Black Room, Black Box, and Last Words

Bai Zhou's sleep quality was far from ideal.

For Bai Zhou, who normally got a healthy nineteen hours of sleep a day, six hours of sleep was enough to give him black eye circles.

Who could blame him when Evening City had thirty-six hours in a day?

At six in the morning, Bai Zhou, who had yet to adjust to the time difference, was awakened by knocking on his door. His first reaction was to look up at his side.

The Dormitory was empty, and the dim room was utterly silent.

The Mysterious Maiden he had seen last night was nowhere to be found, like a dream that had vanished without a trace.

But Bai Zhou knew it had not been a dream.

He raised his right hand and opened his palm. A black feather-shaped mark had clearly been drawn on it.

The Maiden named Ya, the black Crow that had suddenly spread its wings...

Bang! Bang bang!

The knocking continued. Bai Zhou hurriedly threw off his blanket, opened the door, and received notice to gather outside in ten minutes.

"Gather?"

Still bleary-eyed, Bai Zhou suddenly woke up and immediately recalled what Ya had said last night.

Reality seemed to be shifting in the direction Ya had predicted.

Bai Zhou quietly clenched his right hand, hiding the Black Feather Mark in his palm.

...Ten minutes later, Bai Zhou finished washing up and left the pale yellow Dormitory building.

As he passed through building after building, he noticed armed Soldiers enforcing martial law everywhere. From time to time, they escorted sealed Black Boxes past him. The atmosphere throughout the underground base was highly unusual.

Before long, six or seven people gathered in front of a low gray building.

The old gray-white building was three or four stories tall, with several faded Slogans hanging on its walls.

"Heads may fall, blood may flow, but the Black Room defense line must never be lost!"

"Standardize controls, militarize organization, make contingency plans combat-ready."

"Improper Black Box management brings tears to colleagues and family alike!"

"..."

Bai Zhou stayed at the back of the crowd and quietly sized everyone up. He found that each of them wore a P1 Specialist identification badge, their faces tense or curious.

Ahead of them, a middle-aged man in a Black Suit wearing a Level P4 Specialist badge casually flicked away the cigarette butt between his fingers.

He carried a silver-white metal Briefcase in one hand. A Cross bound in Chains was branded onto its side.

"I am a Level P4 Specialist from the Black Box Maintenance Department. My surname is Liu. You may call me Section Chief Liu."

As he lifted his foot to grind out the cigarette butt, he looked up and adjusted the tie at his chest.

"You are all newcomers who have recently joined the department. Today, I will show you around and familiarize you with your future work."

"When you return, write down your thoughts on this tour. I will inspect them tomorrow."

With that, he turned sharply on his Military Boots, and everyone hurried after him.

"Although Blue Star has long remained peaceful and stable, abnormal phenomena and mysterious creatures have never behaved themselves on the World's Back. The Reflection Ruins Realm's erosion of the Present World has never ceased for even a day."

Section Chief Liu spoke slowly. "To protect Federation citizens' lives and property, all manner of secret departments have remained active on the front lines against them, such as the Bureau of Anomalous Investigation, the Disaster Prevention Research Institute, and the Council of Scientific Supremacy..."

"And the Special Black Box Control Agency is the most widespread, most fundamental, and most important of them all!"

Bai Zhou heard bursts of surprised exclamations beside him.

So even Blue Star locals did not know about these things?

"Certain mysterious objects and creatures possess special value. People seal them into Black Boxes and confine and control them within the Black Rooms of the Special Black Box Control Agency."

The man's gentle voice echoed ahead as he climbed the Stairs and scanned his Level P4 Specialist ID badge before the door.

A green light lit up on the door, and three heavy steel Great Doors opened in sequence.

"The Tinghai City General Bureau's Black Box Special Management Department Branch 36 was established twenty years ago and has made enormous contributions to Tinghai City's stability."

"...Among them, our Black Box Maintenance Department is a frontline department that directly handles Black Boxes. Our annual casualty rate has never been below ten percent."

Behind those calm words lay a history worthy of solemn respect and a heavy reality.

"We control. We seal. We protect..."

He turned around and stood in the pitch-black doorway, looking down at the crowd without expression.

"Welcome to the real world you have never set foot in!"

The so-called Black Rooms were truly black. Light seemed frozen here, dead, ghostlike.

Inside the building, one could not see one's hand before one's face. Sealed Iron Gates lined both sides of the corridor, making it feel like a prison.

Occasionally, people in white uniforms passed by, wearing rubber gloves as pale as corpses. Their pattering footsteps echoed through the hallway.

Bai Zhou felt a cold, sinister chill here. Though somewhat nervous, he quietly clenched his palm.

Was that Crown here?

"Sometimes, because of the nature of our work, people call us maintenance workers," Section Chief Liu said softly.

"Actually, ignorance is a kind of good fortune. But in the Black Box Special Management Department, you cannot afford not to know what you will face. It is unfortunate, but at the same time..."

With a snap, he flicked his fingers, and two dim blue lights came on in the pitch-black corridor.

Then, farther within, one light after another lit up, as though flames were being passed along the way.

The faint blue light fell across him. Facing the crowd, Section Chief Liu smiled.

"At the same time, it is an honor."

"..."

From a dim corner, Bai Zhou cautiously examined the blue lights that had switched on by themselves.

Evening City had similar automatic streetlights, but they only lit for the Black Robes, adding to their special status and prestige.

But later, people learned that there had been people inside the walls behind those lights, controlling them.

So Bai Zhou had reason to suspect that dozens of axemen might also be hiding in the walls behind these blue lights, glaring at and monitoring every person who passed through.

"These rooms are the Black Rooms that seal the Black Boxes."

Section Chief Liu led everyone past several windows, each marked with a bold, eye-catching red number.

He raised a hand and pointed at a black Great Door bearing the words, "Catalog Number F-5986: Tireless Dancing Shoes."

"[F-5986]. During the first attempt to seal it, an operational error left seven Commissioners involved permanently crippled."

"And this one." He looked toward the black alloy door marked, "Catalog Number F-14270: Death Phone," his gaze calm.

"[F-14270]. In 2025, during a riot caused by the failure to seal it, I lost my Teacher."

Everyone fell silent, watching Section Chief Liu calmly pass one pitch-black sealed alloy door after another.

People only saw that he knew these catalog numbers by heart, yet no one knew what each number meant to him.

Bai Zhou curiously peered through a window. He could not see what was inside the sealed Black Box, but blurred, bloody Last Wills floated above it.

[Dance! Dance! Dance! Do you want to dance too?]

[Write hypocrites into your phone's memo, and you can kill them... I will become the god of the new world!]

"..."

There were all kinds of things like that, leaving Bai Zhou dazzled. Unfortunately, none of the Last Wills gave him any clue as to how they could be fulfilled.

"Maintenance workers have never had an easy job. Sacrifice and injury are common here. You will slowly get used to it."

Section Chief Liu's voice drifted from ahead. "Our work may be unknown, but the Federation will not forget what we have given."

...Next, Section Chief Liu led them past several more windows.

They were respectively marked in conspicuous dark-red lettering: "Catalog Number F-3000: Concrete Bread Machine," "Catalog Number F-3240: Radiation Power Bank," and "Catalog Number F-4122: Head-Splitter Poster."

Whenever they passed a window, Section Chief Liu briefly described the origin and related story of the corresponding mysterious object.

Though many details were classified and could not be discussed, merely revealing the tip of the iceberg weighed heavily on everyone's hearts and made them deeply worried about their futures.

Only Bai Zhou's mind was elsewhere.

Ever since entering this corridor, he had been discreetly surveying his surroundings.

After searching for a long time, he finally found what he was looking for—

[Catalog Number: F-13777, Johor Laurel Crown]

[Description: In 1699, Sultan Mahmud of the Kingdom of Malacca was assassinated. His unwillingness to die without an heir caused the young Sultan's wronged spirit to circle the Crown day and night, placing upon it the most vicious curse in the world.]

[Containment Measures: Place the Crown in sealed distilled water. Never allow direct starlight to strike it. The Crown must remain at all times in a dim environment isolated from outside light.]

[Appendix: The water must be changed and containment renewed every seven days.]

Johor Laurel Crown?

Bai Zhou had nearly missed it. Fortunately, he looked through the window in the door at the Black Box inside.

The box was tightly sealed, but Bai Zhou could see the shining bloody words floating in mid-air with perfect clarity—

[On the day Irina returns to the Throne, all rebellious ministers shall die!]

Irina?

Found you!

Clearly, this was most likely the Crown of Thorns Ya had mentioned.

So who was that Mahmud-whatever written on the label?

Bai Zhou had reason to suspect that the base's intelligence officers, like those two Black Robes, had spent the organization's funds buying Furong King cigarettes.

...However, the Last Will did not end there.

There was more below...

[Fifty is the prime age for hard work. What does a little hardship amount to? It is nothing but a bit of wind and frost!

I pedal, I pedal, I... I can't take it anymore! It's too bitter! This bitter life, don't make me pedal the spinning wheel anymore!]

...The Empress of the Spinning Wheel?

She seemed less impressive than the Miller who pulled out the Millstone Sacred Sword.

It was hard to imagine that this person's Crown could riot and wipe out the entire underground base in the near future.

"This is a recently arrived Black Box."

As they passed this door, Section Chief Liu gave the same brief introduction. "You need to know that things have not been peaceful outside lately. The conflict between the Blood Worship Cult and the Authorities has reached a boiling point."

"You should all have seen the martial law this morning. Something went wrong at Branch 9, and its Black Boxes were urgently transferred elsewhere. Our Branch 36 has also taken on part of the task."

"This is one of them, the Johor Laurel Crown from the Kingdom of Malacca. It has a history of several centuries..."

"..." Bai Zhou listened absentmindedly, dawdling at the rear of the group with his whole body nearly pressed against the door.

Sensing the Black Box nearby, the Black Feather Mark in his palm grew hot.

The next moment—

With a swish, countless incredibly concealed, nearly undetectable black transparent threads spread out from the Black Feather Mark.

The threads flew through the window, bored into the Black Box, and connected directly to the Crown within.

They tightened and hung suspended in mid-air, dangling thread by thread, perfectly blending into the darkness of the Black Room.

Unless someone approached and examined them closely, or touched them directly, their existence would be difficult to detect.

"...?"

Bai Zhou was startled by the sudden change. Before anyone noticed, he hurriedly raised the palm connected to countless transparent threads behind his back.

Then, keeping his hands behind him, he stepped back quietly, retreating behind the others and into a darker corner before finally breathing easier.

...And so, in the darkness where no one noticed, the black feather began secretly sealing the Crown.

"Hey! You over there, keep up with the group!"

Having finished explaining the Johor Laurel Crown's origins, Section Chief Liu was about to lead the group away when he turned and spotted Bai Zhou alone in the corner.

"Coming, coming!" Bai Zhou kept nodding at Section Chief Liu with his right hand behind his back, but his feet moved at a snail's pace, buying time for the Black Feather Mark's seal.

Time passed slowly. Bai Zhou maintained an outwardly normal expression, but every second felt like a year.

Finally, just before the tour group disappeared around the corner ahead, the countless threads hanging in the air abruptly dissolved.

The Black Feather Mark in his palm slowly faded away.

Bai Zhou let out a long breath.

The secret containment had quietly been completed.

A disaster that had yet to take shape had been secretly resolved.

He raised his head and gave the bloody Last Will on the Black Box one final look, lost in thought.

Just as Ya had said, the containment process was not difficult. It was even very simple... Yet only Bai Zhou could see Ya, and only Bai Zhou could accomplish this.

Anyone else would likely have been misled by the label and would not even have found the Crown of Thorns.

...After that, the group stopped and started as they went along. Before they had even seen half the Black Rooms, the morning had passed.

"That will conclude this morning's tour for now." At the end of the dim corridor, Section Chief Liu, carrying his Briefcase, stopped. The faint blue light stretched his Back View long.

He turned toward the crowd, his expression stern. "I imagine all of you are feeling oppressed right now, afraid of these various mysterious objects and creatures."

"But in truth, we do not lack the power to fight them."

As he spoke, he pressed the button on the handle of his silver-white Briefcase.

Click—

A crisp mechanical unlocking sound rang out, and the Briefcase seemed to be given life as it was instantly awakened.

Amid the enormous mechanical roar, the case began to transform, break apart, and reassemble.

Countless tiny, scale-like mechanical plates coiled upward, covering Section Chief Liu's entire right arm. The sleek silver-white mechanical body gleamed with a cold, sinister light.

"As long as you perform enough meritorious service and become Level P4 Specialists like me soon enough, you will be qualified to apply to the organization to become an extraordinary individual."

Section Chief Liu said, "Even with only an initial awakening of Destiny, you can wield unimaginable power with the aid of equipment!"

As he spoke, he turned his palm upward, and dim blue flames burst from the silver-white mechanical palm with a boom.

Rolling heat swept through the narrow corridor, scorching the air until it warped.

A suffocating pressure weighed on everyone's hearts, filling them with indescribable terror.

Only Bai Zhou scratched his head.

It felt inferior to... Ya.

At the very least, she did not need the external aid of a mechanical arm.

Still, that power was indeed tempting. But who knew how long it would take to advance to P4?

Perhaps Ya could give him another choice.

"...After we dismiss, go to the Cafeteria and eat first." Seeing everyone's discomfort, Section Chief Liu withdrew the flames.

"Come back and gather after lunch. The tour continues this afternoon!"

...Five minutes later, the starving Bai Zhou finally arrived at his most loyal Cafeteria.

Heaven knew when Bai Zhou had last eaten. He had not even gotten the chance to eat the Four-Flavor Instant Noodles from yesterday afternoon!

To his surprise, the organization actually reimbursed Cafeteria meals. He had never received such treatment in the Evening City Training Corps.

After much difficulty finding a seat in the bustling, crowded Cafeteria, Bai Zhou wolfed down two plates of Tomato Egg Rice in one go and even wanted some dessert afterward.

Unfortunately, he did not see his favorite Cup Cream Cake from Evening City.

Instead, all he saw were things like "Shanghai Caviar Frozen Pear Pudding" and "Handmade Wandering Cherry Blossom Low-Sugar Snow Mochi," with positive reviews supposedly earning a free "Enamel Basin Strawberry Mousse."

What a ridiculous assortment.

Bai Zhou tried a "Supreme Oreo Low-Fat Baby Cake," and it actually tasted Not Bad, though it was not as sweet as a Cup Cream Cake.

So before leaving, Bai Zhou got two more Small Cakes and had them packed to go.

Half an hour later, the afternoon orientation for newcomers began again.

The group soon passed by the Crown of Thorns again, but this time, Section Chief Liu introduced the other Black Boxes opposite it.

While everyone's attention was drawn across the hall, Bai Zhou slipped into a corner and quietly took the two Small Cakes from his pocket.

—From the very beginning, he had not packed those two Small Cakes for himself.

Like feeding stray cats and dogs, Bai Zhou carefully placed the "Supreme Oreo Low-Fat Baby Cakes," still wrapped in their plastic bag, at the door of the Crown of Thorns' Black Room.

If life feels too bitter, have a Small Cake!

Bai Zhou thought sympathetically.

Then life will be sweet again!

During his hardest days, Bai Zhou had endured by relying on Cup Cream Cakes. Sadly, there were none here; otherwise, he truly would have wanted to share one with Irina.

Here comes the Small Cake... Bai Zhou muttered inwardly.

"..."

Through the window, he could see the Last Will above the Black Box beginning to flicker, as though it were hesitating over something.

Bai Zhou scratched his head.

"Please accept it, Your Majesty?" he tried another phrasing.

The Next Second,

the Last Will buzzed and flared with brilliant light, red light illuminating Bai Zhou's face.

Then the Last Will shattered piece by piece. Dots, horizontals, verticals, upward strokes, hooks, turns, left-falling strokes, and right-falling strokes burst out the window like fangs and claws.

Half lunged for the Small Cakes, while the other half lunged at Bai Zhou.

Bai Zhou instinctively leaned his upper body back, and the scene before him quickly blurred.

One image after another flowed before his eyes, finally freezing on a certain moment.

A deserted island beneath a starry night.

A bedraggled Middle-aged Woman, wearing a tattered royal robe, kicked a spinning wheel to the ground and raised her arms in a shout—

"Just wait! I'll live a second life and fight my way back to loyal Constantinople! Fifty is exactly the age to give it everything I've got!

"Never bully a poor middle-aged woman!"

A year later, Irina, so hungry her chest clung to her back, closed her eyes unwillingly and realized something—

This coffin was her eternally loyal home.

Bai Zhou was nearly dumbfounded.

The next moment, the image shattered.

Those fragments gathered in Bai Zhou's hand, turning into a golden card that only he could see.

"...What is this?"

Standing before the Black Room, Bai Zhou lowered his head to examine it in the Pitch Black corridor.

Strange, intricate patterns were engraved on the front of the glowing card. They resembled reptiles roaring toward the heavens, surrounding ancient words in the center that were difficult to make out. Their strokes twisted and coiled like living birds, beasts, insects, and fish.

Bai Zhou did not recognize these archaic words, yet the moment his gaze touched their strokes, he somehow understood their meaning—

["Old Days: Zhuluo Era" Pass]

[—Across the eternal ages, even death shall fade away. Yet between the dividing lines of dawn and dusk, what has passed may return, and what has sunk may rise.]

[Within the cracks of time, a lost civilization calls out to you.

"Cross through eternity."

It said, "Witness this decaying era, where the Remnants are about to be extinguished."]