Arknights, but the sickly pretty girl starts

"You mean, we were deemed... a threat?" Noah's voice was a little dry.

"Not exactly." Amiya shook her head. "To be more precise, you've been judged as the continuation of human civilization—just like deleting a program from a terminal without completely deleting it. You're still considered the remnants of human civilization, not a new one. So even if you haven't crossed that line, you'll still be targeted."

Noah suddenly felt a wave of absurd laughter well up in his heart. All that sacrifice, effort, and struggle, in the end, just because of triggering some kind of "pruning mechanism" of the universe? This was even more bizarre than the most absurd science fiction.

"Just... like this?"

"...It's also related to the technologies left behind by previous civilizations... The Deep Blue Tree can create nearly perfect life forms and environments, the Heaven's Fulcrum can shatter galaxies, the PCS involves the transcendence of biological spirits and wills, and the Originium Project can even create worldline observers like me. These technologies undoubtedly touch the bottom line of the Lumberjacks. But the funny thing is... it's precisely because of the Lumberjacks' existence that humans are forced to develop these technologies so recklessly."

Amiya responded with a wry smile—

"The Lumberjacks aren't malicious, but they exist to prevent the universe's resources from being completely monopolized by a single civilization or race. Perhaps there once was such an interstellar empire, or perhaps it's simply the considerations of certain pioneers. In short... this universe doesn't allow for the emergence of such marginal civilizations. I don't know when the Lumberjacks appeared, but it's clear that this mechanism has been operating in the universe for countless years."

"So, we're pointing this gun at our temples while trying to dismantle it with our other hand?" Noah said with a wry smile. "If we want to fight the lumberjacks, we need to develop more advanced technology. However, the more advanced the technology, the more likely it is to trigger the lumberjacks' judgment mechanism..."

"And the Ark Project," Amiya's red eyes gleamed slightly, "can delay the destruction of civilization—no one knows what the Terran civilization will ultimately become with these dangerous technologies. You are truly unique. While there are civilizations that have attempted to survive the loggers, civilizations like the Terran civilization, which are both closely related to previous civilizations and yet completely different from them, are indeed extremely rare in the universe."

"If we succeed... if the Ark can truly leave with the spark of civilization..."

"That will be the first civilization to overcome the immune system," Amiya whispered. "Just like the human body eventually learns to coexist with certain viruses."

This possibility made Noah's breathing quicken. She turned, resting her hands on the railing, and gazed at the brightly lit Ark construction base in the distance. The massive frame structure loomed in the night, like a steel spider web in the making.

"I've seen a world," Amiya's voice came from behind, "where the people chose to abandon all technology and return to primitive ways. They dismantled all Originium reactors and destroyed all research data."

Noah didn't look back: "The lumberjacks let them go?"

"Yes, three generations." Amiya's tone suddenly became unusually heavy. "Until a kid found an old computer in the basement with basic physics formulas stored inside it... It was a rainy day, I remember it clearly."

Noah dug her fingers deep into her palms. She suddenly understood why Amiya's eyes were always so tired—it wasn't because of the heavy workload, but because she had witnessed too many similar tragedies.

"So when you froze them..." Noah began with difficulty, "the child was..."

"He just solved his first equation," Amiya's voice was as light as a feather. "His face was filled with the joy of discovering a new world."

The night wind suddenly grew biting. Noah unconsciously folded her arms, but felt no warmth. The lights in the command center remained bright, as countless people worked through the night on Project Ark. Mace was probably still organizing today's meeting minutes, Margaret was probably practicing extra at the training grounds, and the medical staff were always busy caring for the injured...

"I'm going to continue," Noah said suddenly, his voice so firm that it surprised even himself. "No matter what the lumberjack is, no matter how slim the chances of success are. If we are destined to be 'pruned', at least we must leave enough 'branches'."

Amiya was silent for a long time. When Noya finally turned around, she found that the observer's figure was even more transparent than before, as if it would disappear in the starlight at any moment.

"That's why I'm still observing you," Amiya said softly. "Of all the possibilities, you're the most stubborn."

Noah raised the corner of his mouth slightly. "The people of Casimir have always been known for their stubbornness."

"No, it's not just Casimir." Amiya shook her head. "It's all of Terra. From the first scientist to realize the existence of the Star Pods, to every worker who now moves bricks for the Ark." Her figure began to flicker. "This kind of stubbornness... is precious."

Noah suddenly noticed tiny points of light appearing around the edges of Amiya's silhouette, as if stars were seeping out of her. "Are you leaving?"

"Leave for a while." Amiya's voice became intermittent. "Observation requires distance... just like a doctor can't... be too involved... in a patient..."

Before her figure completely disappeared, Noah seemed to see her smile - the first expression close to warmth tonight.

A shooting star streaked across the night sky. Noya wasn't sure if it was a real celestial body or just a trace of Amiya's departure. Standing alone on the balcony, she suddenly felt a strange sense of calm. The fear remained, but it was no longer suffocating; the doubts remained, but they no longer lingered.

Noya's fingers gently touched her temple, and the memories left by Amiya flooded back like a tide. It was not a simple image or sound, but a complete sensory experience - she felt as if she was in the destruction scene of countless parallel worlds.

In the first memory fragment, she saw a tower towering into the sky. It was no ordinary structure, but a pillar of pure energy, reaching to the heavens. Atop the tower stood a white-haired girl, her hands engaged in a complex ritual. Noya recognized her instantly—it was her other-worldly self. Suddenly, the sky split open, and an indescribable beam of light descended from the sky. "Noya," perched atop the tower, looked up, her face devoid of fear, only calm acceptance. The moment the beam touched the tower, the colors of the world began to fade, like a bleached watercolor. The final frame was a smile on "Noya's" lips, and a world in complete stillness.

The second memory was even more brutal. This was a technologically advanced world, where cities floated in mid-air and people lived in a virtual reality constructed from holographic projections. Suddenly, all systems collapsed simultaneously. Virtual images vanished one by one, revealing real bodies beneath—bodies withering at a visible rate. A bespectacled scholar frantically tapped at a control panel, his fingers crumbling to ash. An entire civilization vanished in less than three minutes.

Noya gripped the railing fiercely, her knuckles turning white from the strain. These memories were all too real; she could feel the despair, anger, or relief of the people in each world. Most terrifying of all, each world was destroyed in a different way—some were obliterated by beams of light falling from the sky, some by the spontaneous collapse of civilization, and some by a sudden, eternal stasis.

But the only thing that remains the same is...

No civilization chooses to give up. Survival is the instinct of civilization.

These tragic scenes are by no means meaningless. Although Noah is in pain, he still chooses to continue looking back...

She needs to remember this, just like Amiya...

Chapter 63: Harmony in Diversity

When Noah woke up from her coma, the first thing she saw when she opened her eyes was Amiya standing beside her, holding her hand, looking worried.

She knew - she had re-entered this memory, or rather, the memory of Amiya from another world. This time, Amiya seemed to have given her complete authority, so that she was no longer a bystander, but could move freely in this memory.

Noah, who had experienced flashbacks countless times, was already quite familiar with this, and she quickly got into the state.

"Are we in Rutland yet?"

She asked, after all, before the memory was cut off, their choice was to go to Rutland to recover the PCS host.

Amiya's fingers gently tightened around Noah's palm, and a flash of surprise flashed across her transparent red eyes before returning to composure. Noah could feel the other person's body temperature—it was strange, clearly a being from memory, yet the touch felt so real.

"Yeah, we just arrived." Amiya's voice was calmer than Noya remembered. "The Pope prepared a room for us, but you were a deep sleeper, so I decided on your room myself."

Noya tried to move her fingers, confirming she could indeed control the body in her memory. She noticed Amiya's attire—not her Rhodes Island uniform, but an unfamiliar dark blue windbreaker with a small gold badge pinned to the collar. This detail was so clear, it seemed like reality, not a memory.

There was something peculiar about the light in this memory world, Noah noticed. Tiny golden specks floated in the air, like dust particles illuminated by sunlight, yet more... deliberate. It was as if someone had deliberately marked this memory.

"I remember we've already applied to enter the Lateran, and the Pope even said he wanted to see me. It's a little strange that everything went so smoothly... Amiya?" When Noya stood up, she noticed that Amiya's eyes were a little evasive. She couldn't help but feel a little puzzled and asked, "What's wrong? Did something go wrong while I was asleep?"

"This... you'll know for yourself..." Amiya shook her head with a wry smile. At this moment, Noah realized the seriousness of the problem. When she stood up and walked to the balcony, what came into her sight was a jubilant city, completely different from the outside world... An almost pure white city, overflowing with peace and joy. It seemed that some kind of event was being held here, and the whole city was immersed in a joyful atmosphere.

Noya's fingers gripped the balcony railing tightly, her knuckles white from the strain. The Lateran before her was nothing like she remembered—clean white buildings gleaming in the sun, the streets thronged with laughing crowds, balloons and streamers fluttered in the air, and in the distant square, some kind of celebration seemed to be taking place. The scene was too beautiful, almost unsettlingly so.

"What... is going on?" Noah's voice was a little dry.

Amiya stood half a step behind her, the hem of her dark blue windbreaker gently lifted by the breeze. She was silent for a moment before answering in a calm yet complex tone, "Today is the Lateran Day of Atonement, the most important festival of the year."

"Day of Atonement..." Noah hadn't expected to encounter such a holiday, but it shouldn't be a problem. After all, they came to see the Pope, not to fight. As long as everything could be resolved peacefully, it would be better than anything else.

And this is just a memory belonging to Amiya. The Amiya here is not an observer, so there are not many things to pay attention to when getting along with her, except...

Amiya quietly came to her side, hugged her arms, and her cheeks were slightly red. The dependence and warmth conveyed from her made Noah feel cold in her heart.

——The relationship between me and Amiya in this world seems a bit ambiguous...

Noya's body stiffened slightly, bewildered by Amiya's sudden closeness. She could smell the delicate fragrance of the girl's hair and feel the soft touch of her arm against hers. It felt too real, so real it made her uneasy.

"Amiya..." Noah called softly, with a barely perceptible tremor in her voice, "Shouldn't we go see the Pope first?"

Amiya's bunny ears twitched slightly, but she didn't let go. "The Pope said he's busy during the festival and arranged for us to meet tomorrow." Her voice was gentle, but with a firmness that brooked no refusal. "Today... just enjoy the festival."

Cheerful music drifted from the distance, and the crowd cheered. Noya looked out at the celebration in Lateran. The smiling faces seemed so vivid in the sunlight. She suddenly realized that these might all be real people, citizens of Lateran who, in some timeline, had truly lived, laughed, and celebrated the Day of Atonement.

"This is my first time in Lateran," she changed the subject. "I didn't expect Lateran to be such a country... Everyone seems so happy and cheerful. I thought it was a solemn and solemn city."

"Stereotypes are not good," Amiya explained with a chuckle. "Latlan people generally love sweets, and they all share a common sensibility. Therefore, each of them can empathize with their compatriots, making conflicts and disagreements rare. They can be said to be a model of mutual understanding, which is why Latlan is called a paradise."

The streets were carpeted with colorful petals, and the air was filled with the sweet aroma of honey and cream. Noya unconsciously took a deep breath. This pure sweetness was almost extinct in her world. Amiya still held her arm intimately, and their pace seemed unusually slow among the cheerful crowd.

"Try this." Amiya suddenly stopped and picked up a piece of golden candy from a roadside stall. "This is Rutland's specialty, Sunshine Honey."

Noya took the candy, her fingertips trembling slightly as they touched Amiya's palm. The candy melted in her mouth, its sweetness almost dizzying. She noticed Amiya watching her reaction expectantly, her red eyes gleaming brightly in the sunlight.

"Too sweet..." Noah complained softly, but couldn't help licking his lips again.

Amiya chuckled. "In Rutland, 'too sweet' is the highest compliment you can give to food."

Just then, a clear voice came from behind them: "Two beautiful ladies! Would you like to try some sugar-free ice cream?"

Turning around, I saw a little girl with purple pigtails standing on tiptoe, struggling to lift an ice bucket. A "Happy Yom Kippur" sticker was plastered on her forehead, but the most eye-catching thing was the sign on her chest: [Healthy Choice, Sugar-Free Special].

"Edida, you're here again." Amiya seemed to know this girl, and her tone was filled with helpless fondness. "Selling sugar-free ice cream on Yom Kippur?"

A girl named Editha puffed out her chest proudly. "Because everyone's eating sugar, we need sugar-free options!" She turned to Noya, her eyes sparkling. "This sister looks like she's from out of town. She should be more accepting of different flavors, right?"

Noah squatted down, looking the little girl in the eye. Idida's purple eyes sparkled. In this era, a little girl with light in her eyes was a treasure.

"Why do you choose to sell sugar-free?" Noya asked softly, "In this city where everyone loves sweets."

Editha's expression suddenly grew serious. "Because Mom said a true paradise should embrace all choices." She pointed to a Sakota sister distributing candy in the distance. "Like Sister Sister said, empathy isn't about making us all the same, but about understanding our differences."

Amiya's hand suddenly tightened around Noah's. Noah looked up and saw a complex emotion flashing in Amiya's eyes. This sentence seemed to have touched her.

"I want one," Noah said suddenly. "Sugar-free ice cream."

Editha cheered and skillfully scooped out a light blue ball of ice cream. To Noya's surprise, although the ice cream was not sweet, it had a refreshing fruity aroma.

"Is it delicious?" the little girl asked expectantly.

Noah nodded. "It's very special... just like this city."

Editha spun around happily. "We've already sold seven today! A record!" She suddenly lowered her voice. "Actually, I secretly added a little honey to the recipe...otherwise, no one would buy it."

After bidding farewell to Idida, Noah and Amiya continued their stroll along the petal-covered streets. The air in Lateran seemed saturated with festive joy, and every passerby wore a genuine smile. Noah unconsciously slowed his pace, observing the carefree citizens, a complex mix of emotions welling up within him.

"What's wrong?" Amiya keenly noticed Noya's abnormality and gently pinched her palm with her fingers.

Noah shook his head. "It just feels... too beautiful, too beautiful to be real."

Just then, a particularly loud laugh emanated from a roadside stall. Turning, I saw four striking figures seated at a long table. The most striking was the red-haired Liberian woman, poking at a piece of cake with a fork, her face etched with confusion. Next to her sat two Sakota women, one with pink hair, the other with blue. They were engaged in a lively discussion, occasionally breaking into knowing laughter. And at the far end, a white-haired Sakota man quietly sipped his tea, his gaze tenderly fixed on his companions.

"That's..." Noah stopped subconsciously.

Amiya followed her gaze, her lips curled up slightly. "Ah, it's Miss Lemiao's team. Looks like they're on vacation too. It was Miss Lemiao who helped us when we entered the city!"

Pink-haired Zakota suddenly slammed the table and stood up, the halo above her head flashing: "I told you! Strawberry jam must be paired with muffins to be perfect!"

"Nonsense!" the blue-haired Sakota said without hesitation. "The best match for strawberry jam is obviously waffles! Your heretical remarks are a blasphemy to desserts!"

The red-haired Liberi blinked in confusion. "Wait, what are you talking about? Why are you all arguing all of a sudden?"

"We didn't quarrel!" the two Sakotas answered in unison, then smiled at each other. That tacit understanding reminded Noah of the "empathy" Amiya had mentioned.

"Wait!" Red-haired Liberi slammed the table, making the plates clink. "You're talking about things only Sakota would understand! Can you consider the feelings of someone like me who has no empathy?"

The white-haired man gently pushed a drink in front of Liberi and said nothing, but his gentle eyes seemed to contain a thousand words.

Noah couldn't help but chuckle. The scene was too vivid—Red-haired Liberi's temper, the two Sakotas' selfless discussion, and the gentleness of the silent guardian—composed a perfect Lateran landscape.

Amiya pulled her a few steps closer. "Good afternoon, Executors," she greeted politely.

Pink-haired Sakota immediately turned around, her eyes lighting up: "Ah! It's Miss Amiya!" Her gaze then fell on Noah, sparkling with curiosity, "Who is..."

"My...companion." Amiya's voice paused subtly, and Noah could feel her arm around him tighten slightly.

"Welcome to Lateran!" The blue-haired Sakota waved enthusiastically. "We're discussing an interesting theological question. Would you like to join us?"

"So in Rutland, the compatibility of strawberry jam and muffins is also considered a theological issue?" Noah couldn't help but complain.

Red-haired Liberi sighed exaggeratedly. "Here we go again..." She turned to Noah with a look of sympathy. "You're from out of town, right? I bet you don't understand what they're talking about either."

Noah smiled and shook his head: "I really don't understand."

"See!" Liberi said, as if she had found a kindred spirit. "They're always like this. They start communicating through empathy, and then I can't keep up at all." She pointed at the white-haired Sakota. "Only Andorn would remember to take care of me, a person with 'empathy disorder.'"

The white-haired man called Andon nodded slightly, his eyes lingering between Noah and Amiya for a moment, as if he noticed something, but he said nothing, just pushed another plate of snacks to the center of the table.

"So," the pink-haired Sakota asked excitedly, "do you think the essence of 'atonement' is collective or individual?"

The blue-haired man immediately chimed in, "Of course it's collective! Otherwise, why is it called 'The Day of Atonement' instead of 'The Hour of Atonement'?"

Red-haired Liberi held his head in pain: "It's started again..."

Watching this scene, Noa suddenly realized how vividly the "empathy" Amiya had described was on display within this group—the two Sakotas were able to engage in in-depth discussions without any obstacles, while Liberi was excluded and had to rely on the silent Sakota as a bridge. This reminded her of Idida's words: empathy isn't about making us the same, but about understanding our differences.

Amiya seemed to notice her thoughts and gently squeezed her hand. Noya came back to her senses and found that four pairs of eyes were looking at her curiously - it turned out that the pink-haired Sakota had thrown the question to her.

"Sorry, I got distracted." Noah said apologetically, "Can you say it again?"

"We're asking," the blue-haired Sarkota repeated patiently, "Do you think Lateran's name, 'The Promised Land,' is due to our empathic abilities or our legal system?"

"..." Noya opened her mouth, wondering why the question posed to her was so pointed. She hesitated for a long time and could only respond unsurely. "I think it's because Lateran allows us to be different but harmonious, right?"

Chapter 64: A Girl’s Little Thoughts

"Ah, sorry, we haven't introduced ourselves properly yet." The pink-haired Sakota suddenly clapped her hands, the halo on her head swaying gently with her movements, and introduced herself to Noah. "My name is Lemiaoan."

Lemiaoan?

Noah then realized that the name seemed familiar. Back in Longmen, the real name of the Angel of Exiah working next door to him at Penguin Logistics was Remuel.

Perhaps noticing Noah's hesitation, Lemiaoan smiled and added, "Yes, that's what you think. Lemiao is my sister, but don't we look a little different? After all, we are not related by blood - I was adopted."

"It's such a small world." Noah sighed softly, her eyes unconsciously sweeping over Remnant's face. As she said, she and Remnant looked quite different, and Remnant's temperament was more stable, with a look of worldly wisdom in her eyes.

The blue-haired Sakota twirled the fork in her hand gracefully. "Mastema," she said briefly, "is also a member of the Executioner Squad."

The red-haired Liberi sighed heavily and pushed the drink in front of him a little further away. "Fiammetta," her voice was filled with fatigue. "The only [Empathic Disorder] in this team." She emphasized the last few words, her eyes drifting to the silent white-haired Sakota.

"It's your turn, Andorn. As our captain, you should be the first to introduce yourself."