Infinite terror invades all heavens

The thought of his teammates, each with a distinct personality, brought back the headache he had just suppressed. The fragments of "memories" in his mind were like a turbulent lake, becoming increasingly chaotic. Various contradictory pieces of information intertwined and collided, making it difficult for him to grasp a clear thread.

The importance of "memory" is self-evident. In the God's Space, especially without captain privileges and the ability to access search privileges, finding the most suitable and cost-effective enhancement from the vast sea of ​​exchange lists is like finding a needle in a haystack. Relying entirely on trial and error is inefficient and dangerous.

"So, surfing the internet and reading widely (and brainstorming on various forums) really can teach you something..." Wang Yi thought to himself. He concentrated and began to send vague thoughts to the main god, trying to find the kind of item that was crucial to his plan.

After trying several possible keyword names, the list on the main screen finally locked onto one.

【NZT-49：根据上一代NZT-48改良，效果为NZT-48的两倍，持续时间12小时，无副作用。出自：《永无止境》。需要50奖励点1颗。】

found it!

A resolute glint flashed in Wang Yi's eyes. This was the first step of his plan, and a crucial one. Without superhuman intuition or powerful bloodline, his only reliance was the knowledge from his "homeland" and... a little bit of chemical aid.

"God, exchange for 1 NZT-49."

As soon as he finished speaking, a soft white light flashed, and as if 3D printed, a crystal-clear white pill, seemingly containing a strange flowing light, appeared out of thin air in his hand.

It feels slightly cool to the touch.

Wang Yi closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and suppressed the last trace of hesitation and his instinctive fear of the unknown drug. With slightly trembling hands, he put the pill that held his hope for breaking the deadlock into his mouth.

There was no swallowing motion as expected.

The moment NZT-49 touches the tongue, it melts and dissipates, as if transforming into a cool stream of air. Unlike ordinary medications that travel down the esophagus into the stomach, it defies logic, as if guided by some unseen force, flowing upstream and rushing straight to the brain!

next moment.

"Buzz!"

It felt as if a switch in my brain had been flipped, or as if a long-dormant precision instrument had been instantly injected with energy and started at full power!

Wang Yi suddenly opened his eyes.

The eyes, which had previously held a hint of confusion, anxiety, and human emotion, now held only an almost icy, absolute rationality. Deep within the pupils, it seemed as if countless tiny streams of data were rapidly flashing, calculating, and recombining.

All was quiet!

It wasn't that external sounds disappeared, but rather that his brain's information processing ability instantly increased by several orders of magnitude. Information that was originally flowing at a normal pace was perceived as infinitely stretched, broken down, and analyzed. The world's operation seemed to have been slowed down, even creating a momentary illusion of "pause."

Deep within my mind, those memories and knowledge that were originally chaotic and scattered like fragments are now being sorted out by an invisible hand, surging, colliding, and connecting at an unprecedented speed and efficiency!

Books I'd read but long forgotten, movie details, forum discussions, even snippets of news I'd glimpsed... all the information dormant in the corners of my mind was activated, extracted, and made crystal clear. Along with the recent hive adventure, every detail, every line of dialogue, every micro-expression and movement of my teammates was re-analyzed and analyzed.

"God, exchange for the entertainment book 'Methods of Training in the Memory Palace'," he said in a calm, unwavering tone.

A physical book appeared before him. Fueled by the terrifying power of the NZT-49, his reading speed surpassed human limits; his gaze, like a high-speed scanner, precisely imprinted the entire book's contents, including every punctuation mark, into his brain within minutes.

He closed his eyes again, but this time not to escape, but to build.

Within his "vision of consciousness," a vast, complex, and meticulously structured virtual palace was being built at an astonishing pace. Each room and each corridor corresponded to a different category of memory. Those chaotic fragments of "memory" were rapidly categorized, labeled, and stored in their respective "rooms."

The previously tangled images and settings of Zheng Zha, Zhu Peng, and Wang Zongchao were forcibly separated. The parts belonging to the original infinite, the settings belonging to different fan works, the information belonging to his personal observations and deductions... everything was sorted out in an orderly manner.

This process is efficient, ruthless, and devoid of any personal emotion, much like the most sophisticated computer executing an archiving procedure.

Wang Yi slowly opened his eyes, not knowing how much time had passed—perhaps just a fleeting moment in the outside world, or perhaps several hours had passed due to his accelerated thinking.

The absolute rationality in his eyes faded slightly, replaced by a bitter smile that mixed with realization, absurdity, and deep helplessness.

“I remember now… I remember most of it. But, it’s better to let the truth remain in a state of confusion…”

He muttered to himself, his voice slightly hoarse.

"Zhu Peng, the protagonist of 'Infinite Terror: The Arrival of the Daoist Madman,' is a perfect Daoist madman and a cultivation fanatic who pursues transcendence."

"Wang Zongchao, 'The Path of the Infinite Martial Artist'? Or a fanfiction protagonist with a similar setting, a powerful martial artist who has reached the pinnacle of martial arts."

"And Zheng Zha, it's probably a secondary interpretation from some heavily modified work," Wang Yi rubbed his temples, feeling overwhelmed even while analyzing this information in NZT mode.

"How am I supposed to deal with this situation? Don't create a new account!"

This is no longer a simple plot mutation; it's essentially a monstrous world formed by forcibly merging together fragments from multiple Infinite Horror fanfiction universes!

Under the absolute rationality brought about by NZT-49, Wang Yi quickly abandoned the currently meaningless and potentially philosophically disastrous thought of "whether he himself is a character created by some author." The greatest difficulty at present, and also the potential opportunity, is this completely out-of-control "mutation."

The downsides are obvious: the plot is completely out of control. This is neither the original Infinite nor any single fan fiction he knows. He has lost his greatest asset: the advantage of being a prophet. Future horror films will be full of unknowns; the tasks the Supreme God might issue and the enemies that might appear could all be beyond his comprehension.

However, there are also positive aspects: if you play it right, you can build good relationships with these protagonist-level teammates, or even latch onto their powerful allies... wouldn't that mean you can just coast along? Even if you're in a hopeless situation and your soul is scattered, someone might be able to defy fate and pull you back from the brink of death! It's like not having your own personal cheat code, but having a powerful, overpowered allies shared by the entire team!

Currently, we are mainly considering two directions: the present and the future.

The mind works like a sophisticated multi-threaded processor, quickly devising an action plan.

The most urgent task now is to determine our own development direction and choose initial enhancements accordingly.

While having a powerful backer may offer a potential safety net, completely entrusting one's fate to the whims of others is ultimately a path to ruin. "Holding onto a powerful backer" should be seen as a last resort, not a means of dependence. True self-reliance is the only foundation for survival.

Next came the teammates' suggestions for improvement. This wasn't out of selflessness, but rather to increase the team's overall survivability, and also as an investment of goodwill.

Zhu Peng: A master of all Daoist arts, proficient in every aspect of cultivation. Such a person is a walking encyclopedia of strategies and a research institute. Simply provide him with information or concepts that might broaden his thinking or break his mental barriers during the exchange process, such as the Daoist systems or wondrous artifacts of certain special worlds, and he will find the optimal solution on his own. No excessive interference is needed.

Wang Zongchao: A martial arts master who has reached the limits of human potential, he should have already successfully broken through those limits using the T-virus and begun to cultivate internal energy. In the original work (Infinite Path of the Martial Artist), he initially focused on cultivating Hong Kong comic martial arts, especially the highly risky but quick-to-master evil internal energy technique, Ice and Fire Seven Heavens. Later, he mainly cultivated his self-created Yin-Yang Transformation Theory. There are many suggestions for his early-game exchanges, such as introducing the internal energy cultivation system from "Mythical Three Kingdoms" to broaden his potential, or the fist intent and acupoints from the Human Immortal Martial Arts system of "Yang Shen" to expand his growth range and ceiling. This information would be extremely valuable to him.

Zheng Zha: This is the most troublesome and crucial issue. We can only adapt to the situation. But one thing is certain: the emergence of the Primordial Era - Creation of Heaven and Earth is inevitable; there's no need to consider strengthening things like Yin-Yang clashing. If he stubbornly insists on strengthening his vampire bloodline to match his internal energy... then we must find a way to persuade him to stop!

Under NZT's thinking, Wang Yi quickly analyzed the essence of vampires in different systems: in Christian mythology, they originated from God's curse; in Underworld and some science fiction settings, they originated from genetic mutation; in Western fantasy worlds, they are mostly classified as undead creatures... Their essence is almost incompatible with Qi, and conflict is almost inevitable.

Several alternative, more compatible enhancement plans must be prepared as leverage to persuade him.

All these thoughts, aided by NZT-49, were completed almost instantly, with clear logic and a well-defined objective.

"Alright, the basic response strategy has been planned." Wang Yi raised his head, his gaze once again fixed on the vast sphere of divine light, a hint of fiery exploration shining through his cold rationality.

"Now, let me see for myself what strange changes have occurred to the supposedly all-encompassing God Space exchange list in this absurd, Frankenstein's monster world!"

He concentrated and issued a new command to the supreme deity:

"God, inquiry..."

An information storm is about to unfold in his consciousness.

Chapter 3: Testing the Waters with the Exchange List

Amidst the absolute rational thinking storm brought about by NZT-49, Wang Yi began a systematic and strategic exploration and analysis of the vast and seemingly endless exchange list of the Main God. This was not merely to find a suitable enhancement for himself, but also to uncover the intricacies of this "Frankenstein's monster" Main God space, as well as the possible "rules" and "backdoors" hidden behind countless options.

His first target was someone who was considered a bug in his "memory".

"God, inquire about the telekinetic floating cannons."

The screen refreshed immediately, and the information appeared:

[Psycho-Activated Floating Cannon: Rating 95 points. High-tech floating cannon unit, driven by mental energy, with built-in psychic power development that allows the user to activate their psychic abilities. Capable of long-range laser shooting, melee combat, defense, and manned flight. Requires: 1 A-rank side quest, 10000 reward points.]

Looking at the exorbitant price, Wang Yi had an expression that said, "I knew it."

Even if it can be found in this chaotic world, this thing is most likely enhanced with a "private backdoor," and other people will have to pay the normal exorbitant price to exchange for it.

But this thing is indeed a good thing. It has comprehensive functions and great power. Its most prominent feature is its overwhelming advantage of "I am invincible below the fourth level, and I can trade one for one with the first level of the fourth level".

In his fragmented "memory," this thing wasn't even a cheat code of the main god himself, but rather an "administrator privilege" that the "author" Zhang Heng had granted to himself.

In a future timeline, the author Zhang Heng personally enters his own book. As a "creator" who knows the plot and setting well, he will definitely leave himself some bug-level things to facilitate his actions before entering.

However, due to certain limitations, it was not possible to leave behind anything too outrageous at the beginning. Thus, this telekinetic floating cannon, which had an extremely high cost-performance ratio for the author, was born.

For Zhang Heng himself, exchanging for it only requires 5000 reward points plus a B-level side quest to obtain a powerful energy cannon, along with a series of abilities such as telekinesis development. It can be considered a beginner's artifact for Zhang Heng.

Before reaching the fourth-order gene lock, you can basically do whatever you want.

When he reaches the fourth stage and faces inner demons and even more powerful enemies, he can still go to the Six Paths of Reincarnation to obtain the Xuanhuang Pagoda and safely activate the fourth stage with Xuanhuang Qi. Moreover, once the Xuanhuang Pagoda is placed on his head, he will truly be invincible as an innate being, at least within that multiverse system, almost no one can shake him.

"As expected, the treatment of favored players and ordinary players is worlds apart," Wang Yi calmly commented, marking this option as "high value but extremely low cost-effectiveness for non-specific targets" and temporarily shelving it.

Next, he turned his attention to one of the pinnacle paths of magic-based enhancement.

"God, inquire about arcane mages and arcane novice."

The screen changes again:

[Arcanist Enlightenment: Rating 99 points. Applicable to most horror movies. The heritage of the Logic Race among the myriad races of antiquity, the origin of all magic-based professions. Can cast spells without magic networks or materials, and can analyze the rules of the universe. Requires: 1 S-rank side quest, 30000 reward points. Prerequisite: Possess "Arcanist Qualification"]

Seeing this price and prerequisites, Wang Yi, even in NZT condition, was speechless.

"An S-rank side quest, 30,000 points... This price is almost comparable to those infamous, deadly 'growthable' traps in the Main God Space, like the ridiculous Immortal Bloodline or Divine Power Seed. Is this damn Main God Space going to block every backdoor?!" He couldn't help but complain inwardly.

In his memory, this arcane enlightenment was the exclusive enhancement for Chu Hao, the protagonist of "Infinite Dawn".

Although called an arcane mage, it is actually more like a variant of the cultivation system, pointing directly to the essence of the universe's rules, with enormous potential, leading directly to the ultimate path.

However, it is clear that in this space, obtaining such a top-level, almost fundamental legal lineage comes at a despairingly high price, and there are also stringent qualification requirements.

"Check the requirements and reward points for strengthening the Water Transport Technique." After calming down, Wang Yi continued to probe, this time choosing a relatively "basic" cultivation technique.

[Water Transport Technique: Rating 88 points, a cultivation method, a basic introductory technique of orthodox cultivation, known for its rapid foundation building, low difficulty, and ease of use, and possesses basic analytical capabilities. Requires: 1 A-level side quest, 6000 reward points. From: Primordial Era]

"From... the Primordial Era?!?!?"

When Wang Yi saw the three characters "Primordial Era" clearly appear on the screen, his brain seemed to have been hit hard, instantly shutting down, and his heart seemed to stop beating at that moment.

The Primordial Era?! That era in our "memory," the oldest and darkest time for humanity, filled with countless races, where humans were reduced to mere prey?! This God's Space can even exchange for cultivation techniques from that era?! The implications behind this...

Silence... a deathly silence enveloped him.

He tried to ask the main god about the meaning of the "Primordial Calendar", but only received a cold reply: "Insufficient permissions, unable to query".

The massive information overload even caused a momentary fluctuation in the effectiveness of NZT-49.

But soon, the powerful effects of the drug stabilized his thinking again. The chaos and shock in his mind were forcibly suppressed, and absolute rationality regained its advantage.

The truth is not of much concern to me right now. It's beyond my current understanding. My immediate priority is to utilize the resources I have to survive in this cruel cycle of reincarnation, and to thrive. Figuring out the source of the information in my head, and... why I was transported here, are the questions I need to consider at this stage.

He gazed intently at the large sphere of light that seemed to contain infinite secrets, calming his turbulent emotions, and began to analyze the current situation: "If this God's exchange list is not limited to the original 'Infinite Terror,' but expands and integrates more other works and even the 'Epoch' system on the original basis... then it may not be a bad thing for me. Although I have lost the 'Prophet,' the range of choices is wider. The key is how to dig out those hidden, cost-effective treasures."

With the support of NZT-49, Wang Yi began highly efficient screening and comparison. He constantly modified keywords and tried variations of the same term under different systems.

He soon discovered an interesting phenomenon: enhancement systems with the same name often have multiple differences from "different multiverses" or "subordinate versions".

For example, the cultivation techniques in the world of "Under One Person" include ordinary versions, versions involving the origins of the "Eight Extraordinary Techniques," and the most outrageous "Other Shore" level version that directly links to a high-level cultivation world like "A World Worthy of Honor." The prices, potential, and ratings of the different versions vary drastically.

For example, the Martial Soul system in "Douluo Continent" has a relatively "scientific" (although also fantastical) novel version, as well as a comic version with more exaggerated combat power and more unique rules.

Even the enhancement of generals in the Three Kingdoms series is divided into historical types with no magic (or low magic) levels, superhuman levels like in Dynasty Warriors, and the absurd world of Mythical Three Kingdoms where internal energy can split mountains and rivers.

After rapid searching, comparison, analysis, and cost-effectiveness calculations, Wang Yi gradually focused on several unique enhancement paths that matched his existing resources (2C, 8000 points):

[Secret Realm Technique Seed: Rating: 34, suitable for some horror movies, provides the foundation for cultivating Secret Realm Techniques. Requires: 1 D-rank side quest, 1000 reward points. From: Shrouding the Heavens]

The Secret Realm Technique, created by the Desolate Heavenly Emperor Shi Hao, is a cultivation system divided into five major secret realms: the Sea of ​​Bitterness, the Dao Palace, the Four Extremes, the Dragon Transformation, and the Immortal Platform. Advantages: Formidable combat power in the early stages, limitless potential in the later stages, and an extremely high, almost limitless, upper limit. Disadvantages: Extremely frustrating! First, the subsequent cultivation methods are outrageously expensive; even a simple saintly inheritance might require an S-rank side quest. Second, the resource requirements are massive. In the early stages, one might barely survive using the "ingredients zone" of the main god, but the resource requirements in the mid-to-late stages are several times, even dozens of times, greater than traditional cultivation methods, making it an absolute "money-devouring beast." The low rating is not without reason; for ordinary reincarnators, this is almost a dead end.

[Golden Light Mantra: Rating: 79, suitable for some horror movies. It enhances one's life cultivation by entering a state called 'Righteousness,' and a protective golden light can be generated through ritual. Requires: 1 B-level side quest, 6000 reward points. From: Under One Person (A World Worth Living)]

This was an unexpected delight discovered through continuous exploration. This version of the Golden Light Mantra clearly connects to the higher-dimensional worldview of "A World Worthy of Honor." Advantages: Relatively low resource requirements, focuses on "cultivating both spirit and body" (spirit and soul, body and spirit), with virtually no weaknesses. Golden light protects the body, providing both offense and defense, making it extremely practical. Most importantly, its potential is extremely high, seamlessly connecting to the Dharma Body, Legendary Realm, and even the Other Shore Realm in "A World Worthy of Honor" later on, demonstrating immense potential. It's a high-value investment that's stable in the early game and powerful in the late game. Furthermore, there are other techniques from the "Immortal" sect within the same system that can complement it.

[Martial Soul Awakening: Rating: 64, suitable for some horror movies, allows the user to specify their awakened martial soul, and includes innate full soul power and basic meditation techniques. Requires: 1 D-rank side quest, 1000 reward points. From: Douluo Continent comic]

Advantages: You can specify your Martial Soul! This means you can choose top-tier Martial Souls with maximum strength and functionality. The Martial Soul system itself has good compatibility, allowing you to cultivate various martial arts techniques to improve physical attributes and mental strength. Utilizing the resources of the Main God Space, you can quickly acquire powerful Soul Skills, and later, you can become a god and control the rules. Disadvantages: The system is relatively independent, and may be suppressed in certain horror scenarios with vastly different rules. Furthermore, the path to godhood requires a corresponding divine position and faith.

[Internal Energy Infusion: Rating: 85. Suitable for most horror movies. Uses the spirit as a guide to stimulate potential and generate the first stream of internal energy. Requires: 1 D-level side quest, 500 reward points. From: Mythical Version of Three Kingdoms]

Analysis: A simple and straightforward numerical system! Its biggest advantage: it doesn't rely heavily on external resources! It primarily depends on self-training and mental stimulation to improve the quantity and quality of internal energy. Furthermore, it can perfectly accommodate and cultivate most martial arts from high-level martial arts and immortal martial arts worlds to enhance combat power and break through limits. The growth curve is smooth, its applicability is wide, and it's a very solid and reliable foundation for strengthening.

[Human Immortal Martial Arts - Martial Artist: Rating: 76. Suitable for some horror movies. By training all the muscles in the body, it improves the basic physical quality and gains superhuman strength. It also comes with a muscle-training martial art. Requires: 1 D-level side quest, 1000 reward points. From: Yang Shen]

Analysis: The Human Immortal Martial Path refines the physical body step by step to its ultimate state through training the flesh, tendons, skin, bones, internal organs, marrow, blood, and energy channels, ultimately achieving physical sainthood and solidifying the fist's intent to shatter the void. Advantages: Extremely rapid power development! Especially after unlocking the second stage of the gene lock and gaining precise control over the physical body, the accumulation process before energy channel refinement can be greatly shortened. The qi and blood smoke generated after blood refinement has a strong restraining effect on supernatural and ghostly beings. It is an excellent choice for those seeking ultimate close combat and overwhelming force.

Countless pieces of information intertwined, collided, and were calculated in his mind. The NZT-49's effects made him like an overclocked CPU, frantically processing this data.

"The resource requirements for the Secret Realm are too high, PASS."

"The Martial Soul system has good potential, but it doesn't directly improve one's own strength in the early stages, and the uncertainty is a bit high, so it's an alternative."

"The internal energy system is the most reliable, cost-effective, and widely applicable, but its initial burst of power may be slightly weaker."

"The Human Immortal Martial Path is quick to develop, fierce in close combat, and effective against ghosts and monsters, but it may be relatively weak in resistance to energy attacks, and subsequent cultivation of the acupoints requires corresponding techniques."

"Golden Light Mantra... cultivates both body and spirit, has enormous potential, is compatible with advanced worldviews, and has moderate resource requirements..."

Each option was analyzed, weighed, and compared.

Finally, his focus gradually shifted, and a reinforcement plan that combined short-term survival with long-term potential, and could maximize the use of existing resources and information advantages, gradually became clear and took shape in his mind...

"So, the final choice is..."

Chapter 4 Selected Enhancement