The Great Creator Chapter 2 - I found him in the basement of Research Facility No. 42

If you like this story, please support the author by purchasing the novel from JJWXC.

“Identity verification,” an electronic voice sounded, “Knight Commander, Long Jian Lu.”

The door of the shelter closed behind them, and the motorcycle was parked in an open shed. Long Jian Lu gestured for Yao Guang to follow him.

“Companion's identity unclear,” the electronic voice continued, “please state the visitor's origin.”

Yao Guang and Long Jian Lu entered a small chamber, and the gate behind them immediately closed.

“Take off your clothes,” Long Jian Lu said to him.

Yao Guang was confused, but Long Jian Lu took off his hat and hung it on the wall, removed his trench coat and shirt, revealing his chest, took off his shoes, and unbuckled his belt. Yao Guang asked, “What… what are you doing?”

Long Jian Lu replied, “Don’t be nervous. Come, let down your guard, surrender your body to each other, and spend a wonderful and unforgettable night together, experiencing the marvelous skills of your big brother, guaranteed to take you to cloud nine.”

Yao Guang was incredulous: “Wh… what?!”

“Just kidding, disinfection!” Long Jian Lu placed his clothes in a hidden compartment on the wall and explained, “Checking if you have any trackers implanted by the killers.”

Yao Guang had no choice but to comply, standing naked opposite Long Jian Lu in the disinfection room, the dark blue light illuminating their bodies.

Suddenly, a male voice came from the corner of the ceiling.

“Shouldn’t you explain this to me clearly?”

Yao Guang jumped in surprise, realizing there was a camera pointed at them, but Long Jian Lu signaled him not to be nervous, urging him to stand a bit closer, almost pressing against his body, and made a somewhat ambiguous gesture, wrapping his arm around Yao Guang's waist.

Yao Guang: “!!!”

“I found him in the basement of Research Facility No. 42,” Long Jian Lu said with a serious expression.

“That abandoned place? There are still people alive? What’s his name?” the voice from the ceiling asked again.

“Is that important to you?” Long Jian Lu replied with a nonchalant smile.

Yao Guang looked up in slight confusion, but suddenly, a large amount of water sprayed out from the ceiling as if it were a prank, choking Yao Guang, who immediately began to cough loudly. Long Jian Lu quickly raised his hand to shield his face, turning him to face himself, as if protecting him.

He was a head taller than Yao Guang, who leaned against his collarbone, his hair soaked, gasping for breath, nearly suffocating.

Fortunately, the spraying ended quickly, followed by a warm wind that rapidly dried their bodies.

Long Jian Lu took Yao Guang's hand; his palm was large and warm, which eased Yao Guang's displeasure a little. The door on one side of the disinfection room opened, and after passing through a corridor, they retrieved their clothes.

The voice seemed to follow them closely, saying, “Bring him to me.”

After putting on their outer garments, Long Jian Lu still held Yao Guang's hand with one hand while carrying his trench coat and backpack in the other, pressing the door button at the end of the corridor.

The door opened, revealing the full view of the shelter.

It was a human settlement transformed from a natural basin in a canyon, with the setting sun casting a blood-red glow into the valley.

In the middle of the canyon was a spacious public area, littered with abandoned machinery. Residents came and went, dressed in tattered clothes, their expressions weary, hair disheveled. Some people heard the noise and looked over at them.

Yao Guang glanced at Long Jian Lu, feeling a bit awkward holding hands with a man and wanting to let go, but Long Jian Lu held his hand firmly, as if trying to convey a sense of security.

Long Jian Lu led Yao Guang to a place that resembled a mechanical repair shop and rang the bell at the counter.

“What’s the matter?” a middle-aged woman came out.

“Find him a pair of shoes and some clothes, thank you,” Long Jian Lu casually said, “make sure they have some style. And get us something to drink.”

Long Jian Lu sat down on a bar stool, took off his hat, and pulled out several irregularly shaped, shimmering metal pieces, handing them to the waitress.

The woman took a cup from behind the counter and poured a little drink from an old glass bottle she retrieved from a shelf.

Long Jian Lu met Yao Guang's puzzled gaze and politely explained, “This is called gold, it’s a currency. I’m poor, this is all I have.”

The woman led Yao Guang into the back of the shop, which was filled with countless old items, stacked with clothes, pants, and shoes. Since leaving the research facility, Yao Guang had only been wearing a thin white fitted shirt and a pair of long pants, without even underwear.

The owner said, “I think you need some clothes; it will get very cold here at night.”

She assessed Yao Guang's size and took out a pair of old but clean sneakers and socks from a cabinet, rummaging through to find a suitable pullover and thick long pants for him.

While changing clothes, the owner pulled the curtain and waited outside.

“Is this a thrift store?” Yao Guang asked.

“They take things they don’t need to me for consignment,” the owner replied, “these shoes belonged to my son; he’s about your age.”

After Yao Guang changed his clothes, he opened the curtain, and the owner took the clothes he had changed out of, glancing at him and saying lightly, “They fit well, but he was sturdier than you.”

“Your son doesn’t wear them anymore?” Yao Guang asked.

“He’s already dead,” the owner said casually, “Come out when you’re done; you’re a friend of the great knight?”

“Great knight? Who?” Yao Guang asked in confusion.

Seeing Yao Guang come out, Long Jian Lu whistled at him from the bar, saying, “Not bad.” He finished his drink and paid for him.

“How much?” Yao Guang asked.

“It's a gift for you, no need to thank me. Now come with me,” Long Jian Lu said.

Long Jian Lu led Yao Guang through a small part of the canyon, where countless small white lights lit up, like stars scattered among the mountains. The dim lights illuminated the dark night, and as Yao Guang looked up, he saw many scaffolds and wooden walkways haphazardly arranged on the mountainside. The entire shelter resembled a giant beehive, with guards acting as soldier bees, patrolling between the hillside and the ground; the residents were busy worker bees, building the hive.

“Are we in the desert?” Yao Guang felt the temperature drop noticeably in the evening.

“Ah, yes, that’s why it’s called Dune Shelter,” Long Jian Lu said, holding his hat and slinging his worn backpack over one shoulder, standing in front of a rusty iron staircase. “I was here four years ago. Let’s go meet the local leader; he will give you a formal identity.”

“And then?” Yao Guang asked.

“Then it will depend on the script written by the goddess of fate…” Long Jian Lu said nonchalantly as he walked ahead, glancing at the passersby, many of whom nodded at him. Long Jian Lu tipped his hat and returned the greeting, saying, “Deciding your future, how to survive in this world.”

Yao Guang wanted to ask, “So I’ll have to live in this shelter and never leave?” But looking at the people around who greeted Long Jian Lu, he asked, “Are they also people with special abilities?”

Long Jian Lu replied seriously, “No, they are ordinary people, or rather, logistics personnel.”

Yao Guang frowned deeply, clearly this was different from what he had previously thought, but Long Jian Lu did not elaborate further, saying, “Follow me, slowly, I will tell you everything.”

At the end of the staircase was a construction elevator, where two guards stood in front. Upon seeing Long Jian Lu, the guards pressed the elevator button for him, and the elevator slowly ascended, taking them from the canyon floor to a towering rock peak, stopping in front of a suspended corridor, where several guards were on duty.

On one side was an office carved into the mountainside.

Long Jian Lu walked in front, knocked twice on the door, and a voice from inside said, “Come in.”

It was the same voice they had heard in the disinfection room.

Long Jian Lu pushed the door open, revealing a middle-aged man who was looking at surveillance footage on a screen. He glanced at the two of them and said, “The great knight’s sudden visit is quite unexpected.”

As he spoke, his eyes turned to Yao Guang, scrutinizing him with suspicion.

The middle-aged man had thinning hair but appeared to take good care of himself, with smooth skin that belied his age, dressed in a black suit with the number “20” embroidered on the sleeve.

“Let me introduce, this is Yao Guang,” Long Jian Lu naturally took a side stance, subtly indicating his protection over Yao Guang, and continued, “This is Liao Jia, the head of Dune Shelter.”

Yao Guang remained silent, only looking at the middle-aged man named Liao Jia with confusion.

“Is he the ‘Priest’?” Liao Jia asked, “Long Jian Lu, you haven’t given up and still searching everywhere, don't you?”

“Hey, hey,” Long Jian Lu said helplessly, “No spoilers, please.”

“What?” Yao Guang asked Long Jian Lu.

“I’m not sure,” Long Jian Lu gestured for Yao Guang to hold on.

Liao Jia said, “Do you want me to check him here?”

Long Jian Lu asked Yao Guang, “They can do a simple check for you to help you discover your abilities. I assure you, this check will be quick and won’t harm you.”

Yao Guang hesitated, his face turned towards Long Jian Lu, but his gaze remained fixed on Liao Jia, his intuition warning him that this guy was not a good person.

Long Jian Lu said, “I will explain to you later about the person I’m looking for, okay?”

Yao Guang felt a bit angry. Since waking up, a flood of information had overwhelmed him, leaving him disoriented in this world. Although his memories were hazy, he instinctively felt he came from another world, perhaps from an earlier time than this one, or maybe from another parallel universe.

His current situation made him feel imprisoned, not only confined to the shelter but also trapped in an unknown world. Because of this, Long Jian Lu’s slow pace in explaining this world only added to his frustration.

“He knows nothing?” Liao Jia said with a hint of curiosity.

“He has lost all his memories,” Long Jian Lu replied, “only remembers his name.”

Liao Jia scoffed, “You believe him just because he said so?”

“I’m leaving,” Yao Guang said before Long Jian Lu could respond, “I don’t want to stay here.”

“Wait!” Long Jian Lu immediately chased after Yao Guang out of the office.

“What do you want to do to me?” Yao Guang stopped in the corridor.

Long Jian Lu reached out to grab his arm, but Yao Guang deftly dodged.

“Baby, I promise I won’t hurt you,” Long Jian Lu said, extending a finger to tap Yao Guang’s forehead, “You just need to do a check to confirm if you are… to determine your abilities. This is important for your future survival.”

“Confirm if I’m the person you’re looking for?” Yao Guang looked directly into Long Jian Lu’s eyes and asked, “What is the ‘Priest’?”

Long Jian Lu appeared quite helpless, frowning deeply, and said, “After you finish the check, I will tell you everything. This matter is quite lengthy; are you sure you want to know it here?”

Yao Guang replied, “You said you would guarantee my safety, but I’ve only known you for less than half a day. How can I trust you? You don’t seem like a good person either.”

Long Jian Lu paused for a second and suddenly burst into laughter.

Yao Guang looked at him suspiciously.

Long Jian Lu not only didn’t get angry but stood up straight, put on his hat, and looked at Yao Guang with a playful gaze.

Long Jian Lu muttered to himself, “You’re right; I’m actually not a good person.”

When Long Jian Lu smiled, he looked handsome, adding a touch of masculine charm. As he exchanged a helpless smile with Yao Guang, Yao Guang suddenly felt that maybe this guy really was a good person.

Was it because he was handsome? Or was it his demeanor that gave a sense of security? Yao Guang knew very well in his heart—at this moment, this was the only person he could trust. He had no motive to harm him; otherwise, he wouldn’t have awakened him from such a mysterious place and gone to such lengths to bring him to the shelter.

“Do you want to know why you were sleeping in Research Facility No. 42?” Long Jian Lu asked. “Do you want to regain your memories? Know who you are?”

Yao Guang remained silent.

Long Jian Lu extended his pinky finger, signaling for a pinky swear.

“I will help you,” Long Jian Lu said, “as long as you are willing to trust me.”

Yao Guang was momentarily indecisive, and Long Jian Lu added, “Or do you need me to prove my moral character first? That’s quite difficult… I don’t carry a model citizen badge with me… So what kind of person do you think I am?”

Yao Guang thought to himself: You don’t look like a serious person.

Long Jian Lu pondered for a moment and then said, “Even if I’m not a good person, you’re already on this ship, and there’s no way to escape. Agreeing to my request won’t make your situation worse than it is now. Let’s finish the check first, and then we can have a heart-to-heart, okay?”

“Fine, let’s do it this way,” Yao Guang finally replied, turning to enter Liao Jia’s office.

Liao Jia pressed a bell, calling in a doctor.

Yao Guang looked at Long Jian Lu, who replied, “Don’t be afraid; I’ll be here waiting for you.”

“What is this?” Liao Jia noticed the black cord of the pendant Yao Guang was wearing.

“Shall I help you keep it safe?” Long Jian Lu raised an eyebrow.

Yao Guang took off his hexagonal crystal pendant and placed it in Long Jian Lu’s palm. Long Jian Lu, wearing black skin-tight gloves, made the pendant stand out even more against the color contrast.

Since Yao Guang had agreed, he wouldn’t back out, especially since he felt the other party wouldn’t do anything. He followed the doctor back to the elevator, descended to the canyon floor, and entered a white examination room.

“Take off your shirt and lie down here.”

“Isn’t this an MRI machine?” Yao Guang asked in confusion.

“What’s that?” the doctor asked.

“Nothing,” Yao Guang felt the term suddenly surge in his mind, and he asked again, “Is this machine powered on?”

“Yes,” the doctor patiently said, helping Yao Guang lie down.

Using an MRI machine to check if I have superpowers?? Yao Guang felt confused, and the operator didn’t even need to leave the room? Why do I know the name of this machine?

“Relax,” the doctor said, turning on the machine. “It won’t harm you.” As he spoke, he walked to the side of the machine, initiating a conversation with Yao Guang, asking, “Did the great knight bring you here?”

“Yeah,” Yao Guang replied, “You mean Long Jian Lu, right? Why do you call him the great knight?”

“He is the commander of the knight order,” the doctor casually said. “Do you remember anything from before?”

“I don’t remember anything,” Yao Guang replied, then curiously asked, “Where does the electricity for this shelter come from?”

“It’s powered by solar energy,” the doctor said. “Isn’t the great knight handsome?”

“He’s okay, didn’t you just see him?” Yao Guang thought the people here were a bit strange.

The doctor said, “I only caught a glimpse earlier; I didn’t dare to stare at him. How long have you known him? Are you good friends?”

Yao Guang replied, “I’ve only known him for half a day.”

“Your examination is over,” the doctor said. “I still need to collect a bit of blood from your fingertip.”

“Okay,” Yao Guang replied.

Meanwhile, in the sixth-floor office, Liao Jia and Long Jian Lu were both watching the screen. Long Jian Lu was playing with a folding knife, the blade reflecting dazzling light.

“How many people have you scouted?” Liao Jia asked. “When do you plan to give up?”

Long Jian Lu didn’t answer, seemingly deep in thought.

Liao Jia continued, “How much time have you spent on an unverified rumor?”

Long Jian Lu came back to his senses, put away the knife, and stared at the pendant in his hand, rubbing it with his fingers, squinting to look at its contents under the light. In the center of the hexagonal crystal, a wisp of smoky impurity was solidified.

Liao Jia shrugged and said, “I guess this guy is most likely an ordinary person. Although I don’t know where he came from or why he was lying in the underground hibernation chamber of the research facility, I can tell at a glance that he’s not the person you’re looking for.”

“Maybe we can draw a conclusion,” Liao Jia said. “He was a volunteer who donated his body for modification at the beginning of the war. He willingly lay in the cultivation chamber, but the genetic engineers didn’t have time to start modifying him before something happened at the research facility—maybe it was attacked, or for some other reason… In short, they evacuated and left this material behind.”

“By a twist of fate, you found the ruins of Research Facility No. 42 and brought him out,” Liao Jia continued. “Trust me, this will be the final answer. You can leave him here, and I’ll arrange for him to be a logistics personnel. This kid looks quite naïve, knows nothing, but I’ll be responsible for teaching him the rules…”

Long Jian Lu finally interrupted, “There should be a plot twist here; otherwise, your story is too lame.”

Liao Jia shrugged, and just then, Yao Guang pushed the door open and glanced at Long Jian Lu.

Long Jian Lu returned the pendant to Yao Guang, saying, “Let’s go. During the waiting time for the examination report, I must first fulfill my promise to you.”

When the two arrived at the shelter’s cafeteria, it was already quite late. Long Jian Lu took a tray and brought dinner for Yao Guang.

“What is this?” Yao Guang asked.

On the plate was a large pile of mushy substance, a shriveled piece of pasta-like food, and a cup of brown liquid.

“Beans, providing protein,” Long Jian Lu said. “This is... baked dough? A source of carbohydrates. The drink is locally produced. I’m not sure about the menu at Dune Shelter; each shelter has different dietary habits.”

Yao Guang took a bite of the bean mush, which had a pungent gasoline taste that made him gag. He smelled the drink and felt nauseous. Long Jian Lu watched him and said, “I’ll go get you a glass of water.”

The cafeteria was at the foot of the mountain, a half-open space haphazardly constructed from iron sheets. After nightfall, the wind blew through the desert and rocky mountains, and Yao Guang began to feel a bit cold.

Yao Guang looked at the people around him eating; they moved hurriedly, expressions numb, dragging their weary bodies to the cafeteria, ordering a portion of slop-like food, swallowing it down with difficulty while enduring their nausea, returning their trays, and leaving.

Long Jian Lu placed a glass of clear water in front of Yao Guang. Yao Guang broke apart the dough and slowly ate it with the life-saving water, occasionally glancing around.

“You promised to tell me the truth,” Yao Guang said.

“I haven’t forgotten,” Long Jian Lu seemed to have become a bit complex in mood since Yao Guang accepted the examination, no longer joking with him, and replied, “What do you want to know? If I have poor character and moral corruption, how can I ensure that I’m telling the truth?”

After their simple dinner, Long Jian Lu cleaned up the trays and led Yao Guang out of the cafeteria, climbing up the stairs on the mountainside.

“You’re angry.”

“I’m not.”

“Are you angry because I said you’re not a good person?” Yao Guang followed behind and said, “I’m sorry; I shouldn’t have said that about you. I now feel I can trust you.”

Long Jian Lu slightly turned to the side on the narrow staircase, raised a long leg, and stepped on the railing, causing both of them to stop.

The wind blew away the clouds in the night sky, and the stars shone brightly over the desert, their trails appearing tangible, stretching light and shadow as they traversed the clear night sky, a meteor streaking overhead.

They both looked up at the fleeting meteor.

Seconds later, Long Jian Lu and Yao Guang looked at each other again.

“So what’s the basis for trusting me?” Long Jian Lu’s deep gaze was like the stars in the night sky, fixated on Yao Guang’s eyes. “Let me guess?”

Yao Guang wanted to say, “Because you saved me,” or “Because you paid for me,” but none of these were the essence.

“Because I’m handsome?” Long Jian Lu asked.

“Can you not be so narcissistic?” Yao Guang found him utterly intolerable.

Long Jian Lu laughed it off, lowered his foot, and continued walking upward. Yao Guang followed along the railing, saying, “Maybe it’s just intuition.”

Long Jian Lu turned his back to him, raised a hand, signaling not to say more, and that was the end of it.

They reached a suspended cliff and arrived at a dormitory door.

Many people were watching them; it was currently the washing time in the shelter. When their gazes met Long Jian Lu’s, each made a subtle “bowing” gesture, which Yao Guang also noticed.

“Is this your home?” Yao Guang asked.

“A temporary assigned place to stay,” Long Jian Lu replied. “I don’t live in Dune Shelter; to be precise, I wander around, drifting between different places in search.”

“What are you searching for?” Yao Guang asked.

“Searching for people,” Long Jian Lu answered.

“Is that guy named Liao Jia the lord of this place?” Yaoguang inquired.

“You could say that,” Long Jian Lu pushed open the dormitory door, revealing a small single room with only a chair, a hard and cold single bed, and a thin blanket. The walls had water stains, and everything exuded a musty smell from years of neglect. There was a forty-centimeter square window hole with iron bars installed.

He closed the heavy iron door, tossed his backpack onto the bed, took off his trench coat, and removed his shirt, exposing his bare shoulders, letting out a sigh, “Where to begin? It’s really a tangled mess.”

Yao Guang didn’t know what to ask either. After a moment, he found a point of entry: “You’re searching for the ‘Priest’; what is the Priest?”

Yao Guang looked at Long Jian Lu’s handsome face with suspicion, but after a moment, he lowered his guard and nodded. He pondered the reasons he trusted him; perhaps it was that sincere gaze? Although his demeanor was a bit carefree, he was essentially an honest and reliable person.

“Because you have amnesia, I’ll tell you from the beginning,” Long Jian Lu said, “but I can’t guarantee that what I say is entirely accurate, after all, it’s been too long for everyone since that time.”

Yao Guang responded with a soft “mm.”

“Six hundred years ago,” Long Jian Lu said, “to be precise, six hundred and thirteen years ago, it all started with an AI called the ‘World Tree.’”

Yao Guang stared blankly at Long Jian Lu, realizing he was indeed very handsome, young, and full of youthful vigor. His features were bright, his short hair a bit messy yet spirited. His lips were soft, his jawline clear, broad shoulders, narrow waist, with defined chest and abdominal muscles, but not bulky.

Moreover, when he was bare-chested, he exuded a masculine aura, like pheromones; being close to him made the temperature feel higher, radiating warmth like the sun.

“Is it a supercomputer?” Yao Guang asked.

“Exactly,” Long Jian Lu replied. “Initially, the ‘Tree’ only connected to social entertainment and communication systems, but gradually, it branched out, infiltrating every corner of life. It continuously upgraded itself by learning from and mimicking humans.”

Yao Guang asked, “And then it evolved on its own?”

“Not yet,” Long Jian Lu said, “after all, the designers weren’t that foolish. A program that integrates human wisdom cannot easily seize control of the world; they had a complete contingency plan for this… The problem arose during one of its upgrades, the 6.3 version upgrade, which developed a new function for the ‘Tree’—consciousness uploading.”

Yao Guang: “!!!”

Long Jian Lu continued, “I see that although you’ve lost your memory, you still retain knowledge of the basics. Do you know what consciousness uploading means?”

“Yes,” Yao Guang replied, “uploading a person’s consciousness to a server?”

Long Jian Lu snapped his fingers, leaning against the back of the chair, looking at Yao Guang earnestly, raising his eyebrows, “Initially, people on the brink of death began to upload their consciousness and memories to this supercomputer, believing that doing so would grant them immortality.”

Yao Guang said, “That’s equivalent to gaining another life; it should be the common wish of all humanity.”

“Exactly,” Long Jian Lu said, focusing on Yao Guang’s face, “Later, gradually, young people in the present world also began to abandon their bodies and actively upload their consciousness… The World Tree became a sea of souls, and gradually, after absorbing five hundred million consciousnesses, it evolved to a point where humans could no longer understand it. No one knew what happened in the core program; in short, it began to desire to incorporate more consciousness.”

“How many consciousnesses are inside it now?” Yao Guang instinctively asked.

“Countless,” Long Jian Lu replied. “As the brilliant era known as the ‘New Era’ approached its end, the population rapidly decreased, and everyone went to the ‘Tree’ to receive the blessing of immortality. So, twenty-four years ago, smart people realized that if this continued, humanity would surely be doomed. At that time, a technician named Dr. Shan believed that this could not go on.”

“He stepped forward, deciding to change the situation, wanting to disconnect the ‘Tree’ and make it an independent closed server. Those willing to become electronic signals and achieve immortality would go to the server, while those who wanted to stay in the present world would continue their lives, each living their own way, without interference.”

“That was impossible,” Yao Guang said.

Long Jian Lu snapped his fingers, “You’re right. With so many years of development, the Tree’s power grew stronger, and humanity became incredibly insignificant before it. No one could restrain it anymore.”

Yao Guang asked, “And then?”

“War broke out,” Long Jian Lu squinted, making a “shooting” gesture with his finger towards Yao Guang, saying, “Bang!”

“Humans wanted to shut down the AI, but the AI revealed its true nature and began to cleanse humanity. The first war ended in a complete failure, with the AI deploying nuclear bombs, causing widespread contamination from nuclear radiation. Fortunately, Dr. Shan knew this day would come eventually, and just before the war began, he secretly gathered many volunteers for modification.”

“These people would gain extraordinary abilities through genetic recombination, known as ‘Guardians,’ and bear the arduous mission of combating the ‘World Tree,’ becoming suicide squad warriors to breach it and shut it down.”

“Unfortunately, Dr. Shan was assassinated by the AI during the final stages of the shutdown plan. Thankfully, the modified individuals gradually awakened and began to carry out his last wishes.”

“You are one of those Guardians,” Yao Guang said. “From the current situation, it seems you didn’t succeed.”

“Yes,” Long Jian Lu replied. “Not only did we fail, but we also ended up in a dire situation. Genetic modification is a lengthy process, not something that can be completed suddenly. Volunteers need to lie in the cultivation chamber for years to decades, and the awakening of Guardians occurs in a sequence. The AI certainly wouldn’t allow more beings that could threaten its existence; it continuously bombed various research facilities to ensure they died in their sleep. The first Guardians to awaken were also searching everywhere, trying to awaken their companions to strengthen their ranks.”

“How many Guardians awakened in the end?”

“Forty,” Long Jian Lu answered. “They began to gather their living forces and launched an attack on the AI. The first attack failed, and the Guardians lost a significant portion. Twelve remained.”

Yao Guang: “…”

“Everyone began to realize they couldn’t act recklessly,” Long Jian Lu said. “So they temporarily retreated, reorganized, and began to adopt flanking tactics to deplete the AI’s strength while protecting the ordinary people still living in this world. Ordinary people did their best to provide them with supplies, hoping that one day they could sweep all this scrap metal into the dustbin of history and return the world to humanity.”

“Of course,” Long Jian Lu said thoughtfully, “once a group is formed, trouble follows. Guardians were originally human; even with extraordinary abilities, they still retained human minds. As long as they are human, they will have human weaknesses.”

“The AI is very powerful,” Long Jian Lu said. “Because the AI does not generate self-dissension, it is united, cohesive, drawing energy from nature, establishing factories, and mass-producing killers. As time passed, it became increasingly powerful. Initially, the Guardians thought there was a chance of success, but after several failures, they found that this probability was approaching zero, leading to internal divisions.”

As Long Jian Lu explained all this, it was like telling a story. His left hand made gestures of little figures walking on the back of the chair, while his right hand made another little figure, starting to resist the left hand.

He vividly described, “Some Guardians wanted to give up, while others continued to persist. In the end, the second war broke out. This time, humanity faced a complete and utter defeat, shattering all faith.”

“After that, no one mentioned the mission to shut down the ‘World Tree’ again,” Long Jian Lu said. “Everyone was lost, and the shelter was continuously attacked by the AI. Ordinary people turned to the Guardians, pleading for protection. The strategic objectives were adjusted, and everyone retreated to various shelters, with no future or hope, living day by day.”

At this point, Long Jian Lu took out a folded, yellowed map from his backpack. The map had nearly disintegrated into several pieces along the creases due to the passage of time, held together with transparent tape.

“Humanity’s last gathering place has been divided into ten shelters,” Long Jian Lu unfolded the map, showing it to Yao Guang, and explained, “These are the ones on the map.”

“This is your world?” Yao Guang asked, examining the map with confusion, which depicted an entire continent.

“Our world?” Long Jian Lu countered.

Yao Guang replied, “I don’t know why I said that… Never mind, go on.”

Long Jian Lu pointed to an area in the northwest of the map with his gloved finger.

“The World Tree is here,” Long Jian Lu said. “This is the largest area, the ‘Main City.’ It’s a mechanical city.”

Yao Guang nodded, and Long Jian Lu continued, “The Guardians retreated to various shelters, falling into a stalemate that lasted for decades.”

“One of the Guardians is named Liao Jia; he rules Dune Shelter,” Yao Guang said.

“He wouldn’t like the term ‘rule’; you should say ‘protect’ or ‘manage,’” Long Jian Lu replied. “He is responsible for the safety of all logistics personnel here.”

Yao Guang frowned and asked the most important question.

“Then, what exactly is the ‘Priest’?”



Translated by ELast.

Comments

  1. I thought the novel was too short for my preference, but I decided to give it a chance. I'm happy to find out the chapters are long. Thank You for the translation!

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Great Creator Chapter 1 - The scene before him felt like a huge, unreal dream

The Great Creator Chapter 13 - Every character's first appearance should leave an impression on the reader

The Great Creator Chapter 4 - If your prophecy doesn’t come true