"You hypocrite."

Do you really think these species will obey your commands?

"You think you have them under your control..."

"But in reality... it is ourselves who are imprisoned."

"You will reap what you sow."

It was as if there was deathly silence and nothingness.

When he came to his senses, he found himself in a strange, otherworldly setting. The floor was covered with tiny particles resembling insect eggs, and the scene was filthy and disgusting.

The wall is covered with non-figurative grid paintings, but they are covered with dense, mottled mold spots, suggesting this is the bedroom of a collector.

The windows were wide open, revealing a backyard with a green lawn enclosed by a low wall, edged with flowers and plants—a stark contrast to the damp and gloomy interior.

He had forgotten how he got here. Was it some kind of illusion created to target the human brain? Or perhaps... a special characteristic? Unlikely, Joseph's taboos had long been eliminated, and his own characteristics were unrelated to the mental and psychological aspects.

The information in the database is infallible; it may simply be a virtual space built with advanced technology—the powerful and wealthy have used this method before, keeping Salon Jian in the virtual space, which is convenient for manipulating things because it won't break.

He hesitated for a moment, then opened the obviously handmade wooden door and stepped inside.

Without warning, a whispered voice rang out.

You want to go outside and see the world, because the view outside the window might be an illusion.

The ace operative paused for a moment, then was about to use his special ability to open the entire house to see what was going on, only to realize at that moment that... he couldn't do anything at all.

You've noticed something unusual, but isn't this just the normal human state?

You've returned to your true self, Fairmond.

His hand touched the doorknob; it felt icy cold, emanating a chill, and whispers echoed continuously. He was somewhat disdainful, even more convinced that it was just an illusion, a truly pathetic tactic.

Suffering can lead to transcendence.

But for you... ordinary torment has lost its meaning. You are the so-called ace, and the suffering you have endured must be more extraordinary than the entire lives of several people.

Such illusions... cannot destroy a powerful being.

However, it has a flaw: it cannot defeat humanity.

And you are not human.

"A natural disaster like this is now resorting to metaphysics? Did you stuff a hand grenade in your head?"

Fairmond noticed a glowing spot by the door. He opened the cover and found an old-fashioned lantern with a burning wick—a medieval relic that is now rarely seen.

It was pitch black outside, and you glanced at the stairs.

His gaze involuntarily followed the whisper downwards.

"Do you think I'd die in a place like this? Since it's an illusion, it has no effect on me."

The whispers continued.

Curiosity compels you to descend deeper, but after only a few steps, you discover something strange: the staircase seems to be changing; with each descent, the height of each step increases. And just as you realize this…

As soon as he finished speaking, his legs followed the whispered instructions and he stepped down several steps. After about a minute, the steps behind him were already as high as those of an adult male.

Someone is calling out.

You're afraid; you're preparing to go back to your room.

Needless to say, Fairmond had already heard what sounded like a child's cry for help. He regained his mobility but chose to continue down instead of trying to turn back as the whisper had described.

You believe everything is just an illusion; you're delusional about seeking the truth and think that going against the grain is the only way to break the deadlock.

The candlelight flickered, casting a large shadow behind him that trembled as he descended.

It looked like another person trapped on the surface, constantly twitching.

He chuckled and walked down without any hesitation, the surrounding temperature gradually decreasing.

By this time, the steps were about the height of a two-story building. Fairmond didn't even look and jumped down. Even without any special abilities, his physical abilities far surpassed those of ordinary people.

Bang--

The echo traveled very far.

By this point, it has become quite difficult to go back.

Whispers came at just the right moment.

"I can play with you until the end of time; these tricks are completely useless."

As he spoke, he moved down a few more steps, bringing the height to nearly twenty meters.

Fortunately, you're almost at the finish line.

This is just the appetizer.

Snap—

A heavy thud as it landed.

Fairmond clapped his hands. The sensation under his feet was disgusting, like stepping into some kind of mud or dried blood.

He sniffed it.

It has a rusty smell.

He turned around and glanced back. The steps stood tall and independent, like a series of ever-increasing stone walls, completely obscuring the view of the room.

At that moment, you saw a human face.

[It has no eyes, nose, or mouth.]

It rushes towards you.

Fairmond thought to himself, "Has it finally arrived?"

He dared not delay and immediately pulled out his special firearm, which was loaded with specially made ammunition that would make even the ACE's most forbidden weapon kneel down and beg for mercy.

However, the next second...

You can't detect its presence at all.

【terribly sorry. 】

You are dead.

...

...

Inside the park.

He vomited a large amount of blood, collapsed to his knees, his eyes filled with confusion, shock, and bewilderment.

"My unique characteristics have indeed completely disappeared."

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