Chapter 1063: Chapter 1062: Now This Is a Huge Problem!
Every cause has an effect.
To Fang Zheng, the emergence of the Reapers was nothing more than a... joke.
A huge joke.
The Reapers originated from the Leviathan, which was once the highest civilization in this universe, the most powerful existence, its status akin to the Pioneers in Halo or the Xel’Naga in Starcraft.
However, like the Pioneers and the Xel’Naga, the Leviathan also made mistakes.
They witnessed the growth of the civilizations of organic beings under their rule, which were then wiped out one by one by machines they themselves created. This process was no different from the Quillan creating the Geth, who revolted and drove the Quillan out. The only difference was that the Geth merely drove the Quillan out, rather than exterminating them.
But for the Leviathan, this was intolerable.
Machines have no creativity and bring no benefit to themselves, so the Leviathan planned to break this cycle of organics creating synthetics and then being wiped out by what they created. So they made a colossal mistake.
To protect these organic species, the Leviathan themselves created an artificial intelligence to solve this problem. However, to the Leviathan’s surprise, after calculation, this AI concluded that the best way was to periodically annihilate organic civilizations and preserve them.
So something happened that the Leviathan did not expect — to ensure its plan went smoothly, the AI turned against them, first launching an attack on the Leviathan. This led the Leviathan to despairingly realize that not only had they failed to break the cycle of being destroyed by their creations, but they had also, because of their own erroneous judgment, been dragged into this very cycle.
The Leviathan, as the creators, became the first race to be "harvested," thus beginning the entire Milky Way’s "harvest" plan.
Ultimately, the fate of the Leviathan, like that of the Pioneers and the Xel’Naga, was to disappear into the vast universe, never to be seen again.
However... one day, organics will return, putting things back into balance.
Between the Celestial Starfield, dragons roar.
Countless stars twinkle and explode, engulfing everything in destructive starlight. Under the boundless might of the Star Forging Dragon King, the armies of the Reapers, along with their star systems, were completely destroyed. Gravitational collapse and shattered mass formed enormous black holes that mercilessly devoured everything around them.
"Your actions are meaningless, outsider...!"
Even as they were swept away like leaves in a storm, the Reapers remained unmoved.
"Your resistance will not ensure eternal continuation of organic civilizations. One day, they will once again walk on the path of self-destruction."
"Kenship has no eternity..."
Fang Zheng slowly extended his hand and clenched it forcefully. Along with his gesture, another star system, ten times larger than the Milky Way, suddenly exploded with dazzling brilliance. After the supernova’s all-consuming explosion, the swirling dark void plunged all things in the star system back into death and silence — the Reaper armies included.
"All things will one day be destroyed, whether it is you, me, or them, it’s simply a matter of time. Time, even time will eventually reach an ultimate end. But this does not mean we’ll give up resistance and choose to flee. At the endless end of time, there will certainly be your conclusion."
As the Time Dragon, Fang Zheng could certainly see this. Even for a Follower of the Crimson Realm, even for an Artificial Angel, the Mind Model will all have their end. Just as humans will one day grow old, lying on a bed, watching the withered leaves fall outside the window, they will finally close their eyes and conclude their lives.
Those who are currently at his side, fighting alongside him, will eventually face the same fate.
Perhaps as the Time Dragon, Fang Zheng would witness each of them die one by one, but that did not matter.
What mattered was that they were presently here, at his side, enjoying life together with him.
Perhaps hundreds, thousands of years later, they might start considering this question, but for now, only the present moment mattered.
And the future, that is something he needs to create.
All things have their end day, and human civilization is not everlasting, but even so, humans did not choose self-abandonment but strived to persist.
One day, a sudden cosmic explosion might destroy the entire Solar System, annihilating all life, including human civilization. Their constructions may be buried beneath the soil, and their literature lost for good. Perhaps millions of years later, the entire human race will vanish from the universe, forgotten by all.
However, this is not a reason for them to give up. Humans will not abandon their present lives and cease their hard work, simply waiting for death.
The Leviathan made a wrong decision, but it was out of the same correct motivation — the desire to continue living, to survive, to perpetuate everything forever.
Until forever.
The failure of the Leviathan lay in their challenge to the only truth of this world, this universe — nothing is eternal.
Fang Zheng opened his mouth and inhaled deeply.
Endless starlight spewed from the mouth of the Star Forging Dragon King, roaring through the cosmos like a surging galaxy, turning everything in its path to nothingness. Eventually, as countless dazzling radiance swept across the universe, the last noise from the Reapers vanished as well.
It’s over...
Gazing at the empty starry sky before him, Fang Zheng sighed in relief, hundreds of star systems were destroyed in an instant, countless stars, and Reapers were annihilated together.
Even the Star Forging Dragon King felt a trace of fatigue. He shook his body, then removed the Soulstone of the Star Forging Dragon King and returned to the deck of Iona.
"Report to the captain, the battle has ended."
Seeing Fang Zheng return, Iona stepped forward and respectfully reported.
"Hmm..."
Fang Zheng looked around and nodded.
"How are the casualties? A quarter of the fleet was destroyed, but fortunately, the cores of the sisters have all been recovered in time. They just need some time for repairs."
"That’s good."
Hearing Iona’s report, Fang Zheng sighed in relief, then opened the task panel. He had even overturned the Reapers’ home, surely the mission could be completed... right?
Huh?
However, just as Fang Zheng opened the task panel, he suddenly realized something was wrong.
You should know, when Fang Zheng opened the panel earlier, the task progress had already reached ninety-eight percent, and it was about to be completed.
But now, Fang Zheng’s task completion percentage was actually decreasing slowly!?
What’s going on? All the Reapers here have been eradicated, right?
Could it be that there’s a problem with the galaxy? Damn it, did the Reapers stage a counterattack while I was away?
Thinking of this, Fang Zheng wasted no time and hurriedly activated the communication link.
"Tilia, how are things on your end?"
"Very smooth, Elder Brother!"
Tilia’s voice had no problems; she sounded quite cheerful.
"We have successfully helped the Quillan People, Serretian, and Asari reclaim their star systems, and we are currently conducting the final sweep of the remaining Reapers, which is about to be concluded!"
"What about the Solar System? What about the Star Alliance?"
"Star Alliance... let me see, everything is normal, Commander Shupard reports they are just about to reclaim the Solar System."
"What about the Heavenly Dao Palace? Was it attacked?"
"No, the Heavenly Dao Palace is normal as well."
This isn’t right......
Listening to Tilia’s report, Fang Zheng furrowed his brow, unable to understand why, with all current reports looking positive, the completion percentage was suddenly dropping?
Where exactly is the problem?
Luckily, as the mother of Snow White, Fang Zheng still had a way.
"Ratziel!"
With Fang Zheng’s call, the all-knowing Angel appeared in his hand once again.
"Magic Mirror, Magic Mirror, tell me, who is the most handsome in the world... Forget it, no need to say, I know it’s me. Magic Mirror, Magic Mirror, tell me the current whereabouts and situation of the Reapers!"
With Fang Zheng’s call, the current whereabouts of the Reapers quickly appeared on the Ratziel, most of them were being eliminated, however......
"What’s going on here?"
Looking at the records on the page that stated "The Reapers have eradicated the lunar colony and are advancing toward Orb", Fang Zheng was bewildered and then reconnected with Shupard’s communication.
"Commander Shupard, I want to ask, what is the current situation in the Solar System? Is there anything unusual in the lunar colony?"
"No, Mr. Fang Zheng, we have already driven out all the Reapers invading the Solar System!"
Shupard’s tone was very excited and didn’t sound dishonest, while Fang Zheng scratched his head.
"Then I would like to ask, do you know a place called Orb?"
"......Orb?"
Faced with Fang Zheng’s inquiry, Shupard thought for a moment.
"Sorry...... I’ve never heard of this place......."
"......"
This is really strange, Ratziel clearly stated that Orb is a country on Earth, right?
Of course, Fang Zheng was confident that he had never heard of such a country on Earth.
However, just at this moment, seemingly having overheard the exchange between Fang Zheng and Shupard, Goto Yurika’s voice suddenly appeared in the communication.
"Are you looking for Orb? In our world, there is a country called Orb on Earth."
"Oh...... Huh? Wait!"
Hearing this, Fang Zheng first nodded, then suddenly froze.
"Wait, Captain Goto Yurika, let me first ask, you were teleported to this world by a temporal quake, right?"
"Yes."
"Then I want to ask, could the temporal quake also teleport things from this world to yours?"
"This... I don’t know, maybe... it could?"
"......"
Damn, this is really troublesome!