247: Secret Gaia

"Ah, what a pity. For Zeta-rank (6) to be able to repel the Marauder-type [Machine World Society] without the help of narrative is no ordinary feat."

The companions analyzed it:

Even the "United Company," which had a grudge against Lioz, abandoned its dispute and sent people to investigate and make contact. Lioz's value is probably still underestimated...

"Of course, such talent will definitely be given priority by the Narrative-level. Let's report the situation to the Empire first."

He shrugged, then suddenly thought of something, "Speaking of which, if he were included in the narrative, do you think he would be arranged to ascend to godhood? Or be trained as part of the Deep Abyss Squad?"

"It's hard to say. Ascending to godhood only requires reaching the level of Kappa-rank (10), and theoretically, one doesn't even need to go to the Star Abyss. It's mainly for building up Combat Power against [Society]. As for the Deep Abyss Squad..."

Before his colleague could finish speaking, he quickly slapped his forehead. "That's true. The Deep Abyss Squad goes down into the Star Abyss to contact various narratives, unleash potential, and collect treasures. But it's all for the purpose of cultivating core members of Narrative-level Civilization. We probably can't count on first-generation immigrants. However, given Lioz's record, his second-generation direct descendants will definitely be a sure thing in the Deep Abyss Squad."

"Yes, the Star Abyss is a place to unleash potential and understand 'truth'. Once you've been to the Star Abyss, it's hard for you to want to go back to the surface. But they are nurtured by the forces of the upper Star Abyss. Once they leave the upper Star Abyss, they are like duckweed adrift in the Realm Abyss. The Kappa-rank (10), which can be called a war machine in the upper Star Abyss, is just the starting point for the superhumans in the Realm Abyss."

After saying that, he shook his head. "This is how our Narrative-level Civilization controls the loyalty of the strong. We are not worried at all that they will leave and start their own business. If they do succeed in starting their own business, it means that our pond is too shallow and we can't control this big fish no matter what. Letting go sooner will also create a good relationship."

"Is this also the wisdom of the Philosopher King? It's really hard for ordinary people to understand from this perspective."

"Yes, the Philosopher King embodies this great wisdom and inclusiveness, so the Empire will probably do so—but other narratives are hard to say."

"Sigh, Star Abyss ... Do you think Star Abyss really cares about us creations? Why did he have to divide it into so many layers, severing the Narrative Civilization of each layer?"

"That's not something we should be concerned about with our Monthly Salary of Three Thousand Ammonium Gold." My colleague shrugged. "Let's go. Since we can't get through Valkyrie Fortress, let's investigate somewhere else."

Where to go next?

"Need I say more?"

He smiled and opened his communicator, "Let's do an on-site interview and take a walk on the battlefield of White Candle Star."

"The new version of [Dominator] has been greatly enhanced, and its origins are suspected to be those of the Star Abyss Main God Lioz? The Gamma-rank has been fully unlocked, and the next version hints at stepping into the universe?"

Sunlight fell on Xia Yubing's shoulders, and she slightly raised her hand to shield her eyes from the glaring sunlight.

Today she wore a one-shoulder vest and canvas pants, draped a sheer veil over her shoulders, and her permed hair was tied in a ponytail, making her look fashionable and beautiful.

"Wow, there's so much news about Star Abyss this time. I think I can quit my Government Employee job and focus on leveling up."

Xia Yubing scrolled through the forums, where some people apologized to Li Aoz, while others, players from the "Dominator" faction, gloated. Some players even speculated that the purpose of this update was to make players align themselves with the universe.

Meanwhile, as the game version nears its end, various leagues are being organized in full swing.

As for Xia Yubing, her thoughts were simple: finally, she could catch up with Jiao Ziniu.

The thought of Caramel Snail inadvertently revealing her daily activities with Cumin Powder during their chats annoyed her.

Praising another woman in front of a woman, or comparing her to others, is not just stepping on a landmine, it's dancing wildly in a landmine.

'This time, I must seize the opportunity, find the path to space as soon as possible, and soar into the sky! I'll drive that vixen away!'

"Pfft! "Jiao Ziniu hurriedly sat down in front of him, panting, and said:

"Here it comes! Whew—sorry, sorry..."

"Oh~ slow~, Zi Niu!"

Xia Yubing puffed out her cheeks, then sniffed twice and covered her nose. "What's going on... Jiao Ziniu, why do you smell so strange? How long have you been soaking in the Game Pod?"

"It hasn't been long, only 27 hours," Jiao Ziniu said nonchalantly.

Xia Yubing raised an eyebrow. "'Talent'? Aren't you a science and engineering major? You've been playing games like crazy for so long—did you go to the Star Abyss University Esports Department to level up and grind monsters with AOE attacks?"

"No, actually my teammates play much more aggressively; I can't keep up with them, like Cumin Powder— "

"You still brought up that woman!" Xia Yubing crossed her arms and said irritably, "Today is my birthday, and you're bringing up another woman in front of the person celebrating my birthday? What were you thinking?"

"There's nothing I can do about it, she's my most frequent partner—or, Yubing, you should level up quickly!" Jiao Ziniu scratched his head and suddenly thought, "You don't know yet, do you? White Candle Star is now under Li Aoz's control. Once you reach the Gamma-rank, Li Aoz should have solved the teleportation problem. Then, we can team up together."

"Hey... well, you're really hanging out with those professional players, aren't you?" Xia Yubing's heart leaped with joy. She deliberately turned her head to the side, feigning concern, and said, "I won't disturb you guys playing together, lest I jeopardize your future..."

"Well, although everyone is very nice to me, I'm closer to Yubing."

Jiao Ziniu said bluntly, while holding up the gift bag in his hand. "Happy birthday, Miss Xia Yubing. To celebrate your 18th year in this world, please accept this."

"Hmph—Hehe."

Xia Yubing couldn't hide her smile as she took the gift bag and peered inside, "Oh? What's this?"

As she spoke, she took out the gift box from inside, opened it, and immediately revealed an ancient book.

"A paper book... and an ancient one at that."

"Yu Bing, aren't you studying ancient languages and literature? I specifically searched for archaeological sites discovered in the universe—this one is very well preserved and is legal to be sold, so I thought it might be useful to you, and I took the liberty of buying it," Jiao Ziniu explained.

"Such a precious gift..." Xia Yubing glanced at the other person, her beautiful eyes sparkling. "Thank you, I really like this kind of ancient book, Ziniu, you are so amazing! I love you to death."

"Hehe, it's nothing." Jiao Ziniu scratched his head. "Speaking of which, I'm actually curious too. The writing on this isn't our Yanxia language, nor is it any of the Terra language family—what is it?"

"You've come to the right person; this is one of my strengths."

Xia Yubing wanted to kiss Jiao Ziniu, but the ancient book in her hands was more important to her. She flipped through a few pages and then said, "This is a very ancient language, and it is not a product of our native civilization. Simply put, it is the language of an alien civilization."

"It has a very clear alphabetic structure, with distinct vowels and consonants. It's a fairly regular language, and it's not difficult to learn... Hmm, there are about 26 letters. I remember seeing it in the database; you can compare them to see..."

"Aha—I've got it!"

Xia Yubing checked and immediately said excitedly, "This is a language labeled as English. It doesn't belong to our language system, and its structure is very primitive, making it very easy to learn. I can learn it right now. Let me activate the learning aid function... Okay, I've already learned 'English,' and um, I've also learned a famous quote: 'To be or not to be...'"

"Don't speak foreign languages, it gives me a headache," Jiao Ziniu asked curiously. "So, what exactly is the content of this book?"

"Well, let's start by translating the title."

Xia Yubing looked at the cover and spoke fluently in an alien language called 'English':

"Society is my home - Gaia Covert's Personal Biography of the Ether Civilization Ruler".