Can You See Me?

Beneath the blood-stained raised platform strewn with headless corpses, curls of smoke rose gently. With utmost solemnity, Bai Zhou held three Furongwang cigarettes above his head, bowed toward the bloody execution ground, and devoutly made three deep prostrations. Then, he planted the three lit cigarettes neatly into the ground. [Before I go, I really want to smoke a Furongwang!] As the smoke curled upward, the crimson characters shone with an intensifying brilliance. *It's really changing!* Bai Zhou stared intently at that line of characters in the middle of the puddle of blood. Suddenly, the light reached its peak, and the crimson characters in the blood puddle shattered with a roar. The swirling fragments rushed toward Bai Zhou all at once. Before Bai Zhou could dodge, his consciousness blurred, the scene before his eyes shifting like a revolving lantern into a rapid montage of images... "Care for one?" In nightfall-draped Wancheng, two Black Robes—one fat, one thin—were on patrol at a sluggish pace. "Regulations from above say no smoking on duty," the fat Black Robe reminded him. "You're right." The thin Black Robe stopped, squatted down in a shadowy corner, and declared with complete conviction, "That's why I don't plan on working while I smoke!" A match struck a flare beneath the crimson moon. The thin Black Robe lit a Furongwang, his eyes hazy. "Say, what do you think is the meaning of life?" The fat Black Robe squatted down beside him and lit a Furongwang as well. "To slack off and smoke a cigarette." The thin Black Robe froze for a moment, then waved his hands repeatedly— "You misunderstand me, brother. I'm talking about our ultimate goal in this life." "Ever since joining the Blood Worship Cult, I keep wondering: what are people living for, anyway?" "Yeah," the fat Black Robe nodded, saying, "To slack off and smoke a cigarette while on patrol." With that, he slowly raised his Furongwang toward the crimson moon in the sky. From the flickering cigarette ember rose a hazy blue curl of smoke, as though offering incense for his own funeral. At that moment, his gesture overlapped with Bai Zhou offering the cigarettes. ... —With a crash, the imagery shattered. Bai Zhou raised his head. His vision returned to the bloody public execution ground, blood dripping rhythmically from the high platform. Right then, the headless corpse of the fat Black Robe on the execution grounds suddenly snapped upright with a whoosh, giving Bai Zhou a thumbs-up. The scene was intensely gruesome. "Smoking is harmful to your health, young man! I remember you—the top cadet of the training troupe who loved adventure stories." "You came up to ask me about things outside the city during the lecture." God only knew how a headless Black Robe was vocalizing; the voice seemed to emanate straight from his navel. "Stop probing into all the secrets of Wancheng. Live a good life on Blue Star." "I hope these can help you," he said. "A new adventure has begun." From a distance, the headless corpse tossed something over, which Bai Zhou reflexively raised his hand to catch. When Bai Zhou realized what had just occurred, his face turned deathly pale as he looked at the soldier beside him. "Did you see that?" "See what?" "The headless corpse... he stood up!" "Are you all right?" The soldier frowned, discreetly taking a step back from Bai Zhou. "Damn it, I knew no one from Wancheng was normal. I hope you didn't pass any contamination onto me!" "The contamination of the Reflected Ruin Realm is too heavy; it causes mental abnormalities and hallucinations," the trench-coated girl with the raven perched on her shoulder chimed in with a sigh. "When all's said and done, that place was never somewhere normal people ought to go." "Even you can't see it? But... huh?" Bai Zhou turned his head and suddenly froze in his tracks. Across the high platform, corpses lay strewn in every direction amidst pools of blood; there was no upright headless body, nor was anyone speaking. Everything from a moment ago seemed like an illusion. Yet Bai Zhou knew it wasn't. Looking down, Bai Zhou opened his right hand. Three lollipops lay nestled prominently in his palm. The moment a fresh, milky fragrance drifted into his nostrils, a stream of information surfaced in Bai Zhou's mind. [Alpen-despicable Lollipop] [Smoking is bad for your health, so have a lollipop to quit smoking!] [A gift from a slacking soul. Temporarily suppresses the consumer's contamination, stabilizes mental state, and briefly induces forgetfulness of all negative desires.] ["Sanity is the most precious treasure of sentient beings, so God bestowed the gold-lacquered apple as a token of wisdom's grace." ...As for what this has to do with a lollipop? Because it's golden apple flavored.] *What is this?!* Bai Zhou muttered inwardly. He had indeed seen those two Black Robes back when they were invited to lecture at the training troupe. If that line of blood characters was the fat Black Robe's dying wish, were these three lollipops a gift from the fat Black Robe for helping fulfill his last request? —Then if he fulfilled other dying wishes, what else could he gain? Bai Zhou's gaze swept across the high platform. The dense blanket of dying words across the ground was far dimmer than the highlighted line from earlier, and none of them were things he could accomplish right now. [Ha, no one would ever suspect that beneath the large tree in front of the main gate of Yongning Life Care Center on Dongxing Road lies the Dead Sea Scrolls they're after... They won't dig it up in their entire lives!] Dongxing Road, Yongning Life Care Center! Bai Zhou grew thoughtful, his gaze lingering on this dying message for a long time. "What are you looking at?" A Wancheng woman beside him leaned over, looking curiously at Bai Zhou's empty palm. "You know how to read palms?" Bai Zhou blinked and looked down at the three lollipops in his hand. *She can't see them either?* "...Yeah, I know a little." Bai Zhou nodded and discreetly closed his fist. Feeling the distinct, rigid hardness pressing into his palm, his hands trembled slightly. "Stop probing into all the secrets of Wancheng..." The fat Black Robe's words echoed in his ears. Bai Zhou suddenly felt that Wancheng was shrouded in far too much fog; even after living there for eighteen years, he knew far too little about it. Including about himself. Undoubtedly, the answers to these mysteries might lie in Wancheng—in what they called the "Reflected Ruin Realm." The fat Black Robe had told Bai Zhou to live a good life on Blue Star, and he wanted to live well... Yet if he couldn't even see through the fog hanging over himself, how could he move forward? "..." Glancing at the soldier beside him who had stopped paying him any heed, Bai Zhou turned his gaze toward the officers standing on the high platform. Cleaners in protective suits climbed onto the platform to tidy up. White foam covered the floor, the smell of disinfectant mingling with the lingering stench of blood that refused to dissipate. The trench-coated girl who had just been standing in the crowd had returned to the high platform at some point, standing alongside several officers. Bai Zhou's gaze lingered on her the longest. Whether he wanted to survive here or unravel the myriad mysteries, the key undoubtedly lay with them. Since that godlike girl could lead an army to crush Wancheng, it stood to reason she could lead people back into the Reflected Ruin Realm. But the problem was, when even ordinary soldiers treated him with cold indifference, Bai Zhou could think of no reason why he would be allowed to approach these higher-ups from Blue Star. "Welcome back to Blue Star, displaced wanderers." Once no bloodstains remained on the execution platform and the cleaners filed off, the major seated upright on the platform spoke, his voice carrying far across the plaza. "The criminals have been executed. In principle, the rest of you are victims abducted and deceived by the Blood Worship Cult." "In accordance with the *Measures for the Administration of Victims in Illegal Association Cases*, I ought to release you back into society to begin new lives after you study Federal law and general knowledge." *A new life?* The sensitive phrase stirred the crowd into a restless commotion. Only Bai Zhou heard something amiss. What did he mean by... in principle? "—However, that cannot be done." Sure enough, the major's chilling words fell like a bucket of ice water. "The contamination of the Reflected Ruin Realm clings to everyone equally." "You stayed in Wancheng for too long. In the waking world, you are like terminally ill carriers of Category A infectious diseases, capable of inflicting disasters upon others more terrible than plague and cholera!" "To that end, I have no choice but to place you under temporary quarantine and control. Only when your contamination drops below safe thresholds can we release you back into society." "This process may not be brief, but please believe that the Federation will never abandon you!" He spoke with resounding conviction, which, paired with his upright posture, carried an odd persuasiveness. Of course, there were still troublemakers muttering under their breath. "Our Wancheng's sanitation is mighty fine, where'd any contamination come from..." Yet a sharp glare from the soldier beside him and the whistling swing of a stun baton quickly shut him up, instantly turning him back into an honest, docile townsfolk. "Yet as we often say, there is more than one path leading toward the daylight; it only depends on whether you are willing to choose." The major continued, "Having stayed in the Reflected Ruin Realm for so long, some among you may have developed constitutions with high resistance to contamination." "—Such individuals are precisely the talents we require!" Behind him, the masked personnel in white lab coats had just packed the oil painting into a black case and carried it away; now they hauled up another large Black Box. The Black Box was carefully opened, revealing a thick, rigid, flesh-like tube slumping inside. It resembled a blood vessel from a human body, its outer wall heavily wrinkled, each fold interlaced with dark-purple veins that twitched every now and then to a rhythmic, breathing cadence. One of the white-coated researchers reported to the major: "Catalog Number F-1120 Black Box, [Legacy of Bloodthirst], stable and ready!" "A Black Box!" Bai Zhou's nerves tautened. He had already realized that these large Black Boxes with strange catalog numbers all sealed away mysterious artifacts possessing extraordinary properties. —Just like the forbidden items of Wancheng, or perhaps even more terrifying! The major pointed casually into the crowd below, landing squarely on the troublemaker who had muttered earlier: "You. Yes, you. Come up!" Fierce soldiers immediately dragged the man onto the high platform and pressed his palm against the blood vessel. Sensing the approach of a living person, the blood vessel sprang to life, coiling around the back of his hand with a swift hiss. Its lumen clamped down and writhed, drinking voraciously. "Wh-what is this!" The man began to struggle frantically. "Just think of it as blood backing up into an IV line. You'll be fine," the soldier restraining him said with an amiable expression. "Relax. Dizziness is normal. Take deep breaths!" "Ahhh!!!" The man's face turned visibly deathly pale. Gradually, however, his screams subsided, and his expressions grew increasingly blank, as though he had entered an uncanny trance stripped of both grief and joy. In the end, his shoulders slumped, and he stood there motionlessly, like a... walking corpse. "This is a test," the major's voice reached everyone's ears. "Anyone who touches it and remains standing will be granted the opportunity to join us!" No sooner had the words left his mouth than the man collapsed onto the floor with a thud, carried away on a stretcher by medical staff waiting at the ready. "H-h-he... died just like that?" The people of Wancheng panicked. "Rest assured, he has merely fainted!" The major dispelled the rumor on the spot to soothe them. "Unfortunately, he failed the test." "It appears he has been heavily eroded by contamination. For everyone's sake as well as his own future, he will receive the best medical treatment at the hospital." "—Until the contamination is purged and he recovers to be discharged!" "..." Behind the major, an officer said with concern, "Is using a Black Box to test contamination levels truly acceptable? If Statute Hall finds out..." "You know the Major comes from a prestigious family and always prioritizes efficiency," Adjutant Han said airily. "The Legacy of Bloodthirst is only interested in mentally deranged individuals. The deeper the contamination, the more disordered their mind, and the more blood it drains." "Although it causes blood loss and a temporary loss of emotion..." The whiskers of the Captain Black Cat doll in his arms twitched faintly as he continued, "the researchers obtain precious experimental data, while the civilians get sent straight to the hospital without wading through bureaucratic red tape." "It's a win-win! What does Statute Hall know?" "The Major repeatedly emphasizes that so long as the intention is good, bending certain rules is permissible." "Tedious procedures mean front-line personnel must be exposed to more contamination." "—The grave responsibility for the safety of all six departments in the Black Box Special Administration rests on the Major's shoulders, not Statute Hall's!" Hearing this, the officers nodded one after another. "Adjutant Han makes sense!" "..." Only the trench-coated girl hesitated upon hearing this. In the end, she merely frowned and shook her head, casting a cold glance at the major. "You're still the same as ever... Still, this is your branch's internal affairs. I won't interfere." "Govern yourself accordingly!" ... Scraps of conversation from the high platform were carried over by the wind. Below, Bai Zhou blinked, keeping his expression neutral. While no one was paying attention, he lowered his head and looked at his open right hand; three lollipops lay quietly in his palm. *Temporarily suppresses the consumer's contamination and stabilizes mental state.* Now, he understood what the fat Black Robe meant by "I hope these can help you." ... One by one, the nervous residents of Wancheng lined up to step onto the platform where executions had taken place just moments before. And under the watchful eyes of the crowd, they were carried away on stretchers one after another. Before long, it was Bai Zhou's turn. Clenching his fist tightly, he stepped onto the platform amidst the crowd's gaze. The high platform had been wiped spotlessly clean; only the crimson dying words beneath his feet and the inescapable smell of disinfectant lingering in the air bore witness to what had occurred here earlier. Bai Zhou looked toward the blood vessel. Having drunk its fill of blood, the vessel bulged with prominent veins, changing from rigid blackish-purple into a bloated purplish-red. Blinking, he noticed a line of dark-red blood characters hovering above the blood vessel. The glow of these characters was faint and nearly transparent, impossible to spot without looking closely. [Eat, eat, eat, eat, eat... I'm so hungry, so hungry!] Another dying message. Bai Zhou raised an eyebrow. It was understandable for the deceased to leave last words, but how could an anomalous item also have "last words"? Or was his understanding of these blood characters mistaken all along? However... A flash of inspiration struck Bai Zhou. Did hunger and greed count as negative desires? The lollipop could make the consumer forget all negative desires, right? Even if he had the lollipops, he had no desire to let this disgusting blood vessel suck his blood; it felt terribly dangerous... Then— Bai Zhou lowered his eyes and reached his hand inside. Under the watchful eyes of everyone, he opened the fist he had been clenching tightly toward the blood vessel. Resting upon his palm was a lollipop. Yet only he could see it. The blood vessel wriggled upright and wrapped tightly around Bai Zhou's palm. Just as it prepared to latch on and suck— Bai Zhou shoved the Alpen-despicable Lollipop straight into its mouth. "?" The blood vessel was plugged instantly. *My treat, don't be shy...* Bai Zhou muttered inwardly. The next second, the choked blood vessel began writhing violently. At first glance, it appeared to be greedily guzzling blood, but in reality, it was thrashing and rolling around as if suffering from acute indigestion. Only Bai Zhou remained completely composed. "Hmm?" Raising his brows, the major cast a sharp gaze from behind his sunglasses. Below the platform, the Wancheng civilians grew restless. More and more eyes converged upon Bai Zhou. Under the gaze of the crowd, Bai Zhou let the blood vessel wrap around his hand, his expression so calm and detached he looked like a sage! "Could it be..." The clamor among the Wancheng crowd swelled, with familiar acquaintances recognizing Bai Zhou. "Roar!" With a faint, indistinct growl, the blood vessel recoiled from Bai Zhou as if struck by an electric shock. It pulled its head back and slumped as if drained of all vitality, while the faint crimson characters hovering above it seemed to have brightened slightly. In an instant, the crowd from Wancheng erupted into a frenzy. The armed soldiers all turned to scrutinize and observe him. —Even the major was stirred. "Congratulations. You have passed!" Heavy, rapid footsteps echoed across the platform. Bai Zhou turned his head and saw the major and the trench-coated girl approaching him side by side. Behind the two, a retinue of officers followed closely, and soldiers along the way snapped to attention and saluted. "Not bad." This trench-coated girl—who had cleaved stars and severed the moon in Wancheng like a god or demon—remained as succinct as ever. Yet there was a touch of emotion in her eyes. Presumably, even she had not expected that the first person to pass the test would be the very youth she had encountered first in Wancheng. With two firm steps, the major arrived before Bai Zhou. "You are the first to pass the test—and perhaps the only one." Standing atop the steps, he looked Bai Zhou up and down from above without concealment, then broke into a satisfied smile. "You have talent, and I happen to love cultivating talent!" "To make the best use of everyone, you shall be assigned to the Black Box Maintenance Department." With that, he had already decided Bai Zhou's destination without leaving room for debate. "That place will make an ideal stage for you." "Or perhaps..." The major suddenly paused, staring directly at Bai Zhou with a mild smile. "you can also choose to decline and not join us." "..." Bai Zhou did not rush to answer, instead turning his head to look behind him. Beneath the platform, only a sparse few of his fellow townsfolk had not yet been taken away. They were gazing up at Bai Zhou in envy and shock, probably never imagining that the one to stand out in the end would be Bai Zhou—that unremarkable poor kid who had grown up on the charity of the neighborhood. Withdrawing his gaze, Bai Zhou stood alone on the platform. At this moment, he thought of everything in Wancheng, and the mysteries shrouding his own person. Then he looked at the smiling major and slowly shook his head: "No. I choose to join." "You should be proud of your choice." The major's smile widened as he reached out and patted Bai Zhou on the shoulder. "Because we fight for the cause of all mankind. This work is supremely honorable!" Just then, Adjutant Han handed over a disinfectant wipe, which the major casually took. "Has Wancheng truly been completely destroyed?" Bai Zhou suddenly asked aloud. "What?" The major kept his head down, meticulously wiping his hands with the disinfectant wipe. "Do you have some thoughts on that? Want to go home?" "Home?" Discreetly sizing up the assembled officers, Bai Zhou carefully weighed his words. "Do you think I still have a chance?" "If you work hard enough within the organization, you might have a chance to enter the Reflected Ruin Realm again," Adjutant Han, cradling the plush doll in his arms, took up the conversation. "However, even if you returned there, you wouldn't find anything familiar." "Wancheng is already in ruins. Its coordinates have fallen into chaos, and lacking a new anchor point, we cannot locate its position." "Then... what about her?" Bai Zhou looked toward the trench-coated girl and cautiously probed, "Can you locate Wancheng?" —Undoubtedly, she was the most powerful person present, and the one most likely to help Bai Zhou unravel the mysteries about himself. "Who?" Yet the major paused, bewildered. "Who are you talking to?" He followed Bai Zhou's gaze and furrowed his brows— "Isn't there... nothing over there?" "...Huh?" What did he mean by... nothing over there?! Bai Zhou froze in place, bewildered. Immediately, as though a sinister chill had swept past, a creeping terror crawled up his spine. —At that moment, not far away, the girl who had once cleaved the sky and seemingly shattered the blood moon slowly turned her head. Her slender silhouette stood there, seeming both real and illusory. Her trench coat swayed with imposing elegance, radiating a suffocating pressure even in absolute silence. The pitch-black raven perched on her shoulder spread its wings. The shadow of its outstretched wings fell across Bai Zhou's face. "Astonishing." She stared at Bai Zhou, narrowing her slender, iridescent pupils as the corners of her mouth curved slightly upward. "—So, you can actually see me?"