Light Fortress-Chapter 1575 - 264: The Genesis

Red Shadow!

There it is again!

Gu Xiaoman’s heart skipped a beat. Even though she had witnessed Gu Shen defeating the first Red Shadow earlier, if a second one could appear, then potentially a third, a fourth...

Gu Shen extended a hand, keeping Xiaoman behind him.

Chi Huo coiled around his arm as he slightly turned to prepare for the impending attack from the narrow end of the bronze corridor where Red Shadow would emerge.

But the silence here was eerie.

The Red Shadow, standing with its hands on the sword, didn’t make the first move as before but stood quietly for several seconds.

A dim red light emitted from the pallid mask.

Gu Shen knew it was scanning him...and Xiaoman.

"What is it doing?"

Gu Xiaoman frowned and whispered, "Why does it feel different from before?"

Gu Shen whispered back, "Not sure... let’s wait and see."

Having suffered a slight setback earlier, Gu Shen didn’t act rashly. If Red Shadow didn’t make the first move, he didn’t mind waiting here.

When he first stepped into the barrier of air, Gu Shen had already formulated a complete plan.

He knew that behind the Ice Sea Ruins existed an ancient intelligent life form, and the earlier alarm confirmed the hostility of the ruins towards outsiders.

That’s why he didn’t immediately use the Truth.

If there’s a "plan one," then there must be a "plan two," "plan three."

If he used Truth midway, it could potentially trigger an upgrade in the "countermeasure plans..."

Thus, he kept Truth for the very last moment, ensuring a direct "clearance." So far, everything was under control, at least right now there was no alarm sound, nor any so-called plan two or plan three. This bronze corridor was safe; proceeding further might not be the case.

And so, Gu Shen and Red Shadow confronted each other for nearly a minute.

"Ka-chak!"

After finishing the scan, Red Shadow unexpectedly took a step back, making way for the door at the end of the bronze corridor.

"What does this mean? Is it not going to fight and giving way?"

Gu Shen frowned, staring at the opponent, not daring to step forward rashly.

The next moment, something astonishing occurred.

Adorned in heavy bamboo armor, after stepping back, it unexpectedly made an ancient...gesture of salutation.

"???

Gu Shen’s pupils contracted.

"The ceremonial gesture of Changye?!"

Even Gu Xiaoman recognized the salute gesture of Red Shadow!

The two looked at each other, both felt shocked and could not comprehend how this ancient mechanical creation could know Changye’s rites.

The bronze corridor was silent enough to hear a pin drop. After making the salute gesture, the bamboo armor man no longer moved. At this moment, it was no longer the mysterious and fierce assassin from before but transformed into a steadfast statue.

Gu Xiaoman nervously tugged at Gu Shen’s sleeve.

What should we do now?

"Let’s go."

Gu Shen maintained his composure and calmly said, "Follow me, don’t be afraid."

A domain was released, enveloping both of them.

Gu Shen led Xiaoman forward slowly, his attention focused on the bamboo armored man’s sword. If it showed any sign of movement, he would notice immediately.

But until they stepped through the bronze door, the bamboo armored man showed no intent to draw his sword.

They passed by safely and without incident.

Both slightly sighed in relief.

At the end of the corridor was a spacious mechanical control room, filled with switches, gates, and several alloy chamber bodies similar to life nutrition pods. The black chamber doors were cast from Black Silver, faintly visible inside the life pod lay several gaunt "mechanical bodies."

These are the bamboo armored people’s bodies after disarmor, very small.

"Sure enough, there’s more than one..."

Gu Xiaoman observed these incomplete mechanical lives, her tone complex.

Just as she was about to step forward for a closer look.

The bamboo armored man, who had made a respectful gesture of invitation, suddenly spoke: "Please do not touch anything."

"What the hell?!"

Gu Xiaoman was startled, her hair standing on end.

"..."

Gu Shen hadn’t expected the bamboo armored man to suddenly speak, but he remained calm, patting Gu Xiaoman’s back and giving a reproaching glance.

She stuck out her tongue, indicating she knew her mistake.

Gu Shen curiously observed the bamboo armored man standing with a sheathed sword and asked with a smile, "You can speak?"

"Yes."

The bamboo armored man’s voice emanated from his abdomen, clear and crisp, resembling a young man’s. When he spoke, he pointed to his head.

"But I’m not ’him,’ ’he’ cannot speak."

The statement was somewhat circuitous.

But Gu Shen understood; the one speaking now wasn’t the bamboo armor robot in front of him.

The bamboo armored man slowly walked to the life pods before them, gazing at these incomplete creations within. He said calmly, "He, they...are merely executors, without souls. You can regard me as their ’soul.’ Now I will communicate with you, and the voice and will you’ll hear on this ship will come from me."

That statement... carries substantial information.

"A ship... this is a ship?"

Gu Xiaoman was the first to speak.

Wanting to touch the bronze alloy surface but recalling the bamboo armored man’s warning, she promptly withdrew her hand.

"To be precise, you can call it a ’Starship,’ but many years ago, everyone got used to calling it the ’Big Ship.’

The young man’s voice carried a hint of self-mockery: "From the information I’ve gathered, it seems you’ve been calling it the ’Ice Sea Ruins’? Actually, it has its own name, it’s called the ’Initial Ship.’

Initial Ship?

Gu Xiaoman was filled with disbelief. She looked around and murmured, "Do you mean to say this is a giant vessel... So from the moment we stepped onto the Snowfield, we stepped into the vessel’s space?"

"Yes."

The young man questioned, puzzled, "Haven’t you already discovered the truth? The Snowfield is just a simulated virtual scene. Due to space limitations, the outer space of the Snowfield is blocked by the ’Metaphorical Wall.’ Those exterior visitors deemed as threats would be barred from entering the core space..."

"But we still got in."

Gu Shen slowly said, "The Metaphorical Wall didn’t stop me."

"Indeed..."

The young man sighed helplessly and said, "That’s precisely why I’m communicating with you."

"There are four emergency schemes on the Initial Ship."

The young man slowly stated, "But in my view... none of these four schemes can stop you. If an assault is recklessly upgraded, it could instead provoke your wrath, which might inflict irreparable damage on the ’Initial Ship.’ So I made the choice to let you in rather than stop you."

Hearing this, Gu Xiaoman looked at Gu Shen with admiration in her eyes.

How cool, forcing the Ice Sea Ruins to open its doors with his own strength!

Gu Shen had a complex expression.

What does that mean?

He sighed and explained, "I’m not the ’violence addict’ you imagine."

"I’m sorry, but you are."

The young man’s voice didn’t leave Gu Shen any room for argument.

The bamboo armor man received instructions from a higher level, suddenly raised its head, and its mask’s eyes projected a red light beam, displaying several clear images in mid-air.

Gu Shen shooting down the Cloud Ship, Gu Shen killing the ’Xiang Master,’ Gu Shen tearing apart the Red Shadow Robot...

The battles that occurred on the Snowfield were all captured!

"..." Evidence irrefutable, Gu Shen was left speechless.

"Moreover, it’s worth mentioning, the Metaphorical Wall doesn’t block ’you all,’ only ’you.’

The bamboo armor man glanced at Gu Shen, then slowly turned towards Gu Xiaoman and softly said, "As for this young girl... If she wishes to step onto the Snowfield, the Initial Ship won’t trigger the ’Metaphorical Wall.’ In a sense, she is a specially invited guest of the Initial Ship."

Gu Xiaoman was stunned.

She asked, puzzled, "What about the Red Shadow earlier..."

"It merely conducted a ’routine scan’ and ’ability assessment’ on you," the young man smiled and said. "You won’t be harmed, and in fact, you haven’t been harmed."

"..."

Gu Xiaoman fell into silence.

Thinking it over, that was indeed the case.

When the Red Shadow fought her, it was obviously holding back. Its moves appeared fierce, but they retreated as soon as she made a move, clearly receiving specially programmed instructions.

"Is this why I received the ’summon’?"

Gu Xiaoman blinked, evidently a bit surprised, "But why is that? Is it because I’ve been pre-selected by the ’Spark’?"

"Yes... According to your terms, you are the future ’Lord of Wine.’"

The young man said warmly, "The Initial Ship welcomes your visit."

"What about me?"

Gu Shen couldn’t understand, if being pre-selected by the Spark would lead one to feel the call of the Ice Sea Ruins... then why hadn’t he received an ’invitation’?

He was also in possession of the Master of the Spark’s identity!

"Sorry... According to the rules of the Initial Ship, you are not on the invitation list."

The young man’s voice still carried amusement as he quietly said, "However, you’re already inside, aren’t you? If all this is destiny’s decree, then why fret about it?"

Destiny’s decree?

With such nebulous words, Gu Shen understood even less.

"I don’t understand..."

Just as Gu Shen was about to speak, the young man’s voice interrupted him, "You will understand."

"Please, both of you... follow me."

The bamboo armor man sheathed the long knife and pushed open the second large door after explaining the cause and effect. He then turned around, crouched down, and extended a hand to Xiaoman, very friendly.

Gu Xiaoman shook her head.

She did not take the bamboo armor man’s hand.

Even though she had been extended an invitation by the Initial Ship, she remained very cautious, took two steps back, and clutched Gu Shen’s sleeve until her small hand was held by Gu Shen, and she could feel somewhat at ease.

If she was a guest of the Initial Ship, why had she encountered so many ’attacks’ before? The Red Shadow hadn’t come forward either.

It was Gu Shen who saved her at a crucial moment.

She only trusted Gu Shen!

The bamboo armor man smiled slightly, undeterred, and led the way ahead.

Gu Xiaoman cautiously asked, "So... are you the master of the Ice Sea Ruins?"

"It’s not called the Ice Sea Ruins here, it’s called the Initial Ship."

Faced with Xiaoman’s question, the young man’s voice was very patient, "Moreover, I’m not the master of the Initial Ship. I’m just the caretaker here. The master of the Initial Ship is a great being whom I admire for life... Perhaps, in the future, you could also be like him and become a renowned monument in human history."

Unfortunately, Gu Xiaoman didn’t buy it.

"Monument or not... doesn’t interest me."

She continued to ask, "Don’t you have your own name?"

"The master gave me the name ’Alfred.’

The young man said respectfully, "From now on, you can call me ’Alf.’"