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Chapter 772 - 770: "Ruined World.

Chapter 772: Chapter 770: "Ruined World.

The bright moon poured a swath of silver radiance onto the earth, as if electricity were coursing through it.

In the outer city, the largest Northeast Gate had been swallowed by a black abyss. The shadow of machinery loomed over every tall building, resembling ghosts in the night, looming over the city-state.

Atop a high-rise, a pair of Mechanical Army opened their eyes. They stretched their arms and legs like newborns, touching their bodies, familiarizing themselves with their movements.

"...We’ve really entered? Is this a new world?" Momentarily, the larger Mechanical Army spoke.

"Hmm." The smaller Mechanical Army responded.

The larger Mechanical Army stiffly lowered its head, looking towards the city-state: "Indeed, it’s different from our world. Our world is nearly destroyed, while this one seems like it could last a while longer... This world seems quite nice, is it called the Ruined World?"

"The Ruined World is its current name, as for its previous name, who cares." said the smaller Mechanical Army.

"Will this Ruined World be ours eventually?" asked the larger Mechanical Army.

"Yeah, the Deity said he will conquer this world." The voice of the smaller Mechanical Army was tinged with joy: "I believe very soon we will have more and more people moving into this world."

"The Deity truly is a hero, our Savior," The larger Mechanical Army spoke with adoration: "Once he officially conquers this world, it’s as if he saved everyone from our world, bringing us from a world on the brink of destruction to a new world... At that time, I must sculpt a statue for him, to sing praises of his greatness."

"That’s only right." the smaller Mechanical Army said: "It’s a pity we arrived too early, only able to possess mechanical bodies. If the Deity can get the Source of Civilization, then all the human bodies of this world will belong to us as well."

"But... in that case, wouldn’t all the people of the Ruined World perish, replaced by our consciousness?" expressed the larger Mechanical Army with a tinge of regret.

"A civilization conflict is always total victory for one side, total defeat for the other. If we want to survive, we can only plunder the resources of other worlds." the smaller Mechanical Army declared resolutely: "We are invaders, there is nothing to whitewash. I heard the people of the Ruined World even call our world ’Ta Wei’, they would rather see us dead."

"You’re right, it’s all for survival." the larger Mechanical Army nodded.

They stood tall upon the high-rise, gazing down together at this beautiful city-state. The ginkgo groves planted by the teahouse, the ancient bell tower filled with a sense of antiquity, the church built brick by brick... How tempting this world was—plundering the lifeblood of another civilization for the survival of one’s own civilization, nothing could be more justified.

If one looked even further, it seemed there were countless Mechanical Armies activating in the storm, opening their eyes full of spirituality. They moved their arms and legs, curiously surveying this new world to them.

Maybe this place would be their new paradise to live in from now on.

Soon, their Savior— the Deity would formally invade this world, leading them to continue surviving.

...

Outer city, North City Gate.

"Crack—!"

With a thunderous boom, Cheng Luohe turned around, behind him a sky ablaze, he had been fighting for a long night.

"We will surely win... we’ll definitely drive out the invaders..."

He repeated the line like a mantra, covering his eyes, stumbling toward the direction of the bell tower, his red sniper rifle utterly shattered behind him.

Atop the bell tower stood a few people. As he just stepped on the staircase, he heard Mrs. Mela’s voice:

"We can give up on this city, take the Life Isolator to the Border City... As a biochemistry doctor, I deeply regret not being able to establish a technological advantage in this war. Everyone, please make provisions for the future in advance."

Her voice was aged yet clear.

Then, the whispers of people discussing the possibility of retreat and specific plans followed.

...Are we fleeing again?

Upon hearing this, Cheng Luohe rushed up the bell tower in a few strides, yelling at the people:

"Fleeing again? How many times have we fled in these forty years, and you want to flee at the most critical moment? Doctor Mela, I respect you as an elder, but don’t you know that the Chief and Xi and the others are in the Central Building? Don’t you realize how much danger they are in?"

As he shouted, he let go of the hand covering his eyes, revealing an eye that was mangled from an explosion, his eyeball mostly gone.

Eagle Eye Cheng Luohe had lost the eye he took pride in.

Under his rage, people fell silent. Only Mela adjusted her glasses and said indifferently:

"According to the reconnaissance, many of the Mechanical Army have suddenly gained self-awareness, and they seem so... alive, as if humans have slipped into the mechanical shells. I suspect that the Deity has not died. We need to prepare for both possibilities, Cheng Luohe. You have to understand my decision."

"..."

The bell tower was silent.

Mela continued, "Of course, after making arrangements for your evacuation, I will return to the central government building and stand with the chief unto death. Rest assured, no one will be alone in the last moments. I’m old bones; my death is no big deal. Luohe, you just need to focus on surviving."

Cheng Luohe stood in place, clenching his fists.

Amid the slanted downpour, he could no longer distinguish whether it was rain or hot tears on his face, the cold and scalding sensations collided, and he could not discern his own expression.

Exhausted.

Completely exhausted.

Hopping back and forth between hope and despair, one moment receiving news of a great victory, the next discovering that victory was just an illusion, with brightness forever hidden just beyond their reach, desperately stretching out hands they couldn’t make contact.

—Didn’t they all love this city, deeply cherish this world?

—In this war concerning the survival of an entire civilization, all soldiers deserved respect.

Sen, Noah, Tretiya, Yao Wen... so many familiar comrades died for the world’s future, and anyone who forgets this hatred betrays their former selves.

However, if the inevitable downfall cannot be concealed, their only choice is to flee, and perhaps a few will decide to stand or fall with the city-state, but that is nothing more than bitter indignation in the face of death!

The pride and vigor of his youth had been worn away, and Cheng Luohe remembered his first meeting with the chief. That day in the wooden tower at the Beacon assembly area, he carried his sniper rifle through the door and happened to lock eyes with the unchanging young man with black hair.

They looked at each other briefly, and then he smiled confidently.

[Remember! I am the future sniping star of the Beacon! My name is Cheng Luohe!]

"..."

How fearless he was back then.

Now everything was gone.

"Prepare to evacuate."

Amid the torrential rain, only the calm voice of Mela, the old man, could be heard.

People pushing equipment, supporting the wounded, passed through the streets in turn. No one complained, no one cried; they were already exhausted in body and spirit, too weary to even take an extra breath.

Cheng Luohe silently watched their steps, one, two, three...

Five minutes later, he suddenly heard a strange resonance.

"Hum—!"

Then again.

"Hum—!"

People were still immersed in grief and didn’t pay much attention to the resonance, until a Player became alert.

"That resonance—it’s coming from the direction of the central government building!" Lu suddenly looked up and shouted.

Before people could speculate what it was, they suddenly felt a heaviness on them.

"Wait—"

"My body, it’s so heavy!!"

Everyone suddenly collapsed like wheat after the harvest. Cheng Luohe clutched his ears, his head filled with noisy, trivial sounds; his heart ached as if it were in someone’s grip, and he was overcome with fear, despair, helplessness, and loneliness.

Unable to move, his senses dulled, even lifting his hand felt difficult.

"I can’t move!"

"Why does my heart feel so empty and painful!"

"What is this! What is this!" people cried out in panic.

It was an unbearable sensation that made them feel like going insane.

"This is... emotional... resonance."

Cheng Luohe collapsed on the ground, his voice intermittent. He realized that there indeed was a trap.

His vision began to blur, his thoughts were being cut off, and strangers’ screams filled his ears; even his sense of self was fading amidst the intense pain.

...Mela was right, they had retreated too late.

...They were about to be enmeshed all at once.

In this wave of resonance—entire populations of city-states were caught in the emotional resonance. The spectacle was immense, with hundreds of thousands lying flat on the ground amidst the rain-streaked land.

Only the unaffected mechanical army strode on untroubled.

In the torrential rain, they stretched out their arms as if joyfully embracing this beautiful new world.

...

Central government building.

"Buzz— Buzz— Buzz!"

In the ice-white hall, everyone lay on the floor, paralyzed by the cacophony in their brains.

The crimson tubes spread, forming the most successful trap—a collective emotional resonance trap. It had a range that covered the entire city-state.

Just ten seconds before, as people were helping Su Ming’an remove the tubes, it suddenly activated, and everyone collapsed uncontrollably.

"Xiao Shuai!" Xi tried to grab Su Ming’an, but her vision blurred instantly, and she could no longer see clearly.

"Goddamnit, this sneaky god..." Yamada Machiichi managed to curse before collapsing to the floor.

The moment the trap was activated, Su Ming’an, still connected to the tubing, was most deeply resonated and nearly dragged into the emotional resonance of Beili Sier.

But a digital sound in his ears immediately awoke him.

"Wake up!"

A blue panel appeared in front of Su Ming’an.

...

[Mu Team (22:43): I am the one who woke you.]

[Mu Team (22:43): I had been blocked before and could not pass on to you the latest news I found—the Dawn System’s crimson tubing is essentially an energy transference prop. It can draw from one side’s energy, to supplement the other. It can also draw from one side’s emotions, to resonate with the other.]

[Mu Team (22:43): Before downgrading the world to "Two Dimensions," the Dawn System had linked everyone’s senses. So, if the Dawn System initiated emotional resonance, none of you would be able to escape.]

...

Su Ming’an’s eyes flickered.

...So, that was why they suddenly collapsed in droves?

The deity’s killing move was unexpected.

...

[Mu Team (22:43): But only an administrator account can initiate such resonance, and currently, only two administrators have such authority—Acto and Lin Guang.]

...

Su Ming’an wasn’t surprised; he remembered from Acto’s memory that Lin Guang was Acto’s most trusted partner, and Acto had given Lin Guang the highest level of access.

Just now, he saw Lin Guang head into the darkness without looking back; it must have been Lin Guang who triggered the resonance.

...

[Mu Team (22:44): Moreover, sufficient energy is required to launch the resonance—The deity had started a world live broadcast earlier, precisely to acquire the public’s faith to initiate this resonance. Essentially this is similar to the "Bai Shen" occupation’s Emotion Value, which both use emotion as an energy source.]

[Mu Team (22:44): This resonance prioritizes ’hearing’ as the primary medium—just like every emotional resonance when you first hear the sounds of screams and laughter. You were previously awoken by Noel and the others because of this ’hearing’ medium.]

[Mu Team (22:44): I am...a half-administrator account, so my voice can wake you up. But I can only wake you, no one else has an implanted chip to communicate with me, they can’t hear my voice, if this resonance continues, they will die.]

[Mu Team (22:45): Now, you are the only one awake. You must not fall asleep again.]

[Mu Team (22:45): He’s coming...]

...

Su Ming’an could already see.

Atop the high platform, a figure appeared in a wheelchair.

Beams of light focused on that person, with hair and pupils nearly transparent. All darkness became indistinct, leaving only the slender silhouette.

"The resources of a civilization’s star system are limited; if the resources are concentrated, they might develop enough to reach the next system to replenish themselves. But constant strife depletes resources before reaching another system, locking the civilization’s potential." The deity spoke slowly:

"You outdid my expectations in your rate of infighting, and your technology level is far beneath ours, so you’re destined to lose, that’s all there is to it."

"Su Ming’an."

"Come to my side. I’ve spent so much time with you, I don’t want you to die. Only a god can fulfill the craving for human life and desires."

"Always fancying yourself a deity; it’s extreme narcissism," Su Ming’an said.

He had killed that deity’s body before, not without effect. The deity was still using an Acto bionic body, appearing particularly frail, wheelchair-bound, speaking as if holding on to his last breath.

Both sides were now out of resources; the deity had resorted to using even a crippled Acto body.

At Su Ming’an’s words, the deity smiled slightly.

After Su Ming’an insulted the deity, a series of system prompts unexpectedly rang out.

...

"Ding Dong!"

[(?）Favorability: 75+5 points!]

...

[You have completed the TE4 Main Quest "Utopia’s Shepherd"

Quest content: Raise the favorability of the person in front of you to at least 80 points (cannot use Ruler’s Skill)]

[You receive the quest reward: Super-intelligent AI evolution authorization (current AI selection available: Ado)]

...