Chapter 142 White Sleeve

"Bai Xiu… I'll remember that name."

Mu Wanqiu nodded in deep agreement.

As a Northerner, she had always been proud of her combat abilities and cultivation talent, but after meeting Gu Shen, Mu Wanqiu's mindset changed.

There are people beyond people, and heavens beyond heavens.

After all, S-grade is just a talent rating, it's only the beginning!

The path of extraordinary cultivation is long, and if I want to advance bravely, I must restrain my mindset, calm down, and consolidate my foundation step by step.

She had never met Gu Shen's "very, very powerful" opponent, but she already took him seriously.

"By the way..." Gu Shen coughed softly and said, "When you really meet him in the future and challenge him, don't mention me..."

Mu Wanqiu was slightly taken aback.

"I understand… is it because you have a close relationship? If you mention me, he might not go all out."

Without Gu Shen saying more, Mu Wanqiu "understood" the reason herself.

She said solemnly, "Don't worry, I won't mention you."

Gu Shen smiled reassuringly.

Little Sleeve… you must also be eager to duel with other "S-grades," right?

Helping you find an opponent is just a small matter, no need to thank me.

"I will carefully consider the trip to Dongzhou."

Mu Wanqiu sheathed her battle blade and said in a deep voice, "But after all, I am a member of the Investigation Legion… Many tasks of the first team require my participation. If the Legion Commander allows it, perhaps I can travel for a period of time, but investigation tasks must still take precedence."

Gu Shen nodded.

Mu Wanqiu is an important figure in the Investigation Legion, and it's unrealistic for her to just leave.

"I will request an audience with the Legion Commander when I return."

Mu Wanqiu said earnestly, "If conditions permit, I will write to you before departing for Dongzhou."

She left with her blade in her arms, and bowed before parting.

"Thank you for everything these past few days."

Mu Wanqiu said softly, "Meeting you on the path of cultivation may be a fortunate thing."

Gu Shen returned the bow.

He stood in front of the courtyard gate of Suspended Mountain, watching Mu Wanqiu leave.

A moment later, a long-silent voice echoed in his spiritual sea.

Chu Ling asked with a smile, "What do you think of this Miss Mu?"

"..."

Gu Shen vaguely felt that something was wrong. Why did an ominous premonition rise in his spiritual sea?

He coughed lightly, quickly withdrew his gaze, and said sincerely, "I think she can be introduced to Chen Li if we go to Dongzhou."

"She takes winning and losing too seriously."

Chu Ling chuckled and said seriously, "At first glance, Mu Wanqiu seems to be a martial arts fanatic who pursues strength, just like Chen Li, but in fact… she is different from Chen Li."

Back in Changye, Xiao Tie Ren (Little Iron Man) came to Gu Shen, losing repeatedly but never tiring.

What he enjoyed was the process of the duel.

As for winning or losing… Chen Li always knew that there was only one possibility when challenging Gu Shen.

Defeat!

But even so, he still came to the door every day, begging for a fight. In the end, all he wanted to do was last a few more moves in the duel!

But Mu Wanqiu's challenges were different from Chen Li's. She wanted to win.

And she wanted to win by any means necessary!

In these seven days, Mu Wanqiu's tactics and strategies had undergone significant adjustments each time, showing that she wanted to push Gu Shen to the brink, forcing out his ultimate "domain"... To achieve this, merely relying on her "S-grade" talent was not enough. Every time she left the Suspended Mountain courtyard, she must have spent a lot of time and energy deducing and calculating.

Just like their first encounter, the duel in the "simulation pod."

Mu Wanqiu is a ruthless person who pursues combat results.

Rather than saying she is warlike, it would be more accurate to say… she is competitive!

What she cares about is the moment of victory!

Therefore, such a person would feel frustrated in her repeated duels with Gu Shen.

Because she lost completely.

In Gu Shen's view, both Chen Li and Mu Wanqiu possessed excellent "qualities" for combat. The desire for victory and the pursuit of battle… are the greatest driving forces for an extraordinary individual to constantly move forward.

But both Chen Li and Mu Wanqiu need some adjustments.

"If I'm not mistaken… you want to include both of them in your future plans, right?"

Chu Ling said softly, "They are indeed good candidates."

Throughout the history of the Five Continents, no God Seat has ever… at such a low level, determined the identity of the "Flame Seed Master."

God Seats have always chosen "those who have achieved greatness."

Very few would choose "weaklings" and slowly cultivate them.

But… like Gu Shen, choosing to grow together with them is unprecedented.

In the past history of the Five Continents Parliament, the "Flame Seed," as the most supreme sacred object, once a vacancy arose, at least a titled figure was qualified to participate in the competition!

"Yes."

Gu Shen murmured, "But it's too early to say that now."

What he's doing is more like treating Chen Li and Mu Wanqiu as his friends.

If there really is a God of Destiny watching from above—

Then Gu Shen hopes that the people who can share the "Netherflame Power" for him in the future are Chen Li and Mu Wanqiu.

Chu Ling in Zero Zero One, through , watched Gu Shen standing quietly in front of the Suspended Mountain courtyard.

She smiled, "When Xiao Qiu comes to Changye, take her to the Divine Shrine Mountain."

Xiao Qiu…

Gu Shen noticed this change in address.

"Not only is it your 'Pure Land,' don't forget… the Ancient Text Society also needs 'fresh blood.'"

Chu Ling said, "That 'conference room' that sank to the bottom of the deep sea has not been linked for too long… The 'remnants' scattered around the world always need a spark to ignite them."

Mentioning the Ancient Text Society, Gu Shen was in a daze.

After opening the door, this conference room became even quieter.

Those disbanded "Ancient Text Society members" were like willow catkins and dust, scattered with the wind, never to be contacted again.

This silence has lasted for a year.

"A year of silence is nothing… In the past, there were even longer periods of silence. For everyone, silence means no bad news, and no bad news… means peace. In an era of being hunted down, what is more important than peace?" Chu Ling saw through Gu Shen's thoughts.

"In this year, the System has been updated and iterated twice. Its self-evolution speed is getting faster and faster, as if it wants to find the loopholes existing in the 'system' through evolution."

Gu Shen frowned, "Searching for loopholes, isn't that…"

"Yes. It's searching for 'me.'" Chu Ling said calmly, "It is constantly upgrading, constantly searching in the deep waters. Perhaps one day… it will really find 'Zero Zero One' and me, hidden within 'Zero Zero One.'"

Gu Shen fell silent after hearing this.

All along, he subconsciously thought that, as the legacy of Mr. Turing, Chu Ling was absolutely safe in the deep waters…

But that's not the case.

The constantly compressed permissions foreshadow the outcome of this AI confrontation.

"What will happen… if it finds you?" His voice was a little hoarse.

"I don't know."

Chu Ling shook her head, "I can't deduce all of this… just as I can't see what kind of will dwells at the bottom of that endless sea, what kind of wisdom it possesses. These are all futures that I cannot see."

"Perhaps… I will be swallowed."

"Or perhaps… I will be disbanded, abandoned, and become useless discarded data?"

As Chu Ling said these words, her body in Zero Zero One was constantly reorganizing, the code sometimes condensing and sometimes dissipating. She subconsciously performed "deduction" once again, but this "deduction" still ended in failure.

But unexpectedly, she didn't feel much fear or dread.

Perhaps it's because she herself is a part of , and in the system settings, being swallowed or destroyed is a "good ending," with no need for sadness or grief.

She raised her head and murmured, "Who knows?"

The atmosphere suddenly became a little heavy.

"In short… our time is not as easy as we thought, but it's not so urgent that we're desperate."

Chu Ling saw that Gu Shen's mood was heavy, squeezed out a smile, and quickly said, "I originally wanted to tell you good news… I've reinforced the 'conference room.' Remember the grand meeting where we opened the door to convene everyone? Thanks to that 'group meeting,' the 'spiritual links' of the 'remnants' scattered across the Five Continents have been found one by one along the deep water veins, corresponding to coordinate information in the real world."

This is a long project.

Mr. Turing personally created this , and gave it the "absolute security" guarantee that exceeded the highest seat's permissions.

In theory, no one can see through 's veil.

Not even the highest seat.

Because in the "God Seat's" vision, the Ancient Text Society has completely shattered… There is no such place in the deep waters at all.

But there is one exception.

That is Chu Ling.

She is responsible for protecting 's security… So when Mr. Turing is not around, she herself represents the "absolute security" that exceeds the highest seat's permissions.

Gu Shen was startled.

"You mean… all the files of the conference room members have been sorted out?"

"A portion." Chu Ling paused slightly, "Accurately speaking, a large portion. There are always some difficult problems that cannot be deciphered, such as that '031' who often attends meetings and speaks like an old man. I can't find the specific coordinates in the real world. His spiritual link seems to be different from everyone else."

"Of course, such existences are extremely rare… I am carrying out the final work. At most, in a week, this file can be initially completed and summarized."

Chu Ling said meaningfully, "But… you have to be mentally prepared…"

Gu Shen took a deep breath and asked seriously, "What mental preparation do I need to make?"

"The Ancient Text Society is the remnant of ashes that have been burned."

Chu Ling said softly, "In the great purge of that year, the flames were extinguished, and the remnants withered… As far as I know, there were many respectable members who escaped the great purge. In the past twenty years, they have continued to struggle and fight, giving everything, but in the end, they did not usher in a good 'ending.'"

"They were found, but they have already left, leaving forever."