Chapter 092 The Meaning of Existence
[Module mission settlement is being generated——]
[Main Quest: S (You successfully survived.)]
[Side Quest: S (You successfully collected the Book of the Dead and recruited members to strengthen your faction)]
[Ultimate Mission: S (You discovered the hidden secret and changed the fate of the doll.)]
[Rating: SSS (You altered the destined tragedy and accomplished a remarkable feat. This ending will be the most unique in countless worldlines.)]
[Module rewards are being settled——]
[You have completed the hidden achievement, {Mechanical City·Mechanical Heart}. The reward will be upgraded based on the original.]
[Final rewards refresh...]
[Your rewards are: 1 unidentified fragment, 15% reduction in real-world fog, 15 small red bottles, and 15 small blue bottles.]
[The god's gaze rests on you.]
"Companions, danger, and opportunity are the eternal themes of adventure."
The Mechanical City was born from the Necronomicon, and its fall also stems from it. It empowered the puppets to transform from mechanical to living, and thus miracles were born in this city. Within the cold, dark city, the flame of yearning for freedom never extinguished. Souls, in despair, launched a final assault—thankfully, the mechanical heart that beat endlessly within its chest was finally safely stored away.
[You have obtained the module CG——]
[Mechanical City·HE Line·Mechanical Heart]
The picture finally freezes on the moment when everyone pledges allegiance to Rong Le. Against the backdrop of fire and ruins, this scene is full of epic beauty.
Danmu danced excitedly:
"Ahhhh career fans are ecstatic!!"
"With the addition of Bionic Man No. 1, the collection has grown significantly. Its reputation has spread, and it's now taking shape."
"He really did it. I finally understood why the title of the live broadcast was 'Savior Observation Record'. Rong Le changed the module to solve one tragedy after another and saved everyone. In their eyes, he is the savior, right?"
"He's not only saving them, he's saving us too. Just think about the pioneers the collection will absorb in the future. It really is like leaning against a big tree for shade!"
"I can actually have a backer in the module, so cool!"
"This is hilarious! Does anyone still remember the players in the mod? They won by pure luck."
"Xu Yuanhe: Is my presence not strong enough?"
“…”
Soon, new images appeared in the live broadcast room.
As the puppet factory burned down and the Book of the Dead was collected, this space began to become unstable and could disappear at any time.
Yan Liu came towards them with a group of operators from the Collection Hall. This was the first time everyone saw this executive who coordinated everything.
He was very young, wearing a black windbreaker, gold-rimmed glasses on his nose, and had a cold expression.
Rong Le said cheerfully, "Let me introduce this to you all. This is the chief executive of the Archives, and he will be your superior. Any issues will fall under his jurisdiction. Yan Liu, say hello to everyone."
Yan Liu pushed his glasses up and looked him over.
After making sure no one was hurt, he said to the puppets, "Hello, although this is our first meeting, we've known each other for a long time through intelligence. This guy doesn't really take care of internal affairs, so I'll take care of you all."
Rong Le: "Don't be so cruel."
Yan Liu's expression remained unchanged, and he ignored his joke: "People who wander around have no right to say such things."
Rong Le whispered that Yan Liu was not as cute as before, but others could tell from the communication between the two and Rong Le's attitude that they had a very close relationship.
"It seems that the boss has become much more cheerful after meeting up with these people."
Nika murmured.
This is obvious. Even though they don't know what kind of existence Rong Le is in the collection hall, their familiarity with each other cannot be false.
Perhaps this is the real Rong Le after taking off her disguise.
"The Collection Hall will be your home from now on. You are all welcome to join us."
Yan Liu and Rong Le had a brief argument, and his originally serious expression relaxed as he spoke to them.
"Next, we will take you back to the base for resettlement. Once you're familiar with life at the Archives, we'll assign specific assignments to each of you. Your treatment will be the same as everyone else's."
"The Archives are divided into civilian cadres and executive cadres, and then there are subordinate operators. I hope you will work hard to strengthen the Archives. And, be absolutely loyal to the Director!"
Yan Liu's last words were very harsh.
Dolls: “…Okay!”
Rong Le's expression of indifference formed a sharp contrast with Yan Liu's attitude. When someone looked over quietly, he said soothingly:
"The Collection Center values the safety of every member. I will sort out the maintenance and repair of the dolls and hand them over to the medical department. Don't worry about their daily upkeep."
Yan Liu: "Speaking of which, non-humans have many differences in their daily lives. For ease of management, it seems we need to compile a special manual. If other races join in the future..."
He took out a small notebook from the pocket of his windbreaker and started writing quickly on it.
Rong Le was already accustomed to Yan Liu's painting style, and said to the puppets, "Don't worry, Yan Liu will take good care of you."
"We're not children," someone said unnaturally, "...we're very useful."
For the puppets who have never experienced a larval period, the word "care" is very far away from them.
They will bring value to the collection, not only because of the agreed commitment, but also because that is where they will end up.
Running an organization together and working together is also a new experience for them.
"The most important task now is to deal with the follow-up issues of the Mechanical City. The residents in the city include not only humans but also bionic dolls. They have never been exposed to the outside world and need to be properly settled."
"Also, those residents of the chaotic urban areas who have survived and didn't board the train need to be dealt with."
Yan Liu closed the notebook and sighed:
"Anyway, post-war processing is our first mission. Let's get to work, new operators."
He skillfully began to command everyone, while Rong Le left here and found Baiyue in a corner not far away.
Rong Le sat beside him and looked at the distant scenery with him. From here, the Mechanical City looked as distant as a mirage.
“It’s all over,” he said.
Baiyue: "What are your plans next?"
Rong Le: "I haven't thought about it yet. I guess I'll just stay like I am now, active in mysterious events everywhere, right?"
There are many unspoken secrets between them. Perhaps in this world, Baiyue is the person who understands him best. He never tries to say anything, but always stays by his side.
Baiyue: "We agreed that if you need help again, you can come to me."
"ah."
Rong Le sighed in an ambiguous tone, "Isn't it troublesome?"
Baiyue said calmly, "It's not like I've gained nothing. At least the wealth of the puppet factory will belong to me."
"...You said something that really deserves a beating."
Rong Le was speechless for a moment, then as if remembering something, she said, "Come to think of it, we should be considered friends now, right?"
"...Aren't we still that?!" Baiyue's voice immediately rose.
Rong Le quickly explained, gesturing with her hands: "I mean, the very special kind, you know, right?"
"Best friend?" Baiyue joked.
Rong Le: "Yeah, that's it, right? People like us should count, right?"
Bai Yue sighed: "It counts, why not?"
Anyway, he was completely eaten up by this nasty guy.
However, he did this willingly.
He smiled helplessly, and turned his head to look at Rong Le, his eyes so gentle in the sunset.
The journey to the Mechanical City ended just like that.
…
On the heavy mahogany desk, a file was finally filed.
The Case of the Appearance of the Necronomicon.
File Number: SRF-A-0024
Location: Mechanical City (disappeared)
October 10, 2020
The music marking the end of the module gradually sounded.
KP's voice rang out, slowly stating along with the music: "The Archives has handled the post-war work. The harvest this time is enormous, and your adventure has been richly rewarded."
"From the perspective of people and the wealth and materials left in the Mechanical City, it can alleviate the economic pressure brought about by the rapid development of the Collection Hall. Although you don't care about it, Yan Liu seems very happy."
"You have properly handled the confused residents and puppets. They are isolated from the world and have difficulty integrating into society. Fortunately, most residents do not reject puppets."
"After ruining their reputation in the Central Building, they placed their trust in Bionic Man No. 1, who had joined the Archives."
"Although the mission has been completed, the University of Michigan has considered whether to help you deal with these people. Yan Liu politely declined. In his opinion, these people also have a significant role to play."
"As promised, you shared the contents of the Necronomicon. The Archives gave the two original copies to Miskatonic University, and Miskatonic University did the same."
"It's all over. You thought as you watched Tina, the stinky-faced girl, being picked up and tossed around by the puppet."
"If the world line is something you can jump to at will, then everything you have in front of you is an anchor that keeps you from getting lost in the long river of time."
"Perhaps this is the reason why you are able to gradually control your innate characteristics?"
The picture freezes on the puppets working in a lively and orderly manner.
Whether it was the armed puppets covered in gun smoke or the people reuniting with their families, everyone had a happy smile on their face.
Everyone lives under the sun.
*
Real world.
As everyone expected, the fog dissipated again. As soon as Xu Yuanhe came back from the module, he was hurriedly called away by the special response department.
"Hey, Lao Lin, even if I didn't help much with the module, I can't handle you working so non-stop. Do you really have to wait in my house and force me to come over?"
Xu Yuanhe said dejectedly, lying across from his desk.
Linqing brought over two cups of coffee and handed one of them to him.
He sat across from me, took a sip of coffee, and said calmly, "Don't be sad. Isn't your treatment good enough? I didn't invite you here to work hard on the next module right away."
Xu Yuanhe looked at his coffee and had a bad feeling in his heart: "...How many cups of coffee have you drunk?"
Linqing: "About three cups?"
He took a breath and said, "How long has it been since you last rested?"
"I'm fine. I just took a nap in the lounge for two hours. I feel pretty good now."
Linqing rubbed his temples and replied calmly.
Xu Yuanhe looked at him with admiration: "Even though you think it's okay, I still want to advise you not to work so hard. Your house is probably getting moldy, right?"
Lin Qing: "It's been a long time since I've been back, more than half a month, I think... Let's not talk about that. I asked you to come here because of the matter of the pioneers joining the collection hall."
Xu Yuanhe couldn't help but feel proud: "So, I'm awesome, right?"
Lin Qing said calmly, "Great! You did an excellent job. You are truly a capable person that I discovered myself. I feel very confident in entrusting this kind of mission to you."
Being praised like this, Xu Yuanhe felt embarrassed: "I'm not that great..."
After completing his daily praise, Lin Qing ignored Xu Yuanhe's lack of confidence and continued, "Although we have reached a closer cooperation with the Collection Museum, we also need to actively maintain our advantages and become Rong Le's irreplaceable ally."
"The most urgent issue is personnel and resources, which are what they lack but we have. I have put together a plan that can be implemented as soon as possible."
Xu Yuanhe was very impressed by his work efficiency.
"First, the pioneers will send a group of highly efficient and capable personnel who can take on the role of armed personnel. They will strive to secure a place in the Collection Hall within the most favorable time, become a reserve operator, and explore the promotion channels."
Lin Qing said earnestly, "Those people abroad can no longer hold back. Although this is a matter for all mankind, we still have national distinctions."
"Old Xu, this is our opportunity, we must seize it."
A strong sense of responsibility suddenly surged in Xu Yuanhe's heart.
He patted his chest and assured him: "Don't worry, you have arranged everything, and now it's our turn to execute it."
"I'll definitely make it beautiful for you, so that all your efforts will be worth it!"
He was like a chicken with its blood pumped up. He had walked into Linqing's office with a dejected look on his face, but now he walked out of the office in high spirits. The staff at the workstations outside who saw this scene looked at each other.
"Did the Minister give him a boost again?"
"It seems so."
As more lost land was recovered, the increasingly tense order and resource supply were eased.
But many people have found that places covered by fog have undergone more or less changes.
And now, a post has appeared in the discussion area of Nikkatsu's largest global forum.
[Shocking! My grandma suddenly got up from the bed and started parkouring around the house!]
Someone replied below.
1L: Wow, your grandma has really nice legs.
2L: The lightness skill has reached a high level.
…
Everyone joked around for a while, but didn't take it too seriously until the poster disappeared for a while and then reappeared.
9L: OP: But my grandma fell down two days ago and has been lying in bed unable to move!
10L: That's outrageous! You didn't go to the doctor? You're just fishing here?
11L: That’s right, don’t spread rumors. The control is strict now.
Everyone said.
15L: Original poster: I went to see the doctor, who said it was nothing serious and told my family to take her home to recuperate. Although my grandmother couldn't move or speak, and often stared at my family, we didn't take it seriously! Because she was indeed getting better day by day, and she even spoke yesterday.
16L: What did you say?
17L: Hurry up, OP, I can’t control my curiosity anymore.
18L: OP: She said: "God, I am your devout believer, please take my soul and grant me eternal life."
19L: Damn, I’m numb.
20L: OP...this is simply a horror movie. Your family is really big. Don’t they realize that something is wrong?
21L: OP: Because grandma has always been a religious person, we all thought she was just talking to herself. Oops, she seems to have noticed me. Should I leave first?
22L: I'd like to know if the OP's grandmother is still doing parkour? Are the OP and his family safe?
23L: Oh my god, the OP, run quickly and call the special response department!
The poster did not reply again. Someone called the Special Response Department and told them about the post. If they think something is wrong, they have the authority to check the IP address and rush to the rescue.
After a long time, everyone had almost forgotten about the incident, and the original poster suddenly pushed the post to the top.
41L: Original poster: I'm back and I'm fine. Thank you all for your concern. I just want to say one thing. The hospital we went to for treatment seemed to be a little different from usual. Everyone should be more careful when seeing a doctor in the future. If you have any doubts, be sure to call the special needs department.
42L: ...The poster is dead, so there is something wrong with the hospital, right?
43L: My scalp is tingling. So, are monsters appearing in our world?
44L: The Fog City, has it invaded reality?!
45L: How long has it been since you last went online?
46L: The integration has already begun. There have always been such news, but it was suppressed by the Special Affairs Department. I can only say that you should be cautious. The live broadcast is not for you to watch for free. You should adapt to this kind of life as soon as possible.
47L: I’m shocked. Is the “modular theory” true?!
47L: Recently, we have been talking about the theory of dimensional upgrading. If that is true, it makes sense. The original intention of the Ministry of Special Affairs to open up module information is for us to learn. This is our opportunity. We cannot let the country and pioneers take the lead in everything.
48L: Very good, start preparing from now on, I want to kill each monster with one punch.
…
Clues like this were indeed released intentionally by Linqing.
He knew that relying solely on the power of the pioneers was not enough to protect everyone, so before the unstoppable module arrived, they needed to prepare as soon as possible and face the most terrifying side of the Fog City.
——Wait until then.
Lin Qing placed his hand on Rong Le's figure on the screen, as if thinking about something.
Will you appear in our world too?
…
Rong Le followed Yan Liu and others back to the base of the collection hall.
Over the past two years, the size of the collection has gradually expanded from just him and Yan Liu to hundreds of people. As the number of people increases, Yan Liu's home can no longer meet the demand.
He had repeatedly told Rong Le that there wasn't enough space. He had been budgeting carefully during this period, using existing resources to maintain the operation of the collection center.
If Rong Le had not brought Bionic Man No. 1 and obtained a large amount of resources at the same time, Yan Liu would probably have strangled him to death for committing treason.
Rong Le kept promising him that she would soon be able to find a suitable space for the collection.
It is indeed not very cool to always live in a place with no protection. He has been coveting a large independent space for a long time. Fortunately, the level of the camp panel has been gradually improved with the progress of the module.
After Rong Le cleared the Mechanical City, the faction system opened up an independent space, providing him with a more secret organizational base.
The space for storing collections, which was previously only visible on the panel, has unlocked more activity areas suitable for members to live and work. The building standards are all extremely high, and it is very much in the style of a mysterious organization.
Originally, only Rong Le had the authority to enter and exit the space. He shared the authority with Yan Liu, allowing him to have full authority over all the planning of this space.
This is the highest authority second only to the director.
Yan Liu first found a satisfactory office building, moved the things from the original base there, and arranged accommodation for the operators.
Arrange the authority and regulations for each department to ensure the normal operation of the organization in the shortest time possible.
Operators can submit an application if they want to leave the space. Yan Liu has already put the construction of leisure and living facilities on the agenda so that this place can meet the living needs of the members.
Fortunately, the buildings and facilities in the space are complete, so these plans are just a matter of time.
The area where the collections are stored is the place with the highest authority, and currently only Rong Le and Yan Liu have permission to enter.
And now there is one more collection in the collection hall.
[Book of the Dead. Remains]
An S-class inanimate object, a mystical item that looks like a book, consisting of 2/3 of the original and 1/3 of a printed copy.
Legend has it that it is the handwriting of the gods, recording all kinds of mystical knowledge that humans cannot understand. As long as you understand a little bit of it, you can create miracles in the world.
Those who have weak spiritual will will become its slaves.
On the display shelf, a thick book lies there quietly, waiting for someone to read it.
After learning that Rong Le could open the space, Yan Liu handled all matters in the shortest time possible, with astonishing efficiency.
Yan Liu, the god of logistics.
Rong Le stayed in the space before entering the next module. No one knew his identity. In front of others, Yan Liu and he seemed like old friends with a superior status.
Only when the two of them were alone would Yan Liu respectfully call him Director.
"...Logically speaking, shouldn't the order be reversed?"
Rong Le made a suggestion weakly.
Yan Liu said coldly, "The organization needs a role model. In the eyes of the members, the director is an omniscient and omnipotent god. Maintaining this image is conducive to managing the members and carrying out their work."
Obviously he felt that Rong Le was not suitable to appear as the director.
Rong Le stretched out her voice in protest: "What? Am I really that incompetent?"
Yan Liu's face was full of "Please don't cause me trouble."
Of course, Rong Le knew that distance creates beauty. Judging from the behavior of the fanatical fans of Deputy Director Xiao Bo later, she couldn't imagine the consequences of being pestered by them.
If that situation really happened, Rong Le would probably be kicked out by Yan Liu.
But he still pointed and said: "Yan Liu, you have changed your heart. You don't love me at all now. You only have the organization in your heart, and you don't even care about me as the director."
Yan Liu: "...So who am I working for?"
He sighed helplessly.
I don’t know why, but when he was in Qiu Hai, the president was so wise and respectable, and every plan he made was carefully planned.
But now he seems to have grown ugly and become very unreliable.
He also wanted to shake Rong Le and ask him to return the former president.
Of course, he is also very satisfied with the current situation.
Yan Liu wiped his glasses and put them back on his nose, his expression rarely showing any gentleness.
The person in front of him was still worthy of his respect. As time passed, the relationship between them became closer than that between ordinary superiors and subordinates.
Yan Liu regards the collection hall as his home, and he will always be Rong Le's most loyal believer.
Cats are willing to expose their bellies in front of those close to them, and he knows this.
Anyone who stands in the director's way or tries to harm him will be completely eliminated by him.
Because he regards Rong Le's will as his life mission, he will always be by his side and be Rong Le's subordinate forever.
This is the future Yan Liu chose for himself.
…
A few days later, the live broadcast room, which had a black screen but was always watched by countless people, quietly lit up.
——New module, loading.
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