Chapter 31: Sea Without Light
The First Floor: Xenomorphs have existed as highly dangerous aberrations since ancient times in the Second World, and the Federation government conceals their existence from ordinary people. Xenomorphs come in various species, with traces found across both land and sea. The Federation, along with corporations, research institutes, and other organizations, operates to eliminate, capture, and study Xenomorphs.
The Secret Cult is classified as an illegal religious organization by the Federation government. Any form of religious belief or organization is prohibited in the Second World, and all are deemed unlawful. The Secret Cult worships “God” and refers to Xenomorphs as remnants of ancient deities. The cult engages in secretive and cruel religious activities.
The birth of the Heterogeneous Blooded is intricately linked to Xenomorphs and the Secret Cult. Blood from Xenomorphs can be refined into a special agent known as “Divine Blood.” Those who consume it gain powers significantly surpassing those of ordinary humans and are called Heterogeneous Blooded. However, gaining this power comes at a cost. Under the influence of Divine Blood, the Heterogeneous Blooded can gradually lose their sanity and descend into madness, with a high probability of physical mutations leading to death.
1L: Wow, big shot!
2L: Is this the disparity among players? Some are still laboring hard as cogs in the machine, while the big shots have access to confidential information that’s hard for ordinary people to touch.
3L: My God, such a wealth of information… let me process this.
4L: ??? Did I read that right? The OP’s nickname is 233? What’s so mysteriously powerful about that number!
5L: The world is too dangerous; I want to go back home! I scream a thousand times a day that I want to quit the game!
Kui Xin seems to have explained a lot, but she only touched the surface. Xenomorphs, Divine Blood, Cults, Heterogeneous Blooded—these elements are closely interconnected. To introduce one, you must inevitably touch on the others.
She mentioned the three uses of Xenomorphs and briefly glossed over the medical and materials research aspects with the vague term “study,” without detailing the specific collaborations between the Federation and corporate research institutes.
Nonetheless, this information is already quite vital for ordinary players; they need time to digest it.
The Second World is not only a technologically advanced realm but also one that conceals mysterious and formidable powers. Most players who traverse there only encounter the advanced technology, leaving them unaware of the hidden mystical forces.
Kui Xin’s explanation opened a door to the Second World for them, providing them with an overall understanding.
Kui Xin skimmed the thread; replies were rapidly increasing, refreshing every second. Some were so shocked that they spammed multiple question marks and exclamation marks.
6L: What a benevolent person the OP is! The neighboring post about the paid trade of Xenomorphs has been up for a day, and while the OP didn’t engage in trading, they freely shared vital information with everyone!
7L: Why is the OP’s nickname 233???
8L: What’s the relationship between the OP and Remover 233?!
Other players noticed Kui Xin’s nickname as well, leading to a flood of confusion and skepticism, with numerous inquiries about the nickname filling up thread after thread.
26L: People in Hua Country should know what 233 means; it’s just a common internet slang. There are actually a lot of people using it as a nickname; a quick search online yields plenty of results. The OP and Remover 233 probably don’t share any special connection since player numbers are randomly assigned; the OP could just as easily not have been registered at the 233rd position.
27L replies to 26L: That makes sense, the OP might have just been careless when registering, who knew we would all end up traversing here. None of us anticipated we would be crossing over.
28L replies to 26L: While you make a good point, it’s still too coincidental. Today, after seeing 233 so many times while browsing the forum, I’ve developed a reflexive anxiety towards the number. When my friend sent me a message containing 233, I was startled.
29L replies to 28L: I feel the same way; I have a psychological shadow regarding that number.
30L replies to 28L: Same here…
31L: I stand with you all; you’re not alone!
32L: After learning about Remover 233’s deeds, 233 has practically become synonymous with demons in my eyes…
The replies were updating too quickly.
Some players had read the information but hadn’t analyzed it carefully; they simply hadn’t transitioned their thinking. Without prompts, they were unaware of how significant this information truly was, and they were even in the mood to chat about the number 233.
On the other hand, a more astute group of players was meticulously dissecting Kui Xin’s informative content word by word.
They ignored the superficial aspects; their attention was fully focused on the First Floor’s content, specifically whether the educational OP and Remover 233 were connected, which wasn’t their primary concern.
What mattered was the information itself!
After sifting through the pointless chatter, a few minutes later, a player shared a lengthy analysis.
69L: First, thank you to the OP for the free information, but I have many doubts and speculations I’d like to propose here for some discussion. If the OP could address my questions, I would be very grateful.
Xenomorphs have existed in the Second World since ancient times; just how long is “since ancient times”? I have some knowledge of myths and folk cultures from various countries, and I know that humans often “mythologize” their own history. Many stories and pieces of content in legends can sometimes be traced back to corresponding historical events and things. If Xenomorphs have indeed existed since ancient times, can we find hints in the historical texts of the Second World? The Federation’s unified history is less than a hundred years; if concealing the existence of Xenomorphs is the Federation’s policy, did ordinary people know about Xenomorphs before the Federation was established? How did they combat Xenomorphs?
The OP mentioned that the Federation, corporations, and research institutes would eliminate and study Xenomorphs, suggesting that the combat power of Xenomorphs shouldn’t be strong enough to defeat modern weapons and the Awakened… though it’s not impossible that there are particularly powerful individuals. What surprised me is that the Second World is actually conducting research on Xenomorphs—what are they researching? Divine Blood? Besides Divine Blood, are they researching anything else?
All religious beliefs and activities being unlawful indicates that the Federation is suppressing the Secret Cult. The birth of the Heterogeneous Blooded must be closely related to the Secret Cult—will the Federation capture cultists and the Heterogeneous Blooded? Are they researching Xenomorphs to seek a way to break Divine Blood, or are they pursuing a different goal?
I’m very curious about Divine Blood—what is its mechanism of action, and what is the refinement process like? Can it be produced in bulk? What’s the probability and severity of physical mutations after consumption? Are there more Heterogeneous Blooded individuals compared to the Awakened? How do their combat powers compare?
It’s clear that this player, 69L, engaged in deep reflection on Kui Xin’s content within minutes. Their speculations are generally correct, hitting the key points.
Kui Xin did not intend to reply to 69L; she wouldn’t respond to anyone in this thread.
She had said what needed to be said and done what she wanted to do. She had provided hints, but how others thought and speculated was beyond her concern.
Kui Xin could provide a certain level of information, but she wouldn’t say too much. Overexposing herself would be detrimental.
With 69L leading the way, more people began analyzing in the thread.
72L: Thank you, OP, for the information. I also have some doubts I’d like to inquire about: Is the “God” worshiped by the Secret Cult real? Or is the concept of their God merely a religious symbol? In our First World, all gods of religions are fictional; is it possible that in the Second World, there exists an actual God ruling over His followers?
73L: Damn, don’t scare me. The idea of a cyberpunk world engaging in feudal superstitions feels odd.
74L: Weirdly enough, considering that traversing worlds has happened, is it really that strange for the Second World to have a God?
75L: I’ve been an atheist my whole life, but recent events have shattered my worldview; my beliefs are wavering.
76L: Ever since I crossed over, my worldview has been breaking and reorganizing every day.
89L: Is the OP here? Have you noticed the regional missions in Jingchu? Is the family-killing deranged cultist connected to the Second World’s Secret Cult? Was that murderer a player?
90L replies to 89L: What are you talking about?
91L replies to 90L: Go search for news online; the keywords are “cult” and “family massacre.”
92L: I saw that news; some photos circulated online. Apparently, neighbors saw the door left open and entered, only to find a scene of bodies and blood drawn into religious symbols, which terrified them into calling the police. The murderer killed their parents, wife, and children before fleeing; they were caught on surveillance cameras, and a wanted poster is out for them with a bounty of one hundred thousand.
93L: That’s just inhuman…
94L: If this murderer is connected to the Second World’s Secret Cult, wouldn’t sending players to investigate be like sending them to their deaths? Look at that murderer; their strength must be significant, and their mental state is likely unhinged. Not everyone has awakened extraordinary abilities. I spent all day on the forum, and counting foreign players, less than five admitted to having awakened extraordinary abilities. Some might be pretending to attract attention, or perhaps some awakened individuals simply haven’t spoken up.
95L: It’s said that players across the whole Jingchu province received mission alerts. I’m from Jingchu as well and advise everyone not to get involved; what if it costs them their lives? Surviving is the way to go.
The discussion in the thread initiated by Kui Xin is intense, with occasional inquiries from foreigners in English or Japanese about what’s happening.
Unfortunately, the Hua Country players were too engrossed to exhibit international friendliness; a few foreigners who understood some Chinese managed to translate the First Floor’s content and created a separate thread, sparking a round of fierce discussion among foreign players.
Kui Xin watched for a while before exiting the thread to return to the forum’s homepage.
As expected, a few new threads analyzing her identity had popped up on the homepage.
“Detailed Analysis: Is the Educational OP 233 the Same as Remover 233?”
First Floor: It is well known that upon entering the forum, nicknames are fixed. One fills in a nickname first, and then the order of entry dictates player numbers. The order of entry is opaque, implying a degree of randomness in obtaining numbers.
If the nearby educational OP is indeed Remover 233, how would they know to set their nickname to 233 in advance? Thus, I believe the probability of the educational OP being Remover 233 is very low, but it’s not entirely impossible… after all, various coincidences exist in the world.
1L: Hearing your reasoning is more valuable than hearing a hundred words.
2L: What are you even trying to say?
3L: Your statement is equivalent to saying nothing… it neither confirms that he is Remover 233 nor fully denies it.
4L (OP): What can I do? Unless the OP admits or denies it, we can’t eliminate their suspicion.
5L replies to 4L (OP): What does it matter if they admit or deny it? We still cannot confirm if they speak the truth; it’s a deadlock.
6L: I think the OP can share such important information—I don’t see them as a bad person. I personally believe they (gender unspecified, so I’ll use “they”) have no connection with the Remover; the lack of a response may just mean they don’t want to expose their identity.
7L: I too tend to think the OP isn’t Remover… unless Remover 233 has a tendency for attention-seeking theatrics; they might actually enjoy watching us guess who they are.
“Identity Deep Dive Analysis of Nearby Educational OP 233.”
First Floor: It can be clearly stated that ordinary people never come into contact with information regarding Xenomorphs. The nearby OP is certainly not an ordinary person. Based on the OP’s statements, issues relating to Xenomorphs are handled by the Federation, corporations, and research institutes. Therefore, I boldly speculate that the nearby OP’s identity in the Second World is at least related to one of these three parties.
Is the nearby OP a government official, a corporate member, or a researcher of Xenomorphs?
Let’s make some bold guesses.
1L: The range is too vast; no way to guess it.
2L: Could the nearby 233 OP be an Awakened? Or as others speculate, could they actually be Remover 233?
3L: I feel it’s best not to post such identity exploration threads. If the nearby OP thinks your probing into their identity poses a risk to them, they may not offer any education in the future. The nearby OP is not just anyone; they know more than we do, which is certain. I feel that they are taking a risk by posting this educational content at this juncture, which is commendable; I hope their identity isn’t exposed. Maybe they can teach us more in the future and share more information. If their identity is exposed, will they still educate us?
4L replies to 3L: Agreed.
5L replies to 3L: I think the same.
6L: I feel like the third floor’s being overly paranoid. I think the nearby OP’s decision to share this educational content was certainly made after thorough consideration; they aren’t afraid of their identity being exposed. Furthermore, we have too broad a search range. We don’t know which city they’re in, nor what faction they belong to; we’re completely in the dark. The chances of the nearby OP’s identity being exposed are almost zero.
7L: I wonder if the nearby OP decided to share information because of the Jingchu cultist incident and the regional mission; the timing is really too coincidental.
8L: The speculation from above is quite probable.
9L replies to 7L: Are you suggesting the nearby OP might be from Jingchu?
10L replies to 9L: No, no, no, that’s not what I meant. I think the nearby OP may have wanted to prevent players from Jingchu from throwing themselves into danger by sharing their insights, encouraging them to think carefully. From their educational content, it seems the Heterogeneous Blooded have extraordinary abilities, which would definitely put them above ordinary people.
11L: Today marks the first day of our return through traversal; that’s a crucial time point. I don’t think we need to speculate too deeply about what the nearby OP means. Perhaps they decided to educate us after considerable thought, unrelated to Jingchu or anything else.
12L: Regardless, the nearby OP’s education is undoubtedly beneficial for all players; they’ve done a great deed. If players in Jingchu didn’t know what Cults or the Heterogeneous Blooded were and rushed into missions, wouldn’t that lead to deaths? Knowing about the Heterogeneous Blooded will definitely make them consider carefully before taking on missions.
13L: I believe that the number of impulsive players taking on missions is small, and I also trust that the nearby OP’s intentions in sharing their knowledge are kind; their insights benefit all players.
After reading through the lively discussions in several threads, Kui Xin was pretty sure her educational post had achieved the expected effect.
Some people questioned her, some supported her, some doubted her, and some praised her.
Human nature yearns for strength; she doesn’t need to do much. Even a small, seemingly insignificant act can guide the players.
At this moment, Kui Xin felt like a true hunter, pondering issues from the hunter’s perspective.
She had her eye on a target and didn’t want others to interfere, so she had to employ some means to exclude other hunters from the hunt. But hunters do not lack resources; Kui Xin cannot control their actions nor can she break their legs to stop them, so she released some information as a deterrent.
The outcome was pleasing; aside from those wanting to throw caution to the wind or who weren’t afraid of death, the other players retreated.
The waters run deep; wading in could lead to drowning.
Besides deterrence, Kui Xin’s release of the educational material was also based on various considerations. She wouldn’t act recklessly.
She confirmed that her choice wouldn’t threaten her, which is why she stepped out.
Kui Xin glanced at the time.
Today is Thursday; tomorrow is Friday, when she has to teach Su Rong, and then she’ll have Saturday and Sunday off.
Two days to hunt a target is slightly tight and presents a challenge, but Kui Xin is eager to take it on.
She plugged her mobile phone in to charge, closed the curtains, and for the first time attempted to activate the extraordinary ability “Shadow Transition,” stripped from Zejian.
Invisible shadows enveloped her body, her form transforming into an imperceptible black mist.
Ignoring spatial distances, Kui Xin teleported instantly to the refrigerator in the kitchen.
“The maximum distance is three meters? Maybe I can enhance it a bit…” Surprised, Kui Xin tried to move again, this time attempting to “phase through the wall.”
Her mist-like form ignored barriers, passing seamlessly through solid walls into the bedroom.
On the third attempt, Kui Xin held a stout rolling pin in her hand, wanting to see if she could bring a weapon along.
But this attempt failed; her body moved on while the rolling pin remained behind, as it passed through her misty form the moment she activated her ability.
Kui Xin pondered: “Is the influencing factor weight or volume? The clothes I’m wearing can be taken along…”
She thought for a moment, switching the rolling pin for a kitchen knife.
This time her Shadow Transition was successful; the knife misted along with her body, crossing space to a shadowed area.
It seems that the influencing factor is volume; only smaller objects can be taken with Shadow Transition.
The Shadow Transition she acquired from Zejian is merely E-level. If its level could increase a bit more, the range for movement would likely expand, and larger objects could be carried along. Yet even so, Shadow Transition is an invaluable skill for saving her life.
Kui Xin practiced Shadow Transition for two solid hours. Her teleportation coordinates became precise, and through numerous attempts, she confirmed the specific volume of objects she could take with her. In her misty state, she could pass through most obstacles without fear of getting stabbed by a knife.
Practicing her extraordinary ability seems to excessively drain her stamina, leaving her increasingly hungry. After two hours, in a state of extreme hunger, Kui Xin’s ability ended unsuccessfully; her body flickered in place without transitioning.
“No wonder Silverface eats so much,” Kui Xin reflected while cooking herself two portions of noodles and frying two poached eggs.
It’s essential to eat well; being full is crucial to continuing her practice.
A hunter needs to sharpen their blade to accurately and swiftly strike down their prey.
