Everyone ascended, but I didn't get on board

Chapter 215 The Consequences of Divine Punishment

Qiu Ci was very fast. Because she had synchronized her cultivation with that of a high school student, although she was still in the Celestial Realm, she felt that she could use her spells more smoothly. Spells that she used to need to make hand seals and chant incantations to mobilize spiritual power could now be used with a simple wave of her hand, as if she could directly mobilize the power of heaven and earth.

So in less than fifteen minutes, she arrived at the first-tier city marked on the map, only to be stunned by what she saw.

The once vast city was now a cloud of dust, with all the tall buildings collapsed and the city's facilities mostly destroyed. If it weren't for some remaining walls and ruins, it would be hard to tell that this was once a large city. There wasn't a single person in sight, and there was an eerie silence throughout the city.

What's even more astonishing is that a large patch of crimson clouds is hovering in the sky to the west of the city, looking like a sunset fallen to earth, making it exceptionally eye-catching.

Upon closer inspection, it was discovered that a building was enveloped within the red cloud, and something within the cloud was twisting and spinning wildly, while the building in the center was turning into yellow sand inch by inch.

Qiu Ci was stunned for a moment, and then realized that the red cloud had finished devouring the building and was flying towards them. Moreover, the entire cloud was acting strangely, constantly changing and twisting its shape.

What it is?
"Master, I've detected a signal from psionic machines! That red cloud is a psionic machine aggregate!" The dog pack excitedly flew forward a few steps, but immediately stopped. "Huh?! The signal ahead is so chaotic... something's not right! Those psionic machines are strange."

The crimson cloud moved faster and faster, sweeping towards this direction like a tidal wave, its shape twisting wildly. Everything in its path was annihilated, and a deafening roar filled the air. It looked as if it was about to devour her whole.

Qiu Ci didn't move. Instead, she reached out her hand towards the red cloud and whispered, "Stop!"

In an instant, the crimson clouds that had been sweeping across the sky suddenly stopped half a meter away from her, as if they had been triggered by some kind of forced command. Their twisted and ferocious forms also froze as if they had been frozen in place, and they just stood there in the air.

The next moment, a beep was heard.

The part of the psionic machine aggregate closest to her suddenly lit up with a bit of green. Then, as if infected, the entire psionic machine body was swept by a green light in a flash. The wild and bright red clouds instantly turned into a pool of clear water, becoming gentle and quiet.

The once brutal and ferocious war machine instantly transformed into a docile and quiet pet, slowly drifting down and gathering around Qiu Ci, as if a wronged little beast had finally found its master.

Qiu Ci glanced at the numerous psionic machines that had fallen completely silent before asking in a deep voice, "Damn system, do you know what's going on here?"

[Master, these psionic machines must have had their cores invaded by something, triggering their final counterattack mechanism and causing them to go berserk and chaotic. That's why they're attacking everything indiscriminately.]

The dog system shrank back behind her, a little frightened. The berserk state of the psionic machine just now was enough to crush even a system.

Thankfully, their owner was there, triggering a fundamental law that stopped them; otherwise, they would have continued attacking until there were no more targets left in the world.

"Invading the core?" Qiu Ci was stunned. Apart from the temple, she couldn't think of anyone else who would do such a thing. "What exactly do they want to do?"

[It must have touched upon the genetic code of Earth, otherwise all the psionic machines wouldn't have triggered their counterattack mechanisms and gone berserk so thoroughly.] Qiu Ci suddenly thought of the scenes she had witnessed along the way—the collapsed city walls and the vanished towns. Could they all have been caused by the psionic machines? What exactly did those guys at the temple do?
Her heart sank, and she immediately mounted her sword and flew wildly towards the capital.

The temple complex isn't limited to the one in the capital. If, as the system claims, all the psionic machines go berserk, then the entire temple...

Qiu Ci didn't dwell on it. Instead, she increased her flight speed, passing over many more cities along the way. Some were completely destroyed, while others were in the process of being destroyed. She could only collect the remnants as she flew.

Upon arriving in the capital, they saw the enormous red cloud that covered almost half of the city. Compared to other cities, there were significantly more psionic machines here, making them the most thoroughly destroyed.

The once bustling capital city was reduced to rubble overnight, leaving hardly any ruins. The once lively streets were now completely silent, the only sound being the howling wind caused by the twisting and turning of the large red clouds.

Qiu Ci couldn't quite distinguish her feelings. The base's ruin, the leakage of chaotic matter, and the loss of the psionic machine—each of these was a consequence of their own actions. Everything Shenhui had now stemmed from their ambition, and it would also end because of their ambition.

She sighed and flew back to retrieve the largest psionic machine.

Then it flew towards the only place in the city where there was still a sign of life, which was the former site of the temple.

Amidst the collapsed ruins, a dozen or so figures sat slumped, their once pristine white robes now stained with filth. Their eyes were lifeless, filled with despair and hopelessness as they stared at the utterly destroyed city before them, until they sensed someone approaching and slowly raised their heads.

Only then did everyone see Qiu Ci in the air, and the large group of psionic machines behind her that had returned to their original dark blue color.

"The super artifacts... stopped?!" They murmured, staring wide-eyed at the person in the air, struggling to their feet. "How is this possible? Who... who are you?" Why? Why can she control these super artifacts!
Qiu Ci frowned, and after a moment answered in a deep voice, "The person you have offended."

"What..." The white-robed bishop who spoke was stunned for a moment, then seemed to realize something, his eyes widened even more, "You...you are a god!"

"No! Impossible! How could the gods really exist? How could they still exist in this world!" He immediately denied his own guess, his eyes growing even more crazed as he asked, "What method did you use to control the super artifact? How were you able to do it?"

"Sigh." Qiu Ci sighed. These people have been consumed by their own greed. Even with the truth right in front of them, they dare not admit it?

Not only the white-robed bishop, but the other survivors also didn't believe it, and even angrily questioned, "Since you have a way to control the super artifact, why didn't you show up sooner? Why did you wait until it destroyed everything before you came out!" The temple, no, the entire temple, had already been destroyed.

Qiu Ci's face darkened. Was this another instance of moral blackmail?
"Get this straight, you are the ones who caused all this." She pointed to the capital city, now reduced to rubble, her last shred of pity vanishing. "It was created by my people. I'm just here to reclaim what's mine. Aren't you the real thieves?"

"..."