Not really?

What does this mean?

Previously, Lin Ling ran back and forth from the 1st floor to the 50th floor several times but never found the “Safe Exit”…

Yet as soon as Lin Ling left, Jiang Ye casually took a trip, and the “Safe Exit” suddenly appeared?

If Lin Ling knew about this, Jiang Ye wondered if she wouldn’t twitch at the corner of her mouth in disbelief.

Jiang Ye even thought about discussing with Lin Ling to have her transform into his likeness.

Then he could use Clone Swapping to send her into this red-lit elevator and let her use the “Safe Exit” to enter the hidden space.

Of course, this was just a passing thought for fun.

Lin Ling was not stupid.

If Jiang Ye dared to use Clone Swapping on her…

That woman would definitely detect the slightest clue in an instant.

So…

Jiang Ye did not plan to inform Lin Ling.

He carefully pondered the reason why the “Safe Exit” reappeared.

The most straightforward explanation was what he had guessed before—

That hidden space was protected by a dual-layer password.

The elevator button was only one layer.

Behind it, there was a second layer of password controlled by the apartment boss.

During the few trips Lin Ling took, the apartment boss had disabled that hidden password, so the “Safe Exit” never appeared.

Now, on Jiang Ye’s trip, the apartment boss, for some unknown reason, enabled the hidden password again.

Thus, the “Safe Exit” reappeared.

Of course, it was also possible that the second password was not controlled by the apartment boss but triggered by some hidden condition.

Lin Ling had not triggered that hidden condition in her previous attempts to find the hidden space.

But Jiang Ye’s trip triggered it.

So, what hidden condition did he trigger?

Because he was the Administrator 9999?

Then previously Zhou Qiming was judged as Administrator 4444, so he met the conditions?

This guess was uncertain.

Naturally, Jiang Ye’s imagination went wild with a third guess—

Perhaps…

Ouyang, who was assigned by Lin Ling to explore the red-lit elevator, lied!

Although this possibility seemed close to zero.

After all, Ouyang was just an ordinary newbie player.

He was even soul-searched by Lin Ling.

If he had a backing like Lin Jing and the confidence and power to defy Lin Ling’s orders…

Then Lin Ling would not have missed it during the soul search.

So theoretically, Ouyang could not have lied.

But…

As Lin Ling said, nothing was impossible in this world.

So maybe, when Ouyang walked the red-lit elevator as Lin Ling instructed, he triggered the “Safe Exit.”

But at the same time, he experienced something special that made him deceive Lin Ling after exiting on the 50th floor?

And if he had a special experience at that time, it must be related to the apartment boss…

Therefore, Jiang Ye’s three guesses all pointed to one thing—

The apartment boss did not want Lin Ling to enter the hidden space!

And now, the appearance of the “Safe Exit” could be interpreted as—

The apartment boss wants Jiang Ye to enter the hidden space?

While thinking about these, especially the possibility of Ouyang lying,

Jiang Ye had another thought—

By the way, if Lin Ling really cared about that hidden space, why wouldn’t she try to explore it herself?

Was it because her willingness to explore the hidden space was not strong?

Or did she know there was something wrong with the red-lit elevator?

As he pondered, Clone No. 2 Jiang Ye’s gaze saw the elevator floor numbers approaching the 49th floor where the “Safe Exit” led.

A bad premonition rose in his heart.

Although he did not intend to leave through the “Safe Exit” to explore the hidden apartment,

Just to be safe, before the elevator reached the 49th floor, he used Clone Swapping between Clone No. 2 and a discarded clone leveling up in Apartment 9999.

Thus, Clone No. 2 appeared at the clone leveling spot on the 22nd floor of the apartment.

While a discarded clone who had just reached level 8 but had average talent appeared in the red-lit elevator.

Almost as soon as he completed the clone swap, the elevator dinged and arrived at the 49th floor.

From the discarded clone’s perspective, Jiang Ye clearly felt—

That ding sound was different from the usual ding when the elevator arrived at a floor.

The ding at the 49th floor, where the “Safe Exit” was located, was sharper and more piercing, like a blade slicing through the eardrum straight into the brain’s nerves.

It made a certain string in the discarded clone’s mind buzz and vibrate several times.

While buzzing, there was a brief moment of daze.

However, just after the discarded clone’s brief daze…

Jiang Ye realized—

That discarded clone suddenly lost contact!

Yes! He was very sure it was not death, but loss of connection!

Because if it was death, Clone Sacrifice would have triggered!

But it didn’t!

He only felt that all other clones lost contact with that discarded clone in the red-lit elevator!

So…

What the hell is going on?!

Jiang Ye had grown step by step to this point and was no longer afraid of death.

The only thing that truly annoyed him was clone loss of contact!

Luckily, he reacted quickly and swapped Clone No. 2 with the discarded clone.

Otherwise, the lost clone now would have been Clone No. 2!

Clone No. 2 had returned to the 50th floor of the red-lit elevator.

According to the normal elevator process…

Jiang Ye had pressed the button for the 50th floor before.

But after waiting a long time on the 50th floor, the elevator did not open again…

At this point, the discarded clone was completely lost!

And visibly, this loss of contact was definitely related to the apartment boss!

Come to think of it, Jiang Ye’s original body lost contact earliest was also related to Salvation…

So now, this discarded clone losing contact in the red-lit elevator—could it be the lost Salvation of the Crow acting strangely?

Clone No. 2 was hesitant about whether to use a mirror clone created by the Clone Replica Mirror to explore the red-lit elevator again.

After all, now possessing the full version of the Clone Replica Mirror, the available functions were almost the same as clone skills.

The key was that if a mirror clone died, it would not trigger Clone Sacrifice, but could be directly regenerated.

He could even actively remove mirror clones.

Just now, due to time constraints and because Clone No. 2, as Administrator 9999, could not leave Apartment 9999’s range, he chose to swap with a discarded clone in Apartment 9999.

Otherwise, choosing a mirror clone to do the adventure would be more convenient.

So Clone No. 2 created another mirror clone and explored the red-lit elevator again.

However this time…

When the mirror clone pressed that set of elevator codes again, the “Safe Exit” option did not appear.

This damn thing was messing with Jiang Ye!

Could it be necessary to press the elevator button with Clone No. 2 first, then use Clone Swapping?

The experiment on the red-lit elevator in Apartment 9999 was still ongoing.

Meanwhile, in the ancient tomb of the Soul Resting Mound inside the Return Soul Abyss of Apartment 0000.

The discarded clone exploring the tomb with Administrator 0000 clearly sensed—

Just as he showed slight irritation over the clone loss of contact,

Administrator 0000 glanced at him meaningfully.

Although the two were working together and exchanging glances was normal,

Jiang Ye caught this subtle expression.

He narrowed his eyes and asked 0000:

“What advice does Old Zero have?”

Administrator 0000, whose eyes hid sharpness, slowly narrowed them as well.

He stopped walking and raised his hand to touch the surrounding ancient tomb stone walls.

After a moment of silence, he smiled gently and said:

“Nothing much, just noticed your mood seems a bit low.”

Jiang Ye stopped too.

They were supposedly exploring the tomb but had yet to find the burial chamber.

They were just wandering in maze-like stone caves.

At first, Jiang Ye was impatient, but after spending more time, he was less eager to explore.

At this moment, Administrator 0000 stopped, so Jiang Ye naturally stopped too.

He imitated 0000’s action and gently stroked the stone wall.

After a while, he gave 0000 a meaningful glance and said:

“Oh? Old Zero’s senses are sharp. You could tell I was in a bad mood just by glancing at me.”

0000 continued smiling, suddenly shifting the topic, asking:

“I’ve always been curious—”

“How do your clones communicate with each other?”

“Is it through skill-like commands? Or do you need additional means for communication?”

“Or perhaps…”

“Do all your clones share the same consciousness directly?”

The tone on this last sentence was especially subtle!

From this reaction, Jiang Ye was almost 90% sure—

The matter of the discarded clone losing contact in the red-lit elevator of Apartment 9999…

Administrator 0000 in the Return Soul Abyss of Apartment 0000 already knew about it!

So, the clone loss of contact was indeed related to the apartment boss!

Maybe the mastermind was Administrator 0000 himself?

What was he trying to do?

Test the communication method between Jiang Ye’s clones?

Many thoughts flashed through Jiang Ye’s mind, but his expression remained calm and unreadable.

He even casually replied with a relaxed tone to Administrator 0000:

“Old Zero, why suddenly interested in my clones?”

“Nothing…” 0000 kept smiling.

His broad hand still stroked the stone wall.

Suddenly, his hand on the wall spread its fingers, and the fingertips pressed sharply against the stone wall.

Then Jiang Ye heard a loud rumble.

The entire stone wall collapsed with a crash!

0000 smiled and said: “Looks like I accidentally discovered a secret passage…”

However, as he spoke, milky white gas rapidly flowed out from the collapsed stone wall’s secret passage!

At the moment the milky white gas spread,

The discarded clone inside the ancient tomb cave was shocked to feel—

He, along with all other clones outside, lost contact simultaneously!

Correspondingly, all other clones also sensed that the discarded clone exploring with 0000 lost contact!

In just a few minutes, two clones lost contact consecutively!

Although both were discarded clones…

This phenomenon was definitely a very bad sign!

Jiang Ye’s confidence had always relied on the number of clones and clone skills!

His entire clone army was the backup for all his clones!

But now…

Lost clones could neither share consciousness nor be controlled by clone skills…

If this method to cause clone loss of contact became widespread…

The impact on him would be catastrophic!

Imagine if next time, one of his clones confronted an enemy in a scene.

Suddenly, milky white gas spread, and the clone lost contact on the spot…

That lost clone would be just a single individual!

Unable to contact other clones, it could not use clone skills!

No Clone Fusion, no Clone Swapping, no Clone Sacrifice…

That clone would be isolated and defenseless!

Facing a powerful opponent, it would die immediately!

If every time a clone was in danger it lost contact and was isolated…

Then Jiang Ye’s painstakingly cultivated clone army would be completely useless!

Therefore, clone loss of contact was an even thornier problem for Jiang Ye than clone death!

At this moment, two clones losing contact in succession made all of Jiang Ye’s clones feel an unprecedented sense of crisis!

Even Clone No. 2, researching the red-lit elevator in Apartment 9999, was too afraid of this crisis to recklessly experiment in the elevator again!

After all…

What if this time, before he could perform Clone Swapping, the important Clone No. 2 directly lost contact?

Clone No. 2 still held the Administrator 9999 identity!

For a while, all other clones outside acted more cautiously than before.

But the discarded clone confronting 0000, who had lost contact, remained fearless.

It wasn’t that the discarded clone didn’t realize the seriousness.

But since its loss of contact was a fact, no amount of crisis awareness would solve the problem.

The discarded clone’s expression remained unchanged.

However, 0000 kept watching his emotions from the corner of his eye.

Whether he noticed anything or not, 0000 casually inhaled the milky white gas and then feigned surprise, exclaiming:

“This milky white gas, inhaled into the lungs, surprisingly refreshes the spirit…”

He looked at Jiang Ye and asked, “How about you? Did you feel it?”

Jiang Ye narrowed his eyes and smiled, “Old Zero truly is Administrator 0000, acting boldly.”

“I wouldn’t dare to randomly inhale unknown gas like this.”

Administrator 0000 stared at him for a few seconds, then suddenly laughed:

“What’s there to be afraid of? After all, you’re just a useless clone, aren’t you?”

“Even if something happens to this clone… it’s not a big loss, right?”

“By the way, do you want to use this clone to do an experiment with me?”

Saying this, Administrator 0000 did not wait for Jiang Ye’s response.

One hand stirred the milky white gas toward Jiang Ye, while the other suddenly grasped an old bronze bell.

The bell was rusty but added to its mysterious aura.

He lightly shook the bell with one hand.

Jiang Ye felt—

The Soul Locking Nail inside his body vibrated synchronously with the bell’s sound!

To be honest, driving the Soul Locking Nail into the bone crevices was very painful.

However, this discarded clone’s talent happened to be C-grade Blunted Pain Sensation.

Ordinary pain was weakened on this clone.

But at the moment the Soul Locking Nail loosened, it sent a sharp, intense pain through the bone crevices!

However, the severe pain did not last long.

As 0000 shook the bell faster and faster,

Crack sounds came from his bone crevices!

The 24 Soul Locking Nails inserted in the bone crevices shattered into pieces at this moment!

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep