Chapter 7: Moment of Awakening

Hooves thundered as sturdy horses flew like the wind. At dawn, as the first light broke in the eastern sky, Mels and his companions had already galloped out of Boqi Harbor, heading for the town of Kabo that Xiu Lante had mentioned.

Although the distance between the two places was no more than two hundred kilometers, it would still take three days at a slow pace. To uncover the mysterious person's true identity sooner, Mels and the others decided to travel continuously until they reached Kabo Town!

Emma, the key figure in this journey, appeared quite calm. Although she had even lost the basic ability to live independently after losing her memory, her intelligence remained, and with Bagina's help, she quickly regained her survival skills. Ever since Xiu Lante arrived yesterday and proposed using hypnosis to restore her memory, Emma had been present the whole time, yet she showed no sign of opposition. Perhaps, deep down, Emma wanted to know who she really was and where she came from even more than Mels and the others did.

After traveling continuously for a day and a night, they finally arrived at the Kabo Town Xiu Lante had mentioned at noon on the second day. Although not as bustling as Boqi Harbor, the population here was still considerable. The town was about half the size of Boqi Harbor, but it housed tens of thousands of residents. It was more appropriate to call it a small city rather than a town.

Upon entering the town, Mels and the others hastily ate lunch, rested briefly, and then, led by Xiu Lante, headed toward the home of the master of hypnosis he knew.

With time to spare on the way, Xiu Lante explained to the young men the reason for the town's prosperity.

Originally, this was an unknown town with a population of less than a thousand, thriving mainly on agriculture. But over thirty years ago, after someone discovered a silver vein underground here, everything changed! Adventurers and miners, flocking here to seek their fortunes, almost overnight filled the town with vitality. Following their lead, even more people came to settle down!

The master of hypnosis Xiu Lante wanted to visit was named Shakba Regil. He was originally a very famous alchemist in the Relkes Empire, once appointed as the Imperial Technology Officer by the previous Emperor Raelks. Unfortunately, because he disliked colluding with the nobility and high officials, he was eventually framed and hunted down.

When Shakba left the royal capital, Xiu Lante was still a young man under thirty. However, because Xiu Lante had always greatly admired the scholar's vast knowledge, he secretly let him escape, hiding it from the court. Over the past decade or so, Shakba had been deeply grateful to Xiu Lante for saving his life back then and had maintained secret contact with him. That was why Xiu Lante knew his residence and was aware of his deep research into the forbidden art of hypnosis.

As Xiu Lante explained, Mels and the others had already traversed most of the town and were gradually heading toward the outskirts. After another ten minutes or so of travel, they arrived at a quiet, secluded spot in the suburbs.

Looking ahead, they saw a small pond not far away, with several water birds leisurely swimming together. A winding country path by the pond led to a white two-story building in the distance.

"Look, that's Mr. Shakba's residence!" Xiu Lante said, pointing at the distant white building.

Just as Mels and the others quickened their pace, ready to meet this scholar whom Xiu Lante held in such high esteem, a thunderous roar, like a magical explosion, pierced the air. A plume of black smoke rose from the distant white building.

"Oh no, something's happened at the old master's house!" Seeing something was wrong, Xiu Lante rushed ahead at full speed.

Mels and the others were not far behind, almost simultaneously channeling their Qi energy and sprinting after Xiu Lante. The speed of Mels and the others at full sprint was astonishing. In the blink of an eye, they were standing outside the white building.

"Cough, cough, cough!" Just as Mels and the others were looking around, unsure where to help, they saw a white-haired and white-bearded old man, about seventy years old, dressed in scholar's robes, stumbling out of the house.

"Teacher Shakba, are you alright? What on earth happened?" Seeing the old man emerge, Xiu Lante immediately stepped forward and spoke. Only then did Mels and the others realize that this unremarkable-looking old man was the Shakba they had come to visit.

"I'm fine, I'm fine! Hmm? Isn't this Xiu Lante? When did you get here?" Supported by Xiu Lante, Shakba rubbed his eyes, blurred by the smoke, and carefully observed Xiu Lante before speaking.

"Hello, Teacher. It's been many years, but you're still as robust as ever! I've come to you because there's something I'd like to discuss and hope for your help! By the way, what exactly happened here?" Xiu Lante replied politely.

"It's nothing. I was conducting an experiment on turning stone to gold, but it failed and caused a big explosion! Haha, but failure is the mother of success. As long as I keep researching, I'll succeed one day!" The old scholar said with full confidence.

"Turning stone to gold? Does such a method really exist in the world?" Sol seemed particularly interested in this method of gaining without effort.

"Of course it does! Think about it, where does gold come from? Isn't it refined from gold ore! Gold ore is essentially stone. Since gold ore can become gold, then ordinary stones must also be able to turn into gold! In this world, nothing is impossible. If given enough materials, I could even create a person!" The old scholar declared loudly.

Mels and the others' attention was immediately caught by his words! Mels stepped forward and asked, "Old sir, can you really create a person?"

"Well, that is..." Shakba paused slightly, then laughed heartily, "Impossible, of course! Haha..."

Seeing this senior scholar's eccentric way of speaking, Mels and the others couldn't help but have the same question arise in their minds: Could he really help Emma unravel the mystery of her origins?

Regardless, under Xiu Lante's lead, Mels and the others still entered Shakba's laboratory. Although Mels had doubts in his heart, Xiu Lante seemed to have full confidence in Shakba.

After everyone helped Shakba clean up the laboratory, the eight of them sat down as hosts and guests. Before Shakba could even serve tea, Xiu Lante eagerly said, "Teacher, we have a girl here who has lost her memory. We were hoping to rely on your hypnosis to understand her background. Would you be willing to help?"

"That shouldn't be a problem, but I need to first assess the extent of her memory loss. If the blockage has been too long, or if her mental space is completely sealed off with no subconscious remaining, then it would be quite troublesome!" At this moment, Shakba seemed almost like a different person from before. Not only was his speech logical and clear, but he also carried a scholar's dignity.

"So how exactly do we determine the degree of closure in Emma's mental space?" Mels asked anxiously.

"Young man, don't be impatient. Things need to be done one step at a time! You all sit here for a while. I'll go prepare some things, and then we can begin!" Shakba said, turning and leaving for the inner hall to prepare the necessary instruments.

Only then did Mels have the mind to observe the room's layout. The reception room they were in had several long tables placed around, piled with various experimental instruments. The walls were covered with anatomical diagrams of various animals and humans. It seemed this old gentleman was not only a knowledgeable alchemist but also an expert in zoology!

After about three to five minutes, Shakba returned to the reception room carrying several glass spheres and a bunch of thin wires of different colors.

"Alright, alright, which young lady is it who lost her memory?" Shakba looked back and forth between Bagina and Emma.

"It's me!" Encouraged by everyone's gazes, Emma mustered her courage, stood up from beside Bagina, and answered Shakba.

"Then come here. In a moment, you need to follow my instructions and try hard to recall everything from before. It might give you a bit of a headache, but this is the only way!" Shakba said kindly to Emma.

Then he turned to Mels and the others and said, "While I'm examining her, all of you need to stand behind her and not make any sound, or it will fail!"

After hearing his instructions, everyone, including Xiu Lante, retreated to the corner of the wall. Emma lay alone on the soft chair in the center, waiting for Shakba's further treatment.

After the old scholar wrapped all those thin wires around Emma's head and limbs, he placed three glass spheres on her chest and on both sides of her temples.

"Child, don't be afraid, don't be nervous. Slowly relax, let your senses completely release." In a voice with a peculiar rhythm, Emma slowly closed her eyes and, within moments, fell into a sleep state. It was the first time everyone had seen such a miraculous technique, and they couldn't help but watch Emma and Shakba's every move with wide eyes.

However, Shakba did not immediately proceed to the next step of the technique. Instead, his lips trembled slightly, as if reciting a strange incantation. A moment later, when he stopped reciting, the three glass spheres on Emma's body each emitted a faint blue light.

After carefully observing the light on the glass spheres, Shakba frowned slightly, then again spoke in a highly rhythmic tone: "Beautiful girl, have you now returned to your own home?"

"I... yes! I'm lying in bed, the sunlight outside is bright, my younger brother is playing a virtual game, and Mom is preparing dinner." Emma suddenly spoke. Although her expression was very happy, her eyes remained closed.

"You are a fortunate child. Can you tell me where your home is?" Shakba continued to ask.

"My home? My home... is in the Fourth District, 452 Central Avenue!" Emma seemed to answer only after a great effort of thought. At this moment, her expression began to show a trace of pain.

"Can you tell me your name?" Shakba also seemed to be paying attention to Emma's reactions, gradually delving deeper with his questions.

"My name... my name... X-six-one-three... Jessica... Emma... What is my name? Ah..." Emma suddenly began to scream loudly, as if the previous line of thinking had completely confused her mind!

And now, the color of the three glass spheres was gradually turning red! The onlookers, seeing Emma's pained expression, couldn't bear to watch any longer. Bagina secretly lowered her head and turned her back to Emma!

"You don't need to think anymore. Quietly enter sleep, quietly..." Realizing that Emma could no longer endure it, Shakba stopped questioning and gradually began removing the thin wires wrapped around Emma's body.

"You can come over now! I have to release the hypnotic state now to allow her mind to recover, otherwise it will greatly affect her nerves!" Shakba beckoned to Xiu Lante and the others, then sat down first on the soft chair.

"Teacher, what exactly is her condition? Is there any way to restore her memory or understand her background?" Xiu Lante asked.

"The current situation is very complex. It's not that recovery is completely impossible, but I need some very rare items! Here's what I'll do: I'll first explain her situation to you. Whether you're willing to go search for those items will be up to you!"

Shakba slowly picked up a pipe from the table, lit it, and said: "Her memory isn't completely gone; it was sealed by an external force after some kind of impact. With the current equipment, I can only awaken her childhood memories. But if we try to restore the memories of recent events, she will suffer a great mental shock and might become an idiot!

If I'm not mistaken, she probably isn't from our continent, and your purpose in bringing her here isn't purely to restore her memory either! However, I'm not interested in these matters. What I want to know is whether you are willing to search for a legendary item for the sake of her memory!"

"Of course! As long as there's any hope of recovery, we will do our best to find it! Emma is too pitiful right now!" Before anyone else could answer, Bagina immediately spoke loudly to Shakba.

In truth, everyone also felt sorry for Emma. Although their goal was to understand the identity of the mysterious person to stop their ambition of exterminating humanity, using Emma, who had lost her memory, still made them feel guilty. Therefore, Bagina's words actually reflected what Mels and the others were thinking.

After hearing Bagina's words and seeing the same look in the eyes of Mels and the others, Shakba smiled slightly and then said seriously, "Since that's the case, I'll tell you. If you want her memory to be fully restored, you must find the legendary Divine Crystal, once used by the gods! Only by finding that item can I completely unlock her sealed mental space!"

"Divine Crystal!" Upon hearing Shakba's words, Mels and the others almost exclaimed in shock!

The Divine Crystal—those mysterious people had also mentioned this mysterious item. They never expected Shakba to now speak of the same thing, which greatly surprised Mels and the others!

"What? You know of such a thing? This is something passed down since the Age of Myths!" Shakba said.

"No, we don't really understand such a thing, but we've heard people mention it. What exactly is the Divine Crystal? What shape is it? And what effects does it have?" Mels said frankly.

"This... actually, I don't know either!" Shakba said, shrugging his hands.

As soon as his words left his mouth, Mels and the others were stunned. No matter what answer Shakba might have given, Mels never expected him to say something so irresponsible—asking them to search for something whose appearance and properties even he himself didn't know!

Seeing the dissatisfied looks on everyone's faces, Shakba also felt his earlier words were too irresponsible. He quickly smiled and said, "Don't rush, I was just joking, just joking! Actually, I haven't seen the Divine Crystal myself, but I do know some of its effects!

Also, according to legend, there are ancient ruins in the northern mountains here, and it's said the Divine Crystal is there! I originally wanted to go there to search for it, but I'm too old now to manage! All you need to do is go there and bring back those colorful magic stones with electrical properties!"

Although Mels and the others were still skeptical of Shakba's words, Xiu Lante quickly said, "In that case, we won't waste any more time. We'll leave Miss Emma in your care for now, teacher, and we'll set off immediately to find the Divine Crystal!"

Since Xiu Lante had already decided, Mels and the others had no grounds to object. So the six of them left Shakba's laboratory, taking the map the old scholar gave them, and headed into the deep mountains dozens of kilometers away to search for the so-called ancient ruins!

"Uncle, do you really trust that old man so much? To me, he just seems like a fool!" Sol complained as soon as they left.

In fact, not only Sol felt this way; even Mels and the others had doubts about Shakba.

However, Xiu Lante was full of confidence in Shakba. He smiled slightly and turned back, saying, "Actually, you don't understand the teacher yet. Although he sometimes does strange things, he never acts recklessly! Since he's so certain the Divine Crystal can restore Miss Emma's memory, it's bound to succeed!

Besides, didn't you also say those mysterious people need the Divine Crystal for their plan to exterminate humanity? That only further proves the Divine Crystal has unique effects! Now, we can only pray we find the Divine Crystal in the ruins the teacher mentioned, otherwise things will really be troublesome!"

"Uncle is right. Since we don't have any other options anyway, let's trust Teacher Shakba's words for now! And judging by the hypnosis he performed on Emma earlier, I believe he's not someone who would act recklessly. At least he paid attention to Emma's feelings from start to finish!" Mels said after a moment of thought, smiling at everyone.

After hearing Mels's words, everyone also felt it made sense. After all, their only hope at the moment was to learn about the mysterious people from Emma. If Emma couldn't regain her memory, it would be as if they had nothing! So they could only trust Xiu Lante's judgment and Shakba's knowledge!

The road to the ancient ruins wasn't far, but it was very difficult to traverse. After just over an hour of travel, the mountain path became so rugged that they had to abandon their horses and continue on foot!

This made Sol start complaining incessantly. If not for Mels and the others taking turns looking after him, he probably wouldn't have been able to advance on the cliffside path.

After nearly three hours of trekking, just as the sky was about to turn completely dark, Xiu Lante finally spotted a small cave indicated on the map! According to what Shakba had said, this cave was the entrance to the ruins!

Actually, this map wasn't drawn by Shakba but provided by an old woodcutter who had been cutting wood in the mountains for years and was on good terms with Shakba! Therefore, although the map was crudely drawn, the locations were marked with exceptional detail. Thanks to this, even in such dim light, Xiu Lante managed to find the cave entrance hidden behind a giant rock!

After following Xiu Lante into the cave, everyone came to a halt. Xiu Lante said to Mels and the others, "We need to leave two people here to guard the exit, in case our retreat is cut off after we go in and we can't get out! Mels is highly skilled in martial arts, and Sol needs to use the illumination spell, so they must come with me. Among the other three, who is willing to enter with us?"

After hearing Xiu Lante's words, everyone thought Bagina would rush to say she wanted to go in, but unexpectedly, after a moment of thought, she said, "Let Akafir go in instead. Akafir has the fastest reaction speed among us! Regardless of whether there are really enemies inside, poisonous snakes and fierce beasts are probably unavoidable. If there's a sudden attack by a poisonous snake, I believe Akafir's speed will allow him to subdue it quickly! In the current situation, he's more useful than I am. Rek and I will stay behind!"

Hearing Bagina's reasonable words, Mels suddenly felt he had misunderstood this proud woman too much in the past. Apart from being a bit extreme in her actions, Bagina was much more capable than Lannis. This might be the first time Mels developed genuine goodwill toward Bagina.

"Alright, since the personnel are decided, let's set off!" With that, Xiu Lante pulled Sol along, had him cast the illumination spell, and then led the way deeper into the cave.

Mels, who was lagging behind, was about to start catching up when Bagina quietly tugged at his sleeve, lowering her head shyly and saying, "Be careful!"

"Mm, I will! Don't worry, as long as the Divine Crystal really exists, I'll definitely bring it out with me! You and Rek be careful too, don't get hurt by poisonous snakes or fierce beasts!" Mels smiled slightly and then turned to walk inward.

As the saying goes: a maiden's heart is as inscrutable as a needle in the deep sea. Although Bagina usually acted aloof and superior, somehow, her heart had gradually been occupied by Mels. Watching Mels leave, Bagina remained silent. Perhaps only she herself understood her feelings at this moment!

Xiu Lante and the others advancing deep into the cave moved in a single-file formation. Xiu Lante took the lead, while Sol followed behind him, using the illumination spell. Akafir carefully followed the light from Sol's hand, and Mels brought up the rear.

The initial part of the cave was very narrow, requiring a single person to stoop and dodge jagged rocks. But after nearly half an hour, the path gradually widened, and a faint light appeared from ahead.

Seeing this, Mels and the others couldn't help but suspect the cave hid a vast interior. Since it was already night, they couldn't see any light in the forest, let alone in the pitch-black cave! It seemed something must be at the exit ahead!

Sure enough, when they quickened their pace and exited the cave, they found themselves standing on a protruding ledge of a towering cliff! Howling mountain winds swept past from above. The light they had seen earlier came from the valley below. Perhaps during the day, this light wouldn't be so dazzling, but at night it appeared exceptionally bright.

"It seems the place the teacher mentioned should be there!" After lying on the cliff edge and looking down, Xiu Lante pointed to the brightly lit area at the valley floor, about several thousand meters below.

"That should be it! But how do we get down? My flight spell only works in stable air currents. The mountain winds here are too fierce; I'm afraid I can't use it!" Sol said worriedly, looking down.

"That's not a problem! Let my Christin handle it!" Xiu Lante smiled slightly, then raised his left hand high. A deep red, flawless ruby appeared before everyone.

"In the name of the Creator God Mafa, I summon my guardian sacred beast: Christin!" As Xiu Lante loudly chanted, a deep red light, like flames, shot from the back of his hand, almost dyeing the entire valley red.

Amid this dazzling light, a summoned beast with a wingspan over twelve meters, a body length of six meters, an eagle-like appearance, and feathers like flames—the fire eagle—appeared before everyone!

Although Mels had seen giant sacred beasts like the Flame Tiger and Thunder Snake before, he was still greatly amazed when he saw the majestic fire eagle!

My foster father was right—there's always someone better, and skies beyond skies! If my foster father saw Uncle's summoned beast, he'd definitely be envious. Mels thought to himself.

While the three youths stared dumbfounded at the fire eagle, Xiu Lante called out loudly, "Stop staring, come on! Let Christin carry everyone down to the valley floor!" With that, Xiu Lante was the first to jump onto the back of the fire eagle, which now stood before them.

Hearing that Xiu Lante wanted the fire eagle to carry them down, Sol and the others, with their youthful spirits, cheered and rushed onto the fire eagle.

"Everyone hold on tight, we're going down!" Seemingly moved by Sol and the others' enthusiasm, Xiu Lante cheered childishly as well.

At Xiu Lante's command, the fire eagle immediately flapped its wings, circled once in the air, and then descended rapidly toward the valley.

"Boss, if we go out and tell Rek we rode a fire eagle, he'll be so jealous!" Sol said excitedly.

However, Mels was already captivated by the strange scenery in the valley below. Only now did he finally understand why the woodcutter called this place an ancient ruin!

The object in the valley was more like a ship than a building! However, this strange ship's entire hull was completely sealed, with only window-like openings emitting a pale blue light.

Perhaps because it was so ancient, the entire hull was covered in moss and dirt, and trees even grew from the soil in the cracked rear section! The lower the fire eagle descended, the smaller the visible range became. This strange ship was so massive that when they descended close enough to touch the top, they were still at least fifty or sixty meters above the ground!

Perhaps captivated by the strange ship's appearance, Xiu Lante and the others remained silent, just observing the hull and the strange light. Suddenly, Xiu Lante murmured softly, "Absolutely incredible! This thing is made of metal!"

Hearing Xiu Lante's words, Mels and the others were first startled, then noticed that the areas not covered by moss indeed emitted a metallic sheen!

"Could this really be an ancient human ruin? Or..." Mels muttered to himself.

Before everyone could observe carefully, the fire eagle found a suitable spot to land. After everyone dismounted, Xiu Lante quietly recalled his summoned beast, then strode toward the strange ship, trying to scrape off the moss to see what it really was!

Mels, not wanting to fall behind, also approached the strange ship for a closer look. When he gently placed his hand on a deep red, unique section of the ship's surface, suddenly, a blue light shot from the hull wall, and a sweet female voice echoed in the space: "Please present boarding authorization. Repeat, please present boarding authorization."

"Uncle!" Mels exclaimed in surprise to Xiu Lante.

Even without his call, Xiu Lante had already rushed to his side. However, no matter how stunned they were, the strange voice continued to echo alone.

"I am Xiu Lante, Imperial Dragon Knight Commander of the Relks Empire. I don't know where you are, miss. Could you come out and meet us?" Helpless, Xiu Lante revealed his identity, hoping to draw out the other party's true form.

But the response he received was: "Password does not match system records. Voiceprint scan mismatch. Secondary biological scan mismatch. Human genetic tissue match confirmed. Mutated genetic tissue search established. Awaiting system final judgment!" After hearing those mechanical words, Mels and Xiu Lante exchanged glances, both showing confusion in their eyes!

About ten seconds later, the female voice suddenly disappeared, replaced by a male human voice. It said, "System judgment: non-human biological possibility below ten percent. Confirmed as human life form. Please present boarding authorization. Automatic defense system activation in thirty seconds. Repeat, please present boarding authorization. Automatic defense system activation in twenty-five seconds. Twenty-four, twenty-three..."

"Uncle, what on earth is going on?" Seeing no one appear around them and sensing no human presence, yet hearing human speech continuously, Mels asked Xiu Lante in bewilderment.

However, Xiu Lante was equally clueless about what was causing this. The two continued to stare dumbfounded at the shimmering strange ship!

"Automatic defense system activation in fifteen seconds. Defense system locks onto four targets as intruders!" the male voice continued.

"Mels, get away from here! There's something strange here. Quickly take Sol and leave!" When Xiu Lante noticed the hull wall vibrating slightly and countless metal rods emerging, he finally realized the so-called "automatic defense system" wasn't just an empty threat!

"Yes!" Mels also knew the situation was getting serious. He immediately responded loudly, calling for Sol.

At that moment, Sol came running from a distance, holding a blue badge and saying, "Boss, look what I found! It says on this: Blue Homeland, Never Part!"

As soon as Sol finished speaking, the mechanical countdown voice suddenly said, "Boarding password correct. System scan correct. Automatic defense system deactivated. Please undergo boarding inspection. Repeat, please undergo boarding inspection!" Simultaneously, the metal rods that had just appeared on the hull wall disappeared again.

"Uncle, what happened? Why did it suddenly change its earlier statement?" Mels asked in surprise, turning back. After a brief silence and glancing around, Xiu Lante said softly, puzzled, "Perhaps this is some kind of marvelous machine speaking. What Sol just said was the key to unlocking the mechanism! That's why it suddenly stopped attacking us! It seems this isn't just an ancient ruin but an ancient machine that's still operational to this day!"

"Ancient machine!" Mels and the other two repeated Hewlante's words simultaneously.

Hewlante turned his gaze back to the massive alien vessel and said, "Although this is just my speculation, I can't be certain, but there might be unexpected discoveries inside! Alright, since Sol found the key to this ship, let's go in!"

After hearing Hewlante's words, Mels also felt that the only way to understand everything was to enter the vessel. He had Sol bring him the blue badge, then approached the ship and spoke to the hull, "I'm here for inspection, but what should I do?"

"Please place the Identity Badge into the detector and remain stationary for ten seconds without moving!" This time, the voice seemed to understand Mels' words. After a small container ejected from the hull, it instructed Mels on how to complete the inspection.

Looking at the small container, Mels unhesitatingly placed the blue badge in his hand into it. As the container slowly disappeared into the hull, a blue light enveloped Mels' entire body.

"Badge inspection initiated... Data reading in progress... Badge confirmed! Belongs to Lieutenant Lake Fast of the Third Defense Force of the Joint Fleet! Identity verification initiated... Genetic data reading in progress... Tissue cell reading in progress... Voiceprint reading in progress... Neural element reading in progress... Warning, warning! Genetic data mismatch! Tissue cell mismatch! Voiceprint mismatch! Neural element mismatch! System judgment: 100% not the badge owner. System judgment: Intruder! Activate defense system immediately! Activate defense system immediately!"

Amid a series of flashing red lights, the metal rods that had disappeared into the hull reappeared before Mels and the others! This time, the strange Mothership issued no further warnings. In an instant, countless red energy spheres materialized at the tips of the metal rods, seemingly ready to fire deadly beams toward Mels at any moment!