"Observe for a while?"

Xiao Zhe frowned and said, "We don't intend to get involved in the battles between you 'authors'."

"So I'm just asking you to protect the Luo family." Xu Fang sat in front of Xiao Zhe. "The enemy is much stronger than you can imagine. Even if you're willing to help, it won't be of much use."

"Is this related to Gussy's disappearance from the internet?" Xiao Zhe pondered.

Xu Fang blinked unexpectedly, "Where did you get that information?"

"It seems that authors are not as omniscient as rumors suggest." Xiao Zhe smiled. "Our intelligence department has professionals who observe and record the world. Data may be altered by the world, memories may be forgotten by people, but those special individuals will never forget what happened in the world."

"Hmm... from your description, they sound like 'authors'. Do they have any professional title? How are they different from authors?"

"Before answering your question, I would like to confirm if your concept falls within the range of normal people. Forgive my offense, but until now, we haven't been able to regard you as human. However, as long as your ideas align with ours, even if you're not human, you can still be a potential collaborator."

Two individuals with completely different worldviews are impossible to understand each other, let alone cooperate.

It's like three food enthusiasts discussing cuisine, only to find out in the middle that the first person prefers sweet, the second person prefers salty, and the third person prefers spicy...

"Alright, do you want to invite the expert panel over?"

"I advocate efficient communication, so it's better if I test you alone. It won't take more than ten minutes... By the way, do you want a cup of coffee?"

"Unfortunately, I can't enjoy human food. Can you get me a cup of gasoline instead?"

Perhaps Xiao Zhe has encountered too many eccentric people because he didn't show any surprised expression. He simply ordered his subordinates to prepare gasoline for Xu Fang, and he began the testing.

"Firstly, the trolley problem. On one track, there are five people tied up, and on the other track, there is one person tied up. An out-of-control trolley is heading towards them..."

"I say stop." Xu Fang interrupted Xiao Zhe.

"What's wrong?"

"Are you asking me if I should watch five people die or pull the lever to sacrifice only one person?"

"Yes."

"In what perspective do you want me to answer?"

"Your own perspective."

"Based on value premise and risk assessment?"

"All six individuals have the same worth, and it has nothing to do with you. You don't have to take any risks for your actions."

"Then I'll give you the answer straight away. I'm a utilitarian, not a moral duty theorist."

Xiao Zhe forced a bitter smile, "What should I say to that?"

"You advocate efficient communication, don't you?"

"That's too efficient..." Xiao Zhe felt embarrassed.

"The second question, a large-scale weapon of mass destruction is hidden in your place and about to explode, and the informant has been captured by you..."

"I say stop!" Xu Fang interrupted Xiao Zhe again.

"Well, what now?"

"Are you asking if I should use torture on the informant and, if the informant remains silent, should I use torture on their family to force them to talk?"

Xiao Zhe nodded.

"If the bomb is powerful enough to destroy humanity, I will do whatever it takes to extract the memories from the informant's mind. If it only destroys half a city... then why should I be bothered?"

"Alright, I understand. So, the last question - how do you prove that you are yourself?"

For ordinary people, this is a philosophical question, but for Xu Fang, it is a practical question.

Xu Fang has thought about it, not just once. This question is like the "brain in a vat" or "Zhuangzi's butterfly dream". The answer itself has limitations, as the respondent uses limited conditions to prove a theory that goes beyond those conditions.

If Xu Fang's physical body were still present, he could answer, "I am my brain," but now that his physical body has disappeared, only Xu Fang's memories can prove that he once had a physical body. So, he seems to be able to answer, "I am my memories."

However, a bizarre event has revealed that memories can be altered. Xu Fang can only prove that he exists with the memory of "Xu Fang," but he cannot prove that he is "Xu Fang" himself.

This is a serious issue. If Xu Fang cannot give himself a reasonable answer, he will constantly doubt himself and eventually suffer from mental distortion and breakdown.

Of course, if Xu Fang was still human, he could just ignore this problem and carry on with his life.

However, Gussy's body structure is too intricate. The consciousness without normal physical structure regulation becomes unusually sensitive. Xu Fang needs to constantly pay attention to his mental state and actively regulate his own mind to prevent himself from going crazy or having a sudden realization.

He doesn't want to learn to have alter egos and contemplate suicide at the drop of a hat.

Although Xu Fang tries to maintain his original state, there is an inevitable change in societal consciousness.

This is a dangerous signal, like the ship of Theseus on a long voyage. If Xu Fang's ideology changes a little bit every time, after countless iterations, he will no longer be the old Xu Fang.

"This question has many answers. Would you like to hear other people's answers?"

Seeing that Xu Fang didn't answer immediately, Xiao Zhe thought that he couldn't come up with an answer. He smiled and tried to lighten the mood.

"No need, I have my own answer." Xu Fang pointed at himself and said, "I can be real, and I can be virtual; I can disappear and exist; I can be anyone, and anyone can be me. So, I prove that I am me."

This is Xu Fang's answer to himself, a non-conservative and even radical response. He denies that he is the continuation of the will of "Xu Fang," and also denies that the changed him is not him. He believes that he encompasses any possibility. Even if he is a virtual character created by some unscrupulous author, it doesn't matter. For him, there is no clear boundary between virtual and real.

After contemplating Xu Fang's words, Xiao Zhe finally came to a conclusion: It's mind-blowing.

"I think I have an idea of what kind of person you are. Although your moral values are weak, you have a calm and logical thinking ability and a clear self-awareness level, which is enough to support our communication." Xiao Zhe praised.

"Communication is a two-way street. I also know what kind of person you are... Oh, thank you." Xu Fang took the gasoline handed to him by the special police.

The people around Xiao Zhe are quite considerate. They deliberately heated the gasoline and poured it into a large thermos so that Xu Fang could drink warm hydrocarbon compounds... something seems off.

"Oh? What kind of person am I?" Xiao Zhe became interested.

"Innocent, sentimental, and have a strong spirit of dedication." Xu Fang absorbed the energy from the gasoline and said, "Since I've met you, your heart, lungs, sympathetic nervous system, and other activities have intensified. You fear me. Instead of expressing your own importance first, you discuss strategies from an organizational perspective and exchange useful information, which shows that you care more about the interests of the organization and the country than your own life."

"You are naive, overly idealistic about the author's group, and trust a person of unknown origin like me. If I were an enemy, you would have been killed already."

"Those ethical issues of yours are just draft thoughts to get closer. Even among humans with the same ideology, they divide into groups based on their interests. Not to mention someone like me with unique existence. You only have two choices: repression or amnesty. And you've given me the power to choose."

Xu Fang returned the empty thermos to the special police, and then propped up his chin, watching Xiao Zhe.

Many of Gussy's actions are cute, like the posture he is currently in. But Xiao Zhe and the special police present all feel that there is no creature in the world more dangerous than the loli before them.

Xiao Zhe couldn't help but touch his nose. "Cough, I'm just an ordinary person working for the country. Rather than calling me a leader, it's better to say that I attract hatred. I don't oppose being called sentimental and dedicated, but I am not naive. I also prioritize interests."

"With such sincerity shown, how should I repay you for protecting Luo Bing and Luo Xiao Ming?" Xu Fang asked.

"Ensuring the personal safety of our country's citizens is the duty of law enforcement officers, so it's free." Xiao Zhe smiled and waved his hand.

"It doesn't sound like a transaction, though free things are usually the most expensive. But since you said so, I gladly accept. Now, let's get back to the topic at hand. Who are these 'special talents' you mentioned?"

"Scientists call them 'Singularity Individuals'. Their existence is like the convergence points of countless parallel worlds, where they can see what is happening in other dimensions and even influence our own... Do you believe in the existence of parallel worlds?"

Xu Fang didn't answer, but looked at him meaningfully.

Xiao Zhe realized and felt embarrassed. It seemed that in some parallel world, Xu Fang had already met him and then that version of Xiao Zhe had died. Xu Fang was like a ghost who walked through various worlds, so asking if he believed in parallel worlds would only make one a laughing stock.

"The world is composed of countless parallel worlds, with each having its own deviations. Singularity Individuals are the intersection points of these parallel worlds, where numerous dimensions converge at a singularity. That's why we call them Singularity Individuals. The actions of Singularity Individuals can lead to the convergence of all parallel worlds into one result. If a Singularity Individual dies, they will completely disappear without a trace—this is the cutting-edge research on the theory of dimensions conducted by Chinese scientists. So now you understand the strategic significance of Singularity Individuals, right?"

"Are Singularity Individuals limited to humans? Is the author also a Singularity Individual?"

"All the Singularity beings we have discovered so far are humans, so we simply refer to them as Singularity Individuals. That lady named Luo Xiao Ming seems to be a Singularity Individual as well."

"That's impossible. She has died once before. According to what you said, she shouldn't be able to come back to life, right?"

"It's possible that she wasn't a Singularity Individual at that time, but she is now because she actually remembers what happened before the timeline changed, which is abnormal. There are many cases indicating that many people become Singularity Individuals after birth."

"She remembers when I debuted?"

"Yes."

"Can you identify Singularity Individuals? Can it be done with that spherical device?"

"Are you talking about the Meme Detection Device? It's kept at headquarters, and I don't have it with me at the moment." Xiao Zhe was somewhat surprised, but knowing that Xu Fang was the author, it wasn't that surprising.

"What's the full name of your organization?"

"Chinese Protectors."

"Isn't it called 'Dragon Group'?"

Xiao Zhe: ?

"Just kidding... Do you have cultivators or people with special abilities in your organization?"

Xu Fang was curious about the secret organization behind the country and, as an author, wanted to seize the opportunity for inspiration.

"Where would there be cultivators? But there are some people with special abilities, like some who have a natural aura of misfortune, some who can see supernatural events, some who can infect others with their behavioral habits, and there's even a strange person with super-regeneration ability. There are also people with special harmful abilities, but I can't reveal much here."

"Are those people Singularity Individuals?"

"No, Singularity Individuals and people with special abilities are two different groups. It seems that there is no intersection between them."

Xiao Zhe changed the topic, "Well, can you tell me what's been happening on your side as authors?"

"What do you want to know?"

"Tell me about recent events. Although we don't want to get involved in your internal conflicts as authors, knowing more can help us prepare better."

"Alright, but you should know that there are many forbidden terms on our side. I'll try to avoid mentioning or replace them with other words."

"I completely understand."

So, Xu Fang told Xiao Zhe about what had happened in the past few days, including the existence of the Destruction Society and the current situation.

"The President of the Society is missing?"

"Yes, I'm not sure if he's alive. The President is also unsure if I'm alive. Both sides are hidden in the fog of war."

The one who fought against the President was just a duplicate of Xu Fang's, as Xu Fang attempted to use an object with a high existence-level to directly eliminate Velley.

Finally, Xu Fang experienced the terror of the God of Destruction. The fame he had built up on the internet was completely erased by the god. If Xu Fang hadn't controlled the duplicate to commit suicide, his original self would probably have been implicated as well.

That's right, as long as Xu Fang commits suicide before God of Destruction kills him, he can avoid all the duplicate deaths. But because of suicide, Xu Fang cannot know the life or death of the guild leader.

Later, Xu Fang looked at the changes in the number of authors on the Horror Novel Web. It is unknown whether it was a coincidence or someone was manipulating it, but the total number of authors decreased by exactly two at that moment.

It seems like an announcement to outsiders: Look, two high-level authors have perished together!