Tinder source.

Rhodes raised his head and looked at the round tower in front of him, which looked more like one of the high-rise buildings on Earth that were two or three hundred stories tall at every turn. The heavy crystal glass panels on the exterior wall reflect the brilliance of the fire and exude a faint golden glow. And those green vines and plants climbed all over the exterior wall, which reminded Rhodes of watching the scene after the destruction of the city in those post-apocalyptic movies on Earth......... Well, I have to admit that the beauty produced by the interweaving of human civilization and nature is indeed moving. Looking around, you can see that the clear blue sky in the distance forms a sharp barrier, like a fluttering glass wall to block the intrusion of chaos. This is the power of the fire source, unlike the power of order in the shelter that can only survive, even if the current fire source has become so weak, the raging chaos still has no way to pass through this perfect order barrier.

Under chaos, order lasts forever.

"Be vigilant, but not indiscriminately, I don't want them to think we're hostile."

"Them?"

Hearing Rod's words, Lijie glanced curiously at the tall building in front of her. Rod, on the other hand, shrugged his shoulders and nodded in reply.

"That's right, if my memory is correct, there should be remnants living in it, but unlike the remnants of the Vault, they are protected by the Tinder Source, so they shouldn't be so ........." Saying this, Rod glanced at the still expressionless bell behind him, waved his hand, and skipped this paragraph, but even if he didn't say it, those who had been to the Vault with Rhodes understood what he meant. ……… But, as I think you can see, people here have been isolated for hundreds of thousands of years. It's likely that we're outsiders who are here for the first time, and this is their territory right now, and we need their help. So no matter what happens, as long as it doesn't endanger life, don't fight back and fight back, do you hear that? And. Don't underestimate those guys, although they are closed, but because they are closed, they are the ones who have mastered the fighting skills of the first generation of the Continent of Light thousands of years ago on the current continent, and it is not just by luck to survive in this kind of place. All in all, you don't do anything until I say it's okay to do it, and maybe everything here will surprise and exaggerate you. But as long as you know the Tao, the time they lived in is still the same one from a thousand years ago, strictly speaking. ”

"Yes, sir."

Hearing this, the people behind Rhodes reacted immediately, but they were also full of curiosity, hundreds of thousands of years, if calculated according to Rhodes's words. Then the people in this have lived here since the time when Moon was not founded, and they are facing such an existence. Many people are full of curiosity. No one noticed that Marlene, who was standing not far behind Rhodes at the moment, was looking at the tower in front of him with a complicated face. The girl reached into her arms, grasped an old badge, and sighed faintly.

Sure enough, did you end up here?

After admonishing everyone. Rod turned his head to look at the door in front of him, which was blocked by heavy stone slabs, and took a breath. Then he walked forward slowly, but Rod had only taken two steps when suddenly an arrow flashed. And so it shot at Rod's feet. At the same time, an eerie, deep voice came.

“………… Who......... Who are you......... Where did it come from? ”

Although the language spoken by this voice is very different from the lingua franca spoken by people today, it is not completely incomprehensible. Hearing someone speak, everyone hurriedly raised their heads and looked around vigilantly, but because Rhodes had spoken first, they didn't make too fierce defensive measures.

Rod glanced at the trembling arrow on the ground with only its tail left, and took a half-step forward. Raised his head and looked at the dark tower in front of him, although there seemed to be no people there, but Rhodes knew very well that what he wanted to show at this time was his sincerity, although he told his subordinates that the remnants here would not be as dangerous as the madmen in the shelter, but Rhodes also knew very well that because of the long-term isolation, the values of the people in this place were completely different from those outside. It's like the Oriental Yamabara, where people who live inside and people who live outside have completely different views on many things. It's not really isolated, but it's 100% cut off from the outside world, so there's a lot of places that are probably the exact opposite of the outside. Even from the eyes of outsiders, there is no humanity at all, for example, the player once encountered such a thing in a fire source when he was clearing the wasteland, and the inhabitants there have a special custom, that is, if the child born is male and has a disability, he will directly kill it and use it to make fertilizer or food for livestock. If it is a disabled woman, it will be raised and used as a fertility machine, because the gathering place of the fire source is completely isolated from the outside world, and if it is not able to give birth to offspring, then the protection of the fire source will be completely declined or even cut off. So in this kind of place, sometimes it is not a problem for a woman to conceive several men's children or something, and not only that, but there are also settings like some of the people in the gathering place who are directly executed or expelled from the gathering place when they are old, so that they do not waste food and water.

But this kind of thing is obviously not only NPC can't stand it, players have also expressed unacceptability, because the Dragon Soul Continent is a game for the whole age group, so many women's rights organizations, child rights protection organizations, etc. have jointly protested against the developer on the Internet, thinking that this too cruel and curious portrayal is harmful to the physical and mental health of children, and the three views are not correct, too anti-human and anti-social. In the end, the developer was forced by public opinion to make changes to it, but it only made a little harmony with what was clearly on the table, such as the player would see the other party drive the old and frail old man out of the fire source, or kill him directly. Now it's a relatively obscure setting like being taken away and then finding a few pieces of flesh in the pen a few days later if the player looks closely. Although players still protested against this, the developers apparently didn't bother to bother with such trivial matters, and in the end they were able to put an end to it——— and it wasn't the first time this was the case for the game.

That's the benefit of monopolies.

Thinking of this, Rod shook his head helplessly. At the beginning, the Dragon Soul Continent was very popular on Earth at the beginning, and it almost took less than a year and a half to defeat other online games and dominate them. Although other companies have not thought of making virtual reality online games in the same way, this core technique is completely owned exclusively by the developers of the Dragon Soul Continent. It has never been released to the public. Of course, it is not that there is no state to punish it in accordance with the anti-monopoly law, but the other party is still unmoved, and the temptation of virtual reality technology is too great for human beings, and in the end, countries can only turn a blind eye to this game. Even if it causes any social impact, it is mostly appeased. However, fortunately, most of the controversy created by the Dragon Soul Continent is in terms of game content, and there has never been any high-pressure situation of overlord clause fraud against players.

Forget it, this kind of put aside in advance, although I don't know if this fire source gathering place is normal or anti-human at the moment, I must go in. I just hope they don't do something too anti-human in front of Lijie and Marlene and others, such as taking out the baby and selling it for meat or something............ If Anne sees this, I'm afraid she can only think about purging it, I'm afraid even I can't stand it. Rhodes didn't tell anyone about the very likely anomaly of the Tinder Guardians, and he couldn't explain it. Second, not every source of fire is anti-human. This is the case with the Tinder Source gathering place that Rhodes once opened, although the people there are a little rigid, but they are not much different from ordinary people in terms of values. If you have preconceived notions, you may become wary and hostile.

"Guardians of the Tinder."

Thinking of this, Rod restrained his mood and spoke.

"We are the people of the Land of Order, who have come to awaken the source of the slumbering fire, following the guidance of our forefathers. I hope you will open the door to the path to the ultimate order! ”

“…………………”

There was silence.

After Rod finished speaking. There wasn't the slightest sound in the tower in front of him, but Rhodes didn't say anything more. After all, they are also the people of order, and since they are responsible for guarding the source of the fire, there is nothing wrong with carefully observing outsiders.

Merely......... That's a little too long.

Rod looked at the tower in front of him with a gloomy face, took out the pocket watch in his hand and looked at it, from what he had just spoken to now. It's been an hour and a half. But the other party didn't even respond at all, this is not going to contact him at all? Or is it being cautiously investigated? Thinking of this, Rod began to look around boredly, but soon, he set his eyes on the closed stone door in front of him. There was a gorgeous, blooming flower pattern carved on it, which looked like some kind of badge mark, but because of the passage of time, the pattern on the stone door had disappeared, but I don't know what it was, Rod always felt that this mark had been seen somewhere.........

"Let me do it, Rod."

At this moment, a voice suddenly came out from behind Rod and interrupted his thoughts. This made Rod frown, he turned his head, only to see Marlene slowly walking out of the crowd, she looked at the tower in front of her with a serious face, after a moment of silence, suddenly, Marlene reached into her arms, and then she took out a very ancient-looking badge and held it high.

Dazzling, bright magical light appeared in the air, rapidly intertwining to form a new pattern, a metal scepter and a blooming lily.

"Proclamation ——!"

Marlene's voice seemed incomparably crisp and high at this moment.

"In the name of the Principle of All Things, I, Marlene. Shania is here, beneath the void, asking you to open the gates and pave the way for us to order. O Guardian of the Source of the Kindling, in the glory of House Shania, now is the time for you to complete your long-held mission and put an end to this. The pointer of truth and the gears of rules return here, fulfilling the long-cherished wish of our ancestors! Restore the glory and glory of the past! ”

As Marlene spoke, the badge in her hand suddenly began to tremble, and then, I saw that golden magical brilliance continued to emerge from the tower in front of her. Then, the badge in Marlene's hand suddenly turned into a dazzling light, and the next moment, a strange staff appeared in her hand.

It was a technological-looking staff, a metal brass staff nearly two meters long, and at the top of the staff. Not set with gems like many mage's staffs. Instead, three huge gears bite into each other, staggered and slowly spinning, and underneath, various mechanical components are also in constant motion, and steam shoots out of the fumarole. It emitted white smoke. Not only that, but above the staff, there were three golden circles of light surrounding it, and even if you just looked at it from a distance, you could feel the abundant and powerful magic in it.

Then, Marlene clenched the staff with her right hand and slammed it on the ground. And with Marlene's movements, suddenly, a huge golden circle appeared beside her. Slowly turning, and in the four corners of this circle, the points of light representing the four elements of fengshui, fire and earth also emitted a bright and dazzling brilliance.

"The gates of fate have been opened, Guardians, and now is the time for you to fulfill your duty!"

Marlene's voice fell, and the surroundings returned to calm again, but at this moment, including Anne and Lijie. Christie and the others all looked at Marlene in front of them in surprise. Not only them, but even Rhodes rarely showed a surprised expression at this time. Although he knew that Marlene must have his own reasons for asking to take the initiative to follow him into the Chaos Land this time, he didn't expect that Marlene would actually have something to do with these guardians of the Tinder Source——— no, judging from what she said just now, it should be said that the Shania clan and the guardians of the Tinder Source have a relationship!

This was too unexpected for Rode, all along. He only regarded the Shania clan as the most powerful magical technology family in the Duchy of Moon, but that was all, and the player never rumored that the Shania clan would have anything to do with the original magical technological civilization of the ancient era. For Marlene, it is more just focused on the special physique of her four elements and the mercenary group that was all female at the beginning, as for her background in this regard. But very few people have dug up. But now, the only thing Rhodes wants to complain about is ...... What a weird hyper-expansion this is!

Finally, at this time, various voices were heard from inside the tower, which had been silent.

"That staff, it's the Wardens! It's the Wardens who are back! ”

"Is that the Holy Witch?!"

"Open the door, open the door quickly!!"

With the sound of shouting, the heavy closed stone door gradually opened, and seeing this scene in front of him, Rod couldn't help but twitch the corners of his eyes. Although I have been prepared for a long time, but the Holy Soul is above, this differential treatment is still unbearable............... But before that, Rhodes has a very important question to ask Marlene.

"Marlene, you ........."

"I know what you're trying to ask, Rod."

Hearing Rod's inquiry, Marlene smiled slightly, and then interrupted Rod's speech.

"That's right, as you can imagine, the Shania clan has had a deep connection with the guardians of the Tinder Source for a long time, so ask why............ It's actually very simple. At this, Marlene paused, then quietly raised her head and looked at Rod. Because on this continent, the original source of fire was created by our Shania family after inheriting the skills of the dragon soul of creation. ”

"How is this possible!?"

Hearing this, Rod's first reaction was that this was unscientific, indeed, the source of fire is the only skill that human beings have mastered that can protect and open up a place of order. However, this technique has lost its inheritance thousands of years ago, and if the Shania family really has such a magic technology strength, then they can completely establish a country with complete magic technology, and they will not even be inferior to Belhems in terms of science and technology! The magic technology of the Shania family, to be honest, although Rhodes saw the skin, but judging from the war in the Night Country in the game, the Shania family will not fall to this point. If they can even grasp the source of the fire of creation, then they should also be able to create the legendary rainbow fantasy that can destroy the heavens and the earth, which can be said to be the only super artifact that can damage the soul of creation in the form of a mortal. However, the Shania clan was completely wiped out in the battle of the Night Nation to invade Moon, and Marlene herself blew herself up, which Rhodes still knows. From this point of view alone, it would be too unscientific to say that the Shania family has any black technology. It's like in a movie where aliens invade the earth, and a country is destroyed. And then after crossing over, you are told that the country has super-equivalent technology that can create a single shot and destroy the entire star, this kind of thing is too strange to think about, isn't it?

"It's true, Rod."

Marlene held the metal staff and looked intently at the man in front of her. Then, she smiled.

"I've always believed that you could get here. And your choice proves that my judgment is correct, Rod, you will finally start this ancient fire again, and sprinkle the light of order again on this land. And I'll always be by your side as a watchman..............."

At this point, Marlene stopped, she didn't continue, but buried the last sentence in the depths of her heart.

“……… Until the moment of the last day comes. (To be continued......)