Endless Debt

When Palmer opened his eyes again, his consciousness had returned to the material world from the etheric realm and merged into the body again. It was like having a long nightmare. Palmer stood there stunned for a long time. It took half a minute for his eyes to gradually turn from cloudy to clear.

"Ha ha……"

As if his body had finally caught up with the delay in consciousness, Palmer knelt down with all his strength and put his hands on the ground. As if he was suffocating due to lack of oxygen, his neck turned red, he gasped for breath, and his chest heaved violently.

The promotion ceremony is not a comfortable thing. Most of the time, it is accompanied by extremely high risks. But today, Palmer's luck was pretty good. Apart from some conventional negative reactions, his entire promotion ceremony was very... It went smoothly without any accidents.

"OMG……"

Palmer complained in a low voice, while his stomach was churning with sour water, and his throat was a little out of control. Then, with a throbbing pain in his stomach, he vomited the mixed liquid all over the floor.

Obviously Mamo had told Palmer not to eat or drink anything for six hours before the promotion ceremony. But Palmer felt that this was just a promotion ceremony and not a colonoscopy. He still ate secretly because he was hungry. Had a sandwich.

The undigested sandwich residue is now mixed with his gastric juices and some alchemical liquid that has also not been absorbed, forming a disgusting mixture on the metal floor. Some of the substances and metals in it have undergone violent reactions. Corrosion reaction, the corrosion sound is endless.

Palmer fell sideways, wiped the wet corners of his mouth briefly, and collapsed on the ground in a big pose.

"To be honest, I really don't want to talk to you if it's not to gather necessary information."

Mamo came over in a wheelchair. He looked down at Palmer with a look of disgust.

Palmer is indeed a lucky guy. The ceremony of being promoted to a baseman actually allowed him to pass smoothly. But for some reason, like the conservation of luck, even if Palmer ends successfully, he will still put himself It was such a mess.

Mamo asked, "Let me ask briefly first, what did you see?"

"I...I saw the etheric realm and the shining secret source. The endless light covered me...no more. I just saw these. Then I opened my eyes and returned to reality."

As Palmer spoke, he suppressed the discomfort in his body. He guessed that this should be the tingling sensation reflected on his body due to the growth of the alchemy matrix after the promotion ceremony, as if he had grown hundreds of pounds overnight. The skin was forcibly pulled out into red growth lines... Palmer knew that this description was not quite right, but these were the only appropriate explanations he could think of subconsciously.

"that's all?"

"Otherwise? What else do you want," Palmer reprimanded loudly, "Like Boluogo, first have a close contact with the secret source, and then encounter something fatal in the etheric realm? Please, I It’s not like I’m an undead, any incident like this will kill me!”

Mamo fell silent. He and Palmer had known each other for some time. Mamo knew that Palmer had a very strange duality. On the one hand, you could indeed trust his ability to work, but On the other hand, trust is trust, and Palmer is filled with an absurd sense of unreliability.

In Borrowgo's words, Palmer was a natural comedic character.

Do you think you can trust a comedy character?

As a debtor, Palmer's soul was incomplete. In order to be promoted smoothly, before the ceremony began, Mamo first poured a lot of silver soul into him, and then prepared a large amount of alchemical liquid, which could be taken orally or All was injected into Palmer's body.

In terms of the scale of the ceremony, Palmer's treatment was much more luxurious than that of Burlogo. Anyway, Burlogo would not die. If the ceremony failed, it would fail, but Palmer only had one life.

But such a serious promotion ceremony, with Palmer's outrageous talent for humor, was made like a ridiculous colonoscopy.

In the end, Mamo sighed quietly, "You are really a damn lucky ghost."

While sighing, Mamo was also grateful for the changes in the times. As early as the era when Mamo was active, due to the limited alchemy matrix technology, little understanding of the secret source, and the poor ether concentration of the environment, the promotion ceremony was real. A dangerous trial.

But things are different now. As the concentration of ether continues to rise, the alchemy matrix technology has made breakthrough progress. At the same time, scholars have become more and more in-depth research into the secret source, and they even say that they can easily glimpse the existence of the ether world.

The once mysterious promotion ceremony has long since faded away. Now it is more like an extraordinary implant surgery, getting rid of the unpredictable mystery and becoming more rational and technical.

Palmer didn't notice Mamo's emotion at all. He just wanted to leave this ghost place quickly, lest Mamo catch him for research again.

After jumping off the high platform, Palmer put on his coat. As time went by, the discomfort receded little by little. At the same time, a full sense of strength surged in Palmer's body. This was the belt of the basekeeper. The overall gain is coming, and Palmer is gradually forming his own field.

So fast...

Palmer sighed in his heart, remembering that a few years ago, his father Vonn was also the base keeper, and he actually caught up with him so quickly. Then Palmer looked back on the first few years of his work.

A rough calculation shows that Palmer and Burlogo have been working together for five or six years, as if time is just an illusion caused by human cognitive errors.

"I'm leaving first. If you need anything, let's talk about it later!"

Palmer greeted Mamo. He looked anxious, as if he was in a hurry to go to a date.

After leaving the garden, Palmer walked in a hurry through the dark corridors. Rather than the promotion ceremony, what really made Palmer feel tired was the various changes in authority and the division of blame after being promoted to the defender.

Looking at the workload that Bologna can put down a workaholic, you can imagine what kind of torture Palmer will endure, not to mention... let alone the difficulties that Palmer will face next. More than ever.

"Korgadir Empire, Beelzebub."

Just thinking of these ominous titles makes Palmer feel a splitting headache. In fact, over the years, Palmer has not had many face-to-face confrontations with the devil, but his partner, Boluogo, is almost inseparable from the devil.

As time passed, Palmer seemed to have developed a desensitization to the devil. He felt that these abominations were no big deal. However, when Beelzebub came in person and extended his hand to Palmer, Palmer finally sobered up. Realize, this doesn't feel the same at all.

After becoming a debtor, Palmer experienced a long period of peace. Now the peace is over, and the devil who stole his soul has come to visit.

Even without Bologg's privileges or the demands of various tasks, Palmer himself was pursuing power without even realizing it.

The power to change one's own destiny.

Palmer's footsteps paused, and at the same time, the messy thoughts in his mind also came to an abrupt end. At some point, he had arrived in the logistics department and stood in front of the door of an office.

Looking around, if you forget the special nature of the Order Bureau, you will find that this place is no different from an ordinary company. The employees sit in separate workstations, and there is a landline phone on everyone's desk, and they ring one after another. The bells kept ringing, and the logistics staff held microphones and wrote down important messages on the pages.

In order to be in close contact with many forces at all times, there are quite a few operators in the logistics department. In addition to the indispensable landline phones, there are also pipe openings under each work station for storing capsule cans. The pneumatic logistics system conveys massive amounts of information to the decision-making room.

Due to the different levels of negotiating forces, the operators also have different levels. Some operators contact forces that are too special, and the Order Bureau has also equipped them with separate offices, such as the King's Secret Sword.

Although the Bureau of Order and the King's Secret Sword have always been in a state of hostility, neither party has completely severed contact. They are still exchanging information to a certain extent, negotiating with each other, and exchanging interests.

Today's matter has nothing to do with the King's Secret Sword.

Palmer took a deep breath, moved his facial muscles, and allowed himself to show a perfect smile. He firmly grasped the door handle, opened the door, and stepped inside.

The space in the office is not large, and the layout is very simple. There is a desk, a standard landline phone, transportation pipes... and a small cabinet filled with various exquisite dolls. Judging from their consistent shapes, Due to the slight difference in color, Palmer concluded that this should be the latest collection series in the world.

"Yo! Vosilin!"

Palmer raised his hands and cheered, beaming with joy.

The promotion ceremony went smoothly, just like going out for a minimally invasive surgery. Although there was no real sense of becoming a basekeeper, Palmer still wanted to share this joy with Vosilin first.

"Oh! Palmer!"

Just like the subtle understanding between the two, Vosilin responded to Palmer with the same exaggerated tone.

After the cheers, Palmer stood there blankly, and Vosilin frowned, "What's wrong?"

"No...nothing."

There was an inexplicable feeling of embarrassment on Palmer's face.

Wosillin raised her hand and patted the table. Under the intimidation of her eyes, Palmer sat down opposite Wosillin obediently.

"What's going on with that look in your eyes?" Wosilin asked without looking up.

"Uh... How should I put it? Previously, you and I greeted each other like this on the phone," Palmer scratched his head in embarrassment, "Now it's a bit awkward to say hello face to face..."

"Are you a little shy?" Vosilin answered for Palmer first, "It's nothing. Just shout a few more times to get used to it."

As soon as she met Palmer, Wosselin seemed particularly strong. In a few words, she arranged everything for Palmer.

The office was quiet for a few seconds. Palmer looked at the busy Woxilin. The joy he shared in his heart before entering the door gradually dissipated. Sometimes Woxilin's strong feeling towards him would give him a head-on blow. .

Just as Palmer was gradually starting to think wildly, Vosilin suddenly stopped writing, raised her hands high, and stretched her body backwards. Then she opened the drawer, took out a gift box, and put it on the table.

"This is?"

"A gift for you," Vosilin smiled sweetly, "Congratulations on your promotion to Basekeeper. Why, isn't this why you came to me?"

Palmer took the gift box with both hands, looked at the gift box, and then at Wo Xilin. He blinked and the messy thoughts in his mind disappeared. His emotions first fell into a trough, and then were ignited and burned. Vosilin Lin controlled her emotions very skillfully, just like an outstanding film director, knowing what kind of emotions the audience should have in this clip.

Ruined.

Looking at Woxilin's smile, a sense of crisis so strong that it exploded ran rampant in Palmer's mind. He knew that it would be difficult for him to play with Woxilin in his life.

But...but it doesn't seem too bad.

Palmer did not rush to open the gift box, but put it aside.

"If you want to go out on a date with me, please wait a moment. I have a lot of work today." Palmer's thoughts seemed transparent to Wosselin's eyes.

"It's okay, I'm not in a hurry."

Palmer sat obediently in his original position, waiting for Wosillin quietly. After his thoughts calmed down, Palmer stared at Wosillin for a long time.

Woxilin noticed Palmer's gaze and was a little confused by his gaze. She couldn't help asking, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, I just suddenly realized that this is the first time I see you work."

Palmer subconsciously said, "I thought you would have an easy job, and you look very busy."

"Sack job? How is that possible?" Woxilin also has the potential to be a workaholic. "Since you have received your salary, you must work hard."

As Wosilin said, she did not forget to adjust the equipment next to her desk.

It was a large, square iron box that looked like some kind of sophisticated equipment. There were various adjustment levers and knobs on the panel, as well as various flashing indicator lights. The hum of a fan came from the cooling holes below. Buzzing sound, in a series of crisp knocking sounds, a pile of paper strips with holes was spit out by the machine.

Wosilin pulled a piece of paper with holes, spread out the code book, and translated the text on the paper according to the rules of the holes. This was Wosilin's daily work.

Palmer asked, "News from the Ridge of the Mountains?"

"Yes, but not quite."

Woxilin patiently explained her work to Palmer, "The Gunshan family is a secluded family in the true sense. Apart from regular necessary contacts, they almost never take the initiative to communicate with the outside world, even the Bureau of Order." in this way."

Palmer said, "I know that today, when the Bureau of Order controls the Rhine League, the Gunshan family is almost the only force outside the scope of the Bureau of Order's monitoring."

Fengyuan Highland is close to the ridge of mountains, and Palmer is only a stranger to this neighbor.

"It's like this," Vosilin used a wonderful metaphor, "If the Bureau of Order were personified, he would be like a person with obsessive-compulsive disorder, eager to dye all the forces in the Rhine League with his own color. "

"In the past years, the Order Bureau has tried to unite the Qunshan Family closely several times, but was rejected by it. After many considerations, the Order Bureau has no better way. After all, the Qunshan Family is also considered the Order Bureau. One of the founding families, but after establishing the Bureau of Order, they did not stay in Oath City Opos and continue to expand the Bureau of Order, but chose to return to the ridge of the mountains to continue their idea of ​​escaping from the world."

Woxilin continued, "In the days that followed, the Gunshan family became independent from the world, and the environment they lived in was extremely harsh, and they had almost no interest in any force. Over time, the Order Bureau also acquiesced in the Kunshan family's Avoid the world, but the default is the default, and the necessary connections must still be made.”

After finishing speaking, Woxilin glanced at the pile of things on her desk and said tiredly, "The environment on the ridge of the mountains is harsh, and it is difficult to establish effective communication links. In order to receive their messages at all times, order The bureau has set up a transfer station in Fengyuan Highland, and after a series of transfers, it finally reaches us."

"At the same time, the information has also been encrypted as necessary." Palmer noticed the open code book. "It's really troublesome."

"The more primitive it is, the safer it is," Vosilin said.

For most people, they have no concept of the Mountain Family at all. The whereabouts of these guys living in the snow-capped mountains are so secretive, as if they have really cheated time, making the world forget their existence, and even Said that some people think that the Gunshan Family does not actually exist. They are just a cover, a code name for a secret project of the Bureau of Order.

Palmer knew that the Gunshan Family was real, and Wossilin was the best proof.

"Speaking of which, what is the reason why they are entrenched in the mountains? Some kind of primitive belief?"

"I don't know," Wosilin shook her head, "but I saw several guesses in the book."

Vosilin was not nominally a member of the Mountain Family, but she was still connected by blood. She was once curious about her family and browsed through the library of Morrowind Stronghold.

Palmer rarely showed interest, "For example?"

"For example, some scholars speculate that the Gunshan family is very obsessed with transcendent sublimation," Vosilin explained when she saw Palmer showing confusion again, "It literally means that the mortal nature is completely sublimated, surpassing human beings, and becoming A more divine being.”

"Sounds like the path to advancement for a Condenser."

"But even if you are promoted to a Glorious One and your body is highly etheric, the Glorious One still has mortal flesh and blood and cannot achieve true sublimation."

Woxilin's voice became deep and mysterious, "What the Gunshan family pursues is complete sublimation, abandoning all mortalness and leaving no flaws."

Leave no flaws…

This sentence reminded Palmer of Woxilin's experience. She was abandoned by the Gunshan family because of her natural frailty. Palmer felt that they were cruel, but if his guess was correct, for the Gunshan family, this was On the contrary, it is normal. Vosilin is born weak, like carrion, and should be eliminated.

Palmer asked again, "Then why must we be trapped in the mountains?"

"This may be related to the local ether concentration," Woxilin reminded. "Don't forget, a hundred or thousands of years ago, the ether concentration in the material world was still very low. This barren ether environment also limited the alchemy matrix. The development of technology.”

According to Palmer's words, according to records, hundreds of years ago, the so-called secret power was only regarded as a street magic show, but now, the secret power can move mountains and fill seas.

"According to the detection by scholars, the ether concentration on the ridge of the mountains is much higher than other environments in the material world. In the distant era when the ether concentration was not increased, it was a veritable holy place."

Woxilin continued to recall, "Then...then the Gunshan family is extremely xenophobic. They seem to think that there is something in the mountains that needs their protection and worship."

Palmer's brows knitted together. A hundred years ago, due to their superficial understanding of the secret source, it was easy for the Ninghua practitioners to form a religious-like organizational structure. However, with the understanding of the secret source in modern times, With the in-depth development of alchemy matrix technology, many forces have moved from ignorant beliefs to rational technology.

Unexpectedly, the Gunshan family still has such a side. It may be that they refuse to contact the outside world in order to maintain their ignorant tradition, so as to prevent the world they have created in their hearts from collapsing due to the irresistible reality.

Palmer wanted to change the subject, "Compared to these things, is work easy?"

"Relaxing. Sometimes relaxing is a bit boring."

Woxilin glanced at the humming machine, "There is a coded code for communication between the Bureau of Order and the Gunshan Family. Most of the time, I just need to make sure the code is correct."

Palmer asked again, "What if the codeword is wrong? Or another codeword was sent?"

Woxilin was silent for a while and said seriously, "That means something went wrong, and it's a big problem."

Her voice changed, "But there should be no problem. At least everything has gone smoothly since I started working."

As they chatted, their eyes fell on the machine. Suddenly, as if they were hallucinating, all the indicators on the machine turned dazzling red, and the sound of the fan inside the machine intensified. , and then the main machine trembled violently, as if something was about to come out from under the steel.

Palmer stood up quickly, looking wary, while Vosilin stayed where she was. There was never anything like this in the employee handbook.

There was a loud buzzing sound, and the machine frantically swallowed up the perforated paper tape, as if it was preaching a doomsday sequence. The paper tape danced out of control, like an angry snake.

"It's okay, it's okay, it's just that the machine made an error."

Palmer crossed the desk, guarding Vosilin behind him, and an unfamiliar power burst out from the alchemical matrix.

After a while, the machine finally quieted down. This was not because it had returned to normal, but because it had spit out the stored paper tape. Just as Woxilin was about to step forward to check the status of the machine, piercing alarms sounded one after another in the nursery room. .

While Palmer was wondering what was happening, Freya suddenly emerged from the ground beneath his feet, like a ghost passing through the wall.

"Urgent edict from the Decision Room, Palmer Clerks."

Freya didn't give Palmer any chance to say goodbye to Wosillin. Darkness directly enveloped Palmer's body. When the vision brightened again, he had left Wosillin's office and appeared in the empty space. On the lookout tower.

The observation tower is located at the top of the Kenshi. Its height reaches directly into the clouds, making it the most perfect viewing platform.

Palmer looked around. One after another, pitch-black spheres separated out of thin air. Then, like bursting bubbles, employees appeared on the observation tower one after another under Freya's emergency call.

At the front of the crowd, Palmer saw Boluogo's back, and Nathaniel stood beside him, looking up to the end of the sky with him.

Raising his head and following everyone's gaze, Palmer saw it.

An extremely bright beam of light rose from the end of the world, like a miracle that created the world, ruthlessly announcing to everyone the arrival of a new era.

Boluogo looked directly at the dazzling light and whispered, "A light."

Many years ago, Bologo had seen this light, the radiance that tore the earth apart at the moment of the fall of the Holy City. Later, Bologo thought he knew the truth about that light, and even naively thought that he had mastered it. Got that light.

No, Boluogo had misunderstood from the beginning. The light across the sky and the earth was not a brilliance. In other words... that light was more than a brilliance.

Two rays of light overlapped, one was the light released by King Solomon, and the other was due to the sinking of the etheric realm, which tore a twisted crack several kilometers long in the material world, from which the majestic ether surged. Out, shattering reality, turning into the glow of heaven and earth.

In the fall of the Holy City, the winding and twisting rift finally left a scar called the Great Rift on the earth, and it gradually healed over time, and the two worlds were separated again.

But things are different now. The high-concentration ether environment makes the ether in the two realms tend to be balanced. The ether realm sinks and overlaps with the material realm. This time they are no longer separated from each other. The twisted cracks that emerge from the overlap are high in the sky. Stretching for several kilometers, it is like the mythical Tower of Babel. No matter where you are, people can glimpse its existence as long as they raise their heads.

"From the capital of the Kogadel Empire to the end of the Rhine, starting from the Freeport and ending at the Windy Highlands, everyone saw the rising light that penetrated the sky and the earth."

Boluogo recited the words in his memoirs in a low voice. Massive ether was tilting from the north to everywhere in the world. One ether vortex point after another condensed and precipitated. The ether concentration in the material world was moving towards a new extreme.

The extraordinary prosperity and the end of time come together today.