Chapter 25 Before the End (Part 2)
Three days after the dinner, Elysion entered a formal state of preparation for war, and the representatives from various countries who had gathered because of the news released by Xiang Ying had basically arrived. Except for the extremely remote and uncivilized primitive tribes, almost all forces sent people to attend the public speech of the Red Moon Priestess.
During the day, Beichen privately met with many leaders of major countries - he also caught up with Rui, Redis, Carina, and Filello, and then arranged for Xiaoying and Li Ye to secretly appease the anxiety of outsiders and deal with some small forces that took the opportunity to cause chaos. All the dark forces were mobilized to monitor and maintain public order. Even Su Mo suddenly expressed his position and openly appeared next to Beichen as a background scene, which made those big country leaders feel uneasy - even Youyu was conquered by her?
You Yu's influence in the world is still relatively large. Once Su Mo expressed his opinion, the other representatives who were somewhat agitated and impatient had to hold their breath for the time being. In addition, the harsh environment of Elysium made them frightened all the way, and seeing that their compatriots could actually survive leisurely in such an environment, they had already felt a bit of awe in their hearts - so, although the witch has not spoken out so far, at least the situation on the surface is relatively stable, and no large-scale disturbances have broken out.
At night, Beichen took the time to use the red star spiritual power to strengthen the bodies of Heihuo and Sujie.
According to Su Mo's statement and Yagard's research records, the red star power is produced by compressing and fusing the gold and blue star power using complex principles. It not only has a strengthening effect on biological bodies, but also has extremely strong destructive power. Although the weapons are mechanical creatures, the red star power is still somewhat useful to them.
After all, it had already been modified—according to Yagad and Heihuo Sujie, "It's already been modified, it would be a pity to change it back." So, after Beichen confirmed again and again that there was no danger, he agreed to Yagad's experiment to break through the weapon level.
Although the weapon level breakthrough technology is still in the theoretical stage, there is no problem in theory. Moreover, Xiang Ying broke through the limitations through his own abilities, which shows that this is not a high-end taboo that is too difficult to achieve.
According to the Chita database, weapons had no levels at first, but after humans discovered that weapons could grow infinitely through the power of the stars, they were afraid that someone would cultivate weapons through groups to create the ultimate weapon, so they set limits on the abilities of weapons and divided them into various levels, assigning the various abilities of the weapons to each level.
Before this modification, weapons were born with the ability to detect star power, humanize, establish telepathic communication channels, and have storage space. Those with strong mental strength could also break free from the control of the master's contract, which is now the "one-way contract" ability of the Jiuyao level.
In other words, hierarchy is just a constraint. As long as you have the ability to break through it, you can achieve a state of complete freedom like Xiangying.
Of course, this is easier said than done - this is proven by the fact that Xiang Ying is the only one in the world who has broken through this bondage so far.
Therefore, even with the support of the Life-Sharing Contract, the technical assistance of Yagard and Su Mo, and Beichen using the Red Box to strengthen the bodies of Heihuo and Sujie, in the experiment of using artificial resonance force to break through the limitations, Heihuo and Sujie were still in excruciating pain, and fainted several times from the pain. Even Beichen consumed one-third of the red star power stored in the Red Box and almost half of his vitality. Only then did he successfully complete the experiment in the early morning of the fourth day, allowing Heihuo and Sujie to break through their own levels and reach level eleven.
"Fortunately, there's a life-sharing contract..."
At this moment, even if Hei Huo was usually very smooth-talking, he didn't have the energy to talk anymore.
"Right... If Xiang Ying and the others hadn't replenished Little Loach's vitality in time, not only would we have died, but Little Loach would have been dragged to death by us as well."
Su Jie, still frightened, gave a pale face and a wry smile to the people surrounding the lab table.
"Sorry, everyone. This time it was my brother and I who caused trouble for you."
"That's good to know." Beichen's expression wasn't very good either, but she still smiled with a relaxed look, "Don't do such stupid things in the future—everyone, give me some vitality. Do you feel uncomfortable anywhere?"
"I don't feel uncomfortable, although the loss is a bit large, but since everyone shared it, I don't feel much."
As Yaye spoke, he stretched his neck, as if he was a little anxious after not sleeping all night.
"But only once, you idiot black and white bug! Next time you waste everyone's energy on something so idiotic, I'll carve a statue of you both with your underwear on your heads and place it in Central Square!"
“Understood! This won’t happen again!”
Knowing that he was in the wrong, Gemini raised his hand and took an oath.
"So what's next? The biggest problem has been solved, but we still have two days left to prepare."
Xifeng asked, crossing his arms.
"There's not much more to prepare. Elytheon is a country that's always at war."
Beichen tilted his head with a smile.
"So the rest of our task is to eat, drink and rest well."
"What about public speaking?"
"I'll tell you on the day we leave."
Beichen fell backwards as she spoke. Xiangying, who was standing behind her, stepped forward and hugged her:
"Master, are you so tired?!"
"Uh, no, I just thought Xiang Ying would definitely catch it, so I just—"
As soon as these words were spoken, the expressionless Yagard and Atlas immediately moved two steps and moved a few steps closer to the area behind Beichen.
"You're still flirting in this situation, how shameless of you." Xifeng glanced at Beichen with disdain and straightened his hat. "You want to flirt? Then come here and take my bullet and whip."
"...This isn't just flirting, this is real fighting, right?!"
"Alright, alright."
Yaye patted Xifeng and then touched Beichen's messy hair hard.
"You're so tired and still bickering. Go and rest!"
As soon as the nanny spoke, everyone prepared to scatter like birds and beasts, but Beichen, for some reason, left Xiang Ying's arms, walked up to Gu Yinyue, and grabbed the corner of his clothes.
"Yin Yue...are you still planning to marry me now?"
Gu Yinyue frowned when he heard this.
"Of course, why do you ask?"
"Well... I mean, there's a good chance I won't come back. If I don't come back—"
"There won't be a situation where you die and I live." Gu Yinyue lowered his voice and reached out to touch Beichen's cheek with his rough fingertips. "Although there is no life-sharing contract between us, there is something connecting us."
Upon hearing this, Beichen blushed, lowered his head, and twisted the corner of his clothes.
"Then before we set off—"
"Sharing a room?"
Unexpectedly, Gu Yinyue quickly responded, his expression devoid of any embarrassment or shyness, as if he had completely entered warrior mode. Perhaps this invulnerability was how he managed to survive the swirl of makeup and cosmetics around Fang Ai.
"Do you think that if we don't win, I'll regret not having spent a night with you, my fiancée, until I die?"
"...Yeah." Beichen's eyes wandered, and she nodded awkwardly. She had delayed him for three years, publicly declared him the future prince's son-in-law, but gave him nothing. She actually felt guilty.
"That's for sure. I'm the only one by your side who hasn't made it to the final stage." Gu Yinyue frowned slightly and nodded. "If I really died in battle, I would absolutely be very unwilling to accept it."
The tall warrior moved his big hand and touched Beichen's head as he spoke.
"But I'm not thinking about such pessimism. On the contrary, I want to save the most important and best things for after my triumphant return to enjoy slowly. Just because of this thought, I will do everything in my power to protect you and bring you back alive. How can I let myself lose when I haven't even completed our wedding yet?"
Beichen just let him touch his head in a daze. After a while, he smiled brightly at the man with gray hair and wolf eyes in front of him.
Then, time passed quickly and it was the night of Blade Crying. In the early morning, a figure finally appeared on the high platform of the square that had been built.
On the simple high platform, countless spiritual crystal "Heavenly Sounds" were hung on both sides like crystal bead curtains.
This is also a set of two spirit crystals, which can be used to transmit sound between two places, and is mostly used for broadcasting national affairs. Now, Alysien is about to use it to convey the voice of the witch to people all over the world who are equipped with Tianxiang spirit crystals.
In fact, the dignitaries from various countries had already reached a private agreement with Beichen, but at this moment they were just sitting in the VIP seats protected by layers of night cavalry to pretend to be together. Ordinary onlookers and some refugees from other countries had already passed on the news to each other and were gathering near the platform at a rapid speed.
Although it was still dark, the entire capital, Dajingyuan, was already bustling with people.
Then, the Red Moon Priestess and Queen of the Wasteland, Yashu, appeared before everyone in a formal combat uniform of black, white, and gold.
When she appeared, the square fell silent for an instant, and then erupted into a fierce noise again. Voices of help, questions, and insults mixed together, and it was impossible to clearly distinguish any one sentence - however, this kind of chaos did not last long.
Roar────!!!!!!
Two overlapping dragon roars echoed from the platform, shaking everyone to their knees. When they regained consciousness, they saw two giant dragons, one black and one white, the size of the Emperor of Disaster, appear behind the platform, where two figures had stood. At the same time, a red pillar of light connecting heaven and earth lifted Beichen's body and floated him high into the sky.
The imposing aura and pressure of the three Star Killers instantly dispelled the chaos and dissatisfaction, and the huge square became silent in an instant.
As expected, it is inevitable to make a show of force at the beginning - Beichen looked at the dark figures under his feet and smiled bitterly in his heart - yes, in the eyes of the world, he is still the villain of the Red Moon Priestess.
But it doesn't matter, she will be freed from this title soon.
Soon, we will be free from the rumors that are dictating the future of the world. So—
She took a deep breath in the morning breeze, then closed her eyes for a moment to encourage herself.
Then she spoke softly, and her voice drifted far and wide under the influence of the red star's spiritual power, and also reached the spiritual crystal "Tian Xiang".
"Fellow citizens of Senagard, today is the most important day in Senagard in ten thousand years. Today, the actions of you, me, the people of the world, the weapons, and even the possessed Moon Messenger will completely change our future. The most powerful turrets from the Red Moon will attack the life center of Senagard—the Myriad Ancestors. When night falls, the Star Spirit Mine will produce a large number of violent Iron Ghosts, and the newly produced weapons will disappear. Whether we can usher in a new era and survive, or perish in the terrible transformation, is now unknown."
As soon as these words were spoken, the people in the audience began to riot again, but Agard roared again in dragon form, shocking everyone with the sound pressure again.
"I'm a miko, that's true. I also know the location of the Ark and can ensure that a million people board the Ark and escape the disaster. But how much is a million? It's one-six-thousandth of all the people in the world. Only one person out of six thousand can survive? Don't you think the Ark is too small? Don't you think that a human like me, with two eyes and a nose, has the right to kill 5,999 people and take away one person with a stroke of a pen? This system is too arrogant. On what basis do I have to establish what kind of system to select those one million people? I'm afraid even the most ruthless king wouldn't be able to give a perfect answer."
This time, the commotion in the audience was a little smaller.
"I have two ways to help you survive this disaster. The first is what I just said. I will select one million people to take to the Ark, and the rest will stay where they are and wait to die. Although this method is cruel, I am the only one who bears the responsibility. You don't have to do anything.
But I have a second method, which can save as many people as possible. However, I cannot do this alone. All of you who know about this must contribute yourselves. So, which one do you choose?"
"Need I say more?!"
"Of course it's the second one!"
"The second one!"
"I choose the second one!"
Soon, shouts were heard from the audience, and Beichen nodded vigorously to them.
"It seems everyone thinks the Ark is too small. ...Then why don't we just abandon that shabby little Ark built ten thousand years ago and build a new one ourselves?"
"It's easy to say, isn't today the last day?! Where's the time to create a new one?"
There was a brave man in the audience who shouted amid the silence - but Beichen nodded to him.
"Yes, the word 'renewed' isn't quite right. We should rather say we are awakening the sleeping Ark. Where is the true Ark? Members of the Tuling tribe around the world will tell you that the land beneath our feet, the world we live in, this massive planet called Senagard, is itself the largest Ark. And to board this Ark, one must undergo the appraisal and judgment of the 'Choice Ceremony.'"
When it came to the selection ceremony, everyone stopped whispering, held their breath, and stared at Beichen anxiously, waiting for the conclusion.
But Beichen gave an answer that surprised everyone.
"However, since the Ark is so large, the exam doesn't need to be too strict. Therefore, the standard I chose is just one sentence."
The Queen of the Wasteland said this and waved her hands vigorously in the air.
"Those who can board the ark are those who 'want to survive.'"
──That’s all?
Everyone in the audience looked at each other in bewilderment - isn't this standard too low?
"Do you think it's simple? Unrealistic? No, quite the opposite. In fact, this kind of thinking is the most valuable and important."
Under everyone's puzzled gaze, Beichen landed on the ground of the platform and took a few steps towards the crowd.
"Okay, I can speak in official language now, say what a Red Moon Priestess should say, and probably incite you to fight for the upcoming disaster - but now, I don't want to say these things. I want to speak as an ordinary person, as a queen who founded a new country after years of hard work, and as a resident of Senagade.
Do you think saving the world or destroying it is a one-person job? I don't think it's that simple. The world can't be destroyed by one person, nor can it be saved by one person. If you knew you were responsible for the lives of six billion people, who would be willing to take on the responsibility of being a hero? Me? Or any of you?
There was a slight commotion in the audience.
"No one can shoulder such a heavy burden, because they cannot bear the consequences of failure, which would result in the deaths of six billion people. However, no one is willing to be the hero of the world, but there are many who can be the hero of a country, a town, a street, or even a family - if you are willing.
You want to rely on a miko to dictate the fate of the world? Stop acting like a spoiled brat! I'm just a level six Wusihuang, a regular guy who's prone to making a ton of mistakes without support! Expecting you to rely on me to give you some sort of instructions, and survive a catastrophe without even doing anything yourself? That's the idea of a lazy person!
Since you have chosen the second method, you will bear the weight of your own lives. No one is the savior, and no one is the devil who will destroy the world. Life or death is determined entirely by your own actions!"
"So, what do we need to do?"
In the VIP seats, Karina asked in a clear voice.
Meeting her warm gaze, Beichen smiled and narrowed his eyes.
"Later, to prevent Wanzu from being harmed, we will find a way to create a temporary life center replacement. At some point, all the weapons in the world will be connected together, and then power will be drawn from a certain central point. This is very dangerous, and the central point will be overwhelmed by the power. So, what I hope you do is, humans without weapons, try to find contracts with unowned weapons. At the moment of connection, the owner of the contract can use the contract order to order the weapon to reduce the supply of celestial spirit power, and the weapon without a contract holder can also try to preserve the celestial spirit power in its body."
──Is it really that simple?
There was a commotion in the audience again.
"Of course, I will help you deal with Wanzu's disaster, the strongest turret in the sky. However, I am unable to deal with the violent iron ghosts produced tonight. You must survive this disaster on your own."
Fortunately, fortunately, if it's just a violent iron ghost, there will always be a way - just treat it as a night of particularly severe star disaster.
Joy appeared on people's faces, and they whispered to each other with hope in their eyes.
"Everyone, wanting to save the world isn't a grand undertaking, and the reason isn't some grand, high-sounding rhetoric—because all I want you to promise is 'to survive.'"
The witch's voice gradually grew louder.
“Do parents want to protect their children?
Does a husband want to protect his wife?
Do friends want to protect their best friends?
Do the warriors want to protect their honor?
Do artists want to protect their work?
Do collectors want to keep their showrooms?
Do the nobles want to keep their status, and the common people want to keep their wages?
Does the rich want to keep his wealth, or does the beggar want to keep his territory?
If you have something important, no matter what it is, you must first ensure your own survival. Only then can you protect it! What I can do, what I want to do, is to maximize your desire to survive, in exchange for your cooperation with the actions I just mentioned. But whether you truly want to do it, and whether you can do it, ultimately depends on you.
I... can only ask you to believe in me and believe in yourself.
Changing the times, from the perspective of one person, is indeed a monumental undertaking, but if everyone is willing to contribute, it is actually just a piece of cake!
Beichen said this and extended his hand to the crowd below the stage.
"The Ark is right beneath our feet. Whether we can awaken it, carry us through the catastrophe, and protect it is not up to me alone. I need you, no matter who you are, male or female, old or young, rich or poor, noble or humble, human or weapon. If you wish to survive, if you have even a tiny attachment to this world, please trust me and lend me your strength!"
Brush──
The Night Troops surrounding the platform raised their weapons high.
Brush──
The citizens of Elytheon roared with confidence. Having witnessed the Queen's battle with the Star Killer, faced with this choice, they wouldn't even consider a second option.
So, the outsiders who were originally a little hesitant looked at each other.
Some passionate people raised their fists.
Representatives from various countries, who had already completed internal consultations, raised their hands.
Those who had no strong opinions saw the trend and raised their hands as well.
Finally, the person who was holding a rebellious attitude slowly raised his hand under the stares of the people around him.
Looking at the arms raised high and clenched fists all over the venue, Beichen sighed with some relief.
It was easier than she thought - you know, it's not easy to get so many different people to agree and commit to doing the same thing.
Then, all that's left to pray for is luck.
As soon as she stretched out her hand, the first weapon Xiangying turned into a gorgeous white sword and came into her hand, covering her formal attire with a silver-white light armor.
Then, the Red Moon Priestess pointed her sword to the sky.
"It doesn't need to be too long, just today will be enough - please keep this trust for one day. As long as you can hold on for this day, I promise that even if the moon in the sky wants to destroy our home, I will smash it to pieces, so -"
The warm white light sparkled in the morning light. The petite figure of the Red Moon Priestess, with her back to the sun slowly rising from the horizon, cast a small but beautiful silhouette that looked very reliable.
She spoke again, saying the same words she had said three years ago during the Protoss Revolution.
"To live and step into a new era!!"
"To live and step into a new era──────!!!"
This time, the response was louder and more resolute than last time.
The sunlight fell on the crystal, reflecting a beautiful phosphorescence.
The longest day in Senagad in ten thousand years has begun.
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