Collapse Iron Live Broadcast Connects All Worlds, Scares Away Wuzhan at the Beginning

"That's fine if you want to understand it that way," Heita continued. "It's said that between the creation of the universe and the appearance of the Star God, there was a vast gap. In that gap, mysterious beings called ancient beasts roamed. But after the birth of the Star God, the ancient beasts disappeared. Legend has it that 'Tao Tao' was the last ancient beast to remain, but this claim is currently questionable, and I don't know whether it's true or not."

"As the Black Tower spoke, Xing noticed the landscape around her shifting again—perhaps this meant that Greed had opened its maw again, swallowing her world. This time, the simulated universe had brought her to an ocean... a crimson ocean, warm as blood."

"There's a sweet song coming from the distance."

"Xing subconsciously remained alert. But the sound penetrated her eardrums, like a tiny hand, gently tugging at her nerves. Something was waiting for her at the end of the Red Sea—this realization melted sweetly in her mind like icing sugar."

"Xing tried to resist the song with her mind, but she couldn't control her legs... The water reached her knees. A crack opened at the end of the distant Red Sea, and the song came from that crack."

"I can't help it... I really can't help it... I want to be eaten by Him."

"Suddenly, Xing felt a gentle tap on her shoulder, and the song at the end of the Red Sea disappeared in an instant. The feeling in her head also disappeared, replaced by a sense of relief."

"It must be the Black Tower," Xing said angrily, "could you please come earlier next time if you encounter this kind of situation?"

"Hehe, Xing, I know you're anxious, but don't worry... I also want to observe how humans react after being attracted to [Greed]."

-

The burial of Fulilian.

As the sun set, the bonfire crackled. Fearon huddled closer to the fire, clutching his staff.

"Lady Fulilian, I suddenly feel...we are quite lucky."

"Oh? Why do you think so, Philen?" A smile appeared on Fulilian's lips, her silver hair gleaming a faint orange in the firelight. "Is it because of the Star God?"

"Well, I think we are very, very lucky to live in the same universe as these star gods and to be able to talk to each other like we are now."

Feren gazed up at the twinkling starry sky. "The conflict between [Reproduction] and [Gluttony] alone wiped out two-thirds of the galaxies and civilizations in the universe. Our survival to this day proves that we are part of that one-third. And as part of that one-third, we've survived countless disasters caused by the Star Gods, allowing our civilization to continue to this day."

"Our civilization and magic... are too insignificant in front of the might of the Star God. I feel uneasy when I think that our world might be destroyed by the Star God in a snap of a finger." Philen sighed softly. The embers of the bonfire danced in her eyes, but could not dispel the chill that seeped deep into her bones.

"Phiren." Fulilian added a branch to the fire, sparks crackling and exploding. "To destroy us... those star gods don't even need to 'snap their fingers', right?"

"...At this time, you still have the mind to make such a joke." Philen puffed his lips angrily.

Fulilian chuckled softly and slowly closed the grimoire on her lap. "Phiren, I understand your anxiety, because the current simulation universe shows only chaos and destruction."

"Think about it, just like the opposite of [Destruction] is [Protection], and the opposite of [Abundance] is [Hunting]. The fact that our civilization has survived to this day must be due to the gentle protection of a certain star god. Perhaps it's protection, or perhaps it's harmony... who can say for sure?"

Xutark nodded, half understanding, and uttered an "oh-oh" sound. "I see. Fulilian, what you mean is... even if a Star God wants to bully us, there will definitely be other Star Gods to support us. Is that what you mean?"

"Hmm... about right?"

-

"Suddenly, Xing felt a sharp pain in her brain. Her legs gave way and she slid down like a piece of paper, falling to the beach."

"Countless memories pierced her consciousness like dense needles, stirring up a turbulent current that threatened to sweep her away—a mother holding her child above her head in the sunset glow of a certain planet; researchers smilingly passing data pads along the corridors of a space station; lovers exchanging unfinished vows beneath the neon lights of a ring-shaped city."

"These images were suddenly stretched and distorted, like rays of light thrown into a black hole. She saw every face frozen in front of the huge mouth of [Greed], and billions of "no"s merged into a deafening silence."

“Ahhhhhh!”

"Hiroshi made a sound of pain."

"And [memories]... How strange! You haven't even seen Fu Li, yet countless memories have flooded into your mind." Heita was a little surprised, but quickly regained his usual composure. The memories and pain in Xing's brain only lasted a few seconds before she removed them as if they were some kind of program."

"What happened just now?" Xing rubbed his temple after barely recovering from the pain.

"It's the Fury of Memory. Some say the destiny of Memory emerged during this catastrophe, preserving the moment of the stars' demise. It makes sense—but too much so, it sounds like something invented by a fictional historian. Regardless, I'm a little interested."

-

DC Universe.

"Ms. Black Tower's point of view...the birth of the Star God is too reasonable and therefore seems false." Bruce Wayne frowned, a hint of confusion in his low voice. "So she means that the birth of the Star God is unreasonable?"

Alfred stood nearby with a tea tray, the silver tray reflecting the orange light.

"Young Master, with all due respect, judging from what we know about [Intelligence] and [Reproduction], the birth of a Star God does indeed involve a certain amount of drama—a drama that often contradicts common sense and is even more accidental than human fiction."

"It's hard to imagine that the god who seeks to understand the universe was just a computer before. The star god who controls the concept of cosmic reproduction was no different from the coleoptera in our garden before ascending... Compared to this, the birth of the destiny of [Memory] is so routine."

"Previously, the Daily Planet published a feature article that shared some information about Star Gods. The author believed that the emergence of Star Gods was a gradual process—like a long journey along a specific destiny. Becoming a Star God is a matter of walking far enough and long enough on that path."

"But just from the perspective of [reproduction]... it's not that difficult at all. Becoming a Star God happens in a split second. One second, it's just an ordinary insect, and the next... it's the Insect King in charge of [reproduction] throughout the universe."

Chapter 273 Simulated Universe: Locust Plague (VIII)

"Xing gazed at the barren land in the distance. A fierce wind blew gravel against her worn armor. At her feet, a deep beast towered like a mountain, its colorful scales gleaming like a cold metal in the dim starlight."

"What's happening to me..." Xing looked up at the sky, a dark swarm of insects covering the entire sky.

"You are now a traveler on the path of [Greedy], an orc," Black Tower said slowly. "Greedy, with his boundless appetite, disappeared in the locust plague. No one knows whether he is dead or alive, or why he disappeared. I hope... I can glimpse some clues from his followers."

"As soon as he finished speaking, Xing saw the giant beast beneath him slowly raise its head."

"It opened its mouth slowly, yet it froze time for the entire swarm. That gaping maw seemed to have opened a chasm in the universe, revealing the swirling nebulae and black holes within."

"The sea of ​​insects began to distort."

"The darkness seemed to be stirred by an invisible hand, forming a huge whirlpool, and the end of the whirlpool was the throat of the Abyss Beast. Like the sea water flowing back, the sea of ​​insects in the sky was "sucked" into the Abyss Beast's mouth. In just a few breaths, the insect swarm that once covered the sky disappeared without a trace."

"But the insect swarm quickly expanded again at a speed visible to the naked eye. However, this time, the abyssal beast closed its mouth and refused to open it again."

"A beast favored by Greed shouldn't be in this state."

"Xing arrived at the foot of the Abyssal Beast. The giant creature slowly lowered its head, its golden pupils reflecting Xing's tiny figure. In that instant, Xing seemed to see for the first time a strange emotion in those eyes, which always burned with the flames of hunger—satisfaction."

"Then, the Abyss Beast let out a deep, comfortable burp."

"It's satisfied," Black Tower's tone sounded incredibly incredulous. "Could it be that Greed, with its boundless appetite, has also been sated? Although he had never feasted so lavishly before the locust plague, using two-thirds of the universe to satisfy the appetite of a Star God... truly insane."

"As Heita spoke, Xing suddenly felt her hands and feet suspended by invisible, gossamer-like strings, as if someone were manipulating her like a puppet."

"The hissing of insects, the growling of abyssal beasts, the wailing of a madwoman... the frenzy and anxiety mingled with the memories all quieted in an instant. It was as if someone had plucked the strings of the universe, erasing all the noise, leaving only clear chords resonating in the void."

"This is an absolute, indisputable... order."

"Wow—" Black Tower's eyes shone, as if he had discovered a diamond. "It's Taiyi of Order. He has finally appeared. Do you remember? How it felt when you were being watched on the Wartworm Star? That gaze came from Him."

““In the era before His fall, His brilliance was as holy as a pearl! What did I say? Now that Nanook is gone, the ancient order and destiny are suppressing many disasters—””

-

Absolute Zone Zero.

"I now have reason to believe that the existence of Order is more like a self-protection mechanism." Yue Chengliu adjusted his glasses. "When the destruction in the universe crosses a certain red line and affects the fate of Order, this ancient and powerful Star God will take action."

"So next...we can see...a war between the star gods?" Asaba Yuma sat up straight from his seat with a "swoosh".

"Probably, but if, as the Black Tower said, [Greed] disappeared in the locust plague, then the only Star Gods who have appeared now are [Order] and [Fertility]. These two Star Gods are definitely dead... Could it be that both sides will suffer losses?"

Yue Chengliu believed that even though the Star Gods were out of reach for them and existed in a higher dimension, she believed that even between Star Gods, there was an absolute gap in strength.

The closer to the concept of "primordial," the more ancient the Star Gods, the more powerful they might possess, such as Taiyi, Zhongmo, Klipper... and [Greedy] Oboros. She found it hard to imagine that the clash between [Order] and [Fertility] would lead to the fall of Order. A third Star God must have intervened, interfering with the outcome of this divine war.

The wall was built, and Greed disappeared. There was too little information about the final outcome to be known. Yue Chengliu pondered for a moment and felt that happiness was the only thing that could influence the outcome of the war.

As an ancient star god, [Joy] Aha also possesses great power, but Aha, who follows this destiny, regards all beings in the universe as a game, and everything is just a means to please him. Will this seemingly unreliable star god really intervene in this war of gods himself?

Yuecheng Liu was skeptical.

"Liu, I think... we can't use human thinking and ideas to speculate on the considerations of the Star Gods. This is very unrealistic." Yu Zhen suddenly spoke up. "Humans can't stand at a higher dimension and perspective like the Star Gods and see the whole situation. Our thinking is often limited."

"So, the most important thing right now... is for you, Deputy Section Chief, to sit back and enjoy this divine battle with us. Star God versus Star God—a spectacle you might not get to witness once in several lifetimes."

-

"Let me deduce His voice. Okay, here it comes!" The Black Tower cried out in anticipation—hearing the voice of Order here was truly a pleasant surprise."

"Like the inscription of some mysterious rune, countless voices converged into a stream, flowing into Xing's mind without explanation—"

“Those who disturb the world must not be allowed to survive, and the greedy must not live. Chaos, cunning and ever-changing, is the filthy dust of the universe.”

"Order is absolutely just, righteous, and beautiful. The polysyllables are as majestic as an army, and within them lies a law that cannot be ignored."

"And the extra syllables in His voice represent the empires, city-states, and civilizations that rose and fell in order under His control, in accordance with predetermined eras. They are the insignificant sighs left behind by trillions of 'corrections'."

Chapter 274 Simulated Universe: Locust Plague (Part 9)

"Black Tower, when the locust plague struck, didn't any civilization attempt to resist?"

"In Xing's opinion, the locust plague is indeed terrifying, but the spread of this disaster is too 'smooth'. Historically, locust plagues have only lasted a few Amber Ages. To sweep across the entire universe over a few hundred years is beyond the simple description of 'crushing with ease'."

"I understand what you mean, Xing, but the fact you raise this question only shows that you don't have a deep understanding of the concept of 'reproduction'. ——Of course, I can't blame you. After all, incorporating inorganic life into the scope of 'reproduction' is indeed something beyond common sense."

-

Teyvat, Mondstadt.

Inside a cave somewhere in the Dragon Ridge Snow Mountain, an alchemy table glowed with a faint blue light. Sugar was intently recording Ms. Black Tower's speech, occasionally glancing up at her teacher, who was concentrating on her experiments, a look of confusion on her face.

"Organic life? Inorganic life?" Sugar stopped writing and tried to understand these two unfamiliar words that were similar but had completely opposite meanings.

"Maybe it refers to living objects and inanimate objects?" Albedo put down the test tube in his hand and explained lightly.

Sucrose adjusted her glasses, which had slipped down, and the ice crystals on the lenses fell off. "But, Mr. Albedo, Ms. Kurita said that if inanimate objects are included in the scope of [reproduction], doesn't that mean that even objects like stones and machines can reproduce like small animals? That's too..."

...It's too unreasonable.

After witnessing the locust plague that devastated countless planets, Sugar had formed a preliminary understanding of its severity. The content was still within her comprehension. But allowing inorganic matter to "reproduce"... she understood each word individually, but the whole thing was baffling.

If it were to create life from inorganic matter, even Albedo, who was extremely knowledgeable in alchemy, could do it, but making stone give birth to stone, or machine give birth to machine...

"Teacher Albedo, is this really possible?"

Albedo's expression was thoughtful. "If we could create life from chalk (the material of the original humans) and then give that life the ability to reproduce, that's possible using alchemy. But as long as reproduction is possible, having 'life' is an indispensable prerequisite."

"[Reproduction] without life... Sorry, Sugar, I can't imagine what that would be like."

-

Honkai Impact 3rd.

"puff--!"

During lunch time at St. Freya Academy, when Kiana heard Ms. Heita talk about the ability of inorganic life to [reproduce], she almost spit out the milk in her mouth.

"Inorganic life? Aren't they just machines? Could robots give birth? How is that even possible?" Kiana wiped the milk from the corner of her mouth. She briefly imagined two robots breeding to produce a small robot... the image was truly a bit abstract.

"...It's really hard to imagine." Ji Zi beside her also showed an expression of disbelief. "It's not uncommon for inorganic life to possess intelligence, but the ability to reproduce is unique to organic life. Combining the organic and inorganic... sounds a lot like the magic in novels."

Mei put down her chopsticks and closed her lunch box, which she had barely touched due to nausea. She glanced at the dense swarm of insects on the sky. "But I think the very act of 'making humans give birth to insects' is very much like magic."

"But there is a world of difference between organic life and inorganic life—"

Just as Jizi was about to continue, she heard Kiana exclaim, "Wow!" It turned out that the Black Tower had switched the scene in the simulated universe again, and this time, Xing was in a factory.

Looking at the various brand-new weapons and equipment displayed outside the factory, Ji Zi deduced that this was a military factory of a certain civilization in the universe.

Xing stood in front of the factory's open door and heard the roar of machinery inside. But strangely, a steady stream of insects flew out of the factory windows, flapping their wings and soaring into the sky.

As Tianmu's perspective followed Xing into the factory, Kiana subconsciously covered her mouth.

On the one hand, she was shocked, and on the other hand, she didn't want to spit out the milk she had just drunk.

Swarms of insects rustled down from the mechanical arms—with each closing of the fine steel stamping dies, dozens of different species of insects were "born." These dies were clearly made from various mechanical and steel artifacts, but in the moment they closed... it was as if a god had kissed the iron, turning it into rotten flesh, twisting inorganic life into hideous creatures.

The deeper Xing went into the factory, the weirder the scene became:

On the automatic assembly table, the robot that was supposed to install the gun trigger was embedding insect eggs into the rifle rifling.

The pipes on the top of the factory seemed to have become the intestines of some giant insect. Not only did they drip mucus, but they also "laid" a group of eggs covered in mucus from the valves every few minutes. These eggs quickly hatched into insects within tens of seconds of leaving the production line, and then began to gnaw on everything nearby that could be bitten.

The entire military factory seemed to have turned into a nest of insects, with countless Zergs born from the assembly line - even though their original material was just cold iron.

"How could they even do something like this? A Star God is too outrageous, isn't he? It's fine if humans are bugs, but how could machines also turn into bugs?!" Kiana pointed at the automatically moving mold in the skylight. "It's clearly made of iron! It's not insect eggs or anything, so why are bugs coming out?!"

"It seems that this is the true manifestation of the power of [breeding]..." Ji Zi looked solemnly at the insects filling the factory. "Star God... It seems that this is also a topic that must be studied immediately."

-

"How's that? Pretty impressive, huh?" Black Tower chuckled. "I told you before, manipulating organic life's reproduction is only a partial manifestation of Taizi Yulos's power."

“Under His power, He can even change the concept of ‘reproduction,’ changing all notions of reproduction and replication to ‘producing insects,’ so that all living things can only produce insects, and mechanical manufacturing can only produce insects, even down to the microscopic cellular level—”

"—Stop, stop, stop!" Xing interrupted her quickly, "If he was so powerful, why did he fall?"

"Because his conflict with [Greed] has such a profound impact, it has already affected the fates of other Star Gods—especially the newly emerged [Order] Taiyi. Existing documents show him strictly upholding the order of the universe. To him, [Greed] and [Fertility] are merely disruptors, so he must put an end to this chaos."