Hidden Sea Test Site.
"This is the Order of the Deep's test site for researching public Echoes. It is isolated from the land and hidden deep beneath the sea."
With Phrolova's introduction in his ear, Noah walked through the deep blue, tranquil seabed, as if entering a space isolated from the world.
Unlike other maps, the Hidden Sea Test Site was composed of multiple test sites surrounding each other, connected by pipes.
"The top floor of the central Surging Light Tower will be used to birth the Shore of Lost Demise. It will be an eternal, never withering spacetime — a world without disaster."
It's just a Sonoro Sphere space. Noah inwardly complained, then asked:
"Since this is the Order's test site, why haven't I seen any people from the Order?"
I knew you would ask that. Phrolova had already prepared a complete script:
"This test site suddenly gained a power that blinds the mind. The person in charge of the test site was forced to withdraw the priests stationed here and hired me to resolve this strange power. I agreed with him on a one-month deadline."
Upon hearing this, Noah's expression became somewhat strained.
At first listen, it was undoubtedly a very reasonable explanation. If he hadn't played Wuthering Waves, he would have believed it.
What mind-blinding power? It was clearly the passive ability of the Threnodian gem, which pollutes the minds of people nearby.
Phrolova had directed and acted the whole thing herself with the Order, successfully obtaining one month of usage rights for the Hidden Sea Test Site.
In the original plot, after Phrolova exhausted all her efforts to construct the Shore of Lost Demise, Fenrico backstabbed her on the spot, trying to seize the Threnodian gem and beating the weakened Phrolova until she was gravely injured and on the verge of death.
In order to reclaim the gem and the Shore of Lost Demise, Phrolova had no choice but to briefly cooperate with Rover.
Now that Fenrico was long dead, and with Phrolova's early "preparations," this main quest should have no interference from any Order of the Deep forces.
After reviewing the original plot once more, Noah decided to cooperate with Phrolova's performance:
"Then you're quite lucky to get such a large, undisturbed area to bring down the other shore."
"Compared to that, I'm even luckier to receive your help."
The two continued forward. Because there was no obstruction from Fenrico like in the plot, they arrived at the top floor of the Surging Light Tower exceptionally smoothly and quickly.
Unlike the dark and profound atmosphere in the original plot's map, this place was now filled with pure white flowers. If Noah didn't look carefully, he wouldn't be able to recognize that they were actually Red Spider Lilies.
One could only say that Phrolova had put in tremendous effort to disguise her identity in front of Noah.
"What do we do next?"
"Mm... everyone in the other shore has fallen into deep sleep because too much time has passed. Later, I will open a passage to the other shore. After you go in, please do not make any noise."
At this moment, Phrolova was extremely nervous, as if walking on a thousand-meter tightrope. Although she had made sufficiently thorough preparations beforehand, she was still afraid that Noah would notice any issues.
"So that's how it is..."
To prevent me from discovering your true identity, you even used Modulation to put all your relatives to sleep, huh, Phrolova, you cunning fellow.
Noah saw through it but said nothing. He nodded at Phrolova.
As long as the identity of "Selene" didn't get exposed, he didn't mind fulfilling the promise he had once made to "Selene" and helping Phrolova fulfill one of her obsessions.
Looking at Phrolova again, she didn't dare use her conductor's baton in front of Noah and could only laboriously use the remaining power in her body to modulate the entire other shore and open a passage.
As she used her Resonance ability, her expression suddenly changed and her heart tightened.
In just this short time she had been away, the Threnodian gem she had stored deep in the other shore had become restless again.
It was unwilling to be sealed in the other shore forever and kept distorting the frequencies of the other shore.
No, she had to suppress it first before letting Noah in, otherwise he would definitely notice the problem.
Phrolova furrowed her brows and forcibly overloaded the Resonance power in her body, quickly smoothing out the distortion caused by the Threnodian gem.
Her already bloodless, pale face became even whiter.
"It's done. We can en——"
Her body swayed, like a puppet that had lost its balance. Her originally powerless hand hanging by her side slowly rose, trying to grab something, but grasped nothing.
Her head began to spin. The scenery before her blurred rapidly. Her knees went soft, and Phrolova fell backward.
"Selene? Hey, Selene?"
Looking at Phrolova who had fainted in his arms, Noah couldn't help but be stunned.
He knew Phrolova had exhausted herself to bring the other shore into this world, but he didn't expect her to be this weak.
In her sleeping face, Phrolova finally stopped hiding her exhaustion. The deep-sea light shone on her face, and her long eyelashes left two shadows on her cheeks.
"Forget it. Before stabbing you, let me let you have a nice dream first."
Noah shook his head, picked Phrolova up horizontally, and walked straight into the Shore of Lost Demise.
The Shore of Lost Demise was still the same as the one in the game.
Countless lavender fields spread across rolling hills, blooming into a dreamy sea of purple flowers. A few small Western-style houses were scattered about, and at the end of the view was a hazy, beautiful starry sky.
This was a world Phrolova dreamed of — one that would never wither and had no disasters. Even the air carried the sweet fragrance of flowers.
Here, her relatives were either leaning against big trees, lying on their backs among the lavender, or resting their heads on wooden tables. Their sleeping faces were incredibly peaceful.
After setting Phrolova down, Noah released his perception. Sure enough, all the relatives were segments of incomplete frequencies, but he couldn't sense the fluctuations of the Threnodian gem.
Of course. Since Phrolova dared to invite him here, she had definitely made thorough preparations to hide the Threnodian gem.
"I guess you hid the gem at home."
Even if you beat Phrolova to death, she wouldn't guess that Noah knew the location of her home in the other shore. With this thought, Noah headed straight for her house.
To his disappointment, the simple small house only had some miscellaneous items and two chairs. There was no corner where a Threnodian gem could be hidden.
On a wooden table was a notebook filled with deep emotions. He casually flipped it open:
[1. Prayed for gods to descend and redeem everything — Failed.]
[2. Sought experiments for rebirth and longevity — Failed.]
[3. Searched for life in Waveworn Phenomena — Failed.]
[...189. Failed...]
The following handwriting was a series of blood-red words. Every page of the notebook was filled with capitalized "Failed," recording the owner's helplessness and unwillingness.
[Why... another failure!]
Putting down the notebook, Noah remained silent for a moment and let out a low sigh:
"This time, you will not fail again."
He opened the panel, selected the permanent banner, and the 35 Lustrous Tides in the top right corner shone with tempting luster.
All in——
[Successful summon — Encore (three-chain)!]
...
Time passed minute by minute.
The faint smell of ink and paper entered Phrolova's nose. She groggily opened her eyes, her mind still hazy. Then, after clearly seeing everything before her, she suddenly came back to her senses.
Over two hundred people were neatly arranged in a square formation. In front of the formation, Noah was rapidly sketching with his pen.
"Noah..."
"Shh."
After finishing the last stroke, Noah placed a finger on his lips in a silencing gesture and beckoned to Phrolova.
Phrolova obediently walked over to the painting. Looking at this group portrait of two hundred people, the next second Noah grabbed her hand and pulled her into the painting without explanation.
After a dizzying spin, the two arrived inside the world of the painting. The originally static figures had all become real, and everyone's chests were rising and falling rhythmically.
Grandma Leah, Triss, Grandpa Eskeles... she recognized every single face here.
"I have already created their bodies. They are stored in the painting space for now. Once I restore their incomplete frequencies, I will fuse the bodies with the frequencies, and they will come back to life."
Listening to Noah's casual words, Phrolova felt her brain buzz as if a thunderbolt had exploded in her heart.
"This... this simple?"
"Yes, this simple."
Receiving confirmation, Phrolova's eyes widened instantly. Her body trembled violently, and her eyes were filled with intertwined disbelief and ecstatic joy.
Reviving her relatives — this was an obsession deeply rooted in the depths of her soul ever since the moment her family passed away.
For countless days and nights, she had suffered in pain and tried countless times, only to be crushed by cruel reality again and again.
Even with the vast and complex resources and power of the Fractsidus, and the mysterious and profound foundation of Black Shores, they had failed to take a successful step in this heaven-defying matter.
Reviving the dead was easier said than done. Yet the man before her had done it, and done it far more perfectly than she had ever imagined.
"I..."
Phrolova's lips trembled slightly, but her voice was blocked by emotions surging like a raging tide. Her throat felt as if gripped tightly by an invisible hand, making it hard to breathe.
A hot yet aching warmth surged into her heart. The pain she had forcibly suppressed deep in her heart for hundreds of years, the grievances born from powerlessness, and the long-standing confusion while groping in the darkness...
All the bitterness she had experienced in the past now burst forth like a flood breaking through a dam, turning into unstoppable tears that poured from her eyes.
"Sorry, I'll step out for a moment."
Wiping away her tears, Phrolova held back her sobs, covered her face, and fled the painting space and the Shore of Lost Demise.
She finally cried out loud, then laughed, laughed loudly. Her entire soul seemed to have unloaded a heavy burden, been liberated, and become lighter than ever before.
A communication tone suddenly rang. She took out her terminal, glanced at the name, hesitated for a moment, but still answered.
"Phrolova, it's me, Grand Architect..."
Before the Grand Architect of the Fractsidus could finish speaking, Phrolova interrupted:
"Grand Architect."
"Please don't contact me anymore in the future."
"I'm afraid Noah will misunderstand."
After hanging up the communication, Phrolova composed herself and returned to the Shore of Lost Demise to see Noah. The sorrowful look on her face was gone.
"You're back?" Noah glanced at Phrolova and pointed at the painting as he explained:
"I calculated it. My Resonance power can probably restore the frequencies of about three hundred people per day. In total, it will take five days for all your relatives to be revived."
"Thank you for your hard work." Phrolova smiled brightly, extremely attentive:
"Are you hungry? What do you want to eat? I'll cook for you."
Noah's eyelid twitched.
Wait, I kindly help you revive your family, and you want to repay kindness with enmity?
He opened his mouth and started listing dishes, hoping to make Phrolova back down:
"Pizza Tropicale, Secret Panini, Troupe Inferno, Margherita Steak, Riccioli Salt-Baked Fish, Green Branch Laurel Salad..."
Phrolova nodded while listening, her smile unchanged:
"All of them..."
"You can make all of them?" Noah was shocked.
"I don't know how to make any of them!"