[Achievement Hidden 7/?]
[User has obtained the special fixed title "Appearance of the Ancient God"]
[User has gained "Ancient Memory I"]
[Appearance of the Ancient God: Gains "Ancient Deity Light." When releasing "Ancient Deity Light," any non-aligned creatures within the area must undergo a round of will appraisal while observing you. Failure in will appraisal results in loss of Sanity Points 1D10/1D100. Sanity Points cannot be recovered, cannot be healed. When reduced to zero, the target will immediately go mad (You have learned the truth of this world, and you yourself are a part of this truth, but this does not mean that mortals can comprehend your existence. They worship you, fear you, until they can no longer resist the secrets hidden behind the world.)]
What kind of bizarre thing is this?
Seeing this reward, Fang Zheng was completely speechless. However, just for now, this thing seems to be similar to Dragon Might and Divine Might... Hmm, Fang Zheng couldn’t help but be curious about what mortals would see when he releases the Ancient Deity Light.
You have to know that just now, when killing Nyarlathotep, Fang Zheng felt it indeed. He had to admit that the sensation wasn’t pleasant — not only visually shocking, but even sense of touch, smell, hearing, everything was overturned. No wonder everyone assimilated by Cthulhu goes insane.
Following this development, if not driven mad, then the only option could be suicide to escape this nightmare.
Perhaps I should find someone to test this when time permits?
Forget it, that’s not the point. The point is...
This.
Fang Zheng looked at the slowly rotating block in his hand. It appeared in his hand just now, and according to the system prompt, it’s called "Ancient Memory I"?
So, there are more than one?
Anyway, let’s take a look inside first.
Thinking of this, Fang Zheng tightly gripped the block. Soon, the block shattered in his hand, merging with a streak of gold light into his body.
Next, everything went pitch black before Fang Zheng’s eyes.
A voice echoed in his mind.
"Perhaps, chaos doesn’t exist in this world."
Accompanied by this voice, the scene before Fang Zheng suddenly opened up. He opened his eyes and found himself in what seemed to be some high-tech laboratory. Beside him stood a woman — Fang Zheng immediately recognized that this woman was none other than the Goddess of Order.
However, the current appearance of the Goddess of Order seemed somewhat peculiar.
She extended her hand, looking at the Star Map that emerged in it, with an expression appearing somewhat bewildered and contorted.
"Perhaps this is the truth. I have made a mistake; we have all made mistakes. Chaos never existed in the world; it is just another form of order that we cannot comprehend. Order itself is eternal and unchanging, but chaos is because we cannot reach that endpoint — the existence before the universe began, because it simply doesn’t exist. We are just part of it, like any other creation, we are just one of them."
As she spoke, the tone of the Goddess of Order became somewhat agitated.
"That’s right, my people and I were wrong. We are not the gods who created the world; we are merely a part of it. Our duties and missions are here, and our authority is here. We cannot cross the boundary of chaos, into a realm that we simply cannot comprehend."
As she said this, the Goddess of Order murmured to herself, turning her head to look at a glass jar behind her. Fang Zheng could see a dirty, massive, pitch-black, and constantly writhing mass of flesh inside, gradually swelling.
"Although it’s risky, it’s not impossible. If it succeeds, at least it would be a choice. The boundary between order and chaos isn’t clear. Perhaps from the beginning, the two were interdependent, and we shouldn’t try to separate them..."
With that, the Goddess of Order dejectedly lowered her head.
"But this also comes with risks, and that is..."
The memory ended here.
"Damn!"
Fang Zheng muttered in dissatisfaction, opening his eyes. This is just like a TV show, leaving you wanting more in the next episode, huh?
Although incomplete, Fang Zheng still gained quite a bit of information. At least now, he could confirm that this world was indeed the laboratory of the Goddess of Order. However, contrary to what he anticipated, it appeared that the Goddess of Order altered her viewpoint here, according to her theory, the so-called chaos was just another form of order that we couldn’t comprehend... Hmm, admittedly, this theory seems to have some merit.
Sadly, the Goddess of Order didn’t elaborate, but presumably, she hadn’t disseminated this information either. Otherwise, if the Sanctuary that worships the Goddess of Order discovered it, it would cause an uproar.
But even the Order Clan has things it can’t achieve... Hmm, this is quite normal. Fang Zheng can understand, being the Time Dragon himself, he too is limited. If Fang Zheng wishes, he can leap to the time axis of the universe’s initial explosion or the world’s end.
But even then, he can’t access the time axis before the universe’s initial explosion — because it doesn’t exist.
Yet, that’s impossible. That point in time must exist, yet Fang Zheng cannot reach it. Just like NPCs in games can only roam within the game world. No matter how vast the map is, you can’t exit the computer.
"I don’t enjoy contemplating philosophical issues."
Fang Zheng shook his head and stood up, patting off dust. He had no interest in questions like "Who am I, from where did I come, where am I going to?" But for now, solving this perennial issue left by the Order Clan might require him to take up philosophy studies -—in universities, out of ten philosophy departments, eight are suicidal, while the remaining two have attempted and failed. Fang Zheng thought he might end up as one of them.
"Master? Are you okay?"
At this time, the Nymph came over, concernedly looking at Fang Zheng, who reached out and patted her head.
"No problem, it’s all sorted. Just found some clues... By the way, how’s the old man?"
"Still lying there, stable vital signs."
"Good, let’s take him back then."
Because Fang Zheng triggered the sealing domain, the previous earth-shattering battle went unnoticed within the camp. While the old man suffered a severe fever afterward, continuing the excavation was evidently not feasible under these circumstances. Thus, the expedition had no choice but to head back... for the second time.
Fang Zheng didn’t mind, anyway, he had acquired everything he needed. Although Professor Allen apologized and tried to make amends, Fang Zheng magnanimously waived it off (it wasn’t his money, after all).
While on the plane heading back to the city, Fang Zheng and Nymph discussed this issue, but the Little Angel had a completely different take.
"Ugh... As I see it, Master, we can never truly comprehend chaos."
"Oh? Why is that?"
"Because our understanding is built on the very foundation of our order and knowledge. We can’t change this foundation."
Nymph slightly shook her head.
"As the Omnipotent Angel, I can only consider matters from this perspective. Certainly, I can grasp some human actions, but that doesn’t mean I truly understand why they do it. For instance, being so enthusiastic about reproductive activities, yet always focusing on avoiding pregnancy..."
"Ahem, you better not dwell on that topic."
Fang Zheng quickly coughed a few times, steering the conversation away, but afterward, he too furrowed his brows.
"So you mean, we’ll never be able to understand or master the rules on that side?"
"Yes, that’s how I perceive it. My foundational memory and reasoning were constructed in this way, and if Master wants me to think like Miss Asuna or Miss Filo, you would need to reformat my baseline code, and then recompile my thought process. But even so, due to various random and uncertain characteristics, I cannot guarantee that even if I integrate the same reasoning, I will take identical actions to myself."
"Makes sense..."
Hearing this, Fang Zheng sighed deeply and turned his gaze outward toward the sky. As Nymph mentioned, whatever they try to comprehend, their reasoning base is grounded in everything they have learned up to now. And if they abandoned this base, they would be just like those crazies in this world who went insane after confronting the Ancient Gods.
If that’s the case, then the conflict between order and chaos would likely be unresolved.
Forget it, it’s not his problem to worry about anyway.
Fang Zheng shook his head. Eradicating chaos might be the Order Clan’s ambition, but for Fang Zheng, he just wants to survive. If he could, he’d rather construct this Star System into a turtle shell and dwell there until the end of time, uninvolved with the chaos outside.
Alas, unfortunately, it’s only a dream.
Although there’s still a lot of trouble unresolved, for Fang Zheng at least he has found clues — evidently, these Ancient Memories pertain to the secret of the Goddess of Order in this world, and besides Nyarlathotep, whoever possesses the Ancient Memory should be Yog-Sothoth and Sabrinicolas, the rest of the Three Pillar Gods...
That means, in any case, he has to find those two guys first.
As for Azathoth...
Recalling the memory where he saw the ceaselessly wriggling massive black flesh in the goddess’s laboratory, Fang Zheng sighed.
Forget it, when the time comes, I’ll see what to do then.

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