Day of Imprisonment

Zhang Zhe was the second 'memory fragment' left behind by Luo Xi, a part of the blueprint for 'Project Chrysalis'.

Like Teacher Han, the Withering One.

Currently, it seems to be a pretty crucial part.

“After you left, everything seemed to be going smoothly in Fairytale Town. At the time, I didn't think anything would happen, but I was always walking on thin ice because you said Fairytale Town might one day lose control.”

Speaking of this, Zhang Zhe glanced at Luo Xi: “You know what? When you usually say that, it’s basically a guaranteed fact. Afterwards, it did indeed confirm this point. The originally normal fairytale plot suddenly changed. First, the plot of the Little Mermaid at node 28 underwent a huge change. The villain 'Ursula' in that plot somehow killed the Sea God, released the colorful piranhas. When you were on the boat, you should have been able to see that river filled with piranhas.”

“Then, all the fairytale plots were subverted. Snow White became a dark and rebellious bad girl, Little Red Riding Hood became a man-eating werewolf, the candies in the Candy House were all poisoned, Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves colluded with each other. Cinderella became a resentful and crazy mental patient. And I suddenly couldn't enter the 'Administrator Building', I couldn't control the scene at all, I couldn't turn the situation around. In the end, I had no choice but to give up my identity as an administrator and enter by recreating an entrance, as a Memory Gatherer. Finally, relying on a little foundation at node 2, I survived until now.”

“Life has also become a matter of getting by. For a while, I even lost my goals and direction. I think I went crazy too, but fortunately, I still have a glimmer of hope!”

At this time, Zhang Zhe stared at Luo Xi: “You are my glimmer of hope. Now, hope is back. Tell me, what should we do?”

The room was very quiet.

Luo Xi sat in the chair. On the other side, in the fireplace, charcoal was burning, which kept the room from being so cold.

“That’s it?” Luo Xi asked.

“That’s it!” Zhang Zhe nodded.

“The town mayor of Fairytale Town, the hidden one, the guy you can only see the clothes of, is he your man?” Luo Xi needed to clarify some things first.

“No, they are people from the Witch Alliance. They are now in control of Fairytale Town, with great power. It is said that the town mayor goes out from time to time to 'capture' some Memory Gatherers and bring them into Fairytale Town, but they are very careful, probably because they don't want to be too high-profile and attract the 'Company'’s investigation and targeting.”

“Isn't it safer not to capture them?”

“Heh, because the operating mechanism of Fairytale Town requires 'newcomers' to restart all nodes. So there can be fewer Memory Gatherers, but there can't be none.”

“Then, Zhang Zhe, based on your understanding of me, do you think that the current situation in Fairytale Town, did I foresee it back then, or is the current situation simply part of the plan?” After Luo Xi asked this question, Zhang Zhe was stunned.

He lowered his head and thought carefully for a moment before uncertainly saying: “I don't know. To be honest, I have had similar doubts in the past. If I simply based on my understanding of you, especially since you have said that Fairytale Town will 'lose control', then the possibility of all this being part of the plan is very high; however, there is no truly perfect person in this world, and there is no absolutely flawless divine calculation. From a time perspective, the past can only be used for reference, the present can be controlled, and the future can be influenced at the same time, but the direction of the future is ultimately uncertain.”

“I understand. Then, you can make an assumption, assuming that all of this is the plan that I made in the beginning, and that every step is strictly following the plan. If this possibility exists, what is my purpose?”

“This, I can't imagine, because it doesn't make sense. If this assumption is true, then why would you do this? Could it be that cultivating a group of ambitious and extremely powerful villains is beneficial to you?”

“Maybe it is?”

“…”

This time, Zhang Zhe didn't know what to say.

He felt that the content being discussed now was completely opposed to normal thinking, and it was very morbid and abstract.

The painstakingly built, detached from the control of the 'Company', completely self-owned, super-large scene, with nearly perfect rules and gameplay, a perfect world based on fairytale stories, this is a paradise within the Day of Imprisonment.

If the Memory Gatherers can never escape the Day of Imprisonment, then 'Fairytale Town' is undoubtedly the last pure land in this place.

It must be carefully cared for and maintained.

This is the normal way of thinking.

If according to Luo Xi's 'assumption', then from the very beginning of creating Fairytale Town, it was to cultivate the terrible villains and monsters of the Witch Alliance. They are like malignant tumors parasitizing on Fairytale Town, terrible 'cancer'. The result of allowing the Witch Alliance to grow stronger is that everything will lead to destruction.

Does this matter have any meaning?

In a desperate world, build a paradise full of hope, and then let another group of monsters destroy it?

What you get in the end is still despair.

Even a madman would think this is meaningless.

So Zhang Zhe believes that this assumption is completely untenable.

At this moment, Zhang Zhe didn't know what to say. Luo Xi was thinking about the problem, and the room fell silent again.

“Tell me about the Administrator Building!” Luo Xi suddenly said.

Zhang Zhe thought for a while and corrected: “To be more precise, the Administrator Building has disappeared. It no longer exists. It's like a piece is suddenly missing from a complete puzzle.”

“Where is the entrance to the building?” Luo Xi asked.

In the bar owner's room, there is also a door.

A copper door hidden behind the fireplace.

At this moment, Luo Xi knew why this bar was named 'Dark Hearth'.

Because the real meaning of Dark Hearth is the copper door hidden behind the fireplace.

“In the past, I would enter the Administrator Building after opening the door, but one day, after opening the door, it was empty inside, a darkness, and I couldn't enter. The loss of control of Fairytale Town also started from that day.” Zhang Zhe went over and opened the door.

The situation inside the door was indeed as Zhang Zhe said, pure black, like another void and the entrance to some terrifying dimension.

But if you really want to go in, you can't.

It's as if there is an air wall blocking people outside.

“I suspect the Administrator Building was stolen.” Zhang Zhe said one of his views.

Luo Xi glanced at him: “Then who do you think stole it?”

“It might be the Witch Alliance, or it might be that guy named 'V4'. You and I mentioned in the past that V4 is our only enemy and threat.” Zhang Zhe said.

“Did I say that?”

“Definitely said it.”

“Then have you ever suspected that the Administrator Building was not stolen, but… taken away?”

“By whom…” Zhang Zhe had only said two words when he realized something. He looked at Luo Xi in astonishment, then shook his head: “Impossible, the building disappeared sometime after you left. If it were you, you would have taken it away when you left.”

“Just like you said, the future is full of uncertainties. Even the most perfect plan cannot predict the future 100%. Therefore, it must be adjusted, just like a long journey, you also need to adjust and correct the course frequently to ensure that you don't go wrong.”

Luo Xi's words were almost an indirect admission that he had taken the Administrator Building.

Immediately afterwards, under Zhang Zhe's stunned gaze, Luo Xi took out a card.

Number 077 【Horadric Cube】.

Luo Xi had studied this thing many times before, but he didn't know what it was specifically for, and he couldn't open it or explore it.

It was the name of this thing that evoked some memories from Luo Xi a long time ago.

Like a prop in an old game, the function is to synthesize and transform.

So why is it called this name? Can't think of a good name? This is obviously impossible. You can just call it 'Cube', so it can only be explained as deliberate.

Including the various classic fairy tales in Fairytale Town.

This is more like a reminder.

Don't forget the past, the bits and pieces hidden in the memories of childhood and adolescence.

But if this speculation is true, it will lead to another more incredible possibility.

Who created the card system?

Of course, Luo Xi had thought about this kind of question, because obviously, the existence of the card system is obviously to 'resist' the original rules of the Day of Imprisonment, and it is also like a kind of resistance and compromise to the laws of the terrifying world.

At this moment, after Luo Xi materialized the 【Horadric Cube】, he held the cube and reached out towards the darkness inside the copper door.

This time, the air wall seemed to no longer exist, and the moment the cube touched the darkness, it was like being sucked in by a magnet, instantly disappearing into it.

The next moment, the darkness disappeared, accompanied by a rumbling strange noise that suddenly appeared inside the door, a corridor appeared inside.

Zhang Zhe glanced at Luo Xi.

Without a doubt, the 'Administrator Building' was not lost, but taken away by its owner one day.

“This was originally your thing, so it's not wrong to take it away, but why didn't you tell me?” Zhang Zhe couldn't help but ask.

“I don't know, but I think there must be a reason.” Luo Xi took the lead and walked in, Zhang Zhe followed closely behind: “A long time ago, you were walking in front, and I was following behind. At that time, I was still very young.”

It was originally a sigh, intending to resonate, but found that Luo Xi didn't say anything, Zhang Zhe smiled awkwardly, and didn't speak anymore.

At the end of the corridor is another door.

But it is more modern and has a sense of technology.

The door is closed, with a black combination lock on it, with a number keypad on it.

Obviously, to enter the building, you must enter the correct password.

Luo Xi almost unhesitatingly pressed '64206' on it, and heard a click, the door opened!