Wasteland Echoer

"What is that? A strange thing." Adaloni stepped forward to look at the mask curiously.

He discovered that the mask in front of him exuded a subtle, imperceptible, strange aura, which was very different from the ancient Ptoyan or Crusted style.

In the culture of the western part of the continent, masks usually represent that the person does not want to reveal his identity and wants to enter a certain area anonymously. In some more remote communities, such as the non-Liga region controlled by the Putoa Federation and the subsequent divisions Among some tribes in the northern non-Lijia District, the southern non-Lijia District and the Aylan Border District, wearing masks symbolizes a temporary request to be possessed by the gods, and they can use the power of the gods to offer sacrifices or pray.

Whether they are orthodox bishops, superior bishops or sole bishops, they all have a history of making and wearing masks. The style is usually based on pure gold, embellished with gems, or spliced ​​with metals of other colors, revealing seriousness, mystery, terror and holiness. a feeling of.

The masks in the east of the mainland add a sense of cultural mystery and are usually used for cultural performances and a small number of sacrifices to gods. However, in the history of the Yanhuo Empire, except for the southern provinces, such as the early Gunan civilization in Guhe Province, they were widely used In addition to mask sacrifices, the official large-scale sacrifices of the Fire Empire usually have the emperor as the protagonist, revealing the "true face of the emperor" and praying for the blessings of gods, creators and heaven with his true and flawless face.

The two may have the same basic use of masks, to hide their true identities, but their uses in worshiping gods are slightly different.

However, the most important thing is that the civilian masks in the western continent are used to cover the upper part of the face, especially the eyes, while the masks in the east are used to cover the lower part, mainly the mouth.

However, in the eyes of "Fu Bing" and Adaloni, the mask placed in front of them was more like a mask than a mask. Obviously, it is not a product of the first or second era, but an industrial product after the advent of the steam age of the third era.

"This mask is more like a small gas mask. However, there is no ventilation or oxygen equipment connected to the back. But this style is undoubtedly our Krusted's." "Fu Bing" stood On the side, he bent slightly to observe the mask and analyzed:

"You see, there is a straight crack in the middle that is not very obvious. It seems that someone used some high-precision cutting machines invented during the period of Ivan XXII to cut it along the symmetry axis in the middle."

"That seems to be the case. Could it be that this mask was artificially split into two halves and taken away from the old empire?" Anastasiri recalled:

"The older generation said that when the old empire was at war with the Zineen people, the Eventrai people and the Khitanris people, their spies had sneaked into important military areas many times to steal advanced equipment in an attempt to bring it back to the country for research. Encountered Large equipment, if it cannot be taken away in disguise, is often dismantled into parts, transported multiple times, and then assembled.

"If the equipment is small, or is rich in extraordinary power such as magic power, in order to suppress its unstable aura and avoid attracting the attention of magic power users, it will be cut up, taken away and passed through a 'restoration' process. Skills are put back together.

"Could it be that this... is a sequential monster? Has this sequential monster also experienced such a rough fate?"

"It's hard to say." "Fu Bing" said with a slightly rough tone, "Look, its fabric is basically the darker gray-green color favored by the armies of the old empire and federation, with the double-headed eagle emblem on the top... now Judging from the basically unusable coat of arms, it is not much different from the coat of arms of the old empire, especially the Rurik family.

"Its eyes have a pair of round lenses that protrude outward. I guess they are made of some kind of crystal material containing magic power, which is used to ward off dirt and evil spirits. The mouth should be a pipe connected to the oxygen bottle. However, as far as I know, federal factories now rarely produce oxygen bottles for diving and other uses due to a shortage of raw materials.

"However, in general, it does have many similarities with the gas masks that the federation once provided in batches to the special forces. But I believe that it may have been just a concept product developed by the federation that has not yet been put into use. It may have extraordinary qualities. But it’s still beneficial…”

Just as he was speaking, Adaloni couldn't help but be curious, and reached out to grab the mask, but was quickly slapped on the back of his hand by "Fu Bing" and stopped him:

"Don't touch it, Adaloni. It has a strong power of the Lord of the Night, which will conflict with the fire, light and dragon power in your body, causing dangerous consequences."

"Okay." Although Adaloni was a little reluctant, he gave up the dangerous idea of ​​touching him for the time being.

"But, looking back now, I can feel that there is a strong and crazy 'Shang' inside the mask. The power of the Lord of the Night inside may be trying to guide 'Shang' to silence, but I don't think the dark power What can it really do?" "Fu Bing" continued:

"I guess that this mask must have passed through the hands of the Sunir people before it became like this. The Lord of the Night's message should be correct. There are no other rooms here, and there is no scent of other monsters. . The sequence monster He left to those of us who successfully interpret the message is this mask.”

"Sequential monster...mask..." After hearing this, Anastasiri tapped his head with his right fist and recalled seriously:

"Several branches of the widely banned organization established on the Zinere people side seem to have acquired this sequence monster. They may have studied it carefully or perhaps modified it. In my impression, what I have read about In the documents left behind by that organization, there seems to be a mention of what this mask is called... By the way, 'Klassen's Mask'."

"'Klassen's Mask' is a familiar term. I seem to have heard someone mention it when Senel was strong." Adaloni, standing aside, said:

"It seems that after being imprisoned for four to five hundred years, I accidentally heard the guards wearing heavy protective clothing mention it. I vaguely remember that the guards said that this mask was not a rare thing at first, but the Zine people An alien space was developed through it, perhaps called the 'Crimson Demon Realm', where a Princess Crusted was imprisoned. It seems that the Zineen people accidentally entered it during a counterattack to the north. "

"Princess?" "Fu Bing" asked, "Is she the Princess Danivia that Vasily's 'number one scoundrel' Kuka mentioned some time ago?"

"I think so. My father has been working in the strategic regiment. Captain Fu Bing. As you know, my father is the director of the 'campaign planning group' under the strategic regiment. He is now on the front line to provide information to those who are related to the strategic regiment." The fiercely fighting legions of the 'Wuxinren' serve as staff in order to better contribute to the 'Gnadi Defense Line'." Anastashili turned to look at "Fu Bing" and said with a sincere face.

"I know, but I also said that I am not interested in your family, position, or past. I only care about our future. Anastasiri, I know what you want to say. You must know about 'Crimson Red'." "Demon Realm' information, but you were concerned that your identity was not convincing enough, so you tried to use other information to increase your persuasiveness." "Fu Bing" patted Anastasiri on the shoulder, looking a little helpless. road:

"These are not important to me, and I have never cared. My habit is to accept as much information as possible, then screen and select, and finally make as many correct judgments as possible. Unless it is what God said , otherwise, I don’t care about the source of the information.”

"Okay, I'll tell you the truth." Anastasiri said calmly:

"My father learned from a document titled "Some historical issues of the old empire" submitted by Kuka to Lord Vasily that the name of the princess was Danivia Karlovloa Luli Ke is indeed a member of the Krusted royal family. According to speculation, she is probably the cousin of Ivan 25. However, she is an illegitimate daughter born in the Nankarlov Prefecture and is not popular.

"Adaroni was right about what he just said. It was around February of the 815th year of the Third Era. In order to regain the hegemony of the empire, Ivan XXV brazenly launched a war against the Zine people in the south. In the battle of 'Adrian's Call', the empire dispatched three well-known legions capable of fighting: the First Army, the Second Guards Army and the Twentieth Army. They carried a large number of artillery, tanks and firearms, and together they formed more than 300 The Sky Army entered the land of the Zinni people.”

"In this way, the scale of the war is not too big or small, it is medium-sized. I remember that the maximum number of these three legions was only 100,000. Considering that the empire was in the period of Ivan 25th The "Yuhui" state of the first eagle has been going downhill, and this number will only be less." "Fu Bing" asked based on common sense:

"So, the final outcome of the 'Adrian's Call' battle is failure?"

"Of course." Anastasiri nodded and sighed softly:

"The reason for this war is not sufficient, and before the legions in the Waters Province and Nanshan District had time to enter the battlefield, reports of defeat came from the front. After all, the empire's army had difficulty making progress at the beginning of the war. The three elite legions It took a full two months to capture only the border city of Zhuolin and several settlements near the border north of Zhnetsk.

"The Second Guards Army going south originally tried to capture Chekavsk, a traffic artery and industrial town, but fell into an obvious pocket town in the middle of the highway line, and almost the whole army was wiped out. After that, the Zhnez people They dispatched twice as many troops as the old empire to counterattack northward. While regaining the lost territory in one fell swoop, they also successively captured Linbian City, Shuangliugler, Old Port, New Port, Budadi City, and the cities of Linmayang and Volga.

"That is, when the Zhne people invaded the Nankarov Prefecture, the Zhne people found the princess and tried to imprison her in exchange for more bargaining chips from Ivan XXV. Unfortunately, in a blood moon, That night, the princess got lost while escaping from her temporary residence and strayed into the 'Crimson Demon Realm'."

"Enter by mistake? Haha, entered by error." "Fu Bing" sneered. He was not only laughing at the incompetence of the Crusted people, but also the hypocrisy of the Zinni people.

"At least, officials from both sides agree with this statement." Anastasiri continued:

"Actually, the 'Crimson Demon Realm' was originally a prison made by the Zinere people. Since the princess has entered it by mistake, there is no need to let it out. After all, the humans inside will not suffer from illness or death, and there is no need to take in any food. , because as long as human beings enter it, their time will be suspended, and they can be considered to have achieved eternal life in another sense."

"Eternal life imprisoned like this is torture. I think this is the deterrent that the Zine people have against the Crusted people. However, this mask." "Fu Bing" said, and the thoughts composed by the previous narratives appeared in his mind. In the picture, his fingertips inadvertently touched "Klassen's Mask", feeling its solid and vicissitudes of texture.

"I think the Lord of the Dark Night left this sequential monster with such a story behind it to us, the people of the Dark Night, and regarded it as a reward. I think it is not as simple as entering the 'Crimson Demon Realm'. Being seen by the gods The princess in it must have her value.”

"Fu Bing" murmured to himself, and the water-based magic power in his body actually resonated with the remaining red and black dark-based magic power in the mask.

Soon, a black tornado that could not move anything formed from around "Fu Bing"'s body. Under a weak whistling sound like a devil's whisper, the space around "Fu Bing" began to distort. For a few seconds, After that, he disappeared from the spot. (End of chapter)