Chapter 1333: Chapter 514: Train Problems
Clang clang, clang clang.
Heading north out of Leon, the terrain gradually opens up. Maybe it’s a trick of the mind, but the scarlet mist seems to thin out a bit, allowing for a clearer view of distant landscapes, undoubtedly increasing the safety factor for the rapidly traveling Infinity.
"The Foundation’s current target is you."
In the cockpit of the Infinity, KIKI is responsible for the train’s travel safety, while Lin Xian stands at the back, listening to Chu Yan talk about what happened after she left the Phoenix Society headquarters.
To Lin Xian’s surprise, Chu Yan not only admitted she was collaborating with Hua Xiaoling, but openly shared Hua Xiaoling’s and even the Foundation’s intentions with them, rendering Lin Xian’s previous speculations meaningless.
"Me?"
Lin Xian focused his gaze and pondered aloud, "Because I’m the Sword Holder?"
Chu Yan removed her mechanical breathing mask and spoke bluntly, "The Foundation used the Civilization Preview Ball to extract information about you from my consciousness: Mechanical Awakening, Black Star Forge, Devouring System... To be precise, they now understand your Mechanical Heart better than the Phoenix Society does."
Lin Xian’s expression changed slightly upon hearing this, and he asked, "When?"
"When you were on Sea Rock Island, you encountered an attack by the Giant Ocean God," Chu Yan said. "The decision was made by the Commander."
"Decision? Decide what?"
"To save your life."
Lin Xian was stunned. He glanced at KIKI, both suddenly recalling how they were attacked on Sea Rock Island by the Giant Ocean God, that doomsday beast suddenly targeting Lin Xian and KIKI Shizhi. The encounter nearly wiped them out, but after they fell into the Pacific Ocean, the Evil God gave up its pursuit, diving back into the deep sea, allowing Lin Xian and his companions to escape the disaster.
Lin Xian clearly remembered seeing the silver triangular-headed creature, a sight that had left him puzzled. Hearing Chu Yan’s words now sent a shiver through him, furrowing his brows deeply.
"You mean, the Tower People learned the secret of my Mechanical Heart through the Foundation, and therefore gave up killing me?"
"Yes." Chu Yan crossed her arms, sighed slightly, and looked at Lin Xian, lowering her voice, "The Dark Forest Law, you are probing, and the Tower People are also probing. All this stems from the Battle of Dawn City, where we linked up with the S-Class Action Brain..."
KIKI was shocked upon hearing this, staring wide-eyed at Lin Xian, "Ah!? So you were right, the Tower People weren’t deterred by the South Heavenly Gate. They also realized there is a third civilization on Blue Star, hence their apprehension!!"
Chu Yan fell silent for a moment, her gaze fixed on Lin Xian, "Lin Xian, honestly, you shouldn’t have saved me back then."
"Impossible. There was no other choice." Lin Xian laughed helplessly, "So Professor Ye’s decision was to give up the deterrence era and preserve me?"
"The Tower People don’t possess deep strategic thinking. Their cognitive logic is absolute rationalism, like a precisely running computer; once they perceive a crisis, their first instinct is direct probing." Chu Yan said, "After Dawn City, the Foundation received a message from the Tower People: to eliminate you at all costs. At the same time, Star Abyss is also challenging you. Don’t you find it curious that the first trouble you encountered after venturing out to sea was a world-level disaster?"
"Damn..."
Lin Xian rubbed his aching brow, "Was the Giant Ocean God used to test me?! So back then, if that so-called third civilization hadn’t emerged, I would have already been dead..."
"What you may not realize is, when you faced the crisis, it was Hua Xiaoling who sent the Civilization Preview Ball to the office on the Heavenly Calming Ship, leading to this ’transaction.’" Chu Yan said.
"So should I be thanking Hua Xiaoling??" Lin Xian’s mind wavered, becoming somewhat muddled.
"There’s no need to thank them. They’re just a group of humans who fancy themselves as clever. In some respects, they believe themselves smarter than the Tower People, acting as agents of the Tower People on Blue Star. From a human logical perspective, they think they’ve solved the Tower People’s problem, as they don’t know what potential risk this mysterious third civilization poses."
Lin Xian suddenly realized, analyzing out loud, "So now that the Tower People are aware of my Mechanical Heart, their assessment is that it’s not threatening, hence Star Abyss’ scarlet expansion accelerates?"
"But..." KIKI interjected with confusion, "That doesn’t make sense. Since the Tower People, upon knowing your... Lin Xian’s secret, gave up eliminating him, doesn’t that mean the deterrent still exists? Why would they spare him while also initiating a scarlet expansion?"
Chu Yan took a deep breath and said, "Earlier, I said the Tower People lack deep strategic thinking. To put it bluntly, they aren’t conspiracy theorists and don’t evaluate risks based on speculation, but the Foundation is different..."
She turned to Lin Xian, "Your Mechanical Heart, after upgrading, leapt technologically far beyond current human civilization. They can easily imagine that if your Mechanical Heart reached Level 9, it would indeed bring about a situation sufficient to alter the current state, so they made this judgment to the Tower People. Consequently, you survived, and even after you fell unconscious, they’ve been actively searching for your traces."
"Quite the effort on their part..." Lin Xian chuckled and then said to Chu Yan, "So you’re now working for Hua Xiaoling, trying to capture me alive?"
This statement immediately shifted the atmosphere slightly. KIKI’s gaze fell on Chu Yan. Despite Chu Yan’s close relationship with Lin Xian and having just lent a helping hand, if Chu Yan truly intended to act against Lin Xian, she would undoubtedly subdue her at the earliest opportunity!
