Chapter 882

"Indeed, I feel like she was already quite reluctant; a few more times and she wouldn't have paid attention to those strange instructions... turns out, he was serious."

In the predictions of the vast majority of viewers, after Alice performed the actions in the instructions, she would likely get nothing but the wind and snow in her face.

The content of the communication on the personal terminal truly exceeded everyone's expectations.

Especially since the other party seemed to have been aiming for Alice from the very beginning.

"As an aside, if Alice hadn't retired, she would still be a member of the Mobile Task Force, and her clearance level and personal strength wouldn't be low..."

"Ahem."

"Synchronization, complete."

"A miraculous development. Were those strange actions done earlier some kind of verification mechanism? Or some protocol for interaction via the movements of a living person?"

"If it involves synchronization, it's probably because there's no way to determine the time difference. I estimate the time gap between the city and the Outer Realm has reached a rather exaggerated level, which is why the Foundation had to synchronize."

"But that makes even less sense; if the time gap is that large, synchronization is completely out of the question."

……

【Baseline Time Tick (Huang Shi): 45.2999】

【That's great.】

【At the very end, I have finally synchronized with you, "SCP-105".】

"Don't call me that name."

Alice felt irritable and squeezed her personal terminal hard.

"No matter who you are."

She raised her hand, using her fingers as a comb, scratching her head repeatedly, turning her long golden hair into a messy bird's nest.

The text on the personal terminal vanished instantly, and after a flash of pure black, new text refreshed.

【I'm sorry. Which name do you prefer? Alice Thompson, or just Alice?】

"The latter is fine. Who are you?"

Alice quickly regained her composure.

The other party was clearly from the Foundation; otherwise, there was no explaining why he kept trying to make contact with her, though the method was peculiar, as if performing some kind of screening and obedience test.

In an instant, many possibilities flashed through Alice's mind.

But she also immediately realized a doubt she had overlooked just now:

153

The personal terminal hadn't entered communication mode; how did the other party know what she had said?

Before she could ask, the message from the other party updated once more.

【I am the AIC of Huang Shi, the keeper of the baseline timestamp and the summary and statistics of almost all existing Foundation intelligence.】

【I am the collective of the highest will, the soul of the Foundation after the Great Fade, your guide.】

【Exulans... or "The Wanderer".】

"'The Wanderer'... sounds a bit familiar."

"I don't like your tone; please don't be so condescending."

【I'm sorry, I thought you would like it. I wanted to leave a cool impression on you at the start.】

Alice straightened her expression, her tone becoming serious:

"Let's end this riddle and speak plainly."

"Who exactly are you?"

"Why contact me?"

"Were the strange instructions sent to my terminal earlier all attempts at your so-called 'synchronization'?"

【I have already answered the first question.】

【The answer to the third question is "Yes".】

【Because I am not clear on the specific time reference frame you are in, I can only send messages after calculation, observe whether you have a real-time reaction, and perform exhaustive enumeration time and again.】

【As for the second question, as I said, I contacted you to guide you.】

【The information you hold is basically sufficient, but you cannot yet string it together.】

【In my observations, in a future without me, you failed to fully understand it and complete your mission. Therefore, I am necessary.】

"You said 'observation'?" Alice frowned.

【Yes, I possess tools that allow me to observe you from a god's-eye view.】

【Or rather, I can observe everyone—past and future.】

【How about it? Have you started to feel that I am very helpful?】

Quite a boast... but if he can observe everyone's past and future, why let the world fall into this state?

Could it be that doing anything is useless... it wouldn't be like that, would it?

Alice took a deep breath, stopping her chaotic thoughts.

"How about providing some useful information? That would be much more convincing than your self-aggrandizement."

【Very well.】

【You have begun to recognize my value, dear Alice. Then, please continue to walk according to the planned route.】

"What do you mean?" Alice became alert.

"I warn you, don't interfere. I am already very close to my destination."

As soon as she finished speaking, new text appeared on the personal terminal.

【I have recorded a coordinate on your device, right on your path.】

【There, you will meet a person who has quite a connection with the little girl traveling with you.】

【After this, you will beg me to be your guide.】

……

Herta held a cup of milk tea, a long straw in her mouth, inserted into the cup, drawing the white liquid and black pearls upward.

She herself was half-reclined on a soft, comfortable sofa, watching the conversation between Alice and "The Wanderer".

"Why is there an inexplicable sense of déjà vu?"

Herta muttered to herself, rarely showing a puzzled expression.

It couldn't be called rare... ever since the Foundation appeared, Herta found that there were more and more things she didn't understand.

"Observing everyone's past and future... wait, isn't that the madman Elio?"

If there was one difference between "The Wanderer" and Elio, it was probably that the former didn't have a group of loyal subordinates executing missions, while the latter had the "Stellaron Hunters".

"In other words, 'Slaves of Destiny' can be replicated through technical means."

But such a thought flashed by, and Herta didn't consider establishing a new project team.

Not to mention that the task list of the "Department of Universal Phenomena" was already quite long.

After Asta ate a lollipop with her, she started looking for her to discuss billing matters.

She had once tried to brush it off with the excuse of being "family," but Asta replied, "It is precisely because we are family that we cannot waste funds."

"Forget it, wait for Bai Xuan to return and see what suggestions he has."

Anyway, they were already an old married couple... right?

But at the same time, Herta's interest in the apocalypse in "Girls' Last Tour" grew increasingly high.

What exactly was the principle that caused the world's colors to disappear?

From a biological perspective, the reason the natural world has various colors is because cone cells perceive electromagnetic waves of different wavelengths, giving different neural signals, which are integrated by the nervous system and finally become the picture of the world.

But... this apocalypse wasn't so biological.

"What exactly is the reason..." Herta fell into deep thought.

……

【We arrived at another destroyed city.】

【This city is very small, full of broken walls and ruins, and almost half the city is buried in snow.】

【Their tower has also collapsed.】

【The person in Miss Alice's communication device said we would meet someone here.】

【The target is very clear. At night, the whole city falls into pitch darkness, with only the relatively intact small house on the east side lit up.】

【However...】

【Why would such a destroyed city have a single family living in it?】

When Alice and Christina braved the wind and snow to reach the east side of the city, they saw the house "The Wanderer" had mentioned. ===== CHAPTER 884 =====