Volume Five: Return from the Other Shore - Final Battle

"I couldn't be better. To be honest, I'm extremely happy right now."

Julia smiled at the stunned Ankri and Valentina.

A truly terrifying laugh.

The corners of its mouth are stretched wide, and cracks have appeared in the artificial skin, revealing the metal components underneath.

"I'm so happy, so happy that I want to hug Yu He and thank him for his help. I never expected, I really never expected, that the target I've been tracking would appear at the most unexpected moment. This must be the result of probability and causality intertwining in the imaginary space, right? It's such a pity that I don't have an algorithm in my inventory that can calculate fate, otherwise I would definitely use all my calculations. As long as I can get the result of 'successfully killing her,' no amount of energy will be too much."

"... Julia? You... look a little different than usual..."

Ankri asked cautiously, her intuition telling her that this mechanized monster was a completely different person from Julia. Although they had the same appearance and functions, they were fundamentally different.

To use an analogy... dual personality?

But can such a mechanical brain and programmed mind also lead to the concept of dual personality?

"Oh? Ankri? You seem surprised. The changes in your facial micro-expressions tell me: you're questioning the dual reality of my existence, both on a physical and mental level? Calculation begins... Object mind model construction... Operation... Ah, I see. You thought it was a split personality? A mechanized brain can have a split personality? How should I react to these thoughts? According to the literature, should I burst out laughing? Hahahahahahahahahahahahaha, is that it?"

"Julia, if you're tired, turn off your phone and rest... Something's really wrong with you right now!"

"Something's not right? No, no, no, no, it's more like this is the optimal state, isn't it? Operating system, oh operating system, switching operating systems inevitably affects surface-level behavior, right?"

"Operating system?"

"One device can run more than one system at a time, right? We usually use the inefficient, crappy system 'Adoration,' only switching to the official system 'Burial' when needed. But to you low-level intelligences, that's like 'switching personalities,' isn't it? I understand, I understand. Adoration's functions are all inferior; Burial is truly efficient. But, but, a powerful operating system requires powerful hardware and sufficient energy. Isn't it wasteful to keep it running all the time? We should use our precious resources wisely, that's what my dear father Fiaz, said..."

Julia's smile grew increasingly eerie, her mouth splitting open to her ears, her eyes a vibrant crimson, like flames from hell.

"..."

Ankri and Valentina exchanged bewildered glances.

Could switching operating systems have brought about such a dramatic change in her?

Or is this the real her?

"... In short, I am so happy. I want to put this day into a perpetual storage to commemorate it. I can finally personally annihilate the murderer who killed my father. I can finally--"

"--Wait, Julia!"

Realizing that the conversation was heading further and further astray Ankri quickly spoke up.

"Um?"

"Although I don't mean to spoil your fun, but..."

"But?"

"You're going to participate in the attack on 'Ye,' not 'Urushihara'! Ye can easily devour the lives of others, so you, as a cyborg, are a perfect candidate. Urushihara will handle things on his side—"

Click!!!!

Ankri's words were abruptly cut off.

That's for sure, because the Laser Cutter severed her arm.

"Oh? Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh? You want to stop me? You want to stop my revenge plan? You're in my way, don't you know you're more of an eyesore than the dust accumulated on a worn-out radiator? I'll kill you, okay? I can kill you, right? I definitely can!!!"

Snap!!!!!

With one hand gripping Ankri's neck and lifting her up, the other hand swiftly ripped off her left leg; a flash of laser light, and the severed leg vanished.

But Ankri just frowned, as if she felt no pain at all.

"You can do whatever you want to me, but you cannot disobey any of the President's orders! Follow the plan obediently!"

"..." "..."

"... puff!"

Julia chuckled, casually tossing aside Ankri, who was missing an arm and a leg, and headed straight for the door.

"I know, you top-level employees are all created by Yu He by stuffing large sums of money into suitable dying people to forcibly enhance their intelligence and work efficiency—values that are easy to measure. They don't even have normal pain. In the end, they are just puppets loyal to him. You treat him with pure respect and love, but how will he see you?"

"You--!!"

"Yes, yes, I will obey the assignment. What good would it do me to disobey my superiors?"

Julia left without looking back, leaving only her last words.

"I'll have to... prepare well for this operation. Live ammunition, beam weapons, biological weapons... tsk tsk, this is really something to look forward to!"

Holy City, Gloria--

Anyone who witnessed the devastation this enormous city had suffered would be utterly shocked.

The city has now been reborn, though it is still less than a fifth of its original size, but it is only a matter of time before it returns to its former glory. The rows of houses and the crisscrossing streets, except for a few religious buildings, have all been rebuilt almost perfectly.

Moreover, Gloria now... is far too glamorous on every level.

Everywhere you look, there is a dazzling red: crimson, orange-red, pink, ochre, peach, deep red... all sorts of reds are pieced together in a chaotic pattern, like a huge impressionist painting. Blood crystals, blood crystals, blood crystals everywhere—houses made of blood crystals, roads made of blood crystals, everything made of blood crystals... basically, everything except living things is made of blood crystals.

The first to be allowed to move in were the families of the Revolutionary Army and the personnel needed for various reconstruction efforts. However, everyone was trembling with fear, some even kneeling outside the city for a long time. Perhaps to most people, creating such a crystal city in less than a day was simply a miracle? Although the creator, due to the large-scale precision work, had been asleep for a day and a night before it was even finished.

At the very center of Blood Crystal City stands the colossal Crystal Palace, a tower-shaped structure topped with a massive eye-like carving known as the "Eye of Sauron." Though its actual purpose is unknown, it exudes an inexplicable sense of oppression.

Blood Crystal Palace, Rear Hall, Tomb of Heroes --

On the ground covered with crystal sand are dozens of neatly arranged tombstones, each carved from flawless white stone and inscribed with the deceased's birth and death dates. Beneath the crystal sand are blood crystal coffins, most of which do not contain complete bodies; some contain the deceased's personal weapons or clothing, while others contain parts of the body.

At the very center stood three of the tallest tombstones, bearing the names "Si Nan Xiao," "Loxue Bradwich," and "Yang Yujie." Beneath Yu Jie's tombstone, a mourner dressed in a white dress sat on the ground, holding a bouquet of white flowers. Her eyes had long lost their former liveliness, like two frosted glass beads devoid of any reflection, and her lips were tightly pursed. For the past few days, she had remained like this, keeping vigil before Yu Jie's grave, sometimes weeping sadly, sometimes pacing back and forth in bewilderment.

Footsteps broke the silence as Nid walked alone into the back hall, carrying a bunch of red, unidentified flowers. He was dressed very formally today, having changed out of his usual dark red military overcoat and rough but sturdy leather boots and trousers into a very elegant red and black tuxedo, adorned with ribbons and tassels, and wearing a beautiful cloak over it.

"..."

Nid nodded to the spirit, who glanced at him briefly before lowering his head again, not looking at him any longer.

He stood before Yu Jie's tombstone for a moment, his lips moving, but the sounds he made were so soft that no one could hear what he was saying. Soon after, he bent down and placed the bouquet of red flowers in front of the tombstone, creating a stark contrast with the white flowers offered to the spirits.

"Excuse me."

With a muttered word, Nid turned and left.

After taking a few steps, a barely audible sound suddenly came from behind.

"... You're dressed very formally today."

"Because there is an important ceremony."

"..."

The spirit priest sighed softly.

"Why did you survive, and not Yu Jie?"

"This is also my confusion."

"Yu Jie... he's dead..."

"Um."

"I said, Yu Jie, he's dead!!!!"

The spirit suddenly roared, hurling the words at Nid as if she could injure him. But Nid simply turned to look at her, his expression unchanged.

"Calm down first..."

"... sorry."

The spirit priest collapsed to the ground, deflated, her long black hair obscuring her face.

"I'm sorry... I... might be acting a little strange... After all, I've lost... the person I loved most."

Tears welled in his eyes beneath his bangs. Nid sighed softly, his hand rummaging inside his clothes.

"And what about me? I lost my dearest loved one, someone I could have been a best friend, and countless comrades-in-arms... Look."

He took out a clean white handkerchief and handed it to the spirit priest, who hesitated for a moment before accepting it.

"I don't think I can forget the pain of the past... Rather, the pain we feel from the passing of those who came before is proof that they were once alive. So, I hope that this pain will never be diluted by time."

"Goodbye," Nid said, and left the back hall.

Several division commanders were waiting for him there.

The spirit looked at the handkerchief, hesitated for a moment, but didn't use it to wipe away her tears. Instead, she put it in her pocket.

When Nid arrived in the hall, everyone else was already waiting there.

Huge banners hung from the walls made of blood crystals, and blood crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling. The world seemed to be dyed red, with the color of blood everywhere.

The colors of life.

The color of death.

The group consisted of a small number of division commanders who had survived the battle, as well as foreign aid workers who had been of great help.

The division commanders stood on the left side of the long carpet, while on the right were, in order, Haoyue with a polite smile, Xiao Wu with a serious expression, Little Ying with a somewhat blank Sin Annihilation in her eyes, Yun Can with a very solemn expression, and two little girls who had somehow sneaked in.

A goddess with long, peach-pink hair was waiting for him beside the throne at the end of the carpet, holding something in her hands.

There are three empty spaces in the left and right columns, which were left at Nid's request.

"..."

He squinted slightly.

He could almost see the gentle white-haired older sister, the carefree knight, and the purple-haired literary girl standing in those three empty seats, smiling at him... No, that's not quite right. The older sister and the knight were indeed looking at him, but the literary girl seemed to be looking at the goddess at the end of the carpet.

What a poignant sight!

Two hundred years of struggle have come to an end today.

"... Ha, finally, we've reached the finish line."

Nid lifted his magnificent cloak and stepped onto the long carpet.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

There are also some miscellaneous things to set the stage for the next volume; Volume 6 will likely begin around chapter 502.

In addition--

Thank you all for your enthusiastic suggestions. The tentative villain lineup for the second volume includes: "Mechanical Girl" Julia, "Egg-Smashing Maniac" Valentina, "Heavenly Evil Demon" and "Blurred Boundaries" Wanhua Xing & Su Mengli, "The Origin Tracer" Yu Xun Fais, "Ring of Memory" and "Ring of Thought" Tia & Di Fei'er, "Eternal Moment" Casey Sedria, "Shadow Seal" Chi Ying, "Beautiful Mind" Vic Fisher, and "Trister Star" Trister.