265: Chapter 265 Data Core

As dawn approached, Shen Zhao's fingers twitched slightly, and then he slowly opened his eyes.

His complexion remained pale, his hair had not grown back, and the wrinkles on his face had not vanished, but his eyes remained clear and resolute.

"Xing Lan, how long has this Disciple slept again?"

"One night."

Shen Zhao struggled to stand up, his legs weak, but this time he did not fall.

He supported himself on the edge of the shattered container and looked around.

All those test subjects had completely dissipated, the shattered containers were scattered everywhere, and the pale green liquid gathered into small streams on the ground, exuding a pungent odor.

Deep within the space, there was another door.

That door was very tall, standing fully ten zhang high. It was entirely silver-white, and its surface was densely engraved with runes.

Those runes were slowly flowing, emitting a heart-palpitating coercion.

Shen Zhao took a deep breath and walked toward that door.

Xing Lan followed behind him, holding the silver-white Jade Slip in her hand, the runes on the Jade Slip glowing faintly.

"What is that?" Xing Lan's voice was very soft.

Shen Zhao did not reply, merely walking to the door and raising his hand to touch it gently.

The runes on the door lit up briefly, and a message surged into his Sea of Consciousness—"Data Core, only accessible with administrator privileges."

Shen Zhao's hand paused slightly.

Administrator privileges?

He withdrew his hand and looked at Xing Lan.

"Xing Lan, did your Master leave behind any information regarding administrator privileges?"

Xing Lan thought for a moment and shook her head.

"No. Master only said that the core data of this outpost is all within the data core, and only those with administrator privileges can enter."

Shen Zhao was silent for a moment.

Administrator privileges; that should be a privilege belonging only to the upper echelons of The Designers, or the inquisitors of the Tribunal.

He was merely an external intruder; how could he possibly have privileges?

"Perhaps this Disciple can forcefully open it using Origin Power."

Xing Lan's brows furrowed.

"Forcefully open it? What if it triggers a self-destruct program?"

Shen Zhao shook his head.

"It won't. This Disciple has sensed the runes on the door; there is no self-destruct program. They are merely simple privilege verifications. As long as this Disciple's power is strong enough, a Breakthrough can be forced."

Xing Lan looked at him, was silent for a moment, and then nodded.

"Alright. Give it a try. But if it doesn't work, do not force it."

Shen Zhao nodded, raised his hand, and fourteen-colored light surged from his palm, transforming into a colorless sword of light.

The sword of light slashed toward that door, the blade colliding with the runes on the door and sparking dazzling fireworks.

The door trembled violently, and the runes flickered wildly.

A crack appeared in the center of the door; it was very thin and very shallow, but it truly existed.

Shen Zhao raised the sword of light once more and slashed down.

The crack expanded by a fraction.

The third time, the fourth time, the fifth time.

When the seventh sword strike fell, the door shattered with a roar, transforming into countless silver-white fragments that scattered all over the ground.

Behind the door was a very small room, only three zhang square.

In the center of the room floated a fist-sized crystal core. The crystal core was entirely silver-white, containing endless light within.

Those lights slowly flowed, as if they had Life.

Surrounding the crystal core floated countless tiny specks of light, each speck slowly rotating and emitting a faint glow.

Those specks of light were the data core.

Shen Zhao walked into the room, walked up to that crystal core, and reached out to touch it gently.

The crystal core lit up, silver-white light surging from the crystal core to envelop his entire body.

A massive amount of information surged into his Sea of Consciousness—that was the complete history of The Designers, the complete blueprint of the harvest plan, and the ultimate secrets of the Tribunal.

Shen Zhao closed his eyes, quietly absorbing that information.

Xing Lan stood at the doorway, looking at his back, an indescribable emotion welling up in her heart.

She did not know what Shen Zhao had seen, but she could feel that the information was very heavy, so heavy that even his shoulders were trembling slightly.

Unknowing how much time had passed, Shen Zhao opened his eyes.

His eyes were filled with tears, his complexion was as pale as paper, and his hands were trembling slightly.

"Shen Zhao, what did you see?" Xing Lan's voice carried a hint of worry.

Shen Zhao took a deep breath and spoke slowly.

"This Disciple saw the origin of The Designers. Saw the true face of the Tribunal. Saw the truth of this Universe."

Xing Lan walked to his side and held his hand.

"Tell me slowly."

Shen Zhao wiped away his tears and began to recount.

The Designers had not willingly become the executioners of the Tribunal.

They were once an ordinary civilization with their own homeland, their own loved ones, and their own dreams.

The Tribunal descended and gave them a choice—become executioners, or be destroyed.

They chose to become executioners because at least they could still live.

However, after becoming executioners, they discovered that this was not living; it was a fate worse than death.

They were modified by the Tribunal, losing their reproductive capabilities, losing their emotions, and losing themselves.

They became machines that only knew how to execute orders, day after day, year after year, harvesting the Souls of one Universe after another.

Their lifespans were infinitely extended, but their pain was also infinitely extended.

They wanted to die, but the Tribunal would not let them die.

Because they were still useful.

Xing Lan's hand was trembling slightly.

"So, The Designers are also victims?"

Shen Zhao nodded.

"Yes. Just like those harvested Souls, they are all victims. It is just that they had no choice and could only obey."

Xing Lan was silent for a moment.

"Then why does the Tribunal do this? Why harvest Souls?"

Shen Zhao took a deep breath.

"To maintain the operation of Higher Space. Higher Space was not naturally formed; rather, it was built by the Tribunal using the Origin Power of countless Universes. It is both the fortress of the Tribunal and the cage of the Tribunal. The Tribunal Master and the thirteen inquisitors are all trapped within Higher Space and cannot leave. They need a continuous stream of Origin Power to maintain the stability of Higher Space and sustain their own existence."

Xing Lan's hand paused slightly.

"So, they harvest Souls for no other reason than simply to live?"

Shen Zhao nodded.

"Yes. To live. Just like us, they merely want to live. It is just that the method they chose was to sacrifice others."

Xing Lan fell silent.

She thought of her own Universe, of those stars devoured by the Void King, and of those clansmen who died in despair.

The Void King also devoured everything just to live.

The Tribunal also harvested Souls just to live.

It was all just to live, only the methods were different.

"Shen Zhao, what about you? Are you also fighting just to live?"

Shen Zhao thought for a moment and answered honestly.

"This Disciple fights to let others live. This Disciple wants to live, but this Disciple wants even more for more people to live."

Xing Lan looked at him, tears flashing in her eyes.

"You are truly a lot like my Master. He was also like this, always putting others first and never thinking of himself."

Shen Zhao smiled, his smile as light as the clouds and breeze.

"This Disciple is not alone. This Disciple has an uncle watching from the heavens, parents waiting in Yongning City, Director Su Yun staying up all night in the tower of the Investigation Department, and the Disciples of the Guardian Academy sweating profusely in the Martial Arts Arena. There are countless people who believe in this Disciple. This Disciple cannot let them down."

Xing Lan did not speak, simply squeezing his hand tightly.

Shen Zhao turned around and continued inspecting those data specks of light.

One after another, piece after piece.

He saw the rise and fall of The Designers' civilization, the coldness of the Tribunal, and the miserable states of countless harvested worlds.

Every single speck of light was the story of a world, a history written in blood and tears.

When Shen Zhao finished inspecting the final speck of light, his complexion was as pale as paper, and his eyes were full of bloodshot veins.

Yet he did not stop, because within that information, he found a name—"The key to the Tribunal."

"The key to the Tribunal?" Xing Lan's brows knitted together. "What is that?"

Shen Zhao took a deep breath and spoke slowly.

"That is the key to shattering Higher Space. The Tribunal Master and the thirteen inquisitors are all trapped within Higher Space and cannot leave. But there is a key that can unlock the shackles of Higher Space and grant them freedom. That key is Origin Power."

Xing Lan's hand paused slightly.

"Origin Power? Is that the kind of power inside your body?"

Shen Zhao nodded.

"Yes. The reason the Tribunal Master wanted to repair the harvest system was not because it feared the collapse of Higher Space, but because it needed Origin Power to open the shackles. It deceived this Disciple."

Xing Lan's eyes flashed with fear.

"So, by repairing the harvest system, you actually helped the Tribunal?"

Shen Zhao nodded, then shook his head.

"Helped, yet also didn't. When this Disciple repaired the harvest system, the Origin Power used was my own. That portion of Origin Power has already merged into the crystal core, becoming a part of the crystal core. If the Tribunal Master wants to use that portion of Origin Power to open the shackles, it must first retrieve the crystal core. But the crystal core has already been shattered by this Disciple."

Xing Lan let out a sigh of relief.

"So, the Tribunal Master is still trapped in Higher Space?"

Shen Zhao nodded.

"For now. But the crack in the Wall of Eternity is still expanding. One day, the crack will grow large enough for the Tribunal Master to break through. When that time comes, it will definitely come looking for this Disciple."

Xing Lan's hand was trembling slightly.

"Then how much time is left?"

Shen Zhao thought for a moment.

"Perhaps a few thousand years, perhaps tens of thousands of years. It depends on the speed at which the crack expands."

Xing Lan was silent for a moment.

"A few thousand years, is it enough?"

Shen Zhao shook his head.

"Not enough. But this Disciple will do my best. Having done my best, there will be no regrets."

He turned around and walked out of the room.

Xing Lan followed behind him.

The two walked out of the data core, passed through the shattered container area, crossed that already shattered door, and returned to the grayish-misty space.

Within the space, those shattered containers were still there, the pale green liquid was still flowing, but the test subjects had all completely dissipated.

Shen Zhao stood amidst the ruins, looking around.

"This Disciple must tell Director Su Yun, Guardian Ancestor Ling Xi, and everyone about the situation here."

Xing Lan nodded.

"Alright. I will accompany you back."

The two walked side by side toward the exit.

Shen Zhao walked in front, his pace very slow, every step taken heavily.

His body was very weak, but his gaze was extremely firm.

Xing Lan looked at his graying head—no, he had no hair left—looked at his wrinkle-covered face, and looked at his hunched back, an indescribable soreness welling up in her heart.

This person was far too tired.

Yet he never cried out from tiredness, never flinched.

He merely walked silently, gave silently, and protected silently.

"Shen Zhao, do you regret it?"

Shen Zhao stopped in his tracks, turning back to look at her.

"Regret what?"

"Regret embarking on this path. Regret becoming a Guardian. Regret giving so much yet receiving nothing in return."

Shen Zhao was silent for a moment, then slowly spoke.

"This Disciple does not regret it. Because this Disciple has gained a lot. This Disciple has gained the love of my uncle, the love of my parents, the trust of Director Su Yun, the respect of the Disciples of the Guardian Academy, and the gratitude of tens of billions of common people. This Disciple has gained a lot, and it is already enough."

Xing Lan's tears gushed from her eyes.

"Yet you have lost even more. Your youth, your health, your lifespan. You have left behind nothing."

Shen Zhao smiled, his smile as light as the clouds and breeze.

"This Disciple has left behind the Legacy. Left behind the Guardian Academy, left behind the Monument of Heroes, and left behind the thirteen-colored power. This Disciple has left behind hope. That is enough."