I! Cleaner!-Chapter 1066 - 982: Among the Sources (Part 1)

Where... where am I?

As the True Gods were alarmed by the act of engraving wills, and were confusedly searching everywhere for the traces of the Ascender, Leon staggered up from the soft ground, bewilderedly looking around.

The Origin Mud Plate was not solid; below the purple-black layer, there was an entirely different world. Countless strange marks, like vividly colored comets, dragged long trails of light, shuttling back and forth in the vast underground cavity.

A multitude of transparent veins, resembling plant leaf patterns, densely covered the dome of the underground hollow. Whenever a mark swept by with its tail flame, vibrant light would swiftly flow along these veins, shuttling through countless conduit-like pathways.

As Leon and his companion looked closely, they were astonished to discover that the light flowing in these veins, seemingly just pea-sized light points, were incredibly complex and dense, as if containing highly intricate information.

Even though the significance couldn't be discerned with the naked eye, a glance at the closest white star point swept them into a cathedral even grander than the You Sui Sanctuary, with a chorus by countless overlapping voices echoing in their ears.

This star point... is it the complete [Justice]?!!!

Recognizing the meaning of this star point through a similar yet immensely expanded aura emanating from the You Sui Sanctuary, Leon and his heart involuntarily twitched simultaneously, then instinctively raised their heads, gazing in shock at the myriad of star points shuttling back and forth in the cavity.

If this one white star point represents the power of [Justice] itself, then what are the star points surging in the other transparent veins? What are those seemingly more "advanced" marks?

"Food God..."

Unable to help calling out to Leon, the Serpent Bearer Director murmured in a daze:

"We... seem to have uncovered a tremendous secret!"

"Indeed..."

His gaze rapidly swept over one star point after another, finding the corresponding star points for powers like [Blood], [Fear], [Death], causing Leon to let out a breath, a bizarre déjà vu flooding his heart.

Although not arranged in a perfectly straight grid, the transparent vein patterns really resembled a circuit board, densely aligned in some strange yet precise order.

And the star points in the conduits, representing corresponding powers, raced along the circuit paths like electrical signals, running back and forth along different tracks, being "read" and transmitted by those strange marks.

Adding the strange act of leaving a self-imprint and handprint on the Origin Mud Plate was akin to inputting personal information for "fingerprint" recognition!

Speaking of... if I were a person born in a magical world, only capable of using magic arrays and runes to conjure fireballs, would I have felt the same way when first seeing a modern circuit board as I do now?

"Zzzt!"

As Leon fell into a strange déjà vu, contemplating what this gigantic cavity represented, a familiar screech suddenly sounded.

[With unparalleled talent, you ascended the entire 250 levels of the "Ascender Grand Steps" and breached the Origin Mud Plate's defenses against the True God, entering the interior of "Root Source 3", successfully activating the hidden异色 badge "Peering Insightful Root Seeker (3)"]

[Peering Insightful Root Seeker (3): Entered while Root Source 3 was operating normally, gaining a degree of understanding through observation of the operation of Root Source.]

[Ward Effect: The powers currently operating within Root Source 3, as well as other subordinate powers affixed to it, will become traceable in your eyes.]

[Evolution Path: Once your Contamination Value exceeds 70, this badge will automatically evolve into the hidden异色 badge "Facing Root Source (3)", current progress 65.5/70.]

Upon reaching a Contamination Value of 80, this badge will automatically evolve into the hidden异色 badge "Insightful Root Seeker (3)", current progress 65.5/80.

Upon reaching a Contamination Value of 90, this badge will automatically evolve into the hidden异色 badge "Master Root Source (3)", current progress 65.5/90.]

[Hidden Trait (no need to wear): As a wise creature having observed the root operation, powers at the 60-point Contamination Value level are no longer untouchable for you.]

"..."

Root Source... and it's 3?

Upon hearing this specifically numbered name, and looking at the myriad of powers operating like circuit boards, Leon couldn't help but take a deep breath, feeling a peculiar pressure.

No matter what this Root Source 3 is, from this numbered name, it's almost certainly "artificial." As for the so-called Source God Platform and Origin Mud Plate, they're just "skins" of the Root Source.

So... who or which group created this Root Source? Are they still alive?

And if they are still alive, now that I've entered this Root Source they've created, will they discover me? What will their attitude be towards someone who has entered the Root Source?

"What's with your engraving?"

Facing an anomaly for the first time, feeling immense vigilance and unease, upon confirming that this Root Source 3's powers were autonomously operating without any other entities present, Leon immediately patted his chest, urging the still dazed Serpent Bearer Director:

"Listen to me, something's not quite right here! Those marks feel very strange to me. If your engraving is successful, we'd better leave quickly!"

"It's okay, you don't need to be afraid."

"???"

"No..."

Sensing Leon's astonishment, the Serpent Bearer Director hiding in his heart hastily said:

"It's not me! It's not... This voice is mine! But these words are not..."

"It's me speaking."

With a voice identical to the Serpent Bearer Director but carrying a clear mechanical tone, it echoed again.

When Leon stepped onto the Ascender Grand Steps, it turned on a green light, directly pulling him up to the 250th layer, and with the weary tone of a True God of the "Ascender Grand Steps", it said:

"3, welcome to awakening."

"???"

"I'm talking about you."

As Leon's gaze showed confusion, the myriad of light shadows twinkled slightly, then a blurry silhouette coalesced before him.

With one hand raised, pointing at Leon's brow, the indistinctly gendered silhouette, with a low voice, said:

"Although it seems a few years earlier than anticipated, if you can penetrate the Origin Mud Plate to get here, then you must surely be number 3."