A heretical cultivator in Bureau 749, I'm the fiercest at pulling out tendons and skinning peop

Ji Zuodao finally understood: a group of people had exploited a bug in the rules, but the bug had backfired and they were stuck here.

Now, we are faced with two enormous problems:

First, if you want to kill the core anomaly that maintains this hellish place, you must first overcome the obstacle of your inner demons.

But those inner demons, who have been "working alongside them" all these years, have accumulated just as many resurrection coins as they have. Want to completely destroy them? Difficult, as difficult as ascending to heaven.

Secondly, and most importantly, no one knows exactly where that core mystery is hiding.

It's possible that it's in the territory of inner demons.

But what if that thing doesn't play by the rules and plays a trick of "blind spots" right under their noses?

It's not impossible!

Li Tiezhu led Ji Zuodao and his family of three, trudging deeper into the camp.

Finally, in a relatively intact gray-white stone house that looked like a command post, we met Director Zhang Yucheng, who had just displayed his great power.

With his Dharma form gone, Director Zhang now appears as a refined and gentle-looking middle-aged man with a clean-cut appearance and warm eyes.

However, the air of authority that emanated from someone who had long held a high position was impossible to conceal.

He looked at Ji Zuodao following behind Li Tiezhu, Qiqi munching on an apple on Ji Zuodao's shoulder, and Gouye yawning at his feet...

Even this seasoned veteran, the head of the Jinghai 749, was momentarily stunned for two or three seconds.

Those gentle yet sharp eyes swept back and forth between Ji Zuodao, Qiqi, and Gouye twice.

The composure on his face was gradually replaced by an extremely complex expression, a mixture of absurdity, doubt, and a hint of "Old Liu, what the hell are you doing?"

He opened his mouth as if to confirm something, then closed it again.

Then, he silently turned his head and looked at Li Tiezhu beside him, his eyes conveying the same meaning:

What's going on? The New Year's gifts Old Liu gave us this year... are so unique?

And it includes accompanying family members? Bringing your whole family, even your pet dog?

Li Tiezhu stepped forward, lowered his voice, and quickly gave a concise report on how Ji Zuodao delivered supplies, how he chased after the relic, and how they all ended up in the mess.

After listening, Director Zhang remained silent for a long time.

In the end, all the emotions turned into a long sigh filled with endless regret and helplessness.

He raised his hand and patted Ji Zuodao's shoulder hard, so hard that Ji Zuodao almost stumbled.

"Kid..."

Director Zhang's voice carried a hint of amusement and exasperation.

"Judging from this, you're definitely going to have New Year's Eve dinner with this whole bunch of us old men, and those guys who crawled out of the black and white TV across the street."

"Welcome to the group. Although once you join, you might not be able to leave for a while."

Ji Zuodao scratched his head, forcing out his signature shy and innocent smile:

"Well... Director Zhang, I originally thought that when you see someone as new here, you'd at least pull me aside and ask me all sorts of questions, trying to find out what's going on outside these days..."

"Inquire? Ask what?"

Upon hearing this, Director Zhang raised an eyebrow, and the helplessness on his face was instantly replaced by a slightly mocking smile.

With a flick of his wrist, he pulled out a brand-new smartphone from the sleeve of his robe!

He skillfully swiped his fingers across the screen a few times, then handed the screen to Ji Zuodao and pushed it forward.

"Kid, times have changed. Even though we're stuck in this godforsaken place, we still have cell phone signal."

"Putting aside other things, browsing news and forums is no problem for me."

He tapped his finger on the screen, his tone becoming increasingly playful:

"Here it is, the Jinghai Qi Practitioners' Gossip Forum. The pinned hot post, the one highlighted and featured."

"A Rational Discussion: Who Has Caused More Damage to the Business Environment of the Cultivation Community in Jinghai—'Living Yama' Ji Zuodao or Former 'Bloody Hand Butcher' Zhang San?"

"The following is a complete review of the 'Law on the Registration of Inherited Assets': Learn these points and you too can legally bankrupt your rival! (Contains paid content)..."

"Oh, and there was the headline a few days ago: 'Late at night at the market, several monks engage in a full-blown brawl over rotten vegetable leaves; could they have gone mad from practicing their martial arts?'"

"Tsk tsk, the photo is amazing. The old monk Jinchi is holding that half-eaten vegetable leaf so tightly."

Director Zhang put away his phone, looking at Ji Zuodao, who was now somewhat petrified, with a half-smile:

"Ji Zuodao, right? We've been following your good deeds in Jinghai Qian these past few days, one after another, with great interest, even more so than watching a TV series!"

"Good heavens, they wiped out the Hehuan Sect's properties in Jinghai in one night, leaving a bloodbath. A few days later, they used a scheme to exterminate all the Buddhist sects from outside Jinghai, leaving them destitute, forcing the abbot to rummage through garbage cans in the market in the dead of night..."

"You little rascal, with your mischievousness, your... cough cough, your wit, you're even better at causing trouble than I was back in the day!"

He had barely finished speaking.

Suddenly, an elderly man with gray hair but a vigorous spirit squeezed in from the side, wearing an old-fashioned exercise uniform that had been washed until it was faded.

The old man didn't hold back either. With a "smack," his large, fan-like hand slapped Ji Zuodao's other shoulder, the force no less than that of Director Zhang's slap, causing Ji Zuodao to stagger again.

"Hahaha! Yes! This is the kid!"

The old man's voice was booming, and a smile spread across his face. He looked at Ji Zuodao with the same admiration he would show his most promising junior.

"That girl Lingling showed me the photo through the screen! It was you who rescued her from those bastards from the Wang family, wasn't it? Good! Well done!"

He patted Ji Zuodao hard again, so hard that Ji Zuodao felt his bones cracking.

Oh, that damn familiar force, do big shots like this?

"I am Zhao Shanhe, and Zhao Lingling is my granddaughter! Our Zhao family will remember this favor! In this godforsaken place, if you need any help, just tell Grandpa Zhao, don't hesitate!"

Ji Zuodao was attacked from both sides by the two big shots, and was left dizzy and disoriented.

Listening to Director Zhang recount his "achievements" with such familiarity, and then looking at Old Master Zhao's enthusiastic pats that seemed to break his shoulder...

He suddenly felt a subtle embarrassment at being "spoiled" and "watched".

This is fucking...

I haven't even entered yet, but my story is already circulating inside?

"Alright, we know everything that's going on outside. Your 'bad reputation' is even more famous here than it is outside."

"Since you're already here, don't just stand around. Come on, kid, help your Uncle Zhang... uh, take care of a small problem."

Director Zhang led him further into the stone house.

Passing through the back hall, we arrived at a quieter side room.

The place is simply furnished, with just a stone bed and a stone table.

On the stone bed sat a young man in his early twenties, dressed in ordinary casual clothes, with his eyes closed, holding a mobile phone in his hand, his fingers swiping rapidly across the screen.

Gunshots rang out from the phone.

Ji Zuodao glanced at the screen and, wow, it was that currently most popular battle royale game, with the battle raging on.

Although the young man had his eyes closed, he was able to pinpoint enemy locations by sound, aim and shoot, and move with incredible agility. His actions were fluid and seamless, with knockdown and elimination notifications constantly popping up on the screen.

Ji Zuodao's lips twitched as he watched.

Indeed, you never really know what your teammates or opponents on the other end of the internet are like.

He might be a student, an office worker, or... a Qi cultivator who has been locked up in a strange realm for several years, gone blind but still incredibly skilled at gaming.

"Xiao Quan".

Director Zhang called out, his voice carrying the gentle warmth of an elder.

Upon hearing the sound, the young man playing the game paused, and the character he was controlling on the screen immediately found a corner to crouch down.

He raised his head and "looked" in the direction of Director Zhang—his eyes were still closed, but his gaze was precise.

"Uncle, you've arrived."

The young man's voice was clear and bright, carrying the unique vitality of youth, and he did not seem to be discouraged by his situation or eye disease.

"Okay, let me introduce you to a new guy."

Director Zhang stepped aside, making way for Ji Zuodao to move to the front.

"Ji Zuodao, he just came in. Xiao Quan, my nephew, Zhang Quan."

"Brother Ji, hello." Zhang Quan smiled and nodded in Ji Zuodao's direction, his attitude natural, as if it were just a casual visit.

Ji Zuodao replied with "Brother Zhang," but his gaze remained fixed on the other man's tightly closed eyes.

"Xiao Quan's eyes..."

Director Zhang sighed, his gentle demeanor turning into a heavy sense of helplessness.

"A few years ago, before the boundary marker was delivered, the territory of this godforsaken place kept expanding outwards, and it looked like it was about to be unmanageable."

"This kid, relying on his talent, secretly used his family's Golden Eye of Truth to forcibly probe the core rules of this domain, hoping to find a way to temporarily stop its spread."

"He actually found a way, but the price..."