by <unknown>
"Boom, boom, boom, boom!!!"
Invisible shockwave explosions burst continuously in the skies above, like new stars forming in the vast expanse of the universe. It was like a calamity arriving, scorching and blinding beams of light filled Chen Chen's vision and soon, everything in his path was vaporized!
"Rrr!"
A sharp wail was muffled by the frantic rounds of shockwave explosion. The growl of the beast grew weaker and when the final note of the explosion expired from the sky, there was no longer the wailing of the monster to be heard!
"Whoosh…"
The sandstorm kicked up by the turbulent Field energy spread into every direction, with the torrent of Field energy at its center. By the time the sandstorm had cleared, the only thing that remained was the giant passage but the octopus monster was nowhere to be seen...
It had been vaporized.
Now that the threat had been eliminated and its psionic presence could no longer be detected, Chen Chen breathed a sigh of relief.
A faint buzz of electricity came from behind Chen Chen shortly after that. It was a fleet of combat drones announcing its appearance. These drones were equipped with variants of missile warheads, phosphorus bombs, incendiary bombs, nano bombs, and even nuclear bombs if the situation called for it. Chen Chen figured that if he could not take care of the threat, then he would resort to using man-made technology.
With that said, these weapons were not going to be of much use if the opponent relied on psionic powers. The only man-made creation that could have any effect at all against it was the reality anchor.
"X, deactivate the reality anchor."
The atmosphere became easier to breathe at the moment Chen Chen gave this order as the psionic limitation in his surroundings was lifted.
The reality anchor did not only suppress psionic energy in its range but also the subspace passage as well. As soon as it was deactivated, traces of thick black mist poured from the deepest depths of the passage and seeped into reality.
"There are many more yet to be identified threats in the subspace. I suspect that the only reason the octopus monster is easy to manage is that it's one of the weaker species in the subspace. It's only on par with the Consciousness Stealer at best."
Chen Chen deduced, then suddenly turned into a frown as he looked into the deep end of the subspace passage.
The passage that distorted space and time wove between the seams of reality and created a tunnel out of thin air. It looked like the entrance to the underworld, made entirely of flesh and blood on every inch of its walls. Chen Chen suddenly had an inexplicable sense that something was calling out to him at the end of the passage.
The nature of this sensation was impossible to define. He felt like he was stepping on puddles of blood, like somebody or something was whispering into his ears, all while still being awake and wholly conscious. Try as it may, this mystical voice was unable to dominate Chen Chen, but it did breed a queer sense of familiarity in Chen Chen.
Chen Chen seemed to be deep in thought at this moment. Countless speculations and theories boiled over in his mind. Suddenly, his expression changed and a firm determination shone in his eyes. He took a quick step forward and lunged into the passage!
"Sir Godfather!"
Chen Chen's sudden action without even giving any warning frightened Little X. "What are you doing?"
"I'm going to take a look."
Chen Chen answered, his eyes still fixed at whatever was lurking inside the darkness, "I can feel something inside it calling for me."
"But..."
"Don't worry, it's not a trap. Plus, I can handle myself."
Chen Chen interrupted Little X mid-sentence. In truth, even he could not understand what he was feeling but one thing he could make out for certain was that this thing calling for him meant no harm. Eventually, he decided to plunge right in.
Chen Chen flew into the tunnel. Its inside was nearly a hundred meters wide and just like before, its walls were lined with nothing but clumps of flesh and internal organs. They produced an utterly disgusting smell that clung to his skin.
Chen Chen did not let it bother him too much. He swept through the passage quickly and soon enough, he landed on solid ground. His feet felt the very real and physical quality of the ground coating around him.
"This is..."
Upon setting foot in this place, Chen Chen immediately shut his eyes and raised his hand to his face. With a quick motion, his sharp fingers sliced across his eyes, but he did not yelp nor wince at the pain. Chen Chen had become blind.
Losing his sight granted him a vision in this place. He could now see everything in this place.
It was a large piece of land completely dyed in blood.
However, there were very clear distinctions with the real world. To start, the sky was a mixture of dark yellow and the unmistakable tint of blood. There was no sun nor were there any clouds. Instead, strange-looking beings were floating about the sky. Their entire body structure was impossible to define.
These substances swayed endlessly in the void above. Either they were a collection of dark shadows or the product of some sort of unknown phenomenon in this separate dimension where the laws of the universe did not make sense. They slowly loomed toward Chen Chen as if they were attracted to him, but the moment they touched his skin, they were immolated and turned into ashes and dust!
Ashes and dust.
Chen Chen looked at his body and realized that without his notice, his body had turned into a fire source. It would appear that the dense concentration of psionic energy in his body sparkled like a radiant torch in this place. His light illuminated the surroundings and was visible at least twenty or thirty kilometers away from his position.
From a distance, his figure was like a miniature sun...
Furthermore, there were also countless flickering stars glowing and dimming periodically around Chen Chen. Upon closer inspection, he realized that they were not stars but beings that looked like fireflies, subspace fireflies. They flickered like a light switch constantly toggled on and off for no reason.
Surrounded by countless odd observations and beings that functioned in mysterious manners, Chen Chen felt like he had descended into a fever dream without himself even realizing it. At a certain point, he could no longer make out whether he was wide awake or lumbering inside a dream.
"So, this is the subspace."
Chen Chen muttered and looked around pensively. He could tell that this dimension did not subscribe to the laws of reality. The only thing that ruled in this place was chaos and disorder.
"You're here..."
While Chen Chen was still lost in thought, a voice from an unknown source carried into his mind. He instinctively raised his head, sharp with alert, but could not notice anything.
"Who's this?"
Chen Chen looked around himself and unleashed his psionic energy, causing his already radiant glow to turn several notches brighter. The moment he had done so, the burning rays of his presence spread across a ten-kilometer radius, immediately immolating all of the subspace beings in the vicinity. They shrieked horrifically before turning to ashes.
"We're nobody."
The voice dragged on, its tone was heavy and ominous. "We have no names, no gender, we don't exist... We're merely the gathered particles in the subspace, absent of emotions or feelings. We're the subspace itself..."
The voice continued to prattle on and on like it was addressing no one in particular. "The accumulated emotions of all creatures in all the multiverses are combined here. Their joy, anger, sorrow, and hope give me enough sanity to preserve, but it also binds me to endless suffering..."
"Do you need me to put you out of your suffering?"
Chen Chen squinted when he said this. The psionic energy under his feet boiled and threatened to explode. The great concentration of his power burned the ground below him and shafts of embers appeared everywhere.
"Save your strength..."
The voice mentioned
with what could be a sigh, "We don't exist and cannot be killed. If there's a way you can put us out of our misery, we'll take it, but you cannot do that."
"Why did you summon me here?"
Chen Chen brushed aside the sentiments this being was emitting and asked his question.
"Civilization Monolith!"
Another voice answered Chen Chen. It was a sharp screech, distinctly more emotive than the carrier of the previous voice. "Only the Civilization Monolith in your hand that represents order can unchain us from this suffering!"
"And who are you?"
Chen Chen asked, still frowning.
"We've already introduced ourselves..."
The screeching voice answered mischievously, "We're the fusion of all the emotions in the multiverse, interwoven with time and space itself. Our periods of sanity are far and few in between. One second we're conversing with you and the next we may lose our minds entirely. We need your help..."
"You mean this?"
Chen Chen presented the black slate from the center of his palms. The moment he revealed it, the surrounding subspace current scattered in every direction, immediately leaving a large, vacant spot around Chen Chen. It would seem that the Civilization Monolith repelled the substances in the subspace.
"Yes!"
Under the presence of the Civilization Monolith, the sharp screech had turned into almost a whimper, soft like the buzzing of a fly. However, the excitement in its voice was not impossible to discern. "The Civilization Monolith is a manifestation of civilization that has ascended to its peak before it perished. It's a particle that contains the principle of civilization. It's the only thing that can liberate us!"
"Don't believe them!"
Yet another voice interrupted the previous voice. The voice of this one was powerful and resounded in Chen Chen's mind like the pangs of harsh steel when two swords collided. "They are lying to you, they want to use you to awaken us from our eternal slumber. Once you do this, all of the material world will be plunged into an eternal war with itself!"
"A third voice?"
Chen Chen could no longer hide the confusion in his tone when he heard yet another voice communicating with him in this subspace.
"Do you want to achieve godhood?"
The sharp, screeching voice spoke to Chen Chen again, "Look around you, there are four continents in this vast void, they are the columns of reality. If you're willing, you can become lord over one of these continents. All you need to do is wipe out mankind and throw civilization into the endless fires of a raging war. With chaos and disorder, you can join us and become one of us, achieve godhood..."
"Don't listen to them, they are the manifestation of all the loathsome and wretched desires of the creatures in the material world. You'll fall into a depthless abyss and never regain yourself if you abide by them!"
The powerful voice urged Chen Chen. "Don't believe it, don't trust it!"
"Hahaha, you're afraid of him taking your place after he wipes out his kind, aren't you?"
The sharp screech of a voice howled with laughter.
Chen Chen listened to their exchange. None of the three voices managed to disturb his spirits in any form. Even after all this, the Civilization Monolith in his palm glowed with vibrant strength as it protected his sanity...
Chapter 626: Refuse Binding |
"A developing civilization will stumble into the subspace, one way or another."
The deepest voice among them spoke, making itself more pronounced over the other two bickering voices, "The subspace is a mirror to the reality which is the existing civilization. It can reflect the thoughts, emotions, and spirit of the sentient creatures in civilization and as long as these beings exist, the subspace will never fade...
"There are other ways to join us apart from bringing the destruction of mankind. You can take the path of fortune and joy, of persistence and fortitude... All you need to do is to offer the Civilization Monolith..."
Chen Chen listened to these whispers in his ears and remained unmoving. He silently looked at the black slate glowing in his palm that seemed to have invisible eyes looking back at him as well.
"What are you waiting for?"
Sensing Chen Chen's disinterest, that voice started to carry an anxious quality as it persuaded again, "The black slate doesn't do much for you, nothing more than a sentimental object. If you offer it up, you can become an immortal being in the subspace, a godlike entity. Isn't that what you want?"
"You speak of God, what is God anyway?"
Chen Chen did not waver, his voice was now sharp with mockery. "All my life, people have been telling me the same thing that God doesn't exist. And now you're trying to tell me that I can achieve godhood?"
A tint of contempt colored Chen Chen's eyes. "I don't know what kind of being you are. Perhaps you like playing God for your own fancy but the way I see it, you're just a pathetic bunch bound to this space. If you have to beg someone to liberate you, what makes you think that you can crown yourself as God?
"The way I see it, all of you are just sentient beings made possible by the emotions of the material world as you described it. You fear the power of the Civilization Monolith and you want to convince me to put on the same shackles as you lot and join you as a schizophrenic, delusional god bound to this space eternally, is that it?"
The voices fell silent upon hearing these pointed mockery flung by Chen Chen.
"Want to know something, human?"
The sharp screech could not hold itself back anymore as it spoke harshly, "The subspace isn't only a mirror of the intelligent life forms of the universe, but it also has the ability to reflect the past and the future. We've already seen your future!
"Even if you refuse us, it will only be a matter of time until one of the intelligent life forms in the vast universe unshackles us from this space... When we find the fated tribe that would liberate us, we'd never grant you a chance to lord over any of the cornerstone continents even if you beg for it. You'll be eternally trapped in a life full of suffering. You'll reach for death but it will not answer you!
"Your future, just like the fate of mankind, will be full of suffering. You'll be betrayed by the ones you trust most. All the courage, determination, and perseverance left in you... They will all be voided by the subspace and crushed by us..."
"I'd like to see you try."
Chen Chen was completely unfazed as his lips formed an audacious smirk. "You're getting ahead of yourself. I'd like to see how you plan to achieve any of these things you mentioned."
When Chen Chen said this, the brilliant flames of his psionic presence erupted and overpowered the subspace. His willpower was fortified and became stronger than ever!
The three whispers in his mind seemed to have finally understood that Chen Chen's heart was impenetrable. Upon realizing that all their efforts were in vain, they finally dispersed into the unknown, restoring the previous calmness to the subspace.
Chen Chen took one last look at his surroundings, then he turned and left. He departed from the same route he came in from, passing through the passage woven by lumps of flesh mixed with blood. When he emerged from the passage, it began to close in on itself at a rapid pace...
Only moments after his return to reality, the subspace passage had collapsed into itself and disappeared entirely.
"Just in time..."
Chen Chen's eyes which he cut open himself had completely regenerated. He slowly opened his eyes and saw the ocean of blue sky above him and breathed the air of the world that was so familiar to him. Then, he shot into the sky and flew until his figure vanished into the clouds...
...
"The boy named George is dead."
Before the sun had even risen the next day, Chen Chen sat at his desk in the Blacklight building in Eco Science City and went through stacks of files as thick as encyclopedias.
Chen Chen had already gone through the majority of these files some time ago. Now, he was only reviewing them, hoping for the off chance
that Little X may have missed some crucial detail that he could draw more information from. He was hoping for inspiration.
Meanwhile, Little X seated in front of him reported to him like she always did in the past, "The final subspace passage was built using George's own body, which was why the giant monster managed to crawl through the passage and threaten to enter the real world."
"I suppose it can't be helped..."
Chen Chen put down the stack of folders and looked Little X square in the eye. "Simply put, this entire incident is an anomaly. Everything that happened was a sequence of events that originate from the psionicist George's ability to connect subspaces with his dream manifestations and transport those octopus monsters to reality."
"Yes."
Little X nodded. "Those monsters establish their passage to their dimension by harvesting human organs. They hide in the insides of psionicists during the day to sustain themselves by draining their psionic powers and at night, they'll continue their task of harvesting organs to further expand their passage. Everything we've encountered stems from these beings.
"I have to admit, I wasn't expecting an anomaly like this to result in so much damage..."
Chen Chen finally had enough of the stack of folders and leaned back on his chair. "I'm sure we're all aware of the dangers of the subspace by this point, but the trouble it brings is far trickier than I ever expected. As much as I hate to admit it, I should've put more consideration into it before even beginning the psionicists project and before developing these subspace technologies."
"It's just like what you always said, that the advancement of science and technology is a double-edged sword. When pulling apart the vines in our path, we'll be pricked by it occasionally."
Little X consoled Chen Chen. "Hasn't this been the story of mankind from the beginning until now? As long as you're safe, the day will come when mankind will reach the peak of the universe and reign over all civilizations!"
"I do hope so..."
Chen Chen had very little to say. He discarded the folders for Little X to sort out. "Let the Northern American government have these files. They suffered the greatest loss of them all and these detailed reports should at least serve as a bit of consolation."
