God said that war was about to arrive.
Yet He did not specify exactly where the danger came from. Under Adam's questioning, He even repeatedly displayed a deeply evasive attitude.
As though even the omnipotent God feared that dark power.
The only information revealed was that God told Adam to be careful. He suspected that the serpent who had tempted him and Eve into eating the forbidden fruit from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil was very likely connected to that power.
The conversation ended quickly.
God merely instructed Adam to prepare for the coming war, then concealed His form. Adam deeply furrowed his brows, carrying the appearance of someone burdened with countless worries as he left Eden.
This ancient memory ended with Adam stepping out of Eden, and darkness descending like a curtain call.
The man originally believed everything had ended.
Inexplicable memories, inexplicable conversations, inexplicable conclusions—his stomach full of questions with nowhere to ask them.
But when he opened his eyes again, he discovered he had guessed wrong.
The 'dream' was far from over. He was still trapped within Adam's memories.
When he opened his eyes again, the scenery before him had completely changed. No longer was it the dry and expansive desert, but instead towering bronze buildings filled with science-fiction aesthetics blended together with religious style.
Above the bronze city was a gigantic energy barrier, shaped like an inverted jade bowl in a hemispherical dome. At the center of the city stood a towering spire piercing into the clouds, endlessly supplying energy to the barrier, radiating dazzling brilliance like a massive sun.
Countless shuttle-shaped aircraft traveled through tracks above the city, appearing exactly like scenes described in science fiction novels, perhaps even surpassing them.
Seeing such a sight, it was not difficult to infer one thing: an unknown amount of time had already passed since the previous memory point.
The speed of technological advancement had far exceeded the man's expectations, surpassing modern humanity's technology by an unknown amount.
Many things had changed.
But the only thing unchanged was that Adam remained extremely youthful, just as the man had seen previously. Only now, between his brows was exhaustion, and his eyes no longer shone brightly as before, instead faintly radiating despair.
Adam sat upon a bronze throne. Around him was a luxurious palace forged from bronze, and before him floated a gigantic starfield projection. The man roughly scanned it. Although he could not understand the annotated text, he vaguely guessed it was a real-time war sandbox.
The man's perspective shifted once more, and he saw Adam wearing that familiar power armor from their battle, though the color differed slightly, closer to golden texture and hue, with ancient script engraved upon the surface.
The man tried moving, but discovered the body was not under his control, immediately understanding that this time he was merely a spectator.
Holding the attitude of accepting things as they came, the man did not become agitated because of this. He placed himself fully into the role of observer and silently waited for the 'story' about to unfold.
The palace doors at the end of the corridor were slowly pushed open, and a slender figure walked in. Footsteps burdened as though carrying heavy thoughts echoed especially clearly throughout the empty hall.
As that figure approached, Adam slowly raised his head, and the man finally saw who had arrived.
Black hair, bronze skin, blue eyes, and refined facial features as though measured by a ruler, paired with a handsome face—it was unmistakably one of Adam's twins he had seen before: Cain.
But what shocked the man was that after an unknown number of years, the Cain he saw now was practically a completely different person from before.
No trace of violence or coldness remained within his eyes. In their place was overwhelming sorrow, a grief deeper than death itself, emotions seemingly affecting the surroundings and making even the air feel cold as he approached.
Within Cain's slightly furrowed brows, beyond the sorrow, one could also vaguely see a trace of gentleness.
This... is Cain?!
He looked like a completely different person. If not for those familiar blue eyes, the man might have mistaken him for Abel.
"Father..."
Cain arrived before the throne and gazed at the silent Adam. Kneeling on one knee and lowering his head, he bit his lips and tremblingly said:
"I wish to beg you... to retract the order to execute Abel."
Execute... Abel?!
Hearing this news, the man's entire body shook violently. His mouth opened wide in disbelief.
"..."
Adam gazed at the kneeling Cain below him and remained silent for a long time. The man could clearly sense how much reluctance and helplessness existed within Adam's heart, surging emotions raging like violent waves.
He loved his children deeply, whether Abel or Cain. What exactly had happened that caused Adam to personally issue the order to execute Abel?
The man vaguely felt that the truth behind Abel's death might not be as described in the Bible at all, but instead concealed another secret.
Cain's personality had drastically changed. Abel had been sentenced to death. Eve had yet to appear. Adam's heart overflowed with despair... during the years he had not witnessed, what exactly had happened?
And that gigantic starfield war map, this highly advanced bronze civilization, and countless other mysteries all sprouted like bamboo shoots after rain, deeply rooting themselves in the man's heart.
Tap... tap... tap...
Cain knelt upon the cold bronze floor, deeply lowering his head, not even daring to breathe loudly, like a sinner awaiting judgment.
Adam's fingers tapped the throne's armrest, creating crisp tapping sounds. After remaining silent for a long time, he finally sighed deeply and said:
"You should understand very clearly just how grave the sin he committed truly is. I cannot forgive him, child."
"But, Father..."
Cain bit his lips until blood flowed down his chin and dripped onto the bronze floor. Veins bulged across his forehead as his emotions reached their limit:
"You should understand even more clearly that the one who committed the sin was not Abel, but... Him!"
"But the one who killed Eve... was him."
Within Adam's low and hoarse voice was suppressed some kind of emotion. The man could feel it clearly—that was rage with nowhere to release itself.
The sin Abel committed was actually murdering humanity's mother, the female ancestor, Adam's wife, his own mother... Eve!
Without question, this revelation stunned the man for quite some time. Turbulent waves overturned his heart and refused to settle.
He could still clearly remember that gentle child from before. How could he possibly kill his own mother?
Everything was chaotic! Completely chaotic!
The contents recorded in the Bible had become entirely disordered from this point onward. The one who committed the sin of kinslaying was not Cain, but his younger brother... Abel!
"If that is the case, then I have one more request, Father. I beg you to grant it."
Cain slowly raised his head, his eyes filled with unwavering determination.
That gaze left Adam unable to refuse. He could only sigh:
"Speak. I shall grant your wish in the name of the first King of Akkad."
Bang!
Cain lowered himself and heavily kowtowed against the floor, solemnly saying:
"I am willing to bear my younger brother Abel's sin. From this day forth, I shall carry the curse of kinslaying, wandering across the earth, enduring all insults and disasters. I only beg Father... to leave Abel one path of survival."
"You... are serious?"
Adam's eyes abruptly contracted before becoming blood-red and savage. His sharp gaze shot downward like blades, as though attempting to see through Cain entirely. Tremendous psychic energy surged around him, seeming ready to overturn the entire palace.
"Yes."
Cain's voice was not loud, but it carried an unshakable resolve.
After a long silence.
Adam slowly opened his mouth and said:
"I shall destroy Abel's current body, but leave him one chance of survival. And you... shall bear his curse, wandering eternally across the desolate earth, forever atoning for him."
"Thank you, Father..."
Cain pressed his forehead tightly against the ground, sorrow trembling in his voice:
"From this day onward... Father, take care."
...
According to the Bible's records.
Cain, out of jealousy toward his biological younger brother who had received God's favor and grace, committed humanity's earliest murder.
Cain was expelled from Eden by God and wandered endlessly throughout the world, carrying the guilt of murdering Abel and being despised by all living things.
God carved the curse of blood kin slaying onto Cain's forehead, causing any land he stepped upon to wither away.
Yet because of Cain's sorrowful pleas, God finally told him:
Whoever slays Cain shall suffer sevenfold vengeance.
Cain... means 'obtained.'
But after that day, he lost everything, carrying his younger brother's sin and wandering eternally across the desolate earth.