Academic gathering with Lich colleagues

"Hehe, it doesn't really matter. To outsiders, my conversation with you is just me talking to myself."

The ominous sign shifted his gaze, and the emptiness on his face swept over the tranquil paradise.

[The path to advancement has been severed; every step of our growth will provoke the world's hostility.] The ominous sign pointed to the shackles binding him.

As you've seen, if we continue down this thorny path, we'll die a horrible death.

[Perhaps you noticed, perhaps you didn't. I once said I was your shadow, willing to submit to you. That was a lie. I foresaw this situation; before, it was merely a pretense. From the moment I awakened, from Helena's mental seal, I planned to reclaim my power, and incidentally eliminate you and Nia, those two unintended consequences.]

Lyle smiled and nodded. "I understand the reason, but I'm curious why you changed your mind in the end. You kept emphasizing how wronged you felt about my rejection. You must really want to set things right, right?"

"You're talking nonsense. I'm emphasizing your stupidity and ignorance." The ominous sign raised its hand, its spear-like fingertips pressing against Lyle's forehead. "If I had remained sealed until now, I would undoubtedly have devoured you with boundless rage. I absolutely would have done so, but… after so much contact, I've come to acknowledge the human side of my own abilities. As an absolutely rational divinity, I believe Lyle, as the dominant being, is the optimal solution."

"So you're leaving all the trouble to me, huh?"

Human nature is more easily accepted.

"Indeed, I admit that calling in reinforcements is a professional thing to do."

Your adaptability is better than mine.

"Ah, I honed my comedic talent in Andre, but I don't deny that I have a natural talent for it."

"...What's wrong with you, you idiot? You've been grinning like a fool ever since! I'm a part of you; laughing at me is laughing at yourself!"

Lyle covered his face, but his body was trembling. He quickly waved his hand to stop the impending rage, but the smile on his face remained unchanged.

"Wait! An ominous sign! Hahaha, I didn't mean to mock myself, this is a side effect of my ability. I assimilated the spirit of the Phantom Clan before, their optimistic spirit and pure joy infected me. Look at me, I can't stop, I keep laughing. Even after hearing you admit to betraying me, I only felt understanding and forgiveness. Actually, I'm still a little angry inside, but I can't show it. Give me some time to recover."

You're acting like an idiot right now.

"He's also a madman who talks to himself."

Thirty minutes later, Lyle's joy vanished. He stared at the enormous shadow before him, the smile gone, and looked at the ominous figure with a grave and profound expression, unable to find a topic to talk about for a while.

"A bad omen. You've become stronger."

Are you mocking me? My powers are sealed by chains; I can't even create illusions to incite panic now.

Lyle didn't reply, but instead pointed to the area beside the Ominous Giant. It turned out that when he revealed himself and crouched on the ground, the flowing black mud had already slowly spread, corroding the flowers and plants. The Ominous Giant could no longer create illusions, but his very presence had already caused life to wither.

"You've begun... to erode reality." No longer just a phantom visible only to Lyle, no longer a terrifying illusion, a profound dread is creeping onto the banks of reality, revealing the horrors of God to the world.

The Ominous Giant retreated back into Lyle's shadow, leaving only a barren black patch, like a disease on the earth.

Our capabilities have improved. Once you've dealt with the phantom, you can leave.

Lyle nodded, extending his palm to retract the evil god's corruption from Paradise. The terrified grass fairies breathed a sigh of relief, and the sense of kinship as fellow members of their kind brought them back together to Lyle's side, looking at this strange new comrade.

Lyle, drawing on his experience caring for Nia, gave the little ones a gentle head pat. They disappeared contentedly into the garden, while Lyle smiled, his eyes narrowed, and picked up the omniscient book he had been planning to sneak away with.

"Grandpa, where are you headed?"

The Book of Omniscience was trembling, its expression strained.

"Haha, kid, I've had my fill of sunshine, now it's time to go back to the tower for some peace and quiet."

“Really? Then I’ll take you there. We’re a community, so it’s only natural for us to help each other.”

"Hahaha, don't you have things to do? I can't be disrespectful to my elders, so I won't trouble you. Oh, right, there's also the stonemason's welcome party. Play with them a bit more. This is paradise, and we are the most genuine phantoms."

A strong sense of déjà vu washed over Lyle, and his face turned completely cold. He sighed and shook the book in his hand.

“Old man, I know the phantoms can’t be deceived, but are you still not going to confess? I’ve already established a connection with the phantoms. I’d rather you be honest with me than let me discover the phantoms’ flaws on my own.”

The Book of Omniscience bowed its head.

“Well, I’m sorry, Lyle, the Phantoms have a major flaw, which I did intentionally conceal. The Phantoms’ flaw is that they are not hostile.”

Lyle corrected him, “It’s not that they are without hostility, but that they would never harbor malice. I should have realized it sooner. As an artificially created life form, the Phantoms possess characteristics that violate the theory of evolution and natural selection. Their spirit is incomplete; they lack the instinct for evil.”

"This is also why the Phantoms are able to survive in Posuwa and build the paradise. Their minds have been artificially modified by Nurfa Sheen. The Phantoms are truly pure good beings; their minds will never harbor evil thoughts. They cannot do evil, let alone harm others, they cannot even deceive or alienate others. This kind of personality would not be able to survive in the outside world; good people are bullied. The Phantoms could be bullied to death in the outside world."

The Book of Omniscience nodded resignedly.

"Paradise is the home of the Phantoms, and also our sanctuary. I replicated Nurfa's spirit, so I understand the anomalies surrounding my kind and the outside world. The Phantoms possess immense potential—the power of springs, snakes, and stonemasons—enough to easily create landslides and tsunamis, but they cannot. They do not harbor evil thoughts; they instinctively reject and abhor any evil behavior. Even if crushing an ant is easy, the Phantoms will carefully detour around it. The Phantoms cannot fight; that would go against their nature."

"Phantoms are a race that takes help and charity for granted; they'd even expend their own power to prolong the life of a rabbit. That red deer, you see it? It's actually a hundred years old, and our companions are feeding it, using the Phantoms' own power, or rather, their lives. Nurfa Sheen created the Phantoms with the intention of using them as expendable tools. We won't refuse help, nor will we protect ourselves. Phantoms exist for others."

"The size of the body is equal to the amount of strength, and the amount of strength consumed will keep decreasing. So what happens in the end?"

"To vanish, to become nothingness. And the phantoms consider vanishing an honor, a sublimation of a completed mission. Our race is constantly weakening. That's why I want a successor to protect us and find a way out."

Is there a way out?

“[Father] Nurfa Sheen created us. He knew the highest mission of the Phantom Clan and the method of our reproduction.”

"But he's dead."

"But I am still here. His notes are inside my body. As you gradually become familiar with the Phantom Clan, you will be able to see his words."

Lyle pondered for a moment, then a sincere and warm smile appeared on his face.

“I will try my best. I am already a member of the clan, and I like Phantom’s kindness.”

Chapter 681 New Developments

"Is this alright? The Phantom is completely unable to fight and needs your protection..." The Book of Omniscience felt that Lyle was too easy to talk to, and even felt a little ashamed of its previous concealment.

"Ah, no problem at all. I have no shortage of immediate combat power that I can recruit, and I'm not that enthusiastic about combat."

Lyle maintained his gentle smile; the stability brought by his mental analysis made his every move graceful and poised. "The Phantom Clan means no harm. In other words, as long as they are not forced to harm others, they will be very obedient, right?"

"Do you intend to become a selfless saint, Lyle? Then my advice is to stay in Paradise; the outside world is not for you. No matter how times change, desires arising from the heart will ultimately lead to mutual strife and conflict, and Posuwa is a small example of that."

Lyle was amused. He clutched his stomach and waved to Nia, who was reaching out her tentacles to scoop fish out of Quan's body.

"I just want to make a game, a game that can bring joy to everyone." Ignoring the Book of Omniscience's silent contemplation, Lyle raised his voice, spreading his arms like a lame actor, and announced to the surrounding phantoms, "I want to make a game, but I'm not capable enough. My friends, can you help me!" Lyle coveted the phantoms' talents; their mental analysis could help him understand the essence of things much faster. Having already experienced that blessing, Lyle was quite certain that with the phantoms, his Dream Kingdom update was basically settled.

A moment of silence fell, which Lyle sensed. Then, about twenty small creatures, each as tall as Lyle's thigh, gathered around. They were clearly very interested in Lyle's game, while the other phantoms glanced apologetically before going on to play the roles of a tree, a deer, and a stone.

In the eyes of those grand illusions and enormous illusions, Lyle's game seemed less appealing than being an inanimate object, causing Lyle a slight embarrassment. The Book of Omniscience chuckled and patted Lyle on the shoulder, with an expression that said, "I knew it."

"Your plea for help still doesn't exceed their sense of mission."

Lyle, who had experienced a spiritual fusion with the Phantom Clan, understood his meaning. The Phantoms, magical creatures created by the Mystic Nurfa Sheen, possessed two intense feelings. One was a yearning stemming from a lack of something on a spiritual level; their spiritual deficiencies not only prevented them from committing evil but also fueled a longing for what they lacked. They felt they had lost their past memories and desperately wanted to know them. The other feeling was a sense of mission. Nurfa created them as tools, so the Phantom Clan possessed a strong sense of mission. Their mission was to become a tree to provide fruit, to feed the lonely young Red Deer, to guide rivers and regulate the climate, and to become flowers to bloom beautifully.

Assisting Lyle in creating a game is indeed a novel mission, but only for those phantoms who are unaware of or have forgotten their past missions.

Lyle was certain that if he told them there was a group of half-dead, disabled victims outside in need of help, these phantoms who respected life would definitely come out in droves, and even such deception wouldn't cause him any harm. Because the phantoms couldn't even muster anger or blame.

“That’s not bad either.” This was just the first step, Lyle thought with satisfaction as he looked at the little ones. He was confident that the dream game would surprise everyone, just like his initial intention: to bring joy to everyone.

The tacit understanding had long been formed within the group. With permission, the little creature instantly transformed into tentacles similar to Nia's and crawled onto Lyle's body. He clearly felt the phantom possessing him, but did not feel much weight.

Lyle looked at the Book of Omniscience and said, "Grandpa, I'm taking these little guys with me now. I'll take good care of them."

The Book of Omniscience stood at the foot of the Red Tower where the three illusions converged, waving its comical little hand like an old man seeing his child off.

……

André Castle seems to be isolated from time, like a painting perfectly preserved in a corner of the world. The gloomy scenery remains unchanged, even under the influence of the André people's misdeeds, the gloom in the long corridors and the desolate moonlight in the sky remain eternally unchanged.

Whispering and shadowy figures moved through the castle, the breath of death lingering on their lips.

"Don't you think the leader of the plague doctors has changed in demeanor ever since he came back..."

After a moment's thought, Bian Tong recalled the Plague Doctor's appearance from his brain, which was specifically designed to recognize taste. The president of the Necromancer Figurine Company, the Plague Doctor had returned to Andrei and had advanced to the fourth level of Locksmith. More noticeable than the change in his abilities was the sudden, jarring laughter that occasionally emanated from his lab table. Through the sharp bird-beak mask and reflective lenses, the raven-like laughter echoed through the laboratory. It was somewhat chilling, even to these undead. The advanced Plague Doctor carried an inexplicable aura of terror. It had been there before, but now it was more pronounced.

"What do you think that laughter was? Did that disguise finally collapse under the darkness of the soul? Or did the increased power cause a loss of control over facial expressions?" Shining was quite concerned about these behaviors, and looking at his scaly face, he found his companion's curiosity a bit troublesome.

As a member of the community who considers himself the one who understands the Plague Doctor best, and also a participant in the legend of the Plague Doctor: Dark Star and the creator of a series of rumors, Mr. Adaptability naturally deepens his understanding of the Plague Doctor's words and actions.

"Do you think the plague doctor would make such a basic mistake as losing control of his facial expressions?"

Shining then realized that he seemed to have accidentally triggered his companion's overreaction, but he continued to express his opinion without caring.

"Failure is the beginning for the Andrei people, and I think my conjecture is relatively reasonable."

"Don't project your shallow thinking onto our president. Remember, while we were still being beaten up by the Dragon Mentor, he had already permanently suspended the Dragon Professor." Mr. Flexibility stroked his chin, letting the brainstorming go on. "This performance... no... that's not right... it seems... yet it doesn't seem right... I understand."

Seeing the change in expression, Shanliang looked like he understood, and waited for the next part.

"The leader of the plague doctors is now acting as if he no longer needs to pretend, that the time is ripe, and he can confidently smile slyly. It's like the mastermind behind the scenes has already done everything and is calmly waiting for the prey to walk into the trap."

Shining didn't believe it, putting on a "you're lying to a ghost" look, and questioned unconvinced, "The timing is right? How is it right? He just advanced to the fourth level of the Lock, what kind of timing is this? Does the fourth level of the Lock help him hunt prey that he couldn't handle before? Think carefully, who are the people that the Plague Doctor is concerned about?"

"Those professors and the Holy Light Calamity have long surpassed level four, and the three members of the Literature Club are barely..." Bright's voice trailed off, and he and Bian Tong's steps slowed. They then remembered that the Necromancer's Figurine Club had initially consisted of only necromancy apprentices, and their skill levels were generally low. Not long ago, the three of them, like Lyle, were at level three, but now Lyle had advanced on his own...

"Haha...hahaha...probably not. Even if we're on different levels, the difference in strength wouldn't be so great that I'd be instantly killed. Besides, I'm extremely loyal to the Plague Doctor. He's a magnanimous man and shouldn't remember those little things I did to him..."

Shining saw Biantong shiver as the cold wind howled from the courtyard into the corridor. Biantong chuckled and continued Shining's words, "You're...you're right. The Plague Doctor leader probably isn't the type to use us as experimental subjects, even though he's the freshman representative whom the professor has high hopes for. Probably...advancing to the fourth level won't increase his combat power much..." Biantong pushed open the honeycomb structure door of the Necromancer's Figurine Shop, which was connected by blood and bones. "Speaking of which, Controlling that kid is more combat-oriented. Although he's just a proud and arrogant little brother, his combat power should be...comparable...to the fourth level..."

Shining and adaptable looked at the club laboratory, the flesh disguise holding the jawbone in place to prevent it from falling off.

A twisted, enormous mass of flesh and blood sits in the center, with coiled, spiral-shaped tentacles connecting to a hemispherical base. At the tips of the tentacles are three half-meter-long, deep black petals with intricate, nail-like teeth on their surfaces. When closed, the petals tighten, transforming the creature into a flower bud like a locked iron maiden.

A person bitten by this man-eating flower will be suspended in mid-air, their exposed lower body convulsing like a dead frog being electrocuted, as the flower bud throbs like a heartbeat.

Why did Bian Tong know all this? Because at this moment, there was a flower bud on this twisted creation, and hanging from the opening was half a corpse wrapped in a long robe, the unfortunate fellow still wearing the boots manipulated by his foolish younger brother.

"Hahahahahaha," a nightmarish laugh erupted from behind the demonic flower. The Plague Doctor gently patted the flower's drooping branches, as if stroking a rabbit. He looked at the two of them, his expression extremely dangerous. "You've come at the right time. I need your help to test my new experimental creations..."

Adaptability and brilliance rushed to the door immediately, their swaying minds filled with only one thought.

The Andre Code, which was repeatedly revised by the lawyer, had a fatal flaw.

Bullying within a club or community is not illegal.

Chapter 682 Dream Weaving

Lyle failed to suppress his laughter again. Ever since returning from Poswa, he had been in a state of fusion with the phantom, feeling as if he had five or six excited children on a school trip attached to him. Waves of joy surged through him, and the constant smiling caused muscle soreness, making it difficult for Lyle to even communicate with his companions for the past few days.

The phantom's enhancement to his abilities was also gratifying, just as noticeable as that persistent, exasperating laughter.

Lyle looked at his new creation, and his three good friends who were cooperating with the test.

Dream Weaver—that's the name of the new flesh-and-blood creation, the demonic flower. Lyle's necromancy abilities, enhanced by the Four Locks, have advanced further. His psychoanalysis has integrated his knowledge and completely merged with the Creator's code. Not only does he have a deeper understanding of the aberration's composition, but he can even use this understanding to write certain logical instructions within the creation itself. Simply put, Lyle can now create relatively simple biological computers, making his creations smarter and giving them a degree of intelligence even without souls.

The Dream Weaver's chassis contains eight sacs, each containing an independent, crisscrossing neural network of connective tissue intertwined with magical energy. Information conduits reside within its tentacles; Lyle employed a cable-like structure (more visually resembling the sieve tubes of plants) to ensure stable and rapid transmission. The bristles on the petals, upon penetrating the subject's skin, soften into telangiectasia with mental conduction capabilities, completing the mental connection between the subject and the neural network.