Chapter 828: Chapter 825: Circular Convergence

Priest John left with a complex but still resolute expression. Before leaving, he asked nothing, and Agatha didn’t explain any further.

Now, once again, only Agatha remained in the prayer room–bright light struggled against the substantial darkness outside the windows, a few cold flames flickered on the candelabrum before the holy image, a wisp of smoke still rose from the extinguished brazier, and reflected in the floor mirror beside her was her fragmented body.

Agatha turned to face the holy image of Bartok, lifted her head, and with eyes covered in black cloth she “gazed” for a long time at the deity shrouded in the night. The statue was as always, but in her eyes, the tall sculpture was already full of cracks, as if a heap of debris that should have already collapsed was still maintaining superficial integrity, supported by some invisible force.

She sensed the breath within the cathedral–increasingly more breaths of the dead.

The “foundation” of this world is gradually cooling and dying, and now almost all living people are gradually “transitioning” towards the state of the dead. People who die without realizing it move about in the entire City-State, and the same is true in the cathedral. John died, died during a breath in midday prayer yesterday, Nun Lola died too, died in a shallow sleep–and now they continue to dutifully perform their duties within the cathedral, just like all the others.

All of a sudden, a hazy flame surged in the mirror beside her, turning the mirror’s surface pitch-black, and shortly afterward, a figure became clear within the mirror.

Agatha turned her head to find that it was not Captain Duncan who appeared in the mirror, but Tarrikin.

“My father helped me construct this channel, used to establish contact between those ‘blessed’ by his fire,” Tarrikin spoke up proactively, “Miss Agatha, how are things on your side?”

“…The number of dead within the cathedral is increasing,” Agatha sighed softly, “Many new deaths are from people who suddenly ‘transformed’ from living under normal circumstances. It seems this event itself can no longer be stopped, it’s not something that treatment or protective measures can resolve.”

“It’s the same in other parts of the City-State,” Tarrikin said with a solemn face, “Even… the situation in other City-States is the same, it’s something that’s happening all over the world.”

Agatha nodded her head slightly and spoke slowly after a moment of thought: “But the moving dead are not the problem, the real issue is more and more people are ‘awakening’.”

“Yes,” Tarrikin spoke gravely, “Just as my father has warned, the world’s ‘correction’ mechanism is at a standstill… The last actions of the god of death have once again postponed the total collapse of the Shelter, but also breached its ‘correction’ mechanism. Now this safety barrier, meant to protect the common people’s cognition, is failing, and it’s failing faster than we expected.”

“But there’s no need to worry too much, Governor–whether it’s the priest in the church or the guardians and law enforcement officers outside, many among them have underwent lifelong training to confront such inconceivable catastrophes and situations, including those that directly descend upon themselves.”

Agatha spoke, her voice as ever calm and magnetic, as if releasing the power to soothe one’s heart.

“Perhaps no one imagined even gods would fall into an eternal slumber, no one imagined that even this world would die, no one imagined what today’s situation would look like, but we have long been prepared for ‘everything’–no matter what happens, we will first unconditionally fulfill our duties.”

“Several days ago, I already issued instructions to the priests. I told them of a disaster spreading that they are still unable to perceive, told them how they should protect those ‘awakened’ ones, and what they should do if they themselves suddenly ‘awaken’.”

“Some of them now understand the situation like you and I, while others, they still do not comprehend the meaning of those orders–but this does not affect their execution of the orders.”

“I believe that is also true for the law enforcement officers outside.”

“Whether it’s this or that team, some may be faltering, some may be afraid, some may shrink under mental pressure, unable to fulfill their duties, but ultimately there are those who are doing their duty, and they will not be few in number, Governor Tarrikin–no matter on which day or in what form the world’s end comes, all of us have already prepared for that day.”

No matter on which day or in what form the world’s end comes…

Listening to Agatha’s words, Tarrikin’s expression relaxed somewhat after a brief pondering, then he nodded: “I’m planning to expand the ‘Quarantine Zone’ and establish a series of protective facilities around the cemetery ring–relying on the cemetery’s own defenses, gradually transitioning and protecting the population. This process will need the cooperation of the church.”

“It is a difficult and massive undertaking,” Agatha said, “‘The living’ and ‘the dead’ are intermixed, and the awakened ones will randomly emerge from amongst them. We cannot completely discern this change and move those who have awakened into the Shelter, nor can we treat the rest like enemies, even though they indeed are moving corpses in a daze.”

“I know, but we must do our best,” Tarrikin said calmly, “It’s better than eventually devolving into total chaos–if it really comes to that point, at least we would have established enough Shelters to protect some people.”

“…I understand. The church will fully cooperate with City Hall, just waiting for your arrangements.”

…

In front of the Church Ark, as vast as a mini City-State, a series of huge hydraulic devices were installed like a mechanical wall at the bow, countless heavy metal rams neatly aligned along this “mechanical wall” were slowly raised on their tracks, then slammed down heavily, shattering the thick ice ahead like countless sharp metal teeth. Amidst the ongoing roar of machinery and the thunderous sound of breaking ice, the Church Ark still moved slowly through this frozen expanse of sea.

The ice-breaking device thus “gnawed” out a long trail in the ice layer, its tail pointing towards the direction of civilization, and ahead was seemingly endless solid ice and darkness, while the dense fog representing the “frontier” still surged and churned at the edge of sight, becoming increasingly sinister and terrifying, yet it seemed it would never be reached.

Frem stood at the heights of the Church Ark, gazing toward the direction of the endless ice plains, with two braziers burning fiercely beside him, their flames as cold as ice, hiding deep, indistinct murmurs amidst the crackling sound.

He could sense that the “focus” revealed to him by the eternal Fire Transmitter Tarrikin in the final revelation was nearing–the only focus that could preserve the “legacy” in its original form through the transition between the old and the new worlds.

Frem knew that the “Captain” was undertaking a plan of biblical proportions, and he knew that if the plan succeeded, a “new world” would come into being, although he could not imagine what the new world would look like, but he knew it had to be infinitely better than this twisted, dark, and peril-ridden Endless Sea.

Moreover, a space was left for everyone in that new world–in messages intermittently sent back from the end of the world, he had learned of this.

But it was a rebirth after destruction, everything from the old world would be utterly obliterated in the process; the “Captain” might have a way to enable “people” to be reborn in the new world after this process, but… what about those things that had been created?

Those poems, those melodies, those astonishing crafts, those precious scrolls, and slabs recording the Dark Ages, the old City-State era, and the new City-State era, as well as the meanings represented behind these things–that civilization had once existed–could these be preserved?

Even if they could be preserved, these things would probably become an enormous burden during the Creation process.

This concern had prompted the Fire Transmitters to embark on this journey northward, and now, after tremendous efforts, their destination was finally near.

They were to leave behind a “legacy” for the people of the new world in this forever-sealed ice plain.

It’s close, just up ahead.

However, a strange and piercing loud noise suddenly came from a distance, followed by a series of explosions and mechanical grinding sounds. The Church Ark beneath them vibrated intensely, accompanied by a low rumble, as if some mechanism inside the ark had ceased to operate.

A sense of heaviness sank into Frem’s heart immediately.

Soon after, a priestess wearing a dark robe and a veil over her face hurriedly appeared before him.

“Your Holiness, the icebreaker’s main power conduit has ruptured!”

…

Homeloss and Brilliant Starship sailed in a uniformly gray-white backdrop, and at the end of this long “transition channel,” a hint of faint color was already beginning to emerge.

Duncan stood at the bow of Homeloss, silently watching the gradually materializing sea in the distance. He heard footsteps coming from behind, accompanied by the “warmth,” now a rarity in this world.

He turned around and saw Nina standing behind him, surrounded by a warm glow. Bathed in sunlight, even the pervasive chill of a world post-mortem was retreating from her.

“… You’ve found a new use for ‘sunlight’?” Duncan raised his eyebrows, a smile appearing on his face, then became slightly emotional, “You’re getting more and more precise with the control now–initially, just using a small flame to boil water would even burn your own hair.”

Nina narrowed her eyes slightly: “Mm, and burn those Profound Demons and Spirit World Shadows that happened to pass by.”

“… I suspect they didn’t just happen to pass by.”

“Not a big problem.”

Both fell silent at the same time.

After a long while, Nina broke the silence in a soft voice, “… We’re almost there.”

“Yes.”

Duncan murmured, he meant to say something more, but before he could speak, the vague patch of color on the edge of his vision suddenly expanded, turning into a calm, mirror-like sea surface, along with islands above the sea.

“Transition… complete.”