The afterlife blew up Gensokyo

This little object looks extremely exquisite. On the front, there are three pointers of different lengths rotating inside. Every day at a fixed time, when the pointers point to the same point, a sound with almost identical frequency will be emitted from inside the object.

After carefully removing the back cover and seeing the dense and complex mechanical structure inside, she immediately gained a deeper understanding of the prosperity of that era.

At least in her current era, no one could possibly manufacture such an exquisite device... Although she still hasn't figured out the specific function of this intricately constructed little object, or what the three constantly rotating pointers on the front represent.

Is the only purpose of such an intricately constructed object, composed of hundreds of tiny parts, to make a sound at fixed times each day?

Do not make jokes.

"Previous research revealed a device at the back that could adjust the volume of the sound... Could it be some kind of weapon that can attack with sound? But its power is almost negligible... Is something missing?"

The girl picked up the small object and examined it, pondering it in her mind.

The most plausible deduction in her mind is that this intricately constructed little object likely serves as the core of some powerful weapon.

"Unfortunately, those things weren't in this box..."

With a sigh of regret, the girl put down the small item in her hand and looked at the last thing stored in the box.

It was an ordinary, unremarkable seed.

However, the items that could be placed in this box were far from ordinary... That's what the girl thought.

"Alright, let's test what this seed can grow into..."

The girl pressed her finger to her brow and buried the seed in the ground. Just as she was about to go inside to find something to water the seed, it began to grow rapidly.

Not much time had passed when a semi-circular, yellowish-brown object (creature?) with black eyes emerged from the ground. On the head of this creature (?), there was a circular device resembling a lever.

"...What is this?"

The girl, who was about to get up, was stunned as she looked at the somewhat cute object that had emerged from the ground.

After thinking for a moment, the girl, who didn't sense any danger from the creature in front of her, reached out her hand. But just as her hand touched the cute yellow creature...

"boom!!!"

So-called art is actually an explosion.

..................................................................

"Are the creations left over from the ancient mythological period said to have originated in this area?"

Looking down at the quiet valley below, a strange light flashed in the girl's eyes.

Although she was blown up by the strange creature that grew from the seed a few days ago, it clearly did not extinguish her enthusiasm for studying the ancient mythological era. On the contrary, it made her curiosity even stronger.

So after learning that there might be artifacts from the ancient mythological era unearthed in this place, she rushed here without stopping.

She wasn't the only one who was curious about that ancient mythological era and studied the gods and monsters of that time.

A few days ago, a huge earthquake struck here, which opened up this deep valley, and some strange things appeared inside it.

To be honest, the environment in this deep valley is not friendly at all. It is not only dark and damp, but also home to some dangerous creatures that have no sense of reason.

However, these were not major problems for the girl herself, and it didn't take long for her to reach the bottom of the deep valley.

"It's getting colder and colder, and the further we go, the more the temperature drops..."

Looking at the thin layer of frost on her clothes, she frowned slightly, used her spiritual power to create a protective shield, and walked towards the deepest part of the valley.

After her body seemed to pass through a bubble-like barrier, the girl arrived in a brightly lit hall.

When she saw the scene in the hall, she was clearly stunned.

In the very center of the hall stood a huge block of black ice, and in the very middle of that block of ice, a figure could be vaguely seen.

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Chapter Twenty-Three: The Protagonist Buried in the Ground

Amidst a violent jolt, as if waking from a deep dream, Shi Bai opened his eyes with a splitting headache.

...Then, just in time, he saw someone covering him with dirt.

After exchanging glances with the girl with long white hair for a moment, the girl paused slightly before continuing to pile a shovelful of dirt on him, her face expressionless.

"Looks like it's come back to life."

Shi Bai: "..."

Three minutes later, sitting at the bamboo table in front of this quiet bamboo forest, Shi Bai rubbed his forehead with a headache due to the aftereffects of his long sleep.

"The water you want."

The girl placed a glass of water directly in front of him and sat down in front of him, scrutinizing him from head to toe with a critical look.

"Where are you from?"

"Shouldn't I be the one asking this kind of question?"

After taking a sip of water, Shi Bai sighed helplessly.

"What time is it now? How did you find me? How did you get into that place? And why did you bury me?"

“Two weeks ago, I found you frozen in ice deep in a valley that had been cracked by an earthquake, and then I brought you back.”

After frowning slightly, the girl answered.

"Hmm, so you mean you dug me out and were able to get into that kind of place... Then why did you bury me again?"

Touching his chin, Shi Bai asked the girl in front of him a question.

"It's been sitting there for half a month. It would have smelled bad if it hadn't been buried. Plus, it takes up space and is in the way."

The girl turned her head away, her face expressionless.

"It's your turn to introduce yourself."

"Hmph, it seems that you, a mere innate deity, still haven't figured out just how great an existence is before you right now."

With his arms crossed, Shi Bai let out a cold laugh.

"Before you stands an eternal being, who has lived from the endless ages of antiquity to the present. I only managed to seal myself away after much difficulty. So please show me some respect, brat,"

Why freeze yourself up? Is it because you're so bored you have nothing better to do?

Although her facial expression remained unchanged, the girl's words clearly carried a hint of disdain.

"Yeah, it's incredibly boring. Ever since they all fell into a deep sleep, I really don't know what to do. I can't fall asleep, and I can't die. It's so boring."

With a sigh of deep emotion, the person's words were filled with a sense of world-weariness and... the frustration of recalling the past.

"Otherwise, why do you think I went to all that trouble to seal myself away? I'm not a masochist, but back then I couldn't even find anyone to talk to, damn it!!!"

"...I already had a guess about your origins and identity. After all, judging from the cave I discovered, you have been sleeping inside for at least tens of millions of years or even longer."

Turning her head, the girl picked up several items from under the table and placed them all on the table.

"However, speculation is just speculation... Since you are the only one left over from the ancient mythological era, then please tell me what the purpose of these items is."

"Alarm clock, Little Tyrant game console, hair dryer, blender... Where did you get all these things?"

Looking at the furniture lined up in front of him, Shi Bai's expression immediately became extremely strange.

"Are these the names of these combat weapons?"

After listening to Shi Bai's words, the girl nodded thoughtfully.

"Then please tell me in more detail how to use these weapons."

"Uh... what did you say?"

"How to use these weapons."

The girl's tone was flat.

"The reason your era perished was because of war, wasn't it? War destroyed everything."

"...So how did you come to this conclusion?"

"You even transformed seeds meant for food into weapons of war, which is enough to demonstrate the madness of your war at that time."

The girl shook her head slightly, her words tinged with regret.

"In your hall, I also found several boxes. From those boxes, I obtained some weapon seeds. Once planted, these seeds all became extremely ferocious weapons of war. There were killing throwers that would constantly spit out peas to attack others, self-destructing soldiers that would explode without hesitation if touched, and corrosive demon eggs that would generate brutal green humanoid creatures... Transforming food into such killing machines—doesn't this indirectly prove the madness of your war back then?"

"Killing Throwers and Suicide Bombers? Do I have those things in my stuff??"

After thinking for a long time, Shi Bai finally understood what the girl in front of him was referring to, and his expression immediately became very strange.

"Those seeds were just leftovers from a real-life Plants vs. Zombies game I played when I was really bored back then. Those seeds were from Plants vs. Zombies, and the zombie eggs were from Minecraft... Seriously, aren't you overthinking it? And you even gave them such ridiculously modified names..."

"Are you treating war like a game...?"

The girl spoke softly, her brows furrowing slightly.

"Hey! I told you to stop imagining things!!"

Somewhat amused and exasperated, Shi Bai interrupted the other person, picked up the alarm clock on the table, and spoke to the girl in front of him in the same tone he had used to explain the function of the alarm clock to Xiao Ye and Xiao Xi.

This alarm clock was one of the household items he had summoned a long time ago, and Shi Bai didn't expect to see it again now.

"For example, this alarm clock is used to tell you the current time and remind you of the time. It's a common everyday item used to wake people up in the morning to avoid being late. It's definitely not some kind of sonic weapon you're imagining!!"

"A reminder of time... daily necessities?"

The girl frowned slightly, clearly unable to understand what Shi Bai was saying.

"Can this thing called an alarm clock be used to manipulate time?"

"If time could really be manipulated, no one would willingly freeze themselves for such a long time."

Rolling his eyes, Shi Bai put the alarm clock back down.

"By the way, what era is it now? It feels like I've been asleep for a very long time..."

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Chapter Twenty-Four: The Age of Gods and Monsters

Life is often full of drama.

The destruction of the old world was accompanied by the birth of the new world. The end of one era signifies the beginning of another, and the Celestial Realm, as a product of the old world, was the first to be impacted.

After all, in a sense, the Celestial Realm still exists in dependence on this world. That cataclysmic catastrophe lasted for ten years, and Shi Bai spent those ten years in the Celestial Realm.

Because of the voluntary sacrifices of those immortal beings, within permissible limits... the world tacitly accepted the existence of the Celestial Realm.

The new world was born on the ruins of the old world, and compared to the past, it evolved new world rules on the original basis.

The evolution of the rules of the new world was a very long process. During this process, the beings who hid in the heavenly realm gradually fell into a long slumber one by one as time went by.

...and he was the only exception.

It seems that due to his innate immortality, he is unable to fall into a deep sleep like others.

With no other choice, and not wanting to drag the entire Heavenly Realm down because of himself, he left after properly settling Xiao Ye and Xiao Xi, who had also fallen into a deep sleep.

After the entrance to the celestial realm closed, he wandered aimlessly in this world for decades before finally coming up with a good idea.

Although he couldn't fall asleep, he could seal himself away. In a new world where there was no one to communicate with, in order to prevent his mind from gradually decaying and aging over an endless period of time, he sealed himself away.

...Then I woke up to find that I had almost been buried alive.

"Era?"

After thinking for a moment, the girl calmly shook her head.

"I can't remember anymore, from the time I gained consciousness until now... Now it's an era between gods and monsters."

"Shōmyō and yokai... is this another form of balance constructed in this world?"

Although he had somewhat anticipated this, Shi Bai still sighed with a hint of helplessness after hearing the girl's answer.

Having personally experienced the ancient mythological era and witnessed the destruction of the world, his feelings were profound.

Balance exists in all things; the most important thing that constitutes a world is balance.

Sometimes he would ponder this question in his mind: what exactly is the difference between a monster and a god? And how is the boundary between a monster and a god defined?

But now, he already has some vague guesses in his mind.

If we divide the world into two sides, black and white, then the gods rule the white side, while the monsters rule the black side, with black and white being mutually opposed.