Wasteland Echoer

The extreme push-back feeling made "Future" and Luo Ka almost unsteady. After entering the portal wrapped in flames, they did not immediately escape from this alien plane belonging to the "Dragon Realm", but fell into it. A tunnel that operates on its own, carrying them forward.

Although the background of the tunnel is dark, the light that emerges from time to time is extremely complex, chaotic and bright. Standing on the ground, "Future" and Luo Ka felt like they were riding in a submarine that could only move in parallel, and the tunnels on both sides were like portholes into the outside world.

In fact, this tunnel is indeed the carrier leading to the final realm within the "Bitter Relics". It is between reality and illusion. Its original concept originated from the conveyor belt used to transport goods in the old empire.

Once, when Ivan XXII stood at the top of the "Ape Domain Main Palace" in Binglin City, which belonged to him and the empire's highest authority, he had imagined that human beings could move freely in such a huge city and no longer needed to suffer. And tired running.

As long as crawler machinery is installed next to every asphalt road, kerosene is poured into the core power point, and the ground is continuously moved forward through steam operation, the supreme industrial masterpiece of the steam era can be realized.

But it seems that the gods do not agree with Ivan XXII’s idea. They believe that human beings are an intelligent race with the original sin of annihilating the dragon clan. Even if they have become the masters of the world and technology, they can still only live in a purgatory. In this world, there is no right to obtain the salvation of true happiness.

Therefore, when the "Pingdu Plan" was one-third advanced, the worst snow disaster since the establishment of the Krusted Empire fell in the Binglin Province, and an earthquake occurred more than a month later, destroying almost half of the city. If the old empire were not in the "golden age", I am afraid that this kind of disaster would be enough to cause the collapse of Ivan XXII's rule.

However, the "track tunnel" behind the portal was more like a time tunnel. "Future" and Luo Ka discovered that the two sides of the tunnel, after experiencing several brief flashes of white light, began to play the scenes they had heard from in chaos. A blurry picture that has never been seen before and does not belong to the characteristics of this era.

These chaotic and violently changing pictures are even mixed with many weak and creepy laughter.

Perhaps because they were born in this chaotic, painful and helpless wasteland era, Lorca and "Future" have never felt warmth, comfort and safety at any time. The walls of the tunnel belong to the period from the end of the second era to the third era. In the middle period, the pictures of normal human life in that prosperous and prosperous era, the warm families and the laughter and play among children, after being processed by their brains, just turned into enough to make people with clear mind and sound heart feel throbbing and trembling. The "devil" howled.

After a few minutes, maybe a few hours, maybe a few years, those "scary" pictures on the wall no longer appeared, replaced by pure, rich absolute darkness.

Finally, the ground stopped moving forward, and "Future" took Luo Ka's hand and took a few steps forward. After passing through the translucent curtain emitting light blue light, the surrounding scenery returned to the style of "Bitter Ruins" .

"This should be the 'core area', the 'future'. However, the layout is very different from the last time I came here. It's hard to believe that so much has changed here in such a short time. Could it be that, Is it because the time inside is not consistent with the flow rate outside?" Luo Ka looked around with some confusion.

Last time, it was very dark here. Only by turning on the "Eternal Light" flashlight that relies on the energy of meteorites to produce huge light can the layout be clearly seen. But this time, there is no obvious source of light, and the brightness here is like a laboratory space equipped with electric lights.

However, the artificially excavated stone staircase that appeared not far from his feet last time had turned into a heavy metal texture, like an alloy material equipped with a slender blue light. It was solid and practical, and had a glass guardrail installed to prevent stepping on it. Falling from the sky.

What’s even more paradoxical is that the patterns on these metal staircases, which have a style that transcends steam industry technology, evolve with the brightness of the light. In addition to the geometrically transformed Cruzeid double-headed eagles and sunflowers, there are also a lot of knowledge. I have never seen any sketches of conceptual technological products from the old empire. It can be said that we have entered an era that belongs to the future.

Moreover, the break in the middle of the previous steps no longer existed, replaced by a seemingly solid glass floor.

The several glass blocks that make up the floor don't seem to be connected to the steps next to them. They seem to be suspended in the air, floating slightly up and down, making it difficult not to suspect that it is a trap.

"It seems to be more technological here. I think this may be the world envisioned by Ivan XXII." Luo Ka commented with half admiration and half admiration.

"Indeed." "Future" nodded and agreed:

"Judging from the information I collected from federal officials, as well as ruins, old cities and abandoned experimental sites in various places, Ivan XXII is more like a 'demigod' who jumped from the future to our continent. What he proposed The conception is not the same as that of the artists in Putoa who are regarded as canons.

"The ideas of the people from the south are more artistic and difficult to realize, and they are not out of the realm of magic. But Ivan XXII not only accurately found the oil in Krusted, but also developed and utilized it, turning it into a machine of that era. Run with military warfare as standard.

"Even things like supersonic cannons, electromagnetic pulse rifles, man-made robot warriors, exoskeleton devices, man-made gods, unmanned aircraft that are almost put into actual combat, and even space rockets that fly into the universe and electronics that can better control them. The idea of ​​a computer was later proven feasible by scientists.

"As a great emperor and the most famous ruler of the Third Age, Ivan XXII possesses absolute rationality. He can master magic skillfully, but does not rely on it. He does not worship gods, but he can still I respect the beliefs of my subjects. If the 'New Yuan Crisis' had nothing to do with him, I would be willing to be his follower. But in fact, from the moment I came into contact with these materials related to him, I suspected that he was the source of the disaster. "

"Doubtful?" Luo Ka asked curiously.

"Yes, but Ivan XXII is recognized as a great man by all Krusted people. No one will put evil speculations on him. He is more like the father of the national concept of Krusted. , After all, when people miss the era known as the 'Soaring Double-Headed Eagle', they will always think of this great emperor." "Future" smiled bitterly and shook his head.

"A man who is like a father claims to have initiated disasters for the happiness of his children and tortured them until they were 'dying to death'. This cannot be regarded as a real father." Luo Ka said with a slight resentment.

"Yes, and I guess..." "Future" pointed down the stairs and continued:

"As long as we go all the way down the stairs to the 'lowest lower' realm, we will see him. Just now Augustus seemed to have hinted that our arrival is a sign of the beginning of a new era. So, Ivan Twenty-two years later, it was time for him to wake up.

"Also, you mentioned the changes in the scenery here just now. I guess it has something to do with the way in which 'Shang' is taken in."

"What should I say?" Luo Ka asked, raising his still white face and his pair of deeper blue eyes, looking at Luo Ka, and asked softly.

"The last time you entered here, if I remember correctly, you should have relied on the 'Jump Formation'." "Future" held his chin and analyzed:

"The magic source power used in the 'Jump Formation' is closer to the sequential gods, with a slight divinity, which can keep your consciousness clear. Just like those apostles who often recite the names of gods silently in their hearts and believe in them, they can always Maintain absolute sobriety on crucial occasions.

"And 'sorrow' will not make you confused and dizzy. On the contrary, its working principle is to change many of your inherent perceptions. The Khitanris once said, 'The river is there and is clear, regardless of your eyes. No matter how complex the processing is to allow you to see any color, it will be clear and clean and will not change.’ In other words, it will make you more awake.

"So, when you first entered here, you were actually seriously contaminated by 'Shang', but you didn't notice it and quickly exited here, so it seemed like you were not affected in any way. And this time, we experienced Through the process of slowly adapting to the 'sorrow', the landscape we see is closer to reality."

"So, what we saw when Nahaka and I came in last time were all hallucinations?" Luo Ka asked in a serious tone.

"No, I guess that although 'Shang' will distort your cognition, Ivan 22 must have left a lot of information here that can only be discovered after distortion. You said that you have seen human beings and The last war between the dragons, that is, the scene during the 'Karlof's End War', was actually real.

"The Cathayrians, the Eventres, and we Crusaders have all created corresponding paintings. The young man who came to the Crusted Empire under the rule of Charles XII with Adaloni , Wright Hain, the general who rebelled from Aventrai, obtained a scroll painted by the Khitanris.

"Although, I prefer to believe that the Dragon Clan has really disappeared in the long flowing river of history, but those successors, that is, the 'half-dragons' still exist, and a lot of the culture and power left by the Dragon Clan still exist. Affects us. You see..."

"Future" pointed at the walls that glowed white like slide curtains. In just a few minutes, they were filled with pictures. As Yuloka carefully walked down the metal stairs, the two discovered , the content of the pictures on the wall did belong to the history of the dragon clan at first, but as time went by, the bodies of the dragon clan became smaller and smaller, and they seemed to be integrated with the so-called future technology.