The Earth is Online

Tang Mo had long guessed Fu Wenduo’s identity. But once he heard it, he couldn’t help sneaking a glance at the man next to him. Fu Wenduo’s keen senses meant he quickly caught Tang Mo’s eyes.

His peek was discovered. Tang Mo nodded without changing colour. Fu Wenduo gazed at him for a moment with a meaningful look.

Luo Fengcheng continued. “Now that we know each other, I will explain what the ‘Black Tower Selection’ is. But before that, Major Fu, can you confirm that your identity as a stowaway is because…”

Fu Wenduo spoke calmly. “On November 16th, I performed a secret mission at the border.”

Tang Mo and Luo Fengcheng instantly understood his meaning.

All those who killed and eliminated players before entering the game were classified as a stowaway by the black tower. But there were many reasons for killing. Some were really murders while some killed for other reasons. Tang Mo had long wondered about why Fu Wenduo was a stowaway. In particular, the doubts in Tang Mo’s heart increased when they met in Pinocchio’s instance.

Fu Wenduo’s performance in Pinocchio’s instance was really not like a crazy murderer. A good explanation for why he became a stowaway was a secret mission. At the same time, it explained why Tang Mo felt this person was different from the other players in Pinocchio’s instance. It was a type of steadfast, military bearing, like a hidden blade.

“I might’ve heard of Major Fu before but this is the first time we are actually meeting. I have to ask some things in advance.” Luo Fengcheng didn’t show any shame at suspecting Fu Wenduo. Luo Fengcheng spoke honestly, “In late November, I left the black tower’s first floor game and met the Attack organization. I got their approval and formally joined the organization as a reserve player. Then I found Nie Fei. Tang Mo, you have met Nie Fei. You must have some impression of him.”

Tang Mo thought about it. “I met him when I let Mario’s instance. Although young, he was quite calm.”

“Nie Fei’s ability is flying. To be precise, his ability isn’t ordinary flight.” He can walk in the air using some type of medium.” Luo Fengcheng took out a piece of paper and frew something on it. “We can’t see the air. Nie Fei’s ability doesn’t allow him to walk on air. But besides the air, there are many things he can walk on.”

Luo Fengcheng drew dense dots on the white paper and wrote next to it: sand.

“For example, in battle, some sand is scattered in the air and Nie Fei can walk on the sand.” He drew a rough figure on the paper. “The tiny sand becomes solid ground under his feet. Once stepping on the non-physical ground, his speed can reach a maximum of 100 metres per second. And this ability is unrestricted.”

Fu Wenduo asked, “He can only walk on things like sand?”

Luo Fengcheng shook his head. “Sand is just an example. What surprises me the most about Nie Fei’s ability is that his ability was constantly changing. When I first met him, he could only walk on relatively large objects like stones and planks. By the time he was killed by the stowaways organization, he was already able to walk on sand. What does that mean? Perhaps after a while, he could walk on smaller things without using sand. In the end, he might’ve been able to freely walk anywhere. This is spatial displacement.”

Tang Mo immediately thought of little fatty’s ability. “Zhao Ziang’s ability is similar to space movement. But he can only move other things, not himself. When I first met him, he was able to move some small things. Now he can move big things very quickly.”

“His progress isn’t as fast as Nie Fei.” Luo Fengcheng said, “Zhao Ziang didn’t experience the fast heartbeat phenomenon.”

Tang Mo closed his mouth and continued to listen.

“On the night of November 17, three hospitals in Shanghai received four patients. Each patient had no obvious pathological features but their heart rate continued to accelerate and their mood was irritable. Among then, the slowest one was a heart rate of 119 and the fastest one was a heart rate of 136. At this time, the situation wasn’t discovered. I only thought it was a condition that hadn’t been identified. One of the researchers in Shanghai Group B…” Luo Fengcheng paused for a moment. “A young girl who just graduated with a PhD. She discovered the situation and reported it to the institute.”

Luo Fengcheng continued explaining. “After I learned about the situation, I immediately brought the four patients to the institute and three groups investigated the changes that occurred in them. At the same time, I reported the situation to Beijing.”

Fu Wenduo nodded. “I saw this information in the database of Beijing’s Research Institute before I decided to come to Shanghai to check the situation.” He paused for a moment. “No on in the Beijing institute survived.”

“It was like this…”

The three people were silent for a moment. Then Luo Fengcheng looked at Tang Mo. “Have you calculated your highest heart rate?”

Tang Mo replied, “It was around 169. I didn’t count.”

Fu Wenduo. stated, “171.”

The two numbers were very close. Luo Fengcheng glanced at them and closed the folder on the table. He solemnly looked at the two players, one an official player and one a stowaway. After a long time, he smiled, “All of this is just my guess.”

After 30 minutes, Tang Mo left Luo Fengcheng’s office first. Fu Wenduo had come all the way from Beijing to Shanghai. He naturally had some things to ask Luo Fengcheng. Both of them had state secrets. Tang Mo wasn’t interested in eavesdropping on this type of conversation. He walked out of the office and leaned against the wall to think.

Black Tower Selection was what Luo Fengcheng called the phenomenon.

The targets selected by the black tower were very random. The common thing was that in those three days, the people’s heartbeat would continue to accelerate and drugs didn’t alleviate it. There was emotional irritability, psychological anxiety and some people might even by tempted by criminal desires. Of the four patients that Luo Fengcheng studied, the patient with a heartbeat of 136 was sent to the hospital because he was injured in an altercation at a restaurant.

But he didn’t kill that person.

At the end of the three days, all four patients disappeared.

The humans selected by the black tower didn’t necessarily enter the game. Many of them didn’t survive those three days. But as long as they survived those three days, their ability would be more powerful. Fu Wenduo was the first player in the world to clear the black tower’s first floor. Tang Mo was the first person in the world to pass the black tower’s hard mode.

As for Nie Fei, he once had the most powerful ability in Attack (stronger than Jack). If it hadn’t been for that incident, he might’ve been able to clear the black tower’s first floor smoothly.

Luo Fengcheng gave two possible reasons for this completely random choice. “First, the change is given by the black tower. The black tower gives some humans different qualities. This selection will affect the player’s ability level. However, many of the selected humans didn’t enter the game at all. The black tower didn’t give privileges to these players. Then why give them such a special change? Therefore, I think this possibility is 40%.”

In the dark parking lot, Tang Mo whispered Luo Fengcheng’s second speculation.

“It has nothing to do with the black tower. It is related to everyone…”

This change was named the Black Tower Selection. However, it didn’t mean it must be given by the black tower. It was like the abilities. Before the earth went online, humans had no abilities (Luo Fengcheng and Fu Wenduo confirmed this point to Tang Mo). The appearance of the abilities was definitely related to the black tower. But each person’s ability was different and could be strong or weak. Whether the ability was given by the black tower or the player themselves, no one knew.

It was possible that the black tower was a catalyze that woke up the hidden abilities in humans.

The official players and stowaways received more of a catalyst from the black tower, making them more likely to have an ability. The reserve players had a weaker presence and the black tower gave them less of a catalyst effect, making it difficult for them to gain abilities.

This speculation was definitely feasible.

Therefore, the Black Tower Selection might be the same as the abilities. it wasn’t necessarily related to the black tower. It was the players themselves who had the qualifications to be selected.

Tang Mo was leaning against the wall when the door next to him opened. He turned his head to look.

Fu Wenduo exited the room and looked at him.

The two people looked at each other for a moment. Then Fu Wenduo smiled and asked, “Do you want to know more information?” Fu Wenduo had stayed behind in order to learn more about the black tower. Luo Fengcheng also wanted to get outside information.

Tang Mo didn’t deny it. He looked at the tall and handsome man in front of him and remembered the code name.

…Xiaolong.

As if noticing Tang Mo’s thoughts, Fu Wenduo closed the door and the two people were in the darkness together. Fu Wenduo explained, “Xiaolong isn’t my code name. It is the codename for the entire unit. Every secret unit in China has no official number, only the code name. The special army team in the southwest military region, codename Xiaolong.”

Tang Moc coughed at this explanation. “Major Fu, I really want to know information about other places. You came from Beijing. You must’ve gone through three provinces and two cities along the way. You should’ve seen some things and have outside information.”

“I was in a hurry when I came from Beijing. The trip only took me four days. The stay was too short to have comprehensive news. But it is indeed a lot more than you.” After a pause, Fu Wenduo continued in a deep voice. “You can call me Fu Wenduo.”

Tang Mo didn’t call out this name. He said directly, “What is the price for exchanging this information?”

Tang Mo knew that Fu Wenduo had received a lot of information from Luo Fengcheng. What he knew, Luo Fengcheng basically knew. Therefore, Fu Wenduo would know almost all of it. There wasn’t much news he could exchange with Fu Wenduo, but he was eager to know about the outside world.

In particular, he wanted news about Beijing.

Tang Mo’s last friend was in Beijing.

Tang Mo already planned to tell Fu Wenduo his knowledge about the Underground Kingdom and the Monster World. But then a low laughter was heard in the darkness. Tang Mo looked around. The light was so dim that he couldn’t see the other person’s face, only a vague outline of their figure.

Fu Wenduo said, “No need. I will tell you directly.”

Tang Mo paused. “Mr. Fu?”

“As you said in Pinocchio’s instance, we have known each other for a while. Tang Mo, there is no need to be so unfamiliar.”

Tang Mo was silent for a moment. “…Fu Wenduo, why?”

Why didn’t he want anything for this valuable information? Tang Mo thought that his relationship with this man wasn’t good enough for the other person’s selfless declaration.

Fu Wenduo’s voice was calm but there was some meaning to it. “Before I came to Shanghai, I went through Suzhou. There, I killed three stowaways.”

Tang Mo suddenly understood what Fu Wenduo wanted to say.

“Luo Fengcheng said that the seven people in this organization had killed many people in Shanghai. In Suzhou, they killed even more people. When I first arrived in Suzhou, it was an almost empty city. There were no players and everyone was hiding. I can’t even see people on the streets in the day.”

Tang Mo asked, “You killed the last three people in that organization?”

“Yes.”

After a long time, Tang Mo said, “…Thank you. That is my hometown.”

Fu Wenduo laughed. “There is no need to say thank you. It is the same. Some things might seem important but in fact, they aren’t as precious when compared to something else. What do you want to know? If I know it and it doesn’t touch my bottom line, maybe I can say something. After all, you are the other owner of Momo.”

Tang Mo no longer hesitated and directly asked, “How is Beijing?”

The capital of China, the political centre before the earth went online, Beijing.

How was it in Beijing?

Fu Wenduo stopped walking. In the darkness, Tang Mo sensed that this man was looking at him.

“It is similar to Shanghai. It isn’t any better. It might be even worse.”