156: Chapter 156 Official Intervention: Does this ghost conform to the laws of thermodynamics?
Real World · National Bureau of Paranormal Affairs, Secret Base.
In a huge circular conference room, the air was heavy enough to drip water. On the big screen, the recorded screen of pangu online was playing on a loop: a group of players in shorts were riding on the neck of a Titan God King taking selfies, with the Titan God King wearing a pink tutu crying in the starry sky.
"Comrades," the Director said, tapping the table, his face ashen. "This is what we are facing... a 'Supernatural Event of the Highest Level'."
"According to the technical department's analysis, this so-called game has its server neither on Earth, nor on the Moon, nor in any physical dimension known to us."
"Its physics engine has 100% realism. In other words... it is a real alien world."
The Director took a deep breath and looked at the row of soldiers in black tactical gear on the left side of the conference table. "Falcon Special Operations Team."
"Here!" Captain Thunder War stood up abruptly, his voice like a bell.
"The organization has decided to send all of you into pangu online."
"Mission objectives: First, uncover the secrets of Tianhe Academy; Second, assess the threat level of this world to Earth; Third... confirm whether the person calling himself the Administrator, Li Mo, is actually a human from Earth."
"Remember, you represent the nation's image! Be law-abiding, show our discipline! Do not embarrass us like those... those brain-dead players!"
"Yes! Mission guaranteed!"
pangu-003, First Heaven · Nether Heavy Industry Layer.
Buzz—! The Reincarnation Pool flashed with white light. Fifty "new players" in novice rags, but standing straight as pines with eyes as sharp as knives, appeared in unison on the square. They didn't run around or shout like normal players; instead, they quickly formed defensive formations in five-man squads, observing their surroundings vigilantly.
"Report Captain! Environment secure!"
"Air composition: slightly low oxygen, trace sulfur and unknown metal dust, but within breathable range."
"Gravity coefficient: about 1.5 times Earth's."
"Pain System: calibrated to 50%."
The passerby players around were stunned. "Holy crap... who are these guys?"
"The posture, the bearing... are they soldiers?"
"It's over! The regular army is here! No way for us casual players to survive!"
"What are you afraid of! This is a cultivation game! It depends on Spiritual Root and Opportunity! Soldiers just have better fitness, they might not be able to cultivate!"
Thunder War ignored the surrounding discussion and opened the System panel.
【Welcome to pangu online.】
【Novice Tutorial Task: Go to T-9 to collect work equipment.】
"All units, listen up! Target: T-9!"
"Forward march!"
Tramp! Tramp! Tramp! The fifty-man team marched in perfect unison, like a sharp sword piercing toward the Scrap Iron Clan factory.
The T-9 robot at the factory entrance saw the team, and the blue light in its electronic eyes brightened.
"Beep! High-quality human samples detected!"
"Discipline: Extremely high. Obedience: Extremely high. Physical fitness: Rank A."
"Finally... finally I don't have to face those monkeys who only steal my screws!"
T-9 was so moved it almost leaked oil. It quickly took out a batch of precision-crafted 【Titan Alloy Entrenching Tools】.
"Warriors! Given your excellent qualities, I am issuing an elite-level task!"
"Task content: Go to the 'Geothermal Core Area' deep underground and clear the accumulated volcanic slag."
"The temperature there is extremely high and very dangerous, but the reward is three times that of a normal task!"
"Mission guaranteed!" Thunder War took a shovel, no nonsense, and led his team directly into the scorching mine pit. Even with their skin turning red from the high heat (the pain System was alarming), they didn't utter a sound, their efficiency terrifyingly high.
Less than half an hour later, the slag problem that had plagued the Scrap Iron Clan for centuries was half cleaned by this "Iron Army". T-9 messaged Li Mo in the background: "Dean! These newcomers are treasures! Can we have more? I want to draft them into the 'Scrap Iron Clan Honor Guard'!"
Thirty-Third Heavens · Tianhe Academy.
Li Mo watched the special ops team working hard on the monitor, his mouth curling up. "The official side has finally stepped in."
"Not bad, for some dirty and tiring work, we really need people with this kind of execution."
"However..." Li Mo put down his teacup, his eyes playful. "The Cultivation World isn't just about moving bricks."
"Since it's an official team, let's turn up the intensity for them."
"Let's see if their materialist faith can withstand... the beating of idealism."
Li Mo picked up the 【spring and autumn brush】 and wrote a new dungeon in his notebook.
【Dungeon Generation: Number 002 Draft · Rule Weird Campus.】
【Type: Puzzle/Supernatural/Logic Trap.】
【Designated Entrant: Falcon Special Operations Team.】
First Heaven · Mine Pit.
Just as Thunder War and his team were working hard, a golden imperial decree (System Announcement) appeared out of thin air in front of them.
【System Prompt: Due to the excellent performance of "Falcon Team", a hidden plot task has been triggered.】
【Task Name: The Vanishing Study Hall.】
【Task Description: In a folded space in the Third Heaven, there is a forgotten "Ghost School". It is a supernatural novel world that the Author once wrote and collapsed. The ghosts inside follow weird "rules". Please go investigate and recover the "Rule Core".】
【Reward: All members promoted to Qi Refinement Stage Level 1, and obtain an officially certified Guild Residence Token.】
"Hidden task? Guild token?" Thunder War's eyes lit up. This was one of the mission objectives given by the Director — establishing a base.
"All units assemble! Prepare for combat!"
"Remember! Although it's a supernatural dungeon, we must believe in science! All ghosts and monsters are paper tigers! As long as the firepower coverage is sufficient, there is no enemy that cannot be eliminated!"
Half an hour later, inside the dungeon 【Rule Weird Campus】.
When Thunder War and his team stepped into the dungeon, their proud tactical literacy hit a Waterloo. This was a gloomy, dilapidated school building. The sky was blood-red, and weird fog drifted on the playground.
Just inside the gate, a bloody 【School Rules】 was posted on the wall:
1. During evening self-study, it is strictly forbidden to look back.
2. If you see students wearing red uniforms, you must call them senior sister.
3. If you hear someone calling your name, do not answer, immediately perform a set of broadcast gymnastics.
4. Physical attacks are strictly prohibited in this school, violators will be taken away by the Dean of Students.
"This..." The deputy captain looked at the rules, his mouth twitching.
"Captain, this doesn't fit tactical logic! What the hell is doing broadcast gymnastics?"
"And physical attacks are prohibited? Doesn't that make our entrenching tools useless?"
"Don't panic!" Thunder War said in a deep voice, "This might be some kind of psychological suggestion or a mental monster's attack method."
"All units maintain silence! Strictly follow the rules!"
They walked into the school building cautiously. The corridor was terrifyingly quiet. Suddenly.
"Hey... Thunder War..." A cold voice sounded behind Thunder War, accompanied by a cold breath blowing on his neck.
Thunder War's muscles tensed up. Rule one: Strictly forbidden to look back. He resisted the urge to turn around and slap the opponent with a shovel, walking stiffly forward.
"Thunder War... look at me..." The voice got closer, and a pair of hands even rested on his shoulders. Thunder War's forehead veins bulged. As a special forces soldier, exposing one's back to the enemy was the greatest taboo. This feeling of only being able to take hits and not fight back made his mentality break slightly.
Just then.
"The vast horizon is my love—!!" A deafening, cheesy DJ song suddenly came from the other end of the corridor. Immediately after, a group of bizarre players rushed over.
These players had "toilet plungers" on their heads, some wearing "pink bikinis" (male characters), and some holding... speakers? They were the most famous brain-dead guild on the server — 【Abnormal Human Research Center】.
"Holy crap! There's a ghost! And it's an elite monster!" Guild leader "Mental Hospital Dean" shouted, pointing at the red-clothed female ghost clinging to Thunder War's back.
"Brothers! Show your talent!"
Before Thunder War could react, he saw these players do something that shattered his worldview.
One player pulled out a loudspeaker and roared into the ghost's ear: "Senior sister! Want to sign up? Interested in fitness or swimming?"
The ghost was stunned, just about to erupt. Another player suddenly started doing the 【Eighth Set of Broadcast Gymnastics】 on the spot, shouting while doing it: "Stretch! One, two, three, four! Senior sister, you come jump too! You can grow taller after jumping!"
The most ridiculous was the guild leader "Mental Hospital Dean". He pulled a huge mirror out of nowhere and shoved it directly into the ghost's face.
"The rule says I can't look back at you, it didn't say I can't look at you with a mirror!"
"Come, come! Look in the mirror! See if your makeup is ruined? Oh my, this foundation is caking! Senior sister, what brand of foundation do you use? Did you buy it on Pinduoduo?"
"Ah!!!" The ghost collapsed. She had been in this dungeon for so many years, scared countless people. Never had she seen such... such a terminal case of social exhibitionism!
"You... you don't play by the rules of martial arts! This doesn't fit the atmosphere of a horror movie!"
"Horror my ass!" The guild leader chuckled, suddenly pulling a 【Draft Fragment: CEO's Contract】 (a prop dropped in the last dungeon) out of his pants (inventory slot). "Senior sister, sign it! Be my contract Spirit Beast! Room and board provided, plus you can watch us do square dancing every day!"
The ghost looked at the contract exuding the "domineering CEO aura", her SAN value completely zeroed. Bang! She exploded. Not destroyed physically, but destroyed by mental pollution. She turned into a pile of dropped items.
【System Prompt: Congratulations to player "Mental Hospital Dean" for using a logic loophole to kill the elite monster "Red-Clothed Senior Sister".】
Thunder War and his special ops team stood on the side, holding shovels, completely petrified.
"Captain..." The deputy captain muttered to himself, "Is... is this scientific?"
"Is our tactic... too conservative?"
Thunder War took a deep breath, looking at the group of brain-dead players who were dividing the loot and trying to pull him into dancing. He suddenly felt that the task the Director gave him... might be ten thousand times harder than he imagined. Here, it's not monsters that defeat you. It's your normal human thinking that can no longer keep up with the version.
Thirty-Third Heavens · Star Gazing Platform.
Li Mo laughed until tears almost came out. "Hahahaha! This is why I recruit players."
"To deal with this kind of idealism-based weird talk, a materialist army won't work."
"Only 'psychiatric-ism' can defeat magic."
He waved his hand and retrieved the 【Rule Core】 produced by the dungeon. It was a gray mist with a few twisted characters faintly visible inside: 【Fear stems from the unknown】.
"However..." Li Mo looked at the mist, his brows slightly furrowed. In this mist, there was actually a trace of... a scent he was very familiar with. It was the scent of the real world.
"Strange." Li Mo whispered to himself. "This is a draft I wrote before, why is it tainted with the Karma of the real world?"
"Could it be..." He thought of the ultimate suspense in volume five of the outline.
"The world is a desert."
"The so-called reality, and the so-called novel, actually... are they penetrating each other?"
Li Mo's eyes became serious. If his guess was correct, then pangu online was no longer just a game, nor just a Cultivation World. It was a bridge connecting two dimensions. And those monsters running out of the drafts... if not cleaned up in time, they might very well climb to Earth along the network cable.
"Looks like I need to speed things up." Li Mo closed the notebook.
"T-9, issue a new task."
"Fully open all 'draft areas' from the Fourth Heaven to the Tenth Heaven."
"Tell the players: whoever can clean up these trash, I will open... the 【Ascension Channel】 for them."
"Ascension?" T-9 was stunned, "Dean, this is already the Immortal Realm, where else can we ascend to?"
"Ascend... to reality." Li Mo looked at the special ops team below, a mysterious smile curling the corners of his mouth.
"Letting characters from the game transmigrate in reverse to Earth... isn't it interesting?"
"I think that Captain named Thunder War will definitely like this reward."