Abyss Solo

"No."

"Then why should all the responsibility be placed on me?"

Yang Ming's gaze flickered slightly:

"What Lyu and I are doing now isn't it to gradually ignite the internal pressure problems in the Empire? In the tens of thousands of years that the Empire has existed, how many humans have died from its expeditions and plundering? How many have held slave status throughout Imperial history? Roughly estimating, based on the data I just received, the Empire now has an annual increase of three hundred and sixty million people with slave status, most of whom are born into slave families. Then, how many people with slave status have there been in Imperial history? Ten trillion.

"If only a few tens of billions of human lives are sacrificed to end an Empire that could rely on your power to exist for several more billion years... that would be a good deed, not an evil one.

"Of course, I am guilty, and I won't mind if I end up being condemned."

Lyu nodded slightly: "Your numbers are quite conservative, many of the Empire's people with slave status are deliberately unregistered. The Empire's heavy labor market is supported by them, which ensures the endless production of low-cost industrial goods, thereby preventing the Imperial economy from plunging into recession. The existence of governmental systems follows a cycle, and to break that cycle, one must implement some unconventional systems."

Yang Ming asked: "Tell me about Levi, I'm more concerned about him."

"Afraid of him?" Lyu's eyes carried a hint of amusement.

"A little bit," Yang Ming said, "Not exactly afraid, but rather feeling... I feel he is the biggest BOSS I need to face, and only by defeating him can I find a satisfactory ending."

"There can be no satisfactory ending for you, Ming," Lyu said softly, "The merging of two souls has already plunged you into the Abyss, and the hypocritical Faya people will not spare you."

"You don't have a good impression of the Faya people?"

"No."

Lyu nodded slightly:

"They are just another Empire, forcibly occupying all ascension paths. On one hand, they proclaim to seek new possibilities in the universe, while on the other, they impose gene locks on humans and guide civilizations with potential to ascend into becoming like them — collective consciousness network life forms.

"The root cause is that 'collective consciousness network life forms' need to establish enough superiority. They must constantly suggest to themselves that theirs is the right path for the sake of maintaining stability within the network.

"But when a new collective consciousness network life form completes its ascension, the Faya people will immediately incorporate them, assimilate them, and expand their own ranks.

"When other ascension methods emerge, the Faya people will mercilessly crush, annihilate, and destroy that possibility."

Yang Ming frowned deeply: "For example, Levi."

"Yes," Lyu looked up at Yang Ming, "After exhausting resources from the most powerful Empire in the Milky Way for thousands of years, we have reached the other shore using the Emperor Star as a carrier."

Yang Ming's eyes widened.

"The reason Levi's Thought Body can remain intact for tens of thousands of years without collapsing is that he is already considered half a high-dimensional being."

Yang Ming was momentarily speechless.

Lyu spoke slowly:

"He binds me because our paths have diverged. I chose to give up; he chose to attempt once more. After extreme disappointment and enormous failure, he buried his body, waiting for a true return."

"Return? Wait," Yang Ming frowned, "In what form does he return? What kind of Life Technology did you bring from the Intelligent Mechanic Dusk? Right, the gene lock, you don't recognize the current Imperial royalty, gene is the key... Supermodified people!"

Lyu smiled: "Your reaction is very quick, yes, Supermodified people are indeed the vessel for his return."

Then, Lyu regained his calm expression, speaking sentence by sentence:

"Want to cooperate, Ming?"

"You go defeat Levi, and I will help you dismantle the Empire, this filthy, dirty realm, which I can no longer tolerate.

"I like your Dark Star, if you can resonate once more with the Intelligent Mechanic Dusk, I wish to return there, to become the gravekeeper of the civilization."

Yang Ming's gaze flickered slightly.

He suddenly asked: "I have only one last question."

"Just say it."

"Your current true state," Yang Ming gazed into Lyu's eyes, "I know how vile human nature can be; I also know how disgusting the Imperial royalty and Great Nobles are. I understand Lyu; when he first encountered human society, he constantly harbored extreme thoughts. And what about you? Influenced by the Empire for tens of thousands of Galaxy Years, guarding these Fallen ones for tens of thousands of years, the Mechanical God, Ling Xin, has told me that the real you has already become a monster."

Lyu's eyes were somewhat hollow.

The swing was gently swaying.