Chapter 99: I Shall Create the Strange Tower Levels

A series of questions drew everyone's gaze toward Wen Xishu. Although Granny Wu and the others were listening, they were merely moved by the bizarre life story of Ding Dong and his peculiar experiences.

At the same time, they were also listening in a daze. It was precisely Wen Xishu's questions that made them realize the key points in Ding Dong's stories.

Ding Dong was not surprised that Wen Xishu would ask these things, nor did he avoid these questions.

"Actually, the correct way to put it is that I am Ding Dong now; I wasn't Ding Dong before. Ding Dong is the nickname my father gave me."

"My real name before was actually Phoenix."

Discovering that Wen Xishu was not that surprised, Ding Dong also began to ponder Wen Xishu's true identity.

He knew it was "Airplane" who completed the ritual, allowing him to complete his reshaping. Having obtained the "Five Virtues," Ding Dong was naturally very grateful to "Airplane."

But at the same time, Ding Dong also recognized the small knife with a Scorpio pattern tucked at Wen Xishu's waist. When Ding Dong recounted the whole story, his gaze was almost entirely on Wen Xishu. He deliberately brought up his past experiences at the research institute just to observe Wen Xishu's reaction.

He did not smell a shred of hostility from Wen Xishu. This led Ding Dong to a friendly guess about Wen Xishu's identity, and he continued:

"Let me first talk about the method to get rid of the curse; it's actually very simple: I need to 'die' once."

"In my previous account, there were twelve severe cases and five mild cases. We five, as the mild cases, were actually the prey."

"We had to keep hiding from those twelve severe cases, but unfortunately, they still found me. The Luo Pan bestowed that dream upon me, and I used the Luo Pan to simulate it nine hundred and seven times. The result of the simulation was that I couldn't escape death. The gap in power between them and me was too great."

"I would die. So I began to use the Luo Pan to display another possibility, which was to retain my memories and, through a ritual, create a new me."

Wen Xishu noticed that Ding Dong used the word "create" rather than "resurrect."

It was evident that "Phoenix" had indeed died. The Ding Dong before him was an existence created by Phoenix.

Of course, with Phoenix's abilities, this created Ding Dong must also possess extraordinary power. Combining this with those heaven-defying items he saw in the Strange Tower Museum, Phoenix's abilities were actually very strong.

Yet even so, he still bluntly stated that the gap with the twelve constellations was too great. It was hard to imagine just how strong those guys were.

Ding Dong continued:

"The Luo Pan really did give me a plan. The Luo Pan is indeed the greatest item I have ever created; of course, perhaps in the future, I will be able to surpass my past self."

"In short, according to the plan provided by the Luo Pan and its guidance, I came here. I met everyone, and I also saw the five purest hearts that my father spoke of."

"I hoped that the me who was created, which is the current me, could possess these five virtues. Now it seems that although I didn't achieve the most perfect result, it is not far off."

Wen Xishu could feel Ding Dong's pride in successfully crafting the Luo Pan.

It was like how the person who loved you most when you were a child would make you study and learn; the process was naturally very painful, but you still persisted.

You might not necessarily have a great life in the future; you might still encounter huge troubles, and perhaps life might strip a layer of skin off you. But the knowledge you learned might change your trajectory at a critical moment.

The Luo Pan was just like that. Professor Jin could be said to be truly farsighted; he almost overspent Phoenix's abilities to make him successfully craft the Luo Pan.

All of this was actually to allow Ding Dong to get rid of the curse. This made Wen Xishu feel somewhat envious.

"Then what is your real intention for opening the museum?" Wen Xishu asked again.

Ding Dong said:

"It is to leave no regrets. I hope to create more interesting items. After all, death is coming, and I want to fully exert all my abilities before death arrives."

"I am very afraid of my brothers and sisters; I worry that the Luo Pan's demonstration cannot overcome their power. Perhaps I will therefore be unable to successfully... be born."

"So I opened a museum here, thinking that even without me, perhaps these items could, more or less, help Granny and the others withstand some risks."

In a sense, Ding Dong's worry was correct. Had it not been for the appearance of Wen Xishu, his birth would indeed have been overlooked by Granny Wu and the others. It was just that these items could not deal with the apocalypse.

Wen Xishu asked again:

"The person who killed you is one of your brothers or sisters. Can you tell me who it is?"

Ding Dong shook his head:

"I will not mention their names; I do not want to have any connection with them anymore."

"Pisces?" Wen Xishu asked directly.

Ding Dong was stunned, but still shook his head:

"Airplane, thank you for your appearance, but I will not answer this question for you again."

Wen Xishu could understand:

"Alright, allow me to ask one more thing: what do you plan to do now?"

Ding Dong looked at Mo Yuan and the others:

"I want to leave here with everyone and go to a place far from the apocalypse. Jiangcheng is still too dangerous. Airplane, are you willing to leave with us?"

Ding Dong extended a sincere invitation.

Wen Xishu shook his head. He even took the opportunity to think about a question—within the Three Towers, was there a mechanism for Bunker People to transform into Three Towers People?

So far, there was only talk of Bunker People dying in the Three Towers; there had never been any talk of Bunker People transforming into Three Towers People.

Therefore, Wen Xishu could only listen to Ding Dong's invitation.

"Sorry, I cannot go with you. I am different from everyone else; I have things I need to do after I wake up."

Ding Dong did not force him. He did not know what kind of sacred being "Airplane" was, but he thought of the words his father once said—perhaps in the future, we will meet in another way.

Ding Dong said:

"Alright then, I respect your choice. In any case, thank you very much for your appearance. This way, I can protect everyone again."

Thinking about it now, Granny Wu and the others also felt it was incredible. Everyone had originally intended to open that door directly and head to the outside world. If not for the help of Airplane, I am afraid all five of them would have encountered danger by now.

All five of them were grateful to Airplane, and they also hoped that Airplane could leave here with them.

However, since Wen Xishu had already decided to leave, the five did not force him:

"We are the same, Airplane. No matter what, thank you very much! I hope you can be safe and everything goes smoothly in the future," Mo Yuan said.

Granny Wu nodded with a smile, while Xiang Yang and Lei Yihong patted Wen Xishu on the shoulder.

Wen Xishu said:

"I will. You must take care of yourselves. I also hope you can stay away from all strife and danger."

As the parting approached, Wen Xishu felt no sadness; he was just puzzled by one question—why hadn't this mission been completed yet?

Logically speaking, the moment Ding Dong was born from the portrait, he should have perfectly completed the mission.

Now that the patients in 4-1, 4-8, 4-12, 4-16, and 4-18 should all be very happy, and their destiny trajectories had been rewritten, why hadn't the mission completion prompt appeared?

The answer appeared soon. Just as Wen Xishu was wondering how to wrap things up, Ding Dong suddenly spoke:

"Airplane, can I ask you for a favor?"

So there was a new mission after all. Wen Xishu immediately became interested:

"We are all friends, go ahead."

Ding Dong's expression became serious:

"I actually... crafted a small Luo Pan. The power of destiny contained within the small Luo Pan is very little, but when you are lost and helpless, it can help you. Perhaps it will be through a rather obscure dream warning, or it will point directly in a certain direction."

"I can give this small Luo Pan to you, but you must promise me one thing."

Wen Xishu nodded:

"If you think it is something I can do."

Ding Dong said:

"The small Luo Pan can help you... find the remaining four of us five. I have already, I have already counted as dead. But I hope they can survive."

"Do not let the only god in the apocalypse be born. All I can do is protect the four of them."

"They are, respectively, Sirius, Hercules, Lyra, and Qilin."

The constellation of Sirius, the constellation of Hercules, the constellation of Lyra, and the constellation of Qilin.

It was different from the Cygnus, Draco, Andromeda, and Pegasus constellations that Wen Xishu had expected...

He didn't expect them to be four extremely obscure constellations.

"Like me, they are all hiding from the pursuit of other brothers and sisters. I hope that in your journey, you can help find them and, as much as possible, let them survive."

"Perhaps they know some of the things you are searching for."

Wen Xishu also received a hidden mission at this moment.

[After observation, Ding Dong is convinced that you are a trustworthy person. Received hidden mission: Find and recruit Slaughter·Sirius, Slaughter·Hercules, Slaughter·Lyra, and Slaughter·Qilin.]

This was a mission that could not be refused, but Wen Xishu didn't pay too much attention to it. Since he couldn't refuse, he would just enjoy the mission, especially since he had also obtained a Luo Pan that seemed to have good attributes.

"Fine, I promise you."

[Obtained item: Pseudo-Destiny Luo Pan. Go to the Guide to view specific attributes.]

Wen Xishu began to receive prompts one after another. He now felt... as if the mission was about to end.

Normally, Wen Xishu only needed to wait patiently for the mission to end, but this time, he intended to make a new attempt.

In fact, he had long wanted to make such an attempt. Time was pressing, and Wen Xishu's brain was spinning rapidly:

"If nothing goes wrong, my mission will be completed next, and they will pack their things and leave."

"Then I will receive a prompt telling me the mission for the eighth floor. Because the destiny trajectory of the Great Inventor has undergone a major change... the missions related to the Strange Tower and the Desire Tower will be restarted, and their destiny trajectories will be re-anchored."

"This is a good thing... but then a simulation will unfold. Then the memories of everyone in the Strange Tower will be replaced. And after the Strange Tower scene restarts, some strategies might no longer be applicable."

"For example, before, I went from rescuing Jennifer to escorting Jennifer; the various strategies for rescuing Jennifer could no longer be used."

"I previously always thought this was a fixed process, and as players, we actually had no other room for operation. But I should at least try."

"In the previous version, because the portrait that created Ding Dong was still in the museum, and Granny Wu and the others all left the hospital, they very likely died outside."

"Consequently, the museum on the fourth floor of the hospital was looted, but perhaps this also triggered some kind of protection mechanism, so that the tower climbers of the bunker had to go through an additional step of using the item to identify it."

"In short, Ding Dong's portrait might have retained some kind of obsession, forcing the tower climbers in the Strange Tower scene to complete twelve challenges before they could take the items there."

"This is the reasonable explanation for the various mechanisms existing on the eighth floor of the Strange Tower where I am currently."

"Now, the obsession of Ding Dong's portrait is eliminated because Ding Dong, who possesses the 'Five Virtues,' has been created; the obsession naturally no longer exists. Ding Dong will take Granny Wu and the others away, so naturally, the items in the museum will disappear."

"So it is very likely that if I just let them leave like this, the new Strange Tower scene simulated next will be uncontrollable. Maybe when I return to the Strange Tower, it will be in a completely new scene."

Wen Xishu decided to do something:

"If you don't leave here and stay in the hospital, how long can this hospital hold out?"

This question was a bit strange, but Ding Dong said:

"If I were there, I should be able to hold out for a long time, though I can't say for sure."

Or perhaps someone like An Rong of Qi City, a Sovereign-level existence, would have to appear to threaten Ding Dong?

Wen Xishu thought to himself, aside from those twelve constellations, there should be very few people who could defeat Ding Dong.

"My companions will pass through here in the future. Could you leave some things here? I mean, could the items in the museum all be kept inside?"

Wen Xishu began his plan.

Ding Dong frowned slightly:

"For me, it's not impossible. I can actually make these items again, and besides, the place I am heading to..."

Wen Xishu interrupted Ding Dong's speech:

"You don't need to tell me where you are going. I wish you success in finding a safe refuge. But I hope you can preserve the museum in this hospital. And I have a suggestion."

Ding Dong became increasingly convinced that the identity of Airplane was not simple, and he asked:

"Go ahead."

"Jiangcheng is indeed not safe, but the fourth floor of this hospital could actually be converted into a temporary survival base. Some of my friends might pass through here in the future. Your items could help them get out of some trouble."

Wen Xishu pointed to the gloves worn on Mo Yuan's hands:

"Like these things. Can you make a replica, or a defective version?"

Ding Dong was a bit curious:

"I can, but wait, your friends are coming?"

Wen Xishu said:

"Yes, there will be some people like me who will head to Jiangcheng in the future to handle some matters. I think at that time, they can come here and resolve some crises through the items you leave behind."

"Of course, considering that your items will likely be coveted by others, I suggest adding an identification phase and a usage phase to the museum's items."

Ding Dong found it interesting:

"Continue."

"I am only suggesting. If you find it troublesome, you can completely ignore my advice. But rest assured, I will definitely fulfill our agreement. I will find the Lyra, the Leo, the Canis Major, and the Hercules constellations."

Wen Xishu played the emotional card first. Ding Dong, who had been recreated by five Hearts of the Ultimate, naturally wanted to satisfy his friend's requests as much as possible:

"I will try to do it. Keep going, I am very interested."

"Alright, then I will continue. To protect the museum's items from being easily taken away, we will add an identification phase; if they are not identified, they cannot be activated."

"After identification, the item's attributes will be activated, but at the same time, it will be teleported to a special area. For example, you could create a television, and inside the television, there are many scenes demonstrating the use of the items. Calling it a demonstration is actually a mechanism to prevent theft."

"I don't know if you can do this: use some kind of power to teleport the person who identified the item to an area full of monsters, where they must kill a certain number of monsters to leave."

"I remember you said that the clay figures you pinched when you were very young could move on their own... So, could you create larger scenes and more ferocious clay figures? Make them look like monsters from after the apocalypse?"

"To prevent items from being stolen, anyone entering the fourth floor of the Zhuyuan Force needs to undergo at least twelve rounds of identification, experiencing twelve levels of increasing intensity, before they can truly take an item away."

"Of course, if they can perfectly utilize the functions of these items, they can obtain additional eligibility to acquire them."

"Additionally, it is best if the item's function and type are weakly correlated, or even counter-intuitive. For example, a knife shouldn't kill, but instead save lives. And the item must play a certain role during the usage phase to count toward the kill count."

"If they die in the level, the item cannot be taken away, and it will return to the display stand shortly after."

"To encourage exploration and reward those who use their brains, you might as well prepare a grand finale item. With this item, one could easily clear the levels, but the process of finding it is very difficult and requires solving some puzzles, such as creating a new version of yourself."

Wen Xishu spoke a great deal, flowing incessantly and quickly, almost as if he had a speech script.

Ding Dong listened to it all. He felt as if a game had been designed. The style was quite similar to one of his siblings. Coupled with the knife at Airplane's waist, he wondered if the two had ever been in contact.

But he did not doubt Airplane because of this, nor did he refuse:

"That is possible, but it will take a lot of effort. However, since you said they are your friends, I am willing to try."

"But I am not sure when your friends will arrive. Perhaps these things I make will be taken by other people in Jiangcheng, or even other people in this hospital."

Wen Xishu said:

"It depends on their own abilities. You just need to do it this way. As for the final result, leave it to fate. If they can still take away some items under this mechanism... then it means they are truly suited for these items."

"It is a good thing for you if your items are picked by the right people, isn't it?"

What Wen Xishu cared about was whether he could influence the simulation of the Strange Tower. If he could, then he was effectively participating in the design of the Strange Tower's levels.

He didn't really care about the final result, but he cared very much about whether he could push the simulation results of the Strange Tower.

This was all just an experiment. The reason he didn't completely redesign the levels but instead tried to restore the previous level design as much as possible was that Wen Xishu felt the Strange Tower's simulation had a certain tendency.

Seeing that the Strange Tower went from four levels to three after saving Tang Rui, Wen Xishu felt that the Strange Tower's simulation would lean as close as possible to the original level design. Because the other members of the Parrot's Sorrow had not undergone many memory changes.

Based on this logic, Wen Xishu did not take too big a step; all his suggestions were aimed at restoring the original levels as much as possible.

He spoke very quickly because he was afraid he would be forced to leave before he could finish.

Ding Dong said:

"You seem very familiar with all of this, as if you have experienced it before."

Wen Xishu said:

"I just have a quick mind."

Ding Dong said:

"I cannot guarantee the final effect, but I will try my best to do so. I always feel... some of your ideas are quite similar to my previous thoughts."

Ding Dong had a particularly strange feeling that Airplane was a bit like his father, Professor Jin, as if he were certain that certain things would happen in the future.

Regarding Airplane's suggestions just now, Ding Dong's biggest impression was that they were too detailed. And the speed of speech was extremely fast, with a sense of urgency, as if Airplane would have provided design ideas for various items if there had been enough time.

Wen Xishu indeed had that thought, but there really wasn't enough time.

At this moment, he already saw the prompt.

[Mission completed, returning to the Strange Tower.]

Logically, Wen Xishu should have activated the invitation to return, but this time, like the last, Wen Xishu was forced to return.

The last time was because of teaming up, and this time it was because of the action Wen Xishu was attempting.

On the eve of his departure, Ding Dong said:

"Airplane, I hope we will meet again in the future. I will do my best to fulfill the things you entrusted to me."

"If you come here again in the future... if you revisit this place, or if you come with your friends, you might as well try the Luo Pan I gave you. It will guide you to the most generous rewards."

Wen Xishu thought to himself, don't worry, there's no need for the future; in my timeline, I will revisit this place immediately.

(End of chapter)