Chapter 845: Black-Robed Figures

845. Black-Robed Figures

"There are even deeper worlds? What on earth is going on?"

Eve still thought there were only the Surface Layer and the deep world.

"This starts with a force called the cult. The cult established a base in this world. To hide that base, the cult used the Deep Well Substance to reshape this world, turning it into this layered structure.

The accident you mentioned was triggered by Deep Well creatures from the deep world. In that accident you were affected by the Deep Well Substance, which is how you gained the ability to move into the deep world."

This was Lin Ye's conjecture, but it would likely be mostly correct.

"What is Deep Well Substance? And what are your goals?"

Eve quickly hit the core questions.

"Deep Well Substance is an abnormal material far more dangerous than spiritual energy. I am an enemy of the cult, and I want to eliminate the cult's base in this world."

Lin Ye answered Eve's questions, though he was not certain whether Eve had links to the cult.

By logic, Eve was very likely one of the cult's Experimental Subjects; that was far more probable than an ordinary person coincidentally being able to tolerate Deep Well Substance and gaining abilities.

"Can I help you clear out the cult? My parents died in an experimental accident. I have been searching for the killer. Now I learn the cult was responsible.

But that's not my main reason for wanting to clear their base. I want this world to return to how it was."

Eve looked at Lin Ye. Her face was very young, but her eyes were filled with resolve.

"It seems you two are having quite an interesting conversation."

A group of black-robed figures stepped out from the surrounding ruins, surrounding Eve and Lin Ye.

"Who are you!"

Eve tightened her grip on the Spiritual Energy Pistol her father had left her.

"Don't be nervous. Some things can't be judged by appearances. Those black-robed figures are the cult's pawns; they wear black robes to make you think exactly what you're thinking now."

The leader of the black-robed figures read Eve's thoughts.

"Then why don't you change your clothes?"

Eve did not relax her vigilance.

"They have abundant supplies and can change the style and color of their outerwear at any time. We don't have spare resources."

The leader replied with some helplessness.

"This isn't a place to talk. The Special Ability tide is about to arrive. We must enter the base as soon as possible."

A nearby black-robed figure suddenly spoke up.

Eve looked down to ask Lin Ye's opinion.

"Either way is fine. You decide."

Lin Ye was still dealing with the Deep Well Substance inside his body.

Eve hesitated for a moment, and in the end she decided to follow the black-robed figures.

The cult's base was an Abandoned Building. Inside the building's walls were carved a large number of dark red, strange symbols.

Eve was brought into a conference room, and a group of black-robed figures followed her in.

"Can you tell us what intelligence you have? This... Mr. Flesh Ball."

The leader removed his hood, revealing an ugly face pitted with scars and wounds.

"What I said you probably already heard. You should know the specific intelligence here even better than I do."

Lin Ye finished handling his internal issue, and he began to use spiritual energy to mutate an Mutation Structure capable of tolerating Deep Well Substance.

This was a special structure he developed through his Special Ability while researching in the Black Sea.

"How are you going to clear the cult? This is an outright waste of time!"

A nearby black-robed figure suddenly spoke up.

He did not believe a flesh ball could clear the cult.

"Can you clear the cult? If you can't, then shut up!"

Eve scooped Lin Ye up and watched the surrounding black-robed figures warily.

Lin Ye had let her choose whether to follow; she had always worried she might make the wrong decision.

"Shut up! Sorry, I apologize on behalf of my comrade. He's not a bad person, he just isn't good with words."

The leader glared at the black-robed figure who had interrupted.

"Can I go now?"

Eve did not want to stay. She disliked those dark red, strange symbols.

"The Special Ability tide is about to come. Going out now will be very dangerous. You can wait until the Special Ability tide ends; during that time I can tell you everything we know."

At the leader's gesture, the other black-robed figures left the conference room.

"What is the Special Ability tide?"

Eve hesitated, then sat down in a chair.

"We call that energy, which differs from spiritual energy, 'Special Ability'—it is the Deep Well Substance that friend mentioned.

From time to time, large amounts of Special Ability spread outward from the deepest layers. The Special Ability tide not only alters creatures' bodily structure, it also affects their minds. The cult can control those affected creatures to attack nearby survivors. Only these symbols can block the influence of the Special Ability tide."

The leader walked to the window, which was covered in dark red, strange symbols.

"You've always stayed in the deep world? Why haven't I seen you before?"

Eve still suspected their identities.

"Deep world... you might be mistaken. We are not residents of what you now call the Surface Layer world."

The leader turned to Eve. As one of the world's original inhabitants, he had lost count of how many times he had explained this.

"...What do you mean by 'what you now call the Surface Layer world'?"

Eve grasped the leader's implication, but she couldn't help asking.

"The cult needs a normal Surface Layer world, but Special Ability keeps eroding that world. So the cult can only keep adding new Surface Layer worlds outside the deep world.

All of us here are survivors of 'Surface Layer worlds.' Your Surface Layer world is converting into a deep world. This process only lasts a short time. If you don't want your Surface Layer world to become like the deep world outside, you should do something soon."

The leader sighed; he had gone through this process too many times.

"...Why didn't you tell us about this?"

Eve thought of her parents and her classmates. If they had known in advance, many fewer people would have died.

"Going to the Surface Layer world isn't easy, and once Special Ability begins to erode a Surface Layer world, that world begins converting into a deep world. This process is irreversible. We tried to transmit information to the Surface Layer, but the results were poor."

The leader had no solution; of course he didn't want to see the Surface Layer world destroyed.

"Tell me more about the deep world. If I want to clear a cult base, what should I watch out for?"

Lin Ye had completed his initial mutation. He could now adapt to a certain concentration of Deep Well Substance.