Chapter 689: The Overlooked Connection?

In the picturesque Wind Harbor, a soft, almost ethereal glow radiated from the sea, casting a surreal light over the city-state under a star-filled night sky. This mysterious illumination appeared to carry silent messages across the vast ocean, decipherable only by a unique doll.

Duncan, despite his vast experience, struggled to grasp this concept.

He pondered, "How does the world appear through the eyes of this doll? How does her perception differ from ours? Does she see the sky as blue, the leaves as bright green? What are her impressions of humans and the ocean's waves?"

Even if she could articulate her perceptions—describing the colors, sounds, and shapes—would her descriptions align with what people typically perceive?

It was a continuous enigma, a paradox looping endlessly.

Alice turned her head, her large, expressive eyes illuminated by the gas lamp, and looked at Duncan. Her face expressed confusion and concern. After a thoughtful pause, she whispered, "Captain, the things I perceive... they hold value, don't they?"

Duncan's racing thoughts began to calm. He recalled Alice's earlier comment: some complex, unresolved questions are sometimes best left unexplored.

With this realization, he smiled gently, "Absolutely, they are invaluable. Besides those mysterious messages, what else have you noticed? Especially after the sunset, what differences have you 'seen'?"

Alice, understanding Duncan's intent, furrowed her brow in concentration. She glanced around, then hesitantly said, "Well, if I must describe it, it's like a subtle buzzing sound..."

Duncan raised an eyebrow, "Buzzing?"

"Yes, a very soft buzzing. It's hardly even a 'sound'. More like a continuous vibration that resonates within my mind. It's easily overlooked unless you're really paying attention," Alice explained, using her hands for emphasis, then pointed out the window, "The sound becomes more pronounced when I observe those 'sunbeams'..."

Duncan nodded thoughtfully, then after a moment, asked, "Did you experience this buzzing the last time the sun vanished? Did you see those cryptic messages about the 'Observer Effect Stability Anchor'?"

"No," Alice shook her head, resting her chin on her hand, "I only started to 'see' and hear these phenomena after we arrived in Wind Harbor..."

As Duncan listened, he sank into deep thought—

Lucretia had just reported something significant: moments ago, another set of observation equipment in Wind Harbor detected a faint signal from the now-extinguished sun. The characteristics of this signal matched those previously emitted by the enigmatic "Luminous Geometric Object". This meant that during the recent blackout, Vision 001 was transmitting a distress signal concerning a malfunction in the "Observer Effect Stability Anchor". However, Alice had earlier claimed that she did not "see" these specific details during the last solar extinction event but only picked up on the malfunction information from the "sunlight" in Wind Harbor. This discrepancy raised a crucial question: Why?

Could it be that the malfunction during the previous solar extinction wasn't severe enough for Vision 001 to report it? If so, then the current situation might be far more critical than anyone had anticipated. It could suggest that the entire system has significantly degraded, and alarmingly quickly.

A heavy silence fell over the living room. Lucretia, Morris, and others gathered, listening intently to the conversation between Duncan and Alice. Their worried expressions followed Duncan's every reaction. After some time, Nina, unable to contain her curiosity, asked, "Uncle Duncan, can you explain what the 'Observer Effect Stability Anchor' actually is?"

Duncan opened his mouth to respond but hesitated.

In this world, explaining the concepts of planets and the universe was already a formidable challenge. How could he then delve into the even more complex and abstract notion of the "Observer Effect"? How could he explain the baffling phenomena that bridge the vast gap between the macroscopic and microscopic realms?

And, more importantly, was his understanding of the observer theory even applicable in this context?

"I have some theories, but they significantly differ from the traditional 'Observer Theory' I know. It's meant to focus on the microscopic world, not..."

He paused, uncertain.

If Vision 001 truly is another term for the "Observer Effect Stability Anchor," could this reveal the real capabilities of this ancient anomaly to "suppress pollution" and "stabilize order"?

His mind drifted to the enigmatic Great Annihilation, the fundamental elemental conflicts at existence's core, and the numerous supernatural events worldwide triggered by cognitive pollution. If the microscopic realm really serves as the "foundation of order" for every universe, what happens when these foundations collide and destroy each other, merging into a complex, chaotic "informational soup"? Could the Observer Effect still be confined to the microscopic level?

In that cataclysmic instant, when the mathematical laws of various universes are torn apart, when the material structures of all entities are annihilated and reduced to mere informational elements, the distinctions between "microscopic" and "macroscopic" might lose all significance!

Caught up in these thoughts, Duncan muttered, almost to himself, "...Could the rampant emergence of fundamental information pollution and law conflicts be an uncontrolled Observer Effect operating on a macroscopic level?"

Morris and Lucretia exchanged a quick, puzzled look. After a brief pause of mutual confusion, they both turned their heads, echoing, "...Huh?"

Realizing their confusion, Duncan quickly waved his hand, "I'll try to explain the Observer Effect and some of my theories about it later; it's a complex topic that requires a lot of time and patience to grasp," he explained. "But right now, there's another, more urgent issue I want to explore."

Curiosity sparked in Lucretia, who immediately asked, "Another issue?!"

Duncan nodded, his attention turning to the Gothic doll standing next to him. Alice seemed mostly unaware of the depth of the ongoing discussion.

"Have you ever wondered why Alice can perceive and interpret these 'signals'?" Duncan thoughtfully asked.

Shirley, finally grasping something she fully understood, exclaimed, "Oh right! She can 'see' them, which is unique since she's the only one who can see those 'lines'. But the real mystery is, how does she understand them? There are countless experts and scholars in various city-states who are completely puzzled by this vision!"

Observing Duncan's serious and thoughtful expression, Vanna asked eagerly, "Do you think you might have an answer?"

Duncan slowly nodded, pausing to collect his thoughts, then referred back to the information from the "Book of Blasphemy": "Remember, after two failed attempts at world creation, it was the 'King of Darkness' who finally succeeded during the third Long Night, bringing about the Deep Sea Era."

Vanna quickly confirmed, "Yes, we know that story."

Duncan continued, his voice serious, "It was also during this era that Vision 001 was constructed. The King of Darkness, whom we know as the 'Nether Lord', worked with the Cretan clan to design and build the 'sun'. Now, think about how Alice came to be."

Shirley's eyes widened in realization, "I remember! Alice was created by a clone of the Nether Lord deep under the sea!"

As everyone pieced the puzzle together, their focus converged on Alice.

Alice, who had been somewhat lost in the technical details of the conversation, finally caught up. Realizing she had understood correctly, she couldn't help but feel a mix of pride and joy, her expression glowing with these emotions.

Duncan, observing Alice's reaction, shifted his tone, "We've always known that Alice is, in a sense, a 'creation of the Nether Lord'. However, we've often emphasized her connection with the Frost Queen, Ray Nora, and overlooked her link with the Nether Lord. This oversight might be crucial to understanding her unique abilities." He recalled an incident in the mansion's garden when he inadvertently made a connection with the Nether Lord, "It seems this connection may be more significant than we initially thought. One thing now seems clear: Alice has the innate ability to understand the 'system language' used by the Nether Lord in the 'World's Creation Blueprint'..."

Nina thought for a moment, searching for a way to understand the situation. "Is it like how a punch card analyzer can read the paper tape output from a differential machine?"

Duncan nodded slightly, "That's one way to understand it, yes."

Alice, who had been quietly observing Duncan and the others, seemed to have a question on her mind. But before she could speak, she furrowed her brow, as if sensing something unusual. After a brief pause, she announced with unexpected certainty, "The system has restarted."

At Alice's declaration, Duncan looked up sharply. Almost simultaneously with her words, a deep, otherworldly rumble resonated in everyone's mind, a sound that seemed to come from the very fabric of their reality.

As this profound vibration filled the surroundings, Duncan saw the first streaks of dawn light piercing the sky outside the window. The sun, which had previously set into the sea and seemingly vanished, was now reigniting, casting a newfound brilliance.

Shirley was the quickest to react, rushing to the window to observe the scene on the street. She saw the first rays of dawn light spilling over rooftops, and noticed a group of truth guardians at the street corner, their faces turned upwards in awe at the sky.

Residents, who had been sheltering in their homes, curious and cautious, began to open their windows, drawn by the commotion. They looked out to witness the remarkable event unfolding outside.

Caught up in the excitement, Shirley waved enthusiastically through the window at a neighbor who had appeared at their window nearby. However, her gesture went unnoticed; everyone's attention was fixed on the sky, captivated by the miraculous return of the dawn light.

Gradually, distant cheers began to filter through the air, and soon after, a loudspeaker broadcast from the street corner echoed the news of the sun's reignition and cautioned the residents to remain indoors for the time being. The night was still upon them, and the curfew would remain in effect until the sun rose normally the following day.

Duncan, listening to the distant broadcast and watching the dawn light slowly recede from the sky, let out a soft, reflective sigh.

The simple act of the sun rising as usual had now become a moment of profound uncertainty, a poignant reminder of the fragility of their current existence.