Gao Wu: I inherited the evil organization in the game

Chapter 601 Heavenly Crown, Divine Bloodline

At this moment, deep within this ancient architectural complex, a magnificent and imposing mansion stands tall.

The vermilion gate was incredibly heavy, and above the lintel hung a huge plaque with a deep, dark ink color, on which was engraved a large ancient character – “Song” – in vigorous and simple brushstrokes.

Deep within the mansion, in a tranquil courtyard surrounded by exotic rocks, rare plants, and ancient trees, a beautiful woman dressed in a magnificent velvet robe, with an elegant demeanor, strolls slowly along the corridor.

Her face is very well-preserved, making it impossible to tell her exact age; only the composure and dignity that come with the passage of time are evident.

However, what is most striking is not her gorgeous clothes or her appearance, but the object she wears on her head.

It was a smooth-lined, crystal-clear glass dome that covered the upper half of her head.

This is no ordinary glass; its material resembles both crystal and some kind of highly polymerized energy crystal, emitting a very faint, almost invisible golden halo.

Its surface is as smooth as a water droplet, yet one can vaguely see extremely fine, nerve-like golden threads of light flowing slowly inside.

The glass dome has an incredibly prestigious title—the Crown of the Heavens.

It symbolizes having the sky upside down on one's head, and also signifies "a person blessed by heaven".

Furthermore, the Celestial Crown is not merely a symbolic decoration, but a dazzling jewel at the pinnacle of Upper City's technological pyramid.

Within its dazzling exterior lies the culmination of countless cutting-edge technologies.

It is the perfect communicator, requiring no physical movement and allowing connection to the psionic communication network covering the entire Upper City with just thought.

It is a holographic interface that allows the wearer to overlay and switch between endless streams of information at any time—real-time data, environmental analysis, target tracking, holographic maps, and even the physiological information of others (provided the user has sufficient permissions).

The world is transparent and decipherable in her eyes.

It is a portable supercomputer with a built-in quantum chip connected to a super brain terminal, capable of processing massive amounts of information instantly, assisting in decision-making, and performing the most complex deductions and simulations.

It is a smart butler, a central hub of the Internet of Things connecting the mansion and even a wider area, controlling the environment, network, robots, and so on.

It is the ultimate armor, with an integrated energy shield generator that can deploy within a fraction of a second of being attacked, strong enough to withstand the force field of heavy energy weapons.

It also possesses strong mental defense capabilities, resisting mental probing and interference.

It is also a mark of identity: the creation, activation, and wearing of each "Celestial Crown" must be approved by the Council of Elders, the highest authority in Upper City.

It is a pass that qualifies one to enter the core city for an audience...

Anyone who illegally possesses or wears such items will be subject to the "Nine Clans Elimination Game".

To put it simply, the entire Upper City, encompassing all natural beings, cyborgs, androids, new humans, and so on, has a population estimated to be in the tens of millions.

Fewer than 1000 people are legally qualified to wear the "Celestial Crown".

Of these fewer than a thousand people, ninety percent are concentrated in twenty prominent families known as the "sacred bloodline."

The Song family is one of these twenty prestigious surnames.

Of course, even within the Song family, not everyone is qualified to receive the "Celestial Crown." Those who do receive the "Celestial Crown" are all core members of the family.

They either made significant contributions to the family, or they passed the family's rigorous assessments and stood out among their peers, or they entered through marriage, relying on the support of their maternal family and bringing in dowry from their maternal family.

The Song family ranks low in the sacred bloodline, having received only thirty-four "Heavenly Crowns" in the past three hundred years.

Now, only twenty-two members of the clan still wear this crown; the other twelve perished in the recent "calamity of the heavens."

Seven of the "Celestial Crowns" were recovered along with the remains and have now been re-enshrined in the Shuguan Pavilion, awaiting a new "blessed person".

The remaining five "Celestial Crowns" were completely blasted into dust along with the remains.

It should be noted that according to the rules established by the Council of Elders, once the "Celestial Crown" is bestowed, it is permissible to transfer it privately, as long as it is re-registered.

This is the core city... its preferential treatment of the sacred bloodline is the foundation for helping them maintain their rule.

However, once the "Celestial Crown" is lost or damaged, it will not be replaced.

Behind this lies the core city's "weariness" of the sacred bloodline, which is also the hidden force that drives them to fight each other.

At this moment, the "celestial crown" worn by this beautiful woman is her dowry from her maternal clan, the Cao family.

The Cao family is also one of the twenty sacred bloodlines, ranking above the Song family and in the middle.

The beautiful woman should be respectfully addressed as Lady Song Cao, the wife of Song Bangyan, the head of the third branch of the Song family, whose original name was Cao Guanyin.

It is worth mentioning that twenty years ago, Song Bangyan was qualified to compete for the position of head of the Song family.

However, due to the overwhelming power of the Cao family's in-laws, the previous head of the family became wary of them, and they were ultimately defeated by the current head of the family, Song Bangwu.

However, it was precisely because of the power of his in-laws that he was able to survive after his defeat and take control of the third branch of the family.

The power struggles and family secrets involved are so complex that it would take three days and three nights to explain them in detail.

I won't go into details here, but I'll just let you know that the beautiful woman, Song Cao, was the mistress of the third branch of the Song family, and she had two sons.

The eldest son was named Song Kuangyi. He was exceptionally talented and was highly valued and cultivated by Song Bangyan.

The second son, named Song Kuangyan, was a notorious playboy in the large family, and was the special envoy who was exiled to the Ninth District of the Lower City.

At that moment, on the phone, in order to gain his mother's support and help, Special Envoy Song Kuangyan almost laid everything out:
"Mom, believe me, I'm not lying to you this time. I just verified it, the parchment scroll is real, it really can summon evil sacrifices. Although the offerings may not be up to par and may not suit the evil sacrifices' tastes, I have found the key."

If I try a few more times, I'm not worried about finding the right method.

"And as long as I can successfully create one [mask], I can create more indefinitely..."

"Mass production of evil sacrificial parasites?!"

Song Cao's pupils contracted slightly, clearly understanding what this meant if her second son's words were true.

After the catastrophe of the collapse of the heavens, the holy families were all engaged in a [competition for evil sacrifices]. The Song family was lagging behind in this regard for various reasons, but if they could obtain a large number of evil sacrifice parasites, they might be able to overtake them by taking a shortcut.

With lightning-fast thinking, Song Cao, empowered by the computing power of the "Lingxi Crown," deduced the subsequent possibilities in an instant.

With the Song family's advanced biotechnology, if they could obtain enough samples of the evil sacrificial parasites for reverse engineering, there's a certain probability they could deduce the "genetic map" of the evil sacrificial entity behind it (or, in other words, its energy encoding and core rules governing its existence).
Once the true "genetic map" of this evil ritual is obtained, it cannot be said that it is impossible to clone the original form of the evil ritual.

Even if they cannot reach the level of the thirteen seats of [Destiny], they can seal the evil ritual within themselves and fully control the terrifying power of the evil ritual with their mortal bodies;
More precisely, it is the human body that bears and distorts the inhuman power of the evil ritual many times over.

Alternatively, the evil sacrifice could be released directly from the stomach, achieving a physical expansion of ten thousand times until it blots out the sky.
Otherwise, why would that day be called a "disaster of the heavens"?
Most people believe that the "overturning of the heavens" in the phrase "the calamity of the heavens collapsing" is an exaggerated metaphor, but as a member of the sacred bloodline, Song Cao knew very well that "the calamity of the heavens collapsing" was more than just a metaphor.
The mere stirring of that day's memories sent a chill, originating from the depths of her genes, sweeping through her body like an icy tide. Fortunately, the next second, the "Spiritual Crown" shielded and soothed the lingering fear in her mind.

Song Caoshi took a deep breath, regained her composure, and her voice, now switched, carried a rare hint of approval:

"Sending you to the lower city to gain experience seems to have been effective; very good."

This brief affirmation sent the special envoy's heart pounding on the other end of the communication line. He knew he had made the right first step!
Song Cao continued:

"Your most important task right now is to actually create a [mask]."

Song Kuangyan gripped his phone tightly and responded repeatedly:

"Don't worry, Mom, I will never let you down this time."

However, Song Cao's tone shifted, revealing the cold reality of power struggles within the family:
"But you have to understand, the eldest branch of the family has always been very wary of our third branch. The third branch is also in a precarious situation lately, and your father's side... sigh..."

She paused slightly, seemingly considering her words.
"In short, if you don't achieve results, your father won't deliberately show favoritism and transfer you back to the clan, giving others something to talk about."

Song Caoshi paused for a moment, then reassured her son:

"But as long as you achieve something, let alone being transferred back to the clan, even a spot in the 'Celestial Crown' competition, Mom can fight for it for you."

On the other end of the phone, Song Kuangyi's breathing became rapid.

The special envoy who liked to make empty promises to others finally got to eat the pie his mother had painted.

Song Cao's voice carried a powerful allure:

"With the 'Celestial Crown,' you will be qualified to visit the core city in the future and truly be able to help your elder brother."

When her eldest son was mentioned, a genuine smile appeared on Song Cao's face:
“Your brother is always talking about how poor the city is, and he’s worried that you’ll be mistreated. He’s asked your dad and me to find a way to get you transferred back as soon as possible.”

"That's great! If he knew you were not only coming back, but you might even be coming back to help him wearing the 'Celestial Crown,' he'd be overjoyed."

Song Kuangyan's voice on the other end of the phone was filled with filial piety and brotherly loyalty:
"Mom, your son is also looking forward to returning to the family day and night to share the burden with my elder brother."

His words were incredibly sincere, as if his desire for the "Heavenly Crown" was far less intense than his longing to return to his family and assist his elder brother.

Song Cao's smile deepened, and she gave a final instruction:

"What you are doing now is very important. Do not be impatient. It is better to be slow and careful to ensure that nothing goes wrong. In particular, remember to keep the secret. Even though you are in the lower city now, do not let your guard down."

Always remember, there may be eyes watching you from where you can't see them!

Song Kuangyan understood his mother's implication: the first step of sample production could only be accomplished by himself.

Because if the mother intervenes too early, it will inevitably attract the attention of those watching from the shadows.

"I understand, Mom! Don't worry!"

Song Kuangyan repeatedly assured him,
"I will be extremely careful and make sure nothing goes wrong!"

After hanging up the phone, Song Kuangyan looked around the newly renovated entertainment room, a meaningful, cold smile slowly spreading across his lips. He muttered to himself:

“My dear brother, since you always ‘worry’ about me in Mother’s ear, I’d better go back soon and ‘help’ you out.

.........

at the same time.

Pushing open the heavy nanmu door, carved with plum blossoms, orchids, bamboo, and chrysanthemums, a unique aroma mixed with aged paper, fine Huizhou ink, and a faint sandalwood scent wafts out.

The study is furnished with an antique feel, without a trace of modern technology, making one feel as if they have traveled back to the elegant residence of a scholar in an ancient era.

A large rosewood desk was placed by the window, and on it, besides the Four Treasures of the Study, there was also a "crown of the heavens" that had been taken off the desk.

Most people would want to wear the "Celestial Crown" 24 hours a day if they were given one, but Song Kuangyi was different. He was reluctant to wear it unless it was a necessary occasion.

At that moment, Song Kuangyi sat behind his desk, engrossed in reading a yellowed ancient book.

His appearance was strikingly similar to that of the special envoy far away in the lower city; however, the spirit in his eyes was completely different.

The special envoy's eyes were like poisoned ice shards, carrying an inescapable gloom and coldness; while Song Kuangyi's eyes were warm and peaceful, like fine jade.

He wore an elegant moon-white long gown, with very faint green bamboo patterns embroidered on the cuffs and collar, which further accentuated his gentle and kind temperament, giving him the demeanor of a classical nobleman.

In fact, very few people in the upper town read paper books anymore; most read electronic versions.

Moreover, fewer and fewer people are reading electronic versions, since it's more convenient and faster to download and read them directly via brain-computer interface.

He read slowly, his fingers gently tracing the ancient characters, as if he could touch the lines of time, his eyes focused and serene.

Beside the desk, a young maid dressed in plain servant's clothes stood with her head bowed, carefully peeling an orange, removing the pith, and placing the orange segments into a small white jade bowl on the desk.

An elderly man, dressed in a long black robe, with a gaunt face and sharp, eagle-like eyes, strode in.

Song Kuangyi seemed to sense something, but without looking up, he simply closed the ancient book in his hand and gently placed it on a corner of the desk.

He stretched out two fingers, picked up a segment of orange flesh from the jade bowl, and put it in his mouth.

"Hmm, the oranges are good."

He offered a gentle compliment, then casually waved his hand.

The maid immediately bowed, preparing to leave, when Song Kuangyi's gentle voice rang out again:
"Wait, these oranges are very sweet. Why don't you take them and share them with the other maids?"

Upon hearing this, the maid's eyes filled with joy, and she said sweetly:
"Thank you for the reward, sir."

She gave a deep bow, carefully holding the bowl of oranges as if they were a priceless treasure, and quietly slipped out, discreetly closing the heavy study door behind her.

After the door closed, the old man in black frowned almost imperceptibly, his voice low and deep:

"Young master is too lenient with his servants. If this continues, they will lose respect for him, which is not the way to manage them."

Upon hearing this, Song Kuangyi's smile remained warm:

"Teachers are overthinking it. They like me so much, why would I want them to be afraid of me?"

(End of this chapter)