Chapter 498 Tower Civilization
"KIKI, I found out you were on board the Chengying ship. What happened during this time?"
In the empty conference room, Lin Xian asked KIKI a question.
"She doesn't know much more than you do."
Raymond was a rugged middle-aged man in his forties. The right side of his face was covered in scars that looked like patches. He looked at Lin Xian, holding a lit cigar. "We rescued her from a pile of corpses. The battle lasted two days and one night. The yellow sands of the Jaco coast were filled with corpses. This girl was able to use her telekinesis to withstand the shockwaves of the world-class disaster 'Seismic Catfish' and severely damaged an S-class monster. This at least bought Noah's evacuation force a lot of time."
"We all thought she was dead. She lay in the 374 outpost for almost a month. So, she woke up about ten days earlier than you." Shi Weidong said at this time.
"After waking up, I have been searching for you with our action team." Song Wei on the opposite side also said.
Lin Xian frowned when he heard that and looked at KIKI, who was sitting on a swivel chair with a lollipop in her mouth. She just smiled when she met Lin Xian's gaze, and said with a sly look, "You're welcome~"
"You've been lying in bed for a month. Are you seriously injured?" Lin Xian asked.
"No~" KIKI shook his shoulders and said with a spirited look: "I just overused my mental energy and slept for a few days~"
"That wasn't an overexertion of your mental strength. When we found you..."
"Hey, stop talking nonsense." KIKI slammed the table and interrupted Shi Weidong: "Let's get back to the topic! Old Shi!"
"By the way, isn't Director Ding with us?"
Lin Xian thought of this. He originally thought that Ding Junyi might be here, but he didn't see her figure from beginning to end, so he couldn't help but ask.
"After I woke up, about a week ago, Director Ding went to Phoenix City with Noah's transfer team. Because we couldn't find the reason why you couldn't wake up, we split up into two groups. I'm here searching for you, and she's rushing to the Night Walker headquarters first..." Kiki breathed a sigh of relief, "We plan to send you there if we find you."
"Polar Kunlun City?"
"Um."
"Where is the convoy? Where are Teacher Chen and the others?" Lin Xian asked hurriedly.
As soon as the words fell, the conference room suddenly became quiet. KIKI's expression darkened, his eyes fell on the table, and he didn't say anything.
Lin Xian's heart sank when he saw this, and he said in a stern voice
"No news from the entire Rail Train Group?!"
Shi Weidong then said, "From December 9th to now, not a single train has appeared on the north-south track running through the two continents."
"Where's the Dawn Center?"
Shi Weidong stood beside the holographic sand table in the conference room, the tip of the laser pointer pointing at the suspended projection of the North American continent. The cold light emitted reflected on his wrinkled face. His voice was not loud, but it carried a coldness and fatigue like the scraping of metal, and every word hit the oppressive air.
"Sword Bearer..." he began, his gaze never leaving the glaring crimson area on the sand table that covered most of the simulated Earth. "Ever since you entered 'Deep Sleep,' the world has been collapsing at an accelerating rate."
"On November 12th, the Noah Offshore Monitoring Team confirmed that the 13th Star Abyss erupted simultaneously in the eastern Pacific and the Black Sea, with a scale exceeding all model predictions." The laser pointer pointed towards the Pacific. "In less than twelve hours, the core areas of both oceans were gone, completely engulfed by the scarlet."
He flicked his wrist, pointing the indicator stick at Alaska. "On November 24th, Dawn Central Command reunited with the remnants of the North American United Front who had retreated there on the Alaskan ice sheet. The original plan was to cross North and South America in 25 days, establish a staging area in Storm Strait, and then cross the Storm Sea into the polar region before being swallowed by the scarlet."
On the holographic projection, a green light that turned from virtual to real meandered southward from Alaska, passed through the North American continent, and pointed to the southernmost tip of South America.
Shi Weidong's laser pointer suddenly stopped at the Asia-Pacific region. "On November 25th, without any warning, the Star Abysses 3, 5, 7, and 8 in the Asia-Pacific region began to expand without any regularity! Scarlet spread across the map like a plague! The commander issued an urgent order: The troops stationed in Dawn City and the survivors of Silent City must immediately move to the Dawn Center! The originally planned 25-day safe march has been forced into a death march that lasts day and night! The goal remains the same - Storm Strait!"
His voice suddenly rose, trembling uncontrollably. He then looked towards the center of the North American continent, where the projection of the Grand Canyon instantly turned blood-red. "December 9th! The North American Star Abysses No. 12 and No. 9 spread rapidly in the darkness! The main force of the Dawn Center in the Grand Canyon region... collided head-on with World Class Disaster No. 05—'Chaos'!" Shi Weidong's voice choked, his Adam's apple rolling. "Over a million people... perished. That very night."
He took a deep breath, as if the strong smell of blood was still clogging his nose. "Then, 219 trains on the Overland Track lost contact on the Colorado Eastern Canyon Line..."
He took a deep breath and immediately looked at Lin Xian: "In addition to the survivor train, there are also the 13th and 22nd Iron Guard Brigades of the 9th Intercontinental Force and six of the Second Intercontinental Force's most elite special operations groups! Three air fleets that were supposed to provide air support! And one more thing... those trains transported a large amount of our remaining war reserve resources... and survival supplies that could have kept more people alive! All gone!"
Lin Xian frowned, and out of the corner of his eye, he saw KIKI, who was sitting opposite him, with her arms folded across her chest and her head buried in a gloomy look.
"Then there's Noah's original plan to cross the Storm Sea and land at the poles, but that plan was completely thwarted by the mad devouring of Star Abyss No. 13. They were forced to reroute to Panama, then forcibly landed on the coast of Jaco and evacuated all personnel by land! The commander then planned to have the main body of Noah, in the form of an empty ship, cross that man-eating scarlet sea and then enter the Storm Sea for a sea crossing."
"However, on December 11th, before the Jaco landing site was stabilized, the world-class disaster 'Earthquake Catfish' from the 13th Star Abyss suddenly emerged from the offshore and stranded Noah on the beach, triggering a scarlet tide. That battle..." Shi Weidong sighed, "It's no exaggeration to describe it as a sea of blood and corpses. So many lattice-evolved mutants from Night Walker 1 and 2 were almost wiped out. In the end, it was the main force of the Dawn Center that arrived from the north, and with the support of Phoenix City in the south and the European Storm Alliance, we were able to tear open a gap and complete the transfer of the Zhentian Ship and most of Noah's survivors. Otherwise, I'm afraid half of human civilization would have been lost here alone."
He opened his eyes, feeling a bit tired and almost numb. "The main force of the Dawn Center encountered 'Chaos' in the Grand Canyon of Colorado. They were already at the end of their strength. In order to search for the rescue train convoy, they fought several major battles in the shattered canyon..."
"And then?" Lin Xian asked
"It's useless."
Across from him, Raymond exhaled a puff of smoke solemnly, shook his head, and said, "They almost took up two Iron Guard brigades because the Colorado Canyon Bridge broke. Oh, I can't even say it broke. I heard that even the canyon in that damn place was shattered. The rail convoy had no way to escape. Even some all-terrain trains or people who abandoned their vehicles and ran away couldn't escape the scarlet. Not to mention that the place is like hell now, full of ghosts and monsters. Unless the train can fly, otherwise..."
He stopped talking halfway, looked at Lin Xian and KIKI, and swallowed the words again. He knew that Lin Xian's convoy was a train convoy, so he didn't continue.
Shi Weidong raised his head and looked directly at Lin Xian. His eyes were bloodshot, yet also held an inexhaustible stubbornness. "Right now, the main forces of the Second, Fourth, and Seventh Intercontinental Forces of the Interstellar Army are all stationed near Ushuaia, not across the Storm Strait."
"Why?" Lin Xian asked.
"Of course I don't want to give up." Shi Weidong shrugged and looked at Lin Xian: "Including us, the Scarlet garrison is to support the convoys that survived the Scarlet. This is our mission. Do everything possible to find and support those scattered convoys that have survived the catastrophe, and bring them..."
The conference room was as quiet as before.
Lin Xian frowned at this moment. The crisis was worse than he expected. He was very confused and broke the silence.
"According to the Order's investigation, why did the scarlet appear, and why did it suddenly erupt so severely?"
"Because of the Adventists."
As soon as Lin Xian finished speaking, a voice responded quickly. Lin Xian looked in the direction of the voice and found that it was Song Wei who was speaking. He immediately asked in confusion: "Because of humans?"
"Don't you see?"
Shi Weidong looked at Lin Xian and said, "The Star Abyss, which previously expanded steadily and disorderly, seems to have developed a clear strategic awareness after the appearance of Scarlet. The eruptions of Star Abyss No. 13 in the Pacific and No. 12 and No. 9 in North America are all linked to the relocation of our main cluster. The time and location are very accurate."
"And the Noah Fleet and the Orbital Fleet, one for sea transport and the other for land transport, are both important tools for our material transportation." Raymond flicked the ash from his cigarette and said bluntly, "This is the method used by the Foundation and the Holy City to specifically disintegrate our human camp."
Song Wei also said, "We believe that the Foundation already has the means to exchange information with the Tower Civilization. Because of this, the Crimson Outbreak and its global presence are becoming increasingly deadly to us humans. Without supplies and deprived of our living areas, this will be a devastating blow to us."
"Wait..." Lin Xian frowned and looked at her: "High Tower Civilization?"
"Someone in the Phoenix Society has solved the puzzle of that Civilization game." Kiki looked at Lin Xian, her eyes flashing. "You should know her, Chu Yan."
"That's right." Shi Weidong nodded, his face extremely gloomy. "Our enemies are now very clear. Not only is it the Tower Civilization, but also this group of Adventists who are extremely familiar with our own civilization..."
Lin Xian could hear a sense of helplessness and hatred in Shi Weidong's tone. Only he himself knew how to hurt his own people accurately.
"But finding you, and you're still alive, means our 374th Outpost has accomplished its mission." Shi Weidong looked at Lin Xian, breathed a sigh of relief, and said to Lin Xian, "Next, we will spare no effort to send you to the polar regions. The commander will be waiting for you there. These past few months have been filled with brutal battles and large-scale migrations. Many survivors are shrouded in despair. If you show up, it will definitely bring a precious ray of faith and confidence to Kunlun!"
Lin Xian's expression darkened. "Oh, you think I'm too important. Compared to those night walkers and soldiers who died, I'm just an ordinary psychic among the survivors."
"Ordinary?" Shi Weidong stared at Lin Xian. "Swordsman, if you think so, you're wrong. The tens of millions of survivors in the polar regions now regard your achievements and past as the light of civilization. While it's intentional, we do need a role model, a candle that can bring hope."
"So the Order of Phoenix portrayed me as the savior?" Lin Xian asked
"No need for shaping." Shi Weidong rested his hands on the table, looking at Lin Xian with a calm expression. "The more desperate people are, the more they believe in the power of heroes. Our Dragon Nation has always believed in heroes, not gods. That's because floods are the result of our ancestors' painstaking efforts to control them, not gods' intervention. Droughts, floods, and famines are dealt with by the people's diligent cultivation, not God's mercy. In such situations, they certainly need some people who can stand up and raise their arms, who need the blazing morale of Dawn City's defeat in the Midnight to inspire their hearts, and you happen to be one of those people."
Lin Xian was speechless for a moment. Countless information exploded in his mind. When he heard Chu Yan's message, he immediately asked
"Can we contact the Phoenix headquarters now?"
"Yes, through the postman." Shi Weidong said at this time
"Postman? Forget it." Lin Xian felt a headache, and then he took out the civilization preview ball that Hua Xiaoling gave him, clicked it and saw a light screen pop up on it.
[Civilization Simulation No. 39081, should we start the preview?]
"No. 39081, did Chu Yan also simulate this?"
"Yes, it's 39081." Kiki looked at Lin Xian, frowning: "Do you want to play this game? I heard it's very dangerous."
"Rehearsal, how dangerous is it?"
No one else spoke. KIKI looked at Lin Xian silently, then took a deep breath and said calmly:
"Chu Yan disappeared the day after she unlocked the Tower Civilization."
"What?!" Lin Xian looked horrified. "Didn't she return to the Dawn Center headquarters?"
KIKI shrugged: "I don't know either. I just heard from them that Chu Yan might..."
"Defected."
"Impossible!" Lin Xian's eyes darkened as he looked at the civilization rehearsal ball in his hand. Everyone else, including Raymond, also had a solemn expression. Shi Weidong said, "All the research teams of the Kunlun Phoenix Society have already simulated and rehearsed this civilization game. It seems that this civilization game is designed to allow people to put themselves into the perspective of a civilization observer and experience the world of the Tower Civilization after 39,081 civilization iterations. You can think of it as a war of consciousness. Compared to our human civilization on Blue Planet, they are not only a higher-dimensional existence, but also...an existence that is difficult to understand."
"So, although these civilization rehearsals aren't weapons, from the perspective of consciousness and worldview, they're a complete dimensionality reduction attack on the survivors. The smarter or more perceptive people are, the greater the impact they'll be."
Shi Weidong looked at Lin Xian and said, "The Order of Phoenix has banned the spread of this game among the survivors. Although it was a helpless move and it emboldened the Adventists, there was nothing we could do. Fortunately, the problem only affected a small number of people."
"But that small number is more deadly. As you said, these people are often more sensitive." Lin Xian said.
Shi Weidong paused and said nothing.
Lin Xian looked at the civilization preview ball in his hand, then at KIKI, and then said: "Although it is not very rational to say it, I don't think Chu Yan will defect. There may be some important information in it. Let me take a look first."
Shi Weidong and Raymond exchanged glances but did not stop Lin Xian: "Okay, maybe you can find something."
So Lin Xian didn't say anything and directly selected [Yes] on the civilization preview ball.
[Starting the preview of Tower Civilization No. 39081]
At this moment, a blue arc of light flashed again in the center of the projection device, and then a holographic light and shadow began to gradually unfold and expand, instantly covering the entire conference room space.
At this moment, Lin Xian felt a flash of dazzling light in front of his eyes and subconsciously closed his eyes.
Lin Xian suddenly opened his eyes, and the dazzling light made him squint instantly.
Under your feet is soft vegetation that exudes an exotic fragrance of plants and trees, extending to the rolling green mountains in the distance. The sound of gurgling water can be heard from not far away. Streams as clear as liquid crystal sparkle in the sun, winding their way into a boundless, sapphire-like deep and pure ocean. The air is incredibly fresh, and every breath carries the sweetness of vibrant life. This is a perfect pure land like the beginning of creation.
However, when he subconsciously looked up, a chill instantly ran up his spine to the top of his head.
The sky was not the dome he knew. Instead, it was a huge, extremely thin light shield that looked like flowing liquid metal or solidified glass, covering the entire world and isolating it from the vast depths of the universe. The light shield itself emitted a soft white light, illuminating the interior of the entire planet like a huge, warm jade cup.
But what is even more soul-stirring is the scene under the light shield.
A creature whose magnificence is difficult to describe in words is slowly cruising under the light shield. Its body is so huge that it blocks out a considerable part of the sky. The creature seems to be some kind of giant, with pure white skin flowing with a holy and soft halo, emitting a life energy so rich that it almost forms a substance. Just sensing it from a distance can make people's hearts sway, as if bathing in the source of life.
But beneath this holy shell lies a horrifying deformity.
The creature stretched out dozens, perhaps even hundreds, of huge, twisted crystal wings, which flapped slowly like clouds hanging from the sky. Every flap brought down a soft rain of light. However, on its huge, mountain-like trunk, densely packed with... faces.
Hundreds of extremely perfect human faces, whose gender cannot be distinguished, but each one is of unparalleled perfection. They are embedded in the crystalline torso like reliefs, and each face shows an extreme, almost empty calm and peace, with eyes slightly closed and a permanent, satisfied smile on the corner of the mouth. They together constitute part of this sacred and strange creature. As it swims, those faces flow in the light, as if living things are breathing.
Lin Xian almost instinctively crouched down and buried himself completely in the deep grass that was as lush as a thick blanket. His heart was pounding. This scene was beyond comprehension and was the most terrifying combination of the sacred and the grotesque.
He held his breath and carefully scanned the valley below through the gaps in the grass.
This sight made his scalp explode instantly, and a cold feeling of nausea surged into his throat.
In the valley, there were two similar pure white crystalline giants standing. They had strange limbs and were much smaller than the one in the sky, but they were still huge monsters. One of them was acting in an extremely strange and cruel way - it was devouring the other.
No roaring, no struggling, no blood.
The devoured giant had already partially merged with the devourer's body, like a fusion of water and milk. Countless tiny tentacles and pseudopodia, also composed of pure crystals, emerged from the devourer, gently entwining the devoured creature and plunging deep into its body, absorbing its essence. The devoured creature's faces, also growing on its torso, now all took on an expression of... intoxicated, ecstasy! Its limbs even twisted around the devourer at a twisted angle, actively embracing the fatal fusion, as if this wasn't death, but rather the ultimate act of devotion and enjoyment.
The giant beast that was devouring its own kind was undergoing visible changes in its body during this process: its light became brighter and more dazzling, its crystalline body became larger and its edges more perfect, more and longer tentacles and the embryonic forms of wings were twisting and growing on its body surface, the original faces on its torso were clearer and more tranquil, and there were even a few new, blurry outlines of faces that appeared faintly.
This is not a battle, nor is it hunting. It is more like an absurd, sacred and disgusting... evil ritual, in which one life is willingly "enjoyed" by another life in order to achieve the other's "perfection".
"Is this the advanced civilization that has evolved to level 39081?" Lin Xian's stomach churned, his throat dry, and an indescribable sense of absurdity and fear gripped him. How could this be an advanced civilization? This was clearly something far more bizarre and unsettling than the predatory nature of primitive tribes... a devouring civilization!
Just as his thoughts were almost frozen by the shock of this horrifying scene, a voice, calm and without a trace of ripples, sounded behind him without any warning, piercing through the bushes and his tense nerves:
"I thought you were dead." The voice carried a barely perceptible... understanding, even a hint of weariness. "I knew I might see you here again."
Lin Xian turned around suddenly as if he had been electrocuted.
A pale hand gently parted the grass, and a familiar figure stood there. She was naked, her skin was as white as cream, and her face was still beautiful, but her eyes were as deep as an ancient well, with a kind of fatigue that seemed to see through everything and... some complex emotions that Lin Xian could not interpret. She looked at him quietly, and a hint of spirit slowly appeared on her beautiful face.
Lin Xian immediately stared at him: "Chu Yan?!"
Chu Yan looked at him and said calmly: "Do you want to learn about the Tower Civilization?"
After saying that, she opened her lips slightly and said three words to Lin Xian in a slightly lower voice.
"Eat me."
(End of this chapter)
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