Mu Huixue poured all of the mineral water from the plastic bottle onto her wound. Her arm completely healed and she returned the bottle to Fu Wenduo.
The huge city of Beijing was silent. The black tower no longer spoke and the sun set, the black tower reflected in the sunset.
Mu Huixue said, “I am happy about the previous fight but I’m a bit hungry. Are you hungry?”
Tang Mo looked at her and shook his head. “I’m fine.”
Mu Huixue smiled and waved her hand. “I am hungry. Then I will go find something to eat.”
The woman in black placed her right hand on the desk and jumped lightly a few times. Then she left the building. Mu Huixue deliberately looked for a chance to leave. The black tower released a new version update notice and previously Bai Ruoyao had told them an important secret. She wasn’t a member of Tang Mo’s team so it wasn’t convenient for her to stay here and listen to their internal discussions.
Tang Mo received a large amount of information today.
The black tower version 4.5 and Bai Ruoyao’s words about the abilities.
Tang Mo looked at Fu Wenduo. “I don’t think Bai Ruoyao is lying.”
Fu Wenduo agreed. “I also think he is telling the truth.”
If Bai Ruoyao’s words were true then the sentence erased by the black tower on Fu Wenduo’s ability note was:
“The last player who had this ability cleared the seventh floor of the black tower.” Tang Mo clearly stated every word. He thought for a moment before adding, “I discussed with Luo Fengcheng about if the ability is something that the black tower gave to players or if the players originally had it and the black tower was just a catalyst.”
Chen Shanshan nodded. “Teacher told me about this matter. Teacher and I think that the black tower is a catalyst and the ability belongs to the humans themselves.”
Tang Mo nodded. “I think so as well. Still, if Bai Ruoyao’s words are true and there are players who had it before… does this ability really belong to humans?”
Chen Shanshan silently calculated it. “The Attack organization in Shanghai collected data from around 3,000 players. No one’s abilities were exactly the same. There were some that were similar but the similarities aren’t too big.”
Fu Wensheng had to say something. “Captain Xiao did a similar investigation!”
Xiao Jitong did the same thing?
The group looked at Fu Wensheng and Xiao Fu spoke honestly, “It was probably at the beginning of the year. Captain Xiao had the Nanjing Group record the abilities of every player in Nanjing as much as possible. Brother Tang, you know that we were a big group and almost all players will come to us to buy game clues and redeem props. Brother Xiao used this anonymous method to collect information about over 10,000 abilities, none of which were the same.”
Chen Shanshan concluded, “The sample size is sufficient. Basically, it can be judged that everyone’s ability is different.”
“Then what exactly determines the ability?”
Fu Wenduo spoke in a low voice and everyone was lost in thought.
Yes, what determined the abilities of a player?
Tang Mo had no doubt about this matter before Bai Ruoyao said that ‘someone else previously had this ability.’ No two people in the world were exactly the same so their abilities were different. This was very understandable. Then what was the reason if the abilities were the same?
His fingers tapped lightly on the table. A few seconds later, Tang Mo’s eyes widened and he suddenly exclaimed, “Genetic recombination?”
Fu Wenduo glanced at him. “Hrmm?”
This was the name of Fu Wenduo’s ability.
Chen Shanshan caught the keyword and was surprised. “You mean, genes?” The little girl’s brain worked at a fast speed as she poured out a long line of words. “It does explain it if it is genes. Each person’s genes are different. If the genes determine the ability then the ability would naturally be different. However, if genes is possible then perhaps it is also DNA? Then I will make a hypothesis that the ability is determined by genes and even more subtly, DNA. On the basis… the ability being exactly the same means that the DNA of the two people are the same…”
Chen Shanshan’s voice abruptly stopped and her tone became change. “How can there be two people with the exact same DNA? Even clones have the possibility of mutation.”
“Is it really not possible?”
Chen Shanshan turned to Tang Mo.
Tang Mo stated, “Humans have around 3.1 billion DNA base pairs. In any case, there must be a fixed order and this fixed order will form a person. There are only 7 billion people on Earth and the probability of producing the exact same two individuals is very low. It is almost impossible to achieve on Earth. Then what if this time limit was extended to 13.82 billion years and the scope extends to the whole universe… Murphy’s Law?”
Chen Shanshan’s face changed. “Murphy’s Law, as long as there is a chance of something bad happening, not matter how small, it will definitely happen.”
Tang Mo opened his mouth. “From the birth of the universe to the present, looking at the entire universe…” Tang Mo’s voice slowly stopped before he continued, “Perhaps there is another me in the world. Then… what the hell is the black tower?”
What exactly was the black tower?
In this silent room, no one could answer.
There was an answer clearly imprinted on Tang Mo’s mind. This answer was the most reasonable but if it was really the case, what would they face after clearing the black tower’s seventh floor? Was it true freedom or was it another form of slavery?
Behind the thousands of black towers, who was actually standing in the end?
Tang Mo closed his eyes and gently sighed before he looked at Fu Wenduo. “Are you hungry?”
Just now, Tang Mo and Chen Shanshan used their super intelligent thinking ability to make reasonable guesses. Fu Wenduo stood to the side and only said a few sentences. Now he turned to look at Tang Mo and his lips curved. He said to the two children, “Find a safe place to hide while we find supplies.”
Fu Wensheng listened to his big brother’s words and hurriedly nodded.
Chen Shanshan lowered her head and her expression couldn’t be seen.
Tang Mo and Fu Wenduo left the building to find supplies. Chen Shanshan stayed in the house for a while. After half an hour, she went to the toilet. She just walked to the corner of the stairs when she saw a person’s back.
The huge moon was hanging high in the sky. Through the floor to ceiling glass windows of the stairwell, a long and oblique shadow was cast on the ground. A woman in black with her hair in a high ponytail was sitting on a corner of the stair railing, one leg propped against the group while she looked up at the moon in the sky.
Perhaps it was because the glass was too clear but the moonlight seemed to have no obstructions as it shone on her body.
Chen Shanshan hid her surprised expression and intended to bypass the other person to go to the bathroom. She hadn’t taken two steps when Mu Huixue said with a smile, “Tang Mo and Fu Wenduo went out to find supplies?”
The earth had been online for more than six months. Players had less and less demands for food and water, and their body metabolism was slow. This didn’t mean there was no demand for food and water.
Chen Shanshan didn’t conceal it. “Yes.” She paused before asking, “What are you doing?”
The short-haired girl didn’t expect to hear an answer but the next second, Mu Huixue replied, “I’m basking in the moonlight.”
Chen Shanshan, “?”
Basking in the moonlight?
Mu Huixue stated, “In the world of the returnees, there was no moon. There was only daytime. The sun rose in the east and set in the rest. The moment it fail, it would immediately rise in the east. It is because we aren’t qualified to rest. Perhaps for it…” Mu Huixue pointed to the black tower. “Us returnees are just tools to play the game. Do you know about ants?”
Chen Shanshan didn’t understand the intentions behind this question as she replied, “I know.”
Mu Huixue smiled and stretched before standing up from the handrail. “We are worker ants. The returnees’ life is only playing games and attacking the tower, there is no other value. More than 6 billion people and only 350,000 are left…”
The woman in black leaned over and touched the little girl’s hair, grinning in a way that revealed her white teeth. “Most of the returnees are strong young people and men are dominant. The last time I saw a small child like you was three months ago. Um.. are you malnourished? You look like you are 12 years old, around the same age as that little boy.”
Chen Shanshan’s voice was low. “My family’s conditions weren’t very good.” She was also a picky eater so she might be a bit malnourished.
Chen Shanshan didn’t say this last sentence.
Mu Huixue was silent and didn’t say anything else.
Chen Shanshan bypassed her to go to the bathroom. She looked back and saw the woman lying on the handrail again, her hands resting behind her head as she quietly basked in the moonlight.
Once Tang Mo and Fu Wenduo returned with supplies, they were a bit surprised to see Mu Huixue.
They thought that Mu Huixue had already left.
Mu Huixue smiled slightly. “I am unfamiliar with Beijing and the new version will update today. In any case, I have no place to go. It is dark now and I’ll leave once the new version is updated.”
Mu Huixue definitely wasn’t their teammate but she didn’t seem to be a threat. Tang Mo and Fu Wenduo agreed to let her stay in the building. Mu Huixue was strong and Tang Mo and Fu Wenduo really couldn’t beat her. Still, if she dared to do anything then Tang Mo wouldn’t hesitate to use A Fast Man ability to take care of her along with Fu Wenduo.
In the evening, Chen Shanshan recorded the name that the black tower announced in her small book.
Tang Mo read the name. “Europe District 1’s official player, Lena Jophos.”
A player’s memories were excellent after the earth went online. Fu Wenduo stated, “She is the first player in Europe to clear a black tower floor.”
Tang Mo nodded. “I also remember.”
Fu Wenduo said, “There are 10 regions in the world. At present, she cleared the black tower’s fifth floor so the European region is exempt from the forced tower attack that will take place in three days. Apart from the European region, if no one in the remaining nine regions clears the fifth floor in three days then everyone in the region will be forced to attack the tower.”
Tang Mo frowned. “Three days is a bit tight.”
Due to the returnees incident, the black tower version 4.0 was updated and the two worlds merged. Tang Mo and Fu Wenduo had no time to attack the tower. Eve’s Game and Santa Claus’ Quirky Commercial Street, there were many things they had to be wary of. They weren’t prepared if they rushed to attack the tower now. It was the same for other senior players. Lena Jophos was the only exception.
Their best bet was to be forced to attack the tower in three days but then all of China’s players would be pulled into the tower attack game.
Many players couldn’t keep up with the requirements of the black tower and the sudden tower attack would be very dangerous for them. Forget other people, Fu Wensheng was in danger. If the child had to attack the fourth floor with his current strength, it was easy for there to be an incident. In addition, no teams could be formed for the forced tower attack. No one could guarantee that they would attack the tower with someone else or if they would encounter strange teammates.
Tang Mo thought about it again and decided. “We will wait for the black tower’s 4.5 update before attacking the tower.”
The group took a rest.
Early the next morning, the sky was bright. At 5:58, Tang Mo and Fu Wenduo opened their eyes and looked at each other.
They ran to the window and found Mu Huixue waiting there.
Chen Shanshan and Fu Wensheng ran over at the last minute. No one spoke as the five of them looked up at the black tower in the distance.
Meanwhile, Suzhou, Guanqian Street.
A fiery, red sports car went on a rampage through the streets, knocking over some stalls in front of the stores. The wheels made a nasty sound as they braked and 10 metre long black tires marks appeared on the ground. The car drifted to a stop at the bottom of the black tower.
If Tang Mo was there, he would recognize this sports car as the one placed on the first floor of a large shopping mall in Suzhou for display purposes. It was worth more than 3 million yuan.
At this moment, two young foreigners sitting in the car laughed as they took off their sunglasses and looked up at the black tower.
They seemed to perceive the eyes in the darkness and the brown-haired foreigner looked in that direction.
The blonde man in the driver’s seat threw a luxury brand sunglasses to the ground. “Hey David, look at these little ants. They only dare to hide in the darkness, looking enviously at us. Do they dare to come out? No, I’m sure they don’t even have the courage to look at us again.”
David was dissatisfied. “Pete, I said it earlier but why did we let these bugs live instead of killing them? This is the world anyway.”
Pete raised an eyebrow. “Do you want the two of us to be the only ones left in Suzhou? I’m not gay. I don’t want to live in a world where there is just the two of us.”
David was preparing to refute this when the black tower suddenly flashed with colourful lights.
Pete stated, “The new version is coming.”
The same thing was happening all over the world.
In most places, the players who came to observe the black tower updating hid in the darkness. Few of them dared to be as arrogant as the two foreigners in Suzhou.
Once again, five white dots flashed on the black tower.
The first dot flashed so fast that Fu Wenduo couldn’t see it. The second dot flashed more than 300,000 times. The third dot flashed 50,000 times and the fourth dot flashed more than 100 times.
In the end, the fifth dot only flashed a bit.
This represented the number of people who cleared each floor.
Once all five dots of lights had flashed, the clear child’s voice spoke.
“Ding dong! At 6:00 on June 7th, 2018, the black tower version 4.5 has officially launched!”
