It is certainly impossible to say that Russell did not expect things to develop to this point.
What Monkey Faced Eagle developed is, after all, a "technology", not a "talent". Since it is a technology, it means that it will one day be copied, popularized, and optimized.
The force that desires this technology the most is the Cyber Church.
The twilight disaster called "Dream" is chasing the world forever. Whether it is humans or elves, as long as they have different personalities and differences in character, as long as they look after themselves better than others... they will eventually...
Overtaken by dusk.
It is not a certain person, a certain organization, or a certain country, but the entire human civilization that has been sentenced to death - suspended execution.
Among the many plans to escape from this nightmare and survive the executioner's pursuit, the most executable one is to completely give up fighting dreams, completely abandon the flesh and blood body, and let all consciousness reunite in the clean form of "data"
, reconstruct the gods...to embrace the ultimate sublimation of pure machinery.
——Let those bionic people never dream of electronic sheep again.
Everyone will lose a lot, but not everything will be lost after all. People will no longer be human beings, and civilization will no longer be civilization... But all "people" will still gain the right to survive because of this.
That is the essence of "cyber immortality" that the Cyber Church is pursuing.
"...Since you know the disaster of annihilation, it's easy to talk about it."
Lycaon sighed: "You are right, I am just a test subject.
"Because the state of the monkey-faced eagle is very unstable. But the church cannot be sure whether the unstable factor is the monkey-faced eagle or the technology itself. They need someone with enough intelligence, low desire, and dedication... At the same time
There is no morally obsessive 'pioneering' to clear the way for them."
"A way to escape to the virtual world?"
"That's also alive, Susu."
Lycaon replied seriously.
"Of course the church knows that this kind of immortality has many hidden dangers, and it can even be said to be self-degradation. We all know...the person who first implements cyber immortality will be turned into data - which can be modified and erased at will by outside controllers.
A piece of data that was removed. Well... just like me now.
"But so what?
"If I can bring news of victory, we will finally be able to escape from the destroyed future. The meaning of allowing civilization to survive surpasses everything else - dreams, love, justice, ideals, freedom, and faith.
"To be honest, Susu. All of these can be given up. They are not that great... because as long as they die, there is nothing. And as long as we live, as long as our existence can continue, we can create
Out of the possibilities of the future... I mean, completely new possibilities."
"……I see."
Russell sighed: "A defeatist counselor."
He understood.
Even before the church became the Cyber Church, they were pursuing the "way of survival." But after they learned the truth of history and became the Cyber Church, they never considered how to defeat the Dream for even a moment, not even
Considered whether they could escape the fantasy.
From the very beginning, all the arrangements of the church were prepared on the basis that "they will absolutely not be able to escape."
Just like the church always takes believers to escape from the miserable reality and creates beautiful illusions. That's because they can't change the reality, and they can't improve people's lives. All they can do is comfort.
But they can guide others - but the church has never taught people what to do. That is not Alice-like sobriety and compassion, but they do not intend to sell "excess hope"...excess
Hope only brings despair.
What they do is just to heal the hearts of believers and soothe their spirits so that they will not be tortured to death by life. What the church does is just to make people "hold on a little longer"... They come from the heart,
Hope others can "live on".
As long as you live, there is hope. And your own hope should be found by yourself - they do not grant hope to anyone. Because they do not have that kind of power, let alone that kind of obligation.
"Did you know... The church sets [Healer] as the lowest angel, not that the healer should be the lowest... but because we always need the most healers. What we want is...
…Anyone can become a temporary healer as long as they need it and are needed by others.”
Russell understood this.
Just like the priests of DND... no matter what magical spells are prepared, they can be converted into healing abilities.
Because the foundation of the church is to heal pain. Whether it is physical or spiritual.
——Let people live. This is the foundation of their religion.
Let more people survive. Let the most people survive.
Compared with virtues, justice, faith, piety...these "external concepts" used to deceive and attract believers, the Cyber Church's only belief is to "lead people to live."
"...Now that you have become an information life form subordinate to the church," Russell was silent for a while, then slowly said, "I have no intention of dictating your choice. But I must tell you that the last one was loyal to the church and believed in the church.
Yes, those mechanical angels.
"And they are still being squeezed into juice while they are still sleeping. The church sells them to mages... for some purpose."
"Ah... I know this. It would be better to say... with my current position, I can access secrets that I have never known before."
Lycaon took a sip of tea and responded calmly: "Do you want to know the truth about this matter? To be honest, you may not believe it... but it is actually for the overall survival of mankind."
"What's the purpose of survival? Killing to save others?" Russell asked rhetorically.
"——Do you know?"
Lycaon avoided answering: "The war of teachings a hundred years ago was to completely destroy the mage inheritance.
"The mages seek power from the dream world, while the church seeks power from 'gods'... But I want to tell you a secret."
"——If you want to say that the power of the dream world also comes from 'dreams'. I already know this."
"Ah, that's easy to explain."
Lycaon sighed again: "'Dream derivative'... do you know what this word is?"
There was no hope at all on his thin face, but at the same time there was no sorrow either.
It's better to say it's indifference than numbness.
Some games are over in the first five minutes, but the base will not explode until twenty minutes - Lycaon's expression at this moment is like that of Seventeen in that kind of game.
The same calm expression he had when he was wiped out at eight minutes.
He should be angry, but his mood did not fluctuate at all.
"It's the devil, right?" Russell replied.
"...Your mentor told you?" For the first time, Lycaon's face showed an unexpected look other than "suffering" and "calm".
Obviously, he did not expect that Russell actually knew this answer that should not be known to anyone.
"My chairman told me."
Russell pondered for a moment and replied.
"Then your chairman really trusts you."
Lycaon sighed: "It's so good..."
Ah, that's not the case, Russell thought.
At best, it can only be regarded as a good thing to say when a person is about to die...
