Overturned Tower

The old man's voice was slow, like a tutor who would make people drowsy during lectures.It's also like a lonely old man talking to himself with a pet in his arms.

"For those of us with limited lives, existence and death are the most important things. But in the long run, 'clean' and 'correct' are the proofs of our existence. The God-Descent Device may bring us victory This war, but we will also lose our cleanliness because of it.

"We have chosen the road to victory, but we have become the 'mages' that people in the future will fight against... The future has not yet arrived, but I have seen the end. That is why I feel emotional."

The middle-aged people obviously didn't fully understand.

He nodded half-understood, keeping the Pope's words in his heart for the time being.

"Then you mean..."

He asked persistently, looking for the only and clear correct answer.

"I promise."

The old man replied.

"it is good!"

The middle-aged man was beaming with joy, with a pure and innocent smile, like a child who got his favorite toy: "Thank you—please rest assured, I also know that this research is full of crimes and risks. But I will not put this ugliness on you body!"

He hastily bowed and saluted, pushed his glasses and left in a hurry.

The old man looked deeply at his back and shook his head slightly.Then he looked at the sunset in the distance, and finally sighed.

The middle-aged man turned his back to the Pope, turning the handle of the Pope's room.

——Then, he pushed the door and walked out.

The moment he pushed the door, the memory scene suddenly switched.

Andrew came to the brightly lit hall covered with ribbons.

The back that was always slightly bent in front of the Pope was so straight.

He was wearing the pope's unique white robe with pure gold shoulder straps.He changed into silver-encrusted crystal glasses, and his hair was neat and clean.A fragrant ointment was applied on the body, and a bright smile was on the face.

Seeing "Russell" push the door open, the people gathered in the room enthusiastically cheered and saluted him.And "Russell" had a smile on his face, stretched out his hand and pressed it gently in the void, signaling to be quiet.But the cheers couldn't be suppressed at all, one wave was higher than the other, and the sound was higher than the sound, but "Russell" didn't blame him, but just smiled and enjoyed the cheers while maintaining silence.

"My brothers and sisters!"

He loudly said: "We have won, a complete victory!"

Then, screams and cheers resounded throughout the room.The cheers and ecstasy of the people could not be suppressed at all, which made it impossible for Andrew to continue speaking.

He held out his hands, above his head.This time the voice fell silent for an instant.

The bishops were like courtiers serving the monarch, and it was easy for them to understand when Andrew really needed to be quiet and when he was just reserved and polite.

"Under the guidance of God, under the sunnah of the angels, we defeated the evil and crazy mages. In order to thank the angels for their sacrifices and to correct the wrong paths we took before, the church changed its name today to ' Cyber ​​Church'!

"We are no longer meant to serve the gods, to return to them one day—because it turns out that neither faith nor the word or deeds can engage us in the gods. The gods are separated from us— —”

Under the gazes of people either in astonishment, stunned or calm, Andrew's eyes slowly swept over everyone's faces, taking note of everyone's attitudes.

Afterwards, he opened his mouth and said, "However, we still have a way to walk with God!

"One day, we will allow the whole world and all human beings to achieve cyber immortality! Enter all our consciousness into the same 'sacred book', so that human consciousness can be united again, and everyone can become a human being walking on the earth. Angel, let us always be happy and healthy forever.

"Create our own god! Create our new world!"

Andrew shouted loudly: "And I will be 'promoted'! In this way, we will mark our belief--

"One day, we will rise from the earth and reach the stars!"

His words were met with no cheers.

But Andrew didn't have any timidity.He commanded the legion of angels and defeated the mage again. No one can make him hesitate.

He left with a calm smile, pushed the door open from the other side and left.

The moment he pushed the door open, the scene in his memory switched again.

Andrew, who didn't have the slightest smile on his face, calmly came to the luxurious and sacred holy seat.In the uninhabited sanctuary, in the center is a throne decorated with gold, silver and crystal, on which is placed the triple crown of light he designed for himself.

It has a triple ring like the sun, and from the inside to the outside is a complex halo of three colors: pure white, brilliant gold, and light gold.

The power of an angel named "Savior".

But it is different from other angels - in addition to receiving this memory, he also needs to preserve his personality and memory on it.This is the secret that makes it easier for him to keep himself clean and his personality not to decay.

"Three years..."

He stroked the halo lightly, and murmured in a low voice: "I now somewhat understand your teachings back then. But there are still more things I don't understand."

The old Pope, whom he respected and admired the most, finally passed away.

But his death spurred Andrew.

Why did such a wise and benevolent person die because of his flesh and blood?Why are those depraved and stupid people able to live calmly?

"If there is a way to make them die and replace you, I think I will do it without hesitation.

"Having such thoughts, I have already committed a crime. You are right, this world is [circular]. One day, I will also fall.

"I still need your guidance, so..."

As he spoke, he took out a crystal chip.Paste it on the halo.

It was the personality data that was secretly copied and preserved by the former pope when he was dying.

Afterwards, Andrew solemnly raised the halo and put it on his head.

He chanted in a low voice, as if praying to God:

"—Please help me, Your Excellency the Pope."

The next moment, the halo opened.

Memories of his life in 89 rushed into his brain like a torrent of rivers and flooded into Russell's sea of ​​consciousness.

Andrew stood there in silence for a long, long time, then sighed slowly.

Just like the old pope in the past, with complicated expressions, but he didn't say a word.

And this is just the beginning.

At the moment the memory was inserted, Russell heard the sound of a keyhole rotating slightly in the void.

A large door burst open, revealing a new memory.

"Sure enough, some people began to miss the rule of the mages..."

Andrew stood in front of the mirror and murmured in a low voice: "Everything is as I expected. However, if my memory and my personality are solidified, I will also lose the experience of dealing with new events... This is not as good as those Inherited the technology of the elves.

"But I also have my skills. Let me see what they would do if they were mages.

"—I will treat them as they intend to treat us."

Talking to himself, he pasted a new memory patch on his halo, greedily extracting the memory of his old enemy like a sponge.

He closed his eyes and meditated for a long time, and when he opened them, there was half a bit of indifference and wisdom in his pupils.

"...Okay. Then let them be forgotten by history."

He turned and opened the door to leave.

The insertion of new memory is like turning the keyhole again.

Another door opens, revealing the new Andrew in front of the mirror.

In other words, he prepared a new memory plug-in "promotion" for himself.

One key after another kept turning, and one door after another kept opening with a loud bang——

And every time "Promotion" appeared in front of the mirror, his appearance was completely different.

Those are generations of popes, infused with the same will by the halo, and they will also become successors, providing knowledge and assisting in blindness.

Every time they turned and left, they saw another Pope standing in front of the mirror when they opened the door again.Each generation of popes stood in front of the mirror, but their expression and demeanor changed subtly every time.And they will all push the door to leave, and then see the next "promotion".

"The angels are a bit boring to me. They are completely disobedient to the management of the human clergy, so that no decree can be carried out."

"Full resistance to the company? This is not the time to be willful. The church needs the support of the elves. We don't have the strength to fight another war. The congregation needs to rest... Not to mention, we will become the opposite of the people if we go to war at this time Yes. Men long for peace, and angels always want war. Well..."

"It's not realistic to execute the angels, and it will make the church lose its deterrent power. We still need their help. Maybe freezing them is a good way, but I have no contact with this field, and I still need some new knowledge To verify the feasibility..."

"Simple missionary rights are not enough. In this busy life, people simply don't care about faith. The dragon is too biased and cunning. If this continues, the 'company' is just a mage tower in the new era, and we will lose people's hearts. .How can we get enough voice...Maybe we can try missionary schools and orphanages.”

"It is impossible to continue to expand with the donations given by the company alone. Money will be spent everywhere, and if this continues, we will have to sell the shares of the company church. All channels for making money have been blocked. How can I Only then can we conjure something that can be sold out of thin air..."

"Mages and psykers can also use the holy source... What's the principle? But it's a good business... Hmph, do you want me to destroy the deterrence of the Angel Legion by myself? Not at all. If it is necessary to refuse, it is better to recruit some new angels..."

"Tower of Babel? Lost lamb, there is no point in exploring the truth of history. Forget it, let's pretend not to know. Maybe they can help a little bit for the pursuit of history."

"Stole the 'anti-electronics'? It doesn't matter, it's just a failure. Well, just in case, let's turn off the authority. Having said that, I hope he can succeed. How can we use pure biotechnology to infuse holy What about the power of rank... In that case, it should not be called a mechanical angel."

"A new mage? This is a good opportunity... They don't think I've sold all the angels, do they? The technology of artificial angels is almost completed, so let's unfreeze a batch of mechanical angels at this time and let them get used to it." Let's take a moment. After a hundred years of patience, it's finally time for us to seize power."

Door after door opened faster and faster.

The different images and voices of the popes standing in front of the mirror and talking to themselves gradually overlapped, but somehow gave people a feeling of "this is the same person".

Finally, Russell heard the sound that the key could not turn the lock.

It was like turning a doorknob a few times, but the door was locked.Make a grappling sound.

And Russell had his hand on the doorknob.

He looked down, but found that his hand was no longer the old and skinny hand that promoted the Twelfth World.But as "Russell"'s own hand.

"……What's the meaning?"

Russell paused, and suddenly couldn't help but sneer: "Is the 'promotion' of the No. 13th world me?

"It's not that I can't say that. After all, I also accepted all his memories...Although it's only a short period of more than 100 years, I have integrated so many people and accepted the memories of so many people's lives. No wonder, he is so eager With cyber immortality, thinking fusion...

"...He is just too lonely. There are so many people in this world, but no one is like him.

"But you see, I'm different from him.

"A mask is just a mask. No matter how long you wear it, it will never grow on your face. I have dreamed so many lives, and I will never forget who I am.

"—Dream."

With Russell's voice down.

Everything around me suddenly melted and faded.Only the door in front of him remained.

The doorknob that won't turn, the dark keyhole.

It turned out that just now... at some point, Russell had already fallen asleep and entered the dream world.

Maybe when he touched the stars, maybe when he watched the Pope's memory.When Russell was most focused on experiencing other people's lives, he had already been dragged into the dream world.

——And within the dream world, no matter what area it is.Everyone must be able to see the dark... Tower of the End.

The next moment, the door and the doorknob also melted away.

Only the tiny keyhole remained.

Everything else turned into a vast expanse of white light, leaving only this small keyhole...

At first glance, it looks like a pitch-black tower.

That is the Tower of the End.The end of the dream world, a place that can never be reached.

Under Russell's gaze, the tower slowly capsized.

When it falls completely and becomes a "one".

It suddenly started getting bigger—and kept getting bigger.Then Russell could see clearly that it was not getting bigger, but "getting closer".

There is a cage where "dreams" are imprisoned, and it is the place where [God] resides.

And the prisoner inside has already woken up.

Russell opened his arms, frankly greeted the rushing ray of darkness, and disappeared in the pure darkness.

Chapter 52 The Value of Continuation

The howling darkness rushed towards the face, engulfed by gusts of cold wind that made people feel cold.

And when Russell opened his eyes again, he saw the "dream".

It is not some majestic god-king, nor is it a treacherous demon.