Chapter 253: Ghost God’s Eyeball Comes Up Empty, Core Factory’s Karuta! Core Embracing Hip Sitting, Spirit, Energy, And Vitality United!
Just after the factory alarm sounded and Shangshan Che was completely incinerated in an instant.
An indifferent gaze fell, and upon appearing, it could see the entire factory inside and out, from top to bottom, including all the pipes, assembly lines, and even the corners, crystal clear.
Even the area centered on the factory, spanning dozens of kilometers around, was swept clean in an instant by this cold and cruel gaze.
But the scarlet eye pupil that opened in mid-air found nothing, only seeing that the Factory Core at the very bottom and most central part of the logistics factory had disappeared.
Without a trace.
The force field maintaining the core’s operation and fixation was still there, but the thing fixed by this force field had inexplicably vanished.
—If not destroying the force field, one would need to pass through the heat dissipation layer exceeding 100,000 degrees released by the Factory Core’s operation, which was also the protective layer, to touch it.
From the alarm to its appearance above the factory, it hadn’t even been a second.
In such a short time, how could the thief have crossed the heat dissipation layer first and then disappeared within dozens of miles?
Even it itself couldn’t do that.
The scarlet eyeball scanned back and forth, yet didn’t discover even a single trace.
Nothing gained.
Is this a joke?
The number of scarlet blood threads surged dramatically, the eye pupil’s coverage nearly doubling, yet it still only saw the discolored sky and wasteland.
—Or perhaps, a Ghost God Supernatural Phenomenon expert at escaping, or even a Wild God-level existence, discovered this remote logistics factory and took the Factory Core?
The scarlet eyeball’s gaze fell, making all the robot sequences in the factory freeze in place, motionless.
But that doesn’t make sense; the great Overlords’ fame is renowned even in the Eternal World.
Moreover, this core requires a specific force field frequency to drive and use normally, and each core even has a different corresponding frequency.
Even if stolen, it would have no use.
Besides, the Overlords also produce cores for external sale; those powerful beings wouldn’t go out of their way to provoke the Overlords over things that can be bought.
The scarlet eyeball couldn’t figure it out.
It only knew it was in trouble.
Losing the Factory Core is a small matter, but now the molds replicating “Karuta” have been deployed to various factories; if outsiders discover that, it’s the big issue.
The great Overlords repeatedly instructed, and used extremely expensive mysterious artifacts, to allow it to teleport instantly between factories millions of miles apart.
But now with the Factory Core gone, the Karuta matter has a high chance of being exposed, and it can only float in mid-air glaring helplessly.
The last time the Overlord assigned it the mission to infiltrate and attack the Mortal Realm, it also failed similarly.
Thinking of this, the scarlet eyeball trembled violently, with winding terrifying blood threads crawling all over its sclera.
Angry! Angry! Angry!
……
At this moment, the object of the scarlet eyeball’s anger had already unknowingly opened its eyes on the soft big bed.
【You experienced being incinerated by extreme high temperature, gaining some insight; Corona Breathing Technique proficiency +150!】
Shangshan Che stared blankly at the prompt floating in mid-air for a good while before regaining control of his body from the state of “emptiness.”
“Phew… this feeling of being burned to nothing is pretty novel, huh.”
Shangshan Che slightly moved his whole body, then rapidly circulated Qi around his body several times before feeling his Spirit, Energy, and Vitality return to his physical body.
This experience of being incinerated in an instant by high temperature of unknown tens or hundreds of thousands of degrees was, even among his dozens or hundreds of ways of dying, one of the most terrifying.
Before entering the light sphere’s range, Shangshan Che exerted all his strength to reinforce the triple circulation on his body surface, wrapping himself in Lightning, but this protection only held for an instant.
The next moment after touching the Factory Core, Shangshan Che’s “shield,” employing all his knowledge, turned to ash without feeling, along with his entire body.
Correct, he didn’t even have time to feel pain or the high temperature.
In the blink of an eye, Shangshan Che lost his physical body, the foundation of his existence in the world, leaving only a dazed soul.
Thus, it brought the great terror of existing only in consciousness and soul, yet knowing nothing, feeling nothing, sensing nothing.
“Fortunately, I opened my eyes right away in the Mortal Realm.” Shangshan Che got up from the bed, discovering that the mattress had been soaked with sweat at some point. “Otherwise, I’d probably be a vegetable for life.”
He exhaled a scorching Qi Sword from his mouth, wanting to take out the Factory Core to examine it.
But Shangshan Che thought of this thing’s terror, so he decided to take it out in the Eternal World instead—to avoid burning down his own home.
Eyes opening and closing, Shangshan Che arrived at the wilderness where Kisaragi Station once was.
—Of course, he couldn’t go back to Arakawa Village; who knows if Factory Owner Z is digging three feet deep to find this thief.
Besides the familiar ruins around, there was still nothing; not even ordinary grudge spirits or the ubiquitous lesser demons could be seen.
Most places in the Eternal World are probably like this; prosperity is the minority.
Shangshan Che didn’t think much; he first reinforced the triple Qi Circulation again and placed his intent on the button to leave the Eternal World, making full preparations before taking out the Factory Core.
The anticipated terrifying light and heat did not appear.
The basketball-sized blue orb quietly lay in his palm, its surface refracting faint moonlight, just like a Glass Bead.
【Factory Core】
【Quality: Super Epic】
【Effect: None for now; requires activation with a specific frequency force field to trigger its effect.】
【—The crystal of supernatural energy industry.】
Clearly, Shangshan Che couldn’t use this Factory Core at all.
Then it could only serve as the key to the map—this was his original thought.
Taking out the Parchment Map that had been gathering dust in the Storage Bag for a long time, Shangshan Che held one in each hand, bringing them close.
Soon, Shangshan Che saw a faint glow appear on the surface of the Parchment Map.
A Prompt popped up.
【Use “Factory Core” to activate the Unknown Core Factory Map?】
“Yes.”
This was something that required no hesitation.
The next Prompt popped up immediately.
【Please select one of the following three unknown Core Factories for targeting!】
Light and shadow flickered, and three semi-transparent screens immediately appeared before Shangshan Che’s eyes.
【Destruction】, 【Evolution】, 【Rebirth】.
Respectively on the three screens appeared such somewhat impressive keywords.
Shangshan Che first looked at the first screen, seeing an immensely grand factory inside, with all sorts of steel constructs standing tall, long guns and short cannons arrayed in rows.
Even in the corner, Shangshan Che spotted the 【Combat Sequence vanguard spearhead】 he had encountered at the Special Affairs Office Building in Shizuoka Prefecture.
Clearly, this first factory was a Weapon Factory, with treasures likely being psychic weapons or a powerful Combat Sequence.
Shangshan Che wasn’t too tempted, just like how he didn’t like using modern gunpowder weapons.
—Using pure external power might give an early advantage, but over time it would create dependency.
In the second screen, countless specimens stood, innumerable bottles and jars held by robots similar to the logistics sequences.
Connecting to the word “Evolution”…
Shangshan Che thought this might be a potion factory.
The grand prize inside might be a potion with astonishing effects, beneficial for long-term future development.
Mentally placing the Evolution Factory ahead of the Destruction Factory, Shangshan Che then looked at the third screen.
The third screen looked no different from an ordinary factory assembly line, appearing unremarkable.
Shangshan Che couldn’t see anything related to “Rebirth.”
But after more careful observation, Shangshan Che’s pupils suddenly contracted.
He immediately took out the 【Component 028】 he had just swiped from the logistics factory, holding the square black component before his eyes, repeatedly comparing it to the tiny image in the screen.
Eye of Interpretation contracted, “engraving” this image, then proportionally enlarging it in his mind.
Thus, Shangshan Che confirmed the image was identical to Component 028.
And similar images filled the screen, hundreds or thousands!
—This one it is! 【Rebirth】 Factory!
Although from the images alone, it wasn’t clear where this factory excelled, the reality was that Factory Owner Z’s entire logistics factory produced only one component.
Yet this factory was producing hundreds of components simultaneously.
The grand prize and secrets in this factory are definitely exciting!
【You targeted the Unknown Core Factory · Third Place!】
After selecting, a series of Prompts popped up before Shangshan Che’s eyes.
【You targeted the Abandoned Core Factory · Karuta III!】
【Abandoned Core Factory · Karuta III】
【—Initiated by Factory Owner P and Factory Owner L, a top-secret plan infused with the effort and funds of a total of seven Factory Owners, an attempt by the Factory Owners to explore “Possibility.”
But it failed.
This is one of the super-giant Core Factories in the plan.】
After reading the description, Shangshan Che clenched his fist, rarely showing joy on his face.
Chose right!
A major project by seven Factory Owners together… even if abandoned, the leftovers would be more than enough to stuff Shangshan Che to bursting.
Moreover, an abandoned factory is more conducive to his exploration.
Otherwise, getting spotted by Ghost God-level big eyeballs or even more terrifying Factory Owners right after stepping out would make this map useless.
【You learned the location of Abandoned Core Factory · Karuta III!】
Opening the map function unused for a long time, Shangshan Che discovered that Karuta III Factory had no corresponding position in the Mortal Realm.
Only on the Eternal World map did a light spot flicker.
This means Shangshan Che can’t easily open the map in the Mortal Realm.
Moreover, this light spot is extremely far from the maps Shangshan Che has opened, separated by vast uncharted black areas.
To go, he could only rely on the Train that covers hundreds of thousands of miles in an instant.
Shangshan Che thought about it and felt calling the Kisaragi Train wasn’t good—even if abandoned, this factory was once an important plan for multiple Factory Owners.
If she got him provoking so many Factory Owners, Shangshan Che would feel bad.
So, he could only use the traditional method—
【Train’s Round-Trip Ticket（Special Item）】.
A brand new Shinkansen ticket appeared in his hand.
The Eternal World Train, belonging to no one and merely a phenomenon in the Eternal World, wouldn’t have the issue of being targeted by Factory Owners.
Confirming the coordinates of Karuta III Factory could be entered into the ticket, Shangshan Che put it away first.
He’d “slept” for one or two hours; it was time to go downstairs and eat dinner with Lili Zi.
This factory could wait until after dinner.
And “Karuta”…
Shangshan Che felt like he’d heard the word somewhere before; he’d check when he got back.
The sea tide was serene.
Shangshan Che opened his eyes.
After some searching, Shangshan Che roughly understood what Karuta meant.
Karuta is also called Karuta Cards, a traditional Japanese card game.
Before the game starts, waka are written on the cards.
The competitors’ cards only have the lower verse; the reader cards—the Referee reads the upper verse, and competitors find the matching card; whoever grabs it fastest wins.
It’s just a simple little game with such rules.
But new doubts followed.
How is such an ordinary little game related to the Factory Owners’ massive efforts to explore, and ultimately failed “Possibility”?
Shangshan Che searched patiently for a bit longer but found no additional metaphors online.
“Later, ask Sister Nanjo and Huijue.”
Shaking his head, Shangshan Che looked at the darkened sky.
Lili Zi must have been waiting a long time.
“Time to eat.”
Humming a tune, Shangshan Che walked to the Dojo entrance on the First Floor: “Lili…”
Before finishing, Shangshan Che’s voice stopped.
Because Lili Zi sitting in the center of the First Floor Dojo emitted no life aura that he could sense!
Eightfold Fence activated, Shangshan Che’s figure flickered to arrive before the girl sitting cross-legged with eyes closed, no longer maintaining Qi Circulation.
He reached out, but detected no breath under the girl’s nose.
Motionless, no aura.
Even her skin all over was cold.
Yet Lili Zi’s body had no injuries, not like a condition caused by outsiders.
Shangshan Che listened closely, and even the heartbeat was gone; only the slowed blood flow proved life signs hadn’t completely vanished.
On the verge of death, probably the most vivid phrase for Lili Zi’s current state.
“What is this situation…”
He furrowed his brows tightly.
Facing a completely unknown situation, Shangshan Che didn’t dare touch Lili Zi casually.
Should he call Nanjo Emi over by phone first?
With Sister Nanjo, even if Lili Zi had truly gone mad from training and lost vital signs, there might still be a chance to save her.
In the moment Shangshan Che hesitated and pondered, he suddenly saw the girl’s eyelashes twitch.
The next instant.
Lili Zi opened her eyes.
In that instant, indescribable Spirit, Energy, and Vitality erupted from her body; blazing and majestic Qi and Blood surged from every pore, converging together and soaring to the sky!
Above Lili Zi’s head, a scene like beacon smoke dramatically appeared!
A gaze as solid as substance shot like electricity to Shangshan Che’s face, making the latter’s pores stand slightly.
Danger sensed.
“Shangshan Jun, long time no see!”
Lili Zi stood up, her entire body radiating sharp, domineering, and overwhelming momentum.
She smiled: “Crossing the life-and-death threshold, my Spirit, Energy, and Vitality have finally merged as one just now, along with all my Qi and Blood converging at a point in my body, forming the Embracing the Core momentum.”
As she spoke, the girl took three steps toward Shangshan Che.
After three steps, all the momentum was retracted by Lili Zi, returning her to that ordinary JK.
The only difference was her eyes.
Originally calm like still water, quiet as a deep pool.
Now incomparably bright, incomparably domineering.
Overwhelmed by the information overload and not yet reacting to what happened, Shangshan Che saw Lili Zi curve her lips.
Heard her say,
“—I want to participate in the Seed Battle.”
