Endless Debt-Chapter 898 - 34: Exhaustive Search Method (3)
"Why after becoming a Negative Power User?"
"One of the signing conditions of the ’Sacrifice of Glory’ is that the target reaches the Negative Power Tier. Due to your identity as a Debtor, you do not meet the signing conditions, but you are eligible to understand these things."
The Collective continued, "With your sharp and vigilant mind, you have advanced all of this."
Bologue held his breath for a few seconds and then let out a long sigh.
"It sounds truly frightening... Has anyone refused?"
"Yes, but very few."
"What happens if they refuse?"
"Usually, they don’t directly refuse; rather, during the review process by the Collective, it is discovered that the person lacks full belief in the sacrifice, and thus they are eliminated. Those who pass the review acknowledge this sacrifice."
"Sign the contract?"
"One of the underlying logics of the Collective is to prevent the Devil’s interference. Hence, ’Sacrifice of Glory’ is just an ordinary agreement, without the Contract School’s Condensers as witnesses. Just a regular signature, a regular belief, and regular connection."
The Collective emitted a rolling thunderous sound.
"Sometimes, a heavy Blood Contract is not needed, humans can unite all the same."
Bologue fell silent again, various complicated emotions fleeting across his eyes, sometimes he felt extremely angry, sometimes he felt lost and sorrowful.
"Are you satisfied with this explanation?"
Bologue nodded heavily, he had nothing more to say.
The Collective uses vast data for exhaustive enumerations, deducing countless possibilities for the direction of events, and identifies the one that maximizes their interests from these possibilities.
Within the Collective, when these major decisions arise, it awakens the virtual personalities of previous directors, discussing, voting through their logic, then Nesanel executes.
To prevent the Devil’s interference, the entire Inverted Hall is completely self-contained. Even though the Collective explained so much to Bologue, he still felt this space hid many secrets, a terrifying accumulation by the Order Bureau over a long time.
Bologue thought of something, "But... I still have a question."
"Speak."
"The Collective is so important, the core of the Order Bureau, why is it so concerned about me?" Bologue was puzzled, "Simply because I questioned the Decision Room, revealing all this to me? I imagine others might have similar doubts, what about them? Will they be treated like me?"
"No, you’re the only exception."
"Why am I the exception?"
"Because the Order Bureau needs you," the Collective noted a point Bologue had overlooked, "Bologue, haven’t you realized yet?"
"Those who chose to shelter you, chose to release you, chose to help you grow, chose to let you inherit the power of Overlord Xilin... they are all among the Collective.
It’s the Collective, it’s the previous directors who chose you, so you are unique."
Bologue felt all his muscles tense, at this moment he felt he was not facing a grotesque and deformed flesh, but countless sacrificers, looking at him across time and space, heavy pressure like bricks hitting him.
Oppressed yet exuberant, excitement and fear trembling together.
Bologue muttered to himself how he could have forgotten such an important matter, feeling as if living in a story where every step was scripted by the author, just waiting for him to follow the path to the predetermined ending.
"I have no more questions."
Bologue took a deep breath, raised his head.
"Alright."
The Collective slowly moved into the darkness, disappearing from sight, Bologue couldn’t see its mountain-like figure anymore, but he still heard the humming of mechanical operation in the dark.
The sacrificers’ thoughts connected together, becoming a machine of infinite computing power, contemplating the future to come.
Nesanel led Bologue out, the two stepping on the Light Forged stairs, heading towards the sky below.
Bologue guessed the space occupied by the Collective was the truly closed area; previously, Nesanel could fully mobilize the Cultivation Room, shuttling between various regions, but here, he had to first walk down the long stairs to send Bologue away.
Looking at the silent figure ahead, Bologue asked, "Will you also become one of them?"
"I will," Nesanel said without turning his head.
"Are you afraid?" Bologue said, "Knowing the form you will take after death before you even die, that should be pretty bad."
"Hmm... you might not believe it when I say this, but I actually look forward to that day coming. Were it not for lacking the courage to make a decision, I would even want to dive in now."
"Why?"
"Because the person I love is also in there... she’s actually gone already, but if it means touching her fantasy, that would be some comfort."
Bologue paused his steps, he hadn’t expected the deputy director to have such a tender side.
"Surprised?"
"A little."
Nesanel laughed to himself, "I should be the one surprised, Bologue."
"Why?"
"Compared to you, mine is a normal life, isn’t it?"
Nesanel turned back to look at Bologue, "You look much better than before."
He continued forward, "I hope you become even better."
Bologue couldn’t understand Nesanel’s words, the information revealed by the Collective had nearly overwhelmed Bologue’s mind, at the moment he had no energy to think about other things.
Right now, Bologue just wanted to go home, lie on his bed, he might think for a while, or maybe fall asleep in fatigue.
In any case, Bologue wanted to rest a bit, he was too tired, too many eyes had been on him.
The two descended along the spiraling Light Forged stairs, on the golden earth below, countless towering figures looked up at them, as if worshiping angels, praying for their descent.
They awaited someone, prepared for something, waited for a celebration.
