[Does life exist for 'happiness' or for 'meaning'?]
Mycroft World, Helgamos Empire, Imperial External Exploration Department, No. Elite Team 0003, High Alchemist Constantine, is thinking about this ancient and modern world, even all the smart people who are full and have nothing to do, It is also a question that only a sage can use his head to think about.
Now, he is sailing in the endless void with his teammates, equipped with a special armed battleship.
Their destination is the sealed world that gradually became known to the public after the Extreme Crisis, the 'Garden of Nirvana'.
['Happiness' is just a simple desire. Life is lived for this, and the thought is a bit shallow. But isn't 'meaning' also a manifestation of some kind of desire? 'Ambition', 'prove ability', 'self-realization'... Are these desires any different from 'eating well', 'clothing warm', and 'being with the one you love'?]
The Court of Annihilation is a very resounding name, but in fact, the background of this 'prison' is far louder than its name - it was built by the gods and Mycroft and almost all legends, and has been reinforced and upgraded countless times. In the world-class prison, there are many terrifying beings imprisoned who, if released, would definitely shake up the multi-dimensional galaxy.
'Black Mist', 'Phoenix Void Behemoth', 'Super Chaos Familia', 'Evil God Split', 'Extreme Virus Experimental Site'... any existence imprisoned in it, just pick one, will be a legend, even if It is not an extraordinary creature, but an extremely terrifying and strange plague similar to the extreme virus, or other pre-civilization creations.
Most of these things have extremely high research value, and it would be a pity to eliminate them directly, so we simply sealed them with the strictest means and slowly studied them with the most cautious means.
As for the elite team's trip to the Court of Annihilation this time, it was not because of their captain Priest's status as a disciple of Generalissimo Radcliffe, but because of the alchemist Constantine.
He came to visit the prison.
[But no matter what - whether it is 'happiness' or 'meaning', they both need 'self' and 'alive', right? Abandoning oneself for happiness, abandoning life for meaning... Isn't this stupid? !]
With such doubts in mind, the elite team went through nineteen levels of strict monitoring and entered the world of the 'Court of Nirvana'. This world is said to have been created jointly by the Seven Gods and the Fairy Queens of the Fairy Country. It has been endowed with more than 1,700 legendary magic locks and time and space barriers by legendary mages, and Marshal Radcliffe has set the world apart. The outer circle covers part of his body. If nothing can be done and someone is about to escape from prison, he will directly crush the entire world from the air and stuff it into the black hole engine.
"So, we are actually in the lord's body now?"
When Priest and Constantine were submitting a visit application to the silver goblin at the front desk of the prison, the knight Clark on the side was picking his ears rather indecently. He looked at the elements of various colors and brilliance flying back and forth in the corridor. The goblin felt his eyes were a little blurry: "Also, why are all the staff in the prison goblins?"
"To be precise, it's in the palm of the lord's hand." Wizard Wayne replied calmly. His posture was extremely upright at this time: "I suggest you not to be so casual. This is a place where the gods and all strong men are paying attention."
"As for why the staff are all goblins, the answer is very simple." On the other side, Pastor Said, who was meditating with his eyes open, closed his eyes and said softly: "Because through various tests, the gods believe that any existence is absolutely unacceptable. It may be unknowingly bewitching and corrupting the goblin. Just like the goblin who volunteered to participate in the experiment last time, who was corrupted by the legend of a foreign land. The other party told her not to disclose it to the outside world, but she forgot in two seconds and ran to show off to her companions. I’ve made a big friend.”
"...This is quite reasonable."
It is true that elemental creatures don't have any tricks, but they have extremely amazing patience. The knight thought carefully that if there was some powerful being who was going to bewitch a goblin to open the blockade for him, then he would probably have to endure a goblin for hundreds of years. The chatter of the Seven Gods, he still remembers that there was a goblin talking to a tree, and he talked about the instance when the tree turned into a tree person.
Perhaps, the Silver Fairy is better.
"alright."
Suddenly, the slightly tired voice of the alchemist came from the front desk, and the buzz of the silver elf at the front desk activating the teleportation circle. This originally cheerful and optimistic elf was now obviously a little decadent, his pointed ears were drooped, and his whole body They were all weak: "Just wait for the transmission... Thank you for coming to accompany me."
"Don't think too much, we are teammates." On the side, Priest patted the opponent's shoulder - he touched some hard bump there, which seemed to be folded biochemical wings - but the captain, who had long been used to it, did not agree with this. He thought he was satisfied: "After all, something big happened in the family. We are all good brothers, so naturally we have to accompany you."
Constantine didn't speak. He just looked gratefully at his teammates who were silently encouraging him.
Then, the teleportation circle lit up, and they disappeared in the faint blue light.
[But in fact, there will always be people who abandon themselves for happiness and life for meaning... Why would someone do this? No matter what, I can't figure it out. No matter what, I can't figure it out.]
The elite team, who were transported to a dark and empty hall, saw that in the center of the hall, a space was gradually becoming transparent. Endless energy radiance spilled from the edge of this transparent area, illuminating the entire hall. Let everyone clearly see the existence behind the transparent space.
It was an elf that could be called 'handsome' and 'beautiful', possessing both the heroism of a man and the softness of a woman.
His body can simply be called 'perfect'. Even if the body is half broken, the broken flesh and organs still show a kind of vitality. Not only does it not look ugly and bloody, but it has a sense of life. The tenacious and admirable beauty.
'Ultimate Elf Neupel'. The first extreme life case in the Mycroft civilization caused the death of hundreds of thousands of people at the Jetrum Void Base. The Void Base was half destroyed, most of a fleet was sunk, and dozens of ambassadors of foreign civilizations died.
When it invaded the mainland of Mycroft's world, it was defeated by the Paladin Loranda in the northern land of Moldavia. However, the strange thing is that it did not wreak havoc or escape at that time, but after being defeated He simply gave up and was captured by Nostradamus and Brandon who came shortly after, and were sent to the Court of Annihilation for sealing.
Realizing that the seal seemed to be loosened, the extreme elf's eyes opened slightly, revealing clear sapphire blue light that reverberated like water waves. It looked at the elite team in front of it with a strange expression.
"Constantine?" it said doubtfully, "Why are you here?"
"cousin… "
Taking a step forward, the sad-looking alchemist sighed, and shook his head in disgust: "To be honest, I don't know if you, a monster, are my cousin, but for the sake of my aunt and uncle, For the sake of pleading, I’ll just call you that.”
"They just want to know how my poor cousin turned into a monster, whether the son they raised for many years suffered in pain when being corroded, and what he was thinking when he died."
The extreme crisis caused everyone in Mycroft's world to move to the Sanctuary World for refuge. Such a big move would naturally arouse doubts among the people. However, the new generation coalition government was not worried about people's panic, so it announced part of the information about the extreme virus. Related information—among them, including viral erosion, leading to extreme biotechnology.
When Constantine knew that his familiar cousin suddenly turned into a vicious monster that killed hundreds of thousands of people, the shock in his heart was no less than that of his poor parents. He knew very well that his cousin Smart, cautious, self-aware, and always able to refuse when faced with temptation... Even if he is eroded by the extreme virus, he will never be so silent, he should be able to resist.
Why? Why was it able to lurk for so long after becoming an extreme creature? Why, why didn't it escape after being defeated, but was captured without any help, and was sealed in such a simple way
You obviously have the power to escape, right? Even if you become a monster, you should choose the future where you are most likely to survive, instead of being sealed and dying slowly.
Constantine had doubts in his heart, and he wanted to know the answer, so he took the initiative to accept the commission from Noypel's parents, took the initiative to go to Marshal Radcliffe to request, and took the initiative to go to the Court of Nirvana to meet his A 'cousin' side.
Then, wait for its answer.
"... Of course I am still Neuper. You always like to say that extreme creatures are monsters that have replaced the original person. But in fact, there is no distinction between 'extreme beings' and 'eroded ones'. Extreme viruses are just A set of procedures, a set of information and information.”
Facing Constantine's answer, the Extreme Elf smiled, and its voice came through the transparent seal: "How to say, it's like learning new knowledge. A young man who originally knew nothing about society, in After learning relevant sociological knowledge, he has a new perspective on the entire world. Facing things that he originally thought he 'liked' or 'disliked', he has a new perspective and attitude. This change can almost He said it was someone else."
"For another example, there are always many differences between when a person is a child and when he is an adult... Could it be said that after learning new knowledge, your thoughts have changed and you are no longer the original you? The you when you were a child, and the you when you grow up. , is it not the same you? Ah, maybe it is true for some people. They always like to say, 'The original me is dead, and now you see a brand new me!' , but no one thinks they are monsters."
—People are always changing, so why is extremeization considered alienation
He did not intend to convince the other party. 'Neupel' was almost unable to move in the seal. Although his life was maintained, his body functions were completely blocked. Now that he can make sounds, he obtained permission from the upper level in order to obtain relevant information. The elf smiled cheerfully, just like before: "Although I knew nothing about being infected at the beginning, there is no doubt that choosing 'extreme' is my own choice. In the cocoon, when I Knowing what maximizing could bring me, I chose this path without hesitation.”
It didn't lie, and it couldn't lie. This was indeed the truth. The flashing mantra magic array on the side proved this.
"Actually, because I know the power of our civilization very well, I know that I can only be free for a while, but not for a long time. So after being defeated, I can simply surrender. There is no point in resisting."
"—It actually said we are civilized?" The knight whispered behind him, but was asked to be quiet by the mage and priest. After all, they were just spectators accompanying their friends, and this was essentially a private matter at Constantine's house.
At this time, Constantine looked even more confused. He couldn't help but ask: "No, this doesn't make sense at all, does it? You clearly know that the human self is very fragile and is instilled with a large amount of information. That is called Brainwashing, not learning! If you know this clearly, why would you actively choose to go to extremes?!"
"Because I know that this is the only possibility for me to be happy."
'Neupel' said straightforwardly, without hiding anything. Its face was so handsome that it was almost monsterous, but its expression was indifferent. The Extreme Elf said calmly: "Cousin, you have not been infected by the Extreme Virus, so don't take it for granted. Faced with such temptation, the entire Mike Rowe There are not many people in the civilization who can resist it. After all, those who can hold on to themselves under the extreme virus infection have long been strong enough not to be eroded by the extreme virus - at least they are extremely willing, and legends are not surprising."
"Wait, weren't you happy before?" Constantine was stunned again: "Family, friends, people who love you and the people you love - and a good, leisurely job and a boss who treats you well, Neuper , are you crazy to feel so unhappy?!"
"Isn't the blood of elves bad? With the potential to advance to legend, excellent adaptability, long lifespan and beautiful appearance - you are even the most talented person in our family. If you want to become a druid, you will probably be dead early. Isn’t that what you want? So why are you wasting your perfect talent by constantly replacing the organs that your parents gave you, replacing your God-given body?”
This time, it was 'Neupel''s turn to ask, and it shook its head slightly: "Your parents have complained more than once, saying that you don't love them, and that behavior of randomly replacing flesh and blood is even a sign of not loving the elves. They feel that you don't love them. Your nature is ruthless and cold, and you are a crazy rebel. But I know that you are not that kind of person, just because the happiness you want is different from what most people want."
When the alchemist heard the first words spoken by the other party, he couldn't help but clenched his hands. Behind Constantine, Priest and others could hear the other party's heartbeat rapidly getting louder. His heart was vibrating rapidly like a roar, which represented his master's excitement.
"My happiness is actually very simple - I want to become stronger."
'Neupel' turned a blind eye to this, and said calmly: "I want to become a strong man who can fly to the sky and escape from the earth, a strong man who can enter and exit the void at will, go to other worlds, and be free. This is not what happens after being infected by the extreme virus. Twisted my thoughts, but my deepest desire - it’s just that I am smart and self-aware, but my talent is not enough. I cannot be like you, my cousin, who abandons my excellent talents and can still shine in other fields. , and even became a member of the famous exploration team. You will never know how much I envy you, just as you think I am incredibly happy."
-Happiness is both 'spiritual' and 'material' satisfaction.
—Meaning is the process of 'realizing' and 'following' one's own will.
"Distort yourself and be infected by the extreme virus? Compared to happiness, this deal is too good a deal. I have experienced that powerful feeling. I can move freely in the void and follow my mind in the vast multiverse. ... God, when I saw the light of the demonic tide lingering around me, when I saw the stars twinkling, as if all the stars in the sky were watching me, I felt that I was truly alive, and I felt like crying. , you will never understand the feeling of wanting to scream.”
In the seal, the extreme elf showed a satisfied expression. It seemed that it was really happy at that time. Even when it was recalled in the Court of Nirvana, it could still be so happy: "For others, I am dead? It doesn't matter. .
To others, am I no longer myself? It doesn't matter.
This world is full of people who live unhappy lives, whose lives are meaningless, and who would rather be dead than alive. I don’t want to be that kind of person. "
"This is so happy, so I really want to share this happiness with my parents. I know that my father likes to explore the deep sea, and I know that my mother likes to climb mountains and look far away, but they have been trapped in the forest all their lives. In Mycroft's world, facing the endless vast multiverse, we can only gaze with envy but cannot go there in person... Constantine, what you are talking about is false happiness, but what I pursue is my true wish."
Shocked, Constantine looked at his hand subconsciously - it was a siphon monster mimic arm that had been transformed into a psychic link... If we talk about alienation, who else can be more serious than his physical alienation? Even the Tree of Life doesn't think he is an elf, even his parents think he has abandoned his race... Compared with Neupel, who has abandoned himself? Are they both monsters who are willing to abandon their 'self' for the sake of their own happiness
"But... why don't you run away?" This is a doubt that the alchemist still cannot understand: "You can obviously run away, but why don't you try?"
"Because I know that I made a mistake, so I have to be punished. Since I can't resist, I can just wait for death. Anyway, I have fulfilled my wish. I have no regrets in my life. If I can contribute to Mycroft civilization It has a little value and makes up for a little mistake, so use it. This is also Neuper's own choice."
Until the end, the beast was extremely determined. It said word by word: "Finally, cousin Constantine, if Mom and Dad let you ask instead, ask 'Neupel' whether he suffered in the end - then Just tell them that 'Neuper' finally got the happiness he was pursuing. When most people couldn't figure out what they were pursuing and what the meaning of their lives was, he turned into a beast and found the happiness. My original wish.”
"Even in just a few days, he finally reached the future that he could not reach in his life, and realized the wish that he could not realize in his life. He witnessed the vastness of the void and the vastness of the stars. He was moved by this. , even laughing and crying.”
"Compared to these, 'self' and 'life' are nothing but trivial matters."
As for the hundreds of thousands of unrelated people who died during its sublimation process, that is even more insignificant. Even if it knows that this is wrong and even feels guilty about it, it will do it without hesitation.
"Because I am just a selfish life, a selfish beast. I am willing to abandon myself and my life for happiness."
The first update, and the second update later. It was originally a big chapter with more than 10,000 yuan, but it felt like such an update was too much, so it was divided into 2 chapters...
Asking for a monthly ticket
(End of chapter)