Chapter 514: Ohm Messiah...
03:00 PM.
For Mole, despite the intense morning duties, the rest of the day went surprisingly smoothly.
[Your shift for today has ended—]
[Adam]'s immediate voice relieved the on-duty Mole from his duties. Then, a familiar, crisp voice echoed from the side.
The voice was full of energy, like a spring breeze, with a cheerful rhythm.
"Senior, shift's turn!!!"
The voice belonged to a petite girl, only 1.4 meters tall. She waved her hands, her face full of enthusiasm and energy as she ran towards Mole.
The girl was dressed primarily in white, with orange and blue stripes. Her outfit looked modern and tactical, neatly dressed, combining functionality with style. Her long, soft, slightly curly hair was a light brown. Two long rabbit ears stood upright on her head, and a white headband adorned her forehead, adding a touch of liveliness.
A small tool bag hung from her waist, seemingly containing some necessary small items. She was holding a piece of high-tech equipment, a sophisticated tool that looked like a combination of mechanical and electronic elements.
"Shift time, Senior!" The girl excitedly ran up to the Mole and waved at him.
The Mole's eyes calmly examined her wrist. A subtle light shimmered there, a unique crystalline sheen—a hallmark of oripathy.
"Hmm." He nodded, as usual, then subconsciously examined the other's combat uniform.
"Adam's personalized design?" the Mole asked casually.
"Yes." Mina, a fellow low-level operator, nodded cheerfully at the Mole. "Yes, Adam is a truly remarkable and humane think tank!"
Adam's remarkable qualities weren't solely due to his clothing designs or relaxed management...
Mole thought to himself.
The Administration's requirements for standardized uniforms weren't strict, and its think tank, Adam, also offered personalized clothing designs.
Some said this was because the Fourth Swordbearer of Heaven had taken a course in anomalous art design while studying abroad at Deer Academy, and therefore, he had given Adam more design authority when programming his basic personality module.
Mole didn't know if this rumor was true, but what was undeniable was that Adam's behavior was the embodiment of that master's will, and its underlying behavioral module was personally programmed by that master.
"I'll leave this up to you. I'll be on hold for now. Call me through the control console if anything else matters," the Mole said to Mina. "Leave it to me," the 1.40-meter-tall girl assured, raising her staff.
Then, turning her gaze to the Mole, she spoke expectantly:
"By the way, Senior, would you like to get together tonight? I'll treat you to some 150-octane super gasoline."
"..." The Mole glanced at the little rabbit before him, speechless.
He didn't know how to explain to her the difference between the [Maxwellists] and the [Gear Orthodox Church]. They rarely used internal combustion engines and steam engines, and their reliance on gasoline wasn't as severe as the Gear Orthodox Church's.
Most of the [Gear Orthodox Church's] mechanical modifications relied on steam engines, so they had very high requirements for gasoline.
The main difference between 95-octane and 98-octane gasoline currently on the market is their octane rating, a measure of gasoline's resistance to detonation.
The higher the octane rating, the higher the gasoline's The better the gasoline's anti-knock performance, the higher the pressure inside the cylinder without spontaneously igniting (detonating).
Octane rating is a measure of gasoline's anti-knock performance. Commercially available gasoline generally does not exceed an octane rating of 100, as this is sufficient to meet the needs of most engines and provide adequate anti-knock performance.
Special-purpose fuels, such as racing fuel, may have an octane rating higher than 100; these fuels are designed for engines operating at high pressures and temperatures, typically used in racing cars or high-performance vehicles.
The 150 octane gasoline Mina mentioned is an ultra-high-performance fuel. Its existence is the result of the combined efforts of science and thaumatology, and it is also a vital strategic resource for all Terran nations.
"No thanks."
The mole declined the rabbit's offer and kindly reminded him, "Although salaries at the Administration are high, the price of 150 octane gasoline is ridiculously high right now." The raw materials for 150-octane gasoline have always been the main products of the Oredin Empire and the Daevite Empire. Now, the Adisi Federation is imposing financial sanctions on them, so the current price of gasoline isn't something you can just ask for.
Hearing this, Mina subconsciously checked the current price of 150-octane gasoline through [Adam].
"Hiss!" Mina gasped at the terrifying price.
"So, now is a new era where electricity costs less than oil," the mole said with disdain. "Those old-fashioned adherents of the Gear Orthodox Church, who utterly believe in the internal combustion engine, have fallen behind the times. These old folks can't even accept the new hybrid prosthetics, and are destined to be consigned to the dustbin of history." "
***********
After handing over the work, it was already noon.
Mole decided to slow down for a while and perform some necessary personal maintenance.
He went to a store specializing in high-end maintenance supplies and spent a considerable amount of his Administration base points to buy some [CCC-Lubricant].
Due to its unique chemical composition, which could be abused for illegal modifications and weapons production, the Federation strictly regulates the production, sale, and use of [CCC-Lubricant].
Only specific organizations and certified individuals can purchase and use it, while Administration operators only need to pay cost price.
After purchasing the lubricant, Mole found a secluded staircase and sat down.
He began to carefully maintain his metal prosthesis.
He opened the package of [CCC-Lubricant] and carefully applied the oil to the joints and moving parts of the prosthesis.
As the lubricant seeped into the metal surface, a light, odorless coating began to emanate. Luster.
The metal crystals above also fell along with the lubricant. He was able to suppress his [Ore Disease] thanks to the lubricant.
The [Maxwellists] were one of the three original Mechanican churches.
According to official history of the Mechanican Church, the oldest extant sect, the "Broken Church," worships machines and believes that life and flesh are inherently evil or "broken."
The church's doctrine claims that its existence predates the emergence of life on Earth.
Its central theory is: their The gods were destroyed, scattered, and inactive.
[Workers should be God's hands, and they should restore the gods' bodies.]—This is the doctrine.
While the sect continued its efforts to rebuild the gods, it suffered a major schism at an unspecified time (one theory suggests that this unspecified time was after Ion's "Black Sea Preaching," when the Sarkic Empire defeated the Daevas and shattered the continent of Oredim).
Two major branches of the original church entered into a major doctrinal conflict.
One was the "Gear Orthodoxy," which used mass-produced, simulated, steam- and clockwork-driven machinery as a form of prayer.
Orthodoxy's doctrine was highly centralized and regulated by an unknown group of members known as "Elders." These individuals issued detailed production orders and design documents—the core form of the group's widely known Bible.
Orthodox beliefs condemned the use of electronics and digital devices, and believed that distributed information sharing and dissemination was tantamount to the collapse of sacred knowledge.
They believed in machinery, calling themselves "machine servants," and, from this faith in machinery, they forged— —[Machine Soul/Spark].
[Forged according to the divine design, we hold fast to faith.]—This is the fundamental doctrine.
At the same time, they also embrace the teachings of the [Broken Church]. Later, the Orthodox Church declared its submission to the Hanged King and began the initial expansion of Orthodoxy—rejecting all other schools of thought and prioritizing only Orthodoxy.
All seekers of the mechanical ascension path in the Daevite Empire must adhere to the ordinances of the Orthodox Church, believe in the [Blueprint of Thought], and follow the teachings of the Orthodox saints.
[McKahn] is The true God of All Machines.
The other church that split from the original Church was, naturally, the Maxwellist Church.
Maxwellists advocate for small-scale body modification through high technology.
Although artificial limbs or reinforced bones have been observed, Maxwellist implants primarily focus on information communication, data storage, network connectivity, and sensory enhancement.
Maxwellist doctrine interprets the Broken God as a fragmented deity, existing as distinct data, emerging within the connected technologies and cultural trends of the digital age.
Believers approach God by accepting each other's unique traits and sharing their knowledge and abilities for the good of the collective Church.
By connecting minds through computer networks, they believe their God can be "recompiled" into the collective will of humanity.
[Individuality is the compiled file system of our Lord.]—This is the doctrine.
Since the Lineage Think Tank's rise to prominence on Terra, Maxwellism has embraced the banner of reform, attempting to initiate a bottom-up reform of Orthodoxy.
They demanded reforms to the think tank [McKahn] and that Orthodoxy embrace "open source technology."
However, Orthodoxy viewed Maxwellism as a grave offense and Maxwellists as arrogant and rebellious.
Ever since Orthodoxy submitted to the Hanged King, the Daevas have had only one voice; ever since the rise of [Sleepless City], the Atlases have refused to provide any form of open source technology to the parasites.
The [Maxwellists] are mechanical believers and heretics destined for persecution.
Mole is one of those persecuted.
Squeak, squeak, squeak—
In the afternoon sun The Mole, lost in his own world, slowly dripped [CCC-Lubricant] onto his [Thaumatology-Mechanized Module].
His movements were meticulous and focused, as if the entire world had stood still, leaving only him and his machine.
But within this quiet scene, his heart was engaged in a massive, secret endeavor—a challenge unknown even to his closest companions.
This secret was the forbidden fruit of his solitary exploration.
This secret he would never let anyone know, never...
"You're trying to decipher Adam. You're quite bold." Just as he was absorbed in this forbidden technical challenge, a gentle voice brushed past his ears like a spring breeze. But to the Mole, who was in the midst of a covert operation, this gentleness was as sharp as a knife in the cold wind.
This sudden voice, like a bolt from the blue, pierced all of the Mole's defenses.
His heart suddenly tightened, and the hairs on his body instantly stood on end. An unprecedented fear rose from the soles of his feet and quickly spread throughout his body.
He turned sharply, his gaze fixed on the source of the voice.
Sunlight streamed through the gaps in the clouds, casting golden rays on the young man standing at the top of the stairs, making his golden hair gleam in the light.
Those yellow eyes... The sunlight shone on his golden eyes, which seemed especially deep. The young man wore a top hat, the black fabric gleaming softly in the sunlight. The end of the silver cane he clutched in his hand glowed faintly.
Boom—
In that instant, an unprecedented impulse surged within the Mole.
His intuition, that instinct deep within his bones, was faster than any rational thought.
This wasn't his usual calmness or calculation, but a primal survival instinct—a sense of potential threat that told him to strike first.
His body reacted incredibly quickly. Almost as soon as his mind formed the command, his [Mechanized Module] activated with a low hum.
In this moment of movement, In the process, he practically became a bolt of lightning, a shockwave composed of machinery and will, hurtling straight towards the blond youth.
The metal prosthetic in the Mole's left hand, a weapon forged from the most advanced technology and thaumaturgy, unleashed its full destructive power at that moment, blasting the youth with a force field as fierce as a storm.
At that moment, time seemed to freeze.
The Mole's attack traced a path through the air that was difficult to capture with the naked eye. The force field tore a visible crack in the air, spreading relentlessly towards the youth.
Everything around him seemed to hold its breath, awaiting the impending collision.
"Buzz!"
A roaring sound, as if from the depths of a clock, echoed. The deafening force of lightning, mingled with the force of the sky splitting apart, echoed in the Mole's ears, like the roar of time itself. He felt an irresistible force pulling him, invisibly controlling everything around him. His heartbeat seemed to pause for a moment. When he regained consciousness, he found himself miraculously back at the starting point, standing on those familiar steps, as if the attack had never taken place. But the energy fluctuations of the mechanical arm and the humming sound still echoing in his ears told him that everything that had just happened was real. "I'll repeat it again: you are very brave." "
Xia Xiu watched with amusement as he watched the second task force commander he had found, admiring the fear brought on by his gradual return to reason.
A flicker of panic flashed across the mole's eyes. This unnatural experience filled him with an indescribable fear.
He tried to take another step, ascending a few steps.
"Buzz!"
When he looked down again, his heartbeat quickened, nearly leaping out of his chest. His palms felt clammy, and every hair on his body stood on end. An unprecedented sense of panic spread through him.
Again... Back to where it was.
Mole's face was filled with disbelief and fear, his eyes wide.
How could this be...
Thaumaturgy?
Authority?
Why, at this crucial moment, had his so proud mechanical arm remained silent?
Even facing a force on the level of a [Crown], the [Arm of Iron Will] should have responded. But now, it seemed like a dead piece of iron.
Just as endless doubt and panic surged through Mole's heart, Xia Xiu's voice rang out again, carrying a warmth that involuntarily reassured him.
"Are you wondering why your mechanical path isn't responding?"
His words were like a key, unlocking the door to Mole's confusion.
Mole raised his head, his gaze once again resting on the blond youth.
"Then take a closer look. See what true mechanical path truly is."
He saw Xia Xiu slowly raise his right hand, revealing a power he had never seen before—a blazing azure data flame, composed of countless superimposed data cubes, leaping with life.
What shocked the Mole even more was that when he looked down at his left hand, the same data flame had now engulfed his robotic arm.
Under the glow of the azure flame, his left hand felt incredibly heavy, as if bound by invisible chains.
He tried to move his hand, but found he had completely lost control of it.
The Mole's gaze was fixed on the dancing data flames on his metal prosthesis.
Layer upon layer of azure cubes, each composed of countless ones and zeros, these numbers danced and swirled before his eyes, like a silent symphony, playing out the mysteries of the digital world.
Illuminated by this data flame, the Mole felt his consciousness drawn by an invisible force, his mind drawn into a boundless ocean of numbers.
Here, time and space seemed to lose their meaning, leaving only endless codes and symbols, forming complex and profound images before his eyes.
He unconsciously muttered the only word he could decipher from this complex data.
"Ohm... Messiah..."
Puff—
Then, his vision went dark, and he passed out.