Volume 4: Twilight Galaxy
As the writing finished gathering, it was followed by the appearance of an extremely complex array of runes. Once the array was complete, an indescribable force of restriction erupted from it. The energy was so immense that it was on par with the divine punishment of Twilight Galaxy. It became clear that this vow was not just words—once made, it meant the invader would have to follow it for eternity, leaving no room for retreat.
Shu Xun and the others exchanged glances, each seeing the answer in the others’ eyes. The fluffy little ball nodded. “We agree. We will do our best to fulfill Xing Kong’s wish. No matter what decision the Interstellar Alliance makes, the few of us are willing to take Xing Kong to see the countless worlds.”
The array on the floor instantly lit up, the vow was sealed and both parties had agreed to it. After a brief moment, the neat writing gradually faded and the black substance once again gathered and disappeared into Xing Kong’s shadow, with no further movement.
Xing Kong’s expression didn’t change much when the shadow stirred, showing that he was aware of the invader’s presence and had likely communicated with it before. Although Xing Kong didn’t recognize the writing, he understood that it was the shadow negotiating with Shu Xun and the others. Shu Xun’s subsequent promise caused a ripple of emotion in the young Twilight Clan’s eyes. After the pact was sealed, Xing Kong suddenly crouched down, staring at his shadow on the ground for a long while before extending his hand. “I’ll take you to see the world.”
The young boy’s voice was still a bit immature, not very loud, but especially firm and sincere. Then, under everyone’s gaze, the black shadow condensed into a hand, slowly raising to meet the boy’s smaller hand, as if they were exchanging a silent agreement.
That night, due to the events surrounding Xing Kong and the invader, everyone’s emotions became more complicated. None of them had ever imagined that their first direct interaction with an invader would be in such a situation. Even more surprising was how complex the invader’s presence felt to them.
Xing Kong, having confirmed his future path, seemed noticeably happier. After dinner, he quickly returned to his room.
Once the boy had left, silence fell over the group. After a long while, it was Lie Yang who broke the silence first. “What exactly are these invaders? When it made that eternal vow to remain trapped in a shadow, I didn’t know how to judge if it was good or evil.”
After a brief pause, the fluffy ball sitting on the table stroked its whiskers and spoke. “Rather than rushing to judge good or evil, we should focus on understanding its origins. Some things are beyond simple morality.”
Ye Jian nodded in agreement. “The invader’s strength is definitely far beyond our expectations. The energy of that restriction array was even stronger than Twilight Galaxy’s divine punishment. And from that vow, it’s not hard to infer that the invader’s life is also practically infinite, at least much longer than the Twilight Clan’s, otherwise, there would be no mention of guarding a grave.”
Lie Yang seemed to realize something, his expression freezing for a moment as he spoke with some uncertainty. “If the invaders are truly that powerful and have infinite lifespans, then wouldn’t merging with the Twilight Clan’s shadows be like willingly trapping themselves in a cage? And now that cage is nearing its end. What’s the point of the invaders doing this? While we can’t speak for other invaders, it’s clear that the one in Xing Kong’s shadow has no ill intent. What exactly is the invader’s goal?”
The fluffy ball, who had been struggling with its wavy whiskers, unexpectedly glanced at Lie Yang. “It’s rare for you to notice, but you’re right. That wasn’t so much a request from the invader as it was a negotiation. So far, we have no means of eliminating the invaders. Their spiritual power is alarmingly high, so much so that aside from the world consciousness, no individual can confront them. This means that if an invader were to revolt, we’d have no way to stop them. The invader traded its own freedom for Xing Kong’s, giving us a way to deal with it. Xing Kong’s shadow is a prison, one that the invader voluntarily walked into. And the term of that prison is eternity.”
“Thanks for the compliment!” Lie Yang retorted angrily, forcefully interpreting the fluffy ball’s surprise as praise. “But I’m even more confused now. What are the invaders doing? With their power, they could easily escape this dying Twilight Galaxy. Why are they risking being wiped out by the world consciousness to stay here?”
“I don’t know. But what surprises me is that the invader used the universal language of the Interstellar Alliance. If I remember correctly, that language was organized and modified by the Phantom Clan. Based on previous speculations, the invaders existed before the different races encountered each other. This further indicates that the invaders have some definite connection with the Phantom Clan.” In the current era, each major race still uses their own languages in their home systems, but in public interstellar spaces, they communicate in the universal language. This language was created by the Phantom Clan, a race unmatched in spiritual power. The use of this language in itself symbolized the Phantom Clan’s power.
Among the five major races, the Phantom Clan had the smallest population but stood at an unshakable pinnacle. Compared to humans, Zerg, Beast Clan, and Spirit Clan, the Phantom Clan’s abilities far surpassed those of this era’s life forms. They possessed the immensely coveted spiritual power and near-infinite longevity that the other four races could only dream of. It often made people sigh, thinking that such a perfect race should have moved on to the next civilization instead of remaining in the Interstellar Era.
Shu Xun’s eyes glimmered with deep contemplation. The Phantom Clan, this seemingly perfect race in the Interstellar Alliance—what kind of secrets were they hiding? Shu Xun felt as if he was beginning to piece some connections together, just waiting for a chance to verify them, and that opportunity wouldn’t be far off.
The sudden actions of the invaders in the game world not only shocked Shu Xun and the others but also caught the livestream audience off guard. The Phantom Clan, in particular, found themselves in an awkward position. Despite their attempts to defend themselves, all current evidence pointed toward them.
As Twilight Galaxy was on the brink of chaos, the real world was also teeming with undercurrents.
That night, the fluffy ball went out for its usual stroll. Although it hadn’t yet found an opportunity to enter the Main Temple, it didn’t stop Shu Xun from taking a daily walk. Shu Xun knew that when the storm broke, the Main Temple would be the first to react.
Ye Jian continued to accompany Shu Xun silently. Whether Shu Xun was aimlessly wandering or taking the risk of sneaking into other official institutions, Ye Jian always stayed by his side, quietly following without asking or doubting. Due to the restrictions of their environment, they mostly moved in silence, but they shared an unspoken understanding—one glance was enough to communicate their thoughts.
That night, Shu Xun and Ye Jian lingered outside the Main Temple for a while. Just when they thought there would be no developments tonight, a figure quietly approached the hall. The person wore a mask, moved with great agility, and seemed very familiar with the surroundings. They skillfully avoided the patrolling priests and guards, swiftly reaching the temple’s edge.
Shu Xun and Ye Jian exchanged glances, both realizing that the long-awaited ripples before the storm had finally arrived. Regardless of which faction these ripples came from, the turbulence before the end had begun!
Under their watchful eyes, the figure leaped gracefully over the walls of the Main Temple, and shockingly, the runes on the walls and the bright cleansing light didn’t react at all! In an instant, Shu Xun and Ye Jian understood—this person was a native, and not just any native, but someone of considerable status.
The figure quickly disappeared into one of the buildings within the hall. Despite the darkness of the night, the Main Temple remained brightly lit. After about ten minutes, the eternal light above the hall suddenly plunged into darkness and chaotic sounds erupted from within.
The moment the Main Temple went dark, Shu Xun and Ye Jian sprang into action, each heading in different directions within the temple. Although they hadn’t been able to enter the hall before, they had already memorized its layout. So, when the eternal light vanished, they immediately moved toward their pre-determined targets.
Ye Jian headed for the library where the records were kept, while Shu Xun made his way to the Sacred Temple of the priests. Their goals were clear—gathering information on Twilight Clan history and the divine prophecies.
Inside the Main Temple, although the eternal light had extinguished, there was no shortage of priests, so soon, beams of cleansing light began to shine again, lit by the priests. However, the light’s range was significantly limited, leaving many blind spots. These shadows provided the perfect opportunity for those who were waiting to act.
At the moment the hall fell into darkness, Shu Xun and Ye Jian were not the only ones to infiltrate. Numerous factions had been waiting for this chance for far too long, and now, with the slightest disturbance, they moved swiftly into action.
However, few could match Shu Xun in speed and agility, especially in his beast form. With the speed of the treasure-seeking mouse and its burrowing ability, Shu Xun reached his destination in no time. The Sacred Temple of the Priests was a place only a select few had permission to enter, and ceremonies were held there only at specific times. Therefore, the temple remained cloaked in darkness.
The fluffy ball glanced at the slightly open door before him and, after a brief hesitation, nimbly jumped through the gap. His small paws landed softly on the floor, his movements so light that they didn’t make a sound. Inside the dark temple, Shu Xun relied on his night vision to quickly survey the surroundings.
The layout of the temple wasn’t complicated. In the center stood a white stone statue about twenty meters tall. Even in the absence of light, the statue exuded a sacred aura. Its features were beautiful and genderless, one hand holding the sun and the other cradling the moon. Its attire had distinctive features, representing the deity worshipped by the natives.
Though the temple was spacious, it felt empty. Besides the statue, the only other significant feature was a row of bookshelves along the north wall, holding records related to the temple’s rituals.
The fluffy ball warily scanned the surroundings, slowly approaching the bookshelves. His small ears twitched, constantly listening for any sound in the silent temple. The temple’s open layout made it easy for Shu Xun to realize that whoever had entered before him must have noticed his presence.
With a gentle push of his legs, the fluffy ball silently leaped toward the statue, pressing his small body against it. The surrounding silence was absolute as if no one else existed in the vast temple. Yet Shu Xun’s heart pounded rapidly, his bright eyes alert to every movement around him.
After a few moments, the fluffy ball moved behind the statue, glancing toward the distant bookshelves. He stood still for a second before swiftly darting forward. However, just as Shu Xun was about to reach the shelves, a cold flash of light streaked toward him.
Shu Xun instantly twisted his small body, deftly dodging the attack. He then quickly turned around, lowering himself, his claws sharpening as he fearlessly faced his attacker. The familiar outfit of the masked figure appeared in his line of sight—the same person he and Ye Jian had seen earlier sneaking into the Main Temple. The attacker, failing with the first strike, swung his sword again, slashing toward Shu Xun.
In the pitch-black temple, cold flashes of light continued to flicker, but not a single sound could be heard. The two of them exchanged dozens of blows in the blink of an eye, each realizing they couldn’t defeat the other. Shu Xun’s movements were too quick and agile, while the sword-wielding man was no slouch in terms of combat skill.
Just as the masked man was about to launch another attack, the fluffy ball suddenly spoke. “Are you here for Qing Kong?”
The masked man’s hand froze in midair. In the darkness, Shu Xun couldn’t see the expression in his eyes, but he could feel the sword tremble slightly. After a brief pause, a cold voice echoed. “Who are you?”
Hearing the man’s voice, Shu Xun was finally certain—this person was Mu Yang, the other protagonist from Qing Kong’s picture album. The fluffy ball stroked his whiskers before transforming into his human form. A boy dressed in white appeared in front of Mu Yang. Upon seeing Shu Xun’s face, Mu Yang, though still cautious, lowered his sword.
