Gun of Ashes

Chapter 697: Chapter 178 The Grandeur of Humanity_3

”So, another plan was proposed.”

”What is it?”

Eve’s voice was somewhat excited, her pupils contracted, and fine sweat trickled down her neck.

”The Ranger program, a type of enhancement experiment, but it’s very risky, your father was also a subject. Part of this enhancement is to increase a person’s resistance to erosion. At that time, we prepared to use the Ranger program on you, so that you, who were not yet born, would have resistance to erosion, which might save you.

However, even when tested on professionally trained individuals, they would die from some unstable complications, not to mention you were still a fetus at the time.

But your mother accepted all of this, being the main subject, and those experimental drugs would be delivered to the fetus through the mother’s weakening state.

Yet this was only what we expected, no one knew what would actually happen when implemented, you could even say, at that time, everyone conducted all this with an experimental attitude, no one thought it could succeed... unless a miracle happened.”

As Merlin spoke, he stopped, sat up straight, and put aside some documents he was still handling.

”But I survived, sitting here alive in front of you now.” Eve whispered.

”Yes, a miracle happened, human will triumphed.”

Merlin’s indifferent face showed a stiff smile, then he stood up and walked towards Eve.

”Your mother endured the experiment and safely gave birth to you, and you also became the first in human history, a naturally born ranger.”

”That’s incredible, at the time I even doubted reality, couldn’t believe humans could actually achieve all this, the newborn you were so healthy, but unfortunately, your mother as the tested mother suffered great trauma, she was later tormented by some complications until she passed away.”

Merlin stood in front of Eve, gently pulling her hand to make her stand up as well.

Under the warm light, the two seemed about to dance.

”That’s why Arthur sometimes acts like a lunatic, because you are his last warmth, losing you, he truly would have nothing, and maybe after that, he would turn into a monster like Lorenzo.”

Mentioning Lorenzo, Merlin couldn’t help but sigh.

”A guy with nothing is really terrifying, he has nothing to lose, so he fears nothing.”

Looking again at the girl with that stiff expression, perhaps she hadn’t even noticed, tears were already covering her cheeks, blurry memories became clear, everything became so cruel.

”You seem to need some time to understand all this, but... please do me a favor first.”

Merlin patted her, waking Eve from this long-ago sadness, the girl stiffly nodded, she couldn’t say anything, even though she knew everything she longed for, she felt lost and desolate.

Death is truly long, mother left long ago, but today Eve felt she had truly died, this long-death finally ended, she just left like this.

”However, your birth inspired many people, at that time we had an internal incident known as ’Red Signal’, internal damage was severe, everyone lost hope to move forward, appearing dejected, which is also why your birth was not favored, after all, everyone was very pessimistic then.”

Merlin seemed to be searching for something in the clutter, the old dust scattered one after the other.

”But you survived, it’s simply a miracle, at that time you were crying loudly, but that cry surprisingly lifted everyone’s spirits, if a child like this was trying hard to survive, what did these setbacks count for?”

”I was also slightly touched at the time, so since then I built this place.”

Merlin picked up a container filled with formalin solution.

”At that time I was thinking, how long has humanity existed in this world? At least several thousand years, right? But we only have vague records from the last millennium, and the earlier history has dissipated from memory, no one remembers it all.

I was thinking, would there be a day when humanity would disappear too? If it disappeared, it’s actually no big deal, everyone eventually dies, humanity too should eventually die, but even if it dies, I think something should still be left behind.

As long as there is something that can represent humanity, even if we all die, we can still live within the medium of those records... just like you.”

Merlin laboriously lifted the container and brought it over.

”Me?”

”Yes, you’re your mother’s continuation, as long as you’re alive, she can live in your memory, she hasn’t truly died, has she?”

Merlin gestured for Eve to take the container.

”Look here, this is what I built, to best represent everything ’human’.”

He spread his hands, like a lord overlooking the chaotic museum, Eve also held the container, following Merlin’s words, looking around.

”You find it a bit hard to understand, right? Actually, others don’t understand all this either, but if everyone understood, then there would be a real problem.”

As Merlin spoke, he walked to the cluttered items, introducing them to Eve.

”This stack of paper represents the carrier of human information, we won’t die with the knowledge in our minds but record it, passing it down across time, this wheel means we shortened the distances of the world, this code of law is proof humans restrict their own desires, thus distinguishing us from instinct-following beasts.

This... and this...”

Merlin introduced the exhibits in this strange museum to Eve, the entirety of human cognition existing here, a hazy yet magnificent phantom slowly rising in Eve’s mind.

”And of course this.”

Merlin pointed towards the container in Eve’s hands.

”What is this?”

”Your placenta.”

”Huh?”

Eve’s sadness was suddenly interrupted by Merlin’s words, she almost shook and dropped this thing, but finally steadied herself, lowered her head to gently wipe the dust-covered surface, in there, in the formalin solution, a twisted pale piece of flesh floated.

”I collected your placenta, but it’s not some perverted hobby, I just thought this museum needed something to prove the human will... this is one such will.”

”What?”

”Sacrifice, a mother’s sacrifice for her child.”

Merlin said gently, as he walked to the door, looking at all this from there.

”But it’s still not enough, everything here still isn’t enough to represent all of humanity, after all, humans are a complex existence, some things we possess are too intangible, and I find it difficult to find something appropriate to represent them.”

”Such as?”

”Such as those things exclusive to humans, because we are humans, we create word after word to recognize everything in this world, but some things are intangible, just like the soul, it’s chaotic, hard to grasp, beyond our control... it’s hard to find corresponding representations for such things.”

Merlin smiled, looking at this beauty shrouded in sunlight, a grandeur built by humans.

”You know, Eve, although you’ve been born, still no one thinks you truly survived, your life is only temporary, you might die in the subsequent time because of the backlash from the Ranger substances.

But you survived and grew up.”

”Thank you for coming, Eve, now my work is complete.”

Eve looked somewhat bewilderedly at Merlin, it might be the inherent madness of these Alchemists, Merlin’s smile started to twist, just like a fanatic believer.

”Yes! Eve Phoenix! You represent human stubbornness, human persistence, human foolishness, yet under these various inferiorities, you achieved what only humans can do.”

”What is it?”

”A miracle.”

The dying fetus lived tenaciously, she was holding her own placenta, standing in a madman’s makeshift gallery, becoming part of this work.

Spanning humanity’s past and future, creating miracles that belong only to humanity.

The long night ends, the scorching sun blazes.