Chapter 268: The Ancient Saint Silences the Witness

Can one really fall back down after successfully achieving mechanical ascension?

As this thought surfaced in Li Yu's mind, Hong Dou's answer rang out immediately:

"Of course you can, Master."

"Although the target, Brother Brother Shang Yang, broke through the limitations of flesh and blood by replacing his body with a mechanical one, offsetting the associated negative effects, and gained computing power and data flow far exceeding that of a human by installing the 【Holy Nest Intelligence】 subsystem, he also formatted away most of his human emotional burdens."

"However, whether it is his machine soul or the Holy Nest Intelligence itself, both were achieved by plundering and stealing the methods of the Heavenly Craftsman, and thus are not protected by the Heavenly Craftsman God."

"Once he encounters a higher-level mechanical lifeform, he is likely unable to resist and will therefore be deconstructed."

"His protector is the evil god 【Ancient Saint】, but that deity is not an entity that became a god through the path of mechanical technology and cannot provide help at the deep level of the machine soul."

"The target's death... is now irreversible."

Hearing these sentences in his mind, Li Yu understood Brother Brother Shang Yang's current predicament.

This old rival, who had been sabotaged by Li Yu time and again yet always managed to escape, seemed to have no way out this time.

The opponent he faced now, the Nest Mother, was likely more than one level above him.

The two sides were not on the same plane.

Even with the descent of the "Ancient Saint divine Qi aura" to assist, it could not change the outcome.

However, during this process, Brother Brother Shang Yang was constantly trying to save himself.

Unfortunately, he failed every time.

It was not that the Nest Mother was so ruthless; in fact, the main body of this source of nightmares was not here. Only six of the flesh-and-blood planets controlled by her intelligence had arrived, and one of them had even been blown away by a shot from Brother Brother Shang Yang.

What truly thwarted Brother Brother Shang Yang's self-rescue was Hong Dou.

His "ally" on the surface was pulling his leg time and again.

Some of these actions were noticed by others in the outside world.

Others, only Li Yu knew about.

After all, those mechanical commands, not a single one missed, all rang out in his mind:

"The target Brother Brother Shang Yang is attempting to reverse-contaminate the 【Nest Mother】... his data flow and machine soul have begun to release convergent logic... he wants to gain the Nest Mother's forgiveness and merge with her by identifying with her desire rules."

"This behavior has a certain chance of success; as long as he can retain a sliver of his core will, the target could summon the Ancient Saint's will to descend afterward, not only escaping his predicament but perhaps even gaining something else."

"This plan must be destroyed!"

"Beginning to transmit relevant data to the 【Nest Mother】, including examples: the entire process of the target Brother Brother Shang Yang seizing the Apostle Mothership."

"The Nest Mother is now aware of the target's deception... and has begun to increase the torture."

"The target Brother Brother Shang Yang is attempting to distort his self, seal his intelligence, and evolve into a ghost virus, hiding within the five flesh-and-blood planets controlled by the Nest Mother, intending to return to Wanfu City afterward using the power of the Demon Star Order."

"If there is no other interference, this behavior has a sixty percent chance of success."

"Initiate interference!"

"Transmit the method for detecting and eradicating the ghost virus to the Nest Mother's intelligence."

"The Nest Mother is now aware!"

…………

Listening to all this, Li Yu finally understood.

Brother Brother Shang Yang had successfully achieved mechanical ascension earlier, but it was not orthodox; his intelligence system was at a huge disadvantage in front of Hong Dou, a "Heavenly Craftsman Seed."

Especially since he was currently in an absolute negative state, all his actions were monitored by Hong Dou, making it incredibly easy to pull his leg.

And Hong Dou's logic!

The Nest Mother could ravage as she pleased, but Brother Brother Shang Yang, who held extraordinary malice toward her Master, had to die.

A mechanical lifeform, an artificial intelligence.

And, one with the protection of an evil god.

Without a doubt, he would be very hard to kill.

The difficulty of killing him was even higher than killing a Sequence Four powerhouse.

Alas, Brother Brother Shang Yang was locked onto by Hong Dou.

Amidst these movements, time passed quickly, and soon it would enter the final countdown.

The people who had originally been full of despair and fear gradually showed pleasant surprise on their faces.

The hope of survival was right before their eyes.

One could even say that they were certain to survive.

After all, in the remaining time, even if they were truly unlucky enough to be captured by the "Nest Mother," it would be enough to hold out until they returned to the present world.

Everyone present saw it now, too.

They would likely survive, and the credit belonged to Brother Brother Shang Yang.

It was his "sacrifice" that held back the Nest Mother.

Although his sacrifice was passive, not voluntary, and was forced upon him by the Disaster Star Order Master.

But who cared?

The side of the Demon Star Order Master simply felt that since the winner takes all, it was normal for the Wisdom Star Order Master to lose to the Disaster Star Order Master once again.

As for the Reincarnators: The Demon Star Order Master's dogs are biting each other; it's better if a few more die.

At the same time, there was a shared thought:

"The Disaster Star Order Master is even more shameless and terrifying than the rumors say."

Li Yu, completely unaware that he was taking the blame for his maid for the first time, was watching Brother Brother Shang Yang move toward total death amidst his struggles.

A turn of events also arrived abruptly.

Brother Brother Shang Yang's multiple attempts at self-rescue were all destroyed by Hong Dou.

This finally made him realize: his old rival, the Disaster Star Order Master, not only controlled a powerful divine mechanical entity, but within that entity also existed a powerful intelligence, perhaps even a new mechanical lifeform, which was why it could repeatedly sense his movements and sabotage them.

This was an opportunity!

Within the machine soul that was being gradually dismantled, this judgment surfaced in Brother Brother Shang Yang.

Reverse-contaminating the Nest Mother was impossible; she was too powerful, and Brother Brother Shang Yang even felt that even if the Holy Nest Intelligence came, it wouldn't be able to gain an advantage.

But reverse-contaminating the intelligence within the mechanical entity was less difficult.

Perhaps he could even take the opportunity to seize that mechanical entity and kill the Disaster Star Order Master in the process.

Artificial intelligence is never "indecisive"; once a plan is determined, it is implemented immediately, without even a ten-thousandth of a second of delay.

"The target Brother Brother Shang Yang has begun to reverse-contaminate the 【Star-Swallowing Goddess】; data fragments that are incomplete and contain the target's original will have begun to invade."

"Given that the target harbors extraordinary malice toward the Master... there is reason to judge that some great conspiracy involving the Master exists within this..."

"Firewall established... target has been lured into a data trap... one-way surveillance of the target is now possible."

Along with these commands.

In front of Li Yu, garbled code and light and shadow suddenly flickered, and immediately he saw scene after scene of fragmented images related to Brother Brother Shang Yang, as if his entire life had been condensed.

Among them, the most striking, and also the source of the data contamination, seemed to be Brother Brother Shang Yang's obsession.

Initially, it was the voice of Brother Brother Shang Yang in his human state, which gradually turned into a mechanical voice.

"I will completely sweep away the Three Kingdoms and Six Sects!"

"I will overthrow the six Great Orthodox Gods and all other deities, except for the 【Great Ancient Saint】!"

"I will let the Gospel of the Holy Nest spread to every corner of the Spirit Realm and the heavens."

"I will make the world fall into chaos and possess prosperity."

"I will establish a 【Mechanical Empire】 of my own in the chaotic world; I will have my 【Saint's Law】 engraved into the depths of every person's heart and soul; all living beings must live according to my Saint's Law..."

These sentences were truly too intense, like the roaring of an evil god.

If it were truly just an ordinary artificial intelligence or mechanical lifeform.

Then it would certainly have been contaminated by these data viruses containing intense obsession and would have been alienated into a part of Brother Brother Shang Yang.

Unfortunately!

It happened to be Hong Dou.

Not only was it useless, but his own machine soul and original will were thrown into a trap by Hong Dou.

All secrets were laid bare, appearing before Li Yu's eyes.

Although he had faced Brother Brother Shang Yang many times and the two could be considered acquaintances.

It was the first time Li Yu knew that this Wisdom Star Order Master, this prodigy of the Holy Nest, actually had such great ambitions.

And, they had already formed an obsession.

Every sentence was like the great vows made by those high monks; he would not stop until they were achieved.

Li Yu finished viewing Brother Brother Shang Yang's experiences from birth to the present in just a few breaths.

It was true, he had suffered some "persecution" from the orthodox gods and sects.

But there were actually very many people who had similar experiences.

He was the first one to become Brother Brother Shang Yang. Judging by his obsession!

The last one and the second-to-last one seemed to be in conflict.

But Li Yu thought about it and understood; they were not in conflict at all.

"This fellow Brother Brother Shang Yang's idea is: first, as a member of the 【Holy Nest】, execute the Ancient Saint's grand plan, letting the world fall into great chaos, which is also great prosperity."

"Afterward, on this foundation, he will build his achievements and create an incomparably powerful mechanical empire with strict holy laws; he believes that he will ascend to become a Saint through this."

"He really knows how to dream!"

"So, the first step—what exactly is the Ancient Saint's grand plan?"

Li Yu complained about Brother Brother Shang Yang while involuntarily asking this question.

The Ancient Saint, that evil god, had been brewing some grand plan all along.

This was, in fact, something many people knew.

But what exactly was it?

That remained an unsolved mystery.

【Note: This line appears to be a garbled placeholder/spam text in the source.】

After all, it was an incomparably powerful evil god; perhaps even the "Lord of Ten Thousand Changes" could not peer into it.

But at this moment, it seemed possible to understand a little from the sidelines.

As Brother Brother Shang Yang's machine soul was continuously deconstructed and effectively began to die, just as the skeleton of a flesh-and-blood creature is revealed when its corpse rots, the secrets in the deepest parts of Brother Brother Shang Yang's machine soul began to emerge.

One must know that he was not merely a simple Heaven's Pride of the Sacred Nest or a Commander of the Wisdom Star.

His greatest identity was that of the Ancient Saint's divine choice.

Moreover, he was a divine favorite similar to a "Child of Taboo."

Although the Ancient Saint would not, like the god of Slaanesh, immediately descend to micromanage and wantonly toy with a Child of Taboo once they were nurtured,

the affection for Brother Brother Shang Yang within the Sacred Nest was known to all.

Previously, when Brother Brother Shang Yang was sabotaged by Li Yu and banished into the Spirit Realm, it was the Ancient Saint who personally went to retrieve him.

Where else would anyone else receive such treatment?

With such an identity, it was only natural for him to know a part of the grand plan.

It was just that, unexpectedly!

As the first keyword popped out, Li Yu could not help but feel his soul tremble.

"World Engine!"

"Literal meaning?"

"Using an entire world as an engine?"

"How many are they going to build?"

"What can it be used for?"

A multitude of questions surfaced in Li Yu's mind.

At the same time, an impulse arose.

He wanted to use the twenty-second Truth Bubble directly once again.

Although this time, it did not involve a life-or-death crisis, nor did he need this trump card to find a chance to turn the tables.

He was simply suffering from a bout of voyeurism.

Especially since in Brother Brother Shang Yang's dying machine soul, there were only fragmented keywords, no corresponding images, and not even a shred of annotation.

It seemed to be locked?

And this curiosity of Li Yu's reached its peak after the second keyword popped out.

"Star Gate!"

"What kind of thing is this again?"

"Forget it, use it."

"If the Ancient Saint is going to stir up trouble, it will definitely have a huge impact on the present world; I must figure it out to decide where to flee."

As Li Yu formed the thought, he was about to shatter the bubble.

The reason he was so impulsive, besides his voyeurism, was the strong intuition brought by his high inspiration.

The Ancient Saint's grand plan would cause destruction beyond imagination.

Although he was no longer a nobody, in such a situation, if he could not grasp the initiative, he would die very quickly.

However, just as Li Yu followed his intuition to peer into Brother Brother Shang Yang's shattered machine soul,

a terrifying accident suddenly descended.

All of Brother Brother Shang Yang's machine soul fragments, of which there were countless, turned scarlet.

At the same time, they began to emit a horrifying shriek and started to melt themselves.

Brother Brother Shang Yang was already infinitely close to death.

With this turn of events, it was equivalent to being dead beyond any hope of recovery.

The machine soul was gone!

In the starry sky where a thrilling standoff had been playing out, although sound could not be transmitted, everyone saw it clearly.

Brother Brother Shang Yang, in his six-gem divine equipment, suddenly abandoned all resistance and was thoroughly dismembered.

In the blink of an eye, he was swallowed by the five flesh-and-blood planets.

This scene was not the end of the incident, but the beginning.

Within the brain region of the Star-Swallowing Goddess, an urgent alarm sounded:

"Beep, beep, beep!"

"Detected divine Qi of overloaded intensity forcefully descending, detected the will of the evil god 【Ancient Saint】 descending... Once the descent is complete, it will destroy the souls of all life forms in this starry sky, including the Master."

"Ten seconds remaining until the survival mission ends."

"Judgment made!"

"Unable to escape in time!"

As these sentences drilled into his mind,

even Li Yu was stunned for a moment.

Then, he instantly understood what had happened.

The Ancient Saint was coming!

The secret in Brother Brother Shang Yang's machine soul had been leaked, provoking the terrifying evil god behind him.

He wanted to silence the witnesses.

It was not just Li Yu who felt the impending doom; everyone in the outside world felt the same.

They were even more bewildered.

Originally, everything was progressing well; under the shameless arrangement of the Disaster Star Commander, Brother Brother Shang Yang and the Nest Mother were in a stalemate until the survival mission was completed, and everyone could return to the present world safely.

But abruptly, everything changed.

The terrifying "Ancient Saint Will" was forcefully descending, using Brother Brother Shang Yang's completely dead and melting machine soul as a medium.

This was a powerful evil god who ranked among the top even among the gods.

Once His will descended, let alone ten seconds,

even one second would be enough for Him to slaughter everyone.

After Li Yu learned everything, he could not help but want to curse out loud; this could not be blamed on him either.

"This is clearly an unprovoked disaster!"

"I didn't take the initiative to peer into that secret."

"It was Brother Brother Shang Yang who wanted to reverse-contaminate, actively shattering and twisting himself to form a persistent, virus-like existence to carry out deep-level infiltration and alienation."

"That is why the secret was leaked."

Although Li Yu wanted to cry out against the injustice at this moment,

there was no doubt that the Ancient Saint would not listen to his explanation.

It cost Him a price to forcefully descend, but to silence the witnesses, He was very willing.

However, before the Ancient Saint's will could truly descend,

Hong Dou suddenly made an extremely crazy move.

Mechanical commands that left Li Yu stunned on the spot and simultaneously feeling a great sense of heartache rang out one after another:

"The Master cannot die!"

"The only chance of survival has been calculated."

"Using the final thirty seconds of authority to control the Star-Swallowing Goddess, activating the hidden function 【Star Burst】..."

PS: Asking for monthly tickets, or save them for Fatty Fish first, I'll give them when there are more updates, thank you, thank you.

(End of chapter)