The mech pilot's cold words echoed in the empty, deathly silent hall, like a final judgment.
Linde's heart pounded heavily in his chest, each beat feeling like a hammering on a cold, metallic floor.
He gazed at the deep blue crystal core, which seemed to contain a miniature universe. His unease did not dissipate upon reaching the end; on the contrary, it intensified.
The oracle of the god of magic... why did it lead me here?
This question lingered in his mind like a maggot clinging to a bone.
He was summoned here by the grand and irresistible will of the god of magic, with his clear objective being this node in the magic network.
However, everything before them—the Watcher mechs, the Throat of Ruins, the Steel Sky, and this sleeping "throne"—is closely connected to the remnants of an ancient, lost civilization, and seems to be separated from that mysterious and unpredictable god of magic by a thick veil of mystery.
He suddenly recalled his discovery deep within the troll's lair—a "divine body" that bore a striking resemblance to an elf, yet was constructed of cold metal and capable of bearing the descent of a god.
Wasn't that body also a creation of this lost civilization? Could it be that what the God of Magic truly coveted was not merely the power of the magic network node itself, but rather... the technology that this lost civilization possessed—the technology to "create containers" and even "contact with gods"?
The thought sent a chill down Lind's spine. The intentions of the gods are as deep as the ocean, beyond the comprehension of mortals.
What do they need this technology for? Is it to descend to the mortal world more frequently and steadily? Or... do they have a more dangerous and ulterior motive?
"The unknown brings fear, but fear should not be a reason to stop."
Linde took a deep breath of the air, which was thick with the smell of rust and energy dust, and forcibly suppressed his chaotic thoughts.
His eyes regained their sharpness and determination.
Whatever the purpose of the god of magic, this central core, which carries the ultimate secrets of antiquity, contains immeasurable knowledge and power.
Giving up exploration is like entering a treasure mountain and returning empty-handed.
“I choose to make contact.” Lind’s voice was steady and powerful, breaking the silence. “Tell me everything about the Zedu civilization, and… the truth you are guarding.”
The mech's single eye flickered slightly, as if sensing a fluctuation beyond the program logic in response to the "outsider's" resolute determination.
It remained silent, but turned once more toward the enormous crystal "throne," its single eye shooting out a thin yet condensed beam of blue light that precisely struck the crystal core.
Buzz—!
The deep blue light inside the crystal core suddenly became brighter and more active! Countless fine runes, like a school of fish awakened, swam and rearranged rapidly against the backdrop of a swirling starry river.
Immediately afterwards, an even larger and clearer holographic projection beam shot out from the top of the core, instantly unfolding above the huge circular platform, forming a series of flowing, silent historical scenes that contained a wealth of information!
Linde held his breath and focused intently, operating the [Deconstruction Halo] at full power, greedily absorbing and analyzing every detail in the projection.
The Glory of Antiquity: The Splendor of Zedu
The projection revealed a brilliant civilization—Zedo—that Linde had never heard of before, a perfect blend of technology and magic.
The magnificent cities, suspended in the clouds or deep within the earth's core, are constructed from metals flowing with liquid energy and luminous crystals, their architectural style combining cold geometric aesthetics with a life-like organic rhythm.
Streamlined flying vehicles shuttle through the sky, while on the ground are various types of mechs and intelligent beings (of different forms, but the dominant ones seem to be humanoid races).
Their magic does not rely on divine gifts, but is based on a profound understanding and masterful control of the fundamental laws of the world—the magic network.
The Magic Network is like an invisible neural network covering the entire world, a pure ocean of energy and information. The Zedu people are like the most skilled weavers, drawing from it, weaving it, and creating power beyond imagination.
The projection clearly demonstrated the Zedo civilization's use of the magic network: driving massive city engines, instantly healing fatal wounds, constructing matter out of thin air, and even... briefly distorting local spacetime!
However, the tone of the projection soon turned somber.
The scene then shifts to other races—elves, orcs, dragons, giants… each of these races possesses its own powerful gods for protection.
The power of the gods is vast and boundless, and their will directly influences the fate of mortals.
The Zeduans, this group of proud "unbelievers," felt an unprecedented threat and...longing after witnessing God's divine punishment and grace.
Thus, a top-secret project codenamed "Watchmen" was born.
Their ultimate goal is clearly to create a completely controllable "god" that belongs to the Zedu civilization!
Linde's heart trembled violently! To create a god! What an arrogant and grand ambition this was! Using their understanding of the magic network, and gathering the wisdom and resources of the entire civilization, they attempted to "weave" a supreme being from the level of laws!
The projected image became blurry, distorted, and filled with interfering stripes here. But the core message still stubbornly remained:
Project Watchers... a success!
An unprecedented energy fluctuation, vast as a starry sea and pure as the laws of nature, was woven together, condensing and sublimating at the source of the magic network! A new being, representing the fundamental will of magic, was born—the God of Magic.
He is the embodiment of the will of the magic network, the ultimate crystallization of the wisdom of the Zedu civilization!
However, the projection was instantly covered by a blinding red light and sharp alarm symbols! The screen shook violently, the city began to collapse, the mechs went out of control, and strange metallic patterns appeared on the bodies of the Zedo people as they howled and deformed in agony…
The birth of the God of Magic did not bring eternal glory to Zedo, but instead brought...destruction! An incomprehensible "metal plague" originating from the God of Magic himself and targeting its creators swept across the entire Zedo civilization!
The once-prosperous city has been transformed into a cold, metallic tomb, and flesh and blood have been cursed and twisted into mindless metallic constructs (like the mechs Lind had encountered before)! The Zedo civilization, at the pinnacle of success, was pushed into the abyss by the very god it created!
The projection's perspective suddenly shifts, no longer focusing on a macro-level narrative of civilization, but rather on a single figure.
It was a man dressed in the attire of the highest ruler of Zedu and wearing a complex energy crown.
His face was shrouded in a soft light, making it impossible to see clearly, but his voice entered Linde's mind clearly, carrying a deep, almost obsessive sorrow.
Instead of directly stating the plan, he began to tell a... story:
"Once upon a time, there was a man who fell in love with a woman. This woman was so perfect, so divine, that she lived on a remote island, a place beyond the reach of mortals, surrounded by storms and miracles."
The man poured everything he had into his life, day and night, his sole wish being to reach that deserted island and touch the goddess of his heart.
He knew that ordinary ships could not cross that forbidden sea. So he summoned the kingdom’s most outstanding craftsmen and wisest scholars, and spent unimaginable resources and the entire nation’s strength to build an unprecedented behemoth – the 'Iron Sky'.
This ship is not meant to conquer the ocean, but to carry his humble yet fervent love, to cross that insurmountable chasm, and reach the other shore where the goddess resides…
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