Tonight, Alice joins the hunt.

What should I do if I don't know?

do not know.

Zheng Zha was puzzled, and instinctively asked himself, "Where is this?"

Then 'himself' answered him.

"This is the interior, the place where 'we' discuss and cooperate together." Another beam of light descended from about ten meters in front of Zheng Zha, accompanied by a voice that he was very familiar with, but which sounded slightly distorted. A figure that made his pupils shrink suddenly appeared in the beam of light.

That's another Zheng Zha. Another Zheng Zha who looks exactly like him, and you can tell at a glance that he's the real deal!

“Nice to meet you, main consciousness.” The ‘Zheng Zha’ nodded slightly to him. “I am the ‘brain’, composed of 12 billion—oh, now their number should be constantly changing between 600 million and 10.5 billion—but that doesn’t matter, I am still the ‘brain’, their temporary representative for the meeting.”

"Of course, I wasn't the only one who participated in the meeting."

It raised its hand, making a "calm down" gesture. With this gesture, more beams of light descended from the surrounding area, and one after another, "Zheng Zha" appeared from within them. They stood in nested rings, with a dazed Zheng Zha standing in the very center of the innermost ring. Each new "Zheng Zha" greeted him, and without exception, Zheng Zha could sense that they were all genuine.

“I am the ‘heart’”—a ‘Zheng Zha’ who looks full of energy.

“I am the skeleton”—the skin of a “Zheng Zha” is pale.

"I am 'muscle'"—a 'Zheng Zha' with bulging muscles all over his body, exuding a strong sense of power.

“I am the liver” – a “Zheng Zha” with dark circles under his eyes, looking quite tired.

They appeared one by one, numbering in the hundreds and thousands. Only when the last one, the dashing 'Zheng Zha' representing the eyes, appeared from the last descending pillar of light did Zheng Zha finally snap out of this bizarre scene.

"Wait, wait a minute!" His eyes widened, his face filled with disbelief. "You're all 'Zheng Zha'? You're all me... Do I have a split personality? So many of them!?"

Before he could finish speaking, all of 'Zheng Zha' turned their heads and stared at him in unison. Their uniform gazes sent a chill down his spine—even though 'Spine' was actually standing in the sixth position of the second ring from his left. He still felt a chill run down his spine—and then 'Spine' sneezed softly.

“Strictly speaking, we are all together as ‘Zheng Zha’,” the ‘brain’ replied. It seemed to have a higher priority in speaking than the other parts. “We, seventy trillion individuals, together constitute the ‘Zheng Zha’ collection. Originally, all seventy trillion individuals should have been present at this meeting. However, given that the current body is in a certain… unstable state, we exist here as representatives.”

"We are 'Zheng Zha,' and you are actually the collection of information from the seventy trillion individuals before we awakened. You are the overarching authority, the primary consciousness. Logically, after we awaken, you should have re-disintegrated into the main body of our seventy trillion individuals. But for some reason, even after we all became independent, you still exist—"

It paused for a moment, then continued, “You are not attached to any single cell, but you exist as a complete individual. Based on Zheng Zha’s memory bank, you should be called the ‘True Self,’ so you are also considered a member of the cluster, and are allowed to attend this meeting and make decisions.”

Zheng Zha was completely bewildered. He felt a sharp pain in his head, and the 'brain' standing opposite him frowned slightly. Before he could offer any constructive suggestions, the brain raised its hand to signal for silence and then began the meeting.

"First and foremost is the energy allocation and management plan after the body's reconstruction." The brain cut to the chase without preamble, stating, "The brain's current computing power is sufficient to allow all damaged cells to undergo complete remodeling and transformation. The model for the new energy reserve organ has also been constructed, and success is inevitable. However, the placement of the two remodeled energy sources is still under discussion—the negative energy source is already planned for the brain. Therefore, the issue of the positive energy source needs to be addressed."

“The heart is happy to take on this responsibility,” the energetic 'Zheng Zha' said first. “The heart is the key hub for energy exchange. Placing the source of positive energy in the heart can ensure that all positive energy can be transported to the right place in the shortest time. Whether it’s hair or toes, the heart, as a mature organ that has been operating steadily for 28 years, can do this job.”

"Dantian disagrees." No sooner had it finished speaking than another 'Zheng Zha' interrupted it. "The heart, as a long-established organ, is indeed trustworthy. But the source of positive energy comes from 'internal force' and 'true qi.' Placing it in the dantian will inevitably result in higher operational efficiency than placing it in the heart. Therefore, the dantian is the superior choice."

After Dantian finished speaking, he and the heart looked towards the brain. The brain immediately understood, nodded, and glanced at the other members. "So, the current candidates are the heart and Dantian. Are there any other areas you think are suitable for placing the positive energy source?"

A slight commotion arose among the meeting members. The representatives of 'blood vessels,' 'spine,' and 'stomach pouch' showed slight fluctuations in expression. However, they ultimately calmed down and did not participate in the competition.

"Very well, then everyone, let's begin the vote. Those who agree that the heart should carry the positive energy source... those who agree that the dantian should carry the positive energy source..." The brain frowned, quickly realizing that the votes on both sides were surprisingly equal. This forced it to turn its gaze to Zheng Zha, who looked completely bewildered and clearly didn't understand the situation.

"Main consciousness, what is your opinion...?"

"Is this my business?" Zheng Zha's eyes twitched.

"Of course, you are also a member of our meeting, one of the seventy trillionths that make up the collective 'Zheng Zha'. Although you do not have directly controlled cells, we acknowledge you as a part of 'Zheng Zha'. And since you are a part, we naturally will not ignore your opinions," the brain replied, its tone serious and earnest.

"We are now divided on where to place the positive energy source, as the heart and dantian have the same number of votes. And you happen to hold the crucial vote. Now, make your choice, main consciousness, your decision will determine the future direction of the 'Zheng Zha' group."

"Can I just choose any one of them?"

"All you have to do is cast your vote," the brain replied.

Zheng Zha nodded and said, "Very good, then I choose—"

His voice trailed off the instant he made his decision. Then, he slowly tilted his head to look at the 'brain'.

"Let me ask you this," Zheng Zha said calmly and without emotion. "The so-called 'when both sides have an equal number of votes, I need to make the decision,' was this decided from the very beginning?"

The brain looked at him with a questioning gaze: "What are you trying to say? Main consciousness."

“It’s nothing, I just don’t want to play along with you guys anymore.” Zheng Zha shrugged. “If I hadn’t met Margot Lloyd, hadn’t been forced by her to cram in so much occult knowledge and magic theory, and hadn’t been tricked by her with all sorts of strange ritual magic, then maybe I really would have made the choice you wanted.”

He raised his hand, and the Greatsword of Destruction appeared out of thin air and was held in his grasp. Along with the Greatsword of Destruction came his power and genetic lock level. He looked at the 'brain' and said slowly, "A clumsy scheme, a poor trick, what representatives, what meetings—all of this was nothing more than an attempt to implant a thought into my subconscious, to make me see myself as one of your equals."

If I were to actually make a choice, it would be tantamount to accepting the rules and order you've created, and I would be reduced from the dominant entity to a negligible one in seventy trillion—a trick you might fool some fresh-faced graduate. But for someone like me who's learned from my mistakes more than once… that's far from enough!

He swung his blade fiercely, the scorching energy slicing through the darkness and pulverizing all the figures within the circle except for the brain. The next moment, he pierced through the void, arriving before the 'brain' in a single step!

"It's my body, and I make my own decisions. It's none of your place to tell me what to do with your ignorant cellular will!"

With a single stroke, he cleaved his own 'brain' in two. As his 'brain' perished, the surrounding darkness gradually crumbled into fragments.

Control of his body was once again in his hands.

When he opened his eyes, he felt the powerful energy source within him split into two parts, positive and negative, and an absolute sense of control that was incredibly detailed and encompassed everything. He simply raised a finger, and a massive collapse, originating from the Earth's core and created by the orbital bombardment, rapidly spread outwards from him. The drained Earth's core shattered into countless fragments, and even the planet itself, which had previously barely maintained its overall structure, began to disintegrate!

The fourth tier, extraordinary power—he mastered it to the late stage of the initial phase on his second attempt. And when he cleaved through space with a single strike, directly creating a super-short-distance wormhole to the Great Void by hand, based on Patchouli's analysis of the Cybertronian space bridge in his mind, he heard the last voice of his 'brain'.

[It's regrettable that you rejected our proposal to share control of this body with the seventy trillion individuals among us. Therefore, the next time we meet, we will no longer acknowledge your necessity.]

“Let’s talk about it next time we meet,” Zheng Zha replied, casually dispelling the lingering effects of the 'brain'. Taking a step forward, he found himself in the vast, empty battlefield—he saw Zhang Jie and Nijabin locked in a fierce battle, while Patchouli had largely suppressed the unfortunate Rost. He casually unleashed two slashes, the sharp, piercing blade energy shattering the complex protective gear of the two Senzhou team members, severely injuring them. And then…

He looked at Patchouli.

Which one should I kill first?

Chapter Sixty-Five: Fate, Variables, and Outsiders

Meanwhile, in the broader solar system, on Earth, and in outer space...

The nine revived planets revealed their true forms from their disguises, transforming into powerful stellar fortresses, each interconnected. Vast, unparalleled energy coalesced into materialized bands of light, which intertwined to form a net, firmly binding the sun within.

This is another gate, another interdimensional gate built within the solar system. Compared to the hastily constructed, shoddy product the witches created in a day or two, this gate is undoubtedly much larger. Moreover, it is far more robust and more concealed.

How well hidden? It's impossible to detect using optical or energy manipulation methods. Aside from the participants in the project within the solar system, all other individuals in the outer colonies remain completely unaware of what is happening in the solar system. Regardless of how they observe or assess it, all nine planets in the solar system will function normally as usual.

They could still see the idiotic news broadcast daily on federal television, and hear those familiar faces on the screens polluting their ears with their usual foolish pronouncements. In their minds, the Federation remained the same Federation, that bloated, decadent, authoritarian, fascist behemoth—they felt nothing amiss, and naturally, the malicious gazes lurking in the shadows, silently observing human civilization, felt no change whatsoever.

They know nothing about it, and neither do they.

And when today ends, whether they or they know it or not becomes meaningless.

"Chu, the final verification is complete. There are ten minutes left before the 'door' opens. But you don't seem nervous at all?"

The voice of the first Federal Speaker came from behind Chu Xuan, accompanied by footsteps. He didn't need to turn around to clearly sense that the Federal Speaker, who had lived for at least three hundred years, was now standing two and a half meters behind him, and his unusually young face, made possible by genetic engineering, was undoubtedly filled with apprehension and hesitation.

"You're very nervous," Chu Xuan said, his tone certain.

"Nervous? I'm not... No, you're right, I am indeed very nervous. A three-hundred-year-old dream finally has a chance of being realized today, so it's only natural that I'd feel nervous." The Federation's Speaker first denied it, then confirmed it, and finally let out a sigh. "I thought that even if we acted on our own, it would take at least a thousand years to have any hope of breaking free from this cage, but I never expected..."

He sighed heavily, his voice sounding like the dying murmur of an old man on his deathbed.

"Chu, would you be interested in hearing a story about an old man?"

Chu Xuan didn't answer, because he knew very well that he didn't need to. Since this old man who founded the Federation had maintained a belief that couldn't be spoken of to outsiders for three hundred years, he could naturally continue to maintain that belief for the same amount of time—and the reason he was here at this time and place was ultimately just to find a safe haven where he could vent the pent-up frustration that had accumulated in his chest for three hundred years.

He simply made a 'please' gesture.

“You really are a dull and boring young man, Chu. This isn’t good for your mental health… But I suppose you powerful outsiders don’t care about or need to worry about mental health issues. You’re completely different from us old folks.” The young-looking old man shook his head and began to tell his story.

“Three hundred years ago, I was also a dull and uninteresting young man. At that time, the earth was in the midst of a great war, and both sides were fighting fiercely. As a military academy graduate, I participated in it. At that time, I was actually quite talented, with solid basic skills and good at battlefield command. I made considerable contributions. On the battlefield, officers who possessed all three of these qualities were often the main targets of snipers.”

“I was lucky; I didn’t die in the first battle. I survived the second, third, and fourth battles, earning a whole bunch of medals and promotions. But I was even luckier; I died in the fifth battle.” He pointed to his head and made a shooting gesture. “'Bang!' A sniper pierced my head. And then, I went to the afterlife.”

“I am not a religious person, but when I died, I saw my ‘soul’ floating higher and higher on the battlefield, and then a winged angel appeared in the clouds to guide me. My materialistic worldview became a pile of useless rubbish. I almost couldn’t wait to throw myself into the angel’s arms and was guided to the sky. Soon a radiant being with divine majesty appeared in front of me and told me that I had a pure soul and allowed me to reincarnate without having my memories wiped.”

"Of course I agreed. After all, God has granted me a second chance at life, so why would I obediently choose to die? I had already made up my mind to engrave my faith in God deep into my soul. And it was for this reason that I was delayed for a few seconds when I followed that angel to the institution for reincarnation."

“A few seconds, those few seconds changed everything for me. Just as I arrived in front of that gate-like structure used for reincarnation, a swarm of insects attacked Heaven, destroyed several angels, and then… nearly killed me, who had already died once.” He paused, then continued.

“I was really terrified at the time. Although I didn’t understand why there were bugs in heaven, or why the angels were destroyed, it didn’t stop me from realizing that if I died again in heaven, I would probably be completely finished. So I instinctively ran away, running to any place I thought was safe. However, no matter where I ran, the bugs killed me, which made me extremely uneasy.”

He gave a wry smile.

"I kept running, and I don't even know how I was able to run so fast. When I came to my senses, I found myself at the entrance where the insects had torn through space to invade Heaven. It was a huge hole, but it didn't look very secure. The insects were desperately protecting the door, while the angels were desperately trying to destroy it. And just then, I realized... that both sides were completely ignoring me."

“The angels won’t attack me, and those insects I considered demons act as if I don’t exist. And when I realized this, I, who had just become a devout believer, thought I could accomplish something as great as Moses or Christ…”

"So you went and crashed into that bug's door," Chu Xuan suddenly said, making a definitive statement. "And then, when you passed through that door, you found yourself in the real world as you knew it."

"...That's right, I rammed the door." The first Speaker smiled wryly. "And not only that, when I rammed the door, I happened to turn around and saw an insect leaving the celestial realm through the reincarnation gate I was supposed to pass through. And if I'm not mistaken, that should be the ancestor of the insects, the origin of the Araki insect race in this world... no, it should be the rise. After all, the so-called Araki insect race had already taken root in the universe millions of years ago, but until that extraterrestrial insect descended, they were just a group of slightly more intelligent beasts."

He shook his head slightly.

"When I awoke from the nutrient tank, my newly established faith in God crumbled completely in an instant. I had studied computers at military school; I knew what the internet, virtual space, and the brain in a vat were. And at that moment, I realized that the world I had been living in was nothing but a false lie—"

"Humanity has long since succumbed to machines, becoming their batteries or something else entirely. This period must have lasted a very long time, long enough that when I was removed from my nutrient tank, the machines didn't even send out sentries to check for any anomalies. And I used this opportunity to get through the initial period of weakness and struggled to survive in the real world for three months."

He looked at Chu Xuan, seemingly waiting for Chu Xuan to ask him about the situation in the real world. However, after waiting for a full fifteen seconds, Chu Xuan still didn't respond, so he stopped playing coy and continued to recount his experiences.

"...I did a lot during those three months. I tried my best to survive in that world full of machines. Because I couldn't find anything to eat, I had to rely on swallowing the culture medium from empty nutrient tanks to stay alive. In the process, I spent a lot of time studying and figuring out the writing system in the real world—luckily, it was a variant language similar to Old English, and I didn't have to put in much effort to learn it. And once I understood the language, I was able to manipulate those nutrient tanks in the real world to awaken my fellow humans."

“I succeeded; I awakened tens of thousands of my compatriots. But I also failed, because those machines eventually noticed our presence.” His voice turned low, then filled with sorrow. “They moved swiftly, their intelligence was accurate, and their firepower was overwhelming. In less than three minutes, ninety-five percent of our men were killed. I led the rest of them to escape, and then they pursued us. My comrades were killed and captured one by one, and in the end… only I and twelve companions survived, hiding in a secret ruin.”

"The Council of Thirteen Elders?" Chu Xuan uttered a term representing the Federation's initial high-level structure. There were thirteen members, each managing one of twelve different areas besides the Speaker, including military, construction, culture, and scientific research. These areas gradually evolved into the Federation we know today.

"Yes, that's right, it's the thirteen of us. We're the same old immortals you saw earlier, like me. Of course, some newcomers joined later, but that's not important. What's important is that we discovered dozens of empty nutrient tanks in that hidden ruin, and through these, we can return to this false world."

"So we returned, back to the bodies we had died in. And perhaps because we returned, the machines stopped hunting us. Thus, the thirteen of us formed an alliance in reality. We helped each other, using the resources at our disposal to maximize our power—"

"Fortunately, the thirteen of us who survived were greatly enhanced upon waking up, perhaps due to a programming error or something similar. Some of us became exceptionally intelligent, some could move objects with their minds, some could read minds, and some could hypnotize others. With these superhuman abilities, we were able to crush ordinary people in many ways. And the war was coming to an end at that time..."

"So you then established the Federation and, relying on your respective strengths and talents, defeated your competitors." Chu Xuan turned around, raising an eyebrow slightly when he saw the Speaker's face. "So, did you check on those people who were taken away by the machines? What happened to them? Did they just disappear?"

“No, they didn’t disappear.” The Speaker shook his head. “They simply forgot everything in the real world and returned to the illusion, as if nothing had ever happened. But they also gained extraordinary spiritual power, just like us… Although they still die, it’s easy for their descendants to be born with the same spiritual talents as them. I suspect this is actually their reincarnation, but unfortunately, we can no longer explore Heaven after that.”

Chu Xuan nodded and said nothing more.

"In short, that's how we established the Federation. I suppressed religion, extinguishing those false legends of gods and angels in this world. I strengthened mind control and blocked war technology, ensuring that the Federation I established would at least not collapse due to civil war—and during this time, we were constantly secretly developing the technology to open the 'door'. At the same time, we needed an army with a strong will and the ability to fight even with the most primitive weapons... and the attack by the Araqi insectoids provided me with an excellent whetstone."

He shrugged and glanced at Chu Xuan.

"You've seen our internal documents, so you should know that our war with the Arach insectoids began over a hundred years ago. I blocked intelligence and had my army repeatedly drive them to the brink of extinction, ensuring my soldiers always remained combat-ready. It's just a pity I haven't been able to find that smuggled insect... I suspect those insects were some kind of program bug; perhaps they were eliminated by the angels, or maybe they're still surviving somewhere..."

"But that's not important. After all, your plan hasn't gone wrong at all so far. Whether it's the heavens representing destiny or the insects and outsiders representing variables, they've all been attracted by that shoddy door. And our plan will soon be realized."

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

Fill in the hole...

Section 66 Critical

The world is a prison.