October 20th.

The Eternal Life Sect.

The first time he heard of this strange religion.

Witnessing the bizarre and eerie scene of their preaching, just the thought of those "believers" with fanatical eyes gives me goosebumps.

This is not preaching, it's almost brainwashing, right? It must be brainwashing, right? How do they completely change people's minds in such a short time?

Xu Fang searched online and kept up with the news.

But there was no trace of the Eternal Life Sect, as if the experience on the train yesterday was just a dream.

Xu Fang checked the train they took that day, from H City to G City, traversing north and south, passing through more than ten major cities. If those strange missionaries got off the train and spread to other places...

Xu Fang remembered a type of neurax worm from "Plague Inc.", a worm that can control human minds, with the worm being worshipped as a god. Neurax could even rule the world without killing anyone, and the most dangerous thing is controlling minds.

How similar is the spreading method of the Eternal Life Sect to this virus?

Just to be safe, he went to the hospital for a check-up, but the results showed nothing.

Since it's not a virus, how do they "preach" then?

Although Xu Fang is curious, he doesn't plan to risk his life. This stage is for gathering information, he needs to collect as much information as possible in the third loop, to prepare for the fourth loop. Who knows what will happen in the world of the fourth loop.

In the afternoon, Xu Fang went to a study room in the school like an ordinary person.

It's quiet here, with no cameras. It is said that students who used to come here to study have even seen condoms, which shows how hidden it is.

Luo Xiaoming was waiting in the study room, wearing a gas mask. There was a black plastic bag on the table, wrapped in three layers inside and outside.

"Xu Fang, is this the compound you mentioned?" She handed Xu Fang another gas mask and rubber gloves.

Xu Fang put on the mask and gloves, then opened the package. Inside was a brown wide-mouth bottle filled with colorless liquid, with the label saying potassium cyanide solution.

"Well done." Xu Fang repackaged the medicine and put it in a specially made pocket.

Xu Fang had Luo Xiaoming get some highly toxic compounds from a nearby chemical factory.

It's quite difficult to get these things, only chemical factories or stores registered with the public security agencies have them. Due to their excessive danger, ordinary people have no way to purchase them.

But Luo Xiaoming has her "invisibility cloak", she can quietly sneak into government-controlled areas and get some things. She made some disguises, even if she is caught on surveillance, she won't be recognized.

Of course, the toxic compounds in this loop have no effect, they are just preparations for the next loop.

Using a knife to awaken has a higher failure rate, and it may even lead to being killed. Poisoning has a higher success rate.

But the timing of poisoning is poor. Luo Xiaoming needs to take a two-hour bus and subway ride plus half an hour of walking to reach the relatively remote chemical factory. By the time she returns, it's already dark. If the enemy is prepared, this behavior is no different from suicide. Xu Fang in the second loop probably considered this situation and hoped that Luo Xiaoming could awaken him in the shortest possible time, so he didn't use other plans. Since he has already explored this world, it is relatively safe in the short term, and the poisoning plan can be considered.

"Did you encounter the Eternal Life Sect or monsters on the way?"

"No, everything is normal. Except that no one can still see me."

Xu Fang nodded, "At the moment, we can't determine the relationship between the monsters and the Eternal Life Sect, but their common characteristic is their ability to hide. Such a large-scale preaching, yet there is no trace of them in the online or real world."

"Yeah, I'm worried that new enemies will appear in the next loop..."

"We need to prepare for the next loop and not relax in this current cycle. The information is too scarce, and I'm not sure if the cycle of this loop will happen."

"By the way, have you found any companions?"

"I found a potential candidate on a foreign forum."

"Oh, really? What kind of person is it?" Luo Xiaoming asked curiously.

"Be cautious and use someone else's device."

...

On a large foreign forum, a post titled "Looking for author to collaborate on solving bizarre event" received a reply.

"Bizarre event? Are you referring to a term in the circle?"

"Hey bro, how did you know these two keywords? Are you also part of the circle?"

"Please reply!"

The replier was anonymous, with a hidden IP address. He replied three times in a row, all in English.

Xu Fang: "Are you the author?"

Xu Fang's IP address was also hidden. He had nested three layers of virtual IP addresses, located in Los Angeles, Hong Kong, and Seoul. Regular IP search tools could only detect the first layer. But Xu Fang never underestimated the hackers on the internet. He was always prepared to be traced to his physical location whenever he replied. That's why he never used his own device to reply, nor did he use the internet in fixed locations like schools or hotels. Instead, he chose areas with high foot traffic to lower the chances of exposure. Even if he was traced, the other party would only know that Xu Fang had been in a certain public area in City K. Going further, they would just be looking for the wrong person.

"Author? That's a good term. Ordinary people wouldn't ask such a question. I'm very interested in you," the anonymous person replied.

"Are you the author? Can you be more specific?"

"How about we meet offline? If you don't want to, we can communicate through phone and email." He was straightforward.

Xu Fang: "I'm not sure if you're the person I want to meet."

Anonymous: "Same here. Well, even if you're not looking for me, there's no harm in making a friend."

Xu Fang hoped the other person would give the secret code to further confirm their identity as the author. But the other person's intentions were too direct, making it difficult for Xu Fang.

Meeting offline? It was too dangerous to contact the author without being sure if they were friend or foe.

"Xu Fang, do you want to meet this person?"

Xu Fang shook his head. "It could be a trap."

"Maybe it's just some bored internet user who got too immersed in the story," Luo Xiaoming imagined. Two chuunibyou discussing the darkness of the world in a serious manner in the forum suddenly made him laugh, finding it amusing.

After thinking seriously for a while, Xu Fang replied to the anonymous person with an address - a specific location in Seoul, on the 21st in the afternoon.

In reality, Xu Fang wouldn't go there.

Deleting their internet traces, Xu Fang and Luo Xiaoming returned to school, observing the world as time passed.

On the calm 21st, Xu Fang didn't receive any more replies and didn't see any signs of monsters or the Eternal Life Sect. The media continued to operate as usual, and international affairs had no connection to ordinary people.

However, on the morning of the 22nd, something seemed off.

The news of "Terrorist Attack in Seoul, Korea" trended. At first glance, this news didn't seem significant, and people would only sigh and say, "Foreign countries are so plagued with disasters." But Xu Fang felt a sense of horror.

The location of the terrorist attack matched exactly what Xu Fang had mentioned, even the timing was similar.

The "terrorists" carried out multiple rounds of missile bombings at the meeting location Xu Fang and the anonymous person had discussed, causing heavy casualties. The news photos showed several buildings turned into ruins.

Silently in his heart, Xu Fang weighed the possibility of surviving if he entered the second stage... It was likely that he would be killed twice in a row.

Based on Luo Xiaoming's description, Xu Fang knew that in his second form, he was bulletproof. Although he was invincible against carbon-based life forms, he was defenseless against superheated weapons of human civilization. Even without missiles, large-caliber shells could cause fatal injuries.

A chill ran through him. In this moment, Xu Fang felt the presence of unknown malice.

This was a premeditated attack.

He took a deep breath and immediately gave up the idea of continuing to communicate with the anonymous person. Regardless of whether that person was responsible for the attack, Xu Fang confirmed that he was being targeted. He couldn't even return to that forum, not even as a visitor. Naturally, Xu Fang couldn't see the reply from the anonymous person anymore - "Fuck! I believed your bullshit!"

October 22nd, afternoon.

Xu Fang stood at the railing of the hotel rooftop, looking down below.

These past few days, he couldn't relax, always carrying poison with him wherever he went. If he encountered the mysterious organization that wanted to capture him, Xu Fang would not hesitate to "awaken" himself.

Luckily, it seemed that Xu Fang hadn't been discovered.

"Will it be enough to explain these things in the next round?" Luo Xiaoming crouched beside Xu Fang, her small notebook filled with information she had collected over the past few days. She tried hard to remember the contents written on it.

"Yes, and also, if we really enter the next cycle, remember one thing..."

"What is it?"

"Believe in yourself, don't hesitate or be confused. The bizarre event is most afraid of attacking the mind."

"Why are you suddenly speaking like an experienced person?" Luo Xiaoming smiled, "I will take note of that. Also, you just set a flag, didn't you? You yourself said that authors hate this."

Xu Fang smiled, indeed his tone just now was like setting a flag.

The wind gently blew, and a cloud covered the sun.

Xu Fang looked up and suddenly noticed a change in the sky.

Not only the sky, but the world beneath his feet was also changing.

Everything lost its substance, gradually turning into gray data and lines. Xu Fang lowered his head and looked at his own body, even he was disappearing!

Is the world rebooting?!

Faintly, he heard Luo Xiaoming's voice and turned his head to look.

In this gray color, Luo Xiaoming was the only color in the world.

She reached out her hand, her expression somewhat anxious, calling out for something, but Xu Fang couldn't hear clearly.

He also reached out his hand, trying to grab Luo Xiaoming's hand, but it only caused a surge of data flow.

In this ocean of data, Xu Fang heard a lot of noisy information.

[Where is the boundary between reality and falsehood?]

-------------------------------------

Dorm room, sunset.

Luo Xiaoming still maintained the posture of reaching out her hand, but Xu Fang in front of her had disappeared.

Stunned for a few seconds, she immediately checked the time on her phone.

October 15th, exactly 4 o'clock.

Back to the 15th again.

Luo Xiaoming checked her phone, in the previous cycle she took many photos

- There was nothing in the album.

Not only the data in her phone, but many items she carried with her were also gone, such as a small bottle of deadly compound, gas mask, pocket knife, diary contents disappeared, even the new bra she wore was gone...

However, the scab on her arm did not return to its original state, her body and memory were not reset.

Luo Xiaoming went outside to observe the pedestrians and scenery, besides the setting sun being more slanted, there were no significant changes.

"After the second cycle, did the time delay by two hours?"

Luo Xiaoming recorded the existing information again, these were the things Xu Fang emphasized to focus on.

...

It was really difficult to awaken Xu Fang.

After going to the chemical plant, Luo Xiaoming went through hardships and finally returned to the dormitory before curfew.

Then she waited for an opportunity - the next day.

She put the compound in Xu Fang's mineral water, and when Xu Fang came back after eating, he stared at the half-empty bottle of mineral water for a while, but didn't drink it. Instead, he bought a new bottle.

She planned to poison Xu Fang while he was asleep, but as soon as she got out of bed, Xu Fang, who was in a deep sleep, immediately woke up.

Hey, what's going on? In the previous cycle, you weren't this alert!

Why would an ordinary college student living in peacetime be as vigilant as a soldier on the battlefield?

"Xiao Ming, what's wrong? Is there something going on?" Xu Fang asked in confusion.

"Excuse me, did I disturb you?"

"I always feel your gaze, which has made me somewhat concerned... Huh?!" Xu Fang noticed that Luo Xiaoming put on a gas mask and rubber gloves, and walked straight towards him.

Then, he poured out a colorless and deadly liquid.