Chapter 43: Clues to the Space-Time Gate
This logic was actually very simple.
Unit 3 possessed intelligence. After so many years, even if she had only been recording, she must know something. And since she also had the data on the Carlis people, even if she couldn't analyze the cause of the Steel Crystal Rain and the Chaotic Storm outside, she could at least tell Joshua some related information.
As for the locations where the Wild Gods gathered, that was even simpler and more straightforward—Wild Gods were the minions of Evil Gods. The places they gathered were either their own lairs or the locations of [Space-Time Passages], where they waited at any time to invade other worlds.
Joshua had not forgotten his goal. Whether it was entering the Great Golden Pyramid or finding the Ecological Cycle Zone, it was all to better return to the Mycroft World. Finding a Space-Time Passage was what he truly needed to do.
After hearing Lin's relay, Moria also immediately shouted a reminder to the warrior: "Joshua, don't forget to ask her if she has any technical data."
The old dwarf's expression looked very serious: "Technical data left behind by such a super mana civilization is extremely precious in our world. With their mana transmission technology here, regardless of anything else, my Rune Factory could definitely advance further! If you want to return and make your territory stronger, don't forget this point."
"At the very least, we must figure out how the material of this Steel Pyramid's outer shell was made." After speaking, Moria thought to himself: "After a thousand years, there's not a trace of decay or rust, and the output is even large enough to cast mobile cities comparable to mountains. We must know the alloy formula for this magical metal!"
Joshua also nodded. The old dwarf was absolutely right. Although the Carlis people's civilization was destroyed by the hands of Evil Gods, their level of mana technology was still above that of the human civilization of the Starfall Era, which had experienced the Lost Three Hundred Years. While this was partly due to different directions of civilizational development, it was no reason not to learn from the other's strengths.
If they obtained the mana technical data of the Carlis people, they would surely be able to forge better in the future, manufacture all kinds of machines, and even attempt to build small mobile fortresses... Not only that, it would definitely be an all-around improvement.
Unit 3, however, did not pay attention to Joshua's exchange with the others. After thinking for a moment, she said, "Are you talking about the Steel Rain?"
"Yes." Joshua added another description: "A silver-white crystalline rain."
"Then that's correct. However, I don't know the source of the Steel Rain."
Unit 3 shook her head, but then she supplemented with some other information: "As far as I know, it began to appear six hundred years ago. At that time, due to the extinguishing of the fire, the world began to become barren. My Mana Conversion Core was almost about to shut down... Fortunately, thanks to the energy contained in the Steel Rain, otherwise I would have long since completely stopped operating due to lack of energy, and wouldn't even have been able to maintain the Energy-Siphoning Outer Layer."
Pausing for a moment, as if searching through past records, Unit 3 continued: "The Steel Rain didn't appear very often at first, about once every seven months. But over the last three hundred years, it has become more and more frequent. Recently, it's even reached the point of appearing once every three or four days. As a result, my Energy Core has gradually become filled. It's practically a gift from heaven."
"As for the Chaotic Storm phenomenon that occurs alongside it, the cause is also unknown. But based on speculation, it should be related to a huge canyon located near the Monadra Mountain Range. Every time the Steel Rain comes and the Chaotic Storm stirs up, the earth trembles violently, and the center of the seismic waves is there."
"The Monadra Mountain Range, where is it?"
After hearing Lin's relay, Claire asked in confusion, and Joshua posed the question to Unit 3.
"The fortress is currently traveling across the Great Snarl Plain."
Unit 3 mobilized the mana within the fortress and projected a huge map in front of herself. A blue dot was flashing on it, and countless dense yellow and red dots were scattered all around. The artificial intelligence pointed to the location of the blue dot and explained: "This is where we are, the Great Snarl Plain."
Then, she pointed to another place not far away, where two red dots and one yellow dot were flashing: "This is the Monadra Mountain Range."
"The blue dot represents your location. So what do the red and yellow represent respectively?"
Joshua actually had a guess in his heart, but he still asked the question.
"Red represents Wild God nests, and yellow indicates dangerous zones."
Unit 3 answered quickly: "In the center of the great canyon, there is an abnormally huge Void Portal. It was sealed by the Carlis people during the Wild God invasion. It draws in the terrifying energy of the void, coalescing into lightning storms that surge around the area. It's very dangerous. Even I dare not go near to absorb energy. It's a massive storm capable of destroying cities."
"A Void Portal?"
"Yes, that is, a passage leading to other worlds."
"It's actually been sealed..." Joshua clicked his tongue in some regret. He recalled the scene he had seen earlier—a huge tornado rising in the distance, the black sky torn open by a terrifying storm, and blue-white lightning streaking across the sky: "That kind of scene was actually formed by a sealed Space-Time Gate? But I've also destroyed a Space-Time Gate before, and it didn't produce such a scene."
Unit 3 replied calmly: "Because this Space-Time Gate is only half-sealed. The other half is still connected to the void, siphoning the primordial energy from the outside of the world." She paused for a moment, squinting her eyes. The artificial intelligence rarely gave a warning: "I know you come from another world and want to return. I can help you, but I do not recommend going to the Space-Time Gate in the center of the great canyon... It may not lead to your world, and it is exceptionally dangerous."
"We'll consider it."
Nodding, Joshua frowned and asked, "Then, do you know if there are any other Space-Time Gates around?"
"Of course." Unit 3 readily answered: "Quite a few." As she spoke, she pointed to the map and listed the locations of the Space-Time Gates one by one: "In fact, there are even more than five Space-Time Gates on the Great Plain alone. Although most of them have been destroyed and sealed, there are still a few naturally formed Space-Time Gates that exist and are still functioning."
The artificial intelligence looked at Joshua and his group: "I suspect that you were brought here by a hidden Space-Time Gate. This kind of thing is not uncommon in the Multiverse. However, if it's a Space-Time Gate that is still functioning, there will definitely be a Wild God nest nearby."
Joshua looked at the locations of the Space-Time Gates pointed out by Unit 3 on the projection. Indeed, the vast majority were flashing with red dots. Meanwhile, after hearing Lin's relay, Moria and Claire also stepped forward to observe the surrounding terrain and the distribution of the Wild Gods.
Lin, on the other hand, let out a slight sigh of relief—although he could communicate mentally with Joshua and knew the meaning of the conversation between him and Unit 3, this prolonged period of thinking, memorizing, understanding, and relaying had still tired him out.
I am a weapon—the kind that cuts people! Not some damn translator!
Just as Lin was feeling a bit displeased and complaining in his heart, a large hand reached over and patted the young man's shoulder. Lin looked up in surprise and saw Joshua's encouraging gaze.
"Good job." The warrior said so.
"...Mm."
And just as Joshua was encouraging his weapon, suddenly, the entire fortress shook violently. Everyone felt their bodies become lighter, even having a sensation of floating.
"Gravity imbalance?"
The old dwarf manipulated his Battle Qi to stabilize his body. He looked around in surprise. Countless small gravel was floating up from the artificial ground around them, dust was flying everywhere, and the direction of the wind was beginning to become chaotic.
"Isn't this a phenomenon that only occurs in places with an abnormally high concentration of Earth Element?"
Meanwhile, Unit 3's projection was very calm—of course, she was always calm. The artificial intelligence spoke to explain: "Everyone, don't worry. This is not an abnormal situation. It's just a common gravity imbalance. Although it wasn't common before, it has been happening more and more frequently recently." (To be continued.)