Chapter 929 — Warning

"Frankly, that possibility cannot be ruled out," Kamael said gravely. "The sirens' 'adaptation' may in fact cause them to lose a unique 'advantage.' It is indeed a somewhat contradictory and somewhat ironic possibility. But I do not think it will be so simple—at least it will not happen any time soon.

"First, there is one obvious piece of evidence: the sirens as a 'race' have already occupied the Storm God's divine seat. Their Eve has now substantively become the Storm God, and they have a great many 'nagas' as worshippers—yet neither the ordinary sirens nor their Eve display any sign of divine corruption. This shows that between their 'adaptation' and 'corruption' there is no simple trade-off.

"Second, even if the sirens adapt to the laws of our world, that does not mean they become wholly identical to this world's original inhabitants. The adaptability of living things follows environmental change; only environmental factors that genuinely affect survival drive adaptive evolution. Whether Eve generates divine corruption clearly does not affect the sirens' day-to-day survival. So the most likely outcome is that the sirens will ultimately adapt to our world's environment, but their Eve will remain unchanged—because the laws of nature cannot affect it."

Gao Yang nodded slowly as he listened. He accepted Kamael's theory, but in the end he spoke gravely. "Even so, we must be prepared."

"Yes—always plan for the worst," Kamael said in a low voice. "The protection we 'borrow' from the sirens may fail, and even if it cannot fail, we cannot stake all our hopes on the sirens—reliable and friendly allies though they are. As you said, 'what belongs to others remains theirs.' And besides, we cannot hold only one card in our hand."

"Which is why your progress on the mental protection system is so vital—it opens up more possibilities for us," Gao Yang gave a slight nod and spoke slowly. "Only with enough understanding of the underlying principles can we develop a mental protection technology wholly our own, and at the same time avoid the influence of a technological black box… That last point is especially important."

As he spoke, he gave a soft sigh, his tone not without worry: "Our current mental protection technology is built on the Deepsea Runes, and in the long run it points to an 'unknown individual.' If we cannot explain it technically, it may well inspire awe of mysterious, unknown forces—and from that, some manner of 'worship movement.' However small that possibility, we must guard against any trace of it."

Gao Yang's warning clearly struck Kamael, once a defector, harder than anyone. The radiance flowing across the latter's body stilled for an instant, and then the arcanist bowed his head, a trace of solemnity in his voice. "Yes. We will bear it firmly in mind."

Gao Yang nodded, then glanced at the holographic projections drifting through the research chamber and the technicians bustling about on every side.

"We ought to share this intelligence with our siren allies—though they may well have long realized their own 'incongruity' with this world and are studying the question of 'adaptation' themselves, we must show sufficient candor."

Kamael and Jenny said in unison: "Yes, Your Majesty."

Gao Yang let out a breath and looked at Kamael. "Next, let us talk about… matters concerning the gods. I obtained a good deal of intelligence from Amon."

……

Hedy sat in her office, where the mage-net terminal set up nearby was operating in silence, and the printing device connected to it was spitting out text from distant places.

Piper, Chief Druid of the Empire, sat in a chair not far from her.

"Mages have begun, one after another, reporting the Magic Goddess's 'loss of contact' to the Transcendent Affairs Department at the government halls of various regions," Hedy said, taking the report that emerged from the printer and softly shaking her head after a glance at the opening summary. "Though most mages are but shallow or nominal followers of the Magic Goddess—few are especially pious or zealous—the gods' 'loss of contact' still leaves many feeling uneasy."

"If this state of murky intelligence drags on much longer, they'll grow even more uneasy," Pi Yun remarked offhandedly. "Think about it—right now they're merely uneasy, and that's already the best we could hope for."

"We'll announce it soon enough," Heddy said, setting down the report in her hand. "Following the Ancestor's wishes, we'll convene a high-profile council of top-tier mages, and immediately afterward make public the news that 'the Goddess of Magic has perished for reasons unknown'... After that, we'll rely on guided public opinion and a series of official events to gradually divert everyone's attention and let the affair pass smoothly... Still, I worry there may be too much chaos."

"A certain degree of chaos and upheaval is inevitable—you may as well stop hoping to avoid it. The Goddess of Magic is genuinely gone; we can't, and certainly wouldn't be willing to, conjure another out of thin air just to soothe people's hearts," Pi Yun said with a wave of his hand. "Announcing it outright is likely the fastest and most effective approach. What we need now is speed. People need an answer—even if it's a terrible one. As long as official statements and guided public opinion keep pace afterward, this whole thing can conclude smoothly after a chaotic but brief interval."

With that, the old druid smiled and added a few more words: "And don't underestimate humanity's capacity to adapt and accept... Three thousand years ago, the fall of the White Star dealt a far greater shock than this. The druids of that era were no lukewarm believers like the mages, yet did it not all come to a peaceful end?

"In the end, for the vast majority whose faith is not so devout, a god is simply too distant a concept. When the gods depart... life still has to go on."