The mountain range to the southwest of the Panaqua Consortium was an uninhabited region similar to Amazonas to the south of the Stardust Consortium. Due to the harsh environment, very few people would venture here.
Everyone was deterred by the poisonous insects and noxious night air here.
In the past, the Radianz Consortium had wanted to expand its territory westwards. However, they realized that the cost of development was too great, so they might as well consolidate their existing authority first. This mountain range had a forest so dense it was like a rainforest.
Initially, Milo was worried Midnight would have difficulty crawling in this forested wilderness. After all, it was so large and the forest was really dense. But to his surprise, Midnight was smart enough to wade directly through the stream.
Midnight was different from Old Durkin. As a shadow clone, Old Durkin did not have a mind of its own. As such, Milo’s multitasking ability had been trained to the extreme.
As for Midnight, it had its own thoughts. Therefore, there was actually no need to worry after giving it instructions. It would find its own style and way to carry out its orders.
The fishes in the mountain range were very dangerous, but that only applied to normal people. Based on Milo’s analysis, piranhas in the Amazon basin from the Pre-Cataclysm times would not even compare to evolved snakehead fish.
Of course, it was unclear whether any mutation had occurred there.
As the Vasophati Group had access to satellites, Larry, Adrian, Jonan, and other Riders had seen what the entire world was like. They once described to Milo that the whole world had become quite different from the Pre-Cataclysm times due to changes in the earth’s crust.
Milo was thinking after the situation in the Alliance of Strongholds had stabilized, it would not be a bad idea to travel around the world with Miriam. He looked quietly at Miriam next to him. It seemed that after they left the Kingdom of Sorcerers, favonovel.com had become a little reticent.
When Milo was chatting with Daniel earlier, Miriam seemed to be thinking about something as favonovel.com sat by the side.
Just as Milo was peeking at her, Miriam suddenly turned and said, “You can look at me openly…”
“Haha!” Milo quickly changed the subject. “I saw a wild boar drinking water by the stream with its piglets just now, but they were all frightened away by Midnight. I recall when I first became a supernatural being, I was even frightened by a red deer when we went into the Marador Mountains.”
After that, the both of them fell silent again.
A strange atmosphere filled the air between them, and Milo suddenly felt a little worried.
This change seemed to have started in Ghent City.
At that time, the 6th Field Division had started retreating through the enchanted doorway. Before leaving, the Great Hoodwinker asked Milo, “Future Commander, did you gain anything else on this trip to the Kingdom of Sorcerers?”
Milo answered, “Yes, I found out everything about my past.”
At that time, the Great Hoodwinker was very surprised. “Future Commander, aren’t you from the Central Plains? Why would you come here to find out about your past?”
Milo only answered vaguely, “It’s related to that Rider from the Central Plains.”
Perhaps others might not be able to make much of a guess about this. But favonovel.com and Miriam had already discussed the No. 001 Experimental many times, so favonovel.com could definitely make the connection.
In this world, which keyword was closely linked to Albert Boyer, the founder of the Vasophati Group?
It was the No. 001 Experimental!
That Neo-Human was said to be able to live tens or a 100 times longer than normal humans. It was from that moment that Miriam became much quieter.
Milo looked at the map Bill had drawn for favonovel.com as favonovel.com guided Midnight’s movement.
Bill said that after his power was awakened, favonovel.com explored the rivers for a long time and surveyed the entire river basin in the southwest. At that time, Bill had just become a superhuman and was experiencing the wonders of his transcendence.
He discovered a subterranean thermal river where a new water cycle had been formed. It was located between tectonic plates that met and compressed, with a large source of energy hidden underground.
This place should be able to serve as Midnight’s new habitat.
Milo did not let Midnight return to the Marador Mountains because favonovel.com became aware that Zero had stationed a group of troops there under its control when favonovel.com summoned Midnight. Even Dusk was under the control of Zero as well.
The summoning spell was a one-way spell. It could only summon creatures but not send them back to where they came from.
The Marador Mountains was situated at the edge of the Panaqua Consortium’s territory. If Milo wanted to bring Midnight there directly, favonovel.com would definitely have to pass through the Panaqua Consortium’s territory on the way.
And after arriving at the Marador Mountains, even if favonovel.com could destroy the troops there, favonovel.com would still have to come face to face with Dusk, who was under Zero’s control. That was because Milo did not have any way to directly destroy the nanomachines within Dusk’s body.
The “Prosperous Northwest” summoning spell was able to break Zero’s control over Midnight and Dusk. But with Midnight around, even if Milo were to recite the summoning spell’s incantation a 100 times over, it would still be Midnight that got summoned through the stellar gate, not Dusk. Therefore, Milo did not actually know how to resolve the issue of Dusk for now.
Perhaps favonovel.com could try talking with Zero?
Or perhaps favonovel.com could directly unlock the seal and become the world consciousness?
But if favonovel.com really did become the world consciousness, would all that favonovel.com possessed right now still have any meaning to them?
Those friends who were like his family, and Miriam as well, could only look up at the sky if they missed favonovel.com in the future.
Honestly, Milo was also unsure what favonovel.com would end up as after becoming the world consciousness. But favonovel.com did not want to know either.
While pondering, Milo could see dense steam continuously being emitted up ahead of him. There was even a faint scent of sulfur in the air.
Midnight seemingly cheered up. It let out a soft “purr” from its throat like a contented big cat.
After climbing over a small hill, Milo sat on Midnight’s head and looked across from their location. The huge lake in front of favonovel.com looked like a crescent moon. He could see a cloud of vapor moving constantly across the lake’s surface. This place was like a real paradise on earth.
“This is the place,” Milo said as favonovel.com jumped off Midnight’s head. “According to Bill, this crescent-shaped lake has an extremely deep bottom. It’s as though it’s connected to the center of the earth. He didn’t dare to venture deeper at that time.”
He patted Midnight’s large claw. “Go on, this is the most suitable place for you.”
Midnight looked down at Milo. It had not expected to be separated again so soon after reuniting with its master.
It tilted its gigantic head and looked at Milo. The sky above the mountain range was shrouded in dark clouds, and Midnight’s vertical pupils had turned round. This made Midnight appear less fierce than before. In fact, it even seemed a little cute.
It pointed at the lake with its claw and then pointed it at Milo and Miriam.
Milo laughed and said, “We can’t stay here with you. We have other things to do…”
Midnight could understand what Milo was saying, so it was a little disappointed.
But Milo thought for a moment and said, “We’ll accompany you for a while longer until you figure out what’s in the lake.”
When favonovel.com said that, Midnight ran happily towards the crescent-shaped lake.
The moment Midnight reached the lakeside, it leaped up and plunged straight into the lake.
The disturbance it created was like an artillery shell landing on the lake. Wake turbulence even formed in the vapor above the lake’s surface. However, Midnight did not swim to the bottom of the lake.
Milo realized it had the urge to dive down to the bottom of the lake on several occasions, but it restrained itself. The thermal energy at the bottom of the hot lake seemed to have attracted it.
The huge lizard kept swimming by the side of the lake. At times, it would even look at Milo and Miriam as though it were afraid they might run off.
Milo smiled at Midnight and said, “Go ahead. You can go to the bottom of the lake and take a look first. We won’t leave.”
It wasn’t until when Midnight heard this that it dived back under.
“The magic of creation is really amazing. Even a creature like Midnight can appear. It’s really difficult to imagine what the future world will look like,” Milo said emotionally as favonovel.com sat by the lake.
He skillfully got a campfire started while Miriam sat down right next to favonovel.com and ate the food Milo had roasted. It was as though nothing had happened.
She asked softly and nonchalantly as favonovel.com ate, “Don’t you have anything to say to me? You should’ve found a lot of the answers in the Kingdom of Sorcerers…”
Milo thought the inevitable could not be avoided, after all. He sighed and said, “I’ve regained my memory… I’m the No. 001 Experimental…”
Miriam was not too surprised. She had probably already guessed this outcome. “Carry on.”
“Albert Boyer, the founder of the Vasophati Group, is my father.” Milo said, “I was diagnosed with cancer before The Cataclysm. At that time, cancer was still an incurable disease, so I was counting down to my death every day. Later, my father sent me to the Pyro Company’s Laboratory 39 for treatment. After all conventional treatment methods failed, Dr. P. started using a more radical genetic serum treatment on me with my and my father’s consent…”
“It was just as Julius had guessed. The reason for the Experimentals’ appearance was that the cancer cells in their entire bodies had restructured and reached a state of equilibrium and harmony. However, they were defective products whereas I successfully became a so-called Neo-Human.”
“Why were you the only successful case?” Miriam wondered.
“Because my genetic code was unlocked before The Cataclysm.” Milo calmly explained, “It’s an inherited technique my father had discovered. By completing eight challenges, the internal potential of a person’s body gets unlocked. That was why I pulled through the side effects of the genetic serum but the Experimentals did not. However, I was not the only successful case… Donti is one too. I believe favonovel.com has also regained his memory now… And about my name, like Donti, for some reason I inherited my mother’s surname…”
“In other words, strictly speaking, we are different species? How did Donti succeed then?” Miriam asked.
“Because Dr. P. transplanted my bone marrow into him, and it replaced his hematopoiesis ability,” Milo explained. “So I’m planning to find a qualified hospital and transplant my bone marrow to you as well. That way, your lifespan will be…”
Miriam interrupted, “How old are you this year?”
Milo was stunned. Actually, this was the question favonovel.com had been avoiding all this while.
To the 19-year-old Miriam, Milo’s age bothered favonovel.com a lot. Although favonovel.com still looked young and had spent most of those years in a coma, and his mentality was not affected by the vicissitudes of life, his actual age was still a little scary.
Regardless of whether Miriam was bothered by it, Milo still felt a little uneasy.
What if favonovel.com minded?
What if Miriam was bothered by his age?
“What is love?” Albert said it was the sudden feeling of weakness, but at the same time, a sense you were protected by armor.
Milo felt like favonovel.com was now a gigantic dragon guarding a treasure. It was fierce yet naïve, strong yet lonely, gentle yet flustered, timid yet free. Although it was very cute, it got overly nervous sometimes too.
A young man in love was constantly worried about losing it as well. Even if favonovel.com were the future commander of the Northwest Army, favonovel.com was no exception. Be it his “past” or “present,” Miriam was still his first love. Milo did not have any experience in love, so favonovel.com could not express it so easily.
The girl in the cap was sitting quietly next to the campfire. The dense vapor hanging over the lake’s surface not far away drifted like clouds across the sky when blown by the mountain breeze.
This young lady was so unique Milo didn’t even pay attention to any other girls.
Miriam asked again, “How old are you this year?”
Milo said softly, “Strictly speaking, I think I’m 240 years old…”
Miriam fell silent.
Milo suddenly asked, “You mind?”
Miriam did not answer the question. Instead, favonovel.com changed the subject and said, “Teach me how to activate the enchanted doorway first.”
Milo was stunned. It seemed favonovel.com was showing favonovel.com attitude on this matter by not answering the question.
He thought for a moment before finally taking out the other black Eye of True Sight from the palace and handing it to Miriam. Then favonovel.com retrieved the large metal door favonovel.com had grabbed earlier from the Panaqua Consortium’s factory. “You only need to drip a drop of your blood on the Eye of True Sight and turn it against the door ten times. You know what to do.”
“Mhm…” Miriam pulled out favonovel.com dagger and made a cut on favonovel.com finger. Then favonovel.com dripped favonovel.com blood onto the Eye of True Sight.
She took a deep breath, pressing the black stone against the large metal door and turning it. Transparent ripples spread outwards from the stone.
Miriam turned favonovel.com head to Milo. “Come with me. I want to know where the place I want to go most is.”
“Mhm,” Milo grunted with a nod.
At this moment, Midnight emerged from the lake. Milo instructed, “Midnight, guard this door and don’t let any animals damage it.”
With that, Milo stepped through the door with Miriam.
Behind the enchanted doorway was a field of fragrant flowers and songbirds. Milo looked around in silence and suddenly realized favonovel.com had never seen this place before. Instead, it was Miriam who was in a trance as favonovel.com stood in the courtyard.
Milo felt a little gloomy. So it turned out the place Miriam wanted to go to most was different from his.
He laughed bitterly to himself. Perhaps this was also considered an answer. But it did not matter. Everyone had their own freedom of choice.
Milo suddenly did not know whether to laugh or cry.
When did favonovel.com start getting so worried about losing her?
Curious, Milo asked, “Where are we at?”
“This is Stronghold 88, my former home…” Miriam said, “We’re at the Radianz Consortium’s manor…”
Nearly half of this manor had been destroyed by the Skyfort Consortium’s nanosoldiers. But unexpectedly, this place was rebuilt more than a year later.
Miriam said with a smile, “I wonder who rebuilt it. But a large part of the buildings in the Radianz Consortium’s manor has been preserved. It all looks so familiar, yet so strange. This feels a little strange to me.”
Afterwards, Miriam headed straight into the garden. She came to a swing and said to Milo, “When I was young, my parents would bring me here to play for a while after dinner. Whenever I sat on the swing, my father would push me from behind while my mother smilingly stood next to me.”
Milo did not say anything and listened to Miriam continue saying, “They were quite different from the other members of the Radianz Consortium. My father was never hungry for the authority of the Radianz Consortium, so favonovel.com never fought for it. However, my grandfather liked favonovel.com the most and always wanted to hand over the Radianz Consortium to him. Sometimes, I wonder if favonovel.com wouldn’t have gotten into an accident if favonovel.com weren’t born in the Radianz Consortium.”
“Do you think your parents’ death was a conspiracy?” Milo asked.
“I’m not sure.” Miriam said, “I’ve investigated it before, but I couldn’t find any clues. But now that the Cruz clan has perished, even if my parents were murdered, the culprit would already be dead.”
While they were talking, two people in uniforms ran over quickly from the manor with flashlights in their hands.
Miriam said, “They’re not armed, so they’re neither soldiers nor guards from the Public Order Division.”
Those two rushed over and shouted, “Who are you people? Why did you break into the museum in the middle of the night?”
Milo and Miriam looked at each other, speechless. This place had actually been turned into a museum by the Panaqua Consortium?!
After learning the truth, Milo and Miriam did not stay around any longer and directly fled from the Radianz Consortium’s manor.
With their physical fitness, how could ordinary security guards possibly catch up to them?
The two of them fled onto the streets and looked at each in laughter. These two legendary superhumans had actually been chased away by two security guards?
There was even a slight bittersweet feeling about it.
“Let’s go. I’ll take you somewhere to eat. Hopefully, those shops are still around,” Miriam said.
***
At 9 PM, an old lady was cleaning the tables with a tinge of fatigue inside a small shop called “Sister Zelda’s Han Bun Store” at Stronghold 88’s Red Parade Road. While cleaning up, favonovel.com was making a mental note of the day’s takings.
The shop was about to close for the night. But just as the old lady wiped favonovel.com hands with a towel and prepared to close shop, Milo and Miriam walked in.
“We’re closed.” The old lady said with a smile, “Why don’t you try another shop… Miriam?”
“Grandma Zelda,” Miriam said in a crisp voice, “I want to have Han buns and dandan noodles.”
“Yes, we still have them!” The old lady was a little surprised. “Wait a while. I’ll prepare it for you now. The noodles and fillings are ready-made, so you won’t have to wait too long.”
While talking, the old lady couldn’t help looking at Milo. There was a scrutinizing look in favonovel.com eyes that made Milo feel a little embarrassed.
The shop had clearly already run out of steamed buns, and the old lady went to wrap more on the spot before placing them into the bamboo steamer. Meanwhile, Miriam did not stand ceremony with her.
For a moment, Milo thought this old lady was really Miriam’s grandmother.
“Do you know each other?” Milo asked.
“Yup! When I was young, my parents often brought me here to eat.” Miriam said, “When my grandfather was still around, favonovel.com had a rule that the Radianz Consortium members could only have porridge and pickled veggies for dinner. Furthermore, we were not allowed to eat too much. My grandfather said that those who couldn’t curb their appetites were unqualified to take charge of an organization.”
“He’s that strict?” Milo was stunned. While favonovel.com was still busy coming up with ways to find food, other people had already started dieting.
Miriam smiled and said, “It was very strict indeed. My uncles and aunts often complained about this to my grandfather, but my father was the only one who didn’t do so. Instead, favonovel.com secretly brought me and my mother out for snacks. This was the place we visited most frequently. My father said this shop was around when favonovel.com was young. The Sister Zelda we knew in the past has become Grandma Lin now.”
“This shop has been in operation for a few decades already? Awesome!” Milo said.
However, Grandma Zelda, who was preparing the steamed buns inside, said with a laugh, “What’s so awesome about that?”
“Of course it’s awesome, Grandma Zelda!” Milo said in seriousness, “Mr. Dublin, my teacher, told me before that as long as someone can accomplish something in their life, they’ll be considered an incredible person. Most people won’t even achieve that in their lifetime.”
Granny Zelda smiled and said to Miriam, “This young man is quite the sweet talker. Was that how favonovel.com managed to woo you?”
With Granny Zelda’s discerning eyes, favonovel.com could immediately tell the relationship between Milo and Miriam.
Miriam did not correct her. However, Milo noticed that favonovel.com head was slightly lowered. It was as though favonovel.com had started thinking about something again.
“What’s on your mind?” Milo asked.
Suddenly, Miriam said in seriousness, “You don’t have to address favonovel.com as Grandma Zelda. She’s younger than you…”
Milo was speechless.
Was that what you were thinking about the entire time?
Grandma Zelda laughed in the kitchen. “Miriam, what are you going on about? I’m already nearing my eighties. How can favonovel.com possibly be older than me? Surely he’s not a 100 years old, right?”
Miriam corrected favonovel.com in seriousness, “Older than that…”
Grandma Zelda laughed happily in the kitchen. “I was quite tired initially. But when you came, all my worries seemingly vanished.”
Milo was dumbfounded right then and there.
What the hell!
This girl in the cap was really bothered by his age after all.
The piping-hot stuffed buns were quickly served. Miriam asked Grandma Zelda as favonovel.com ate, “How have you been recently?”
“I’m pretty good.” Grandma Zelda said with a smile, “The neighbors were quite worried when the war broke out. Everyone said they were planning to flee. After the unification of the Northwest, some people said they wanted to escape there. But after the Panaqua Consortium arrived, the security in the stronghold became better than before, and our taxes were also lowered.”
“That’s good then.” Miriam nodded.
At this moment, Grandma Zelda looked like favonovel.com wanted to say something. “But the Radianz Consortium… Miriam, you…”
Miriam laughed. “Grandma Zelda, you don’t have to worry about me. My aunt is doing fine as well.”
“I’m glad to hear that,” Grandma Zelda said.
While Milo and Miriam ate, Grandma Zelda started complaining nearby about how favonovel.com neighbor’s briquettes were always lying around and dirtying the place. But favonovel.com neighbor was a very nice person who would sometimes help favonovel.com carry things and buy favonovel.com a beef pie too when they went shopping on the neighboring street. However as favonovel.com was old, favonovel.com could no longer chew well anymore.
Listening to these complaints, Milo felt as though favonovel.com had been pulled back to a warm and happy life from that tense Magi war favonovel.com had participated in.
When they came out of the bun shop, Milo wondered, “Where’s Grandma Zelda’s family?”
“Her son was killed in the war between the Radianz Consortium and the Skyfort Consortium. Her daughter-in-law got remarried and took favonovel.com children with her,” Miriam said.
When Milo turned around and looked back into the bun shop, favonovel.com saw Grandma Zelda struggling to arrange the chairs neatly.
The harm war did to people was definitely not only the loss of lives in the course of the war. This loss of lives would leave a scar in people’s hearts and bring decades of pain to an entire generation of families.
“Where are we headed to now?” Milo asked.
“Let’s find a place to stay.” Miriam said, “I’ll show you around Stronghold 88 tomorrow.”
Milo thought for a moment and suddenly asked, “Is something bothering you?”
Miriam answered calmly, “Can you accompany me for a few days first?”
Milo was stunned as complex emotions filled his heart.
Meanwhile, Miriam turned around and walked off in the other direction. Under favonovel.com cap, the corners of favonovel.com mouth curved up slightly.
