"Classic of Mountains and Rivers"

The Qianlong robots were divided into three major categories.

The first category, Class A Robots, were combat robots. They carried out all kinds of combat missions—hand-to-hand fighting, gunfights, street battles, wilderness warfare, and so on. Their shells were incomparably hard, and they had been implanted with the finest combat neurons. They did not necessarily have to be humanoid, but they were formidable in battle. Of course, that strength was only relative to ordinary people. Against genetic masters, robots were ultimately somewhat slower to react, and their materials were not exceptionally durable either. So for now, they were only used in conventional combat and could not take part in high-level battles.

The second category, Class B Robots, were like Xiao Luo. They knew all kinds of knowledge, could cook, do laundry, make soup, and were proficient in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. They were an excellent servant model. Under special circumstances, they would even take a bullet for their master—note, taking a bullet was entirely serious.

The third category was Class C, which carried out special missions. Their tasks and functions were singular—for example, diving robots or mine-clearing robots...

There was actually no fourth category, Class E Robots, in the Qianlong dictionary. The representative brand of Class E Robots was "Catgirl," which solved people's entertainment and physiological needs. Those belonged to the realm of commercial goods; anyone could place an order online and buy one.

Qianlong did not manufacture them specifically.

Because Qianlong's people had basically risen above such base interests.

Still, if someone truly retained such base interests and insisted on having their attendant modified in that way, it would be a very simple minor procedure for an engineer. Dig a hole, add some gel, implant a few neurons, add some moaning and whimpering to the voice system, and wouldn't that do it? What was the big deal?

Such an application would basically be approved as well.

But among all 101 people, not a single one had actually submitted that kind of application. Everyone still had some pride...

Lin Xiaosu looked at the censored images floating in the air, then at Xiao Luo's innocent eyes before him, and felt a little embarrassed. Better leave. He should go back to the library and keep reading.

At midnight, Lin Xiaosu held a book and stared blankly into space.

The book was called Classic of Mountains and Rivers. It recorded all kinds of ancient myths and strange beasts—360 types of wondrous objects and 360 types of exotic beasts.

Section Seventy-Eight of Classic of Mountains and Rivers recorded a giant bird called Kong Gu. The bird was a hundred zhang long, with a wingspan of three hundred zhang. Its sharp claws had three talons, capable of splitting mountains and cleaving stone, and three scales grew on its forehead, bright scarlet in color...

The book was clearly very old. Its pages had yellowed, it was thread-bound, and the writing within was neither printed nor even movable type—it had been handwritten.

Judging by its contents alone, it was mythology through and through.

Yet a scene surfaced in Lin Xiaosu's mind, one that filled him with terror...

It was the scene he had witnessed through the skylight during his second overnight stay at Willow Forest Temple, on the Astrological Shift Day: a giant bird crossing mountains and rivers as it flew toward that ancient stone stele. The bird had been unimaginably huge, and the three bright red scales on its forehead had been so striking...

"Didn't you want to add some functions to Xiao Luo? Why didn't you submit an application? If you dared to submit one, I'd really dare to approve it!" A voice came from behind him, accompanied by a faint fragrance.

Lin Xiaosu nearly sprang up. "Damn! Don't I get any privacy at all? You even know about that?"

Chang Ye stood behind him. She smiled softly. "Didn't you know the robot is connected to the network? As long as my clearance is higher than yours, I'll know whatever you do to her."

Lin Xiaosu leaned his head back. "I really should be grateful I'm an upright gentleman. Otherwise, I'd have embarrassed myself right in Qianlong headquarters!"

"An upright gentleman, yet you were asking about ultimate functions?" Chang Ye burst out laughing. "What are you doing? Hmm, reading mythological stories. Not bad. You know how to balance work and rest..."

"What do you think of these mythological stories?" A glint flashed through Lin Xiaosu's eyes.

"What else is there to think? You admire the author's bizarre imagination. But these stories are far too scattered. They can barely even be called stories." Chang Ye had naturally read the book as well.

"Is it possible... that it isn't actually a mythological story?" Lin Xiaosu said.

"Not a mythological story? Then what is it?" Chang Ye asked.

"For example... a genuine record from some parallel world."

Chang Ye stared at him for a long time, then suddenly smiled. "You came too late. If you'd come ten years earlier, perhaps you could have found someone who could spin endless vivid tales with you on this subject. Unfortunately, he is no longer here."

"Who was he?"

"An old blind Daoist priest. He lived here for ten years and left behind this book. I met him when I first entered Qianlong. He grabbed hold of me and started talking. The things he said were truly wild and unconstrained, but unfortunately, I had no time to chat with him, so I never entered the world he spoke of..."

"What was his name?"

"His surname was Lu. I really don't know his given name. Xinyue's grandfather invited him here. He wasn't originally one of Qianlong's people."

His surname was Lu!

Lu Yun?!

Lin Xiaosu's heart jolted. "Can I meet Xinyue's grandfather?"

Chang Ye sighed softly. "You're too late for that too! This time, you're eight years too late!"

Eight years ago, for the Trojan Horse Plan, he had traveled to Europa State to "help" the enemy improve their genetic program, leading it astray. After the enemy saw through him, they cut off his head and sent it back to his hometown...

When he left Qianlong, he had worried about ten-year-old Xinyue. He asked the organization to look after the martyr's orphan, and he also asked Chang Ye to take care of her.

That was why Xinyue had grown up in Qianlong.

That was why she and Chang Ye were as close as siblings.

As Chang Ye spoke of that head crossing the ocean to return to its homeland, her expression grew somber. Being in Qianlong, she had become accustomed to the sacrifices of her comrades, but every time she witnessed a new sacrifice, she still felt profound grief...

"Traveling to a foreign land to carry out a top-secret plan, only for his head to return home, his body and head forever separated... The generations of Qianlong people truly deserve admiration," Lin Xiaosu said. "Did you ever find out what that Daoist priest surnamed Lu truly came to Qianlong for?"

"I vaguely heard one explanation before. It was called a warning. But what he was warning us about, I don't know."

A warning!

Stormy waves churned in Lin Xiaosu's heart.

He knew!

Everything was clear now!

Daoist Master Lu Yun had taken the same path Lin Xiaosu once had. He believed the Great Desolate World would descend, so he told Second Uncle at Willow Forest Temple. But telling Second Uncle was useless. Second Uncle was just an ordinary man—what could he do even if he believed him?

So he had sought out Qianlong, the most powerful organization in this world.

He had come to warn Qianlong!

He had hoped Qianlong would take it seriously and make plans in advance.

Lin Xiaosu did not know whether Qianlong had taken him seriously.

He did not know whether Qianlong had prepared any response plans.

But that Daoist priest had done everything he was supposed to do...

"Where could he have gone?" Lin Xiaosu asked. "Don't you have a system that can find people anywhere in the world? Can you search for him?"

"I already told you, that system has a major prerequisite for finding someone. They must either be registered, have a signal source on them, or have appeared under surveillance cameras. And after he left Qianlong, he never appeared again. Oh, right. Before he left, he left behind one remark... Demons hide overseas, natives stir beneath the earth's core, the Great Desolation seeks to shatter its seal and reappear—where will this generation of civilization end up?"

"Demons hide overseas, natives stir beneath the earth's core, the Great Desolation seeks to shatter its seal and reappear... How did you interpret that?"

Chang Ye said, "I understand the part about demons hiding overseas. Most Western countries have been infiltrated by Hydra. They call themselves the beacon of humanity, but what they do is worse than bandits. They're rotten from top to bottom. This generation of civilization is indeed facing a great threat. But as for the natives and the Great Desolation, no one knows what they are..."

Suddenly, her voice cut off.

Because a tall figure had appeared at the entrance to the library.

The man strode over, carrying an intense aura of killing intent, and headed straight for Lin Xiaosu.

Lin Xiaosu raised his gaze and met the man's eyes. The moment their eyes met, Lin Xiaosu had the feeling that this man must have killed many people. There was a murderous aura around him, a feeling both subtle and inexplicable...

"This is Qianlong Number 88," Chang Ye said.

Lin Xiaosu stood up and scratched his head. "Do I need to salute?"

Number 88's cold, stern expression was softened by that single sentence, and the corners of his mouth forced out a faint smile. "You're not yet an official member of Qianlong, so there's no need to salute. Sit. I have something to discuss with you."

He sat down. Lin Xiaosu casually poured him a cup of tea and handed it over.

Number 88 accepted it and set it on the table. "Lin Xiaosu, Chang Ye and I have both observed your performance. As your two assessors, we unanimously agree that you have passed the assessment and may become a reservist. I came today for two reasons. First, to tell you the basic rules for reservists..."

He raised a hand and passed Lin Xiaosu a tablet.

Five large words appeared on the tablet: Reserve Charter.

Reservist: the probationary stage for Qianlong Gold Medals.

Each person was given 100 initial points. Merits earned point rewards, while violations of the Qianlong Regulations deducted the corresponding points.

The Qianlong Regulations were also displayed in full, totaling 327 provisions.

Lin Xiaosu skimmed through them quickly, then looked up. "What's the second reason?"

"The second reason is an unexpected incident. You may participate..."

Chang Ye looked up. "What unexpected incident?"

Number 88 said, "Number 325 sent a message from Laoshan yesterday, saying he had made a significant discovery. But today... today was the agreed time, and no message has come. We suspect something has happened to him."

"He is the most meticulous person. He has never broken his word." Chang Ye was greatly startled.