“Of course not.” Hayden shrugged. “I just wanted to check on you. And I also wanted to tell you that you shouldn’t be in quarantine for much longer.”
These words immediately surprised the "little girl" even more. After all, she had only been quarantined for a day. How could things have progressed so quickly?
"Do you have a way to solve this problem in a short time?"
She couldn't help but press for more information.
"Yes. We need to resolve this quickly. We need to resolve it by tomorrow."
Hayden, who had just said the matter was extremely troublesome, now acted as if nothing was wrong and insisted on his point.
“We originally planned to use moonlight lamps to reverse time at the underwater ruins in order to observe past scenes for research. This was originally a huge project that needed to be done slowly.”
"But the current situation is just right. Your resistance to spacetime magic is too high, and it would take a very large amount to break through that resistance."
"So tomorrow, we'll use the Secret Fire as fuel to construct a strategic-level arcane engineering mega-ritual, reversing the entire timeline of this underwater city ruins!"
213: My Blood
Hayden's next move is a risky gamble, and a very urgent one at that.
Magic, no matter what, is an extremely dangerous thing. Moreover, the time-reversal projection magic of the Moonlight Lamp was a new technique hastily devised by Hayden's friends, and its principles were not yet fully understood. As for Abigail's resistance to time magic, its underlying mechanisms were also difficult to comprehend.
Ideally, if two not-yet-fully-understood magical effects were to be pitted against each other, researchers should have taken the lead, conducting the experiment in a remote, uninhabited area, and being prepared for the possibility of a disastrous failure. To subject these two "unfathomable" phenomena to an unprecedented collision should have required extreme caution, involving extensive calculations and repeated experiments on a very small scale before it could even begin.
But Hayden is now saying that tomorrow—he will use a strategic-level arcane engineering mega-ritual to completely reverse time in this entire underwater city ruins!
Even with Hayden's increasing power, ample manpower, extensive knowledge, and even guidance from ancient gods, reversing time within the entire underwater ruins is no easy feat. It doesn't matter if he has new people or new technologies at his disposal. Few spells, even those from large corporations, can overcome such a time-space reversal.
This is real, great magic.
Even ordinary companies with limited capital cannot undertake such a project. Even with sufficient resources, success is extremely difficult.
What's more, this has to be done within a day?
"How could you possibly do such a thing?"
Therefore, even the "little girl" who possessed Abigail's memories was taken aback by these words.
"Wasn't the original plan to take it slow? Illuminating the ruins little by little with moonlight lamps is a completely different level of difficulty compared to turning the entire site upside down!"
Moreover, this is far more than a simple conflict between time magic and resistance to spacetime magic; it's a head-on clash of brute force with no one knowing what the outcome will be. Isn't this utterly reckless?
"I've come up with a solution."
Hayden, however, calmly said,
“Previously, I used drugs to see two ancient gods from beyond the heavens and vaguely figured out some things that could be used. Witnessing the true form of the ancient god of ‘light’ especially helped me figure out a way to solve the problem.”
Can we find a solution just by seeing Him?
To the "little girl," Hayden's words sounded like utter madness.
Why did it come to this?
Thinking of this, the little girl suddenly had an idea.
...Could it be that Hayden is bluffing her?
According to her memories, Hayden had many experiences of gaining advantages over gods and demons by doing strange things. If Hayden now suspects she is Hecate, or believes her experiences could be a source of information for Hecate, he might try to trick her. This is not surprising.
The term "shaman" originally referred to a profession in ancient primitive tribes where people had to learn how to deceive gods and demons for the sake of their people.
Hayden's words to her, which made him seem desperate and even willing to risk his own life, were perhaps just a trap set for the great devil Hecate.
But now that she has guessed this might be a trap, wouldn't that just disrupt Hayden's plans? If she really is Hecate and has guessed it's a trick, then the plan will be completely useless.
...But then again, if she really is Hecate, or a clone who is on Hecate's side, wouldn't Hayden's setback actually benefit her?
Thinking this, the "little girl" suddenly felt a wave of dizziness and confusion wash over her: if she really was Hecate, why should she worry about Hayden? It would be better for Hecate if Hayden were to fall from grace sooner rather than later.
Who is she now?
The thought of this troublesome problem made the "little girl" feel a burning thirst coursing through her body, burning in every cell of her body, until she was so hungry that she felt dizzy.
Hunger, extreme hunger, as if she hadn't eaten for seven days. This terrible feeling couldn't even be described by the mere word "hunger." The intense cramping pain felt like knives scraping inside her stomach, as if something deep inside her was screaming for food.
Moreover, the situation is getting worse every moment.
Hungry? Just hungry? This is more than just being a little hungry! The "little girl" had never experienced anything like this before; she even doubted that any human being in history had ever been in such a situation. The hunger grew stronger and stronger. Now, just seeing Hayden standing not far away, like a piece of Tang Monk's flesh, made her unable to resist looking down at Hayden's neck and veins, and she couldn't help but want to open her mouth and take a bite.
Because deep inside her, a voice told her that this would satisfy her hunger and mend the deep wounds and gaps in her body and soul! Like an addict going through withdrawal, she had to gather all her willpower, lower her head and not look at him, just to barely resist this desire and prevent herself from actually lunging at Hayden and biting him.
This emptiness, this lack, is not just hunger, but more like a hole in the body that must be filled quickly.
...And how could Hayden not see how much pain this "little girl" was in?
But he hesitated for several seconds. Even he, as a prophet, couldn't confirm whether the "little girl" before him was Abigail. Or rather, she didn't look like her at all.
But he still reached out a hand in the end: "Bite a little lighter."
No matter how hungry, how much pain, or how much she wanted to eat Tang Sanzang's flesh, Hayden's actions left the "little girl" speechless: "...What do you take me for? A vampire?"
Hayden raised an eyebrow: "At least I can see that this is the Old God's insatiable hunger for the Secret Flame. To be honest, I'm increasingly doubting whether you're really Abigail. How could Hecate possibly turn Abigail into an Old God?"
The "little girl" was also speechless. She was actually troubled by the same problem. Just because this feeling existed, she realized that she was probably no longer herself, and a heavy feeling weighed on her heart.
Not knowing what you are is terrifying enough. But not knowing what you will become, or even whether you will exist in the next second, is an even more extreme form of terror.
It's more terrifying than knowing when you're going to die.
“Knowing I might not be Abigail,” she couldn’t help but ask, “why did you still reach out to me? Not to mention, you’re planning to force yourself on the entire underwater ruins tomorrow. That’s very dangerous magic.”
“Because,” Hayden shrugged, “what if?”
What if she really is Abigail?
What if this is some kind of malevolent possession magic that's gradually building up?
What if Abigail really dies if this drags on?
"Human life is at stake. At times like this, even if it's just a matter of chance, we have to take the gamble."
That's why Hayden said that.
"When you have no choice but to gamble, concerns about the odds and what might happen become irrelevant. What if you die? So there's no need to calculate anymore."
That's why after he finished speaking, he reached out his hand to the "little girl" again: "Drink my blood. Even if this can't fundamentally solve your problem, it will at least give you a better chance of survival."
However, upon hearing this, the "little girl," despite being the one suffering from hunger and pain, shook her head and said, "To gamble the life and death of one subordinate with the safety of the entire army and yourself is foolish and unbecoming of a ruler. Besides, I may not even truly be your subordinate. That would be even more utterly foolish."
Unexpectedly, Hayden smiled when he heard her say that: "You're completely wrong. It's because you might be my friend that I can't stand by and watch you suffer; and it's also because you might be my friend that you're now fighting against hunger and pain while accusing me of being foolish."
“If you really are Hecate, then remember this: Abigail would do the same for her friend. In fact, I suspect things have come to this because Abigail refused to obey Hecate’s orders.”
For some reason, the "little girl" found herself unable to completely deny this statement.
It's probably because Abigail is disobedient that she's now in this messy state, looking neither human nor ghost.
It's probably for the same reason that she's now criticizing Hayden's actions as foolish, reckless, and unbecoming of a ruler.
What's up with this?
A thought suddenly welled up in her mind: What could have possibly driven these two people, who should have been carefully considering their options, to make such a reckless decision?
Humans are really strange.
"Getting back to the point—let's drink."
Before the words were even finished, a flash of silver light had already appeared. Hayden had used a short knife meant for cutting herbs to slash his own arm, spurting out crimson blood. The stench of blood was immediately unbearable for the "little girl." She had no time to think, no time to speak; a thousand thoughts were instantly replaced by the thirst for survival. Before she could even react, she had already opened her mouth, stuck out her tongue, and pressed it against Hayden's wound, gulping down the blood with her throat, not wanting to waste a single drop. Even so, beads of blood continued to drip from her open mouth.
She had never tasted anything like it before. The blood, imbued with a secret fire, was so sweet, the intense stimulation shooting straight to her head, making her unable to resist after the first sip. This sweet sensation flowed into her body, filling her thirst and making her feel more whole. In an instant, all the pain and hunger in her body vanished.
Moreover, she experienced an immense pleasure—far more intense than any other joy she had ever known. It was a Platonic, ideal pleasure, in which all other pleasures were merely imperfect projections. The secret fire of life brought such a continuous ecstasy that her whole body trembled, and she wore a dazed expression in her intoxication.
To be honest, even Hayden was a little frightened by this scene. When you see a little girl drink your blood and start convulsing, rolling her eyes and crying, any normal person would be terrified.
Fortunately, the "little girl" still had some self-respect... and some ability. She quickly regained her senses, finally managing to pull her mouth away from Hayden's wound, and hurriedly wiped her face. She began to feel her body warming up considerably. The blood overflowing with secret fire flowed within her, filling the void within her. If a certain vampire goddess with a smoky mirror knew of this, she would probably drool with envy.
Now, the hunger, deprivation, and pain that had been burning in every cell of the "little girl's" body were all suppressed as Hayden's blood flowed into her mouth... at least temporarily.
Is this what it feels like for the Old Gods to lack Secret Fire and finally replenish it?
But doing so will never come without a price.
This is highly advanced magic. Although no one chanted any incantations, she drank Hayden's blood, which is already an extremely powerful form of witchcraft—the more Hayden's blood she drinks, the stronger the supernatural causal relationship between the two will become. This may not be a good thing for either of them.
A close causal, karmic, or symbiotic connection allows two parties to exert powerful influences on each other. This is very mysterious, a concept found in the realm of ancient witchcraft. The element of "blood" is particularly enigmatic.
"If I really am Hecate, then perhaps I can use this blood connection to cast a spell on you, which in turn will burn away all the blood in your body."
So, once she regained some consciousness, she looked at Hayden with a strange expression and couldn't help but ask,
"Aren't you afraid?"
Hayden then grabbed some salt and rubbed it on the cut he had made on his arm. The wound healed immediately, new skin covering it; though lighter in color, it had stopped bleeding.
Then he shrugged and said, "Now that you're willingly drinking my blood, perhaps I can use this sympathetic connection to control your life. Even the Old Gods can be bound and controlled by magic; otherwise, how could capitalists control them?"
"Aren't you afraid?"
Hecate is an ancient sorceress. To fight her with blood magic is as risky as fighting on a knife's edge.
But this kind of bet is inherently part of the risk. There's no need to calculate the odds of winning for this decision.
Therefore, the "little girl" stared at Hayden as if he were a madman.
When Hayden saw that look in her eyes, he smiled again: "Look, you're more like Abigail now."
——————————————————————————————
And just like that, the next day arrived quickly.
Hayden had declared beforehand that he would perform a grand magic spell to reverse time throughout the entire underwater ruins. However, this was by no means an easy task. So the night before, he asked the experts in his team to install temporary moonlight lamps at all the key points of the ley lines in the ruins, illuminating the entire seabed—but that was all.
Even with dozens more moonlight lamps, it would clearly not be enough to reverse all the power of the ruins, let alone break through Abigail's resistance to time-space magic.
Not to mention the workers suspected of treason, even the researchers within the order were unaware, or at least most were unaware, of Hayden's specific plans for today. Of course, because the Sofia Order revered Hayden as a prophet and saint, they had great faith in him and were all waiting to see the next miracle.
However, in contrast, many people do not believe that Hayden can really pull off any miracles.
Even in the cold, deep sea, a twisted entity is observing and thinking at a scale and speed that surpasses that of humans.
After much deliberation, she concluded that Hayden's plan was utterly doomed to fail. To think he could break her time-space magic head-on with it? That was simply impossible. Even with Peacock's help, it was still impossible. Who was the real expert?
Therefore, she gave a cold laugh to the peacock's son-in-law from the seabed, then stopped worrying and continued with her own plans.
Impossible, absolutely impossible. What else could you possibly pull out to defeat me in an instant?
214: The sky is high, Enuma Elish
"You all retreat outside the area; if you stay here, you will be caught in my magic."
Before the ceremony began, Hayden addressed everyone—the scholars of the order and the workers of the trade unions—to say this.
"If a mortal body is caught up in such time magic, it will only turn into a lump that is difficult to die. Don't go looking for that kind of trouble."
If anyone has heeded such a warning and still ventures into the magical area, they're either out of their mind or have something to hide. The latter is most likely working for someone else, gathering intelligence.
However, this does not mean that others do not need to contribute to the magical rituals of this great project. In fact, quite the opposite is true.
Great engineering projects are the pinnacle of modern technology. They are considered the greatest magical rituals because they cannot be performed by a single person. They are the ultimate products of modern arcane industrial society; their power does not reside in themselves, and even individual gods cannot operate them alone; they must be built upon the foundation of social organization.
This is precisely why modern arcane industrial society was able to defeat the feudal gods of the past. This is truly a power that surpasses even that of gods.
The current situation is no exception. The experts cannot remain within the magical effect zone, but without their help, the magical ritual simply cannot proceed. Therefore, they pre-installed a large number of various large-scale devices within the ruins before retreating to the lower-level area on the shore to remotely control the process.
After everyone else left, at least on the surface, only Hayden and Angela, who was always by Hayden's side, remained in the entire underwater ruins.
Around them were numerous large pieces of equipment visible to the naked eye—though these were mostly not physical entities, but rather spiritual entities. A starry sky of radiant spirits filled the darkness of the entire underwater world, as if they had existed there from the very beginning, singing silently.
Some stars were bright, some were dim, and some shimmered with red or yellow light. The artificial starry sky was like golden sand in the darkness, like jewels in the night.
These man-made celestial devices are scattered between the seabed and the land, like a celestial canopy separating the two. They are massive celestial computer systems. Calculating, assisting, and correcting, they are celestial supercomputer spheres that integrate all the magic of this grand project, record all data, verify all possibilities, and observe all magical changes.
Modern arcane rituals for such a grand project would certainly require such things. Incidentally, although Hayden obtained the equipment from the Mithra Group through his various connections, it was still extremely, extremely, extremely expensive, certainly not something that an average wealthy arcane mage could operate at home.
Generally speaking, only the gods of capital have the qualifications and resources to wield such supreme and great magic. Others can only dream about it, and even then, they can't even conceive of it correctly.
But Hayden is going to do something that no one else can do today.
The underwater ruins are now roughly circular in shape. Hayden looked around, then suddenly took off his shoes and socks, stepping barefoot onto the basalt seabed.
"I can't even remember the last time it was just the two of us doing something weird."