The Corpse Was Talking-and Rattling Off a Whole Menu

Just before ascending that high platform...

Lin Yu turned his head and checked Chen Le's condition again.

As Lin Yu expected...

Chen Le has found a way to receive the "inherited information" contained in the instruments of the Lost Civilization of the Nether Void Realm.

At the same time...

While receiving the "inheritance," Chen Le seemed to fall into a kind of "dreaming" state, temporarily unable to pay attention to what was happening on his side.

Li Nian, who was locked in a cage, couldn't see very clearly either.

This put Lin Yu at ease.

After all...

In Lin Yu's view, this unidentified but seemingly high-ranking corpse was very likely related to the person who had previously manipulated the "puppet" to ask him for help.

They might even all be the same person.

But if they are the same person...

This guy probably knows that he is not "Zhu Ming" but "Lin Yu".

What if the other party reveals their identity during the conversation or in their actions, and this is overheard by these two members of the "Freedom Alliance"...

Although Lin Yu was confident he could get away with it, he still intended to avoid any unforeseen complications as much as possible.

Therefore, after confirming that the two members of the "Freedom Alliance" were temporarily unable to attend to him, Lin Yu finally climbed the last step and stood in front of the "corpse".

Lin Yu calmly gazed at the corpse, focusing on the finger that had just trembled slightly.

Then...

Under Lin Yu's focused gaze, what seemed like a very long time actually only lasted a dozen seconds...

"Tap, tap."

The corpse's wrists trembled slightly, causing the base of its palms and the tips of its four fingers to tap against the armrests of the Jade Throne, producing a soft sound.

Then...

The corpse of a ruler from Lost Civilization on the Mu Continent slowly raised its head.

Lin Yu stood before the throne, not surprised by the other party's seemingly "come alive" action, but simply raised [White Bone Flowing Light] even higher.

At this extremely close distance, the other person's face was clearly visible after he raised his head—aside from the gill-like markings on his neck and cheeks, his entire face looked like that of an ordinary, middle-aged man who hadn't gained weight.

Her eyes weren't large, her lips were rather full, but her nose bridge was quite prominent.

His lifeless, dilated eyes reflected Lin Yu's image, so much so that Lin Yu wasn't sure if the other person had "seen" him.

But...

Lin Yu guessed that they must have seen it.

Then, the corpse spoke in a hoarse, grating voice that clearly belonged to someone who had been dead for a long time.

"... Feel sorry."

Lin Yu crossed his arms over his chest, raising an eyebrow slightly.

Although he suspected that the other party might know that he was the "Director" and Lin Yu, before he could truly confirm this, Lin Yu would still use the personality, demeanor, and mannerisms of "Zhu Ming" in his conversations and actions.

"Apologizing first? That's an interesting opening line. What are you apologizing for?"

As Lin Yu spoke, the corpse struggled to raise its head, as if trying to see Lin Yu's face clearly.

Then, the corpse continued to speak.

"For this way... this way of meeting..."

"It's a little... scary."

The corpse tried to speak, its voice becoming less harsh than before, but its enunciation was still unclear and slurred.

Lin Yu looked at the corpse and said in a low voice, "It's indeed quite frightening... So, why did you do that?"

"Because it's... a taboo," the corpse said. "My contact with you, my contact with any 'living being,' is taboo in itself."

Lin Yu pondered the other person's words and said with great interest, "A taboo? Who set this taboo?"

"And contact with the living is forbidden... Are you really dead?"

Although he only showed "slight interest" and seemed to have only a three-tenths of an interest, Lin Yu knew that he was actually far more curious than he appeared—his curiosity was definitely ten percent!

After all...

Based on the corpse's words and condition, it is not difficult to determine that he was likely a deceased person with "self-awareness".

Based on Lin Yu's understanding of the Nether Void Realm, there are no Life Form such as "undead" or "ghosts" in this world, which means that he is not a new life born from corpses and the bodies of the dead.

Having ruled out that possibility... this means that the other party must have "died" and then somehow managed to retain consciousness.

Although methods to retain self-awareness after facing a death crisis are not uncommon among the Ten Realms and "Player," in most cases, those methods actually involve the transformation of "Life Form"—regardless of the method, ultimately at the "soul" level, they at most only change the structure, not the essence.

In other words, for a person to continue to function as a "self" after death, it is only possible if at least a part of their soul is preserved.

But...

Now, looking at the guy in front of him, Lin Yu could clearly sense...

There was nothing inside the other person's body except "death".

Even...

The creature currently conversing with him possessed no soul structure whatsoever—not even a single Soul Fragment.

He is truly "dead."

This almost defies the common sense and norms of the Ten Realms!

In Lin Yu's view, the "preservation of consciousness" under such circumstances is very likely something that can only be achieved through methods that truly touch upon the "Life-and-Death Taboo."

It wasn't a common "Player's" way of saving his life, nor was it Arlan Mercury using the power of "Chosen of Life" to keep his Older Brother alive... but something truly related to "Reverse Life and Death."

And this...

This is precisely the area that Lin Yu most wants to understand and explore!

With that thought in mind, Lin Yu took a step forward.

"Since you feel sorry about this... then please explain properly."

As Lin Yu spoke, the corpse finally spoke again.

"Conversations between the living and the dead... are inherently taboo."

"This is just repeating what you just said," Lin Yu said, staring at the other person with displeasure. "I need... a clearer answer."

"But if you don't know how to explain it right away, that's okay—let's start with something simpler."

"For example... who are you, and why are you able to maintain this 'state' of self-awareness, still able to have normal conversations after death, even without a soul?"

As Lin Yu spoke, the corpse's cloudy, vacant eyes flickered, and it spoke again.

"My identity... it's from so long ago... but I can still remember some things."

"I am... the Eastern Region Governor of the Mu Kingdom, the Church High Priest of Storm, the Void God Guard Commander, and the Left Line of the Holy Race Tuke Aisalamata."

The other person stumbled over the first half of their self-introduction, but suddenly became much more fluent when they introduced themselves and their titles in the second half.

When Lin Yu heard the long list of titles that the other party suddenly rattled off, he was still somewhat shocked and impressed, even though he had expected that the person was an important figure.

Of course... the main point of reflection is...

Regardless of the world, the names of these important figures are truly more complex than the last.

Lin Yu was naturally not going to be easily intimidated by this title.

He nodded slightly and made a witty remark in the style of "Zhu Ming".

"Oh, it's a pleasure to meet you. I am Zhengbai Wuhalasa, a hereditary commander and Yunqiwei, Gatu Huidalaha Dorobele*."

(*From the movie "Gone with the Bullets")

As Lin Yu spoke, the other person showed a strange expression—it wasn't easy for that already somewhat stiff face to make an expression, but Lin Yu still managed to read the "confusion" in the other person's slightly trembling eyebrows.

Finally, the other party nodded and spoke.

"A pleasure to meet you, Zheng Bai Wuhalasa Tiger Duke, hereditary commander and Yunqiwei Gatu Huidalaha Dorobele... Your name and title are much longer than those of most people in your world."

Lin Yu was somewhat surprised by what the other person said.

"You actually remembered that?"

And the other person spoke very fluently... Does that mean they not only spoke fluently when stating their own name, but also when stating any kind of name?

Titles and names are sensitive topics; could this be some kind of underlying code written into the bodies of the inhabitants of the Previous Civilization on the Mu Continent?

As Lin Yu made this conjecture, he quickly realized...

It's not that the other person is good at reciting names—it's that they're "recovering."

His speech does seem to be getting more fluent—even the slight stiffness in his expression just now could be considered a sign of this.

The inner self of the "corpse" before us seems to be gradually awakened through contact and communication with itself.

However, Lin Yu was still very certain...

The other person's body still contained only a dense aura of death; not a trace of a soul appeared.

"This is getting more and more interesting..."

Lin Yu thought about it and then continued negotiating with the other party.

"Anyway, that was my 'title,' you can call me by some simpler names... like 'Zhu Ming.'"

Lin Yu spoke.

Through the conversation just now, Lin Yu was also certain... that the guy in front of him was not another "Player"—although he didn't seem like it before, after all, humans in his world weren't born with long cheeks...

However, considering that modifying one's own body is relatively common among "Player," Lin Yu cannot determine whether the other party is not a "Player" based solely on appearance.

Now that this has been confirmed through dialogue...

Lin Yu could also be somewhat certain...

"Perhaps the other party cannot see through my disguise and does not know that I am 'Lin Yu'."

And this title... is also a test.