Chapter 241: The Blissful Memory
Everything feels so familiar.
A gentle breeze, brilliant sunlight, and the scent of earth permeated the mind of the Scarlet Moon, surrounding her ceaselessly.
The light shining through the dawn made the girl squint her eyes.
Here it looks just like the hometown from her memories, completely the same, without any differences.
However, the Scarlet Moon is acutely aware of one thing, that this place is not the real world, but merely an illusion of its own.
All the beauty has long been destroyed by the crimson stone, and she has completely merged with it, unable to separate even until death.
The past, irretrievable.
The lost things can never come back again.
She gently shook her head and turned, intending to leave.
"Scarlet."
The sudden sound made the Scarlet Moon come to a halt.
This is the voice from "mother."
She couldn't comprehend.
Why is it that even though she clearly knew that all of this was false, the current self in this moment still felt an increasingly suppressive urge?
"Ah." Finally, the Scarlet Moon turned around and replied to her mother.
The smile of the woman who was most important to her overflowed under the sunlight.
The next moment, she was stunned to discover that her own body had also undergone changes.
The body of the Scarlet Moon had astonishingly reverted to a small size, devoid of that haughty and domineering dark aura. Instead, she was adorned in rustic attire reminiscent of a country girl.
However, in the heart of the Scarlet Moon, the disparity between the two was not significant.
She followed her mother back home, encountering numerous villagers along the way. Finally, inside the house, she glimpsed her father who had just finished his bustling tasks.
The Scarlet Moon remained silent, while everyone in the village didn't perceive the world around them as illusory.
They lived a normal life, just as it was in her own memories.
Her mother suddenly said, "Are you hungry? Come, have an egg... Today, the chickens at home laid two eggs again, enough for you and your father to have one each."
The Scarlet Moon looked at the warm egg in her mother's hand, realizing that for their household at that moment, eggs were a vital source of sustenance.
She calmly shook her head and said, "You two go ahead and eat, I am not hungry."
The Scarlet Moon came to the entrance and looked at the people in the village, falling into profound contemplation.
"This world is false."
However, I am unable to leave, isn't it?
The Scarlet Moon began her day-to-day life in the false village, pondering initially when she could escape and how she could escape.
However, she quickly realized that this was all in vain.
She truly has no way to leave on her own initiative.
Since it is so, why not stay here to experience more... blissful memories.
Gradually, the Scarlet Moon no longer pondered when she could return to the real world, but rather cherished each day spent with her parents in the illusory realm.
Day after day, month after month, year after year.
Finally, that dreadful day arrived.
On the day when her parents discovered the red stone outside the village... for hundreds of years, the Scarlet Moon has always remembered this day and will never forget it.
The Scarlet Moon deliberately followed her parents, who were gathering wild fruits nearby, calmly awaiting the appearance of the red stone.
They walked outside the village like this for some time.
Finally, she saw it once again.
That red stone, which changed lives, destinies, and everything about her.
It resembled a seething stone of fresh blood, radiant and floating in mid-air, continuously emanating a crimson glow, enchanting anyone who laid eyes upon it with its magical allure.
Her parents were both drawn to its red radiance, that luminous glow filled with life energy.
They stood there dumbfounded, slowly extending their hands, unable to resist.
At this moment,
The Scarlet Moon seized hold of them.
"No,"
She softly said.
This time, the Scarlet Moon altered the outcome of life, becoming ordinary yet simultaneously finding happiness.
--
Finally, the Scarlet Moon awakened from a beautiful dream.
She once again returned to the world of Noah.
Returning to Tatsumi City, she found herself back in her lavish yet solitary room.
Well, it wasn't particularly lonely either, as Lan Lan was still lying there soundly asleep, occasionally scratching its little belly.
The Scarlet Moon, seated on the bed, experienced even greater unrest in her emotions.
She spent a long time in that illusory scene, pondering over many matters.
Regardless, she thanked the "Savior" wholeheartedly.
The Scarlet Moon decided that, from now on, she would no longer perceive the members of the Babel Tower as enemies.
"However, it is only the 'kindness' of this one thing."
The Scarlet Moon was well aware that as long as she repaid the "Savior's" kindness, she would still be the forcibly controlled slave, rather than a willing member of the Babel Tower.
At that time, she would still harbor hostility towards the "Savior".
The Scarlet Moon let out a deep sigh.
In reality, she was weak and powerless. For many years, she had failed to recognize this fact.
"Clearly, the former self was aware."
In the face of the harsh and transient nature of fate, all worldly matters are always insignificant and not worth mentioning.
--
Bai Yan held his mobile phone and noticed that the Scarlet Moon's mood had reached 8, while her loyalty had also been elevated to 5.
Well, although she is not truly loyal to Babel Tower, rather loyal to herself... but as the "Queen of the Scarlet Moon," she will at least not idle away and betray other Core Operators without reason.
"Thus, Mu Ling's safety will be ensured," he murmured to himself.
Then, comes the next important matter.
Finally, there have been outputs from the foundational research facilities.
To this day, Bai Yan has already accessed all of Babel Tower's research facilities, of course, limited to all the "basic" facilities.
The advanced research facilities cannot be accessed for the time being.
At least in the first playthrough, Babel Tower is required to unlock the advanced research facilities only after the First Doomsday Crisis.
The foundational research facilities consist of five types: the Alienation Technology Institute, the Bloodline Mutation Research Institute, the Reconstruction Technology Research Institute, the Soul Origin Nucleus Research Institute, and the Special Development Research Institute.
Apart from the research progress bar of the Soul Origin Nucleus Research Institute, which stands at eighty-seven percent, the other four research institutes have yielded new results.
"Alienation Technology: Blade of the Demon"
"Blade of the Demon: The host undergoing this alienation will experience a significant increase in physical fitness. Their pupils will permanently turn red and they will develop a liking for meat consumption. Additionally, they will acquire the ability to transform their limbs into demonic weapons, possessing formidable destructive power."
"Requirement: None"
Bai Yan's finger tapped on the details and upon checking, he discovered that the strength of the demonic weapon reached only the intermediate level of awakening.
Currently, the Core Operators at Babel Tower no longer require such things.
He mused to himself, "However, such things can be bestowed upon peripheral members who have performed well. For them, even this level of awakening remains a highly coveted and sought-after power."
The following pertains to bloodline traits that differ from "awakening." Compared to the transformative alterations on an individual's fundamental essence brought about by "awakening," these bloodline traits involve fewer changes and possess inheritable characteristics.
"Bloodline Variation: Frost Giant Bloodline"
"Frost Giant Bloodline: The host infused with this bloodline will acquire potent regenerative abilities and possess extraordinary power to summon frost for both offensive and defensive purposes."
"Requirement: 50 Physical Fitness"
During a routine extermination mission, Alan successfully defeated a frost giant, while Babel Tower took it away.
Now, it offers a return.
Still something suitable for peripheral members, Bai Yan glanced at it and skipped over it.
"Transformation Technique: Heart of the Seafire"
"Heart of the Seafire: It creates a core filled with exotic spatial energy, replacing the host's original heart. This Seafire Heart continuously provides an endless supply of exotic energy, nearly infinite in its capacity."
"Prerequisite: None, each transformation costs 10 Source Energy Points"
In a recent emergency mission, Amy managed to neutralize a covert assassin team employed by the company and also obtained the cutting-edge military transformation technology they were attempting to seize.
However, Amy herself lacks sufficient knowledge to comprehend the multitude of complex equations recorded inside, thus she can only rely on the Babel Tower for further research.
And now, the Babel Tower has yielded research findings.
There is no need to think twice about it, this is certainly something that must be given to Amy.
Although with the "Sacred Rune · Saul," Amy herself has already become like a miniature power plant, the amount of energy it generates is still far from sufficient to support her grand ambitions.
"Go forth, Amy, and forge a mechanized legion that belongs solely to you," Bai Yan quietly uttered.
He chose to add "Heart of the Seafire" to the Core Operator roster, bestowing it upon the "Cybertyrant."
Lastly, the outcome belongs to the "Special Development Research Institute."
Once again, it is a skill extracted from memory.
Derived from the Church of Balance, also known as the Church of Ruins, is a forbidden incantation.
That researched heretic, in reality, only glanced at the content of this forbidden incantation, unable to learn it themselves, yet it was still analyzed and deciphered by the Babel Tower.
"Special Development: Forbidden Incantation - Mirror Seal."
"The Forbidden Incantation - Mirror Seal: Using a mirror as a magical material, once the incantation is cast, it can seal the person or object reflected in the mirror into the 'Mirror Dimension'. However, the one performing the sealing will experience significant energy depletion, with stronger targets requiring greater energy expenditure."
"Learning requirements: Mastery of magic, INT100."
Mirror Seal, Black Sun, and Substitute Puppet, like in the level of "Thirty-Six Down," all belong to the forbidden incantations.
Nevertheless, their powerful effects far surpass ordinary spells.
Bai Yan shook his head and muttered to himself, "Currently, it seems that only Alan has the ability to learn it, other Core Operators are not proficient in this area."
"Speaking of which, it would be great if we could draw that fox or the one with pink hair. Both of them possess a high level of magical prowess. Well, Truth Scholar would also suffice..."
Bai Yan pondered, and the time for the next summon is also approaching.
"Knock, knock, knock."
Someone suddenly knocked on the door from outside.
"Come in!"
Bai Yan put away his cellphone and smiled confidently with his hands behind his back.
He saw Lady Helen entering from outside and nodded approvingly.
"Lady Helen, do you have a matter to attend to?"
Lady Helen, still adorned with an exquisite aristocratic aura, paid little attention to the objects in the room and smiled politely.
She nodded and spoke calmly, "Mr. Moriarty, well, you may not be aware... but tomorrow is actually my daughter Sylve's birthday."
"So that's how it is, I indeed had no idea," Bai Yan pretended to display a countenance of ignorance.
Lady Helen hesitated for a moment and finally said, "She seems quite reliant on you. I hope you can attend her birthday party tomorrow. Would that be possible?"
"Of course."
With a smile, Bai Yan said, "That is absolutely possible. I will not let Sylve down in her reliance."
"I won't miss the birthday party," Bai Yan nodded gently. This very day itself is part of the Crown Ceremony plan.
Time passes so quickly.
Bai Yan realized that, unconsciously, he had been spending some time with Sylve.
After Lady Helen left, he sat on the bed in silence for a while and realized that he had just experienced some thoughts of "becoming ordinary".
