HBWnovel Chapter 319 The third stone
Chapter 319 The third stone
The man in the white robe was named Nian Deng, the Governor of the Silver Feather Army, and also the Commander of this massive Fleet.@@@@
Just one hour later, Nian Deng boarded a small spacecraft and arrived at Ruyi City, where he met Bai Zhongqi.
The moment Nian Deng truly beheld Bai Zhongqi, his display was as exaggerated and excited as it had been during the video call. He did not act like an ordinary Iridium Star citizen but directly knelt at Bai Zhongqi's feet, which even startled Bai Zhongqi. The white-robed Silver Feather warriors following Nian Deng did the same, performing a special kneeling ritual of the Silver Feather Army, reserved for one person only — the Chancellor.
With legs joined together, their upper bodies lay straight on the ground, their hands placed apart on either side of their heads, four fingers closed together with thumbs pointing upwards. While kneeling, their eyes were closed.
Bai Zhongqi was quite uncomfortable with being knelt to, so he quickly said, "Please rise, Governor Nian Deng, and the other warriors as well."
As Nian Deng stood up, Bai Zhongqi couldn't help but marvel once again. The Silver Feather warriors were very tall, seemingly all above two meters, yet they did not appear as burly and robust as a Sergeant Major, but rather lean.
With tears streaming, Nian Deng said, "Chancellor, we've drifted for four thousand years, through dozens of generations, and finally, we've found you. Now the Silver Feather Army has its soul again, we have our roots once more."
Bai Zhongqi, somewhat surprised, said, "You've been away from Iridium Star for four thousand years?"
Nian Deng nodded and said, "Yes, to be precise, it has been 4,081 years. During this time, we became a wandering civilization, without a fixed abode. But our objective never got blurred, and that was to find you."
Bai Zhongqi was well aware that time flows more slowly for objects of greater mass (a statement which is not actually accurate). Yet, the Silver Feather Army had only passed four thousand years since leaving Iridium Star, which was a significant deviation.
Nian Deng took something else from his chest and presented it with both hands to Bai Zhongqi, who subconsciously accepted it, then realized with a shock that Nian Deng had handed him a crimson gemstone!
"His Majesty initially bestowed the Twelve Knights of Destiny with twelve Universe Artifacts, giving our Governor of the Silver Feather Army this divine stone, the true nature of which is unknown. For thousands of years, this divine stone has guided the Silver Feather Army multiple times and has become the symbol of faith for successive Silver Feather Governors. Today, I present the divine stone to you once again, asking you to shine your glory upon the Silver Feather Army anew."
Bai Zhongqi was left somewhat stupefied and even the atmosphere turned a bit awkward; the meaning of Nian Deng giving him this stone was roughly to bless it and then return it to them as a talisman. However, Bai Zhongqi held onto the stone, unable to let go.
It wasn't that he didn't want to release it, his mind was playing out an astounding scene.
It was as if the game interface he used to see on his computer had reappeared, and then a dialogue box popped up:
"Complete the mission: Defeat Teizene's initial invasion fleet; Mission Reward: The lost Silver Feather Fleet."
Bai Zhongqi felt at a loss, he suddenly experienced a strong sense of fear. When his real life became like a game, he couldn't help but be horrified. Was the world he existed in not reality at all? Was he just a character being manipulated by someone else? Was his entire world just a game?
When he let go of the crimson gemstone, the game graphics in his mind disappeared. But when he picked up the stone again, everything that had just transpired seemed to have never happened, as if the game graphics he saw in his mind were merely an illusion.
Bai Zhongqi didn't know what to do with this sinister crimson gemstone; these artifacts were more mysterious one than the next. The first one he had used to create Spratly Island, or Homeland Titan; the second he had given to his artificial intelligence to host the soul, making her into a true life form; and the third, he simply couldn't comprehend its nature at all, it had only shown him a game interface once.
At least, Bai Zhongqi knew that the Silver Feather Army had now become part of his forces. Although they were not reined in by the Supreme Command, their loyalty might be the highest of all.