Am I going to be controlled by the players too?

6. "Beauty", the demon of darkness, simulated destiny: pure beauty, driving force: temperance;

7. "Victory," the demon of war, a simulated destiny: the hunt, the driving force: constraint;

8. "Glory," the demon of domination, simulates destiny: order, driving force: domination;

9. "Foundation", the demon of chaos, simulates destiny: harmony, driving force: similarity;

10. "Kingdom," the Demon of Hunger, a simulated destiny: preservation & gluttony, driven by: dedication & desire.

…………

[Experiment Progress - 0001~9999:]

[Archive 001: Using organic life forms like humans as the initial variable, the first experiment was conducted: In the initial cycle, Earth first gave birth to humans, followed by the introduction of nine factors for the experiment; after humans obtained six portions of source matter, they were defeated by the three factors of darkness, the unknown, and chaos. The experiment failed, and the electrical signal sequences from the iterative cycles were uniformly archived.]

[Archive 002: In the 956th cycle, humanity fought against the demons as "divine beast warriors," forming a group of "chickens, tigers, bears, wolves, and dogs." After defeating the "chariot" demon, they were destroyed by the primordial forces. The experiment failed. The electrical signal sequences from the iterative cycles have been uniformly archived.]

[Archive 003: In the 6248th cycle, humans used gene-editing technology to transform themselves into eight monstrous creatures: Whale Devourer, Rock Serpent, Leopard, Gangjiao, Bamboo Jiao, Headed Heron, Sky Eagle, and Deep Monkey, and hid in the "Cave of Sorrowful Rain" to escape the abyss. The experiment failed.]

[Experiment Report:]

[Conclusion: Of the 9999 experiments, only the first experiment resulted in the slaying of six primordial demons, bringing it closest to the Crown of Immortality; however, as the electrical signals continued to iterate, the demons' power had increased to thirty million times its initial strength, making it impossible to defeat them using ordinary methods.]

[Appendix: Genius Club #91, Ellef Medici and "Netherworld Blood Lord" Chu Youyou and others establish the "Witch Society," delving into the simulated world to assist and teach qualified and promising simulated electrical signals, increasing the probability of experimental success.]

…………

[Experiment Progress - 10000~19999:]

[Archived 001: In the 10051st cycle, the proportion of divinity in the nine factors was increased. After technological development reached a critical point, driven by the need for power and energy, humanity began to use technology to wage war against the gods, forcing the cycle to stop. Subsequent experiments limited human technology, setting it to a maximum of level 0.9 civilization.]

[Archive 002: In the 11687th cycle, due to technological limitations, the possibility of humanity defeating demons has significantly decreased; the "magic" and "combat skills" mechanics have been added, and more common fire sources have been unlocked (bug)]

[Archive 003: 15334th cycle, mimicking the fate path, some electrical signals are separated into two directions with different effects. At the same time, the same electrical signal can be used to simulate two fate paths, increasing the efficiency of evolution and iteration.]

[Judgment: The experiment has entered its final stage]

…………

[Experiment Progress & Error Log:]

[Archive 001: In the 29642nd cycle, the factor "Kingdom" was inherited by an unknown electrical signal, codenamed "Amber God," which severed the factors "Glory" and "Understanding" and placed them within the Empire and Kingdom, maintaining peace for a thousand years; the administrator account "Divine Ritual Officer Demuse" decides to personally enter the simulated world to investigate the reason.]

[Archive 002: Starting with the PoleMos600 "Hime Mikami" inheriting the "Victory" factor, the electrical signal "Sylvia" inheriting the "Glory" factor, the electrical signal "Freya" inheriting the "Understanding" factor, and the electrical signal "Li Xianyu" inheriting the "Majesty" factor, the experiment enters its final stage.]

[Archive 003: Amber God dies, the factor "Kingdom" once again transforms into a hungry demon to devour the world. The experiment failed and has been stopped by the administrator.]

[Administrator's Note: The appearance of the unexplained electrical signal "Cheng Cheng" which should have appeared in the next cycle may be a system bug and is currently being addressed.]

[Archive 004: In the archiving of electrical signals, the "Harmonious" "Tathagata" Buddha Dhamma noticed the experiment, personally manifested, and sent down a Harmonious Envoy "Kasyapa Rumo" to usurp the "Foundation" Source; the target is suspected of stealing the experimental results, which is consistent with the deity's usual behavior.]

[Conclusion: Due to the Buddha's intervention, the experiment will likely end on the 29643rd cycle.]

[Administrator is closely monitoring the situation]

…………

"And you, the prisoner who picked up the spark."

After reading the administrator's log again, which he had read countless times, the priest murmured softly and turned his gaze back to the large screen—at this moment, Cheng Cheng and the others had stepped into their respective battlefields and were fighting the last three primordial demons.

This unexplained electrical signal that appeared in the past... perhaps, he truly attained immortality in the future.

If so...

"If your resolve has become a raging fire... then come with me out of the cave, and inscribe for the allegory of the stars—"

"The opening of 'Immortality'."

Chapter 172. Now, we will demonstrate the framework by which the world works.

"Insects and ants to birds, wild rabbits to wolves and dogs, stardust to black holes, and all realms to gluttons."

—The Church of the City Builders' "Complete History of the Primal Demons"

As planned, Himeko and Li Xianyu entered the Kingdom of the hungry demon "Gluttonous Obros".

Beneath my feet lies a shattered star-track platform floating in the starry sky; before me stretches a vast and profound deep purple black hole, surrounded by countless giant fangs stacked and intertwined like mountains.

Everything within the divine realm is irreversibly collapsing towards the center of the black hole—stardust, fragments of light, wandering magic, and even time and destiny themselves are all being pulled and swept away by invisible gravity, like lost fish and shrimp rushing to the mouth of a giant whale, without end.

Within that gaping maw of the abyss dwells the purest greed and gluttony in the world, the embodiment of boundless primal desire, surging with an insatiable and relentless malice of devouring.

"The Demon of Hunger..."

Now that things had come to this, Himegami naturally knew that the all-consuming black hole was the beastly maw manifested by the hungry demon.

All living beings, the ways of the heavens, and the myriad stars.

Everything in this world is but fleeting algae in the vast ocean of emptiness, destined to return to darkness along with the stars that gave birth to them—a darkness that resides in the mouth of the hungry demon.

"Come...embrace this wonderful world, come, come to my side..."

A thick, languid, and extremely seductive whisper emanated from the depths of the black hole, echoing throughout the entire void of the divine realm, lingering and penetrating everywhere:

"You want to go deeper, to become one with me. Joy, positive feedback, a sweet experience that makes the cerebral cortex twitch, gentle, wonderful."

This is a temptation stemming from primal instincts, like the alluring glimmer of light atop an anglerfish's head in the darkness of the deep sea—from the moment the two stepped into the divine realm, their three consciousnesses—ego, id, and superego—were torn apart and stripped away by that temptation.

The illusory form of the self offered no resistance, breaking free from the shackles of the mind and leaping towards the gigantic, dark maw, becoming bait to lure the true body forward—

Step into His mouth!

"Listen, it is breathing, it is sleeping, it is whimpering, and it is also grinning."

"Warm, gentle, warm, gentle, warm, gentle."

Countless illusory images of themselves, identical in appearance to Ji Yushen and Li Xianyu, emerged from the void, surrounding the two women. They said:

"I am you, and you are me. Come, embrace this primal joy!"

"Come! Become one with me, become a part of me, become mine..."

"Noisy!"

Ji Yushen let out a cold shout, his eyes sharp as frost, and with a wave of his hand, he summoned thousands of gilded divine weapons, tearing apart the countless illusory figures in the sky in an instant!

The shattered phantom transformed into countless stardust fragments, which were all absorbed by the black hole behind it.

"Hahaha……"

A deep, murky laugh, laced with endless hunger and mockery, erupted from the core of the black hole; simultaneously, the shattered phantoms of desire rapidly regenerated, denser than before, layer upon layer surrounding it, chanting loudly:

"Praise be to the gluttonous God who devours the stars, God who reveals the true nature of all beings! You are the primal fear and the first thought! How magnificent is the sight of the sea of ​​stars surging into your sharp teeth! All things learn to think only after they are satiated, and the destiny of taking everything upon themselves is a reflection of the true nature of life!"

As the phantoms sang their praises, in the endless darkness, a colossal, indistinct outline slowly awoke. The deep purple black hole writhed slowly, its interlocking giant fangs opening and closing, swallowing and exhaling turbid streams of void air.

Each contraction amplified the surrounding collapse force, forcing Ji Yushen and Li Xianyu to collapse towards the black hole!

"...Evil Corpse, do you still remember what I said when we parted last time?"

Ji Yushen coldly stared at the approaching, pitch-black maw, then suddenly said with murderous intent, "Back then I said... one day, I would kill you with my own hands."

"Hehehe..."

The abyss's gaping maw opened and writhed, a murky, low groan of laughter echoing from the core of the black hole: "Nothing in this world is ever certain... Slaughter and death are indeed formidable enemies, but who can truly know... whether the outcome will be your annihilation of me, or my swallowing of you?"

"You'll find out soon enough."

Ji Yushen said no more and slowly closed his eyes.

In an instant, within the Earth connected by the celestial curtain, countless battle intents of all mankind, facing the abyss, surged and stirred. The vast and magnificent concept of war and the bloodthirsty desires of countless ages of conquest all converged upon her.

Li Xianyu, standing beside him, understood immediately and quietly took a half step back, thus sealing the fate of the hungry demon.

The next instant, four roars that shook the deep sky rose up, resounding and shaking the mountains!

"strength!"

"wisdom!"

"life!"

"Pleasure!"

The majestic and magnificent War God Kingdom, Hall of Heroes, burst open with a deafening roar, its boundless malevolent energy shattering the shackles of the void.

Clad in black armor, exuding boundless murderous aura; a strategist with white hair reaching his shoulders, wielding wisdom; a Valkyrie radiating holy light, soothing wounds; and a seductive, alluring maiden brimming with desire—these four Source Angels, simulating Source Essence, have reappeared, nourished by the ever-flowing concepts of war!

"Falsely claiming immortality!"

Four figures simultaneously transformed into specks of light, soaring through the air behind Ji Yushen and merging into the four battle banners engraved with the ferocious character "凶" (xiōng, meaning fierce/evil). The banners fluttered wildly, eventually solidifying into four lifelike and awe-inspiring totem phantoms.

"Om-!"

A terrifying aura erupted from Ji Yushen's body, breaking through the shackles layer by layer and rising steadily; in the abyss, the devouring malice of the hungry demon faintly halted and retreated in the face of this killing divine power.

"……oh?"

For the first time, the ancient, indifferent maw of the abyss showed a genuine sense of astonishment and doubt.

Until all things returned to silence, Ji Yushen's cultivation completely broke through the barrier of true godhood, and he firmly stood at the half-step immortal realm!

next moment.

The Hall of Heroes blazed with radiant light, and countless heroic spirits, wielding swords and spears, burst through the hall's gates, sweeping across the sky and engulfing the entire Gluttonous God Kingdom like a tidal wave. Under the blessing of Ji Yushen's near-immortality, each heroic spirit was comparable to the generals and ministers sacrificed to millions, reaching the realm of a pseudo-god!

The sky was filled with the murderous aura of countless heroic spirits, and countless weapons pointed directly into the dark abyss.

"A vile corpse."

Ji Yushen opened his eyes, his gaze cold and detached, looking down at the trembling, gaping maw of black hole. He spoke slowly and deliberately, his voice reverberating through the deep space:

"Can you still eat now?"

…………

"Is this... the [Wisdom] Unknown Divine Realm?"

Following the established plan, Sylvia, Freya, Mu Zimi, and Mu Yuan stepped into the divine kingdom of the unknown demon "Nameless Mist" Neog Sohip.

There is no starry sky above, no earth beneath, and no sun, moon, or stars in any direction.

As far as the eye could see, there was only an endless expanse of thick, gray-white fog, piled up heavily and slowly churning, flowing and stretching aimlessly in the void.

"Watch out! The fog here...something's not right!"

The moment they stepped into the divine realm, the new ideas that had taken root in their minds began to fade and crumble at an alarming rate.