The Artifact Forger from the Beginning of Collapse

But the contents of the Miracle Card called "Game of Life" in Mei's hand told her that what the boy said was "true".

“It didn’t exist before, but it came after I arrived.”

"But since you are about to resolve the Honkai, is it really necessary for me, who once led the Firemoth in its original destiny, to try leading the Firemoth again?"

Mei has already learned a lot from Chen Li.

"Don't put so much pressure on yourself. People always need to eat, and you'll have to go to work eventually. So why can't your job be the Earth's governor? Besides, once you awaken your civilization's consciousness, all you need to do is be the dictator. Someone else will take care of the rest," Chen Li said.

Dictators only need to assign jobs to others.

"Since your job is so easy, why don't you manage the world yourself? As the savior who saved the world, you are the one who is most qualified."

"Me? I can't do it. I'm just a despicable outsider. I came to this world just to get some Miracle Crystals. And nobody knows me." Chen Li shook his head.

"But......"

“And I’ve also provided you with an artificial intelligence as your temporary assistant.” Chen Li held up one finger.

"Who? The Prometheus 17 you mentioned?"

"No, it's a bell!" Chen Li said as he took out the Key of Erosion, Jizo Soul.

"???"

"Let me introduce you. This is Rin, Sakura's younger sister, and the future Herrscher of Erosion. As I mentioned before, every Herrscher has powers beyond reason. The Herrscher of Erosion's power is that her true form is an ultimate virus with self-awareness, capable of eroding and controlling living beings and machines."

"What does this have to do with artificial intelligence...? You mean that since the Herrscher of Corruption can corrupt and control machines, it's essentially no different from artificial intelligence... except for the vast difference in computing power?" Mei instantly realized.

As we all know, artificial intelligence is not intelligent.

Artificial intelligence is just a set of logic. If you can control a computer and make it give you any answer you want, then you are no different from artificial intelligence.

"I don't want to work, I'm still a child!" Upon hearing that she, the ultimate virus, was to be used as artificial intelligence, Rin started rolling around in the air.

I heard that artificial intelligence works year-round without pay!

Do you know how terrifying this is for a child who is over 5 years old?

"Also, this is the Void Treasury, containing the knowledge of the First Civilization Era, which is all the knowledge of that civilization. It can serve as your teacher, computer, assistant, self-defense weapon, and chat partner." Chen Li then placed another Divine Key into Mei's hand.

After being teased by Vilvi, Void Treasury became obedient.

Furthermore, each of the Divine Keys incorporates a part of the previous civilization's artificial intelligence, Prometheus, which was created by Dr. May from the previous civilization. Therefore, Void Archives could very well become May's good teacher.

Whether it's in terms of knowledge transmission or human nature...

Having stayed by Otto's side for 500 years, Void Archives could easily be used as another Otto.

The downside of Jizo Mitama is that it can be used as an artificial intelligence, but as the Herrscher of Erosion, Rin is not mature enough.

The Void Treasury perfectly compensates for this.

After handing both Divine Keys to Mei, Chen Li stood up, turned around, and left, as if he had made up his mind.

"Where are you going?" Mei called out to Chen Li.

Mei hasn't fully accepted this sudden job yet.

"Go do something more important."

"whats the matter?"

"Go to Twilight Street and adopt a cat."

"what?"

......

“Vilvie, what if I stand in front of Twilight Street for 30 seconds? If I don’t see Pado, I’ll leave immediately and never come here again. If I do see Pado, I’ll give her a large sum of gold and help her merge with the cats of the Upside-Down World… Is Pado lucky enough to appear in front of me within 30 seconds?” Chen Li asked, standing in front of Twilight Street.

Led by Vilvi, Chen Li arrived at Twilight Street.

—This place is full of talented people.

In the original First Civilization Era (the pre-civilization), Qianjie once worked as a porter at a sanatorium here, Aponia once ran a sanatorium here, Paddo grew up here, and Velvi once performed magic here...

It was precisely because Wilvi knew Twilight Street well that she accompanied Chen Li.

"Gold? Sir, are you doing business in Twilight Street? Do you need a guide?" The word "gold" seemed to trigger a certain keyword, and a nimble and agile figure quickly appeared in front of the two.

"...I don't think I need to say more, do I?" Looking at the figure, Velvi shrugged.

"..." Chen Li stared speechlessly at the person in front of him.

Did you only hear the word "gold" and not hear me call your name?

"Let me introduce myself, gentlemen. My name is Paddy Phyllis. Whatever you two are doing in Twilight Street, I have connections. From buying weapons to finding people or cats... and of course, you know, payment is indispensable." A girl with short brown hair peeking out from under a hat stood in front of Chen Li and introduced herself with considerable confidence.

The girl's eyes revealed a shrewdness that was three parts worldly wisdom and seven parts cleverness.

He wore a short black jacket on his upper body and hot pants that revealed his fair and slender thighs and waist. The hood he wore covered his hair and forehead, giving him the appearance of a wandering merchant.

“Buying weapons is unnecessary, but the business of finding missing persons and cats perfectly suits my needs.” Chen Li nodded.

“Really? We’re experts at this! We know all the cats on Twilight Street. Tell me, boss, what does the cat you’re looking for look like? What are its characteristics? We’ll find your cat within three days!” Paddo Phyllis was intrigued.

"I'm talking about finding a person or a cat, why is your focus entirely on the cat?"

"Ahaha...sorry."

For Patto Phyllis, cats are much easier to get along with than people.

At least Paddo Phyllis can learn a lot of survival skills from the cat, while humans may become obstacles to her survival.

"In short, as long as the pay is right, there's nothing we can't do in the entire Twilight Street!"

"Really?"

"real."

"You'll do anything if you're paid enough?"

"Of course!"

"Bodyguards will do too?"

"Of course! No, wait, that won't do. We don't fight."

"Oh, too late." Chen Li opened his hand, and the forced transaction gold coins, radiating golden light, sat quietly in his palm.

"What is this?" Pado felt a sense of foreboding.

“Unique Item: Forced Transaction Gold Coin. Contracts signed with this gold coin will be forcibly executed as long as both parties agree. But don’t worry, I’ll pay you back,” Chen Li said.

"Boss, you...you...you're so despicable!" Pado's fingers were trembling.

"Snap!" Chen Li snapped his fingers.

Countless gold coins rained down from the spatial rift that appeared beside Chen Li, piling up into a small mountain of gold coins right next to him.

"This is your salary for one month."

"I'm sorry, I take back what I just said!" Pado threw herself onto the small mountain of gold coins and refused to leave.

Pado picked up a gold coin and examined its golden luster...

"But boss... why have I never seen this design of your gold coins before?"

"Oh, because these are merit coins. They're not real gold, and they were never issued, so you've never seen them before."

"What? It's not real gold?!" Paddo exploded in anger.

"But this is much more valuable than real gold. Would you like me to explain its effects to you?"

"Boss, you'd better give me a reasonable explanation, or I, Pado, am not someone to be trifled with!" Pado clenched her fist and waved it twice.

"Okay, okay... Do you see the burly man over there?" Chen Li pointed to a burly man with a fierce look on his face at the entrance of Twilight Street.

"Ah! Damn it! The Viper Gang! Boss, let's get ready to run!" When she saw that person, Pado shrank back and hid behind Chen Li.

Pado was so blinded by the gold coins that she almost forgot the rule of not flaunting wealth on Dusk Street.

"The Viper Gang?" Chen Li was taken aback by the name.

"That's right! This is one of the eighteen most famous gangs on Twilight Street!"

"...Eighteen major gangs? That many?"

"Uh, boss, you probably don't know, but the situation on Twilight Street is far too complicated."

"Wait." Chen Li picked up a gold coin from the pile of gold coins, walked over to the person, and tossed the coin to them.

The burly man greedily accepted the merit coin.

But the merit coins turned dull instantly after they landed in his hands.

Chen Li nodded in satisfaction.

This proves that the other party is unworthy of their position.

Which position are you asking about?

As a human being.

"Slap!" Chen Li snatched back the praise for lofty morality, and then slapped the other party across the face. The two-meter-tall strong man was sent flying through the air, spinning 720 degrees before landing on the ground.

The burly man, who was dazed and confused from the fall, took a while to stand up, then looked at Chen Li angrily.