People in Terra, governing a bizarre little country

The boxes on either side of Wu's exoskeleton contained various daily necessities. Although they might seem cumbersome in some situations, they were of greater help most of the time. Moreover, and more importantly, they were modeled after the "wings" of the "feathered serpent" from her lineage. Her parents and ancestors also possessed a pair of such "wings" made from the strongest materials available at the time. This was a family tradition, and ever since she put on this outfit, she had been forbidden from taking it off.

It's as if this is not just a set of clothes, but also a heavy responsibility, an inescapable destiny.

However, in reality, Horhaia often took off this outfit. Especially when she was in Sherag, she almost always appeared dressed as a sophisticated woman in a suit.

That was a rare time for her to let go of responsibilities and destiny and enjoy life.

However, she also knew that no matter how she tried to escape or turn her back, fate would eventually catch up with her.

The only difference is how you choose to face it.

Horhys wore her battle suit again today. She faced her destiny head-on, confronted the feathered serpent, and accepted its power. But this time, it wasn't to fulfill the responsibility her destiny had given her, to pursue the truth about the feathered serpent, or to force others to inherit its bloodline.

She did it to protect.

"Great God Yeragand, take the recording and stand guard beside Lateran."

“If anything in that ruin tries to harm me or Terra, we need to have leverage to negotiate with it. That leverage is this recording.”

"The Lateran cavalry can't stop you. If anything goes wrong, break into the Papal Palace's underground chambers and play this recording."

This was Ernst's instruction to Jeragund.

Horhaya didn't know what the recording represented or why it could be called a "bargaining chip," just as Yeragand didn't know.

Ya'er asked the question on her behalf: "Will this work? Will it guarantee your safety?"

Ernst nodded firmly: "Nothing can guarantee my safety more than this."

They were negotiating with a creation that might have been left behind by a civilization far superior to their own. This creation might be unafraid of any means of Terran civilization—high-speed warships, Originium bombs, or even airships might all be insignificant toys to it.

After all, they are beings capable of transforming the moon into a dead star.

Objectively speaking, the only threat they can pose is themselves.

As for whether Yeragand could detect what was happening from thousands of miles away in the underground of Columbia, Ernst was not worried.

After all, Christensen had already provided the answer: during the first Star-Picking Project, she intercepted two signals.

One instance was when Safar crossed the isolation barrier.

On another occasion, it happened when Ernst approached the Law with a recording and received a response.

There must be a connection between them, or at the very least, a means of communication.

Holhaia may not understand where Ernst's confidence comes from, but she can sense that Ernst has a strong foundation.

She trusted Ernst, but she also knew that Ernst's so-called negotiation was actually a gamble.

He was also involved in the betting, and his odds of winning were actually not high.

It is uncertain whether the other party has any countermeasures, or whether they will overturn the table.

Holhaia believed that Ernst must have thought about these things. He just hadn't told the great god Yeragand.

The child didn't want his mother to worry too much, so he stubbornly put on a brave face; that's roughly the mindset.

The fact that he didn't tell Ernst also suggests that Ernst himself lacked the means to deal with such a situation.

This is actually quite normal. That was a prehistoric civilization, and the difference in strength between the two sides was far too great. As a result, all the schemes, plans, and ambushes seemed too weak and powerless in the face of such a disparity.

If you can't achieve perfection, you can only take a chance.

And what Horhaya wants to protect is precisely this Ernst.

In this situation where Ernst had no choice but to take a gamble, she tried her best, however small, to at least give Ernst a chance to win or survive.

If anything unexpected happens, at least, wearing this outfit, the tornado she creates can sweep Ernst away.

Even a single tornado can sometimes have its own uses.

"Let's go."

Ernst patted the shoulder of Holhaya, who was in a daze. The new fiber robe felt exceptionally cool and smooth to the touch, like stroking the scales of a feathered serpent.

Holhaya snapped out of her daze, nodded slightly, and followed Ernst into the elevator.

The old-fashioned elevator made a dull sound. The distance of three thousand meters underground did not sound far, but Ernst had been to Zhangjiajie in his previous life. There was a Bailong Elevator there that had won the Guinness World Record, with a height of 326 meters.

That was an impressive experience.

Those underground may not be able to experience the breathtaking grandeur of leaping over valleys and overlooking mountains from a superior perspective, but they can infinitely amplify the length of this journey.

But now, three thousand meters is ten times the distance of that journey!

The lights flickered on and off, and time seemed to take on a concrete shape as it kept flashing. Countless thoughts were conceived and dissipated in the pitch-black darkness. In the silence, Ernst felt a hand take his hand.

It was Horhaya, because she was very heavy.

Ernst turned slightly to the side, gesturing for Holhaya to come closer, but she did not.

It wasn't that she was shy; her current weight, if she leaned in, could crush Ernst to death.

This is a 95-kilogram exoskeleton, not counting her own weight, as well as the nutrient solution and living supplies.

So be it.

Are they going to witness a ghost from the past? Perhaps they shouldn't do anything that could be seen as setting a flag or saying anything that would be easy for people to remember beforehand.

"arrive."

Unaware of the situation, Christensen spoke first, and after her voice fell, the elevator slowly came to a stop.

She had ridden this elevator and walked through this passage countless times. She had memorized every detail, including how many seconds it would take for the elevator to reach its destination.

She was counting silently, just like an astronaut counting down the launch countdown for a rocket.

Next, take 56 steps to reach the gate.

Then, she spoke her voice towards the door that she couldn't open no matter what she did, declaring the fulfillment of the promise:

“I brought him here, Ernst Shivaesh! He's the one who got that recording!”

"Now, your time in seclusion is over. Open the door!"

""

There was no response from the gate.

Ernst glanced at Christensen, whose expression was genuinely furious.

So he took a few steps forward, stood in front of the door, paused for a moment, and then spoke:

"Even if everything is destroyed, the glory of mankind will live on forever."

These were the words he heard before the law, the only sentence he could clearly hear and understand amidst the noise and gibberish after the recording was input.

But the gate still did not respond.

Ernst frowned.

Isn't that enough? Or is he like the law, needing me to play that recording to get a response?

No, that shouldn't be the case. If that were the case, how could Christensen have received a response?

Swoosh (Swoosh: 1蓤蕶*: ? Ernst fell into a brief moment of contemplation.

After him, the Tin Man, who arrived at the scene first and jumped down from a height of 300 meters, felt the throbbing of the doll at his waist.

"Your Excellency the President?"

“Let me open the door,” Mark Max, who had somehow regained consciousness, said. “Let me see my father.”

"This"

The tin man hesitated for a moment, stood up, and was about to walk out when the voice came again from in front of the door.

"How are you?"

There was a long silence.

Just when Ernst was starting to think that the answer might be wrong again, a long, complex sigh finally came from inside the door:

"Fine, thanks, and you?"

I'm fine, thank you. How about you?

Thirty thousand years have passed. I've crashed countless times, the stone coffin's freezing function failed, and everything I was protecting was destroyed. I haven't accomplished anything. Am I really okay?

Anyway, thank you for your concern.

What about you?

The door slowly opened, and in the spotless space, as if time had stood still, a huge, pupil-like gaze fixed on the people outside.

A deep glance cast upon the past, now faded into dust.

Chapter 634 Have you met Priscilla?

This is a space where even time stands still.

Countless sarcophagi, which, according to the official terminology of prehistoric civilizations, should be called "static field hibernation pods," were stored here. Each sarcophagus once held a living being.

These life forms came from a civilization that could be called great, without any further explanation. Starting from their home planet, they conquered galaxies, galaxies, and the entire universe. They built magnificent structures between galaxies, drawing energy from stars and connecting the major territories of their civilization with stargates. Their communication had no boundaries; even across regions where light would take hundreds of thousands of years to travel, they could still communicate with each other.

They never slackened. After conquering the universe, their gaze immediately turned to the warp. Through the relentless exploration of warriors and the arduous efforts of scientists, the secrets of the warp gradually unfolded before them. Mystery was no longer mystery, danger was no longer danger. They planted guiding principles in their minds, and even the most terrifying demons could not shake their resolve.

They call themselves "humans," and their race is called "humanity." As time has passed, many have forgotten where their home planet is or how far their history can be traced, but they have always maintained this unified identity.

——【Human Civilization】

However, just as the "treasure" had told them, that history, which seemed like a story, was now incredibly distant and no one would actively study or research it anymore:

Back then, when our home planet, which we had never met before, was still in a state of ignorance, the humans living in a civilization called Ancient Rome whistled in their magnificent bathhouses, believing that their empire, like the bathhouse beneath them, was built on a single block of granite and would last forever.

With the death of the Basilius, people now know that all good things must come to an end.

The same applies to human civilization.

When each "person" had no choice but to step into the stasis field hibernation pod, when he, Trevor Friston, uploaded his consciousness to create a semi-AI intelligent life form, when the "Preserver Project" was announced to be officially implemented under duress, everyone had this thought.

This sleep may well be the last.

Goodbye, family.

Farewell, my friend.

Farewell, civilization.

Trevor Friston agrees with this statement.

The stasis field hibernation chamber, called a "sarcophagus," seems to be a more fitting description.

After all, human civilization has strived for millions of years, and in the end, all we can do is stay in the small coffin of our ancestors.

This little box will always be your home.

When these "little boxes" reappeared in the world after 33,000 years, one can imagine the heaviness in Trevor Friston's heart as he faced these unexpected people who opened them.

He even felt a sense of destiny.

Perhaps this is the end.

Until he heard Ernst's voice in the final silence.

"How are you?"

Am I okay? Not at all.

But Trevor Friston did not give such an answer.

Almost instinctively, he blurted out a few words, and his gaze toward Ernst held a hint of curiosity.

He then opened the door.

"You lied to me. You cheated on me. You didn't keep your promise."

Kristen's accusations were heard on his receiver immediately.

The blonde demi-human was furious. She accused herself of breaking her promise, saying that even though she had brought Ernst, Friston still hadn't opened the door for her immediately.

Friston could only smile, even though he didn't currently have the ability to make that expression.

So what if we don't open it? With Terra's current level of technology, if he's determined not to open it, even if the King of Heaven himself came, he wouldn't be able to break through the defenses here.

This place was built to the standard of "being able to defend against attacks from observers".

What? You're asking if it can be defended against?