Chapter 241
...
BOOM!
The alloy protective door was forcibly smashed open from the inside, and a thin boy rushed out.
Due to inertia, he stumbled and fell to the ground, his elbows bruised and swollen, and half of his slipper flew off the ground.
But the boy didn't bother to pick it up. He staggered and hurriedly propped himself up, but in his haste, he slipped and fell again.
A rustling sound came from behind him; something was chasing him, repeatedly brushing against the hem of his clothes.
Boy: "Is anyone there?! Is anyone there?! Guards!! A monster has appeared! Help! Help me!"
Hearing the commotion, the armed patrol team in the corridor quickly rushed towards the source of the sound.
Seeing the boy struggling to breathe, the captain quickly shielded him behind him.
The others simultaneously raised their guns, aiming them at the passage the boy had come from, tensing their nerves and holding their breath, on high alert for the impending danger.
However.
Nothing happened.
The entrance to the passage was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. The incandescent lights illuminated the ground, making it gleam and smooth, and not a single shadow appeared.
After a while, the patrol captain turned his head suspiciously and asked the boy about the specifics.
The boy finally caught his breath and suppressed his panicked trembling voice: "They appeared in my bedroom. I felt something touching me while I was sleeping, and when I opened my eyes I saw countless surging tentacles!"
"The power system seems to be a chaotic monster from outer space. I didn't see it clearly before it came out. There were probably two? Or three?... When it attacked me, it smashed the bed, but the floor was intact, which means they weren't very dangerous... Perhaps they were just stray minions who accidentally wandered in. The base's location shouldn't have been exposed..."
The patrol captain immediately gave a signal to the two elite team members, who then set up their guns and led the way, with the others following closely behind.
But when they arrived at the boy's bedroom, they saw nothing unusual.
The single bed, which was supposed to have been smashed, was placed there intact. The floor was clean, the alloy walls were not cracked, and there were no signs of a struggle.
All the patrol members immediately turned to look at the boy, their eyes filled with suspicion.
The boy stared wide-eyed in disbelief, urgently protesting, "This is impossible! You have to believe me, a monster really appeared! The security door was malfunctioning and wouldn't open, I finally managed to break it open!"
The team members looked even stranger and asked helplessly.
"But little friend, do you know that S-grade rare defensive materials were used during the construction of the entire base? This door alone has a defensive strength of over a thousand, and you would need at least S-grade attack power to destroy it!"
"Even if you did manage to break down this door, why are there no marks on it at all?"
The boy looked back and saw that the security door was indeed intact, without even a scratch.
His heart skipped a beat, and he was completely thrown into a panic.
His intuition told him that the chilling sense of crisis he had just felt couldn't be fake; it was too real and too vivid. But reality contradicted his memory.
Just then, the patrol captain went to the security camera in the corridor to check the surveillance footage and called the boy over.
The boy ran over helplessly.
As he looked down at the monitor, his peripheral vision swept across the electronic screen and landed on the slippers he was wearing, causing him to freeze abruptly.
The bedroom could also be interpreted as the monster not wanting to alert the monster, so it restored it to its original state.
But surely the monster couldn't have quietly put the slipper back on him in front of so many patrol members, could it?
Sizzle.
A jarring electrical hum filled the air, and the monitor screen began playing footage of the boy rushing out of the bedroom.
—The silver-white protective door slowly opened and operated normally.
The boy, running anxiously, disappeared into the intersection of the passageway in an instant, but there was nothing behind him; nothing followed him, and it was eerily quiet.
It's obvious that the boy is lying.
The patrol leader didn't scold the other person for their recklessness, but instead asked with concern, "Is the training too stressful?"
The boy remained silent, his mind a jumble of confusion and bewilderment.
Five minutes later.
The boy was taken to the treatment room by the patrol captain, where a therapist was on duty.
After hearing about the boy's situation from the patrol captain, the counselor immediately showed a look of pity.
She gestured for the boy to sit on the recliner and relax, her palm radiating spiritual energy: "Is it because of the last trial instance? I heard other soothing masters mention that Outer Gods can corrupt the minds and cognition of living beings, and the frontline attack team was almost wiped out. Those who survived also suffered indelible damage to their spirits."
The boy's mental instability was indeed a lingering issue from the previous trial instance, but it was different from the others.
He didn't want to bring it up, but perhaps it was the shimmering light of his spiritual energy shining on the soothsayer's face that made her appear even more gentle and approachable, gradually merging with the blurry figure in his memory.
The boy, who hadn't seen his family for so long, raised his head and stared blankly at the therapist's face, his eyes gradually reddening.
The nightmare stemmed from the boy's newly awakened ability.
The active skill nullifies the enemy's abilities, forcing them to stay put and become lambs to the slaughter.
This skill has immense potential and, if used well, can be considered invincible. Therefore, the Federation immediately set about arranging for the boy to participate in the trial.
When the boy learned that he had the opportunity to be selected as an official apostle, join the frontline strategy team, and save the vanished Polish people, he readily agreed without hesitation.
However, none of them expected that the boy would simultaneously awaken the passive skill "Silent Bystander," which allows him to see through the hidden truth in the illusion, but he cannot speak it aloud.
It was during that trial that the spirited boy, caught off guard, raised his head and faced the true form of the Outer God.
That moment was like hell.
Countless babbling thoughts echoed in the boy's mind, frantic and chaotic.
The boy could hardly describe what he felt. He heard himself screaming in agony, his limbs falling off like broken building blocks, and sticky, hot blood flowing down his temples.
His head felt cool, accompanied by a tingling, numbing sensation that made his nerves tremble; something had crawled out from under the top of his head.
He only realized it when the thing crawled right up to him, its long, thin fibers brushing against his face and supporting its white, wrinkled body.
—So, that was his brain.
The boy couldn't help but shudder, hugging himself and shaking like a leaf.
The scene was so eerie and terrifying that he never wanted to encounter it again in his life.
The therapist asked, "Do you remember how you were saved?"
The boy nodded. He had heard from the doctor after he woke up that it was the rumored person named White who had saved him.
The doctor's tone revealed his relief, stating frankly that if the other person hadn't been nearby, he would have faced an even more tragic fate than death.
The boy also wanted to find time to thank them.
But after that day, his mental state became very abnormal. He had difficulty falling asleep, often woke up in fright, and experienced heart palpitations. He frequently spaced out unconsciously, would jump at the slightest sound, was extremely paranoid, and found it difficult to have normal contact with people.
Upon hearing this, the patrol captain's face showed a hint of sudden realization—the reason why the boy lied had finally been found.
He earnestly advised, "You should report your situation to your superiors as soon as possible."
The therapist said, "Yes, you're having hallucinations. If this continues, your condition will only get worse. You need to rest and recuperate for a while."
The boy opened his mouth as if to speak but then stopped, looking somewhat anxious.
The therapist seemed to know what he was worried about and said with a smile, "Don't worry, I just checked you over. Your injury isn't too serious and it won't affect your future training."
That means he won't be eliminated and will still have a chance to continue running for official apostle and redeem himself from his poor performance in the first battle.
The boy immediately breathed a sigh of relief, looked up at the two people in front of him, thinking that he had met good people again, and smiled with relief.
At this moment, the counselor stood up and poured a glass of water for the patrol captain: "Please bring him over. It was our dereliction of duty as counselors that we failed to detect any residual psychological damage in him. I will ask my superiors for instructions later."
The patrol captain smiled and said it was nothing, then finished the water in one gulp.
"Mateusz".
The therapist turned and poured another glass of water, handing it to the boy and saying softly, "You're all sweaty. Have some water first, and I'll treat you right away."
The boy obediently took the water cup. The warm steam rose up, blurring the vision and making people feel cozy.
My Adam's apple bobbed, and a surge of thirst welled up inside me.
He opened his mouth to drink, but suddenly remembered something and his whole body stiffened abruptly.
Like a bucket of cold water poured over his head, the boy's muddled mind, which had been soothed by the warmth, instantly cleared up considerably.
He slowly raised his head, looking at the gentle-smiling therapist in front of him, his voice hoarse like sandpaper: "...Why do you know my real name?"
To avoid being traced back to their origins and eliminated by the system, the identity information and true appearance of all apostles are classified as top secret, and no one knows them except their guides and themselves.
Upon hearing the boy's question, the therapist said, "Because I just used mental probing..."
"wrong!"
The boy abruptly interrupted her excuses, demanding sharply, "I didn't report the situation to my superiors, not because I didn't want to, but because my skill requires me to remain silent! I can't say anything if I have the urge to confide, so why can I tell you the truth without any hindrance?"
The therapist fell silent, maintaining a gentle and polite smile, and quietly met the boy's gaze.
The patrol captain also put down his water glass and silently watched the boy.
Outside the treatment room, all noise and chatter faded away, leaving utter silence.
The boy's heart was beating faster and faster. A gust of cold wind blew in through the crack in the window, brushing against his goosebump-covered arms.
The boy swallowed hard and stood up, suddenly feeling an itch in his palm.
Looking down, his pupils widened silently.
The cool, hot water disappeared, and all he could see were insects—lots of insects!
They kept gushing out of the water glass, crawling up the back of his hand, their fine, hairy legs scratching his skin, densely packed, and moving up his arm!
Looking at that water glass again, it was no water glass at all. Two black, hole-like eyes stared at him; it was clearly a human skull!
"ah--!"
The boy frantically dropped the skull, swatted at the bugs on his arm, and scrambled off the recliner, rushing toward the door of the treatment room.
He heard rustling sounds again, coming from the location of the comforter and the patrol captain. They were so close, so clear, and the cold breaths were close to his ear, as if they were right beside him.
The boy was so terrified that his limbs went weak, and he dared not look back, only running forward desperately.
Until they ran into the patrol team again.
The captain grabbed his arm and forced him to stop.
"What's wrong? What happened?"
The boy gasped for breath in terror, instinctively about to speak.
The moment I looked up, I saw the patrol captain's face again!
With a snap, the patrol captain's body was torn to pieces, and black and red bloodworms dripped to the ground.
The boy tried to run, struggled, and screamed, but the patrol captain held him tightly.
He watched helplessly as countless bloodworms surged up, opening their gaping maws at him.
...
"Haven't you found it yet?"
Noisy footsteps and the anxious voices of patrol members could be heard outside.
"No! We've searched everywhere!"
"Inspector Pei said that the apostle trainee is on the verge of a mental breakdown! If he is not sent for treatment in time, he will surely go mad and degenerate!"
"But he escaped from the treatment room... Is the treatment really effective?"
Bang!
The man who spoke recklessly was kicked hard: "Damn it, stop spouting nonsense! Don't forget who they became like this for! Find him! Find him no matter what!"
The boy was curled up in the darkness, with dark circles under his eyes and dull, unfocused pupils, like a puppet whose soul had been emptied.
A great commotion erupted outside, with almost all the guards mobilized. He was momentarily confused and tilted his head.
Where did those sounds come from?
Is it from his ears, or his brain, or his hands, feet, or heart?
The boy raised his finger, and the dust on his fingertip turned into leaping dust sprites in his eyes, then twisted and mutated, growing hideous tentacles.
He couldn't help but laugh, and slowly opened his mouth towards them.
Suddenly, a loud cracking sound came from beneath him.
The boy's breath hitched, his hair stood on end, and he panicked, trying to crawl out.
Too late! The people who found him acted swiftly and decisively, dismantling the ventilation ducts and dumping him out in the blink of an eye!
A strong feeling of weightlessness came over him, and the boy screamed until someone caught him steadily, cupping the back of his head with one hand. Golden light poured out, and in the blink of an eye, a mental link was established!
The boy looked up hastily, his gaze meeting Xie Xubai's calm and composed eyes. Those eyes held some kind of magic that made him freeze in place.
The next second, he saw a memory image, the daily life of an ordinary person before the start of the Infinite Game.
For example, getting up early to buy your favorite steamed buns, and having your eyes light up when you bite into them and taste the juicy meat.
For example, Chao would casually approach a stray cat step by step, rub his fingers together, and say in a mocking tone, "Suck, suck, suck..."
For example, on weekends, one might go for a stroll in the park, sneaking into the crowd and peeking at the old men playing chess.
The boy's mind was filled with terror and confusion, as if the ordinary scene had suddenly shattered his thoughts, leaving his mind blank.
Until Xie Xubai's spiritual body appeared beside him, his calm and unhurried voice rang out: "Your memories and thoughts have been corrupted. Before they are completely cleaned up, just bear with it and look at something else."
The boy couldn't remember exactly how long he had viewed the images.
He only remembers that there were only a few shots, and the footage was repeatedly played over and over again.
Originally, he didn't want to move and didn't have the strength to move, but in the end he couldn't hold back any longer and strongly requested Xie Xubai to change the image.
At least stop showing us steamed buns, cats, dogs, and old folks all the time! What's so interesting about those things?!
Xie Xubai's spirit body floated beside him, watching with great interest, showing no sign of boredom.
Hearing this, he glanced at him with a smile and said, "Alright, alright, I'd like to show you some cartoons, but I haven't had time to watch them. How about I make up a story for you on the spot?"
Boy: "...Who wants to watch cartoons!"
...
The lamb wakes up from its dream.
He hadn't slept so soundly and comfortably in a long time, and couldn't help but stretch.
He stretched out his arm but bumped into a solid chest, only then realizing that he was being held.
The lamb paused, then looked up in a daze.
Golden light emanated from Xie Xubai's palm, cleansing the other's consciousness of its pollution. Seemingly sensing this, he lowered his head and asked, "Awake?"
The sun had long since set, and a cold wind howled across the land.
The entire eleventh floor was pitch black, with only the campfire crackling and burning in the darkness.
The flickering orange-red flames shone on Xie Xubai's face, body, and hair, highlighting his lean and capable features. Finally, they landed in his eyes, burning and bright, as if the sun were rising from within them.
The lamb instinctively hugged him tighter, like a small animal suffering from hypothermia at night instinctively moving towards a heat source.
Xie Xubai condensed his mental energy back into a brush: "Don't put it in the space bag this time."
The little lamb took the brush. If it weren't for the fact that his contracted deity had blessed Xie Xubai and instantly raised the latter's cultivation level, he would have noticed the strangeness hidden in the brush.
Thinking of this, the little lamb suddenly became alert and nervously checked Xie Xubai's condition.
After being deified into a black goat cub, he lost his memory. He couldn't remember what happened at the time, but fortunately, after looking left and right, he found no signs of injury.
The little lamb breathed a sigh of relief: "You should have told me sooner that this thing could be used to summon you."
Xie Xubai: "If I had told you beforehand, would you still have used it?"
The lamb twitched the corner of its mouth, neither confirming nor denying.
—He had originally planned to perish together with those two traitors to lighten White's burden, so why did he have to drag them into this as well?
The boy's emotional fluctuations were accurately reported, and Xie Xubai couldn't help but feel a headache coming on, wondering what terrible things Lilith had instilled in the child.
Speaking of horror, he frowned: "When did you come into contact with the Great Old Ones?"
Even Xie Xubai didn't expect that the little lamb would actually form a contract with a black goat cub.
It's not "can", it's "know how".
He knew long ago that the sheep's skill characteristics gave the other party a natural advantage in accessing "forbidden" things, and that they would be able to connect with them sooner or later.
but.
Xie Xubai smiled slightly: "Having almost lost yourself in madness, you still dare to be so bold as to directly form a contract with the Old Ones. Isn't that a bit reckless, Matt Us?"
The lamb sensed danger in the tone of its former guardian and superior, and its hair stood on end and its heart skipped a beat: "Yes, that's right!"
"Do you remember that after winning the game, the federation would share our country's latest scientific research results with us free of charge, such as—"
Public matters are public matters, and private matters are private matters.
Xie Xubai reflexively entered a watertight diplomatic state, polite and proper yet uncompromising: "How come I remember the original discussion was that the outcome would be decided by the Federation, and the spoils of war and all means of production would be allocated according to contribution and specific needs?"
Little Sheep's original intention was to quickly change the subject, but she found that White not only didn't fall for it, but also acted like a ruthless and uncompromising boss, so she couldn't help but glare at him seriously: "Are you saying that our contribution is not enough?"
"Of course it's enough," Xie Xubai said with a smile. "So everything will be done according to the agreed-upon procedures, and I will definitely put in a good word for you all in the post-war summary and application report."
As expected, this guy is a stingy miser when it comes to official state affairs, and he won't budge on either the soft or the hard way!
The little lamb sat up abruptly, grinding its teeth, so angry it wanted to bite him.
Xie Xubai then changed the subject: "However, I am fortunate enough to serve as the vice president of a certain authoritative medical institution, which may be able to help secure relevant results."
Upon hearing this, the little lamb immediately perked up!
The medical field in the era of infinite games also includes ability development and numerical enhancement, which in other words can maximize the unified evolution of the people!
Xie Xubai: "However, since the institution I work for was recruited more than ten years ago and changed from a private to a public hospital, I still need to submit a report to apply to the higher authorities."
"However, those research results have all set up legal channels for investment and franchising. With the wealth you've accumulated, buying them shouldn't be a problem. Considering our long-standing friendship and everyone's hard work, I'll try my best to get you the biggest discounts possible."
lamb:"…………"
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