Chapter 458
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Chapter 458: The Past
“So, goodbye, Miss Nian.”
Bai Yan smiled and nodded, gradually disappearing into thin air.
One by one, the people of Babel Tower left, as if they had never been there before.
But the Giant Hive city had already been completely transformed. Its future had been altered forever.
Finally, Nian also left the headquarters building of Noy Military Company.
Partridge, filled with unease, was taken away by Mr. Profligate. No one knew what her fate would be, but everyone felt that Mr. Profligate’s smile was sinister.
After leaving the building, Nian gazed at the unfamiliar structures in front of her, her mind drifting into thought. On the streets and corners, there were promotional paintings and videos showcasing “The Almighty – male version.”
The people of the city had not yet realized that reality had been rewritten. Starting tomorrow, dramatic changes were about to occur, flipping everything upside down.
She had done it.
The Rebellion’s long-standing ideals and goals were finally realized.
And once again, Nian remembered that crucial person.
What kind of being are you, after all?
Is the “you” in my memories just an illusion?
How much of the bond we shared as family was truly real?
Nian still remembered the days when she lived with her foster mother. Those were the happiest times in her life.
Her foster mother, the original Elene of the Rebel Army, taught her many lessons through words and actions. Nian had always admired that woman.
But Nian also remembered the day her foster mother passed away. She would never forget it.
“Nian, I’m going to die.”
Nian closed her eyes, as if the red-haired woman was still standing right in front of her.
“Inside the rebel group, someone betrayed me.”
“Before the sun rises again, I will die and my soul will vanish into nothingness.”
“But Elene couldn’t die just like that.”
“This city cannot completely succumb to darkness. But perhaps, it is because of the darkness that people yearn for Elene. Only in the presence of shadows can light shine even brighter.”
“Sorry…”
“From today on, your name is Elene.”
—
The rebel base was highly secretive, hidden within a spatial barrier.
For years, the rebel leaders would only gather here during crucial moments, to hold important meetings.
It had been several years since anyone had seen their leader, Elene. Even though they were high-ranking members of the rebel group, no one knew who Elene had become or where she could be.
After learning of her adoptive mother’s betrayal, Nian had used her extraordinary psychic powers to remotely control and manage the rebel group. No one knew her whereabouts or true identity, making betrayal impossible.
The ordinary members of the rebel group didn’t even know… that the current leader, Elene, was already the second generation Elene, and no longer the original, first-generation Elene.
Inside a dimly lit room of the secret base, over a dozen peculiarly dressed individuals sat, their expressions varied.
“The Almighty is dead? Is that true?”
“I don’t know if it’s true, but there are a lot of reports saying so. However, it could be a plot. The Almighty is suspicious.”
“Apparently, the Babel Tower and Noy’s forces had a fierce fight not long ago. It took place at the nest outside the cloning center, where the bodies of the Almighty’s clones poured out in large numbers.”
“We saw in the surveillance footage that there is a very powerful vampire queen in the Babel Tower. She pierced the nest with a massive hole, demonstrating incredibly exaggerated strength…”
“What in the world is that gigantic ship, gosh!”
Suddenly, an elderly man dressed in a suit and with white hair raised his hand.
The room immediately fell silent.
The old man spoke in a deep voice:
“Everyone, please remain calm. Our leader, Elene, must know something. She wouldn’t have gathered all of us for a meeting if she didn’t.”
“Normally, she would communicate using her psychic powers, without revealing her true identity. But today, she has gathered us together.”
The old man was named Herman, with the codename “Gray Gloves.”
“Gray Gloves” held a position second only to the leader within the rebel army. He had the ability of spatial teleportation and object concealment, making him the chief steward and the second-in-command with Crown-level strength among the rebels.
[Sorry I’m late.]
At that moment, everyone heard a voice.
It was a woman’s voice.
They were momentarily startled, but soon a black-haired girl appeared at the door, calmly looking at them.
Floating by her side was an electronic prompter, but the voice didn’t come from there.
Instead, it appeared directly in the minds of each person.
Important members of the rebel army all had “special psychic power props” made from Nian’s hair, allowing for smooth communication and enabling her to locate and monitor everyone at any time.
Everyone stood up and saluted the respected leader of the rebel army.
“These years, you have worked hard.”
“Finally, we meet, leader! Hahaha, I never expected you to be so young…”
“I wonder why you’ve gathered everyone here this time.”
“Rumor has it that the Almighty has passed away. Is it true?”
The high-ranking members of the rebel army began to discuss fervently.
Gray Gloves Herman took a deep breath, looking at the second-generation Elene, the young girl.
“Has our war ended?”
[Hmm, the war has ended.]
It was just a softly spoken sentence, but it made everyone feel as though they had just woken up from a dream, filled with disbelief.
Then came cheers, joy, and tears.
But Nian had not finished speaking.
[Next, the Giant Hive will be jointly managed by you and the forces of Babel Tower. As for the rebel army… from today on, it will be officially disbanded.]
At these words, everyone stood frozen in shock.
Babel Tower?
Who are they?
The rebel army disbanded?
Yes, it was true.
The war had ended, and the rebel army was no longer needed.
But why Babel Tower?
The meeting continued for several hours. The high-ranking members of the rebel army were filled with confusion and bewilderment, but Nian patiently explained everything.
In the end, they chose to believe in their leader.
For now… they would go along with Babel Tower.
When everyone else had left, only Nian and “Gray Gloves” Herman remained.
“You have become a great leader and fulfilled your foster mother’s lifelong wish. Congratulations! Honestly, I never thought I would live to see the downfall of the Almighty.”
Herman’s voice carried a subtle note of contentment.
Nian remained silent for a moment, then nodded gently.
“There are some things, perhaps, that you should know…”
Herman seemed to have made up his mind and walked towards a hidden room. “You know, don’t you? That place is our special confinement room. There’s something that requires your attention.”
Nian nodded, pretending she didn’t know anything, and followed Herman towards the room.
There, Herman discovered a mind-washing device and accessed the historical footage stored within it.
It was an important recording.
“Look at this. It’s about you, your foster mother, and even the Almighty…”
Herman sighed and said, “After facing the Almighty, you must have realized that she is connected to you.”
Nian didn’t answer. She just calmly watched the recording.
She reached out her hand and gently touched the instrument. With the power of her psychic abilities, her consciousness seemed to enter the stored recording.
Nian experienced firsthand the events that had happened in the past.
—
“I still believe we should destroy her.”
In the dark room, Gray Gloves Herman’s face was grim.
He sat on the chair, took a deep breath, and warned the red-haired woman in front of him.
“She’s very dangerous, and at any moment she could be activated. And then, with the army of the Almighty, she would slaughter us all!”
The red-haired woman shook her head.
“No, I can sense… this girl is different.”
Nian saw that figure once again.
The first generation of Elene.
Her foster mother.
The tall woman with red hair, smoking, gazing at the artificial sunlight outside the window, her face filled with a mix of complicated emotions.
“Herman, she is different from those Almighty clones who slaughtered us. She has her own soul, and there is a consciousness separate from the Almighties.”
Herman continued, “But if you look closely at her face, this girl is still a clone of the Almighty. And considering how many people the clones have killed, why shouldn’t we kill her?”
He didn’t want to believe in the clones.
Most members of the Rebel Army harbored a deep hatred for them.
They wished to devour their flesh and drink their blood.
The red-haired woman, Original Elene, turned around and remained silent for a while, until the sunlight gradually faded away:
“She hasn’t been controlled by the Almighty yet, and she is a ‘perfect clone.’ Perhaps, after awakening, she will possess at least half the power of the Almighty herself. In the future, we might rely on her strength to turn the tables.”
“So, what will you do?” Herman asked.
The red-haired woman replied, “I will erase her memories and raise her by my side.”
Herman stared blankly, growing increasingly excited, completely disagreeing with Original Elene’s idea.
“You will raise another Almighty! Another terrifying monster! She will destroy us!”
Original Elene put down her cigarette and looked at the girl lying on the bed, her eyes filled with reluctance for the past.
“I believe people are not born bad. Even if they share the same genes as the Almighty, different experiences can shape different personalities and destinies. I believe… I can teach her to be kind.”
“Faced with irrational destiny and the outcasts in people’s hearts, we are human, and we cannot avoid fear… But we need to have eyes that can stare at fear and dare to stand up against the whole world.”
She slowly approached the sleeping girl and gently caressed her face.
“Will you be our hope?”
The recording ended at this point.
After watching the recording, Nian closed her eyes.
Her body trembled slightly, clearly filled with emotion.
Herman’s slow voice echoed beside her:
“I won’t say ‘I’m sorry.’ Our struggle against Noy Military is a war, not a game. At least, I’ve always believed any means are permissible in times of necessity. And there is no evidence proving your appearance isn’t another trap of the Almighty.”
“But now, I must tell you something… when she was with you later, she truly loved you.”
“There is only one thing in your future life that you need not doubt.”
Herman bowed deeply, then turned and walked out of the room.
Nian shed her first tear and then laughed.
She slowly took a fresh flower and gently placed it on the ground.
After that, she didn’t look back and left.
