Cthulhu America, I can see the kill line.

"What a disappointment. I was hoping to pry some valuable information out of this woman."

Kong Jiu picked up the "Jade Record" from the ground, looked at Danqiu whose fate was unknown, and felt some dissatisfaction in his eyes.

Just now, this woman tried to summon the blue fox guardian spirit to control Kong Jiu's mind and create a miracle.

That seemingly tortuous "counterattack" was, in Kong Jiu's eyes, nothing more than a child's last struggle.

That seemingly somewhat tortuous "counterattack" was in fact a complete and utter crushing defeat.

Kong Jiu was somewhat disheartened.

This morning, he was locked in a fierce battle with the original owner of the book, each move requiring his full effort.

He knew all too well how troublesome this thing was.

Even if it leaves his hands, for him, summoning it back is just a matter of a single thought.

"However, these words are quite interesting..."

He opened the book and turned to the pages where the ink seemed to writhe like living things, recording countless taboos.

Just looking at these words sent a sharp pain through my mind, a slight dizziness washed over me like a tide, and the scene before my eyes even blurred for a moment.

An ordinary person would instantly suffer a brain overload and die from bleeding from all seven orifices if they only glanced at the text condensed from the system.

This domineering defense mechanism was indeed somewhat beyond his expectations.

Is this the so-called truth? Or is it the "framework for how the world works" that you will talk about in the future?

In that hazy vision, Kong Jiu once again saw the chilling essence of that world.

Above each person's head floats a bright red health bar, and above that health bar, countless fine threads, almost invisible to the naked eye, extend straight into the depths of the sky, connecting with the indescribable will of heaven and earth, manipulating the fate of all living beings like puppets on strings.

"Snap"

Kong Jiu slammed the book shut with a sharp "snap".

"These things are really weird..."

Shaking his somewhat heavy head, he forcibly banished the nauseating words and illusions from his mind and turned his gaze back to his feet.

At her feet, Danqiu lay limp in the blood and grime, like a doll with its skeleton shattered.

Her health bar had reached zero, but for some reason, it hadn't dissipated. It seemed there was some way to keep this Manchu woman alive.

"Let's get down to business first."

Kong Jiu withdrew his gaze and looked at the blue giant beside him.

This robot's AI is so rudimentary. Without receiving any clear instructions, it just stood by and watched its "ally" Danqiu get beaten half to death without lifting a finger.

"Hey, big guy."

Kong Jiu's tone was somewhat mocking, "I'm going to retrieve the 'concept' stored in this godforsaken place. Do you know where that thing is hidden?"

He didn't have high hopes; he was just casually probing, trying to get some information out of this pile of scrap metal.

The robot shook its head, its mechanical voice devoid of any emotion:

"Warning: Unauthorized inquiry detected. I will not disclose any confidential information to intruders."

really.

Although this robot doesn't fight, its programming is quite principled.

Kong Jiu's eyes darted around. "Robot, I defeated Ms. Hongye."

His face instantly adopted a serious expression.

"Before she fell unconscious, she canceled my 'intruder' status. Now, I'm a temporary visitor here. Shouldn't you fulfill your duty and show me the way?"

Kong Jiu started spouting nonsense again.

The blue giant's pair of electronic eyes, glowing with a ghostly blue light, flickered a few times, seemingly frantically searching for logical flaws in its underdeveloped processor.

However, its logic module failed just moments later.

"System self-check in progress... No new hostile commands detected."

The cold, mechanical voice sounded again, but with less wariness.

"This unit is currently in a state of no command input and cannot accompany you for protection. However, given your change of identity, please specify the area you wish to visit, and I can provide you with navigation guidance."

This robot is so bad it's adorable.

Kong Jiu chuckled to himself. In just a few words, he had gotten this big oaf to reveal the true nature of this underground facility.

As the Blue Giant provided intelligence, the full picture of this military fortress hidden beneath the school gradually became clear in Kong Jiu's mind.

The entire fortress is divided into three levels.

The first layer was merely an outer defensive perimeter, at best a large outpost. Although Squich's allied forces were a motley crew, they broke through here without much effort.

The second floor is the heroes' training ground. It is not only well-equipped, but also spacious enough, making it a good place for actual combat training.

Of course, it has now become a mountain of corpses and a sea of ​​blood.

As for the third floor...

"The third floor is divided into two areas."

The blue giant projected a simple holographic map.

"On the left is the central operations command center, and on the right is the media convergence center, which is where the talent agency plans the screen image for the heroes and holds emergency public relations meetings."

"Then, where is the 'concept' stored?" Kong Jiu asked again.

The enormous metal head suddenly froze, as if it had crashed.

Error: Unable to search for keywords.

Its emotionless, mechanical voice echoed, "I cannot understand what your 'concept' is. Please forgive me."

Kong Jiu shook his head helplessly.

It seems that its authority is too low, and it is not qualified to access the "concept" at all.

Kong Jiu stopped talking nonsense and walked straight through the Blue Giant toward the elevator entrance on the third floor.

Currently, three captured "concepts" are lurking within him.

The first one represents the concept of 'continuation' on the subspace side.

Although it was only one-tenth of the fragments, that fervent rambling truly affected his mind and spirit, giving rise to a morbid desire in Kong Jiu.

The second one represents the concept of 'loyalty' from the perspective of faith.

It drove Henry to serve as a “keeper of secrets” for forty years, like a fanatical believer, until his death.

Fortunately, under its organic soul consciousness, it actively removed the effects that affected its mind and merged into its own body.

Now, it has quietly merged into Kong Jiu's body, transforming into a steady force.

The third one represents the material concept of "Zhenning".

According to prior research, this concept has a chilling sociological effect: suppressing rebellious sentiments.

It can shatter the collective will of the Hills people, atomize it, and turn it into a pile of loose sand. Even if they harbor hatred, they cannot muster the courage to wield their swords against the upper echelons.

That guy Wendart, who could have been ruthless to Farah, was timid and submissive when faced with exploitation from above, not daring to resist in the slightest. This is the most ironic manifestation of the "Tranquility" effect.

These three "concepts" all have the terrifying effect of interfering with the mind and distorting cognition.

It's not hard to understand why they would be used to construct an "Iron Curtain" that distorts perceptions.

"So..."

Kong Jiu pressed the elevator down button and watched the red numbers start to jump, lost in thought.

"What exactly is this most heavily fortified defensive force, representing the final layer of collective cognition?"

However, it's almost over now.

Only one concept remains.

Once this last piece of the puzzle is obtained, this long and absurd hunt will come to an end.

The elevator descended rapidly, and a slight feeling of weightlessness came over me.

As the depth increased, the elusive aura began to linger and hover in Kong Jiu's heart like a ghost.

Perhaps because he had absorbed three "concepts", Kong Jiu found that he resonated with the last unknown concept.

"bite"

As the elevator doors opened, that inexplicable resonance became as clear as a guiding arrow.

"Where!"

The silvery-white underground stone walls are cold and solemn.

But in Kong Jiu's eyes, that resonance had transformed into a faint glow, dancing in the air.

[Spiritual Vision] activated.

Kong Jiu subconsciously mobilized his power, opening his vision that could see through the flow of spiritual energy in the world.

Countless panicked agents scurried about like startled ants; in the command center, the usually arrogant but now clueless and weak commanders; in the distance, a warehouse piled high with all sorts of rare treasures, radiating a dazzling and alluring spiritual aura.

The entire underground three levels, all living things and objects, were transformed into spiritual outlines, which were clearly visible to him.

Only...

In the center of this floor, there is an area that seems out of place.

It was pitch black there.

It's not a lack of light, but a vacuum of spiritual energy.

It was a deliberately blackened and empty area, as if a piece had been brutally carved out of a colorful oil painting, leaving a shocking black hole.

Kong Jiu smiled.

From the perspective of "spiritual vision," both people and objects will appear as pure spiritual energy.

In other words, his vision should have been perfectly clear.

But why is that place a void?

This deliberate concealment might block out ordinary spiritual perception and even fool sophisticated instruments.

But in Kong Jiu's eyes, this method was ridiculously clumsy, like a clown wearing an ill-fitting coat. Not only did it fail to conceal his figure, but the swaying of the coat made his inner outline clearer and more conspicuous!

That attempt to conceal the "absence" actually proves the existence of "existence."

Without a doubt, that is where the concept of the last "Iron Curtain" is kept!

He smiled as he stepped out of the elevator, his gaze piercing through the barriers, and instantly a plan of the optimal route appeared in his mind.

"The final concept, here I come!"