Infinite Sun in the East China Sea

Chapter 284 Soul Exhaustion
Xu Feng stepped into Ren Bang's room, and under his gaze, the Swallow Domain precisely enveloped 'Kanako' above the monk.

"The resistance is immense. It turns out the female ghost we painstakingly rescued was also part of the monster!"

"No, I'm innocent, don't kill me..." Kanako looked up at Xu Feng, crying and pleading.

Her eyes held an intensely genuine fear.

The emotions in her tears were almost overflowing.

For a moment, Xu Feng felt a strange pang of reluctance and guilt, realizing that he was bullying a weak woman by taking advantage of his strength.

"A terrifying psychological attack."

Xu Feng sighed, "Even though I'm witnessing this monster harming people with my own eyes, I can't help but want to get close to it. If I'm not strong enough or my will is not firm enough, I'm afraid I'll be treated like a dog and trained by her."

He immediately increased the output of his true energy, and the digestive and transformative power of the Swallowing Domain was amplified several times over.

The invisible resistance was immediately shattered by the chaotic reshaping force.

In the next instant, Kanako, covered in blood, decomposed into a mass of molecules and atoms.

after that.

An unknown will is trying to summon those molecules and atoms, the substances that make up 'Kanako', which do not seem to be ordinary matter.

"The core is the soul, but these substances that carry the power of the soul are also part of the power of that unknown creature?"

Xu Feng unleashed the Swallow Domain once again.

He raised his right hand, and a giant cannon with a diameter of more than ten meters rose from the ground, soaring into the sky, with dense cables wrapped around its body.

He used his Devouring Domain to gather those seemingly ordinary special substances into a ball and fill it into the giant cannon... Then the temperature and pressure in the 'cannon barrel' rose higher and higher - the cannon barrel itself is a specially made large fusion reactor.

The next moment.

Most of the atoms that make up Kanako's body have become 'fusion fuel'.

A massive amount of light and heat erupted from the cannon's muzzle, which was over ten meters in diameter.

This is a technique that Xu Feng developed for creatures with 'immortality skills'. If splitting an enemy down to the atomic level still cannot kill it, then those atoms are used as nuclear fuel to 'burn' them.

If that fails, then it will be a matter-antimatter reaction.

If even this method can't kill them... then the best course of action is to flee.

"No!"

When Renbang noticed that Kanako had disappeared, he immediately let out a wail.

At that moment, he noticed Xu Feng beside him and immediately realized what had happened.

He shouted, "Captain, why did you kill her? She was excellent research material, she might have contained the potential to help us through this incident, why did you kill her immediately?"

"Has his mind been corrupted?" Xu Feng shook his head.

Renbang paused for a moment, as if realizing something. He suddenly slapped himself across the face and bowed, saying:

"Sorry, Captain!"

"Something just happened to me."

Then, Renbang asked with a puzzled look, "Captain, what's going on with this monster? Why did Kanako turn into that state in the first scene? Her abilities are too strange!"

Xu Feng gently shook his head, "Because the enemies encountered in this cycle of reincarnation are essentially one entity."

"The woman in red is her, Kanako is her, and Gang is also her... These monsters are all just parts of her, different perspectives of her."

"And... you'll soon become a part of her too."

Renbang opened his mouth, then said with lingering fear, "Yeah, thank goodness the captain saved me... otherwise I would have been 'eaten up' like that veteran Yoshino Ryoichi!"

"By the way, didn't the captain say before that letting the monster eat you could also be considered a way to pass this scene?"

"actually……"

Renbang asked hesitantly, "If Kanako eats me, shouldn't I be able to move on to the next scene?"

Xu Feng shook his head again: "It's best not to try. Surviving for thirty-six hours in this scene is the easiest way to pass the level."

The movie "The Cursed" has three short stories and three scenes, but completing the task given by the God does not necessarily require experiencing all three scenes.

The first scenario requires zero mistakes across tens of thousands of time loops—any mistake will result in facing an even stronger enemy.

This scene has the lowest requirements.

Xu Feng's ability to preserve memories within time loops significantly reduces the red-clothed female ghost's advantage, greatly increasing the chances of clearing the game.

The second scenario demands willpower far exceeding that of ordinary people—once the mind falters, one gradually becomes part of the monster.

The requirements for this scene are much higher than those for the first scene.

One's will must reach a level where one can suppress bodily instincts, remaining silent even when subjected to slow, agonizing torture, and instantly quitting addictions... If one cannot reach this level, one will gradually lose one's personality under the influence of the environment.

The third scenario... will involve facing a truly formidable enemy.

Xu Feng was somewhat insecure.

of course.

Surviving for 36 hours will only earn you the most basic reward points. If you want to trigger side quests and get extra reward points, you need to find a way to solve the first two acts, enter the third act, and defeat the real monster.

“But I probably can’t hold on that long!” Renbang sighed.

“We’ve only been through three hours, less than a tenth of the total time, but I’m already in this state… I’m afraid my body will completely collapse in twelve hours.”

After a moment's thought, he said, "Captain, turn me into a robot... After the transformation, I should be able to last longer."

In "The Ring," Xu Feng transformed three new recruits into screw soldiers, which greatly reduced their susceptibility to the mysterious force. Unfortunately, a traitor within the team caused the three recruits to regenerate their bodies. Although the mechanical modification didn't yield results in that particular scene, it doesn't mean the modification was meaningless.

Cutting off 'just because' made him last much longer, so sacrificing his body would naturally make him last even longer.

Xu Feng sighed: "Let's do it this way."

The Swallow Domain enveloped Renbang's body, and his skin, bones, and muscles rapidly separated, leaving only a brain and a part of his meridian system.

Then, layers of magical materials such as steel, glass, and pearls were woven together to form the mechanical body.

This body has no gender.

It is similar to the Screwman, but an upgraded version of the Screwman. After absorbing the knowledge of the human body involved in the "Sixteen Contemplations Sutra of Pure Land", Xu Feng can now modify extraordinary powerhouses who are not strong enough, allowing them to retain some of their extraordinary abilities after modification.

"Hahaha... Captain's technological abilities are getting more and more powerful. I feel that this body is no less than mine back then!" Renbang said with a loud laugh.

To be precise, he's actually stronger than before the modification.

"Moreover, there is no longer any need to suppress bodily instincts."

Renbang's mind is still filled with memories of practicing "Highest Yoga Tantra," and he can't help but feel excited. However, because he has been given a mechanical body, he is now "willing but unable."

In his opinion, this was the most suitable option.

Perhaps... he can return to the Main God Space alive.

"Okay, let's leave it at that for now." Xu Feng glanced at the veteran team member with pity before returning to his room.

soon.

Renbang, who was experiencing his new body, suddenly felt tired and drowsy, but this did not stop him from continuing to imagine certain scenes in his mind.

Can mechanical bodies get tired?

The moment the Flower Monk had this thought, it was overwhelmed by countless beautiful images, leaving him no time to think.

After a while.

This cyborg no longer exhibits any spiritual fluctuations.

Renbang, a veteran of the Donghai team, died in the second act of "The Curse of the Ghost Woman".

"Sigh, just as I expected..."

Xu Feng sighed.

Talking can attack both the physical and spiritual levels.

The body may seem like a burden, but it actually has two meanings.

First, it anchors the soul's state. If a reincarnator chooses to indulge, physical actions will cause the soul to sink faster. However, when the reincarnator's willpower is strong enough to restrain the desires generated by the body, this restraint will continuously generate the will to 'restrain desires,' which can greatly increase the defense at the mental level.

Secondly, it provides the soul with sufficient nourishment to prevent it from being consumed too quickly.

Xu Feng's mechanical modifications can somewhat compensate for the second deficiency.

But firstly... if one cannot reach the state of 'self-discipline in solitude,' after reformation, one will be more easily influenced by delirium in one's mind, and one's soul will wither away in endless fantasies.

In fact, from the very beginning, Xu Feng had planned to transform the newcomers into cyborgs to help them get through this situation, but he didn't do so because he noticed this.

“Yoshino Ryoichi, Jin Kuni... Two veterans have died in just over three hours! And a female reincarnator has become part of 'her'.”

Xu Feng observed the members of the East Sea team: "The three male veterans can hold on for at most another hour, and the near-veteran Takeda Yoshito is also about to die. The seven female reincarnators... will probably all become 'her'. These people are doomed to die."

"Shirakawa Nagi's performance was not bad, but she can only maintain it for one day at most."

“Sanada Haruno has the advantage of becoming an Imperial Arm. Before the Philosopher’s Stone is completely exhausted, he will not die from soul exhaustion. The high-grade blood he exchanged from the main god can also replenish the Philosopher’s Stone. All in all, if there are no major changes, he can probably last for another twenty-two hours.”

"Park Chang-ho's willpower is quite good, and... he seems to be close to unlocking the third-tier gene lock?"

Xu Feng noticed through his clairvoyance that Park Chang-ho's brain cells were undergoing some kind of change as he gritted his teeth and endured the ordeal.

"If he can pass the third-order gene lock during this ordeal, there's a possibility he can survive for thirty-six hours... but is that possible?"

"Xiangzi is doing alright, but her willpower is a bit weak. Fortunately, her telekinesis has increased her basic resistance, so theoretically she can last for 25 hours."

“Tifa’s problem isn’t too serious either. The sixth contemplation in the Sixteen Contemplations of Pure Land Sutra is enough to keep her rational for a long time.”

"Is Mei the one with the biggest problem...?"

Xu Feng quickly understood why the little witch was so severely affected: "The shortcut I used to clear the first act had its flaws; and the divine intervention caused her to become too close to me..."

The divine intervention couldn't prevent Sakurai Mei from suffering these negative effects; instead, she became more susceptible to falling for Xu Feng's presence.

If Shoko were to use her mental chains to connect with Mei's current mind, she would inevitably witness countless scenes that would make her turn green with rage.

"Based on Renbang's condition, Mei can only hold on for a maximum of five more hours!"

Xu Feng thought to himself, "That means I have to be ready for battle within five hours... no, within three hours!"

He lacked confidence.

Based on the intelligence gathered so far, there is only a 60% chance of winning if we go to the third floor to face the monster directly. If the monster has hidden abilities, the chance of winning will be even lower.

Xu Feng disliked this kind of gambling very much.

The probability of dying in a 60% chance of winning a gamble is acceptable, but there are far too many battles in the God Realm. After gambling two, three, or many times, the survival rate will drop drastically. After gambling again and again, unless you have the protagonist's halo protecting you, you will definitely die.

Xu Feng was absolutely unwilling to gamble on that one in a billion chance of survival.

He could only try his best to gather more information in this second act, make more preparations, and continuously improve his chances of winning.

"The Curse of the Demoness... Let me see the true face of this 'curse'!"

(End of this chapter)