Returning the memories of Four-eyed to their original owner is a little challenging.

Although this synchronization device is magical, it can only operate on a single core. If it is used to transfer the memories of Four-eyed, Xu Fang's duplicate will be disconnected.

Upon careful reflection, Xu Fang realized that there were still many areas for improvement in the duplicate method he established. Initially, Xu Fang discovered that "original body -> synchronization device -> duplicate" could form a system for expanding thinking. In order to extend the distance of the original body's control over the duplicate, Xu Fang added a signaler, making it "original body -> signaler -> synchronization device -> duplicate." It is unknown whether it was influenced by the synchronization cube, but the stability of the signaler was excellent. However, this form of duplicate bound to the synchronization device was inconvenient. Therefore, Xu Fang conducted an experiment. He added another signaler between the synchronization device and duplicate, making it "original body -> signaler 1 -> synchronization device -> signaler 2 -> duplicate." He found that the synchronization could still proceed stably.

So, Xu Fang had a bold idea. What if there were more than one signaler that the synchronization device pointed to? Although the synchronization device is single-threaded, the signalers are not.

Signaler 2, signaler 3,... signaler n, these can form a local area network. By controlling the operation of the signalers through logic gate circuits, even though Xu Fang's original body can only control one, he can achieve the effect of controlling multiple people by switching the signalers.

Xu Fang couldn't help but think of a theory proposed by the neurologist Andrew Budson: subjective consciousness is just a memory system that records the unconscious interaction between us and reality. Consciousness originally developed as part of the episodic memory system - likely required for this flexible information reorganization. Static memory is just a book, while flowing memory is consciousness.

The issue of threads has been resolved. Xu Fang only needed to add another signaler 3 and incorporate a logic gate circuit to ensure that the "synchronization will not be interrupted," and then use signaler 3 for the transformation of Four-eyed's memory.

As for how to return the memories? Xu Fang didn't have the resources or time to create a "memory importer," so he adopted the most direct method.

...

Nightfall.

The waves crashed against the reef, and the sea water reflected the moonlight's radiance.

The tide rose and fell on the beach, leaving shallow silver edges in its wake.

A young girl carried a bucket and held a small shovel in her hand, leisurely walking along the seaside.

The girl appeared to be sixteen or seventeen years old, with fair and clear skin, delicate and slender eyebrows, clear and spirited eyes, and silky silver-white hair tied up behind her head.

After spending several hours gathering seaweed, conches, and clams, the girl delicately stepped and lightly sat on a reef by the shore, soaking her feet in the cool sea water. She carefully examined the contents of her bucket, calculating how to prepare dinner.

Suddenly, her cellphone in her pocket started ringing.

She felt puzzled. Why was she able to receive a signal on this deserted island? Could it be that the signal source was very close to her?

She had been living a secluded rural life on this deserted island for a long time and had never been disturbed by anyone. Although she had the ability to leave on her own accord, she didn't want to hear the hustle and bustle of the city again.

The pleasure of seclusion lies in a simple life.

Occasionally, in her dreams, she would vaguely see many versions of herself from different time and space, telling stories that seemed meaningless.

She had forgotten some of her memories. But she didn't mind, her current life was also good.

The call was from an unknown number, and as she looked at the string of numbers, hesitation filled her heart. Her intuition told her that if she answered this call, her current life would be completely changed.

But that thought quickly faded, curiosity prompted her to press the answer key and hold the receiver to her ear.

"..."

Not only did she hear a voice, but she also saw various scenes fast-forwarded in her mind.

"What kind of website is this? Horror Novel Web? Author?..."

"So they can actually write things from novels into reality?"

"I survived!!"

"It was so dangerous...I almost died in a bizarre event!"

"By using code to bring magic from another world into reality...this is a good thing. No one in the 'Midnight' website has ever mentioned this theory. Maybe I'm the first one to discover it, so let's call it 'Code Magic'."

"...Most of the runes and code logic are completely incompatible. It was so difficult to write the 'Seeking Spell', but it only has a range of one hundred meters, truly useless."

"The members of the 'Author Guild' are interested in this code, they actually spent so many points to purchase it...I don't need it myself, but it's worth exchanging for some points, isn't it?"

"Good cooperation..."

"The transaction went smoothly, just to be safe, I'll change bodies again."

"Oh no, I've been spotted again..."

She recalled that she had entered a bizarre event.

She couldn't remember what happened afterwards, but she only remembered being awakened by a black-clothed person claiming to be the "Rule" in the previous loop...

The memories surged like a tide.

The girl was shocked and remembered everything. She abruptly turned around, and not far behind her stood a black-clothed person.

The moonlight cast his slender shadow, and his expression could not be seen clearly, only the sound of his cold voice could be heard: "Have you remembered everything?"

"I have remembered everything."

The phone call was successful.

"What should I call you...?"

This white-haired girl took references from Emilia and Rem in terms of appearance and had a voice similar to Rie Kugimiya. However, under the demon's gaze, Xu Fang seemed to see something extra—although the girl had a feminine appearance, she retained some masculine features.

"Call me Ji Shuyu, that's the name of my current identity," the girl looked deeply at him and smiled, "Since I can recall the memories of the previous loop, does that mean space is not affected by reincarnation?"

"Yes." Xu Fang showed Ji Shuyu the Sync Magic Square and said, "I want to hold another Author Meeting and 'archive' all the authors."

"That's exactly what I had in mind." Ji Shuyu nodded, "Based on the lesson last time, I'm preparing a separate communication program and using multiple independent servers to provide cover for our communication."

"That's fine, but don't add any unnecessary features, like a location system—some privacy can protect ourselves."

Even though Xu Fang believed that Ji Shuyu could be trusted, he still used a hidden identity.

"Perhaps the author won't reveal their memories after death? The fake Simpson from the previous loop didn't seem to inherit any memories, they just used the phone to test us."

"Unless it's absolutely necessary, I don't want to risk my life to test possibilities."

"Better safe than sorry, being cautious is always a good thing. Just be careful, you know the most, don't let the Eternal Life Church catch you."

"The Eternal Life Church can't do anything to me for now. Even if I fall into their hands, I can erase my own memories and not burden you all."

Ji Shuyu secretly wondered in her heart: Is it really true that newcomers adhere to such rules?

But Xu Fang's calm attitude gave Ji Shuyu confidence. Compared to the arrogant and cunning individuals, rational people could provide her with a sense of security.

"How did you manage to avoid the Eternal Life Church in the previous round? Did you and Lao Mo survive together?"

"In the previous round..." Ji Shuyu gently lifted the seawater, letting it slip through her fingers, and smiled thankfully, "If it weren't for the Taoist master, we would have died in Jerusalem. The Eternal Life Church's pursuit is watertight; ordinary people have absolutely no chance to escape."

Xu Fang did not speak and patiently waited for her to continue.

"At that time, Lao Mo proposed a crazy idea - he wanted us to become quantum ghosts."

"At that time, I couldn't make up my mind and was still considering taking a gamble, hoping that we could find a way to escape. After all, becoming quantum ghosts is extremely risky, with almost no chance of recovery. But the Taoist master agreed with Lao Mo. I was about to speak out against it, but the Taoist master looked directly at me and reassured me about our safety."

"I believed him."

"At the time, while we were on our way to the microwave emitter, the Taoist master recited scriptures, his words obscure. Lao Mo and I thought that the Taoist master was under immense pressure and his mind was unstable. Just as we were about to comfort him, the Taoist master smiled lightly and said, 'Alright, we have already quantized.'"

"After that, we sat on benches on the roadside. We witnessed a shocking scene: drones and helicopters soaring in the sky; amphibious assault vehicles patrolling everywhere; armed soldiers searching every house; innocent civilians who didn't cooperate being shot dead; The Eternal Life Church brainwashing their soldiers on the spot... The violent pursuit spread throughout the entire city, but the three of us seemed to have been forgotten by the world. But I vividly remember that I never entered the microwave emitter. Did I lose my memory?"

Lao Mo had an incredulous expression all along and asked the Taoist master how he managed it. The Taoist master simply pointed to the sky and said, 'Can't say, can't say.'"

Ji Shuyu sighed, "Taoist Master Xu, this person is amazing. At first, we all thought he was just a showboating pervert, but we didn't expect him to be a true immortal... No one who enters this bizarre event is simple. Later, when we had nothing to do, we boldly entered the laboratory and Lao Mo made a small rocket..."

As Ji Shuyu narrated, Xu Fang seemed lost in thought.

"About the rules, I'm curious. What did Taoist Master Xu give you in the previous round? It shouldn't be the emperor's new item, right?"

"Why do you think the Void in the previous round didn't say anything?"

"Is it some kind of long-lost supernatural ability?"

"Some things lose their meaning when said out loud."

"Do you advanced authors all like to play riddles?" Ji Shuyu snarked, still curious in her heart, but she didn't pursue the topic further.

Xu Fang and Ji Shuyu agreed on the time and place for their meeting, and then Xu Fang left.

Instead of directly seeking out other authors, Xu Fang spread his wings and flew to the nearest thermal power plant.

From afar, he saw several large chimneys emitting white smoke, with steam carrying heat surging outwards. In the eyes of the devil, this was the place with the highest energy density in the surroundings.

Xu Fang descended along the cooling tower and attached himself to the cooling apparatus below. The large amount of latent heat released from the turbine's exhaust turned this place into an ocean of white dots of light. Xu Fang stretched his body and felt a constant influx of energy. This place was much more comfortable than the freezing void of space.

In the past, Xu Fang used to treat empty shells as replacement batteries to recharge himself. But this time, Xu Fang plans to use the energy here to duplicate several empty shells for building an interconnected synchronization device. This way, Xu Fang can indirectly control multiple duplicates and no longer need to awaken other authors one by one.

Duplicating empty shells is relatively safe. During the duplication process, Xu Fang will extract the memories of the newly formed bodies to prevent the generation of new self-consciousness from those memories, thus avoiding the consumption of "life span" fuel.

It took Xu Fang nearly a day to duplicate three empty shells. Although it consumed a considerable amount of heat from the power plant, compared to the huge total power generation, this amount of energy was negligible. The continuous energy flow greatly increased Xu Fang's duplicating speed. Unfortunately, Xu Fang only has three long-range signal transmitters left. To acquire more, he can only go to the rocket launch base, as ordinary signal transmitters cannot transmit signals over such long distances.

"Almost done, time is precious now." Xu Fang prepared the plan.

He assigned numbers to the four duplicates in order. Duplicate 1 would go to Jerusalem, where Simpson was located. There were three objectives: first, to investigate Simpson's situation and try to save him if Professor Simpson still had a chance of survival; having one more surviving author meant a higher possibility of deciphering the bizarre event. Second, to explore if there were other synchronization devices; the more synchronization devices there were, the better. If Xu Fang could obtain the method of their production, it would be even better. Lastly, Xu Fang wanted to test Eternal Life Church to see if it could retain memories, as Owen suspected.

Duplicate 2 would operate in Asia, awakening Yoriko and Master Kongxu, and finally heading to City K. Duplicate 3 would go to the Americas, awakening Ye Zhi, Moulton, and Owen. Duplicate 4 would go to Europe, searching for the nun, Bernice, and the unnamed one.

Because Jerusalem was relatively dangerous, Xu Fang decided to place the synchronization device on Duplicate 2.

...

Lingfeng Hall is located in a corner of a county town.

A faded plaque hangs on the railing of the second-floor attic, and several pots of evergreen plants are planted in the front yard.

This is where a feng shui master lives. Although not well-known, he has an excellent reputation among neighbors, especially popular among women and famous for helping people conceive.

Stepping on the fallen leaves in front of the door, Xu Fang entered Lingfeng Hall and met Kongxu.

At this moment, Kongxu was not in his original appearance. Instead, he was a young man wearing a luntan and a crane cloak, resembling Zhuge Liang from the Three Kingdoms. As he hunched his shoulders, he looked at the BK girl group on his phone with a smirk, completely destroying the originally elegant image.

When he realized that there was a guest, Kongxu quickly put away his phone and greeted with a smile, "Welcome, what service can I provide for you? Looking at feng shui, palmistry, fortune-telling, good and bad luck? Buying talismans or spiritual lots? You can scan the QR code in front of the counter for more details!"

Xu Fang looked around the room, filled with various divination items, appearing mysterious, but in reality, they were just ordinary processed goods and not "props."

"Master Kongxu, do you know Taoism and supernatural abilities?"

"The great path is formless, beyond the reach of mortals. I am just having some fun, being calm in the midst of chaos, still in the midst of busyness, clarity in the midst of impurity. I understand a little bit about peeping into the truth, and I will benefit countless families. So, if you have any requests, please feel free to ask."

Empty replied modestly, while observing the mysterious figure in front of him, wondering about the person's intentions. Could he be looking for trouble?

"I have no demands, I just want to chat with you," Xu Fang avoided beating around the bush with Empty and directly mentioned the setting of Horror Novel Web and the bizarre event, staring at him intently.

Empty looked strange and thought that the deal might not work out. This person was probably mentally unstable.

"I have no knowledge or experience in this matter, I'm sorry. Perhaps the guest can find a magazine to showcase their talent," Empty suggested politely.

"Empty Daoist, are you sure you can't remember your past?" Xu Fang took out a ball of air. "This is a prop you gave me in the previous round."

"My name is not Empty, you must have mistaken me for someone else," Empty's tone gradually became impatient.

Indeed, it was difficult to make someone believe that they were the "author who lost their memory in a bizarre event." Even if successful, it would waste a lot of time. It would be better to forcefully awaken them.

With this in mind, Xu Fang directly focused his energy on the Daoist's brainstem.

His ability was suitable for killing, especially at such close range. Empty didn't even have time to scream and fell to the ground.

Unlike the behavior of those monsters after their death, the author's disappearance and reappearance happened simultaneously, and they reappeared in their original bodies.

After a moment, Empty transformed back into the old man from the previous round. He sat up abruptly, drenched in sweat.

Although he had lost the memories from the previous round, he still remembered the conversation with Xu Fang. He looked at Xu Fang in horror and asked, "Who are you?"

Xu Fang bowed and helped the Daoist up, saying gently, "Let's continue our conversation, about the events from the previous round."

The conversation went smoothly this time, and the Daoist quickly accepted the information conveyed by Xu Fang. He recalled the "air" in Xu Fang's hand and pondered, "An invisible prop? How bizarre!"

"Tell me, how did the poor Daoist avoid the Eternal Life Church in the previous round?" Empty asked.

Your exact words were 'can't say, can't say,'" Xu Fang replied.

Empty's gaze flickered, and he had some speculations in his mind. "Then it really can't be said."

"Daoist, I need to use the synchronization device to archive all the authors. You will join me," Xu Fang said.

Empty fanned the folding fan in his hand and shook his head, sighing, "Can't avoid revisiting it, I suppose."

Empty closed the shop and brought two buckets of gasoline to the backyard, placing them in the trunk of a white car.

The events from the previous round couldn't be summed up in just a few words. As the Daoist drove, he asked Xu Fang about the information he had summarized. When he learned about the horrors of the Eternal Life Church, the Daoist's expression became increasingly solemn.

He thought for a moment and stopped the car to perform a divination.

Just like the previous round, it was auspicious.

Xu Fang, on the other hand, couldn't divine anything.

"The celestial mechanisms in this world are chaotic, and I cannot deduce fortune and misfortune," the Daoist said.

"You mentioned that this world is the opposite of reality, so the more auspicious the divination, the worse the outcome," Xu Fang remarked.

"Sigh…" The Daoist started the car again. Before long, they were on the highway. Xu Fang had a thought and said, "Daoist, you drive for now. I will rest a bit, and call me if you need anything."

"I understand," the Daoist replied.

Xu Fang disconnected from Duplicate2 and switched to Duplicate1. At this moment, Duplicate1 was hanging on a plane and about to land in Jerusalem, Israel.

The sky in Jerusalem was slightly gloomy, with a heavy aura of death enveloping the entire city.

Everywhere, there was an ominous presence swirling, reminding Xu Fang of the power of the God of Destruction: It was dangerous here.