Chapter 1181 — Words of Experience
Blade of Dawn · Page 1 of 4
Deep within the narrator's neural network, in a corner of the "New Phantom Nexus City" modeled after the imperial capital of Cecil, a towering oak rose from the center of a plaza. Beneath its vast canopy drifted a gentle breeze and the faint, pleasing chime of wind bells. Pale golden leaves carpeted the ground beneath the great tree, and sunlight filtered through the sparse gaps at the edges of the branches, scattering dappled patterns of light and shadow across the fallen leaves—like an afternoon carved into alternating bands of brightness and shade.
The plaza was empty and quiet, pedestrians few. The residents of Xuanque City seemed not yet to have noticed this secluded spot of beauty tucked into a corner of the city. Directly beneath the oak sat a small square table on the leaf-covered ground, and beside it were two of the plaza's only regular visitors—one an "elven" elder with hoary hair and whiskers and a kindly, aged face; the other a "human" lady in an elegant, stately black court gown, beautiful and wrapped in an air of mystery.
Before the two gods, a chess game was locked in fierce contention. The pieces, their fates already arranged, slaughtered and maneuvered across the tiny board, bitterly contesting every inch of ground. Yet the players themselves wore calm expressions, treating all this carnage and struggle as nothing more than a pastime. This atmosphere persisted for who knew how long, until the God of Nature—seated at the table in the form of the elven elder—suddenly raised his head and looked toward the entrance of the Golden Oak Plaza.
"It seems we have a guest, Old Deer," said the black-haired lady, who had also sensed the sudden presence. A faint smile crossed her face as she watched the figure rapidly materializing at the edge of the plaza. "Gao Yang—what made you suddenly think to come find us in Phantom Nexus City?"
Gao Yang's form coalesced out of a shifting blur of light and shadow. After a moment's adjustment to the sensation of his senses resetting, he strode toward the two gods seated at their game. Hearing Myrmina's voice, he sighed. "Ah, I was originally going to look for you at the Courtyard of Defiance, but just as I was about to set out it occurred to me I might as well find you online—you two spend twenty-three out of every twenty-four hours soaking in the neural network!"
"Yes," Amoen nodded slightly, his tone placid as he admitted it. "We accepted Master Artisan Nikoxi's suggestion and reduced the time we spend active in the neural network. We now shut off our neural interfaces for at least one hour a day to rest..."
Gao Yang: "..."
He always felt something had gone wrong in his communication with these two retired gods before him, yet their expressions were each more composed than the last, leaving him momentarily speechless. In the end he managed a dry laugh and swiftly, clumsily steered the conversation to business. "Actually, I came today because there's something I'd like to discuss with you..."
"I can see that, and I can guess—you rarely seek us out for a chat unless you've run into a thorny problem," Myrmina said with a faint smile, lifting her hand to place a piece as she spoke calmly. "I can sense that 'anti-divinity barrier' of yours is active. It seems the problem you've brought this time is no simple matter either. So, before this problem of yours ruins today's leisure, would you allow us to finish this Game of the Gods first? Don't worry, it won't take long."
As she spoke, Amoen, seated across from her, also placed a piece. Amid the crisp click of piece against board, a ethereal chime rang out beneath the golden oak, as though the great tree itself were applauding the gods at their game.