We now knew the origins of the Lost Church. The truth behind the strange technological blockade of this world was finally revealed. It was as if the fog had dissipated. Everything was that simple. What Sandora and I didn't expect the most was the location of this world. It was actually in the center of the Abyss!
Not only was it in the center of the Abyss, this world was also sealed by Abyssal Schilling! This place was right under the noses of the Fallen Apostles. Some of the Fallen Apostles were even one of the original builders of the Sanctuary! Reality was indeed more dramatic than fiction. At the very least, fiction had to be reasonable. Reality was just messing around!
This universe had not been discovered for 70,000 years. Sandora and I had to admit that Abyssal Schilling was a terrifying person at his peak. She was able to mobilize all the computing resources and high-end equipment of the entire Empire. Naturally, she could also create countless miracles. Only she could launch one Tinder project after another in the short hundred years when the Empire was on the verge of collapse. Moreover, the success rate was so high. However, other than the powerful protective barrier created by Abyssal Schilling, the survival of this world to this day was inseparable from the efforts of the survivors.
Whether it was the three elven races who were the "clear-minded guardians" or the other races who were willing to accept the "loss of knowledge," all the survivors of this world had paid a heavy price to continue the tinder of civilization. Some of them even had to go against their conscience and use dark means to cover the entire civilization. Just like the bishops said:
Everyone did it out of helplessness. Everyone bore the burden of sin.
This was a world where it was never clear who was right and who was wrong. Everyone was just playing their role. The technological revivalists were the pioneers of civilization, but the Lost Church had to suppress them to protect the tinder of civilization. Who was right and who was wrong? We could only blame it on fate.
Religion and ignorance shrouded the people. 99.99% of the people on this planet knew nothing about the truth. However, religion and ignorance also saved the people. They did not have to face the despair behind the fog. They just had to embrace this ordinary life from birth to death. At least for most people, this was the most suitable life. Rather than dying in despair, it was better to live in ignorance. Of course, there were people who chose to accept the truth. The various revivalists — regardless of whether they would regret revealing things that should not have been revealed because of their curiosity, they had learned how cruel this world was. Fate is fair to everyone, because it is unfair to everyone.
"Now that the Fallen Apostles of the Abyss have been purged, the contamination is still there. However, it has been adjusted to a harmless state by the Abyssal Schilling. The next step is to think of a way to remove the seal on this universe. Oh, the Abyssal Schilling refers to the Second Generation." I waved my hand at the four elderly Bishops in front of me. "However, before that, we still have the biggest question — — What exactly is that Deity Forge? Did Abyssal Schilling tell you anything when he asked you to look after it? "
I recalled the ancient graveyard at the edge of the Milky Way, the hidden planet fortress, and the strange, undetectable hole at the core of the planet fortress. There was also the piece of the ring that was teleported away right in front of him and Sandora. The last one was particularly puzzling. How did Abyssal Schilling's Tinder Project get in touch with Visca? That little lunatic didn't seem to have done anything other than smashing and looting … Could it be that her Star Ring was destroyed by Abyssal Schilling? There didn't seem to be much of a conflict in the timeline. After all, we didn't even know when Star Ring was destroyed …
"The Deity Forge … We know that it was originally a planetary battleship. Back then, a portion of the elves escaped to this world on it." The Gale Bishop frowned. With the long lifespan of the elves, it wasn't easy for them to recall the details from 70,000 years ago. "The Lord created this planetary battleship and handed it over to the White Elves and the Tree Elves. She said that the planet wasn't just a colony ship. There was a storeroom at the core of the planet. However, we have never been to the core. The Lord said before she left that the core of the Deity Forge must not be opened recklessly. It is a single-use storeroom that stores the most precious items. At the same time, it is also the switch for the 'safety barrier'. We must ensure that everything is absolutely safe. We can only open it after the contamination has subsided or the Fallen Apostles are all dead. In fact, one of the reasons we have persevered until now is to protect the Deity Forge. Before the Lord left, we promised to protect her legacy until the new Shiring Apostles reappear. "
It seemed that these elves didn't know anything about Star Ring. But they mentioned the most precious item? I was instantly interested. To the Abyss Schilling, it was the "most precious" item. This was extraordinary!
"You know how to open the Deity Forge, right?" I glanced at the Gale Bishop. "Sandora and I went to the Deity Forge a few days ago. After that, you received the news immediately."
"Yes, we have the key to the Deity Forge." The one who spoke was the Technology Pope. He and his sister stood up at the same time. "Because we are the key."
Sandora and I exclaimed in unison, "You are the key!?"
"This is the key." Chen Feng (the Magic Pope) pointed at her head. She had a carefree smile on her face. "It is near our brains. There are a total of three keys to open the Deity Forge. One of them is buried in the depths of this church and is connected to an ancient AI. The other two are implanted in the brains of the two Popes. They can be activated with their thoughts. Furthermore, they are connected to their souls. This ensures that even if the Popes go crazy, they won't make a mistake due to the confusion in their minds. The Deity Forge will only appear when all three keys are activated at the same time. This system was left behind by the Lord. Even the scientists of the Empire might not be able to unlock it. The three keys have been passed down since ancient times. Until now, they have been in the brains of many Popes. "
"To put it bluntly, we are the carriers of the keys. Our mission for the past hundred years is to take good care of them. Although the Popes before us didn't have the chance to activate the keys in their entire lives, we still have to be the keepers." The Technology Pope patted his sister's head with a doting expression on his face. "During the Republic Era, the keys were kept by the three Elf Tribe Leaders. During the Empire Era, the keys were kept by the late Leader of the Tree Elves. During the Federation Era, the keys were kept by the AI and the Federation Speaker. However, they were all placed outside. Later on, we realized that this was a huge hidden danger. There was a possibility that the keys would be stolen or the keepers would lose control. Thus, during the Theocracy Era, the keys were kept by the Popes and the AI — — through the method of implanting the brain. However, our technology was limited. We could only carry out simple modifications to the equipment in the Empire. The few races with the highest level of technology at that time did their best to allow it to coexist with their bodies. However, there were still some side effects … Hehe. "
"I salute your sacrifice." Sandora floated into the air solemnly. "You are the heroes of the Empire. Hurry up and activate the keys. After that, head to the Medical Bay of the Empire Admiral to remove the implanting in your brains. It's not a good thing to coexist with the body for too long. "
"Alright, we will head underground to look for that ancient AI. It will only be effective when the three keys are within a ten-meter radius of each other." The Technology Pope raised his head with a faint smile on his face. "I never thought that Morningwind and I would become the Popes who activated the keys. After so many years, it has become the 'habitual responsibility' of all the Popes to carry the keys with them for their entire lives. Some of them even thought that the keys would never be activated."
The other Cardinals stood up one after another. I saw all sorts of expressions on their aged faces. Some were relieved, some were happy, and some were a little lost and helpless. It had been 70,000 years. This long mission had finally ended. They had spent their entire lives on this mission. Many of them had probably thought that this mission would never be completed. However, today, they had finally reached the end … Naturally, they were at a loss and helpless. The Empire owed them 70,000 years of their lives.
Sandora's voice sounded in my head. "I suddenly feel that the Shiring Apostles aren't that much stronger than these 'mortals' in front of us. Other than their weak bodies, their spirits are as strong as the best of warriors."
When we came out of the guest room, we found that there were already many people gathered outside. Most of them were old, white-haired Elves. There were also a few young Elves mixed in. They were the successors selected from the 'Holy Apostles' after the founder of the original Church died of old age. There were more than 40 Cardinal Bishops. They were the only people in this world who knew the truth. (Of course, there were many old Elves among the three Elven tribes who knew about what happened back then. However, they were either dying or just commoners who had fled back then. They didn't know too much about the core matters.)
I didn't see Celine. Although it was a pity, she didn't have the right to participate in this matter. So, she was temporarily sent back to the resting area.
Eighty percent of the people in the crowd were old men and women with beards. They were the former Elven Queens, Elven Princes, Elven Generals, and other young and promising Elven leaders. But now, they were all old people who had a quick fix. I noticed that there were dozens of complicated gazes focused on me. I didn't expect these gazes to carry such weight. Fortunately, after many years of power, I could face my responsibilities and obligations calmly. So, I just nodded to the silent crowd and asked the Gale Bishop to lead the way.
We passed through the ancient and solemn central corridor of the Cathedral. There were large murals depicting the God of Technology and the God of Magic. We passed through layers of arches and curtains until we reached a deep corridor carved out of gray stone. A long, sloping tunnel appeared in front of us. Judging from the direction we were going and the structure of the building, we had now left the vicinity of the Cathedral and entered the mountain. The Cathedral was perfectly integrated with the mountain, and the back half of it was directly carved out of the mountain rock. I thought it was just an ordinary architectural wonder, but I didn't expect the whole Cathedral to be the entrance to the mountain tunnel!
At the end of the sloping tunnel, we were already in the middle of the mountain. Here, we saw an unusually large stone hall. The entire hall was carved out of gray stone. The walls and dome were reinforced with a strong alloy frame. Although the walls looked primitive, there were traces of advanced technology everywhere. There were bright modern lighting equipment on the walls, and every entrance was equipped with a security device and a sentry machine gun. In the four corners of the hall, there were four operating devices that looked like data terminals. There were only a few clergymen working there.
In the middle of the hall, there was a large elevator. This was the most high-tech thing here. The silver-white elevator was installed on a circular pedestal that protruded from the ground. Although there was no psionic reaction, the elevator was obviously made of extraordinary alloy from the Empire.
"The entire mountain has been modified and filled with explosives. If there is a catastrophic event, we will detonate the entire mountain. Even if we have to bring everyone down with us, we can't let the Deity forge be exposed to the lunatics outside." The Gale Bishop led us to the elevator. "A part of the building materials here are standard metal parts made by the Empire. However, we don't dare to use psionic energy. Moreover, all the equipment from the Empire that can communicate across the void has been sent to the Deity forge. Please go inside. The elevator is very old, but it is working well. "
The third key was located deep underground. In any case, the elevator seemed to have descended for more than ten minutes before finally reaching the bottom. When the elevator door opened, I was shocked to find that there was an underground garden in front of me!
This was obviously a cave located deep underground. However, the ceiling of the cave was illuminated by artificial light, and the ground of the cave was filled with all kinds of flowers and plants. In the middle of the open space, there was a strange "tree" that looked like a tangled vine. Other than the elevator behind us and the lighting equipment above, there seemed to be no traces of technology here.
"We used special magic to build a long-term ecosystem here. Even if there is a disaster on the surface, this place will continue to grow. At the same time, this constant magic effect also maintains the vitality of the giant tree, allowing it to live forever like its mother tree." The Gale Bishop pointed at the strange "tree" in the middle of the cave that looked like a vine and a tree. "The third key is fused with it."
Sandora was very curious. "Didn't you say that the third key was fused with an ancient AI?"
"That's right," Morning Wind smiled like a flower. "This is the product of the fusion of the three Elf races' technology. We used a young branch of the Mother Tree, the White Elves' life magic, and the High Elves' programming technology to create this replica of the Mother Tree. The real Mother Tree had already left with an ark that escaped in another direction, so we could only keep the young branch. However, this is not bad, this is our Mother Tree! Oh right, although I don't have much hope … there should be another group of Tree Elves that escaped on a planet known as the 'Green Star'. They didn't take the same path as us, then … "
"They are still alive, and they were rescued two years earlier than you." At this moment, I finally remembered that I hadn't told this exciting news to the Tree Elves present. "You will be reunited soon. In addition, your Mother Tree is also here. Although it almost withered during the journey, we used the Goddess of Life's power to revive it. Now, the Tree Elves are one of the most prosperous races in the new Empire. "
"Oh —" A burst of joyful cheers came from all directions. Almost half of the people here were Tree Elves, and they were Tree Elves that had lived for more than 70,000 years. There was nothing that could make them more excited than this news. An Elf grandmother with a face full of wrinkles even subconsciously ran her fingers through her hair. "I … Will I be able to see him again? I remember that when we left, he was the navigator of the Green Star … Is he still alive? So many years have passed, I … I have become like this, so old … "
"Everything will be repaid," Sandora solemnly floated at the highest point. "Don't worry, we have already reunited many of the races from the old Empire era and the refugees who suffered because of the mistakes of the Empire. The Shiring Apostles will never shirk their responsibilities, nor will they forget their heroes. In the name of the Head of the Empire, I promise that all races will be repaid. As for now — Let us first complete the task at hand, activate the key! "
The two Popes nodded and approached the huge tree that was tens of meters tall under the gaze of a group of people. The latter looked like a plant, but it was obviously able to sense the changes in its surroundings. The moment the two of them approached the huge tree, the branches and leaves of the tree quickly emitted a faint green glow. Following that, many thin branches extended out from the tree trunk that was made of intertwined vines and wrapped around the two Popes, forming a structure similar to a control table. I heard someone from the Bishop's group whispering, "After 70,000 years, this day has finally come … It still feels like a dream." "You activated the key just like that? Are we hallucinating? "" What are you thinking, you old fool. You have been paranoid your whole life. But speaking of which … activating the key just like that seems a little rushed. "" Shouldn't we first hold a ceremony to show our solemnity? " "I also feel that we should have a commemorative segment … Right, remember to record this scene." "Do you want to play some music to liven things up?" "Scram."
Sandora and I were speechless.
Did these Elves use this spirit of finding joy in the midst of suffering to persist until today?
Activating the three keys didn't cause as much of a commotion as I had imagined. Everything was done quietly. I only saw light flowing between the leaves of the huge tree, and a moment later, the two Popes left the control table. At the same time, there was a slight sound of mechanical friction from the ground. Suddenly, a circular hole with a radius of more than a meter opened up in the grass, and a crystal cylinder emerged from the ground.
The crystal cylinder was a fully sealed protective cover. In the center of it, a small Empire -style device floated silently. It looked like the MDT, but it was narrower and longer. Just like all the devices made by the Abyss Schilling, there was no label on the surface of this thing.
Gale stepped forward and opened the protective cover. He solemnly took out the small device with both hands and presented it to Sandora and I. He bowed deeply and said, "The space around the Heavenly Forge has been unsealed. This is the command to wake up the planet's host computer. Tree Elf General Gale, in accordance with the ancient order, return it to the hands of the Empire's leader. "
I took this extraordinary ancient creation, and Gale heaved a sigh of relief.
"Finally … we have done our duty."
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