In Texas, Moulton sensed that the situation around him was taking a turn for the worse.

Security checks had been tightened in all public places. Military patrols appeared on the streets from time to time, and armed helicopters occasionally flew overhead. Every sign pointed to the higher-ups making some kind of adjustment.

Old Mo barely slept all night. According to the rules, during the previous sixth loop, Ye Zhi had played an irreplaceable role. Under Ye Zhi's command, the Eternal Life Church had been beaten so badly that it didn't even dare show its face. But now, time had inexplicably rolled back into the past. The sixth loop had become completely different, and everything was developing in the worst possible direction.

No. If this keeps up, I'll just be waiting to die. I have to take action!

There was only one plan left to try—the plan Old Mo intended to use every resource around him, no matter the cost, to board Boca Chica's experimental crewed rocket.

He was a core internal member of SpaceZ and had participated in the rocket's development, so he understood how to operate it. Besides, this high-quality body he'd exchanged for was more than capable of serving as an astronaut's.

His connections in the real world could still be used in the Immortal World.

He would have to find the aviation administration and obtain a relatively legal launch permit. Then he'd ask the executive officer to arrange an emergency rocket launch for him.

He might have to spend his entire fortune and burn through every connection he had, but those were secondary concerns. The greatest unstable factor was still the possibility of the rocket launch failing. He knew the drive and systems could malfunction. The violent combustion of the fuel and the immense thrust were testing the rocket's structural design every second.

On top of that, he had no idea how far the Eternal Life Church had spread. If there were immortals inside SpaceZ, that would be extremely dangerous.

But staying on Earth meant certain death. There was no way out here. Taking a gamble at least left him a sliver of hope, even if the path he'd chosen was also a one-way road.

After making up his mind, Old Mo left the room.

……

At this moment, only eight people remained in the authors' group chat.

It had basically been confirmed that Ye Zhi was gone.

The atmosphere in the group was bleak and heavy. After all, they had lost Ye Zhi, an important companion, and the others couldn't help feeling desolate.

Ji Shuyu: “I've hidden myself in a relatively safe place. Is everyone all right?”

Empty: “In a situation like this, where could possibly be safe?”

Rule: “I've got bad news. The space satellite I was on has been destroyed. I won't be able to update my memories in time for the next loop.”

Old Mo: “The immortals have already taken control of the United States. Don't go in and out of public places casually, especially airports and train stations.”

Ji Shuyu: “Damn, it's one piece of bad news after another. Israel was already hard enough to deal with, and now the United States has fallen too. What are we supposed to do?”

Yoriko: “😰😰😰”

Rule: “We still have a chance.”

Ji Shuyu: “Huh?”

Empty: “Please, speak. This poor Daoist will do what little he can.”

Rule: “You don't need to do anything. Just stay alive. Hold out until the seventh loop, and I'll think of something.”

Rule: “Right now, the greatest threat we're facing is… nuclear weapons. Once our location is locked on—even an approximate location—we won't have any chance of escape.”

Ji Shuyu: “In that case, I should find an air-raid shelter to hide in.”

Yoriko: “The version was updated ages ago. All underground structures have been ‘optimized’ away. There aren't even any basements left (tears).”

Ji Shuyu: “Sigh… I just hope those nuclear weapons don't come down on my head.”

Owen: “Heh heh heh, did everyone forget I exist?”

Ji Shuyu: “Oh, it's you. What can you change anyway?”

Owen: “As a pacifist, I won't let a nuke explode on Earth.”

Empty: “Let's hope so.”

Owen: “You don't believe me? Just wait and see. As the last savior, I'll lead you all to victory.”

Owen's words were ridiculous, but they did brighten the atmosphere a little. Along with Rule's promise that he would think of something, they rekindled hope in Ji Shuyu and the others, whose hearts had been as dead as ashes.

Ji Shuyu: “I'll try a little harder too. Maybe code magic can create a miracle. Daoist, don't keep hiding your abilities either. Use whatever you can—we have no way back.”

Empty: “I… sigh…”

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

Luo Xiaoming sat cross-legged beside the campfire in a down jacket, breathing out a puff of white vapor.

The campfire was in front of her, and a cave was behind her. Xu Fang was nearby, building a wooden cabin, while mountains encircled the area in the distance.

After transferring several times, they had taken a light jet from who-knew-where to this unfamiliar place. A continuous mountain range stretched into the distance, and there was a flat patch of ground below where they could barely land.

It was unbearably cold here, and there wasn't a soul around.

Luo Xiaoming didn't know where this was, but she was certain it wasn't in Huaguo.

“…Won't this place be attacked by nuclear weapons?”

“The odds are much lower than in places with people.”

Xu Fang had already classified the areas around Huaguo as high-risk zones.

The Eternal Life Church could control nuclear weapons and attack any city at any time. Even more dangerous was the fact that all underground facilities in this world resembling subway-station shelters had already disappeared. As far as the author was concerned, there was nowhere safe.

This place was already outside the signal range, but Xu Fang could connect to the network with the help of a synchronization device. Since it couldn't function in space, he had no choice but to bring it down with him.

Although Xu Fang hadn't said it outright, Luo Xiaoming already knew… their current situation was terrible. Worry crept into her heart. But it stopped at worry; she hadn't reached despair. She believed there would always be a way.

Xu Fang chopped down several bundles of trees nearby and used them, along with insulating plastic panels, to build a simple wooden cabin. Then he dug a trench beneath it, covered the trench with metal plates removed from the aircraft's wings, and laid a mat over the plates. After pouring some heated stones and campfire ashes into the trench, the cabin grew warm.

Xiao Ming stared in a daze from the side. Then, intrigued, she crawled into the cabin and immediately felt as warm as if she'd returned home. She contentedly sprawled across the kang. “A perfect score for wilderness survival! I want to learn this!”

“This is a week's worth of work for an ordinary person. It has no practical value.” As Xu Fang spoke, he tossed glowing charcoal into the pit. “Besides, this is only a temporary hiding place. If the Eternal Life Church really launches nuclear weapons, we'll still have to hide in the cave.” Xu Fang pointed toward the cave behind them.

Luo Xiaoming had brought enough food and water, so she didn't actually need to survive in the wilderness. As long as they could maintain the temperature, that was enough.

Xu Fang lit the campfire outside. As he burned charcoal, he replenished the energy he'd used up. Once his energy was full, he took out two eyeballs wrapped in tin foil.

Xu Fang peeled the tin foil off one of them.

The eyeball's pupil was deep blue, and its vitreous humor was crystal clear and spotless. Despite having been separated from its body for so long, there wasn't the slightest sign of decay.

Through that crystalline pupil, the “indescribable” and those strange numbers once again appeared in his field of vision.

Xu Fang handed the eyeball to Xiao Ming. “Hold this.”

“What is it?”

“This is the right eye Moulin gave me.”

“?!” Luo Xiaoming had initially thought it was just an “ornament,” but now it was getting a little horrifying.

“Can you see it?”

“See what?” Xiao Ming held the eyeball farther away and stared at it for several seconds, looking confused.

“I see. You can't see it.” Xu Fang took the eyeball back.

Xu Fang thought for a moment, then dug out his own right eye and stuffed Moulin's eyeball into the socket.

Xu Fang's field of vision grew more and more abstract.

At the very bottom was the black-and-white image seen by ordinary people. Various colors of energy were scattered throughout it, with a mosaic filter layered over everything. Now, another dimension of imagery had been added to his already chaotic perspective.

This allowed Xu Fang to see the “indescribable” prompt at any time.

“Xu Fang, I don't know what you're doing, but please be careful anyway.” Luo Xiaoming turned her head away, deeply disturbed by how bizarre Xu Fang's actions had been.

……

“Xiao Ming, I have a plan I don't really have a choice but to carry out.”

“Hmm?”

“I'm going to become an ‘immortal.’”

The girl widened her eyes.

“Of course, I'll keep my own will. I need your memories.”

Horror Novel Web had clearly introduced Gussy's characteristics as an “energy-meme composite.”

Perhaps energy was the substance Gussy came into contact with most often, which was why its “energy sensitivity” had reached Grade E, while its “thought sensitivity” was only Grade F. Energy sensitivity referred to Gussy's precise, highly refined ability to manipulate energy. Thought sensitivity was more abstract. For now, it only manifested as an extremely intense deterrent against other life-forms when their gazes met. Apart from causing trouble, it had no other use.

These were two conflicting evolutionary paths. Xu Fang later learned that if he continued evolving energy sensitivity, the ability called thought sensitivity would disappear completely. If he improved thought sensitivity instead, the level of his energy sensitivity would decrease.

Xu Fang had never intended to level up thought sensitivity. After all, it was a strange and uncanny path, and its versatility was far inferior to energy. But at this point, he had no choice but to try using this ability against the immortals.

“Are you sure this is okay?”

“It's fine.”

“Your plan is too dangerous. I have one condition.” Luo Xiaoming shook her head.

“What is it?”

“Bring me into that Disaster Strategy Group too… After all, I'm also an important teammate of yours. Besides, the name sounds cool, and I want to join.”

“Sure.”

“Great. Then let's discuss the battle plan!”

……

Ji Shuyu sat in front of her computer, exhaustion covering her cheeks and blood vessels spreading across her eyes.

With the situation becoming this dire, she had to do something too.

But what could she do?

Develop code magic? There simply wasn't enough time. Even if she really created a new spell, would she have the power to change the current situation?

If only Horror Novel Web were here…

Ji Shuyu took a deep breath, then began entering code into the editor.

Suddenly, she noticed that someone had sent her a private message.

Ji Shuyu opened the private message.

Owen: “Bro, I need a favor.”

She frowned slightly. She didn't have much of a favorable impression of Owen, but she replied: “What is it?”

“The Eternal Life Church is going to launch nuclear weapons. We have to stop them. You're a hacker, right? Let's work together and hack their NC3 system.”

“How do we stop them? Force? Technology? My hacking skills are nothing but beginner-level in front of a real computer expert. The moment I show my head, I'm dead. I don't want to expose my address.”

“Heh heh. I'll handle this high-risk operation. I need you to open an interface I can use to escape, in case the immortals block the regional servers.”

“Oh, right. He's digital life now, so he's a ghost on the internet.” Ji Shuyu began considering whether Owen's plan was feasible.

“I can meet your request, but… the U.S. nuclear command, control, and communications systems are all independent. We won't have a way in.”

“There has never been such a thing as an independent system. A truly independent system could never appear before us. By the same logic, any computer or communications system is bound to be breached sooner or later. They're merely more isolated than other systems.”

“As far as I know, NC3 uses PUF—physically unclonable function—encryption, and its chips are procured from defense laboratory units. There is no ‘design-process compromise.’ Besides, how are you going to bypass the redundancy and error-correction protocols?”

“Simple. After becoming digital life, I consulted that website, and it gave me the answer. Without targeted defenses against digital life, I might be able to trigger the Third World War. Aren't you glad I'm such a steadfast pacifist?”

“But the immortals are very likely to learn that you're digital life through Ye Zhi. They may patch the vulnerability and trace you back…”

“My greatest strength is that I'm good at taking risks.”

“Then do it. I'll work with you.”

After a brief exchange, Ji Shuyu's impression of Owen improved slightly.

Her code magic might still be useful. At the very least, when the United States traced Owen, he would have somewhere to hide.

……

The authors weren't given much time to prepare. Soon, Owen took action.

At the same time, it posted the latest developments in the group chat.

Owen: “I've successfully broken in.”

Owen: “…Maybe I'm too late. The nuclear weapons have already begun their launch sequence.”

Ji Shuyu: “You came at exactly the right time. Stop them, quick!!”

Owen: “I'm on it.”

Empty: “Much obliged…”

Ten minutes later.

Owen: “Oh, fuck.”

Owen: “I think I screwed up.”

Ji Shuyu: “Bro, don’t scare me. How did it go???”

Owen: “The United States was originally going to launch nuclear strikes against certain areas. Because of my influence, it’s now turned into an indiscriminate attack on the entire world.”

Everyone: “???”

Yoriko: “Kids, run! Hurry! (Sobbing)”

Owen: “The intercontinental missiles have already been launched. There are five thousand in total. They’ll be blooming all over the world within two hours. There’s no chance of intercepting them.”

Ji Shuyu: “I’ll give you one chance, bro. Tell me this is just a really bad joke.”

Owen: “If only I’d acted a little faster... I really wish this were a joke.”

Rule: “Send out the locations of every strike.”

Before long, Owen sent over a world map covered in red and black “☢” markers.

“The red ones are the locations the United States originally planned to launch from. The black ones are the additional locations added because of my influence.”

Looking at the map, Xu Fang felt the malice of the Eternal Life Church practically spilling out through the screen.

Nearly five hundred red “☢” markers—one quarter of the planned launches—were centered on Xu Fang, evenly covering an area extending one thousand kilometers in every direction.

They’d completely opened the map.