I'm a villain, not a devil

The strange man who was a combination of the two looked at himself blankly in the hibernation capsule, and there was even a faint smell of pollution rising up.

This is a sign of a strong conflict between two consciousnesses.

Rather than allow the deformed clone to continue to engage in conflict, Sean quickly ended his life.

Sure enough, the pipe under the hibernation capsule opened again and absorbed the corpse.

The cloning device here seems to have some kind of setting. Once the clones it creates lose consciousness, the process of re-production will begin directly.

Sean was frowning and thinking, when suddenly, Noah sent a reminder.

"Master Saint III, my scan has invaded a subsystem."

"Subsystem?" Sean frowned. "Didn't they say that the structure of this place is weird and can't be scanned?"

Noah replied, "According to the analysis results, as I said before, this is not a product from before the end of the world, but your experiment just now gave me a new idea - in general, this place imitates the construction method of the most advanced shelters, and even built a huge database for it."

"However, the programs and databases originally used to control the system here have been parasitized by something. The electronic programs have become something like biological consciousness, and this biological consciousness is causing changes in the shelter itself, so I can't scan the strange structures and system nodes here."

"So I changed my method. I found the abandoned storage nodes of this local system. I also own this node group. It is usually used to store abandoned data and then deleted after a fixed period of time. The parasitic system here still retains some operating modes, including abandoned nodes, and it has not been deleted for a long time."

Sean's eyes lit up: "Is there any important information in it?"

"Please wait, cracking..."

After a moment, Noah's voice sounded again: "The cracking is complete. Most of the data has been completely scrapped. I detected the valuable information as 'ether layer infiltration'."

"Etheric immersion?"

"There is no relevant record in the database. It is speculated that this is an activity carried out in the etheric layer and is most likely unobservable in the real world."

After hearing Noah's answer, Sean fell into deep thought.

After many twists and turns, I finally reached the etheric layer...

It is slightly different from the etheric layer mentioned in the world before the time travel. The concept of the etheric layer in this world has been changed by the game itself.

Even if a strong person at the deep blue level came, it would be difficult to fully explain what the ether layer is.

For Sean, the etheric layer can be directly regarded as a combination of the energy layer and mental power.

Energy is generally invisible and intangible, just like mental power, but both are related to every living thing. If another word is used to explain the etheric layer, Sean thinks that the word "encapsulate" is a good one.

It is the package itself - surrounding, wrapping, and circling people... Whether it is solid, liquid, gas, or light, it is the package itself. As long as it exists, it must have a package.

In short, think of the real world as a huge sphere, and the etheric layer as the bubble that wraps around the sphere. There are countless things hidden in the bubble, including energy, spirit, memory, and emotion. Many things in reality will appear in different forms in the etheric layer, even though sometimes you cannot even see those forms clearly.

And precisely because of this characteristic, even if one is qualified and capable of entering the etheric plane, it is very easy to get lost.

As for the information that Noah searched for, the so-called etheric layer infiltration, Sean suspected that it was a parasitic behavior occurring in the etheric layer.

It was like this unexplainable sanctuary, its appearance in the etheric plane was parasitized by something, so Noah couldn't scan it and Sean couldn't see its true source.

And the compressed special proliferation that seems to help the cloning device replicate Sean's acquaintances seems to be relying on this.

He took another look at the special proliferation card in the startup panel: "I feel that this thing does not contain any information about my friends. It is just a trigger..."

Noah said softly, "I think your inference is quite accurate. According to my analysis of special proliferation, this type of item is often not very special. It is more like a key, or more like a signal, opening the door and attracting things that should not exist in the real world."

Sean pondered, "So, why was that special proliferation in the Mountain of Survivors clearing the Evil Dome?"

Noah continued, "Whether it's the crazy beast, the gaze from the unknown sky, or the existence of special proliferation... I think it's all related to the evil gods. Saint Three, please remember that the evil gods are not on the same front."

Sean suddenly had a flash of enlightenment: "That's true... But I don't know where my friends' memories came from... Maybe we have to go find the answer ourselves."

"Master Saint III, what do you mean?"

Sean's eyes lit up slightly: "I want to go to the etheric layer myself."

Noah immediately advised, "Please think about it again. Although you have the ability to control your etheric body, that is with the help of the evil god's ritual and the anchor point of the Mind Hall. The activities of the etheric body in the real world and the activities of the etheric body in the etheric layer are not the same concept."

Sean just nodded casually: "I know that entering the etheric layer without permission is very dangerous, especially for a living person like me."

Noah said, "No, you still underestimate the etheric layer. As the main control system of the Mind Hall, I can exist in the etheric layer. On the one hand, the person who created me has abilities that cannot be described in my database. On the other hand, I am just an electronic program. Electronic programs are often ignored as energy flows in the etheric layer, but consciousness is different. You will be more... dazzling in it, and less free. You can't end the summoning and return to the Mind Hall like in the real world, but you need to rush back by yourself."

Noah's electronic female voice was serious. As a program, this emotional expression was not quite right, but it still advised: "It is common to get lost in the etheric layer, and if you are targeted by an unknown existence in the etheric layer, I cannot recall you..."

Sean interrupted it and just smiled: "The etheric layer is the embodiment of the energy and consciousness of this world, right?"

"Yes." Even though he wanted to persuade Sean, Noah still answered the question first.

Sean smiled and said, "So, what is the starting point of the etheric layer?"

“The real world.”

Sean spread his hands: "That's it, isn't it?"

Noah was silent for a while, then said, "Neither the database nor the automatic learning program can find the true meaning of your words. Saint Three, please make it clear. Otherwise, Noah will continue to persuade you - protect the safety of the owner of the Mind Hall, including the body, spirit, energy, consciousness, data, etc. This is my iron rule."

Sean tapped his temple: "The consciousness of living things can be targeted, what about electronic programs?"

Noah was silent again. After a moment, his voice was filled with human admiration: "I understand, Saint Three. Your sensitivity is something I will never be able to match."

"Stop flattering me, go back to the Mind Hall and help me prepare. I'll get my delicious flesh settled, and then you can directly summon my etheric body."

"Yes."

Hearing the answer, Sean looked towards the exit of the shelter.

After a moment, he smiled slightly, then looked around and found an abandoned small room.

No one will come to this place...

Sean has already felt the call, and as long as he responds, he will appear in the hall of thought, and his etheric body can go out to explore. Of course, as before, his real body will temporarily lose consciousness.

After looking around, Sean walked to a corner that looked comfortable. Just as he was about to sit down, he suddenly stood up again.

"never mind……"

Muttering something, Sean quickly headed for the nearest exit.

His departure was not noticed by anyone. After searching in the oasis, he simply sank his body into the center of the lake.

With Sean's current physical functions, even if he loses consciousness, he can still survive in the water for a long time.

The cold lake water soaked his whole body. Sean found a hidden rock at the bottom of the lake. After using fox magic to hide the surroundings, he lay under the rock.

After snapping his fingers, Sean slowly closed his eyes.

When he opened his eyes again, he already appeared in the Mind Hall.

And this time, the ceiling above my head has opened.

The bizarre scenery once again appeared in his field of vision. Without the obstruction of the ceiling, it seemed that he would be lost in it with just one look.

Without any pause, Sean unleashed his Deception Heart on himself.

"The cost is not small... the mechanized consciousness lasted for a full thirty days..." Sean opened his eyes, his gaze became a little dull, and the expression on his face became stiff.

A stream of data came from the corner of the mind hall and penetrated into Sean's etheric body.

Noah's voice rang out: "Master Saint Three, I have connected the nodes of my main control unit for you, and at the same time reconstructed your own thinking mode for you in the form of a database."

Sean turned his head stiffly and forced a smile: "So this is what it feels like to become an artificial intelligence..."

Yes, this time, he deceived himself again with his deceitful heart.

Since it is easy for problems to occur when the etheric body of a living being enters the etheric layer, it is better to enter as an electronic program.

Moreover, the starting point of the etheric layer is the real world, that is to say, Sean does not need to deceive the entire etheric layer, he only needs to deceive his own consciousness - treat himself as an electronic program, and the etheric layer will change accordingly.

The only problem with this method is that Sean's deepest original consciousness will also be changed. After all, once the Heart of Deception succeeds, it will be completely unreasonable. But fortunately, Noah is here to provide him with enough computing power and thinking patterns.

Of course, he couldn't delay it too long, otherwise, he might really treat himself as an electronic program.

Without any hesitation, Sean headed towards the world outside the ceiling.

Noah's voice rang in his ears: "Please be careful, Saint Three. I am restricted by the anchor mechanism of the Mind Hall and cannot leave. I can only provide you with advice and basic scans. The range is probably not much different from 30 kilometers in the real world. Considering the special nature of the etheric layer, 30 kilometers may take you a long time to walk, or you may reach the edge of my scan in just two steps. I will remind you then."

"Understood." Sean nodded, and his way of speaking had become almost like that of artificial intelligence.

However, there is no need to pay too much attention to minor details. Although there are many uncertainties in the etheric layer and the concept of distance is constantly changing, if his body is nearby, the nearby area after walking out of the thinking hall should also be the manifestation area of ​​the etheric layer near the shelter.

"Boom——"

Just after walking a short distance forward, a long and strange voice seemed to ring out from my mind.

It was a monitor lizard with a bubble head. Its huge head was stuffed in a small transparent bubble, which had been squeezed out of shape. Its limbs and tail were twitching like a squid, and every time it twitched, a long sound would come out of the bubble head's mouth.

However, this thing is in reverse...

Noah's voice sounded: "Comparing with the database... No record, it is speculated to be an unknown etheric creature, it is recommended not to contact."

"learn."

The weird bubble-headed monitor was paddling leisurely, showing no interest in Sean beneath it.

However, this is because in its perception, Sean is just a very common energy flow, and energy flows are everywhere in the etheric layer, so the shapes of energy flows are naturally varied.

Sean no longer paid attention to these strange creatures, but found a direction and swam away.

Indeed, when swimming, this place seemed like deep water most of the time, and one could only move forward by paddling with all four limbs. Occasionally, gravity would suddenly fail and one would fall down, as if one were stepping on flat ground again.

Although it was awkward, Sean continued to explore.

The reason why he came in was not to find out the so-called etheric layer infiltration, but to find another thing.

The shelter is parasitized by a certain consciousness in the etheric layer, which means that the shelter in reality is, in a sense, a living thing.

Living things naturally have obvious etheric body characteristics.

That's what Sean was looking for.

However, the etheric layer was too strange. Even after spending a lot of time, he still didn't find the consciousness he wanted.

Suddenly, while swimming forward, Sean saw a tree.

Anything of any appearance could appear in the etheric layer, but the moment Sean saw the tree, he had an intuition.

That's it!

……

At this moment, the real world.

Sean, who was working, suddenly straightened up.

A message popped up on his game panel.

"Bounty mission released!"

"The immortal at the bottom of the lake!"