As the Mechanical Codex was placed into the recess of the altar, the entire floating city trembled, as though cheering to welcome its return.
At the top of the tower, the "Solar Furnace" once again operated at full capacity. In an instant, it filled all the backup energy chambers, forcing Olmos to command his mechanical assistants to urgently start dozens of high-energy experimental projects, barely managing to maintain "balance" and prevent an overload.
Meanwhile, Eleanor increased the intensity of the "sun lamps" in the botanical garden by several levels. Using the power of the sealed artifact she had fused with, she shortened the growth cycles of various plants while continuously producing and storing energy-rich nectar—though this placed a great burden on her.
At the same time, the Gear Book opened on its own, skipping past the pages of potion formulas from Sequence 9 to Sequence 3, turning instead to the last three pages Ebner had once thought were "blank."
Immediately, vast amounts of information unfolded before his eyes, easily absorbed through his "information extraction" ability.
So that's how it is!
The first of the last three pages of the Gear Book actually sealed the power of the "All-Knowing Eye"!
It was the "creation" ability of the All-Knowing Eye that, when Morning Star City fell to the ground and shattered, recreated an identical floating city within the nightmare of Afternoon Town, allowing its residents a faint hope of survival in such a harsh environment.
Since the floating city was created by it, and the faithful of the Mechanical Emperor were placed into the nightmare by it, the Mechanical Codex itself did not enter Afternoon Town, but remained in the ruins of the floating city in reality.
Hmm, this kind of 'creation' is just like the 'exchange' in the Dream Maze Tower, and like the incomplete mythic form of my "Broken White Tower" creating items—it cannot persist long in reality… only, it is of a higher level.
That's right, when I first opened the Gear Book in the underground Harvest Church, it showed the entire process of the floating city's construction and fall.
Back then, I thought it was merely a record or tribute to a civilization seeking hope in darkness… but now I see it was the essential 'information' needed for the creation of the floating city!
In essence, it was no different from when I created that false diary page at Professor Mitchell's house in East Chester—fabricating 'existence information'… only more advanced, more 'real.'
For those living in this nightmare, they likely cannot perceive any difference… perhaps only those three Alchemists, with their divinity, might have noticed faint traces when they first fell into the nightmare.
Next, the second blank page held the power of the "Pure White Angel"!
It should have been used to supply energy to the created floating city, but for some reason it failed to activate during the Fall of Morning Star, leaving the city in energy shortage for over two centuries.
But perhaps I had already anticipated this when I left behind the Gear Book. Otherwise, why would I have issued the prophecy: "When He returns, the Morning Star shall shine, and calamity shall depart"?
Heh, with the "Pure White" supplying energy, of course the functions of Morning Star City can operate properly—how could it not shine brightly?
As for 'calamity'… it must refer to those monsters in Afternoon Town. Why would they depart? Could it be because I carry the Goddess's gaze? In front of the Night itself, how could the creatures of night dare to stir?
And on the final blank page of the Gear Book, there is an authority, or rather a 'pardon'… This 'pardon' allows the faithful of the Mechanical Emperor in Morning Star City to avoid returning to the Underworld after death!
In other words, every newborn of Morning Star City is actually a reincarnation of someone who died before… Though they retain no memory, their faith in the Mechanical Emperor remains, because it is the prerequisite for rebirth!
That is why the population of the city has remained constant at ten thousand all these years. Aside from the limit of energy, the number of 'souls' is fixed!
Heh, in a way, this city is like the Mechanical Emperor's divine kingdom…
This 'pardon' clearly bears the mark of the Death Consul… could it be that the Mechanical Emperor, Evans, had the Gear Book probe into the Unknown Land, contacting the soul of Vicente Miranda, the Lord of the Dead, and reaped benefits from it?
Hmm, not impossible. After all, as a Monster of Secrets, the Mechanical Emperor was no less adept at manipulating 'information' than a Reader!
Moreover, the powers of the All-Knowing Eye and the Pure White Angel on the first two blank pages were most likely plucked from the Unknown Land as well!
So, even in Evans's lifetime, the illusory 'Pure White Angel' and 'All-Knowing Eye' connecting to the Unknown Land already existed… Was this one of the experimental results of myself and the dragon back in Danit's life?
Finally, in Evans's life—or even earlier—it must have been decided that I would walk the Reader pathway!
After all, the information left in the Gear Book could only be accessed through the Reader's "information extraction" ability. No other pathway could have obtained it so easily.
Even Klein's dream divinations could not provide such complete intelligence.
As his thoughts turned, Ebner came to another crucial question: why had the Mechanical Emperor, Evans—his former self—left all this information here? And what benefit could he gain from it now?
Could it be that this city was prepared as my divine kingdom and anchor?
But clearly, it can only exist within the nightmare. Once outside, at best only some soul remnants would remain… Without the floating city, the Death Consul's pardon would also fail.
It is just like items exchanged in the Dream Maze Tower: usable in the dream, but once brought to reality, without physical support they vanish in moments… The same goes for the things I create in the Broken White Tower. Those with real materials, like the armor I wear now, persist. But those without, like demigod charms, disappear within seconds once taken out…
At this thought, Ebner froze, then widened his eyes in realization. He had suddenly remembered something: in reality, the floating city was not without physical support!
That replica floating city in Nas, built by the Alchemist Claus!
His eyes shone brighter, and with growing excitement he thought:
I understand!
The one who guided Claus to build the floating city was, as I suspected, myself! It was the Calamity Seal!
Who would have thought that scheming version of me could also do something good?
Hmm, I shouldn't jump to conclusions—perhaps there was another calculation behind it… In fact, some of his behavioral patterns resembled Old Huang in his later years, full of contradictions.
Back to the point: that replica in Nas was most likely prepared so this nightmare floating city could be brought back into the world.
As long as the two are overlapped at a certain place, the illusory can become real, and this 'creation' would no longer be just a dream image.
Most of the difficulties have already been solved by the Mechanical Emperor through the illusory All-Knowing Eye. The only remaining issue is how to establish a link between the replica and the nightmare floating city, to overlap them…
This requires a place where dream, reality, the spirit world, and the astral plane intertwine without great barriers… Wait!
At that moment, inspiration flashed in his mind, and he blurted out a name:
"The Sea of Divine Battle Ruins!"
Yes—aside from the Forsaken Land of the Gods, only in the Divine Battle Ruins were the barriers of three worlds blurred, allowing dream and reality to intersect. More importantly, the replica floating city in reality could actually be brought there!
Klein once said that it was in the Sea of Divine Battle Ruins that Master Claus first glimpsed a floating city in someone's dream, which inspired him to build a replica.
So, if I move the floating city in reality to the Divine Battle Ruins, and then swap this Morning Star City with the floating city in the ruins' dream… it should meet the condition for reality 'creation.'
After all, all information about the floating city is recorded in the Mechanical Codex… what is missing is merely a physical anchor.
And to accomplish this 'transfer' and 'swap,' what is needed is… a 'miracle'!
Not the 'resurrection' miracle bought from Zaratul, but another kind!
So, to obtain this miracle, either I must wait for Klein to advance to Sequence 2… or I must use Zaratul's miracle together with secret arts to resurrect Alwin, allowing Him—no, allowing me—to ascend as Miracle Invoker!
Is that why the Goddess gave me the black gem at my chest, let me explore the ruins of the God of Fortune, and guided me here?
Miracle is the key to everything!
Of course, I could choose to ignore all this, abandon the so-called divine kingdom, believers, and anchor…
But the people here cannot hold on much longer… Even with the return of the Mechanical Codex, they cannot last.
Now that I have so many preconditions, I can faintly see parts of their 'River of Fate'…
As the Silver City squad delves deeper, they will inevitably discover them… And with Elder Lovia present, equivalent to the True Creator casting His gaze again…
By then, even the concealment of the Night will no longer suffice… They very likely cannot wait until Klein arrives…
That is the calamity in their tributary of fate!
…When He returns, the Morning Star shall shine, and calamity shall depart…
Will I, for their sake, follow the path my past self designed, painstakingly researching secret arts, resurrecting Alwin as my avatar, and saving them? Ebner asked himself.
But soon, he gave his answer:
I will!
Because it is within my power!
Closing his eyes briefly, Ebner sighed with emotion: The one who understands me best… is still myself.
(End of Chapter)