[Chronos principal 99N invested.]
[The grid of the ‘Proportional Planning’ ability has been permanently expanded to ten slots.]
Hong Hao Cheng silently sensed the message within his mind.
It was an incredibly miraculous ability—just a single upgrade of the so-called –grid– allowed him to reduce the consumption of trajectory-drawing threads by an entire zero when tracing the life paths of other beings.
[I can now draw the life-breath trajectory at a ratio of 1000:1.]
–A thousand-to-one ratio for drawing… Although I still have plenty of transformed trajectory-drawing threads, I can’t afford to waste them.–
Zhang Miao wanted to urge him on, but he didn’t quite dare. The man before him had clearly lost his bonded Enightmare, yet he still possessed an uncanny power. This filled Zhang Miao with indescribable shock, as if the long-held certainties about the Red Moxel had become useless guidelines when applied to Hong Hao Cheng.
Hong Hao Cheng thought of the graceful figure nestling against his chest, and a pang of anguish gripped his heart. Such a lonely soul had ultimately chosen him.
–This vast amount of trajectory-drawing threads is my bad wife’s dowry. I have to use them sparingly.–
He wanted to preserve every thread of Xu Fei’s trajectory, just in case it might serve some unexpected purpose one day.
Hong Hao Cheng sensed the so-called –Chronos– within him.
He had already realized it was something good—it seemed to be obtained by killing, a sort of substance that could offset one’s lifespan.
–There are still over a thousand years left. To unlock the third ‘position,’ it requires nine hundred and ninety-nine years?-
He turned his head to look at Zhang Miao, his gaze burning.
–Where can I get Chronos?-
Faced with the sudden question, Zhang Miao was startled and quickly replied, –In the interlaced space, you can obtain it from beasts, mutated creatures, and Enightmare.-
Hong Haocheng nodded. Without any further hesitation, the over a thousand years within this ring instantly decreased by ninety percent.
[Chronos principal 999N has been invested.]
[The ‘proportional planning’ ability’s rank has been permanently expanded to the hundredth level.]
[I can now draw life-breath trajectories at a 100:1 ratio.]
[I will draw the target’s life-breath trajectory at 100:1! I, I… is it us?]
–I am us!-
Hong Haocheng’s hand began drawing again. The arm movements, previously obstructed by immense resistance, became a bit faster, but still at the speed of a three-year-old. At a 100:1 ratio, a distance of forty-three kilometers requires a drawn trajectory line of four thousand three hundred kilometers.
But this was already within his tolerance.
His hand quickly sketched a small part of –the city’s outline- and –the traces of blue waves-—the terrain recorded by the sight of the Enightmare plane. A parabolic dashed line extended from the city center to the explosion landing point, then took off forward, stretching to the water outside the city.
Only 43.3cm in total.
It represents the entire journey of this Enightmare aircraft—from the moment it gained sentience to the end of its life. One could draw it smaller or larger, but on this cabin wall, only at this distance does it look most harmonious.
[I am about to separate my cognition of –us.-]
As the last bit of distance closed, the instant the dashed line was illuminated by an invisible energy, Hong Haocheng felt a daze—a glint of light flashed from the Moxel on his chest.
The phantom that had been oscillating left and right inside the cabin suddenly contracted, becoming a finger-sized aircraft phantom that slid over.
Two pairs of eyes watched the paper-folded-airplane-like phantom descend from the cabin ceiling. As the floating light spot on Hong Haocheng’s chest made contact with it, the tiny aircraft phantom fell toward that 43.3cm map.
Hong Haocheng flicked his finger, vibrating the cabin wall in front of him.
–From now on, I will walk the path you walked, day after day, year after year.-
With a crisp thud, the map burst open into a misty spiritual illusion.
Zhang Miao looked around in shock—the surrounding space seemed to manifest a real, hazy city! An aircraft phantom appeared in the clouds, flew toward the edge of the city, paused briefly, then headed to a distant water surface, cycling endlessly.
–Brother Hong, this… what is this?-
Hong Haocheng turned his head; the vitality in his eyes had faded considerably, making him look very tired.
–A record.-
–A record?-
Hao Cheng Hong also knew this was no place to linger. He started rummaging for things he could take, especially the marriage certificate that had slid into a corner during the plane’s violent jolts.
–Because I drew them, their souls will fall more slowly.-
……
A dozen li away from the hemisphere that loomed on the horizon.
In a gloomy mountain region bristling with grotesque rocks.
On the tallest rock, a bizarre figure in what resembled a straw cape stood silently, gazing down upon the land.
Before long, the stable ground showed a shifting green afterimage; a moment later, it steadied, and that flash of green vanished.
The crags stood still as a gray wind swept by. The highest rock was now empty.
……
Zoro returned to the Document Section. It was his ninth visit this month, yet he had found nothing about the ancient bookshelf mentioned in the secret manual.
Zoro sat at a plain desk beside a bookshelf, opened a book, and began to read.
Sitting there, the bookshelf before him felt like a solid high wall. He couldn’t help glancing around. These tall shelves were many, but not truly boundless — one could count them in an afternoon.
–No trace after days of searching. I’ll just go through them one by one.-
Now, Zoro resolved to start methodically with the shelf right in front of him. The book in his hand, for instance, was detailed data on a certain numbered map region.
Light footsteps approached. A man in his thirties, of medium build with round glasses, stopped before Zoro.
–Hello. I’ve noticed you seem to be searching for something these days, but you haven’t found it yet—am I right?-
Zorro looked up at the man, who had a faint smile, an oval face, hair combed back, and wore a black velvet long coat.
–And you are, sir?-
–I used to be Han Mingxiao of the Data Recording Group. I entered this place a long time ago—almost ten years now. Hmm, currently I’m on leave in the Literature Department. This is my accumulated five years of vacation; I have a full six months to wander around.-
–Ten years.- Zorro’s heart stirred slightly, then he smiled. –But taking a vacation in the Literature Department—that’s really…-
The other man pulled a book from the shelf.
–The region recorded in your hands hasn’t been tagged as already catalogued, but it will probably never appear. Skip these,- he said, casually swiping a finger across a row of books, then handed the one from his other hand to Zorro. –Start reading from this document.-
Zorro took it and flipped through it. The document he was given recorded a geographical area containing a large amount of architectural data.
–If I remember correctly, you are Yang Zicang’s assistant, right?- Han Mingxiao continued.
–Yes, I am.-
Han Mingxiao smiled. –You might not know this yet, but your employer also entered the Lost Illusion Company some time ago. However, he doesn’t seem to plan to come to the Literature Department. So I have a favor to ask of you—please pass this on to him.-
Han Mingxiao took off a pendant from his neck, on which hung a small black wood knot.
Yang Zicang had also entered the Lost Illusion Company?
Zorro’s mind raced.
–What is this?- Zoro looked at the man before him hesitantly. –Why don’t you go find him yourself?-
–Because I have something to study during this leave. I can’t leave here for at least six months, and by then he’ll probably have resigned.-
–Resigned!-
–Yeah, that’s what he thought on his first day on the job.-
Zoro took the pendant and glanced at it. –I don’t know what this is. As his assistant, I can’t bring him an unknown object.-
–Pretty cautious, huh.-
Han Xiaoming smiled. –This is a dream synchronization device. I have another one. Just give this to him and say that.-
[Han Mingxiao wants to gift me 100N Virtual Zero Chronos.]
Zoro handed the pendant back to him, shaking his head.
–I’ll tell him about this after I meet Yang Zicang, and then he can decide whether to come see you. These Virtual Zero Chronos aren’t easy to come by, sir. You’d better keep them for yourself.-
–Alright.- The man with slicked-back hair straightened his back, let out a breath, tucked the pendant back into his inner pocket, then raised a finger to point into the distance with a light smile. –After you tell him, feel free to come see me more often these six months. I’ll be in that room.-
Zoro looked over there. Behind the distant doors was the researchers’ gathering area. Though they didn’t exclude ordinary employees, everyone tacitly avoided bothering them.
–Thank you for your generosity, Mr. Han. Sorry I couldn’t help you.-
–It’s better if he comes in person.- Han Mingxiao nodded and left.
Zolo watched him leave. His figure strode between the towering, imposing bookshelves, as if walking beneath the fissures of a vanished world.
……
–Without going to the document room, there’s no way to get the Dark Gold intel. But if I go, I can’t resign anymore. Hoo~-
Yang Zicang leaned back in his swivel office chair, exhaling a turbid breath in frustration.
–This is a total deadlock.-
A square-faced man in his fifties opened his eyes from the adjacent workstation of dark jujube wood. His gaze was briefly unfocused before snapping back. He turned his head to look at Yang Zicang, just in time to see the newly arrived young man lying back helplessly, staring at the ceiling.
–Xiao Zang.- He stood up and walked over, glancing at the glow tube on Yang Zicang’s desk, which was flickering erratically. –What, failed to grab the frequency-loss band again?-
–I’m such a failure.- Yang Zicang sat up straight and said sincerely to the man:
–Uncle Wei, how long did it usually take you guys to successfully capture those frequency-loss bands from the chaotic torrent?-
The imposing man pondered for a moment, then glanced toward the back of the elegant office, where another middle-aged man sat relaxed in his seat, eyes closed and lids faintly twitching.
–When Old Xing and I first arrived, our mental strength wasn’t even at the second ring. I remember the first time I successfully captured a frequency-loss scene band usable for ‘interlaced space’ projection was when I was at second ring, second tier. Hmm… it happened almost two months after we started work.-
–Two months.-
That sounds like three or four times the time I’ve spent so far—but that was for the Second Ring, Second Stage.
And I’m already at the Second Ring, Eighth Stage.
–Don’t lose heart.- The man patted Yang Zicang on the shoulder. –Your spiritual power is very resilient. You have complete experience from the Youhui World, and your spiritual energy is also remarkably strong. You’re like a sports car with abundant power—all you’re lacking now is driving experience.-
–Thank you, Uncle Wei. Sigh, I need to train faster.-
As he said this, Yang Zicang was about to continue. But the man beside him reached out and blocked Yang Zicang’s hand as it was about to touch the glow tube.
–Blindly exerting yourself is not a good idea. How about I take you somewhere? Your spiritual rank is already high enough to try it out.-
–Where?-
–The Mental Realm Training Ground. If you’re lucky, you can imprint a beginner-friendly spiritual energy circulation pattern there, which will make your control over your own spiritual power much steadier.-
Leave a Reply