"These conditions are really too difficult, even if they are known in advance, they may not be able to be fulfilled."
Jenkins shook his head regretfully, not worried about the status quo.
"But the conditions for passing through the Paradise are so complicated, have you revised the rules again?"
"No. These conditions are indeed a bit too difficult, so you can also rely on the clues after the ship docks to find the answer. After all, as you said, there is no impassable situation in the treacherous land. The environment itself is divided into two parts: before the dock and after the dock. You are too impatient. Obtaining all the clues before the ship docks is equivalent to seeing the door to leave after halfway through the boat, so the conditions are harsh. .”
"Before docking, although time is tight and you must always pay attention to clearing away the dense fog, it is relatively difficult to obtain information and you need to complete complicated conditions; after docking, it is very easy to obtain information, but you have to face more dangers. I guess, this is the original intention of this strange situation?"
Jenkins said.
"Yes, you are indeed the savior William who was able to come to the eighth floor tower. You are right. The time before landing is only half an hour. Under normal circumstances, it is not enough to maintain the light and prevent danger. At the same time, complete the tasks of the three people. Therefore, it is not a bad thing to stay until the ship docks."
In front of the ship, the edge of the island where the huge tree is, has appeared.
The islands that appear in the river are usually called "hexin islands", which are generally formed by the accumulation of sediments, and a small part are formed due to special topography.
But the gradually clear island in front of him is obviously not within the normal range. It covers an area far exceeding the area that the river can accommodate, but it is indeed in the middle of the river like a reef, and it does not block the river.
There must be some spatial specificity around the island, which makes the island that cannot be accommodated by the river look like a rock protruding from the water, which looks natural.
Considering the background story of this treacherous land, the island and the Iron World Tree were probably designed and built by the superhumans of this world. Since it is used as a shelter in a catastrophe, it should be different as it should be.
And as the boats continue to drive in, the trees on the island can also be seen. It was a plant showing a silver-gray steel alloy, and the color was consistent with the [mental blocking metal] that also existed in the real world. The tree's trunk and part of its root system protruding from the ground occupy the entire area of the island.
Therefore, there are no other ground buildings on the island, and only the undulations of the root system can be seen bare. But Jenkins is not curious about the shelters of the refugees. After all, the exaggerated diameter of the tree trunk is enough to build apartments in it. Not to mention the tall steel canopy stretching outwards, the dense steel clearly hides buildings and rooms that cannot be seen from the outside.
"Only by taking this boat can you see this tree when you approach it."
Introduced by the metal head on the chair, Jenkins glanced at it:
"So, in the background of this strange situation, the difference machine already knew the existence of this refuge?"
"Of course, my lord is omnipotent."
The man said in a calm tone.
"It's really amazing, it can actually infiltrate the strange world to this extent."
Even Jenkins laments the omnipotence of some enemies.
"The higher the level, the more carefully designed it is by my lord. This is the power of my lord. Savior, you are gifted and capable. Why don't you want to accept my lord's kindness?"
The head bewitched again, but this time Jenkins didn't answer, because the speed of the boat began to slow down.
Slowly approaching the pier on the edge of the island, the refugees on board also realized that they were about to reach their destination. Although people were still huddled there and could not move, they could still turn their heads and try to look at the bow of the ship.
Jenkins picked up his backpack, appeased Chocolate, and holding the magic sword in his left hand, he came to the old man.
"It's about to land, are you sure, as long as I send you off the boat, you can tell me the information I want, right?"
"certainly."
He took out the pipe in his mouth and took another puff of smoke:
"I mean what I say."
"But I can't leave the ship."
"It's okay, just take me to the ladder and let me down with a rope."
Jenkins nodded, which made sense.
So, taking advantage of the last time when the ship was preparing to dock, he found ropes and planks from the deck and made them into a swing. Although the old man is missing a leg, both hands are still intact. After a while, he sat on the board and pulled the rope with both hands to maintain balance, and he was able to land well.
There were people on the wharf of Hexin Island to meet the boat, but there was only one person standing there shaking a kerosene lamp in his hand, as if guiding the boat to dock.
After the thick fog, the appearance of the man was not clear at all. Jenkins looked over and confirmed that the thick fog also existed on the island:
"Is this your first time here?"
He asked the old man with a pipe, trying to see if there was any other information he could learn.
"No, I came here two years ago."
"There was also fog on the island then?"
"Of course, there is fog everywhere in the world."
"Don't you know that these fogs are..."
"of course I know."
The old man nodded and looked up at Jenkins:
"I know what you're trying to say, but so what? Whatever the reason, it's enough that the thing allows the island and the tree to exist, and allow all who land on it to survive."
The old man seems to know more than Jenkins thinks:
"When I first landed on this island, there were not many people here. Over the years, I have been out, trying to save more people and get more people here. So it doesn't matter what the purpose of this place is. Yes, as long as I can protect people for one more day, I will love this place deeply."
"So, the so-called refuge is not a safe refuge at all, but a corner under the tacit agreement between the survivors and the difference machine?"
"Yes, we don't have such a powerful force as you. As long as we can survive, people don't care why we can survive."
This island should be prepared by the difference machine for Jenkins. The purpose of not destroying human beings and keeping this island, and even this ship, is to allow Jenkins to come here smoothly in the background of the story. Although these things may never have happened, they are all real to the people on this ship. Just a game.
Thinking about these people in the strange world is indeed worthy of sympathy, but even Jenkins is not sure whether these mortals in the strange world are real or fake.
"What else is there on the island but trees and people?"
"There are many other beings, both intelligent and non-intelligent. We are all survivors of this world."
As he spoke, he stretched out his hand and asked Jenkins to help him up. The boat rocked slightly and docked.
As if some restrictions were lifted, the people who were curled up all moved. They spontaneously found a ladder on the deck, erected it with the help of the usher on the pier, and then lined up to leave the ship.
Jenkins and he were both in the last position because the old man had trouble with his legs and feet.
"Since I have stayed until the ship docks, can you give me the first message first?"
Jenkins asked.
"Can."
"So how much information can you provide?"
"Two. You can know the name of the most dangerous enemy on the island, and you can know where the control core of that indescribable thing is."
"How do you know this information?"
Jenkins asked, what people know matches their identity, and the other side obviously knows too much.
"Because I lived long enough, as I said, I was the first group of asylum seekers to come here. No one on this ship knows more than me..."
"Okay then, I'll choose the second one."
Picking the first one means that it is possible to know the answer to leave directly, but it is more likely to get the title of "great wisdom".
"The core of control is that human head."
Jenkins raised his eyebrows:
"Sure enough, only part of its combat body is here, and the real core is still hidden in the depths of the ninth floor."
"What did you say?"
The old man could not understand this sentence.
"nothing."
Jenkins shook his head, then turned slightly to the head and said:
"What's the point of doing this? You clearly know that if it's only part of your body, you won't be able to stop me at all. In this way, it's better to save all your combat power to fight me on the ninth floor."
"Of course it makes sense. I just want you to see what my ideal world looks like."
The head is still smiling:
"If I don't let you see it, you will never understand the world I want."
"What do you want in this dead world? I see these cities behind the fog. The tall buildings and the houses along the river are nice, but it's too quiet."
"Dead silence? No, all you see is this ship, and all you see is the shadow of the river bank. I'll show you what's going on here when they're all down. Williamette, welcome to my I left the core on the ninth floor, fused the steam engine prototype and the mechanical heart, and the huge body used for combat invaded this world in an all-round way, just to show you all of this.
The world is so boring. For tens of thousands of years, you are probably the only person who can understand my thoughts. So before you are killed by me, it is necessary for you to see all this. This is the meaning of the eighth layer. "
"I don't believe that the eighth floor is just to show me, what is that thing that originally existed in the strange world?"
Even if the Difference Engine can make itself a part of the Paradise, it certainly cannot change the basic rules, otherwise it would have been a complete beast of disaster long ago. That is to say, there was a disaster in the background of the strange world without the difference machine, and that thing is the key that prevents Jenkins from leaving now.