"Dimension-anchored cognitive systems, quantum information transmission terminals... Oh my God, even if it's a gift from the god of all machines..."

“…… Has he always been like this? Kahn. ”

"You should know, Mother. The mechanical priests are always eager to explore the unknown beyond imagination. ”

"It seems that Redjak did teach a good apprentice."

Elaine looked at Ronald with a little helplessness, who had completely fallen into a research frenzy, and she really didn't know much about this young mechanical priest.

She just knew that Ronald had studied under Redjacques, and that's it.

"Ronald is indeed a good mechanical priest. There was no doubt about that, otherwise he would not have been able to apply the technology given to us by Lord Makado so quickly to transform those elven aliens into navigators for the network. ”

"It's just... Compared to Redjak, Ronald was more radical - he was always ambitious for the unknown ancient ruins, and on the way we came, he did not miss the ruins of the Elven Empire along the way. ”

With that, Karn glanced in the direction of the storage compartment.

"When we get back to Nukeria, we'll have to clean up the warehouse."

After hearing this, Ronald, who was still immersed in his own world, immediately turned his head angrily.

"Damn it! Karn, you can't do that! That's all valuable research material that I've worked so hard to gather..."

Before his hoarse electronic voice could finish pouring out his displeasure to Karn, Ronald's gaze met Elaine's majestic gaze.

There is also Karn's appearance that he doesn't think it's a big deal to watch the play.

"I don't think I should have to repeat what I gave you, Ronald."

“… Sorry, sir. ”

Ronald immediately resumed his research with interest.

As a student of Redjak, he does have his own personality - a personality that Kahn can do as much as he wants, but in front of Elaine...

At the very least, he wanted to return to Salem alive.

Looking at Ronald's well-behaved appearance from the heart and the gloating appearance of Karn beside him, Elaine couldn't help but feel a little emotional.

After breaking free from the chains of the Blood God, the Legion of the Children of the Mountains has obviously gradually faded away from the tyranny that penetrates deep into the bone marrow - whether it is the relatively relaxed atmosphere on weekdays, or the tacit understanding of the hearts and minds during the battle, or the increasingly active heart under the silent surface, it can be seen... They are very different from the world-eaters of the original plane.

Viciously pounded on the brain by the Butcher's Nail, and unleashing an extremely empty and endless anger on anyone, Elaine would never want any of her children to bear this sad fate again.

Clearly, her efforts were not in vain.

Unlike the madmen who are driven by the Butcher's Nail, and the bloodhounds who are whipped by the chains of the blood gods, they are now flesh-and-blood warriors, people who can feel joy, sorrow, and many other complex emotions.

A whole, sound person.

Elaine's consciousness was in a trance, and all kinds of past seemed to come to mind involuntarily in front of her eyes—the dark memories of huddled in the amniotic fluid and shivering, the time when she had just taken over the war dogs, the days when she went to Salem, the endless bloody battles of the Sadistic Divine Domain... And the regret I felt when I read the story of the World Eater.

Many thoughts were mixed in an instant, which seemed to make her see the past, and it seemed to make her see the future.

Many emotions that have been suppressed since the perfect city suddenly exploded because of the scene in front of them.

And Karn keenly captured Elaine's emotions: "Mother? What are you thinking. ”

Elaine was in a trance for a moment, and the wide field of vision brought by her overly tall figure made her unable to react for a while.

It was clear that she had understood the nature of her subspace when she rebelled against the Blood God, but now she still instinctively regarded herself as a mortal...

Why, exactly?

Elaine really didn't think that even though thousands of reincarnation illusions could not completely crush her mind, and she was not confused by the pain born of the entire bloody war of fear and sadism, but many memories from the mortal period could make her mind trance.

The overly resilient mind has long been familiar with pain and suffering, but has gradually forgotten what happiness means.

Is it the joy of being reunited with one's heirs? Is it the joy of witnessing your child's growth? Or is it the satisfaction of dragging a child who would have gone astray back to the right path and watching him become a normal person step by step?

Probably both.

Elaine didn't know where the trance came from, but she didn't resist the feeling.

In her mind, she may be the Sisyphus who struggled against the gods.

She didn't know if the boulder of fate would return to the bottom again tomorrow, but the boulder had been pushed to the top of the mountain by her own efforts—even though the fatigue and pain along the way had long been counted, and the weight of this fate was unimaginable.

It's just that Sisyphus is happy after all.

The gods' anger brought Sisyphus's fight with the boulder back to the bottom, but it also proved that the gods could also be shaken by mortal struggles.

Elaine looked down at Karn's thin face and his heavy blue and white power armor, and smiled with satisfaction as if he had figured something out.

“… Nothing, kid. ”

"I just ...... suddenly I feel that my efforts along the way are not worthless. ”

Listening to his mother's meaningful words, Karn was a little confused.

But it is not puzzled.

For the children of the mountains, there are some words that need not be spoken.

For a group of like-minded warriors, sometimes it takes a look to understand what it means.

Under Elaine's gaze, Karn nodded slightly.

He knew the meaning of his mother's words, and he knew what the trance in her eyes came from.

After that war, the Sons of the Mountains lost a lot.

Troops, resources, land, people.

But he was given a new lease of life.

At the same time, the battle barge slowly sailed out of Mandeville Point, out of the bizarre subspace route, and its vision suddenly widened - Elaine's eyes were presented with an extremely familiar crimson planet.

The land is covered with blood-red sand, and the mountains are dotted with ever-frozen snow.

No matter where you are, the red sand is still around.

No matter where you go, the top of the mountains is still your hometown.

Her name is Nukeria.

The warm stellar light shone on the bridge, but it was slightly obscured by a large shadow.

In the starport of Nukeria, the Glorious Queen, stained with the blood of the gods, is sleeping soundly on the Iron Throne.

……

……

Go home~

Tomorrow the moon hammer will be on the shelves, and capable friends can take a look at it!

(End of chapter)