Officer Gong Huanwu, within the psychic field, sensed the ever-changing structure of the Green Lotus Crown.
After making a round of inspections, he thought about Kroft’s Magic Palace structure.
Although it couldn’t compare to his, these seventy or so people had finally managed to do something that, over a month ago, had left three hundred people scrambling and baffled.
Everyone was growing and quickly accumulating experience.
“Officer Gong,” a man approached him, “please allocate a few lake psychic fields for us. We need to add this kind of scene to the middle layer.”
“Alright, I’ll go make the adjustments now.”
……
Midnight had passed.
After returning to the Lost Illusion Company, Yang Zicang found that, in the small bronze mirror he had borrowed from Jiaoma, the Lost Thought Engine illusion had vanished.
Compared to the “photo trial pack,” this mirror’s trial pack had a shorter duration, lasting only about five or six hours, and it would take many days before it could be used again on the same item.
But it was still far better than nothing. At least in a few days, he could go out one more time.
Returning to the company, Yang Zicang waited for a while, but the trouble he anticipated didn’t come. It seemed his outing didn’t trigger an information leak alert, meaning that, as long as he obtained the sub-ether channel and went out without affecting his work, Lost Illusion Company had little restriction on this aspect.
With this in mind, Yang Zicang took out the wooden pomegranate pendant, put it around his neck, closed his eyes, and lay down. Soon, he woke up from his dream.
As he opened his eyes, the even more dazzling and beautiful Jiaoma stood right in front of him.
“Ah, gosh, you startled me.”
“Whose fault is it for using the pendant that matches mine?” Yang Zicang said, looking at the startled girl.
“Is this your mental field?”
Surrounding them were patches of crystal floors, and he found himself in a vast, empty palace.
“Have you never seen that show, ‘Thoughts of a Millennium’? When the heroine cries, her tears transform into a palace.”
“I’ve never heard of that show.”
“Well, anyway, it’s something girls like.”
After waiting, about an hour later, Boboli suddenly appeared there.
Success! Yang Zicang looked excitedly at this suddenly appearing figure of the boy.
“Sorry, I was too excited to sleep,” the boy apologized, then turned to gaze at little Jiaoma with a blank stare, “Hello.”
“Huh? Oh, uh, he—hello.” Jiaoma stammered.
“Hehe,” Boboli chuckled, scratching his head.
After they introduced each other, Jiaoma said, “First, over these next two days, you need to study these.”
They scrambled to recreate some of the materials left by Croft and Yuwen Haowen, which were no longer as bloated as at the beginning.
The Lost Illusion Company wasn’t just there to freeload. Over these two months, the officers had gradually sorted out the most valuable parts of the content, gathered them together, and summarized them into a “Basic Design Concept for the Demon Spirit Hall.”
Even so, it was still quite thick.
“Our time is very tight. I don’t know if you’ll have time to digest all this.” Jiaoma looked apologetically at the boy, who was about her age.
“So much? Of course, there’s no time for that.” Boboli said matter-of-factly.
“Ah, so… what do we…” Jiaoma turned to Yang Zicang in a fluster, as if looking to him as their leader.
Ever since Yang Zicang had revealed this crazy plan in her quarters a few hours ago, the young girl had been stunned.
Is this something a normal person would even think of?
Still, if they just let Officer Croft charge ahead recklessly, there was no need to imagine what state the Demon Spirit Hall would end up in. So when little Jiaoma saw Yang Zicang’s calm and decisive demeanor, she couldn’t help but go along with his attempt—at least it was better than doing nothing at all.
Boboli looked at Jiaoma. “Aren’t you from this place? You should know a lot of people at the Lost Illusion Company, right?”
“Kind of, what is it?”
Yang Zicang’s brow suddenly relaxed in relief as he lightly punched his palm—a gesture he had recently picked up from little Jiaoma.
“How could I miss such an important thing! Boboli, you’re a genius.”
“Hehe.” The boy showed an embarrassed smile. “I used to be a substitute trainer for visitors, but now it’s time to switch things up. However, can I use my model to craft Ability Spheres here?”
“No.” Yang Zicang and Jiaoma both shook their heads.
Boppoli looked at Yang Zicang. “Then can you still come out?”
Yang Zicang turned to Jiaoma. “Group Leader, can you borrow new trial mirrors?”
Jiaoma glanced at the air, pursed her lips, and thought for a moment.
“Maybe I can get about sixty or seventy more, but my godparents will definitely ask me what they’re for.”
“……”
So this was the social network of the locals. Truly terrifying.
“The brothers and sisters all have ‘trial mirrors,’ but it’s a bit late now.”
Boppoli gigoled softly.
“No worries. As your ancient saying goes, ‘Good things come to those who wait.’ Let’s research these two Demon Lord Palaces tonight. I heard you can manifest them more vividly here, right? I’d love a tour.”
“Of course!”
Jiaoma added, “It’s not just about the tour. We need to find design aspects that seem trivial but might actually be key features essential for approval. Otherwise, the Council review will take too long.”
Yang Zicang chimed in, “I think that’s the core of any Demon Lord Palace—its heart!”
Boppoli suddenly brimmed with enthusiasm.
“That’s just a puzzle, then. Let’s get to it!”
Jiaoma nodded with flickering eyes; she closed her eyes for a few breaths, and instantly, the world around them changed color as two colossal, mountain-like buildings appeared clearly on the left and right.
The blond boy, with a wooden pomegranate pendant hanging around his neck, gaped in awe at these two majestic giants.
“Such a stunning design…”
……
At noon the next day, during the break, Jiaoma knocked on door after door.
“Sister Wang, could you please use this Ability Sphere to memorize these few pages for me?”
“Oh, little Jiaoma, it’s rare for you to ask me for a favor.”
The elf-like girl pinched Jiaoma’s cheek and then took the Ability Sphere.
“‘Memorization Proxy Contract’?” She paused, then grinned. “Hehe, little Jiaoma is learning to cut corners, but of course, I’ll help you out.”
She took the paper. “Just these few pages? You could give me more. Memorizing this content won’t take me more than two hours.”
Jiaoma looked at the woman’s delicate face; given her mental strength, this wasn’t a joke.
“Then please take care of all of these.”
With that, Jiaoma pulled out a thick stack of papers from the bag behind her and shoved them into the hands of the stunned Miss Wang.
“Oh, and these too.”
Jiaoma handed over a small pack of “Memorization Proxy Contract” Ability Spheres.
“Please mobilize your team for me, sister.”
“Oh, you.” The woman bent her legs slightly and used a finger to scratch Jiaoma’s fair little nose.
At the same time, Wang Dingshan took the several Ability Spheres and a pile of documents handed to him.
He looked at Yang Zicang: “You need this right after work tonight?”
“Yeah, you’ve got to help me get it done.”
“Haha, it’s as good as done.”
“Then I’ll wait for your good news. I’m off now, I still need to hit up the next place.”
Watching Yang Zicang’s receding figure, Wang Dingshan skeptically flipped through the documents he’d already grown tired of, and after testing out the Ability Spheres, he activated his mental construct model.
[Brother Zhang, I need a favor from you.]
{You’re not planning to use me for that damn scratch-off again, are you? You screwed me over last time, and the time before that too.}
[Of course not…]
{Good to hear. So what is it?}
[Vouch for me.]
{Cough… What the hell? Did I hear that right?}
……
By the dinner table, Zorro looked at the different set of documents in his hands—these were part of what Yuwen Haowen had organized, which he just happened to not have had time to look at before.
There were only five pages—a small amount.
After glancing at the title, Zorro crushed the “Surrogate Contract” Ability Sphere in his hand.
“This ability… it’s a damn powerful spiritual construct model.”
……
Xu Yusheng took the documents handed over by Fengming and flipped through them.
“What are they up to?”
“No clue, but I’ve never heard of this ability before. I figure they’re looking to quickly whip up a few team members who really know the ins and outs of making the Demon Palace.”
“Hmph, interesting.”
With a pop, the two crushed their Ability Spheres and then opened the documents.
……
After Gong Huanwu reported the progress to Huan Bao’er, the general director leaned back in her chair.
“Despite everyone’s hard work,” the man said, “it only becomes apparent how difficult things truly are when you actually start making changes.”
Rustling~ Pages turned as Huan Bao’er groaned, tossing the documents aside and closing her eyes, unwilling to look at them anymore.
“I understand. One change affects the whole system, but we have no other choice. If we really lower that Demon Hall as Croft requested, it would be a disrespect to everyone in both cities. They’d lose whatever little faith they have left in this world.”
“Yeah.” A sigh followed.
Noticing the awkward silence, Officer Gong picked up random conversation: “By the way. Over the past couple of days, Jiaoma seems to have been busy with something.”
“Oh?”
The general director opened her eyes.
“Yang Zicang doesn’t seem to like Jiaoma, and I’m afraid she’ll fall deeper for him,” said Officer Gong.
“The spirit is a manifestation of will. One who never enters the gate of love will never be able to break through it, either.”
“…General Director, you really don’t have to draw parallels here…”
Huan Bao’er squinted at him.
“Anyway, what day of the week is it today?” Gong Huanwu tried to sound casual, forcing a laugh.
“I think Yang Zicang simply hasn’t settled yet,” said the general director. “He’s confused about this world. He’s afraid, so he resists close relationships.”
“Maybe. Many people are like that, after all, this world hangs by a thread.”
Huan Bao’er tapped her fingers on the table: “What’s Little Jiaoma up to?”
“Oh. She got hold of something called a ‘Substitute Contractor’ Ability Sphere from somewhere and has been asking around for help memorizing material.”
The woman pondered for a moment.
“That’s the ability of someone around Yang Zicang. Hmph, those little slicksters. Forget it, let them do as they will. Focus your mind on the Crown of Green Lotus and ignore the rest. If you worry about everything, you’ll end up burdened by trivialities, and your true goal will be ruined instead.”
“Yes, Director-General.”
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