The next day, Malin originally wanted to decline Anthony’s invitation to go play in the Central District of Naples, because in Malin’s eyes, the streets of a big city were so crowded that the noise could kill any creature about a ter tall.
Unfortunately, as soon as Malin heard that there was an ancient relic in the Central District that still functioned, he imdiately beca interested—although the retirent ho AI had been shut down, Malin had not forgotten about restarting it, and since there was an ancient relic here, Malin hoped he could find so clues from it.
So he followed Anthony to the Central District—well, upon arrival, he realized that this was no relic at all; it was a huge airport.
The runways had been turned into residential areas, with one even becoming a major road. Malin and his group had followed a runway to what once was the terminal—of course, the Farolians had good reason to call this place a relic—because Malin saw robots.
Not military fodder like Unit 17, but maintenance robots on tracks.
These robots were shooing away the vendors blocking the way with sticks, which made Malin sigh—despite the changing tis and people, so things remained the sa.
"What are those?" the girls didn’t know, so Nova specifically asked Anthony.
"Your Highness, these are the guardians of the relic; they maintain this site, and they have been here since before our family established this city."
At that mont, a robot ran over: "Ah, it’s young master Anthony. Are you bringing guests for fun again today?" The robot’s head sported a small screen with a tiny eyeball floating on it, and it looked... like it should be an AI.
"Yes, today I brought my friend Mr. Malin over," Anthony said with a smile as he introduced Malin.
Malin smiled reservedly and nodded, then greeted in English, "Good morning, how may I address you?"
"Ah... I haven’t heard English with an Eastern accent in a long ti." The eyeball seed nostalgic but then started speaking in Chinese, "Good morning, are you from East Asia, is the Union still there?"
"It’s gone, there’s a country called Thainan over there now," Malin shook his head.
"...Indeed, civilization has been destroyed." The AI sighed and then looked at Malin, "But you still rember, this proves you have ties with the Union, so please follow the robot to the main control room."
Since the robot invited them, Malin took over as the host and led the perplexed group into the terminal.
In front of a wall, the robot stopped, and then the wall split open, revealing an elevator structure much like the one in the last hotel.
"I never knew there was this here," Anthony curiously looked at the AI, "Jason, you never told about this before."
"So knowledge is not suitable for you, young master Anthony. Curiosity can lead to disaster," the robot said and then motioned for everyone to enter.
Malin comforted the girls and led them inside, then looked at Anthony still standing outside: "Co in, knowledge is power."
"I... alright," Anthony ultimately entered.
The elevator doors closed and began descending.
When they reached the fifteenth floor underground, the elevator doors opened, and with that, lights ca on, revealing the entire white corridor in front of everyone.
Malin walked ahead, "Jason, may I call you that?"
"Of course, may I address you as Malin?"
"Certainly, I am Malin." Leading the group down the corridor, Malin stepped onto the stairs at the corner, looking down at the central computer room below. On the platform in the central pillar area, sitting on a chair, was a skeletal remains weathered by ti.
It lifted its head, and Matilda imdiately denounced it, her holy breath sweeping the entire computer room. However, the skeletal remains were not affected.
Malin noticed that there were several tubes inserted into the back of the skull.
"Ancient humans," Malin uttered.
The people, who were previously filled with hostility, imdiately beca calm.
"How do you know it’s an ancient human?" Matilda looked at Malin in shock.
"Your holy denouncent didn’t affect it at all, any normal Undead would have been swept away by now," Malin rebutted convincingly.
And the skull lifted its head, confirming for Malin that its skull was being supported by a tal fra.
"Jason, how did they get in?" the skull ’said’—a small speaker was attached to its skull.
"Mr. Malin used very standard English, triggering the keyword you left behind."
"Is that so..." speaking in English, the skull beca enthusiastic after hearing Malin could understand Chinese, "My God, you’re from East Asia, how is it over there?"
In perfect Mandarin.
"I’m not from East Asia, that place is now called Thainan, I learned your language from the Thanan people, it’s actually called Thainanese now." Malin spoke half-truths, but he had indeed learned Thainanese from soone else—otherwise, there was no explaining why he had passed Thainanese Level Six.
The skull-faced man fell silent for a mont, then sighed, "Yes, it’s been eight thousand years, Jerin, saw open my skull."
"Mr. Zhang, your electronic brain has aged significantly, if we saw it open now, you will only have fifteen minutes of life left."
"...That’s enough, Jason, I want to go up with my new friend and take a look at the real sky."
"...As you wish."
As a chanical arm descended to begin sawing open the skull, Faye moved closer to Malin, "Is this really not an Undead?"
"The ancients encased their brains through..." Malin pondered how to explain, "through an extrely miraculous engineering feat, making it in a state that could be used for a long ti, without the constraints of living beings aging."
"One might say, Mr. Malin, you are quite wise." AI Jason remarked with admiration.
Malin then spread his hands with a slight gesture, "Otherwise, there’s no explaining how Mr. Zhang that you speak of has survived."
Then, Malin, the girls, and Anthony—who had been gaping since the beginning—watched as the skull was sawed open, just like Malin had imagined, revealing a brain encased in black tal in front of everyone.
An exoskeleton was dragged out by AI Jason, and the electronic brain was installed into its chest cavity.
Then Mr. Zhang’s voice rang out again, "Malin, let’s go."
"You all wait here for ," Malin said, and then followed the exoskeleton onto the elevator platform at the side of the machine room.
"Malin, have you heard the stories from before?" Mr. Zhang’s tone carried the accent of a southerner.
Malin nodded, "I’ve heard them, and also learned a bit from two AIs. The era before the first great cataclysm, the era of the Earth Union, I know you’re from that ti."
"Yes, at the ti I was the control room manager for Naples’ first airport. When the Cataclysm hit, I had just completed the electronic brain update, and because of that, I had a chance to live until now." The elevator platform rose, and the survivor of the old world recounted his story with ease.
In Mr. Zhang’s story, he had always been waiting, initially for rescue, then for successors to co by. Eventually, he gave up. His body decayed, but his electronic brain was always placed in the database of the machine room. He slept there for a long ti, until Malin arrived.
"I feel the truth in your words, your heartbeat, your expressions; you didn’t lie. The Earth Union ultimately failed. Those damn invaders destroyed everything. But I’m also comforted because humanity has once again established a city here. You know, when I saw there were pets among your companions, I was quite happy. These Orcs and Elves, in our ti, they were nothing more than pets in the eyes of people from the Europe sector. They are living beings, yet inherently inferior to you and ."
" too, I have square ears," Malin said with a smile.
"But now, you are human, and so are they, everyone is free... that’s enough." As he said this, the do at the top began to open. Malin squinted his eyes, while Mr. Zhang’s exoskeleton’s viewfinder began to work. It looked at the city in front of it and let out a cry of joy. The exoskeleton with outstretched arms knelt down, then straightened up, "Malin, do you know, I am very happy. You see, humanity has returned to this land."
"Mr. Zhang, this world is still very dangerous, Chaos..." "Chaos was summoned by those North Arica sector folks, the bastards controlled by desire who destroyed the Earth Union."
Mr. Zhang’s viewfinder pointed at Malin, "Malin, what’s your strength like in the current world?"
"...Normal demons and ghosts can’t beat , that much is certainly true," Malin said.
"That’s good to hear. I ask you one thing, after I die, if possible, take my electronic brain back to my holand, will you?"
"...I will do my best," Malin said.
"That’s wonderful." Mr. Zhang seed very happy as he gazed at the city, "What are these people called now?"
"Farolians. To the north is the Sydney Union. This world is completely different from what you imagined. I got so information about the Earth Union from the AI, all the countries... are gone," Malin let out a long sigh.
But Mr. Zhang didn’t seem to care, he just looked at the city before him, "Malin, rember, the moon waxes and wanes, people experience joy and sorrow, partings and reunions. This world never revolves around one race or civilization. Whether it’s us, or you all, we are people struggling to survive in this world. So... keep living well, keep on... feeling the new world..."
Malin turned his head and saw that the pulse light on the electronic brain was no longer bright.
"Mr. Zhang, are you alright?"
"I’m dying... Malin..."
"Is there anything else you need to do?" Malin knelt on one knee in front of Mr. Zhang.
"Live well..."
The pulse light ceased its function.
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