Chapter 193: Night World, Activate! (Two-in-One)
“‘Artificial Angel’ project?”
Rast looked at the silver weasel in front of him and repeated this somewhat unfamiliar term.
“It sounds like they want to use human technology to reach the legendary eighth tier of the mythic realm and achieve a true ‘Angel’?”
“Mm, that’s right.”
Mr. Silver flicked his tail. “You know.”
“Those civilizations that have already perished in the Old Era, while all centered around humanity, often diverge in completely different ways depending on the emphasis of their technological trees.”
“And those pre-civilizations that have passed through the budding and growing Bronze and Silver Ages, entering their most prosperous Golden Age, will inevitably perceive the end of that era, driven by the rules of the dimension, or what you might call the ‘Law of Heaven’.”
It rolled up a small fish stick from the sub-dimension and sent it into its mouth: “Those pre-civilizations would naturally not all choose to sit and wait—”
“Although some eras were already fractured and their civilizations collapsed into chaos before their end…”
“Some old eras saw humanity choosing to resist to the end, exhausting the power of their entire civilization to confront the impending demise.”
“I understand that.”
Rast nodded.
After hearing from Noah about the origins of the Gravekeepers and the Guardian of the Shore Organization, he specifically went to the Tower of Secrets to look up information on the first five epochs.
Fortunately, the Night World from the first to the fifth epochs had already been thoroughly explored and conquered by those predecessors known as Night Travelers over the past millennium, unlike the sixth epoch, which still remains shrouded within the mist of history and difficult to see through.
Except for the first epoch, during which the nameless fool created the “Library of Fools” and established the Gravekeeper organization, there were few detailed records left behind as it was too far in the past and the information storage techniques of the time were still inadequate, resulting only in some vague texts and no detailed accounts.
From the second epoch to the fifth epoch, those Night Traveler predecessors had left behind very comprehensive materials.
“Almost every old epoch civilization drafted plans to exhaust their civilizational power against or to survive the calamities of the epoch’s end.”
“But in reality, among these plans, only the Second Epoch’s Sorcerer Civilization and the Fourth Epoch’s Virtual Realm Civilization successfully executed and approached completion.”
Rast recalled the exploration records of the Night World he had seen in the Tower of Secrets.
In the early budding period of the Second Epoch, humanity discovered the existence of magic.
Thus, the development of the entire human civilization during the Second Epoch was closely tied to magic, sorcerers, wizard towers, and so forth… during that epoch, sorcerers held an incredibly high status— even just completed Arcanum apprentices held a status equivalent to nobility.
At the height of the sorcerer civilization, there were three wizard towers built by legendary sorcerers standing on the earth.
When that pre-civilization became aware of the impending calamity at the end of the epoch, it chose to expend the power of its entire civilization to weave a ‘Magic Web’ covering the entirety of the dimension, attempting to rewrite the rules of the dimension and counteract the ‘Law of Heaven’ that lay deep within the source.
Unlike the Sorcerer Civilization of the Second Epoch, which faced the world rules directly.
The Fourth Epoch’s Virtual Realm Civilization stumbled upon another dimension known as the Virtual Realm during its development and formed a connection with the void beings within it and even with the ethereal deities lying deep within the void.
Eventually, they gradually evolved a highly symbiotic civilization system with the Virtual Realm.
When the Virtual Realm Civilization realized the existence of the impending calamity at the end of the epoch, their plan was to escape—
To migrate the entire continent, along with all life upon it, to the dimension of the Virtual Realm.
Leaving their homeland, they would live a life of wandering and fleeing in the depths of the dimension.
However, it was clear that both the Second Epoch’s Sorcerer Civilization’s “Magic Web Plan” and the Fourth Epoch’s Virtual Realm Civilization’s “Void Migration” plan ultimately ended in failure…
If not, there would not have been any new epochs or new civilizations to restart later.
And those grand plans that exhausted the power of their entire civilizations were buried in the dust of history alongside the civilizations that had perished, only to be unearthed by Night Travelers many millennia later.
“Indeed.”
“Whether it was the ‘Magic Web Plan’ or the ‘Void Migration’ plan, both were monumental works achieved with the collective strength of the entire humanity of that era, representing the most glorious creations of a civilization.”
“The rapid development we enjoy in the present is indeed supported by drawing lessons from these pre-civilizations, and the existence of the Night World allows us to benefit from their technologies—”
“For instance, the magical technology and alchemical potions we use now originated from the Second Epoch’s Sorcerer Civilization, while the network technology for transmitting communication signals through the Virtual Realm came from the Fourth Epoch’s Virtual Realm Civilization.”
Mr. Silver paused.
“And the civilization of the Sixth Epoch, from what we can see, has completely transitioned onto the path of technological development—further than we’ve gone.”
“The ‘Artificial Angel’ project is the pinnacle of the Sixth Epoch’s scientific technology.”
“In simple terms, they aim to create a semi-mechanical lifeform capable of carrying a human soul using purely technological means.”
“And with the power of science, they wish to endow this mechanical creation with an entirely new sequence—one that has never existed in history before—”
“‘Judgment’”
Mr. Silver fixed his gaze on Rast’s eyes: “According to their designs and calculations, when this plan is truly completed…”
“The sequence endowed by technology will directly reach the eighth tier, which signifies ‘Angel’.”
“That is the ultimate weapon forged by humanity of the Sixth Epoch under the leadership of Grey, utilizing the entire civilization’s strength to resist the ultimate disaster that is destined to come, along with the gods on the Threshold of Heaven and the Gravekeepers—”
“The so-called ‘Artificial Angel’ is a weapon conceptualized against deities.”
“Because the final product of this plan possesses the unique sequence ‘Judgment’, it can also be referred to as the ‘Judgment Angel’.”
Rast nodded: “So what you mentioned earlier related to ‘Canaan’, what does that refer to?”
“Uncertain, truly uncertain.”
Mr. Silver shook his head: “You should know that such grand plans that expend the entire power of a civilization and could directly affect the civilization’s fate must have a very high level of confidentiality.”
“All research related to the ‘Artificial Angel’ project is conducted in a top-tier mechanical research institute within the remnants of history.”
“And the technological civilization within that historical remnant boasts more high-ranking strong individuals than the present society, and the sciences are far more prosperous than in our current world, while Night Travelers no longer hold any advantages over those sublocal natives…”
“The strategy group members of Starry University responsible for exploring the Night World haven’t managed to successfully infiltrate the mechanical research institute.”
“The term ‘Canaan’ is all we know, and because of you, I specifically instructed them to be vigilant.”
“If you want to know more, you probably will need to enter the Night World and explore it for yourself.”
“After all, you are the spiritual support of the great leader Grey, the isolated one against the lives of the masses…”
“Stop, don’t say anymore, I get it.”
Rast directly interjected, interrupting Mr. Silver’s incantation.
Even if Mr. Silver didn’t mention it, continuing to explore the Night World was already Rast’s established plan.
After Mr. Silver brought up hints about ‘Canaan’, Rast’s priority regarding exploring the Night World was instantly elevated several notches in his mind.
He had been speculating whether the explosion that flattened the entire Canaan Town two hundred years ago was related to the Sixth Epoch.
And now, it seemed this question mark might just be erased.
So this journey into the Night World, he would finally understand that answer he had been yearning for—
Regarding Xiao Ai, regarding Canaan…
The truth behind it all.
“Exactly, other Night Travelers can’t mix in, but you, Young Rast, surely have no issue.”
The little silver weasel gave Rast a knowing look: “Honestly, I do suspect if you’re the illegitimate child of the Night World.”
“Otherwise, it’s hard to explain why you’re so special, like the favored child within it… it feels like every time you enter the Night World, the scene is completely different from the other Night Travelers.”
Other Night Travelers entering the Night World seemed like new version updates of a network game, cautiously exploring while collecting information, aiming to avoid mistakes rather than seeking achievements—after all, life is only lived once, and being killed means death.
Even if occasionally participating in historical events serving as background for quests, they often remained unnoticeable, like minor roles whose names only served as nameless extras.
But Rast was different; every time he entered the Night World, he smashed through and became the protagonist of historical events.
It was as if the entire ‘Night World’ had been opened up specifically for him.
…
One month later, Tower of Secrets, Era Hall.
To this day, Rast was no longer the newcomer who had first visited the Tower of Secrets with Ingrid; the entry process to the Tower felt as simple as eating or drinking to him.
In Professor Barbarossa’s words, he had come to treat this place as his home.
Of course, Professor Barbarossa welcomed that enthusiastically.
After all, for most Night Travelers, the Tower of Secrets and its ‘End of the Night World’ were terrifying existences that instilled fear, where entering once could cost you half your life, thus sightings of anyone were rare for ten days to half a month—
Only a peculiar fellow like Rast would tirelessly and persistently visit and care for this empty-nest elder.
As for Rast’s preparations before entering the Night World, after so many experiences, he had already become familiar with it, needing no further elaborate explanations.
The only unique aspect of this preparation time was that for more than a month, Rast had been soaking in Principal Agatha’s Ashen Academy mechanical research institute.
He knew very well he wasn’t like Hiltina, who had long adjusted to a combat style using swords.
Rast’s military combat skills had been refined in Deep Blue Harbor’s cycles; using them when necessary posed no issue. However, when not needed, Rast preferred to resolve problems with mechanical weapons like firearms as they were more straightforward and efficient.
But as Rast’s strength grew, the “Iron Pattern Moon” revolver and the “Seven Layers of Vision” sniper rifle were starting to struggle to keep up with his battle intensity.
Coincidentally, he was about to enter a near-future sci-fi world full of advanced science and mechanical technology, and Rast planned to use this Night World excursion to gradually shift towards a mechanic’s combat style.
Compared to the clash of swords, mastering machinery as a mechanic indeed suited his character better.
With thoughts focused, returning to reality.
Rast stood before the dark stone tablet, the ancient text engraved on the Era Tombstone came into view.
Looking at this monumental Era Tombstone standing in the center of the Tower of Secrets, he suddenly remembered what Cecil had said to him about the true essence of the Gravekeepers’ organization— as long as the imprint of a Gravekeeper member was engraved upon it, one could return countless times from the rivers of history with the “Eternal Night Monument.”
It now appeared to have some similarities with this Era Tombstone in the Tower of Secrets, leading into the End of the Night World.
Even— the “virtual reality fully immersive game created with history as its background, which had swept across the entire continent” mentioned by Mr. Silver earlier bore a striking resemblance to the Night World.
Only the latter was far more real, so real that dying in the Night World would mean death in reality as well.
The Sixth Epoch, Gravekeepers, Guardians of the Shore, Night World… there seemed to be too many extraordinary connections among them, just waiting for him to explore.
“In summary, I’ve collected all the information I need, and I’ve told you everything you should know.”
“I was exhausted playing the information dealer these past few months; I really need to rest a bit.”
“I’m not worried about you in the Night World, Young Rast; after all, you really are like the beloved child of the Night World… but what will happen to my livelihood when you leave? Xiao Xiya and Young Tina are also very busy.”
Mr. Silver’s voice echoed behind Rast, resembling a mother nagging before her child departs on a journey.
“Alas, you just won’t carry a communication crystal with you, so I can’t even watch the live broadcast… I’ll just be stuck doing nothing at home.”
“Since Mr. Silver is so curious, why not join me in the Night World?”
Rast suddenly spoke, interrupting Mr. Silver’s lamentations.
“Eh?”
Mr. Silver was taken aback: “But I’m just a weasel; I can’t be recognized as a Night Traveler by the Night World. I’ve tried before.”
“What’s the harm in trying again? Just because it didn’t work before doesn’t mean it won’t work with me.”
Rast smiled: “After all, you always say that the Night World is my home, so why can’t I bring a pet along?”
Saying this, without waiting for Mr. Silver to respond, Rast picked up the slightly confused little weasel, grasping the nape of its neck.
He extended his other hand, touching the stone tablet.
In the next moment, a veil-like night color rippled before Rast’s eyes, enveloping both him and Mr. Silver within it.
(End of Chapter)
