In the spacious living room where Charles and 005 were standing, the walls painted with murals and the colors on the exquisite furniture around them were fading, revealing the dark red "original color" underneath.
As the flesh and blood squirmed, eyes of completely different shapes and appearances emerged from inside, staring closely at 005, who was wearing a black robe in front of him.
As they opened wider and wider, various blood vessels on the wall spread over, providing nutrients to Charles' sensory organs.
Charles once saw what 005 looked like, but human eyes were so low-level that he could only see the surface.
But this time it was different, now he saw more and deeper.
Those black bandages with floating inscriptions were just appearances. Inside the bandages were black spheres as tiny as snowflakes. They were connected to each other and trembling slightly with some kind of melody.
The vibration of each "snowflake" will be linked to the surrounding snowflakes, ultimately forming the overall movement of 005.
They are like cells in the human body that make up everything in 005. But unlike cells, these "snowflakes" have their own independent consciousness.
Charles smelled the feeling in them, the feeling that only independent consciousness can have.
But this was just the beginning. Inside this black snowflake with independent consciousness, Charles saw more. It was a space completely different from the surface, where matter had no meaning.
There are more living creatures in those snowflakes. Charles can even hear their shrill way of communicating. Each snowflake is a country, or even a planet.
And 005 is the large galaxy formed by these planets, moving slowly but constantly.
In the deepest depths of the creatures that live on those snowflakes, Charles saw more
But just when he wanted to look again, the part of his brain responsible for alertness forcibly interrupted his observation.
During the observation, the knowledge he inadvertently acquired was constantly robbing him of his humanity. At the current rate, if he continued to observe, it would only take three minutes at most for him to become a god.
When those eyes that had completely protruded from the wall closed instantly, the strong sense of crisis in his mind finally disappeared.
005 was of course aware of Charles' observation, but she didn't care. "How does it feel to be a god?"
Everything around him gradually returned to normal, Charles calmly opened his eyes and looked at 005, this time he only used human senses. Those things disappeared instantly.
"Not so good. I feel like I'm driving a car that keeps accelerating and can never stop, rushing all the way towards a predetermined ending."
005 gently stroked the black cat in his arms, "Humans are inherently inferior life forms. With their pitiful thinking abilities and consciousness, they are destined to be unable to withstand these forces."
"Since you are unwilling to give up, you will have to pay a certain price."
What she said was very clear and logical. It was really hard for Charles to imagine that 005 was not a single individual, but a collective of some kind of galactic civilization.
"Swish!" Shanshan suddenly appeared behind Charles and looked at the two of them silently.
Charles glanced at his daughter and continued, "Let's talk about something else. I have something to discuss with you."
"I'm listening."
"Thousands of years ago, you and other gods sealed the god Futan together, and now I have to deal with him as well. I think in this matter, maybe we are on the same front."
005 continued to wait, waiting for Charles to continue speaking.
If it is really impossible to eliminate the God of Futan head-on, then sealing him up forever seems to be a solution to try.
Charles doesn't have much time left, and he must make the best effort within the limited time.
"Yes, we did seal Him, but this seal actually blocks the outside world."
"In places with lots of mosquitoes, humans like to use mosquito nets when they sleep because mosquitoes like to suck human blood."
"That thing is a powerful divine seal for other beings, but for God Futan, it is just to separate those blood-sucking mosquitoes. A mosquito has succeeded before."
"If He really intends to wake up on His own, then no one can seal Him."
When Charles heard this, his heart sank slightly. This was not the result he wanted.
"Are you telling the truth? Why is it different from what you said before? What are you hiding from me, and why are you hiding it?"
The corners of 005's bandaged mouth slightly raised, "Charles, you think too highly of you. I didn't hide anything from you, and there's no need for me to hide anything from you."
"I grant you three wishes simply because I'm curious. I want to see if you will be firm in your choice after you accept them."
"Regarding what happened a thousand years ago, you might as well ask other beings instead of asking me. I was not the only one present at the time."
Charles' mind flashed back to those eyes he saw when he first arrived in Earthsea.
After hearing what 005 said, Charles did not choose to believe it directly.
"Then what was your purpose in taking those body organs? When you said that, I knew you had other purposes, but I accepted the risk. Now you can speak frankly."
If it was just out of curiosity, there would be no need to waste energy on those things. 005 must be hiding something.
"Charles, it's just a souvenir. I have far more souvenirs than you think. It's that simple."
"Your path is your own choice. How you go on is also your business. There is no need to ask others."
"Since you are always afraid that you are in someone else's conspiracy, there is no need to seek guidance from others. This is contradictory in itself."
"You know, I don't just care about you. I have many people in my eyes. The flower garden of humanity will continuously produce different flowers, and you are just a more unique flower among them. The moment a flower blooms is the most beautiful, but it is also the moment closest to withering."
"Now that the flowers have bloomed, it's time to appreciate other flowers. I'm going to go and greet other flower buds. Goodbye."
Seeing 005 was about to leave, Charles was a little anxious. He still refused to give up. "Didn't you say you were kind to humans? Why don't you even answer simple questions?"
"I am full of goodwill towards humanity, but this is for all, not just individuals, and strictly speaking, you are no longer a human being."
(End of this chapter)