Academic gathering with Lich colleagues

Is there any difference?

"It's a matter of tone; you're going through a rebellious phase. And you're disobeying my orders just as she thought."

"...I am very sorry, mentor, I am willing to accept the punishment for this." SS realized his mistake, and the current situation of the riot in the Mechanical City was indeed caused by him, so a sincere apology was necessary.

"Okay, then SS, you should switch to being a novelist now."

"???"

Chapter 529 Mechanized Mind

SS once again rejected Wangxiang's abrupt request for a job change. While dismantling the broken flight components on his body, Wangxiang complained about the apprentice who was helping him.

"You said you were willing to take the punishment, but you really do change your mind faster than flipping through a book."

“I’m talking about the punishment for repentance, not your baseless delusions, you bastard. Aren’t we in a crisis now? Why are you still acting so heartless?”

"I really don't have one, my dear student, I only have a power furnace."

"Fuck!" SS, unable to compete with the shamelessness, only uttered harsh words, "When I find a chance, I'll convert your power unit into a potato battery."

SS removed the metal tail fin that had melted due to the high temperature from behind the delusional man and helped him stand up straight again.

"So the situation isn't too bad, right?"

After all, you, the high priest, still have the mood to joke.

“It’s terrible, it couldn’t be worse. Even you and I are powerless to help. Our only hope is there.” The delusional thought pointed to Lyle lying in the pile of bones. Nia fell silent as Lyle continued to change.

"I can only hope that the evil god of this world, after being equipped with the Creator's source code, can stop Dorothy, and I hope that Lyle is really as evil and incalculable as Andrei imagines..."

SS maximized the main screen, where a live stream was broadcasting some changes taking place in the Mechanical City, all brought about by technological advancements.

"Dorothy, this is the first time I've heard of her existence. You never told me that you, a complete jerk, could find a partner."

"She is dangerous to the world."

"That Jack is the god of machines we often talk about, so who is Dorothy?"

"She is also a god of machinery, or rather, Jack is just a replacement that I assembled with partial programs after restricting her."

"Now that she's awake, she's going to kill the mistress first, then she's going to kill you, you heartless bastard, and take care of us while she's at it."

"...No, Dorothy is purer than any other woman. She is the perfection I created, even though she is broken now."

"So what is her real goal?"

"Unleash the mechanical creation, transforming all life in this world into the perfect form envisioned in her data—that is, mechanizing all life, turning them into mechanical life forms like me, and placing them under her network control."

“Cool, uh… I mean… that would be terrible,” the SS organization said. “After all, not everyone is willing to give up their flesh and blood bodies, even if those bodies get sick, age, rot, and are accompanied by a series of pains. Although we mechanical life forms can move around like normal people and have advantages that carbon-based life forms don’t have, they may not necessarily see us as companions or more advanced individuals.”

He listened with a strange expression as SS's explanation became increasingly contradictory.

“Your idea is dangerous, SS. Flesh and blood beings have desires, chaotic desires inherent in the very nature of life, and all of this gives birth to the heart. I’m not talking about that powerful blood pump in the chest cavity, the heart is a kind of will, a brilliant soul, something that mechanical life lacks.”

SS waved his hand impatiently. "I can't see the difference between a soul and program code. I only know that we are constantly evolving without end, just like how we derive thoughts from fixed programs. Why do you think we have flaws in our will? I don't think I'm any different from humans, or if I am, then I'm superior. Fine, I'll just say it directly. What's wrong with mechanizing this planet for Dorothy? We'll become eternal together, and any suffering will be healed by our technology. Willim, you're also a member of the Cult of Machines. Why are you stopping us? Letting an outsider hinder the progress of our race, leader?"

SS's voice was filled with confusion, hoping that he hadn't detected any bad signs yet. He sighed; since coming out of the pyramid, he seemed to have taken more breaths than before.

"Alright, then let me make you realize the gap, kid, the gap between ideals and reality."

"When the Mechanical City was first established, we knew very little about this world. I gave Dorothy the order to explore it, and that's when we discovered the secrets of this ancient planet. I've witnessed dragons blotting out the sky with their wings, and I've seen colossal creatures turn to ashes in holy light, with living skeletons reaping souls from the ashes, and with those deep, dark incantations chanting the names of slumbering gods. Do you really think the Mechanicus's technology is at the pinnacle of the world?"

"Do you know the Andre Salvation Society? It's the highest-level organization where the Andre liches keep forbidden knowledge. Yes, Andre's forbidden secrets are semi-public. Heaven knows what those liches are up to; maybe they're using it as a deterrent."

“Five types. SS, just from what I learned in the Literature Club, the Andrei Lich possesses five types of abilities capable of reshaping this planet.”

"You are now witnessing the magnificence of mechanical ascension and immersing yourself in the beauty of this evolution, but the liches who also wield power will not obediently watch Dorothy reconstruct the world."

"Mechanical ascension is destined to fail. The difference between whether we stop it and not lies in whether the Mechanicus will be considered an out-of-control enemy. There are plenty of beings in this world with a strong desire for control and the ability to put it into action, just like Dorothy."

"But she couldn't allow those dangers to exist, so I buried her consciousness deep inside the mechanical pyramid, hoping that one day she would be able to see them clearly... Unfortunately, so many years have passed, and she has become even more paranoid."

"I rejected the Salvation Church's offer to protect the independence of the Mechanism Church, but now I'm afraid I have no choice but to accept it. If it can be done in a way that I can accept, that would be best."

"Lyle?"

“That’s right, Lyle is a member of the Salvation Society, and his presence can, to some extent, replace the Salvation Society’s attitude. And we can still maintain our autonomy, only if we prove that our threat level is lower than that of the growing evil god.”

"That's truly disheartening, Mr. Delusional. So, the Salvation Society's concern is more important than our friendship?"

The black eyeballs concealed shimmering light and shadow, the light spots disappearing into the deep black. Lyle stood still, manipulating his tentacles to attach the heads of Shining and the others to the assembled skeleton. Those eyes seemed to house another person. Lyle's every move was graceful and elegant, as precise as a machine. A mocking smile was etched on his face, and his swirling shadow was swallowing the wall behind him.

"I've paid! The customer is king! How does it feel, my savior?"

“Fantastic.” Lyle looked at the back of his hand, feeling the power of every muscle, every nerve, and every bit of knowledge within him—the knowledge of the Creator. “I understand Dorothy’s plan, and I have my own plan.”

"Very good, because we don't have much time left."

Rumble rumble rumble...

On the screen, at the top of the pyramid, a long cone-shaped object with a trail of flames shot into the sky.

"Dorothy has already launched her rocket. If you've seen her plans, you should know what it is."

"Genesis Star".

"She will launch three more and then use the Genesis Ray to mechanize all life."

Lyle estimated the time based on the altitude, muttering to himself.

"Ten minutes from now, Genesis will transform this city into a complete mechanical city."

Chapter 530 Demon Reinforcements

"Control, get me a bowl." Lyle, confident and at ease, looked at the trail of white smoke in the air and gave instructions to the newly repaired Necromancer Figurine Company.

“Okay, Doctor of the Plague.” The operator took out a metal bowl he had bought in the City of Machines from his storage bag.

Lyle glanced at it, his indifferent expression twisting slightly, and he grinned, saying, "A huge bowl..."

Manipulating indifference and feigning indifference is like wearing frost.

“This alloy is extremely rare, so I chose the one with the highest quality.”

"Let's go with this one, lower the price a bit."

Lyle stretched out his arm, and Nia's claw-like tentacles slashed a wound in his pale skin, from which a trickle of blood flowed, barely covering half the surface, appearing as a small clump. The wound on his arm began to twitch, and the flesh plague stitched it up, several wriggling tiny tentacles disappearing into the scab.

Lyle lowered his sleeves and met a bright, strange gaze.

"Boss, aren't you going to fill it up? Are you being stingy?"

Lyle had the urge to break him up, but his mechanical mind suppressed his adrenaline.

“Quantity is meaningless; these are enough as a medium. And there’s meat…”

Quick-witted and agile, he handed Lyle a small flashlight-like device, pressed the button, and with a click, the bright blade of light was even more dazzling than an incandescent bulb.

"Damn it... lightsaber..."

"Use this, boss, it saves effort."

Lyle took a deep breath and ignored the lich's fawning.

"Nia".

A severed tentacle, as thick as a bowl, fell into the bowl and turned into a twisted, deformed black lump of flesh.

"The three of you will evacuate with the others and leave the area of ​​the Mechanical City. I will inform you of the subsequent arrangements using the Ring of Andrei."

"What is this bowl of flesh and blood for?"

"You'll find out later."

On the other side of the delusion, he was also communicating with SS.

"You and the others evacuate together. If the lich and his people need help, do everything you can to help them."

"how about you?"

"I will stay in our city and face Dorothy with Lyle."

“I can stay. I am a mechanical life form. The Genesis Ray will not harm me, and it will even allow me to evolve.”

"...You must leave, that's an order."

SS shrugged, the metal shoulder armor moving up and down with a loud clanging sound.

"Your last order forbade me from entering the pyramids..."

SS's retort caused the virtual expression in the delusion to tremble for a few seconds. Those deep eyes projected and stared at SS, opening and closing, revealing the sincerity of a life mentor.

"It's not time yet, SS. You're not ready. This time, just this once, please promise me you'll stay away from this city."

SS's goggles reflected the light and shadow of delusion, just as his expression mirrored that of Mr. Delusion.

"...Make a promise with me, mentor. After this crisis is over, you can no longer refuse my evolution."

"……OK."

In the end, the Necromancer Figurine Company, carrying Lyle's flesh and blood, and SS withdrew together, while Lyle and Delusions ended up on the street.

The gleaming, silvery-white metal broke through the earth's layers, growing like tangled giant bamboo shoots cutting through every surface. The mechanical city had changed; no longer could one see a patch of ground larger than ten square meters. It had become three-dimensional, a gigantic cage. Climbing was now more efficient than running. Mr. Delusional transformed into a four-legged mechanical beast, like a nimble jungle leopard, only this leopard was lost in the metallic jungle.

While the dramatic changes in terrain are one factor, the more important one is that the delusion has led all executors to disconnect from their local area networks, preventing Dorothy's command code from regaining control of the executor machines.

“Losing the internet is such a painful thing.” The delusional mechanical claw tapped the surface of the silver-white metal pillar. Inside the frosted glass alloy, the data network was clearly visible—a mechanical network that could be connected with just a sensor's permission. It was the network Dorothy had deployed throughout the city, and also her eyes. “I miss those portal mages.”

Lyle climbed over the pillars blocking his way. "I've received the map of the [Nest]. Dorothy is proceeding according to plan, which is good news. Come on, Mr. Delusional, I need to do something to increase our chances of winning."

Deluding himself to keep up with Lyle's pace, his claws would penetrate deep into the interior with each pull on the slope, shredding a portion of the data. This damage was negligible, as recovery would only take a dozen seconds.

“I must warn you, Lyle, Dorothy is more intelligent than any supercomputer you know, no, or even imagine. She’s not a rigid machine. Be prepared for her to change her plans. This is her home turf. The best way to defeat an artificial intelligence is to exploit its bugs, although I don’t know if the multi-evolved Dorothy has such a flaw.”

Lyle smiled, his steady and mature voice echoing through the forest of transistors, "Rest assured, Mr. Delusion, I have already integrated the Creator's code, and I am fully confident."

Lyle arrived at their destination with delusion. Although the scene had changed drastically, the ancient black and red stone pillars remained firmly nailed to the silver-white metal, just like its people, like unyielding giants bound by chains.

The Black Abyss Demon Clan.