Chapter 422: Death and Resurrection of the Pot

Surviving the Doomsday Apartment—With Infinite Clones!

This phenomenon…

Was unexpected, yet seemed to make sense in hindsight.

Just moments ago, when Lin Jing pressed his palm against the sphere, he transmitted the freezing effect to the entire sphere.

And now, this sphere could actually freeze like a normal living creature when struck by the Ice Crystal Tear Drop, and transmit the freezing effect to the beings inside the sphere.

Just as Jiang Ye stared at the frozen ice crystal sphere, slightly lost in thought…

The black cloth he had casually thrown onto the sphere after extracting it from the punk earlier began to autonomously “expand” for some unknown reason!

Originally a small, dense, pitch-black piece of cloth, it rapidly spread across the entire ice crystal sphere!

This phenomenon could also be considered unexpected yet reasonable.

Jiang Ye had previously worn the black ribbon given by Lin Ling to suppress Lightburn.

That black ribbon could easily be stretched and deformed.

Moreover, when he impersonated Salvation’s mecha on the apartment rooftop, the leader of the Defenders’ Alliance had revealed to him—

The “black cloth” he created to suppress Lightburn was quite crude.

Whereas the Defenders’ Alliance had improvement methods that could give the “black cloth” more effects.

So now, this crude black cloth made by Jiang Ye being able to autonomously expand and grow larger wasn’t really anything strange.

However…

The black ribbon Jiang Ye had seen before didn’t seem to change in material or thickness during the stretching and expansion process.

It was like those offspring larvae in cryptobiosis could continue reproducing even in their dormant state.

But the black cloth currently attached to the sphere was different.

As it expanded across the sphere, it clearly showed a tendency to become thinner and more transparent.

Whether it actually became thinner was hard to determine.

But to the naked eye, it definitely became more “transparent.”

The originally thick, deep black color faded.

Finally, when the black cloth expanded to cover the entire sphere, its color became a semi-transparent black.

Instead, the two figures inside the sphere appeared darker than when the sphere was transparent?

Jiang Ye stared unblinkingly at the semi-transparent black sphere, numerous thoughts flashing through his mind.

At this moment, he had two operations he could easily perform with just a thought—

The first was to retrieve the black cloth covering the sphere.

The second was to retrieve the Ice Crystal Tear Drop shot toward the sphere.

As his strength grew, he had gradually become someone bold, with eccentric and crazy behavior.

He had previously dared to skin his own clone alive, searching manually for the Blood Realm Worm with unknown risks in the skull…

He had conducted plenty of bold experiments.

Logically, he should be unrestrained now and experiment freely as he wished.

However…

After a flurry of thoughts in his mind, he didn’t act rashly.

Instead, he suddenly turned his gaze to Zhao Dongliu and asked meaningfully:

“What next?”

Zhao Dongliu seemed momentarily stunned: “What?”

Jiang Ye raised an eyebrow, not avoiding the topic: “I’m asking, what should we do next? Retrieve the offspring larva infected with Lightburn, or the offspring larva that transformed into black cloth?”

Zhao Dongliu didn’t answer immediately, his gaze deeply meeting Jiang Ye’s.

After a long while, his tightly pressed lips suddenly relaxed, his entire body easing up as he raised an eyebrow:

“Does this question count toward your question quota?”

“Heh, as expected.” Jiang Ye continued to look deeply at this guy.

As expected, this Zhao Dongliu…

Was indeed Apartment Boss Q!

Also Wu Ce, who was instantly killed by the Old Woman after exiting the Court of Disorder!

His ability regarding [Personality Split] really allowed him to be like a natural-born actor, effortlessly handling multiple identities!

Jiang Ye even somewhat suspected…

Whether this guy might have female version identities too…

For example, Lin Ling?

During the time Lin Ling was out of contact, this guy appeared in the Court of Disorder…

This guy obtained the [Privileged One] Permission Iron Piece for Yuan Qiu.

And clearly had some connection with that Old Woman who also belonged to the Defenders’ Alliance.

So although he possessed the Apartment Boss Q permission identity from the Apartment Faction, there was a high probability he was actually from the Defenders’ Alliance!

Even more…

Jiang Ye somewhat suspected whether that so-called Alliance Leader Fu Li might also be one of this guy’s personality split identities??

In an instant, various thoughts and conjectures flooded his mind.

Without evidence, Jiang Ye didn’t jump to conclusions with his speculations.

He had considered using one question quota to completely uncover Apartment Boss Q’s full range of identities.

However, he ultimately had no intention of using his question quota for now.

He withdrew his gaze and looked back at the semi-transparent sphere.

At this moment, he actually felt a sense of panic, as if he was being led by the nose.

But…

It didn’t matter.

Because he was also looking forward to seeing what would happen under Lin Ling’s carefully laid plans.

Thus.

After a moment of silence in the air.

Jiang Ye spoke: “I certainly won’t waste a question quota on this question.”

“And since you don’t seem to care either, that probably means no matter how I operate, everything is under control?”

As he spoke, Jiang Ye didn’t wait for this guy’s response.

He raised his hand, retrieving the black cloth, retrieving the ice crystal…

He chose both available options simultaneously.

And Zhao Dongliu beside him indeed looked unconcerned, his gaze fixed intently on the massive sphere.

This time, retrieving the Ice Crystal Tear Drop was indeed different from usual!

Under normal circumstances, when frozen players thaw, it only takes an instant for the frozen state to dissipate.

But this ice crystal sphere was different.

When the freezing effect was lifted, the entire sphere emitted cracking sounds like ice breaking.

And visibly—

After the black cloth withdrew, the sphere didn’t return to pure transparency from its semi-transparent black state.

Instead, it remained semi-transparent.

And…

Accompanied by the ice-cracking sounds, obvious fissures appeared on the sphere’s surface!

And those fissures, like the cracks on Tao Sheng’s skull, also showed a deep black color!

Crack…

The ice-breaking sounds continued.

On the sphere covered with black fissures, it seemed like ice fragments were breaking off.

It also seemed like an invisible carving knife was meticulously sculpting the ice crystal sphere.

Jiang Ye witnessed with his own eyes, keenly detecting—

The sphere’s entire appearance was changing along with the cracking sounds!

Visibly, it transformed from a perfect sphere to a teacup shape—slightly narrower at top and bottom, wider in the middle.

Overall, it looked…

Like a teapot without a handle or spout!

A teapot?

No!

“Is this the Jade Flask?”

Soon.

The ice-breaking cracking sounds stopped.

The entire sphere had transformed into a very obvious flask body without a spout or handle.

Jiang Ye’s gaze toward Zhao Dongliu became increasingly certain.

Zhao Dongliu didn’t answer, but his gaze toward the flask body clearly showed barely concealed excitement.

By now, the punk’s heart-wrenching screams from Lightburn infection had already ceased.

He seemed near death, his entire mosaic body appearing thin and blurry.

As if at any moment, he would completely vanish from this world.

Jiang Ye had a thought and casually threw the black cloth toward the punk again.

Then, he focused intently on looking toward the entire giant flask body.

He reached out to touch it, but still couldn’t make contact.

But it didn’t matter, he called out toward the flask body:

“Lin Jing? Wang Lingling? Still alive?”

Lin Jing remained motionless like a sleeping infant.

But the body belonging to Wang Lingling seemed to respond to some summons, floating out…

Yes! Floating!

Wang Lingling looked exactly like Aladdin, floating out from the flask body!

Half of her body was outside the flask body.

The other half remained inside the flask body, faintly appearing in a smoke-like state!

Old classmates who knew Wang Lingling were dumbfounded.

And the bold, quick-thinking Lu Fang directly gasped in shock: “Aladdin??”

Unfortunately, this Aladdin didn’t respond to him.

And anyone could see clearly—

This Aladdin·Wang had hollow, drifting eyes, like a soulless wandering ghost.

By now, other old classmates like Gao Chang and Bai Ruowan also gathered courage to approach.

They stared at Wang Lingling as if seeing a ghost, and the bolder ones called out to her softly.

Calls of “Aladdin” received no response.

Calls of “Wang Lingling” elicited some faint response.

Jiang Ye also took the opportunity to ask: “Do you remember that you’re Wang Lingling?”

As he spoke, he intentionally reached out to touch this obviously transformed “yin realm person” wandering spirit.

But he couldn’t make contact.

Zhao Dongliu beside him beat him to it, throwing what appeared to be an ordinary protective talisman toward Wang Lingling.

That flash of red seemed to bring a faint trace of living vitality to Wang Lingling’s ghostly pale, drowned-ghost-like complexion.

But it was fleeting.

The protective talisman finally appeared on Wang Lingling’s chest.

Then, she no longer responded to any calls regarding “Wang Lingling” and sank back into the flask body.

Jiang Ye’s gaze fixed firmly on Zhao Dongliu.

Zhao Dongliu remained silent for a moment, then raised an eyebrow at him: “Even now, still not planning to waste a question quota?”

Jiang Ye raised an eyebrow, then suddenly smiled:

“If I’m not mistaken…”

“No matter who you are, or who you represent…”

“At least right now, there’s one situation not under your control.”

As he spoke, he rested his chin on his hand, seemingly organizing his thoughts, then soon said directly:

“The Formation Master’s Ghost Valley Soul Shepherd Formation really seems quite impressive.”

“Even in the Forbidden Zone, he can [Free Movement]?”

He deliberately emphasized the words “Free Movement.”

Then continued: “However, this kind of [Free Movement] seems to have accidents too?”

“For example…”

“He transmitted the entire black ice domain into the Forbidden Zone.”

“But actually, the black ice domain isn’t within his field of vision.”

“One could even say, it’s not under his control.”

“The entire domain that should be under control has lost contact with the Formation Master and the entire Defenders’ Alliance…”

“So you proactively revealed yourself to me, probably wanting to find a way out together?”

The air fell silent.

Zhao Dongliu in his white coat appeared clean and aloof, his lips slightly pressed, looking quite serious.

He didn’t answer immediately.

Jiang Ye took the opportunity to size him up.

After a moment, Jiang Ye smiled again:

“If I’m not mistaken…”

“The researcher Chen Ji mentioned by Zhou Yuling in the Defenders’ Alliance, is that also you?”

“Has your research on the Forbidden Zone already involved… mining the world information stored in the Forbidden Zone?”

Regarding the “researcher” question, Zhao Dongliu’s expression didn’t change.

But the latter part about “Forbidden Zone storing world information” genuinely made Zhao Dongliu’s gaze toward him tremble with shock.

However, he soon calmed down and asked gravely:

“World information… Did the Nomadic Merchant mention this term to you?”

“No.” Jiang Ye directly shook his head, “I guessed it myself.”

These simple words once again turned the shock in Zhao Dongliu’s eyes into ghost-like astonishment!

He sized up Jiang Ye up and down for a long time, seemingly unable to believe it.

He frowned: “Even if it’s a guess, there should be some basis, right?”

Jiang Ye nodded: “The irreversible annihilation effect on players in the Forbidden Zone resembles gradual erasure.”

“And the Forbidden Zone in my vision isn’t pure white like you see.”

“Instead, it looks like the snow screen of an old TV with no signal.”

“I thought of dimensional collapse from the Dual-Vector Foil…”

He only briefly explained a few sentences, but Zhao Dongliu was shocked again: “Dual-Vector Foil?!”

“Are you saying we live in a Dual-Vector Foil world?”

As he spoke, he seemed to come back to his senses, looked around, and corrected himself:

“More accurately, a kind of ‘tri-vector foil’ world?”

“Or perhaps, our perception makes us think we’re in a three-dimensional world, but we’re actually two-dimensional?”

Jiang Ye of course didn’t answer, because he wasn’t clear about it either.

Zhao Dongliu clearly didn’t expect an answer either.

After a moment of silence, he looked at Jiang Ye with complex emotions and finally laid his cards on the table:

“Since you’ve already guessed this much, I might as well tell you—”

“You guessed correctly.”

“Regarding the Jade Flask’s revival… it’s not just about reviving an ordinary individual.”

“Because what we’re deeply exploring is no longer ‘revival’ within the apartment system.”

“But rather, a deep exploration of death itself.”

“Just as you easily ‘guessed’…”

“The Defenders’ Alliance has basically confirmed—”

“In the Doomsday Apartment, all truly meaningful ‘deaths’ point to the Forbidden Zone.”

“Perhaps just as you ‘guessed’…”

“Every ‘day’ we experience, and every living being…”

“Are preserved in the Forbidden Zone in a special information flow state.”

“That is what you said—this void Forbidden Zone stores the entire world’s information.”

“Perhaps, the state of the world after destruction is exactly like this—empty, nothingness, pure white.”

“Then, when the Doomsday Apartment is reborn…”

“This pure white will release the world information, forming what we perceive as the ‘Reincarnation’ effect…”

Jiang Ye’s heart pounded, he suddenly became particularly curious about how those Reincarnators actually experienced reincarnation amidst this destruction and rebirth?

Like Administrator 4444 in the previous reincarnation, seizing game players’ bodies from game NPCs?

That didn’t seem quite right.

The reincarnation achieved in that situation seemed different from the “destruction” and “birth” formed by the Forbidden Zone storing and releasing the world.

However…

Jiang Ye could almost be certain:

“Are there Reincarnators in your Defenders’ Alliance?”

“So you can conduct experiments seeking information from the Forbidden Zone?”

His tone was almost certain.

But Zhao Dongliu shook his head: “There are Reincarnators, but you’re mistaken—”

“Our experiments haven’t succeeded.”

“The Jade Flask revival you saw didn’t mine the information stored in the Forbidden Zone.”

“It can only be considered at most… her revival from residual information left in the world.”

“That is to say, it’s still revival within the apartment system.”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep