The Righteous Player(s)

Chapter 746: Child Of The World

…Why is there a fetus floating here?

Annan was stunned for a moment.

It looked like it hadn’t even been born yet.

Wrapped in the light chrysalis composed of curse energy, the World’s Child gave the impression of a fetus growing safely in the amniotic fluid.

After realizing that there was an undeveloped fetus hidden in the light chrysalis, Annan saw the primal curse energy continuously drawn out and flown into the fetus’s abdomen below. This sight subconsciously made him associate it with the term “umbilical cord”.

However, if this is the “umbilical cord”, then the “mother” connected to the other end is undoubtedly the world itself.

Annan felt an unprovoked irritability and melancholy just by glancing at it… It was an information-transmitting curse that could intrude his mind through mere visual contact. The reactions of others seemed much more severe than Annan’s.

Initially, the players were chattering in high spirits. However, after entering this room, they gradually became silent. Staring at the light sphere, each of them seemed to be in a trance… their gazes even unable to shift away.

The most affected person was Zoya. Her eyes became bloodshot, and her breathing became heavy. It wasn’t that she wanted to cry. Instead, she was filled with agitation and a murderous intent. She had already activated her curse vessel, using the cold will attached to the curse to suppress the increasingly approaching madness and despair.

She didn’t lose complete control now solely due to the curse she accepted when she joined the Winter’s Hand, which had frozen most of her emotions.

It was originally intended to counteract the interference of the Soul Snatch Magic, serving as a contingency plan to capture wizards better. Moreover, it was also a “special treatment” to eliminate her unnecessary compassion, making her more cruel.

However, it had become a life-saving “safety line”.

“That fetus… What on earth is that?” This was what puzzled Annan the most.

The fetus obviously couldn’t be an elf or a centaur.

It was even less likely to be a Yaseran — they didn’t have this level of power.

At first glance, it was apparent that the fetus was the core of the curse energy extraction device. It extracted curse energy from the depths of the world through the invisible “umbilical cord” and processed it. What radiated from its skin was inert curse energy that had been refined into light.

“Is it… the [Child of the World]?” Jacob murmured.

Hearing this, Annan immediately came to a realization — this place seems to be a ritual in itself.

Through the concept of “the fetus extracts the most nutritious essence and blood from the mother’s body”, the World’s Child was used to extract the blood of the world during its gestation period.

So initially, the elves, who were still in the desolate desert and lacked resources, were able to extract curse energy. They didn’t make a connection to the entire world, let alone use adjacent worlds as blades to cut through the world’s surface, burying the curse shafts as needles into the world’s body to extract the blood of the world.

They were still extracting curse energy through ritual means.

That was the truth about the so-called “curse shaft”.

Annan suddenly understood many things.

He had been wondering all along why the people extracting curse energy would not be cursed. Instead, the person who used curse energy would be cursed.

Because the one who truly extracted the curse energy from the world was not the doctor with the syringes, but the “World’s Child” in the gestation period. What they seized was the curse energy that originally belonged to the “World’s Child” for growth.

Why does it feel so wrong all of a sudden?

It’s like using a syringe to extract egg whites.

Or it’s like nibbling on the flesh of a fruit and then tossing the seed into the ground… But thinking of it this way, it seems to become more normal, doesn’t it?

Annan finally understood the reason why the Black Rock Curse Shaft was buried deep underground. It was not because it was closer to the core of the world. Like the Silverstone Curse Shaft built in a building with a tall chimney, all they needed was “isolation”.

Because the refined curse energy that had not been purified by the “World’s Child” might contaminate the minds of others just by being observed.

“The reason why this curse shaft feels like a blood vessel is not because it draws the World’s Blood from the depths of the world… but because it continuously extracts the ‘nutrients’ that have been transformed from this fetus through the curse shaft.” Annan said slowly.

Upon hearing Annan’s explanation, the players quickly realized the situation as well.

“I see…” Citalopram murmured.

She also remembered that the Silverstone Curse Shaft was larger than the Black Rock Curse Shaft.

Those buildings contained multiple “veins”. This meant that there was more than one “fetus” underground at that location. As a curse vault that powered the entire city, there might be multiple “Children of the World” there, drawing more power.

The workers at the curse vault were likely responsible for temporarily draining a baby and then switching the suction tube to target another. There was no technical difficulty involved, akin to monitoring a semi-automated machine.

“If that’s the case, then in terms of design, they should have drained these light energies to suppress its development. Just like how the eggs we eat don’t need to be able to hatch into chickens…” Citalopram immediately realized something, “But if we proceed with this logic—”

“Then, its development to this extent is somewhat unusual.” Annan continued, “If compared to a human fetus, it would have developed to about eight months. If this were a chicken egg… it would already be at the stage where the farmers can harvest the meat.”

“This might be because the light energy accumulated around it provided abundant nutrition, allowing it to develop to a stage close to [birth].” Citalopram analyzed.

“This is called inert curse energy.” Suuankou on the side came over and couldn’t help but complain, “Light energy is not bad… Are you a Gaiden?”

“I always have, but my computer broke some time ago. Whenever I run a large game, the screen goes black. I thought the graphics card might be broken.”

“Then, how did you fix it?”

Suuankou was a little surprised, “I didn’t ask for your help.”

“I took apart the case and looked at the graphics card in silence for five minutes. I didn’t know what to do… Then I made up my mind to turn on the computer and go shopping to buy a new graphics card. Suddenly the computer was fine.”

Citalopram said solemnly, “I think the machine may have sensed my murderous intention. This is probably also a kind of divine art.”

“…You better call me next time. Otherwise, you can just call me sister.” Suuankou showed hesitation, “Otherwise, I think next time, your machine wants to die with you…”

But, that’s not necessarily the case.

Annan thought silently in his mind.

These players came from a world beyond the dream realm, and the systems of curse energy, the Gray Mists, curses, and divine arts were all unique products of the Mist World. When they returned to their original world, of course, they wouldn’t possess any transcended abilities.

However… their world was also adjacent to the dream realm. This meant that if the players spent too much time in nightmares and acquired some dream realm abilities, or even obtained the essence of dreams, things might be different…

However, Citalopram’s words gave Annan a wake-up call.

…The “World’s Child” whose race was unknown, identity was unknown, and gender was unknown…

It was almost born, and maybe it already had intelligence.

If it were killed, the curse shaft would shut down. But as for these inert curse energies, it was uncertain how they should be dealt with… Would they explode, contaminate the area, turn into Gray Mist, or perhaps recirculate back to its source?

The fetus might even resist.

That being the case.

—Can I scare this child a bit?

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