Chapter 407: A Vaster World Beyond

The second new clone…

[Jiang Ye]

…

[Ability: Light Element Affinity (SSS)]

Jiang Ye really couldn’t help himself and did it again.

The third new clone…

[Jiang Ye]

…

[Ability: Light Element Affinity (SSS)]

Hiss…

How should he put this?

He couldn’t help but swallow his saliva.

It took him quite a while to snap back to reality, only realizing belatedly—

Why had the surroundings suddenly become so quiet?

Oh, it seemed like in his black-and-white snowy vision, several flickering snowflake patterns were… trembling with fear?

Right.

Just Huang Bo with his S-tier light element ability alone had been enough to scare Xiao Bai into losing all rationality and running away immediately.

Now with three SSS-tier light clones appearing, naturally these dark-type creatures present were terrified out of their wits.

If not for the fact that in this reverse blindness situation, their movement was inconvenient and randomly running around would most likely lead to death,

they might have instinctively fled immediately.

It was also fortunate that Yu Mo had been fused with Jiang Ye.

Otherwise, with Yu Mo’s willpower, he probably wouldn’t have been able to resist the instinctive fear of light element abilities.

In such a quiet environment, Jiang Ye quickly calmed down.

Three whole SSS-tier light clones—this was clearly no coincidence.

He had originally thought…

that in this black-and-white snowy environment that he perceived, he might generate light and dark clones complementing each other, just like when his main body personally generated “Huang Bo” and “Qu Xing” before. RＡƝỗ𝖇Ęꞩ

But the result wasn’t…

Three clones, no dark element, all light element.

This situation was very similar to the mist-filled waiting area in the Court of Disorder.

That is, it was very similar to an environment surrounded by [mist gas].

The only difference was that in this [snowy vision] environment, the quality of the generated light clones was stronger than those generated in the [mist gas] environment.

But slightly weaker than that female pregnant clone.

So it wasn’t hard to conclude that if we were to rank the environments for generating light clones, it would be—

[mist gas] <
[snowy vision] <
[mist milk stones].

Therefore, it’s basically confirmed that—

The generation of clones is indeed related to the environment.

This was something Jiang Ye hadn’t deeply considered before.

But actually, as early as when he generated his first clone, Clone No. 1 Jiang Ye, he had harbored a concern in his heart.

At that time, he vaguely felt that “generating clones” depended on him.

His genes remained unchanged, his soul remained unchanged…

Then even if he generated clones, the clone’s abilities should be the same as the main body, essentially being duplicate versions of the main body, right?

Of course, facts proved he was wrong.

But at that time, he didn’t think deeply about it, just instinctively felt—

that generating clones essentially depended on himself.

But now, it can be confirmed—

The generated clones are influenced by the environment!

So Jiang Ye really couldn’t help but wonder, what exactly was the principle behind his clone generation?

Previously he instinctively thought that clone generation came from him.

For example, extracting his main body’s soul and injecting it into a new physical body.

Similar to how the Monkey King plucks a hair and transforms it into monkey offspring.

But the Monkey King’s monkey offspring wouldn’t be influenced by the environment!

So now, he had to overturn this idea and reconsider.

Environment…

“Luck”…

It’s known that these two things seem to be able to influence the quality of generated clones.

After all, his main body did generate one light and one dark S-tier clone under the “luck” enhancement of the [Dice of Fate].

So, were these two factors influencing clone generation quality?

However, Jiang Ye studied science, so he naturally understood controlled variable experiments quite well.

Sometimes, what appear to be two variables influencing the result are actually one.

The real influencing factor is A.

Variable B itself doesn’t affect the experiment, but it affects variable A, thus influencing the experimental result.

So what he wanted to express was…

Perhaps the “luck” that players understand doesn’t affect the players themselves, but rather the “environment” the players are in?

For example, players wearing [Lucky Bracelets] are constantly in a different magnetic field.

That is, their surrounding “environment” is different.

So their experiences, influenced by the “environment,” would show situations of good or bad luck?

Including Blackened Crow Blood, which also affects the player’s surrounding magnetic field, thus causing visual “luck” deviations?

Including Jiang Ye generating one light and one dark S-tier clone—was that also him at that time, under the effect of the [Dice of Fate], bearing some “aura” that influenced the magnetic field?

If this were true, then what influences clone generation quality is still the environment.

And among the currently known [mist gas], [snowy vision], and [mist milk stones]—three different levels but all generating light clone environments—there must be connections.

[mist gas] and [mist milk stones] go without saying.

Although Salvation didn’t explicitly state it, it’s not hard to guess—

His [mist milk stones] were essentially condensed and refined from large amounts of [mist gas].

These two share the same origin.

So following this line of thought…

Is the [snowy vision] environment in this restricted zone essentially an enhanced version of mist?

No, not “enhanced mist,” but “enhanced [mist gas].”

There’s still a difference between [mist gas] and mist.

Players simply cannot survive in mist.

But in [mist gas] refined by various seniors, players only fall into a state of disconnection from the outside world.

[mist gas], disconnection from the outside world…

Hiss—

Jiang Ye instantly thought of the snowy screen of old televisions with poor signal that came to mind in this [snowy vision]…

“Disconnection from the outside world” and “poor signal”—aren’t they quite similar situations?

So, the “poor signal” in this place indeed exists!

And it’s not hard to speculate—

This “poor signal” should also be an enhanced version of “disconnection from the outside world”!

Yes! Yes!

Isn’t it exactly an enhanced version?!

Players in [mist gas] are only disconnected from the “outside world,” but don’t become “ordinary people”!

But in this [snowy vision], in the “poor signal” state, not only are they disconnected from the “outside world,” they also become ordinary people!

Then, thinking again of old televisions…

Thinking of what he previously sensed from the Crow and Nomadic Merchant…

Jiang Ye suddenly had a chilling thought—

Perhaps the “poor signal” in this [snowy vision] is essentially also a form of “disconnection from the outside world.”

Only here, the “outside world” isn’t just other places in the entire Doomsday Apartment world…

But a larger, broader “outside world”!

Perhaps the Nomadic Merchant and Crow, who appear to be in a different dimension from them players, along with other “divine birds”…

all come from that broader “outside world”!

Even more, even more, even more…

Jiang Ye had an even bolder speculation deep down.

The foundation of this speculation came from his light clone Huang Bo trapped in the Reincarnation Mirror Palace.

Before Huang Bo lost connection, he had already sensed—

that the light clone trapped in the Reincarnation Mirror Palace at that time, its “physical body” might be elsewhere.

That’s why a series of strange phenomena appeared on the light clone.

And from previously learning about the concept of “physical body” in the Doomsday Apartment world from Zhou Yuling and others…

Jiang Ye had also thought that perhaps the true “physical bodies” of all players were also elsewhere!

Therefore, Jiang Ye had vaguely planted that bolder speculation—

He suspected…

that what he had always considered his “main body”…

might not actually be his true main body at all!

That “main body” was merely his first clone in this Doomsday Apartment world!

The true Clone No. 1!

Or perhaps calling it “Clone Zero” would be more appropriate?

Combining this with previous speculations about the Nomadic Merchant…

Jiang Ye couldn’t help but entertain two ideas—

Perhaps the Nomadic Merchant in the larger “outside world” is his true main body?

Or perhaps the Nomadic Merchant is also just a clone?

Speaking of which, Jiang Ye had once used his own situation to speculate about the Nomadic Merchant.

Because in his own case, there existed the concepts of “Jiang Ye main body” and “Jiang Ye clones.”

So he also believed that on the Nomadic Merchant’s side, there existed “Nomadic Merchant main body” and “Nomadic Merchant clones”…

But now, if all Jiang Yes are essentially clones,

then perhaps all Nomadic Merchants are also just clones?

Then…

Where is Jiang Ye’s true main body?

Where is the Nomadic Merchant’s true main body?

Hiss…

Perhaps this is also the answer the Nomadic Merchant has been searching for?

Thinking this way, Jiang Ye couldn’t help but look up at the sky.

Of course, what met his eyes were still the black and white dots resembling a snowy screen.

But he now had a different feeling about this “restricted zone.”

As the ancient saying goes, beyond mountains there are higher mountains;
beyond skies there are higher skies.

Plus, in the cultivation novels he’d read, many protagonists would break through constraints, leave their original world, and head toward broader horizons.

The most common was “ascension” to higher realms or immortal realms.

So Jiang Ye didn’t find the concept of a larger “outside world,” of skies beyond skies, particularly difficult to accept.

But after his gaze wandered for a moment and returned to himself, he calmly realized—

His X-tier ability…

might also not belong to this world.

But like the Nomadic Merchant, came from “skies beyond skies.”

Perhaps this “X” isn’t a level.

But a newly generated symbol because this Doomsday Apartment world cannot identify it.

So Jiang Ye’s X-tier Infinite Clones and the Nomadic Merchant’s screen full of X-tier abilities might not be the same level.

This X might simply mean “unidentifiable”!

Therefore, other players become ordinary people in the “restricted zone,”

while Jiang Ye’s cloning ability can still be used!

Thinking this way, Jiang Ye could easily understand why the always calm and incredibly powerful Chubby Senior and Old Woman showed such grave and fearful expressions when the restricted zone spread to their surroundings!

Because no matter how powerful they are in the “mortal world,”

in the restricted zone that could be called the “immortal world,” they are nothing!

“Immortal world”…

Restricted zone…

Could this restricted zone be hiding something like a “Dragon Gate” for carp to leap through? Or perhaps… an Ascension Platform?

No, no, the restricted zone spreads continuously outward from the center of the Abyssal Depths!

Previously, Xiao Bai had speculated whether the spread of this Abyss Restricted Zone would fill the entire Abyssal Depths…

Now Jiang Ye couldn’t help but suspect—

Would the spread of the entire restricted zone affect the whole Doomsday Apartment world?

Hiss…

Wait?!

Could the final “destruction” of the Doomsday Apartment be the “restricted zone” spreading throughout the entire apartment world?!

In a very short time, Jiang Ye thought about many, many things in his mind.

Of course, in this current situation, his fundamental hope was naturally to survive with these clones and Xiao Bai.

He had originally been wondering if he could think of some method to suppress the restricted zone’s effects.

But now that he vaguely understood the nature of the restricted zone, he naturally wouldn’t naively believe he could suppress its effects.

So, after quickly thinking it over, he spoke toward the several trembling figures:

“If I’m not mistaken…”

“Our only way to survive now isn’t to break the restricted zone’s effects, but to figure out how to escape the restricted zone at the fastest speed!”

Of course, saying this,

Jiang Ye wasn’t optimistic in his heart.

Based on the rumors he knew about the restricted zone—

In the past, there hadn’t been no supremely powerful existences who escaped the restricted zone.

But those players who escaped the restricted zone basically didn’t live long.

So even if they escape, it’s probably still a dead end.

But it’s better than dying quickly here.

What Jiang Ye could think of, Xu Gou and others naturally also thought of.

Their hearts were already tending toward collapse.

Fear of the terrifying light element aura around them…

Despair over their certain death fate…

Then they heard Jiang Ye’s voice calling to them:

“Right now, we have two paths to escape the restricted zone—”

“One, flee toward the direction leaving the restricted zone;
“

“The other, flee toward the direction of the restricted zone’s depths.”

“I know you might find the second path strange…”

“But I imagine you’ve heard what Chubby Senior and Old Woman said—”

“The entire restricted zone spreads outward as players enter.”

“So I strongly suspect—when we flee toward the direction outside the restricted zone, the result will only be that we flee while the restricted zone spreads, and we simply can’t escape!”

“So this path likely won’t work!”

“But since in past history, people have escaped from the restricted zone, there must be a way out!”

“So my suggestion is the second path!”

That is, flee toward the restricted zone’s depths!

Jiang Ye had already made up his mind.

However, Xu Gou and others didn’t agree.

But intense fear and pain made them unable to make any sound.

Moreover, Peng Gu was already tending toward unconsciousness.

He felt that the next moment, he would “melt” in the light and be completely erased!

The one in the best condition was Xiao Bai.

She vaguely had guesses about the suddenly appearing light element aura, so her fear was somewhat weaker than Xu Gou and Peng Gu’s.

Under extreme restraint, she managed to speak with difficulty:

“I know what you say makes some sense…”

“But the problem is… in such a bizarre environment, we simply can’t distinguish which direction is toward the restricted zone’s outskirts and which is toward the restricted zone’s depths…”

“Not to mention, our original position was at the restricted zone’s outskirts, where the restricted zone spread from…”

“That is, we’re probably very far from the restricted zone’s depths!”

“And with such a long distance, in our condition… we probably won’t even make it to the restricted zone’s depths before completely melting in the light…”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep