Before asking this question, Jiang Ye already had some speculations in his mind. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝙚𝔀𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝒐𝒎

According to the information previously revealed by Song Jie—

Players in this "Doomsday Prison" version basically do not possess "innate talents."

Most "talents" in this version are acquired talents.

And Jiang Ye had previously speculated—

Some talents can only be born from innate talents;

Some talents, however, can only be born from acquired talents.

Therefore, the initial talents of the clones he generates are limited to innate talents only.

So many acquired talents are absent from the clones he generates.

And according to his speculation—

"Light Element Affinity" is an innate talent.

Then, in this Doomsday Prison setting where innate talents are almost non-existent, Light faction talents should not exist either.

Sure enough, the answer Song Jie gave confirmed his guess—

"Light Element Affinity? Is that your talent? I've never heard of such a talent."

After thinking for a moment, Song Jie added, "I know there aren't many players with talents, and among these players, the more common talent should be [Blood Element Affinity]."

Blood Element Affinity...

This is indeed an acquired talent that Jiang Ye has already confirmed.

Previously, when he first encountered Chen Cang, Chen Cang did not have this talent.

Later, when they met again, Chen Cang's gorgeous Data Panel included the [Blood Element Affinity] talent.

So this talent was clearly acquired by Chen Cang later.

Speaking of Chen Cang...

That guy with the [Protagonist Halo]...

Could he have also teleported from the Mirror Palace secret realm to this ancient era?

This thought flashed through Jiang Ye's mind but was not given much importance.

Following the current situation, he continued to deduce the so-called "history."

First, the conflict between the Light and Dark factions must have existed in history.

But judging from the current situation...

That might have happened during "Doomsday Apartment Day 2."

And in this more ancient "Day 1," talents like Light and Dark factions don't even exist yet!

So the historical evolution of this "Day 1"...

Perhaps is the evolution from "Doomsday Prison" to "Doomsday Apartment"?

How to turn a "prison" into an "apartment"?

Perhaps just like the gloomy youth before him dreams.

When everyone in the world is a "sinner," then "sinners" will cease to exist.

Thinking this way, Jiang Ye made a decision in his heart.

His gaze met the gloomy youth before him. After a moment of silence, he asked, "What's your name?"

"Li Ku."

?

Jiang Ye appropriately showed a puzzled expression.

The youth added, "Li as in the character for plum, Ku as in suffering."

"..." What a strange name.

But Jiang Ye didn't dwell on it too much and asked another question, "Is it okay if I use my skill on you?"

When he said the word "skill," the players in this classroom looked at him with some odd expressions again.

After all...

Skills are abilities that accompany talents.

And in this era, players with talents are quite rare.

Lord Leopard's gaze became complicated again, but soon, the complexity in his eyes turned into thoughtful contemplation.

Because the two newcomers he brought also had talents, clearly innate talents as well.

At this moment, whether it was Lord Leopard, Song Jie, or the other veteran players present, they all vaguely realized...

The times were changing.

Among this batch of newcomers, "innate talents" were no longer a rarity.

Everyone had their own thoughts.

Li Ku quickly steadied his mind and straightforwardly asked Jiang Ye,

"What is your skill?"

Jiang Ye was forthright, "Randomly stealing memories."

He had given the same explanation to Song Jie before.

Li Ku thought for a moment, stared at him, and asked, "If I agree, can you give me a spot for Exile City?"

Jiang Ye raised an eyebrow, not directly agreeing, "I can consider it."

Li Ku fell silent for a moment, then compromised, "What do you need me to do for your skill?"

"Just give me your hand."

Jiang Ye took Li Ku's hand and pressed it against his own forehead, beginning to steal memories.

This time, after the skill took effect, the first thing he felt was a strong "exile scent."

It seemed that as long as the target whose memories were being stolen carried this scent, his skill could extract it.

The scent on Li Ku was so strong, perhaps because his Glyph Pattern Ability was powerful? Or because he had consumed too many Exile Fruits?

Or perhaps...

Because he had eaten too much human flesh?

This thought only flashed through Jiang Ye's mind for a moment.

And the memory scenes he stole next were what truly shocked him, making him deeply understand why the [Holds Grudges] talent was an SSS-tier existence...

Because, he actually saw himself in Li Ku's memory scenes!

Oh no, to be precise...

He saw "Zhou Qiming," saw Huang Bo, saw Chen Cang, and also saw Guan He and He Xingyue!

Along with some unfamiliar presences around them, who were clearly Light players!

This is just downright absurd??

He had just gotten the answer from Song Jie—

In this era, there is no "Light Element Affinity" talent.

Nor does the concept of "Light players" exist!

Yet, Light players actually appeared in Li Ku's memories.

And they were Huang Bo, Guan He, He Xingyue...

For a moment, Jiang Ye even thought that this Li Ku was also a "transmigrator."

He had encountered Huang Bo and other Light players before transmigrating.

He had contacted Li Ku during the period when Huang Bo lost contact with the other clones.

But upon careful analysis of the scenes, he realized something was off!

This youthful version of "Zhou Qiming" was a product under the effect of the [Guilty Youth] Authority Level.

And he had never lost contact!

Jiang Ye was certain this version of "Zhou Qiming" had never met Li Ku!

Moreover, the background in this memory scene clearly did not belong to the "Doomsday Apartment."

From Li Ku's perspective, he was looking up at a towering giant tree.

And that towering giant tree looked incredibly similar to the one Xiao Hei Snake was forced to entwine.

Except in the scene, the giant tree was no longer entwined with black snakes.

Instead, figures of Light players stood on the branches of that giant tree like gods.

Accompanying the memory scenes, what surged in Jiang Ye's chest should have been Li Ku's hatred and fear.

This fear clearly stemmed from the Dark faction's instinct towards the Light faction.

And under this extreme fear, Jiang Ye vaguely heard from the memory scene a bitter, self-mocking voice:

"So... everything was predestined..."

"Starting from when you asked about 'Light Element Affinity'..."

"This is Light Element Affinity... hahahaha..."

"..."

The memory ended here.

Jiang Ye returned to his senses from the skill.

Yet, a storm churned in his eyes, lingering for a long time!

Light Element Affinity...

It is known that in this era, the Light Element Affinity talent does not exist.

But Light players had appeared in Li Ku's memories!

And he mentioned "Light Element Affinity" with that self-mocking voice...

It was only then that Jiang Ye suddenly realized with a shock—

What he had stolen... must be a grudge memory that occurred in the future!

What future Li Ku said about everything being predestined...

Starting from when he asked about the "Light Element talent"...

What these words pointed to seemed to be this very moment!

Realizing this, Jiang Ye felt an indescribably strange sensation in his heart.

So much so that the look he gave Li Ku was also indescribably strange.

Li Ku, however, was completely open and aboveboard, as if there was nothing in his memories that couldn't be seen.

He even showed an indifferent attitude and asked Jiang Ye, "I wonder what kind of me was presented in the memories you randomly stole?"

Jiang Ye fell silent for a moment, not directly answering the question, only saying meaningfully,

"Li Ku... that name suits you quite well."

"Hah, yes." Li Ku nodded, thinking Jiang Ye had seen some painful past of his. He then asked straightforwardly, "Now then, can I go to Exile City?"

Jiang Ye thought for a moment but instead asked him,

"If I give the choice to you, I hope you will seriously consider—"

"Do you really want to go to Exile City, to realize your great dream?"

Li Ku answered almost without hesitation, "Of course."

Jiang Ye asked again, "No matter the outcome, you won't regret it?"

Li Ku still didn't hesitate, "I won't regret it."

"...Alright." Since he was so determined, Jiang Ye had nothing to hesitate about either.

He directly decided, "Tomorrow, for the trip to Exile City, I'll give you a spot."

Upon hearing this, that scar-covered face of Li Ku's finally surged with fanatical emotion again.

To be honest, although he had actively come to beg Jiang Ye, he hadn't held much hope...

Getting such an answer, he still felt an unreal sensation and asked in a trembling voice to confirm, "You... you can really decide, give me this spot?"

Jiang Ye shrugged indifferently, "Whether it's real or not, you'll know tomorrow."

Then, after thinking for a moment, he added, "But I still have a small request."

Li Ku didn't hesitate, "I agree."

Jiang Ye nodded, "About six hours later, I'd like to steal your memories again."

Li Ku was still indifferent, "No need to wait six hours. If you want to know everything about me, I can tell you directly."

Jiang Ye thought to himself: You can't tell me about your future.

He shook his head slightly, "I still trust my skill more."

Since he said so, Li Ku didn't insist.

He didn't change his position again, nor did he continue practicing with the ice skin. He simply stood guard beside Jiang Ye like a bodyguard.

And Jiang Ye turned around, continuing to practice with the ice skin while pondering in his heart...

Did what future Li Ku said about "everything being predestined" truly represent that everything that will happen in the future is already destined?

Or was that just the outcome of Li Ku in some [parallel world]?

Judging from the scenes in the memory, Li Ku should have become a rather powerful existence among dark-type creatures.

His dream might have truly come true.

The Land of Exile and "sinners" became the rulers of the world.

Li Ku also reached the peak of power.

But this peak was easily destroyed by light-type creatures...

From a detached perspective, Jiang Ye didn't sympathize with Li Ku.

After all, from a "historical" viewpoint, the players of this era no longer exist in the "future" of Doomsday Apartment Day 8.

After briefly organizing Li Ku's "future," Jiang Ye began to ponder again...

Among the memories he had already stolen, were there also memories belonging to the "future" that he hadn't noticed?

The first one he focused on was the "evil is stronger than good" memory obtained from the prison light screen.

That memory was difficult to pinpoint in time.

It might have happened in the past, but it could also very likely have happened in the future.

Even that sentence might have been spoken by Jiang Ye himself in the future.

Furthermore, the memory of that Driver from the Bus Incident could also possibly have happened in the "future."

Meaning, that Driver had not been to normal cities in the "past."

It was in his "future" experiences that he would be expelled from normal cities.

Then, could Xiao Hei's memory have happened in the future?

It felt more likely that Xiao Hei's memory happened in the past.

But there was still a tiny probability it could have happened in the future.

And then, Song Jie's memory...

Jiang Ye thought for a moment, then simply turned directly to Song Jie and asked,

"When I stole your memories before, you said you didn't remember..."

"Was it truly that you didn't remember, or that you didn't want to remember?"

This sudden question caused Song Jie's expression to change slightly.

He seemed unwilling to answer this question.

But considering Jiang Ye's uniqueness, he ultimately answered, "Because I didn't want to remember, many painful memories might indeed have been forgotten."

Jiang Ye asked again, "That phrase 'if you're begging someone, have the attitude of begging,' do you remember what event it corresponded to?"

Song Jie fell silent for a moment, finally let out a sigh, and slowly said,

"That should be the memory that caused me to be infected with the exile scent..."

"I used to be clean, a 'pure human' like you are now, hadn't eaten Exile Fruits, hadn't eaten human flesh."

"I also had a dream once: to use a clean, untainted physical body to obtain a [Pardon], then shed the sinner identity and go live in a normal city."

"As for the memory you randomly stole, it should be the incident that caused me to be tainted with the exile scent, leading to my complete corruption..."

Song Jie acted as if he didn't care at all.

But Jiang Ye, who had stolen that memory of his, felt with absolute clarity the hidden, unresolved feelings beneath Song Jie's current "indifferent" facade.

Song Jie took a deep breath, his right finger tapping on the Prison watch, and suddenly smiled, "Do you know why the normal humans in normal cities can righteously expel sinners with such self-righteousness?"

"Those normal humans have no talents, no Glyph Pattern Abilities, their combat power is less than 0.5... They are just a bunch of trash, a bunch of weaklings!"

With this sentence, the "indifferent" facade on Song Jie's face finally leaked obvious hatred.

And this hatred was directed at... the normal humans of normal cities.

Jiang Ye's gaze fell on the finger tapping the Prison watch and guessed without much difficulty, "Because of the existence of the Prison watch, those normal humans can instantly Erase sinners?"

"Including the Enforcers, they are also subordinate to those normal humans?"

Song Jie wasn't surprised he could guess and added with a smile, "Besides the Prison watch, besides the mechanical eyeballs called Enforcers, normal humans also control various props including but not limited to the Blood Skin Coat..."

"If we look at it from our modern perspective—"

"Those people, although their physical bodies are weak, possess high-tech civilization."

"And we sinners are like 'monsters' opposing that high-tech civilization."

Such a situation wasn't hard for Jiang Ye to guess.

He guessed that Xiao Hei being captured for "wine-making" was probably also done by normal humans.

And the fine threads controlling Xiao Hei inside his body were likely also "high-tech" products of normal humans.

And Song Jie's hatred...

"That phrase 'if you're begging someone, have the attitude of begging,' came from some normal human?"

"But you're in the Land of Exile, how could you come into contact with normal humans from normal cities?"