Surviving the Doomsday Apartment—With Infinite Clones!
Chapter 501: Happy New Year~
Of course, the shock Li Si displayed perfectly satisfied Chen Cang's desire to show off.
He even directly raised a middle finger at Li Si.
Then he made that miniature moon infant hover above his middle finger.
Like spinning a ball on a single finger, it seemed as if his raised middle finger was controlling the mini moon infant's levitation.
Finally, he gave Li Si a light laugh and said:
"Thanks for the reminder. So, this hand wearing the prison watch won't touch it then."
"..." It took Li Si quite a while to barely recover.
He took a deep breath and said solemnly, "The announcement of the moon infant's birth will likely cause quite a stir."
"The anomalies in this place absolutely cannot be hidden from the eyes and ears of other players."
"Whether it's the Moon People from Exile City or the Sun People from Qiankun Land, they will probably focus their attention here very soon and take immediate action."
"Not to mention, that Moon-Devouring Giant Toad might not have truly backed off either..."
"So, this is not a place to linger. Should we move to a relatively safer place to have a proper talk?"
Chen Cang was just about to press Li Si about the bamboo tube explosion, to see if this guy's claim of "being plotted against" was deceptive nonsense or actually true.
However, after hearing Li Si's words, he had to temporarily suppress this doubt again.
But he wasn't willing to be led by the nose by Li Si.
So he didn't directly accept the suggestion.
His gaze swept over this area of the Forest of Oddities, which had been eroded by the extra-concentrated mist due to the moon infant's birth, and he asked Li Si:
"I remember some egg-laying creatures eat their eggshells for nutrition after hatching."
"This newly born moon infant..."
"It was originally such a huge giant sphere, yet it was born just this finger-sized."
"And 99.99% of the contents of the giant sphere transformed into this extra-concentrated mist."
"So I'm thinking, should this mini moon infant absorb some of this extra-concentrated mist to supplement its nutrition for rapid growth?"
"..."
Li Si's expression was somewhat subtle.
After a moment of silence, he took a deep breath and said:
"Theoretically, you might be right."
"But in reality, we don't have the conditions."
"That is—no time, no ability."
"Your desire for this mini moon infant to absorb the extra-concentrated mist is good, but the problem is, how to absorb it?"
"Mist is definitely not as simple as you think."
"Even Sun People players, without wearing prison watches, are helpless against it and have to keep a respectful distance."
"Not to mention, this even more bizarre 'extra-concentrated' mist..."
"Moreover, even if you truly had the ability to help the moon infant absorb this extra-concentrated mist, we don't have time now!"
"Moon People and Sun People, far more powerful than us, and even the Moon-Devouring Giant Toad, could appear here at any moment!"
"And they certainly can't absorb away this extra-concentrated mist either."
"So, we should leave first. Helping the moon infant absorb the extra-concentrated mist can perhaps be planned for later!"
Li Si was using normal human logic, and his words were very reasonable.
However, Chen Cang was not a normal person.
He was the "protagonist"!
The so-called "protagonist" is meant to shatter ordinary people's perceptions and turn what is deemed "impossible" in the eyes of common folk into "possible"!
The more Li Si said "theoretically feasible but impossible in reality," the more Chen Cang wanted to directly turn theoretical feasibility into reality!
Clearly, he was being influenced more and more by the Protagonist Halo! He increasingly felt that as long as he wanted to do something, he could succeed.
He immediately asked Witch Gui Jiang Ye in his heart if there was any way to help the moon infant absorb the extra-concentrated mist...
At that moment, Witch Gui Jiang Ye couldn't quite describe his feelings.
He didn't look down on Chen Cang's protagonist mentality much.
On the contrary, he was quite envious.
Just like some people mock the young for being poor, while others envy the young for having infinite possibilities.
It's often said online—youthful spirit is a non-renewable resource.
Jiang Ye had always felt that so-called youthful spirit is a sense of "the world belongs to me," a protagonist feeling.
Why does this thing diminish and disappear with age?
It's because fate plays tricks, using repeated blows, even "beatings," to make the young realize they are not the ones favored by fate.
The world never belonged to them, and it can't even be bothered to glance their way.
Thus, under repeated beatings, youthful spirit is lost.
Thus—
When the young read "don't bully the young for being poor," they only feel a surge of passion, believing the future holds infinite possibilities.
When the middle-aged read "don't bully the young for being poor" again, all that remains is a bitter self-mockery from "don't bully the young for being poor" to "respect for the deceased."
Because the journey from youth to middle age turns the once-imagined "future" into reality, and then one witnesses with their own eyes—that their own future had no infinite possibilities, just a mess of trivialities...
As for someone like Chen Cang, favored by fate.
Regardless of the final outcome.
At least during the process of being favored by fate, he is confident to the point of being arrogant and overbearing, acting without restraint.
He doesn't need to be timid and hesitant like ordinary people, but can live freely and unrestrainedly, doing everything according to his own wishes.
After all, heaven itself has his back.
Thinking this way, Witch Gui Jiang Ye actually gave Chen Cang a serious analysis:
"According to your earlier analysis, some egg-laying creatures eating their eggshells for nutrition is an autonomous behavior."
"If this newly born moon infant truly needs the nutrition from the extra-concentrated mist, then logically, it should absorb it on its own, without needing help from others."
"But the state of this moon infant is indeed a bit strange—perhaps the layer of solid-state mist surrounding it prevents it from absorbing the extra-concentrated mist?"
"Or perhaps it needs to absorb the solid-state mist first before it can absorb this extra-concentrated mist that overflowed from the giant sphere?"
Actually, according to Jiang Ye's analysis...
Whether it's solid-state mist, extra-concentrated mist, or regular mist, they are essentially all mist.
There should be a hierarchy among these mists.
Actually, back in the Doomsday Apartment era, he had already realized that mist has a hierarchy.
The most vivid example is—
According to Salvation, when he generated the SSS-grade light clone "Jiang Yue," he consumed one of Salvation's "mist milk stones."
The so-called "mist milk stones" are actually solid-state mist, also known as "ice ore."
It's just that with the change of eras, it was renamed "mist milk stones."
Jiang Ye had analyzed back then—
The level of mist in his environment could affect the generation of his clones!
In the current Doomsday Prison era background, perhaps this rule still holds.
Thinking this way, Jiang Ye couldn't help but have some ulterior thoughts about the layer of solid-state mist surrounding that mini moon infant.
If he forcibly competed with the moon infant for "nutrition," using the solid-state mist surrounding it to generate a clone...
Then, what kind of clone would be generated?
Of course, what he was even more curious about was—
Could the bizarre existence inside that pregnant woman version clone "Jiang Yue" be "born"?
If it can be "born," then what kind of ghostly thing would be born?
If he mass-produced that kind of pregnant woman version clone, could he then mass-produce that kind of unknown ghostly thing?
The more Jiang Ye understood about this era, the more he looked forward to regaining the ability to generate clones.
Otherwise, all this mist everywhere, the extra-concentrated mist, the solid-state mist... it felt like such a waste!
After his serious analysis, Chen Cang thought—
Perhaps it was his [Blood Prison Contract] that affected the moon infant's abilities, causing it to fail to quickly absorb the solid-state mist and extra-concentrated mist...
Immediately, Chen Cang made a bold decision—
He directly cut his finger and let the flowing blood drip onto the mini moon infant wrapped in a layer of ice ore.
According to the characteristics of [Blood Prison Contract], Chen Cang's blood would become essential nutrition for the little moon infant's growth.
However, dripping blood onto "ice ore"...
was not something just anyone dared to do.
Blood shed by players in the mist would quickly disperse into the mist.
Initially, it would condense into a small patch of thin blood mist.
Soon, that already thin blood mist would be diluted into nothingness by the boundless mist, like a stone sinking into the sea.
And the "dilution" effect of "ice ore" on blood seemed even more extreme.
The blood Chen Cang dripped onto the "ice ore" disappeared into that layer of "ice ore" in the blink of an eye.
It appeared it hadn't been fed into the moon infant at all.
This directly made Chen Cang frown.
And Li Si timely suggested: "Coincidentally, I know of a special blood pool. How about taking the moon infant to soak in the blood pool first?"
Chen Cang was speechless, thinking to himself: Not just anyone's blood works!
It's because I signed the [Blood Prison Contract] with the moon infant, so only my blood...
However, halfway through his internal complaint, he changed his mind.
For the moon infant, indeed only his blood was "nutrition."
But for him, the so-called "blood pool" might be entirely convertible into his blood.
On one hand, it might potentially enhance his bloodline talent abilities;
On the other hand, perhaps the refined blood pool could also help the moon infant...
Thus, it was only here that Li Si managed to persuade Chen Cang.
The two then headed towards the blood pool where the Cheng Lin version of Jiang Ye was.
At that time, Witch Gui Jiang Ye still didn't know that the Cheng Lin version of Jiang Ye was at the Blood Pool and Forest of Flesh.
In his heart, he actually wanted to go to the "Exile City" Li Si mentioned.
Because based on Li Si's earlier introduction, Jiang Ye could easily guess—
In that so-called "Exile City," he should be able to regain his ability to generate clones.
After all, according to Li Si, during the [solar eclipse] period, he teamed up with Sun People players to explore Exile City, and later, the Sun People and Moon People all turned into "variant" versions that could project images within the eyeballs.
Jiang Ye guessed that kind of "variant version" meant they had become his clones...
He had wanted to go to "Exile City" back then.
However, he didn't want to miss the plot surrounding the "protagonist" either.
Thus, it came to be that Chen Cang and Li Si, along with Witch Gui Jiang Ye residing in the [Heart Demon Nest], appeared before the Cheng Lin version of Jiang Ye.
That is, the reunion at the Blood Pool and Forest of Flesh.
At the moment of reunion, the two Jiang Ye clones shared the joy of reunion, synchronizing memories from both sides.
Even in such a joyful moment, Jiang Ye still kept a portion of his attention observing the surroundings.
He discovered—
Du Yuheng's eyes actually flashed with two successive red glows.
Although extremely fast and concealed very well.
But Jiang Ye, equipped with mechanical eyeballs, naturally still noticed.
It was at this moment that Jiang Ye belatedly thought of a minor, detail-oriented BUG.
The skill [True Sight Eye], one of his clones had possessed it before.
Plus the effect of [Clone Fusion], many of his clones had used this skill.
So he could basically confirm—
When using the skill [True Sight Eye], there shouldn't be a red glow flashing in the eyes, right?
So, Du Yuheng indeed still had reservations towards him.
The detection-type skill this guy used was probably not [True Sight Eye].
And a detection-type skill that needed to be deliberately concealed...
Was probably extremely unusual.
This thought flashed through his mind, but at this moment, in this situation, of course he didn't expose it.
And Chen Cang, without mechanical eyeballs, didn't seem to have noticed Du Yuheng's anomaly either.
He directly flashed to the edge of the blood pool, his gaze sweeping over the three people in the blood pool, first landing on the Cheng Lin version of Jiang Ye.
"You're that guy from before..." he spoke, his tone clearly carrying caution and hostility.
Because earlier, when Chen Cang was cutting down trees, he was interfered with by Li Si using the "Cheng Lin" identity and two other Sun People players.
He clearly remembered that those three Sun People players at the time clearly wanted to erase him!
Jiang Ye didn't want to take the blame for this. He directly transformed into his original form, then flashed and actively latched onto Chen Cang's wrist.
Thus, Chen Cang, wearing him as a watch, directly turned into the appearance of "Cheng Lin."
After Chen Cang confirmed this appearance, Jiang Ye left his wrist again.
Taking human form, he directly explained:
"The one using my identity back then wasn't me, but Li Si beside you."
Chen Cang looked at Li Si.
Li Si also explained: "The one who attacked you back then wasn't me. It was the two other Sun People players beside me."
This series of passing the buck...
Directly rendered Chen Cang speechless.
However, it also gave him plenty of face.
After all, generally, strong players disdain explanations.
Only the weak explain to the strong, try to reason with the strong.
Logically, this "Cheng Lin" was a Sun and Moon Person.
He had higher authority, he could also try to erase Chen Cang.
But he didn't, and instead specifically explained.
This gave Chen Cang plenty of face and greatly satisfied his vanity.
Thus, Chen Cang didn't dwell on it anymore, his gaze falling on Du Yuheng and He Yuliang.
For some reason, when he glanced at Du Yuheng, his gaze was utterly calm, as if the "protagonist" was scanning an insignificant "background character."
In contrast, when looking at He Yuliang, Chen Cang's eyes flickered.
When He Yuliang met Chen Cang's gaze, he was also somewhat surprised.
He had interacted with Chen Cang in his "previous life," but not in this Blood Pool and Forest of Flesh...
Not much time had passed in his "current life," yet many things were already different from his previous life.
As He Yuliang sighed inwardly, Chen Cang spoke to him:
"Why are you here? I mean—in this era."