Qianyuan: My crew comes from the world of anime.

"Tower: "I have a question for you... If you can answer it, you're probably the real 'Fang Cen' researcher."

"I'm asking you—what are the unique products of our Chongshan Station?"

Fang Cen: "Pomegranate?"

No, no, no... a banana?

How would I know the real answer!

Since the previous Minister of Agriculture was voted out, practically nothing has grown in our fields!

Luo Tianming: "...". Control Tower: "...Welcome home, Fang Cen. If you don't send any more news, Lina will be crying all the time."

"Furthermore—welcome to the 'Nautilus,' you wanderers oppressed by the Alliance's tyranny, welcome to the 'Free World.'"

. "

Chapter 48 Chongshan Station

As the airlock opened, Luo Tianming led his crew and the contact person, Fang Cen, out of the submarine.

This is a completely new world... Since they all say this is the 'free world,' how can I not take a breath of the 'flavor of freedom'?

Luo Tianming took a deep breath—the air in the free world smelled sweet.

"Cough cough!" His keen sense of smell suddenly triggered a violent cough, and a cloud of grayish-yellow gas nearly choked him. The air was filled with the smell of rotten bananas—how could it not smell 'sweet'?!

"..."

Fang Cen explained from the side, "You'll get used to it. All the bananas that couldn't be consumed before were used for composting. As a result, without nitrifying bacteria, that pile of rotten bananas rotted for a whole year."

Luo Tianming quickly waved his hand, "How could anyone get used to this?!"

He told Miaomiao to quickly go back and retrieve the gas masks she had bought at the military station, and then gave one to everyone.

Only when his vision was split into two circular holes did he breathe a sigh of relief: "Phew, that was almost fatal. Is this something you can get used to? Don't the higher-ups care about this?"

Hearing Luo Tianming's muffled breathing under his gas mask, Fang Cen said somewhat embarrassedly, "Well, this is, after all, a 'free government'."

Luo Tianming: "..."

In other words, nobody cares...

Just as they were talking in front of the airlock, a golden figure suddenly darted out from the side:

"Cen!"

She hugged Fang Cen tightly like a fledgling nestled in someone's arms, "Where have you been?! I was so worried about you, are you alright?!"

Fang Cen turned around and hugged the blonde woman: "Lina, I thought I would never see you again in this lifetime..."

The woman named Lina burst into laughter through her tears, and with her fiery red lips, she kissed Fang Cen on the face...

To be honest, Luo Tianming now knows why Fang Cen betrayed the alliance. Imagine a Western woman with a 36E bust, blonde and stunning, telling you, "You're the most handsome Easterner I've ever seen." Who wouldn't be confused?

"……cough!"

Luo Tianming reminded Fang Cen that there were others behind them.

The person on the other end of the line then realized what was happening and introduced him to them, saying, "This is Lieutenant Luo. He's the one who rescued me from the Alliance."

Lina looked at Luo Tianming and his group, who were wearing gas masks, with some suspicion. She lowered her head and said, "Hello, my name is Lina, and I am Fang Cen's wife."

"You must be hungry after coming all this way. Would you like to have a meal together? We have real food, like bacon and eggs. You've been eating that toothpaste-like space food in the Alliance for a long time now. How about something that isn't made from krill?"

"..."

I must say, her suggestion was very tempting.

She led Luo Tianming and the others into the interior of Chongshan Station, which was ruled by the 'Jupiter People's Movement'.

---

Leaving the airlock connection and descending a metal suspension staircase, the interior of Chongshan Station was fully revealed to Luo Tianming and the others.

Unlike typical Soyuz sites that are pieced together from various compartments, the core of Chongshan Station is a huge space composed of dozens of massive steel columns. Beneath the steel columns are rows of circular lightweight alloy decks, with shops, stalls, grocery stores, cafes, and small hotels for submarine crew to stay in on both sides.

They descended slowly up the stairs that circled the steel pillars. In the center of the station was an enormous loudspeaker that would occasionally announce: "Airlock No. 6, the 'Moby-Whale' from 'New Norway Station' is loaded with canned fish."

"Boarding has begun at airlock 11. Passengers heading to 'Red Star Station' are requested to proceed to the airlock as soon as possible."

"..."

Everywhere was bustling with activity, a stark contrast to the lifeless atmosphere of the Alliance. Here, at least every citizen was genuinely enthusiastic, and the free market trade was far more prosperous than the Alliance's resource management.

Lina led them all the way to her home, a detached pod house located halfway to the station.

The room's decor and level of luxury clearly have absolutely nothing to do with the 'equality for all' that is touted by the outside world.

Levi used a toothpick to pick out the meat strands that were stuck in her throat. The four of them ate a whole two kilograms of bacon and eggs. The rare delicious food eased the atmosphere in the air.

Luo Tianming said with some emotion, "If we could eat these things every day, it's no wonder that the people of the Alliance would be willing to defect to 'Jupiter separatism'."

Fang Cen smiled awkwardly: "Lina is different from me. She is a clerk in the parliament and can enjoy some government benefits. Her monthly food allowance alone is much higher than mine."

"..."

Being in a high position and having no worries about food and drink, yet still willing to marry someone like Fang Cen, it seems they are truly in love.

Lina, standing nearby, said, "It's not as good as you think. The new people at the station live in dormitories, where men and women live together. The conditions there are much worse."

"For the public: the good news is that we no longer have to eat the Alliance's tasteless junk space food. The bad news is—there will never be enough food."

Luo Tianming: "..."

Looking at the gleaming, oily plate, he couldn't help but sigh, "Behind the red gates, meat and wine go to waste; on the streets, the frozen dead lie."

But he wisely avoided mentioning it, and instead asked, "The people at the top of the site just let us in without any hesitation. This doesn't seem to match the previous rigorous screening process."

Lina said cautiously, "It's not that easy. The members of the Senate are still discussing your matter. Right now, they are only monitoring you temporarily. After all, many people don't trust the Alliance at all."

"The Upper House?" Luo Tianming asked with a question mark.

Lina explained, "It's what we call the government here, consisting of the 'House of Lords' and the 'House of Commons'."

"The House of Representatives is a large parliamentary chamber composed of all the citizens of Chongshan Station. It is crowded and diverse... but sometimes it can also be used to manipulate some blind people into passing bills."

Luo Tianming nodded in understanding: Got it—it's just a 'vegetable market'.

Lina: "The House of Lords is made up of members elected by the House of Commons, and these people will do anything to win votes."

Luo Tianming nodded again: Got it—you need to buy a ticket to see monkeys, like a 'zoo'.

Lina: "The main objection to your suspicions is in the House of Lords. Since the people who set up this site are quite opposed to the Alliance, they are particularly disgusted with the officers from the Alliance."

“You need to be careful of a little girl named ‘Catherine.’ She’s the daughter of the previous site’s founder, and she’s the one who raised the main suspicions against you… Well, as a clerk, that’s all I know. I hope you all stay safe and sound.”

After leaving Lina's house, Luo Tianming and his companions planned to explore the bustling trading post before being summoned by the 'Upper House'.

The group decided to split up, and before leaving, they each tested their 'synchronous communication devices'.

Luo: Levi, can you hear me?

Levi: "OK, this thing is too powerful. It feels like you're right next to me."

"Alright, that's enough—we seem to have wandered over to a house made of a bunch of costumes. I'll contact you later."

Chapter 49 The Painted Skin Cult

Costume?

Luo Tianming turned off the communication, somewhat puzzled.

As far as he knew, the only place in the entire Abyss where there were a large number of costumes was the cabin where the organization 'Son of the Clown Mother' was located.

They would sell large quantities of miscellaneous items and clothes, dressed as circus clowns, walking through various corridors with a rubber megaphone, pressing it on anyone they saw.

However, these guys are not as 'harmless' as they seem on the surface.

Try to imagine it—you're walking in a dark, stuffy station, surrounded by nothing but the hum of the equipment.

Suddenly—a circus clown dressed like he's from "It," wearing comical leather shoes, banging on a rubber horn incessantly while emitting a strange, eerie laugh.

"..."

At this point, submariners under immense psychological pressure would likely unleash a torrent of profanities: 'What the hell is this thing?!'

The existence of the clowns is also intriguing, with rumors suggesting it originated from the Alliance's "professional entertainer" program, intended to alleviate claustrophobia among submarine crews (a program that ultimately devolved into a disastrous farce).

In a desperate and lonely environment, clowns must wear a 'smile' to amuse others, which is a morbid profession in itself.

A comedian driven to madness by immense mental pressure would probably be so badly misbehaving that even Arkham Asylum wouldn't dare admit him.

Moreover, they take pride in 'pranks' and possess a morbidly joyful optimism towards all things in the world. Although all factions despise [the son of the Clown Mother], the Clown Cult claims to have 'no enemies'.

What's even more intriguing is the hidden patterns within their chaotic ramblings: recurring metaphors and shared absurd concepts seem to suggest a cognition that transcends common sense.

Its distorted philosophy both subverts the definition of religion and maintains a bizarre doctrinal unity, as if using comical makeup to cover up some profound truth.

The philosophy of the clown is full of idealism, deconstructionism, and nihilism.

Seeing too much of this won't help you understand the world; in fact, it might drive you crazy.

Of course—if you can gain the clowns' trust, they'll sell you some decent stuff, like exoskeletons or something.

Luo Tianming wasn't worried that these clowns would actually cause any danger. If they dared to cause trouble, Levi's bullets would make them regret it.

He was worried about other guys... Since the Joker had shown up here, it meant that another organization must also exist.

It is the Painted Skin Cult.

Those people weren't madmen like the 'clown saint's son,' but a bunch of real lunatics.

As their name suggests, the Painted Skin Cult is a cult that worships dangerous creatures, such as the 'Painted Skin Parasite,' as gods.

As we all know, the chimera monster that nearly killed Luo Tianming and Levi at the original Polaris Outpost was the dangerous creature known as the 'calyx-shaped internal parasitic organism' or 'painted skin'.

They parasitize the host's body in various egg forms, eventually settling in the victim's throat and manipulating him into a zombie-like walking corpse.

At this stage, the parasite will grant the host strong resistance to underwater pressure and cold, allowing them to move freely even under high pressure at a depth of 4000 meters underwater without any protective gear.

Therefore, these believers firmly believe that the painted skin parasite is the next step in human evolution, an opportunity to overcome physical limitations and bring about new life.

The goal of the "Painted Skin" believers is to establish a true symbiotic relationship with the "Painted Skin Parasite," in which the Painted Skin will endow the host's body with incredible adaptability, while the host's mind is not lost in the process.

They were not seeking suicide... but rather an opportunity to become 'new humans'.

"..."

Sounds pretty good, right?

That's because you don't understand the 'beastly things' these guys actually do:

They regularly hold 'holy communion,' which is actually a way to force others to join the religion and mate with people infected with parasites.

Or it could be ritualistic sacrifices, drug use, murder, and cannibalism.

In addition, the figure referred to as the 'Archbishop' also organized an event called the 'Alternative Music Festival'.

While others enjoy music festivals, he incited his followers to swallow parasites, resulting in a disaster on par with a biohazard.

Since that incident, they've toned it down considerably...

The league is much more tolerant of them now; at least those who are caught don't have to be sent straight to the crematorium.

However, unlike the clowns who follow abstract spiritual existences, the Painted Skin Cult has always pursued only one thing: coexisting with the painted skin.

Some people may think this is an impossible and crazy experiment, that people parasitized by the painted skin would completely lose their minds—but in fact, some people have succeeded.

Luo Tianming knew that in the Abyss Game, if you chose the Painted Skin Cult and eventually gained their trust to complete the ritual, you could become a being who coexists with the Painted Skin, just like the bishop (Painted Skin Superman).

Unafraid of pressure, able to breathe underwater, and won't freeze to death in nearly frozen seas...

But what's despicable about this group is that they know perfectly well that ordinary people cannot coexist with the painted skin without performing rituals, yet they still trick people into joining their sect and hastily swallowing the parasite.

"..."

Walking down the street near Chongshan Station, Luo Tianming suddenly heard a voice in an alley:

"This can free you from the limitations imposed by that frail 'body' and give you a new lease on life!"

Luo Tianming: "..."

Instinctively sensing something was wrong, he immediately stepped forward. Luo Tianming's appearance terrified several people dressed in long robes and hoods.

One of them was holding something in his outstretched hands.

"What are you doing!"