In a crossover anime, do you believe that a machine spirit can defeat a fake human?

Then he unfolded the map that Mai had given him.

"Klukka, access the satellite imagery."

"...Commander, this map is wrong, and terribly wrong."

Where does the 'exit' ultimately lead?

"...the unfinished construction site of the aquarium."

"..."

Did those so-called tourists actually manage to get out of the country in the end?

Chen Yi recalled the numerous positive reviews and photos shared online, and goosebumps rose on his arms.

"Kato-kun, let me see that map of yours." Chen Yi reached out to Kato Megumi.

"...Commander, the exit on this map leads to the primate zone."

Is there another exit over there?

"Absolutely impossible. The only paths around the primate zone lead to other zones."

"..." Chen Yi did not return the map to Kato, but folded it up and put it in the same pocket as Mai's map, and finally unfolded his own map again.

"And this one?"

"This one is genuine."

But in other people's minds, what I have in my hand may not be a map.

Chen Yi remained silent, noticing that the Service Department members, who had finished their tour, had gathered around him sometime earlier.

"Is Xiao Chen feeling unwell?" Yui asked with concern.

"I found a nice restaurant, shall we go out for lunch? It's on me."

Chen Yi thought for a moment and first used an excuse to see if it would work.

“But we’ve only visited a small part of the zoo…” Yotsuya Miko said with some regret.

"I can come again next time, but there's not much to eat at the zoo, and I'm really hungry."

Chen Yi held the blood vial in his hand, intending to be frank with them if they still refused to accept it.

“Since you want to go out to eat, I agree.” Sakurajima Mai changed her mind.

Chen Yi looked at the expressions of the remaining four people: Kasumigaoka, Yukinoshita, Yotsuya, and Yuihama.

Their expressions showed more or less hesitation and regret, but no doubt.

“Or we could split up for a while? We still want to play,” Yui suggested.

That's it, the answer I least wanted to hear.

Revisiting Izu: Chapter 223 Operation

Chapter 223

"Alright, let's talk then..."

Chen Yi found a quiet rest area with few people, sat down first, and then placed the 'drink' he had been holding on the table.

What do you think this is?

"...This should be a beverage, right?" Yukinoshita noticed something unusual in Chen Yi's expression.

"No, this is blood."

Chen Yi saw Xue's pupils tremble violently for a moment before returning to calm.

"Well, then what?"

Wait, that's not right.

"So, there's a problem at the zoo, and we can't stay here any longer."

“But a bottle of blood doesn’t prove anything,” Yukinoshita retorted.

"..."

A distortion of common sense...?

"Has the pollution gotten worse?" Chen Yi pondered, glancing furtively at Kato.

Kato didn't react to this, resting his chin on his hand as if he was thinking.

"Kato seems to be normal... so these people must have had close contact with some kind of contaminant just now..."

panda.

That panda might have a problem.

A flash of inspiration struck Chen Yi.

The problem is that he is unsure how long Kato spent looking at the pandas. If he knew that Kato only glanced at them and did not linger to take pictures, it would indirectly confirm his guess.

"Kato-kun, how many pictures did you take of that panda?"

"Two," Kato replied.

"Oh, I see... I understand now. Can I see the photo?"

Without saying a word, Kato handed over his phone, which Chen Yi took.

"The panda looks normal..."

Looking at the first photo taken by Kato Megumi, Chen Yi couldn't find any flaws in the disguise on that chubby, black-and-white face.

Swipe right next, and you'll see Kato's casual selfie.

"..."

Didn't you say there were two? What is this?

"Oh, there's one that looks like it's in the recycle bin, because the composition is so ugly," Kato added casually, noticing Chen Yi's momentary stiffness.

So Chen Yi had no choice but to pretend nothing had happened and then open the recycle bin.

...Why are all these photos of me in casual clothes?... Ah, I found them.

Chen Yi clicked to restore, then zoomed in and saw an unusual decoration in the corner.

"A sofa made of hay."

Chen Yi had a vague clue.

"What if it's not a sofa, but a scarecrow?"

“But Commander, the Scarecrow’s mental pollution pattern is different from the cognitive manipulation in the zoo,” Kroos reminded her.

"..."

Chen Yi then rejected this conjecture.

"If we assume there's a problem with the pandas, then the longer we observe them, the stronger the cognitive interference becomes. If we assume it's not the pandas, then the problem lies with other objects in the panda enclosure. I remember some mannequins can indeed disguise themselves as objects... or there might be other clues that we haven't discovered yet."

After returning Kato's phone, Chen Yi looked at the remaining four people who were still in trouble.

"Yi Jun, what should we do next?"

Mai Sakurajima sounded somewhat uneasy.

"The most urgent task is to find a way to leave the zoo."

“Commander, I have a question,” Lorelei suddenly spoke up.

"Is it possible that someone who has received the wrong map is actually seeing the correct one? I mean, since perception can be easily shaped, shouldn't the maps we frequently look at also be considered a form of external force?"

"You mean... even your sense of direction can be affected?"

Chen Yi began to recall that when he visited the zoo that morning, especially near the primate section, it was particularly easy to get lost.

"This is strange..."

Is it not just a problem with pandas, but also with monkeys?

Chen Yi suddenly remembered something chilling: the monkeys in the primate section were mostly not facing the tourists.

"Yi-kun?" Mai Sakurajima glanced at Chen Yi's unusual state and helped him persuade the others.

"Yi Jun might not be feeling well, so let's go first."

“If you’re not feeling well, junior… then you can come again next time. Let’s go back for now.” Kasumigaoka agreed without much hesitation, leaving only Yuihama with a somewhat regretful expression and Yukinoshita with a puzzled look.

"Since Xiao Chen isn't feeling well, let's leave as soon as possible," Yuihama concluded, clapping her hands. Then she took out a guide map from her bag and began looking for the exit.

"Let me see where the nearest exit is..."

Lorelei stood next to Yuihama, glanced at the map, and then returned to her spot.

"What did her map look like?"

Chen Yi inquired.

“To the primate section.” Lorelei shook her head.

"Wait... let me sort this out." Chen Yi rubbed his temples and thought for a while.

"Klukka, what is the daily visitor capacity of this zoo?"

"...The closest real number I found online is around 8,000 to 10,000, but that's because they're not very famous and it's not a holiday."

"Since it's newly opened, the size of the space and the number of customers are normal."

A few minutes later, Kroos summarized the information she had found and reported it to Chen Yi.

"More than ten thousand people..."

"With 10,000 people dying every day, it's impossible for them all to die in the zoo. Otherwise, there's no reason why no one would have noticed anything unusual for two weeks."

Human social networks are very complex. If someone goes missing or is murdered by a fake person, their neighbors or relatives will definitely find out immediately.

"So?" Kato listened attentively from the side.

"Therefore, even if cognition is modified, the modified cognition should still lead to the 'correct' result."

Chen Yi glanced at the map in his hand, took a deep breath, and folded it up.

"Yuhihama-san, please lead us to the exit."

Chen Yi wanted to take a gamble.

Thinking of those monkeys, Chen Yi believed that there must be some clues in the primate section that could help him deduce the truth.

......

"Klukka, is there still no abnormality in the surveillance of the primate section?"

“Commander, no.” Kroos shook her head.

They were already standing at the entrance to the primate section.

"...Yuihama-san, do you think this looks like an exit?"

"Right? But the map says this is the exit." Yuihama scratched her head.

"Haven't we been here before?" Chen Yi patiently guided.

"It seems... to be?" Yuihama began to struggle, shaking her head.

My head feels a little sore...

"Commander, I found this inside."

Lorelei emerged from the primate section, seemingly carrying a stone slab in her hand.

"What is this?" Chen Yi took the stone slab, on which was carved a simple picture.

There was a book in the middle, covered by a big "X", and around it were some irregular swirls that were carved rather ugly.

Chen Yi was completely baffled.

Revisiting Izu: Chapter 224 The Truth...? (Make-up Sick Leave)