Chapter 224: The Mightiest 'Scout' — Jing Ruli [Monthly Ticket Bonus]

As the surge of 'Negative Emotion' accumulated within him, fragments of thoughts long ignored by Ivan—things that had nothing to do with Will—began creeping into his mind, relentlessly crowding out the crucial 'battle data' stored in his mental space.

The result? The golden greatsword in Ivan’s grip dimmed abruptly, and the Swarm Light Wings behind him cracked, on the verge of total collapse.

When a Mechanical Stellar Envoy shed the shell named 'Rationality', when a tool began to harbor a will of 'resistance'—the 'Divine Descent' ritual, sustained solely by faith, became nothing more than a fragile tower built on sand, trembling on the brink of collapse.

For Ivan’s mind, now overrun with chaotic thoughts, could no longer receive clean transmissions from the 'Saint Spirit' thousands of miles away. Nor could he allow the spirit to fully take control of his body.

As Ivan’s 'Self Personality' began to awaken, the phantom silhouette of 'God of All Machines' above his head flickered violently, its light wavering, its holy radiance flickering in and out like a dying flame.

Simultaneously, his data link with Quantum Fortress, once seamless, now stuttered and broke apart in fits and starts.

Tian Dao stood before the Luosheng Gate, his gaze calm, observing it all.

The impact of 'Illusion' on a Mechanical Stellar Envoy had exceeded Tian Dao’s expectations.

Behind him, the Quantum Cube spun at blinding speed, endlessly channeling strength into the Purgatory.

Then came another black slash—crackling through the air—striking Ivan’s armor and tearing it open, exposing the sparking circuitry beneath.

At last, the Nanobee Swarm within Ivan emitted a desperate, fading hum, retreating like a receding tide.

His light wings shattered completely, dissolving into a cascade of scattered light particles.

Ivan staggered back, his Electronic Eye flashing erratically—something was clearly wrong.

Soon after, the massive phantom above him slowly vanished.

With the divine strength fully withdrawn, the sacred glyphs on his mech’s surface cracked apart, revealing the battered metal skeleton beneath.

He collapsed to one knee, his eyes—rarely seen in such a state—now filled with an unmistakable, human-like bewilderment.

Tian Dao watched the fallen Ivan, the last flicker of power fading from his form, and slowly withdrew his spell.

In the next instant, the Purgatory Space shattered like glass, and the group returned to the familiar expanse of Quantum Space.

He stepped forward, voice soft.

"Your god cannot save you. Because the only one who could ever truly save you… has always been yourself."

Had this come earlier, Ivan would have dismissed it without a second thought. 'Rationality' had always told him his purpose was clear: be a high priest of the Machine Divinity Cult, a flawless tool of the Ironcrown Family.

But now, with humanity returning, memories resurfaced. The cold logic that had once defined him seemed hollow.

He was a person—not a machine.

And in that moment, Ivan finally understood.

He deactivated his Power Core with deliberate intent, severing all connections to the 'Quantum Fortress'.

It was his silent rebellion against the Ironcrown Family. A declaration to them all: I, Ivan, have the dignity of a human.

As his core powered down, the database in his mind ceased updating. For the first time, Ivan wore an expression of unburdened peace.

Looking at Tian Dao, he smiled.

"Thank you."

The final flicker of his Electronic Eye dimmed—then died.

The battle between Mechanical Divine Descent and the Purgatory Trial had ended, with Tian Dao’s victory.

Gazing at the lifeless Mechanical Shell that was Ivan, Tian Dao quietly stored him within his Quantum Cube.

Then, turning to Dannika, he said, "Alright, Dannika. It’s time for a complete overhaul of this place."

On the screen, Tian Dao and Dannika stood side by side—ignoring Chen Kong, dismantling the Steam Furnace with reckless abandon.

But the Dimensional Audience remained stunned, still reeling from what they’d just witnessed.

"Wait… is it really over?"

"Tian Dao’s Purgatory Roshanmen was insane! He shattered the guy’s divine state from the inside out!"

"So even gods can’t escape their own inner trials…"

Meanwhile, at the Steam Capital train station.

A figure in a cascade of violet hair stepped down from the first-class carriage.

Her wide sunglasses obscured half her face. A delicate butterfly hairpin, glinting faintly with tiny pearls, swayed with each step.

Passersby paused, whispering in hushed awe.

The purple hair. The butterfly pin. It looked exactly like the legendary 'New Generation Diva — Jing Ruli'.

But she was supposed to be on tour in the Seven Floating Cities—how could she possibly be here?

Yet, the woman showed no reaction to the stares. She simply pulled out her Information Terminal, tapped a few keys, and dialed a number.

"Hello?"

A cool, familiar voice answered from the other end—Kalolin.

Jing Ruli smiled, her tone laced with playful teasing.

"Kalolin~ I’m in Steam Capital!"

"Seriously, you should send me some travel allowance. I ditched a hot Variety Show invite for this—cost me a fortune!"

A pause.

Then, slowly, Kalolin replied, "When you see Chen Xing, tell me how she’s doing. I’m… a little worried."

Jing Ruli rolled her eyes silently, mentally cursing.

Worried about Chen Xing?

The girl’s got a Catastrophe-Level Guardian following her like a shadow—just like me.

Where in the New Federation could she possibly get into real trouble?

Oh please. You’re not worried about her safety at all. You’re just using me to dig into her secrets, to find out what she’s really up to.

But despite the annoyance, she didn’t say a word.

After all, she was just as curious.

Not long ago, she’d reached out to Chen Xing, asking if something was wrong.

Chen Xing had brushed it off with a casual excuse.

And that only made Jing Ruli more intrigued.

So when Kalolin asked her to come all the way here—she didn’t hesitate.

To surprise Chen Xing, she didn’t send a message.

She stepped out of the station alone.

But the moment she saw what lay beyond the platform, her mouth dropped open.

Her sunglasses slipped down her nose with a soft clack, revealing wide eyes filled with shock.

The streets of Steam Capital were ablaze.

Fires roared from every corner.

Steam Guard units—normally upholding order—were now swinging batons, locked in brutal brawls with citizens from the Lower City.

Perfection, in its truest form: law enforcement with warmth, batons with power, arrests with attitude.

Jing Ruli blinked, rubbing her eyes in disbelief.

Had she overslept? Misread the station?

How could the New Federation’s law enforcement be this chaotic?

But after a careful, deliberate check—yes, this was indeed Steam Capital.

Then her eyes sparkled.

She pulled out her Information Terminal, snapped a quick photo of the chaos, and typed a message.

[Kalolin! Hurry! Steam Capital’s exploded! Even more epic than when you blew up your lab!]

She sent it, then adjusted her sunglasses with a smirk.

This trip was worth every mile.

This was going to be a juicy story.

PS: Today’s update is complete. The second volume is nearing its conclusion—next, we’ll wrap up the gains, lay the groundwork for the third.

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(End of Chapter)

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