The scream was so blood-curdling that it leaked through without needing a Telepathic Link. Yang Zicang shook his head.

{Help~ }

From under a huge blanket rolled up tight like a mattress, came weak, broken cries for help.

Hearing those desperate pleas, Yang Zicang’s teeth ground in frustration.

Ahead loomed several large, trembling fragments; such a massive blanket-ball could never squeeze through them.

{Pre-President, this, this thing, h-how-how did you get your hands on it? }

In the sensory projection, Ruan Wenxiong’s whole body was trembling—and it was impossible to blame him. Anyone would be swept away by the current underwater, let alone by this psychic monster that had nothing whatsoever to do with normal life.

Even he himself had only merged with it after years of familiarity within the psychic field.

“Aren’t you scared anymore?“

{It’s a bit terrifying, and also a bit strange. But what are you up to now? }

Ruan Wenxiong tried his best to ignore the weird thing coiled around him, shifting the topic as he stared at the other end of the sensory projection.

“I caught someone from a neighboring ship creeping over.“

{What? They managed to slip in without a sound? An infiltrator crawling up from the sea onto the ship? }

“From another kind of space.“

Yang Zicang braved the augmented virtual flames from the time sequence as he entered the warehouse, dragging the tarp he had pried open and pulling it outwards. Flickering across that worn canvas was another layer of phantom shadows, like its former form come to life.

Covering himself and the large blanket on the ground with this rug, like children hiding under a duvet, the giant blanket in front let out a whoosh as it rapidly rubbed against itself layer by layer, shrinking away until it became a scarf.

A clump of gray-black mist emerged.

{President, are you thinking of covering him with that thing? Can it succeed? }

“Should be no problem. “

The moment the gray mist energy appeared, it startled and tried to rush out.

“The unsinkable shipwreck, Karl, let the heart skip a beat and beat again, leaving only half… “

With Yang Zicang’s low chant, a faint glimmer of light lit up on the canvas.

{Stop, stop chanting. Save me… I’m already awake. }

The mist mass, with a faint, looming skull shape, responded to Yang Zicang’s chanting by shifting from a man’s struggling voice into a woman’s tender, disoriented murmur.

“Still trying to fool me? ” Yang Zicang frowned at it.

With a whoosh, the gray-black outer layers of the mist trembled and scattered, continuously melting away.

A tiny, shimmering object emerged—a white, flickering piece that bore the mark of a name.

“This is… a state-style name card? “

Yang Zicang pinched the object, a slip about the size of a visiting card or a name plaque. On it were inscribed several flickering words that wrote “Feng Jue… Yu Qingqu ” alongside illegible marks.

{This is a name plaque, what you’d call a name card… }

A voice weakly emanated from it.

{This is… the pattern that isolates one’s form, a magic seal left by Wang Sheng. I never thought it would be used on me… }

“What exactly are you? Are you male or female? “

{My owner is a young lady, oh. I am but a name card, or rather, an anchor imbued with a fragment of her spiritual imprint, belonging to this very place. }

Yang Zicang’s eyes snapped wide open.

“So you are the female named Yu Qingqu, a spiritual psionic coordinate left behind in the Sub-Ether Space? “

{Indeed it is. I didn’t expect you to be privy to such arcane secrets. }

“I once participated in a mission to scout for a psionic energy city’s coordinates. You can understand, it was under a subsidiary of the Holy Ring Corporation. “

The other party was visibly jolted.

{Did you succeed? }

“Yes, we succeeded. “

{Ah, no wonder you possess such skill. Greetings, sir. Would you be able to lift this thing off of me? I am growing ever weaker. If this continues, my consciousness, which has only just come into being, will be snuffed out. }

“You’ll run away, won’t you. “

{No, I will not. Earlier, it was that man’s dying obsession clinging to this name card. The very last mark of his life was thoroughly dispelled when you awakened me just now. }

Awakened? It was those words he had just chanted! Their true purpose was to awaken the spiritual imprints lingering on these name cards?

The one who designed these etched messages—had they foreseen the day they might die? So that each time one died, a message would surface, and as long as someone chanted a few words while under that lifted canvas, it would awaken them?

The power of the name card in his hand was indeed fading.

“What is the source of your power? That statue? What exactly happened to your ship? “

Yang Zicang stared at it and asked.

{_ “Although my name is also Yu Qingqu, there are some differences between me and the real Yu Qingqu. I don’t remember much. As for the source of my power… according to what I remember, this power should come from the Ether Field. The real Ether Field has boundless power, but drawing upon it is also very difficult. This place is merely a Sub-Ether Space that has been carved out. ” _}

It was certainly very difficult; even stabilizing a Sub-Ether Field zone here was an extremely tough feat.

“My friends are trapped in your stabilized Sub-Ether Field. If I use this canvas to directly cut off the statue, could their spirits have an accident in the Sub-Ether Field? “

{_ “It is possible that because they return to the real world from the Ether Field at different points, they might overlap with physical objects in reality. If it happens to overlap with vital spots, it could cause death. ” _}

The name card floated as it spoke.

{_ “If you’re not sure exactly where they are on this ship, it’s best not to recklessly sever the connection. ” _}

“Then how do I wake them up? “

Yang Zicang lifted a corner of the canvas to reveal a sliver.

Like a drowning person gasping for air, the nearly lifeless name card spoke with renewed clarity.

{_ “Take me around to see things first… This place is completely unrecognizable now. Ah, how did the figurehead end up here… ” _}

“You didn’t know it was here? “

{I… I don’t know. Something might have happened later—my original self knows, but I may not. }

It doesn’t seem like we can get anything out of it…

Yang Zicang took it outside and saw the devastation around him. The voice carried a trace of disbelief.

{This is horrifying… it’s already been damaged to this extent… This is the “Etheric Thought Force Field ” that everyone worked so hard to stabilize. }

The lingering sentiment from Yu Qingqu’s name card seemed to ache with pain.

A wave of grief and bewilderment veiled Yang Zicang like an intangible silken shroud.

“Senior Qingqu, ” Yang Zicang chose his words carefully before saying, “If your ‘mood’ fluctuates like this, I’m afraid I’ll inexplicably be pulled back into some illusion again. “

{Sorry, my original body is gone. I… can’t control my mental fluctuations as easily as before. }

Yang Zicang felt energy gathering around him, and the fragments seemed to receive nourishment, trembling with a faint glow.

{The downside of the Sub-Etheric Force Field is that it amplifies our spirit and psionic power, } she explained earnestly, as a true senior would, as they walked.

{So if you can’t control your emotions, the slightest slip can trigger energy and birth illusions that will trap you. How many of your friends are lost? }

“Three, plus one still conscious on the deck. “

“It seems their mental strength is not as strong as yours. As someone who has reached the Third Ring of mental power and can nurture a Stellar Yuan, even in the true Old World, you could have become the chieftain of a clan. “

The words of Yu Qingqu’s residual soul, filled with heartache and confusion, fell upon Yang Zicang’s heart.

Ruan Wenxiong’s voice emerged, “Then what should we do, President Buchen? “

“Oh? There’s someone else. “

Yang Zicang was stunned, “You can hear him? “

“Because you liked me before, my mind has temporarily resonated with yours… I can roughly read some of the thoughts you radiate. “

“Ah, well… ” Yang Zicang fell silent for a moment.

“This principle is the same as using emotions to communicate with aetheric energy… After all, I am a beacon made of aether. So, do you like two girls at the same time? “

This wasn’t a real person; it was just a name card.

“Senior Yu, ” Yang Zicang rubbed the bridge of his nose and changed the subject. “Since you’ve built this place, there must be some way for me to find my friends and get them out safely, right? Please tell me! “

“Hmm… There is a way, but… that thing belongs exclusively to our Drifting Leaf Pavilion. You are just an outsider now… “

“That’s simple. “

Yang Zicang said, “Is it too late for me to join now? Come on, consider me a member of the Drifting Leaf Pavilion. Tell me this method. “

Before he knew it, he had grown to such a level, Yang Zicang marveled in his heart. It was as if no rules could restrain him anymore.

｛……｝

This “Ether Name Card Beacon ” in his palm emitted a moment of silence.

“Senior Yu, I’m afraid you still don’t know that this ship has already been reduced to half its length, and it seems it has automatically recognized one of my friends as its master. “

{How is this possible? Is, is this true? }

The Name Card radiated a powerful shock and panic.

Yang Zicang felt a strong emotional pull, like the restless anticipation of the last period on a Friday in the classroom, where his emotions were no longer his own but tethered to the empty playground outside.

Frowning, Yang Zicang tried to recall the rustling sounds of the forest and trees in his mind, but the soothing effect was growing weaker with each moment, as if it could shatter and vanish entirely at any second.

That foundational base pattern, within the ever-strengthening Mental Sea, could barely stabilize its surging thoughts and was on the verge of fading away with them.

{What’s your name? }

“Me… my name is Yang Buchen, ” Yang Zicang said.

{Good, even though it’s a false name, at least it represents your current identity right now. }

The Name Card pulsed with a turbulent mix of shock and resolve.

{Bow three times to this ship, and from this moment on, you are a member of our Drifting Leaf Pavilion. I will now take you to take control of the ‘Gaze-dispelling Sword.’ }