Love letters are not allowed in exorcism notes

Chapter 1242 The Sacrifice We Made

I don’t know how many times I looked back, but the torches of the Danyang had disappeared, leaving only a few torches on the horizon to keep it going.

Wang Yunxiao had fewer than thirty navy men left by his side; the rest had disappeared silently into the desert.

This was the fifth... perhaps the sixth time he had encountered the white tower standing in the desert.

There were actually inscriptions inside the White Pagoda, but he didn't notice them at first.

The bottom floor of the White Pagoda is accessible, and the walls inside are densely covered with inscriptions, of which he can now recognize more than 80%.

The text is very concise and straightforward, as if afraid that future generations would not be able to understand it, so it uses vernacular Chinese as much as possible to tell the history of the White Pagoda in the simplest and most understandable way.

It is divided into three parts in total.

A sorcerer from beyond the realm named Xu Shijie came from Guixu and sought an audience with the emperor, telling him a mysterious and profound myth.

According to this person, in the distant future, during the Dharma-ending Age, a monster called "Time Annihilation" will destroy the entire world, turning everything into nothingness. In order to fight against this monster, the imperial court must build a white tower at a specific location every hundred years.

These white pagodas are sealed inside with the remains of a divine dragon brought back from the future by Xu Shijie, hence they are also known as the Dragon Bone Pagodas. The first white pagoda was built in Xianyang during the time of the First Emperor, and then gradually spread in all directions.

From the beginning of the First Emperor's reign to the next 2,800 years, a total of 28 dragon bone towers are distributed throughout the vast territory, using the power of the divine dragon to suppress the destiny of China, and in turn, using the destiny of China to nourish the dragon's body, ultimately allowing the divine dragon to be reborn and fight against the time-annihilation monsters of the future era.

The second part tells the story of how the emperor selected brave and valiant soldiers to guard the White Pagoda and suppress the fate of the nation.

Such an honor is not something that just anyone can bear. The first emperor of Qin selected Wang Heng, the grandson of the great general Wang Jian, to be the tower keeper. This became the established rule for later generations: only the direct descendants of pillars of the state could undertake such an important task.

Later records even mention emperors who were given the posthumous title "Wu" (武) and had their mausoleums built right next to the White Pagoda, personally guarding it.

The third part consists of the handwritten records left by Xu Shijie himself, the "extraterrestrial sorcerer".

This time it's not a myth, but a completely modern version, an explanation of the "time annihilation" apocalypse, as well as an introduction to his life and his ideas.

This person was born during the Tianle era of the Ming Dynasty, which is about 40 or 50 years before the third year of the Ming Dynasty. He had two siblings and they were originally just an ordinary landlord family. Wang Yunxiao was very familiar with the history that followed, which was about the invasion of foreigners, the introduction of advanced civilization, and his study abroad, which opened his eyes to the world.

What Wang Yunxiao cared about most was that he specifically introduced his younger sister, Xu Ziwei.

So it was that person...

Xu Huange's biological grandfather, the rebellious emperor whose name even the demons of hell dared not utter.

According to the legends circulating in Tianmen City, this person was once a hero who accomplished many earth-shattering feats. However, after Xu Ziwei rose to prominence, this person disappeared without a trace, as if he had never existed.

Only now did Wang Yunxiao realize that this person had actually traveled back in time and made such a secret arrangement along the timeline.

But why hasn't even a whisper of it leaked out?

Logically speaking, someone of my rank should have had access to many of the Empire's core secrets, and I'm even currently one of the executors of Project Star Chart, so why have I never heard of this White Tower Dragon Bone...?

Wait, an astrological chart?
A flash of inspiration struck Wang Yunxiao.

Could this be the real Astrology Plan? Or perhaps the core element hidden behind the Star and Compass plans?

From his perspective as an insider, the design of the Dragon Bone Tower coincides with the Star Compass in many ways.

The Star Project requires lighting up twenty-eight constellations, and twenty-eight Dragon Bone Towers need to be built.

Project Compass requires a large military force as a practical anchor point, and Dragonbone Tower also needs elite troops to guard it...

The only difference is that the ultimate goal of the Astrolabe Project is to anchor itself to the current reality, while the Dragonbone Tower aims to be passed down for 2,800 years, locking onto the entire timeline.

So... the astrolabe is just a decoy? A bait to mislead those chaotic creatures in the great tides?

Once the thought arose, it spread uncontrollably through Wang Yunxiao's mind.

He couldn't help but think that way, after all, Xu Ziwei's past fishing record was truly terrifying.

If some kind of virtual credit system is to be established in the future, this woman will definitely not be able to unlock even a shared bicycle.

No, no, no, it can't be a cover-up, the price to pay would be too high. It can only be said that they are two sides of the same coin.

Stars, compass...

Wang Yunxiao walked out of the White Pagoda and looked around blankly.

There was no one around.

With the departure of the last comrade-in-arms, the Imperial Guard's military town also dissipated.

He's still not entirely sure whether it was him or them who disappeared.

The mental pressure is getting heavier and heavier, and the memories in my mind are becoming more and more blurred.

Wang Yunxiao took a few steps forward, looked back, and saw that the white pagoda behind him had also disappeared.

Between heaven and earth, only an endless, desolate desert remains.

How much longer can I hold on? Or is it already over, but I've gone too far to go back?

He stared blankly at the flickering torches on the horizon behind him, and subconsciously turned around and took a step.

puff--

A blood-red spear lay upside down in the desert. Wang Yunxiao barely maintained his last shred of consciousness, tore off his military uniform, and used strips of cloth to tightly bind his hands to the spear shaft.

Then he plopped down on his bottom.

It wasn't that he couldn't continue forward, but he couldn't guarantee that he would remain conscious if he went any further. However, once he lost consciousness and was driven by instinct to move towards the torch, it would mean the anchor point had loosened, and all his previous efforts would be in vain.

I don’t know how long it took.

As the world fell silent, and he gripped his spear tightly, utterly still, a raven swept across the sky, circled three times above his head, and then cautiously landed.

"Why bother?"

The raven's eyes gleamed with wisdom, and it spoke in human language.

"What will you get in return for giving everything for this?"

"What is it about that barbaric and tyrannical warlord, that vast and bloated empire, that is worth sacrificing your life to protect?"

What do they have to do with you?

"Have you never considered, even for just one day, living entirely for yourself?"

Have you ever tasted the sweetness of freedom?

"I wonder if you have any last wishes? I can convey them to you..."

As the raven spoke, it extended its sharp beak and pecked at Wang Yunxiao's eyes.

This is a perfect body, tempered to its limits inside and out. And that foolish female warlord banished such an excellent elite warrior to this dark and chaotic land, all to maintain her vast empire.

How ridiculous.

It had been coveting this body for a long time, and only now, when the young warrior was extremely weak, his spirit almost completely drained by the immense magic, and he had no ability to resist, did it decide to make its move.

That way, there will be no chance of anything going wrong...

Just as it was thinking this, and its beak was only an inch away from pecking out the eyeball and invading the other's mind, a rough, large hand reached out from the side and grabbed it tightly.

"What do you know about freedom?"

Wang Yunxiao snorted coldly, and with a forceful twist, he turned the panicked raven into a lump of minced meat.

"stupid guy!"

After uttering that curse, his last vestiges of consciousness vanished.

…………

beep...beep...

The cold, monotonous electronic sound woke him from his slumber.

He kicked open the hatch of the hibernation pod, sat up abruptly, and gasped for breath in the constant-temperature air inside.

A bright light flashed before my eyes, and a gentle, female, synthesized voice sounded. "Hello, welcome back..."

"Don't talk yet!"

The remaining fragments of memory in my mind vanished as quickly as a dream bubble.

He gritted his teeth, pressed his temples, and tried to preserve the few remaining fragments of his memory.

Astrological chart... Stars...

"Give me paper and pen!"

"I am recording a video of you, tracking your movements. You can use your own finger directly."

Li... what was it again?

The third year of the Ming Dynasty... no, the fourth year...

king……

Anchor!

No, that's not it, I am...

He pounded his head violently, wishing he could rip his brain out and cut it open.

[Anchoring successful!]

"Shut up!"

He roared loudly, but did not notice an injection needle that quietly extended from the side, accurately piercing the back of his head and quickly injecting a tranquilizer, instantly calming him down.

He slept for a long time and had a very long and complicated dream. When he opened his eyes again, he couldn't remember anything.

A camera with a faint red glow above their head emitted a gentle, female, synthesized voice.

"Hello, welcome back to Doomsday Research Base No. 107. I am Qingqiu, the base's central AI control system. Pathfinder ID 22057. You have just returned from a time-traveling journey. Would you like me to retrieve your personal identification information, or..."

"Continue using your current identity?"

"My current identity?"

Before he could react, a virtual screen next to him opened and began playing the footage of his first awakening.

The computer AI interpreted the message he wanted to convey by analyzing his hand gestures.

Those are two words.

Luo Yao.

My name is Luo Yao?

No, that's not a name. What is it again?

"Captain Luo Yao, I sincerely advise you not to continue thinking about this. It will affect your mental state. If you lose control again, I will have to give you a second dose of tranquilizers, which will not do you any good for your health."

Qingqiu gently comforted her, "Your current symptoms of memory confusion are a normal reaction after experiencing time travel. There's no need to force yourself to recall those memories that have been distorted by the tides of time. I suggest you lie down and continue to rest. I will give you a comprehensive physical examination and follow-up medical assistance."

Luo Yao remained silent for a moment, then obediently lay back down in the hibernation pod.

After undergoing a 30-minute physical examination, he was starving. Just then, the door next to him opened, and a robot carrying a tray of food walked up to him.

Millet porridge, pickled mustard greens, and pickled cucumbers.

"..."

"Are the conditions really that harsh?"

"Before you woke up, you had been in a dormant state for at least 20,000 relative system hours. The system detected that your current physical condition is very poor, and you need at least half a month of rehabilitation training. During this period, I will arrange a relatively light and healthy diet for you."

After a pause, Qingqiu added, "Of course, if you don't care about your health, I can also provide you with a new menu."

"Anyway, it's already the end of the world."

That makes perfect sense! Since it's already the end of the world, why bother about living to a ripe old age?

Eat and drink as you please, being happy is the most important thing.

This AI at the doomsday research facility was surprisingly easy to talk to.

"Then I'd like to eat something good."

"We have canned fruit, canned beef, canned pork, canned tuna..."

"Why is it all canned food?"

"There's still frozen meat in the cold storage, but it needs to be thawed. Would you like some frozen salted duck eggs?"

"No, thanks."

It's a doomsday research base, what good food can you expect?

There's no shortage of fresh vegetables, like cucumbers and tomatoes, but it will take time to replant them.

After several days of rehabilitation training, Luo Yao felt that his physical condition had fully recovered, and only then did he remember something.

Qingqiu did not produce his identity information.

They did ask if I wanted to retrieve it, but then there was no follow-up.

When he asked Qingqiu again, he was told, "You can access it at any time if needed, but I don't recommend it."

"What's the reason?"

Why don't you eat frozen salted duck eggs?

"..."

Okay, that's a very convincing reason.

If you can't recall your original identity information, then it's meaningless.

This is the end of the world.

There are no pleasant memories.

However, Luo Yao still insisted on reviewing his own information.

Ten seconds later, an electronic document was transmitted to his personal portable terminal.

Sure enough, it would have been better not to watch it at all.

Originally named Wang Yuqing, he joined the army after graduating from vocational school. After being selected, he entered the 406 Covert Mobile Unit and participated in many special missions overseas. He was awarded the First-Class Merit Citation twice and the Second-Class Merit Citation seven times, which can be described as outstanding achievements.

He has both parents, a younger sister, and owns a house; he is single and unmarried.

Of course, all of this happened before the apocalypse.

Now, the family section has been changed to black and white photos, and he has been transferred from his original unit to the 107th Base to become a member of the "Road Builders" and participate in the final "Reef" project.

Project Reef, later known as Project Anchor, was essentially similar to Project Compass. However, because there were no supernatural powers on this timeline—a so-called "low-martial, low-magic world"—Project Anchor ultimately failed to achieve its intended results.

The world collapsed completely before it could even survive the first great tide.

Human civilization has been destroyed, except for a few barely functioning underground shelters and doomsday bases. Ordinary people cannot even leave the shelters; only a new generation of cyborgs and robots can move freely in the outside world.

However, signs of such activity are decreasing year by year.

Base 107 currently maintains the energy supply and logistical support for the hibernation pods of 1,200 road builders. The original plan was that even if the plan failed, some of the road builders would be able to awaken and provide researchers with valuable data on time travel technology.

Unfortunately, plans can't keep up with changes. To this day, one-third of the hibernators have lost vital signs, and Luo Yao is the only Road Builder member who has awakened. He has not only lost all his memories, but also has to face an empty doomsday base.

(End of this chapter)