reincarnation npc, but tomorrow's ark

Of course, Arya had no idea what Grandia was thinking. She felt a little uneasy under the deep-sea hunter captain's gaze. Grandia's scarlet eyes seemed to be on the verge of a hunt, sending chills down her spine.

This wasn't special effects; it was genuine killing intent. If the person inside the lighthouse were a cultist from the Deep Sea Church, then Goredia's methods would likely be extremely cruel. After all, this captain's hatred for the Deep Sea Church even surpassed that for White Night.

"It's alright. She may look fierce, but she's a good person. Just, if you see her about to fight herself, stay as far away from her as possible," Bai Ye joked.

It's not exactly a joke. The aftershocks of a Deepsea Hunter's battles are indeed deadly to ordinary people. After a high-speed battle, Goredia's skin will become scalding hot as she needs to dissipate heat, and she can even burn anyone who touches her without warning.

With Bai Ye's "comfort," Arya calmed down somewhat, and for safety reasons, she agreed to travel with Bai Ye and Gretia.

"Could I see your staff?" Goredia suddenly asked in the cramped lighthouse.

She didn't seem to be in a hurry to leave, but rather showed some interest in the architecture of the Iberian Golden Age.

“Ah…no problem. Here you go…” Arya readily handed the staff to Gladys, perhaps because she had never heard Gladys speak before, and was somewhat surprised.

Kingia took the staff and examined it carefully, paying particular attention to the crucial casting unit at the tip. Kingia wasn't completely ignorant of Originium Arts and casting units. Although Deepsea Hunters had virtually no affinity for Originium, and such an energy system didn't exist in the deep sea, she had still systematically studied this energy system that supported the entire land after coming ashore.

“Your staff is quite special; its casting unit is very similar to the lighthouse system here. It’s very likely a crucial core component of the system,” Godia said, handing the staff back to Arya.

Although her tone remained cold, Bai Ye interpreted it as Goredia expressing praise.

"Eh?"

To their surprise, Arya seemed unaware of this, and Goddess's description shocked them.

"Really? This is the first time you've heard this?" Bai Ye couldn't help but ask.

The girl nodded:

“Yes, this was given to me by my teacher… Ah, my teacher was a proper lighthouse keeper. He handed me the staff before I left.”

Upon hearing this, Bai Ye and Gretia exchanged bewildered glances.

It seems this young lady is also a novice. She is too young and has just left her hometown, so it's hard to expect her to answer any more profound questions.

However, she should be quite adept at using and maintaining lighthouses, which should be of help to them.

“An abandoned lighthouse is not a good place for idle chatter. You’re soaking wet, you’ll definitely catch a cold if you keep going like this…” Bai Ye interrupted Gretia, who wanted to continue exploring, and then prepared to leave.

“Mark this spot. The lighthouse here is still very valuable for research,” Godia whispered a reminder. “Don’t underestimate the lighthouse. Each tower integrates steering mechanisms, a system control center, power supply lines, an automated computing core, an external holographic projection device, and radio communication equipment… It’s just that it can no longer operate.”

"It's nothing to us, but it's still very useful to you land people."

Upon hearing this, Bai Ye quietly replied, away from Aria:

"It is indeed of great research value to land dwellers, but for us, it is nothing special."

"We don't pay much attention to things left behind by previous civilizations. They may have some value, but they are more of an inspiration for different technological approaches."

As Bai Ye spoke, looking at the lighthouse before him, he began:

"Do you know what I saw? On this planet."

"What?" Goredia asked, somewhat curious.

"A grave. This is the remains of a carbon-based civilization. There once was an incredibly advanced civilization on this planet. Their technology is nothing short of miraculous to us today. But catastrophe rendered them powerless to move forward, turning them into a cold, dead star that gazes up at our starry sky."

But at the very end, Bai Ye added one more sentence:

"Fortunately, this is not our future."

Bai Ye would never allow his civilization to head towards such a future. Although the new civilization could be seen as a continuation of the previous one, that would be meaningless.

……

The little girl Arya did not hear the conversation between White Night and Gladys; they left the lighthouse in the wind and rain.

To the girl's surprise, although they were clearly standing in the pouring rain, they were being harassed by the wind and rain, as if the gale and raindrops were deliberately bypassing them.

The sense of unease I had been feeling was now explained.

Arya had felt something was off before, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it. Now she realized that when the two of them entered the lighthouse, they were completely dry, as if they hadn't been in the rain. In this kind of weather, even with an umbrella or a raincoat, they probably wouldn't be this spotless.

However, this question has now been answered.

Arya didn't ask how she did it. There were too many unknown spells and Originium Arts on this land, which was probably why her teacher sent her out to travel.

Arya was still preoccupied with what White Night and Gladys had casually mentioned about the spellcasting unit on her staff.

If it really is a core component of a lighthouse system, why would the teacher give her something so important?

The impact of these few words is no less than that of suddenly encountering two mysterious travelers in the wilderness.

However, neither Bai Ye nor Gretia knew this.

The three quickly traversed the wilderness and returned to White Night's aircraft.

Chapter 125 Childhood

(Beautiful Girl Mangeka Kyōwenyuki Nana will be released on April 26)

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"This is……"

Arya stared wide-eyed at the enormous creature that stood silently in the wilderness.

In the darkness, it emitted a faint light, revealing a huge outline, like some kind of slumbering behemoth.

Upon closer inspection, Arya realized it was a strange vehicle; judging from its appearance, its function was certainly more than just a makeshift base. The light that had been emanating from it in the distance was its headlights.

"The searchlight at the front has been turned off, but I think Miss Arya will recognize what it is... You can go and take a look when the rain stops next time." Bai Ye smiled and pointed to the searchlight at the front of the aircraft.

The headlights also represent a use of Iberian lighthouse technology.

In this respect, Bai Ye has to thank Rhodes Island for their help. Of course, this is also a way of returning the favor.

……

The hatch opened, and Laurentina and Skadi greeted the three of them upon their return from inside the aircraft. Naturally, the girl Arya behind Bai Ye and Grandia caught their attention.

"The light I saw earlier was caused by her casting a spell with her staff," Bai Ye explained with a smile.

He then introduced Arya's identity to the two deep-sea hunters waiting inside the aircraft: a wandering sorcerer who had unfortunately been stranded in the wilderness, and an apprentice lighthouse keeper on a journey.

Skadi then took the poor little girl to the aircraft's bathroom for a hot bath and to change into clean clothes.

Laurentina returned to rest. Although she was interested in the new guests, her body clearly needed more rest. The Deep Sea Church had left an indelible scar on her, and Bai Ye was still searching for a way to heal her. If there was no solution in the Deep Sea, then perhaps only after the world merged would there be an opportunity.

As for Bai Ye and Gretia, the two walked into the cockpit together in perfect unison. Bai Ye then closed the door and continued their conversation that they hadn't finished earlier.

Bai Ye and Gladys actually had things they wanted to tell each other, or rather, things they wanted to discuss. Originally, they went out together so they could have a proper discussion in the abandoned lighthouse without external interference. However, Arya was indeed an accident, and they hadn't expected that the original light was actually created by this little girl.

Although their doubts were resolved, they didn't have the chance to continue their original conversation in order to get the soaking wet Arya back to the aircraft.

Fortunately, the cockpit is also a place where people can have private conversations, although the space is a bit cramped. Compared to the lighthouse, the distance between the two people is also very close, so the atmosphere is a little strange.

However, the two of them didn't seem to care much about it.

Just as Bai Ye was about to speak and continue what he hadn't finished saying, Goredia shook her head at him first:

“I know what you want to say… When you grabbed me just now, I was actually quite—well, quite happy.” At least, this kind of emotion called “joy” was something Goredia hadn’t really experienced before.

Upon hearing this, Bai Ye couldn't help but roll his eyes:

"I really can't tell at all..."

Goredia didn't answer. She was indeed bad at, or rather, instinctively suppressed her emotions.

This is related to her childhood experiences.

Everyone's childhood has a serious ending, usually when you are suddenly faced with a harsh reality that you can't just forget about after a good night's sleep. Afterwards, you find that your childhood is gone.

However, a small percentage of people never had a childhood at all, or their childhood was very short, like Greta. By the time she was able to understand things, she had already lost her childhood.

Bai Ye's situation is somewhat similar to hers, but there are also fundamental differences. Goredia was raised as a work of art; while Bai Ye, although he also lacked a childhood, was still considered a person.

There is a difference between a work of art and a person. A work of art can be devoid of emotion, but a person cannot. A person without emotion is no different from a machine. King Geria's mother needed a perfect work of art, and an emotionless, almost machine-like existence was indeed precise and perfect; the Earth Federation, on the other hand, wanted to cultivate pioneers who could represent human civilization, therefore, they needed irreplaceable people, not cookie-cutter machines.

“I know my own situation… I’ll be fine for now, and I won’t have any self-destructive tendencies because I still have things to do. I promised you I would help you accomplish something, and I won’t fall down until then.” Godia spoke at length, which was unusual for her.

Perhaps she wanted to express her thoughts clearly... Human language, although not very efficient at conveying information and a long paragraph may not contain much information, has its own unique charm.

Bai Ye felt somewhat relieved after hearing this. Goredia's promise was quite substantial. She hadn't given up on herself.

"Actually, I also have something to say about the company you used to work for... Rhodes Island."

Greta paused for a moment, then continued.

"I'd like to hear more." Bai Ye nodded, curious about what Gretia wanted to say.

“I’ve always felt that the doctor was hiding a lot from us, and the doctor’s amnesia was just right. As for their apparent leader, that little girl, she knows nothing at all,” Greta said softly.

"This is practically a perfect locked room; unless the doctor speaks, there's no way to find out the truth."

Of course, Bai Ye knew that Kal'tsit was hiding many things, and the Doctor's amnesia was simply too coincidental. But no one knew the truth, and those who did wouldn't tell, which was indeed an interesting situation.

“I have no interest in their secrets. Once the crisis in the deep sea is over, the two worlds will merge. That’s what I care about… how to continue my civilization.”

As Bai Ye spoke, he looked at Gretia and said:

"Although my curiosity also drives me to explore their secrets—there are so many mysteries surrounding these people—I don't want to create any unnecessary complications at this point. I am the spark left behind by our civilization, and I must save it. For this, I am willing to pay any price and do anything. Because this is the mission I have been given."

Chapter 126 Night Talk

(08's videos are so interesting, the more you watch them, the more addictive they become, they're perfect for watching while eating, and they're my daily source of joy.)

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"Bai Ye, tell me more about your hometown."

Whenever Bai Ye brought up things about herself, Goredia would show great interest. These people who accompanied Bai Ye were probably the ones who knew him best on this land. They knew more than Kal'tsit.

Bai Ye never proactively reveals anything about himself to others, so to many of his close friends, he remains a very mysterious figure. He seems to be carrying some strange mission, wandering this land without a past or knowing his future; he is simply a bizarre being living in the present.

Goredia had little interest in the civilizations on land. She always believed that their technology was backward, that they fought savagely with strange Originium arts and primitive weapons, and that they were weak. Of course, a few individuals among them did possess superhuman strength, but such beings were far too rare, and few could drive the development of an entire civilization. The sparks they ignited would likely be extinguished in the internal strife of the civilization.

Goredia even believed that without people like Bai Ye working tirelessly to resolve the crisis for these land dwellers, this young civilization might very well have perished. However, now she had no choice but to rely on their strength, and therefore, she didn't express her own thoughts too much.

In fact, she wouldn't talk to these people much unless necessary, as they simply didn't have anything in common.

Without comparison, there is no harm done. Having witnessed the backwardness of land-based civilizations, Goredia was clearly more interested in Baiye's homeland. Through Baiye's few words, she sensed a powerful civilization that was both profound and vibrant, and that cherished peace.

Perhaps, according to Bai Ye's view, on a cosmic scale, his civilization is not powerful enough. It may have only just acquired the theoretically feasible but untested FTL technology. In terms of technological level, it has only just obtained the ticket and qualification to enter the stars. It is still a long way from becoming a truly powerful civilization.

However, this was Bai Ye's perspective; after all, his vision was higher, always gazing at the stars. For the people of this land, these were things they wouldn't even dare to dream of. Few were interested in anything beyond the sky above their heads, and many couldn't even conceive of such a thing.

Therefore, Goredia was clearly more curious about what the homeland Bai Ye mentioned, the Earth that was somewhat similar to Terra, was like.

"It's such a pity that I can't see it with my own eyes again..."

Goredia's question stirred up Baiye's memories. Perhaps it was because the day of their reunion was drawing closer, but on the way from the Rhodes Island main ship to Iberia, Baiye often brought up things from the past.

“I’ve looked at that planet from space countless times, from planetary orbits, from the moon, from Mars… I used to take it all for granted, but since coming here, I haven’t had the chance to see it even once.” Bai Ye reclined the cockpit seat, put his hands behind his head, and leaned back.

"I really wish I could see it again, because I know I'll never see it again."

After the world merges, no one knows what will happen, but it is clear that the third planet in the solar system will no longer exist. Bai Ye's home planet will become something else, but it will not be the same as before.

“That sounds pretty good.” Goredia couldn’t imagine what her planet would look like in the starry sky. Humans cannot imagine things or concepts they have never seen. Neither land dwellers nor Agorians have ever left this land. Like frogs at the bottom of a well, they can never understand the vastness of the sky.

"We'll see each other again." Bai Ye closed his eyes. "After everything is over, I want to get some rest and, by the way, show everyone what the real starry sky is like."

Goredia remained silent. Although Bai Ye's words stirred something within her, she remained rational. She truly longed to see the beautiful universe Bai Ye had described, but she was uncertain whether she would live to see it.

The itching on her neck constantly reminded her that she was already on the edge of an abyss, and that she could fall into it at any moment. This was an irreversible process, and she had essentially lost her future and had no right to talk about what would happen next.

Grandia understood this clearly, and she accepted it readily. Clearly, she didn't regret her decision. After coming ashore, she enjoyed a wonderful period in her life, far more exciting than her previous bleak existence, and she was very content.

As for the last period of her life, she willingly burned herself out for her teammates, the two surviving deep-sea hunters. They were still young, and after everything was over, they would continue to live as human beings, not as biological weapons.

Goredia looked at the young man beside her. The two deep-sea hunters already had their hearts set on each other; they had found perfect companionship. Therefore, even if her life ended, she would be at peace. These two deep-sea hunters, connected to her by blood, were the closest people to her, and her only concern.

Thinking of this, Goredia spoke again, bringing up a topic she had mentioned before:

"Bai Ye, promise me."

“If I am about to become a monster, please kill me immediately… I want to die as a human, not a monster. And I would be happy to die by your hand; it would be a relief.”

Deep-sea hunters are not actually suited to executing mutants, because each time they kill one of their own kind, the part of them classified as Sea Heirs becomes restless. The instincts from the large group confuse them: why kill their own kind?

This is why Deepsea Hunters themselves often go mad and mutate after slaughtering large numbers of Sealings or their mutated companions. Therefore, White Night is the best candidate to kill Gladys. For Gladys, such a death would be an honor, and she would accept it willingly.

"..."