Herta space station.
Ruan Mei, Screwllum, and Herta also temporarily set aside their work to watch this video.
When they saw the segment introducing Nous, they naturally heard the Morse code in the background music as well.
Ruan Mei tilted her head slightly to listen.
She quickly calculated that this Morse code translated to the decimal number 42.
Herta asked in surprise: "42?"
"Why this number again? What's so special about it?"
Ruan Mei explained: "In a certain world... it's considered to be the answer to 'life, the universe, and everything'."
Herta tilted her head: "You believe in this nonsense too?"
Ruan Mei remained noncommittal and said, "But it's worth noting that 42 is also 101010 in binary, which represents 'Not Yet Completed' in Xianzhou's 64 hexagrams. This hexagram signifies 'things are not yet finished, and must continue to develop forward'."
"If we consider this in the context of Nous, the universe-level supercomputer, 'Not Yet Completed' would represent the infinite and endless truths of all things in the universe, impossible to fully calculate."
Herta: "Oh, so it means — the answer to the question is infinite solutions, which essentially renders everything meaningless."
"Looking at it this way, the question itself is actually a form of 'Nihility'."
...
[Nihility]
[IX]
[All things resist nothingness, all things rush towards nothingness, all things devolve into nothingness...]
The first of the allegories about the starry sky continues.
At this moment, it's being closely watched by numerous players across the universe.
After Yaoshi.
It's IX's turn.
The style suddenly changes!
A planet is in relative motion within a purple light band, while the surrounding asteroids present a constantly falling scene.
And this.
Is just one corner of the motion around a certain celestial body.
"Cover your eyes, they say, lest the approaching darkness make your spirit wary. For it will teach your soul to be as heavy as lead, and your feet to become numb and useless."
That celestial body looks like an irregular blob of mucus, but the substance that forms its body is part of the entire universe.
A pair of mournful "eyes" "open" on the celestial body.
This is Nihility.
The real-time barrage of comments didn't decrease because of Nihility, but instead suddenly increased.
...
"The slacker Aeon has arrived!"
"Let's slack off, because everything is meaningless."
"As a Nihility believer, I'll slack off first out of respect."
"It really does have a pair of eyes! It looks so pitiful."
"What's wrong with me? I find it kind of cute."
"It looks like a star-sized jelly..."
...
Next.
The music suddenly becomes more uplifting.
When the players see this name, they immediately become solemn!
[Preservation]
[Qlipoth]
[Philosophers gaze up at the starry sky, seeking the ultimate goal of civilization — to build walls, a majestic echo resounds in their minds: build walls.]
The imposing figure appearing in the scene has appeared in the plot before.
It cast a glance when the Trailblazer was battling Cocolia.
It even dropped a hammer.
Ushering in a new Amber Era!
"Push open that solemn city gate, they say, pick up the lapis lazuli tablet. Read aloud, recognize what those mud bricks are made of, know for whom those foundations were laid"
In The Reverie's Hotel Lobby.
Everyone sitting on the sofas in the rest area stood up!
Whether company employees or high-level managers.
Their eyes now burn with passion.
Some excited individuals even shouted out the company's slogan!
"Amber King!"
"Everything for the Amber King!"
"Praise the Amber King!"
"Preservation... my god!!"
"Who exactly is the person speaking in the background? They've already given allegories for six Aeons!"
"Could the voice in the background also be an Aeon?"
At the back.
At the divination stall.
Black Swan's expression began to grow serious.
This first allegory about the starry sky involves secrets of many Aeons...
Yu Ling specifically chose to have her introduce it.
She was only supposed to talk about allegories related to the [Stars]!
But when paired with these visuals.
The feeling instantly became different!
It was as if I had already grasped all the secrets of the Aeons!
Black Swan even felt an impulse—
To quickly pack up the stall before anyone noticed.
But the video wasn't over yet!
The Aeon that arrived next was...
[Harmony]
[Xipe]
[Behold, a perfect home, free from sorrow and melancholy, free from rebellion and heresy. No need to yearn, no need to reminisce about past hardships, how enviable it is.]
"And then, they said, 'O you who have reached the end, come to the paradise that embraces all! Join in this grand hymn and feast, listen to the beating of billions upon billions of hearts, and let them embrace you—'"
As the parable was being spoken, another voice overlapped in the background.
The figure of Xipe appeared in the cosmos, her body resembling the deep expanse of the universe, with fragments of puzzles adorning her skin. Above her head was a massive and ornate stellar ring, and she bore three faces. The front face at this moment was one with closed eyes, serene and beautiful.
This time, the corporate representatives sat down, but the hotel staff and family attendants... all stood up!
"Wow, wow, wow!!"
"She's here... she's here!"
"The Mother Goddess with three faces!"
"Praise the hymn of the Thousand-Faced God!"
"We shall share all suffering and joy!"
"I joined the family willingly!"
"This is the beauty of Harmony! To catch a glimpse of the Thousand-Faced God, I have no regrets in this life!"
Black Swan glanced at the Hotel Lobby. Originally, only distinguished individuals could be here, and everyone was courteous, maintaining a proper level of quiet and harmony. But now, it felt like a scene from a revival meeting. The reverence and mania on the faces of the corporate representatives hadn't faded, and the family members were all stirred up! There was no longer a distinction between guests and hosts; everyone seemed to have transformed into devout believers, reminiscing about the Mother Goddess of their faith appearing in the video.
Black Swan felt her situation was becoming even more perilous...
It was almost enough...
It was enough.
Really, it was enough.
Seven Aeons had already appeared!
She was starting to worry.
If this continued, would it actually attract the gaze of one or several Aeons!?
At this moment, the scene in the video suddenly burst like fireworks, with streamers and lights, and one after another, laughing masks appeared.
It was the Aeon of Joy... Aha.
In the live stream, the barrage of comments exploded!
...
"The God of Amusement!"
"Praise my Lord Aha!"
"Aha has no face."
"Join the Joyful Cult, thank you meow!"
"Hail our Aeon of Joy, praise the Ever-Joyful Heavenly Lord!"
"Amusement seekers rejoice!"
...
After Aha, two words appeared on the screen.
—[The Voracity]
The two Aeons corresponded to the parable: "Behold the court jester's sweet talk, the sailor's drunken stupor."
This segment had unique annotations for almost every sentence. But even with annotations, the imagery these words referred to was not something that could be understood in a short time.
"Hear the infant's laughter and cries in the mirror, the waves entering dreams, the scales collapsing, welcome the invisible heir."
After [The Voracity], followed in order were [The Beauty], [The Finality], [The Propagation], [The Enigmata], [The Equilibrium], [The Finality].
The reason [The Finality] appeared twice was because this segment of the video became more chaotic and fast-paced compared to before, showing only names and corresponding imagery. The name [The Finality] appeared between different transitions.
This was something Black Swan caught.
Enough!
Really, it was enough!
Was this meant to make her recount all the deities in the cosmos?
"~Finally, measure the world with your body,"
As this parable resounded, another Aeon's figure appeared in the scene!
Like a crystal-carved statue, with an indistinct face and a crown with beaded curtains hanging down.
This time, there were no explanations or text.
But Black Swan realized it instantly.
This is... the deity who walks the Path on their own!
The Aeon of Remembrance—Fuli!
"Remember all of this in your heart."
"They say, this is the Path you should walk—"
As the words fell.
The Astral Express passed before Fuli!
"Akivili, set forth once more, Akivili!"
The train traversed the cosmos.
And by its side.
Streaks of golden light followed closely!
In this parable.
The most information-rich part was undoubtedly the small annotations above the words!
Players who saw this clearly noticed it as well!
...
"Wow! This is packed with information!"
"Is there some inevitable connection between the Trailblazer and Akivili!?"
"Could it be that Stelle is actually the reincarnation of Akivili?"
"This is mind-blowing!"
"Who is the one speaking? Can they just say it clearly!"
...
Black Swan's heart was stirred by a storm of emotions!
Those were Yu Ling's annotations, they have nothing to do with me!
How would I know what relationship the Trailblazer has with Akivili...
I haven't even met the Trailblazer in person.
Even a true Aeon might not be able to assert whether Akivili is still alive or has reincarnated as the Trailblazer, right?
However.
The video did not end here.
The scene shifted.
To a scene resembling a fortune-telling room.
"Countless meteors streak across tonight's sky, if you pick the right one..."
And the person flipping through a book on the table.
Was none other than Black Swan herself!
From the various details at the beginning of the video, Black Swan already knew that the speaker was herself.
But she didn't expect.
That the end of the video would directly reveal her image!
It was a complete reveal!
This scene seemed to be saying...
"That's right! All those parables and secrets about the Aeons were told by me!"
"If there's anything else you want to know, you can come to me."
Black Swan felt not a hint of excitement or honor at appearing in Yu Ling's video.
Instead, she was instantly filled with a sense of foreboding.
This... is a complete public execution.