Chapter 890: Flags and Dawn

Approaching the island, just the bottom level's Grand Hall already makes one's eyes light up.

The flags of the Nine Major Factions line the walls of the first floor, and the area around each flag is painted with decorative patterns representing the faction's colors.

For example, Iron Blood's black‑red scheme, White Eagle's sea‑blue, Northern Union's snow‑white, Donghuang's gold‑yellow, Heavy Sound's fire‑red, Royal's red‑yellow, Free Iris's white‑blue, Vichy Tribunal's dark brown, and Sardinian Empire's red‑green.

Besides the flags of the Nine Major Factions, there is also a white‑painted pillar in the very center, which feels somewhat out of place in this Grand Hall.

Seeing this, Qin Ge asked doubtfully, "Why is there a pillar here? According to the building's support, this place shouldn't need this pillar, right?"

Ou Gen Qin Wang and Emperor Frederick burst out laughing, and Bisimai also gave a slight smile, "Commander, speaking of the building, this pillar is indeed unnecessary here, but for our Gangqu it is absolutely essential."

Because this pillar represents you, the Commander. For our Gangqu, no matter which faction we belong to or what past experiences we have, we are now united in a Gangqu centered on you, so here there are no strangers, only companions—this is the cornerstone of our Gangqu.

So when this Grand Hall was first built, we consulted all the shipgirls of the various factions working in the test field, and finally erected a pillar here, representing our Gangqu's cornerstone and also the resolve of our nine different factions to pledge loyalty to the Commander.

Qin Ge rubbed his nose and said, "Um… that sounds really moving, you've put a lot of thought into it. But why do I see that a piece is missing from that flag over there?"

"That is…"

Bisimai had just uttered a few words when a voice cut her off.

"That is our flag; we've just been busy, so it isn't ready yet."

Following the sound, Qin Ge saw a figure appear at the stairwell—it was Yujin's Sha En Huo Si Te.

"Sha En Huo Si Te!" Qin Ge exclaimed.

"Welcome to the island, Commander." Sha En Huo Si Te said, pulling a smile at the corner of her mouth, though it looked extremely strained—or, for her, this was already the happiest expression she could manage.

"Thank you." Qin Ge nodded with a smile.

Sha En Huo Si Te and Ge Nai Sen Nao have always been stationed at the test field, and they rarely stay at the Gangqu's Yujin Building.

"Sha En, what brings you down here?" Bisimai asked.

"I heard the Commander was coming today, so I spent some time preparing our Yujin flag as well, intending to fill that missing spot—now the timing is just right."

Sha En Huo Si Te then walked to the white pillar in the center, pressed it, and a sphere extended from the pillar. She placed her hand on the sphere, and instantly the blank spot on the wall turned dark, then began to show a black‑red like flames.

In the middle, a flag appeared; its surroundings were a hazy gray, like a battlefield sky, while the very center bore a flame emblem—a cluster of black fire.

After doing all that, Sha En Huo Si Te restored everything and told Qin Ge, "Commander, from now on the Yujin personnel are at your disposal."

Qin Ge nodded. "Thank you."

"Then I'll get back to work, goodbye." Sha En Huo Si Te nodded to everyone, then turned back up the stairs and disappeared around the corner.

"Hehe, this counts as perfect." Ou Gen Qin Wang smiled at the flags in the hall.

"Ha, that's true, but I feel the weight on my shoulders growing heavier." Qin Ge chuckled.

"My child, we are still by your side; just keep moving forward boldly, and we'll take care of everything else." Emperor Frederick said indulgently.

"Hmm, I understand." Qin Ge smiled, "Then let me see your results—I'm really looking forward to it."

"Commander, please this way." Bisimai said, taking the lead and walking inside.

After everyone went up to the second floor, they boarded the elevator. Bisimai directly pressed the top‑floor button, then turned to Qin Ge and said.

"Commander, on this island, floors one through ten are for research related to mass‑production types; floors eleven to twenty are for studying things like research vessels, the Cube, and communications technology. Starting from floor twenty‑one upward, everything is devoted to a single research project, and you can see it right away."

Qin Ge nodded but said nothing, his gaze fixed on the rising elevator indicator.

Not long after, the rising elevator finally stopped. As the doors opened, Bisimai stepped out first, followed immediately by Qin Ge.

But as soon as they stepped out, Qin Ge was stunned by the sight before him: a huge spherical structure, its diameter easily fifty meters or more. At that moment, many creatures were hard at work hauling materials into the sphere to fill it.

"What is this?" Qin Ge asked after calming himself.

Emperor Frederick stood beside Qin Ge, revealing a frenzied smile he had never shown before, and said, "We call it Dawn!"

"Dawn?" Qin Ge grew even more puzzled, wondering what connection this spherical building under construction had with Dawn.

"Yes, Commander, this is the thing we've been hiding from you—Dawn!" Bisimai said, looking at the spherical structure before her.

"At the very beginning, didn't you have an idea, Commander—what if this world is illusory? That idea inspired me, especially after experiencing so much and learning more secret matters; I've been thinking about it constantly."

"If the world is illusory, then someone must have constructed it; if we break through this barrier, wouldn't we be able to see the world's true face?"

"The weapon named Dawn exists precisely for this purpose. It can release that immense power in an instant—strong enough to annihilate an Arbiter, of course also capable of tearing the sky apart."

"We want to see what lies hidden on the world's reverse side, to investigate just what is truly real!"

Hearing Bisimai's words, Qin Ge instantly grasped her idea. At this moment she was like Truman in the Truman World, living in a world fabricated by others; now that she knows this world is unreal, she wants to break it and learn what the real world is like.

But what would breaking this world look like? Qin Ge couldn't imagine it, yet he knew what lay behind this world.

That is the entity known as Laplace's Demon.