Chapter 1 The Time Stilled

There was no need to doubt the sampling accuracy and computing power of the data terminal. At least within this universe, apart from the large mainframe of the Crystal Core Research Station and the cluster-style computing units of the drone swarm, Hao Ren could not find any information processing equipment comparable to the data terminal. Therefore, he fully believed the judgment made by the other party: the space-time within this sealed relic had indeed once stood still!

"You just said that the ancient magic empire did not master time-related technology?" He immediately looked at High Mage Haimer with a serious expression.

Haimer himself was also a little surprised at the moment. Although he himself had made the assumption that "time stood still in the relic," he still felt incredible after the assumption was really confirmed: "This... in theory, that's right. Although the history of the ancient magic empire is incomplete and mostly turned into legends, our Mage Association has always attached importance to collecting historical materials. We have far more information about the ancient magic empire than ordinary people know. As far as the historical materials currently available are concerned, they really don't have any research on time... Those materials don't even mention it."

"Such an important technology could not have appeared out of thin air. Since all the historical materials do not mention it at all, I am afraid the ancient magic emperors really did not control the power of time," Vivian said, "And if they really could control this power, they would not have been so embarrassed when fighting against the First Born... At least they wouldn't have been so completely wiped out."

"So there must be another reason why time stood still in this relic..." Hao Ren said as he walked towards the rooms around the hall, "Let's hurry up and check separately. Since time has just begun to flow here, there will definitely be some traces left behind."

While he was talking, he also felt a little regretful: he was one step late. If he had known the news here when the Holletta investigation team had just arrived at this relic, he would have rushed over as soon as possible, and he would have been able to see the state of the relic when it was opened. However, several days had passed since the first gate was opened, and many important clues might have dissipated in these few days.

For example, the magic arrays and alchemy containers that Haimer mentioned were still running when the relic was opened: they had already been shut down.

But even so, Hao Ren could still see signs of time standstill from the remaining traces.

The hall was spotless everywhere, and the ground and some furnishings were as clean as new. If they had really been idle here for ten thousand years, then even if they had not been weathered, a thick layer of dust would still be unavoidable. He also opened some rooms that were not locked and saw the well-preserved, unweathered, and clean furniture. They were so clean as if the owner had just left and was ready to return at any time.

Only some messy small furnishings and scraps of paper could make this place look a bit like a "wasteland."

And he also saw the experimental equipment mentioned by High Mage Haimer, equipment that had just stopped running and still had residual temperature or magic reactions, which made people even more concerned.

"...Don't you think they look familiar?" In a large laboratory located in the southeast corner of the hall, Hao Ren asked, pointing to the things in the room, "These jars and connectors... and those two things that look like culture pods, they look too familiar."

This was a rectangular laboratory with arrangements far exceeding today's Holletta alchemy technology. From the passage leading to the hall to the laboratory operation area, there were strict safety inspections, dust removal, static electricity removal, and air filtration measures. These things were already extremely advanced in terms of technology and concept. The current so-called "alchemy huts" on this planet were simply incomparable to it. On both sides of the glass passage in the dust removal area, Hao Ren even saw a detailed work procedure, which used words and pictures to mark the rules that laboratory operators must follow, including changing clothes, removing metal personal items, and prohibiting sick people from entering, etc. Next to this work procedure was a crystal slab with green fonts floating on it, writing some names and times—perhaps the personnel registration when this laboratory was last used.

After the data terminal checked, it was found that this crystal slab used magic to store handwriting, and each storage time did not exceed half a month: this once again strongly confirmed the fact that time had been paused here.

And what Hao Ren said was "familiar" was a pile of complex equipment in the central area of ​​the laboratory.

Several jar-shaped objects made of metal and glass were vertically placed on the recessed ground in the center of the room. About one-third of a mysterious liquid could be seen inside the vessels. Some complex pipelines and lines connected those containers and extended to various equipment and magic arrays not far away. On the experimental table next to these devices, there were several neatly arranged metal tables, with magic arrays floating on them, which looked like some kind of monitoring equipment. Against the wall of the room, there were several completely enclosed metal cans with nameplates hanging on them, with numbers and sealing times written on them.

"I thought of the 'Origin Relic'," Vivian frowned, "These things look a lot like the style of the Origin Relic."

"Not only the style, but also the structure," Hao Ren nodded, "The Origin Relic is more like a miniaturized version of these things... or rather, a fully completed version. The Origin Relic can already complete the 'assembly' of the Demon Hunters, so that should be the finished product, while the equipment here is too large, looks bulky, and the energy consumption is obviously too high, it should be some kind of test machine."

Haimer looked a little dazed as he listened to Hao Ren's words: "What is the Origin Relic?"

"You don't know?" Hao Ren was a little surprised, but then he remembered that although he had communicated this information with Ofra and other locals, he did not specifically promote it to the outside world later. Haimer, who was not in the center of the incident at the time, naturally knew nothing about it, so he briefly explained it, "That is the equipment created by the ancient magic empire when studying the origin of life. It was used to artificially synthesize a 'perfect creature'. The 'Ancient Ones' in the world today are the product of this plan. Of course, those are all things of the past. The current Ancient Ones have become a part of Holletta's natural system and have nothing to do with the ancient magic empire."

Haimer had already taken his men to check this area of ​​the relic before, so he knew something about the laboratory here, but because he did not know the information about the Origin Relic, he was very confused about what he found. Now that he knew about the Origin Relic, he naturally straightened out his thoughts and mentioned the situation of several other laboratories.

In addition to this large laboratory, there were similar equipment installed in four other laboratories—large culture containers, biological pipelines, and radiation devices. The structures of these laboratories were similar, and they should be several different operation groups of the same large project.

Although he could not enter the deeper layers of the relic, Hao Ren had vaguely guessed what this place was.

The birthplace of the Demon Hunters.

The initial testing ground for the ancient magic empire to create "perfect life" was actually in this place!

"I really didn't expect... we would find it like this..." Vivian felt that everything was so dramatic that it was unbelievable, "If I'm not mistaken, the biological experts of the ancient magic empire should have created the Demon Hunters in this place. No wonder... this is the junction of several magic empires, a natural buffer and fusion zone. If they have any secret joint projects, this place is perfect for them!"

Hao Ren did not say anything, but just lowered his head to check the information at hand. These things were found from an experimental table nearby—most of the information here had been artificially damaged or taken away, but some unimportant papers and notes were retained. Because time had stood still, these "ten thousand years ago" materials were almost brand new.

The note in front of him should have been casually recorded by a certain experimental staff member. There was no key data information on it—such as the parameters for creating "perfect life" and the specific arrangements for operating personnel, but even casual notes were enough to arouse interest.

"XX Month XX Day, the experimental subject in Container No. 3 became inactive. A regrettable failure. No cause could be found. It just died. Perhaps we shouldn't have injected too much source blood into him..."

"XX Month XX Day, the experimental subject in Container No. 2 is still alive, but has undergone serious mutations. Those twisted and proliferated limbs are almost filling the entire container, and the experimental subject's brain obviously cannot control these powerful limbs. We had to terminate it. Forcing the fusion of mortal cells and 'initial cells' in the source blood is indeed full of difficulties. We have to choose another plan."

"XX Month XX Day, an unexpected piece of good news. We detected highly active 'divine cells' in the ruins after the explosion in Laboratory No. 4. These cells are still alive and retain powerful oracle power, and perhaps due to the impact of the explosion, they have a high degree of compatibility with mortal cells and can coexist peacefully with the latter! This may be the breakthrough we have been seeking all along—the initial oracle was too vague, so we took many detours, but God bless, we finally understood your will, these precious cells will become the key to the entire project, and I can't wait to see the results of them being implanted into new experimental subjects!"

The notes ended here, and there were no torn or damaged pages behind, so it should be all of it.

However, even so, the content of the notes was enough to make Hao Ren dumbfounded.