Bai Zhongqi and Ling were silent, saying nothing as they fell into a long silence.
At last, Ling blinked her eyes and looked at him before tightly embracing Bai Zhongqi's waist, burying her head in his shoulder, whispering softly, "Even if you aren't the Chancellor of Iridium Star, you are still my Chancellor, my man, my master. I am to follow you for a lifetime."
Bai Zhongqi was deeply moved, patting her back, feeling the warmth of her soft, enchanting body, and said, "Hmm, just stay by my side always."
He lifted Ling's lovely face and could not help but gently press a kiss to her cherry lips. It was the first time Bai Zhongqi had kissed her on his own initiative, which made Ling bloom with happiness, her whole heart seemingly melting.
"I am undoubtedly the Chancellor of Iridium Star. The name of Iridium Star was given by me, the territories were conquered by me. However, the history of Iridium Star seems different from what I remember it to be. As for the origin of Iridium Star, I am not sure, but without a doubt, the United Empire of Iridium Star was created by me."
Ling still clung to him, not willing to let go, seemingly fond of such intimacy. She asked, "So, the theory of reincarnation also does not exist?"
"Yes, I was born an Earthling, and have never visited Iridium Star. My rule over Iridium Star was by means of the Supreme Command that transcended the dimensions of the universe," Bai Zhongqi said.
He pulled off the pendant around his neck, revealing, "The original Supreme Command that I used to rule Iridium Star isn't the one taken by Xiao Yu, it's this one. The Supreme Command that I used in the Second Universe was separated from this one after the R19 Fleet arrived on Earth. Ever since I used the new Supreme Command, this old one has been unusable."
Ling was amazed and even more moved, because Bai Zhongqi had revealed such critical information to her.
Ling thought of something and asked, "If we find a way to let you use the original Supreme Command again, then you could control the power of Iridium Star in the First Universe. Simply leading the great fleet of Iridium Star to the Second Universe and defeating the Star Alliance Fleet incited by Xiao Yu would be effortless."
Bai Zhongqi neither nodded nor shook his head, but said, "First, we need to figure out whether this place is the Iridium Star from five thousand years ago. If it is, we need to understand why we have come here."
He increasingly felt as though he was walking a path that had been preset, acting like a puppet on strings manipulated by someone. From playing the game of navigating reality with the R19 Fleet to Xiao Yu's usurpation, and now to his arrival at this place suspected to be Iridium Star from five thousand years ago, his trajectory seemed as finely tuned as a flywheel that didn't allow the slightest deviation.
Bai Zhongqi sensed that if he continued on, this preset script would uncover more mysteries for him.
At that moment, Gang Naj and Shi Nazhen ran up to Bai Zhongqi.
"Teacher, the army has completed its setup and deployment, and Zang Murenqing is taking charge of organizing the firepower units. Also, right in the center of the altar, we found two peculiar individuals residing in a grass hut they had built there," Gang Naj said.
Shi Nazhen added, "But these two don't look like mountain villagers from a desolate area. They look somewhat otherworldly. We tried to drive them away, but we couldn't approach their grass hut."
Bai Zhongqi was somewhat surprised, but if the altar held some mystical aura, that wouldn't be unusual, considering it was one of the most mysterious places on the planet.
"Let's go take a look."
The altar, a hundred times larger than the Temple of Heaven, had no structures, just a giant stone platform raised up. And right in the center of this platform, there actually stood a thatched hut. Two young men stood in front of the hut's door, both appearing young with a touch of naivety still on their faces, around the same age as Gang Naj and his companions. Both youths wore coarse linen garments, revealing their arms, their bodies almost entirely covered with tattoos filled with mystical symbols. Their expressions were serene, embodying a detached, desireless tranquility.
"Who are you two?" Bai Zhongqi asked, his tone neither condescending nor overly casual but still retaining a certain authority.
The two young boys saw Bai Zhongqi, their expressions momentarily shocked, then filled with a bit of surprise. They took a step forward, and then they were right beside Bai Zhongqi.
That step had covered at least a hundred meters.
"Star Warrior!" Zero's eyes sparkled with readiness, prepared to subdue the two at any moment.
However, the two boys made no threatening moves but instead knelt on one knee before Bai Zhongqi.
Bai Zhongqi was stunned.
Although the two boys looked different, they spoke in perfect unison, "We are the Tomb Guardians. The Tomb Guardians have protected this place through generations, waiting for the return of the Ruins' master."
Shocked, Bai Zhongqi asked, "Are you saying that the altar is a Ruin?"
The boys looked straight at him, "Yes, this place is a Ruin of the Elder Race. The Elder Race created humanity on this planet and chose our ancestors to guard the Ruin, waiting for the return of the Elder Race."
Bai Zhongqi was utterly overwhelmed. He asked, "This Ruin belongs to the Elder Race? Does the Elder Race still exist?"
The expressions of the two boys became somewhat puzzled as they said, "You are of the Elder Race, you are the master of the Ruin, of course, the Elder Race exists."
Bai Zhongqi felt his mind couldn't keep up anymore. To describe him as shocked was an understatement; his entire world seemed to be shaken.
"I am of the Elder Race?" Bai Zhongqi, clearly born on Earth as a human and thereafter turned Chancellor through a game, never once contemplated the possibility of being an ancient being living for billions of years.
The boys stood up and made a gesture of invitation, as synchronized as if they were one, " into the Ruin to see for yourself."
Filled with suspicion yet without any other choice, Bai Zhongqi decided to continue exploring. His curiosity was now fully ignited, his heart pounding vigorously inside his chest. He had a premonition that entering the mysterious Ruin of the Elder Race would help unveil the truth of the matter.
Zang Murenqing and other students also came over, saying, "Teacher, we will go down with you."
Lang Rishong wasn't sure what was going on but decided to go down as well; however, Bai Zhongqi left him up top to command the army and manage deployments. Although a bit miffed, he was also somewhat excited, suddenly becoming the commander of an army of millions—a novel experience indeed.
The entrance to the Ruin was beneath the thatched cottage, with a long staircase of white marble leading underground.
Bai Zhongqi and Zero followed behind the two boys, then came Zang Murenqing and the other seven students, followed by the Dragon Blood people and the two generals, Huo Huocha and Lie Wu.
Zero glanced around and then said to Bai Zhongqi, "Chancellor, aside from you and me, there exactly twelve people here now."