Foolproof Plan

With the branded mark in place, Yu Xing could finally relax and let Zhao Yijiu explore the base alone.

He wasn't quite sure what level he was currently ranked in the Absurdity System's assessment, but at least he wasn't weaker than the Despair level. The more abundant his power, the more he could sense subtle differences in aura that he couldn't perceive before. For example, when he stood in front of Zhao Yijiu, or before Zhao Ruru and Xu Shu, he could quickly determine that the other party's power was inferior to his own.

Far from being as good.

Yu Xing guessed that he had probably reached the power standard of the True Level, but he hadn't gone through the upgrade simulation that led to the advancement to the True Level, so there was some difference in his state of mind?

The advancement deduction of the Absurdity System is quite interesting. Just like when he was advancing to the Differentiation Tier, the Absurdity System recreated the Water Ghost, the Witch Doctor, and the deserted village for him based on his past experiences.

In that simulation, he confronted his past, bringing up memories he had previously been unwilling to face. After breaking free from them, he did feel a sense of liberation. Even though his alienation level might have increased, in the long run, the benefits outweighed the drawbacks.

Logically, there should be a similar process for advancing to the Despair level and the True level. Yu Xing skipped it by absorbing the curse of the Ghost Tree, but he lacked the advancement deduction, so it's unknown how much of an impact that will have.

Never mind, it's not important.

Yu Xing curled his lips. Anyway, with his current strength, he didn't feel any abnormality in his control. No matter what was missing, it would all seem about the same.

Zhao Yijiu touched his forehead, his fingers brushing against the branded skin. He felt nothing unusual; the brand remained quietly in his mind, like a trap waiting to be set, waiting for prey to enter.

He stood there for a while, and the goosebumps on his body slowly subsided.

The presence of this mark is enough to demonstrate his complete trust in Yu Xing.

Because this brand is like leaving something in someone's mind that can control them at any time; to put it more negatively, it's not control, but self-destruction? Complete destruction?

If Yu Xing wanted to, Zhao Yijiu's spirit could be reduced to dust at any time.

He lowered his gaze, pulled down the black headband to cover his forehead, tidied his hair which Yu Xing had messed up, and said again, "Then I'm going."

Yu Xing didn't stop him this time. Zhao Yijiu took two steps back, his back against the wall of the archives room. Suddenly, he melted like Snowman in the hot summer. He quickly turned into a black shadow, blending into the darkness in his field of vision.

Shadows move among shadows, and there are no boundaries.

For Zhao Yijiu, the night was her perfect place.

Sensing that Zhao Yijiu's presence had vanished in an instant, Yu Xing smiled, but instead of immediately searching for the medical team's files as he had told Zhao Yijiu, he flexed his wrist and took out the small paper figure from his pocket.

The paper figure was about the size of a palm, with a round head. Its body and limbs were about the same size as its head, making it a large-headed doll.

The big-headed doll was dressed in a cartoon outfit, shorts, and sneakers, and it looked quite exquisite. The outline of its hair was also fully cut out, giving it a fluffy head.

Although the details were all done very well, the features of the little paper figure were so rough. However, after Yu Xing received the little paper figure from Zhao Yijiu, he had a strange feeling, a sense of incongruity in the details.

When he first met Carlos wasn't very good at drawing. Even when he was very serious about drawing facial features for the paper dolls, he would still draw the features all over the place, which was a kind of serious but helpless ugliness.

However, the beauty or ugliness of the paper figures was directly related to the strength of Carlos's abilities in this area. Carlos even asked him if he could teach him to draw.

Clearly, Carlos wanted to improve his drawing skills and take the paper figures to a new level.

However, Yu Xing is now looking at the new version of the paper doll from a year later in her hand. The paper doll even has clothes on it. It was not drawn hastily, but was prepared long ago as a consumable item.

How can someone's features be so ugly?

There's no reason why Carlos's drawing skills shouldn't have improved at all in a year; he's already reached the Despair level...

Although Yu Xing hadn't been involved with his teammates during that year, he knew that before he lost contact with the system, the Despair level was already a very high level for the Absurdity System. The eight Despair levels in the Widow Investigation Team guild were enough to keep this team, which was actually just a small team, firmly in the top of the guild rankings.

Something must have happened this year that caused the overall strength of the strategists to surge. Perhaps it's related to the competition with the Experience Master system? Is it because of Yu Fengchen or the Witch?

Yu Xing hadn't had a chance to ask about this yet, and he didn't intend to dwell on things too far ahead in this apocalyptic scenario. He could ask Zhao Mou when he returned to the real world.

However, he can conclude from the overall increase in strength that the current desperate level of competition is extremely fierce.

Carlos clearly had readily available ways to improve his abilities, so why would he give them up for no reason?

Yu Xing's blue eyes gleamed slightly, a layer of icy light rising within them as he gazed at the paper figure in the darkness, as if it were daytime.

He was skilled at painting, and he gained a huge advantage in this area when he was at the Dead Silent Island Art Museum.

This means he's not as easily fooled as others.

Zhao Mou is very clever, but he met Carlos at the wrong time and may not have seen the paper figure that Carlos initially drew.

Yu Xing could tell that the paper figure in his hand, compared to Carlos's earnest but ugly appearance at the beginning, had evolved into a perfunctory and ugly one.

Carlos drew it this way on purpose.

Yu Xing couldn't help but think more deeply. For example, was Carlos hiding his true strength?

Concealing one's strength in front of the enemy is sufficient; why bother giving such a poorly drawn paper doll to one's teammates? The more detailed the drawing, the stronger the ability. If Carlos wanted to use the paper doll to teleport, he only needed to draw the one for Zhao Yijiu carefully, and perhaps they wouldn't be in such an awkward position with limited distance.

On the Dead Silent Island, Carlos never acted with Yu Xing. Yu Xing didn't know when Carlos's attitude towards drawing facial features on the paper doll began to change, but when it came to her teammates, Yu Xing didn't want to make any mistakes.

After all, it's possible that Carlos might have an accident or his soul might be possessed by something else within a year. He needs to see Carlos in person to determine if there's anything unusual about Carlos.

Therefore, he needs this paper figure...

To locate Carlos's position in reverse.

Yu Xing didn't tell Zhao Yijiu because Yu Xing cautious. What if the paper figure stayed by Zhao Yijiu's side for too long and had already developed other connections with her?

The only foolproof plan is to send Zhao Yijiu to investigate and find Carlos, while he himself tries to locate Carlos in reverse.