Chapter 52: Chapter 52: Torturing for Intelligence!
If they do not win this war soon, the current deaths are just the beginning; more and more people will die. If they lose, their descendants, human descendants, will only be able to live in a world owned by the Blood Demons, hiding and scurrying, or being reduced to bred livestock until they are completely extinct!
Now, capturing the Matrix not only signifies a major victory but also means they could obtain the greatest weapon against the Blood Demons!
—Information!
“Team leader, are you sure you can control it?” Dong Gong cheered a few times as well but had to restrain his emotions now and quickly started asking.
“Certain,” Shen Hao said indifferently, glancing at the Blood Demon Mother shivering on the ground, and suddenly frowned, “Never show yourself in human form in front of me again.”
With just one sentence, the Blood Demon Mother trembled violently, and its entire form transformed rapidly.
Blood flowed out, muscles tumbled, transforming into a Monster nearly two meters tall covered in blood-red tentacles.
It was apparent that this Matrix was very powerful.
Definitely stronger than the so-called Level 4 Blood Demon.
That indeed was an important piece of information, yet it was unknown what the Blood Demon Mother relied upon to grow stronger.
However, that did not matter in front of Shen Hao, its power was insignificant.
“Bring the cage over,” Shen Hao then ordered through the communication channel.
“Right!” Dong Gong quickly responded, and then added, “Team leader, communications have entered the classified sequence, you can start interrogating for some important information now!”
He was still worried about potential problems and wanted to extract some vital information while he could.
“Hmm,” Shen Hao directly turned on the camera he carried and asked indifferently, “How many Matrices exist in the world?”
“Two, two hundred and thirty,” the Blood Demon Mother replied, devoid of any will to resist, its gaze filled with boundless respect and fear.
“Are there any existences more powerful than the Matrix?”
“The, the great Mother Sea is just our spiritual belief.”
“You also have spiritual beliefs?” Shen Hao looked at the Monster in front of him, which clearly could not have evolved naturally, and asked again, “Where are you from?”
“Do, do not know,” the Blood Demon Mother trembled violently, sticking tightly to the ground, its voice trembling as it spoke, “We are failures of the Civilization Trial, stripped of the name of civilization and most of our memories. Only by successfully resurrecting civilization can we retrieve our past.”
“…”
Shen Hao fell silent for a moment.
Failures of the Civilization Trial?
So, there is a choice to become other civilizations’ trials even after failing?
It is indeed cruel in every sense of the word.
Even though the system hacking group explicitly told him that the Civilization Trial itself is merely a self-updating system with predetermined programs, devoid of emotions, and without any signs that its creators still care, thus with vulnerabilities that allow hacks,
Yet, Shen Hao could still sense the coldness and cruelty of the unknown creator behind this system.
It seemed as if each civilization under its gaze was merely a valueless unit, to be used as long as it served the purpose the creator desired.
As Shen Hao remained silent, Dong Gong’s voice trembled a bit as it came through.
“Team leader, ask it, what is the ‘Civilization Trial’?”
Indeed, at this moment, everyone who heard the Blood Demon Mother’s statement sharply realized what was happening to their world, to their planet.
“Star Jump,” “Chosen One,” “Blood Demon”…
All of this could very well be related to the so-called “Civilization Trial”!
Shen Hao sighed inwardly and voiced this question.
“Civilization Trial… is simply that, a trial for the whole civilization,” even though the Blood Demon Mother still revered Shen Hao, at this time everyone could sense its even deeper reverence, “No civilization knows what it is, like the supreme True God in the infinite multidimensional universe, even Mother Sea is utterly humble before it. All we know is, it continually chooses one civilization after another, bestowing relentless trials. Those who prevail quickly grow stronger, and those who fail… will meet their doom.”
“…”
Silence.
Inside the earpiece, there was silence.
The guess had been confirmed; everything that happened on this planet pointed towards one existence, one answer.
However, this answer was more terrifying than the speculations!
Continuous trials?
What did this mean, that defeating the Blood Demons wasn’t the end?
The ones undergoing the trial weren’t confined to this planet alone?
Had any civilization passed it?
And who was orchestrating these trials? What was their purpose?
Dong Gong spoke again, now conveying the questions from the high-level meeting that was also witnessing this inquiry; they were exceedingly eager to know everything about the Trial!
Shen Hao did not refuse and asked each question.
However, there were no answers.
The Blood Demon Mother had no answers at her disposal.
According to her, their species “Blood Demon,” originally lived in a world completely covered by oceans, a water-based species. The Trial suddenly occurred, and the Chosen Ones also appeared, but their foes were not invaders, instead, thermal energy suddenly erupted from the planet’s core, continuously raising the temperature of the entire ocean.
The Chosen Ones earned points by resisting the heat, saving individuals.
How they ultimately failed, she no longer remembered, as most circumstances during the Trial were accompanied by the sealing of most of the civilization’s memories.
Only remembered, the last surviving two hundred and thirty-plus Chosen Ones saw the option “Civilization Resurgence Trial” on their proprietary Chosen One interface.
Then they arrived here, became the Matrix, and simultaneously possessed the power of “Parasite.”
After the Blood Demon Mother finished narrating all she knew, the entire communication channel fell silent once more.
This time, the silence lasted even longer.
Until Dong Gong, with a slightly hoarse voice, communicated, “Team leader, after discussion, the information about the ‘Civilization Trial’ has been temporarily classified as top-secret.”
“Hm,” Shen Hao responded indifferently.
Perhaps it was this calm reaction that made Dong Gong persist, asking, “What do you think?”
“…” Shen Hao was silent for a moment before he slowly said, “Things which we can do nothing about for now should not be overthought; our biggest enemy at the moment is still the Blood Demon.”
“… Yes!” Dong Gong responded emphatically.
At this moment, the sound of armed helicopters was already overhead, a specialized cage was being delivered.
This was specifically designed for the Matrix.
Ever since the existence of the Matrix was known, they had been preparing for this moment!