70. New Group Member Joins the Chat Group
Xiling looked at the man who appeared beside him in confusion, and the man smiled back.
"Excuse me, who are you?" Xiling asked, feeling puzzled.
The man walked over to Xiling and spoke in a soft voice, perhaps a natural one.
"Me? I'm a regular here. I saw you looking distressed a while ago, so I thought I'd see if I could help you. I hope I didn't disturb you."
Xiling waved his hand.
"No, no."
Xiling rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.
"I was looking for some historical materials, but I didn't expect..."
Xiling glanced at the bookshelves and said, "It's so many?"
The man chuckled twice, also looking at the shelves, before saying, "It's a bit much, but it's also proof of the development of civilization, a testimony to the past."
The man took a book down and opened it.
"This world has existed for a very long time and has developed very rapidly. I didn't realize there were a few more history books. Wow! This... this is quite creative."
The man seemed to have seen something eye-catching, and his gentle smile fell. He closed the book, and his smile returned. Seeing the change in his expression, Xiling asked curiously, "What did you see?"
The man returned the book to its original spot, his tone somewhat resigned.
"Some recent issues concerning the Magic Society."
"Oh," Xiling nodded.
The man looked at Xiling, who looked as if he'd like to see more later, and his smile deepened.
"So, is there anything I can help you with? I'm quite knowledgeable about this library."
Xiling rubbed his chin in thought. There was so much he wanted to know, like everything about this world.
Finally, Xiling thought for a moment and said what he wanted:
"Probably something about the world's current situation."
Xiling had no idea if such a book existed, nor who would normally look for one.
However, the man actually found a book from the shelf, a book that didn't seem very thick compared to the others. The man handed the book to Xiling and said with a smile, "This might be the book you're looking for."
Xiling looked at the book in the man's hand:
"Modern History of World Development."
Xiling said, "...Great!"
Taking the book from the man, Xiling thanked him, "Thank you so much for your help this time. Without your help, I'd be busy for a while."
The man smiled and shook his head, "Of course. Take your time reading it. I won't bother you anymore."
The man turned to leave, but Xiling stopped him.
"Wait a moment, please."
The man turned back, puzzled.
Xiling scratched his cheek.
"I think you and I might get along well. If not, can we be friends? My name is Xiling, and you?"
"...My name is Taiyi. Nice to meet you, Xiling."
"My name is Xiling, and it's nice to meet you, Taiyi. I'll definitely treat you to dinner next time we meet," Xiling said with a thumbs-up. Taiyi smiled, turned away without a word, and disappeared from Xiling's sight around a corner.
"Is today my lucky day?" Xiling thought happily.
Everything went smoothly today. Whether finding a place or finding books, someone helped him find it. Xiling rarely received such treatment.
Arriving at the long table in the library, Xiling then placed the book Modern History of World Development on the table and opened it.
Looking at the book in hand, Xiling's once relaxed face changed from a smile to a serious one.
Fantasy and magical worlds are often populated by so-called "gods," and this world is no exception. However, here, "gods" isn't just a nickname; they are reverently called "Lords."
They are the supreme controllers of a particular domain, the rulers of absolute rules...
Looking at this, Xiling instinctively thought of the person known as the "Lord of War" and the words spoken by that voice.
"That guy must be a Lord," Xiling thought to himself. Xiling continued reading.
Originally, this world consisted of eight separate continents, each ruled by a powerful nation.
However, in the mists of history, at a 'junction' whose exact date is now blurred, a silent upheaval occurred—the eight continents, in a way incomprehensible to mortals, suddenly merged, condensing into a single landmass! The reason? No one knows, and it has become the greatest mystery of the Lost Era...
Perhaps the Lords know, no! They definitely know.
The world after the merger did not return to peace. An invisible change quietly permeated, permeating every wisp of wind, every speck of dust, every pulse of magic.
Time seemed to be pushed by an invisible giant, accelerating madly on an invisible track...
We have discovered a world.
Xiling blinked at this sentence, then continued reading.
We have discovered a world, or more accurately, the "Masters" have discovered a world.
A world shattered, its laws crumbling, a world wailing in despair on the brink of destruction. No one knows what deliberations took place at that moment, high above the clouds.
We only know the outcome: the being who wields the authority over time and space—the Lord of Time and Space—extended its divine hand.
It wasn't to save that world itself, but to carve out a new, independent, bubble-like "subspace" within the fabric of our own world, to accommodate those endangered creatures and the shattered fragments of their home. Ultimately, that dying world was "accepted" by ours in a strange, graft-like manner.
"Accept..." Xiling chewed on the word.
From then on, a floodgate was opened.
From the moment the first shattered world was "accepted," the Lords' "discoveries" became more frequent.
One after another, worlds on the brink of destruction, worlds with strange forms, or worlds with drastically different laws were captured and encapsulated by the Lord of Time and Space's power, incorporated into the "space bubble" It created. The frequency is increasing, the number is growing...
To date, the number of alien worlds confirmed to have been incorporated and survived within the space constructed by the Lords of Space and Time has reached: 7,426.
"Seven thousand four hundred... twenty-six?" Xiling muttered to himself.
Xiling put the book down and rubbed his eyes.
Is this right?
Is this real?
There's something wrong.
How could so many worlds be discovered? No matter how to think about it, it doesn't make sense!
Over seven thousand worlds?! Not seven, not seventy, but over seven thousand! How can that even be a discoverable number?
Discovering a few worlds on the brink of destruction could perhaps be explained by "accident" and "mercy," but thousands of worlds? The probability is so despairingly low. It's more like... a purposeful search! A systematic, large-scale... collection?
Xiling suppressed his shock and read on.
As alien world after alien world was accepted by the Lords... The Magic Society—from observational data and the unusual fluctuations of the magic tide, a shocking pattern has been discovered:
Whenever the number of accepted other worlds reaches a certain threshold...
Our main world, the "mother" containing thousands of bubbles of other worlds, undergoes an unprecedented, drastic change!
The rules of the world begin... to expand! Existing magical rules become more profound and complex, and new, incomprehensible rules sprout out of thin air like vines, entwining themselves with the underlying structure of reality.
Magic becomes more active than ever before, exhibiting new, unpredictable properties. Physical boundaries blur, and the constants of space seem to tremble slightly...
At the same time! The world itself is expanding! This isn't just a simple increase in territorial size.
The "resilience" of space is increasing, dimensions seem to be secretly folding and stretching, and even the flow of time seems to undergo a subtle "calibration" at that specific point.
The "volume" and "carrying capacity" of the entire world are expanding at a rate that transcends geometric growth!
...
Even compared to other books, the book Taiyi recommended was relatively short, but it still required Xiling to devote two days and two nights to diligently reading it. Fortunately, the Library of Time was open all day, and the corner of the long table by the window became Xiling's temporary residence. For two days and two nights, he remained almost motionless, poring over the same book, thick enough to serve as a pillow. The sight itself was enough to attract attention.
Over the past two days, some people had already asked Xiling about it, mostly girls. Not surprisingly, after all, Xiling was truly handsome, especially when he wasn't talking. Boys also came to ask, mostly out of curiosity, asking if reading this was boring.
Xiling's answer was always crisp and clear: "It's so boring! So long and boring!"
This unaffected resentment instantly brought them closer, drawing chuckles and nods of agreement. Don't be fooled by Xiling's earnest scrutiny; he sincerely thought the book was tedious and long. But saving the world doesn't come easy. He'll find as much information as he can, even if it means killing someone wrongly.
Finally, as his eyes passed over the last line, Xiling slammed the heavy book shut with an almost exhausting snap. A long, chest-deep sigh emanated: "Hah!"
Then, as if all strength had been drained from Xiling, he slumped forward, resting his forehead on the cool, smooth tabletop, his cheek against the cover of the book he had just "conquered."
"Finally... I've finished reading it..."
Xiling's voice muffled through his arms, his exhaustion nearly spilling over the tabletop.
"You've worked so hard, really hard," a boy sitting nearby teased, noticing Xiling's expression.
Xiling didn't even bother to raise his head, muffledly replying:
"It's not hard work, it's just a hard life."
Just then, a glass of water was gently placed next to Xiling. Xiling tilted his head slightly, lifting his heavy eyelids to see a girl with a gentle smile looking at him.
"Drink some water to relax. You look like you're having a hard time."
"Drink some water."
"Thank you!"
Xiling sat up and clasped his hands together to thank the girl.
Xiling picked up the cup and gulped down half of it.
Just as he set down the cup, another figure slid down across the long table.
The person stared at the closed Modern History of World Development in front of Xiling, their face filled with disbelief.
"Xiling? You... you really finished it?"
Xiling stretched his stiff neck and asked, "What else? Do I have to hold a memorial service for it?"
"I'm impressed! Awesome!"
The boy opposite gave a heartfelt thumbs-up. Xiling downed the remaining water in his cup, stood up, and stretched lazily.
"Oh my goodness... I feel like I'm almost as tall as my chair..."
Xiling gave his neighbors a slightly weary smile.
"Well, everyone, I'll be leaving now. If I stay any longer, I'm afraid I'll become a statue in the library."
Several people smiled and waved to Xiling, "Goodbye."
Xiling also waved, "Okay, I'm leaving. By the way, I hope you all get the grades you want on your exams."
With these words, Xiling turned and walked towards the library door. The sunlight bathed Xiling, not giving him a burning sensation, but rather a sense of comfort.
Xiling stared at the sun overhead, 24 radiant spheres. It was indeed the sun, but a modified version of it.
The books record that the Lords captured the suns of other worlds, forging them into the 'Eternal Furnace Core' and placing them outside this dimension. The sun above Xiling's head was merely a reflection of the Eternal Furnace's core. Even the sunlight that illuminated all things was a product of the "Lords."
The more Xiling understood this world, the more he felt... It's so outrageous!
You called him abnormal, but he was not only perfectly normal, but even a little too normal.
There was no shortage of energy, resources, or power. While there might be some friction among the eight nations, it wouldn't escalate into war, because war itself had been subsumed by the "Lord of War" into the realm of the utmost.
Lord.
They were the domain, the rules, the unyielding will itself.
Xiling was feeling a bit stuck, unsure where to begin.
"Did I get the wrong script...?" Xiling muttered.
As a rule, in a hero's story, there should always be a hideous, unmistakable villain to defeat, right?
Demon kings, cults, world-destroying beasts...there had to be a tangible target for him to attack, right?
Why is it strange here?
There are clues. Just go find the Lords. No one knows about this world more than they.
Should he be looking for the Lord of War?
Xiling rubbed his chin, thinking hard.
Thinking carefully...it might not be impossible. The other party knew his identity and specifically asked him to stay there forever. There must be other information.
As for whether he could defeat them?
That question wasn't for Xiling's to consider.
Stop thinking about it. Even when you can win, you're thinking about losing.
So... Xiling took a deep breath and closed his eyes.
The surrounding noise—all blocked out by Xiling. His mind sank into absolute silence, his consciousness like a drop of water dropped into the deep sea.
I can find...
His will began to gather, extend, and climb. An invisible, causal tentacle of perception began to capture the location of the "Lord of War."
I can find...
Penetrating through layers of dimensional barriers imperceptible to ordinary people.
I can find...
Getting closer! A vast, cold current, reeking of rust and gunpowder, yet imbued with the will of rules, began to surge at the edge of his perception!
That was the aura of war!
Xiling's will almost reach the brink of war!
"Find..."
At that crucial moment, just as the connection was about to be established—Snap!
The thread of Xiling's will was cut cleanly by an invisible pair of scissors! The link, nearly established, instantly shattered!
The aura of war vanished from Xiling's perception like the receding tide.
Xiling slowly opened his eyes.
"Someone... cut off the connection."
"Hmm..."
A smile returned to Xiling's face.
"It's not that easy, indeed."
Xiling raised his head and gazed at the twenty-four hanging suns:
"Wait for me, the Demon King. I will find you, and then..."
"Save this world that is about to shatter!"
Just as Xiling swore his oath...
[Ding!]
[Ding! Welcome, new members to the Dimension Chat Group.]
[[I'm not Him], joining the chat group.]
[[I'm a Witch], joining the chat group.]
[New chat group features unlocked.]
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A/N [Author Note]:
Guess who the new member is?