Chapter 266: Chapter 264: Jeff’s Invitation
The area around the library was no longer how it looked when Mo Ling first arrived on the island.
In the sky, mechanical parts swirled like a dark cloud, obscuring the entire village.
The runic engravings on the parts shimmered with all kinds of light, twinkling incessantly.
Some flowed like rivers, converging into a single stream that drifted slowly through the air. Others hovered in place, rotating at a constant speed. They all seemed to have their own tasks, like loyal sentinels.
Around the library stood many bizarre-looking suits of armor, surrounded by orbiting parts, as if they were waiting for something.
Mo Ling saw from the account list that these suits of armor all had high levels of authority. They each possessed the highest authority within different functional domains of the Fishman Race, but they were all now completely suppressed by Mo Ling’s own highest authority.
He had expected a fierce battle, but the armored figures parted to form a path when they saw the group arrive. They showed no intention of fighting Mo Ling whatsoever. The parts circling them were still and silent.
These ferocious suits of armor now stood on either side like doormen. The parts that had been lingering at the library entrance were also retracted, moving away from the group.
’What are they trying to do?’
After seeing the account names of the armored figures, Mo Ling had been about to delete them outright, but their behavior stopped him in his tracks.
"Greetings, Highest Authority."
A familiar voice came through the Fishman channel.
’It’s him! The ancient Fishman who was talking with Jeff earlier!’
"General Jeff has something to discuss with you," the voice said to Mo Ling.
Hearing this, Mo Ling could no longer remain silent.
"Who are you?"
As Mo Ling asked his question, a slender suit of armor with a multitude of wings sprouting from its back stepped forward. It made no attempt to hide, stopping directly in front of the group.
Several pairs of enormous wings were pieced together from countless individual parts. The runes on them radiated light, their engravings forming mystical, magnificent patterns. The body itself, however, was exceptionally gaunt and slender, looking plain and unremarkable in stark contrast.
Above the winged armor’s head, floated a name glowing with white light—
"Fish Swarm 02."
"Just call me Ling’Er," the voice spoke again.
The armored figure before him extended a slender arm and offered Mo Ling a salute.
Mo Ling watched the armored figure’s strange gesture, somewhat taken aback.
’This is too strange. There must be a catch. Why the sudden change in attitude?’
’Mo Ling didn’t believe they truly respected him. They were just afraid of his ’Highest Authority’ status.’
"General Jeff requests your presence inside," the winged armor repeated its invitation to Mo Ling.
Of course, Mo Ling did not accept.
He wasn’t worried about the armored figures harming him, but without his protection, the newly created Fishmen wouldn’t last long against an attack from the parts.
Just as he was about to refuse, he heard another voice.
"Go inside."
’It was Bai Zhou!’
Mo Ling immediately recognized the voice.
’But where is he?’
Mo Ling scanned his surroundings but found no trace of Bai Zhou.
Just as Mo Ling was starting to think he’d imagined it, Bai Zhou’s voice sounded again: "They have a request for you. They won’t harm the people out here. Don’t worry."
’It really is Bai Zhou!’
Mo Ling was certain he hadn’t misheard. He was about to ask a question, but Bai Zhou immediately stopped him: "Don’t reveal my presence. Just do as they say for now. Trust me."
’Should I do what he says?’
’Mo Ling was conflicted. He couldn’t be sure if Bai Zhou’s voice was real, and the armored figures before him were watching him menacingly.’
But as he mulled it over, Mo Ling suddenly realized something was off.
’I’m the Highest Authority. What am I even hesitating for?’
At that thought, Mo Ling hesitated no longer.
He stretched out his hand, and a command shot out in all directions:
"Lock!"
At his command, runic chains instantly coiled around the armored figures, binding them in place. Unable to move, they became a row of immobile statues. The parts in the sky also froze in midair.
After a series of blinding flashes, not a single part within his field of vision was still moving.
Next, Mo Ling issued a patrol command to the parts above his head, ordering them to protect the group. The dense, dark cloud of parts swiftly dispersed, spreading out across the sky to stand guard vigilantly.
"Wait here for me. I’m going in to take a look. Stay safe." After displaying the message for Li Luo on his screen, Mo Ling walked alone into the boathouse-like library.
He wanted to see just what kind of game these ancient Fishmen were playing.
But as Mo Ling followed his memory into the library’s deepest recesses, he didn’t see a single part or suit of armor.
It wasn’t until Mo Ling reached the desk where the Great Clan Leader had been reading the ancient texts that he found a hunched Old Fishman sitting there.
The book on the desk was still the same: *The Fishman Chronicles*, its pages crawling with dense Fishman script.
The scene felt familiar, but Mo Ling noticed something was wrong.
Attached to the Old Fishman’s chest was a pitch-black, scale-like part.
This Old Fishman was the Great Clan Leader, but it was clear his body had been taken over by an ancient Fishman.
"Long time no see," Jeff’s voice sounded in the channel.
The Old Fishman turned his head and looked at Mo Ling.
’Jeff actually took the Great Clan Leader’s body?’
As if sensing Mo Ling’s confusion, Jeff explained, "I couldn’t find my original body, so I had to make do with this one."
"We haven’t seen each other for two thousand two hundred years, but to me it feels like an instant."
"What on earth happened? You were originally just a prisoner, why are you now the Highest Authority?"
Jeff’s voice was filled with confusion.
"And the books on this island... Ling’Er said we carved them ourselves, but why would we carve these things?"
Having lost his knowledge of eternal life, Jeff seemed to have a hard time understanding their past actions. He kept asking Mo Ling one question after another.
"This island, why is its ecosystem so strange?"
"..."
He held the ancient Fishman text in his hands, saying with great confusion, "I’ve read the records in here. It describes an awakening program that targets us, once every two hundred years."
"But what does the rest of it mean? Why use Immortal Wood to capture Old-Eaters and place them in specific locations?"
"Deep in my subconscious, I feel like I know all of this is necessary, but I can’t for the life of me remember the purpose. Could this also be part of the knowledge of eternal life?"
Jeff rambled on, asking Mo Ling one question after another, though he didn’t seem to be looking for answers.
"I do want to know the answers, but... if my past self wanted to forget all this, then perhaps I shouldn’t be trying to remember it now."
He sighed and slowly set the ancient text aside. He gestured to Mo Ling, pointing to the seat before him in invitation.
"Please, have a seat, member of the Square Race."
"Or perhaps I should call you—Highest Authority."
