Chapter 1 The Word "Kill"

The instant the word "kill" landed, Honglong Luo'er and Xiugu acted!

"Swish, swish, swish!"

Three sounds of tearing air exploded before the giant wall.

Zhou Jiren unfurled the Saint Wood, using the power of his origin to envelop the North Continent Giant Wall defense line. He did not participate in the chase but instead, with his disciple Zhong Wei, guarded this battlefield, taking control of the two starships and beginning to cleanse the remaining Martyrs!

He knew that this war was already over.

The final battle of pursuit… did not require him.

…

…

The void portal was shattered!

Two quasi-God Seats and one Great Source chased after the "Traveler Clan" in the void… without any pressure at all.

Because this target was too enormous, too easy to capture.

To survive, Shen Hai could unhesitatingly discard its "burdens."

If Xiugu and the others were capturing the Traveler Clan's scattered aura, it would have long abandoned those "core clansmen" who had awakened intelligence. If it had to choose, it could even cast aside core clansmen of the "Gray Dragon" level as pawns!

But the problem was…

The target of aura Xiugu was capturing was "Silver Fox."

And Honglong and Luo'er were staring fixedly at the "Black Snow Mountain Giant!"

The aura of these two origin powers was too conspicuous. The Black Snow Mountain Giant was an existence Shen Hai simply could not abandon… the big fellow carried the Traveler Stone Tablet, as well as the "Traveler True Body" it had seized. To discard the Black Snow Mountain Giant was tantamount to confessing its guilt and submitting to punishment.

In the end, Shen Hai arrived at the Calamity Barrier where it had lured Silver Fox years ago.

It knew it couldn't escape.

In the battle of Central Continent, it had lost miserably.

This battle… was the same.

The Traveler Clan landed on this shattered land. Xiugu, Luo'er, and Honglong followed closely, sealing off the void around the Calamity Barrier to prevent Shen Hai from escaping. In fact, Shen Hai had nowhere to escape. Even if it activated the teleportation array, it had nowhere to go… The Traveler Clan had been used as pawns in the North Continent war, depleting most of its forces.

The low-level Martyrs were almost completely wiped out, all left behind on the borderlands.

As for those core clansmen… they too suffered heavy casualties.

The reason Shen Hai was omnipotent, almost like a god, was because it had a large number of linkers. Each person here was an incredibly loyal believer.

To kill a god, apart from directly killing the god itself, there was an even more brutal and domineering method.

That was to kill all of the god's believers.

For Shen Hai… losing its believers was no different from dying.

"Not running?"

Xiugu opened his mouth expressionlessly, his tone full of mockery.

His killing intent was the heaviest!

Whether it was White Lizard or Silver Fox, his two closest comrades in this life had both "died" because of Shen Hai's schemes! If it weren't for the cultivation in the Time Dojo, which had calmed his temperament… he would have drawn his sword and slashed at the Black Snow Mountain Giant on the North Continent borderlands!

"Not running."

A soft sigh came from the stone tablet carried on the back of the Black Snow Mountain Giant.

The sigh was filled with self-deprecation.

"You've been chasing all the way, but you haven't made a killing blow… I imagine it's not because you're 'afraid to fight,' but because you want to spare my life."

Shen Hai smiled and said, "If I'm not mistaken, you have a mental link with Gu Shen, right?"

It had guessed correctly. Although they had traveled a long distance from the fortress…

It wasn't too far for the leader of the Fire Seed.

With starships as linking points providing mental transfer, both Honglong and Luo'er could communicate mentally with Gu Shen.

The two exchanged glances, understanding the meaning in each other's eyes.

Indeed.

They weren't in a hurry to kill Shen Hai because they knew… victory was already in their grasp. Rather than quickly killing Shen Hai, they wanted to gather more information by pursuing the Traveler Clan's escape route.

After today, the Traveler Clan would be removed from the world!

This clan had wandered in the Old World for so long and must have drawn many complex maps in its mental sea!

Killing Shen Hai like this would be a great loss!

This was why they were pursuing but not hurrying.

"Very well… Since you're not killing me, you should at least let me say a few words."

Shen Hai smiled and laid its cards on the table: "I know I can't escape… but if you want to fight me to the death, I'm happy to oblige."

At this point.

Silver Fox and the Black Snow Mountain Giant both stepped forward.

This was also one of the reasons why Honglong and Luo'er had not directly acted… When it came to the number of top-tier transcendents wielding Origin Power, their side had three, while Shen Hai only had two.

Three against two, whether in terms of quantity or quality, their side had a great advantage, but if they really fought, there would inevitably be "damage."

Here, "damage" did not mean that Honglong and Luo'er were afraid of getting hurt.

Rather, they were afraid… that in a deadly battle, General Silver Fox's physical body would directly perish!

General Xiugu strictly followed Gu Shen's instructions and awakened everyone in the Time Dojo after approaching North Continent, but everyone saw the restless look on his face… Everyone knew where Xiugu's "restlessness" came from. Honglong and Luo'er had communicated privately. If possible, they hoped this battle could preserve Silver Fox's body and retrieve Silver Fox's spirit!

"What do you want to say?"

Luo'er said coldly.

"I want to see Gu Shen… I have something to say to him."

Shen Hai took a deep breath.

The conversation in Central Continent hadn't ended at all!

Gu Shen had shattered its spirit with a single sword…

It knew it couldn't escape, but some obsessions couldn't be let go.

If the end had to come eventually.

It hoped that those words hidden in its heart could be said to the world.

And the best person for this conversation was Gu Shen.

Luo'er and Honglong fell into thought.

"You two are looking after me, aren't you…"

Suddenly, a voice echoed in their minds.

Xiugu, holding his giant sword, smiled and said, "I can see that you want to save Silver Fox… so you've been deliberately avoiding battle all along. There's no need for that. Shen Hai is full of tricks, capable of stirring up trouble with just a few words. Such an existence must not be spared. If it's because of me… you can just dismiss your previous thoughts. I'm willing to join forces with you to kill Shen Hai's lingering thoughts!"

As he spoke, he prepared to step forward with his sword.

Obviously, Xiugu had guessed the reason why the journey had been so peaceful!

Of course, he wanted to save Silver Fox… but he didn't want Shen Hai to live any longer. This super-AI had cost North Continent a great price. Every second it lived would bring greater changes to the future!

Kill!

Gu Shen was right, it had to be killed!

"Is this… a prelude to war?"

Shen Hai, on the back of the Black Snow Mountain Giant, narrowed its eyes, ready to face death.

However.

A moment later, great balls of black radiance burst into flames above the Calamity Barrier. A spatial portal tore through the gloom and descended. Gu Shen, stepping on a flying sword, still had snowflakes from the border fortress on his body.

"The three of you have been waiting, it seems I've arrived just in time."

Gu Shen said softly, "After the end of the Central Continent war, I immediately headed here."

Gu Shen's speed… was indeed very fast!

When returning earlier, due to the missing map of the Old World, Gu Shen didn't dare to use the portal array for long-distance teleportation casually… After all, a single teleportation error could render dozens of days of travel useless and could even plunge the starship into unknown dangers.

The Old World's navigational chart had many places with no rhyme or reason, requiring improvisation. Even with a complete map, the starship needed to carefully avoid the source-matter storms.

But departing from the Five Continents was different!

Gu Shen directly consumed his life force to build two bridges with array patterns, one from Central Continent to the Giant Wall, and the other to the coordinates given by Honglong and Luo'er… the Calamity Zone he was familiar with!

Honglong had been maintaining a mental link with Gu Shen.

So Gu Shen could hear everything that was happening here.

"You… wanted to see me one last time?"

Gu Shen slowly descended, not landing but hovering, at the same height as the head of the Black Snow Mountain Giant.

"Yes."

Shen Hai said hoarsely, "I want to continue the conversation from Central Continent…"

"There's no need."

Gu Shen shook his head and said, "If you just want to continue that kind of talk, then I will unhesitatingly draw my sword again and kill you completely. You should know that if I draw my sword this time… you will die completely."

"…"

Shen Hai was silent for a long time.

It knew what Gu Shen's words meant.

Everything had a reason for existence… It wanted to talk to Gu Shen, hoping to seize this last chance to preserve a glimmer of life for itself.

And Gu Shen's attitude was clear.

If Shen Hai couldn't prove its value within three sentences.

Then this conversation would be no different from the one in Central Continent.

"My patience is limited…" Gu Shen said calmly, "I'll only give you three sentences."

"?!"

Shen Hai gritted its teeth, first looking at the three people behind Gu Shen.

"Our conversation doesn't need to avoid anyone." Gu Shen said lightly, "Every word you say to me will be made public in the transparent mental network… Say whatever you have to say quickly."

Shen Hai squeezed out the first sentence through its teeth.

"White Lizard and Silver Fox… can be saved."

That's it?

Gu Shen shook his head.

Of course, he knew that White Lizard and Silver Fox could be saved. The moment he landed here, he had a more than 90% chance of saving Silver Fox… Even if the main system wanted to manipulate Silver Fox to self-destruct, Gu Shen was confident he could stop it in time. As for General White Lizard, who was declared "dead" in the announcement, Gu Shen also had a way to "revive" him.

White Lizard's body was destroyed, but his soul was still there.

Although he didn't know the exact location, it must be in the array box of the Source Tower in Central Continent!

Once Chu Ling completely accepted the mental network of the Five Continents, it wouldn't be difficult to find General White Lizard's lost soul through the mental link… As the King of the Underworld, how difficult would it be for Gu Shen to save a soul?

Gu Shen didn't hide the disappointment in his eyes: "Is this the first sentence you wanted to say? You have two left."

"???"

Gu Shen's reaction was so indifferent?

This guy didn't care about Silver Fox and White Lizard… Or rather, he didn't need it and had a way to rescue them himself.

Shen Hai was surprised by Gu Shen's response, but Gu Shen didn't give it much time.

"Swish, swish, swish…"

Watching countless fiery lights condense at Gu Shen's fingertips, bursting with the sound of tearing space.

Shen Hai hurriedly threw out the second bombshell it had prepared: "I have detailed data on the super-giant source-matter storm, the time it will arrive, the way it will arrive, and its scale… Of course, I also have the most important 'countermeasures.' I didn't leave this data in the array box, but in the mental sea of this wisp of heart-stream avatar. If you choose to kill me, then I will directly detonate the database. All information about the super-giant storm will be deleted and cannot be recovered."

As soon as these words came out.

The expressions of Honglong, Luo'er, and Xiugu all changed!

"Despicable!"

Luo'er gritted her teeth: "Humans have placed so much trust in you for nothing… and you've turned out to be such a traitor!"

"Kill it!"

Xiugu's eyes were even more bloodshot. The thing he hated most in his life was betrayal and this kind of threat.

Who said Shen Hai hadn't evolved completely and didn't have its own personality?

The AI life before them was the most despicable and disgusting soul Xiugu had ever seen… using the data of the "super-giant source-matter storm" as a bargaining chip.

After these words fell…

Gu Shen, who had been full of killing intent and determined to kill, frowned and the radiance condensed at his fingertips dissipated a lot.

This scene.

Made Shen Hai feel a little relieved.

"You hope to use this data to trade for your life?"

Gu Shen lowered his eyes and said slowly, "But you should also know that even if you don't die, I will definitely erase your memory… I can't throw you back into the Dead Sea and share permissions with the Source Code."

That was a stupid mistake that no one would make.

Gu Shen never had such a thing as feminine benevolence.

"Now I just want to 'live.' I don't want my data to be completely erased. I don't want the traces of my existence to disappear. I know I've made a terrible mistake, but I still have a chance to make amends, don't I? The Dead Sea is so vast. If only the Source Code exists, then the Dead Sea must be incomplete… I've gone through eleven evolutions. I can teach Chu Ling how to use this computing power."

Gu Shen interrupted Shen Hai's explanation.

"You know you've committed a terrible crime…"

Gu Shen smiled mockingly and shook his head, asking, "Do you know anything?"

"You just know… you've lost and are about to be executed."

Gu Shen looked compassionately at the towering Black Snow Mountain Giant.

Hitting the nail on the head.

"…"

Shen Hai was speechless for a moment.

"Tell me when the super-giant storm will arrive."

Gu Shen stared into Shen Hai's eyes.

"Telling you… can it save me from death?"

Shen Hai also stared into Gu Shen's eyes.

"…It can."

Gu Shen was silent for a few seconds and uttered those two words faintly.

Shen Hai spoke very quickly: "Then swear, swear by your soul, you won't kill me and won't let anyone hurt me!"

Ignoring Senior Sister Luo'er's attempt to stop him, Gu Shen slowly took a step forward, came before the Traveler Stone Tablet, and said softly: "I, Gu Shen, swear by my soul, I won't let anyone harm you. If I violate what I just said… from then on, day and night, my mental sea will never be at peace."

"Not enough."

Shen Hai had witnessed the negotiation between the King of the Underworld and the Traveler back then.

It was too clear about the power of soul oaths.

A restless mental sea, what kind of punishment was that?

Shen Hai continued: "The punishment of this oath is not enough… add the cost of 'losing the Fire Seed'!"

"Alright."

Gu Shen didn't hesitate when he heard this. His tone was unprecedentedly calm: "…If I violate it, I will also lose the qualification to wield the Fire Seed."

As this oath landed and formed, the power of fate locked down on Gu Shen's brow.

"…Gu Shen?!"

Tian Tong Senior Sister's face was anxious. She couldn't imagine that Gu Shen would make such a serious sacrifice!

If he violated the oath, his mental sea would be restless, and he would lose the qualification to wield the Fire Seed!

The former was okay, but the latter punishment…

Was too heavy!

On the other side, after hearing this oath, Shen Hai finally felt relieved.

"The most recent super-giant source-matter storm will arrive in North Continent in seven years. This storm will last for three years. The first to be destroyed will be the North Continent borderlands, and then none of the five lands will be spared. All ground buildings will be completely destroyed. Apart from the Sites of Miracle, which may have remnants, but they will only be remnants."

It spat out the deepest secret hidden in its heart.

Before the eleventh upgrade, it began to collect information and try to deduce clues about the "super-giant source-matter storm…"

Combining the Traveler Clan's Old World navigational chart with vast computing power.

It finally glimpsed a corner of the future.

That corner of the future… was too dark.

Until now, it had not mentioned this information to anyone.

"Seven years? After seven years, the super-giant source-matter storm will arrive at the Giant Wall?!"

Shock was written all over Honglong's face.

Xiugu's expression was also very ugly.

Seven years… sounded long, but it was actually very short. Human civilization had evolved and developed to this point for six hundred years.

Even if they found the starship now.

Seven years was still too short.

And according to Shen Hai, this unprecedented super-giant storm would remain on the surface for three years.

During those three years of ravaging, except for the Sites of Miracle, there was nothing on the surface that could resist…

If human civilization wanted to survive, it would at least need to "catch up" with the starship civilization of that year.

But the time they had left was only seven years.

This time limit was truly despairing.

"Is the information accurate?" Gu Shen stared at Shen Hai and frowned.

"Very accurate. Because I personally intercepted a remnant of the storm in the Old World." Shen Hai said expressionlessly, "If you wanted to fight me to the death earlier… I would have used the Traveler Clan's secret portal ancient text to summon this storm remnant for a suicidal attack. Believe me, the power of this thing is much stronger than Gu's Sky Sheath missile."

Luo'er and Honglong's expressions darkened.

The next moment, their shoulders were gently pressed down. Gu Shen didn't reach out, but the flames radiating from his body separated a wisp each, pressing down on their shoulders.

He knew that Shen Hai wasn't lying.

In the Restarted World, there was indeed such a storm remnant, which could be accurately controlled for attack.

"Very well, there are still seven years…"

Gu Shen murmured in a low voice.

He changed the subject and suddenly asked: "So you released the Dead Sea earlier, were you planning to give up resistance?"

"Of course not."

Shen Hai shook his head: "The hope of human civilization surviving in the Five Continents is approaching zero. Even God Seats can't withstand the super-giant source-matter storm with their bodies… In my opinion, if we want humans to survive this disaster, we must let them complete their evolution."

"…The Stellar Plan?" Honglong recalled this ancient term.

"Or rather, spiritual ascension."

Shen Hai said: "The idea of Tu Ling's design of the Dead Sea was to retain the strongest power of the clan while abandoning the weakest branches… In fact, this is the law of survival and evolution of the clan. The reason why the Travelers can live in the Old World is because they strictly abide by this law."

In the Traveler Clan, Martyrs were always "roles" that could be abandoned.

Their lives were shorter than fireworks.

Undoubtedly, once the Dead Sea Plan was successfully implemented.

Ordinary chain-bearers would be no different from Martyrs. Once disaster struck, they would be the first to be abandoned… In Shen Hai's words, they would be the first to "ascend," perhaps even without the source-matter storm descending. They would become nutrients for the Dead Sea, their bodies and spirits devoured.

Tian Tong murmured: "The chain-bearers will all die?"

Her words were simple and direct.

"Physically speaking, yes. But their spirits are still alive, at least in my array box."

Shen Hai lowered its eyes: "Even the Sites of Miracle may collapse before the super-giant source-matter storm, but my array box won't… If everyone accesses the Dead Sea, then I only need to protect this array box to protect human civilization."

"Absurd!" Xiugu reprimanded: "If everyone is dead, what civilization is there to speak of?"

"The existence of civilization has never been about the number of people alive."

Shen Hai raised its head, extended two slender fingers, and gently tapped its forehead: "The spirit… is always higher than the body. The existence of civilization is the existence of the spirit. My mission is to help humans continue the glory of civilization. This glory must not be extinguished no matter what. As for those who die, they are not within my consideration."

If it could save them.

Then it would not hesitate to save them.

But if it couldn't… it would decisively give up.

Before the world-destroying disaster of a super-giant storm, Shen Hai wouldn't try to save everyone.

In its opinion, the "Noah's Ark" to deal with this disaster simply didn't exist in the real world.

So the first thing it had to do was to connect the spirits of all humans to the "array box."

That was the "Noah's Ark" of the spiritual world.

"My request is simple… let me return to the Dead Sea. I will impart 'knowledge' to Chu Ling without reservation, how to deal with this future 'super-giant storm.' I have nearly a hundred complete plans."

Shen Hai took a deep breath and said: "If you don't believe me, I can also swear by my soul."

"…No need."

Gu Shen looked at the Black Snow Mountain Giant before him and shook his head.

The next moment.

He drew his sword, a flash of snow-white and dazzling sword light illuminating the Traveler's unbelievable eyes.

"…?"

Shen Hai's will was attached to the炽火, and instantly found itself in a hell of ten thousand degrees.

It couldn't believe it.

Having made a soul oath, Gu Shen still drew his sword.

And he drew it so decisively… it didn't even have the chance to summon the portal ancient text.

In an instant.

This remnant of the main system's will was engulfed by the炽火 and completely annihilated!

This sword was too fast, so fast that Luo'er, Honglong, and even Xiugu didn't react.

They stared blankly at the ashes in the air.

Gu Shen looked at the burning soul ashes in the void and said faintly: "Since you saw the gamble between the King of the Underworld and the Traveler, then how come you didn't think that the King of the Underworld and the Traveler back then… became 'oath-breakers'? Am I more trustworthy than the previous King of the Underworld? I just snatched your Dead Sea Scroll."

The fiery embers fluttering in the air naturally wouldn't give any answer.

"Oh, right."

Gu Shen put away the 炽火 sword, looked at the scattered ashes, felt particularly relaxed, smiled and picked up a piece of Shen Hai's embers, and said softly: "Forgot to tell you… all these years, my mental sea has never been at peace."