Chapter 423: Dream Begins

The Sakura Emperor strode forward. "The world is a ring! We have returned to the initial moment. If the Ishdals' civilization is likened to a great dream in memory, then we have returned to where that dream began."

Within his brain, a parallel universe had already formed. This supercomputer, now a deity, had constructed a vast virtual network world, broad and boundless, teeming with flowers, trees, insects, fish, birds, and beasts. Most of the life from the ancient Lava Land had migrated there. The energy gathered, in addition to the 1.1 billion sea creatures, also came from the slaughter of thirty-seven high-level demonic beast races, an amount that had long surpassed the energy of ordinary high-level deities.

They recuperated there, being born, growing, aging, and becoming stronger. The more their population multiplied, the more prosperous and vast the online game world in their dreams became, and the more 'memories' filled his mind, making the Sakura Deity even stronger. This path allowed him to grow stronger simply by resting and dozing, 'dreaming,' and cultivating by creating a myriad of worlds within his dreams. It was akin to an alternative form of meditation, herding all living beings within his brain; the more he nurtured, the more powerful entities grew within his mind, and the stronger he became. This perfectly aligned with the sarcastic adage that suggested if one wished to grow stronger, they should simply dream, as everything could be found there. It was perfectly apt!

Inside the research institute.

A group of the top Ishdali scientists, dressed in white lab coats, observed the data. Their expressions were far from calm; they were incredibly surprised, some even shouting in astonishment. They exclaimed in shock, wondering if this was the reason for the super-ancient civilization's destruction. They questioned whether the Ishdals themselves were the 'corpse race' from the previous era.

Nearby, Hailan Dong, who had already achieved godhood, was also breaking out in a cold sweat. His pupils were dilated, and his breathing was rapid and shallow. He gasped, realizing, "This... this is the truth of the world!" He speculated that in the era of the super-ancient deities, perhaps only zombies existed. Fenba, who was infected back then, was likely forcibly transformed into a demonic beast, then bred, trained, and released back into the ecosystem.

His expression shifted, his thoughts almost grinding to a halt. After a long while, he sighed deeply and composed himself. Hailan Dong concluded that his Naga race was once human. A giant dragon, its eyes wide, realized that its Dragon race was also human. The terrifying nine-headed sea beast, the Hydra Overlord, gaped, realizing that its race was actually human. Other Demonic Beast Heavenly Emperors from various races rushed to the scene; they were incredibly shocked! The implications were truly horrifying. Their lifelong worldview was completely overturned by a truth so unimaginable, leading to the most chilling and unexpected terrifying conclusion.

Hailan Dong couldn't help but whisper, "What exactly did the super-ancient deity mean back then?" The surrounding demonic beast races held their breath. Caroline sighed softly, questioning if it still mattered. Hailan Dong took a deep breath, gradually regaining his composure. Indeed! Now that they knew the whole truth, that sentence no longer mattered!

Michia Ranch.

In the distance, the faint glow of lava rivers shimmered, their warm afterglow resembling a sunset. Graves and crumbling ruins dotted the land, while a damaged steam-powered mechanical windmill in the distance generated a breeze that swept across the somewhat withered great prairie.

"I had considered where this chapter should close, where an ancient civilization would find its eternal rest, and I ultimately chose this place," the Sakura Emperor said. He stood before a tombstone, holding a red umbrella and a bottle of wine, taking sips now and then. He stated, "This is the origin of everything: your origin, the origin of the age of electricity... and the origin of our Ishdals’ technology."

Levius.

The tombstone bore only three simple characters. There was no biography, no dates of birth or death; just those three characters represented all past glory. No Ishdal was unfamiliar with that name; it symbolized everything.

Caroline took a sip of wine, gazing at the solitary tombstone. Suddenly, her mood became exceptionally calm. She wondered, "What if you had lived until now?" Mr. Levius's talent was immense, far surpassing her own. Had he not wished to cease living, he could have led the civilization's development and survived until today, perhaps even achieving eternity, without needing to hand over the reins of power. Caroline could now understand Mr. Levius's feelings. The heavy burden of an era's civilization pressed upon him, like a traveler in the desert carrying a massive sandbag, burdened and struggling forward. That profound sense of destiny, the sweat, the suppressed fatigue, constantly weighed on his nerves. One wrong decision could lead to the annihilation of the entire race. It was a suffocating pressure, difficult for anyone who hadn't personally experienced it to comprehend. Like Mr. Levius, he had sacrificed love, time...