Xyrin Empire-Chapter 1385: Urban Characteristics, Urban Characteristics
(In the middle of the month, asking for a vote, anyway, idle is idle...)
I think Father God said something quite right: Things of unprecedented scale always seem to happen around me. If the historical records are correct, Bingdisi is now also part of this unprecedented phenomenon—she will become the only deity in history with dual divine registration, and not only is she the Main God of two Divine Systems, but she is also the only member of these systems combined... How amusing is that?
The reason Bingdisi’s divine registration has been blocked is due to the current Pantheon registration not recognizing members with both Star Domain and Xyrin imprints simultaneously. If we insist on the Pantheon Household Registration Office (I know it’s definitely not called that in the Divine Realm, but since Bingdisi calls them that, we’ll follow suit) to legalize Bingdisi’s second divine registration, it would require an overhaul of the entire god spectrum system of the Light Divine Race. It’s like digging a two-meter-deep canal next to roads worldwide so Mermaids can walk on land—why not just find a Witch to brew sour plum soup for Fish Girl or give her a wheelchair? What we’re doing now is providing that wheelchair for Bingdisi: building a new system in the existing divine spectrum for the Star Domain and placing the Xyrin’s registration data inside (essentially, my Void imprint). Placing this data in a blank system is much easier than putting it in a complex existing system. Dingdang above—the Light Divine Race has been around for countless years, and even Father God can’t imagine how enormous this citizen database can get for a Race where any household registration book is an epic.
Xyrin will do the same thing, creating a "sub-clan" database in the Total Network, and this database does not need a very strict review system, as Bingdisi will be the sole registered member.
These processes are mere formalities but crucial nonetheless. If any step is omitted, Bingdisi would remain undocumented. After completing these formalities, Bingdisi’s life won’t be much affected; her original powers will remain, and her attributes related to the Xyrin Divine System... that’s for the future, and hence no immediate impact. "Divinity" is a subtle thing; it’s the hallmark of the Divine Race but it changes in countless ways without affecting the true strength of a God. Bingdisi’s Holy Light and Brick are unrelated to her divinity, yet divinity is the source from which the Divine Race draws symbolic power to influence all things. It’s a fascinating concept. I liken it to an activation code for an operating system; your computer’s speed and system stability have nothing to do with this activation code. You can switch among dozens of activation codes, and as long as they’re genuine, you can log in, chat, and even be frivolous as usual. But without this activation code—
Of course, you could argue you have a keygen and crack, but insisting on that would just be pedantic, wouldn’t it...
That said, saying it won’t affect Bingdisi is from a broader perspective. In some details and short-term habits, Bingdisi will undoubtedly feel awkward. For instance, she can’t log into the Divine Realm using a Light Divine Race account anymore; she’ll have to access the Light Divine Race’s database and exclusive lines with a visitor tag. When reporting to the Pantheon, she must queue using her identity as a member of the Fifth Divine Race. Her pay stub will feature an unprecedented Fifth Divine Race emblem. She can habitually claim the title of Light Goddess XXX, but when signing contracts, she must mark as: Bingdisi of the Bingdisi Clan...
She is now genuinely removed from her race and stands as a separate branch. For an average person, this would be a sad affair, but for Ice Sister Leader Bing who’s peculiar enough to become a separate branch from primates, this is likely an awaited inevitability...
I connected to a special channel with the Star Domain (no need to write letters and be pretentious at such times) and informed the other side of Bingdisi’s situation. As expected, the initial fears had become a reality. Father God felt rather emotional and inquired about Bingdisi’s personal reactions. Upon learning that the absent-minded Leader took only thirty seconds to return to normal, Father God was even more emotional: "That child chose the wrong major in school and got her brain spoiled..."
I chatted idly with Father God, knowing that a vast group of Gods was still struggling in the vast ancient data to help Xyrin Apostles find their homeland, and I felt rather touched and guilty; I carried only a little verbal record over, and yet they were expected to find a world that vanished billions of years ago—this was truly demanding. Fortunately, the Divine Race had both patience and time, and they are sincere when helping friends, otherwise, who would be willing to help with such a task?
Father God seemed quite unconcerned: "No worries, Sovare gathered a bunch of vacationing students and idle teachers; it’s better they hang out in the Book Tower than opening cram schools all over the world..."
Do you think all those cram schools on Earth arose from interference by the Divine Realm’s information?
We chatted a bit longer, exchanging information and promising to pass more detailed ancestral logs soon, after which I hung up the special communication. Bingdisi had been waiting anxiously and approached nervously to inquire, "What did Father God say? How long until my matter is resolved?"
I glanced around the living room; besides myself and Bingdisi, everyone else had dispersed, with only Sandora nearby, seemingly unintentionally sipping tea and reading reports out of concern for her friend. Seeing the anxiety in Bingdisi’s eyes, I didn’t tease her: "Don’t worry, everything will be settled within two or three days. It’s just opening a new account, no need to modify the old files, so it’ll be quick. From then on, aside from the change in title, everything will remain the same."
Bingdisi sighed in relief, though still somewhat concerned: "But can I still use the name of the Light Goddess? I worked hard to earn that title..."
"Of course, no problem. It’s no different from a job title or position; you were a human resources manager, now you also hold a first-level fitter title, but you can still be your own HR manager," I explained succinctly, then recalled Father God mentioning a minor detail earlier. "By the way, here’s some good news for you: Xingchen said you get to decide on your new ’Divine System’ title yourself and tell him so he can add it to the Pantheon’s database. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime naming opportunity since the establishment of the Divine Realm and a unique compensation for your ’spiritual loss’."
As I spoke, I couldn’t help but study Bingdisi’s sunlit face: did she really suffer any spiritual loss?
Naming a Divine System is akin to titles like "Light God System," "Dark Divine System," "Dragon God System (Order God)," or "Life Goddess." Now that Bingdisi is isolated as a separate branch, of course, she needs a new Divine System title following the database rules that no two lists can have the same name. By the way, Father God’s naming ability seems to be on par with mine, given how mundane his name choices are...
Bingdisi pondered for a moment, then blurted out: "True God Reaveling Holy Brilliance Light Compassionate Journey World Universal Salvation Great Merit Infinite Wisdom Supreme Teacher of the Universe Hongwu Heroic Name Within Three Heavens Supreme God Method Jewel Heart Charity Holder Calm Evil Heaven and Earth People God Most Sacred Most Pure Heavenly Power Unpredictable Brave and Fierce Military Great General Blessing Overwhelming Godly Body Holy Light Forever Loving Humanity Love Life Love Heaven Earth Prestigious Power Through the Void True Skill True Virtue Supreme Greatest God Commander Bingdisi Clan—wait, don’t report yet, there’s still a name, a word, a title, and a formality to think of."
I didn’t bother to mock her, just smiled in her direction, and five seconds later I chuckled and asked, "Could you repeat that?"
"True God Revealing Holy Brilliance Light Compassionate... Compassionate..." Bingdisi faltered for a few seconds and then kicked over. "Who the heck can remember something that long! Just print it on the business card for others to read in the future!"
I released her ankle, inwardly reminding myself that this female hooligan was once a young girl right in the middle of her delusional phase, and during those days, her Bible bore the name Evil King’s True Eye, Bingdisi. After all these years, I didn’t expect her delusions to linger, but of course, a normal person can’t follow her nonsensical rhythm. I waved her off: "Usernames can’t exceed six characters; otherwise, I’ll just report your name as ’If the guild name is too long, people will see you hiding under the tree.’"
This time Bingdisi thought deeply and then used her fingertips to write in the air, forming golden words of Holy Light: "How about calling it §Ice⊙Di⊙Si§ Clan? It’s quite girlish..."
"... Are you going to introduce yourself with subtitles from now on? Have a status bar above your head when you go out?"
Bingdisi thought about it too, pondering for a long time before finally sighing in frustration, "Forget it, what can be done with six words, Evil King’s True Eye, Bingdisi has seven words, so let’s use my name, anyway it’s only needed for filling out reports. Normally I’d just call myself Light Goddess, wouldn’t I?"
I nodded, first congratulating Sister Bing on becoming the Main God of two divine systems, although it’s not of much use, her title instantly became high-end and grandiose. Then I congratulated her on becoming the first to achieve self-governance, and quickly dashed out of the room before this female hooligan could react.
Another troublesome matter resolved, my mood lifted, and even the daylight outside the courtyard seemed several times brighter than usual. Those always somewhat noisy Dou Ding Goddesses fluttered around the lawn and flower bushes, sparkling with tiny specks of green light, the more I watched, the cuter they became. Little Medwen was standing under the big tree in the center of the courtyard, chatting animatedly with her parents, while on her shoulder sat miniaturized Little Medwens scaled proportionately to her size, each munching on a stick of celery. Big Sister, on the other hand, was tending to the flower bed nearby, a gentle smile on her face as she gazed at the thriving little flowers. Watching these two, who were as of half a day ago the only two Xyrin side divine beings, my heart surged: from today, the Xyrin Divine System officially branches out; this, nominally, is truly worth celebrating.
However, apart from the celebration, I still remembered I had proper business to attend to: a recent call with Father God reminded me it’s high time to visit Shadow City and check on how the ancestors were organizing their voyage logs.
Since gaining employment and receiving the freedom to move within Shadow Space, the moods of the ancestors have noticeably stabilized, though what it may be like after long years is unknown; for now, Anses and his old crew remain enthusiastic. I sensed this immediately upon meeting them. If the Anses I saw a few days ago was an elderly man bewildered by a new environment, now he has clearly found both his place and his goal in this world: to continue working as an old captain, striving to discover the lost route home.
Anses and I met on a street in the mixed-use civilian district near the military zone. The old master was usually busy with work and seldom went out, but today he happened to have time for a stroll. After learning his whereabouts from the Royal Guards, I rushed over directly. Anses did not appear surprised by my sudden appearance, saluting like an Imperial Soldier with vigor, "Your Majesty has come to inquire about the log’s progress?"
I quickly waved my hand, "Let’s not talk about titles for now; you don’t need to salute me."
Goodness, accepting this salute is simply too stressful, facing someone of rank potentially far senior to even Bingdisi. Moreover, Anses is not an active member of the Imperial Army, which he knows, thus he doesn’t insist on such formalities, merely lowers his hand with a smile. I told him my intentions: indeed, to check the progress on the log, though unexpectedly, the other party is taking a break today.
"Break or no break, it doesn’t matter," Anses’ wrinkles eased at the corner of his eyes, "I’m still a soldier — though one from the Ark Fleet days, but the habits persist. The log has mostly been sorted, maybe with some inevitable gaps, but those will be recalled bit by bit in the future. The data organized up to now is about as much as we can gather. Lu is currently merging and sorting the prepared information, should be ready for delivery to the Military Department by tomorrow."
I nodded absent-mindedly, relieved to know the log didn’t require more personal attention, then scanned my surroundings. This area being a mixed-use civilian residence point differs from sectors like the Undead District and Elf District where some entity holds jurisdiction; while the latter might house civilians and often serves as some vassal world’s official base, the former are purely prepared for free people from the Macro World and Vassal Races, akin to the contrast between a government compound and an ordinary neighborhood. This kind of zone is especially lively and indeed the true free collective space with Shadow City characteristics. Owing to the Imperial Capital’s unique nature, even in residential zones, the resident to transient population ratio almost evenly splits. Consequently, the most visible establishments are various lodgings, specialty restaurants, travel registration offices, and free trades in craft shops. I searched around and eventually spotted a small tea house amidst many colorful signs. The tea house lay between a Middle Ages-style dwarf blacksmith shop on the left and a civilian spaceship rental company with a holographic ad screen on the right, constructed entirely from raw wood, with lush vines crawling over its outer wall. The sign above the door was half written in convoluted Elf script and half Xyrin Universal text projected holographically — an Elf-run establishment.
Such hodgepodge style blended commercial streets are exceedingly common here.
"Since we’re out wandering, let’s sit over there," I suggested, pointing towards the tea house, "perfect for chatting over how things have been lately."
Without hesitation, Anses followed me.
This Elf-run tea house has no door. Blocking the entrance was a layer of vine curtains that sensed approaching guests, gracefully sweeping aside in a neat fashion. Passing through the vine curtain felt like stepping into another world: outside was bustling prosperity; inside, only faint whispers were audible. Even the air indoors seemed fresher and more moist, undoubtedly under the aegis of Elf Natural Magic. The tea house was spacious and tranquil, not overly crowded. About a dozen sets of tables scattered sparsely around the oval-shaped first-floor lobby, the original wood walls on either side interspersed with two rows of oval doors likely leading to private rooms. The lobby’s far end culminated at a counter, beside it lay stairs ascending to the second floor. Everything here was built of raw wood and verdant vines, an alluring plant fragrance lingered in the air. Bright yellow Magic Lamps installed in the walls served as illumination, likely crafted from Otherworld techniques.
Words floated on the nearby wall: The materials used by this shop have received Divine Blessing, certified by Shadow City’s comprehensive fire prevention and disaster reduction office.
Another smaller script accompanied it: Elves just love building wood houses, let that blacksmith next door bite me if he’s upset!
I chuckled dryly explaining to Anses, "Haha, city specialty, city specialty..."
Neither Anses nor I sought a private room; the whole place was quite tranquil, and our discussion wasn’t about confidential matters, so we casually chose a spot by the wall. The nearest customers nibbling snacks while chatting instantly recognized my nationally familiar yet nondescript face, promptly standing to greet. I waved back cheerfully, and they reciprocated with smiles, resuming their seats: In Shadow City, encountering First Family members or some Immortal roaming idly about was hardly remarkable. New arrivals might be thrilled briefly, but long-term residents couldn’t be bothered to tweet about it.
A slim Elf girl in a light green dress approached to inquire about our order; elated, her cheeks flushed rose-red, yet I wasn’t familiar with the categories of Elven desserts and teas, thus asked her to casually pick something suitable for Carbon-based life. Nodding, she dashed towards the counter, boasting gleefully to several waiting Elf boys and girls, "The Emperor really said ’casual,’ each of you owe me twenty, boss you owe me two days off..."
Again, I chuckled dryly explaining to Anses, "Haha, city specialty, city specialty..."
Anses casually remarked, "Government well-managed, harmonious world, enjoying with the people, global peace. Sentiments in the public database some days ago, fitting for this locale I believe."
I think that’s the best compliment one could offer. (To be continued. If you enjoyed this work, you’re welcome to visit Qidian (qidian.com) to vote and give monthly votes; your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please read at m.qidian.com.)
