Tonight, Alice joins the hunt.

Although he couldn't quite visualize the scene, he could tell with his eyebrows that it was no easy feat. Considering the witches' almost obsessive work ethic, his gaze towards Patchouli shifted from complex to admiring. "You...you've worked so hard. Didn't Margot come to help you?"

Patchouli's narration abruptly stopped. She pursed her lips, and from Zheng Zha's unusually clear perception, it was evident she was in a rather unpleasant state. After a long while, just as the atmosphere became so awkward that Zheng Zha was about to apologize, she slowly uttered a few words.

“Alice is in Greece right now… taking care of some errands.” She seemed to have struggled to come up with these words. Then she immediately added, “…Don’t worry about her, she’ll be back when the time is right. I’m enough here for now.”

"What about Zhao Yingkong? Has she come back?"

"She's in Italy now, on the Apennine Peninsula. Alice did some preparations before... taking care of some miscellaneous tasks. It's now a fairly large shelter there, and Zhao Yingkong is stationed there, so she can't come back for the time being."

Where is Saito Hajime?

"he died."

"…………"

Author's Note:

..............................

I got carried away writing, so I'm splitting it into two parts.

Chapter Sixteen: Char, you tricked me!

Patchouli turned her head to look at Zheng Zha, who was caught in the same dilemma as she had been not long ago. She asked, "You don't seem very surprised?"

“…How should I put it? I guess…I had a premonition.” He shook his head with a wry smile. “I had this feeling from the very beginning of this horror movie, and afterwards he talked to me a few times, and there was a hint of that in his tone. He…he probably planned his death from the start. Hearing it from you makes it feel unreal. It feels like…he might appear in front of me at any moment.”

Patchouli raised an eyebrow.

Zheng Zha shook his head vigorously, as if trying to shake the distracting thought out of his mind. And he did indeed succeed; after reaching a new level of power, he found it easy to control his thoughts. So he coughed lightly and steered the conversation to the last item.

—The remaining distance in the corridor is not long.

“What’s that strange space…? Why did we suddenly end up there?” he asked.

“Oh, that.” Patchouli shrugged and replied, “That’s a ‘meme.’ The explanation is complicated, so I’ll just transmit it directly into your head. As for the name of that ‘meme,’ you can call it ‘Hell’ or ‘the Underworld.’”

"………………Is this the 'hell' you told me about a few days ago?"

“No,” Patchouli shook her head quickly and decisively. “And don’t look at me like I’m an executioner. This thing is actually related to you, and of course I bear some responsibility, but it’s not my fault.” She checked the time and then stopped about two meters from the door at the end of the corridor. Then she looked at Zheng Zha and explained seriously, “I’ve come into contact with this kind of thing before. Although my memories of that time have been mostly erased, some information remains. Then I combined it with the information about this world and came to a conclusion. So-called memes are harbingers of impending destruction, manifestations of disorder.”

"You mean this?" Zheng Zha pointed to the Earth covered by an erupting volcano on the light screen.

“It’s not that kind of destruction. At most, it’s just the destruction of humanity, it has nothing to do with the world.” Patchouli shook her head. “The destruction of the world is the chaos of order, the reverse shift of entropy. I’ve... once come into contact with some extraordinary beings whose essence is chaos. Although they were mostly asleep, many memes appeared around them. I... suffered a lot there.”

"In this world where the Apocalypse has long foretold the end times, the Doomsday Judgment itself is part of this world. So, when I erected the Stellar Extraction Tower and blocked the solar wind, this world generated reverse entropy due to the chaos of order, and memes thus had the fertile ground to be generated."

"You mean...this world...this planet deserves to be destroyed?" Zheng Zha's eyes widened, and he clenched his fists.

“Yes, this is the script God prepared for this world.” Patchouli lowered her eyes. “God has woven the destiny of death for everyone in this world. So, letting everyone in the world die according to their destiny is the order of this world.”

"...Then this 'god' really deserves a beating."

Patchouli didn't respond to him, but instead changed the subject. "Let's put aside the matter of God and talk about the pot. Do you remember? When we arrived in the Ju-on world last time, Zhan Lan took a cassette tape when she was dealing with that weak Sadako. It was Sadako's famous haunted cassette tape."

"I remember... what happened?" A bad feeling arose in Zheng Zha's heart.

"There are no ghosts in this world, but she carried a ghost tape. So, when the conditions for the birth of a meme were met, the chaotic order built a ghost world... a underworld, with this 'haunted tape that shouldn't have appeared' as its core. You were at the center of the outbreak, so you were directly swept in, while I was spared because I was in the high-energy environment of the Stellar Extraction Tower. After I figured out the whole story, I managed to deal with that underworld, find the source, and then get rid of that 'meme'."

As she spoke, she couldn't help but mutter to herself in her mind.

[Alice... I knew she'd eventually mess up her habit of never gambling unless she was 90% sure! And now look what happened! She insisted on going underground to investigate the truth, and it's been three days now, and I've already finished everything on my end without a reply! If it weren't for the contractual connection still being active... I'd really doubt her...]

[Never mind, I recalculated the coordinates after the solar wind subsided. She's now at least 900 kilometers deep in the mantle. The angels' actions were too secretive, and I couldn't stop the second horn's eruption of subterranean fire in time. But that's fine too; the script is back in place, so for now, I don't have to worry about memes appearing around her, and she'll be safe.]

[However, the third horn... we can't just leave this fungal substance unattended!]

She was caught in a dilemma, unaware that Zheng Zha's face had turned a frighteningly pale. It wasn't until she felt a chill run down her spine that she snapped out of it and met Zheng's rather unfriendly gaze.

"Noreiki." Zheng's tone was terrifyingly low. "I know you've been hiding many things from me, and I know I'm not the sharpest brain, and that knowing many things is worse than not knowing. I also know some plans are very complex and need to be kept secret before they're implemented. But... we're partners, right?"

"...Yes?" Patchouli quietly took a small step back.

“If that’s the case, next time…” Zheng Zha took a deep breath and then roared, “Can you at least tell me beforehand if you see a pit?! I don’t need you to pull me out, but at least warn me when I’m about to fall in!”

“…This, this…I’ll try my best.” Patchouli turned her gaze away and looked at the door behind him. “Oh, right, there’s something I need to tell you.”

"……What's up?"

"When I was taking in the survivors, I used your name. Many of the organization's rescue and reassurance operations also used dolls bearing your image. In addition to many other measures... In short, you are now the nominal head of this base!"

“It’s nothing.” Zheng Zha stroked his chin. “I used to manage a pretty big office, so I have some experience in management. A base… well, the Lop Nur base does seem a bit big. But there are definitely supervisors and managers at various levels below, and I’m pretty confident I can manage them… But why me? Can’t you do it?”

“This involves a large-scale ceremony that requires a ‘Great Venerable One,’ but as the ceremony’s host, I cannot take on that role, so you will have to do it.”

"I see." Zheng Zha shrugged. "Since there's a reason, then there's no problem. See, aren't we cooperating very well?"

"Hmm." Patchouli's lips twitched. "Then next, you and your men will need to say a few words. An impromptu speech, is that alright?"

"no problem."

“Okay.” Patchouli nodded, then made a gesture toward the screen. The next moment, the door in front of the corridor suddenly opened, and the floor rose up, transforming into a huge platform that pushed the two people at the entrance of the corridor out of the door—Patchouli had taken two steps back as the door opened, hiding her figure at the back of the platform.

—And then a scorching wind swept in.

What came into Zheng Zha's view was a vast plain stretching to the horizon, with burning clouds writhing in the sky, thunder rumbling within them, but the roar of the thunder was far less deafening than the clamor of voices on the plain. Many… a vast number… an enormous number… at least hundreds of millions of people were crammed onto this expansive plain, covering hundreds of thousands of kilometers. They chanted slogans, operating massive machines or powered by industrial armor, working across the plain. Together with an equally large number of mechanical legions, they constructed colossal and magnificent buildings. Thousands upon thousands of flying vehicles crisscrossed the skies, assisting in the construction of these grand and imposing factories. And countless more people worked on the metal-paved ground, building runways, defensive emplacements, and various production workshops.

At a glance, Zheng Zha saw people of at least dozens of different ethnicities working together in a large open-air workshop. One after another, unidentified machines were being manufactured and transported to other workshops. He then immediately saw newly produced walking robots and industrial powered armor in other factories. These newly acquired tools were promptly distributed to idle personnel, who were then assigned new tasks.

In the distance, the sounds of thunder and artillery fire intertwined. Meanwhile, large convoys loaded with various resources entered the vast industrial zone in an orderly fashion. With the collaborative efforts of robots and workers equipped with industrial power armor, they were distributed to different areas.

The entire plain resembled a colossal, solemn, metallic giant bathed in iron and fire. And this spectacle of countless people and machines working together in unity, defying fate, echoed in Zheng Zha's ears like a deafening phrase.

'Working people of the world, unite! Fight for the cause of human freedom and liberation!'

In that instant, Zheng Zha suddenly felt...somewhat insignificant. But just then, Patchouli reached out and gently pressed a button next to her.

The next moment, a crisp bell rang out in every factory, every workshop, and every work platform. Immediately afterward, a giant projection covering most of the sky rose from the high platform where Zheng Zha was, and the light screen projecting his image was rapidly becoming clearer from blurry.

The workers stopped working, and robots temporarily took over their duties under the emergency response mechanism. Everyone who heard the bell looked up at that moment, gazing at the light screen at the far end of their field of vision.

All sounds are silent.

Zheng Zha's face was as stiff as a steel plate. He struggled to control his teeth, and while maintaining his composure, he emitted a directional sound wave that only Patchouli could hear.

'Norreya...I need...a human resources manager...and a business manager.'

“There’s no such position. Even if there were, it’s not their turn to speak now. Everyone’s waiting, you need to say a few words first.”

'You promised just two minutes ago that you'd let me know in advance if there was a problem!'

"I told you in advance."

'Even one minute early is unusual!? And this isn't what we agreed on!'

“One minute is definitely ahead of schedule, and you yourself said you could handle it. Okay, the loudspeaker is on, and I've prepared a speech, just read it. If you're really unsure, I can also use fake recordings and images to solve this problem... if you're willing to fake it at this point.”

Zheng Zha fell silent, a silence that lasted for several milliseconds.

At this moment, he had only one thought in his mind that almost burst forth but he had to suppress.

'Norreggie! You tricked me!'

Author's Note:

................................................

To reiterate, the storyline was not skipped.

Chapter Seventeen: Not Red, No Stars, 300x Speed

Zheng Zha felt he was facing an immense crisis in his life. Indeed, this was a far worse situation than confronting Kayako directly or fighting the Outer Scripture Bodhisattva head-on. Even the time in the Alien World when he was reduced to a mere arm by the Alien Queen was not as severe as this.

What should I do?! I have absolutely no idea what's going on!

Should I calm down immediately and find a time machine—calm down, I absolutely must calm down!

Zheng's mind raced at a speed dozens of times faster than usual. He had previous experience giving speeches and knew that leaders could indeed pause for a few seconds before giving their opening remarks. But those were just a few seconds; such a short time was simply not enough—

Wait, this might work!

His pupils contracted sharply, but before the nerves could register the feedback in his muscles, he used his control over his body to forcefully expand them back to their original size before the projection of his image in the sky became fully clear. Maintaining his image was of paramount importance now; he couldn't afford to make even the slightest mistake!

First, I need to buy myself enough time. But the light curtain has already been set in motion, and I can no longer gain time from the outside. Therefore, the only way to acquire time is to look within myself!

[I remember now! When we returned to the Ju-on world for the second time, Margot Lloyd placed everyone in a dream world. There, a month is equivalent to only one day in the real world. In other words, using this principle, I can gain at least thirty times the amount of time in the outside world within a dream!]

I can't dream right now, but I can make my brain function like a dream. And to do that, I have to drive my brain according to the thought patterns of Margot Lloyd, the one who once told me, 'A person who can't work non-stop for a week isn't a witch!' So—

If I were Margot Royd, what would I do now?

The next moment, all the genetic locks he could reach opened simultaneously, and his superficial thinking immediately split into two unequal parts. One part of his brain was rapidly activated, while the other was forced into a dream-like state of thought. Just like a dolphin that doesn't need sleep, the logical area used for thinking was put into a high-speed, dream-like state of thought. Meanwhile, the emotional part was stripped away to monitor the outside world and ensure that his image wouldn't be distorted.

The world before his eyes immediately slowed down, at a magnification of thirty. He could clearly see the dust particles in the air, motionless like suspended amber. Then, a second dream, with the magnification reduced to one-third, immediately unfolded within him, multiplying the two-second pause in the outside world to six hundred seconds within his logical thinking. The visible light he captured also immediately created a gap, and the world instantly turned gray.

Genetic lock fully unlocked, thought simulation, pseudo-time stop—all achieved here.

The usable time limit is ten minutes. Exceeding this limit will lead to energy depletion, resulting in shortness of breath, facial sweating, and facial flushing due to increased blood flow to the head. At that point, control will be insufficient to handle the situation; therefore, a solution must be found before then.

His thinking became rapid; once the emotional aspect was eliminated, he could think in an absolutely rational way. Many small details that he hadn't noticed at first became clear immediately, and the development of events quickly came under his control!

First, the falsification plan provided by Norrell is immediately ruled out. Using the backup speech is now an option. With the goal of independently handling the current situation, let's begin analyzing the known clues.

[Firstly, after Knowledge clicked the button, there was no widespread announcement; instead, a ringtone alerted everyone, and machines immediately took over everyone's positions. This indicates that this wasn't 'my' first speech. Therefore, my speech must be brief and avoid touching on anything I don't understand.]

Secondly, I knew very little about what had happened after I awoke. While Norrell's actions were unexpected, she wouldn't have come specifically to ridicule me. Therefore, she must have already assessed the possibility that I might not use her prepared speech. Since she still wanted me to speak, we can conclude that I only needed a few words that required little thought to achieve my goal. She mentioned the ritual—so we can assert that she simply needed me to gain the people's approval. Therefore, all I needed to do was boost morale.

Thirdly, the current situation is dangerous. Norrell previously mentioned the fungal bloom—connecting it to the previous heavenly and earthly fire, and previous analyses—this should be the third trumpet of Revelation. An asteroid is hurtling from outer space, laden with deadly poison, about to strike the ground. So—

Based on the above three points, my speech should be swift and concise, without being specific or addressing any particular issue. Its sole purpose should be to boost morale.

[So, based on this, we can deduce suitable manuscripts...]

A second and a half later, Zheng Zha snapped out of the brief moment of astonishment that only Patchouli could possibly notice. He immediately deactivated his genetic lock—his gaze then turned straight ahead.

"Everyone, I am Zheng Zha."

When he uttered his name, a sudden silence fell over the surroundings. Even the sounds of the robots working seemed to fade into the background. Everyone was watching him, and he could clearly feel the boundless gaze upon him.

Those hundreds of millions of sincere, yearning, and expectant gazes.

They need me...

"We are about to face new challenges, but we will never be defeated by them."