novelraw Chapter 31: Sea of Darkness - (31)
Chapter 31: Sea of Darkness - (31)
First Floor: Alien Creatures are highly dangerous, grotesque monsters that have existed since ancient times within the Second World. The Federal Government hides its presence from ordinary people. Alien creatures come in a variety of species, with traces found both on land and at sea. The Federal Government, along with organizations such as the consortium and research institutes, undertakes efforts to eliminate or capture these creatures for study.
The secret cult has been classified by the Federal Government as an illegal religious organization. In the Second World, any form of religious belief and religious groups were strictly prohibited, making all such activities unlawful. The secret cult worships “God” and refers to alien creatures as remnants of the ancient gods. They conduct secretive and often cruel religious rituals.
The creation of Variant Blood individuals is intricately linked to alien creatures and the secret cult. From the blood of alien creatures, a special elixir known as “Divine Blood” can be extracted. Consuming this elixir grants extraordinary strength, far surpassing that of normal humans. Those who obtain superhuman abilities through this method are named Variant Bloods. However, there is a price for this power; under the corrosive influence of Divine Blood, Variant Bloods gradually lose their sanity, descending into madness. Additionally, their bodies have a high likelihood of undergoing severe mutations, leading them towards potential death.
1L: WTF, amazing player!
2L: Is this the disparity among players? While some are still tirelessly working like corporate drones, this top-tier player has already obtained secretive intelligence that ordinary people can hardly access.
3L: Holy crap, so much information… Let me process it slowly.
4L: ??? Am I seeing this correctly? The OP’s username is 233? What eerie enchantment does this number possess?!
5L: This world is too dangerous; I want to go back home! Every day, I scream ten thousand times that I want to quit the game!
Kui Xin seemingly provided extensive explanations, but she only touched upon superficial aspects of the topic. Alien Creatures, Divine Blood, the Order, and Variant Blood individuals are closely interconnected; to introduce one aspect inevitably requires discussing the others as well.
She mentioned Divine Blood as one of the three main uses for alien creatures, glossing over its applications in medicine and materials science with vague references to “research.” Additionally, she did not delve into the specific collaboration between the Federal Government and the consortium’s research institutes.Despite these omissions, for ordinary players, this was highly significant information that required time to digest.
The Second World is more than just a realm of advanced technology; it also contains mysterious and unpredictable forces. Most players who travel there only encounter the technologically advanced side of the Second World, lacking a clear understanding of the hidden dimension filled with enigmatic power.
Kui Xin’s informational post could be seen as completely opening the gateway to the Second World, providing players with an overall understanding of it.
Kui Xin scrolled through the thread, noticing the rapidly increasing number of replies—virtually every second brought new updates. Some users, overwhelmed by shock, posted strings of question marks and exclamation points.
6L: OP is truly a great benefactor! The neighboring thread about trading alien creatures for payment has been bumped all day, but instead of engaging in transactions, OP freely shared this intelligence with everyone!
7L: Why is OP’s username “233”???
8L: What connection does OP have with Depriver 233?!
Other players also noticed Kui Xin’s username, leading to a continuous stream of queries and doubts being posted. Several dozen consecutive comments revolved around questioning the nickname.
26L: As Chinese, we should all know what “233” means—it’s just a common internet slang term. Many individuals use it as their username; you’ll find loads if you search online. This user “233” likely doesn’t have any special connection with Depriver No. 233. After all, player IDs are randomly assigned. Regardless of how extraordinary OP might be, there’s no guarantee they would coincidentally register at exactly the 233rd position on the forum.
Reply 27L to 26L: That makes sense. Perhaps when the OP registered, they didn’t think much and just used it as a username. Who could’ve predicted we’d all end up being transported later? None of us foresaw this happening.
Reply 28L to 26L: Although what you say is reasonable, it’s too coincidental. Today, after constantly refreshing the forum, I’ve developed a conditioned reaction to the number 233. Seeing ‘233’ sends chills down my spine. Even during a chat with a close friend, her message containing ‘233’ startled me.
Reply 29L to 28L: Same here, that number now gives me psychological unease.
Reply 30L to 28L: Me too…
Reply 31L: High-five to the above posters; you’re not alone!
Reply 32L: After learning about Depriver No. 233’s deeds, the number 233 practically equates to the devil for me…
The replies were flooding in too fast.
Some players had skimmed through the information but hadn’t meticulously analyzed it. Frankly, their mindset hadn’t fully adjusted; without anyone prompting them, they failed to grasp the immense significance of this intelligence. They even felt inclined to discuss and joke about the number 233.
On the other hand, a more astute and forward-thinking group of players meticulously dissected Kui Xin’s educational content word for word.
They wouldn’t focus on superficial aspects; their attention was entirely drawn to the content of the first post. Whether there was any connection between the poster ‘Floor 233’ who provided the educational information and Depriver No. 233 wasn’t considered crucial by them.
The intelligence itself was what mattered most!
After scrolling past meaningless banter and idle chatter, a few minutes later, one player posted a lengthy analysis.
69L: Firstly, thank you for the voluntary education, OP. However, I have many doubts and speculations, so here’s my attempt at contributing some thoughts as a starting point. If the OP could address my questions, I would be immensely grateful.
Alien creatures have existed in the Second World since ancient times, but how far back does this “ancient” period extend? Knowing that humans often tend to “divinize” their own racial history, I’ve studied various countries’ mythologies, legends, and folklore somewhat extensively. Sometimes, numerous stories and elements from myths can find corresponding events or objects within historical records. If alien creatures have been present since ancient times, is it possible to uncover traces of them by examining the Second World’s historical documents? The Federal Government’s global unification occurred less than a century ago. If concealing the existence of alien creatures is indeed the Federal Government’s policy, then, before the Federation was established, were ordinary people aware of these creatures in the world? How did they combat alien creatures?
The original poster mentioned that the Federal Government, consortiums, and research institutes would eliminate and study alien creatures, suggesting that their combat capabilities likely aren’t strong enough to overcome firearms and awakened beings. However, it’s also possible that there are certain exceptionally powerful individuals among them. The Second World is actually conducting research on alien creatures, which surprises me. What exactly are they studying? Divine Blood? Apart from divine blood, do they also investigate other aspects?
All religious beliefs and activities being illegal indicate that the Federal Government is suppressing the secret cult. The emergence of Variant Blood individuals must have a close connection with the secret cult. Does the Federation arrest both Cultists and Variant Blood individuals? When studying alien creatures, are they looking for ways to counteract Divine Blood, or do they have other goals?
I am highly curious about this Divine Blood—how does it function, and what is its extraction process like? Can it be mass-produced? What is the likelihood and severity of bodily mutations following consumption? Are there more Variant Blood individuals compared to awakened ones? How do their combat abilities compare?
It was evident that within a few minutes, the player behind 69L had deeply pondered Kui Xin’s post. His speculative directions were largely accurate, focusing on key points.
Kui Xin did not plan to reply to 69L; she wouldn’t respond to anyone in this thread.
She had already said what needed to be said and done what she intended to do. She provided her insights; how others chose to interpret or speculate was no longer her concern.
Kui Xin could offer limited information within certain bounds, but she wouldn’t say too much, as doing so would risk exposing herself.
With 69L taking the lead, there was a noticeable increase in analysis within the thread.
72L: Thank you for the informative post, OP. I also have some questions. Is the god believed in by the secret cult real? Is their deity simply a religious symbol? In our First World, all religion’s gods are fictional. Could it be that in the Second World, there exists a genuine divine being ruling over His followers?
73L: Damn, don’t scare me like that. The idea of superstition and feudal beliefs in a tech-driven cyberpunk world feels quite bizarre.
74L: Considering we’ve experienced something as extraordinary as transmigration, isn’t it plausible for the Second World to have its own gods?
75L: I’ve been an atheist my entire life, but recent events have shattered my worldview. My beliefs are now shaken.
76L: Ever since the transmigration, my understanding of the world has been shattered and rebuilt every day.
89L: OP, are you around? Have you noticed the regional quest for the Jingchu area? Could the deranged cultist who killed his entire family and fled be connected to the Second World’s secret cult? Is that murderer a player?
90L replied to 89L: What are you talking about?
91L replied to 90L: Search online for news using keywords like “cult” and “mass murder.”
92L: I saw that news; there were some leaked photos circulating on the internet. Apparently, neighbors noticed their door was left open and entered, only to find bodies scattered everywhere with blood painted into religious symbols. Terrified, they immediately called the police. The killer murdered his own parents, wife, and children before fleeing in the dead of night. Security cameras captured him, resulting in a wanted notice with a bounty of one hundred thousand.
93L: Absolutely monstrous…
94L: If this murderer is indeed linked to the Second World’s secret cult, wouldn’t players investigating just be walking into a trap? Considering the ruthlessness displayed in killing so many, his combat capabilities must be high, and he seems mentally unhinged as well. Not everyone has awakened their superhuman abilities. I’ve been lurking on the forum all day, and among foreign players, fewer than five have openly admitted to having awakened powers. Some might have pretended for attention, while others possibly didn’t come forward at all.
[Post #95]: It’s rumored that all players in Jingchu province received task notifications; I’m from Jingchu too. I advise everyone not to participate recklessly—what if you end up losing your life? Survival is king.
The discussion within Kui Xin’s thread became highly intense, with occasional foreigners popping up to inquire about the situation in English or Japanese.
Unfortunately, the Chinese players were too busy to engage and showcase international camaraderie. A few foreigners who understood some Chinese managed to translate the content of the first post, then created a separate thread, sparking another round of fervent discussions among foreign players.
After browsing for a while, Kui Xin exited the thread and returned to the forum’s main page.
As expected, several new threads analyzing her identity had appeared on the homepage.
“Detailed Analysis: Are ‘Science Thread OP 233’ and Depriver 233 the Same Person?”
First Floor: As widely known, once entering the forum, the username becomes fixed. Initially, one fills in their nickname, and subsequently, the order of entry determines the player number. The sequence of entries is opaque, meaning there is a certain randomness in obtaining the numbers.
If the poster from the neighboring thread is indeed Depriver No. 233, how could they have foreknowledged to set their username as ‘233’ beforehand? Therefore, I believe the probability of the neighbor thread’s poster and Depriver 233 being the same person is very low, but it’s not entirely impossible. After all, coincidences do exist in this world.
1L: Listening to your words is just like listening to any other talk—no new insights are gained.
2L: You’re just repeating yourself here, aren’t you?
3L: What you said essentially amounts to nothing… We can neither confirm nor completely deny that he is Depriver No. 233.
4L (Original Poster): Hah, what else can I say? Unless OP 233 comes forward to admit or refute it, we can’t clear his suspicion.
5L replying to 4L (Original Poster): So what happens if he admits or denies it? We still wouldn’t be able to determine if he’s telling the truth; it’s a dead-end situation.
6L: In my opinion, since the neighbor thread’s poster shared such crucial information, they likely aren’t malicious. Personally, I think TA (I’m uncertain about their gender, so I’ll use ‘TA’) has no connection with the Depriver. Their lack of response might simply mean they don’t want to reveal their identity.
7L: I also lean towards the neighboring thread’s OP not being the Depriver… Unless Depriver No. 233 has a histrionic personality and enjoys seeking attention, they might just relish watching us futilely guess their identity.
“An in-depth analysis of the identity of ‘Neighboring Thread’s OP 233’.”
First Floor: What can be clearly stated is that ordinary people have no access to information related to alien creatures, so the neighboring thread’s OP must not be an ordinary person. Based on the words of the neighboring thread’s OP, matters concerning alien creatures are handled by entities such as the Federal Government, consortiums, research institutes, etc. Therefore, I boldly speculate that the neighboring thread’s OP has at least some connection with one or more of these three parties in the Second World.
Is the neighboring thread’s OP a government official, a member of the consortium, or an alien creature researcher?
Let’s make some bold guesses.
1L: The scope is too broad; it’s impossible to make an accurate guess.
2L: Could Neighboring Thread’s OP 233 possibly be an awakened being? Or perhaps, as others speculated, he himself is Depriver No. 233?
3L: I think it’s best not to post threads trying to uncover someone’s identity. If the OP from the neighboring forum feels that your investigation into his identity could threaten him, he probably won’t share any more educational posts in the future. The OP has an extraordinary status and possesses more information than us; that much is certain. I believe posting these educational pieces amidst this situation carries risks, which is truly commendable. I don’t want his identity exposed, as he may be able to teach us even more and provide additional insights later on. If his identity is revealed, would he still continue educating us?
4L replying to 3L: Agreed.
5L replying to 3L: I think so too.
6L: Third floor, you’re worrying unnecessarily. I believe the OP from the neighboring forum must have carefully considered this before sharing those educational posts. He likely isn’t afraid of his identity being exposed. Moreover, our search scope is too broad. We don’t know which city he is in or what influence he has—we lack any concrete information. The likelihood of the neighboring forum OP’s identity getting exposed is practically zero.
7L: I’m wondering if the poster from the neighboring thread decided to provide this knowledge after seeing Jingchu’s Cultist murder case and regional quest. The timing seems very coincidental.
8L: That guess is highly plausible.
9L (reply to 7L): Do you mean that the poster in the neighboring thread might be from Jingchu?
10L (reply to 9L): No, no, no, that’s not what I meant. I think the poster from the neighboring thread may have shared the information so that Jingchu players wouldn’t recklessly rush into danger with the Cultists. It was likely done to make them reconsider carefully. From his explanation, Variant Blood individuals possess extraordinary abilities, making them significantly stronger than ordinary people.
11L: Today marks the first day of re-entry after crossing over, which is the most crucial time point. I believe there’s no need to overanalyze the intentions of the poster in the neighboring thread. Perhaps they just decided to enlighten us after careful deliberation, unrelated to Jingchu matters.
12L: Regardless, the knowledge shared by the poster from the neighboring thread is undoubtedly beneficial for all players—it’s truly commendable. If Jingchu region players impulsively accepted quests without knowing what the Order or Variant Blood entails, wouldn’t it lead to unnecessary deaths? With an understanding of Variant Blood, they would surely think twice before taking on tasks.
13L: I believe that players who impulsively accept quests are in the minority. I also trust that the original poster from the neighboring thread shared their knowledge with good intentions, and this information is indeed beneficial for all players.
After reading through several of the most actively discussed threads, Kui Xin was largely convinced that her informational post had achieved its intended effect.
Some doubted her, others supported her, some questioned her, and some praised her.
At their core, humans inherently admire strength. She didn’t need to do much; just a few insignificant actions were enough to guide the players effectively.
Kui Xin now truly embodied a hunter’s mindset, thinking strategically like one.
She had identified her prey and did not wish for others to interfere. Therefore, she needed to employ tactics to exclude other hunters from participating in the pursuit. However, hunters have their own legs, and Kui Xin couldn’t control their movements. She couldn’t simply confront them and break their legs to prevent interference. Instead, she released a bit of intelligence as a deterrent.
The outcome was pleasing; except for those seeking death or those fearless of it, the majority of other players retreated.
This pool runs too deep; stepping in would lead to drowning.
Beyond deterrence, Kui Xin’s dissemination of this educational post had additional considerations at play; she wouldn’t recklessly charge ahead without thought. Before taking this step, she ensured that her choice posed no threat to herself.
At the time, Kui Xin glanced down.
It was Thursday today; tomorrow, Friday, she needed to go teach Su Rong, and Saturday and Sunday were rest days.
With two days to hunt one prey, the timeframe was slightly tight but presented a challenging task. Kui Xin was willing to embrace this challenge.
She plugged her phone in to charge, drew the curtains, and for the first time attempted to activate the superhuman ability “Shadow Shuttling” that she had stripped from Chai Jian.
An invisible shadow enveloped her body, transforming it into a dense black mist imperceptible to the naked eye.
Ignoring spatial distance, Kui Xin instantly teleported from the living room to beside the refrigerator in the kitchen.
“The maximum range is three meters? It seems like there might be potential to enhance it further.” After her initial surprise, Kui Xin tried moving again, this time attempting to “phase through walls.”
Her mistified body effortlessly disregarded the barrier, passing through the solid wall into the bedroom.
Kui Xin held a sturdy rolling pin for the third attempt, hoping to see if she could bring weapons with her.
However, this trial failed. Her body moved, but the rolling pin remained behind, momentarily passing through her mistified form as she activated the ability.
Kui Xin pondered, “Is the limiting factor weight or volume? The clothes I’m wearing can be taken with me.”
After some thought, she switched the rolling pin for a kitchen knife.
This time, Shadow Shuttling succeeded. The kitchen knife vaporized along with her body, traversing through space to arrive beneath another patch of shadows.
It seemed that the influencing factor was volume; only smaller objects could be taken along by Shadow Shuttling.
The Shadow Shuttling skill obtained from Chai Jian was merely E-ranked. If its rank were higher, the range of movement and the size of objects it could carry would likely increase. Nevertheless, even at this level, Shadow Shuttling is an invaluable life-saving technique.
Kui Xin practiced Shadow Shuttling intensively for two hours. Her precision in teleportation improved from erratic to accurate, and after multiple attempts, she determined the exact volume of objects she could transport. Additionally, while her body was in mist form, she could pass through most solid objects without fear of being stabbed or injured.
Practicing superhuman abilities seems to excessively drain physical energy, accelerating hunger. After two hours, feeling extremely famished, Kui Xin failed to activate her power properly. Her body flickered momentarily, but she did not move away.
“No wonder Silver Mask eats so much,” Kui Xin remarked, deeply understanding as she prepared herself a generous serving of noodles with two poached eggs.
She knew she needed to eat well to regain energy for further practice.
Just as hunters need to sharpen their blades for precise and swift strikes on prey.