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墨書 Inktalez
Chapter 7: The Failed Flank and the "Assessment" Pointing to the Abyss
Since submitting that photo, possibly tinged with Xiao Ya's despair, I felt as if I had fallen into an invisible, tightening noose. Anxiety and a maddening nervousness became the only persistent visitors in my studio.
Every second spent waiting for the next instruction from Inceptor felt like stepping on burning coals. I had completely locked myself away in this twenty-square-meter space, sealing the curtains shut, uninstalling delivery apps, and barely surviving on the last few packs of instant noodles nearing expiration and hard, tooth-cracking biscuits.
I always felt that unseen eyes were watching me at all times.
It wasn’t the overt malice of street surveillance but rather a more insidious, all-pervasive sense of being spied upon. Was my mind too fragile, terrified by abandoned factories? Or did they truly possess some incomprehensible technology capable of penetrating these old walls, monitoring every keystroke on my keyboard, even… every thought in my mind?
I used adhesive bandages to cover both the front and back cameras of my phone, and unplugged my computer when not in use, cutting off the internet. But this was merely self-deception. In this era, as long as you were alive, true invisibility was impossible. I even began to obsessively doubt whether each restless pacing and every muttered curse was being captured by some hidden sensor, uploaded in real-time to become part of their assessment of my "Frequency" stability.
If this continued, I would drive myself insane before Lighthouse Society made their move.
No! I couldn’t just sit back and wait! I had to regain some semblance of control, even if it was just an illusion.
A flanking maneuver. This was the only straw I could grasp at.
The first target: Sister Wang. I needed more details about Tian Yucheng, the “Singularity Project,” “Alpha-7,” and “Legacy Core Code.” Any detail would do!
Taking a deep breath, I dialed Sister Wang's number, forcing my voice to sound calm and reliable: “Sister Wang, it’s me, Li Mo. I need to verify some details with you; this might help us understand Xiao Ya’s thoughts and find her. Regarding Mr. Tian’s research, can you think back carefully? Is there anything more specific? For instance, about the ‘Singularity Project,’ was there any particular controversy back then? Did he ever mention terms like ‘Alpha-7’? Also, about the files on his computer—did he imply that they were not just important but also… dangerous?”
There was a long silence on the other end of the line, broken only by Sister Wang’s suppressed, weary breaths. After a while, she spoke with a heavy nasal tone: “Li Detective… it’s been too long… That man was so focused on his research that he didn’t care about family matters; he never discussed work with me. He would lock himself in his study all day, staring at the screen, mumbling about ‘critical points,’ ‘it’s coming soon,’ ‘a miracle is about to happen’…”
“Did he ever seem particularly anxious or… unusually alert?”
“Anxious? Yes! In the days leading up to his departure, he was especially tense!” Sister Wang’s voice suddenly rose in pitch, filled with retrospective fear. “He kept saying he felt someone was watching him in secret, trying to steal his research! He repeatedly warned me that his work could change the world but might also bring unimaginable disasters. He insisted that I keep a close watch on Xiao Ya, never letting anyone near his computer… At the time, I thought he was just stressed out and losing it; I didn’t take it seriously. Now that I think about it… could those thoughts have been anything but delusions?”
My heart sank heavily. Tian Yucheng had sensed danger while alive! This was definitely not a coincidence!
“What about the code name ‘Alpha-7’? Or anything similar that sounds like a code name?”
Sister Wang struggled to recall, her voice filled with confusion: “Alpha-7… no, nothing like that. The words he mentioned were all English terms I didn’t understand—things like ‘algorithm,’ ‘model,’ ‘Interaction interface’… none of that rings a bell.”
“What about ‘Core Code’? Or anything like passwords for his computer? Did he mention anything special?”
"Password..." Sister Wang's voice dropped. "He said the computer has several layers of locks, and only Xiao Ya... only Xiao Ya might know how to unlock it. He mumbled something about how the key to the password isn't about how complex it is, but rather... it’s about matching some 'Frequency,' like tuning a radio, finding the right 'band'... I laughed at him back then, saying it sounded like some kind of mysticism. Now that I think about it, did he foresee this all along..."
Frequency?! Again with Frequency! It relates to Tian Yucheng and echoes Inceptor's rhetoric! This is no coincidence! Could the key to opening that "Pandora's Box" truly be linked to some trait of Xiao Ya, or rather, to this "Frequency"?
This call still didn’t yield any directly usable clues; instead, it peeled back deeper and more pungent mysteries like layers of an onion. Sister Wang’s ignorance of her husband's world felt like an invisible wall, blocking my path to uncovering the past.
Frustration washed over me like a cold tide.
There was still one avenue left—Old K.
Contacting him was akin to seeking skin from a tiger. This guy was a venomous snake in the underground world, motivated solely by money and possessing an incredibly keen sense of smell. Directly asking about the Lighthouse Society would be tantamount to revealing my identity; it would be surprising if he didn’t extort me heavily.
But right now, I needed information, even if it was just a whisper of a lead.
I dialed Old K’s encrypted communication again, carefully organizing my words:
"Old K, are you busy? Thanks for last time. By the way, something came to mind—purely out of curiosity—I wanted to consult someone like you. Have you heard any rumors about... particularly shady organizations lately? You know, those that operate under the guise of 'elite mutual assistance' or 'potential development,' using strange techniques like special codes, symbols, or other verification methods to screen and control their members? A friend of mine seems to have accidentally gotten involved, and I'm a bit worried."
I pushed the question onto a fictional "friend," hoping to lower Old K's guard.
The silence on his end lasted longer than before. The hissing of electricity felt particularly jarring in the stillness.
"...Li Mo," Old K's voice was unusually serious, even tinged with a hint of... apprehension? "You'd better cut ties with that 'friend' quickly. I advise you not to pry too much."
"What do you mean?" My heart raced.
"This circle is much deeper and dirtier than you imagine." Old K's voice dropped low. "There are plenty of organizations masquerading under various banners doing psychological manipulation and screening 'resources.' But some have unsavory backgrounds. They might not be after money; they’re looking for specific individuals to carry out certain dirty work that shouldn’t see the light of day. Some even operate as 'gray testing grounds' sanctioned by certain large companies or institutions, testing controversial technologies or social engineering models. What they want might not be your money but your brain, your skills, or even... your life—disposable once used."
Gray testing grounds? Resources? A chill ran down my spine.
"As for what you mentioned about special code verification..." Old K paused. "There are many tricks involved. The key isn't in the technology itself but in the filtering logic behind it. A few years ago, I tracked a similar anomalous signal source using asymmetric encryption and steganography; its counter-tracking capabilities were incredibly strong—it nearly exposed my safe house. In short, the waters are murky and can easily drown you. If you get caught up in it, don’t come looking for me. No amount of money can buy your way out of this kind of trouble."
With that, he cut off communication without giving me any chance for further questions.
I held my phone, my palms icy cold.
The words of Old K pierced through my last shred of hope like a dagger tempered in ice. He not only knew about such organizations but might have even tracked them before, ultimately choosing to give up, nearly getting caught in the process! This was enough to illustrate the technical prowess and danger of the Lighthouse Society, far beyond my imagination.
Both paths were completely blocked.
I felt like a fly trapped in a glass bottle, able to see the world outside but unable to escape. The Lighthouse Society, lurking in the shadows, watched my every futile struggle with the indifference of a god controlling the bottle's cap.
The sense of powerlessness was like heavy chains binding my hands and feet, shackling my hopes. Was my insignificant struggle just a joke in their eyes?
Xiao Ya… did I still have a chance?
Just as I was about to be completely overwhelmed by despair and self-doubt, I suddenly realized something: I couldn’t keep thinking about how to “break” their game. I hadn’t even figured out what the game was yet. Perhaps… I should change my perspective?
They wanted me to “format,” to “disconnect,” to become an Information Island. This itself was the biggest flaw! How could someone completely isolated from the world be further exploited and controlled by them? They must have follow-up methods, ways to re-establish connections. That daily check-in for the Temporary Safe Passage might be the key!
Moreover, they wanted me to clear all devices and erase all traces. If I truly did that, I would be left with nothing, completely at their mercy. But… what if I secretly backed up some things before formatting? Hidden in ways they wouldn’t expect, tucked away in corners they couldn’t monitor? For instance, using Steganography to conceal crucial information within an apparently harmless image and uploading it to some obscure, anonymous image hosting site? Or simply using the most primitive method—writing the information down on paper and hiding it in a physical location known only to me?
I needed a backup plan, a fuse—something that could transmit information in the worst-case scenario or at least prove that I hadn’t just vanished into thin air!
This thought flickered through my mind like a match striking in the dark; though faint, it reignited a glimmer of hope. Yes, I couldn’t be entirely passive! Even if I had to jump into their trap, I needed to leave myself a lifeline before doing so!
As I rapidly calculated how to leave a backup plan in my mind, the computer screen lit up again.
Here it came! That death warrant!
An encrypted email, new message. The sender was garbled; the subject read: Second Narrow Gate.
I took a deep breath, feeling as if every inhale carried a taste of rust. Trembling, I clicked open the email.
The content was shorter than last time and sent chills down my spine:
Task: Qualification Review - Information Bandwidth Test.
Instructions: Clear the local storage of all electronic devices you are currently using. Perform a deep format to ensure that data cannot be recovered. Freeze or cancel all bank accounts, credit cards and common electronic payment interfaces under your name. Cut off all personal regular communications and network connections for the next 72 hours. Only one status confirmation is allowed between 3:00 and 3:15 a.m. every day through the designated Temporary Safe Passage. During this period, you must survive independently and any form of interaction with any old social contacts is strictly prohibited. After 72 hours, we will conduct a remote scan and assessment of your "information purity". Reminder: Cutting off redundant anchor points is the basis for achieving dimensional transition. This is a thorough soul "reset" and a test to face the true self. Resistance means sticking to ignorance. Compliance means obtaining "qualification". Your choice will determine your path. I stared at the cold words on the screen and felt that the blood in my body was about to freeze! Clear! Freeze! Cut off! Isolate! This is not some bullshit "qualification review", it is clearly to completely erase me from this world! Turning into a completely transparent puppet that can only rely on them to survive! What on earth do they want to do?! This is no longer mind control, this is a complete social annihilation!
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