The Only Player in ‘Child of Stardust’
Chapter 276 - 192 Astronaut

Chapter 276: Chapter 192 Astronaut

Fire Seed Town Square.

People pointed at the bizarre, disfigured flesh ball monster covered with mutated limbs, their faces showing obvious fear, having never seen such a terrifying thing before.

Even though they had seen pictures of mutated creatures like mushroom-head monsters in books and had some ability to withstand witnessing monsters firsthand, these flesh ball monsters before their eyes retained basic human characteristics while being horribly twisted, causing them a deep, genetic discomfort and fear.

"This is giving me the uncanny valley effect." Qiao rubbed her arms, goosebumps forming all over, inexplicably feeling a chill.

"Isn’t it the uncanny valley effect?" Zhou Yuan asked in return.

"Huh? You call it the uncanny valley? The information we dug up calls this effect the ’Happy Valley.’" Qiao scratched the back of her head, "The uncanny valley seems more fitting..."

Actually, you could call it ’Great Fasting Valley’ if you prefer.

Zhou Yuan silently retorted and looked towards Summer’s father. "These people’s goal is exactly this. What do you think?"

Summer’s father lit a cigarette. His worldview had been overturned multiple times in just a short ten minutes, but as a Hunter and a leader, he quickly calmed himself down.

"Since we were attacked here, other places are definitely facing the same. These people are far stronger than top Hunters; even firearms can’t threaten them. The situation elsewhere... is likely grim.

The power plant’s location will definitely be leaked. If they succeed, the consequences would be unimaginable."

"The power plant is a crucial pillar for human survival in the dark wasteland world. If the power plant is destroyed and electricity disappears, all factories will shut down, leading to a shortage of supplies, rioting, chaos, and even local conflicts between different forces. Civilization will regress to a more primitive, harsher era."

Hearing this, Zhou Yuan was puzzled and asked, "The power plant is so important, yet all these years, haven’t you tried building a new one?"

Summer’s father sighed, "We don’t have enough technical knowledge. After the Great Cataclysm, there was a technological gap. We can only learn by digging up old-world books, but the materials we can find are extremely limited.

Moreover, even if we know how to build a power plant, we don’t have enough technology to manufacture the necessary materials."

So that’s how it is... Zhou Yuan nodded in understanding, then asked, "Do you know about the Golden Sun?"

"Golden Sun..."

Summer’s father smoked thoughtfully for a long time, "The Golden Sun should be an old-world religion that was later labeled as a false god by the Goddess Night Cult due to the Great Cataclysm and was ultimately destroyed by them. That’s all I know.

Other than the Goddess Night Cult, I haven’t heard of the Golden Sun anywhere else.

Looking back now, it seems like something they made up to consolidate their power back then."

Summer’s father then shook his head, "That was one or even two hundred years ago. No one knows what the real situation was like."

Two hundred years could be considered a lifetime, enough to blur, forget many things.

Zhou Yuan knew he couldn’t ask anything more relevant, so he straightforwardly said, "Tell me the location of the power plant and Summer’s grandfather’s last wish."

Summer’s father nodded, "Please follow me... Are these people okay here?"

He looked worriedly at those mutated monsters, afraid they would suddenly attack.

"They’re useless now, just kill them."

With a thought, Zhou Yuan turned the ground into a shadow mud pit, engulfing the mutated monsters and the Goddess Night Cult followers, drawing them in to be devoured and decomposed by the shadow mud, transforming into pure energy to nourish himself.

Everyone was scared stiff by this godlike ability, standing there in a daze.

Zhou Yuan followed Summer’s father to his residence.

He walked inside, and after a while, came out holding a small metal box.

"This is what my father left me before he died."

Summer’s father pressed a few buttons on the metal box, then a keypad rose from the box, and he carefully and slowly entered the password.

Click.

The password box unlocked, opening automatically. Inside were some miscellaneous items, such as medals, awards, toys, and on top was a photograph preserved in a plastic envelope.

The photograph showed a group of astronauts in spacesuits.

"This is my father." Summer’s father pointed to one of the astronauts in the picture.

"Grandpa was an astronaut?" Summer was equally shocked, as Grandpa had never shown any signs, behaving normally as if he had grown up in the wasteland world.

Zhou Yuan squinted, picking up the photo.

[Name: Astronaut Group Photo - Batch 1077]

[Note: These astronauts were elite among humans. They were later awakened and put into the wasteland world to ensure the continuation of the human race.

In the fragmented wasteland world, only this photo can vaguely remind people of the beautiful past.]

They really were from the old world...

"Before my father died, he gave this to me and told me a top-secret matter."

Summer’s father said solemnly, "He said if you want to uncover the truth of the Great Cataclysm, keep heading north to the end of the world, and you will find all the answers.

But the truth may be depressing."

"The north... That’s the danger zone." Summer frowned.

"It’s alright. I plan to go there eventually." Zhou Yuan said.

The Phantasms were lurking deep in the danger zone.

At the same time, the system prompt finally sounded.

[Task "Endless Night" Updated]

[Second Stage Task Objective: Head into the depths of the danger zone and investigate the truth of the Long Night]

[Task Reward 1: Experience Points *2500]

[Task Reward 2: Star Coins *100000]

[Task Reward 3: Perfect Quality Item Pack *1]

Summer’s father then took out a map and marked the location of the power plant.

"Here is the power plant. Many years ago, the scientists at the power plant repaired an old-world virtual projection device, disguising the entire power plant as a forest."

"So far away..." Summer felt desperate seeing the distance. Whether by tram or full-speed running, it would take at least a day to get there.

By that time, even the grilled grass cakes would be cold.

Zhou Yuan noted the map coordinates and turned to leave, "I’m going now."

Summer hurried after him, "How are you going to get there so far away?"

"Don’t worry, I have my own transportation." Zhou Yuan smiled slightly.

He took out the Paru Ball and released the Flame Dragon.

Summer stared at the enormous creature that appeared out of thin air, dumbfounded, like a statue, once again having her worldview violently shaken.

"Ahhhh..."

At that moment, exclamations came from outside. It was the gathering residents of Fire Seed Town.

Upon seeing the Flame Dragon, they immediately fell to their knees with a thud, kowtowing to Zhou Yuan, muttering things like, "God, True God, Heavenly Lord... Sacred Great Spirit..."

One person knelt, then a second, followed by a third and fourth... In just a moment, a large crowd knelt uniformly, worshipping Zhou Yuan.

At once, a massive amount of belief energy gathered.

Zhou Yuan paused, then quickly realized this was a great opportunity to reveal divine powers, establish a religion, and collect belief energy!

Many people in the wasteland world were very superstitious.

After a moment of contemplation, he raised his hand to signal everyone to be silent, taking on a profound and mysterious posture, his voice deep and powerful:

"I have come to this land to bring you salvation and hope, to lead you from confusion and darkness into the light.

I will choose those who are pure of heart and steadfast of will, granting you the power, courage, and determination to fight against monsters and demons."

He scanned everyone present, using the Eyes of Identification to select suitable humans.

Then he performed Divine Arts – Blessing of the Night.

The deep eclipse moonlight enveloped dozens of figures. Their souls and bodies rapidly transformed, and within seconds, they possessed the physique to rival the new humans.

And the Hunters, such as Summer and Qiao, who were already new humans, were shocked to find that their strength had skyrocketed, and a mysterious, cold energy had appeared inside them. A single thought was enough to mobilize it.

Zhou Yuan stood with his hands behind his back, speaking with majesty and solemnity, "You are the chosen Divine Envoys, bearing an important mission. Use this power well to protect your kin from external invasions, to defend the peace and tranquility of this land, to spread my name across mountains, seas, and rivers, to every corner of the world."