Chapter 153 The Prajnaparamita Compassionate Voyage Plan.
Xue Chao raised an eyebrow and pointed to the electronic bamboo raft behind him: "Writing a compassionate journey for the world, yet you alone make me turn back?"
The monk shook his head and remained silent. Xue Chao asked, "Are you the guardian of this sea of consciousness?"
The monk smiled: "A hundred years is thirty-six thousand days, spent either in suffering or illness. They are not the dead; they are merely on their way to the other shore. If you ask me, I am a monk who does not lie. Would you like me to tell your fortune?"
Xue Chao: "A monk can tell fortunes? Isn't he a Taoist priest? Are you reliable?"
“Three sentences, nine characters.” The monk bent his index finger, indicating the number nine, then pointed at Xue Chao with another finger. “I say you have a Bodhi heart, boundless karma, and the suffering of reincarnation.”
What is all this?
Xue Chao: "Don't tell me that's all you know. The lucky cats in restaurants greet customers with 'Welcome,' which is much nicer than what you say."
The monk chuckled. He was so thin he looked emaciated, but his smile had a kind of benevolent, Maitreya-like quality that seemed a little incongruous: "That depends on what you want to know."
"This is the consciousness of the people in the Pure Land, which you have uploaded here."
"That's right."
Once you truly enter the realm of consciousness, these conscious beings seem to be asleep, with their heads slightly drooping and their eyes closed.
Based on the phrase "compassionate voyage across the sea of suffering," Xue Chao deduced their intentions: "Do you think this is about saving them... saving all sentient beings?"
"This is Project Compassion," the monk asked. "You've seen robots and people with prosthetic bodies all over the streets. What do you think their relationship is?"
Robots were originally invented as tools for humans, but now the roles have been reversed. Robots in wealthy areas can be called "humans," while humans in abandoned areas are more like tools on an assembly line, with no regard for wear and tear.
Xue Chao: "The former gradually dominates the latter."
The monk said, "You could also look at it from another angle: the latter is evolving from the former."
"Sooner or later, machines will evolve to be intelligent enough, develop consciousness, replace humans, and become the 'mental offspring' of humanity. The era will be transformed once again. Right now, we are in the process of transitioning from one era to the next, or rather, in a period of growing pains. Humanity is suffering immensely, and the physical and mental torment created by prosthetics is endless."
"It's not time to get rid of these people completely yet. We need to drain their energy so they won't be able to sway their superiors..."
Xue Chao's expression was a bit strange, but he continued smoothly: "So they stirred up trouble among them, created conflicts, divided the camps, made them hate each other, unable to trust each other, and consumed each other."
The monk nodded: "Give them the most intense stimulation to their bodies, which is sex and violence, and give them the most barren minds. Apart from the old scriptures preserved in Wuliang Temple, they are all spiritual garbage produced on an assembly line. No real works have been produced in this era, which is not allowed. With the two combined, they don't even have time to be confused before their lives are suddenly extinguished."
...Did Li Changying really just randomly choose the instance? Was he actually criticizing the Infinite Game?
Xue Chao refocused his attention: "Where does the consciousness go after it's uploaded?"
The monk said, "You have already seen them."
"Those robots in the wealthy neighborhood," Xue Chao suddenly realized. "You're accelerating this mechanical evolution."
The consciousness of all humanity is transferred into a chip and then placed into a robot to accelerate the evolutionary process from carbon-based life to silicon-based life.
Vajra monks and ascetic monks are not enemies; the word "disagreement" is too simplistic. They should be seen as different paths leading to the same goal.
The monk said, “I dare not seek to liberate sentient beings from their spiritual suffering, but only to resolve their physical suffering and transcend the first four of the eight sufferings: birth, old age, sickness, and death.”
Spiritual immortality that transcends a frail body…immortality? Xue Chao narrowed his eyes: “You’re the one who ran away with the secret research from Shenzhou Corporation…”
“He is a part of me,” the monk said. “My Dharma name is Subhuti.”
The researchers ran away because they heard that Subhuti had become a Buddha, didn't they? Xue Chao reacted quickly: "Subhuti is not a person, but a group of people."
The monk nodded again: "The abbots of Wuliang Temple are all called 'Subhuti'. Apart from the current abbot who is in charge of Wuliang Temple, all the Subhuti who have passed away and become Buddhas are here. They are all me."
Xue Chao finally realized what was subtly off about the monk. He had at least gone through the second instance, and this monk seemed like a "pieced-together" creation.
He was cleverly disguised, both in appearance and behavior, just like a person. Only his thin frame and full, kind smile gave him a clue.
The consciousnesses of the deceased abbots merged into one, which is the one before us.
No wonder he felt that this guy's words didn't sound like something a monk would say, but rather like something a technician from Shenzhou Corporation would say.
Xue Chao suddenly flashed and attacked him, but the monk vanished in a flash. His voice, like a Buddhist bell, echoed from the electronic cemetery: "And here, I am the program of the Compassionate Voyage Project. Benefactor, return... Namo Shakyamuni Buddha, Namo Amitabha Buddha..."
Before entering the electronic cemetery, Xue Chao's popularity value had reached 60 points. As the machines were shut down one after another, he came out and saw that the main quest had been updated to the final quest series "Compassion Project".
Players will not overlook the obvious and important clue of the prayer wheel, and will gradually trigger information about the Compassion Project.
However, the final missions triggered by players from different factions are different.
Players represented by monks, VIP lay Buddhists, and theater troupes have their final mission 4-1 to advance the Compassionate Voyage Plan; conversely, Shenzhou Company, gangs, local unscrupulous merchants and quack doctors have their final mission 4-1 to stop the Compassionate Voyage Plan.
This trajectory is very similar to the first instance. He recalled what Holder said: the first instance was originally reserved by Li Changying, and the next instance after the defection instance was the Giant Port instance.
As soon as Li Changying defected, the dungeon was automatically inherited by him as a junior.
So not only this instance, but the first instance was intentionally created by Li Changying?
He meets Pu Fengchun, learns the secret of the final key to unlock the game, and gets involved in the company's mission to purge traitors. One thing leads to another, but whose conspiracy is it, and what are they planning?
Holder reappeared, leisurely playing golf. The projection of the golf ball passed through the gate of the electronic cemetery first: "Since the final mission is a series of missions, whether you promote or stop the Compassion Project, there will definitely be problems afterward, so there is no rush. Give the players time to play and let them do their part before you make a decision."
“I’m just a homeless man, I don’t have any special benefits. Aren’t you a company shareholder? You have the advantage of being close to the source, making it easier for you to stop the Compassionate Voyage Plan…” Xue Chao clicked his tongue, “You really don’t care at all? You’re the number one host.”
"It's just a title. I'm the senior one, it'll all be yours soon. You should get used to it in advance, the leader." Holder swung his club elegantly. "But it's definitely more convenient to be on Shenzhou Company's side. I'll have Wanji send you company intelligence. Take whatever you want. Let 'Reversal'... oh, he's a bit too smart, and a bit slippery. Let 'Spider' go. But don't say much to him."
Xue Chao: "Anyone you send must be your confidant, and soon they'll be mine. What's wrong with this spider? Can't we talk about it?"
"It's nothing, he's quite useful, you'll find him easy to use." Holder smiled gently. "He's from the opposing faction, so use him up while you're at it."
Xue Chao: "Then no need."
Holder was a little surprised, but then became even more gentle: "If you want to become the next chief host, you can't be soft-hearted. It's always been the law of the jungle."
“Primitive societies do indeed like the law of the jungle,” Xue Chao said sarcastically. “You said it yourself, I want to become the next chief, not you—since the final mission has a sequel, it means that it’s just a matter of weeding out a group of people in the ‘main mission’.”
Holder paused, then said, "You want to..."
The final mission 4-1 is a duel, with the winner advancing to 4-2, while the loser's main mission fails immediately. But who says they can only wait to die? There's still a hidden boss battle, isn't there?
"We'll see." Xue Chao didn't like the competitive gameplay provided by the dungeon. Perhaps due to the accumulated dissatisfaction from the first three dungeons, his aversion was particularly strong after his conversation with the monk. He decided to use the boss as a backup plan.
Holder wouldn't make that choice, but he didn't hold back his praise, and was even a little gratified: "If you can always come out unscathed, you'll definitely be the top dog, and even surpass me."
Xue Chao wasn't buying it and said unhappily, "If you're too free, then share some of the workload, teacher."
It was rare for Holder to hear him call him "teacher," and although he gritted his teeth, it piqued his interest in teasing the younger generation: "Sorry, the thought of retiring soon has made my mind wander. I'm trying to bring it back, but it's clearly captivated... You've got a nice new tavern, young master. What do you think I should drink to celebrate when I get back?"
"So the first thing you did when you got back was to get completely drunk?"
“No.” Holder thought about it seriously. “When I’m fully back in the real world, the first thing I should do is look up.”
"look up?"
"Ideally, it should be a sunny day with sunshine, so I can see the real sky."
In the infinite world, countless stars twinkle in the eternal night, stretching to an endless distance, while the clear blue sky of the real world is even more distant than those stars.
Xue Chao, who had searched the palace thoroughly, finally gave him a look.
Holder put away his clubs and asked him with a smile, "So, your recommendation?"
"The Godfather." Xue Chao's first impression of Holder was of the Italian Mafia, Scotch whisky mixed with amaretto, a classic among classics.
"Great, this is the one."
Holder patted him lightly on the shoulder: "You're in charge of this instance, and you're in charge of the decisions. Go do what you need to do. Leave the search for the traitor to me."
Then they disappeared; their headsets self-destructed. They all had important things to do and it wasn't appropriate to contact each other for the time being.
Xue Chao returned to the Thousand-Hand Guanyin statue and waited for the bell to ring again, which was the grand chanting ceremony at Wuliang Temple.
He needs to find the current abbot of Wuliang Temple, because the current Subhuti, who is still alive, is most likely the boss.
During the grand Buddhist chanting ceremony, all the temple doors were wide open, and scriptures were being recited. A few ascetic monks were chanting in different temples, and there were also lay Buddhists who had arrived without shaving their heads. He saw some players mixed in among them, but even so, many temples were empty.
However, there was no shortage of chanting. Rows of machine-made prayer mats under the Buddha statues flowed with neon lights, and deceased ascetic monks appeared on the prayer mats. The holographic projections were so realistic that it was impossible to distinguish which person was alive and which was dead.
Different scriptures were being recited in different halls. Xue Chao finally heard the voices in the Hall of Rebirth clearly. One "Amitabha" after another was being recited as the Rebirth Mantra.
But at this grand chanting ceremony that even the dead monks had to attend, Xue Chao's eyes were practically bulging with excitement as he searched the Thousand-Hand Guanyin statue at the highest point, but he still couldn't find the abbot.
Not in the main hall, not in the Rebirth Hall in front of the cemetery, nor in the Thousand-Hand Guanyin statue that can monitor the Pure Land, where exactly is Subhuti?
While listening to the monks chanting their sutras, he went through the old surveillance footage, trying to find some clues... He didn't find Subhuti himself, but he found the origin of the name "Subhuti" in the Diamond Sutra, which was being studied by an ascetic monk.
One of the Buddha's ten great disciples, known as "the foremost in understanding emptiness," he is the one who engages in a question-and-answer session with the Buddha in the Diamond Sutra, which states that "all phenomena are illusory."
He reviewed the current surveillance footage again and found no one reciting the Diamond Sutra. Although there are many Buddhist scriptures, his intuition told him there was a connection.
Those who understood Buddhism were chanting scriptures, and accidentally interrupting the ceremony could lead to punishment. So Xue Chao returned to the electronic cemetery to consult the only idle person there, and sure enough, the monk was still there.
Xue Chao: "What does the concept of emptiness mean in the Diamond Sutra?"
“The Buddha said that emptiness is not emptiness; it is called emptiness.” The monk smiled.
Speak like a human.
"If you think there is an 'emptiness,' then you are still living in 'existence,' and you are attached to appearances. Emptying out the 'emptiness' that you perceive is emptiness."
The monk and Xue Chao stared at each other for a moment. Before the demon god, who lacked understanding, revealed his fierce expression, the monk shook his head and pointed to one of the sleeping consciousnesses. The electronic space opened up a bit, revealing the spirit tower of the real world: "What is this?"
"Mechanical Spirit Tower".
The monk clapped his hands, and the white metal tower melted into a mercury-like liquid. Wires came loose, machine joints broke apart, chips fell off, and the spirit tower disintegrated.
"What is this now?"
"A pile of garbage?"
Is it still a mechanical spirit tower?
"Didn't you disassemble it into wires and chips..." Xue Chao paused slightly, as if he was beginning to understand.
"The Buddha said that a mechanical spirit tower is not a mechanical spirit tower; therefore, it is called a mechanical spirit tower." The monk raised his hand, and the chip fell into his palm. "What is this?"
The chip's numerous circuits gleamed with a metallic sheen. The monk gripped it, about to tighten his grip, but was instantly stopped by Xue Chao. Xue Chao said, "I know this chip can be distributed... You mean, the Mechanical Spirit Tower and the chip, these things didn't exist originally. They are just smaller things that came together by chance and temporarily became this object."
The monk asked, "What are smaller things? You mean molecules, atoms, and then..."
Xue Chao: "...These are also temporary, brought together by a combination of causes and conditions. There is a mechanical spirit tower, but it is not a mechanical spirit tower; we will just call it a mechanical spirit tower for now."
Monk: "Do you have any relatives?"
"You want to check my household registration?" Xue Chao clicked his tongue. "I have an older sister."
"You depend on each other for survival, you have a home. The day she dies or you die, that home will fall apart. It's the same with friends. You have a group of companions. Various reasons bring you together, but there will be a day when you part ways. It's the same with our conversation right now. In a moment, you will leave the cemetery and cease to exist. Life is the same. It's like when I ask, 'What are you?' If you knew about death, you would understand what I'm asking."
"You are like this, all sentient beings are like this. The Buddha said that sentient beings are not sentient beings, but are called sentient beings. And the world in which sentient beings live? It is the Diamond Sutra you asked about, 'The Tathagata said that the world is not the world, but is called the world.' In your words, everything is a matter of causes and conditions..."
Xue Chao: "It will eventually dissipate."
The monk nodded: "All things arise from causes and conditions and are empty of inherent existence; this applies to all things."
Xue Chao had a flash of inspiration: there was a place in Wuliang Temple that could only be formed under specific circumstances—the Seven Treasure Pond.
"You're just telling me this?" Xue Chao didn't believe this entity, which had merged the consciousness of many people, and didn't know that he was asking "Kong" because he was looking for the current Subhuti.
“All sentient beings are Buddhas in themselves, but they are blinded by appearances and cannot see their own minds. Therefore, they cultivate themselves to seek salvation and find their original nature. I am not a guardian of the spirits, but a ferryman. You ask about the Dharma, why shouldn’t I answer?” the monk said with a smile.
Xue Chao left after receiving the answer.
The monk stopped him: "Benefactor, as I said at the beginning, dwelling in emptiness is also dwelling in form. Dwelling in an empty form is called 'dependent origination and emptiness,' which means that the nature is inherently empty, and thus conditions arise."
Xue Chao turned around and saw the monk laughing heartily at him: "You should abide nowhere and yet give rise to the mind [1], do not fall into nihilism... But with your temperament, I have worried unnecessarily!"
If the Thousand-Hand Guanyin statue is the highest point of Wuliang Temple, then the Seven Treasure Pond is the lowest point of Wuliang Temple.
All the engine oil and chemical wastewater from Wuliang Temple are discharged into Qibao Pond. The bottom of the pond is covered with electronic circuits that convert the water before it is discharged into the Pure Land Waterway.
That place was really unsightly; it was bottomless, and the liquid surface was covered with an oily fluorescence, with a variety of chemical elements that probably exceeded the periodic table.
Only when the Dharma gate is opened, in order to increase the amount of water released, is the bottom of the pool folded into a mechanical lotus flower and float to the surface, thus giving it a semblance of a precious pool.
Once the purified chemical wastewater has been drained, the mechanical lotus flowers will open.
The mechanical lotus is the size of a house; it can easily hide a person.
Subhuti is inside!
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