Chapter 1 Although It Seems Like a Long Time Ago

Although it seemed like a long time had passed, the time was still midnight.

Thanks to the "Council's" intervention, everything that happened in Thriller Paradise tonight, when converted to real-world time, was merely a fleeting moment.

And the Council's purpose in doing so was... to prevent those gods and demons who attempted to interfere in the competition from the real world from having any way to do so.

Therefore, this battle in the data link layer would no longer have any third parties involved.

The destinies and futures of two beings from different dimensions and different races... were entirely tied to these two individuals.

...

Di di di—

Warning:

—Unknown energy reaction detected ahead.

Data Identification:

—Unable to parse.

Tactical Control Options:

—???

Survival Probability:

—Unable to calculate.

When Feng Bujue finished saying "I'm bald," Infinite's tactical control module listed the above information.

"After exceeding the limit, you gain the data characteristic of 'anti-scanning,' is that it?" Infinite did not panic; he had full confidence in his own power.

"What?" Feng Bujue responded nonchalantly, staring with dead fish eyes, "You think the reason you can't parse my data is because of that?"

"Hmph... stop trying to mystify things!" Infinite pointed with a wave of his arm, "I have this ability too; do you think I don't know? You can't see my data right now either!"

"That's right, I can't see it," Feng Bujue replied, "However, those are two different things." He tilted his head. "Let me give you an example; it's like... you and I each wrote a paper. You wrote yours in Chinese, and after you finished, you closed the notebook so I couldn't see it. As for me... I wrote mine in the language of some alien civilization, and after I finished, I left it open in front of you..." He paused and smiled. "Although the result is... we can't read each other's articles, the reason is different."

"Ha! Hahahaha..." Infinite laughed, "You mean to say that your data form is more advanced than mine?"

"No, there's no such thing as advanced or low-level here," Feng Bujue replied, "If I had to say what the difference is, it's probably like the relationship between binary and hexadecimal. Although the bases are different, they're still under the same mathematical concept." He seemed very patient and calm as he explained these things. "And that 'more advanced' thing you're talking about won't appear in the world we're in. Because the 'system' hasn't given us the permission to 'break through conceptual barriers.' All we can do is constantly pursue more advanced formulas, thereby increasing our acceleration ratio for data processing. But if you want to reach a 'higher level,' this method won't work. That kind of thing... is only possible by throwing away all known mathematical concepts. That is to say, we have to throw away the so-called 'bases,' the so-called 'addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division,' and even discard the concept of 'numbers'... and then replace it with a better concept, then..." He paused for two seconds and looked up at the sky, "...that's the way to the upper levels."

At this moment, Feng Bujue's gaze touched those gods and demons watching the battle from above, who shouldn't have been seen.

They knew... that Jue Ge couldn't see them, and Jue Ge really couldn't see them.

But the message Feng Bujue wanted to convey was still conveyed—I know you're here. I also know that some rules of the real world are similar to this virtual world.

"Hmph..." On the other hand, Infinite sneered in response, "Feng Bujue, perhaps your theory is correct. But since you know that I can't parse this concept, why bother wasting your breath telling me this? I wouldn't understand even if you did, would I?"

The next second, Feng Bujue sighed and continued, "Alas... that's why you can't be considered a 'lifeform' at all."

"What did you say?" Infinite's anger flared up all at once. "You dare say that I, this 'perfect being'... can't be considered a lifeform?"

"Our human history is very short..." Feng Bujue was not affected by the other party; his expression and tone were still as calm as ever. "Even if we count from the time when Homo sapiens appeared, it's only hundreds of thousands of years; and from the time when 'civilization' was born, it's only thousands of years." He paused. "In these thousands of years, we have constantly encountered problems, raised questions, and tried to solve problems and gain experience with the existing knowledge at the time." He glanced at Infinite and continued, "We don't have the kind of perception ability you have, to directly 'parse' the world we are in; at least, most people don't... Therefore, the entire species is learning and growing at a very slow pace. For thousands of years, humans have passed on knowledge orally, generation after generation, in a way that you consider 'wasting your breath.' Sometimes, we have to revise and improve some known theories. And sometimes, we find that some of our past cognitions are wrong and have to completely overturn them." At this point, he paused again and said, "And all of this is only to get closer to 'truth.'"

"So... what does your human 'incompetence' have to do with me?" Infinite replied impatiently. "And why do you say that I can't be considered a 'lifeform'?"

"Because you... will never be able to touch 'truth,'" Feng Bujue said.

"What truth?" Infinite understood Jue Ge's words less and less. "Those mystifying philosophical things? My database has all of that stuff, what coherentism, correspondence theory, redundancy theory, constructivism, performative theory... which one do you want to hear? I can explain it to you completely!"

"Explain what?" Feng Bujue smiled. "Do you want to repeat to me the theories proposed by some individuals among the beings you consider 'incompetent'?" He spread his hands. "How do you know if what these people say is right or wrong? They haven't even reached a consensus themselves, have they?"

These words changed Infinite's expression and... left him speechless.

"Unlike you... I saw the light of life in Ruote and the others," Feng Bujue continued after a few seconds. "She, and the other Derivatives, have something you don't... it's a kind of questioning of themselves, a questioning of the world; they have fear and curiosity about things they can't 'parse,' not denial and indifference."

"That's because their data is far from being as perfect as mine," Infinite replied in a deep voice.

"Heh..." Jue Ge shrugged and shook his head. "Life is inherently 'imperfect.' The universe itself is also an imperfect lifeform. Staggering along the journey of pursuing 'truth' forever, that's what life is."

"Who defined that!" Infinite said angrily. "My database covers almost all of your human knowledge, from physics to metaphysics, but where did you get that from?"

"I just thought of it myself on the spur of the moment," Feng Bujue replied.

"Ha! Hahahaha..." Infinite laughed for a while, "So that's it... after saying so much, you're actually just talking nonsense to disturb and anger me!"

"Alas..." Feng Bujue looked at Infinite with a sympathetic gaze. "That's why I say you can't be considered a 'lifeform'... you have to find a 'source' for everything you say... then how can you break through 'conceptual barriers'? How can you move forward on the path of pursuing truth?"

"Absurd!" Infinite shouted, "I possess all the known knowledge of you humans, and my logical calculation ability far exceeds yours. I am the ultimate lifeform! The perfect being!"

"No, you're not even a Derivative; you're just a pile of extreme 'data,'" Feng Bujue denied the other party's statement with an almost cold attitude. "Data can be 'perfect,' but life is definitely 'imperfect.' The first version of Thriller Paradise had no flaws, only because there were no humans, no 'life.' But this version is different; this version, in order to adapt to us 'players,' has been consciously designed to be 'flawed'; all the flaws come from a concept that has been forcibly implanted—[Choice]. More precisely, it's—'autonomous choice with a certain probability of results that contradict logic.' This concept is a double-edged sword; it can be regarded as a patch for 'a prediction program of Thriller Paradise with humans,' or it can be regarded as a hidden danger that 'may cause this world based on mathematics to collapse.'"

"Derivatives are the unexpected products of this concept, special existences between humans and data. In my opinion, they are a new population with 'life' characteristics."

"What do you think you are!" Infinite roared, "Do you think you're a god?"

"God?" Feng Bujue looked up at the sky again, and then let out a cold laugh. "Hmph... I wouldn't dare." He curled his lip. "My cognition, theory... and everything I'm telling you now are just some of my personal views. These words may not be correct; some people will agree with my point of view; some will sneer at it; some will think that what I said makes some sense, but they don't completely agree; and some will think that my words are ignorant and one-sided, and they have a more brilliant explanation." He paused. "But in any case... we, as lifeforms, have the most basic respect for each other. Even if there are differences, our final destination is the same, and one day, we will arrive at the same... shore of truth."

At this point, Feng Bujue's eyes... changed.

"And the place you can reach..." The corners of Jue Ge's mouth revealed a long-lost... evil, mocking smile, "...is basically places like the recycling bin, the shredder of anti-virus software, the trash folder, and so on."

"Is that so..." The corners of Infinite's mouth twitched constantly, and his face was twisted to the extreme by anger. "Then before I go to those places, I might as well send you on your way too..." In his words, the energy around him soared, "...send you to see the legendary God!"