The Philosopher Foundation

In the arched corridor of the Council of Five Kings, Xue Ming, carrying the tattered butterfly dress, took out a data card from the twisted and deformed garment.

This dress, intended as a decoy, was destroyed by C4 explosives during a battle with Leonardo, the godfather of the Rose Sect, but its combat record survived.

Thermal imaging and camera footage are the best passenger logs.

After the lobby manager escorted the previous passenger out of the inner room, he saw the nameless VIP waiting quietly outside. The manager jogged over with his arms crossed and arrived in front of Xue Ming with a beaming smile.

"Boss, thank you for waiting."

Xue Ming immediately handed the tattered butterfly dress to the manager, and then spoke to this shrewd, obsequious man.

"No need to be so polite."

The manager immediately replied, "Of course, of course."

Xue Ming spoke frankly, "I like straightforward people. If you want to befriend me, then close your business."

After Xue Ming finished speaking, the manager immediately lowered his eyes and Matsushita. He had been putting on airs for a long time and finally had a chance to rest.

"Hey, Boss. Remember that thing I asked you to do last time?"

As Xue Ming answered, he rushed into the cabinet. "The slide is already built, three levels, adults can play on it too."

"Great!" the manager exclaimed with a grin, clapping his hands. "Excellent! That's fantastic!"

Xue Ming didn't turn back to say goodbye. He closed the cabinet door and then quickly walked up to the BOSS.

The boss didn't add any extra scenes this time.

--It can't act anymore.

Specifically, it lay limp in the stroller, wrapped in a soft blanket, completely still.

It looked listless, as if it had just woken up from a dozing, as if it had just had a nightmare. It was breathing heavily, blinking its green eyes hard, its pupils repeatedly focusing and dilating, until it finally saw Jiang Xueming's appearance clearly.

"Hey kid, give me a hand and help me up."

Jiang Xueming bent over and extended his index finger. The BOSS's little paw rested on it, and he struggled to sit up, his weak cat body still.

Seeing the BOSS in such a disheveled state, Xue Ming was filled with curiosity.

"Isn't the Hunter King by your side?"

BOSS pulled down the stroller's tray table and then lay down on it to rest. Hearing Xue Ming's question, it reacted like a phone running out of battery, taking a while to respond to any question.

"Oh, I need some peace and quiet. I don't sleep well with someone next to me."

Xue Ming: "Then I'll make it short and you can continue to rest?"

Boss: "I'm truly touched by your thoughtfulness."

Xue Ming cleaned the grease from the barbecue on the BOSS's small table, then lifted the little guy by the arm and wiped the pepper and salt off its whiskers and nose.

The boss said weakly, "Thank you."

Jiang Xueming casually left the logs and data cards on his desk and prepared to leave.

The boss still wanted to use his cunning to settle the compensation with Xue Ming.

Xue Ming didn't even turn her head. "We'll talk about it when you're better."

The boss put away his abacus and immediately shouted at the top of his lungs, "What are your plans next?"

Xue Ming stopped between the two rows of bookshelves, glanced back at the weak kitten, and felt a mix of emotions.

"Let's take a break, finish celebrating the New Year, and then go to Red Star Hill."

The boss asked worriedly, "Do you know how dangerous it is there?"

Xue Ming thought for a moment, then said, "I know. Poison gas, Madness Butterfly, and Death Giant are unknown territories; only VIPs are qualified to enter them."

The BOSS's pupils were out of focus; it could barely see anything more than ten meters away and was unable to lock onto Jiang Xueming.

"I don't think you're the kind of person who enjoys adventure. If it were just for Jason Megan, you wouldn't have agreed to this so easily. Perhaps you'd only agree to let Jason go to the hill where Red Star is when you've become stronger. In video game terms, you'd be challenging someone above your level, which isn't like you."

Xue Ming emerged from the shadows and stepped into the light source on the cabinet desk.

He didn't seem like a young man in his mid-twenties at all; his heart was filled with hardship, and his face was covered in frost.

"I can't live under your protection forever, Ming De."

In that instant, the BOSS opened its eyes wide, and it immediately heard the whispers of the big boy and the little man.

"I often keep in touch with Mr. Wen Bucai. I originally only wanted to learn some combat skills from him, but he told me about you, especially [Harvest Season] - after that, I thought about it for a very long time."

Jiang Xueming squatted down again, placed his hands on his knees, and lowered his head.

"An indescribable fear is almost destroying me, especially because of you—Boss. You saved my life last year, and in just eight months, I might be separated from you forever. This terrifies me. I'm trembling with fear. Can you see that?"

He reached out his hand, his fingers no longer as nimble as usual, but began to tremble slightly under the influence of intense emotions.

"When I approached you and saw how weak you were, I could hardly imagine the scene of your death, nor could I imagine the scene of you turning into the monstrous Taowu."

Xue Ming described the situation in a logical, well-founded, and serious manner.

"No favor in this world is a given. Even without you, the Homo sapiens race would still explore the underground world, but the process would likely be a thousand times, ten thousand times more difficult. I believe nothing in this world is more important than [human beings] themselves. You have saved the lives of hundreds of thousands, even millions of people—if this were ancient times, you should be enshrined in a temple and worshipped."

The boss grinned. "I didn't do a bad job, did I?"

Jiang Xueming: "I learned from Mr. Wen Bucai that every harvest season is a very difficult year for you. I won't rest for long; I'll set off immediately to continue the mission. As for why Jason Megan insisted on going to Red Star Hill, it was a route you arranged for him—I won't inquire about the reasons."

The boss also wanted to explain, "Actually, the thing is, our railway system has already reached Niflheim, and we also have the capability to build sea railways. I think..."

"No need to explain." Jiang Xueming told the BOSS to quiet down, "Talking also consumes a lot of battery. If you say a few more words, I'm afraid it will force a shutdown."

So the BOSS obediently shut its mouth and closed its eyes, with only its ears trembling occasionally, indicating that it was listening.

Jiang Xueming continued—

"--As far as I know, Red Star Hill is the gateway to Niflheim, the Land of Mist, a place where nothing exists but death. Even beings like White Lady and the Madness Butterfly, who represent pure life essence, cannot survive there."

"At first, I wondered why we were exploring this dead land, where we might not find anything. What if we couldn't find any valuables—minerals, plants, animals, transportation hubs, or any resources that humans could use?"

"Until Mr. Wen Bucai told me that this kind of behavior was like landing on the moon. Decades ago, we didn't know what was on the moon. There might be aliens, or gold everywhere, or something else. It couldn't possibly be just a rock, could it?"

"But the truth is, it's just a rock, containing many rare earth resources, but otherwise just a cold, lifeless stone."

"Boss, perhaps that's what you were thinking when you were digging underground. This thought sustained you, giving you wisdom and reason, intellect, and even the ability to transform into a human—you are more [human] than most people I've ever met in my life."

"From the Grand Archives and this practical experience of [Operation Chastity], I've learned that I seem to possess an unbelievable destructive power. What I excel at is assembling cold, hard weapons to destroy warm, flesh. I will complete this mission well, and I also ask that you get through the [Harvest Season] safely—we can't do without you, we can't do without the BOSS."

Jiang Xueming retreated step by step, his eyes burning with intensity.

"They're gone."

Then it disappeared into the shadows, leaving only the soft clicking of the padlock on the doorway. Even the act of closing the door was done carefully, as if afraid of disturbing the weak cat's peaceful sleep.

"Hey, Hunter King." The BOSS waved his claws, calling to the waiter, "Come here, I have something to tell you."

From the hidden door beside the fireplace, the Cat Tree Lady emerged from the basement.

She held a mosquito-killing lamp in one hand and had the other behind her back, walking hurriedly.

"This man has a damn sweetness to him. Give him my Red Mountain Stone." The BOSS gave a low, hoarse command, "Perhaps he can use it."

The Hunter King immediately rolled up his trousers and removed the bell ring from his ankle, which resembled shackles.

A black stone is embedded in the bell, so much so that it completely fills the golden bell and renders the jewelry ineffective.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" the Cat Tree Lady asked cautiously. "If this elemental energy isn't with you when the harvest season begins, you'll likely have a hard time getting through it."

The BOSS extended its claw and gently tapped the bell, causing the black stone to turn into a wisp of black smoke and then into the shape of a large tiger.

This is the essence of Ming De; it is another self that it extracted from the body of the Taowu beast.

This Red Mountain Stone served as a medium and a vessel, imprisoning the soul of the Taowu beast and turning the Black Cat into a mouthpiece for Ming De.

In response to the Hunter King's doubts, the BOSS only said three words.

"Give it to him."

I checked the cat tree several times.

"Are you really determined to do this? Even if there's a risk that he'll turn into Chang Ghost if he uses this stone—you're still going to do it?"

"Living is better than dying. Even if he becomes a monster, I believe this kid can defeat my physical body." The BOSS packed the bell into a gift box and handed it to the Hunter King: "Give it to him and tell him how to use it. While I'm asleep, you're in charge of archiving the passengers' logs for the last few days. The Polarized Sextant will also malfunction. Give the newcomers some Universal Elixir and send them all home."

"I understand, I'll go now." The Hunter King left the cabinet with the items.

As the artifacts inhabited by the spiritual essence move further and further away.

The black cat slowly closed its eyes and fell into a long sleep.

Time to go home--

For Xue Ming, the planned route back home should be to wish Aunt Bu Mei a Happy New Year, give her a red envelope, and then immediately return to his hometown in Hengyin.

As the Volga drove away from Moon Lane again, Xue Ming's curiosity was piqued by the long-abandoned underground city.

Why is the place closest to the Nine Realms Station so desolate?

Only the engineering team remains here, occasionally performing maintenance and repair work on the station's external infrastructure and electrical wiring.

The small shops, supermarkets, and farmers' markets were also built for these workers. Unlike Golden Township or Mimir Hot Spring Market, it doesn't have a large number of satellite towns.

Xiao Qi answered while driving.

"Because every time [Harvest Season]—the BOSS—returns to its physical form, the situation becomes extremely critical. Evacuating tens or hundreds of thousands of people is far too difficult. If it were to transform into its Taowu form and unleash Spirit Calamity in such a densely populated area, it would definitely be hit by one or two tactical nuclear bombs."

The vehicle left Longhua Road and headed towards the border archway.

Only Xiao Qi's voice and the noise of the road remained in the world.

"Boss is a very sociable Little Kitty, and she can only go on trips with the Cat Tree Lady when she is in very good health."

Jiang Xueming replied, "Yes, the first time I came here, I met it on the train."

Xiao Qi continued, "The Philosopher Foundation doesn't allow it to return to the surface world; for humanity, it's a tool for digging holes."

Jiang Xueming immediately asked, "You've been talking about this [Philosopher Foundation], what exactly is it?"

"It's a long story," Xiao Qi began.

Xue Ming immediately replied, "Then let's get straight to the point."

"It all starts from World War I," Xiao Qi thought to herself. She and the Hunter King were very close, practically best friends, and most of these stories came from the Hunter King himself.

"--The world's land, wealth, and population have reached a very delicate and terrifying balance. The factors that determine how people live and how they spend their lives are almost entirely derived from the soil beneath their feet."

"But land is finite, and it is also a source of wealth. All productive activities need to be carried out on land, and wars arise in the struggle for land."

"World War I did not hurt people, but it turned into a more intense World War II. When the world's resources were redistributed and reorganized after World War II, the most powerful country on earth decided to establish a foundation to use its surplus resources to create a great cause."

"It is the mother of the Abyssal Railway, the precursor to the [Philosopher Foundation]—we shed blood for this land, and if we cannot look to the sky, colonize other planets, or reclaim land from the sea to accommodate more people and expand further, then let us look to the underworld."

"It wasn't that Ming De chose humanity, but rather that humanity chose Ming De. It had long ago been digging and tunneling in the underground world, and had established large-scale, organized administrative and military units. The [Philosopher Foundation] provides Ming De with real-world monetary resources as leverage to recruit newcomers and purchase supplies. Ming De provides the [Philosophers] with Universal Elixir as leverage to ensure world stability and the health of their leaders."

"The Soviets were the first to discover the Abyssal Railway. During the Cold War, in an era of bipolar rivalry, after achieving the feat of landing on the moon, the Soviet Union immediately began digging tunnels."

"On the express train to the Galahad Magic Academy, the conductor told you this story: the brave Slavs dug down 10,000 meters, only to find not hell, but a railway."

"Through this railway, the Philosopher Foundation successfully signed an agreement with the BOSS. And to this day, this agreement remains in effect; if a VIP causes trouble in the surface world, the BOSS will be subject to economic sanctions from the Philosopher Foundation."

"Besides that, the BOSS can mobilize almost any resource in human society. For example, SAS instructors. If we apply, we can even be classmates with vampires, receive special training in the Air Force, and smash the skulls of old classmates during 'Chastity Operation.' This is not uncommon."

"During the Battle of the English Seas, the Ironclad Warrior's retreat was blocked by floating mines dropped by the Airborne Service. At that time, Jason Megan might have been on one of those warplanes broadcasting battlefield news to you— the Philosopher Foundation never cares about any [evil] in the mortal world."

"It makes no distinction between good and bad, right and wrong; its sole purpose is to acquire land, to gain more living space, and to ensure the survival of all humankind."

Right now, at this very moment.

The condensation in the cavity acts as rain, hitting the Volga's windows.

Hunter King stood in the patrol team, wearing a plastic raincoat, and knocked on the car window next to Xue Ming in front of the checkpoint.

A hand wearing a fingerless glove reached through the car window and handed over a small box.

It was the Red Mountain Stone given to me by the BOSS.

--The Hunter King slightly lifted the hood of his coat to protect it from the rain, and spoke to Jiang Xueming.

"This stone is the BOSS's life-saving charm. When you go to Red Star Hill and encounter enemies you can't defeat, monsters you can't kill, or deadly threats you can't escape, swallow it—it will help you turn danger into safety."

Jiang Xueming heard half of it and wanted to ask more questions.

The Hunter King frowned, clearly in a bad mood. He simply placed two fingers between Xue Ming 'Xue Ming to be quiet.

"Don't use it carelessly. It contains the spiritual pressure of Taowu and might turn you into Chang Ghost," the BOSS said.

"--It's better for you to be alive than dead."