Chapter 427: The Supreme Road

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

Waiting for the ‘nomination’ was listed as a ‘to-do’ by Li Wenyuan when he was still in the Milky Way. Finally, the opportunity arrived that day.

He had entered the Black Hole twice before, but he did not find anything. He had always thought it was because he lacked something like an ‘invitation letter,’ and now he had that opportunity.

That was a very important place. The Ring of Time, the Strange Cycle, humans…Many mysteries were related to that place.

It was not the first time he had received important information from the Black Hole. That ‘nomination’ was more like a long-awaited satisfaction for him.

Li Wenyuan found no traces of human beings after scanning the entire ‘Dead Planet’ Galaxy through the sensors. According to their past habits, there would usually be an obelisk carrying data on a planet there waiting for him to explore. However, he was very sure that that was the place he sought. The place where humans were most likely to leave information behind was there.

“Does that mean that the ‘Time Scale’ is what they left behind? No, no, no. That’s not right. Habits are not something that can be easily changed…” “Then did they leave information in the Black Hole? Or was the ‘Time Scale’ not left behind by them? Or…are both possible?”

However, after he heard the ‘nomination,’ he felt that the appearance of the ‘Time Scale’ was very strange.

It was impossible for humans to leave behind such ‘lifeform fragments’ and a short inexplicable introduction. Although they had their riddle moments, it was based on the premise that the information could be preserved.

The preservation of those ‘lifeform fragments’ could not be considered low. It could only be said that they were almost non-existent. The additional information was just a small electromagnetic signal attached to the scale. It was hard to imagine that humans would use such a thing to transmit information to him.

“…So could this be specially prepared by the ‘Ring of Time’? The target was…me?” He thought so and felt that that possibility was quite high.

After all, after he came to that ‘Dead Planet’ Galaxy with the help of the ‘Hunter’s’ attached information on the ‘Time Scale,’ he almost immediately heard the ‘nomination.’ He didn’t believe that that matter had nothing to do with it.

“…In that case, no matter what, I should accept this ‘invitation’…”

Looking at the outline of the Black Hole that was showing due to the glow of the accretion disk, Li Wenyuan made a decision in his heart.

A small spaceship carrying an anti-gravity system had warped there. It was heading toward the Black Hole at the center of the galaxy.

That was the preparation he had made for that day. Although other battleships also carried anti-gravity systems, the anti-gravity system would get more unstable as the size of the spaceship got bigger.

He was certain that that small spaceship could enter the Black Hole without any problems. It was very suitable as his consciousness carrier this time.

Then, with the help of the thrusters, the spaceship approached the Black Hole’s accretion disk and gradually approached the event horizon.

That was not the first time Li Wenyuan had experienced something like that. However, as he was going to meet the mysterious ‘Ring of Time’ on that trip, he could not help but feel a little emotional.

Soon, the spaceship approached the photon sphere layer of the Black Hole. The photon was already bound there. Although it would not fall into the Black Hole, it could not escape.

At that moment, the ‘call’ that appeared above the ‘soul’ reached its loudest volume as the spaceship got nearer. The indescribable language repeatedly called out the ‘data’ that represented his name as if it had been waiting for a long time.

The event horizon was just one step away when he got close to that position. Li Wenyuan recalled the information left behind by the ‘Professor’ when he first got that close to the Black Hole.

[I see the end of time, the never-ending cycle.]

[And all of this will be recorded here.]

The photon sphere layer was the last place where the Black Hole could theoretically obtain information. Li Wenyuan also chose to stay there for a while, waiting for information that might have remained there.

The effect of gravity distorted time and space there. The huge hole had already filled the spacecraft’s sensors. All that could be seen was the emptiness that seemed to be able to swallow everything.

Initially, Li Wenyuan could still see some ‘lifeform’ moving in the Black Hole when he was far away. However, when he got close to where he was, the Black Hole became calm, like a pool of stagnant water.

Time was still passing, but it was much slower. What happened there was developing at a speed that deviated from the universe.

However, after waiting there for a long time, Li Wenyuan still did not receive any information that might have been left behind. After sighing slightly, he crossed that ‘final boundary.’

The next moment, the world spun.

The universe became extremely small instantly, but the world inside the ‘Black Hole’ expanded and became the ‘entire world.’

An extremely bright, oval-shaped ‘universe’ filled with many light spots was rapidly moving away from the spacecraft that had been drawn into the event horizon. However, Li Wenyuan’s perception was no longer on the ‘universe’ but the huge ‘ring’ in front of him.

To be precise, it wasn’t a ‘ring’ but a ‘belt’ so long that its end could not be seen.

‘It’ seemed to be the only ‘object’ in the Black Hole.

However, for some reason, that ‘belt’ with no visible ends gave Li Wenyuan a feeling that ‘it should be round.’ In his eyes, the belt was even ‘glowing’ in a ‘ring’ state.

That was something that was hard to understand. Due to gravity, everything inside the Black Hole would unconditionally fall toward the ‘singular point.’ In theory, he should not be able to see anything in front of his spaceship.

But now, he could clearly ‘feel’ that the ‘belt’ was right in front of his spaceship, or rather, his spaceship was approaching the ‘belt.’

“…So is this the true form of the ‘Ring of Time’? It seemed to be a little…different from what I imagined?”

Li Wenyuan had imagined meeting the ‘Ring of Time,’ but that ‘meeting’ seemed a little too simple.

Although that thought only flashed past his mind, the ‘Ring of Time’ seemed to know what he was thinking. The huge ‘belt’ trembled slightly, and then a light’ instantly enveloped the spaceship.

That happened in an instant. Li Wenyuan’s processor only realized what had happened after the ‘scenery’ had changed.

The dark event horizon with only one ‘belt’ had changed its appearance just like the scenery on Earth. There was a blue sky due to the scattering of light, clouds condensed from water molecules, stars shining, and even looming skyscrapers.

Judging from the details, he was on a planet that was very similar to ‘Earth’ a long time ago.

When he returned to his senses, Li Wenyuan noticed that there was no response from his sensors. His consciousness data did not seem to interact with the spaceship’s equipment because of his thoughts to obtain ‘information.’ “…Where did my ‘senses’ come from?”

Before he could think about it, a voice came from behind him.

“It seems like you haven’t felt your ‘body’ for a long time. Think about it.”

That was an old voice. One could hear that the owner of the voice was not young, but time had not left any traces of aging. It was easy to feel that that person was still old and vigorous.

When Li Wenyuan heard that, he was stunned momentarily and subconsciously said, “Body?”

Manipulating the ‘consciousness of data’ was already a habit of his. He had almost forgotten how lifeform organisms functioned. But then, he suddenly realized that a certain instinct he had almost forgotten was again recalled.

That lifeform signal began to transmit in his body, and countless nerve sutures brought the idea of ‘consciousness’ to various tissues at an inefficient speed. Compared to the almost perfect ‘synthetic humanoid’ body, such a body was obviously not ‘practical’ enough. However, Li Wenyuan had a long-lost sense of excitement.

He could feel the beating of his heart, the flow of blood, the relaxation of his pores, and the stretching of his muscles. That was the perception of a ‘lifeform,’ the ‘senses’ he had when he was still a ‘primate.’

He had turned back into a ‘human.’ To be precise, he was a human’ in the lifeform period of the ‘Homo sapiens.’

The current body was his physical body before he became an ‘artificial intelligence,’ an ordinary youth named Li Wenyuan.

“…It looks like you’ve gotten over the discomfort, so I think we can talk now.” When he heard the voice again, Li Wenyuan remembered he wasn’t the only one there. He turned around and saw an elderly human.

That old man had white hair, but his eyes were full of spirit, clarity, and wisdom. There was not a trace of murkiness in them.

The walking stick was something he didn’t need. Time seemed to have frozen his body at a certain moment, and he was still healthy and full of vitality. Of course, in Li Wenyuan’s opinion, the most eye-catching part of the old man was his white coat. The logo ‘XXX Research Institute of Physics’ was printed on his collar, and the words ‘I was a researcher’ was almost written on his face.

For such a ‘researcher’ who existed in such a special place, Li Wenyuan only had one answer.

“You are…’Professor’?’1

The old man raised his eyebrows when he heard the term, which seemed to have a specific meaning. He said in surprise, “Do you know me?”

But then, the ‘Professor’ shook his head and said calmly, “Forget it. It doesn’t matter whether you know or not.”

I am indeed ‘Professor,1 but I don’t know if it’s the’ Professor’ you know.” This is the end of the ‘Time Cycle’ and also the starting point. Many Professors’ from different time periods have been here.”

“And I’m just one of them..”