On the surface, it seems, there's no issue?

But in reality, there's a huge problem.

Not to mention anything else, the most direct issue is—

How can the entire Doomsday Apartment world violate the Law of Entropy Increase, allowing events that should happen first to occur later?

This reversal of sequence, wouldn't it break the Law of Causality?

Could it be that, relying solely on that Framework of Fate, it can frame the world's Law of Causality within it, forcibly making the effect occur before the cause?

Furthermore, there's another most obvious loophole...

The kind of "filling" Jiang Ye speculated about, stacking possibilities to populate parallel worlds, clearly does not align with the theoretical principles of parallel world creation.

Theoretically, parallel worlds are born at the moment Schrödinger's Cat's box is opened, splitting into two parallel worlds—one with a live cat and one with a dead cat.

That is, at the instant of each dice roll, six parallel worlds would split off.

But the parallel worlds filled through reincarnation are not fundamentally "splitting" possibilities, but rather "filling" possibilities.

That is, the first world run opens the box to a live cat.

Then the second world run opens the box to a dead cat.

Then, through countless world runs, it fills in the answers for all parallel worlds.

In other words, constructing a real four-dimensional world only requires the world to run once to get the answer.

The world completes countless splits in this single run.

But constructing this filled-in four-dimensional world requires the world to run countless times.

In essence, this is still a kind of four-dimensional fantasy limited by the three-dimensional environment.

Due to the existence of these many bugs, Jiang Ye's speculations are clearly invalid.

But actually, under one circumstance, these bug-ridden speculations could be valid.

It could violate the Law of Entropy Increase, break the Law of Causality, ignore the original theory of parallel worlds...

Making all of this exist.

That is, existing within "assumption"!

Just like in sci-fi movies and novels, the protagonist can travel to the past, even ignore time, freely traversing the universe of thought!

In other words...

The entire Doomsday Apartment world could be a world "assumed" into existence!

That is, a non-real, virtual world!

Then this virtual world is actually quite similar to the world of computers!

In computer algorithms, there's a most common algorithm called the "brute-force enumeration method."

That is, using the computer's powerful computing power to list all possibilities.

Simply put, for a complex problem, the computer doesn't think about the answer from the problem itself, but first determines the answer range, then tries all candidate answers one by one until the conditions are met, thus arriving at the correct answer.

So, the endless reincarnation of the entire Doomsday Apartment world, doesn't it resemble a computer brute-force enumerating all possible candidate answers over and over again?

Perhaps it's seeking the correct answer that satisfies the conditions from infinite candidate answers.

Or perhaps it's simply listing all possibilities...

At this moment, Jiang Ye's right hand mechanically pinched the claw, chipping at the Ice Ore.

While in his mind, he constructed image after image of the world's operation.

The world's operation synchronized with the operation of code.

Even for a moment, a classic hypothetical experiment surfaced in his mind—the Brain in a Vat!

These "players" in the Doomsday Apartment world, they themselves have no "physical body"!

So the so-called "physical body" bestowed upon them by the Doomsday Apartment...

Perhaps in essence, is just a layer of virtual "code"!

From birth to death, from the apartment's creation to destruction...

What they possess might just be an existence similar to a "Brain in a Vat"!

And this "Brain in a Vat" could perhaps also be understood as a soul.

The physical body bestowed upon players by the Doomsday Apartment will experience life and death.

But the "soul" within reincarnation has never been annihilated.

Then...

What does the physical body level, once revealed by the Guiwen Master, signify?

Is it still confined within the "code" level, a physical body level bestowed upon players by the "code"?

Or perhaps, a higher-level 「physical body」 has broken through the limitations of code?

Of course, Jiang Ye's understanding of "code" might not be accurate either.

Just like a frog at the bottom of a well cannot imagine the world beyond its field of vision.

Jiang Ye's understanding of "code" is merely a conjecture based on the world as he perceives it.

So the actual situation might be—

All of us players, everything in this endless reincarnation world...

Is nothing but a "Brain in a Vat" being Captive Breed by a higher-dimensional existence?

But how did all this happen?

All people in the world, Captive Breed in an instant?

Or perhaps...

Jiang Ye's most spine-chilling conjecture is...

What if, only he is the one?

What if, the other "code" is truly just "code."

The real "Brain in a Vat" is only him?!

This...

That would be the most terrifying!

At this moment, he only felt the chill transmitted from the Ice Ore penetrating deeper into his heart and soul!

A strange, horrifying cold swept through his entire body.

Making him feel dazedly that even the X-tier Ability "Infinite Clones" might just be a curse!

Jiang Ye swayed slightly, his left palm pressing against the Ice Ore again.

Beside him, Song Jie, seeing his pale face, couldn't help but ask with concern, "What's wrong?"

"If you really can't endure it, you actually don't have to mine."

"After all, you have plenty of time;getting an Additional Punishment in the end won't matter."

On the other side, Li Ku seemed thoughtful.

A moment later, he suddenly cut his finger, letting blood drip onto the icy wall.

Instantly, faint "hissing" sounds came from the air.

Simultaneously, the chill emanating from the icy wall noticeably weakened...

Jiang Ye looked dazedly at the blood Li Ku dripped on the icy wall, then heard this youth with a scar-covered face say solemnly:

"The gas in this Mine space seems to erode people's will."

"In the past, there have been players who mined silently and suddenly had mental breakdowns."

Erode will?

Mental breakdown?

In Jiang Ye's vision, the blood color Li Ku dripped into the icy wall soon disappeared.

He slowly regained his senses, couldn't help but doubt...

Could his previous "thinking" have been wild thoughts induced by will erosion?

But...

Jiang Ye suddenly threw away the giant claw, stepping back away from the icy wall.

He slowly took a deep breath, then asked Song Jie:

"Even if I don't mine, I still have to stay here for a full two hours?"

Song Jie nodded, while looking at Jiang Ye's poor complexion, he added gravely:

"After dinner, before sleep, our required 'Ideological Reform' session is even more terrifying in its devastation of will than the Mine space."

"That time is the critical period when most players experience mental breakdowns..."

Song Jie's tone was quite serious;he simply paused his mining action and continued: "Ideological Reform is essentially equivalent to cult brainwashing."

"For example, 'watching movies'—we personally experience the segments in the movie, but the movie plots are essentially brainwashing us."

"According to veteran players' experience, in this 'Personality Reconstruction' School, the best way to resist mental breakdown is... having no 'self-will'."

"Without self-will, thinking of nothing, you won't be eroded to the point of mental breakdown."

"Conversely, the more you think, the more easily you get brainwashed, the more easily you break down."

"..."

Jiang Ye fell silent.

He thought of those players with numb expressions and vacant eyes, walking through the campus like zombies.

Originally, he thought perhaps some terrifying operations by the School gradually led them to emptiness and numbness.

But now it seems...

"So those people actively chose to abandon 'self-will,' becoming zombies..."

Song Jie was silent for a moment, hesitantly nodding: "Between living without a soul and possibly dying at any time, they chose the former."

Jiang Ye frowned, staring at Song Jie and asking: "What about you? And Li Ku? And I clearly noticed some players haven't abandoned self-will."

Song Jie nodded, thought for a moment, and explained with an example: "Have you seen 'Inception'?"

"It sets up totem tools to distinguish dreams from reality, like a spinning top, dice, or chess pieces."

"The reliability of such totem tools essentially depends on the user's subjective belief."

"So we players who remain vibrant are similar;we've set up 'totems' we one hundred percent trust."

"Of course, our totems aren't physical objects, but a kind of spiritual belief."

"That is, something you one hundred percent believe in, something you would never question no matter what."

"Relying on this one hundred percent belief, then no matter what we experience, or how our minds get disturbed... as long as we affirm our belief before mental breakdown."

"Then our will won't be destroyed."

Song Jie thought for a moment, then added: "Of course, this method still has risks."

"Because just as people cannot fully understand themselves, perhaps your conscious mind feels you've one hundred percent affirmed your belief, but in your subconscious, unknown to you, you still have doubts."

"Then, during the brainwashing process, there's still a risk of mental breakdown."

"Regarding the risk of mental breakdown, I didn't mention it to you because I considered you're going to Exile City tomorrow."

"Because situations where newcomers get brainwashed for a short time and immediately have mental breakdowns were almost unheard of before..."

As he spoke, Song Jie looked at Jiang Ye somewhat strangely.

Actually, newcomers in a short time wouldn't even realize they were being subtly "brainwashed."

Many newcomers might need a full month before experiencing some issues at the mental level.

But Jiang Ye, even though his mining time was so short, his reaction was this intense?

Listening to Song Jie's explanation, Jiang Ye was also thoughtful.

Of course, at this point, he shouldn't "think" anymore...

So he indeed temporarily gave up thinking about whether his ideas regarding "Brain in a Vat" and "I'm the only real person in the whole world" were wild thoughts before a mental breakdown or soul-searching questions that might touch the truth.

But he did indeed generate a new question about how to establish so-called "one hundred percent affirmed belief."

He didn't stand on ceremony and directly asked: "So what are your 'beliefs'?"

At this question, Song Jie fell silent.

Instead, Li Ku was very firm: "My dream is my belief."

"I believe it will definitely be realized!"

Alright.

Jiang Ye looked at Song Jie again.

However, Song Jie, who had always been completely open with him, now for the first time refused to answer.

"My belief, I won't tell anyone."

"You too, better not tell anyone."

"Because others' doubts will ultimately affect your will."

Hearing these words, Jiang Ye was thoughtful.

If he wasn't mistaken...

Song Jie himself might not one hundred percent believe in his own belief.

Otherwise, why would he think that speaking it out would face doubt?

Like Li Ku, he one hundred percent affirms his belief, so he doesn't care about others' doubts at all.

So Song Jie...

Jiang Ye thought for a moment, then asked: "Earlier you said you forgot many things, could that actually be true?"

Song Jie was silent for a moment, then nodded: "Probably true."

Then Jiang Ye guessed internally that Song Jie's situation might be half and half.

He abandoned part of his "self-will."

Simultaneously, he reshaped a so-called "belief" in his heart.

This belief might even be fake.

Just like his "Smiling Tiger" image during their first meeting.

He draped a false skin over himself and firmly believed that false skin was himself...

And Jiang Ye, what should he use as his "belief" to combat mental breakdown?

He could actually understand why his mind was affected so quickly.

After all, he once possessed numerous clones.

Even used the Life Stone to steal others' memories.

A large amount of information itself easily causes mental chaos.

If he doesn't find ways to properly manage his mental will...

Jiang Ye suspects that perhaps he wouldn't even need brainwashing;his mind would eventually break down someday!

So now, following Song Jie's hints, he has two feasible options—

Either, discard "self-will."

If he's not mistaken, if he truly discards this clone's consciousness...

Then it should be equivalent to a clone originally possessing self-will directly falling into being a 【Puppet Clone】.

For Jiang Ye's vast clone army, this basically isn't a loss either.

But not a loss counts as evasion.

He can't, to prevent mental breakdown, have all future clones only act as puppets, right?

So, he can only choose the second option—

Establish a belief.

Given the Mine environment is special, Jiang Ye temporarily avoids thinking about what belief he should establish.

He simply emptied his mind, picking up the claw again to mine Ice Ore.

But honestly, this kind of mechanical labor process made it really difficult for him to completely empty his mind.

Jiang Ye soon started thinking about this and that again.

He forcibly suppressed his thoughts again, simply shifting his attention, asking Song Jie and Li Ku to tell him some certain things.

Thus, these two hours of mining felt exceptionally long.

Jiang Ye even somewhat doubted whether these two hours were secretly stretched?

He felt the time was long, stemming from his uncontrollable wild thoughts.

As for Lord Leopard's side, He Yuliang and the other newcomer fainted several times during mining, were forcibly awakened by Lord Leopard, and even ended up showing signs of hypothermia.

By the time the mining session ended, the two were like dead dogs...

He Yuliang couldn't take it anymore, his entire person almost pale as paper, staggering toward Jiang Ye's direction and saying: "Senior... we 'comrades,' have a private chat?"