After all, the stronger her power grew, the more dangerous she became. Did you truly wish for your sister to be controlled by her inner demons?” Zhao Zhuikong smiled gently but said nothing. He simply walked up to Zhao Yingkong, stroking her beautiful hair. The little girl’s pretty face immediately flushed red. She slapped his hand away, saying, “You child molester! Get to the point and stop laying hands on me.”

Zhao Zhuikong laughed heartily but retracted his hand nonetheless. He then spoke seriously, “The investigation results are… unbelievable. Based on what I’ve uncovered…”

“The commencement of Project ‘Void’ began more than twenty years ago, which aligns with what you and I confirmed. But the strange thing is, most of the clan elders are also unaware of the origin of this project. They only know that Project ‘Void’ was merely the first step; we are all test subjects. Thus, this project has been ongoing for many years…” “With my sister’s special abilities, those elders couldn't hide anything from her. I know the general scope of Project ‘Void’ from their memories… We are all experimental subjects. In fact, before us, although the assassin families’ training methods involved throwing children into the wilderness to survive, they primarily focused on assassination techniques and physical conditioning. However, their faction’s strength was indeed far inferior to ours. That’s why the youngsters among us with the suffix ‘Void’ were meant to be non-existent people within Project ‘Void’.”

“The First Elder and the Second Elder know that about thirty years ago, a member of the assassin families suddenly and mysteriously vanished. According to assassin doctrine, such a deserter would be hunted down for life. But what baffled the assassin families was that this person truly and utterly disappeared. All traces of him in this world vanished completely. No matter how hard the assassin families searched, there was no trace of him left. So, after three years of investigation, the assassin families officially listed him as deceased, completely forgetting this low-ranking member.”

“Then, twenty years ago, this person suddenly reappeared before the elders, demonstrating absolutely unimaginable, terrifying strength. But for some unknown reason, after a few minutes of frenzied outburst, this person suddenly died, leaving behind only a series of documents and his corpse. These documents revealed that during those ten-plus years, he had been fighting in a world called the ‘Main God’ space, also known as the World of Reincarnation…” At this point, Zhao Zhuikong suddenly paused, greatly displeasing both the deeply engrossed Zhao Yingkong and the invisible Zheng Zha. Zhao Yingkong immediately complained, “Keep talking! What happened next? What’s the deal with the continuously evolving genes inside us?” Zhao Zhuikong sighed and continued, “From the moment we were born, the genetic material of that man was infused into us. According to the special method detailed in those documents, this gene became an inducer for a certain power—a power called the Gene Lock. As shown in the data, the Gene Lock has five stages, with the fifth stage supposedly reaching the level of immortals… That man who died was a powerhouse who unlocked the fourth stage of the Gene Lock. According to his recorded message, the ‘Main God’ space could resurrect those who died within it. Even those who unlocked the fourth stage of the Gene Lock could be resurrected because the genes remain within the physical body. Therefore, unlocking the Gene Lock, as he believed, was about physical power. As long as the body’s genes exist, they can be copied and used to unlock the Gene Lock in others. And we are the sacrificial lambs of this experiment…”

“Sacrificial lambs isn't entirely accurate,” Zhao Yingkong scoffed coldly. “After all, our strength is undeniable. If our generation grows up smoothly, without being consumed by inner demons, then the so-called two great assassin families would be a joke. No… the elders’ ambitions might be even greater. As long as our existence can be stabilized, controlling the source gene, they could infinitely ‘produce’ people like us. Even if only one in a hundred reaches my level, that power would be enough to control the entire world. You should understand this: unless directly hit by a nuclear bomb, we can survive the fallout and radiation. Do you grasp the implications? If they can mass-produce us, a force of ten thousand of us would rival the entire world's fighting power… Those old bastards are truly ambitious.”

Zheng Zha, listening nearby, was profoundly shaken. In fact, he had his own doubts regarding the ‘Main God’ space, especially concerning resurrection. Resurrection could be interpreted as the ‘Main God’ intercepting a person’s consciousness the moment they die, holding it until their team resurrects them, and then merging that consciousness with a newly replicated body. But this raises a crucial question regarding the copying mechanism in the Devil Reincarnation Squad: if both body and consciousness can be replicated, why didn't the ancient cultivators and saints just replicate themselves? Wouldn't copying vast numbers of themselves eliminate any fear of enemies? Or is there a restriction on the power level of those who can be copied? In short, an unexplainable paradox arises here… However, if replication is indeed successful—for instance, like this man who emerged from the ‘Main God’ space, whose genes were copied countless times, leading many young people to rapidly unlock the Gene Lock—here lies the problem… Reaching the fourth stage of the Gene Lock is apparently a major bottleneck. Once you reach Stage Four, unless you can overcome the affliction of the inner demon, death or dissipation awaits. It seems this assassin who returned to the real world became lost and then died… (What if the spirit is copied along with the mind? Or perhaps, once the inner demon is passed, the spirit becomes too solidified to be copied?) Zheng Zha couldn't figure it out and decided to keep this doubt hidden. After all, there was a free high-level cognitive laborer, the most perfect wise man, available in the Central Continent Team. Why wouldn't he utilize such a person? Especially since Zheng Zha had already been manipulated by Chu Xuan once; not smashing his jaw in when they met was already generous enough.

Putting aside Zheng Zha’s doubts and his hidden resentment toward Chu Xuan’s methods, the two young people present continued their conversation unabated.

Listening to Zhao Yingkong’s words, Zhao Zhuikong couldn't help but let out a bitter laugh. The young girl happened to catch his gaze and his smile. The little girl immediately pouted, “You’re infuriating! You only know how to wear that silly grin. Don't you know that smile is hideous? You should smile like me: one that appears warm and intimate, yet keeps people a thousand miles away. You must always maintain calmness in your heart, so your eyes remain cool and detached. You should learn from me…” As the little girl finished speaking, she was suddenly enveloped in a tight hug from Zhao Zhuikong. Even though her power far surpassed his, she was completely stunned into silence. When Zhao Zhuikong bent down and brought his face close to hers, the little girl let out a sharp gasp. However, contrary to her expectation, Zhao Zhuikong did not kiss her. Instead, he rested his head on her shoulder, his frame, two heads taller than her, pressing against her front.

Zhao Yingkong, blushing, said, “What are you doing, you fool? You look ridiculous… Get off me now! If they see us, you better prepare your own coffin; I promise I’ll make you die a horrible death… Hey, get off me!”

“Yingkong…” Zhao Zhuikong said in a low voice, “Although my strength is far from yours, and I don’t know how terrifying the inner demons you face are, lately, I’ve occasionally seen a strange light in my sister’s eyes when she unlocks the fourth stage of the Gene Lock. It’s a disregard for life, as if every living thing is just meat to her. She seems to have lost human emotion… I’m terrified. I’m truly afraid that one day my little sister will forget me, that she will turn into another cold, blank version of herself… Zhao Yingkong, promise me, no matter what, you will protect her. My strength is simply too poor compared to yours, so I can only entrust all my hope to you. Yingkong, promise me, you must protect her no matter what…”

“…En.” Zhao Yingkong let out a soft sigh. She reached out and hugged the man leaning on her shoulder, murmuring, “Don't worry, she is my sister too… I will absolutely protect her, protect you both, protect everyone. Rest assured, I will definitely pass through the inner demon safely~” (Passing through the inner demon safely… Easier said than done. If the inner demon were that easy to overcome, there wouldn't be so few people who unlock the mid-level of the fourth Gene Lock stage. Before the mid-level of the fourth stage, one could basically grow stronger by continuous training and constant exposure to life-threatening danger. But what about the transition between the early and mid-levels of the fourth stage? And one more thing…)(If my previous speculation is correct and members of the Reincarnation Squad can indeed return from the ‘Main God’ space, does this imply that because the previous generation of Reincarnation Squad members returned and knew secrets about past events, it caused the world to be on the verge of massive change, or perhaps it has already fallen into some kind of crisis? Is this why the ‘Main God’ space increased the number of people selected for the reincarnation world and intensified the horrors we face? Could it be that the real world has already begun to drastically change? Or perhaps the enemies that the cultivators and saints encountered previously… have they broken their seals?)