Regarding the mechanical Gu Ya and Zeng Lang who traveled from hundreds of years in the future, Gu Ya indeed had many questions and anxieties.
"There are two most important things now: first, finding a way to break through the illusion, and second, finding Hei Yang's initial data code."
"There's also something else: who is that person named 'Wang Chuan,' why does he possess the 'Xie Shen Yi Weng' that contains my abilities, and why did he return it to me?"
"What is the origin of the Xie Shen Yi Weng, why does such a thing exist, and why did it choose me? Perhaps my ability to travel through time is also related to this item."
"What exactly is the Xie Shen... I don't understand anything."
With his full abilities restored, Gu Ya could indeed see the essence of this world. He could even clearly feel his assimilation rate slowly decreasing, yet he still didn't dare to act recklessly in this world.
"If I act too conspicuously, Hei Yang will definitely find a way to stop me. I must lie low for now and make a decision after I find some information about Hei Yang."
This world was created by Hei Yang. Every blade of grass, every tree, even a toothbrush or a water cup, could potentially be its eyes and ears.
However, Gu Ya now possessed an ability akin to an "all-seeing eye," allowing him to perceive anomalies in the code.
If Hei Yang were to appear, he would know immediately.
But this was not entirely secure. To completely escape Hei Yang's surveillance, he could start by researching the "consciousness barrier domain" mentioned by the mechanical Gu Ya.
"Mmm... mmm... Gu Ya..." Hu Na, lying beside him, murmured in her sleep.
Gu Ya felt a complex emotion towards this program organism that looked exactly like Ye Ying. Hei Yang had designed it so cleverly based on Ye Ying; it was too much of a coincidence.
"Wait a moment..." Thinking of Ye Ying, Gu Ya suddenly recalled something about the consciousness barrier.
The so-called consciousness barrier was a self-isolation of consciousness, a method similar to self-hypnosis. However, operating on oneself was extremely difficult because the subconscious would not allow the main consciousness to fall into self-contradiction.
But there was another method that could produce the same effect as a consciousness barrier, or even a better one.
"The abyss of consciousness," Gu Ya murmured. "If I could fall into the abyss of consciousness, perhaps I could temporarily block Hei Yang."
"Gu Ya... you're not asleep yet..." Hu Na slightly opened her eyes and murmured.
Gu Ya leaned down and kissed her forehead, saying gently, "Yes, I'm thinking about the future. You should sleep."
Hu Na sighed softly through her nose and murmured, "If you can't sleep, I can't sleep either."
From the green program code within her, Gu Ya deduced that Hu Na's current state was merely a programmed emergency response, not controlled by Hei Yang.
Using [Code Tampering], Gu Ya restored the transparent gelatinous mass in his sight to Hu Na's appearance, which made him feel slightly better.
Hu Na hugged Gu Ya's neck, pressing her soft chest tightly against his back.
After sensing that the flow of time had returned to the normal 230 seconds: 1 second, Gu Ya finally felt a temporary sense of relief and savored the lifelike tenderness that Hu Na offered.
"Sleep quickly, you have to go to work tomorrow," Gu Ya said faintly.
Hu Na gently shook her head and whispered, "Shall we do what we did tonight again?"
When he returned home that night, Gu Ya had not yet fully mastered the ability to change the form of program organisms through [Code Tampering].
He was persistently entangled by the semi-humanoid, semi-transparent gelatinous mass before him, engaging in an act he inwardly resisted with all his might.
At this moment, Hu Na had completely reverted to Ye Ying's appearance in his eyes. Her soft, fair, and smooth skin pressed against his back, her cool, small hands caressed his chest, and her fragrant breath and sexy murmurs stirred Gu Ya's desire.
After all, she was just a piece of programming created based on Ye Ying.
Gu Ya gently bit Hu Na's index finger and slowly turned, his eyes filled with the hunger of a hunter.
Hu Na's hazy and seductive gaze seemed to tell Gu Ya to conquer her.
When the ritual was halfway through, Gu Ya felt a chill on his back. With the up and down movement of his waist, he could clearly feel an eye appearing on the ceiling.
Hei Yang was here to spy.
To protect himself, Gu Ya could only ignore this shameful act of peeping and continue to feign an ecstatic state, merging with Hu Na.
After a passionate conclusion, the two lay naked in each other's arms. Only then did Gu Ya feel the eye on the ceiling gradually disappear.
"Will you never leave me?" Hu Na asked softly, drawing circles on Gu Ya's chest with her fingers.
"Yes..."
Just as Gu Ya uttered this disingenuous "yes," he immediately detected a small, square gap beneath the sofa in the living room just outside the door, as if a piece of space had suddenly vanished.
"The abyss of consciousness," Gu Ya thought to himself.
The gap quickly disappeared, but Gu Ya's mind was already clear.
Hei Yang was a world of illusion created from Gu Ya's consciousness. It was both the embodiment of consciousness and a parasite of consciousness.
"So that explains why I could create the abyss of consciousness. Then, as long as I do enough contradictory things, I can create a larger and more persistent abyss of consciousness, escape Hei Yang's surveillance, and even counter-surveil Hei Yang!"
"Darling, can we do it again?" Hu Na asked shyly and eagerly, her face flushed.
"Why not? I'll make sure you can't get out of bed," Gu Ya replied with a wicked grin. A moment of indulgence wouldn't hurt.
"You're so naughty..."
...
Fu Yafang stared intently at the cylindrical experimental apparatus.
Gu Ya had, by some unknown method, decreased in synchronization speed even faster than he had increased. In just two days, his synchronization rate had dropped to 59%.
Along with her joy, Fu Yafang also felt a growing unease.
After Hui Ye Ai Li left Shan Hai City, she had become the de facto leader of the Hei Yang project. Although Fu Yafang eagerly awaited Gu Ya's awakening, the continuous decrease in his assimilation rate made her feel a sense of danger and unprecedented criticism.
"Is this newcomer even capable? How did the experimental progress regress after she arrived?"
"Is this metaphysics? All our procedures are followed according to regulations, yet the decline is so severe after she's only been here for a few days."
"And that experimental malfunction last time, which came and went without warning. Ever since then, the experiment has been declining. Do you think she's been manipulating things behind the scenes?"
Fu Yafang's cold gaze fell upon the few scientists who were discussing her privately. Noticing her stare, they quickly fell silent.
As if on cue, a greater calamity arrived.
Hong Lian Zhi Wu strode into the laboratory as if no one else was present. Seeing that the assimilation rate had decreased further, her expression became even more displeased.
She completely ignored Fu Yafang and went to the scientists to listen to their reports.
After a long while, Hong Lian Zhi Wu walked sternly to Fu Yafang, tilted her head slightly with a resentful gaze, and coldly reprimanded, "I hereby dismiss you from all your positions, with no explanation. Leave here immediately. Do whatever you want!"
Fu Yafang didn't argue. She had already learned how to shut down the equipment, and this was an opportune moment to escape.
Just as Fu Yafang turned to leave, Hong Lian Zhi Wu spoke in an even colder and more sinister tone, "Before Commander Xing Chen returns, I advise you to find a place to hide. Lest you end up with a dismembered corpse."
What was bound to come, would come. Hong Lian Zhi Wu had been waiting for this day. She could use the fact of the experimental subject's declining assimilation rate to fabricate charges against Fu Yafang and have her killed. This way, Commander Xing Chen would not pursue the matter too severely.
Since her intentions were so clear, Fu Yafang could not help but retaliate. She said with a solemn expression, "You've followed Commander Xing Chen for so long, yet you still don't know what he wants most."
With that, Fu Yafang steadily left the laboratory.
She was certain that Hong Lian Zhi Wu, nicknamed the "Princess of Slaughter" and experienced in battle, would show no mercy. With killing intent already present, she had to enact her plan immediately. Even if it meant sacrificing herself, she had to transmit Gu Ya's location to Xian Xia.
Just as Fu Yafang was quickly leaving the Xing Chen Dominion Building, a tall man suddenly rushed through the entrance and collided with her.
"Oh dear, I'm so sorry! Hee hee, beautiful lady, please forgive my rudeness," the man said hastily.
Fu Yafang looked at the newcomer closely and felt a sudden surge of delight. It was him!