Beyond Sight

"There's no need." Angel Yan waved a hand. "If they need us Angels to provide even the most basic intelligence, then this Earth Civilization won't last more than a few days."

"Although the Taotie Civilization was forcibly raised to Astronaut Level by Death God Karl, their own intelligence isn't enough to support further growth. The Taotie Legion had already reached this level ten thousand years ago. Another ten thousand years have passed, and without Carl constantly propping them up, those uncivilized monkeys have barely made any progress."

"Earth has Xiong Bing Lian now, backed by the Three Great God-Making Projects. They shouldn't have much trouble dealing with a conventional Taotie invasion. Our top priority is still finding Morgana."

Angel Yan turned to Zhi Xin, who was standing quietly nearby. "By the way, Zhi Xin, what did your master say? Has the Heavenly Base King found any trace of Morgana?"

"My master..." Zhi Xin looked helpless. "Lately, she's been busy studying Si Yao, and... the Space Displacement Technology she got from him. She's swamped. She has no time to deal with Morgana."

"What?!" Angel Yan sat bolt upright. "Space Displacement Technology? He just gave that to your master?"

Wait, wasn't that way too fast?!

She'd pestered the guy for ages and still hadn't managed to pry any solid technical details out of him. Then He Xi showed up and got her hands on such advanced technology?

Could it be... Si Yao and He Xi had taken a liking to each other?!

Angel Yan felt strange all of a sudden, and a little sour, though she couldn't quite put a name to the feeling.

As if she'd noticed Angel Yan's confusion and that hint of inexplicable jealousy, Zhi Xin hurried to explain. "My master gave Si Yao a brand-new Dark Silver Long Sword as a first-meeting gift. The Space Displacement Technology was Si Yao's return gift."

Hearing it was only a "return gift," Angel Yan inexplicably breathed a sigh of relief. But then she wore a gossipy grin, as if eager to stir up trouble, nudged Zhi Xin with her elbow, and whispered with a wink, "Hey, Zhi Xin, go help your Yan Jie investigate. See if our Heavenly Base King, who hasn't been moved by mortal feelings in tens of thousands of years, might be... hmm? Thinking about a second spring?"

"Yan Jie!" Zhi Xin flushed with embarrassment. "Don't make things up! My master..."

"Come on, come on," Angel Yan urged. "Think about it: one's a researcher who's lived for tens of thousands of years, and the other's a mysterious Old God who knows how long he's been around. The pairing practically writes itself. Go ask!"

Zhi Xin hesitated, but in the end, she didn't dare agree to Angel Yan's ridiculous request.

Her master seemed like a kind person, but she was actually extremely vengeful!

If this gossip turned out to be true, the worst she'd get was a bit of teasing from her master, who'd ask when she planned to find someone for herself.

But if the rumor was wrong, she'd be done for!

Heavenly Base Four, in a private research room.

He Xi floated alone in the middle of the room, surrounded by countless streams of pale blue data and intricate Space Algorithm models.

After days of nonstop research, she had completely mastered the Space Displacement Technology Si Yao had provided.

But this didn't make her feel any more at ease. Instead, a deeper sense of unease welled up inside her.

The underlying logic of this technology shared some common ground with the existing spatial theories of Shenhe Civilization, yet it differed from them in fundamental ways.

It was more direct, more domineering, as if it issued a Higher Dimension "command" to space itself rather than "moving" things through complex calculations.

That domineering command made her think of the Secondary Life Technology she was researching. It was just as domineering.

Si Yao... The technology he'd casually offered as a "return gift" had already surpassed the Angel Civilization's current spatial technology. Just how terrifying would the core technologies he truly possessed be?

She shut down the Holographic Projection and sat in silence for a moment. In the end, she connected to Holy Keisha, who was far away at Merlot Heavenly Court.

A flash of light, and Holy Keisha's imposing, sacred figure appeared on the communications display.

"He Xi."

"Keisha." He Xi nodded, dispensing with the small talk and getting straight to the point. "I want to talk to you about Si Yao."

Keisha seemed to have expected this topic and gave a slight nod. "Go ahead."

"After observing him at close quarters for some time and having one brief encounter with him," He Xi said gravely, "I can say with reasonable certainty that his technological system—and that of the Pangu Civilization he speaks of—is generations ahead of ours."

"He can modify Lieyang's Dark Alloy Armor with ease, grant an ordinary Super Gene carrier the strength to take on Xiong Bing Lian alone within days, and offer us this... spatial technology, which exceeds the scope of our current capabilities, as a return gift."

"Keisha, every ability he's demonstrated points to a branch of the Tech Tree we've never explored—or one whose limits we haven't reached."

Keisha listened in silence.

He Xi continued, "So far, he's shown a detached, indifferent attitude toward all the major powers in the Known Universe. He seems reasonably friendly toward us Angels, but that's only on the basis of 'don't provoke me' and 'there's something in it for me.'"

"He's like... an observer perched above us, looking down on the civilizations he may consider his juniors. For some unknown reason, he's temporarily stopped on Earth, this tiny stage."

"He's uncontrollable—far too uncontrollable." He Xi voiced her deepest concern. "A being whose technology may surpass ours across the board, and whose motives are utterly unpredictable... Every move he makes on Earth could have an immeasurable impact on the future balance of power."

Keisha was silent for a long time before finally speaking.

"If he's uncontrollable, then... we'll keep observing him."

"We established the Justice Order to safeguard peace and stability in the Known Universe. As long as he doesn't actively undermine that order or launch a devastating attack on a weaker civilization, then whoever he is and wherever he comes from, we should give him the respect he's due."

She paused, then changed tack. "But Yan and the others' mission on Earth needs to be upgraded. Keep in contact, and learn as much as possible about the Pangu Civilization and the Void. Since Morgana is also on Earth, we can't afford to let our guard down."

"As for him..." Keisha paused. "If one day he really chooses to stand against the Justice Order... then even if he's an Old God from ancient times, the Angels' swords will still be pointed at him."

Hearing Keisha's unwavering answer, He Xi looked deeply troubled. "Keisha, have you considered that... we may not be a match for him at all?"

"Until the fight to the death, I never consider such questions." Keisha's answer brimmed, as always, with the confidence and pride of a King of Gods.

He Xi sighed helplessly. She knew this was Keisha's conviction, and the foundation that had allowed her to lead the Angel Civilization across the universe for tens of thousands of years.

But this time was different.

"What worries me most," He Xi said, her voice turning exceptionally grave, "is that Si Yao may already have surpassed me in Secondary Life Technology—in other words, Void Technology."

As the chief developer of the Angel Civilization's Secondary Life Engine, she knew better than anyone how domineering this new technological path was. Against most existing Shenhe Technology, Secondary Life Technology could deliver a Dimensional Strike.

Keisha's gaze finally shifted. "He Xi, are you afraid?"

"Yes, I am afraid." He Xi admitted it frankly, without trying to hide it.

"Before, I firmly supported you. I rejected the so-called Void Civilization and Carl's alarmist theory of the 'Ultimate Fear.' But after coming into direct contact with Void Theory and starting my own research... Keisha, I've begun to feel afraid."

Her voice carried a rare note of exhaustion and confusion. "This technological path stretches too far—so far that I can't see the end. And I've only just begun."

"Who knows how far Carl, who proposed the 'Ultimate Fear' theory so long ago, has gone down this path? I've been worried for thousands of years. And especially after meeting Si Yao, that worry has only grown."

He Xi's thoughts seemed to drift back into the distant past, and her gaze grew unfocused.

"Once, I thought that after I'd deciphered the Angel Civilization's eternal Gene Code, I could rest easy and take a break. Then Super Seminary went and created the Nuoxing War God in the Deno Civilization. That so-called God-Slaying Power was far more terrifying than the combat units our Angels had at the time."

"There was nothing I could do but keep researching and develop new technology. I armed a new generation of Guardian Angels and developed the Sacred Body. At last, we had enough to counter the threat of God-Slaying Power."

"Back then, I thought I could finally rest."

"But then, your war with Liang Bing erupted again and again. Then one day, you suddenly realized that Carl—the one hiding in the shadows—was the real, massive threat. But by then, there was nothing you could do about him. By the time you truly understood the danger Carl posed, you could no longer kill him."

"And to keep him from joining forces with Liang Bing's demons, you had no choice but to let him be, at least publicly."

"Later, to prepare for the threat from a Higher Dimension that Carl might bring, I started researching Secondary Life Technology at your suggestion..."

He Xi's voice grew quieter, weighed down by exhaustion.

"Keisha, I'm so tired. And I'm so afraid."

"The farther I go, the less I can see the end."

"..."