Wasteland Echoer

October 3rd, 557th year of the New Lunar Calendar.

Crusted Federation, Extreme Cold Zone Q (old Arctic Zone), "Baslunai" area, Wilderness Tourist Group "Star Point".

boom!

A bright light that seemed to turn the night sky into day flashed past, and in the central square of this independent armed settlement, a white, pure, and sacred flame ignited.

A few seconds later, as a very mechanical Mandarin spell passed through everyone's ears, the flames turned into a ball under the strong control of a pair of white hands, as if they were coated with several layers of putty used to paint the walls. A straight beam of light rushed towards the stars in the depths of the universe that were confused in the darkness.

"This is already close to Stage 4: The Power of Hope, Luo Nie." A thick, low, mechanically synthesized vibrato appeared behind Luo Nie:

"Now it's just a little bit away. As long as the Lord of Machinery sends you any blessing, you can really gain your own power and become the upper-level professional you long for."

"But, the Lord of Machines created me, but gradually forgot about me. I was like a randomly made doll. Over the years, except for the first few years, I have never had any contact with Him. Luo Nie shook his head and said with a bitter smile:

"When I was a machine, I longed for [personality]. I thought I had obtained [personality] and the ability to advance to the level of the Demon Source. After getting the opportunity to become a god, I could re-establish even a weak relationship with Him. connect.

"But in fact, I only experienced the pain of being a human being. The gods seemed to have taken hypnotic drugs and escaped into what seemed like an eternal nightmare under the influence of the Sleeping Crest. They neither I am willing to take on the responsibility of being a god, but I am also afraid of these crazy evil spirits and viruses in the wasteland era.”

Luo Nie said, stepped forward and grabbed the coat of arms that was suspended in the air with the Fire Empire's word "生" engraved on it, and put it back into the pocket on the inside of his jacket, close to his heart.

Then, he casually kicked the white dust on the ground with his feet, turned around and looked at the man in a black trench coat who had just made a mechanical trembling sound.

He is the founder of the "Wild Tourist Group", the current supreme leader, and the mysterious man called "Big Brother" by Marco and Thalia. In the independent armed organization, "Big Brother" has always maintained an absolute sense of mystery. Not only does he have no name, only this terrifying title that sounds chilling, he is also accustomed to being completely covered with heavy equipment and clothing. Every part of his body, even the core characters in the "Wilderness Tourist Group", have never seen his true appearance from the moment they saw him.

He always wore a leather windbreaker, a pair of old jeans filled with cotton, a pair of gray mecha gloves covered with patches, and a pair of thick-soled functional shoes purchased privately from the federal army. Overall, "Big Brother" is dressed in an iron-gray color, with a shabby feel that contrasts with the wasteland, yellow sand, wasteland, and ice fields.

"Big Brother" heard the complaint and disappointment in Luo Nie's words. He took two steps forward, raised his head slightly and stared at Luo Nie's beautiful sapphire-like pupils, and said:

"Luonie, disrespecting the gods will be punished. In our wilderness tourist group, even those who are willing to sacrifice their lives for their faith will bend their knees as strong as steel in front of the sculptures of the gods.

"Because only in this way will the gods slowly send blessings and realize what you desperately desire. You know, the power of the gods does not entirely come from the creator who is trapped in nightmares. In fact, most of the power comes from' Belief'."

"'Faith'?" Luo Nie asked in a questioning tone, obviously he had heard similar arguments.

"Of course, 'faith'." "Big Brother" nodded and said:

"Just like you finally chose our 'Wilderness Tourist Group', you don't trust the cowards, traitors and sinners in the Federal Council. Nor are you willing to fully trust the boy who was once the 'Alien Monster' and the impulse around him. big guy.

"You don't even believe the 'Chaos Group' and the 'Enlightenment Sect' who have now become the playthings of 'Monster Yato'. These people are either relying on some illusory fantasies to create a disaster that exceeds our cognition, or It’s the ‘Universal Energy Evolution Platform’ plan; or, for the sake of your own pitiful interests and desires, you will push humans and the creatures on this continent into the abyss of destruction.”

"Indeed, although I also smell a bit of cruelty here, relatively speaking, you are the most 'humane' organization." Luo Nie agreed.

"This is 'faith'. Only 'faith' can maintain 'existence'." "Big Brother" explained in an affectionate but still trembling tone:

"Human beings 'believe' in gods, and gods 'exist' because of human 'needs'. The stronger the idea of ​​'belief' in humans, the more powerful they become. And once no one 'believes' in them anymore If so, their 'existence' will slowly diminish.

"Because gods are different from humans. Gods do not experience the process of physical death like humans. They do not have bodies, and naturally they will not be truly 'killed'. Only humans no longer 'believe' in them and gradually forget about them. Only by their existence will they truly die.”

"'Really dead'?" Luo Nie murmured, looking up at the dark starry sky.

"That's right." "Big Brother" further explained:

"The physical death of the gods that we see is nothing more than the destruction of one of their projections into this world. They will always exist in a higher dimension than us humans, and their superior creator, It is a ten-dimensional creature that exists in the form of an energy body.

"The 'death' of the gods actually means disappearing, disappearing completely, as if they never existed. When the last human who believes in them dies, the memory of them will also disappear among the other gods. in my mind."

"Then what?" Luo Nie asked.

"Big Brother" paused, and after a violent cough that was enough to send him away, he took a breath, took a few deep breaths, and continued:

"Then... all records about them, even a few words buried under thousands of meters of yellow sand, will disappear. Except for the [Prophet] professionals recognized by the Creator, no one can pass through any form. Pry into their presence.

"After all, the gods that have disappeared are as if they have never appeared. It is nonsense to try to find their traces."

"So, Mr. Big Brother, will the Lord of Machinery eventually disappear?" Luo Nie pursed his lips and asked the question he was most concerned about.

"Theoretically yes." "Big Brother" gave a definite answer:

"Compared with the Human Era, the Steam Era is advanced and progressive. It ushered in an era and is a new era of steam machinery. But one day, electricity and light energy will replace steam, and protons and particles will replace machinery. When we have When the strength transcends dimensions, the Machine Lord will be forgotten by everyone and eventually disappear into the dark universe.”

"So, well, actually, I haven't been able to get in touch with the Lord of Machinery for so many years. It's not that he forgot me, but that humans quickly forgot about him. The less 'faith' humans have in him, the less powerful he is. It will become weaker and weaker until it can no longer escape from the divine realm that restrains him, right?" Luo Nie speculated.

"That's right." "Big Brother" closed his eyes lightly, nodded slightly and said:

"So, what you have to do is not to complain here, but to get in touch with the power that condenses 'divinity' and 'godhead'. If you are an ordinary human being, if you come into contact with these powers without defense, your body will definitely explode. and die, or bleed from the seven orifices, or fall into madness. And as you are the product of the Lord of Machines, and you have obtained an extremely rare [personality], you will definitely be able to control this power.

"When these powers finally spread to every corner of your body, you will be able to obtain a short-term 'divine soul' and gain the opportunity to communicate with the Lord of Machinery by consuming your life force."

"So, to put it this way, if I want to truly get a chance to communicate with the god who created me, the Lord of Machinery, I must enter the 'Red Fantasy Ruins' behind the hill, right?" Luo Without waiting for "Big Brother" to reply, he said directly:

"Actually, Mr. Big Brother, even if you don't come to persuade me, I will enter it without hesitation. Because I smell the smell of 'destiny'. I am sure that there is something in the deepest part of the 'Red Fantasy Ruins' The human being I am looking for.”

"Oh, who is he?" "Big Brother" asked with interest.

"He was a poor man, but he was infused with red magic power that he could not control. He struggled in every corner of the Zine Empire, trying to find a way to end the wasteland and return to the original world. However, fate failed again and again. She made unfunny jokes with him again and again.

"After killing the 'Daughter of the Mechanical Element', he was expelled into this land of ice and snow by the 'Fire of Heavenly Punishment' set by Ivant. The Zine people called him Wright Sugra, and Cruise The Germans call him - the evil god 'Echoer'."

As Luo Nie spoke, he took out the 30-centimeter-long "Crazy Bear" pistol that originally belonged to Wright from his waist. While he carefully examined the dirt and blood on the surface of the pistol that could not be washed away, he continued to use it exclusively for young people. The childish voice continued:

"Actually, after the failure of the 'Silent Highlands' battle, I have lost hope in this dirty wasteland world. The reason why I dragged this broken soul wrapped in a complete body here is because I want to Return this pistol to its owner with your own hands." (End of Chapter)