Who left their last words here?

Chapter 111 The Crown of Thorns! Return to the Real World! (Two Chapters Combined)

"May the gods help me—"

The blood-red skeleton, visibly panicked, hurriedly called for its protector.

But this time, the air around us remained completely still.

Only javelins with balancing tail fins and eerie blue tail flames flew towards him one after another with sharp whistling sounds.

"..."

The world was silent. The Senate watched him with solemn indifference, and countless dragon knights also watched coldly.

—The gods no longer answered the crimson skull's call.

"what happened?"

Unable to remain calm, the crimson skull awkwardly fought off the javelin barrage under the stern and indifferent gaze of the Senate.

"God?"

A sneer echoed from the depths of the Senate's ancient palace, tinged with disdainful mockery:
"The Roman Empire did not allow unauthorized individuals to be deified!"

As soon as the words fell, the Senate moved its arm, and in an instant, the sky collapsed and the earth cracked. Countless unhealable cracks appeared in the sky, and golden lightning bolts transformed into cold and fierce divine eagles that descended from the sky.

"Thorn-"

Golden eagles swept through the air, viciously swooping down on the blood-red skull, tearing its ribs apart one by one and snatching them away.

"No—Rome!!!"

The agonizing cries echoed across the heavens, shaking the very four directions:

"Gods, have you also abandoned us?"

Seeing their leader suffer, the miner skeletons became restless and scattered in all directions under the bombardment of javelins.

At this moment, Bai Zhou, who was spying from afar, underwent a complete and earth-shattering change in his perception, and his exploration and understanding of this world reached a completely new level.

A super civilization, capable of flying and escaping without restraint, highly prosperous and unfathomable, was thus presented before Bai Zhou's eyes.

Rome?

I'm afraid not—at least not the Rome that Bai Zhou learned about from "Black Cat's 8000 Questions"!
This Rome is not that Rome!

If Earth had this level of technology thousands of years ago, the Listening Sea that Bai Zhou saw would certainly not look like it does now.

If extraordinary beings had coexisted with ordinary people for thousands of years, they wouldn't be as the crow described, with extraordinary beings preferring to remain behind the scenes.

If the current civilization on Earth already boasts such a flourishing extraordinary civilization, then the extraordinary beings would not need to excavate the relics of previous civilizations to drive modern development...

—It is obvious that the civilization beneath the white boat is the same lost civilization that was excavated in later generations!
Those terracotta power armors alone represent a technology that current human civilization cannot surpass for the time being!

Even the races on both sides might be different; in later generations, how could any human race have an average height of three meters...?

Bai Zhou now believes that there may have been more than two "Romes" in history. One is the Roman Empire on Earth thousands of years ago, but the other was active in an even earlier ancient era.

This place might really be the Jurassic period! It's an ancient era millions of years ago, a lost civilization from an ancient time that is not recorded in history and unknown to later generations.

Only in this way can Bai Zhou's previous doubts be explained.

But perhaps many years later, they left behind some cultural traces, which were inherited by the Greeks and Romans who excavated the ruins in the new era of civilization.

Just like Leia of the Trojan civilization, who accidentally became a god in later Greek mythology...

Whether it's "Troy" or "Rome," in the changing of history and civilization, perhaps only an empty shell of a name remains, to be inherited by extraordinary people in later generations.

This reminded Bai Zhou of the Art Club, who inherited the names of the previous extraordinary individuals, believing that this would allow them to steal the original extraordinary individuals' fortune and fragments of their legacy.

If this applies to individuals, how much more so to the fate of a nation?
What has happened will happen again. The so-called change of civilization and the cycle of the times are nothing more than the re-enactment of everything that has happened in a seemingly similar but actually different way on the surface of the blue planet.

Some clues buried deep in history were vaguely guessed by Bai Zhou, who witnessed all the incredible things firsthand.

but……

The Heroic Empire?

Bai Zhou was puzzled by this.

He thought of what the mechanical voice deep within the vortex had mentioned: "[The 47th Sector of the Hiro Empire, the Senate's Patrol Branch and the Imperial Guard under the Count of Saxony]".

Both the Trojan civilization and the Bones, these "remnants," consistently refer to the "Roman Empire."

Why did Rome itself insist on calling itself a different "Heroic Empire"?
If the term "Roman Empire" can still be found in the history of Earth, then...

The Hero Empire...

It's a term that modern Earth has never heard of before.

But this name may well symbolize the unique form in which this ancient Roman Empire, which does not exist in ancient history, truly reached its peak!
The various mysteries aroused Bai Zhou's curiosity and desire to explore, while also making him extremely wary.

Everything that is currently unknown deserves his utmost caution.

"Boom!"

Several claps of thunder echoed across the sky.

The blood-red skull fell from the sky, leaving only a shriveled skull, even the golden flames burning within it had completely extinguished.

The mark of God's Chosen on his forehead dimmed and remained motionless.

From its debut in the Senate until the death of the Crimson Skull, it never managed to make any further contact with the gods.

It's too late!

"The 'Fearful' chosen ones have been purged."

A sound rang out again from the Senate:

"Has the threat been eliminated?"

"Now, let us respectfully present the statue of His Majesty the Emperor—"

The pious voices of the Senate faded away.

The temple in the city center trembled slightly, and some invisible ripples spread out from the temple.

At this moment, the divine mark on Bai Zhou's wrist seemed to suddenly disappear, its shape and color fading to almost invisible.

Even so, the ripples were slightly impeded as they passed through the white boat.

"Ruined!"

Bai Zhou's heart tightened.

But just then——

"Buzz!"

At the same time, the gold ring on Bai Zhou's left hand sent a burning, scalding sensation through it.

In a daze, Bai Zhou saw a wisp of golden light bloom before his eyes.

Immediately afterwards, the ripple passed smoothly through the white boat and continued to move into the distance.

It was as if nothing had just happened.

"what……"

Bai Zhou was filled with doubt, but he soon seemed to have found some kind of answer.

Because the Senate was turning around while asking questions of the sky.

As the Senate respectfully invited the Emperor, a mysterious and extraordinary statue slowly rose from the center of the palace, which served as its head.

Bai Zhou caught a glimpse of the statue in the distance, and in a daze, a colossal statue filled the depths of his mind.

The statue is made of a material that resembles both jade and metal, and is enveloped in a golden-white radiance that seems to have solidified.

Just seeing the statue made Bai Zhou feel as if his eyes were being scorched by the sun, and as if he were hanging on an execution platform with blades hanging from it, with needle-like pain piercing through his muscles.

His prototype is neither male nor female, with blurred features, as if separated by a layer of flowing flames and watermarks, or any definition of gender and appearance would be a desecration of it.

He sat there on the throne, dressed in magnificent robes, with a scepter beside him, exuding an indescribable holiness and supreme majesty.

This majesty even possesses a certain tangible quality, radiating outwards like a gravitational field, becoming the source of the suffocating oppressive feeling emanating from the Senate.

With just one glance, Bai Zhou trembled inexplicably, tears streaming down his face. It was as if he had seen an incomprehensible, majestic being, and felt as insignificant as dust.

In a daze, Bai Zhou felt that what he saw was not a statue, but also not a living person, and certainly not a god...

Rather, it is a kind of "law" that symbolizes truth and governs the world!
Supreme! Not to be profaned!
"This is……?"

However, even though his eyes felt like they were being burned and his whole body was trembling, Bai Zhou still secretly peered at the statue of the "King".

—Because, on the head of that statue, a crown was prominently displayed!
A crown of thorns!
The crown is covered with ancient and intricate patterns, and is surrounded by twelve sharp spikes. Each pair of spikes is curved, with their tips touching to support six gemstones of different colors.

"Plop! Plop!"

At that moment, Bai Zhou's heart was beating faster than a mouse seeing sesame oil.

Because, apart from the six gems at the top, the shape of the thorn crown on the head of this mysterious imperial statue—

It's exactly the same as the "ring" on Bai Zhou's hand!
"rumble……"

The sky trembled.

After the temple inspected the temple, the Senate turned back.

It also said:
"To prevent any remaining rebels from surviving, the 'Purge Agreement' will now be further implemented."

"We humbly beseech Your Majesty to bestow your great power and cleanse the remaining influence of the evil gods!"

An arm, resembling a pile of boulders gleaming with metallic sheen, was slightly raised. A palace-shaped head indifferently surveyed the city teeming with fleeing Bone Clan members.

"This city..."

"It's filthy."

The moment the words fell.

Divine punishment descends.

Countless golden rays rippled from the imperial statue deep within the palace, and were reverently held up by the giant hand of the Senate.

Then, the giant hand slowly passed through the clouds and slapped down a patch of golden light.

"boom!!!"

The golden light descended from the heavens, instantly transforming into a golden ocean that surged forth with unstoppable momentum, as if a great flood from the sky were purifying everything in the human world.

"Do not!!!"

"What is this!"

The cries of anguish were everywhere, sweeping across the entire city.

Amidst screams, countless Bone Clan members fell into it, instantly corrupted and perished.

"not good!"

Seeing the raging flood approaching from the distant white boat, the black cat turned and fled.

At this very moment, the clock tower in the city center points to 35:59:45.

There are fifteen seconds left to reach 36 points.

But those were fifteen seconds that were a matter of life and death!

A golden sea of ​​light surged in, briefly blocked by the buildings, before flowing into different streets.

They do not damage buildings, but only inflict fatal damage on fleeing Bone Clan members.

But Bai Zhou dared not gamble that he too would be unharmed.

The ring may be a ring, but he still carries what these people call the "mark of terror" on his body!

ten seconds.

The sea of ​​light surged forth, forming a colossal wall that blotted out the sky, and the white boat was now just one street away.

Eight seconds.

The street behind him was submerged, and Bai Zhou ran out with all his might.

Five seconds.

The sea of ​​light is about to engulf the white boat.

"Jingle Bell……"

Behind the black cat, the bell on the ninth tail jingled softly, producing a crisp sound that only Bai Zhou could hear.

The last usable [Night Roam] before the cooldown ends —

launch!

"Wow!"

The sea of ​​light descended, submerging the spot where the white boat had just appeared.

But Bai Zhou's figure disappeared from the spot and reappeared at the end of the line of sight, once again creating a street's distance between him and Guang Hai.

In the vast city, bone creatures could be submerged by the sea of ​​light at any moment, while on one of the streets, an inconspicuous black cat was running at full speed.

On his escape, he witnessed two Bone Clan members being swallowed by the sea of ​​light amidst their angry roars of resentment.

And then... no more.

will die! will die! will die!

Live on! Live on! Live on—

There was only one thought in my mind, and eventually even that thought disappeared. When I ran, all I could hear was the whistling wind in my ears.

The white boat was running at full speed, as if it wanted to expel its lungs.

In fact, the body had already reached its limit, and all the spiritual energy was being ignited and accelerated without reservation. Bai Zhou squeezed out all the potential of this body.

three seconds.

two seconds.

Guanghai catches up with Baizhou again!

This life-or-death race has reached its final sprint.

Before the white boat was submerged, the rolling waves splashed out a few streaks of light, which first splashed onto the boat's legs.

"Chichi-"

The sound of corrosion and smoke filled the air.

Bai Zhou let out a low growl of pain, his body struck as if by lightning as he leaped into the air, his running rhythm abruptly halted.

But he ultimately managed to escape a wave crashing over him with that leap!
Last second!
The clock tower chimes, and the bell waves ripple.

"Boom!!!"

Although not as spectacular as the thousand bells ringing in the inverted city, the dull sound of the bells still drowned out the waves that echoed throughout the city, becoming the sole protagonist of the entire scene at that moment.

"Buzz!"

As Bai Zhou wished, the golden pass on his chest vibrated.

It's as if they're asking Bai Zhou whether he wants to return to the real world.
you still need to ask?

"Return! Return! Return! Return!"

Despite the excruciating pain in his thighs and back, Bai Zhou, who was fleeing at top speed, responded immediately.

The next moment.

The golden waves behind them, just one centimeter away from the white boat, seemed to freeze in time.

Time seemed to freeze.

Bai Zhou's vision was flooded with golden light, as if he were stepping onto that mysterious golden road once again.

When I opened my eyes again...

Before them were no longer the dilapidated city and the classical streets ravaged by war, and behind them was no longer the purifying sea of ​​light that seemed to be killing them.

Standing atop the rooftop, with the night sky overhead and neon lights flashing in the distance.

The neon sign that read "Welcome to Tinghai" was reflected in Bai Zhou's vision.

A gentle breeze whispers past my ears, and the aroma of roasted coffee beans fills the air, bringing a sense of peace.

The familiar taste has become an anchor point for Bai Zhou's return to the real world.

"..."

Raising his head, under the silvery moonlight, Crow was looking at him with a puzzled expression.

After all, Bai Zhou was dressed in a very disheveled state at the moment, with the clothes on his back and thighs missing, as if they had been corroded by something.

In Bai Zhou's hands, there was even something he was carrying...

A huge head?!

Whose head is that?!
"I'm back!"

He is still alive!

After patting his face and chest twice to confirm that he was alive, Bai Zhou finally breathed a sigh of relief.

But what followed was a violent, overwhelming pain that surged from his thighs and back, as if something was tearing away at Bai Zhou's flesh piece by piece.

These previously unfelt pains surged forth like a flood bursting its banks after the relief was felt, almost causing Bai Zhou to faint.

What's even harder to bear is that it started to rain.

"...I need to find a place to heal my wounds again."

Just as Bai Zhou was thinking this, a sudden change occurred.

"Buzz!"

A few streaks of pure white moonlight, as if drawn by some force, pierced through the dark clouds in the sky and shone on the white boat.

To be precise, the light shone on the back of the white boat!
The shadow of the pale giant wolf loomed behind Bai Zhou, resonating with the totem tattoo on his back and accelerating the healing of his injuries.

But it left the crow bewildered.

no……

Didn't you go to Yuanmeng Middle School in the Reflection Ruins to scout out the location in advance?

A middle school... they can still give you tattoos?

—What have you been doing?
(End of this chapter)