The Wizard of Truth: Starting with Analyzing All Things

The “broken line,” which Ai Rui calls “bleeding,” originates from a “locked,” “polluted,” or “malicious” source deep within the “Ten Thousand Structures Hub” facility. The “journey” within it is far more than any spatial traversal or dimensional leap that Luo Wei and his companions have ever experienced before.

It is a more fundamental, more chaotic, more unstable, rule-based, informational "reverse flow" and "tracing back".

When the last vestige of the collective, the rule-based, informational, and "light" imprint, struggles to sink backwards into that dark silver torrent of madness, self-conflict, annihilation, yet stubbornly attempting to "grow" and "pollute" outwards, the rule-based, informational, "noise" and "fragments" they experience, they are subjected to an extreme pain and chaos—an existence itself, the rule-based, informational being forcibly "decomposed," "assimilated," and "reverse-analyzed."

It is no longer the absolute, uniform, regular, informative, and cold "constancy" of "stillness," but a dynamic, violent, mutually negating, regular, informative, "entropy increase" and "logical collapse," turbulent, deadly, and informative "countercurrent." This "countercurrent" itself is the most primitive, violent, and chaotic "manifestation" and "state of existence" that leaks from the "root" of that "broken line," which is "locked," regular, informative, "polluted" or "malicious."

In this "countercurrent," every moment, countless "fragments" and "noises" representing conflicting rules, logical contradictions, and information annihilation—dark silver, deep purple, and even more indescribable, ominous colors—are like the sharpest, most chaotic, and most vicious "blades" and "venom" of information, frantically impacting, cutting, eroding, and attempting to "cover" and "assimilate" this condensed, weak, rule-based, informational "mark" of "light."

The newly stabilized "crystal cluster" structure of the three-ringed star speaker's soul was once again subjected to unimaginable, regulated, informational pressure. He must push his initial understanding and ability to guide the rules to the extreme to analyze the relatively stable or regular, rule-based, informational, fragmented, superficial, flowing "direction" and "frequency" within the oncoming "countercurrent" of information. Then, with great difficulty, he must guide and deflect his own "imprinted," rule-based, informational, and resonant self to "match" the flow of those fragments. It's like maneuvering a small boat of ideas that could fall apart at any moment in a stormy, informational torrent filled with deadly undercurrents, "drifting with the current," yet maintaining the most core, "existing" "direction" and "anchor"—that is, always "tracing" back to the deepest, most essential "gravitation" or "echo" of this "countercurrent," the rule-based, informational "source."

This requires his three-ringed, rule-based, rational, and icy calculation and judgment abilities to be constantly operating at overload. Each "analysis" and "guidance" causes his soul's "crystal cluster" structure to feel as if it is being repeatedly crushed and meshed by invisible, most precise, rule-based, informational "gears," resulting in sharp, rule-based, informational, excruciating pain and numbness. He can "feel" that the pale golden, rule-based cracks on the surface of his soul's "crystal cluster" are becoming more "profound" and "dimmed" at a slow but steady pace, as if they are being slowly "worn down" and "eroded" by this "reverse flow of information."

Ai Rui's state was even more bizarre and dangerous. Her hands, tightly gripping the Star Key and the "Fire Seed" crystal, had become the most important, rule-based, informational "anchor" and "hub" that held this "mark" from being instantly dispersed. Her harmonizing power was no longer merely "protection" and "buffering," but was forced to engage in a deeper, rule-based, informational "resonance," "analysis," and even... a certain degree of "imitation" and "fusion" with this "reverse flow of information" itself.

She could "see," or rather, was forced to "receive," the flowing, orderly, informational, and "polluted" essence within this "broken line"—a terrifying "collection" of information filled with "hunger," "rage," "self-denial," and "logical paradox," yet within the depths of extreme chaos lay a cold, inanimate, and terrifying will to "exist," based on the rules of pure "entropy increase" and "information annihilation." Her conciliatory qualities, faced with this extreme, orderly, informational conflict and chaos, were like a porous sponge thrown into strong acid, passively and frantically "absorbing," "filtering," and "attempting to understand," yet inevitably "polluted" and "eroded."

In her "vision," at the center of the wildly spinning, multicolored, orderly, and informational "vortex," more and more dark silver, cold, logical, and informational "lines" and "structures" representing the underlying rules of the "Hyperstructure of All Things" began to appear. However, most of these "lines" and "structures" were broken, distorted, self-conflicting, or covered and eroded by deep purple informational "stains" filled with an aura of "chaos" and "annihilation." She could "feel" that her orderly and informational "connections" with the Star Key, the "Spark" crystal, Luo Wei, and everyone else were being constantly "stretched," "diluted," and "interfered" by this terrifying external informational "backflow" and "contamination," becoming intermittent and blurry, as if they would be completely severed at any moment.

Verna and Annie completely abandoned proactive, rule-based, informational perception and computation. Their entire focus was on maintaining, strengthening, and optimizing the rule-based, informational "structural stability" and "interference resistance" of the "imprint" constructed by Lovi and Airi. Utilizing the cold, absolute, and mathematical theoretical framework of information structure stability, noise resistance, and dynamic path optimization from the universal knowledge base of the "Universal Structure Hub," combined with the construction concept of "Engineering Spark," they frantically "weaved" and "reinforced" invisible, rule-based, informational "channels," "shock absorbers," "filters," and "redundancy check codes" on the basis of Lovi and Airi's rule-based, informational resonance. They attempted to make this "small boat" sail more "stable" and "longer" in the "countercurrent" of information, reducing unnecessary rule-based, informational energy loss and structural damage.

Lilith, Anderson, and the unconscious Barton and Lena had their consciousness further "encapsulated" and "protected" within the core, most stable area of ​​this "imprint," like a precious, final backup of their "life" and "memories" placed in a life pod, minimizing the direct impact of external, regulatory, and informational shocks and contamination. Even so, they could vaguely "feel" the slowly intensifying, cold, sluggish, dissolving, excruciating pain originating from the depths of their souls, from the physical and spiritual trauma following the failure of "stasis," and... the terrifying pressure brought on by the external, regulatory, and informational "reverse flow," a pressure that suffocated and drove them mad, a pressure of "chaos," "disorder," and "self-denial."

The "journey" has continued for an unknown period of time in absolute, orderly, informational, chaotic, painful, slow, irreversible, "wear-down" and "erosion." It may have been just a fleeting moment, or it may have been as long as eternity.

Just as Luo Wei's soul "crystal cluster" began to show subtle, regular, informational, and structural signs of "fatigue" and "overheating" due to the continuous overload of "analysis" and "guidance"; just as Ai Rui's harmonizing power began to become "turbid" and "sluggish" due to passively absorbing too much chaotic, regular, and informational "pollution," the color of the "vortex" in her eyes became increasingly strange and unstable, as if it would completely lose control and be "assimilated" at any moment; just as the regular, informational, and "reinforced" structure constructed by Verna and Annie began to show subtle, regular, informational "distortion" and "vibration" at the limit, like the "distortion" and "vibration" produced by a precision instrument under strong electromagnetic interference—

Ahead, in the depths of that eternally dark, chaotic, information-filled "noise" and "countercurrent," orderly, informational "channel," without warning, a point appeared... a completely different "light."

That was not the "Abyss," but a dark silver and deep purple, inert glow filled with the will to "devour."

It is neither the uniform, stable, cold, dark silver, regular, informational, nor the luster of the underlying "material" that is "between stillness and stagnation".

It is not within this "broken line," but within that chaotic, conflicting, annihilating, dark silver, orderly, informational "noise" and "pollution," dazzling, unstable, and distorted light.

It was a purer, more "reserved," more "stable" radiance, yet it exuded an indescribable glow that transcended "coldness" and "rationality," bordering on "sadness" and "heaviness"—a gentle, constant, pale golden, rule-based, informative glow.

This radiance, like a faint yet incredibly resilient and ancient, orderly, informational "eternal lamp" lit at the bottom of an abyss of absolute darkness, chaos, and information, quietly and steadily radiates its orderly, informational "light" and "existence."

The instant they sensed that faint golden glow, the Star Key in Luo Wei's arms, and the "Light of Civilization," "Spark of Engineering," and "Fountain of Life" crystals tightly held by Ai Rui, suddenly and violently "pulsated" within them—the last remaining, primordial, rule-based, and informational resonance that had long since dimmed and almost fallen silent!

That was neither a warning of danger nor an explosion of energy.

Rather, it is a kind of "resonance" and "call" that seems to have been separated for billions of years, of the same origin, of rules, of information, and after crossing unimaginable barriers of time and space and rules, at the bottom of this despairing, informational abyss, that once again, faintly, yet with unparalleled clarity, "encounters" and "confirms"**!

"It's...it's the 'light' of the 'Cradle'?!" Verna's thoughts, on the level of rules and information, uttered an incredulous, trembling "exclamation"!

"No...not exactly the same...but...of the same origin! Even...ancient! Even...'essence'!" Anne's thoughts were filled with shock.

In Luo Wei's eyes, the two dim, regular "star vortexes" that had been overexerted suddenly lit up at this moment! His more fundamental rule perception at the third ring level allowed him to "see" more!

That pale golden, regular, informational radiance, its essential, regular, rhythmic, and structural qualities resonate with the "source seed" within the Star Key, with the "record" imprint of the "Light of Civilization," and with the "construction" concept of the "engineering spark." It transcends specific forms of civilization, touching upon something more fundamental, more "originating," regular, informational, and possessing a "homogeneous" and "resonant" quality!

Just like... the same extinct, cosmic-level "giant tree" of "knowledge" and "ideas," whose branches were "broken" off at different times, in different places, by different civilizations, and in different ways. Although their forms, functions, and even "activity" are vastly different, their core xylem's "annual rings," cellular structural sequences, and genetic "information" codes still retain the indelible, regular, and informative "imprints" originating from the same "mother tree"!

"It is... another 'spark'... or rather... an older, more complete, and... more 'dormant,' homologous, rule-based, informational 'beacon' or 'core'!" Luo Wei's thoughts carried an unprecedented, rule-based, rational, cold, yet irrepressible... excitement and shock!

"It...is at the 'root' of this 'broken line'? Or rather...something that is 'enveloped, 'eroded,' or even... 'locked' by the 'source of contamination' of this 'line'?!"

This discovery is like a thunderbolt dropped into the abyss of despair, darkness, and information—a thunderbolt that can illuminate everything, yet also overturn everything.

They had always believed that this "broken line" connected to a "root" deep within the "Ten Thousand Structures Hub" facility—a pure, rule-based, informational, "faulty" or "cursed" entity filled with "malice" and "contamination."

But now it seems that this "root" may itself be a... ancient, more precious, rule-based, informational "beacon" or "core" that has been "polluted" and "eroded" from the same source as the "cradle" civilization!

It is a "remain" or "sample" of an "ember" from an earlier era, which the ancient civilization "Wan Gou Ji Shu" captured, studied, and attempted to "decipher" or "utilize" before its demise, but ultimately failed, and may even have caused some kind of "contamination" or "disaster" for itself as a result!

"Speed ​​up! Towards that 'light'!" Luo Wei's thoughts were filled with an unquestionable and resolute determination!

Without needing to say more, everyone's will, rules, information, and will were unified, cohesive, and resonated in an unprecedented way at this moment! They were no longer merely passively "going with the flow," but began to actively guide and accelerate towards that pale golden direction of rules, information, and radiance, struggling but with unwavering determination as they "rushed" towards it!

The resistance against the "countercurrent" seemed to have grown even stronger. The surrounding dark silver, orderly, informational "noise" and "pollution" seemed to "sense" their goal, becoming even more violent and chaotic, trying to prevent them from approaching that wisp of pale golden "light." But at this moment, this condensed, cradle-like "mark," spurred on by its clear goal, erupted with a final, tenacious, orderly, informational "resilience" and "penetrating power"!

finally--

After traversing the last, viscous, malevolent, informational, "sludge-like," orderly, informational, and polluted area—

Suddenly, everything became clear!

No, it is not "cheerful" in the physical sense.

Rather, it is a change in rules, information, environment, essence, and dramatic change!

That eternally dark, chaotic, rule-bound, informational "channel," filled with "countercurrents" and "noise," suddenly vanished.

Instead, there is a relatively "stable," "empty," "quiet," regular, informational, spherical space**.

This space is much smaller than the previous "Stillness Space," with a diameter of only about 100 meters. Its "walls" are not the dark silver, regular, informational, and foundational "material" of the "Myriad Structures and Pivots," but a more dense, more "inert," dark gray, regular, informational, "crystal" or "amber"-like material, a unified state of matter-energy-information, a "barrier" or "shell."

Within this dark gray "shell," countless dark silver, orderly, informational "chains," "veins," and "tentacles," filled with an aura of "erosion" and "pollution," are like the roots and blood vessels of the most vicious parasites, deeply embedded, entwined, and piercing this "shell," constantly releasing and infusing it with a chaotic, conflicting, annihilating, orderly, informational "pollution" and "noise." It is precisely one of the finest branches of these "chains" and "veins" that extends out to form the orderly, informational "channel" of the "broken line" they just traversed.

And at the very center of this spherical space, encased and protected by a "polluted," dark gray "shell"—

Silently suspended, a multifaceted sphere about ten meters in diameter, its entire body exuding a warm, restrained, yet constant, gentle, pale golden, regular, informative, radiant, and standard quality.

This pale golden, multifaceted sphere is not smooth; instead, its surface is covered with countless extremely fine, complex, precise, and ineffable patterns, runes, and geometric structures—three-dimensional, pale golden, regular patterns that contain ineffable, regular, and informational beauty and harmony. These patterns and structures flow, flicker, and breathe slowly, at a speed that transcends the conventional concept of time, emitting a constant, pale golden, regular, and informational radiance.

And at the very center of the sphere, through the translucent, pale golden, regular "shell," one can vaguely see an even smaller, yet brighter, more "essential," pale golden, regular, informational "light core," slowly rotating and pulsating, like... a sleeping, regular, informational "heart."

This is the source of that pale golden glow!

A “beacon” or “core” that is deeply “embedded” and “eroded” by the “chains” of “myriad structures”, filled with “pollution”, rules, and information, yet still stubbornly maintains its most core, pale golden, rule-based, informational “existence” and “radiance”—an ancient, homogeneous “beacon” or “core”!

"It's it..." Airi's thoughts, filled with indescribable, complex emotions, allowed her to "see" even more details—on the surface of the pale golden sphere, countless warm, harmonious pale golden "lines" representing the shared rules of the "Cradle," were deeply intertwined, clashing, and mutually "eroding" each other with the cold, malevolent, dark silver "chains" and "tentacles" representing the polluting rules of the "Myriad Structures Hub." This created a tragic, magnificent, yet strangely orderly, informative, balanced, silent, and warlike scene. And the pale golden "light core" at the sphere's core, though still "shining," had a pulsating frequency so low it was almost imperceptible, as if it might completely... "stop beating" at any moment.

"We...have arrived..." Luo Wei's thoughts were filled with exhaustion, shock, and...an unprecedented heaviness. He could "feel" the regular, resonant information emanating from this pale golden sphere, creating an unprecedentedly strong, clear, "synchronized," and "resonant" connection with the Star Key and the "Fire Seed" crystal! But at the same time, he also "felt" the same intense, clear, and suffocating "malice" and "pressure" emanating from the dark silver, polluted "chains" and "tentacles" deeply embedded in the sphere—a pressure filled with a "corrosive" and "assimilating" will, regular, and informational!

They found the "root".

But this is neither the "exit" nor the "keyhole".

This is a "grave"** of homogeneity, a "beacon", a final, dormant, rule-based, informational entity, that has been "polluted" and "eroded".

And they, this faint "cradle" of fire, this "mark," are now suspended inside this "tomb," less than ten meters directly in front of the pale golden sphere.

Silently, they gazed at that sleeping, pale golden, regular, informative "heart."

silence.

Deathly, orderly, informative, silent.

Only the pale golden sphere, with its extremely slow, regular, informative, pulsating glow, and the surrounding dark silver chains and tendrils, which, equally slowly but with an ominous, regular, informative, erosive, and writhing motion, silently recount this regular, informative, silent war that has lasted for countless millennia.

Then--

Just as Luo Wei and the others were still reeling from the shocking sight and pondering their next move (whether to try to "purify" the "chains," try to "awaken" the "heart," or... search for other "cracks" or "exits" within the "shell")—

The core, the light core, of that pale golden sphere that had been quietly and slowly pulsating, suddenly and violently jerked without warning!

An unprecedented, clear, and intense thought, filled with indescribable sorrow, weariness, protectiveness, and... a trace, extremely faint, regular, and informative "expectation" and "confirmation," swept over them like a final, profound "gaze" and "sigh" from an ancient deity who had slumbered for billions of years, in its final, final burst of light. Silently yet immensely, it enveloped and pierced through their faint "mark"!

Immediately following, a calm, ancient, weary, yet transcendent, rational, gentle masculine voice, not through sound or thought, but through a more essential, direct, rule-based, informative "resonance" and "imprint," clearly resonated in the deepest, most core, rule-based, informative "structure" of everyone's soul:

"Detected... a fragment of a 'spark' from the same origin... resonance..."

"Detected... 'Source Species'... Imprint..."

"Detected...external...high concentration of 'chaos-order' mixed contamination...eroding the sample...**"

"Meets the... preset 'Final Guardian Protocol'... minimum privileges... trigger conditions...**"

"...those who came after..."

"I am... the guardian of the ancient civilization of the 'Cradle'... the 'Garden of Origins'... the lost beacon... the 'Core of Eden'... codename... 'The Watcher'...**"

"I...have...slept...here...79,421...Standard Era..."

"The 'Hydraulic Mechanism'...attempts to...disassemble and assimilate...my essence...in order to perfect its...ultimate 'order' model...leading to...a backlash from the rules...and...the infiltration of pollution from the 'chaos' side...**"

"With my last strength, I seal myself here... constructing an 'eternal stillness'... force field... to slow... erosion... and wait...**"

"...Perhaps never to come...of the same origin...awakening...and...purification..."

"You... carrying the 'key'... and the 'sample'... have arrived here... to prove... that the prophetic moment... may be... drawing near...**"

"However... my power... is almost exhausted... the 'static' force field... is about to... completely collapse... the external 'contamination'... is about to... complete... its final... assimilation..."

"You... don't have much time left..."

"In accordance with... the Final Guardian Protocol of the Court of Origins... I will... grant... the following permissions... to eligible... newcomers..."

"I. Obtain...the 'Core of Eden'...sealed within...part of the original theoretical model...and...technical blueprints...regarding the true origin of the 'Cradle' civilization, the essence of the 'Source Seed,' and...the ultimate conflict against 'Order-Chaos'...(partially encrypted)**"

"II. Obtaining... 'Wan Gou Ji Shu'... regarding the... erosion process... partial... monitoring records... and... rule conflict analysis... (severely damaged)**"

"III. Request...a one-time, low-power...'Eden' Harmony Field...resonance guidance...attempt...to stabilize your current...state of existence...and...briefly shield...partial...perception of external 'contamination'...(duration...extremely short)**"

"IV. Obtain...pointing to...possibly still existing...other...not completely eroded...'Garden of Origins'...secondary beacon...or...'Cradle' previous civilization's...other legacy...last...encrypted coordinates...index... (Unlocking requires...higher privileges...or...completion of...specific...purification verification...)"

"warn……"

"Information transmission...and force field guidance...will accelerate...my...final...silence...and...the...complete...outbreak...of 'contamination'...**"

"Please...those who come after...**"

"……quick decision……"