"Actually, there were many expeditionary armies of the Empire that were fighting outside. Other than the Revenge Army, there were several other armies that weren't in the Empire district at that time. Do you know why I chose the Revenge Army as the 'Tinder'?"
Abyss Schilling looked me in the eye as he tossed out such a question.
Of course, I was also curious. The Shiring Apostles were an extremely aggressive race. Even after the end of the Great Expansion Era, they would always have a large number of armies fighting outside. Although Sandora was the most passionate about expanding the territory back then, she definitely wasn't the only one. She and her Revenge Army were just one of the armies that went on an expedition back then. Since they weren't in the Empire district, they all had a chance to be preserved as Tinder. Why did Abyss Schilling choose the Revenge Army as the 'Tinder'?
Abyss Schilling didn't keep me in suspense. "There are many reasons. First, the Revenge Army ran the furthest back then. The 'distance' between them and the Empire district was safe enough, so they were the most suitable to be preserved. Secondly, the Revenge Army's configuration was the most complete at that time. They had a supreme commander, a basic army, and the most important front-line mainframe. All of these were essential for the revival. Lastly, it was related to the world that they happened to pass through at that time. That world had a special Abyss reaction. At that time, I didn't know about things like bridges and void structures. I only had a basic understanding of the civilization on the other side. So, I didn't understand how the Inert Abyss came about. But I knew it wasn't fatal … "
I was curious. "How are you so sure it wasn't fatal? At that time, the Empire hadn't studied the Inert Abyss yet, right? "
"Just not on a large scale." Abyss Schilling smiled. "The Empire and the Abyss have been fighting for so many years. They didn't just ignore the others. Every district that was good at scientific research had a special Abyss project. It's just that Ockham's Deep Submergence Project was the boldest and most of them, so it had a high presence. In fact, some unpopular research groups had discovered the existence of the Inert Abyss, but the scale of this research was never large. In the end, it was because the Inert Abyss was too rare and it couldn't be regenerated. In most cases, researchers couldn't even find a case to analyze it. They could only guess based on pure theory. Therefore, there weren't many people who studied the Inert Abyss back then, and not many people who knew about it. People like Sandora who spent all her energy on war and all her research projects on weapons obviously had no access to it. Although information is shared in the Empire, everyone only takes what they need from the shared database. No one is omniscient. "
I immediately understood. Abyss Schilling was right. The Inert Abyss wasn't like the regular Abyss that could be found everywhere. Its rarity was almost comparable to Liliana's conscience. Not to mention anything else, the Protoss family had a large business and had accumulated so many years of resources. Yet, they didn't conduct systematic research on the Inert Abyss. This was very telling.
It seemed that someone else had studied the Inert Abyss during the era of the Old Empire. However, due to the scarcity of samples and the fact that most people's energy was focused on Project X, this research didn't take shape, and the information left behind was even rarer. Under normal circumstances, this kind of unpopular research should've been quickly buried in the sea of information. However, because Abyss Schilling was the consciousness of the network, all the information flowing on the data network would fall into her hands, so these things were preserved.
"Fortunately, your life form is special," I sighed sincerely. "Information is productivity, and you won't miss anything … So, you deduced that the Inert Abyss was not fatal based on its nature? Did you deduce it yourself, or did the research already come to this conclusion? "
"This research was already in its final stages, but the scientist in charge of this project didn't make it to the end. He was transferred to participate in Project X, so the final conclusion was my own deduction." Abyss Schilling's expression seemed a little proud. "Although I was just a super administrator at first, I had enough data resources and computing power as support. My own research … or rather, my deduction ability wouldn't be any worse than any other researcher."
"So, you deliberately wanted the Avengers to be infected with the Inert Abyss? Why? "
"Whether you believe it or not, I wanted to know what would happen if the Shiring Apostles retained their sanity after being infected with the Abyss." Abyss Schilling blinked. "It was just a rough idea at that time, but you can see it as the prototype of today's' Fallen Apostles' or 'Abyss Apostles'. However, at that time, I wasn't sure what the situation would be after being infected, so naturally, I didn't have the concept of 'Fallen Apostles' or 'Abyss Apostles'. Now, it seems that this should be a matter of the degree of infection. Those who are severely infected, retain their sanity, have a drastic change in temperament, and have an uncontrollable desire for destruction are the Fallen Apostles. Those who are less infected, retain their sanity, and have a slight change in temperament but still retain their original nature are the Abyss Apostles. I didn't think so much back then. I just thought that if someone could survive after being infected and retain the ability to think, they might find a new way to resist the Abyss. Then, I did it: let the Avengers come into contact with the Inert Abyss, which was not fatal. Using a phrase that I just saw in the database, it's like trying everything in a desperate situation. Since they had already accidentally entered a corrupted world and coincidentally met all the conditions, I decided to let them be the test subjects for the final experiment. They wouldn't die anyway, and they might even become a new subspecies. That was what I thought back then: the infected Shiring Apostles who retained their sanity should be considered a new subspecies. However, the subsequent developments were a little unexpected … "
"You didn't expect that Sandora was the only one who was infected?" I thought of the Avengers' situation. "Their combat power seems to have exceeded your expectations."
Abyss Schilling had a strange expression. "It's not as simple as exceeding my expectations. Under such circumstances, they were actually able to resist the Abyss Gate for tens of thousands of years. In the end, Sandora jumped into the Abyss Gate alone and came out unscathed. Their willpower is simply …"
I looked at her with an unfriendly expression. "You better watch yourself. She is his wife."
Abyss Schilling replied, "… Alright, let's not talk about this anymore. In short, I was the one who arranged this. Back then, my idea was to give the Avengers some resistance or adaptability to the Abyss. This could be considered as double insurance. Even if my 'safety barrier' failed and the Avengers ran into the Abyss, there was a high chance that they would survive. Now, it seems that there are many loopholes in this plan. However, you should understand that my understanding of the Abyss back then was also limited. It was already very hard for me to plan this far. "
Liliana had been quiet for a while, but now, she finally couldn't control herself anymore. She rubbed against me like a kitten and stared straight at Abyss Schilling. "Then, you should know more about the Inert Abyss than before, right? What the hell is that thing? "
"I have a guess." Abyss Schilling flashed an enigmatic smile again. Looking at her expression, I knew that she was about to reveal something big. As expected, when she opened her mouth, I almost slid off the chair. "Maybe someone had built a bridge before us …"
Before I could speak, Liliana was the first to jump up. "Didn't you say that no one had stopped the previous cataclysm?"
"I only said that no one had 'successfully' stopped it," Abyss Schilling said matter-of-factly. "According to the information from the other side, the previous cataclysm had indeed erupted in full force. However, this doesn't mean that no one had tried to build a bridge before. Maybe there were many bridges, but they all failed. After all, even the other side couldn't guarantee this. They were also a civilization that was born after the cataclysm last season. They had no idea what had happened in the cycle two years ago. Based on my understanding of the Inert Abyss, the nature of this thing is very similar to the radiation that escapes after a successful bridge construction. If this is true, then the reason why its pollution is weak is easy to understand. This thing has a part of the 'other side's' attribute, so it is not too harmful to the world of Order 'on this side'. And the reason why Sandora couldn't be purified by the Void creatures after she was infected is also very simple. Because she is harmless to the world of Order on this side. Since she is harmless, naturally, the purification will not be triggered. "
"Harmless my ass," I couldn't help but mutter. "Have you seen Sandora's Abyss form? She struggled for a long time with that claw. Also, the planet where the Revenge Army was trapped back then was plagued with abyss disasters. There were little monsters everywhere. If two armies of Ultraman were to be airdropped there, it would be over in the blink of an eye … "
"I don't know what's with your analogy, but this kind of harm is acceptable." Abyss Schilling spread her hands. "Compared to the highly active abyss, this pollution is mild enough. It only has a part of the 'other side' attribute, so it is not completely safe. "
I lowered my head in deep thought. The large amount of information bombardment over the past two days seemed to have made me resistant. Even if I heard another shocking guess, I could still maintain this calm state of thinking. After thinking for a while, I finally remembered something. "If that's the case … I remember that there is an Abyss Gate in the God Realm … Father said that it was left behind before the Great Cataclysm last season!"
"I have heard about that Abyss Gate, but unfortunately, I have never seen it with my own eyes." Abyss Schilling nodded. "Its stability is the strongest among all the Inert Abyss, and it has even exceeded the concept of the Inert Abyss. It is so stable that it is completely harmless. If there is a chance, I would like to study that thing. Maybe it will be of help to the 'great cause'. "
"Do you think that thing is a pier left behind from the previous bridge construction?" Liliana exhaled and moved closer to Abyss Schilling. "It is very similar in nature. It is shaped like an Abyss Gate, very stable. It has the characteristics of the Abyss, but there is no pollution. It looks like a spatial tunnel …"
"But its bottom is sealed." I patted Liliana's head and spoke before Abyss Schilling could speak. "It is a fixed space, and it has a bottom. Although the Protoss has not fully understood its spatial characteristics, it does not look like it can connect to the other side."
Liliana rolled her eyes. "Isn't that simple? The bridge collapsed. This guy said that he had never succeeded in building a bridge before. "
"Maybe this child's guess is right." Abyss Schilling glanced at Liliana. "This is a field that you and I have not understood. All guesses are valuable. When God Father comes, you can mention this to him. "
"He should be here soon. I am looking forward to the scene when the two of you meet." I pulled Liliana to stand up. "That's it then. I will take my leave first. You two continue to study the advanced technology."
After bidding farewell to Tawil and Abyss Schilling, Liliana and I left the research center and headed to the Basilica of the World Tree as planned. Liliana did not speak along the way. She only frowned and pretended to be deep in thought. Looking at this little shorty who was only 1.09 meters tall but always had the aura of a final boss, I could not help but want to tease her. "What are you thinking about now? Conspiracy theories? "
"Boss, don't be like this. I am busy racking my brains for the Empire." Liliana blocked my finger that was poking her head. "After all, we have been fighting against Abyss Schilling for so many years. At this time, you should allow me to talk about conspiracy theories, right?"
"The world is bright, but the mind is dark." I recalled my sister's evaluation of Liliana, but I still nodded. "Of course, your thoughts are quite normal. Not only you, Sandora and I do not dare to trust that guy completely. We have to wait for her to take out all the information and study it with the Protoss before we can confirm if what she said is true. But for now, it seems that the things she brought are quite useful. "
Liliana grunted in agreement. After that, she did not say anything else. She continued to frown as she continued to think mischievously beside me. Just like that, we arrived at the Basilica of the World Tree. Then, we found Lin and Uncle Kenser at the plaza of the Basilica.
Why are the two of them here?
Speaking of which, Lin and Kenser were Jingle's subordinates. It was not surprising for them to come to Jingle's Basilica. However, the problem was: Although the five Protoss members were the "God Realm's Goodwill Ambassadors in Schilling" in name, in reality, each of them was lazier than the other. Apart from eating and waiting to die, Elson only knew how to pose in the streets to bask in the sun. Even Monina would rather study in the kitchen for an entire day than come to the Basilica to do some proper work. Uncle Kenser seemed like a loyal and good person, but other than knowing twenty ways to coax a child to sleep and memorizing the discount dates of all the supermarkets in the city by heart, he seemed to be useless. Lin was usually obedient, but unfortunately, she could not do anything right. Even if she wanted to do proper work, I did not dare to get too close to her … In summary, the five Protoss members were basically useless. The only one who was capable was Icetis, who seemed to be the most unreliable. Although Sister Icetis had a problem with her personality, she was never sloppy in her work. She was always diligently running back and forth between the God Realm and the Empire. This was something neither Sandora or I could find fault with.
That was why I was surprised that the two of them had appeared in the Basilica's plaza.
Normally, Lin and Uncle Kenser should be watching television at home, or following Monina on the streets to harm innocent people. How did they have the time to come to the Basilica? Did they have a conscience and decided to fulfill their duties as ambassadors by coming to the Basilica to sign in?
"Hey," I dragged Liliana forward to greet the two deities. "How strange. When was the last time you came to the Jingle Basilica to report?"
Uncle Kenser greeted me with a gentle smile. Then, he looked at the World Tree. "Two people came today. Lin and I came to welcome them. Oh right, we registered in advance. We definitely didn't break the rules. "
I waved my hand at him. The God Realm and the City of Shadows had to register when they visited each other. Actually, this was just a formality. For a top-tier civilization like the Protoss and the Schilling Basilica, who were already at the pinnacle and didn't have any material or territorial disputes, unless they had nothing better to do, it was impossible for them to plot against each other. It was just like how two people soaking in a pool wouldn't fight over water (This analogy is very strange, but you guys should just make do with it). As long as the [Star Domain] and the Schilling Basilica were still in the Order Camp, they would never fight. Thus, the traffic management between the City of Shadows and the God Realm was just a formality. The main purpose was to prevent the traffic from causing too much pressure. Once this direct passageway could be expanded, perhaps even the "registration application" step would be skipped.
But no matter what, Uncle Kenser was a rather strict and serious person (Actually, I felt guilty saying this). He purposely emphasized that he had registered in advance. I could only smile and express my appreciation for his selfless attitude.
"For the two of you to personally welcome him, is he an important person from the God Realm?" I looked at the World Tree curiously. I didn't hear any important person from the God Realm recently. Father God was planning to come over in a few days, but it was still too early for him to appear now. Also, Father God had a special characteristic when he came over, which was that he usually didn't come through the 'main entrance'. Father God's habit was to swim over from the void and stroll around on Earth for half a day. Finally, he would take a taxi from the Bus Terminal in K City to our house, buying a chives box on the way …
Anyway, I had never seen him come out from the Church of Life. Perhaps he was afraid of seeing Jingle's Seven Handed System that was riddled with holes.
Uncle Kenser smiled warmly. "He isn't an important person. He is actually our believer."
"Believer?" I looked at the two of them in surprise. "He's here to visit? And you guys are welcoming him personally? "
"We are here to report on our work," Uncle Kenser chuckled. "He isn't here to welcome us. It's mainly because the child doesn't know the way. I'm afraid that he will get lost."
Lin explained from the side, "The one in my house won't get lost, but she has a bad temper. I'm afraid that she will quarrel with someone here and get beaten up …"
Hearing Lin's words, I broke out in cold sweat. "Why is the Shadow City so dangerous?"
Lin looked around with her head shrunk. Then, she nodded her head vigorously with a fearful expression. "Yeah!"
I was depressed. It was her own problem to be bullied all the time. This had nothing to do with the customs of the Shadow City. Besides, other than being teased at home, Lin had never been bullied in the Shadow City. It was said that Bubble had organized a competition for cute girls in the Shadow City on a whim. Lin was named as the dark horse contestant for the title of 'Cute Flat-Chested Newcomer King' … Oh, maybe the sudden increase in popularity after that had scared the girl.
Anyway, just as my mind was letting my imagination run wild, the teleportation rune on the plaza of the Temple suddenly lit up. Kenser and Lin's believer had arrived.
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