The dissecting room.

The woman was tied to the operating table, her mouth stuffed with gauze. Her eyes, filled with bloodshot veins, looked fearfully at the man wearing a grotesque mask.

Owen played with the hammer, scalpel, electric drill, and pliers on the workbench, arranging them into an aesthetically pleasing shape. Every now and then, he would pick them up and gesture on the woman's body, seemingly considering where to make the incision.

Almost ready, Owen pulled the gauze out of the woman's mouth and asked cheerfully, "Hey, beautiful lady, are you really not going to tell me the truth about Eternal Life Church or the world?"

The woman cried, "I don't understand what you're saying... Please don't hurt me, please, I'll give you anything you want!"

Owen mimicked the woman's tone and cried out, "Eternal Life Church! The truth of the world! Tell me everything! I'll give you anything you want!"

The woman cried even harder. She had just witnessed the masked man smiling as he killed someone, so she could only imagine her own fate now.

"I-I'm just an ordinary person, I don't know what you're talking about, please let me go... sob..."

Owen also cried, tears streaming down his face. "You don't know anything, so what am I supposed to do? How can I go on living? Sob sob sob sob sob sob!"

Unnamed sat motionless near the operating table, observing Owen's "performance art."

The two of them cried for three minutes. Finally, Owen had had enough, or maybe he was just impatient. He stood up and muttered to himself, "Why hasn't the phenomenon of humans turning into monsters happened as the rules said? Why? Unnamed, do you think the rules could have deceived us? Does Eternal Life Church actually exist?"

Unnamed said, "If what he said is true, then we haven't been deceived. Whether it happens or not, what would the consequences be? Catching the key to the problem, everything else will fall into place."

"...Damn it, what a load of nonsense?!!" Owen angrily stabbed the woman's thigh with the scalpel, causing her to scream like a pig being slaughtered in pain.

"Sorry!"

Owen stuffed the gauze back into the woman's mouth, but the muffled moans could still be heard. He turned on the stereo on the table, and the operating room was filled with the cheerful tune of "Cagayake! Girls" by Light Music Club.

But for the victim, the fear was in no way diminished.

Owen bandaged the woman's wound and removed the gauze from her mouth again. He patted her cheek and said with a smile, "Miss, let's talk about something interesting."

The woman gasped in pain. She could tell that the person who kidnapped her was not only mentally ill, but also a psychological pervert. She had to cooperate and answer those inexplicable questions.

Owen began testing the woman's calculation ability, asking questions for her to answer. Addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, analytical geometry, vector space, algebra, topology, cohomology, mirror symmetry, and the Hodge conjecture... Afterwards, Owen examined her overall analytical ability, planning and coordination skills, and philosophical thinking, even more meticulously than a civil service interview.

Unnamed sat by the side, watching Owen's interrogation. This was already the tenth person; Owen would question each one from head to toe, asking all sorts of bizarre questions. In the end, they would all be killed by Owen. Of course, there would be no bodies left behind. After they died, they would slowly disperse like torn cloth, disappearing into the air, leaving no smell or bloodstains.

Below are the conclusions Owen reached based on repeated experiments:

1. Even if the deceased's body tissues are consumed, they will still disappear. The clothing of the deceased will not disappear.

2. If their blood is electrolyzed into hydrogen and oxygen, or transformed into other substances, then as the body disappears, there will be a decrease in entropy, a disappearance back to the original form, ignoring obstacles and distance during the reversion.

3. The disappearance of matter occurs at the moment of brain death and lasts for approximately 3-5 seconds. The larger the volume, the longer the duration.

4. There is no phenomenon of heat absorption or emission during disappearance, but there is a reduction in electromagnetic radiation and a spectral redshift.

5. Substances that enter the body of the deceased, whether it is the stomach or other cavities, will be assimilated as part of the deceased's body and disappear together after approximately seven minutes. If poison causes death in advance, the poison will be assimilated as part of the deceased's body and disappear together.

As for why only humans were used for experiments, it's because Owen hasn't found any animals yet.

"Little brother, I've told you everything I know, can you let me go now?" Seeing that the interrogation was coming to an end, the woman pleaded, although her desperate heart had lost hope.

Surprisingly, Owen agreed to her request.

"No problem, as long as you pass the final test."

"W-what?"

"Unnamed, bring the person here!"

"..." Unnamed sat still and did not move.

Owen covered his face with his mask. "Ah! You disobedient teammate! Fine, I'll go by myself."

Owen left the dissecting room and soon returned, pushing a rack of torture devices. A brown-haired man was securely tied to the rack. From the bloodstains on his wrists and ankles, it could be seen that he had struggled, but to no avail. The man cursed and insulted Owen's parents. Judging from his rebellious expression, he seemed to have not suffered any violent acts.

"Bone?!" The woman exclaimed when she saw the brown-haired man.

"Simona, you... you've also been...!" The brown-haired man also noticed her.

"Damn it, dare to kidnap my woman, I will make sure my father sentences you to life imprisonment, I swear! If you let us go now, I can consider pleading for you in court... mmm..."

Owen stuffed a piece of gauze into the man's mouth, then turned to the woman. "Now, you have two choices. One is to kill this person and leave. The other is for both of you to die together."

"... I'm sorry, did Bone offend you? I apologize on his behalf. He has a bit of a hot temper..."

"Haha, you have ten seconds to think. As soon as time's up, I will dispose of you as I please. Ten... nine... eight... seven... six... five..."

"I promise, I promise, please don't hurt me!!"

The brown-haired man stared in disbelief.

At this moment, a cheerful song, "Good Luck," was playing on the sound system, disrupting the atmosphere.

Owen removed the woman's handcuffs, tossed her a knife, and then opened the video function on his phone. He smiled and said, "Alright, madam, please go ahead. I suggest targeting the carotid artery or the heart, they are more suitable for beginners."

The woman, trembling, stood up with the knife, feeling pain in her injured thigh. She glanced at Owen, then at her boyfriend.

"If I kill him, will you really let me go?"

"I guarantee it on my honor." Owen held his phone in one hand and toyed with a pistol in the other, which made the woman unable to muster the slightest resistance.

The brown-haired man vigorously shook his head and blinked frantically, signaling desperately. But his girlfriend just shed tears and choked, "Darling, I'm sorry, I don't want to die either."

Ignoring the man's terrified gaze, Simona gritted her teeth and stabbed the knife into her boyfriend's heart.

The brown-haired man's body vanished on the gallows, underwear and the binding ropes falling to the ground.

Watching this scene, the woman stood there in shock, the small knife slipping from her hand, unable to collect herself.

"Did you touch upon some truth of the world?" Owen smiled and said.

"What... what is happening? Why did Bowen, he... disappear?"

"Because he is a monster, when monsters die, they return to the void, leaving no trace." Owen explained, "The tests I conducted on you just now were to verify that you are human."

"Then, where is the real Bowen? Where is he?"

Owen shrugged, "Probably devoured by the monster."

"No, no... you're lying to me, you must have used some sort of illusion to make him disappear, right? Who are you?"

Owen sent the recorded video to the woman's phone and tossed it to her, "Take this video to the police, there are still many lurking monsters around you, they have replaced the people you trust the most, and you are completely oblivious. You can go now... I will come looking for you in three days, it would be best for you to find a safe place to hide before then, hehehe."

The woman, gripping the phone, turned pale in an instant. Ignoring the pain in her thigh, she mustered all her strength and fled the dissecting room.

...

"It's time to move, Anonymous. Although the police may not come, for the sake of more fun, it's always right to remain free."

Anonymous stood up, "Explain your actions."

Owen tidied up everything, took the tools and the audio equipment and smiled, "Of course, it's to test the nature of this world."

"If someone imprisoned our brains and simulated a world to make us believe that this world is real, how can we find the flaws?"

"This person didn't use any shortcuts, like simulating the end of the world or limiting our activities, or eliminating NPCs... they are really trying their best to simulate the real world. The deduction of 1% makes me feel like the population and building layout is a bit off. Well, in short, this world is very real, so real that it makes us think that the previous world was fake. But no matter how real the simulation is, it's still a simulation. The disappearance of bodies after death, the absence of galaxy displays, the seven-day cycle... these are signs of the computer cutting corners."

"Now the question is, how does the AI make these NPCs so lifelike? Could it be that these NPCs are also human? In the test, they behave the same as humans, they can harm each other, and they also react to the disappearance of bodies... Aren't you going to say anything? I've been talking non-stop, isn't it interesting?"

Anonymous spoke solemnly, "Reality and falsehood, from a certain perspective, there is no fundamental difference. What you can see may not necessarily be the truth."

"Hearing your words is like hearing a sermon."

Owen gave up the desire to continue discussing with Anonymous, muttering to himself, "If the government of this world knows the 'truth,' what would their reaction be? I'm really looking forward to it."

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

Eight thousand meters above ground, the curtain of the first-class cabin on the airplane was tightly closed, with four authors sitting around.

In order to strengthen trust among each other, they had all taken off their masks.

Four Eyes was a fair-skinned young man in his twenties. Old Mo had a high nose bridge and deep-set eyebrows, a middle-aged white man. Simpson was an old man with graying hair and deep wrinkles on his face. The appearance and temperament of the Old Taoist were quite similar, with thin eyebrows and small eyes, exuding a somewhat sleazy vibe.

"Now we are a team, shall we discuss the strategy for dealing with this bizarre event?" Siyan suggested.

"I'm indecisive. Although I have encountered many strange things in the past, this is the first time something this weird has happened. We can't even use any props," Kongxu said.

"Do you still have any life-saving items, Daozhang?"

Kongxu shook his head with emptiness and bitterness, saying, "I used to have many, but now I don't have any left."

Laomo said, "My life-saving items have also disappeared. We are not sure if they were banned by the bizarre event or if they were used up before. At this point, we can only rely on ourselves."

"Do you trust the rules? Is the information he provided of any value?"

Laomo tapped the table lightly and said in a deep voice, "I think the information he provided about previous loops, such as the Eternal Life Church, reincarnation, and the changes in the world... I believe these contents are trustworthy. He gains no benefit from deceiving us. He needs our help to find a way out. As for the method of preserving his memory, I have many doubts. Firstly, he is a newcomer, which is questionable. And then, the author called 'Singularity'... I suspect it doesn't actually exist, or maybe 'Singularity' is the rules themselves. In any case, the rules possess the method of preserving memory but do not want to share it with us."

"That dark and chaotic thing is strange too. I've never seen an author like that."

"Maybe it's some kind of individual creature."

Siganyu looked somewhat worried and said, "I think the rules are too naive. He didn't screen the authors. Based on the peculiarities of multiple bizarre events, there is likely a traitor or even challengers among the authors!"

Challengers are usually the culprits behind the bizarre events. Usually, they would involve other authors in bizarre events through setting columns and props, making them very malicious authors.

"I have also thought about it, but I didn't say it at the time. I believe everyone knew in their hearts. The rules didn't purposely avoid screening, but he probably lacked the energy or ability to discern. He can only hope for more powerful authors to hold the fort," Laomo's eyes were sharp and keen like a needle. "That guy named Ye Zhi, he must have discovered something. That's why he refused to team up with anyone and has the lowest suspicion level. Next is the rules. If he is a challenger, he has no reason to wake us up and provide so much information. The rules' objective is obvious, to cooperate in finding a way out. Lastly, there's Bernice. She can still be considered a normal person, but it's strange how she can function normally despite her disability. Owen, the nun, and Yuan Yizi who have abnormal mental states, it's best to stay away from them as far as possible. We can't expect a lunatic to become our teammate. As for that weird guy with a black frame, cooperating with him would come with a high sunk cost, so we shouldn't rashly make contact."

Siyan said, "Owen seems to have a performer type personality. I often encountered these kinds of people during my school days. They are naturally curious, enjoy researching new designs, and are adept at various styles. The nun seems more like trauma and stress-related disorders, also known as PTSD. Perhaps she has experienced something terrible to become like this. As for that couple hundred years old JK who has a hobby of 'observing humans'... a typical case of 'chuunibyou'. Hehe, when I was little, I even fantasized about being a descendant of Diabolus."

"I have observed that, Yuan Yizi is also not an ordinary person," Kongxu stroked his goatee.

"Oh? Daozhang, did you discover something?"

"I have observed her exaggerated speech and calm and composed attitude, and also her sexy underwear. She seems mature beyond her years and out of sync with the situation."

Four-eyed laughed and scolded, "You old gentleman, we are in serious analysis. So, you think I'm just nothing, a pretty girl is nothing special?"

Kongxu smiled apologetically, "Young friend, you misunderstood. I am unmeasurable."

As they discussed, Four-eyed suddenly noticed Simpson staring silently out the window, the sunlight deepening the wrinkles on his face.

"Sir, do you have any thoughts?" Four-eyed interrupted the old man's contemplation. "About deciphering the bizarre event, or other authors' opinions, please share them."

"Well... as the rules state, let us save our memories for the next cycle. In my laboratory, I have some instruments that can be useful," Simpson said calmly. "I can share all the research results with you, hoping to be of help."

"Professor, you are too modest. As the most experienced author among us, your knowledge and opinions are indispensable," Old Mo quickly said.

"Hehe, I'm just a lucky one who has lived longer."

The destination of the plane was Jerusalem, the city where Simpson's scientific research team was located.

Simpson had his own laboratory, a space filled with various strange instruments, computers, and medicine cabinets. Although the research team had a bigger laboratory, it had strict access restrictions, making it difficult to enter freely.

After Four-eyed cleared a space, they sat down on a few chairs. Following Simpson's instructions, Old Mo brewed a few cups of coffee.

"Professor Simpson, is it really possible to find a method to preserve memories in such a short time?"

At the airport, Old Mo and Simpson had a long conversation. He was impressed by the old man's extensive knowledge. Both of them were researchers in the scientific field, with different research directions but similar scientific concepts.

"I have a hypothesis, but it may not be achievable. Luckily, we have complete theories and tools, so we can make multiple attempts in the shortest time possible," Simpson, sitting in a wheelchair, calmed his breathing and continued, "Memory itself is not a physical substance, but its carrier is. In the brain, it manifests as a special folding form of proteins. Reincarnation can be roughly understood as the reorganization of all substances. If we want memories to remain unchanged, I hope to be able to separate memories from the rest."

"Separating memories, is it to digitize and store them in a machine?" Old Mo had discussed this question with Simpson on the plane.

"No, it is stored in quantum."

Memory transmission and reproduction technology - it was a project Simpson's team had researched before. It was a technology that accurately reproduced memories into information.

The team successfully digitized a monkey's memory and transferred it to a computer hard drive. Their first challenge at that time was how to transform the digitized memory, which was a pile of gibberish, into understandable information.

With the help of Horror Novel Web, Simpson obtained a miraculous algorithm that could translate the gibberish into digital storage information.

Just when it seemed that the cryptography expert was about to showcase his skills, the team encountered their second challenge: once the digits were observed, their order would become disordered. This was a pattern discovered countless times during the process of transforming gibberish. The information hidden in the digits seemed to exist in a state between "existence" and "non-existence." If observed forcefully, these digits would lose their meaning.

Horror Novel Web provided an explanation for this phenomenon.

Because the moment "memory" is observed, it is captured in the observer's memory, which causes the "memory" to collapse. Unless the observer is the owner of that "memory," humans cannot directly observe others' memories. The reproduction of memories becomes an impossible task.

The novel website did not provide a solution, and it seems to be unsolvable.

The team did not give up on this project. They tried brute-forcing the scrambled memories, but failed. They also tried killing the monkey to make the memory's owner disappear, but there was still an observer effect. They even attempted to convert the memories into quantum states, which was successful, but it did not solve the problem; it just added another layer of mystery to the already mysterious memories.

As for how to quantumize, it involves ball-shaped lightning, which is another topic altogether.

Everyone is smart, and after listening to Simpson's theories and achievements, they instantly understood his idea.

In simple terms, it is to quantumize memories to free them from material constraints and then re-read those quantumized memories in the next cycle. Since the memories do not reject the original owner, there won't be a collapse, which is suitable for the current situation.

This method may be feasible!