In the Shrine Memory World, Gao Xing seems incomplete; his soul is divided into three parts, supporting the worst desperate future together.
To completely kill it and accomplish God Stealing, the corresponding three people must be found.
After communicating with Kong Tiancheng, Han Fei discovered another thing: simply killing those three people still cannot destroy the shrine; it must be made to collapse in its own way.
"The exorcism ceremony is about to end. After dawn, the people hiding in the rooms will come out, and it will be very difficult to leave," the Doctor whispered a reminder, not noticing Afu’s gaze and mistaking Han Fei for an ally.
"I’m leaving right away." Han Fei glanced at Bai Xian; now was not the time to take him away. After leaving the city, he planned to contact Li Xue to request her help in relocating Bai Xian.
Carrying Number Two on his back, Han Fei quietly left, multitasking, while his consciousness continued communicating with Kong Tiancheng: "What’s your reason for wanting to enter the Core City District? If needed, I can help you."
"Deep Space Technology did not perish in the disaster; the most elite scientific members and backbone were retained. I need them to cooperate with me to accomplish certain things." Kong Tiancheng did not tell Han Fei his true purpose, which should be his biggest secret.
Han Fei nodded, quickly leaving the hospital while it was still dark.
Entering the Core City District is very difficult; only a very few people have this qualification. They are Hope New City’s true hope; any death of a Core City District resident is a loss to the entire city.
"Li Xue should be able to get inside." Han Fei smiled bitterly; he didn’t expect to keep bothering Li Xue after entering the Shrine Memory World.
Escaping from the Inner City District, Han Fei joined other students; they had very important tasks to accomplish.
Casually tossing Afu’s soul into the Greed Abyss, Han Fei fished Brother Chou out of Black Water; this psychopathic murderer collapsed after enduring only a tenth of Gao Cheng’s torment, no longer stubborn.
"Tell me, where are the victims you control?"
Chou Nan has a Possessive Personality, and his greatest joy is manipulating ordinary people in his jurisdiction and tormenting and playing with them.
The soul of the dying Chou Nan became much more honest and began to guide Han Fei. The group arrived at the intersection of the Outer City District and the buffer zone.
Most citizens living here have just joined Hope New City; their Contribution is very low, and they can only barely maintain their lives, still susceptible to attacks by Ghosts and Monsters.
Chou Nan exploited these people’s yearning for security, deceiving everyone into trust, taking over their bodies, and eventually turning the district he was responsible for into a Killing Paradise.
"These psychotic murderers present themselves so friendly during the day yet are more terrifying than ghosts at night. They are criminals handpicked by Gao Xing who know too well how to hide themselves."
When Han Fei entered the survivor’s temporary home, some people were still asking why Chou Nan hadn’t returned and worried if something had happened to him.
Ordinarily, Chou Nan would bring food and various supplies collected from the city’s depths, but each demon’s gift is usually exchanged for a life, turning all survivors he granted "kindness" into his "toys."
Bursting through the locked door, Han Fei was about to enter the cellar to save people when he suddenly smelled blood.
Lifting the carpet, the secret passage leading to the cellar had already been opened, everywhere spattered with bloody handprints.
The foul wind blew from underground, and Han Fei clearly heard the sound of chopping meat.
"Did someone arrive ahead of us?"
"It should be the criminals from the Ghost Card Case who came to destroy the evidence." Number Five stretched his hands behind his head: "I advise you to leave now; be careful of those criminals framing you."
"In about half an hour, it will be dawn, and this place doesn’t mean much to us." Number Four also felt leaving was better.
"Chou Nan’s Personality Ability can unlock those souls’ restraints. Some people might still be alive; we can’t just leave them." Han Fei also wanted to try Chou Nan’s abilities. He decisively ran towards the cellar.
"It’s the end of the world; why bother with morality and ethics? Not pursuing maximum profit will eventually lead to harm by your own kindness." Although Number Four spoke with indifference, his body was honest, following Han Fei down.
Special treatment was applied to the steps leading to the cellar; a scent in the dark mixed with the smell of blood so that whatever is done underground won’t be noticed from above unless excessive.
The torn clothes and various daily objects increased; Chou Nan had a habit of acquiring frequently used items from the person whose body he possessed to fully experience their life. Once bored, he would destroy everyone.
"Chou Nan’s Personality Awakening occurred several times and could gather more than a dozen Special Personality Awakened in District D, showing that he was quite formidable among the enforcers." Number Four touched the wall: "He couldn’t have completed this massive underground passage alone. I estimate several Special Personality owners helped him build the cellar."
"Expending so much effort just to construct a Murder Palace?" Number Five now sensed the complexity of the matter: "There might be other secrets hidden inside."
"Why don’t we ask him ourselves?" Han Fei primarily enhances his Physical Strength Attribute, so he tries to solve things with action rather than thinking. He once again kicked Chou Nan into the Abyss Black Water, and soon, Chou Nan spilled everything.
There was a small altar hidden inside the cave, but he wasn’t sure of its specific purpose.
The scent of blood in the air grew stronger as Han Fei and his group quickly reached the depths of the cave. At the end of the passageway, someone had constructed a peculiar small temple, with doors open on both sides and four paper lanterns the size of human heads hanging on the lintel.
The temple walls were mottled, covered with numerous carvings, as if this dilapidated little temple had been moved from somewhere else.
"I’d rather camp at deserted graves than worship in a deserted temple. Be careful, everyone."
Han Fei didn’t see any survivors, just a ground covered in bloodstains. He headed towards the small temple, hearing someone faintly calling Gao Cheng’s name.
He had encountered a similar situation once before. Mother Ghost had also called for him in this manner but this voice was distinctly different. While Mother Ghost’s call was filled with concern and a bit of urgency for a child, this voice sounded more like it was from friends of the same age or maybe a younger brother calling for his older brother’s help.
Looking towards the direction of the voice, Han Fei saw a five-year-old child standing on the altar of the small temple. His upper body was normal flesh, but the lower half was still clay, with thick blood vessels running through the clay and piercing into the altar beneath.
A cold wind lifted the black cloth covering the base of the altar, revealing survivors whose bodies were folded beneath. They were controlled by Chou Nan’s Personality Ability and "voluntarily" became the flesh and blood foundation of the altar.
"Is this the God Statue of Gao Xing?"
Animosity surged upon the sight of an enemy. Han Fei stepped forward, the Rebirth Slaughter Saber already in his palm.
The Gao Cheng he represented was an irreconcilable foe of Gao Xing, yet strangely, the child on the altar showed no malice towards Gao Cheng, foolishly smiling while calling Gao Cheng’s name.
"Why is it ?" Han Fei felt a slight confusion, though his intent to kill did not waver in the least.
"Didn’t Kong Tiancheng already tell you? The ghost was divided into three parts, one of which is this most despairing and tragic child." Number Two looked at the young child on the altar: "Having your eyes stolen by your friend must be a very sad thing, right?"
The past of Gao Xing and Gao Cheng was hidden within these details. It wasn’t explicitly stated, but anyone could feel a certain poignant sadness.
"This child God Statue is merely a symbol. In the Memory World, there are countless of Gao Xing’s God Statues, but the most important one is definitely hidden in the Shrine." Number Two had Han Fei pick up the Slaughter Saber: "Split it open. Zero needs a large amount of Sacrificial Offering, and since you don’t wish to slaughter indiscriminately, we can only compete with other Divine Spirits for resources."
"A significant part of the Unspeakable power comes from the Shrine. Every time we destroy one of its God Statues, the power it can borrow in reality diminishes." Number Two noted Han Fei stepping forward and reminded him again: "However, you must also be prepared. This God Statue has absorbed a substantial amount of Blood Food and already contains part of the Divine Spirit’s memory. From the moment you destroy it, the Memory World will undergo further distortions, and a more brutal struggle between humans and ghosts will commence."
"I’ve long been prepared. It’s you who should take care to protect yourselves." The brilliant glint of the blade reflected off Han Fei’s face, showing no hint of hesitation. He quickly charged into the small temple and swung his saber at the Flesh God Statue!
The edge of the blade, forged from the finest qualities of humanity, landed at the neck of the God Statue. The child cried extremely fiercely as lines of dense blood texts appeared on its skin surface, resembling a list of victim names.
The Rebirth Slaughter Saber, which had never failed, was blocked for the first time, embedded in the Flesh God Statue.
"Your blade is sharp but too gentle." Number One had somehow followed Han Fei in. He grabbed the altar with both hands and flipped it, severing the connection between the God Statue and the survivors, then shattered the un-fleshed lower half of the God Statue with a punch.
The victims’ names began to dim, with no more power able to stop the Rebirth. The bright blade pierced through the statue like a beam of light.
The God Statue began to shatter, and the child widened his eyes, staring at Han Fei: "Didn’t Mom tell you to get along well with me? Why are you trying to kill me? I even gave you my eyes, so why are you still trying to kill me?"
A sharp voice, containing a force Han Fei couldn’t comprehend, spread outward. The cave began to collapse, and it seemed the entire Memory World’s temperature dropped slightly.
With another swing, Han Fei completely shattered the God Statue, discovering a still-beating heart within the Flesh God Statue.
"Player Number 0000, please take note! You have discovered a D-grade Sacrificial Offering. Sacrificing it to the Divine Spirit will yield substantial rewards."
"Attention! The earlier you sacrifice to the Divine Spirit, the greater the chance your deity will be reborn! You must race against time to acquire more Sacrificial Offerings!"
"Player Number 0000, please take note! You have destroyed the Unspeakable Flesh God Statue, severing part of its memory! Successfully entered the second stage of Gao Xing’s Memory Shrine!"
"All task difficulties in the second stage have increased, all experience rewards are enhanced, ghosts and monsters are no longer constrained by any rules, and daylight hours are shortened!"
"Player Number 0000, please take note! You have initiated an attack against the Unspeakable before reaching level thirty and successfully destroyed part of its memory, earning the ultra-rare Talent Ability—Ignorance is Courage."
"Ignorance is Courage: Physical Strength permanently increased by five! Upon actively triggering this Ability, half of your Brain Power will convert into Physical Strength! Duration: ten minutes!"
"Player Number 0000, please take note! You have been cursed by the Unspeakable. While you are present, all ghosts and monsters related to the Unspeakable will prioritize attacking you!