Ying Mao’s life had vanished into the Pillar, but his soul had followed the Self-Sticker back into Mu Sichen’s hand.

The moment he pressed the sticker to his palm, Mu Sichen felt a weight settle there—a literal soul seeking sanctuary. He had received the intelligence Ying Mao paid for with his life, and in return, Mu Sichen made a silent vow: he would bring Ying Mao’s soul home. He would not allow it to be swallowed by the Pillar or scattered across this cruel, indifferent world.

This was only Mu Sichen’s second time in the game—his total playtime was barely twelve hours—yet he already carried the weight of countless promises. Surprisingly, he didn’t feel burdened. Instead, the soul resting in his palm seemed to grant him a strange, steady strength.

Mu Sichen handed his still-charged phone to Chi Lian and pointed to the television screen displaying Ying Mao’s broadcast. “Capture a clear shot of his face. We’re going to need it.”

Since the “Sky Eye” had broadcasted Ying Mao’s likeness to the entire factory, it saved Chi Lian the trouble of searching for a reference. She snapped several photos and looked at Mu Sichen. “Should I change your face now?”

“Not yet,” Mu Sichen said. “Ying Mao is an escaped prisoner; he’d be met with the harshest punishment if caught. If the guards haul me into the Breeding Grounds as a captive, they might find a way to suppress my power. I won’t be able to move freely.”

“What’s the plan then?” Cheng Xubo asked.

Mu Sichen pointed toward the northern perimeter. “I’m going to smuggle myself in.”

“But you said it’s guarded by high-voltage fences and sentries,” Cheng Xubo reminded him. “We have no idea what’s on the other side. Can we actually pull off a break-in?”

“That’s why we need the strength of all four of us,” Mu Sichen said.

Four of us…

Chi Lian and Cheng Xubo stiffened. Even though Ying Mao was gone, Mu Sichen still counted him as a brother-in-arms.

Cheng Xubo tightened his fists. “Tell me what to do, and I’ll do it. Let’s show these monsters what we’re made of!”

Chi Lian slammed her fist onto the Energy Pod in a show of solidarity, then immediately winced, clutching her throbbing hand.

Mu Sichen quickly laid out the plan. The two nodded in synchronization. Then, Mu Sichen opened his backpack. Ignoring the heartbroken look on the little octopus’s face, he divided the remaining snacks into three portions. They ate quickly; they needed every bit of stamina they could get.

After polishing off the rations, Mu Sichen gave the octopus a quick, somewhat guilt-ridden pat on the head, shouldered his significantly lighter pack, and led the team toward the electric fence.

On the way, they encountered a squad of supervisors hunting for Ying Mao. The guards checked their faces against the broadcast photos, and after confirming they weren’t the fugitives, they marched off with their noses in the air. One guard tried to get handsy with Chi Lian, but Cheng Xubo stepped in. He took a few punches for his trouble, but he kept her safe.

“Once we take the Pillar, we’re purifying that guy first,” Cheng Xubo muttered, clutching his stomach. “We don’t need ‘citizens’ like him.”

Mu Sichen gritted his teeth. They weren’t losing because they were weak; they were holding back because they had a mission.

They reached the perimeter at roughly 18:00, Bright-Eye Town time. Because of the escape, the guard presence had surged from a single sentry to a squad of eight.

Mu Sichen’s team took a deep breath, anchoring their minds in the memory of their own world. Their sense of superiority couldn’t come from this town; to feel superior by the town’s standards would mean acknowledging Big Eye’s logic, which invited corruption. Their superiority came from the reality of a peaceful, modern civilization.

“Hey! Stay back!” a supervisor shouted, brandishing his whip.

The three shared a look and nodded.

As the highest-level player, Mu Sichen’s speed and defense were vastly improved. He lunged forward, his left hand—the one bearing Ying Mao’s sticker—flicking out like a snake. He snatched the whip right out of the guard’s hand before the man even realized it was gone.

The guard continued to swing his empty hand, looking utterly confused.

In that moment, Mu Sichen had activated Ying Mao’s skill: Sleight of Hand. By hosting Ying Mao’s soul and hope, Mu Sichen could now channel his follower’s abilities. Even as a soul, Ying Mao was contributing to the fight.

Mu Sichen tossed the electrified whip to Chi Lian. Her energy was spent from the previous face-changes, and she needed a weapon. With her newfound agility and the “Superiority” rule granting her half the guard’s strength, she was a force to be reckoned with. She lashed out with the whip, wrapping it around the disarmed guard and hurling him into the electric fence. A cascade of sparks erupted, and the charred supervisor slumped to the ground.

Mu Sichen didn’t slow down. Using his speed, he systematically “stole” all eight whips. Now Chi Lian and Cheng Xubo were dual-wielding electrified scourges. With Mu Sichen disarming and the other two clearing the line, the battle was over in under five minutes. Eight guards lay like lumps of charcoal.

Immediately, the factory-wide broadcast shrieked to life.

“Important notice! Three High-Level employees have attacked staff at the Breeding Grounds perimeter. All available units, intercept immediately!”

“Well,” Chi Lian joked grimly, “at this rate, we’re going to run out of faces to borrow.”

“Time is tight. Change me,” Mu Sichen said.

Using the photo on the phone, Chi Lian shifted Mu Sichen’s appearance from He Fei to Ying Mao. Then, Mu Sichen reached into the void and pulled out his trusty pickaxe.

The pickaxe had evolved strangely. While Mu Sichen needed “Self” stickers to level up, the tool leveled up simply through use. It was now Level 15—five levels higher than its master.

[Pillar-Grade Weapon: Level 15. Evolved after borrowing ‘Half-Step Heavens-Covering’ power. Indestructible against anything below ‘Star-Hiding’ grade. It feels indignant that its level is lower than the Guardian’s Sword; grants the skill ‘Indignant Strike’ when within 20 meters of said sword.]

Mu Sichen didn’t even know where to start with that description. “Half-Step Heavens-Covering” clearly referred to Qin Zhou, who was apparently far more powerful than Big Eye. And the fact that his tool was developing a personality—and a rivalry—was slightly terrifying.

Regardless, a factory fence was no match for a Level 15 divine tool.

[Demolition] activated.

Mu Sichen slammed the pickaxe into the mesh. Low-frequency current buzzed through the wooden handle, but his high defense shrugged it off. He tore a massive hole in the wire.

Ever cautious, he grabbed one of the downed supervisors and tossed him through the gap. Arcs of invisible energy incinerated the already-charred body. The wire was just the physical shell; a wall of pure high-voltage current remained.

“My turn!” Cheng Xubo stepped up, summoning his cart.

The cart looked small—barely big enough for a child—but when Mu Sichen climbed in, the internal space felt cavernous.

“The cart creates its own pocket dimension,” Cheng Xubo explained. “It should shield you from the current. I’m going to shove the cart through with everything I’ve got. I’ll have to leave it on the other side. You have to take the Pillar, Captain. This cart is my only tool; I need it back!”

Mu Sichen gave him a thumbs-up.

Cheng Xubo put his weight into it and shoved the cart toward the breach. The movement triggered a violent reaction; silver lightning cascaded toward Mu Sichen like a divine judgment.

The current froze exactly ten centimeters above Mu Sichen’s head, unable to penetrate the cart’s space. On the other side of the fence, Cheng Xubo squeezed his eyes shut, his face contorting with the strain of maintaining the shield.

In a flash, the cart rolled safely into the Breeding Grounds.

Mu Sichen stepped out and yelled back through the hole, “Thanks! I’m bringing this cart home!”

“How much power is in that fence?!” Cheng Xubo panted. “My energy wasn’t enough—I had to borrow 1,000 points from you just to hold the shield! Do I have to pay that back?”

Mu Sichen: “…”

He realized then that the cart wasn’t just a transport tool; it was a high-tier defensive item. Between Chi Lian’s face-changing, his own “Siphon” on the supervisors, and Cheng Xubo’s shield, his energy pool had plummeted from 5,000 to 2,700.

He looked back at his friends. They stood at the breach, whips in hand, as a fresh wave of supervisors sprinted toward them from the distance.

“Go!” Chi Lian yelled, waving him off. “We’ll hold this hole for you!”

“Kick the Pillar’s ass for Ying Mao!” Cheng Xubo added. “I know it’s just energy, but punch it once for me!”

Mu Sichen swallowed the lump in his throat. “Stay safe!” he barked, turning to run into the heart of the Breeding Grounds.

“Of course we’ll stay safe!” Chi Lian’s voice drifted after him. “If it gets too hairy, I’ll just borrow your energy to change my face and run! Save some points for me!”

Mu Sichen nearly tripped over a furrow in the dirt.

The sentiment was gone. His followers were absolute money-burners.

Author’s Note:

Mu Sichen (pensive): I think I’ve turned this into a city-builder/base-management game.

Qin Zhou: …

Mu Sichen (anxious): My followers use so much energy. I need to find a way to farm points; I’m going broke!

Qin Zhou: …

Mu Sichen (heavy-hearted): I owe so much now. Promises to the townspeople, to Ying Mao… even a cart to Cheng Xubo.

Qin Zhou: …

Mu Sichen (squeezing the octopus’s tentacle): Why aren’t you saying anything? Comfort me.

Qin Zhou: You gave away all my snacks and now you want comfort? I’m the one who needs comfort, you heartless man!