Chapter 85: The Matrix Creator’s Dying Wish

Chapter 85: Chapter 85: The Matrix Creator’s Dying Wish

Leon’s train of thought coincidentally aligned with Jeremy’s: "Looking at the tower’s architecture and the variant script system carved on the Totem, the one who created this matrix is definitely a native powerhouse of the wasteland world. Not an inhabitant of the Sylvanor continent."

Leon gave a cold snort: "Taking the pain to establish a matrix but not using it, then taking the effort to leave behind a sealing key. It reeks of a disgusting, premeditated conspiracy. Unless that guy was so free that he even calculated his matrix spirit would go around scamming thousands of people from other realms in the future, thus intentionally leaving the matrix behind as a gift."

Jeremy rubbed his temples and spoke up: "The Heaven’s Orbit Matrix is a nine-star matrix. The fact that the matrix spirit lured countless people here, yet only when the blood of the five of us mixed together was the seal broken... This is truly too much of a coincidence."

In the silent darkness, Phoenix’s voice rang out, slowly peeling back the truth: "...I once read in an ancient tome. To forcibly open the Heaven’s Orbit Matrix, there is a shortcut. That is, one must gather the power of five different types of bloodlines simultaneously."

*Five types of bloodlines.*

As those words fell, the space sank into a dead silence.

Leon, naturally straightforward, waved his hand even though he knew no one could see it: "My family has had Half-Elf bloodline for generations, does that even count?"

"It counts," Phoenix answered curtly. "As long as an alien bloodline flows within the body, no matter how faint, the power of the bloodline still exists. On the surface, you are human, but at your core, you still carry a trace of Elf."

Leon clicked his tongue: "Then what about the rest of you? It’s fine if you don’t want to say, I’m just curious."

Phoenix replied calmly: "...My ancestors were descendants of the Angel race. By my generation, the bloodline has almost dried up. Like you, without close examination, I am just an ordinary human."

The confession made the atmosphere slightly surprised, but the men here were all worldly individuals; no one would go digging into someone else’s family secrets.

Evelyn spoke up, her clear voice ringing out in the darkness: "My ancestors were all pure-blooded humans."

Lucius tilted his head slightly toward the sound of Jeremy’s breathing. Lucius’s expression remained indifferent, his voice devoid of a single ripple: "My mother carried the bloodline of the Moon race."

Only one person remained. Jeremy clicked his tongue, nonchalantly adding a secret that everyone in the Empire knew inside out: "I carry a portion of the Dragon race’s bloodline." He had almost forgotten that his Valmont family was hailed as the ’Bloodline of the Dragon’. Legend had it that the first-generation patriarch had married a true dragon.

So everything was clear. Five types of bloodlines, not a single discrepancy.

Even though the knot had been untied, Leon threw out another fatal problem: "Beating around the bush, exactly how long are we going to have to be blind?"

Phoenix replied: "Opening the matrix with blood is taking a shortcut. What we saw were only fragments, incomplete. Therefore, the backlash force will not be permanent. If my calculations are correct, the blindness will last... about three months."

The statement was light, but its lethal damage was horrifying.

The duration they were sent to the wasteland to execute their mission was two months. This meant that throughout their entire upcoming life-and-death journey, they would have to slaughter magical beasts and fight for survival in a state of complete blindness.

Jeremy took a deep breath. *If I had known this, even if beaten to death, I wouldn’t have stepped into this cursed tower.* He truly had no energy left to curse.

The atmosphere became suffocating. Leon quickly steered the conversation: "If those images were the future, then what did everyone see?"

"Just fragments." Jeremy wanted to open his mouth to describe the scenery of the garden and the lake surface, but his vocal cords suddenly stiffened. Jeremy’s throat felt as if it were being squeezed by someone, making him unable to emit a single syllable related to the images of the future.

The taboo rule of space-time? Even revealing it was forbidden. Realizing the anomaly, the others also tried to speak, then instantly fell speechlessly silent.

Leon frustratingly discarded the topic: "Alright, back to the main point. I still don’t understand what the matrix creator’s purpose is."

Phoenix recalled the records in the forbidden book: "There is an explanation. Borrowing the matrix to let outsiders peek into the secrets of heaven is essentially like ’borrowing a life’. Suffering the backlash is only the first step. Most importantly, the person whose life is borrowed is obligated to fulfill the matrix creator’s dying wish."

As soon as the words fell, an ancient, bone-chillingly cold voice suddenly echoed throughout the space.

"Junior, you are not wrong."

All five simultaneously sprang up, entering a combat stance. Even though their eyes were blind, their senses and killer instincts instantly erupted to their peak. However, despite their magic power sweeping through every inch of the air, they failed to catch any life fluctuations.

"Do not panic. The thing speaking to you is merely a wisp of residual thought entrusted within the matrix spirit." That voice was flat, bearing neither anger nor sorrow, exactly like a pre-programmed machine: "Fated ones from other realms. Even though you do not bear the destiny chart that I have eagerly awaited... However, having awakened the Heaven’s Orbit Matrix, I shall bestow upon you the blessing of the Ashlife Flower. I hope you will fulfill my final wish. Otherwise... the endless abyss shall be your end."

The first part sounded like bestowing a favor, while the ending was a blatant threat.

Before they could react, the hovering orb of light suddenly exploded with a loud bang.

That voice also faded away along with the explosion: "Receive the mark, may you find the fated destiny..."

The space returned to silence. But immediately after, the backs of all five people’s hands spontaneously burst into flames. A burning pain, like being branded by red-hot iron, struck them. Due to his blindness, Jeremy could not see a brilliant Ashlife Flower mark gradually appearing on the back of his hand, deeply branded into his flesh. The matrix spirit orb also dissipated forever.

"Rumble! Rumble!"

A terrifying earthquake sound echoed from beneath their feet. The crystal ground began to crack open and sway violently.

Jeremy roared: "The tower is about to collapse! Retreat, quickly!"

The last time on the deserted island, facing the Face-Eating Flower in the pitch-black night, they could at least vaguely distinguish the shades of darkness. But at this moment, they were truly blind. Their vision was zero, their pathfinding magic power was suppressed to the absolute minimum, and every action could only rely on touch and hearing.

"Thud!"

A crashing sound rang out, accompanied by Leon’s suppressed, pained grunt.

Immediately after, two more heavy thuds echoed from different directions.

Jeremy frowned. With his eidetic memory and spatial simulation ability, he had deeply etched the floor plan of this tower level into his brain, allowing him to avoid crashing into the rock walls like his teammates. He easily dodged the falling debris, advancing toward the exit.

However... his footsteps halted.

At the exact same time the others crashed, a dull, aching pain also transmitted from deep within his own muscles and bones. A bizarre sense of connection was creeping through the matrix, allowing him to vividly feel their physical pain.