Chapter 348

Therefore, rather than playing the role of a saintly figure without desires, it's better to play the role of an arrogant and powerful one, which is more in line with the other person's fantasy.

At least, saying "I look down on your poor, remote place" is easier for the other party to accept than saying "I don't expect anything in return."

"You are free to dispose of it as you see Ai Yue," Cocolia said with a sigh of relief, a slight smile appearing on her face. "We once wanted to harness its power for our own use, but now it seems that was indeed too optimistic. Perhaps in your hands, it can play a greater role."

At the same time, there was a knock at the door, followed by a guard's voice. "Supreme Guardian, a large crowd has gathered outside, they..."

"I understand, I'll be right there!" The guard was interrupted by Cocolia's authoritative voice before he could finish speaking. After responding to the guard while maintaining her status as the Supreme Guardian, Cocolia bowed to Ai Yue again, "Excuse me, please allow me to stay a moment."

"Go," Ai Yue waved his hand, then looked at the gray-haired girl who had been silent all along, "Bronya, right? I have some questions for you about this world."

Bronya, who never expected that she would be involved, was stunned for a moment, and then subconsciously looked at her mother.

"Calm down and answer Mr. Ai Yue's question properly," Cocolia naturally wouldn't refuse such a small request. Although she had some subtle thoughts about Ai Yue's request, she still agreed. "However, there are some things that Bronya may not be clear about either. Please forgive me if I say anything wrong."

After leaving those words, Cocolia hurriedly left the office, but before opening the door, she glanced back at Bronya, her expression unreadable.

After a moment of panic, Bronya regained her composure, but she still seemed somewhat nervous facing such a powerful stranger whose strength she didn't know. "Ahem, Mr. Ai Yue, what would you like to ask?"

"No need to be nervous," Ai Yue narrowed his eyes slightly, as if he had seen something in the other person, and revealed a gentle smile, "It's just some simple... local customs and historical research."

"Huh?"

After a few simple questions, Ai Yue got the result he wanted. After casually sending Bronya away, he fell into deep thought.

The historical trajectory of Jarillo-VI, or rather Belobog, is not significantly different from what he already knows.

Even until Cocolia succeeded as the Supreme Guardian, and even after adopting Bronya from the Lower City as her adopted daughter and heir, things remained generally mild.

But the real reason why Cocolia didn't side with the Star Core, why the Upper City and Lower City weren't completely separated, and why the Silvermane Guards were still able to fight against the Abyss creatures with a relatively intact organization, was the same as what Ai Yue thought.

"On a certain day... I can't say exactly which day, because I was very young at the time, and... something unexpected happened," Bronya said somewhat vaguely, but then added with great certainty, "But at that moment, the whole of Belobog saw a beam of light streak across the sky."

"After that, the power of the Star Core weakened considerably," Bronya paused, then continued, "And at the same time, the 'Creation Engine' was activated."

"It is the combination of these two factors that has allowed Belobog to make a relatively smooth transition to the present... Although sacrifices and losses are still unavoidable, at least we have seen hope."

"And then, you appeared."

So, did the Power of Light unconsciously react in some unknown way with the power of the stellar core? Or did the stellar core simply fear the Power of Light, thus reducing its power to avoid being detected by the owner of this power?

As for the Creation Engine, that was just a pleasant surprise.

As he pondered Bronya's words, Ai Yue revealed a subtle smile.

No wonder I sensed my own power in Cocolia; it seems that while she was tainted by the power of the Star Core, she was also affected by the Power of Light.

Now, finally, I have something to do again.

Chapter Twenty-Three: He starts off sounding like a seasoned political commentator (not really).

Cocolia returned to her office without taking long. After all, in Belobog, the Supreme Guardian's authority was supreme and unquestionable. Even if her explanation wasn't entirely reasonable, no one would question her for the time being.

Considering that Ai Yue might not want to reveal his existence to ordinary people, Cocolia ultimately did not choose to explain the matter in detail. She simply said that she would send someone to investigate, and then said some platitudes such as "Belobog will never fall," before ending the hasty meeting.

However, this level of relief is sufficient to fool ordinary people—moreover, after the star core is sealed, Belobog will only get better and better, so "never to fall" will no longer be just a slogan.

However, when she hurriedly returned to the office, she only saw Bronya standing by the desk. Bronya was looking down at her palm with a slightly confused look in her eyes, as if something unimaginable had just happened.

"Bronya, what's wrong?" Cocolia walked over and asked with concern, "Where's Mr. Ai Yue? Where did he go?"

"Mr. Ai Yue said he was going to visit other places and told us to focus on our own tasks first," Bronya replied instinctively, then looked at Cocolia with a subtle expression. "Mother, Mr. Ai Yue just now..."

Seemingly unsure how to describe it, Bronya didn't finish her sentence, but simply raised a hand. Cocolia could figure out what she was trying to say, she was suddenly drawn to a bright light.

It was a pure white light emanating from Bronya's palm.

In an instant, Cocolia's vision seemed to be filled only with this one beam of light. Almost instinctively, she grabbed Bronya's hand, and then her legs involuntarily collapsed to her knees, as if she were overwhelmed by the power contained within the light.

"Mother?!" Bronya was startled by Cocolia's sudden reaction. She took a step back, and the light in her hand collapsed and dissipated. "What's wrong with you?"

"No, it's alright." After the light faded, Cocolia's inner impulse subsided, but after a moment of silence, she smiled. "Bronya, I think I can guess Mr. Ai Yue's true identity now."

Meanwhile, in the lower city, far above the ground, Ai Yue found the other three people who had come down with him.

"Although the environment is a bit harsh, the security situation is pretty good so far."

At the Grand Hotel Goethe in Rock Town, on March 7th, Dan Heng and Pardofelis gathered together to describe to Ai Yue what they had just seen and heard.

"According to the information we have so far, although the Lower City is still nominally under the jurisdiction of the Supreme Guardian, it seems to be in a stage of self-governance in essence." Compared to March 7th, Dan Heng has more detailed information. "The Lower City uses the mineral 'Geo-Marrow' extracted from the Ley Lines as an energy source, and also trades with the Upper City."

"Well, it feels a bit strange," March 7th commented. "Logically speaking, both the Upper City and the Lower City are part of Belobog, but they need to trade with each other, as if they're not a single entity."

"In such an apocalyptic world, there's probably nothing we can do," Dan Heng shook his head slightly. "However, since we're new here, it's difficult for us to know much about the specifics. If you're interested, Mr. Ai Yue, it would be best to communicate directly with the local administrators."

"Yes, that's what I think too," Ai Yue nodded slightly, then looked at Pardofelis, who was curled up in a ball on the bed. "Pardo, what's wrong?"

"I don't really like this place. You can't see the sun, and there's no hope. It's like... the old Twilight Street," Pardofelis murmured, then looked up at Ai Yue. "Brother Yue, what's the Upper City like?"

"It's sunny, but it's quite cold. I'm afraid you won't like it." Ai Yue shook his head slightly. "How about I take you back to the train first?"

Although she looks like a slender young girl, Ai Yue knows very well that Pardofelis is not that fragile now. The state she is showing now is more like she has been infected by the atmosphere of the lower city.

Just as she said, in this dark and hopeless underground space, there is no future to be seen, which does give people a very uncomfortable feeling. Pardofelis has a very strong ability to observe, and it is precisely because of this that she is easily influenced by her environment.

"Then I'd better not, I'll just go with Brother Yue." Hearing that she was going to be sent back, Pardofelis quickly shook her head, revealing a subtle expression. "If none of you are here, won't I be the only one drinking Himeko's coffee?"

Everyone fell silent – indeed, with Belobog's current dire situation on one side and Himeko's innovative coffee on the other, it was really hard to say which was better.

"In short, we just met a member of 'Underground Fire'." Dan Heng casually steered the conversation back on track. "Underground Fire is the current self-governing organization of the Lower City. Through her, we might be able to meet some of Underground Fire's higher-ups and gain a clearer understanding of the Lower City."

"Well done, Dan Heng." Ai Yue nodded. "I didn't expect you to find a breakthrough so quickly."

"It was all luck. We'd barely landed when we stumbled upon a group surrounded by monsters. We went to help, only to find out that some of them were members of the Underground Fire faction," March 7th said with a subtle expression. "But now that I think about it, was it good luck or bad luck?"

"Being able to quickly find a breakthrough is certainly a matter of luck," Ai Yue subconsciously touched Pardofelis's hair, then said, "Where are the members of that Underground Fire?"

"Judging by the time, they should be here soon, right?" March 7th thought for a moment, then suddenly smiled at Ai Yue, "Brother Yue, don't be surprised when you see them later!"

Don't be surprised?

Ai Yue raised an eyebrow, then gave a faint smile, clearly having guessed something from the other person's words.

As they were talking, there was a knock on the door. "March 7th, Dan Heng, and Pardo, are you inside?"

"Yes, I'm here!" March 7th responded immediately, then ran over to open the door and invited the visitor in. "Please come in, Miss Seele."

"Just call me Seele," the girl said as she walked in, cautiously scanning the room before her gaze settled on the only person she didn't recognize, Ai Yue. "And this is?"

"This is Mr. Ai Yue, who is considered our... uh, guardian?" Dan Heng pondered for a moment, then looked at Ai Yue for his opinion before saying, "In short, Mr. Ai Yue is with us."

"I see. It seems Mr. Ai Yue is also from beyond this world." Seele nodded, relieved by Dan Heng's assurance. "Then, please follow me. After hearing your requests, the leader of the Underground Fire has agreed. She is waiting for you now."

Ai Yue and the others naturally wouldn't refuse, since they came to the lower city to investigate the situation there and determine Cocolia, the Supreme Guardian, was qualified and capable of leading Belobog to revive the planet.

To achieve this goal, the evaluation of the Underground Fire Leader is clearly essential.

"Well, didn't expect that, did you?" While the group was traveling, March 7th approached Ai Yue and said with a smile, "There's someone here who looks exactly like Miss Seele, even with the same name—oh, but this Miss Seele doesn't have a surname."

Although due to time constraints, March 7th and the others did not come into contact with the Second Solar System and the Schicksal Civilization there while on Earth, Seele and the others did make an appearance, and therefore they had exchanges with each other.

Ai Yue nodded in agreement. "It was indeed very unexpected, really."

"Your unchanging expression is utterly unconvincing!" March 7th sighed helplessly. "Fine, this kind of thing really can't sway someone like Brother Yue. I've lost."

Dan Heng, who was standing to the side, also stretched out his hand, and a code appeared on his phone. "A bet's a bet."

I scanned the QR code on March 7th and let out another sigh of resentment.

Seeing these two people betting on him, Ai Yue was speechless for a moment, but before he could say anything, the girl leading the way stopped and said, "We're here."

"A...clinic?" March 7th looked up and quickly recognized the building in front of her. "How did it end up here? I thought Underground Fire would have its own office building."

"There's no office building, but there is a dormitory building," Seele shook her head. "We Underground Fire people don't have the leisure to sit in an office, drinking tea and reading documents in a refined manner. We're always on the go, so we don't need an office."

As she spoke, she entered the clinic. "Nata, I've brought the guests."

The clinic was quiet, yet crowded, with many wounded and patients queuing up for doctors to see them.

"Sorry, you might have to wait a moment." The person who responded to Seele was a mature woman with long navy blue hair. She was wearing medical gear and intently treating a wounded soldier's wounds. "His injuries are very serious; if we can't..."

Before she could finish speaking, a faint white halo swept across her eyes. The doctor stopped in astonishment, because the wound no longer needed any additional treatment—the terrible infection vanished into thin air, the taut wound healed itself, and even the bloodstains disappeared back under the skin, as if the severe injury from before was just an illusion.

This power...

The doctor, called Nata, looked up and realized that the other wounded and patients seemed to have recovered at that moment. Some of them looked bewildered, while others couldn't help but kneel down to thank this miracle for happening.

In fact, if someone were to look down over the entire lower town at this moment, they would see that this spreading halo was not confined to the small clinic, but rather passed through countless buildings and streets, crossed deep mines and railways, and spread to the very edge of the lower town in an instant.

Countless wounds and illnesses vanished at this moment, and countless pains and exhaustion were gently swept away. People looked up in bewilderment, wanting to know where this miracle came from, but could only see a faint white light quietly disappearing from their sight.

Just like many years ago, a ray of light briefly illuminated the lower town.

The source of all these miracles was simply a faint smile directed at the doctor, "It seems you should have some time now?"

"Ah... um, um." The doctor responded subconsciously, her eyes regaining their liveliness. She quickly reassured the patients in the clinic, then walked over to the group. "Please come upstairs with me; it'll be quieter up there."

The second floor of the clinic was a warehouse, filled with a jumble of things. However, no one present seemed to care too much about such things, so everyone just casually found a spot for themselves.

"Let me reintroduce myself. My name is Natasha, I'm a doctor from the Lower City, and also the leader of the Underground Fire," the woman standing before the crowd said with a slight smile. Her demeanor seemed slightly different from the healer she had been before; it had become more sharp and assertive. "The Lower City will not forget everyone's contributions. Is there anything I can do to help?"

As they spoke, Natasha's gaze remained fixed on Ai Yue. She could tell that this mysterious man was the backbone of the group, and she was also very curious about his ability to heal injuries in an instant.

Seele previously said they were guests from beyond the planet. Could it be that after a long period of time, this planet's connection with the outside world has finally been restored?

Does this mean that Belobog's crisis finally has a chance to be resolved?

However, given Belobog's current state, is it... appropriate for him to make contact with the outside world so abruptly?

"I just have a few questions to ask," Ai Yue said directly, ignoring Natasha's inner thoughts. "Miss Natasha, what are your thoughts on the current Supreme Guardian and her arrangements for the Lower City?"

Why would you ask this?

Natasha was taken aback when she heard the question.

Upon learning that the other party came from another planet, Natasha had various speculations about the motives of Ai Yue and his group.

For example, perhaps the group came to investigate the planet's ecology, or to explore the ruins left by the original builders, or perhaps they were there specifically for the star's core...

But she hadn't expected that Ai Yue's first question would be about Belobog's... uh, political landscape?

What is she planning to do? If she shows any dissatisfaction with the Supreme Guardian, will she simply give the order to have herself chopped into mincemeat?

Chapter Twenty-Four: Please, Another Me

As it turns out, Natasha's imagination was overthinking things.

Ai Yue had no intention of supporting a new king or protecting the old one. He simply wanted to know if there was any conflict between the lower and upper districts, and if so, to what extent.

The answer eased his furrowed brow.

After being affected by the Power of Light, Cocolia obviously no longer performed the many human-like actions she did in the original storyline.

It's important to know that in the original storyline, in order to embrace the power of the Star Core, Cocolia not only severed the connection between the upper and lower city districts, leaving the lower city to fend for itself, but also frequently manipulated the Silvermane Guards on the front lines, causing them to suffer huge casualties for no reason.

The purpose of all this was to give the power of the Star Core the opportunity to destroy the entire Belobog, and then bring "new life" to the last surviving civilization of Arillow-VI.

It can be said that Cocolia was originally an undisputed villain in the story. After her mind was completely corrupted by the Star Core, there was no room for redemption. However, things have not developed to that extent yet.

Natasha did not hold back against Ai Yue and the others because their identities were a mystery. On the contrary, knowing that they came from outside the planet, and seeing the powerful strength Ai Yue had just displayed, Natasha placed all her hopes for the planet's revival on them, so she was very frank.

Through her description, Ai Yue and the others gradually learned about Belobog's current situation.

Perhaps influenced by the Power of Light, or perhaps because the arrival of "Radiant Flow" gave Belobog hope, Cocolia has indeed embarked on a completely different path.

"The Underground Shelter Plan?" Upon hearing this, March 7th immediately made a connection. "It sounds like that Supreme Guardian is going to shift his focus to the Lower City?"

"Yes, according to her, the surface environment is continuing to deteriorate. If this continues, sooner or later the heating system in the upper city will be overloaded." Natasha nodded and said, "In contrast, although the underground environment also has its flaws, at least it's easier to mine the Geo-Marrow for energy, and the pressure on the heating system will be less."

"Under such dire circumstances, concentrating our forces to defend one settlement is indeed the most reasonable approach," Dan Heng nodded. "However, I'm curious, if we really do move everyone underground, have you considered the possibility of returning to the surface?"

"The shelter plan doesn't necessarily have to be implemented. At least for now, we still have the hope of returning to the surface," Natasha said with a slightly helpless smile. "However, if the day really comes when we have to hide underground, we can still rely on the Creation Engine."

"Creation Engine?" March 7th paused for a moment, then a thoughtful expression appeared on his face. "What an imposing name! It sounds like some kind of ultimate weapon!"

"I don't know the specifics, but I do know that the Creation Engine was destroyed in the war a long time ago, but it has now regained some of its power," Natasha smiled. "The Supreme Guardian said that with the Creation Engine, the lower city can be protected from the threat of the Abyss creatures, and one day, we can even use it to return to the surface."

"Sounds good," Ai Yue nodded from the side, "But we don't need to worry about these things now."

"Mr. Ai Yue?" Natasha was taken aback, clearly not understanding why Ai Yue would suddenly say such a thing, but she quickly realized, "Could it be that you...?"

Given the words spoken by the other party and the extraordinary power he had previously displayed, Natasha could naturally guess that Ai Yue had intervened in the fate of this planet.

"You'll find out soon enough, but I haven't gotten involved in much of this, so let's wait for news from the upper district." Ai Yue nodded, acknowledging Natasha's guess, but he didn't elaborate. "We have other matters to attend to, so we'll take our leave now."

After saying that, Ai Yue seemed to remember something and looked at March 7th and Dan Heng: "Or would you like to wander around a bit more?"

"Leaving so soon?" March 7th clutched the camera with a hint of reluctance. "I didn't even have time to take many more photos!"