Chapter 348

Two days later, in the morning, the sunlight was just right.

Gao Jie Ming followed the agreement and met Amy and Victor at the iconic Star Track Plaza in the city center.

When arriving here, he happened to see Amy who had been waiting for a long time.

"Here, here!" Amy waved excitedly, she was wearing a set of energetic casual wear today.

Victor was still in his meticulous academy style, nodding to Gao Jie Ming.

The three simply confirmed the itinerary, deciding to go to the largest commercial complex "Universal Mall" first to pick a gift for Amy's aunt, then stroll around randomly, and then watch a movie.

Walking on the wide and tidy street where hovercars shuttled silently, Gao Jie Ming observed the surroundings seemingly unintentionally.

His gaze swept across the huge public screens on the outer facades of those towering buildings again and again.

On the screen, extremely realistic holographic images were scrolling and playing news about the "Frontline Star System Battle"—huge starships exchanging fire in the deep universe, energy beams crisscrossing, and the fire of explosions blooming silently.

The announcer described the intensity of the war and the bravery of their own soldiers in a serious tone.

However, in stark contrast to this news of war, was the peaceful social atmosphere all around.

No recruitment stations, no notices of wartime rationing, and no tension in any emergency state.

At the bus stop, young men and women were enthusiastically discussing the latest holographic immersive games and the scenery of a newly developed tourist planet.

On the park bench, the elderly were leisurely basking in the sun, chatting about the friendship dance party held by the community.

Everyone's face carried a kind of near-normal calmness; for those wars concerning the survival of civilization on the screen, they seemed—to have no feeling at all.

No fear, no passion, not even basic attention, as if that was just an entertainment program happening in another dimension, unrelated to daily life.

"Distance creates beauty? Or is it numb?" Gao Jie Ming's doubts deepened in his heart.

But it didn't seem right either; no matter how you think about it, the social atmosphere of a civilization in the midst of an intense interstellar war could never be so relaxed.

Whether it's passion or decadence, or tension, it's all fine, but it shouldn't be so peaceful.

Arriving at Universal Mall, they came directly to the chain store "Star Sea Movie Fun" specializing in selling movie peripheral products.

The store was full of dazzling things, filled with movie posters, character figures, and prop models that Gao Jie Ming was completely unfamiliar with.

Looking at these things, Gao Jie Ming realized that this was another large piece of "real" information outside his knowledge base.

Watching Amy and Victor shuttling, discussing, and browsing through various products with great interest, Gao Jie Ming also pretended to be interested and browsed around, but was actually continuously absorbing the cultural fragments of this world.

Amy finally chose a limited edition villain spaceship model, feeling that this fit her aunt's "unique" taste very well.

After buying the gift, the three strolled on the shopping street.

Just then, Gao Jie Ming's steps paused abruptly, his gaze solidified on a huge holographic billboard in the center of the plaza.

On the screen, a launch event for a high-tech product was being broadcast live.

Standing in front of the stage was a chief scientist wearing a white research suit, talking eloquently, confident and composed.

And the other party was, unexpectedly, another wizard he had glimpsed once during the expedition assembly!

"Another one—" Gao Jie Ming was shocked in his heart, silently recording the name of this company and the appearance of that "scientist."

Subsequently, under Amy's strong recommendation, the three went to the cinema to watch a recently popular interstellar epic movie.

Throughout the movie, Gao Jie Ming confirmed again that the narrative techniques, aesthetic styles, and value embodiment of the movies here were all different from the art forms of the Earth in his past life and even the wizard world, being independent and mature cultural products.

After watching the movie, the sky was near dusk.

The three walked out of the mall with the flow of people, just arriving at the exit, when a cold and slightly lazy magnetic female voice came from behind: "Amy?"

Amy turned back, a smile immediately appearing on her face: "Auntie!"

Gao Jie Ming looked in the direction of her gaze, and when he saw the appearance of the person coming, his pupils contracted sharply, and his breathing almost stagnated.

Standing there was a tall woman, a head of flowing silver-gray long hair gently fluttering in the evening breeze, features exquisite, skin fair, temperament cold yet revealing an indescribable intellect and mystery.

The point was, this face, Gao Jie Ming was too familiar with it.

The other party was exactly Senior Sister Wei Ao!

Amy happily pulled Wei Ao's hand and introduced her: "Auntie, this is my friend I mentioned to you, Gao Jie Ming and Victor."

Gao Jie Ming glanced at her and sneered.

Gao Jie Ming's eyelids jumped violently, his heart accelerating uncontrollably.

Another senior sister?

Fortunately, "Wei Ao's" attention soon returned to Amy, and she asked with a smile: "Why did you come here today?"

Amy immediately took out the beautifully packaged gift like a treasure: "Auntie, happy birthday in advance! This is a gift I picked for you with my friends!"

A just-right surprise appeared on Wei Ao's face, she took the gift, her smile gentle and cheerful: "Thank you, Amy, and Gao Jie Ming, Victor, really thoughtful."

Her performance was impeccable, completely a gentle elder who felt happy receiving the heart of a junior.

However, Amy tilted her head, a clear vigilance and doubt on her face, sizing up her aunt.

Wei Ao was "puzzled" by her look, blinked: "What's wrong, Amy? Is there something on my face?"

Amy wrinkled her nose and said bluntly: "Auntie, your reaction today is so strange!"

"What's wrong?"

"Because if it were according to your usual personality, receiving this kind of gift chosen with friends, you would definitely say something like—'Hmph, even if it's the best friend, there will eventually be a parting due to various reasons, absolutely impossible to maintain this relationship forever'—that kind of super disappointing words!"

Victor heard this and also showed a surprised expression, obviously unable to understand the "aunt's" personality described by Amy.

Gao Jie Ming heard this from the side, besides full of black lines, a sense of relief that was "sure enough" inexplicably rose in his heart.

Only to see the "puzzlement" on Wei Ao's face disappear instantly, replaced by a bright smile with a bit of bad taste, she stretched out her index finger to gently point at Amy's forehead, and said in a gentle and pleasant voice: "Today I won't say that kind of thing. Because—if I don't say it, it will make you even more painful."

"I hope you can always hold this sense of anxiety, hope you can always worry about this question without an answer. And even if you really encounter the matter of parting with friends in the end, I will only say one sentence to you lightly at the end—"

She leaned forward slightly, her smile becoming more and more brilliant, saying word by word: "'Deserve it' oh."

Amy: "—"

Victor: "!!!"

Amy held back for a long time, then blushed and stomped her feet: "Auntie! Your personality is really still so nasty!"

Victor was also shocked, obviously impacted by Wei Ao's nasty personality.

Gao Jie Ming was on the side, besides full of black lines, a sense of relief that was "sure enough" inexplicably rose in his heart.

He even felt a bit lucky that his identity in this false world had no deeper connection with this "Senior Sister Wei Ao," otherwise the days before this would likely have been even more "rich and colorful" and deep in water and hot fire.

Wei Ao chatted with Amy about family matters again, then was stopped by a young man in a suit and leather shoes who looked a bit nervous not far away, seemingly about urgent work.

She said goodbye to the three and turned elegantly, her face still hanging with that impeccable gentle smile, very naturally handing the handbag in her hand to that man.

The man took it flattered, a blush appearing on his face, following her closely as she left.

Amy watched their backs, shook her head helplessly, and muttered: "Another poor guy—"

Gao Jie Ming and Victor cast puzzled gazes.

Amy sighed and explained: "My aunt—is also like this at the company. She especially likes to use that kind of ambiguous attitude to provoke those male colleagues. When the other party really falls into it, thinking they are about to succeed, she will ruthlessly refuse."

"Then—well, in her words, it's appreciating the wonderful painful expression on their faces the moment their dreams are shattered. But she happens to be so good-looking, this routine is almost a hundred percent effective."

Gao Jie Ming and Victor looked at each other, both able to see the cold sweat faintly appearing on the other's forehead.

That brother holding the handbag was now in their eyes, no different from a lamb about to be sacrificed.

"Really a—terrible person." Victor evaluated dryly.

Gao Jie Ming also secretly wiped cold sweat, feeling that this person really fit the personality of the senior sister in his impression.

The three then said goodbye at the entrance of the mall.

On the way back, Gao Jie Ming used the excuse of wanting to take a walk and deliberately took a long way.

He walked through different blocks of the city, observing the details of this world more extensively.

When he passed a primary school with a colorful track and laughter, his steps couldn't help but pause again.

Through the white fence, he saw a man with a burly figure and sportswear on the playground, with a loving smile, leading a group of seven or eight-year-old children to play games.

That man's movements were agile but cautious, afraid of bumping into the children, his loud voice filled with encouragement and laughter.

Gao Jie Ming's pupils contracted again.

This man—he remembered him too!

He was a Tier 5 wizard of the expeditionary army!

And Gao Jie Ming had a very deep impression of this person, because even if he just took a look at the time, he could clearly feel the violent aura emanating from the other party.

But now, looking at this situation, he was actually a physical education teacher loved by students in this primary school?

Looking at the satisfaction and happiness almost overflowing from his face, Gao Jie Ming felt a strong sense of absurdity.

He stood silently for a moment, finally turned around, and quickened his pace back to that "home."

Locking himself in the bedroom, Gao Jie Ming leaned against the door, took a deep breath, and began to organize the information collected today systematically.

First, and most importantly: the density of "familiar faces" is unusually high.

This city has a population of tens of millions, and he only encountered Kevin (former school bully), the "chief scientist" of a high-tech company, Senior Sister Wei Ao, and that "physical education teacher" in succession within a limited scope of activities—school commute route, city center commercial area, and the area he deliberately bypassed today.

This was only a small part he could recognize based on a brief encounter.

You must know that the wizards he could recognize only accounted for a negligible part of the nearly two million fallen wizards.

What does this mean?

It means that the number of individuals scattered in every corner of this world, constructed with fallen wizards as "prototypes," might be so huge that it is unimaginable!

Second, the authenticity of these "acquaintances" far exceeds his "parents."

Whether it was Kevin's thug style, the chief scientist's elite demeanor, the physical education teacher's sunny love, or Wei Ao's nasty personality to the bone, they all exhibited extremely distinct and self-consistent personality traits and independent life trajectories.

They were not as stiff and flawed as his "parents" with template-like rigidity, but instead full of the complexity and reality of "people."

Third, the massive independent cultural products of this world.

Movies, games, art styles, social news—

All elements constituting the world background exceeded his personal knowledge base.

Yet they were logically self-consistent, forming a complete, real civilization system.

If one says that the person behind the scenes constructed such a massive and real alien culture for him alone, the cost is incomprehensible.

Connecting these clues, a bold conjecture that made his heart beat faster gradually became clear in Gao Jie Ming's mind:

Could it be—this so-called "false world" is not just a cage prepared for him alone?

But accommodated all the nearly two million fallen wizards at the same time?

Each of them, perhaps like him initially, was implanted with different identities and false memories, scattered in every corner of this world.

Like water droplets merging into the sea, together constituting a part of this "reality"?

If so, then many contradictions make sense.

That real knowledge might originate from the contributions of other fallen wizards.

Those vivid "acquaintances" are the extensions of their own lives under false identities.

That massive cultural background is generated by the integration of cognitive materials of all fallen ones by plane rules!

"A—super-giant stage accommodating at least two million 'actors'?" Gao Jie Ming felt more and more that this conjecture of his was more correct.

And more importantly, this could also explain part of the reason why the Xuan Gang Hong Chen Barrier failed.

The other party really didn't need to break through the protection of the Xuan Gang Hong Chen Barrier, just arrange the entire plane into the corresponding appearance.

It's like "The Truman Show," when the whole world is a deliberately arranged real world, even the Xuan Gang Hong Chen Barrier cannot exert its effect.

"But still can't explain how those false memories were produced—"

Gao Jie Ming shook his head, temporarily not considering this problem, but instead turned more attention to the previous problem.

If one wants to verify this conjecture, the key lies in confirming whether there are other "real people" around him—those who, like him, came from the wizard world but were temporarily blinded.

His gaze couldn't help but cast toward the "Wei Ao" he met today.

Intuition told him that the probability of this senior sister being a "real person" was extremely high.

—After all, like her, a pervert who regards others' pain as a source of pleasure is really rare.

Gao Jie Ming asked himself, even if he racked his brains to fabricate, he probably couldn't make up the quotes like "if I don't say it, it will make you even more painful" and "deserve it" today.

That kind of nastiness deep in the bones and the precision of insight into people's hearts were more like Wei Ao's own true performance.

"Counting the time, if the senior sister fell here as the first batch of support forces, the timeline also matches." Gao Jie Ming recalled the timeline of the expeditionary army.

Wei Ao also said before that she was selected as an elite combat unit and sent to support this eerie plane, which was reasonable.

Probing with someone familiar is undoubtedly easier to distinguish true from false than looking for strangers, and can also obtain effective information.

"Decided, the next target is to confirm Senior Sister Wei Ao's real state."

Having clarified the next direction of action, Gao Jie Ming felt the bewilderment that had been lingering in his heart dissipate a little.

He lay on the bed, closed his eyes, and sank his mind into his dantian again.

The mobilization of spiritual power, under the unremitting "adaptation" of the "Body Refining Method," seemed to have a weak improvement in efficiency again.

The estimated time to successfully connect to the body space was shortened again.

The morning sunlight shone through the curtain gap, casting long light spots on the floor.

Gao Jie Ming slowly opened his eyes, the bottom of his eyes covered with bloodshot eyes left by staying up all night, and there were obvious fatigue shadows around his eye sockets.

However, in stark contrast to this haggard appearance was the excited light that couldn't be suppressed in his eyes, and the arc of relief at the corner of his mouth.

Success!

After a whole night of sleepless, focused difficult guidance, that thread of spiritual power, thin as a silk but stagnant as lead, finally touched the invisible barrier of the body space entrance at dawn!

Gao Jie Ming could finally breathe a sigh of relief.

—

—

To be honest, it was also his good luck.

If it weren't for "entering meditation" being regarded as a "realm" related to state of mind and understanding in the cultivation system, rather than a "level" ability purely relying on spiritual power.

With his current spiritual strength suppressed to be no different from an ordinary person, it would be impossible to look inward at the dantian and complete such a fine operation.

His own spiritual power was originally the product of the fusion of essence, qi, and spirit with spiritual energy, naturally carrying the imprint of his will.

The instant that thread of thin spiritual power silk established a connection with the invisible barrier of the body space entrance—

Hum!

A strange resonance came, Gao Jie Ming only felt his spirit suddenly lighten, as if breaking through some kind of thick barrier, and a familiar and intimate aura wrapped his tiny spiritual intent that probed in.

Got in!

Although only an extremely weak thread could be invested, the moment this thread of spirit entered the body space, it became significantly more active and agile!

No longer like in the outside world, dancing while wearing heavy shackles.

"Sure enough—my body space has initially formed a plane prototype, possessing an independent rule foundation, and can partially offset the suppression of the external plane!" Gao Jie Ming realized in his heart.

Unfortunately, the total amount of spiritual power he could probe in was too small, and this bit of "liberation" brought an increase, only making him more flexible when controlling this thread of spiritual intent, far from enough to break the shackles of the outside world.

He didn't delay at all, his intent drove this thread of spirit, probing straight toward the automatic factory in the core area of the space.

Inside the factory, various precision instruments were still humming and operating in an orderly manner.

Gao Jie Ming's "gaze" locked onto the timer constantly jumping with numbers on the main console for the first time.

Clear numbers were reflected in his "eyes."

Six years, four months, seventeen days, eight hours, thirty-two minutes—

Gao Jie Ming's heart first sank violently, then breathed a long sigh of relief again.

Six years!

From the moment he fell into this plane, until this moment, more than six years had actually passed in the outside world!

The ten-year deadline given by the second expeditionary army command had already passed more than half!

The sense of urgency surged like a cold tide instantly, but was then suppressed by relief.

Fortunately, the time hadn't run out!

Nearly four years remained.

Although not generous, at least it gave him the opportunity to struggle and break the situation, not facing the worst situation immediately.

His intent swept across the Black Giant legion standing quietly like black mountains, and the alert units patrolling the edge of the spatial barrier like ghosts.

They were in a stable state, full of energy, quietly waiting for the master's call.

Gao Jie Ming tried to mobilize this thread of spiritual power, wanting to send a small reconnaissance-type runic wizarding tool out of the body.

However, with a shift of intent, it was like a stone sinking into the sea.

That wizarding tool was blocked dead by an invisible, powerful force at the entrance of the space, completely unable to penetrate.

"Sure enough, it doesn't work—" Gao Jie Ming was not too disappointed.

The suppression of supernatural power in the outside world was all-around, obviously also including spatial-level blocking.

Coupled with his own spiritual power being severely restricted, it was like a person with weak strength, even if there were many weapons in the warehouse, he couldn't drag them out from the tightly locked door.

Relying on the reserves of the body space to break the situation directly, it seemed hopeless for now.

"However, being able to confirm the time is already the biggest gain!"

His intent turned to the information terminal set up in the space.

The terminal started successfully, the light screen lit up, but it displayed a glaring red warning—no signal connection.

"Even information flow can be completely intercepted—the closure of this plane is even more thorough than imagined." Gao Jie Ming felt chilled in his heart.

This meant that it was almost impossible for him to transmit information to the outside world through the body space.

Collecting his mind, Gao Jie Ming slowly withdrew this thread of probed spirit.

Consciousness returned to the main body, and a strong sense of fatigue struck like a tide.

After resting, Gao Jie Ming made up his mind, the plan must accelerate!

In the next few days, the state of Gao Jie Ming in school underwent subtle changes.

He was no longer just passively receiving classroom knowledge, but began to actively use all available time with a purpose, hungrily learning various knowledge systems of this world.

From basic science to social humanities, trying to understand the operating rules of this "stage" more deeply.

At the same time, he also intentionally or unintentionally began to ask Amy about more things regarding her aunt Wei Ao.

Such as her work habits, places she often goes, recent itinerary, etc.

This abnormal attention made Amy vigilant, she looked at Gao Jie Ming worriedly, and earnestly persuaded: "Gao Jie Ming, you—you shouldn't really have any thoughts about my aunt, right?"

"Listen to my advice, absolutely don't! With her personality, getting close will become unfortunate! You are the school bully of our school, with a bright future, you can't be blinded by beauty!"

Gao Jie Ming could only respond vaguely with a bitter smile, fortunately Amy, although worried, still revealed a key piece of information under his unobtrusive guidance:

Wei Ao seemed to be going to participate in the "Clean Beach" environmental volunteer activity in the South District in more than ten days.

"'Clean Beach' volunteer activity—Gao Jie Ming began to recall silently, "a good opportunity.

"

He was not unfamiliar with this volunteer activity, after all, the TV had been playing related news for the past few days.