Overturned Tower

It is certainly impossible to say that Russell did not expect things to develop to this point.

After all, what the monkey-faced eagle developed is a "technology", not a "talent". Since it is a technology, it means that it will one day be copied, popularized, and optimized.

The force that desires this technology the most is the Cyber ​​Church.

The twilight disaster called "Dream" is chasing the world forever. Whether they are humans or elves, as long as they have different personalities and differences in character, as long as they look after themselves more than others... they will eventually be overtaken by dusk.

It is not a person, an organization, or a country. Rather, the entire human civilization has been sentenced to death—suspended execution.

Among the many plans to escape from this nightmare and survive the executioner's pursuit, the most executable one is to completely give up fighting dreams, completely abandon the flesh and blood body, and let all consciousness reunite in the clean form of "data" , reconstruct the gods...in order to embrace the ultimate sublimation of pure machinery.

——Let those bionic people never dream of electronic sheep again.

Everyone will lose a lot, but not everything. People will no longer be human beings, and civilization will no longer be civilization...but all "people" will still gain the right to survive because of this.

That is the essence of "cyber immortality" that the Cyber ​​Church is pursuing.

"...Since you know the disaster of annihilation, it's easy to say."

Lycaon sighed: "You are right, I am just a test subject.

"Because the state of the monkey-faced eagle is very unstable. But the church cannot be sure whether the unstable factor is the monkey-faced eagle or the technology itself. They need someone with enough intelligence, low desire, and dedication... At the same time There is no morally obsessive 'trailblazer' to clear the way for them."

"A way to escape to the virtual world?"

"That's also alive, Susu."

Lycaon replied seriously.

"Of course the church knows that this kind of immortality has many hidden dangers, and it can even be said to be self-degradation. We all know...the person who first implements cyber immortality will be turned into data - which can be modified and erased at will by outside controllers. A piece of data excepted. Well... just like me now.

"But so what?

"If I can bring news of victory, we can finally escape the future of destruction. The meaning of allowing civilization to survive trumps everything else - dreams, love, justice, ideals, freedom, and faith.

"Seriously, Susu. All of these can be given up. They are not that great... because as long as they die, there is nothing. And as long as we live and as long as our existence can continue, we can create Out of the possibilities of the future... I mean, new possibilities.”

"……I see."

Russell sighed: "A defeatist counselor."

He understood.

Even before the church became a cyber church, they were pursuing the "way of survival." And after they learned the truth of history and became the Cyber ​​Church, they never considered for even a moment how to defeat Fantasy, or even whether they could escape Fantasy.

From the very beginning, all arrangements of the church were prepared on the basis that "they will absolutely not be able to escape."

Just like the church always takes believers to escape from the miserable reality and creates beautiful illusions. That's because they can't change reality and improve people's lives. All they could do was comfort.

But they can show others the way - but the church never teaches people what to do. That is not Alice's sobriety and compassion, but they do not intend to sell "excess hope"...excess hope will only bring despair.

What they do is just to heal the hearts of believers and soothe their spirits so that they will not be tortured to death by life. What the church does is just to make people "hold on a little longer"... They come from the heart and hope that others can "live on."

As long as you live, there is hope. And your own hope should be found by yourself - they do not grant hope to anyone. Because they don't have that kind of power, let alone that kind of obligation.

"Did you know...the church sets [healers] as the lowest angels, not that the healers should be the lowest...but because we always need the most healers. What we want is... …Anyone can become a temporary healer if they need it, if they are needed.”

Russell understood this.

Just like the priests of DND... no matter what magical spells are prepared, they can be converted into healing abilities.

Because the foundation of the church is to heal suffering. Both physically and mentally.

——Let people live. This is the foundation of their religion.

Let more people live. Let the most people survive.

Compared with virtue, justice, faith, piety...these "external ideas" used to deceive and attract believers, the Cyber ​​Church's only belief is to "lead people to live."

"...Now that you have become an information life form subordinate to the church," Russell was silent for a while, then slowly said, "I have no intention of dictating your choice. But I must tell you that the last person who was loyal to the church and believed in the church Yes, those mechanical angels.

"And they were squeezed into juice while they were still sleeping. The church sold them to the mages...for some purpose."

"Ah... I know this. It would be better to say... with my current position, I can access secrets that I have never known before."

Lycaon took a sip of tea and responded calmly: "Do you want to know the truth about this matter? Speaking of which, you may not believe it... but it is actually for the overall survival of mankind."

"What's the purpose of survival? Killing people to save others?" Russell asked rhetorically.

"--do you know?"

Lycaon avoided answering: "The war of teachings a hundred years ago was to completely destroy the mage inheritance.

"The mages seek power from the dream world, while the church seeks power from 'gods'... But I want to tell you a secret."

"——If you want to say that the power of the dream world also comes from 'dreams'. I already know this."

"Ah, that explains it easily."

Lycaon sighed again: "'Dream derivative'... do you know what this word is?"

There was no hope at all on his thin face, but at the same time there was no sorrow either.

It's better to say it's indifference than numbness.

Some games are over in the first five minutes, but the base will not explode until twenty minutes. Lycaon's expression at this moment is like being in that kind of game. Seventeen He had the same calm expression when he was wiped out at eight minutes.

He should be angry, but his mood did not fluctuate at all.

"It's the devil, right?" Russell replied.

"...Your mentor told you?" For the first time, Lycaon's face showed an unexpected look besides "sadness" and "peace".

Obviously, he did not expect that Russell actually knew this answer that should not be known to anyone.

"My chairman told me."

Russell pondered for a moment and replied.

"Then your chairman really trusts you."

Lycaon sighed: "It's so good..."

Ah, that's not the case. Russell thought.

At best, it can only be regarded as a good thing to say when a person is about to die...