togophonebook Chapter 113, Batch 1 Failure
Chapter 113, Batch 1 Failure
As soon as the gray-white light screen fell, the entire old machine vibrated and hummed.
Those four words hung in mid-air.
The first batch failed.
Zong Wu swallowed hard and took a step back.
"This thing... is it referring to the Three Realms?"
Tang Sanzang stared at those four characters, even stopping the prayer beads in his hand.
"The first batch."
"Does that mean there will be a second and a third batch?"
Wukong didn't reply.
He raised his head, and a small smile slowly spread across his face.
The smile grew increasingly fierce.
"That's interesting."
"I, Old Sun, have long disliked this world."
"So even this sky was added later."
Chen Fan didn't laugh.
He stared at the row of blurry figures under the light screen, his chest tightening.
Previously, they only guessed that the old construction site was related to the Three Realms.
This is no longer a guessing game.
The machine gave the answer right in your face.
The Three Realms is not the first version.
It is the stable version that has been revised many times.
Just then, the machine's disc clicked and rotated one notch on its own.
The gray-white light curtain pressed down.
The row of figures became clearer.
The people standing in front of the giant platform were not a group of people at all.
There are many batches.
There were monkeys, monks, armored generals, people dragging dragon tails, and several shadows that looked exactly like the people they had just seen.
Zongwu's eyes widened in surprise.
"That monkey..."
"Why are there three?"
Chen Fan saw it too.
There were three prominent monkey shadows in the light screen.
One of them wore a golden headband and stood ramrod straight.
A figure clad in chainmail, carrying a club, stood on a broken monument.
There was another one that was even stranger. It had a broken iron chain dragging behind it, and half of its body looked like it had been burned. It was tilting its head and looking up at the giant platform.
Three monkeys.
They're all like Sun Wukong.
They are all different.
Tang Sanzang paused, then immediately shifted his gaze to the other side.
There were two monks there.
A man wearing an old kasaya, holding a bowl in his hand, had an expression as wooden as a stone.
The other monk's robe was half torn, and a nine-ringed staff lay at his feet. His eyes were fierce, as if he had just killed someone.
There are also two shadows of the white dragon.
There is more than one shadow of the Bull Demon King.
Even a small figure like Red Boy flashed by three times in the corner.
It's not a misperception.
It's not an overlap.
They are different versions.
Tang Sanzang said in a low voice, "He's not a character from a story."
"There are many."
"They've all been here."
As if the machine had heard, a line of old words suddenly appeared on the screen.
Record number: Batch 1 master file.
Prototype sampling: Completed.
Role deviation: Exceeds the threshold.
World stability: Collapse.
Zongwu couldn't help but curse.
"Prototype sampling?"
"Whose samples should we take?"
Chen Fan's expression grew increasingly grim as he looked at those words.
prototype.
This word is too eye-catching.
The meaning is quite clear.
The people they know now are not unique.
In those failed worlds before, there were already a bunch of "Journey to the West prototype characters".
Some people walked in the correct order.
Someone went astray.
Some people simply tore up the script.
The machine quickly delivered the next cut.
The light screen flickered.
New words fell from above the giant platform.
The main reasons for the failure were: not demonic disturbances, not external enemies, and not a celestial rift.
Main reason: The protagonist refuses to live according to the script.
After those words were spoken, the surroundings fell silent for a moment.
next moment.
Wukong laughed first.
"good!"
He slapped his leg, causing metal filings to fly around him.
"That's more like it."
"I thought they always liked to pin the blame on monsters."
"After all that fuss, what they're really afraid of is that some people refuse to follow the path they've written."
His eyes shone brightly as he spoke the last sentence.
It's like a breath that's been held in for over a hundred years has finally found its source.
Tang Sanzang stared at the words for a long time without moving.
He used to hate demons the most.
What I hated later was the false compassion of Buddhism.
Now, the machine has completely exposed its flaws with just one sentence.
The failure was not due to the chaos caused by demons.
It's because the "protagonist" is disobedient.
Chen Fan's mind was racing.
protagonist.
This word is by no means a joke here.
If the core members of the first batch start to deviate, their entire world will be in trouble.
The story hasn't gone astray.
The people at the top felt that this version was useless.
So it was deleted.
Just as he thought of this, the machine spat out another string of words.
Follow-up action: Enable permissions to perform a cleanup.
Round: One.
Activation record: once.
Second time.
three times.
four times.
Lines of text jumped down.
Each line was marked with an old red stamp.
It looks like someone covered it up.
Zongwu felt a chill run down his spine.
"What cleaning?"
"Do I have to try again every time I fail?"
Chen Fan stared at those words and suddenly remembered the blank area they had seen before, the fault map, and those people who died as if they had never existed.
He got it.
Each failure is not simply a matter of restarting.
Instead, clear it first.
Settle the old scores.
Erase any remaining traces.
Then start the next version.
He pointed to the long list of records.
"Look behind you."
Everyone looked in the direction he was pointing.
Each activation record is followed by a very small column of notes.
The remaining debts will be carried over to the next edition.
Residual markings, proceed to the next page.
Unusual memory, proceed to the next page.
Uncollected files will be moved to the next edition.
After reading through the list, even Tang Sanzang's face darkened.
"Old debts haven't been completely cleared up."
"Just push it back."
Chen Fan nodded.
"right."
"Therefore, the Three Realms as they are now are not a clean, new draft."
"It's a stable version that was painstakingly created by piling up many discarded drafts."
Zongwu couldn't help but glance back, as if afraid someone was standing behind him.
"Then those fault lines we encountered, those people who shouldn't have appeared..."
Chen Fan responded to his words.
"These are all old debts that have been brought up again."
Wukong became even more excited after hearing this.
He raised his golden cudgel and tapped the edge of the machine with the head of the cudgel.
It made a crisp clang.
"Very good."
"I used to only want to smash up Mount Ling and the Heavenly Court."
"Looking at it now, we should smash up this whole scriptwriting place."
As soon as the words were spoken, the row of figures on the light screen suddenly moved.
Everyone tensed up immediately.
The monkey figure wearing a golden headband at the very front slowly raised its head.
It was as if I were looking at them through many layers of old paper.
That look lasted only a moment.
A chill ran down Chen Fan's back.
Immediately afterward, another monk in tattered robes raised his hand, as if he wanted to say something.
His lips opened and closed a few times.
There was no sound.
The video started to malfunction.
Black lines emerged from beneath their feet and climbed upwards.
That's not demonic energy.
It's more like some kind of permission being revoked.
A warning message appeared on the screen.
The save file for the failed world has been deleted.
Only the recordings from the industrial machine are retained.
The next instant.
That group of people were all destroyed.
Like a layer of ash, swept away by the wind, leaving not a trace.
Zong Wu's face turned pale.
"Deleted?"
"Gone just like that?"
The machine continued to spin.
Click.
Another grid.
This time, it was no longer a human figure.
Instead, it was an outrageously large old map.
The map is densely packed with numbers.
Below the first batch, there are many small compartments.
Each small square contains a short name.
Stone Monkey Version.
Buddhist version.
Dragon Palace version.
Lion Camel version.
The Spark Version.
Unpublished version.
Chaotic version.
Chen Fan's eyelids twitched.
This is not a failed world.
It is a failed world group.
In the first batch, we tested many lines.
Every line is like a journey to the West.
Each line is not exactly the same.
Some monkeys weren't wearing the golden headbands.
Some monks do not go on the pilgrimage to obtain scriptures.
Some dragons even rebelled against the Heavenly Court.
Some versions of Red Boy are not actually the son of the Bull Demon King, but are separately labeled as "Fire Seed Core".
The information exploded all at once.
Even Tang Sanzang's breathing became heavy from watching.
"They've been trying."
"Try which path is the safest."
Chen Fan remained silent.
Even colder thoughts were beginning to surface in his mind.
It's not about testing which path is the safest.
It's an experiment to figure out how to fit the "protagonist" into the most obedient shell.
If you don't listen, delete the entire post.
Another version.
Wukong narrowed his eyes, staring at the three words "Chaos Version".
"I like this."
"Can you open it?"
The machine ignored him.
Suddenly, an even older string of text appeared on the screen, as if it had been stuck for a long time before it finally managed to come out.
Insufficient permissions.
The case file was sealed.
Access requires authorization from the main control tower.
Chen Fan immediately grasped the key point.
Where is the main control tower?
The machine stopped for two breaths.
A ring of fire patterns lit up around the edge of the disc, as if recognizing the fire mark on Red Boy's chest.
Then, a tower was projected from the top.
The tower is not tall.
But it is surrounded by countless lines.
Like the throat of an entire old construction site.
Three words are nailed to the tower.
Main control tower.
Further down, an even smaller line of text slowly appeared.
The original sin file is sealed on the third floor of the main control tower.
It is recommended to retrieve this information first.
The original sin dossier.
The moment those four words were uttered, everyone's expression changed.
They tracked the suspect all the way to the old construction site, hoping to uncover a deeper layer of truth.
Now the answer has finally been revealed.
The key is neither on Mount Ling nor in the Heavenly Court.
It's inside this tower.
Zongwu almost blurted it out.
"Walk!"
"Let's go now."
Chen Fan, however, did not move.
He stared at the last line of text on the screen, his brows furrowed.
It is recommended to retrieve this information first.
The machine won't give advice for no reason.
The more explicit the statement, the more ominous the place must be.
Moreover, what they can see, others may not be able to see.
really.
Just then, the machine suddenly shook.
The once complete silhouette of the tower was suddenly covered by a layer of black lines.
It's like someone forcibly inserted their permissions from the other end.
The entire light screen crackled and popped.
Yang Jian shouted sharply from outside.
"Someone has come in!"
"Not from the doorway."
"It fell from above!"
Wukong turned around, and the staff was already horizontal in his hand.
"Who?"
Before there was any reply from outside, new bloody characters appeared on the machine.
The main control tower is currently in use.
Occupant: Cataloger.
Occupant: The principal has limited authority.
Zong Wu's expression changed instantly.
"The cataloger is here too?"
Tang Sanzang stared at the five words "Master of the Restricted Authority," his voice deep and resonant.
"Isn't the Chief Judge dead?"
Chen Fan's heart sank.
died.
The permissions weren't completely removed.
This is more troublesome than dealing with a living person.
The next instant, two silhouettes slowly lit up in the shadow of the tower.
A tall, thin man carried a long book in his hand.
It was a shadowy figure, not a complete human form, like a piece of old stuff squeezed out from behind a broken door.
The person carrying the register looked up, and through the light screen, it seemed as if he could see them directly.
He smirked.
A hoarse voice came from inside the machine.
"We're late."
"The case file is not for your viewing."
As soon as he finished speaking, the entire old construction site shook violently.
A beam of black light shot into the sky from the direction of the main control tower.
The fire pattern on Red Boy's chest instantly blazed brightly, causing him to bend over in pain.
Meanwhile, in the center of the machine, the newly emerged main control tower route markings were gradually crumbling.
Chen Fan suddenly reached out to grab it.
As soon as I touched it, a sharp pain shot through my fingertip.
Half an iron plaque fell out from the broken seal.
There is only one word on the iron plate.
罪。
Immediately afterwards, a low shout came from outside from Yang Jian.
"Chen Fan".
"Over at the tower... someone opened the door."
Chapter 181 Taking Down the Tower
The door to the main control tower is open.
Not fully open.
It was as if someone had ripped a hole in the door from the inside, and black smoke surged out through the crack, crawling haphazardly along the ground.
Yang Jian stood at the front, carrying a three-pointed double-edged sword, his third eye on his forehead half-open, his face very serious.
"There are two inside."
"One is the cataloger's projection. The other's aura is severely weakened, like the Master."
Chen Fan was still clutching the half of the iron plaque with the word "sin" in his hand, his fingertips tingling.
"The Half-Crippled Master has also arrived."
"It seems they're really in a hurry."
Wukong had already hoisted the golden cudgel onto his shoulder and started walking forward.
"Haste makes waste."
"People only reveal their true colors when they're in a hurry."
The Bull Demon King yanked the giant axe off his shoulder and grinned.
"Then stop wasting time."
"Old Niu is banging on the door, you're banging on people."
There is no road in front of the tower.
The ground was littered with cracked old rails and broken copper pipes, like a pile of bones that had been half-dismantled. The main control tower stood at the very back, its entire body gray, encased in a dark shell with thin red lines flowing across it, like blood vessels.
Red Boy only glanced at it, and the fire pattern on his chest lit up.
"This shell isn't a tower."
"Like a boundary-breaking shell."
Chen Fan immediately turned his head.
"Can you boil it?"
Red Boy clutched his chest, his teeth clenched tightly.
"You can try."
"It smells like freshly baked bread."
"It's like it's been refined with my embers."
Upon hearing this, the expressions on the faces of the men turned cold.
Use Red Boy's fire to refine the tower shell.
These people really don't value their lives.
A laugh suddenly came from inside the tower gate.
It's very light.
It's so light it gives you goosebumps.
"They came really fast."
"Chen Fan, I thought you would go and pick up those discarded papers first."
A flash of grayish-white light, and a figure was thrown out from inside the door, standing in mid-air.
He was dressed as a clerk, with wide sleeves, and his face looked as if it were covered with a layer of old paper, his features constantly changing. One moment he looked like an old man, the next he looked like a middle-aged man. The most striking thing was the thin pen in his hand, the tip dripping black ink, which didn't fall to the ground but hung in the air without dispersing.
Cataloger projection.
There was another person standing behind him.
No, you can't say "stand".
The thing looked like it was pieced together from a few human bones and an old robe; its right half was collapsed, but its left eye shone brightly. It was leaning against a black pillar, which looked as if it would shatter with a gust of wind, yet the oppressive old authority still crashed down upon it.
Master.
Even though he's half-crippled, he's still terrifying.
The Bull Demon King spat.
"This ghoul is still alive."
The master raised his single eye and stared at the Bull Demon King.
"brute."
"You and your son should have been in the register of the furnace."
The Bull Demon King's face darkened, and he immediately swung his axe.
"Go to hell with your furnace!"
boom!
The giant axe smashed into the tower gate, the ground exploded, and the entire black shell trembled. Almost simultaneously, Wukong charged out, his golden cudgel slamming head-on into the cataloger's projection.
The cataloger didn't hide.
He raised his pen and made a stroke, and a sheet of gray paper immediately spread out in the air.
The stick slammed down.
Snapped.
The paper is torn.
The cataloger's body was also broken in half.
But the next moment, the black ink swirled, and he reappeared on the other side, still smiling in that annoying way.
"It's no use."
"This is the main control tower. I can use the old access permissions inside the tower to rewrite the projection bits."
A fire suddenly ignited in Wukong's eyes.
"I'll smash you every time you rewrite it."
"I'll smash you until you can't write anymore."
He pushed off with his feet and pressed his whole body down.
On the other end, Chen Fan had already given the order quickly.
"Divider".
"Wukong, Old Bull, press down on the door from the front!"
"Tang Sanzang and Zongwu, go around through the archives and snatch the scrolls from the imperial archives first."
"Red Boy, burn your shell with me!"
"Yang Jian, keep an eye on the high places. If anything comes out, cut it off first."
Without saying a word, Tang Sanzang picked up his staff and left.
Zong Wu's face turned pale, but he still followed closely behind.
"The archives are located on the west side of the tower."
"Old construction site files are all archived through the internal management system, not through the main entrance."
Chen Fan nodded.
"lead the way."
The master suddenly sneered.
"It's too late."
He pressed his withered hand into the tower.
The next instant, the ancient patterns on the tower lit up layer by layer. From the top came a clicking sound, like a row of thick cabinets closing on their own.
Chen Fan's heart sank.
"They are in the file room."
The cataloger picked up his pen and added a sentence with a smile.
"More than sealing."
"Any slower and it'll be nothing but ashes."
Upon hearing this, Wukong struck even harder with his staff.
"Burn your ancestors."
With three loud booms, the outer edge of the tower gate was dented. The Bull Demon King didn't hesitate either, gripping his axe with both hands and hacking at the hinges one blow after another. The entire gate trembled incessantly, and black mist billowed out from behind it, like someone breathing heavily inside.
The master's single eye flashed suddenly, and the black pillar swept across.
A heavy pressure descended upon them.
The Bull Demon King's feet sank, his calves sinking directly into the cracked ground. He gritted his teeth and cursed, "This old devil is pretty tough."
Wukong turned around and struck with his staff.
The black pillar and the golden cudgel collided, creating a ring of gray waves.
Wukong was jolted back half a step, and the lord's slumped shoulder was completely cracked open, revealing a row of dense iron spikes inside, as if someone had nailed his body to a cabinet.
Chen Fan understood at a glance.
The driver wasn't injured, he was dismantled.
Someone forcibly removed a portion of his old work privileges.
No wonder he dared to guard the tower even though he was so crippled.
The cataloger seemed to read his mind, tilting his head and smiling, "Have you figured it out?"
"The Lord lends me the power of the tower, and I lend him the shell of my life."
"It's fair that we join forces."
Chen Fan said coldly, "Two rotten people put together, and you call that fair?"
The cataloger's smile faded slightly.
"Chen Fan, you always pretend to be smart."
"You really think making the case files public is saving lives?"
"It contains more than just a list."
"And how to select believers from the three realms, how to distribute the temple fire, who should be saved, who should die, who should be listed, and who should be put into the furnace."
"Once the files are scattered, the temple collapses first, the mountain gate falls into chaos first, and then there is a mess of cannibalistic debts all over the place."
"Can you handle it?"
Chen Fan ignored the scare tactics and looked up at the tower shell.
Upon closer inspection, many fine characters were indeed engraved on the black shell, though most of them had been melted away. There was a horizontal engraving on the outermost edge, the handwriting very old, as if it had been forcibly erased after being engraved.
He took a step closer and finally saw the four words clearly.
The Amitabha Sutra was supervised by the Amitabha Sutra Recitation Master.
Chen Fan's pupils contracted.
Those who contemplate the scriptures.
These three words again.
As mentioned in Lao Jun's previous comment and also briefly mentioned in the old image, this time it's actually engraved directly on the main control tower.
This place is not simply an old industrial site.
Someone has been watching him closely for a long time.
Just as he was thinking about it, Red Boy suddenly groaned and placed his palm on the tower shell.
"Stop looking."
"This thing is absorbing words."
"If you wait any longer, it will swallow that line of text."
Chen Fan immediately regained his composure.
"burn."
Red Boy looked up, his eyes gleaming with a crimson light.
He didn't breathe fire like before.
This time, he extended two fingers, touched the fire pattern on his chest, and pulled it outwards.
A wisp of fire, as thin as a needle, was drawn from his chest.
Once the fire left the body, the surrounding temperature didn't rise; instead, it seemed as if all the heat had been absorbed by it.
Zongwu turned around and saw it; his face froze.
"The fire within the furnace..."
"It really worked."
Red Boy flicked his hand, and the wisp of fire splattered onto the tower shell.
There was no movement at first.
In the next instant, the entire black shell bulged up as if cold water had been poured into a frying pan, and a white crack appeared on its surface. The white crack spread faster and faster, and in the blink of an eye, it covered half of the tower.
stab.
The black shell started to fall off.
It's not broken.
It is fusion.
It flowed down to the ground layer by layer, and even after it fell, it was still struggling, like a living thing.
The cataloger's attitude changed for the first time.
"Stop him!"
The master suddenly lifted the pillar, aiming the top at Red Boy.
Wukong suddenly cut in and knocked the pillar off course with his staff.
"If you want to mess with my nephew, you'll have to get past me, Old Sun, first."
The Bull Demon King seized the opportunity to charge forward, his horns ramming into the Master's waist and abdomen, slamming him hard into the steps in front of the tower. The Master's pieced-together body snapped in two again with a crack, and a dozen old copper tokens fell out of his black robe.
The Bull Demon King stomped on it and laughed menacingly.
"You have no right to interfere with my child."
Meanwhile, Tang Sanzang and Zongwu had already circled around to the west side of the pagoda.
There really was a pipe opening there, half-buried under the abandoned rails, the opening was ridiculously narrow, only wide enough for one person to bend over and crawl through.
Zong Wu went in first.
Tang Sanzang, carrying his staff, followed and entered the black tube.
The room was filled with old grime, and there were sliding copper wheels underfoot. After walking less than ten paces, the sound of a lock closing came from ahead.
Zongwu suddenly became anxious.
"The case file office is closing the fence ahead of schedule!"
Tang Sanzang pressed his ear against the tube wall and listened for two breaths, then suddenly raised his staff and struck the side of the tube.
boom!
The copper wall cracked.
Inside was another auxiliary pipe.
Zong Wu was stunned.
How did you know there was a road this way?
Tang Sanzang stepped inside, his voice icy cold.
"This humble monk was once a pilgrim on a pilgrimage."
"I know better than you the problem of Buddhist monks hiding things."
After saying that, he rushed inside.
Outside the tower, Red Boy's wisp of reverse furnace fire had already burned through the first layer of the barrier shell. Behind the crack in the shell, the true tower wall was revealed. The gray tower was full of old grooves and holes, like a giant machine that had been hollowed out.
As Chen Fan walked and looked around, he suddenly noticed several half-exposed black scrolls in the cracks of the tower.
He had barely reached out his hand when the cataloger had already pointed it out.
"Don't touch it."
The ink at the tip of the pen surged, transforming into a chain of ink that pierced straight at Chen Fan's wrist.
Chen Fan dodged to the side and slapped the iron plaque with the word "crime" out with his backhand.
The moment the iron plate touched the ink chain, it vibrated with a buzzing sound, and half of the ink chain broke off on the spot.
The cataloger squinted.
"You even got this."
Chen Fan looked down and saw that the half of the incriminating plaque was burning hot, and the words on it seemed to come alive, with red lines slowly seeping out along the edge of the plaque.
The system notification also exploded in my mind.
[Old core permission fragments detected]
[Currently, one in-tower deletion procedure can be forcibly interrupted.]
[Enable or disable]
Chen Fan's eyes sharpened.
Is there even a need to choose?
"Activate!"
The next moment, the middle of the tower suddenly stopped.
The continuous clicking sound stopped.
The cataloger's face darkened completely.
"You dare to steal my privileges."
Chen Fan sneered.
"I don't just steal."
"I'll demolish it again."
He pressed down on the edge of the crack and roared at the tower.
"Tang Sanzang!"
"The data deletion paused for a moment, then the case files were seized!"
A low shout soon came from deep within the tower.
"I saw it!"
Immediately following was a series of loud metallic clangs.
It looked like someone had smashed over rows of display cases.
The cataloger finally panicked, raising his hand and making three quick strokes, causing three large gray paper walls to fall from the sky, completely blocking Tang Sanzang's path. Yang Jian was already waiting above, his three-pointed double-edged sword flashing, the blade cleaving through the gray walls, his divine eye shining directly on the cataloger's head.
"Can you manage to keep up?"
The cataloger's projection shattered again.
This time, however, he did not return to the same spot.
Instead, it was directly integrated into the tower body.
Seeing this, the commander's single eye flashed with a ruthless glint, and he suddenly pressed towards the core of the main control tower.
Zongwu's scream came from inside the tower.
"not good!"
"They're activating the main tower's base fire!"
Chen Fan suddenly looked up.
The dark ring at the top of the tower has started to light up section by section.
It's not bright white.
It's dark red.
Like a fire suppressed at the bottom of a furnace for thousands of years, it is awakening anew.
Wukong forced the Master back with a single blow of his staff, then shouted, "What do you mean?"
Zongwu's voice even changed tone.
"The main tower is about to self-destruct!"
"They're going to blow up the case files here, along with us!"
Chapter 182 You Want to Destroy One? Let Me See
The moment the main tower made its sound, the entire old construction site erupted in chaos.
It didn't explode.
It cracked first.
The ground arched up inch by inch, as if something was turning over underneath. The black pipes that had been buried around the base of the tower for who knows how many years bulged up one after another, and dark red streams of fire poured into the main tower like madmen.
Zongwu's voice cracked.
"Retreat now!"
"The fuse has really caught fire! Once you walk the whole circle, the entire old construction site will collapse!"
Yang Jian pinned down the tower-guarding shadow soldier charging from the side with a single strike, glanced back, and his face darkened.
"It didn't collapse."
"It's to erase."
Upon hearing this, even the Bull Demon King swore.
The master was half-embedded in front of the tower gate, staring at Chen Fan with his one eye, his smile chilling.
"The case file shouldn't be exposed to the public."
"Since you've barged in, you might as well bury these old grievances along with them."
The dark red ring at the top of the tower has already lit up to the fifth section.
Each time a section of light is illuminated, the ground shakes.
Red Boy clutched his chest, the flames burning his forehead and making him sweat profusely; he gritted his teeth.
"Dad, this fire... it's pulling me down."
The Bull Demon King stepped in front of him, raising his axe horizontally.
"Anyone who dares to touch my son, I'll chop them up."
Wukong grew impatient and slammed his golden cudgel down, shattering the stone slab at his feet.
"Enough with the nonsense."
"Chen Fan, tell me, should we attack the people first or dismantle the tower first?"
Chen Fan did not look at the Master.
He stared at the glowing black lines on the tower, his gaze traveling downwards until it finally landed on a thick pipe on the left side of the tower's base.
That pipe is a different color.
Everything else is turning red.
Only it is gray.
It's so gray it's almost unbearable.
But that underlying fire, in particular, seemed to bypass it.
Chen Fan's eyes narrowed, and he raised his hand to press the half of the iron plaque with the word "sin" written on it.
The metal sign had just been affixed when the gray pipe suddenly shook.
Immediately afterwards, a string of astringent words emerged from the pipe wall.
Ninth old debt transfer pipeline.
Chen Fan's lips curled up into a smile.
"I've found you."
The master's expression changed.
"Stop him!"
Just as the three dark figures pounced out, Wukong swayed and swept his golden cudgel out.
boom!
The first two were instantly blown to ash.
Just as the remaining one was about to retreat, Yang Jian's three-pointed double-edged sword arrived, and with a flick of the blade, it pinned the remaining one to the tower wall.
Chen Fan didn't turn around at all.
He slammed his hand on the gray pipe and let out a low shout.
"Freeze this line as a nominal holder of the Ninth Old Debt!"
As soon as he finished speaking, the word "crime" on the iron plate lit up briefly.
The gray pipe paused for a moment.
The next instant, the entire pipeline seemed to be forcibly constricted, and the surging flames inside actually stopped.
The sixth red ring at the top of the tower was half-lit when it got stuck.
The entire tower emitted a muffled thud.
It felt like someone was being choked.
Zong Wu was stunned for a moment, then his eyes widened in disbelief.
"Can it really freeze?"
"Where did you get the right to be listed as a figurehead?"
Chen Fan sneered.
"Didn't you old construction site workers love keeping accounts the most?"
"I have half a plaque of guilt in my hand, using the name of an old debt. If you're not happy, let it come out and bite me."
The chief official's face turned pale.
"Nonsense!"
"The ninth debt has been sealed long ago. How dare you, an outsider, touch that line?"
Chen Fan turned to look at him.
"What's your hurry?"
"If it gets stuck, doesn't that mean I hit the right spot?"
This sentence was like a slap in the face to the Chief Judge.
Zongwu reacted the fastest and immediately took over.
"right!"
"If the permissions aren't recognized, the pipeline won't stop at all!"
"Boss, didn't you always say the old construction site rules were the most stringent? Why aren't they so strict now?"
The cataloging figures surrounding the tower were thrown into chaos.
They looked at each other, as if they themselves hadn't expected that Chen Fan could actually intervene in the fire at the bottom of the main tower.
The red ring at the top of the tower is still stuck there.
It won't light up or work.
They won't refund it.
The shaking at the old construction site continued, but the cracking slowed down significantly.
Chen Fan knew in his heart that this was just stalling, not resolving the problem.
To truly nip self-destruction in the bud, we need to take control of the situation.
"Zongwu".
"Don't you know your stupid rules best?"
"Ask me relentlessly."
Upon hearing this, Zongwu shuddered at first, then his eyes lit up and he came to life.
He wasn't the type to be a good fighter to begin with.
But he's good at nitpicking.
They especially like to use the rules to hurt people.
He darted forward and yelled at the cataloger in the center of the tower, who was still maintaining the self-destruct sequence, "I'm asking you!"
"When the main tower executes its self-destruction, what is it destroying?"
The cataloger mechanically opened the door.
"This tower's files, records of crimes, and records of unauthorized intrusion targets."
Zongwu immediately asked again.
Does the criminal record include the original crime file?
The cataloger paused for a moment.
"Contains a partial index of original sin."
Zongwu's eyes lit up, and his voice became even shriller.
"Who authorized you to destroy original sin?"
After those words were uttered, everyone in the tower fell silent for a moment.
Even Chen Fan glanced at Zong Wu again.
That gets to the heart of the matter.
What is the heaviest thing at an old construction site?
account.
Original sin is the general ledger.
The main tower may dare to destroy itself, but it may not dare to actually touch the general account.
The old words on the cataloger's chest kept flashing.
"According to...in accordance with..."
It got stuck at this point.
Zongwu pressed forward.
"According to whom?"
"Which order?"
"Which one signed?"
"What's the number?"
"answer!"
Zongwu's voice cracked as he shouted the last word.
The cracks on the cataloger's face moved wildly, like a piece of paper that had been written on haphazardly.
"Based on...the emergency decision made by the main tower..."
Zongwu spat directly.
"fart!"
"Emergency decisions can seal off towers and kill people, but who gave you the power to destroy original sin?"
"If you can't answer that, you're overstepping your authority!"
"Anything exceeding authority must be transferred to manual review!"
As the series of blows struck, a piercing shriek suddenly emanated from the heart of the tower.
The next instant, the black light on the cataloger's chest suddenly went out halfway.
The sixth red ring, which was stuck at the top of the tower, slowly retreated.
Upon seeing this, the chief official's expression finally changed completely.
"Shut up!"
He suddenly lunged at Zongwu.
Wukong had been watching him for a while.
"I've been waiting for you for ages."
The golden cudgel came crashing down.
The chief officer raised his arm to block.
A snap.
His entire black-armored right arm was broken on the spot, and he was smashed into the tower gate, causing pieces of floor tiles to be overturned.
The Bull Demon King let out a wild laugh and charged forward with his axe.
"You dare burn my son? I'll chop you to pieces!"
The giant axe crashed down, accompanied by the wind.
The magistrate had barely propped himself up when the axe was already at his chest.
boom!
Half of the tower gate was cleaved down by this axe blow.
The master's entire body, from shoulder to waist, was split open with a large gash, and black blood spurted all over the ground.
His one eye was bulging as he stared intently at the Bull Demon King, as if he simply couldn't believe he would be cleaved through head-on.
The Bull Demon King stepped on half of his body, then turned his axe and pressed down another inch.
"Weren't you being very arrogant just now?"
"Smile again, show me!"
The surrounding tower-guarding figures froze instantly.
Someone has quit.
Someone turned and tried to run away.
Yang Jian stepped forward to block the entrance, his blade tip touching the ground.
"Which way?"
The fire mark on Red Boy's chest had eased considerably. He raised his head, grinned at the shadowy figures, and flicked a flame from his palm, burning through the head of the first one.
"Run!"
"Don't you know how to start a fire?"
The situation suddenly reversed.
Just now, the main tower was pressing down on everyone and exploding.
Now, Chen Fan, despite the self-destruct program, managed to overturn the main control layer.
Zongwu got even more excited.
He pointed at the cataloger as if he had seized upon a huge incriminating evidence.
"Can't answer that, huh?"
"Okay, then I'll speak for you."
"The original sin file must not be burned without a signature."
"Without a master signature, the self-destruct program will automatically downgrade."
"Downgraded to what level?"
He was practically shouting into the cataloger's face.
The cataloger shuddered.
"Switch down...switch to manual mode."
The moment those six words were uttered, the main tower fell into an instant silence.
The next moment, the red ring at the top of the tower dimmed section by section.
The oppressive feeling that the entire tower was about to burst out receded like a tide.
Zong Wu froze for a moment, then suddenly jumped up.
"It's done!"
"Hahaha, it worked! I cracked its program!"
He'd probably never been this glamorous in his life; he blushed deeply.
The chief lay on the ground, black blood gushing from his mouth, his eyes filled with shock and rage.
"impossible……"
"This is impossible..."
Chen Fan slowly walked over and squatted down in front of him.
"How could that be impossible?"
"You're trying to use the rules to pressure people."
"Then you have to make sure you don't cross the line."
The master stared intently at him.
"Even if you manage to steal the files once you're inside, it won't do you any good."
"Without the master file box, no one can take away the real master file."
Chen Fan narrowed his eyes.
"You should have said this sooner."
He had barely finished speaking when Tang Sanzang started moving.
While everyone was fighting, this monk was constantly on the move.
He is not good at direct confrontation.
He became increasingly adept at stealing things.
Taking advantage of the collapsed tower gate, Tang Sanzang rushed into the innermost part of the main control layer, stepping on the rubble.
There is an old platform that has sunk halfway down.
In the center of the old station was a small black box, with iron edges around all four corners.
Tang Sanzang reached out and grabbed, but the box didn't budge.
He frowned, wrapped the hem of his robe around his wrist with his other hand, stepped on the edge of the platform, and pulled it upwards with a sudden movement.
click!
The box was forcibly pulled out.
The entire old table developed a crack.
When Zongwu saw this, his eyes almost popped out of their sockets.
"Master file box!"
"It's really there!"
The color drained from the Master's face as he struggled to get up.
"lay down……"
"You can't touch it..."
Wukong walked over carrying his staff and stomped his head back to the ground.
"Behave yourself."
"He's already touched her, what can you do about it?"
Tang Sanzang quickly retreated, clutching the box, his breathing becoming somewhat disordered.
This box is quite heavy.
It's not only heavy, but also hot.
It's like there's a piece of iron that's been pressed down for many years inside.
He was about to hand the box to Chen Fan when he suddenly stopped.
"etc."
Chen Fan looked at him.
"What's wrong?"
Tang Sanzang lowered his head and raised his hand to wipe away a layer of dust from the box.
Once the dust was removed, a line of old characters in the center of the box lid was revealed.
Those words weren't carved on.
It looks like it was burned in.
Every stroke is black.
When Tang Sanzang recited the words aloud, even Wukong frowned.
"The One Who Opened It..."
He made a sound in his throat, and his voice deepened.
"That is, to bear the original sin."
Chapter 183 Who Will Bear the Burden of Original Sin?
The moment the eight characters on the box were revealed, the tower fell silent for a moment.
"The one who initiates it bears the original sin."
After Tang Sanzang finished reading the words, he didn't push his hand forward any further.
The Bull Demon King cursed first, "Damn it, it really wasn't something you picked up for free."
Wukong stared at the words, a golden glint flashing in his eyes, and reached out to take them: "I'll take them."
"What the hell are you talking about?" The Bull Demon King grabbed him and pressed him down. "You're the front man now. If you take the blame, those old fogies in the Three Realms will be laughing in their sleep. From now on, no matter what messes happen, they'll pin it on you."
Wukong sneered: "So what if they deduct it? Do you think I'm afraid of them writing their names on it?"
"Aren't you afraid? Aren't Flower Fruit Mountain afraid?" The Bull Demon King glared at him. "You're not alone now."
Red Boy's chest fire mark was still glowing, his face pale, but he gritted his teeth and kept moving forward: "I'll go. This fire is related to me. If it weren't for this thing on my chest constantly making noise, we wouldn't have found this hellhole."
The Bull Demon King turned around and slapped him on the forehead: "You little brat, who gave you the right to show off?"
"Then I'll do it." Tang Sanzang hugged the box tighter. "I am the master of the scriptures. These things from the old construction site were originally intended for the scriptures. If you really need someone to carry them, you should ask me first."
"You can't either," Wukong immediately replied.
"Why not?" Tang Sanzang looked up at him. "I haven't been eating nothing but rice all this way."
"You are the flag we stole," Chen Fan said. "When the flag falls, all the arrangements behind it fall apart. What Buddhism wants most now is for you to return to your rightful place. If you truly become the embodiment of original sin, they won't even need to cleanse you; they can erect a monument to you and say you are the culprit of the Three Realms."
The Bull Demon King grinned: "That makes sense. Monk is usually the most talkative, but this time he's eager to take the blame."
Tang Sanzang glared at him and said, "If you want to snatch it, I won't stop you."
"Rob it?" The Bull Demon King puffed out his chest. "Old Bull isn't afraid of this at all. Anyway, I already blacklisted the Heavenly Court this morning. What difference does it make if I add one more or one less?"
"Yes," Zong Wu's voice came from the side, his hair trembling. "The difference is huge."
Everyone looked at him.
Zong Wu squatted on the ground, the stone in his hand emitting a faint hum. His face was even paler than before, as if he had just been pulled out of ice water.
"I just checked the box pattern against the old construction site rules."
"This is not an ordinary recognition of God."
"This is a marker."
Chen Fan frowned: "Explain clearly."
Zong Wu swallowed hard and quickly said, "The file box is a highly confidential item within the main control tower. It has very high access privileges. Once the box is opened, the rules will automatically record the opener. The record item is not a name, but an identity label."
"The label is—the vessel of original sin in the three realms."
The Bull Demon King cursed, "Speak human language!"
"In layman's terms, whoever is in charge becomes the most convenient scapegoat." Zong Wu's hands were trembling. "Old construction sites used to do this when dealing with failed batches. When something went wrong, they would first attach a scapegoat and pin all the abnormalities, deficits, pollution, defections, and supply chain disruptions on him. As long as the label was established, all the subsequent pursuit and liquidation would have a legitimate reason."
Tang Sanzang's eyes darkened: "A temporary mark, how long will it last?"
Zong Wu smiled wryly: "The temporary stay of the old construction site... sometimes it's three days, sometimes it's three hundred years."
The air in the tower suddenly tensed up.
Red Boy couldn't help but curse, "You call this temporary?"
Wukong slammed his golden cudgel on the ground: "That's even simpler. Whoever chases us, we'll kill them."
Zong Wu waved his hands anxiously: "Ordinary pursuit is fine. But if the True Core awakens because of this, it won't be a matter of taking down a few gatekeepers."
Chen Fan looked at him: "The true core can move too?"
Zong Wu nodded, lowering his voice even further: "Yes. Once the carrier of original sin falls on a variable like you, the true core will judge it as a failed batch of residual poison leaking out. It will actively eradicate it. It won't issue a notice, it will directly lock the link. At that time, this old construction site, the Heavenly Court, the Buddhist sect, and even all the nodes near the meridian may all light up and chase after you."
Upon hearing this, the Bull Demon King's face darkened: "So, whoever opens the box has to run all over the world carrying a lantern?"
"More or less," Zongwu said.
Wukong laughed instead: "That sounds pretty exciting."
"Awesome my foot." Chen Fan glanced at him. "You attract attention wherever you go now. Are you adding a label because you're afraid people won't be able to find you?"
Wukong gritted his teeth and remained silent.
Tang Sanzang looked down at the box, his fingers slowly tracing the words on the paper, as if touching an old wound.
The Bull Demon King stepped forward: "Then I'll do it. I'm a big bull, and I can carry the pot. Besides, my family is well-off, and I have many subordinates. If things really get out of hand, I can hold out for a couple of days."
"You can't either," Chen Fan said directly.
The Bull Demon King glared at him: "Why?"
"You're a ready-made flagpole for the demon race," Chen Fan said. "Once you're branded with Original Sin, Lion Camel Ridge, Thunder Mountain, and all the old demons will be dragged down with you. Then the Three Realms will have a perfect excuse to cleanse themselves. Are you taking the blame? You're handing them the knife."
The Bull Demon King's face twitched twice, but he couldn't find the words to reply.
The tower fell silent.
The primer outside was still rumbling softly, like a giant cauldron burning underground. Ash was constantly falling from the walls of the main control tower. Everyone knew that dragging this out any longer was not a solution.
Chen Fan reached out and took the box from Tang Seng's hand.
The moment I held the box in my hand, my palm went numb.
The burning sensation traveled up his wrist, as if testing him.
Chen Fan weighed it in his hand and said calmly, "Alright, stop arguing. I'll drive."
"What the hell are you talking about?" Wukong stepped in front of him.
Tang Sanzang frowned as well: "This isn't about stealing a wine jar."
The Bull Demon King snorted: "You do have a lot of debts, but this time it's not just one or two."
"I know." Chen Fan looked up at them, "but none of you are suitable. Wukong can't take on this name. The monk can't. The old bull can't either. Red Boy hasn't grown his wings yet, and Zongwu can't handle it. After all, the most suitable one is me."
He smirked. "Anyway, I didn't have a good reputation in Heaven to begin with. The Buddhist sect sees me like a nail. Having more debts isn't a burden; one more won't make a difference."
Wukong frowned deeply: "Don't give me that. If you let the True Core target us, our entire rear will be cut off."
"So I said it's appropriate, not reckless." Chen Fan tucked the box under his arm. "If you really wanted me to just open it, I wouldn't be stupid."
Upon hearing this, Zong Wu quickly said, "That's right, we can't open it directly. If you touch the access lock, the True Core will likely react immediately. You have too many variables on you, and you've already taken the broken seal and the iron plate, so you're already halfway across the line. One more step and the alarm will go off."
The Bull Demon King retorted, "So after all that talk, it seems like nobody can drive it?"
Zongwu was covered in sweat: "Theoretically... yes."
"Screw your theories!" The Bull Demon King spun around in anger. "You went through all that trouble to snatch that box, and now you're putting it here like it's your ancestor?"
Tang Sanzang suddenly spoke up: "It's not that no one can open it."
Several people looked at him at the same time.
Tang Sanzang's gaze fell on the few old machines that hadn't been completely dismantled in the distance, and his voice was steady.
"It's not that there's no one here."
"It doesn't require real people."
Chen Fan's eyes flickered: "What did you think of?"
Tang Sanzang said, "Template library."
Zong Wu paused for a moment, then slapped his thigh: "That's right! How could I have forgotten that!"
The Bull Demon King looked annoyed: "Stop beating around the bush, just say it."
Zong Wu immediately said, "The old construction site used to make many standard templates for meridian testing. One of them was called a standard empty shell of a meridian master. It had no true spirit, no self, and only retained the basic outline of the meridian master's authority. To put it bluntly, it was a dummy specifically used to go through the process and take the first hit."
Wukong narrowed his eyes: "Can you fool the box?"
"It might not fool us completely," Tang Sanzang chimed in. "But in the first round of identification, it looks at the access interface. As long as we can connect to the empty shell and get past the first layer of attack, we can see what's inside and then decide on the next step."
Chen Fan's mind raced, and he immediately asked, "Won't the empty shell just explode?"
Zong Wu gritted his teeth: "Most likely. But it's a consumable item anyway. I won't feel bad if it explodes. If we're lucky, it can even leave the Original Sin Mark for a while."
The Bull Demon King's eyes lit up: "This method works! Let's use a fake one to take the blame first."
Wukong was still worried: "What if the box recognizes it and turns around and accuses us?"
Tang Sanzang said, "That's still better than directly pressing it onto a real person. At least try one layer first."
Chen Fan nodded: "Where is the template library?"
Zong Wu pointed to a half-collapsed corridor on the west side of the main tower: "The secondary warehouse. It's not far from here. I didn't dare go there before because there were the most privileged dogs there. Now that the main tower is in chaos, it's a good opportunity to pick up the scraps."
"Let's go." Chen Fan made a decisive decision.
The group, carrying the boxes, headed straight for the secondary warehouse.
Dust was falling all the way down the corridor.
Broken metal arms and burnt talisman slots lay scattered on the ground. The further you went in, the more old characters appeared on the walls, all numbers and procedures, so dense they made your scalp tingle.
Zongwu ran in the lead, comparing the stones along the way, and finally stopped in front of a half-open warehouse door.
"That's it."
A crooked sign hung on the door.
Template backup library number three.
The Bull Demon King raised his foot and kicked.
The door burst open with a bang.
It was pitch black inside, like an ancient well that had been filled with stagnant air for thousands of years. A burst of dry, hot air rushed out, choking Red Boy and causing him to cough twice.
Zongwu reached for an old plate by the wall and slammed it down.
A few dim lights were lit in the warehouse.
Rows of cabinets came into view, their doors bearing old marks. At the very back, a dozen or so human-shaped mannequins hung on the shelves, like a row of soulless shells.
The Bull Demon King glanced at it and grinned, saying, "This place is truly terrifying."
Tang Sanzang, however, stared at the body in the middle.
The empty shell wore the most ordinary gray-white monk's robes, its face was very pale, resembling everyone yet resembling no one. A small prayer wheel imprint was embedded in its chest.
Zongwu ran over quickly and flipped over the cards.
"Found it."
"Standard main shell, type B."
"Adapted to intermediate and advanced meridian verification, with first-round permission response."
He became more and more excited as he read, and finally ripped the empty shell off the shelf: "That's it."
Wukong reached out and lifted it, frowning: "It's as light as paper."
"It's just a shell," Zong Wu said. "Don't underestimate it; the interfaces are all there."
Chen Fan placed the file box on a cracked metal table next to him and said in a deep voice, "Start receiving."
Zongwu and Tang Sanzang worked together.
One person was responsible for removing the bottom lock of the box.
One is responsible for the prayer wheel on the empty chest.
The Bull Demon King and Sun Wukong stood guard on either side. Red Boy gripped his Fire-Tipped Spear, his eyes unblinking. The rumbling from the base of the tower outside grew louder and louder, as if something might rise from the ground at any moment.
Click.
The first buckle is fastened.
The prayer wheel imprint on the empty chest glowed slightly.
Zong Wu's forehead was covered in sweat: "It's done, the first interface is connected."
Click.
The second lock is connected.
The black lines on the surface of the file box began to move, like a group of tiny insects, slowly crawling onto the empty shell arm.
The Bull Demon King's scalp tingled at the sight: "This thing can't possibly live, can it?"
"Don't speak." Chen Fan stared at the box. "Continue."
Tang Sanzang pressed his palm against the back of the empty shell and whispered a string of old sutras.
That wasn't the Buddhist scripture currently being transmitted; it was more like a very old series of numbers. Upon reciting the seventh line, the empty shell suddenly opened its eyes.
Those eyes were empty.
It lacks humanity.
The next moment, it raised its hands and hugged the file box itself.
Zongwu abruptly took two steps back: "We've taken over!"
A very soft cracking sound came from the edge of the box lid.
Like paint that has been sealed for a long time, finally cracking open with the first fissure.
Everyone stopped talking.
Wukong slightly raised the golden cudgel in his hand.
The Bull Demon King had already held his iron cudgel horizontally in front of his chest.
Tang Sanzang stared at the empty shell of a face without even blinking.
Chen Fan saw black characters slowly emerging from the neck of that standard, empty shell of a monk.
It is not scripture.
There are only four ancient seal script characters.
Original Sin (temporarily recorded).
Immediately afterwards, the file box slowly opened a crack.
A cold light emanated from within.
It's not a magic weapon.
It is not a weapon.
It was a page of black and gold dossier.
It rose from the box, suspended in mid-air, its rolled edges unfurling by themselves.
At the very top of the first page, three words were prominently displayed—
Chen Fan.
Chapter 184 Black Gold Files
The black and gold dossier hung in mid-air.
At the very top of the first page are the two words "Chen Fan".
It's not the kind of writing where your name is recorded in your file.
It looks like it was pressed on little by little with a soldering iron.
Chen Fan stared at those two words, his back stiffening.
Wukong couldn't resist any longer and raised his hand to grab him.
"Let me see what tricks this piece of paper can play first."
"Don't touch it," Chen Fan shouted.
Wukong's hand stopped in mid-air.
The next moment, the file flipped open by itself.
It wasn't blown by the wind.
It sounds like someone is rummaging through it.
Page after page.
The tower beeps once with each page turn.
Like an old iron chain being pulled across the ground by something.
Zong Wu's face turned pale, and he huddled against the tower wall, his voice trembling.
"This is the main file."
"The black gold dossier only records one thing."
"The first sin."
The empty shell stood to one side, the four characters on its neck growing darker and darker.
Original Sin (temporarily recorded).
It's as if it's really carrying someone's burden.
Chen Fan didn't look at it; his gaze was fixed on the paper.
The second page slowly unfolds.
There are no scriptures or laws listed above.
There is only one line of large characters.
—At the beginning of the establishment of the Three Realms, people were first eliminated, and then order was established.
The Bull Demon King frowned as he looked at this.
"Delete someone?"
Red Boy clutched his chest; the fire pattern was still throbbing.
What does "deleting someone" mean?
The case file continued to emerge, line by line.
Like old ink that has been heated by fire, it seeps out on its own.
—The first living beings had the right to choose for themselves.
—One can refuse to take the position, leave the stage, or not perform.
Such existences are unstable, uncontrollable, and detrimental to the overall situation.
Tang Sanzang's eyelids twitched suddenly.
He emphasized the phrase "not acting".
"Leave the venue."
"You may refuse the position."
"This isn't a living being, it's an actor's roster."
Yang Jian had been silent until now, when he suddenly took half a step forward.
He stared at the phrase "can't act," the three-pointed double-edged sword in his hand humming under the pressure.
Therefore, the original sin was not killing.
"It needs to be changed."
The third page of the file, as if in response to him, suddenly lit up.
There is only one sentence on the entire page.
— Change people who have choices to people who have functions.
These words felt like a heavy blow to the entire main tower.
Even Wukong was stunned.
He doesn't understand those intricacies.
But everyone can understand what that means.
People who have choices can make their own decisions.
Those who are capable are only responsible for doing the work.
Chen Fan felt a sinking feeling in his chest.
This sentence connects all the preceding lines.
System. Master. Destiny Position. Protagonist Template. Substitute. Empty Shell.
None of them were born that way.
It was all made.
The Bull Demon King cursed.
"Damn it."
"No wonder I, Old Niu, always felt something was off."
"These people talk about restoring all living beings to their rightful place, but they're actually turning living creatures into puppets."
Red Boy felt a chill run down his spine, but he remained defiant.
"But what are they after?"
"Stable," Chen Fan said, his voice deep. "As long as everyone functions properly, the world won't descend into chaos."
"When monks went to fetch scriptures, demons blocked their way, gods exerted pressure, and mortals kowtowed."
"Don't overthink it."
"No one should cross the line."
Tang Sanzang gave a cold laugh.
"No wonder someone wrote compassion for me as soon as I was born."
"They've even arranged what I should believe in."
The case file was continued to be flipped through.
The text on the fourth page is denser.
—When the Three Realms were first established, the Heavenly Court, Mount Ling, and the former Ministry of Works held a joint discussion.
—The first batch of people who refused to perform will be removed from the program.
—For a failed world, implement a database freeze.
—Related files are included in the black market and must not be disclosed.
Zongwu's throat went hoarse.
"I knew it... I knew the old construction site wasn't the place to build the tower."
"That's Ku."
"It's a library for burying failed batches."
Wukong narrowed his eyes.
"Those who refuse to perform, a world of failure."
"Does this mean that anyone who refused to follow their instructions was dealt with?"
Two blood-black words appeared on the file.
Yes.
The characters looked like they were scratched out with a fingernail.
It's very uncomfortable to watch.
Yang Jian's face darkened completely.
He used to only suspect that the Heavenly Court was keeping secrets.
I never expected it to be kept secret to this extent.
It's not about changing the fate of one or two people.
It's about eliminating a whole group of people who can choose for themselves, starting from the root.
Then make the later ones more usable.
The more the Bull Demon King thought about it, the angrier he became.
"What the hell is this 'former Ministry of Works' thing?"
Chen Fan narrowed his eyes.
"Making templates."
"The Heavenly Court provides the location, Mount Ling provides the explanation, and the former Ministry of Works sets up the shell, the route, and the system."
"Their alliance is not meant to rule the three realms."
"They built a huge stage."
As soon as he finished speaking, the fifth page unfolded with a bang.
The entire page is filled with tables.
The old characters were pressed down on top.
The main template.
Rebellious template.
Template of suffering.
Protective road template.
Sacrifice template.
Template for onlookers.
Each category has a number.
There are also matching words.
Yang Jian glanced at it twice, and his forehead twitched.
"What are all these things?"
Chen Fan stepped forward, his eyes growing colder and colder.
"Protagonist Template"
"Reproducible".
"Whoever fits, just put them in."
"No wonder some people seem to live out of a storybook from the very beginning. They say the same things, walk the same paths, and even stumble in the same way."
Upon hearing this, Wukong's face darkened.
"Is Old Sun in there too?"
The case file did not respond immediately.
It felt like it got stuck for a moment.
The next moment, a line of black text appeared at the very bottom of the entire table.
—Special exception: The Stone Monkey sequence cannot be completely hardcoded.
Wukong's pupils contracted.
The Bull Demon King and Red Boy looked over at the same time.
"What do you mean?" Red Boy asked.
Turn to the next page of the file.
This page contains only a few annotations.
The handwriting is different; it looks like many people have written it.
The first paragraph reads:
The stone monkey sequence, released in multiple batches, all showed a strong tendency to deviate from the intended path.
The second paragraph reads:
It can be suppressed, sealed, or guided, but it cannot be completely finalized.
The third paragraph is the most ruthless:
Each version was refused to be written as the final draft.
The tower fell silent.
Wukong didn't say anything.
He just stared at those few lines of text.
He stared so intently that the corners of his eyes were lowered.
He used to disbelieve in batches or versions.
But now, this case file is right here, in black and white.
It turns out he wasn't the only one who opposed it.
Every Sun Wukong refused to acknowledge it.
They refused to die in a way that someone else had written out for them.
The Bull Demon King laughed first, a deep laugh.
"it is good."
"What a magnificent stone monkey!"
"I knew it, you monkey weren't born to be ridden on."
Red Boy was also excited.
"Dad, doesn't this just mean Uncle Monkey is naturally their nemesis?"
Tang Sanzang looked at Wukong, and his eyes changed.
Previously, he only thought that Wukong was a variable.
Now it seems, it's not a variable.
It was a nail that they had tried many times but couldn't get past.
Wukong slowly raised his head and grinned.
He laughed very fiercely.
"No wonder those bald monks and corrupt officials itch to bite me."
"So they weren't afraid I'd cause trouble after all."
"They're afraid I'll smash the stage every time."
The case file was reviewed again.
When page seven appeared, Chen Fan's heart skipped a beat.
Because the topmost column says—External variable anchor file.
There is only one name below.
Chen Fan.
Red Boy almost cried out.
"It really is you!"
The Bull Demon King also kept an eye on it.
"Who exactly are you, kid?"
Chen Fan ignored them.
He was watching it himself.
That page had few words; it seemed to have been reserved specifically for him.
— Anchor point, not part of the original sequence of this batch.
—It can accommodate offsets and incorporate external knowledge.
—Variables planted for those who disrupt the old era.
—Once connected to the main line, the template lock can be pried open.
Yang Jian's breathing became slightly heavier.
"You didn't wander in by mistake."
"You were buried in here."
Chen Fan's fingers trembled slightly.
He always knew he was special.
Neither the system nor time travel seems like a coincidence.
But he never expected that even this identity of his was planted in advance by someone else.
It wasn't arranged by the Heavenly Court.
It was not a gift from the sacred mountain.
He was a nail that was forcibly inserted by some disruptor of the old era.
Tang Seng stared at Chen Fan and said in a low voice, "Someone wants to use you to overturn this situation."
"It's not a loan," Chen Fan raised his eyes, "it's a gamble."
"I bet I can get this far."
I bet Wukong will believe me.
"I'm betting that this file will one day be opened."
Zongwu's legs went weak upon hearing this, and he sat down on the ground.
"That's insane."
"Were there still people like this in the old days?"
"Dare to lay a trap before the Three Realms are even established?"
The Bull Demon King snorted.
"I like this kind of madman."
"You've got guts."
The file was turned to the last page.
This page is old.
It's so old that the edges are cracked.
It looks like it's been touched by many people.
There was nothing else written above, just a summary.
Original sin is not in killing, nor in vying for power.
The original sin lies in changing those who can say no into those who can only do.
—From then on, all things in the three realms were put to their proper use.
Those who can resist, erase them. Those who can be utilized, standardize them. Those who can be replaced, mass-produce them.
—The so-called order was thus established.
After reading it, Tang Sanzang laughed until he felt cold.
"What a fine order."
"Now I finally understand why the more I try to fix it, the more it resembles an empty shell."
Yang Jian gripped his weapon even tighter.
He has witnessed many wrongful convictions.
But this injustice is not limited to one person or one place.
The entire Three Realms are built upon this thing.
Wukong slammed his staff into the ground.
The main tower trembled three times.
"Then let's demolish it."
"From today onwards, I will beat up anyone who tries to use this broken order to suppress me."
At the very bottom of the last page of the file, there is another line of text.
Like a signature.
It was very blurry at first.
Chen Fan squinted and took a step forward.
The words gradually appeared.
—Recorder: The first person to refuse to perform.
Everyone was startled at the same time.
The first person to refuse to perform.
These four words are even harsher than the preceding content.
Surprisingly, some people in the first batch were not completely wiped out.
The case file was also left behind.
Anchor points were also left behind.
This is the person who orchestrates the whole thing.
The Bull Demon King lowered his voice.
"Is he still alive?"
Yang Jian shook his head.
"It doesn't look like it was left alive."
"It's like something stuffed into a black gold container before someone dies."
At the very end of the file, there is another name.
To be precise, only half a name remains.
It felt like someone had scraped it hard with a knife.
It was scraped so badly that only the front half remained.
It was the character "陈".
The air inside the tower seemed to freeze instantly.
Red Boy's eyes widened in surprise.
"List?"
"Is it Chen again?"
Tang Sanzang suddenly turned his head to look at Chen Fan.
The Bull Demon King also looked at him.
Even Wukong stopped laughing and stared at Chen Fan's face.
Chen Fan himself froze for a moment.
Half of the character "陈".
The first person to refuse to perform.
A disruptor of the old era.
The person who planted this anchor point.
These three things suddenly collided at one place.
Zongwu looked like he had seen a ghost, his lips trembling.
"No way..."
"You're not the first one, are you?"
Just then, the last page of the file suddenly caught fire.
It's not fire.
It's a black line, darting out from the character "陈".
It's like someone doesn't want them to keep watching.
Yang Jian reacted the fastest, raising his sword to press down.
Wukong blocked with one stick.
Tang Sanzang raised his hand and chanted a spell. The Buddha's light had just pressed down when it was directly pierced by the black line.
The black line shot upwards along the file.
In an instant, the words "Chen Fan" on the first page also lit up.
It doesn't emit light.
It looks like it's bleeding.
A loud bang rang in Chen Fan's ears.
A strange voice suddenly appeared in his mind.
Very mute.
It's urgent.
He only said five words.
"Don't believe the second Chen—"
The sound stopped abruptly.
The next second, the entire black and gold dossier slammed shut.
Snapped.
It felt like someone slapped him in the ear.
The standard, empty shell of the main body, which had remained motionless, suddenly raised its head.
A hint of red slowly surfaced in its empty eye sockets.
His mouth was open.
The very first sentence he uttered sent chills down everyone's spines.
"We've found him."