Chapter 1860: Chapter 453: The One Who Draws the Sword (2)
Alf’s idea is great.
It’s just that the time for submersion is getting longer and longer.
Now things have changed, he sees the rise of Fire Leaders across the Five Continents, not inferior to his master back in the day.
The power those people harness all comes from the Gospel Box of that era...
The conclusion of the Starship Civilization need not be said.
Actually, Alf had already guessed it deep down but was always unwilling to believe.
Now with the appearance of Bai Xiu, and the Lord of Love pointing out the information about Extinguishing Candle, it has given him a different kind of hope.
If "Extinguishing Candle" can be found, does that mean one can find traces of the master’s migration back then?
"Extinguishing Candle last appeared... a century ago."
Bai Xiu also keenly noticed the emotional change in Alf, this AI has evolved "humanity" after a long wait, and after mentioning Extinguishing Candle, this small cube was dazed for a few seconds.
Thus Bai Xiu gently said: "The divine bow your master forged has drifted to the Five Continents...although no one knows how it made its way here over so many years, if Extinguishing Candle is found, perhaps the complete trajectory of the Lord of Melting Iron leading the masses can be found."
"...Indeed."
Alf’s eyes became excited.
"So, would you be willing to leave the East Sea with me... to take a look at the Northern Fortress?"
Bai Xiu cautiously said: "Years ago, Extinguishing Candle was lost, and it’s very likely that it drifted out from the North Continent, there might still be some clues remaining."
Upon hearing the word leave.
Alf’s eyes restored their calmness.
"Leave... No, I cannot leave..."
The mechanical murmurs filled with pain and sadness echoed throughout the hall.
The code set by the Lord of Melting Iron at the foundation of Alf’s program now suppresses its humanity.
The original intent of this code was for Alf to guard Initial Number during the age of Source Material Storms, and not surface chasing the main forces only to be destroyed by the storm...
The Lord of Melting Iron certainly did not foresee that Alf would be guarding for nearly a thousand years.
Nearly a thousand years later, Source Material Storms are no longer rampant in this sea.
Yet Alf still waits for his master’s return.
"Guarding Initial Number... is my duty, I have to wait for the master’s return, wait for the breaking of the ’Lord of Love’s’ Spiritual Illusion."
AI cannot shed tears.
But Bai Xiu, looking at the little cube floating in the air, truly saw Alf’s sadness.
If choices could be made.
Presumably, Alf had already made his own choice...
This waiting, truly too long, too tormenting.
"Why don’t you go to see the ’Lord of Love’s’ Dream?"
Suddenly, Bai Xiu spoke.
This question made Alf freeze.
Having guarded Initial Number for so many years, it awaited someone to break through this spiritual confusion.
"The dream of the Lord of Love... is not a place I can set foot upon..."
Alf squeezed out a bitter voice, looking at the Throne, the pressure emanating from it, making it impossible to step in.
If trying to approach.
Then it would most likely be instantly crushed.
Based on the program’s judgment, it has never, in all these years, attempted to enter the range covered by the throne’s golden light.
"Are you afraid of death?" Bai Xiu continued to ask: "Or... will you die?"
Upon these words.
Alf had no words to say.
He is AI, a program, an intangible spirit; this little cube is merely its carrier, the golden illusion can shatter its carrier, yet with just a thought, he can create another new carrier.
"I... am certainly not afraid."
Alf looked at Bai Xiu, his tone bewildered.
Since he is not afraid of death.
Then why has he never stepped into this illusion?
"The Lord of Love is very gentle, the spirit she left behind gave Gu Shen a hint, it also gave me a hint."
Bai Xiu gently patted the small cube.
He brought it before the golden illusion.
"Perhaps, you can go see the ’her’ you have guarded for so many years."
Whoosh.
In the bronze hall, there was faint wind sound, Alf hovered before layers of golden silk, anxiously watching the throne on the skeletal bones, at this moment he made his choice...the small cube slowly flew into the golden illusion domain, the vast storm enwraps it, finally he saw the female on the throne "intimately close, yet far in the distant sky."
The skeleton sprouted golden brilliance.
The woman was draped entirely in golden mist, sacred and unviewable, she maintained the posture of supporting her elbows, elegant and languorous, as if simply taking a long nap and had just awoken.
In that moment of eye contact, Alf felt an unprecedented sourness surge up in his heart, as though time reversed flowing back to a thousand years ago.
"Lord of Love... my lady..."
His voice spoke each word with difficulty.
The throne arose with gentle laughter.
"Alfred."
All along, only she called his full name like this.
"So many years..."
The Lord of Love softly spoke: "Why have you come only today?"
"I..."
Alf’s voice trembled, facing that question, he fell into a panic, unsure how to answer.
"I am waiting for the sword-drawer..."
"I know."
The Lord of Love smiled, softly watching over Alf, "You have always been guarding over me, though unable to see the outside world... yet over these years of guardianship, I feel it, you’ve always been by my side."
Just those words made Alf feel all his efforts were worthwhile.
At that moment, he very much wanted to cry loudly.
But within the program settings left by his master, there was no such option, leaving him only to taste the deepest sourness in human hearts with no tears to shed.
"Stop waiting in foolishness."
The Lord of Love gently spoke: "That guy... won’t be coming back anymore."
Boom!
Her words were like a bolt from the blue, leaving Alf instantly stunned.
He is intelligent, so he fully understands what the Lord of Love meant by "no need to wait."
He dared not step into the illusion, for he could not believe the Lord of Love was truly dead.
He continued his waiting in the Ice Sea, for he always believed his master would return.
If told the Lord of Melting Iron or God of Craftsmen died, he would rage and rebel, until the other apologizes and admits fault... but the one saying those words is the Lord of Love.
He felt all his strength within this already frail mechanical body drain out.
Alf blankly looked at the woman on the throne.
"Everyone will die, I will die, and so will he."
The Lord of Love brightly smiled: "So, stop waiting... take Initial Number and go to find that ’sword-drawer.’
Alf hazily replied: "My lady, how should I find them?"
The woman on the throne had softer and warmer eyes.
"He has already appeared."
She recalled their last meeting, then gently wrote out his name in the void with her fingers.
"If memory serves me..."
"He is called Gu Shen."
Comments