu’er Shazan," Angelina said. "This is what they have guarded for generations."
"A year ago, the geological survey team of Zero Point Energy discovered this place and heard the legends of Pu’er Shazan. Thereafter, the flames of the corporation’s war spread here."
"A small-scale corporate war broke out here over an unclear legend. All the people of the Pu’er tribe perished in the flames of war, and the High Priest cursed this land before his death."
"Those with ulterior motives who step into this place will suffer extreme punishment: nose and mouth mutilation, hand and foot severing, ears and eyes gouging. The secret here was never exposed, and the armed personnel dispatched by the corporation were unable to find Pu’er Shazan. They perished in endless pain, yet here..."
Angelina shook her head,
"Ultimately became a ruin."
Xu Xiaoyou said nothing, solemnly holding a bouquet of sand-red flowers, placing them in front of the tombstone of the Pu’er people—the sand-red snake totem—as a farewell to the restless souls of the Pu’er warriors stationed here.
"This is a reflection of the era," Xu Xiaoyou said.
"These High Priests were insignificant figures, merely able to see more than ordinary people. He had no strong body nor extraordinary wisdom, yet he possessed qualities that rivaled the powerful. Until the last moment of his life, he held steadfast to this secret."
"In my view, that is a noble will that refuses to bend even in death, as opposed to a malevolent curse."
"This world has many unknown legends and miracles, some dangerous, which once exposed, would arouse covetousness from many and bring the shadow of war to the world."
"These legends and miracles are often guarded not by powerful loners, but by a group of ordinary people. They are defenders of the way, and the tomb keepers of an era, a civilization."
"If the secret of Pu’er Shazan were truly exposed, undoubtedly this world would once again plunge into endless war."
Xu Xiaoyou’s eyes slightly lowered,
"Clearly, this battered and exhausted world can no longer bear such calamity."
Seeing the somber atmosphere, Angelina said nothing, quietly staying by Xu Xiaoyou’s side.
"Let it be here; they won’t return."
For a long time, Xu Xiaoyou said.
She slowly took a box from her bosom and raised it high toward the sky.
As a dazzling light shot toward the sky, dispersing the clouds above, a magnificent, reverent chant echoed. Immediately, the sand and wind rose high, a large shadow descended as if a majestic mountain hung upside down from the firmament.
Clouds were pierced to reveal the sun, and a presence wandering outside the world found its Anchor Point.
—Daylight City.
Xu Xiaoyou looked up.
The city was driven by several planet-level engines, built atop a mountain range, surrounded by thousand-foot-tall anti-magic stone walls. The silver-white walls appeared as grand and sacred as described in mythical epics. A square obelisk stood in the center of the city, a circular diadem rotated; its core radiated brilliance; there it brought daylight to this sky.
Even with some preparation, upon seeing this extraordinary miracle for the first time, Xu Xiaoyou couldn’t help but be awed.
"These guys," Angelina marveled. "What on earth did they create outside the world..."
This was the first time she glimpsed Daylight City in its entirety; she hadn’t felt this within the city.
"A wandering Divine Kingdom, indeed as the name suggests."
In the myths of many peoples around the world, there exists the legend of a wandering Divine Kingdom; it is said that God resides in the Divine Kingdom, appearing to shine light and hope upon the world when humanity can no longer bear its suffering.
The chanting ceased, and angels from the Divine Kingdom covered their faces and wept.
A path leading to daylight slowly paved itself before Xu Xiaoyou, and the distant Divine Kingdom was calling to her.
"Let’s go," Xu Xiaoyou said.
They stepped onto the path leading to Daylight City.
...
As Angelina had said, Daylight City had long been devoid of people, leaving only the autonomous module ’Wandering Angels’ maintaining the basic operations of Daylight City. They resembled eyes, wrapped by rings, with Four Wings on their backs, floating along set trajectories above Daylight City.
"Eek."
A Wandering Angel bumped into Xu Xiaoyou, tumbling backward in a daze.
It blinked, scanned Xu Xiaoyou briefly, then flew upward, only to bump into another Wandering Angel moments later. Both tumbled to the ground simultaneously.
"Looks like someone has been here," Xu Xiaoyou said. "Before us."
Everything in Daylight City was operating according to calculated directions; such a deviation couldn’t be a coincidence. With the current level of artificial intelligence, making such low-level errors should have thrown the city into chaos long ago.
"Who do you think it could be?"
Angelina caught one of the erratically flying Wandering Angels and asked offhandedly, while her other hand’s fingertips slowly touched the grip of her gun.
"Clumsy," Xu Xiaoyou said, "not like a clever thief."
A figure flashed in her mind, looking left and right on the street, sightseeing as they admired new and fresh things, eventually heading toward the obelisk.
Angelina raised her eyebrows and casually tossed the Wandering Angel she caught.
"Do you think someone could have accidentally stumbled into this place?"
Xu Xiaoyou didn’t respond, a possibility already vaguely dawning in her mind.
They walked through the cluster of buildings to the obelisk, where the gate to the Holy Hall slowly opened.
Indeed, the scene inside the Holy Hall was also very familiar to her. Before the finals, Jian Liu and the members of the Queen’s Armament had conversed with her in front of the throne in the Holy Hall. Now, several knight statues replaced them, standing with swords on either side of the throne, as if guarding something.
"Welcome back, Queen of Hearts, initiating Dawn System for you, highest privileges transferred."
The scene within the obelisk lit up, holy light shone through the dome into the bluish-black sanctuary, and the image of artificial intelligence slowly emerged; she wore a pure white veil, a wreath on her head, with long black hair cascading down, her half-closed eyes emanated a rational glow.
Upon seeing that figure, the corner of Angelina’s mouth briefly twitched.
Only because this artificial intelligence looked way too much like Bai Youyou, was it copied from EVA’s blueprint?
No...
Considering the existence time of Daylight City, this artificial intelligence had existed longer than EVA, could it be related to the Mourner? Surely it wasn’t derived from the other four supercomputers?
The young girl seeing Xu Xiaoyou showed much amiability, floating down from the sky, walking a few steps to the blonde girl, and slowly extending her left hand. A ring adorned her ring finger.
"Greetings, one with the Laurel, my name is..."
Suddenly, red lightning leapt over the girl, her expression showing slight surprise as her form began to flicker and destabilize, signs of overheating and stuttering appearing.
A breathtaking scene unfolded before Xu Xiaoyou and Bai Youyou’s eyes.
The girl’s black hair transformed into gray, the wreath shattered, and her pure white long skirt was replaced by a knight’s attire, yet the ring from the one with the Laurel remained on her ring finger. Her amiable gaze turned indifferent, with a glimpse of scrutiny showing through.
"EVA, you may call me..."
"Bai Youyou."
