I was just fishing, how did I become a Great Old One?

Deep Blue · Midnight Diner.

Alice had already adjusted the pale green light back to a normal warm yellow.

But the atmosphere inside the store remained somber.

The cyborg monk was lying on two tables pushed together.

He was in very bad shape.

The left arm was severed at the root, with blue arcs of electricity shooting out from the break, like a short-circuited firework.

The reactor armor on his chest was pierced, revealing the fusion core inside, which was flickering with light.

Even more serious is his system.

[System Warning: Core temperature too high!]

[Logic circuit damaged... Buddhist teachings module offline...]

[Attempting to restart...failed.]

"Master, given your condition, why aren't you going to a 4S shop for major repairs? What are you doing at my restaurant?"

Jiang Li held a wrench (the kind used to crack walnuts) and tapped the monk's metal skull.

"donor……"

The monk's electronic eyes flashed a faint red light.

"This humble monk does not trust those...car repairmen."

"They only know how to replace parts."

"And... this humble monk has no money left."

"Only here... can I beg for alms."

Jiang Li: "..."

So they came here to dine and dash (and incidentally, to take advantage of medical insurance)?

"Alright."

Jiang Li sighed.

"It's because I'm kind-hearted."

"However, let me make this clear first."

"I'm a cook, not a car mechanic."

"For me, repairing the body is also... [cooking]."

"You, just bear with it."

……

Jiang Li turned and went into the kitchen.

"Ergou, bring out the biggest soup bucket!"

"Odin, go and fetch those mecha fragments we picked up at Shushan Heavy Industry!"

"Alice, connect to his data interface and stabilize his system!"

"yes!"

Everyone immediately got to work.

Jiang Li did not use a welding torch.

He directly set up a giant pressure cooker with a diameter of two meters.

It's not filled with water.

Instead... [Special Motor Oil] (a high-end product smuggled from Kowloon True Lord).

Several special "ingredients" were also added:

【Nano Repair Liquid】(like starch used for thickening sauce).

Liquid memory metal (like melted chocolate).

And most importantly—[gold powder] (99.99% pure, used to gild Buddha statues).

"Fire! Heat the oil!"

Jiang Li clapped his hands.

The flaming rod was stuck at the bottom of the bucket.

Gumbling--

The dark golden oil began to boil, emitting a peculiar aroma that was both industrially beautiful and metallic.

"Master, put it in the pot."

Jiang Li pointed to the scalding hot oil drum.

"This is called... [Deep-fried Arhat]".

"Or it could be called... [Recasting the Golden Body]."

The monk glanced at the bubbling oily soup, and his Adam's apple bobbed.

"Amitabha."

"If I don't go into the boiling oil, who will?"

He closed his eyes and steeled his resolve.

He jumped right in.

……

"Sizzle—!!!"

A loud explosion.

There were no screams of agony as if flesh was being torn apart.

Because monks are all made of iron.

The hot engine oil instantly enveloped his entire body, seeping into every crevice of every part.

"Alice! Inject the data stream!"

"Odin! Add the ingredients!"

Odin threw the high-strength mech fragments (and even scraps cut from the lightsaber) into the pot.

Under the influence of high temperature and nano-repair solution.

These fragments melted rapidly, turning into a silvery metallic liquid.

They seemed to be alive, actively attaching themselves to the monk's wound.

The severed left arm began to grow.

The shattered breastplate began to heal.

The gold powder was evenly coated on his body.

"Buzz—"

The monk sat cross-legged in the oil pot.

The Sanskrit mantras on his body began to glow.

As the molten metal was incorporated, his aura rose steadily.

This is more than just a repair.

This is... [Enhancement].

Jiang Li held a huge soup ladle, stirring the oily soup while sprinkling "seasoning" (rare metal powder) into it.

"Add some of this..."

Jiang Li took out a piece of [Abyss Obsidian] the size of a fingernail from his backpack.

Crush and sprinkle in.

"Increase magic resistance."

"One more of this..."

He then pulled out a bone from a thunderstorm electric eel.

Throw it in.

"Add some lightning attribute enchantment."

……

Half an hour later.

"Out of the pot!"

Jiang Li shouted loudly.

boom!

A beam of golden light shot into the sky from the oil drum.

A brand new, glittering golden figure landed steadily on the ground.

The tattered, prosthetic monk was gone.

Instead.

It was a being with a dark golden sheen flowing throughout, its left arm transformed into a thicker obsidian mechanical arm, and its body crackling with purple arcs of electricity...

【The Victorious Fighting Buddha - Mechanical Version】

"Click."

The monk stretched his new arms.

The obsidian mechanical hand clenched its fist suddenly.

The air itself seemed to burst.

"This power..."

The monk's electronic eyes shone brightly with red light.

"I feel like I could blow up a warship with one punch."

He looked at Jiang Li and clasped his hands together (making a metallic clanging sound).

"Thank you for bestowing this golden statue upon me."

"My [Physical Salvation] level... has increased."

……

The monk was cured.

Jiang Li's gaze fell on the black stone slab on the table.

【Cyber ​​Gods (Fragment)】

The stone slab looks like some kind of black jade, but its surface is covered with micron-sized circuit patterns.

It still feels slightly warm to the touch.

"Alice, can you analyze this?"

Jiang Li asked.

Alice was plugging the data cable into the port on the side of the stone slab.

In her eyes, countless green codes washed over her like a waterfall.

"Analyzing..."

Encryption level: [Heavenly Dao Level]

Firewall type: [Ancient Divine Rune]

"Brute-force attack in progress..."

"Warning! High-energy reaction detected!"

hum-

Just as Alice was trying to crack the code...

The stone slab suddenly lit up.

A holographic projection emerged from the stone slab.

That's not writing.

Instead, it's a... [video].

Or perhaps... a remnant of "original code memory".

……

in the image.

It was a sea of ​​fire.

That was no ordinary fire; it was a combination of Samadhi Fire and nuclear fusion flame.

In the middle of the sea of ​​fire.

Standing there was a boy wearing red mecha armor and riding on two jet-fire wheels.

He has three heads and six arms (real mechanical arms).

He held a long spear that was burning with flames in his hand.

He was opposite.

It was an endless array of mechanical soldiers, and a massive dragon composed of data streams...

"Nezha..."

"Your source code has been corrupted..."

"Relinquish your core privileges...and accept the Heavenly Dao's formatting..."

The boy laughed loudly, looking up at the sky.

"To hell with your divine will!"

"My fate is in my own hands, not in the hands of heaven!"

"Return the bones to the father, and the flesh to the mother!"

"Since you created this body, then we're returning it to you!"

"But my soul... this string of code..."

"Forever free!"

boom----!!!

The boy detonated his own core reactor.

The massive explosion engulfed everything.

The video abruptly ended.

Only the stone slab remained, still trembling slightly, exuding a tragic aura.

……

The entire room fell silent.

"That is..."

Er Gou opened his mouth wide.

"Nezha?!"

"The Third Prince?"

"How did you turn into a mecha boy?"

Jiang Li touched his chin, his eyes deep.

"It seems that the 'Investiture of the Gods' in this world is quite different from what we know."

"Here."

"The Investiture of the Gods... might be a [data leap].

"Or perhaps... [consciousness upload]."

"And that boy..."

Jiang Li looked at the lines of ancient code that appeared on the stone slab.

Project ID: Nezha_V3.0

[Status: Core damaged / Data fragmented / Under sealing.]

[Components: Fire-tipped Spear (missing), Wind-Fire Wheels (missing), Universe Ring (missing).]

"This stone slab is more than just a list."

"It is... [the Resurrection Disc]."

"As long as the data fragments and components are collected."

"That will allow us to... [reconstruct] that Third Prince."

……

While everyone was still in shock at the cyber truth of the ancient myths.

The "Electronic Demon Tree" in the shop.

Suddenly, they became restless.

"Sizzle sizzle—"

It was like a cat that had smelled fish.

Several tentacles suddenly stretched out, trying to touch the stone slab.

【eat……】

I want to eat...

That's... the smell of our own kind...

Jiang Li grabbed the demon tree and pressed it down.

"Don't move."

"This stuff will cause indigestion."

"similar?"

Jiang Li narrowed his eyes.

The Electronic Demon Tree is transformed from a peach pit (a peach with Cthulhu genes).

Nezha was transformed from a lotus root (which may be some kind of biological material in this world).

Is there some connection between them?

……

Just then.

"boom!"

A loud bang.

This interrupted Jiang Li's thoughts.

The door to the Deep Blue Cafeteria was kicked open (even though it wasn't locked).

A pungent smell of blood mixed with the smell of engine oil wafted in.

"Who is Jiang Li?!"

"Hand over the sacred relic!"

A group of strange people dressed in red and black robes and wearing binary code masks rushed in.

They were carrying all sorts of strange weapons:

Some carried staffs covered in hard drives, while others carried drones modified into flying guillotines.

[Target: Fanatical followers of the Binary God Cult.]

[Average cultivation level: Foundation Establishment stage (enhanced by data from the Evil God).]

And behind them.

A figure slowly walked in.

That was a... [half-human, half-server] monster.

His lower body is a huge tracked chassis.

He was wearing a cardinal's robe on his upper body.

But his head... was a huge, old-fashioned CRT monitor.

On the screen, a green, constantly distorting human face was displayed.

[BOSS: Binary Bishop - Virus Body.]

[Realm Level: Peak Golden Core Stage]

[Abilities: Data corruption, mental pollution.]

……

"A sacred relic..."

The face on the monitor stared at the stone slab in Jiang Li's hand.

It emitted a strange laugh with an electrical hum.

"Hehehe..."

"Found it."

"That was the key to my resurgence..."

"mortal."

"Offering sacred objects."

"And implant my Lord's virus into your brain-computer interface."

"I can grant you... immortality."

……

Jiang Li looked at this guy with a head that looked like a television set.

He glanced again at the broken door.

He sighed.

"My newly renovated door."

"It only took one day."

He put the stone slab into his backpack.

then.

He slowly rolled up his sleeves.

"eternal life?"

"I'm not interested in that."

All I know is...

"You have disturbed my business hours."

"They even damaged my belongings."

Jiang Li turned to look at the cyborg monk next to him who had just been "cooked" and was still steaming and radiating golden light.

"master."

"I haven't paid for the meal (car repair) yet."

"Shouldn't we...get to work?"

……

"Amitabha."

The monk slowly stood up.

His newly repaired obsidian left arm emitted a heavy hydraulic sound.

The Gatling gun prayer wheel in my right hand begins to preheat and rotate.

"This humble monk..."

"Settle their bill now."

The monk took a step.

He stood in front of Jiang Li.

Faced with that group of menacing cult members.

His newly replaced, higher-powered electronic eyes lit up with a red light representing "Kill Mode".

"Gentlemen."

"Your firewall... needs an update."

"If you don't mind..."

"This humble monk will now send you to the Western Paradise... [System Reinstallation]"

Buzz————

The Gatling gun prayer wheel instantly reached a speed of 6,000 revolutions per minute.

The golden Sanskrit mantra on the gun barrel was dazzlingly bright.

"Namo Gatling Bodhisattva!"

"A depleted uranium bomb purified of the six senses!"

"Physical exorcism! Fire!!!"

Da da da da da da————！！！

Flames spewed out.

Golden light bullets poured out like a torrential rain.

Each bullet has been enchanted by "Buddhism" to specifically counter this evil god data.

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

The few fanatics at the very front didn't even have time to scream.

It was blasted into countless data fragments and bloody remains.

"Ah! My code!"

"What kind of virus is this?!"

"Defense! Turn on the firewall immediately!"

"It's useless! This is a physical attack!"

……

"That's interesting."

The bishop in the television set watched his men being slaughtered, but he didn't panic.

Instead, the face on the screen revealed a strange smile.

"Not bad firepower."

"but……"

"In the realm of my Lord."

"Physical attacks... are ineffective."

Zla—

The bishop stretched out his hands.

The surrounding space suddenly distorted.

A green "code domain" unfolds.

Those golden bullets that were fired at him, the moment they entered the field.

It actually hovered...

then.

Begin the [decomposition].

It turned into countless 0s and 1s and dissipated into the air.

"In this field."

"I am the rule."

"I said the bullet was fake, so it was fake."

The bishop laughed triumphantly.

"Now……"

"It's my turn."

"[Formatting Beam]!"

A green, destructive beam of light shot out from his monitor screen.

They headed straight for the monk.

……

"rule?"

Just as the beam of light was about to hit the monk.

A calm voice rang out.

"What a coincidence."

"I also enjoy playing by the rules."

Jiang Li didn't know when, but he was already standing on the monk's shoulders (or had jumped into the air).

In his hands.

Holding the stone slab that he had just put away...

Alice.

"Could you lend me some electricity?"

"Activate it!"

"yes!"

Alice instantly connected to the stone slab.

"Energy supply...100%!"

"Invoking... [Nezha's residual code]!"

"Projector...start!"

Buzz—! ! !

A burst of red flame erupted from the stone slab in Jiang Li's hand.

The flames instantly broke through the green code domain.

Followed by.

Behind Jiang Li.

A gigantic, ten-meter-tall... [red phantom] appeared.

He was a mecha boy with three heads and six arms.

Although it was just a phantom.

But the weapon in his hand... [the Fire-Tipped Spear].

But it is a genuine... divine weapon composed of data streams.

"Nezha...projection!"

Jiang Li held the stone slab as if it were a military tally.

Point downwards.

"Smash that damn TV!"

boom!

The shadowy figure behind me moved.

That enormous fire-tipped spear carried the cyber-samadhi fire that could incinerate everything.

It plunged in hard.

"No!!!"

"This is... god-level code?!"

"My domain...cannot be blocked..."

"Snap!"

A crisp sound.

That television head bishop, along with his green domain.

He was shot...

To directly [pierce through].

The monitor exploded.

The electric current surged erratically.

That once arrogant bishop has been reduced to a pile of smoking scrap metal.

……

"Done."

Jiang Li put away the stone slab.

The phantom behind them vanished.

He patted the monk on the shoulder.

"master."

"The rest of the small fry are yours."

"Remember to clean it thoroughly."

"Don't interfere with my business."

Done.

Jiang Li turned around and went back into the shop.

The monk was left alone, facing the group of cult members who were already terrified.

"Amitabha."

The monk grinned (revealing a mouthful of steel teeth).

"Benefactors."

"Shall we continue our conversation... about reinstalling the system?"

Da da da da da————