Night Paper: "I've finished explaining my plan. Next is Owen. Your current status is indeed a Digital Life form, right?"
Owen did not hide the fact that he is a Digital Life form.
Owen: "I am considering turning back into a human for a while, there are a few eternal life experimentations I haven't done."
Night Paper: "We'll talk about the experiments later. Right now, you have a more important task - Ji Shuyu and I will promote the 'Monster Identification System V1.0 Hundred Meters Edition' software to people worldwide. I want you to record every Eternal and Breeder's information through extensive data collection - all for the sake of promoting world peace."
Owen: "Sounds interesting."
Ji Shuyu: "I continue to develop the monster identification system. Thanks to the inspiration from the rules, it now has a new direction, which is 'integration'. This tool is no longer limited to authors, but will be released for breeders and human forces to use. As long as it is widely promoted, every person in the world can become our eyes and ears."
Night Paper: "That's all for now. Authors, please be mindful of your safety and update any information promptly in the group."
-------------------------------------
After the failed post-war negotiations, the Council decided to take further military action against the Eternal Life Church.
After the troops occupying the airport were equipped, hundreds of armored vehicles headed directly towards Jerusalem. Meanwhile, the Queen Elizabeth and Ford ships had already docked along the Mediterranean coast, with fighter jets loaded with missiles attacking military bases near the capital.
Faced with the attack by the peacekeeping forces, the Eternal Life army made no resistance, abandoning the capital and dispersing.
Some fled to neighboring countries, some attempted to escape by sea, others took enough food to seek refuge in remote mountains and forests, while some disguised themselves as beggars and mingled in slums. Overnight, Israel's military and political upper echelons vanished, leaving behind a vast territory and millions of followers whose minds may have been influenced by the Eternal Life Church.
The current government in Israel, led by the Eternal Life Church, was completely overthrown.
Unable to locate the top leaders, the Council established an interim government among the local population to oversee post-war reconstruction and conduct a census of non-cult individuals. The remaining military resources in Israel were classified as spoils of war by the Council.
From a human perspective, the influence of the Eternal Life Church had been almost entirely eradicated, with only a few fugitives posing little threat.
However, for the Eternal Life Church and the authors, the second round of the game had just begun.
On the morning of the 19th, riots erupted simultaneously in major cities like Hong Kong, S City, Tokyo, and London. Individuals bearing the banner of "Breeders' Teachings" went on violent rampages, killing thousands within a day.
The world was shocked.
Although the riots were quickly suppressed, humans suddenly felt the emergence of a new cult force. Investigative agencies from various countries began looking into religious forces including the Eternal Life Church and the Breeders' Teachings.
While humans struggled to understand the logic behind the cults' actions, the authors had a clear understanding.
The Eternal Life Church aimed to drag the Breeders' Teachings down with them - if they were hunted down as a cult, then the Breeders' would have no peace in spreading their teachings either.
The authors retaliated swiftly, launching an app called the "World Anti-Cult Center," endorsed by the Council, specifically designed to warn against the Eternal Life Church.
Utilizing this software, the Council's peacekeeping forces conducted a population census in Jerusalem, leading to the immediate capture of thousands of Eternal beings.
Upon realizing they had been discovered, the Eternal beings put up fierce resistance, resulting in casualties among the peacekeeping forces. Ultimately, the Council deployed helicopters to carry out targeted strikes against the remaining Eternal beings hidden in civilian areas.
After hundreds of personnel were injured or killed in the clashes, the most resistant Eternal beings were eliminated, while the rest were taken captive.
With this, the previously stable situation once again took a turn. Humans became aware that the threat from the Eternal Life Church still loomed, lurking among the masses and poised to strike at any moment.
In response, the "World Anti-Cult Center" app gained rapid popularity. Many were shocked to find that their friends and family were followers of the Eternal Life Church.
In a dimly lit factory.
A man was tied to a chair, his face beaten beyond recognition.
Numbers 6 and 8 stood before him, staring coldly.
"Where is your Rabbit God hiding?"
"We... Breeders... will never betray our comrades..." the man weakly uttered, coughing up blood.
Number 6 roughly grabbed the man's face, saying, "This is your last chance. If you don't speak now, torture will follow."
"Love... is invincible!"
"..."
All right, the Breeders were all lunatics, they had no common ground. Number 6 believed that the Breeders' Teachings were the real cult.
【It's so hard to capture Breeders only to find out they can't communicate at all.】
Number 8 said, 【Stop wasting time with him, proceed to memory extraction.】
Number 6 nodded, injected a small amount of sodium thiopental into the Breeder, and while the Breeder was disoriented, proceeded with the "conversion." Soon, the Breeder became an Eternal being.
The Eternal being retained the memories of the Breeder.
After a long reflection, it shook its head: 【The Rabbit God... location, unknown.】
Number 6: 【Do you have bases? Who initiated you into the teachings?】
Eternal being: 【Word of mouth, passed down.】
Number 8: 【Tell us the locations of other Breeders, if you don't know where the authors are, someone must know.】
...
Simpson, Bernice, and Moulin were summoned before Number 3, and with the permission of the Eternal managers, they learned the full story.
Number 3 addressed Simpson and the others:
【Our current strategy against the authors is to drag down the Breeders' Teachings, buy time, and search for the authors' location.
But the authors are truly crafty in their deception - they've prepared well, concealing the Breeders' Teachings and forming ties with human forces. What's worse, they've invented a tool that can identify Eternal beings, leading to the elimination of many hidden Eternal beings. So, do you have any suggestions?】
Bernice: "The threat posed by the authors is not as great as imagined. They heavily rely on the so-called 'Rules' author. Once we assimilate the 'Rules,' they are a house of cards."
Moulin: "The Rules are terrifying..."
Number 3: 【So should we take down the Rules first?】
Bernice and Simpson exchanged a glance, the latter said, "There's a precondition, the Pseudo-Humans and Breeders jointly control the military forces. We have no direct opportunity..."
【Give me a plan to defeat the authors.】
"There are two options, one is to destroy all main signal towers, preventing the authors from synchronizing their memories. The other is to rally the remnants of the Eternal Life Church, launch an attack on the political center of the Five Constant Countries, and seize control of the super weapons. The operation is best timed close to the iteration moment..." Simpson deliberated, his young body brimming with ideas.
The Eternal beings considered the feasibility of Simpson's words, eventually shaking their heads: 【With the authors' caution, anything you think of, they would have thought of already. They must have taken precautions.】
Number 4: 【Should we use that weapon? I mean the Time Weapon.】
Number 3 fell silent for a moment and said, 【Using this would deplete the Bartleme of the authors.】
Number 4: 【But assimilating one author is enough to replenish, and can instantly shift the current situation, making it a surefire win from all angles.】
Number 3: 【Then let's take a vote. According to the rules, any decision involving the overall interests of the Eternal World must be voted on.】
【Number 2 is absent.】
【In the absence of Number 2, we'll consider it as abstaining.】
Number 3 surveyed the present Eternal beings, with Numbers 1, 11, 12 missing from the 13-member sequence, all others present, meeting the condition of 'more than half.'
【Eternal beings, we will proceed with a vote to use the Time Weapon. Please cast your votes.】
The voting results were soon revealed.
Numbers 1, 2, 11, and 12 were absent, resulting in four abstention votes.
There were eight in favor and one against.
Number 3 looked at the sole dissenter, Number 7, 【The reason?】
Number 7 appeared as a grey mist, 【I don't want to say. I don't need to say.】
Number 3 nodded, 【Unfortunately, you don't have a veto; majority rules are absolute here.】
-------------------------------------
With the cooperation of authors, human forces, and the Breeders, the Eternal Life Church faced a full-scale assault from all directions.
As the Monster Identification System became widespread, humans formed a unique interconnected network, with each person becoming the eyes to detect Eternal beings.
After suffering numerous casualties, the Eternal beings scattered, pairing off and seeking refuge in remote areas with few human inhabitants.
This set the stage for the current Sixth Round, just as Night Paper had predicted.
Everyone entered a tense state of preparation.
They had to guard against the final retaliation of the Eternal Life Church.
The best time for the Eternal Life Church to strike back? Naturally, at the tail end of the Sixth Round, with less than three hours left until its conclusion.
Xu Fang had three duplicates left, one serving as a bodyguard by Ji Shuyu's side, another as backup near the equator, and the last in the outskirts of City K accompanying Luo Xiaoming in hiding.
Despite understanding the pattern of "the Grim Reaper is coming," no one dared to guarantee that this pattern wouldn't suddenly change. Thus, hiding in a safe place in advance was the most prudent choice.
Suburbs with sparse populations and no tall buildings were ideal refuge areas. Beyond that lay desolate mountain areas with a slight chance of encountering Eternal beings, so it was best to stay put.
"...That's the situation. If all goes well, the Seventh Round will be the final round."
Xu Fang updated Luo Xiaoming on the current status.
"Will I be able to return to the real world in the next round?" Luo Xiaoming, relieved, asked.
In order to avoid triggering the Grim Reaper mechanism, she had not interacted with normal humans for a long time. At first, it was bearable as she could read novels or play single-player games, but later, electronic games inexplicably disappeared.
What on earth was going on?
Each round resulted in some things inexplicably vanishing.
"My mission is accomplished. I'll now watch the performances of other authors. I'll be here accompanying you through the final moments."
"I can't believe someone as cautious as you actually trusts other authors?" Luo Xiaoming chuckled.
"I have reasons to cooperate with the authors. Given the exceptionally high difficulty of this bizarre event, which has buried many authors, one can suspect that the disappeared authors in the real world have all ended up here. The surviving authors have all been through numerous eliminations, showcasing either luck or skill. They all share a common trait..."
"High IQ? Abundant props? Or just the protagonist's halo?"
"None of the above."
"Then what is it?"
"Pro-sociality. Specifically manifested as altruistic and helpful behaviors."
The sophisticated egoists in society are not easy to identify. But in front of Xu Fang, these individuals' characteristics are quite obvious.
For example, they are highly self-disciplined, well-versed in the art of language, sharp-minded, two-faced, profit-driven, highly adept at meticulous calculations, and very slick. While not prone to constant lies, they may strategically mislead others in a utilitarian manner.
In most situations, self-interest is the best survival strategy, as it is more advantageous in gaining a competitive edge. Yet these pro-social authors have survived through multiple eliminations. Does this imply that cooperation is more beneficial for the survival of this bizarre event?
After numerous iterations, the authors have long forgotten their past, but the positioning ability of Black Frame indirectly proves that there has been cooperation among the authors. Therefore, Xu Fang is determined to see the cooperation through.
"So, these are the main reasons. Another reason is that my abilities as an author are limited, and I rely on the help of other authors. This bizarre event requires the collective cooperation of all authors; everyone's existence is crucial."
"Including me?"
"Of course, your role is the most important."
"Hahaha! Don't be so straightforward," Luo Xiaoming feigned laughter to conceal her embarrassment, "But it's true, without my memory, you wouldn't be able to archive anything, right?"
"Xiao Ming, how long has it been since you slept?"
"Hey, why do you suddenly ask that?"
"The dull skin under your eyes, slowed reaction time, mental fatigue, and tension — these are all symptoms of prolonged sleep deprivation."
"I can't help it, I can't sleep when you're not around."
"Then take a rest now."
"Will it affect you guys?"
"No."
"Is it dangerous?"
"It's safe here."
"Ahaha, then I want a knee pillow." Luo Xiaoming naturally lay down, looking tired but content, "Ah, so soft..."
Soon, the girl had fallen into a deep sleep, a relaxed smile on her face. Perhaps in her mind, everything would end smoothly.
Xu Fang silently watched her, his thoughts weighed down by heavy burdens.
There was one thing Xu Fang had never overlooked, and that is... ever since the nun Moulin's death, various mosaic shapes — linear, blocky, irregular — had filled the world, making Xu Fang's perspective bizarre and unsettling, to the point of inducing madness.
Perhaps the only normal "object" in this world was Luo Xiaoming. Although she also bore some inexplicable marks, they were not jarring.
"The reasons why I and Luo Xiaoming entered this bizarre event?"
"What exactly is the Eternal Life Church?"
"What is the meaning of this world?"
These three questions constantly haunted Xu Fang's mind, as he vaguely felt that they were related to the survival of all.
Suddenly, Xu Fang received a message on his phone, surprisingly from the Taoist priest.
"Xu Fang, there's something I want to discuss with you in private regarding the rules."
"Where are you? I'll come to you."
The Taoist priest sent his location.
Two hours later, Xu Fang's duplicate met with the Taoist in a small town.
At this moment, the Taoist priest appeared remarkably youthful. Even in ordinary attire, he exuded extraordinary grace, a world apart from his former shabby old appearance. Indeed, one's appearance and demeanor are closely linked.
"Well, you've finally arrived." "Tell me, what have you been up to that's bothering your conscience?" Xu Fang sat opposite him.
The Taoist priest looked slightly taken aback, then sighed and said, "I cannot deceive you. I must confess—regarding that 'prop,' it's best not to use it again."
"At what cost?"
"Yes. I am not sure how many times you have used it, but take my advice, use it sparingly."
It seems quite similar to the set bar.
"Were you using it to elude the pursuit from the Eternal Life Church in the Fourth Round?"
"Yes."
"What did you sacrifice in return?"
Upon hearing this question, Empty could no longer conceal the fear in his heart and hesitantly said, "I do not know, perhaps my lifespan, or maybe missing an opportunity, or perhaps..."
Empty could not continue, already speculating the most optimistic outcome.
"Tell me about your past uses and the prices you paid, it might provide some insights."
"I must admit, some bleak experiences occurred that I couldn't tell if I was simply unlucky or if it was the price of the prop."
Empty recounted some past hardships, including family affairs, tragedies of loved ones, bankruptcy, and other misfortunes. Moreover, Empty believed that becoming an "author" was also part of the price. According to his account, this 'prop' is more of a buff than an item, where duplicating it for others is akin to replication.
One of Empty's friends accepted this 'prop,' only to die mysteriously one day.
Listening to Empty's words, Xu Fang confirmed that he was not lying, or at least his subconscious believed he was telling the truth.
"Is it possible that this 'prop' is non-existent as others speculate? Perhaps those misfortunes were merely coincidences."
"But..."
"I know you are wondering how you managed to escape the Eternal Life Church in the Fourth Round. So is it possible that other factors allowed you to survive, even if you used a quantum device but simply don't remember using it?"
"Why did you, at that time, fulfill the rules and play along with the performance?"
"I am exploring a possibility — whether there are other intervention factors in this world. Overall, I have never been averse to paying the price, as it signifies relative fairness. Even as tiny as a particle, after paying a sufficient 'price,' it can shatter a star."
