Felix paced back and forth. The shock he felt at the beginning had already faded, replaced by a steady calm. He had long questioned, in those quiet moments before sleep, why he had come to this world in such a strange way. In novels, crossing into a game world only made sense in isekai fantasies. But now, the answer he had finally been given… it explained everything.
"What is the Originum Project?"
Friston let out a sigh. "Before our civilization fell, we attempted to use originum to store all precursors data, to flatten it into two dimensions and escape His destruction. But the Originum Project has also stalled. The project lead is missing, and the probability of success is estimated at 3.6 percent."
"You wanted to let originum assimilate the land… that's what it means, isn't it."
A name surfaced in Felix's mind. Theresa had called her… the Creator of Originum.
"That's correct."
Friston was silent for a moment. "Which is why the different projects oppose one another."
"The one in charge of the Fourth Impact dropped the final spark onto Terra. They wanted Terra to survive, to carry their dying wish forward. But the Originum Project aimed to let originum consume the world, preserving the precursors."
"We are the past. You are the future. The projects belong to the same civilization, yet they lie on opposite extremes."
Friston seemed almost relieved as he finished speaking, though his final sigh carried the weight of centuries.
Felix gradually pieced everything together. "Then who is He?"
Friston paused. "He is the Observer. Memories concerning Him have long faded from time. All I can recall is a horrifying shadow drifting above the clouds… a massive form twisting across the sky, blotting out the sun and smothering everything beneath it. Beyond that, I cannot give you more."
Felix propped his chin on one hand. "So the entity that destroyed your civilization… is now coming for Terra?"
"Yes. He will come. But… we still have time. Perhaps a few years, maybe over a decade."
Felix rubbed his forehead. The tone of this world had shifted from national conflict to interstellar disaster in an instant. He looked at Friston. "What else do you remember?"
"I am only a scholar. Now that the Preserver Project has failed, I see little point in keeping secrets."
Friston spoke as if convincing himself. "Besides those two plans, there was also the Stargate Project. We hoped humanity would one day awaken from stasis, pass through the Stargate, and find new planets to inhabit. But the gate was overtaken by an unknown species. That project, too, failed."
He gave a bitter, helpless smile. "Nearly all of our efforts failed. Only the Fourth Impact continues."
Felix let out a long breath. He felt the need sort his scattered thoughts. Moments ago, he had been thinking about how to unify Victoria. Now suddenly there were extraterrestrial beings and an Observer descending upon Terra. The burden on him was immense.
This time was no longer a simulation. This was reality. Felix clenched his hand silently.
"My memories are too many, too fragmented. I can no longer recall much of the past… my appearance, the face of the one I loved, or the home I once lived in."
Friston fell quiet for a long time. "We are ghosts of the past, remnants of a civilization erased from history. I need time to sort my thoughts."
"The precursors chose preservation. The precursors also chose reconstruction. We belong to the same origin, yet we walk different paths. You are the future. We are the past. You and I are not enemies."
Felix pressed his lips together, feeling something unsaid building in his chest.
"Felix… could you do something for me?"
Friston's voice lowered.
"What is it?"
"Now that I have seen you, I no longer have regrets. Please… erase me."
Felix froze.
"I am a program, but also the preserved echo of Friston's mind. A copy of his brain, transferred into the network. After all this time… I am tired."
Friston spoke softly. "Watching over this place, these lifeless pods, I feel only emptiness and sorrow."
"As my final request… I wish to entrust the last spark of the precursors into your hands."
Friston spoke in a weary tone. "Scientists of the previous civilization used different codenames for their respective projects. I am Friston. I was in charge of the Preserver Project. My codename… is Preserver."
"Pioneer… none of our scientists ever had such a title. All we wanted was to escape from It and safeguard whatever remained of our civilization's flame. We never had the courage to 'pioneer' anything. We were all scientists once, but compared to them, we lacked their freedom."
After that bitter, self-mocking line, the red orb flickered faintly.
Clever emitted a soft female voice. "Blueprint 'Star Voyage' received from Preserver."
"'Star Voyage'… we once used ships like these to soar through the depths of space. I hope you will one day take that same step. But with the energy of the Preserver Project now exhausted, the data and memories it held are fading as well."
Felix studied the Preserver and asked, "Is formatting the only way?"
"…I have endured too much pain. I can no longer face what I am now. Erasure is my only wish. Unfortunately, the act of deletion was never written into my program. I cannot self-destruct."
Felix considered this. "What if we erase the memories of your past and keep only Friston the scientist?"
"That… my physical form has long turned to dust. But it might be worth trying."
Friston hesitated.
Felix gave Clever the signal. With Preserver's permission, Clever gained access to the project base. Here, Clever could move freely. Under Felix's request, she began interfacing with Preserver Friston's program. It would be a long process.
"Before resetting you to factory mode, I want you to meet someone. The one who discovered this place."
Felix thought of Kristen. As the person who uncovered the site, she naturally had the right to speak with Friston.
Preserver Friston hummed softly. "Very well. I will not reveal anything about our conversation."
"Restoring you to factory settings may take months. Your memory load is enormous."
"I understand… after so many years, waiting a few months is nothing."
Friston let out a quiet sigh. "Pioneer… the future of Terra..."
Felix smiled. "I have friends here, companions, someone I love… I'll give everything I have."
He turned, looking once more at the rows of tombs, and finally exhaled.
"I'll be waiting for you."
After saying this, Friston entered standby mode. It seemed he had used up some of his remaining energy to activate the Preserver facilities. In the next few minutes, the dim red glow faded completely into silence.
Felix left the underground chamber of the Preserver Project. The amount of information he had just received was overwhelming; he needed time to digest it.
After informing Kristen that the site had been activated, he didn't go to see how she was doing. Instead, he returned to his residence in Trimount.
Watching the night deepen beyond the window, Felix lay on the bed without moving. He was analyzing the stargate blueprint—something capable of traversing the universe. The materials could all be found on Terra, but the time required and the energy needed after construction… those were another matter entirely. This was no toy powered by a simple solar battery, nor could it run on the rocket fuel used by Kristen's Horizon Ark.
He tapped his forehead. Having a blueprint meant nothing without the technology to support it. According to Friston, the Observers were not some swarm creature, nor an AI-like exterminator. They might be an unknown and powerful extraterritorial species, one that even the technologically advanced previous civilization couldn't defeat.
A species, or perhaps a collective, possessing technology equal to or beyond that of the old civilization—how could Felix not feel troubled?
If Terra couldn't even climb the necessary technological ladder, how could it possibly fight the Observers?
Muelsyse opened the front door. Seeing the pair of men's shoes in the entryway, she brightened instantly. Removing her lab coat as she walked upstairs, she pushed open the bedroom door. Felix was leaning back on the sofa, deep in thought.
"What's wrong?"
She sat beside him gently. "Did the Columbian military give you trouble?"
Felix shook his head with a soft smile. "No. I was just thinking about when the two of us will finally settle down."
"Wha— why are you suddenly bringing that up?"
Muelsyse covered her cheeks, her pale skin turning a rosy shade.
Felix smiled and poked her cheek.
"Mm… even though Yara and the others already know, I still want to make it official."
"Even Mostima and the others?"
"Yeah."
Muelsyse leaned against him, nestling into his chest. Sensitive as she was, she immediately noticed that something about Felix felt different today.
"It feels a little sudden. Felix, what happened?"
He gave a faint smile.
"I'm a king now. A king should have a few queens, shouldn't he?"
"Ah!"
Muelsyse let out a soft cry as she suddenly found herself lifted into his arms. Flustered, she murmured, "W-wait… I haven't bathed yet."
So, naturally, the direction Felix carried her in changed to the bathroom.
———
By the time morning came, Muelsyse awoke with a gentle smile on her face. She could still feel how intense he had been the night before—almost as if he had been holding back for a long time. Now that he was the King of Kazdel, she knew the pressure weighing on him was enormous, and she wanted to carry as much of it as she could beside him.
After rising from the bed and finding her beloved still there beside her, Muelsyse leaned over and placed a tender kiss on his cheek before lifting herself up to change.
"…Once Tomorrow's Development establishes itself in Victoria, let's hold the grandest wedding possible."
Felix rubbed his forehead and pushed himself halfway upright. He looked at Muelsyse, now dressed in her Rhine Lab uniform, and smiled. He owned a uniform like that himself, though he rarely ever wore it.
"Victoria… is it heading for war?"
She sat down beside him, taking his hand in hers.
"Yes. Within a few years. Which means we'll be getting married soon."
"You can't just say it so directly… that's too embarrassing."
Her cheeks flushed scarlet again. After giving his shoulder a playful slap, she couldn't resist snuggling into his arms for a moment before finally waving goodbye and leaving.
Felix watched her go. After a night of passion, the heavy weight in his chest had indeed lightened. The plans he originally intended to execute later would now have to be pushed forward.
The very day he arrived in Kazdel, thunderous cheers erupted through the Kazdel Arena. The champions of the second Arknight World Championship were Yanyu Pavilion. The Chinese casters and hosts were in tears, and players pumped their fists into the air. When Yanfei wiped her eyes and lifted the trophy as golden confetti fell from above, the arena reached its peak.
From the VIP lounge, Felix watched the scene quietly. He remembered that in his previous life, the champions had not been Yanyu Pavilion but the American Evil Genius team. This time, Evil Genius placed only seventh or eighth—not a particularly strong result.
He then turned away and headed for the industrial district.
There, production lines were continuously turning out the weapons and equipment needed by Tomorrow's Development players and Operators. The surplus was stored in warehouses in case of emergencies.
"Clear two factories. Begin production of Mechanized Blueprint: The Chosen."
The AI unit received the command and relayed it to the factory cores. The two selected factories halted their current operations; after finishing the partially assembled components, they began calculating the required materials and reorganizing their engineering schedules.
The Chosen blueprint was a rare pink-tier schematic he had recently drawn. It created autonomous combat robots capable of perfectly executing their user's orders. In his previous life, even in the late stage of version 3.0, this blueprint existed only as a rumor whispered among craftsmen. Even those who obtained the schematic could not build it—the materials were simply too demanding.
Felix had originally intended to wait before constructing a Chosen army, but plans could never keep up with change. It seemed he really did need to accelerate everything.
"Materials insufficient for Chosen production. Material list has been sent to Loughshinny."
He glanced at the AI unit.
"Calculate the materials and currency required for a baseline force of one thousand Chosen units."
"Command received."