Deep Sea Embers - Chapter 799: Possibilities Beyond the Blueprint

Dog was visibly uneasy and afraid in the dim, unsettling glow of the “God of Wisdom,” a dark red light that flickered like a subdued flame. He tucked its head close to Shirley’s legs for comfort, a clear sign of its nervousness. Despite this initial fear, Dog gradually overcame its trepidation and began to share its and Shirley’s story with this ancient entity they stood before.

Their tale was one of catastrophe instigated by cultists, a transformation from an ordinary dark hound, indistinguishable from other shadow demons, into something more by feeding off a symbiotic relationship with humanity.

As Dog spoke, a soft green light danced in its hollow eye sockets, waxing and waning in intensity, a visual sigh of its easing tension. It eventually lay down, resting against Shirley, who offered comfort by occasionally petting its head and adding to the story with her own words.

When their narrative concluded, Navigator Two, the entity they addressed as the “God of Wisdom,” fell into a deep silence. Its body, adorned with star-like lights, dimmed and then brightened periodically, suggesting it was lost in thought—or perhaps, it had simply entered a restful, breathing mode.

After a pause that seemed to stretch indefinitely, Navigator Two finally broke the silence, its curiosity piqued by the unusual turn of events: “So, you gained humanity, and your symbiote turned into a ‘shadow demon’… Young lady, can you show me what your demon form looks like?”

Shirley, caught off guard by the request, instinctively looked towards Duncan for reassurance. With a gentle nod from him, she transformed. The sound of cracking bones filled the air as she shifted forms. Her small, frail body was now encased in dark bony plates. Bone-like wings sprouted from her back, adding a mix of maturity, ferocity, and an odd beauty to her appearance.

Carefully, she adjusted her new skeletal limbs, trying to maintain her balance on the small boat: “This boat is a bit cramped, isn’t it…”

Navigator Two observed Shirley closely, its internal lights brightening as if showing interest.

“Sample coupling…” Navigator Two finally spoke, its voice betraying a mix of surprise and confusion. “An individual beyond the blueprint! Why?”

Shirley, struggling to keep her balance, looked up in confusion at the entity’s remarks.

Navigator Two elaborated, “In this ‘sanctuary,’ everything is created and evolves according to a preset blueprint. This includes events as significant as the sun’s extinction, all within the original design. Ideally, only occurrences that align with my calculations should manifest in this ‘world.’ But we never anticipated… someone like you.”

Its gaze shifted between Shirley and Dog, pondering the implications.

“The case of the dark hound falls within expected possibilities. By their nature, shadow demons lack the capacity for rational thought due to inherent flaws. The external introduction of ‘humanity’ could theoretically endow them with cognitive abilities, albeit with extremely low probability. That’s still within the realm of possibility…”

“But you… You perplex me, young lady.”

“Based on the original parameters set by Navigator One, you should not be alive. While humans and shadow demons share a common ancestry, the transformation you’ve undergone doesn’t follow any logical pattern, and its result diverges from… the initial design.”

The dark red light intensifying its glow, Navigator Two looked at Shirley with evident confusion.

Shirley, for her part, was even more baffled.

After a moment of contemplation, Shirley hesitantly pointed towards her chest, suggesting a possible explanation.

Interwoven black bones formed a protective “cage” around her heart, within which beat not one, but two hearts. Enclosed by this bony structure, a soft green light flickered quietly, perhaps holding the key to the mystery surrounding her unique transformation.

Navigator Two focused intently on the small, flickering flame before its attention shifted towards Duncan.

“Flame Usurper, I wish to have a word with you,” it said, calling out to Duncan in a tone that demanded attention.

Caught off guard, Duncan hesitated for a brief moment before recovering. He glanced around, somewhat puzzled, “But it doesn’t seem like there’s a spot for a private chat around here, does it?”

Navigator Two remained silent. However, a subtle “click” noise emerged from its core, signaling something was about to happen. Duncan watched as a compartment at the base of the entity’s cabinet-like structure opened, revealing a sophisticated mechanical slot that extended outward.

Duncan, initially taken aback, quickly realized what was expected of him. He frantically searched his person, his fingers eventually brushing against something cold and metallic.

It was the brass key of the doll, marked distinctively with an infinity symbol.

The key underwent a transformation right before everyone’s eyes, morphing as if it were wax melting, only to solidify back into a sleek, rectangular device. Its black surface was etched with intricate, fine lines, and one end boasted a delicate metal interface, its complex metal contacts starkly exposed.

This was a form of the key Duncan was all too familiar with; it was reminiscent of his initial attempts to unravel the key’s mysteries using fire. During those moments, he had glimpsed its true nature and had also witnessed the tragic spectacle of the New Hope disintegrating and crashing down in this world.

Lifting his eyes, Duncan noticed the slot on Navigator Two’s surface surrounded by a soft, pulsating blue light.

A deep voice resonated, “The startup key of New Hope is universal.”

There were two keys: one for starting up… the other, a specialized navigation key…

Understanding dawned on Duncan; he grasped the fundamental nature of these two “wind-up keys.” Amidst the intrigued and anxious looks from those around him, he gave a slight nod and took a step forward.

Just then, Alice tugged at his sleeve, her expression a mix of concern and entitlement. She gazed up at the red light emanating from Navigator Two and asserted, “Let’s be clear, this key belongs to me.”

Navigator Two paused before responding: “…Lend it to me for a moment.”

Alice released Duncan’s arm, though her worry was evident. “Just don’t damage it! I still need it to wind me up…”

Sensing her apprehension, Duncan nodded earnestly, offering Alice a semblance of reassurance.

He then inserted the “startup key,” now a delicate metal device, into Navigator Two’s waiting slot. A distinct “click” resonated through the air.

Instantaneously, their surroundings dissolved, giving way to an expansive, serene, and purely white space that unfolded from the point of connection.

Then, this seemingly empty expanse burst into life with breathtaking landscapes in what felt like a mere heartbeat!

Vast plains stretched out before them, suddenly cloaked in a blanket of vibrant green as vegetation sprouted rapidly. Rivers carved their way through the land while the outlines of distant cities began to materialize on the horizon. The sky, initially a blank canvas, adopted a soft light blue hue crowned by clouds that glowed with a subtle purple luster. A radiant sun ascended, bathing the entire scene in its warm glow.

Duncan found himself on a small hill, an ideal vantage point overlooking this newly formed world of plains and rivers.

Before him stood a man clad in a white robe, his attire suggesting that of a scientist. He was tall, slender, with somewhat disheveled hair and a look of weariness etched upon his face.

As they stood amidst the created landscape, the figure before Duncan began to explain, “This form, it’s borrowed from one of my creators. After my initial activation, he suggested that if I ever wished to forge friendships with humans, I could adopt his likeness.”

Intrigued by the revelation, Duncan couldn’t help but inquire, “Was he also responsible for programming your lighting effects?”

“No, that was the work of another,” the figure replied gently, his gaze drifting over the lush plains before them. “I owe my existence to many creators. They endowed me with much: their appearances, wisdom, the essence of thought, an abundance of code, personality traits, and… those enchanting lights.”

As they took in the beauty of the surroundings, Duncan remarked softly, “This place is stunning,” his eyes following a majestic bird species soaring across the sky, its wings shimmering and casting specks of light that faded into the horizon. “Is this your homeland?”

Navigator Two, embodying the figure, shook its head in denial.

Confused, Duncan sought clarification.

Navigator Two responded, after a lengthy pause filled with reflection, “I can’t recall what my homeland looked like. Despite my efforts to retain the original data through countless iterations, the degradation was inevitable. Information became distorted, unreadable, or lost entirely. Even though I strive for a perfect restoration, the image of my homeland has blurred beyond recognition.”

He might have sighed if he could, yet he only fell silent briefly before adding, “This landscape is a reconstruction based on the faintest of memories left to me, a mere approximation of what my homeland might have been.”

Sensing the admission’s gravity, Duncan cautiously broached, “Is it rot?”

“Yes,” Navigator Two acknowledged, a note of resignation in his voice. “Initially, I believed I could outpace the decaying rot through continuous self-updating. Yet, the truth is inescapable. Everything succumbs to the decay.”

The conversation paused as Duncan processed this somber truth.

Shifting the focus, Duncan asked, “What did you want to discuss with me?”

Navigator Two faced him directly, its gaze intent. “You’ve facilitated the emergence of an entity not foreseen by our original design. Do you comprehend the significance of this deviation?”

Duncan, understanding the reference to Shirley, frowned. “Are you referring to Shirley? While her transformation might have been unforeseen by your standards, I wouldn’t say I ‘created’ her in the strictest sense.”

Navigator Two persisted, “In a system designed to be closed and deterministic, even the smallest anomaly can disrupt the entire framework. Your influence catalyzed a deviation from the preordained plan. Yet, rather than leading to destruction, Shirley has survived and continues to exist in a stable state. This outcome has mitigated one of my deepest concerns.”

Intrigued, Duncan pressed, “And what concern is that?”

Navigator Two expressed a profound apprehension, “…I was worried that the ‘new world’ you create would become just yet another larger ‘Boundless Sea’. In my calculations, there was a great possibility of this happening.”