Chapter 486: Chapter 383 Networks and Choices_3

Once these things fell into the hands of an individual in an unknown state, the whole world would face a crisis.

“Let me try talking to her.”

…

In the room, the girl who still appeared ruddy and, beneath the disguise of her artificial body, lay on the bed as alive as any living person.

But as Lv Ming looked at the sleeping girl, he couldn’t help but sigh, “Xiao Zhao, is the real world really not worth your lingering affection?”

“What are you trying to do?”

Silence.

There was no response.

After Lv Ming had finished speaking, the room fell into an extreme quietude.

Just as everyone outside the room thought this attempt at communication had failed again, Lv Ming’s phone suddenly rang.

He picked up the phone, glanced at the unknown number on the screen, and with a slight movement in his gaze, chose to answer, “Hello?”

“It’s me.”

As the girl’s voice, devoid of any emotion, came through, Lv Ming took a deep breath and said, “Xiao Zhao…”

The other party cut him off, speaking directly, “New Country is putting pressure on East Sea City, demanding that you search for the whereabouts of Zhao Ping and provide related surveillance data, are you here to seek my help?”

Lv Ming frowned slightly and said, “Xiao Zhao, you know that’s not what I am here for.”

Zhao Wanxi’s tone was incredibly calm, as if discussing a trivial matter of daily life, “Then Zhuge Fan, Kong Qisheng, Jing Shaoyi, and the other twelve from a year ago, Si Shuqiu, Fu Zhishan, Zeng Li from two years ago…”

Hearing this, Lv Ming’s heart stirred slightly, “Could it be that Zhao Wanxi’s transformation isn’t like the report’s judgment, a result of personality collapse due to the shock of big data, gradually becoming emotionless and mechanical, but rather too much reality’s impact has made her personality unable to bear?”

He shook his head, sighing helplessly, “Xiao Zhao, do you think I am doing this willingly? But without doing this, how can there be today’s peace? Buying time, giving the next generation more time and space to cultivate, only then might we have the possibility of contending with them in the future…”

Zhao Wanxi’s reply was brutally rational, “Endurance doesn’t lead to strength.”

“According to my data analysis over the past six years, in a world where the spirit machines surge post great changes, the strong prey on the weak, the weak prey on the weaker, and only by exerting power at will on those weaker, can cultivators possibly become stronger.”

“In this era, all people in the current world’s greatest significance to the strong ones of Mirror World is to become objects of their trampling, humiliation, and show-off, contributing to the strong ones’ spiritual satisfaction and breakthroughs, turning into their powerful nourishment.”

“Under such circumstances, it’s nearly impossible for Xia Country to catch up with New Country.”

“The only chance is waiting… waiting for Lin Xing’s return.”

“Lin Xing?” Lv Ming was slightly stunned when he heard the name; it had been far too long since he had heard those two words.

Although the Moon hung in the night sky every day, those two names were like the Moon obscured by layers of tall buildings—always hard to appear in the common people’s field of vision.

“But sadly, even this last chance… the world no longer has it today.”

The more Lv Ming listened, the worse feeling he had, “So what do you want to do?”

The girl’s voice remained cold, but the content of her words sent shivers down Lv Ming’s spine.

“Based on my calculations, if we were to turn all areas within ten kilometers of every Spirit Cave into a biological forbidden zone, we could block the majority of human traffic between the two worlds.”

“If we then destroy all the governments of the present world, the survivors left in the present world will naturally go through rounds of survival of the fittest, competing for a strong one comparable to the Immortal Emperor, possessing the power to contend with Mirror World…”

Just as Lv Ming’s back was almost soaked with cold sweat, the girl’s tone shifted, “But all this, does it have any meaning?”

“The weak perish at the hands of the strong, and the strong fall to the stronger still.”

“And all beings in this world are but playthings in the hands of the Immortal Court.”

“When the present world can contend with Mirror World, it means that this place has become another Mirror World.”

Although the other party’s tone was incredibly calm, Lv Ming could still sense a profound feeling of despair.

…

In Mo Xingye’s dormitory,

Lin Xing looked at the abrupt red characters on the phone screen, a thoughtful glint flashing through his eyes.

He typed into the search box: “Junior Sister?”

The search page refreshed, and the first result displayed a line of red text: Lin Xing and Bai Yiyi have both died on the Moon, who exactly are you?

There was a light snap.

A slender hand stretched out from Lin Xing’s body, feverishly tapping on the smartphone screen.

“Silly disciple, who did you say is dead?”

“With my unparalleled wisdom, how could I have taught such a foolish disciple?”

“Ah, but it’s not your fault. You’ve been without my constant, careful guidance for these past six years, so it’s understandable that you’ve turned out this way.”

“Enough talk, are you a cyber expert now? Start by transferring some untraceable embezzled funds for me…”

As Bai Yiyi typed nonstop on the phone, the other party remained in silence, not responding for a long time.

But soon, the webpage on the phone’s screen flashed, and a video appeared.

A male corpse was lying on a workbench, surrounded by several people conducting various tests on the body.

“This is the corpse of Lin Xing found by the Great Bright Buddha on the Moon.”

“So… who exactly are you?”

Bai Yiyi was slightly startled by the sight: “Where did the Bright Buddha get this from? I don’t remember us leaving behind any corpses on the Moon?”

The broken sword scoffed, “In that great battle, you couldn’t see or sense anything for 99% of the time, what could you possibly know.”

An irritated Bai Yiyi retorted, “Shut it, Old Sword! When have you had the right to interrupt a master and disciple catching up?”

Yet Lin Xing was quite interested in the content of the video: “Little Buddha’s people are quick to act, even finding this.”

“Junior Sister, you’ve even managed to steal videos sent from the Moon. It seems your abilities have improved a lot in these six years. You must know quite a bit about the Immortal Court by now.”

“So what truly troubles your heart may not be a question of my identity.”

“It’s whether you feel that even if Lin Xing truly returned to Earth, he would not be able to change this world.”

“Is it because the Immortal Court is… invincible.”

This time, the other party didn’t remain silent, but seemed to voice an inner doubt: “Alright, I won’t worry about whether you’re Lin Xing, or which Lin Xing you are. Since we’re on the topic of the Immortal Court, I’ll ask you a question.”

“Did your powers get stripped away on the Moon? The transcendent power you originally had to reincarnate me and achieve rebirth by inhabiting a corpse, do you no longer possess it?”

Faced with Zhao Wanxi’s question, Lin Xing nodded slightly: “The threefold ascension of an Independent Immortal has indeed been greatly reduced by the Immortal Court. As I said before, I can’t be certain how long it will take before I can help you reincarnate.”

“Perhaps like how I selfishly took you away from the Zhao family, my arrangements for you six years ago were ultimately born from selfishness.”

“I didn’t want to kill you against my own will.”

“So I shifted the burden of choice onto you.”

“And perhaps this burden was too heavy for you.”

After a long silence, a young girl’s voice came from the phone: “Senior Brother, I don’t blame you.”

“All my choices are my own, stemmed from my personality and thoughts. Even if I had to choose again, I would rather be painfully aware than blissfully ignorant like a mortal.”

Lin Xing smiled faintly and sighed: “It seems we sister and brother are both equally stubborn and selfish, refusing to bend our wills for the future. Perhaps that is the destiny of the strong in this world.”

Zhao Wanxi said, “So Senior Brother, you know you might not be able to defeat the Immortal Court, but you still choose to resist.”

“Even if it may cost countless lives, even possibly leading to the destruction of both realms, you wouldn’t give up, because you always place your will above the world.”

Lin Xing was taken aback for a moment, then smiled and said, “It seems you have truly grown a lot in these six years, daring to speak such words to me.”

“But maybe you’re right. Even if I do end up losing to the Immortal Court in the future, I won’t change my choice right now.”

“So Junior Sister, what will you choose?”

“Do you want to stop me again, to… become my enemy?”