A completely unfamiliar girl stood in front of . She was tall, probably about the sa height as the female hooligan Bingdisi, with long flaxen hair. Her face was quite plain but still pretty, with a pair of lively eyes. She wore an Imperial Army uniform, but I was sure this face was appearing in the military district for the first ti. Initially, I was taken aback by this stranger, but she quickly greeted in a very familiar manner. It was only then that I noticed a small tag hanging from her chest, with ssy handwriting saying: "Xyrin, if found please contact military, thank you."
"You’re Xyrin?" I looked at the completely unfamiliar girl in astonishnt, feeling my worldview was not enough, "Why did you change to this appearance?"
"Well, I kind of zoned out during a test, and then forgot what I looked like last ti." Xyrin said with a grin, looking very pleased and unaware that there’s anything wrong with changing appearances like this. Her answer left dumbfounded, making realize like never before what an indefinite life form concept really is... Truly worthy of soone who records all known species’ data and can switch body shapes at will—she’s playing at such an advanced level in her daily life—I wonder if Qianqian ever tried to get her to transform into a bicycle?
Anyway, the unlucky sli at ho is now quick to learn to transform into a bicycle for real.
My gaze fell on the small tag on her chest, which was palm-sized and looked like a work badge from so big company, tied with a red string around Xyrin’s neck by Qianqian, who’s really an imaginative person...
"This is from the Mistress. She said I’m always running around and changing appearance, afraid that I might get lost." Xyrin cheerfully swung the small white tal tag, seemingly taking it as a necklace, "But I think it’s not really useful. Isn’t it enough to recognize soone as long as their soul doesn’t change? Oh, of course, I’ll wear it well and bring it along when I go to other places too."
It seems Xyrin already knows many characteristics of the Xyrin Apostle, like how to recognize others through the soul as the unique identification code, but she’s not quite aware that the Imperial High Level doesn’t count as normal Xyrin Apostles: we are still accustod to recognizing people by face. Qianqian probably had the sa experience a few days ago, encountering this "unfamiliar" Xyrin, so she made her this tag out of a brainwave. It might look silly, but I must admit, Xyrin looks amusing with it hanging around her neck.
Although this was an accidental encounter, since we t, of course, we should have a chat, plus I didn’t have any urgent matters to attend to right now. Accompanying Anu Lili around these past few days, I hadn’t had ti to et this recently returned "big shot" to the Empire; now is a good chance to learn about this muddleheaded super consciousness’s current status.
The most relaxed and suitable place nearby for resting and chatting is definitely Silvia’s little shop, right next to the military district’s isolation wall and within 200 ters of the rally square. When I brought Xyrin over, it happened to be when the shop was sending away its only few custors of the day: at this ti, a few mass-produced Bubbles would co to buy sweets, and they were pretty much the only custors Silvia could expect, as student custors from the Military Academy are rare elites, rarely refreshing within half a kiloter of the military district other than during rest days, because if their instructor catches them here outside rest days, it’s not going to be fun.
Several nervous yet joyous mass-produced Bubbles disappeared at the end of the street under my watchful eye before I dragged Xyrin to push open the small shop’s glass door and called out to the manager who was perhaps currently daydreaming while waiting for lunch: "Silvia! There are guests!"
"What are you yelling for, I saw you two long ago, just preparing drinks for you!" A series of quick and brisk sounds like popping beans ca from behind the counter. I was dumbfounded, watching the silver-haired mole swiftly tidying up packaging bags and other debris on the counter. Behind her, coffee beans floated in mid-air, tearing their packaging themselves. This creature, presumably Silvia, glanced at , smirked, "Just to let you know, only coffee and black tea are available. The orange juice was drunk up by 001, the cola was ionized by 036, helium-3... helium-3 you surely wouldn’t drink. Honestly, don’t know if those guys are helping or hindering, they eat more than anyone, and leave with a pack each..."
Needless to say, this can’t be Silvia...
"Bellavilla? Why do you have ti to co out? Doesn’t it typically consu a lot of energy for you to co out?" I grinned at the Raven King, who was complaining about her "daughters" being unhelpful. Currently, she was neither the slow and naive Silvia nor the once cold and chilling Bellavilla. After living in Shadow City, especially hanging out with us, Bellavilla had beco quite familiar with everyone. Perhaps in front of outsiders, she still is that terrifying Plastic Energy Master, but privately, she’s rather a likable person: albeit with a bit of a sharp tongue.
"If I don’t co out to help, should I let that silly one continue to rely on welfare and eat relief grain every month?" Bellavilla casually summoned a large water sphere, snapped her fingers, and instantly the water sphere floating in the air started to boil. anwhile, the coffee beans floating in the air on the other side ground themselves into powder; her way of making coffee truly is quite astonishing, "I share a body with her, as muddleheaded as she lives, I end up suffering along. Each ti I wake up, recalling the days this body passed while I was asleep, I feel heavy-hearted; that girl doesn’t even know to buy new clothes..."
I never expected Bellavira to harbor such deep resentnt, but I can understand why. Shadow City has its famous top three miserables, with the two sisters Asida and Asidora taking the lead, followed closely by Silvia... Sharing a body with Silvia, Bellavira was truly dood to be dragged down by her clueless partner.
"Haha—your coffee grinding technique is quite interesting." I let out a dry laugh, choosing not to comnt on Silvia’s daily life antics and quickly changing the subject. Bellavira had a large boiling water sphere floating in front of her, and she was preparing a set of filters to catch it below. Mages are indeed different from ordinary people; even making coffee is an elaborate affair for them.
"You think I want this hassle?" Bellavira sighed softly, "The coffee machine was dismantled by 001 for fun..."
I’m now quite convinced that the mass-produced Ravens coming to help in the shop are more of a hindrance than a help.
"Here, this is a confident creation," Bellavira placed two cups of coffee in front of and Xyrin, then beckoned towards the counter, and a heap of pastries was directly teleported to the round table, "Handmade by yours truly. Alright, take your ti with eating and chatting. I need to go back to sleep; I’ve been out for an hour, and it’s tiring. I still have to help at the Heavenly Realm City this afternoon. Oh right, don’t forget to pay the bill later."
I offered my thanks, while Xyrin across from was already stuffing pastries into her mouth. But a few seconds later, Bellavira was still standing next to the table, not moving. I curiously looked up at her: "Aren’t you going back to sleep?"
The silver-haired woman looked down at blankly and said slowly, "Yes—she’s already asleep—"
: "..." Why can’t I et a few normal folks!
"I like the pastries here!" Xyrin didn’t seem to care at all about her surroundings. With her mouth full, she still spoke as clearly as usual, "I first tasted food here."
Only then did I realize that Xyrin’s first stop upon arriving in the real world wasn’t the Demon Town but this dessert shop near the Shadow Fortress. This is easy to understand, as although Xyrin can teleport herself anywhere regardless of distance or barrier, her first contact with the outside world wouldn’t stray far from the crystal where she originally resided. Silvia’s little shop was much closer than the Demon Town in another space. Initially clueless about life in the real world, Xyrin simply altered her appearance to sothing resembling the base staff’s attire, then wandered here. At that ti, she wasn’t aware of "eating" as a concept.
Then, Silvia entertained her, the silver-furred mole whose thoughts always seed out of sync with the real world. She, without any doubt, hosted a race consciousness (pseudonymously) whose mindset was aligning with the real world for the first ti. Beings like Xyrin have no real need for eating, but she rembered this first hosting fondly, considering eating a very important matter: she also considered Silvia her first friend—even though she still didn’t fully grasp the concept of friendship.
That being said, if Bellavira could have woken up once during those days, we might’ve avoided that embarrassing full-city lockdown...
"Have you gotten used to these past few days?" I watched Xyrin eating excitedly, feeling as if I were looking at a naive little sister: though this little sister is a bit bigger in stature.
Xyrin nodded, continuing her peculiar way of speaking with her mouth completely full but still articulate, "Yes, the outside world is quite interesting. The sa things look totally different at ho and outside. I’ve read through everything Taville gave and morized it all—though I still don’t quite understand."
As Xyrin said this, she seed a bit embarrassed about her low understanding, feeling apologetic, but she quickly regained her confidence, flashing a bright smile, "Even if I don’t get it, I will try my best! Taville said as long as I know what to do, the reasons can co later—for the Emperor’s command is the truth, as stated in the base protocol."
My expression must be sowhat subtle, but Xyrin couldn’t see it. Whether this still tender super consciousness can take on great responsibility is yet uncertain, but she has likely already grasped the fundantal rules of a Xyrin Apostle: obey commands, execution, efficiency, and loyalty.
I talked with her about so matters regarding the Spiritual Network, gaining an understanding of this massive data web from another perspective, and as the conversation continued along this path, the topic inevitably shifted to the long-lost other half of the Spiritual Network.
To be precise, it’s more than half: during the Old Empire period, there were one hundred and thirty-five Sky Zones, and the scale of the Spiritual Network was unprecedentedly large. After the catastrophe, only the network of the Fifteenth Day Zone survived due to isolation. Xyrin is what remains of the consciousness from one of these one hundred and thirty-five segnts of the network. She is just a small, insignificant part of the network during its peak period. The main trunk of this network is now in the hands of the Fallen Apostle.
The massive casualties caused by the catastrophe might have severely damaged that main trunk, but I believe that even so, the Spiritual Network controlled by the Fallen Apostle must be several tis more powerful than the one on the Empire’s side.
"The lost... other half," even Xyrin, who usually appears overly optimistic, beca serious when this topic was brought up, "I have no impression, I can’t rember things from back then, but there is indeed this feeling; the current body is very weak, and there is a strange feeling that... my ho is very... very..."
"Very narrow?" I recalled the word Xyrin ntioned the first ti we t.
"Yes, very narrow, my place has shrunk, and my body has beco weak as a result. I can’t rember what I was like back then, but subconsciously I always feel... the current network is abnormal, there’s a large rift at the boundary, where I originally could reach, now has beco a void."
The way Xyrin described it sounded strange to , but it was her insight into the Spiritual Network from her own perspective, which holds significant reference value for outsiders. We know that everything about Xyrin: her mory, thoughts, and soul are rooted in the Spiritual Network. This network’s damage would lead to a decline in her performance and cause the "shrinkage" of her resting place. She can’t rember things from back then partly because her processing performance was greatly damaged by the network’s division back then, resulting in insufficient remaining system resources to maintain her original vast consciousness, so she had to abandon or passively lose many mories.
Another reason is related to her hiding in a crystal back then: even the largest mory crystal couldn’t possibly completely preserve a super consciousness like Xyrin’s. When she uploaded herself to the crystal, she must have relinquished many mories, coupled with the wear and tear over tens of thousands of years, it’s quite good enough that she still rembers she’s called Xyrin.
"Do you rember hiding in the crystal back then?" I brought up a question that no one had ever figured out, "It seems that you planned your escape route yourself back then, escaping from the Fifteenth Day Zone, avoiding the Polluted Zone at that ti, drifting all the way to the Far Border, and even being picked up by the lowa people... the latter might be an accident, but everything else seems to have been planned."
"I don’t rember," Xyrin vigorously shook her head, "Was I that smart back then?"
"Uh, maybe..." I replied noncommittally. Now that it’s confird that a consciousness was hidden inside the crystal, Sandora’s judgnt back then instantly gained more credibility: the crystal intentionally planned its escape route. However, even if this assumption is true, we still can’t confirm whether Xyrin planned everything back then. She never communicated with anyone at the ti, the entire Empire didn’t know of Xyrin’s existence, how did she, alone, accomplish such ticulous planning?
Or perhaps... at an earlier point, this consciousness generated by the Spiritual Network was silently influencing the Angels of the Fifteenth Day Zone, preparing for her future escape?
The situation remains enigmatic, and so far, it seems impossible to get answers from Xyrin. So, I gave up trying to find answers in her now chaotic mories and shifted to another topic: "You ntioned earlier that in your perspective, the Spiritual Network has a distinct ’boundary’? And sothing about a rift?"
When Xyrin previously ntioned these two terms, I hadn’t paid much attention because it felt like a high-tech thing, but thinking back now, I suddenly realize this might not be an ordinary event. As expected, what Xyrin said next left people unable to remain calm.
"Yes, quite a distinct Breakage Zone," Xyrin stirred the coffee in front of her, "At ho... I an on the Spiritual Network, the connections at every node should be smooth; even at the network’s boundary, the place where the connection point terminates should have a complete termination signal, which is determined by lower-level protocols. But I always feel... at the network’s end, there’s an unusual boundary, the Spiritual Network does not end normally there, but rather the thing on the other side suddenly vanishes as if sliced away, with no border... Hmm, this taphor is what I found temporarily, that’s the kind of feeling. Beyond that boundary is a large rift I dare not enter, it’s like a big void, with nothing there. Once I go beyond there, I feel I would forever lose my node."
Understanding Xyrin’s unique perspective is challenging, but I still tried my best to understand her words because by now I’ve already sensed this might be an extrely serious issue.
The Empire’s Spiritual Network... is a fundantal thing. Any slight issue must be magnified dozens of tis to be addressed!
The Spiritual Network having a breakage reminds of the concept disjunction back then, but of course, it’s true the network in the Fifteenth Day Zone is isolated from the main trunk, but this isolation was also established on a basis that conforms to lower-level protocols. As Xyrin said, at the normal boundary of a network, every extre node should have a normal termination signal, which is probably a footnote like "This place can be used for zero-forwarding," to indicate that there are no subsequent nodes on this node.
And the abnormal boundary Xyrin ntioned lacks this termination signal.
People in the real world won’t be threatened by such an abnormal situation, but Xyrin, whose form lives on the network, views such a rift as a fierce beast.
"Because there is no termination signal, one might accidentally slip into the rift," Xyrin said worriedly, "equivalent to sending all data to a storage device that can’t feedback information, I would fall into a void... Not long ago, I cautiously glanced at that boundary, and it scared ."
Xyrin said with lingering fear, gulping down all the coffee as if to calm her nerves.
Such an abnormal network termination situation has never been discovered, nor has Bubbles, who continuously monitors the entire network, reported a similar situation.
"Haven’t you ntioned this to anyone else?"
"No, I just discovered it two days ago, I don’t understand what that boundary is, so I wanted to figure it out before reporting... Your Majesty, did I do sothing wrong?"
"Not exactly wrong, but a bit risky. For now, don’t venture near that boundary alone," I frowned, "I need to discuss with Bubbles and Sandora... We must find a way to translate your perspective into the real-world language, then locate where these boundaries are in the real world. Going alone... is too dangerous."
I didn’t articulate the latter part.
But my intuition tells ... this boundary likely stems from the Fallen Apostle, or even... "that person." (To be continued. If you enjoy this work, you’re welco at Qidian (qidian) to vote for recomndations or monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation.)
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