"..."

Ishii Hisako's expression was like someone who had missed a step. Stunned for a moment, she retreated two steps and then shouted, "How is that possible?! It was clearly still alive just now!"

As she spoke, she pounced forward, frantically pounding on the glass.

This time, Chen Nuo did not stop her; instead, he stepped back and sighed softly.

The Octopus Monster was already extremely weak. Moreover, along the way, Chen Nuo distinctly felt that each time they underwent 'path selection,' the Life Force of the octopus would rapidly drain away.

It was as if with every path chosen, a portion of the Octopus Monster's Life Force was directly stripped away.

The already extremely weak Octopus Monster, upon reaching this final eight-way choice, unexpectedly couldn't hold on any longer and died.

After venting her emotions for a few minutes and pounding on the glass for a good while, Ishii Hisako, who was a tough character after all, finally calmed down. Then she turned and glared fiercely at the eight branching paths before them.

"Leader... what do we do now?" a diver asked.

"..." Ishii Hisako found herself unable to speak, simply staring hard at the road ahead.

The expression on her face was unmistakably one of unwillingness.

Chen Nuo's heart skipped a beat when he saw the woman suddenly grit her teeth and stride towards one of the eight tunnels ahead!

Chen Nuo furrowed his brows and quickly stepped forward to intercept Ishii Hisako, demanding in a deep voice, "What are you trying to do?!"

Ishii Hisako, pale-faced and gritting her teeth, shouted, "Move aside! I cannot just leave like this!"

As she spoke, she tried to bypass Chen Nuo but was once again blocked by him. "Don't be foolish!"

"Move! I can't just leave like this! I can't! I can't! I can't!"

Ishii Hisako screamed maniacally.

The six divers she brought saw that their boss was in conflict with Chen Nuo and immediately rushed over.

Chen Nuo noticed two divers draw stun guns from their waists, aiming at him while shouting belligerently.

This time, Chen Nuo truly lost his patience.

He directly grabbed Ishii Hisako by the throat, lifted her up, and then, with a flying kick, sent a diver who had just reached him flying!

Of the two divers who had drawn their weapons, one was hit by his flying comrade. The other hesitated to shoot—Chen Nuo was holding Ishii Hisako in front of him as a shield.

In that moment of hesitation, Chen Nuo dashed to him and knocked him down with a punch. The stun gun fell to the ground and was crushed under Chen Nuo's foot!

The remaining three divers looked like they were about to rush forward, but Chen Nuo inhaled deeply and roared, "Do you all want to die?!"

With that, he threw Ishii Hisako to the ground and stepped on her neck!

Narrowing his eyes at her, he said, "Fine. If you want to go crazy, then you can all die."

"...Wait, wait a minute." Ishii Hisako finally calmed down. After struggling on the ground for a moment, she hurriedly ordered, "Fall back! Everyone, fall back!"

The three divers dared not move forward anymore, but their eyes were still darkly fixated on Chen Nuo.

Ishii Hisako struggled and quickly said, "Sir, I was too emotional just now. I lost my composure! Please, please stop."

Chen Nuo snorted and released his foot.

Ishii Hisako managed to break free. She hurriedly crawled a few paces away before her subordinates helped her up.

"Everyone, back off!" Ishii Hisako ordered in a low voice.

The woman then sat on the ground and took a few breaths. She adjusted her oxygen mask, which had gone askew. Once her breathing stabilized, she stood up and said solemnly to Chen Nuo, "Sir, I was wrong. I... I was too agitated just now."

Chen Nuo gave a cold laugh without saying a word.

Ishii Hisako said softly, "I have planned for many years for this moment. Now that we're at the very threshold... I... I just couldn't accept it back there."

"I don't care whether you can accept it or not," Chen Nuo said indifferently. "If you want to seek death, that is your business. I can leave now, return the way we came, and drive a submarine out by myself. As for you, you can stay. After I leave, if you want to continue going inside, then keep going. If you want to gamble with your life, that's your affair."

"Yes, sorry, I won't make that mistake again."

After all, she was a woman with the presence of a formidable leader. She quickly forced herself to calm down after a brief period of emotional turmoil.

The divers had already helped their companion up and now stood by Ishii Hisako's side and behind her, clearly showing their allegiance.

Chen Nuo paid no attention to these men nor to Ishii Hisako, who was standing there composing herself. Instead, he turned around, looked at the giant octopus on the wall, and then at the eight tunnels ahead...

His spiritual power detection was now completely useless, and Chen Nuo frowned in thought.

According to Ishii Hisako, if they chose the wrong path, it would trigger a self-destruct sequence, and then... they would all be buried deep beneath the sea.

Chen Nuo wasn't Superman from the comics, able to punch through the earth and forcibly ascend from hundreds of meters beneath the seabed.

So now, the best, most rational course of action was naturally to leave immediately and then regroup and plan for the long term.

But it wasn't only Ishii Hisako who was unwilling. Actually, Chen Nuo was a bit unwilling as well. Well, having come this far, standing at the very entrance of this mysterious place, turning back now would be truly galling. To put it simply: I've already come this far.

·

Seconds ticked by.

The cave fell into silence. Ishii Hisako seemed lost in thought but didn't disturb Chen Nuo's deliberations.

The woman's expression flickered, her complexion alternating between pale and flushed, clearly indicating an internal struggle.

Gamble? A one-in-eight chance. If I bet right, who knows what might be gained. If I bet wrong... it would mean a death with no place for burial.

Suddenly, Chen Nuo turned to look at Ishii Hisako. "I think we can talk."

"???"

Ishii Hisako's face changed as she looked at Chen Nuo.

Chen Nuo said indifferently, "You've hidden many things from me. Now that we've reached this point, shouldn't we be more open with each other?"

Ishii Hisako didn't speak.

Chen Nuo seemed to smile. "What if I told you I have a way to choose the correct path?"

Ishii Hisako's eyes flashed with excitement; she blurted out, "You... really?"

"Really," Chen Nuo said lightly. "But my condition is simple: tell me what you've been hiding."

Ishii Hisako gritted her teeth, clearly conflicted.

Chen Nuo said coldly, "What? At this point, do you still have any leverage to negotiate with me?"

Ishii Hisako fell silent for a moment and finally sighed.

"Fine, I can tell you something. But... as you know, I don't intend to hide things just for the sake of it. What I can tell you naturally won't be all my trump cards! Before we go in, I must keep something back for self-preservation. So... I trust you can understand this! If you agree, I can tell you a little. If you don't agree... then let's just turn around and leave! The moment I reach the surface, I'll order the submarine to return and bomb this place until it collapses! Then, it's a clean break, and neither of us gets anything from here. Don't even think about coming back to explore this place without me!"

Chen Nuo thought for a moment, then nodded with a smile. "Fair enough."

Ishii Hisako glanced at the gauge on her oxygen tank.

It had taken about forty minutes to walk here from the submarine.

With time running short, she dared not hesitate any longer. Taking a deep breath, she exhaled slowly and said in a low voice, "Sir, are you aware of our Truth Society's doctrine?"

"Hmm?"

·

The doctrine of the Truth Society isn't particularly remarkable.

Like the majority of cults in the world, the Truth Society's doctrine is divided into three parts.

The first part is the fabrication of a lie about an impending apocalypse, used to deceive and frighten the ignorant and foolish.

The second part is to endlessly deify the Sect Hierarch, portraying him as a demigod capable of saving humanity.

The third part is, naturally, amassing wealth.

The logic is simple.

First, they scare you with a terrifying consequence until your brain can't function properly. Then they use trickery and a bit of showmanship to convince you that they can save you.

Finally, it's time to fleece the flock.

Frankly, these so-called cults operate much like common street fortune-telling swindlers.

They all start by saying something like, 'Your brow is darkening; you face a bloody disaster.' Then, once you're frightened, they'll claim, 'I have a way to break the curse.' Finally, they'll have you willingly empty your wallet.

So, the most crucial first part of the Truth Society's doctrine is the fabricated lie that 'this world will soon end, and the apocalypse is imminent.'

Of course, the key point, besides the 'apocalypse' itself, is their assurance that this event will not only occur but will do so in the near future.

This 'near future' part is very important!

If someone tells you that the apocalypse will happen in a few thousand or hundred years... probably not many people would be fooled. Even if they believed it, they wouldn't be overly panicky. Isn't that obvious? A few thousand or hundred years from now, who knows where my ashes will be scattered? Why would I care about an apocalypse then?

So, this "not distant future" must be fabricated as a time point that people can visualize.

Like a few years from now, a dozen years later, and so on.

This makes people feel that the disaster will directly affect them, thereby triggering their sense of crisis.

·

When Ishii Hisako got to this point, she glanced at Chen Nuo and noticed the mockery on his face.

Taking a deep breath, the woman whispered, "Sir... what if I told you... this... is real?"

"What's real?"

"About... the end of the world."

Chen Nuo looked at the woman as if she were an idiot.

Bullshit! I lived until 2021 in my previous life, and the world was still very much intact. It had plenty of problems, sure, but there were no signs of any impending world-ending disaster.

"If you're planning to preach your Truth Society's idiotic doctrines to me, save your breath. I don't have that much time," Chen Nuo said coldly.

Ishii Hisako said softly, "No, I'm not saying when the end of the world will happen in the future. But... what if I told you that the so-called end of the world... has already happened?"

Already happened?

Hearing this, Chen Nuo burst into laughter.

An apocalypse that has already occurred? Was it the whole world fighting aliens in 1999, after which everyone signed a non-disclosure agreement? You're the big boss of the Truth Society, not some Bilibili content creator!

·

Looking at Ishii Hisako's serious expression, Chen Nuo sighed.

"Are you trying to feed me some line about Earth having been destroyed once before? Or are you going to spin some yarn about a 'prehistoric civilization'? I've heard those kinds of stories, like the legend of Atlantis. If that's your angle, let's all save some time."

What a joke. Atlantis? The sunken Great Western Continent? The Octopus Monster was a prehistoric civilization? An octopus civilization ruled Earth? Even in future web novels, the eighth-rate ones would find this trope too old! The most popular tropes have evolved to cultivating immortals in chat groups, to overly cautious protagonist archetypes, or bizarre rituals like taking four steps backward in a washroom! Exploring a prehistoric civilization? So cliché! It's like everyone around you is shouting "Winner winner, chicken dinner," while you're still stuck in the era of "Subor, its fun is endless!"

·

"I know this sounds too much like a science fiction story," Ishii Hisako shook her head. "But the fact is, it is so. The Sect Hierarch told me that he did indeed discover a prehistoric civilization! And this civilization experienced a complete annihilation!"

Chen Nuo touched his chin, looking at the woman.

At this moment, they were less than two meters apart. Chen Nuo's spiritual power could still feel the woman's pulse rate and the changes in her pupils.

Intuitively, Chen Nuo felt that the woman wasn't lying. However, whether her words were true or not was another matter entirely.

"So, the so-called prehistoric civilization you're talking about is deep within this tunnel?"

"Whether it is or not, we'll know once we go inside," Ishii Hisako shook her head.

Chen Nuo thought for a moment then shook his head. "Not enough."

"What?"

"The bargaining chip you're offering isn't enough," Chen Nuo said plainly. "You've only told me a vague story; it has no real practical value."

Ishii Hisako fell silent for a moment, then suddenly pulled out a dagger.

Chen Nuo did not stop the woman's action.

Given the power disparity between them, at such close range, it wouldn't matter if she produced a dagger or even a Gatling gun; she posed no threat to Chen Nuo.

After Ishii Hisako took out the dagger, she first shouted at her subordinates to stay back, then quickly sliced open the diving suit on her arm!

Her exposed upper arm had a scar!

With a stern look, though her eyes twitched, she didn't hesitate to slice open the scar on her upper arm!

Blood gushed out. Although the pain made her grimace, her hand remained steady as she carefully cut through her skin and extracted something from her upper arm!

Looking at Ishii Hisako as she extended her hand, in her palm lay a black metal shard stained with blood.

It was a flat piece of metal, about the length of a little finger.

Chen Nuo took it, pinching it in his hand, only to discover that it was surprisingly lightweight.

Stranger still, Ishii Hisako's blood on the metal piece quickly slid off, leaving not a single drop behind.

It was as if some strange force on the metal repelled the bloodstains.

Chen Nuo uttered an "Oh?" He tentatively probed it with a wisp of spiritual power, but he soon found that as soon as his spiritual power touched the metal piece, it rapidly dissipated.

Now that's interesting.

A thought struck Chen Nuo.

He picked up the metal piece, examining it closely. As he gradually intensified the spiritual power he was probing it with...

Faint, shallow lines began to emerge on the metal piece.

It was unmistakably an octopus!

"This is something that the Sect Hierarch personally gave me."

Ishii Hisako shook her head. "He sent it to me before he was captured. I can assure you, no such metal exists on Earth! I've had experts run various tests; its composition isn't on any known periodic table of elements!"

Chen Nuo's expression remained impassive, but in his heart, he was about a third convinced. He couldn't help but sigh, "He was willing to entrust you with such items and secrets. It seems you truly had his deepest confidence."

"Decades of loyalty, managing hundreds of billions in assets for the Truth Society on his behalf, never showing the slightest hint of disloyalty... and moreover, I bore him three children," Ishii Hisako said coldly. "Besides, he only chose to entrust this to me for safekeeping when he was cornered with no other options."

Chen Nuo gripped the metal piece. As his spiritual power receded, the octopus pattern on it slowly vanished.

"What's the purpose of this thing?"

"I don't know," Ishii Hisako shook her head. "But the Sect Hierarch said it was important, so it naturally must serve a vital purpose. As for what that is... we'll only find the answer once we manage to get inside." Ishii Hisako's tone grew firmer. "I've told you everything I can! This is the biggest bargaining chip I can offer! If you're still not satisfied, then... let's just leave this place!"

Chen Nuo squinted at the woman.

Of course, the woman was still holding things back. Chen Nuo knew it, and Ishii Hisako knew that he knew. They maintained this unspoken understanding. The trump cards she kept hidden were, naturally, for her own self-preservation. Chen Nuo also knew that her current stance was indeed her bottom line.

He weighed the matter in his mind.

Leaving like this... he was indeed a bit reluctant. This place was clearly connected to the Octopus Monster's website. In both his previous life and this one, the Octopus Monster's website had always been an extremely mysterious entity to Chen Nuo. This wasn't just true for him, but for other top-tier figures as well. The Octopus Monster's website had never revealed its true nature.

"Fine."

Chen Nuo smiled and unreservedly pocketed the metal piece.

Ishii Hisako, with the help of her subordinates, had already bandaged the wound on her arm.

Chen Nuo watched Ishii Hisako finish treating her wound, then said, "So... our Second Deal is struck."

No joy showed on Ishii Hisako's face; it was as if she had anticipated this outcome. "So, what exactly is your method for safely entering this place? I wasn't lying before—if we choose the wrong path, it could trigger a self-destruct sequence, and we'll all be buried here."

Chen Nuo smiled, walked up beside Ishii Hisako, and stood shoulder to shoulder with her. "So, your greatest wish is to find the correct path among these eight tunnels, right?"

"Of course!"

"Great!" Chen Nuo suddenly patted Ishii Hisako's shoulder gently. With that pat, a Seed of Misfortune was silently implanted into her.

"Now, look at these eight tunnels and pick one!"

"Huh?"

"No more nonsense. Choose quickly!" Chen Nuo shook his head.

"..." Ishii Hisako bit her lip, glanced at the eight tunnels, then pointed to the first one on the left. "I think this path is worth trying."

Chen Nuo laughed!

Good, one wrong option eliminated!

He turned his head toward the six men behind her. "Alright, now it's your turn to choose."

"..."

"..."

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