The Heavens: A Qing, the Yue Girl at the beginning

Chapter 465 Countdown, Dinner, Geology (5k)

Faint groans could be heard from the end of the corridor, along with the whimpering of the wind blowing through the cracks, as if countless wronged souls were crying.

Finkel had just stuck half of his head out of the box when he suddenly retracted it and moved the position of his mask so that his eyeholes were not aligned with the outside, in order to avoid directly witnessing the dead dream meme that was rumored to spread with sight.

But in fact, this preventive method has no effect. The reason is very simple. Urban legends are based on rumors and contain a high degree of falsehood. For example, the statement that the deceased can predict the time of his next death before dying is a big rumor.

"These hieroglyphic numbers should be ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics." The man who was nearby examining the body took a photo of the bloodstains on the ground and analyzed, "They mean a length of time, about five months or so... It can be said to be a countdown."

"Five months later, it will be the end of the year... What big event will happen this winter?"

Many people secretly thought that this infectious death rate was increasing almost exponentially. If it was not contained, it would probably become an unsolvable world-destroying disaster within a month.

"Everyone stay for a moment and register your identities." Two "vampires" with bitter faces took off their masks in public, showing their World Tree badges and MI5 credentials, and said in a serious and low voice: "For the sake of your personal safety, please cooperate with the investigation as much as possible."

At the same time, Zhao Qing gently closed her eyes, then slowly opened them, and a seven-color glazed light that covered the sky and the earth bloomed. It flowed through her fingertips like a dream, like a gurgling stream, or like the Milky Way in the night sky, gradually spreading around.

The light flowed slowly in the space and gradually became stagnant, as if frozen in time, transforming into thousands of glittering mirrors, enveloping the entire vampire club.

The walls, floors, windows, doorways, and even everyone's body surface are all covered with this seven-colored glazed light. As the speed of the light flow becomes slower and slower, it eventually shows a tendency to stagnate and crystallize.

These glazed mirrors began to reflect a soft glow, and with repeated superposition, the light became brighter and stronger, gradually reflecting a large diffuse illusion that did not originally exist between the mirrors, and it quickly solidified.

Two distorted human-shaped phantoms slowly condensed between the mirrors. They each had an old, thin, and bloodless face. The wrinkles on their faces were densely packed, like the dried bark of an old elm tree, tightly attached to the cheekbones.

It was as if they had passed through hundreds of years in a short period of time and died of old age. Although their bodies had turned into dry bones, the fear and unwillingness they had in life seemed to still linger in their empty eye sockets.

"As for the strange power of the dragon race, it is nothing more than alchemy or spiritual power. In the case that it is impossible to secretly control it on the field, this so-called 'dead dream meme' naturally belongs to the category of spiritual power..."

"Its effect is most likely to transform the victim's soul into a special 'spirit' that carries the power of the word spirit. The two faces here, one is the victim just now, and the other should be the previous victim."

As if time had stopped, Zhao Qing quietly walked past the motionless crowd and came to the dead man. He pointed at the man's chest and forehead with his fingers, as if he had sensed some information and was thinking:
"Unless there are any accidents, this kind of parasitic and replicable living spirit, the 'Word Spirit', must infect a target with dragon blood. It needs a certain concentration of dragon blood as a power source in order to expand its 'propagation field' on its own... It poses very little threat to ordinary people."

From this point of view, the people in London who are most threatened by this incident are the half-bloods, whose lives are in danger. However, considering that many half-bloods should be in high positions and have great influence, over time, this will undoubtedly affect the lives of ordinary people.

In order to block the spread of the disease, hybrids should obviously stay indoors in the near future to reduce the possibility of being infected, and the right to investigate and handle the matter should be handed over to ordinary pure-blooded people and some powerful hybrids who are not afraid of the death dream meme - such as Frank Laurent who just released the mental purification field.

It seems that this is a special attack launched against the hybrid world, which is intended to force the hybrids to give up power and make concessions to ordinary people. Could it be that the mastermind behind this is a pure-blooded dragon hiding among the crowd and wanting to expand its influence?

Assuming that this word spirit has never appeared in history, it is most likely newly created. Obviously, only high-level dragons can do such a thing. After more than five months of countdown, perhaps it corresponds to the time point of Christmas?
Although it is unclear to what extent today's dragon culture complies with Christianity, it is known that around Christmas every year, a god of death suspected to be Odin appears in the Nibelungen in Avalon in the Arctic. In addition, the prototype of Santa Claus is generally believed to be Odin.

With a slight movement of her mind, Zhao Qing had already retreated to her original position. The seven-colored glazed light disappeared without a trace, awakening everyone from the "dream" she created. She clasped her fingers together, grasped the two twisted spirit shadows, and put them into a newly condensed black ice sphere.

"It looks a lot like the symbol of the 'all-seeing eye'. We cannot rule out the possibility that it is related to secret societies such as Freemasonry and the Illuminati that use this symbol, and perhaps involves the worship of Satan."

The man who had no idea that he had just fallen into a fantasy, stood up and took out a silver business card with a red triangle and the word "NatWest" printed on it, which means National Westminster Bank:
“If you need help, you can also open a special bank account and ask us for help.”

After he finished speaking, he turned and walked outside. The business card was thrown casually from his hand. It drew a strange arc in the air and happened to be inserted into the shirt pocket of a secret party member who got the identity of "MI5" from somewhere, making a "pop" sound.

It sounds like the business card is made of aluminum alloy or titanium alloy. Since it can accurately land on the opponent's chest, it can naturally cut the enemy's throat. Therefore, the two executive department specialists hesitated for a moment and gave up the pursuit. After all, the person's information is also available for registration on the business card.

"You are really good at using the Yin Flow of Words Spirit, worthy of being a mid-level manager of Westminster Bank. However, he ran away so quickly, in fact, just to find his superiors for inspection as soon as possible to save his life..."

"But speaking of it, this matter seems to be related to the 'plague' among the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. Could it be that the 'Solomon's Temple' is involved? It is said that the 'Knights' of the Temple are indeed quite knowledgeable about spiritual power."

Frank Laurent muttered to himself and continued to operate the purification field. He was not worried about being harmed. He turned to look at Zhao Qing and others and said, "The Laurent family is deeply honored to have the two young ladies here. We have already prepared a place for the dinner..."

Eva, what's going on? Didn't you say you would decide the location for the party? Upon hearing this, Zhao Qing immediately took out his phone and sent a message to ask, but received a reply from Finger with a smiling emoticon:
I disclosed the news to others to help save money. Besides, if I want to host a banquet, it is more effective to use the face of the school director's family...

Haha, this Frank Laurent keeps chatting without checking the news. How can he talk like that? Didn't you leak the news in advance and take the lead there? Zhao Qing's mind flashed, but he didn't care much about such a small matter, but he reduced his trust in Fingel.

What she was mainly thinking about was the problem of the secret organization "Solomon's Temple", and combined with many factors such as the All-Seeing Eye, Odin's lost right eye, the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, Satan 666, etc., she vaguely began to suspect that a huge conspiracy might be brewing in London recently.

It cannot be ruled out that the conspiracy is directed against him. It is a butterfly effect and has never happened in the original plot line. This requires special means to break the deadlock.

By the way, judging from the known intelligence, the Freemasons in the Dragon World should be one level lower in strength than the Secret Party, which is also a secret organization. The reason why they are rumored to be extremely mysterious and powerful is mainly because there are too many organizations using the "All-Seeing Eye" as their symbol, and they are confused with each other.

According to some unconfirmed rumors, Freemasonry seems to have a large overlap with the "Solomon's Temple", which is the new organization rebuilt after the demise of the Knights Templar.

"Regarding the matter of the dead dream meme, the London branch will take care of it. You don't have to worry about it." Seeing Finger coming out, Frank Laurent seemed to know him a little bit. He sent a message and greeted him: "'Flame Dragon Slayer, you are here too?"

……

In the west of London, on the banks of the Thames, stands a majestic mansion, which is Syon Palace, the private residence of the Duke of Northumberland's family.

This mansion, built in the 16th century, was once the site of the medieval Syon Abbey. Although much of the history of the abbey has been blurred by time, people today still know that it is closely linked to some important events in the Tudor dynasty.

Tonight, Baroness Elizabeth Laurent generously rented this 200-acre aristocratic estate and invited Zhao Qing, Shi Yiguang, Angers, Turing and other guests to witness a unique dinner together.

The golden light shone in from the huge French windows, reflecting on the smooth marble floor, as if the entire palace was enveloped in a golden halo. As night fell, the lights in the reception room of the Syon Palace gradually lit up.

Looking closely, classical elements such as Romanesque arches and Greek capitals are combined with modern design to present a unique neoclassical style. The appearance is symmetrical and balanced, with a hint of Rococo style and sentiment, making the entire palace both solemn and full of artistic atmosphere.

The intricate patterns on the ceiling mirror the marble patterns on the floor, creating a unique symmetrical beauty. The walls are hung with crimson Spitalfields silk, and a series of ancient and exquisite oil paintings complement the classical decorations in the hall, creating an elegant and solemn atmosphere.

With the sound of light footsteps, the young Lady Elizabeth Laurent slowly walked into the reception room. She was wearing a black embroidered long dress with white embroidery and scattered blue flowers on the neckline, which was both noble and playful.

As the host of the dinner, her face was as delicate as a sculpture by a famous Greek artist. She wore short knitted gloves and a light brown hat decorated with flowers. She had a cold and arrogant temperament and walked to her seat lightly in her golden high heels.

Next, sitting next to her was Hilbert Jean Angers, who was wearing a black custom-made suit, a bright red rose on his chest, and his silver hair was neatly combed.

Although the years have left deep marks on his face, his silver-gray eyes still sparkle with sharp light, and he is vigorous, like a young lion.

Further away, sitting on a Hepplewhite openwork chair, was an old man who looked slightly older than Ange. He was Mr. Turing, a veteran of the secret party.

He was wearing an old-fashioned black tuxedo, with a gold chain hanging from his pocket watch shining on his chest. On his left little finger, he wore an antique silver ring with a "half-rotten world tree" pattern on the ring. Although his face was haggard, his eyes were sparkling and contained the light of wisdom.

Sitting opposite Mr. Turing was a girl of about sixteen or seventeen, holding a newly purchased camera in her hand, and looking through the photos taken of her and Zhao Qing strolling here before dinner. It was Shi Yi Guang, who had just arrived here.

Beneath her silver veil, she has a serene look, like a fairy walking out of a painting. She is dressed in a flowing goose yellow gauze dress, with flying hair, and long black hair hanging down her shoulders, soft and shiny. She wears a gold hair ring shaped like a rose branch, which naturally reveals her beauty that can overwhelm the whole city.

The octagonal star-shaped crystal chandelier on the ceiling of the hall illuminated her delicate and beautiful face, which was shining brightly. The light blue jade hairpin seemed to be surrounded by phoenixes, and five crystal-clear hairpins hung from the end, swaying gently with her movements, adding a bit of agility and charm.

Zhao Qing, who was sitting next to Shi Yiguang, was wearing her usual light green outfit, a long gown with curved hems and embroidery, with flowing sleeves, and elegant floral patterns that were faintly visible under the light. She had her hair in a phoenix bun, and wore a pair of dark blue black ice bracelets on her hands, emitting a faint cold light.

As for Finkel, since he concealed his identity and acted as a guide and bodyguard, he did not appear in the meeting place and was obviously staying in other places in the manor. According to him, he was eating in front of the oven in the kitchen and almost scared the chef with his excessive appetite.

"Are you Tristan Laurent's daughter? I've only seen family photos of you in elementary school... I have to say that the death of a master of Word Listening is a huge loss to the geological community, even though he didn't participate in much scientific research during his lifetime."

Not long after sitting down, Mr. Turing lowered his head to use his laptop and chatted about the life experience of the former head of the Laurent family:
"I remember that Tristan graduated from ETH Zurich and was a junior of that guy Pompeii Gattuso... I actually took the time to read both of their doctoral dissertations."

The Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich, although not as world-famous as Harvard and Stanford, is the top technical university in Europe and has produced many Nobel Prize winners. Its alumni list includes names such as Roentgen, Pauli and Einstein that shine in the history of science.

"A PhD thesis in geology? I didn't expect you to be into this stuff."

Angers looked at Zhao Qing and Shi Yiguang, two outsiders, and turned back, "But before we talk about boring things like thesis, it's better to eat first, so that the food won't lose its flavor."

"That's right." Mr. Turing nodded in agreement.

So under the lights of the reception room, waiters kept shuttling back and forth, and began to serve the dishes one by one lightly and orderly. The delicious dishes with good color, aroma and taste were mouth-watering.

The British Angus steak is tender and paired with the crispy Yorkshire pudding, which is unforgettable. The Scottish broth dumplings are juicy and delicious, and the smoked salmon rolls exude a light seafood aroma. The Cumbrian ham is as thin as a cicada's wing, and the Welsh roast lamb chops are fragrant.

The Chinese dishes placed on the side of Zhao Qing and his partner were equally tempting. The braised prawns were bright in color, the steamed Dungeness crabs with Huadiao sauce were tender and smooth, the roast duck had crispy skin and tender meat, and the Mapo tofu was spicy and fragrant. Each dish was soaked in a rich and shiny luster.

The dazzling array of cutlery, bowls and plates reflected the charming candlelight, and the bouquets and exquisite trays that were large enough to serve as screens added to the elegant atmosphere. The extremely intricately carved dishes were like works of art, making people want to savor them carefully.

After tasting the dishes for a while and recording their flavors, Zhao Qing, whose essence was the brain-body-god, did not need the energy contained in the food. So he put down his chopsticks, picked up a non-alcoholic cocktail, and secretly sensed and observed the computer screen on Turing's side.

The content displayed on it turned out to be black and white squares moving and changing in a grid, which looked very regular. When she asked Eva, she learned the name of this thing: Conway's Game of Life, a type of cellular automaton.

This is a famous "game" invented by John Conway, a mathematician at Cambridge University in 1970. It simulates the evolution of life in nature and sets up a cellular automaton in a simple world.

The world is made up of an infinite plane of square grid cells, where cells can be in two states: "alive" or "dead", and they evolve iteratively in discrete time.

Under the constraints of four basic rules, cells in the Game of Life can evolve from a simple initial state to highly complex characteristics over time, such as giant structures composed of several cells that can replicate and reproduce themselves.

Theoretically, this is already a two-dimensional form of artificial life that can simulate the various processes of free development, competition, survival, and destruction in the biological world, and may be able to reveal the origin of life.

Conway boldly predicted that as long as I was given a large enough grid space and waited long enough, in principle, I could create anything I wanted in the "Life" game, including cosmic bodies, evolving organisms, and even intelligent life that could write Ph.D. papers.

Such an evolutionary program developed based on computers would naturally attract Turing's attention. Similarly, it also made Zhao Qing marvel at the creativity of modern humans and look forward to the mysteries hidden in it.

She couldn't help but think of her past research results on demon species, the combined structure of vital energy life, and had a deeper understanding and opinion on the part of the dragon clan's words involving spiritual bodies, as well as the life consciousness simulated by the alchemical matrix.

"'A Study on Geological Environmental Changes and Ancient Human Evolution at the End of the Quaternary Period' is, I have to say, a topic that is highly relevant to dragon civilization. It's a pity that Tristan didn't continue to explore it..."

As an elderly hybrid who is a researcher, Mr. Turing doesn't have a big appetite. He ate a little and then stopped. He talked about the topic of his so-called doctoral thesis again:

"Ten thousand years ago, a magnitude 6 earthquake broke out centered in Japan. Twelve thousand years ago, a global geomagnetic drift occurred, and the geomagnetic field dropped to % of its original value within a few decades. The magnetic poles first reversed and then rebounded. Thirteen thousand years ago, a super fire covered one-tenth of the entire earth's surface, burning tens of millions of square kilometers of forest... It all sounds like it has something to do with the dragon civilization at that time."

The magnitude 3 earthquake years ago, wasn't this the disaster caused by the first generation of Yamata no Orochi? It turns out that the paper that Dragon Pompeii found came from here. Zhao Qing, who was standing by, listened patiently, thinking about something, and listed a timeline of related geological events.

……

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