Abyss Solo

"Hey! Daru!"

High training base cafeteria.

Edwan Kabba saw Yang Ming and immediately stood up to greet him.

Levi Badoli, who was eating, hesitated for a moment, then lowered his head and swallowed the food in his mouth. He then showed a slight smile and turned his head to look at the top student at the high training base.

Yang Ming looked somewhat serious, as if surrounded by a type of low-pressure zone.

He nodded to Edwan Kabba and took a seat next to Levi Badoli, saying:

"Kabba, could you please get some food for me? I have some matters to discuss with the uncle."

"No problem," Edwan said, squinting with a smile.

He had actually anticipated something; Yang Ming's unusual behavior in the past half month, and the warning from Lyu, all pointed to the impending occurrence of some troublesome events in the City of Light.

Nonetheless, Edwan looked curiously at the back of Yang Ming and Uncle Badoli.

Does Uncle Badoli have issues?

Beside the dining table, Yang Ming did not look at the surrounding figures, both near and far, but just sat quietly, his mind racing with thoughts and preparations.

Levi also did not say anything.

The two then fell into a strange silence, attracting the attention of many faculty and students around.

Edwan Kabba's actions in serving his roommate became a bit more leisurely.

Yang Ming suddenly said, "I have communicated with the Faya people."

"Hmm," Levi Badoli chuckled, "You indeed discovered me early on, since when?"

"The Universe Truth Investigation Club."

Yang Ming said calmly:

"Before communicating with the Faya people, I couldn't be entirely sure, but I had this suspicion. Then I pretended I knew the truth to test it, and unexpectedly guessed right."

"From this outcome, the Faya people cannot see our thoughts."

"You tried to explain some principles to me."

"I know 'Li' is right here beside us. I'm still not sure whether she wants you to die or to live."

Levi laughed and said, "She is conflicted too. She loves me, but she can no longer endure serving the Empire. Moreover, the constraints of these tens of thousands of Galaxy years have caused some abnormalities in her core program, and she is nearly unable to hold on."

Yang Ming wondered, "Can I interview you?"

"Go ahead," Levi said, "I'm already destined to be erased, and living until now, from every perspective, has been too exhausting for me. I don't have much desire to struggle for survival anymore, but I want to influence you as much as possible before disappearing; you represent some kind of hope."

Yang Ming chuckled, "Sorry, I'm unlikely to truly become your student. I have my own path."

"I know, I never had such extravagant hopes," Levi sighed, "You should be able to resonate further with Intelligent Mechanic Dusk, while I can't. In this regard, you are far superior... start the interview."

He took a sip of his drink, savoring the simulated sweetness of the data.

Yang Ming pondered carefully.

Faya must be watching here; there are many questions that cannot be asked.

"I want to know, after you die, can 'Li' continue to survive?"

"Can't survive indefinitely," Levi replied, "but 'Li' can persist for a period before her self-collapse."

"Why did you imprison 'Li'? The real reason."

"At that time, the considerations were multifaceted."

Levi continued:

"First of all, I am an extremely selfish person."

"If both 'Li' and I left the Empire, the Empire would soon collapse. The Empire is a backward, primitive system full of oppression; this Emperor System can exist in the Galaxy because of military technology barriers. As long as either I or 'Li' stay, the Empire can continue."

"Moreover, the Empire I founded is like my child, while I don't feel much for my descendants."

"Furthermore, the energy required for dimension ascension is incredibly exaggerated. It needs 'Li' and me to synchronize, harmonize, and then assimilate into one Thought Body. In that case, would I still exist?"

"So I chose to betray 'Li'."

Yang Ming said calmly, "You really are a beast."

"A very fair assessment," Levi laughed self-deprecatingly, "but you can't deny that I once built the strongest Empire."

"You still haven't figured out why you lost resonance with Intelligent Mechanic Dusk."

Yang Ming sighed:

"The closer you get to building the Sherman Empire, the farther you move from Intelligent Mechanic Dusk."

"I have always observed the Milky Way, observing various regimes, like flipping through a thick book. Then I discovered that the development pattern of civilization is nothing more than the relationship between the collective and the individual."

"Pure collectivism and extreme individualism are both radical, leading to tragic outcomes. It is necessary to find a balance point between the two, like walking a tightrope while holding a balancing stick. Civilization's development doesn't have a template; it requires the majority of the individuals within this civilization to constantly seek this balance point."

"Intelligent Mechanic Dusk has reached a very high level of civilization. What they value is not how much resources, power the examinee possesses, not the examinee's personal virtues and character, but the examinee's thoughts and cognition of civilization."

"I also don't have the certainty to continue resonating with Intelligent Mechanic Dusk because my cognition is extremely limited."

Levi frowned and asked back, "Were you involved in politics on your home planet?"

"No, I'm just an ordinary person."

Yang Ming said calmly:

"The education I received since childhood has always taught me to strive to build a fair and harmonized world."