278: Chapter 278 The First Echo! The Real Reason Izan Civilization Was Deleted

Ten seconds after the Name Echo Wall was completed, Lin Chen stood in the center of the circular structure, preparing to call out the first name of the Yixie Civilization.

Arrogant Dragon stood by his side, the starlight deep in his pupils flickering slightly—the trillions of souls within him were relaying the order of the list.

“The first one,” Arrogant Dragon spoke, his voice low as if coming from a great distance, “Yixie Civilization · Chief Astronomer · Ailuo. Male, died at age three hundred and seventy-one. Cause of death: Deleted. Last words: None.”

Lin Chen nodded.

He took a deep breath and shouted toward the Echo Wall:

“Ai—luo—”

The voice echoed within the circular structure, striking those ten thousand grooves.

Buzz—

The first groove lit up.

A beam of golden light shot out from the groove, condensing in the air into a blurry silhouette—an old man with a long beard, holding a star map and looking up at the void.

That was Ailuo's residual consciousness, briefly awakened by this call.

He looked at Lin Chen, his lips moving as if he wanted to say something.

But the light was too weak, and the sound could not travel out.

Three seconds later, the silhouette dissipated.

The golden light in the groove dimmed, turning into a faint mark—proof of having been 'called.'

“The first one, complete.” Lin Chen looked at Arrogant Dragon. “Next.”

Arrogant Dragon was about to speak but suddenly froze.

The starlight in his pupils flickered violently, as if disturbed by something.

“What’s wrong?” Lin Chen frowned.

“They...” Arrogant Dragon pressed his temples, “They are crying.”

“Who?”

“The souls within me.” Arrogant Dragon's voice trembled. “In those three seconds when Ailuo was called out, all the souls waiting in line were crying. Not out of sadness, but... hope. For three million epochs, it's the first time someone has called out the name of one of their compatriots. They know that on the day it's their turn, they will be called out like this too.”

Lin Chen remained silent for three seconds.

Then he said, “Continue.”

Arrogant Dragon nodded and began to announce the second name:

“Yixie Civilization · Textile Worker · AZhi. Died at age ninety-two. Cause of death: Deleted. Last words: I want to see the starry sky of my hometown one last time.”

Lin Chen shouted once more.

The second golden light lit up, condensing into the figure of a young woman. She looked up toward the top of the Echo Wall—where Lin Chen was projecting a simulated image of the 'Sea of Light,' the original star sector of the Yixie Civilization.

For three seconds, she stared at that light.

Until she dissipated.

The third, the fourth, the fifth...

Ten thousand names were shouted for a full eight hours.

Lin Chen's voice went hoarse.

But he did not stop.

When the last of the ten thousand grooves all lit up, the entire Echo Wall turned into a golden halo of light.

In the center of the halo, a line of text composed of light suddenly emerged:

【Thank you.】

【You are the first group of people in three thousand epochs willing to remember us.】

Before the text dissipated, another sentence was added:

【Do you want to know why we were deleted?】

【Because... we discovered 'that secret.'】

Lin Chen's pupils constricted. “What secret?”

The Echo Wall was silent for three seconds.

Then, the line of text reappeared:

【The truth of Narrative Layer · The first epoch.】

【Do you think the Original Author was the first creator?】

【No.】

【Before him, there was an even more ancient existence—we call it 'The Silencer.'】

【The Silencer created the first batch of civilizations, including us, Yixie. Then it fell silent, burying itself in the deepest part of the Narrative Layer, leaving behind a command:】

【“If one day, the Capital Law is born, immediately delete all civilizations that might become its believers.”】

【We, Yixie, were the first civilization suspected of 'possibly believing in capital.'】

【Because we invented the 'market.'】

Lin Chen stared at that line of text, countless thoughts flashing through his mind.

The Yixie Civilization invented the market.

So they were deleted.

Not because they weren't interesting enough.

But because they were too smart.

“Where is The Silencer now?” Lin Chen asked.

The text on the Echo Wall began to dissipate, the final sentence being:

【At the very bottom of the Narrative Layer.】

【Waiting for you.】

The text vanished completely.

The golden halo dimmed, returning to being a normal Echo Wall.

But Lin Chen knew that the truth behind this resurrection plan was far more complex than he had imagined.

He pulled up the system and searched for 【The Silencer】.

Search results: None.

He then searched for 【first epoch】【Earliest Civilizations】【Capital Ban】.

All returned no results.

Number Zero (Employee Version) looked grave. “If The Silencer truly exists, then its authority level should be far higher than mine—higher than all Inspectors, and even higher than the Original Author.”

“Why?”

“Because the Original Author is just the 'storyteller,' while The Silencer is the 'rule-maker.' It defined the first law of the Narrative Layer: No belief in capital is allowed.”

Lin Chen smiled.

“So if it's still alive and sees a capital-incarnate like me going around resurrecting civilizations it deleted—”

“It will come to kill you,” Number Zero finished the thought. “And it will be harder to deal with than the Original Author, the Zeroing Storm, and the seed of the heavenly dao combined.”

Arrogant Dragon subconsciously gripped his immortal emperor long sword.

Golden Glazed’s face turned pale.

Only Lin Chen remained calm.

He pulled up the financial backend and began operating.

“What are you doing?” Golden Glazed asked.

“Checking The Silencer's credit history.” Lin Chen stared at the screen. “Since it's the rule-maker, it must have participated in the 'infrastructure' of the Narrative Layer. If it participated, it would leave 'contractual traces.' If there are contractual traces, I can check its 'credit score.'”

Thirty seconds later, the system popped up the results:

【Target: The Silencer (first epoch Rule-Maker)】

【Credit Score: ???】

【Existing Contracts: 1】

【Contract Content: first epoch 'Capital Ban'】

【Contract Status: Invalid (Due to the end of the first epoch)】

【Remarks: After the contract became invalid, The Silencer entered a 'dormant observation period,' waiting for the Capital Law to reappear... to reactivate.】

Reactivate.

Lin Chen looked at those words and suddenly understood.

“It’s not hiding,” he said. “It’s waiting.”

“Waiting for me to become a god.”

“Waiting for the Capital Law to fully mature.”

“And then...” He paused, “To pull me out by the roots.”

The entire area fell into a deathly silence.

On the Echo Wall, those ten thousand faint golden marks remained quietly carved there.

They were the echoes of ten thousand names from the Yixie Civilization.

They were also The Silencer's—

Declaration of war.