The Record of Unusual Creatures

As Vivian said, it was difficult to reason with people who saw their faith as everything.     

Gotarug was likely the oldest and most traditional man in that society of remnants. He had a rich and unique experience as well as ancient knowledge but he also used to attribute phenomena that he could not explain to the goddess. He told Hao Ren about the ancient history recorded in the manuscripts, but Hao Ren would have to deduce the truth of it.     

According to Gotarug, the end date of the Sun Dynasty was in line with the time when a significant event happened in the Plane of Dreams. So after the fall of the goddess, the planet and space around it were thrown out of the Plane of Dreams, getting stuck in the Wall of Reality as a result.     

The closure of the heavens was an emergency measure taken by the First Born in response to the natural disaster caused by the disappearance of the sun.     

While the First Born created the upper crust, the ecological environment on the original surface underwent devastating destruction. But some power—perhaps the power of the goddess of creation—had protected the humans there and provided them a safe place as the ecosystem stabilized.     

After the First Born created Heaven's Pillars and the canopy dome, the survivors began to build the city of Dorasil. They then abandoned the city without inhabiting it.     

Gotarug said that the goddess commanded the humans to abandon the city. But Hao Ren thought that the real reason was climate change.     

These deductions added credibility to the history of the place.     

Age truly affected one's energy. After Gotarug took a few questions, Hao Ren decided to stop the conversation so that the old man could rest. Gezer had arranged the best yurt for his "sacred guests." But the frank tribal warrior still found it inadequate. He felt like he was slighting his goddess with the mortal dwelling. But, there was no way for his small nomadic tribe to build a temple according to the ancient specifications overnight. The presence of the goddess among them had caught them by surprise. Right until then, more than half of the people there still found it surreal. They worshiped and believed in the existence of the goddess, but her appearance was a bolt from the blue. That did not bother Vivian though. She was happy with Gezer's arrangements. Soon after, went outside with Hao Ren to enjoy the unique "sunset" in that world.     

It was a sunset without the sun.     

There was still a cycle of day and night in the underground world without the sun. The clouds created the day-and-night cycle.     

The light in the clouds was now gradually dimming from bright white to a calming dark yellow. The glowing microbes in the clouds followed a biological clock, and they could synchronize their actions among themselves. When dusk came, the light in the clouds would dim sequentially. And as the lights went out, the solid black dome behind the clouds became even darker. It was so dark that it was impossible to perceive it from the ground with the naked eye.     

"The microbes in the clouds must be the result of the First Born's careful design," Hao Ren said as he gazed at the evening sky. He said to Vivian casually, "At first, I thought the First Born on this planet cleansed the entire ecosystem, but now it seems that it's received the same order as Zorm did to protect the Second Born. But then, a question arises: it's kind of difficult to explain the existence of the gnarled monsters on the surface crust."     

Vivian appeared a little absentminded like her mind was on something else. Finally, she opened her mouth. "The goddess they're talking about has to be the goddess of creation. But then, why have they mistaken me as their goddess? What do you know?"     

Hao Ren was silent for a few seconds. When Gezer called Vivian the "goddess" earlier today, Hao Ren already knew that he would inevitably have to explain eventually. While they were on their way from Dorasil to the tribal settlement, Hao Ren did not just observe the ecological environment of the world, he had also thought about the mysterious connection between Vivian and the goddess of creation.     

Vivian noticed Hao Ren's silence. She knew what his silence meant. She sighed and leaned against the rock behind her. "You know something. Okay, I'm ready. After all, I've lived for 10,000 years and seen enough."     

"Do you still remember the world you saw when you first woke up?" Hao Ren suddenly raised a seemingly irrelevant question.     

Vivian knitted her brows together. "The first time I woke up? It was a long time ago. I can't remember, but I guess it was probably at the end of the ice age... the little ice age. The manuscript that Pavel gave me recorded it as such. That should be my earliest memory."     

"Actually... Raven 12345 and I have found something," Hao Ren said as he looked into Vivian's eyes. "It's about your connection with the goddess of creation."     

Just like rocks that have to emerge after the water subsides, Hao Ren had no choice but to tell her everything, including the vast volume of information about her, her inextricable connection with the goddess of creation, and her crossing of the Wall of Reality 48 hours before the fall of the goddess of creation. The revelations had Vivian's eyes out on stalks. When Hao Ren finally finished, she was utterly rooted to the spot.     

"I'm related to the goddess?" Vivian's voice was a little quivery. "I-I'm just a Blood Clan member. Am I not?"     

"Besides being able to summon some tiny bats, do you think you're part of the Blood Clan?" Hao Ren glanced at her. "And even the ability to become a small bat can be mimicked with magic. I guess you've been assuming that you are, and you do have some characteristics of a Blood Clan member. But that's it. Of course, there is no clear evidence."     

Vivian was wide-mouthed as she looked down at her hands, which were pale and small as if they lacked vitality. It was a characteristic of a higher Blood Clan member—cold and pale. Yet, when she carefully recalled, she really could not remember when her hands became like that.     

"Then, who am I?" Vivian frowned. She did not doubt what Hao Ren had told her. "The reincarnation of the goddess of creation? A fragment? An avatar? Or some creation?"     

"You're not the goddess of creation; I guarantee that," Hao Ren said. "You have no deity in you, so you aren't a reincarnation or a fragment. You're only connected with the fallen goddess somehow. Let's not worry about it now. Just stop worrying."     

Vivian remained silent for a long moment, her face pale and emotionless. Only her eyes were shimmering in the dark. After a long while, Hao Ren heard her asking softly, "So, who am I?"     

"You are Vivian." Hao Ren had expected this. He turned his head around and looked into her eyes. Then he gently flicked his finger on her forehead. "You are Vivian Ancestor, the oldest, poorest vampire in the world who can cook the best dishes and whose presence is undoubted."     

Vivian was stunned. She instantly bloomed with a bright smile, which almost lit up the grassland. "This is embarrassing, the oldest Blood Clan member needing your consolation."     

"There's nothing wrong with that." Hao Ren arched his eyebrows. "I speak on behalf of the true God. I am Aerym's King of Sun, the guardian of Io, the new lord of Zorm, the governor of Tannagost, and more importantly, I am still your landlord. My roles have become so impressively numerous that it takes six lines to print them all on my business card. Hence, it doesn't take me much effort to comfort a bat."     

Vivian smiled, hugged her arms and looked at Hao Ren. "Keep bragging. Maybe you'd still be able to come up with more titles."     

Hao Ren put on a deadpan face. "Oh, that's pretty much all I can compile for now," he quipped.     

Vivian smiled from her heart. Her worry seemed to be gone, and Hao Ren breathed a sigh of relief. "Don't you see how capable I am? How many situations have I handled successfully so far? So however big your trouble is, I'll deal with it. For you."     

"I'm not worried anymore," Vivian said as she leaned on the rock, smiling and shaking her head. "But I'm not so weak that I need to rely on others. I'll try to figure out the secrets regarding my identity. But in case of trouble, you've got to help me."