85: Chapter 85, Second Observation Position: We can't let the afterimage sit there.

[Second Regulatory Observer Position Activated]

[Candidate: Abyss Processing Bureau Special Consultant]

[Name: Shen Qingshuang]

When the words on the blackboard lit up, the temperature in the old classroom plummeted.

It was not Shen Tingxue who did it.

It was the Ice Key in her palm that lit up on its own.

The blue specks of light within the Ice Key seemed to have been awakened by something; they pulsed rhythmically, seeping out a thread of extreme cold.

Shen Tingxue looked down at the Ice Key, her gaze darkening bit by bit.

Chen Ye stared at the blackboard.

"Abyss Processing Bureau Special Consultant?"

"Captain Gu, when did your Bureau have a consultant like this?"

In the communication talisman, Gu Changye's voice was colder than before.

"She is not on the current roster."

"In the Abyss Processing Bureau archives, Shen Qingshuang's status is listed as missing."

Qin Shanhe's eyes darkened.

"What Lu Chengyuan submitted is an old project document."

Gu Changye said:

"I am looking at it right now."

"Twenty years ago, the Number Nine peripheral training project did indeed grant Shen Qingshuang a temporary consultant status."

"Nominally, it was under the collaboration of the Abyss Processing Bureau."

"But that was an old project joint authorization, not a current assignment."

Chen Ye understood.

"In other words, Lu Chengyuan is using twenty-year-old scrap paper to force someone into the White Tower?"

Teacher Xu Wenzhou nodded with an ugly expression.

"The White Tower recognizes old project authorizations."

"As long as the document is genuine, it will respond."

Zhou Heng said coldly:

"Old authorizations again."

"Just how many things have they buried in the White Tower?"

No one answered.

Because the answer was likely more than they imagined.

Lin Jin looked at Shen Tingxue.

"Don't touch the Ice Key for now."

Shen Tingxue nodded.

She did not try to act tough.

The brighter the blue light on the Ice Key, the more it indicated that this matter was related to Shen Qingshuang.

And it also meant that she could not be the first to respond.

Lin Jin suppressed the urge to take out the rule correction wrench.

He had been repairing records continuously just now, and his mental load was already very high.

This time, he couldn't rely on brute-force repairs.

At least, not right from the start.

He stared at the words "Abyss Processing Bureau Special Consultant" on the blackboard and spoke slowly:

"This does not confirm that Shen Qingshuang is still alive."

"Nor does it confirm that she can serve as an Observer."

"It only indicates that the White Tower has read an old project identity."

Shen Tingxue said in a low voice:

"So we cannot acknowledge her as an Observer yet."

"Correct."

Lin Jin said.

"And even less can we acknowledge that she represents the Abyss Processing Bureau."

Gu Changye immediately added:

"Abyss Processing Bureau statement."

"Shen Qingshuang does not currently possess the status of a current Special Consultant."

"The Bureau has not dispatched Shen Qingshuang to enter the White Tower Observer position."

"If the White Tower is using an old project identity, it should be marked as a historical identity dispute and must not be regarded as current authorization."

The blackboard flickered.

[Abyss Processing Bureau Current Statement: Recorded]

But the White Tower text did not disappear.

[Old Project Identity Valid]

[Second Regulatory Observer Position Candidate Still Exists]

Chen Ye frowned.

"It's still clinging on and won't leave."

Lin Jin picked up the chalk and wrote on the side of the blackboard:

[Second Observer Position Boundaries]

He did not write "Reject Shen Qingshuang."

Because that sentence structure was too dangerous.

Once written as rejecting Shen Qingshuang, the White Tower might define them as refusing to rescue the Shen Qingshuang remnant.

It might also irritate the Ice Key.

He wrote the first point.

[Shen Qingshuang's old project consultant status can only serve as a historical record and does not equal current Observer authorization.]

The second point.

[Before Shen Qingshuang's status is verified, White Tower projections, ice-type remnants, or reward samples must not act on behalf of the Observer position.]

The third point.

[The Second Observer Position must not touch the Ice Key, and must not issue commands related to bloodlines, the Shen Family, inheritance, or substitution to Shen Tingxue.]

The fourth point.

[The Second Observer Position must not provide route suggestions, and in particular, must not confirm the "coldest route" as the optimal route.]

Writing up to this point, Shen Tingxue suddenly spoke:

"Add one more."

Lin Jin handed the chalk to her.

Shen Tingxue walked to the blackboard; there was still frost on her fingertips.

She did not write with ice, but took the chalk and wrote stroke by stroke:

[If Shen Qingshuang appears, first verify independent will; before it can be verified, she must not be referred to as the person herself.]

After she finished writing, the Ice Key vibrated slightly.

It seemed like dissatisfaction.

It also seemed like a response.

Zhou Heng looked at that line of words and said in a low voice:

"This point is the most critical."

Chen Ye also nodded.

"Correct."

"Otherwise, if some random projection comes out and claims to be Shen Qingshuang, we'd have to believe it?"

The White Tower text on the blackboard began to change.

[Candidate Observer must complete identity verification]

[Verification Object: Shen Qingshuang]

[Verification Method: Will Response]

At the doorway of the old classroom, white light condensed bit by bit.

The chill deepened along with it.

A female figure emerged from the white light.

Still holding a long spear.

Still with Shen Qingshuang's eyebrows and eyes.

But unlike the frozen projection in the previous pressure simulation, this time her aura was fainter and more fragmented.

It was as if she were frozen behind many layers of ice, revealing only a blurry outline.

Shen Tingxue looked at her, her breathing becoming light for a moment.

The female projection also looked at Shen Tingxue.

"Descendant of the Shen Family."

"Give me the Ice Key."

"I can act as an Observer and lead you to bypass the first floor of the White Tower."

Chen Ye immediately raised his shield.

"Here we go again."

Zhou Heng's thunder nail lit up.

"This is not independent will."

Lin Jin looked at the projection and asked:

"Shen Qingshuang, twenty years ago on the first floor of the White Tower, what was the warning you left behind?"

The female projection paused for a moment.

"Give me the Ice Key."

Shen Tingxue's gaze turned a few degrees colder.

Lin Jin asked again:

"Shen Qingshuang, why can't one take the coldest route in the White Tower?"

The projection still said:

"Give me the Ice Key."

The third time.

Like a broken echo.

In the old classroom, everyone understood.

This thing might carry a part of Shen Qingshuang's remnants.

But it was not the complete Shen Qingshuang.

At least, it did not possess the independent will to serve as an Observer.

Gu Changye's voice dropped.

"Abyss Processing Bureau judgment."

"This candidate does not possess the behavioral capacity of a current consultant."

"Cannot represent the Bureau to enter the Observer position."

Qin Shanhe immediately said:

"The Academy confirms."

Lin Jin looked at Shen Tingxue.

"You decide the final sentence."

Shen Tingxue held the Ice Key and walked up to the projection.

She looked at that face, similar to the one in the old photograph, and remained silent for a long time.

So long that Chen Ye was a little worried about whether she would be induced.

But in the end, she only said very softly:

"You might be a clue she left behind."

"But you are not her."

"I will not hand over the Ice Key to a remnant shadow that only knows how to repeat its demands."

The Ice Key shuddered violently.

On the female projection's face, a momentary expression of pain seemed to appear.

She opened her mouth, as if she wanted to say something.

But the White Tower's text lit up first.

[Shen Qingshuang old consultant candidate verification failed]

[Reason: Insufficient independent will]

[Second Observer Position will be filled automatically]

Chen Ye's expression changed.

"Filling it again!"

Lin Jin immediately stepped forward.

"It is not a verification failure."

"It is that the candidate's status does not meet the conditions for taking the seat."

He stared at the blackboard and said, word by word:

"The Second Observer Position cannot be filled by the White Tower."

"Because the filling process itself will rewrite the remnants of missing personnel into usable regulatory tools."

"The correct way to handle this is—absence."

Teacher Xu Wenzhou's eyes shifted.

"An absent Observer position?"

Lin Jin nodded.

"The old project had this Observer position."

"But the current candidate is missing, does not possess current authorization, and does not possess independent will."

"Therefore, the Observer position exists, but the Observer is absent."

Gu Changye immediately said:

"Abyss Processing Bureau confirms this handling method."

"The Second Observer Position can be recorded as a historical consultant seat absence, and must not be filled by the White Tower, the Department of Education, or remnant projections."

Qin Shanhe also said:

"The Academy confirms."

Shen Tingxue raised the Ice Key, and frost fell onto the projection.

"If Shen Qingshuang still has a true will."

"I will go find it."

"But I will not let the White Tower use her remnant shadow to sit in the Observer position."

Frost covered the projection.

This time, the projection did not struggle.

She just looked at Shen Tingxue.

Before completely freezing, her lips moved slightly.

There was no sound.

But the blue light in the Ice Key suddenly pulsed.

Lin Jin immediately looked at the Hand of Rules.

[Non-White Tower repetitive statement detected]

[Content incomplete]

[Credibility: Medium]

Shen Tingxue also felt it.

She closed her eyes, as if listening to that faint echo deep within the Ice Key.

A moment later, she opened her eyes.

"She said two words."

Chen Ye asked hurriedly:

"What?"

Shen Tingxue's voice was very soft.

"Don't."

The old classroom fell silent for a moment.

Don't what?

Don't hand over the Ice Key?

Don't take the coldest route?

Don't let her be an Observer?

Or don't enter the White Tower?

Without context, no one could be sure.

The White Tower text on the blackboard finally began to turn gray.

[Second Observer Position status correcting]

[Historical consultant seat: Exists]

[Current Observer: Absent]

[White Tower forbidden from automatic filling]

[Department of Education old documents forbidden from acting as substitutes]

[Shen Tingxue forbidden from acting as Observer]

[Second Observer Position absence mark established]

Chen Ye let out a long breath.

"Finally suppressed it."

Zhou Heng, however, did not relax.

"Her final 'Don't' doesn't sound like White Tower words."

Shen Tingxue nodded.

"It isn't."

Lin Jin looked at the Ice Key.

"So this matter isn't over."

"We've just blocked the Observer position for now."

Gu Changye said:

"I will submit the Second Observer Position absence mark for tripartite review."

"This old document from Lu Chengyuan will be recorded as an unauthorized attempt."

Qin Shanhe sneered.

"He's handed over evidence again."

Lin Jin shook his head.

"He's not necessarily losing."

Everyone looked at him.

Lin Jin said:

"With the Deputy Director Zhou Chengyue Observer position, he probed that I cannot perform continuous corrections."

"With the Shen Qingshuang Observer position, he probed that the remnants within the Ice Key can respond."

Shen Tingxue's fingers tightened slightly.

This is the truly terrifying part about Lu Chengyuan.

Every action that appears to be blocked still manages to trade for a bit of information.

The White Tower, the Department of Education, and the Number Nine wreckage are like three hands taking turns probing their weaknesses.

The training project on the blackboard reappeared.

[Third Item: Team Entry Route Selection]

[Additional Risk: After the Second Observer Position is absent, the White Tower may generate "Consultant's Last Words" type rewards on the first floor]

[Warning: Consultant's Last Words must not be read by Shen Tingxue first]

Chen Ye looked at Shen Tingxue.

"Understood."

"I'll continue to be the reading-aloud tool."

Shen Tingxue did not object.

"Thank you."

Chen Ye was instead made a bit uncomfortable by this "thank you."

"No need to be polite."

"We're teammates, after all."

As these words fell, the Mutual Verification Contract lit up slightly.

Lin Jin just as he was about to continue deducing the entry route, the Ice Key suddenly left Shen Tingxue's palm and hovered in front of the blackboard.

The female projection that had been sealed had already dissipated.

But inside the Ice Key, an extremely fine crack slowly appeared.

A line of ice-blue small characters seeped out from the crack.

It was not White Tower text.

Nor was it in the Department of Education format.

[What you have frozen is not the Observer position.]

[It is the only exit I can come out from.]