The "leader" appeared to be a mature and beautiful woman. I had been quite surprised when I saw her through my spirit vision. However, my slightly "biased" surprise was immediately ridiculed by Queen Sandora on all fronts. Basically, what she meant was, "What's wrong with being a woman? Why can't a woman take charge of the situation? Why can't a woman be a leader?" Of course, Sandora knew that I didn't mean it that way. She was just bored.
The fear caused by the "Terror Calamity" nearly destroyed the minds of everyone in this underground hideout. If it wasn't for Sandora stopping in time, there probably wouldn't have been a single person left alive. And even if Sandora didn't kill her, the "leader" was still in a daze when she woke up. She almost didn't know where she was. Even the slightest movement around her would cause her to panic. However, this was also quite convenient for us. Her mental defenses had already been crushed by fear. Even a child would confess everything to her now.
Sandora was in charge of asking questions. She could more precisely control the remaining fear in the "leader"'s heart, and she would be able to get more information out of her. Meanwhile, I took this opportunity to wander around the underground palace. This place seemed rather interesting.
There were all sorts of technological products everywhere in the underground palace. This place used electricity for lighting, simple closed-circuit surveillance, and communication equipment. It was obvious that this didn't conform to the technological regulations of the Lost God Church. I had no idea how they had managed to obtain these things despite the fact that the Lost God Church controlled the entire world. It seemed that the Lost God Church's technological regulations weren't as strict as I had imagined. It should be known that many technological products couldn't be used just by digging them out of the ruins. If you wanted to use technological products to create a base as large as this one, then you would need to know how to maintain and maintain them. You would also need to be able to create the most basic replacement parts. You would also need to understand the principles behind most of the equipment, and you would need to be able to use the materials you had on hand to modify them (because most artifacts that were dug out were actually unusable). In fact, you would also need to have a production line to create the basic parts. This production line would definitely exist somewhere else.
It seemed that the Lost God Church didn't have complete control over this world … Perhaps the limit of what they could do was delay the technological recovery of this world as much as possible. Once a civilization existed, it was not easy to "solidify" it into a certain state. Even if the Lost Church was founded by a group of tree elves with a lifespan of tens of thousands of years, they might not be able to completely control the technological revival of a short-lived race.
In some of the smaller rooms in the underground palace, I found a lot of 'gadgets'. They looked like antiques that had been dug out from the ground. Pieces of equipment, alloy blocks of unknown use, deformed mechanical parts, and so on. These gadgets were placed on various shelves. Some of the pieces were placed on a clean workbench. It looked like they were being processed and studied. It reminded me of Celine's workbench in the church. This mysterious organization was apparently doing something similar to part of the Lost Church: collecting ancient relics and studying them.
The difference was that they seemed to intend to recreate these technologies and use them to establish a new "order."
In a small, brightly lit room, I found many neatly arranged scrolls. Next to this small room was a neat and tidy room with a dense feminine aura, so I guessed that this was the 'leader's' study room. The most eye-catching thing about these scrolls was that half of them were precisely printed books of excellent quality!
Basically, they were all books on technology: electricity, physics, chemistry, natural science, and of course, there were also 'teaching materials' on the mystical side such as alchemy and magic theory. These books were carefully marked with a large amount of annotations and markings. Many of the books even had study cards between the pages. The beautiful handwriting on the cards was doubtlessly from the 'leader'. I also found several thick notebooks on a desk in the corner. Not only were there meticulously recorded learning experiences, there were also small machines that the owner of the notebooks had tried to design. There was even … a model of a wireless device. Even though it looked simple, it was obvious that the owner of the notebooks had independently designed it based on the knowledge she had learned.
"A diligent and inquisitive female leader of a terrorist organization …" Looking at the books and notebooks in front of me, I muttered to myself with a strange expression, "This learning spirit … If she was born in a normal world, she might have already completed a PhD."
The room was filled with traces of learning, and the more I looked at it, the more pressure I felt. In the end, I couldn't help but think of my own sinful junior high school life: If I had a third of that sister's hard work back then, perhaps … Oh, it didn't seem to be of much use. I didn't even have the chance to display my strength on the battlefield of the college entrance examination before I was smashed by the Empire that fell from the sky.
Of course, I also found some information related to the 'organization' in these notebooks. Basically, it was some communication records and diaries. I didn't know why every leader of a secret organization would have the habit of keeping such death-seeking things at hand, as if they were afraid that someone wouldn't be able to find evidence after something happened. Perhaps the big sister didn't have the time to destroy these things? In short, based on these things, I was completely certain of the nature of the 'organization'. It was just as I had imagined: a group of technological revivalists.
Most of them hid in the wilderness far away from human habitation, and a small number of them hid as a secret association under the nose of the Lost Gods (I found letters from some 'parish sentinels' in the address book). They excavated knowledge, desperately learned things from the ancients, and tried to rebuild civilization. They were researchers, warriors, archaeologists, professional grave robbers, and "social progressives." Of course, they also played the role of terrorists when necessary. I don't know the size of their organization, but I don't think it's small. Also, they called the Lost Gods "heretics" and "stiff idiots" with a contemptuous attitude. It was obvious that these technological revivalists believed that they were the ones who grasped the truth and progress.
It would be better if they behaved more gently.
Yes, the style of these technological revivalists was not very pleasing. Just like what Sandora said, the rebellious minority always felt at ease that they were excluded because they grasped the truth. Therefore, they could resort to violence against the majority in the name of justice and truth. And the unreasonable part of this world was that the minority could actually resort to such violence against the majority. The technological revivalists, who called themselves the 'Awakened', used various methods to attack the Lost Gods. Every time they attacked, they would inevitably accidentally hurt civilians. Although it seemed that their leader tried to control this behavior (I can see from some handwritten notes and brief orders), this was a necessary brain for the leader of a large organization. This bit of rationality did not hinder the lower-level cadres of the organization from stirring up trouble outside.
Just like what the man in black did: he made the giant beacon antenna go out of control and shone deadly high-power microwaves on innocent villages in order to trap the adventurers under the town's protective shield (although Celine's bold style and rich experience made this plan fail). The other party definitely believed that he was doing this for the sake of "intellectual justice." Even if you hung this lunatic on a ceiling fan with charcoal under him and spun around in high speed for an entire day, he would still believe that he was doing this for the sake of justice.
This underground palace was not too large. Although there was a deep underground corridor, there were basically no forks in the road. After I left the leader's study, I soon found a place that looked like a warehouse. There, I found even more large-scale ancient equipment, as well as machinery that was obviously newly manufactured. This confirmed a conjecture: the technological revivalists had the ability to thoroughly study some of the ancient technology, and they had a production line.
These machines were probably not manufactured by this small base. They required relatively large machine tools and metal smelting equipment. However, I was no longer interested in paying attention to the scale of this organization. This planet was currently wasting its limited resources and population on meaningless things. Not only that, it also involved the "historical issues" of the old Empire. Sandora and I should solve these problems as soon as possible. Of course, I first had to understand the real reason why the Church of the Fallen Gods had sealed their technology. In addition, I had to think of a way to contact the Empire District.
Just as I was about to leave the warehouse to meet up with Sandora, a metal plate on the wall of the warehouse suddenly attracted my attention.
This metal plate looked quite old, but judging from its craftsmanship and level of refinement, it was obvious that it was not an ancient relic. It should be a "modern antique" from decades or centuries ago. I did not know why such a metal plate would be placed in this warehouse filled with ancient equipment. It was probably some kind of decoration or some other meaning? In short, there were a few strange lines written on it:
"Silence, silence, do not make a sound. Let civilization fall into silence, let technology enter a harsh winter.
No one can hear where we are. From now on, the cage will also become a barrier.
The Deity forge is burning fiercely. Its flames allow all things to enjoy its grace. As long as the flames of the Deity forge are not extinguished, the shelter will be safe and sound.
When the Deity forge reopens, the cage and barrier will collapse together. The harsh winter will finally end, and civilization will once again embark on its journey.
But before that, silence, silence, do not make a sound! "
Sandora's voice suddenly came from outside. "Ah Jun! Ah Jun, are you in there? "
Before I could say anything, I saw a golden ball of light floating in. Behind the ball of light were a few figures who seemed to be in a daze. Sandora had used her mind control to bring the "leader" and a few members of the organization in.
"I found something just now." I raised my hand and pointed at the metal plate on the wall. "Look at this. I think it is talking about the Church of the Fallen Gods' technology lockdown. It seems to have mentioned the reason."
"Do not make a sound?" Sandora walked in circles around the metal plate. "Are they being chased by something?"
"These words vaguely indicate that the purpose of the 'technology lockdown' is to hide themselves. But what will be exposed when technology is developed?" I kept the metal plate in my dimensional pocket while muttering. "Or … why would technology be discovered when it is developed? Is there a special way to track other civilizations by detecting their 'technology value'? "
"Maybe there is. But I am more interested in the Deity forge mentioned in it." Sandora's ball seemed to be thinking. "Is it a symbol of worship that the Church of the Fallen Gods created out of thin air or something that actually exists? Hey, do any of you know what the Deity forge is? "
The second half of Sandora's sentence was directed at the captives behind her. The leader, who had already entered a state of mental breakdown and brainwashing, opened his mouth in a daze. "The Deity forge … Everyone knows that it is a big furnace built by the supreme God of Heaven, who is even older than the God of Technology and the God of Magic. It forged the first technological and magical products of this world. When the tinder in the Deity forge falls on the earth, mortals will obtain sacred knowledge."
"A bunch of nonsense and useless information," Sandora's voice of dissatisfaction came from the ball. "What is the use of this Deity forge? Does it have anything to do with the sealed technology of the Church of the Fallen Gods? "
"Ever since mortals abused their knowledge and attracted disaster, the Gods sealed the forge. Mortals can no longer approach it, nor can they obtain the sparks in the forge. However, the fire still burns in the furnace. The power of the Gods continues to burn some forbidden things in there, purifying the sin in the universe. However, this process has nothing to do with mortals," the 'leader' said slowly. The aftereffects of the Terror made her almost not know what she was talking about, and she did not know why she had to listen to strangers. "The fire in the Deity forge continues to disperse the evil power that spies on the world. As long as the fire is still burning, the evil power will not be able to conquer the world. However, mortals will be cut off from the grace of the Gods. The God of Technology and the God of Magic were compassionate, so they set up a test for mortals. As long as mortals pass the test, the Deity forge will open again. Mortals will be able to access knowledge again, and civilization will continue to advance. Those ignorant heathens misunderstood the meaning of the test. They thought that by completely forbidding the study of knowledge, they would be forgiven by the two Gods. They did not know that the Gods wanted to test the rationality of mortals in the face of knowledge. We need to correct these mistakes, let knowledge return to the world, and use our actions to prove to the Gods that the will of mortals is real! The Deity forge will open again after we have mastered the technology to leave the earth, and the heathens will be destroyed! "
Even though she was trembling under the suppression of the aftermath of the Terror, the leader still looked fanatical when she mentioned the revival of technology, as if this fanaticism had temporarily given her the power to fight against the Terror. After that, Sandora asked her many questions about the Deity forge and the revival of technology. However, the leader's answers were basically the same: the Deity forge was a "miracle" that actually existed. Both the Lost Gods and the revival of technology firmly believed that the "flames" in the forge protected the entire world. In order to punish mortals, the Gods isolated the flames of the forge from the mortal world. From then on, mortals lost the power of technology and knowledge. People looked forward to the day when civilization survived the cold winter and resumed its journey. This was where the divergence between the Lost Gods and the revival of technology lay. The former believed that the test of the Gods was to seal away the technology and "atone" through the lifestyle of primitive people. This way, the Gods would reopen the forge. The latter believed that only by mastering the ancient technology through their own efforts could they pass the test of the Gods.
No matter what, it seemed that this "Deity forge" was quite important.
"But speaking of which, where exactly is the Deity forge?" I looked into the leader's eyes. From her eyes, I could see the lingering fear and a bit of religious fanaticism (the revival of technology looked more like a cult than the Lost Gods). "In the territory of the Lost Gods? Or is it buried somewhere else on this planet? Is it an ancient relic? "
"How could the Deity forge be such a shallow thing!" The leader suddenly raised her voice. Then, she was shocked by her own voice and started to tremble again. "The... The Empyrean Forge is not in the land of mortals. It is in the Kingdom of Heaven... Above us, in the eternal and mysterious kingdom where the Empyrean lives. Mortals are unable to see the appearance of this forge. If you are from some other small cult, I advise you not to try to unravel the secrets of the Deity forge. That is a territory that even the Lost Gods dare not set foot in. "
"It seems that the duration of the 'Calamity' is over. She even dares to threaten us." Sandora waved a ball at the leader. "Ah Jun, what should we do with these people? Hand them over to Celine? It seems that Celine is the highest person in charge here. "
In the eyes of the Lost Gods, the revival of technology was definitely a class enemy. It seemed reasonable to hand the people in this stronghold over to Celine. However, I thought about it and shook my head slightly. "Not for now. Regardless of whether it is the Lost Gods or the revival of technology, they are in a muddled state. They will definitely not rest until one of them is dead. Although at least half of these extremists are guilty, the other half who do not deserve to die will definitely be killed by the Lost Gods. This isn't appropriate. We can't let the people of this planet continue to waste their population on stupid things. "
"Then, send them to the Empire Admiral and lock them up. After that, let the locals judge whether they are guilty or not. It isn't our business to judge them." Sandora's ball flashed as she agreed with my suggestion. At the same time, Alaya appeared from a flash of white light. My angel sister took so long to settle down Leon (several hours, can you believe it?!). Needless to say, she must have forgotten that she needed to come back again (this isn't the first time). Sandora's ball didn't stand on ceremony. She bumped Alaya's wing and instructed, "Make another trip. Send everyone here to the prison camp of the Empire Admiral. Let the automatic system of the spaceship take care of these fellows. Oh right, they were just attacked by the Calamity. Many of them have brain damage or soul damage. Let the automatic system treat them. "
Alaya's head was still dizzy when he appeared. In the end, he had to return to the spaceship in less than five seconds …
After that, Sandora sighed, "Tsk tsk … These days, life in the prison camp of the Empire is getting better and better. The old Empire …"
I couldn't help but roll my eyes at her. "During the old Empire, you guys almost never used prison camps. 90% of the prisoners died on the spot."
Sandora chuckled, "Hehe …"
Such a serious matter shouldn't be so casual about it. It would be easy for others to criticize you for looking down on human rights!
"Then, we can tell Celine about this underground hideout. That way, Celine would have a way to explain herself. We can just say that we tracked the mysterious person and found this place." I looked around at the underground palace that no longer had any value. Every nook and cranny of this place had been scanned and all the necessary information had been collected. "As for the whereabouts of the people here, we can leave it to the Lost Church to guess. Right, Sandora, are you interested in looking for the Deity forging furnace? "
"You have a clue?"
I chuckled and pointed at the sky. "Outer space, that's theoretically the case."
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