A Girl Dies Every Day in Her Dream Life 258

Chapter 258: The Mastermind Behind the Scenes 

Wary of the deep space behemoth’s residual influence, Ling Ling stepped onto the eighth level, but her attention was quickly drawn to her surroundings.

This was a familiar yet unfamiliar place, a place she couldn’t forget.

It was here that she parted ways with Sister Xue’er and embarked on the path of researching the disaster engine, leading her to where she was today.

Ceres, who had supported her in the past, was long gone, and now, with Ceres’s descendant beside her, Ling Ling couldn’t help but feel a pang of sadness and sighed softly.

The other reporters were mostly relieved. At least, the eighth level had signs of human habitation, just some dilapidated laboratories.

The other levels looked like something out of a horror movie… as if mutated researchers might jump out at any moment.

Finally arriving on the eighth level, Chen Sirui composed himself, turned to the reporters, spread his arms, and said, “Everyone, as you all know, this is the birthplace of the Lingxi Laboratory, where the artificial ability user project was conceived and abandoned.”

He paused, and an impatient reporter immediately asked,

“President Chen, you brought us here, not just to revisit the Great Sage’s former workplace, right?”

“Of course… please be patient, how could it be just that?” Chen Sirui smiled faintly. “Ground-Based Tower City 1 suffered a great disaster back then, and many experimental materials were left behind.”

“The Ancient Ruins Association found an experimental record of the Great Sage among the remaining documents and handed it over to me. After a brief look at the copy, I found it… unbelievable. Therefore, I invited you all here today, to be witnesses, to determine the authenticity of this record…”

After Chen Sirui finished, the reporters frowned. Why were they here for this? Shouldn’t they inform the Great Sage?

Could there be some hidden secret in the experimental record? Like the Great Sage’s secret love affair or something…

No, that wouldn’t require such caution.

Ling Ling, wary, scratched the back of her head. Had she really left an experimental record behind?

Besides… what was so interesting about an experimental record? A bunch of boring, repetitive experiments and data, perhaps only a few minor differences between them. She could write hundreds of such records in a single round of verification.

Even if she had left something behind… it was either a failed experiment or something that had already yielded results, perhaps even iterated dozens of times.

However, before anyone could speak, a senior reporter, pushing up his glasses and staring intently at Chen Sirui, said,

“President Chen, as far as I know, although Ground-Based Tower City 1 was hastily evacuated after the disaster, leaving many things behind, after the crisis ended, they should have retrieved all the remaining materials. There shouldn’t be any experimental records left behind by the Great Sage.”

The senior reporter, clearly more knowledgeable about these past events, pointed out the biggest flaw in Chen Sirui’s story.

But… Chen Sirui had anticipated this question. Or rather, it wasn’t a flaw, but a part of his plan.

“Because this record was hidden by the Great Sage herself, those who organized the materials couldn’t find it,” Chen Sirui explained calmly, “As for why the Great Sage didn’t come back to retrieve it later… honestly, I also find it suspicious, which is why I invited you all here to witness this.”

Chen Sirui didn’t have a perfect explanation for all the questions. He just needed to plant a seed of doubt. Explaining everything would seem too deliberate, making it even more suspicious.

As expected, the senior reporter, hearing Chen Sirui’s explanation, hesitated slightly, then put aside his doubts and nodded, as if convinced.

After all… without seeing the experimental record left behind by the Great Sage, no one could be certain.

Seeing that the reporters were now doubtful, Chen Sirui didn’t press further. He had achieved his goal.

He turned to his assistant and nodded slightly.

The assistant, receiving the order, walked straight to a honeycomb room that looked no different from the other laboratories, and under everyone’s gaze, opened a hidden compartment in the lab table and took out the fabricated evidence.

An old file, its fragile paper showing the passage of time, the neat and elegant handwriting reminiscent of that gentle and quiet, legendary woman.

“…Signed, Ling Ling.”

Ceres glanced at the record. She couldn’t understand the strange, ancient characters, her mind hazy after reading through it. Only the signature at the end was familiar.

“The Great Sage’s name is Ling Ling?” Ceres blinked and whispered to Ling Ling, “Sister Ling, the Great Sage has the same surname as you… Are you her descendant?”

“…Perhaps.”

Ling Ling was noncommittal, her attention also on the experimental record.

The person who forged this record had clearly studied Ling Ling systematically, not only was the writing style almost identical to hers, but even the handwriting was meticulously imitated.

The only problem with this experimental record was that the handwriting was deliberately aged. After all, they could use old paper, but they couldn’t fake the handwriting itself.

However, this aging must have been done with an ability user’s power. Ordinary people, even antique experts, couldn’t tell. Only Ling Ling, who could sense the traces of spiritual power, could detect the discrepancy.

This record was so convincing that even Ling Ling, the one being framed, thought to herself,

“Even I almost thought I wrote this…”

But this was impossible. After Qualcomm’s death, Ling Ling hadn’t participated in any experiments with the Lingxi Potion, let alone write an experimental record.

Although Ling Ling was still in charge of the Lingxi Potion project, she was only responsible for development. All experiments were handled by Ceres—not the current little Ceres, but Governor Ceres from back then.

Ling Ling herself had refused to continue participating in the project, because her father had abandoned it before his death.

But unfortunately… humanity desperately needed ability users to fight against the disasters, so Ling Ling had reluctantly taken on this responsibility.

Of course, the final result was well-known. The artificial ability users, instead of solving the crisis, had caused the second great disaster.

Few people knew these details, especially after thirty cycles. The only record that remained was that Ling Ling had led this project.

In the recorded history of the current human civilization, the Great Sage was the hero who resolved the second great disaster, the one who ensured the continuation of civilization.

But this ancient experimental record revealed a terrifying possibility: that the Great Sage knew the dangers of the artificial ability users, yet did nothing, didn’t even try to control it.

On the contrary, if this record was real, the Great Sage was the mastermind behind the second great disaster, and under her control, human civilization was almost destroyed.

Why would the Great Sage do such a thing?

The easiest explanation… was power.

For twenty-four day-night cycles, after the rebirth of human civilization, the Great Sage had held absolute power, seen as a hero and a god.

Although she later voluntarily relinquished this power, it couldn’t change the fact that she had once possessed it.

The reporters invited here, besides interns like Ceres, were all elites from major media outlets.

They immediately saw the value of this experimental record, countless possibilities flashing through their minds, their breathing quickening.

Regardless of their stance, whether they believed this record or not, its significance was undeniable.

President Chen… had truly given them a great gift.

The reporters were already thinking about tomorrow’s headlines, how to dig deeper into this shocking, even terrifying, truth.

It was too unbelievable…

The Great Sage, their savior, was actually a demon who almost destroyed the world for her own selfish desires?

Just how many hidden truths were there about the second great disaster?

Anyway, they didn’t have to worry about news content for the next few months.

Ling Ling carefully read the entire experimental record and was surprised to find that it was a genuine record, just not written by her.

Someone had used her handwriting to rewrite this record and signed her name.

“It seems… Ceres did know the dangers of the experiment, but chose to hide it…”

Ling Ling sighed inwardly. She had her suspicions, because of her opposition to the project, Ceres had always been unwilling to let her see the raw experimental data.

Therefore, although Ling Ling led the development, she didn’t know anything about the actual experiments, only the final results.

Ceres probably didn’t have any malicious intentions, Ling Ling knew, but she was more… radical, just not to the same extent as Qualcomm.

Ceres’s fascination with the world beyond the sky showed that she was an ambitious planner, and Ground-Based Tower City 1 was her stage.

But Ceres ultimately failed, dying in Ling Ling’s arms during the second disaster, and Ling Ling, honoring her wishes, had scattered Ceres’s ashes in deep space.

While Ling Ling was lost in memories, the reporters were heatedly discussing the experimental record.

Some believed it was real, some thought it was fake, their opinions varied, but this had already achieved Chen Sirui’s goal, a triumphant smile on his face.

At the height of the discussion, a reporter suddenly stood up and said,

“Why not just ask the Great Sage herself?”

Instantly, the arguments stopped.

Everyone looked at each other, then fell silent.

The reporter who spoke was Xixi. As a member of the official media, she naturally sided with the Great Sage, even though public opinion seemed to be against her now.

Xixi looked around and said, her voice firm, “I believe in the Great Sage, and I’m certain she will give us a satisfactory answer.”

The reporters hesitated, clearly unwilling to confront the Great Sage directly.

She was a living legend… just standing before her took all their courage, how could they question her?

Chen Sirui’s expression didn’t change. This was within his expectations.

But what did it matter? No matter how the Great Sage explained, some wouldn’t believe her, it was impossible to convince everyone.

As long as the seed of doubt was planted, it was enough.

“Of course, of course… the Great Sage will definitely be willing to answer.” Chen Sirui nodded slightly and said with a smile, “According to some rumors, she will be proposing her plan again in the council before the next cycle begins.”

“After the hearing, you can find an opportunity to ask her.”

Chen Sirui’s words put the reporters in a difficult position.

However, their reaction was calm, while Luo Xue and Su Yiyao, eavesdropping nearby, were stunned.

“Ling Ling… is still alive?”

From their words, Luo Xue already knew that this Great Sage was Ling Ling, but since they were talking about events from three thousand years ago, Luo Xue had almost given up hope.

Three thousand years…

Perhaps a trace of a soul could linger for a thousand years, but three thousand… not even a Spirit Condensation cultivator, let alone an Innate Realm martial artist.

Perhaps there was a sliver of a chance to see a remnant soul at Foundation Establishment, but Ling Ling, who only cultivated the Breathing Technique, couldn’t even reach Spirit Condensation, let alone Foundation Establishment.

Luo Xue’s heart had sunk, until Xixi’s words rekindled a spark of hope.

But the thought of… questioning Ling Ling at her grave… made Luo Xue feel dejected again.

Finally, Chen Sirui’s words confirmed it, that Ling Ling was still alive in this world.

But how…

It was impossible to break through to Spirit Condensation with just the Breathing Technique. Even the most talented couldn’t do it.

Luo Xue listened intently.