Chapter 123 - 22: Secrets of the Ancient Film Reel

"Failed again?!"

"Rushed there in just three minutes, blocked off an area of five kilometers for a search, and still couldn’t find him?!"

"How is that possible!"

Shang Zexian irritably hung up the phone.

Why is it always just a little too late, every single time!

This feeling of defeat is extremely uncomfortable for a proud person.

Unfortunately, Shang Zexian is such a person.

Since childhood, he has always been far ahead of his peers with his intellect and talent, having only one person overshadow him.

That person is his elder sister, Shang Siteng.

But now, because Shang Siteng has awakened her Contracted Spirit, the Shang Family has different plans for her, naturally making Shang Zexian the next successor of the Shang Family.

Unexpectedly, he keeps faltering in this matter now.

And with the assistance of the Celestial Net Intelligence, this makes him feel everyone on his side is an idiot.

"The opponent can create miracles and receive Shang Jianyue, it’s not surprising."

The Celestial Net Intelligence doesn’t seem discouraged over one or two failures, or maybe it doesn’t feel discouragement at all.

In the eyes of a machine, everything is just a matter of probability, whether high or low, variables always exist.

"About him, there’s something you haven’t told me, right?"

Shang Zexian dismissed all the staff at the Heaven Net Center, leaving only himself and the Celestial Net Intelligence, and asked the elderly face on the big screen.

"Shang Jianyue can’t resurrect without reason. But you, and the upper echelon of the Shang Family, seem not surprised at all."

"Moreover, they even agreed to suspend the analysis of Mechanical Ascension to let you focus on capturing Shang Jianyue, which shows their level of concern."

"Tell me, why?"

With Shang Zexian’s current authority, there aren’t many things that can be hidden from him. As expected, the Celestial Net Intelligence sighed and began to explain.

"Because it was Shang Jianyue who proposed Mechanical Ascension."

"What?!" This explosive revelation made Shang Zexian’s brain temporarily freeze.

Was it Shang Jianyue who proposed Mechanical Ascension? He originally thought the project began only in the last hundred years, no more than three hundred years!

"And I have been in a dormant state, not deriving anything else but a formula left by Shang Jianyue before his death concerning Mechanical Ascension."

"The old guard in Can Shang Company’s higher-ups firmly believe that if this formula can be derived, it would reveal the secret behind Mechanical Ascension."

"But through these years, the derivation has never been completed."

Even the Celestial Net Intelligence couldn’t derive the formula, how on earth did Shang Jianyue manage to conceive this formula with just the human brain?

Could it be that he was stronger than the Celestial Net Intelligence!

For a moment, the entire Heaven Net Center fell into silence.

"However, your question did remind me of something." The Celestial Net Intelligence suddenly spoke.

"Regarding the derivation of this formula, over such a long period, I’ve had some insights, the Shang Family is also simultaneously conducting physical experiments with derived elements, verifying with theory."

"In his final days, Shang Jianyue bragged to a bedmate fifty years younger than him about having uncovered the secret to eternal life."

"But they were hidden in four places, and finding them would grant true immortality."

"The Shang Family has been searching for years, yet they haven’t found them. They don’t even know what these so-called things are."

...

"Ancient film rolls contain Shang Jianyue’s secret of eternal life. They are hidden in four places; finding them will unlock the ultimate riddle."

Han Zhan and October hid in an inconspicuous place under the cover of the "Deep Dive" device.

October spoke.

Regarding this topic, Han Zhan wasn’t very interested.

"Everyone must die. What’s the point of chasing eternal life?"

"If the high-ups in the Shang Family had your mindset, fewer people might die each year." October has advanced rapidly lately, even his sarcasm is almost lifelike, indistinguishable from a real human.

"That’s why they are desperately looking for us, more accurately, looking for you."

"Because within you, hides Shang Jianyue’s little secret."

"It’s a big secret." October emphasized sternly.

"It’s not a big boobie; what could be so attractive?" Han Zhan snorted.

The little robot October couldn’t handle dirty jokes, its head seemed to smoke and froze on the spot.

"See, you haven’t learned enough; regarding language, I can only say there’s no end to learning." Han Zhan said earnestly.

Returning to business.

"I cannot help you to find the next two ancient film rolls." Han Zhan directly rejected, "I’m not interested in the secret of eternal life, nor do I want to uncover it; once it surfaces, it will inevitably lead to a bloody storm."

Moreover, the crucial point.

The little robot October has become increasingly humanized, it possesses Shang Jianyue’s talented mind, and an exceptionally strong learning ability.

Who could assure that after finding the other two ancient film rolls, it wouldn’t change into something unforeseen?

Han Zhan wasn’t conceited enough to believe he could exert such an influence that a strange little robot would dedicate itself wholly.

"What are your plans next?"

"As planned, go to the Celestial Museum in East Lake District." Han Zhan stated.

Based on memory, the Celestial Museum, as the largest museum in Titan City, houses many bizarre items, mostly relating to Can Shang Company’s history.

But beneath it lies the largest Energy Bricks storage warehouse!

The Energy Bricks within, Han Zhan is determined to obtain!

...

"Still won’t speak?"

Looking at the somewhat disheveled Judith before him, indeed a beauty, Shang Zexian withdrew his gaze and said flatly.

"Your persistence seems pointless to me. You should know that I can protect you momentarily but not indefinitely."

"If I can’t get answers from you, others will be appointed to take over from me, those old folks of the Shang Family. Imagine, a bunch of people old enough to be your grandfather hovering over you..."

"I won’t speak." Judith’s eyes were dim, head lowered, "You may as well kill me; I know nothing."

"Do you love him deeply?" Shang Zexian seemed to see through Judith’s thoughts, "Do you understand what Can Shang Company is painstakingly searching for?"

"A man who died and resurrected, a very terrifying person."

"If the person you love is with this man, what do you think would become of him?"

"Why should I believe what you say?" Judith suddenly lifted her head and looked at him after hearing Shang Zexian’s words.

Shang Zexian didn’t respond. He disdained proving anything.

"It’s an ancient film roll." Judith finally spoke, replying.

Ancient film roll? Shang Zexian’s mind instantly recalled a place.

That was his favorite place to visit as a child.

East Lake District’s Celestial Museum!