darknovel Chapter 108 The Chief Engineer of the Journey to the West
Chapter 108 The Chief Engineer of the Journey to the West
"Mysterious craftsmanship?"
Zhu Ganglie cursed first.
"It doesn't sound like a good thing."
The metal monk stood in the center of the storage room, his robe fastened piece by piece, so that there was no sound of fabric rubbing together as he moved, only the soft clatter of the fasteners. The Buddha mark on his chest, like an embedded lock, was shining brightly with each click.
He glanced at Zhu Ganglie as if he were looking at a piece of old furniture that could talk.
"Number offset body, no need to speak."
Pigsy's face darkened, and he picked up his nine-toothed rake, ready to charge.
"Your ancestors are biased."
Chen Fan raised his hand to stop him, his eyes never leaving Xuan Gong.
This thing is unlike ordinary Buddhist puppets.
It speaks so calmly.
It's not that kind of condescending posturing; it's a numbness born from handling tens of thousands of years of official documents. It's as if no matter who makes a fuss, it can find an old precedent in the files and suppress you directly.
Xuan Gong raised his hand.
The talismans on all four sides of the back warehouse rotated simultaneously.
The scriptures on the ground shone brightly, as if someone had turned over the entire storeroom and pressed it down on everyone's heads.
Tang Sanzang grunted and took a half step back.
The white dragon helped him up: "Master?"
Xuan Gong finally turned his attention to Tang Sanzang.
"Abnormal main template, Tang Sanzang."
"Verification in progress".
"His experience in seeking knowledge is highly inaccurate. His words and actions are inappropriate. His stance is tainted. He needs to be immediately corrected and rectified."
As soon as he finished speaking, Chen Fan's heart sank.
cover.
Those two words are quite venomous.
It wasn't murder.
It's about changing people into the version they want.
Sun Wukong tilted his golden cudgel on his shoulder and slammed it into the ground with a crack.
"Try changing it."
Xuan Gong looked at Sun Wukong, his eyes flashing with golden light as he swept over Sun Wukong's head, as if he were revisiting old grievances.
"Sun Wukong, the Monkey King. High-risk displacement. Has detached from the suppressor template multiple times. Recommended follow-up: first add clamps, then disassemble."
It was said in a very plain and unremarkable way.
These words were even more offensive to Sun Wukong than insults.
The monkey twitched its mouth, revealing two rows of teeth.
"Tear your mother apart."
boom!
Sun Wukong charged forward, his golden cudgel aimed at Xuan Gong's head.
Xuan Gong did not withdraw.
The circle of scriptures beneath its feet suddenly rose up and transformed into a golden wall.
The moment the stick struck, the entire back garage shook.
The golden wall cracked open in three places, and Xuan Gong only took half a step back.
It looked down at the crack, as if it were looking at a document with a misspelled word.
"The shift in force is still within expectations."
"Start template replication array".
The surrounding talismans suddenly rose into the air.
The signs were arranged in a circular array, suspended above the back warehouse. A golden light shone from the center of the array, and a figure slowly emerged from within.
A monk in robes, carrying a staff, with gentle eyes, chanting scriptures.
It looks exactly like the original Tang Sanzang.
Pigsy's scalp tingled: "Damn it, can they really mass-produce masters like this?"
Red Boy breathed fire directly at it.
The fire struck the edge of the formation, creating ripples that only charred two talismans before they lit up again in the blink of an eye.
Xuan Gong's tone remained the same.
"The template library is well-stocked. Flame destruction is ineffective."
It pressed down with its palm.
The figure suddenly dispersed, transforming into countless scripture characters, which poured down onto Tang Sanzang's head.
Tang Sanzang's body trembled, and the veins on his forehead bulged out.
Chen Fan could see it very clearly.
Those words weren't just pasted onto him; they were drilled into his eyes, ears, and mind. They were meant to smooth over everything he had experienced over the years, leaving only a dutiful pilgrim who could be led around by others.
"Master!"
Sha Wujing rushed forward, but as soon as he got close, he was shaken by the scriptures and slid three zhang away.
The White Dragon raised his spear and thrust repeatedly, but the spear tip, though touching the golden light, felt like it was plunging into a mud pit, unable to penetrate it at all.
Xuan Gong said calmly, "The correction process begins. All irrelevant personnel, step back."
As soon as he uttered those words, the iron walls on both sides of the back warehouse suddenly cracked open.
A squad of guards stepped out from inside.
They all looked like monk soldiers.
Wearing Buddhist rosaries on their heads and holding Buddhist knives in their hands, their movements were so synchronized they were almost stiff.
The Bull Demon King exhaled two streams of white vapor from his nostrils and brandished his axe.
"I'm good at this job."
He charged forward with a sudden burst of speed, cleaving the first three guards in two with his first axe blow. The three monks fell, but instead of blood, strings of tiny scriptures rolled out from their wounds. They then crawled back to their original positions.
Red Boy cursed, "This thing is even more annoying than a cockroach."
He mounted his fiery wheel, wildly brandishing his flaming spear, targeting the Buddhist rings on the guards' foreheads. With each ring he shattered, the soldier monk collapsed to his knees as if his strings had been cut.
"Dad, block the left side!"
"Do I need you to teach me?"
The father and son, one in front and one behind, managed to block the guards from entering the formation.
On the other hand, Sun Wukong had already figured it out.
"The array base is below."
After saying that, he stopped smashing the Xuan Gong, flipped over and landed on the edge of the array circle, and stuck his stick into the ground.
boom!
The entire floor tile was flipped up.
What lies beneath is not soil, but a denser layer of scripture tablets, embedded in rings upon rings, up to nine layers in total.
"They really know how to hide it."
Sun Wukong swung his staff and dismantled it.
First shattering.
The second bomb.
When the third layer cracked, the entire replica formation shook, and the golden light pressing down on Tang Sanzang loosened slightly.
Xuan Gong finally turned his head, his tone carrying a hint of coldness for the first time.
"Obstruct corrections and grant additional repression authority."
It raised its hand and drew a golden ring from the Buddha image on its chest.
The moment that circle appeared, Chen Fan's eyelids twitched.
Tightening band.
No, it's not an ordinary tight band.
This thing is bigger than any I've seen before, and the inner wall of the ring is covered with fine characters, like a whole set of old rules cast on it.
Xuan Gong looked up at Sun Wukong.
"The Tightening Hoop Masterpiece, specially designed to cure all out-of-control stone monkeys."
Pigsy's expression changed: "Brother Monkey, be careful!"
The golden circle disappeared in a flash.
The next instant, it was already on Sun Wukong's head.
The air in the back of the car seemed to shrink.
Xuan Gong's voice was cold and hard.
"receive."
The gold ring suddenly tightened inwards.
But Sun Wukong didn't even frown.
He stood there, reached up and touched the top of his head, and blinked.
"this one?"
Xuan Gong stopped for the first time.
"How is that possible?"
It shouted again, "Second stop!"
The gold ring shrinks again.
It still didn't work.
The moment the circlet touched Sun Wukong's scalp, the old band mark on the monkey's forehead suddenly lit up. A streak of black-gold reverse lines shot up along the circlet, like a venomous snake, instantly biting back onto the original.
Click.
Click click click.
The surface of the golden ring cracked wildly and crumbled into a cloud of gold dust in the blink of an eye.
Chen Fan felt a sense of relief and almost burst out laughing.
Having endured so many spells and schemes, the monkeys of the past are no longer the Sun Wukong who would writhe in pain at the slightest thought. They have long since transformed those old spells into reverse spells, specifically designed to bite back at such things.
Xuan Gong looked at the shards of light in his hand, and for the first time, his eyes truly flickered with emotion.
"Not in accordance with procedure."
Sun Wukong, carrying his staff, grinned at it.
"Now, what I, Old Sun, love most is going against the rules."
After saying that, he struck with a stick.
The blow landed directly on the fourth layer of the array base.
The entire warehouse floor shook violently.
The template replication array above immediately tilted halfway, and the scriptures poured down on Tang Sanzang's head also scattered in a large area.
Tang Sanzang finally raised his head.
His face was pale, his forehead was covered in sweat, but his eyes remained focused.
Those strings of scriptures were still trying to penetrate his eyes.
Xuan Gong stared at him again.
"Standard scripture input in progress."
"You just need to accept it quietly."
Tang Sanzang smiled.
He laughed very softly, as if he had heard something absurd.
"Accept it quietly?"
"I knelt on Mount Ling."
"I went hungry in Chang'an."
"I've been captured by demons, and I've also had my fortune told by gods and Buddhas."
"I've seen people who talk a good game but hold a knife in their hands."
"You think you can erase me by taking a few old scriptures?"
As he finished speaking, he suddenly raised his hand and grabbed the bundle of scriptures in front of him.
Chen Fan was stunned.
That thing was originally invisible.
Tang Sanzang happened to capture it.
Like grabbing an invisible roll of paper.
He rambled on, word by word.
"When I was a child, I was afraid of the dark."
"I was afraid of getting hungry after entering the temple."
"Once we set off, we were afraid of dying."
"After traveling for a long time, I've seen everything."
"Now, I'm afraid I'll turn back into that person who just bows their head and chants scriptures."
With each word he spoke, a faint golden light shone from his body.
It's not the cold, hard gold of Buddhism.
It's more like something he created along the way.
There was mud, blood, curses, and the smell of alcohol.
The standard scripture that had been poured into his brain was gradually pushed out by him.
Xuan Gong's voice became urgent for the first time.
Template rewriting? Not allowed.
"Stop narrating."
Tang Sanzang completely ignored it.
He seemed to be holding a pen in his hand, making a stroke in the air.
"When you write about me, write about my compassion, my patience, and my unwavering devotion to the West."
"But I don't want to live according to your scripts now."
"From today onwards, it's my turn to write."
As soon as these words were spoken, the template-like figure above the back warehouse suddenly paused.
The "standard Tang Monk" who was chanting sutras was still moving his mouth, but his voice had changed.
No more chanting of scriptures.
It began to read in a flat, straight line:
"Mysterious Craftsmanship Activation Template Replication Array".
"Xuan Gong attempted to cover up the true personality of Tang Sanzang."
"The mysterious craftsmanship failed."
"Xuan Gong is in a panic."
Zhu Ganglie was stunned for a moment, then laughed so hard he almost dropped his rake.
"Hahaha, this fake monk has become a storyteller."
Red Boy pierced through a monk soldier with his spear, then turned and laughed.
"Master, that's really mean."
Xuan Gong suddenly looked up at the figure.
"Stop broadcasting."
The template of Tang Sanzang still had that kind and benevolent face, and continued reciting:
"Mystic Craftsman's command is invalid."
"Chief Engineer's authority fluctuates."
"Template control is being transferred."
The Buddhist seal on Xuan Gong's body flickered wildly.
It made three hand seals in a row, trying to suppress the figure. But the thing wouldn't listen to it anymore, and instead chanted faster and faster, as if it were announcing every step of its operation to the public.
"The failure rate of the warehouse guard increases after the Xuan Gong is activated."
"The base of the array is 40% damaged."
"The master clamp has failed."
"I suggest the craftsman evacuate."
"Bullshit!"
This was the first time Xuan Gong had ever cursed someone.
Its loss of composure even caused the metal monk's face to twitch, its lips twitching.
Chen Fan's eyes lit up.
It became.
The scariest thing about this thing isn't its fighting ability, but that it always operates like a machine, calm and composed. Now that it's become chaotic, its weaknesses have been exposed.
"Wukong, that board in the bottom right corner!"
"Brother Niu, hold it down on its left side!"
"Red Boy, burn another batch!"
Chen Fan finished shouting in one breath, and the others moved at the same time.
Sun Wukong flipped over and pierced through the lower right base of the formation with his staff.
The Bull Demon King roared and smashed through the monks, then swung his giant axe at the golden wall to Xuan Gong's left.
Red Boy rode on his Wind Fire Wheels and soared into the sky, spitting out a mouthful of Samadhi True Fire that caused the talismans above to crackle and pop.
The entire rear storage area began to collapse.
Xuan Gong stood still, the Buddhist seal on his chest flashing on and off.
It looked at Tang Sanzang, its eyes revealing an almost stiff blankness for the first time.
It seems that even it doesn't understand why the template went out of control.
The figure continued broadcasting overhead, its voice growing louder and louder.
"The chief engineer's authority continues to decline."
"The template library seal has loosened."
"The secret craftsmanship is getting out of control."
The next moment, a loud bang suddenly came from the deepest part of the back warehouse.
It's not a fracture.
It looked like something bigger had rolled over in the darkness.
Everyone paused for a moment.
Even Xuan Gong turned his head sharply to look at the bronze door at the end of the back warehouse that had never been opened before.
One by one, the seals on the bronze door burst into flames.
The template of Tang Sanzang looked down at the door and suddenly changed to a new narration.
"The parent template has been activated."
"Rank, higher than chief engineer."
Chapter 156 Emptying the Template Library
The commotion behind the bronze door sounded like someone was trying to smash a mountain against another mountain.
The entire back garage was shaking.
The Buddhist seal on Xuan Gong's chest flickered between light and shadow, and the composure on his face cracked for the first time.
"The superior template is being activated."
"The rear storage has entered the highest recycling mode."
"All those who made unauthorized contact, wipe them out—"
He hadn't finished reciting his sentence when his voice suddenly stopped.
Rows of crimson gold runes lit up from all sides of the rear warehouse.
It's not about blocking them.
It was Suo Xuangong himself.
Chen Fan was taken aback at first, but his eyes lit up the next second.
"Goodness."
"They've started fighting amongst themselves."
Pigsy hadn't even realized what was happening: "What do you mean?"
Chen Fan had already picked up the master book and quickly scanned it.
The words on the master book were jumping wildly.
"The chief engineer's authority has fallen below 30%."
"Emergency takeover of the template library failed."
"To avoid data loss, all templates are available for transfer."
"Open now".
The last three words were uttered.
boom!
The copper walls on both sides of the rear warehouse cracked open.
It's not a door.
It was flipped up piece by piece.
It doesn't contain scriptures or magical artifacts.
It was full of people.
No, they were all "human-like".
There is a Tang Monk wearing a cassock.
There is Pigsy carrying a rake.
There was a stern-faced Sha Wujing holding a staff.
There are also rows of monkey-shaped templates, some sitting, some standing, their eyes lifeless, just waiting for someone to come and use them.
Pigsy's scalp tingled at the sight, and his mouth gaped open.
"Damn it... I, Old Pig, still have some in stock?"
The Bull Demon King's insults were even more direct.
"These bald monks really think they've turned the Three Realms into a marketplace!"
Red Boy jumped three feet high and pointed at the row of "Little Red Boys": "Dad! Me too!"
The Bull Demon King turned around and slapped him.
"Shut up! That's a disgrace!"
Sun Wukong's eyes had turned cold.
He took a step forward, walked to the row of monkey-shaped templates, and placed his palm on one of their shoulders.
The "monkey" still had a smile on its face.
It looks like it was mass-produced.
Empty, light, fake.
next second.
Click.
Sun Wukong clenched his five fingers and crushed the template's shoulder.
"Old Sun's face."
"Do they even deserve to follow suit?"
Xuan Gong tried to rush over, but when he lifted his foot, the surrounding golden chains suddenly tightened, pulling him back to his original position.
The Buddhist mudra on his chest was flashing wildly, and his words were incoherent.
"Template library...prioritize protection..."
"Priority recycling..."
"Prioritize submission..."
He paused for a moment when he said the last two words.
The program is clearly messed up.
Chen Fan smiled.
"Isn't this a gift from heaven?"
"Don't just stand there."
"move!"
At that sound, everyone instantly sprang into action.
The Bull Demon King was the first to rush into the left shelf, sweeping a whole row of jade boxes into his storage bag with a wave of his hand.
He recited the text as he put it on.
"Take the Wukong template."
"Template for Pigsy, take it."
"Take the Sha Wujing template too."
"Longma template..."
Upon hearing this, the White Dragon's face darkened: "Brother Ox, what are you going to do with this?"
The Bull Demon King didn't even turn his head: "Of course it's useful."
"I'll send a hundred fake dragon horses to the Heavenly Court later and see if they can tell the difference."
Pigsy's eyes lit up.
"This is good!"
"I'm going to take my share too. If anyone dares to use me as a cutting board for pork, I'll smash their pot first."
Even the usually taciturn Sha Wujing managed to squeeze out, "Shouldn't we also take a look at Master's side?"
The voice just fell.
The real Tang Sanzang has already moved.
He stood in front of a row of "standard Tang Sanzang templates," his face expressionless.
All the templates had their heads bowed, hands clasped together, and were reciting the same sentence.
"This humble monk shall embark on his journey to the West."
"This humble monk should guide and convert sentient beings."
"This humble monk shall comply."
One sound after another, it was really annoying.
Tang Sanzang walked over and placed his hand on the forehead of the template in the middle.
Chen Fan was about to ask him what he wanted to do.
The next second, a string of black Buddhist beads flew out from Tang Sanzang's sleeve and pierced directly into the template's forehead.
Snapped.
The golden light in the template's eyes dimmed instantly.
Tang Sanzang recited a new verse from the sutra.
It is not a legitimate Buddhist practice.
It's a collection of swear words he learned from being tricked along the way.
"When faced with a situation, first determine who set it up."
"The first thing to ask is who benefits."
"If they want you to tolerate it, they probably just want to ride roughshod over you."
"If you want your mercy, first tell him to put down his knife."
Chen Fan found it amusing.
"Master, your interpretation of the scriptures is getting more and more accurate."
Tang Sanzang ignored him and kept pointing with his finger.
More than a dozen "standard Tang Sanzang templates" were rewritten.
The words they spoke also changed.
"There is a problem with the pilgrimage process."
"Buddhist teachings are not the same as truth."
"The narrator leads the way, let's smash the narrator first."
"Upon arriving at Mount Ling, first examine the account books."
Zhu Ganglie burst out laughing.
"This is good, this is ruthless!"
"This isn't a Tang Sanzang template, it's a reverse-plot annotation!"
Red Boy didn't quite understand, but he thought it was awesome and clapped his hands, saying, "Yes! Let's kill them!"
Xuan Gong's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets as he watched this scene.
"You...you tampered with the standard template!"
"A serious crime!"
Tang Sanzang turned around and glanced at him.
"Was this the path you all took to create this monk in the first place?"
The mystery was momentarily thwarted.
Tang Sanzang took two more steps closer, his voice still flat.
"You like standards."
"Today, I, this humble monk, will also set a standard for you."
"From now on, whenever you encounter a Buddhist command, first ask whether it is true or false."
"Whenever you encounter someone seeking salvation, first look at the blade."
"Whenever you embark on a journey to the west, first disassemble the script."
Done.
He raised his hand and slapped it.
The dozen or so rewritten Tang Sanzang templates all had black and gold lettering light up on their foreheads at the same time.
"Reverse bet complete."
"Can contaminate similar templates in batches."
Chen Fan's eyelids twitched.
cool.
This is no ordinary rewrite.
This contaminates the enemy's production line.
If the Department of Revision releases another "standard Tang Sanzang" in the future, people will first suspect that there is something fishy about Mount Ling.
That was too ruthless.
"Master is awesome."
Just as Chen Fan finished praising him, another loud thud came from deep within the back storage area.
The bronze door was already half red-hot.
Suddenly, a circle of golden light burst forth from the Buddhist seal on Xuan Gong's chest, forcefully breaking the chains.
The wooden smile on his face vanished completely, and he leaped into the middle of the back of the warehouse, slamming his hands onto the ground.
"Force reset of the backend host!"
Template recycling!
"Those who illegally seized it, be eliminated—"
Sun Wukong had been watching him for a long time.
"Who are you purging?"
Before he finished speaking, the golden cudgel had already arrived.
This strike was not a test.
Just smash it.
Xuan Gong raised his arms to block.
boom!
He was hammered into the ground halfway down, like a nail.
The surrounding warehouse shelves all shook violently.
Xuan Gong still wanted to look up.
Sun Wukong's second strike was already coming down.
"Old Sun didn't like you earlier."
"Take my skin and make your goods."
"You've really gotten some skills."
The third blow landed.
The Buddha seal on Xuan Gong's chest shattered first.
The fourth strike.
His head and neck exploded open, but there was no blood inside, only a jumble of flashing runes and golden threads.
Pigsy's lips twitched as he watched.
"This thing is definitely not a living person."
Sun Wukong didn't stop.
He stepped on Xuan Gong's cracked body and reached inside.
Click.
He forcibly pulled out a dark blue jade slip.
The moment the jade slip appeared, the entire back warehouse fell silent.
The handwriting on the master book was wildly jumping.
"Backend permission transfer detected."
"New holder: Sun Wukong."
"Permission level: Temporary master of the backend database".
Chen Fan burst out laughing.
"Good, very good."
"Beat up the host and also gain access to privileges."
"Brother Monkey, let me see the jade slip!"
Sun Wukong tossed the jade slip over.
As soon as Chen Fan caught it, system notifications started ringing in his mind.
"Ding! High-value reverse resource detected."
"The jade slip with access to the back-end database can be disassembled, altered, and grafted."
"It is recommended that the host immediately copy the permission chain."
Chen Fan's hands were practically sparking from rubbing them together.
"Copy, copy first!"
The next moment, lines of authority patterns emerged from the jade slip and drilled into his sea of consciousness.
Back-end access control, template retrieval, batch rewriting, permission masking...
One after another.
All of these are good things.
This is not a case of ransacking property.
This means they took the accounting office, warehouse, and keys from the other side all at once.
The Bull Demon King also pretended to be crazy.
His storage pouch was already full, so he simply tore off the second bag from his waist and continued to rummage.
"I'll take three sets of the Wukong template."
"Two sets of Pigsy's clothes."
"Sha Wujing's set."
"Dragon Horse Three Sets"
"Let's have some more generic pilgrimage follower templates."
When Zhu Ganglie ran over and saw what was happening, his face turned green.
"You took more from me than from the monkey?"
The Bull Demon King grinned.
"Someone like you is perfect for setting up a scheme."
"If you threw it into the Heavenly Palace's cauldron, everyone would get a headache just looking at it."
Pigsy wanted to curse.
After thinking about it, I realized it made sense.
"Then save one for me. I'll go get one too."
As Chen Fan copied the permissions, he shouted, "Don't just take the humanoid template! Take the row of script jade tablets over there too!"
The little white dragon had already rushed over.
"What is this?"
"Character introductions".
"Emotional trigger words".
"And... a template for explaining defeat?"
Chen Fan's eyes lit up when he heard this.
"Take them all!"
"If anyone tries to label us again, we'll just give them a piece of our mind."
Red Boy, carrying a pile of small jade tablets, ran as fast as a whirlwind.
"Dad! This says 'The protagonist has an epiphany'!"
"This one says 'Expert Commentary'!"
"And this one too! 'The onlookers were all shocked!'"
Chen Fan almost choked from laughing.
"Take them all!"
"These things are the most disgusting, and also the most valuable."
Everyone was moving things like crazy.
Suddenly, the sound of blades dragging on the ground came from outside the back warehouse.
Unhappy.
One moment, one moment.
Very stable.
Sha Wujing suddenly turned his head, and the crescent shovel was already raised.
"Someone's coming."
The black mist at the entrance was cleaved open with a single stroke.
Yang Jian stood outside, carrying his three-pointed double-edged sword, his face still that of a dead man.
Behind them lay a pile of guards from the Correctional Division.
Some were unconscious.
Some are still smoking.
Zhu Ganglie glanced at it twice and gasped.
"You call this blocking the door?"
Yang Jian said calmly, "I'll guard it."
"They didn't come in."
Chen Fan knew exactly what was going on.
This is no guarding the gate.
This is releasing water.
It's the kind of floodgate opening that's wide open.
Yang Jian's gaze swept over the mess on the ground, then he glanced at the jade slip in Sun Wukong's hand, a cold glint flashing in his eyes.
"Have you finished moving?"
Sun Wukong picked up his staff and grinned at him.
"almost."
Yang Jian turned and left.
"Then get lost."
"For the first floor of the Correction Department, I will only help you clear thirty breaths."
The Bull Demon King lifted the two chests onto his shoulder.
"That's enough!"
"withdraw!"
Everyone rushed out in a flash.
Chen Fan walked at the back, not forgetting to turn back and snap his fingers at the batch of rewritten Tang Monk templates.
"Whether you can run or not, get into chaos first."
next second.
The dozen or so Tang Sanzang templates all opened their eyes at once and began chanting towards the remaining standard templates in the back warehouse.
"If you see a golden Buddha statue, first check its origin."
"If you hear the imperial decree, first look at the seal."
"If someone asks you to offer yourself up, first ask him if he is willing to do so."
The rows of standard templates immediately became disordered.
"mistake."
"mistake."
"Logical conflict."
"Clash of doctrines."
The back warehouse instantly descended into chaos.
Zhu Ganglie turned around and looked back, laughing so hard his stomach was shaking.
"That's really mean!"
A group of people rushed out of the back garage.
Yang Jian indeed broke through the first floor of the Correction Division.
The corridor was full of upside-down correction officers.
Some landed face down.
Some of their heads got stuck in the wall.
One of them was still holding a ruler, and his belt was broken in half, as if he had been hit by a knife handle halfway through his run.
Chen Fan clicked his tongue twice as he read it.
"Erlang Zhenjun, your move was quite artistic."
Yang Jian didn't reply, but just led the way forward.
After passing through three long corridors.
We were almost at the exit.
The entire Correctional Office suddenly sank.
It's not shaking.
It was as if an invisible giant hand had pressed down from the sky.
Yang Jian stopped walking for the first time.
He looked up.
Chen Fan's heart tightened suddenly.
wrong.
This sense of oppression is not like that of a half-finished product like Xuan Gong.
That's the real deal.
next moment.
A voice descended from the top floor of the Correction Division.
Neither male nor female.
Not too high, not too low.
Each word looked as if it were engraved on bone.
"Abnormal Script"
"All will be recycled."
The moment the sound fell.
Giant light curtains simultaneously illuminated three locations: above the Heavenly Court, towards the Buddhist realm, and at the border of the mortal world.
All the template runes that were still active responded together.
Yang Jian's blade trembled slightly.
Sun Wukong slowly raised his head, his eyes bursting with golden light.
At the end of the Correction Division, the door that should have led to the outside world closed by itself.
Chapter 157 Master
As soon as the door closed, the entire back garage felt like it had been held down by someone.
The wind stopped.
The talisman light was still shining, so bright it made one's eyes ache. The pile of template fragments on the ground, which had just been in Tang Sanzang's sleeve, flew out in the blink of an eye, hanging in mid-air, trembling incessantly, like a flock of paper birds being held by the neck.
Xuan Gong knelt on the spot, the crack in the Buddha image on his chest widening.
He looked up, his voice trembling.
"Access granted to the company's main administrator."
"The back warehouse... is being handed over."
Sun Wukong held his golden cudgel horizontally, and with a snap, it pressed against the ground.
Stop playing tricks and come out.
No one replied to him.
Only a series of footsteps came from the deepest part of the back warehouse.
Unhappy.
Each step felt like stepping on everyone's ear bones.
Chen Fan stared at the bronze door, its seals burned away, his eyelids twitching twice. He had seen the chief engineer, the template-making Tang Seng, and the cold, impersonal stuff in the Revision Department. But this time was different.
This time it seems like the real person has arrived.
The bronze door slowly opened.
A white figure emerged from behind the door.
The creature was dressed in the robes of a celestial official, the robes were perfectly straight, and there wasn't a single wrinkle on the cuffs. A black plaque hung from its waist, with only one character on it.
manage.
The strangest thing is its face.
It has no eyes, no nose, and no mouth.
A flat, white sheet, like a face that has been wiped off, leaving only a smooth shell.
Zhu Ganglie took half a step back, and his voice changed.
"Damn, this thing is even scarier than the chief engineer."
Sha Wujing gripped his demon-subduing staff tightly and whispered, "This is not a living creature."
The faceless celestial official hovered in mid-air, his robes motionless.
It raised its hand.
That hand was also white, bloodless, like it was folded from paper.
The next moment, all the runes in the rear warehouse lit up simultaneously.
A thin, white line shot out from its fingertip, sweeping horizontally.
No one had time to stop them.
The white line swept across half of the back warehouse.
The wall didn't collapse.
The shelf wasn't broken.
But wherever the white line swept, everything disappeared.
It wasn't blown up.
It wasn't burned out.
It turns white directly.
The stone walls turned into blank sheets of paper, the wooden frames turned into blank sheets of paper, and even the template fragments piled in the corner all turned into thin sheets of paper without words, which floated lightly to the ground.
Red Boy's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets.
"What kind of weird magic is this?"
Xuan Gong knelt on the ground, his head bowed even lower.
"Recycle the light."
"Direct authority under the jurisdiction of the chief official."
"Abnormal templates, abnormal scenes, and abnormal props can all be returned to blank."
As soon as he finished speaking, the Bull Demon King's face darkened.
"Reclaim the blank space?"
Chen Fan's eyes turned cold.
The meaning is quite clear.
It's not about destroying it.
It means erasing the content and returning the original paper.
This thing isn't meant for fighting at all.
It's here to clear the area.
The chief clerk turned his wrist, revealing his white face to the crowd.
A monotone voice rang out.
"Large-scale template theft detected."
"Tampering with the main storyline of the Journey to the West has been detected."
"A high-risk abnormal cluster has been detected."
"Initiate the recycling process."
As soon as he finished speaking, Sun Wukong moved first.
"Recycle your ancestors!"
With a sudden burst of energy, he charged forward, swinging his golden cudgel in a wide arc, aiming to smash it down on the Master's forehead.
This strike was not a test at all.
The air above the rear storage area was blasted with a sharp whistling sound.
Pigsy felt a chill run down his spine.
Even Yang Jian dared not take this blow head-on.
But the master did not flinch.
It simply raised one hand and gently tapped the golden cudgel.
"determination."
Objective: Story item.
"Temporarily deactivate offensive capabilities."
When the golden cudgel was only half a foot away from its head, it suddenly stopped.
That power, capable of overturning mountains and seas, seemed to have vanished in an instant.
The staff was still in Sun Wukong's hand, and it still weighed the same. But the ferocity it once carried was completely gone.
Sun Wukong was taken aback, then swung his staff back again.
boom.
It hit the target.
The chief clerk didn't even tilt his head.
Sun Wukong, however, frowned.
This blow was like hitting a piece of cardboard with a wooden stick; the sound was hollow.
The chief official raised his hand and waved it.
A beam of white light struck Sun Wukong in the chest.
Sun Wukong flipped backward and crashed into the wall behind him with a thud, sending stone dust flying everywhere.
Zhu Ganglie cursed, swung his rake, and pounced.
"You can seal his stick, but you can't seal the old pig's teeth!"
The nine-toothed rake, whipping up a black wind, wrapped its arms around the master's waist.
The master swayed his sleeves slightly.
"determination."
"Target: Process obstacles."
"Downgraded".
The dark gleam on the rake suddenly dissipated by half.
Just as Zhu Ganglie sensed something was wrong, the Master had already extended two fingers and touched the teeth of the rake.
Click.
The first three teeth of the nine-toothed rake turned into blank paper and drooped limply.
Zhu Ganglie was completely dumbfounded.
"Holy shit!"
The Bull Demon King roared and slammed his iron cudgel into the ground, creating a crack. He used the force to propel himself into the sky, his horns glowing black and gold, as he charged towards the Lord.
This is even more ruthless.
He is purely flesh and blood.
You can't classify a cow's horn as a prop.
The chief clerk didn't even turn his head, only uttering two words.
"Registered".
It pressed its palm down.
The Bull Demon King seemed to have crashed into an invisible wall, his entire body was pinned down, his four hooves dangling in the air, his bones creaking, and the veins on his neck bulging.
Red Boy got anxious and unleashed the Samadhi True Fire.
A pillar of fire shot out, turning the entire corridor red.
The master raised his hand, and a white light flashed.
It pulled the flame into a long, blank sheet of paper, gently rolled it up, and tucked it into its sleeve.
Red Boy was dumbfounded.
"Can fire be extinguished?"
"If there's a record, it can be recycled."
The chief official replied with one sentence.
In that short time, Tang Sanzang had already taken two steps forward.
He didn't rush to make a move, but stared at the black plaque on the Master's waist and then at Xuan Gong.
Xuan Gong is the chief engineer.
Ultimately, they are still craftsmen.
This thing is different.
It's not for doing work.
It's there to stamp your name, to judge whether you should exist.
A cold glint flashed in Tang Sanzang's eyes.
"This humble monk understands."
Chen Fan immediately looked over.
"What do you know?"
Tang Sanzang lowered his voice.
"A normal offensive attack is useless."
"It doesn't suppress people based on their cultivation level, it suppresses them based on their status."
"When you hit it, it will first determine what you are, and then decide whether you can be hit."
"To break it, you must first break its legitimacy."
Upon hearing this, Chen Fan's heart skipped a beat.
Correct.
This is it.
The chief engineer can still dismantle it.
The Master is not capable.
Behind the Chief Judge stands the entire rule-making apparatus of the Correction Division.
As long as this skin is still there, anyone who touches it will be like punching an official seal.
Sun Wukong leaped out of the wall, his mouth still covered in ash.
He held the golden cudgel, his eyes turning completely fierce.
Speak like a human.
Tang Sanzang uttered a sentence.
"Let's first disqualify it from being called the Master."
The chief priest turned to Tang Sanzang with a pale face.
"Core anomaly detected, old template for Golden Cicada".
"Corrected".
"Priority arrests."
A golden scroll flew out from its sleeve.
The golden book unfolded on its own.
The lines of text above lit up.
The chief official spoke as if reading a pre-written official document.
"The revised list of arrests across different levels is hereby read."
"Target one: Tang Sanzang. Charges: deviating from the main plot of the pilgrimage, spreading reversed interpretations of the scriptures, and polluting the source of the template."
Tang Sanzang stood still, only slamming his staff on the ground.
"continue."
"Target Two: Sun Wukong. Charges: Refusing to return to his rightful place, repeatedly disrupting planned calamities, and inciting the group to act abnormally."
Sun Wukong grinned, his smile filled with fire.
"That charge sounds quite plausible."
"Target Three: Bull Demon King. Charge: Organizing local demon groups to oppose the joint control of Heaven and Buddhism."
The Bull Demon King exhaled a heavy breath from his nostrils.
"I should have ripped up your entire warehouse back then."
"Target Four, Red Boy. Charges: Stealing the Fire-attribute template, refusing to be incorporated, and repeatedly harming enforcement units."
Red Boy was stunned, and almost laughed in anger.
"You write about abducting children with such self-righteousness?"
"Target Five, Zhu Bajie. Charge: Long-term passive service, assisting the abnormal entity in transferring resources."
Pigsy's face darkened instantly.
"No, this even counts?"
"Target Six, Ao Lie. Charges: Mount template out of control, involvement in illegal transportation."
Xiao Bailong's eyes twitched.
"transportation?"
"Target Seven, Sha Wujing. Charge: Lending out his ferry privileges and assisting in infiltration beyond his authority."
Sha Wujing gripped his staff tighter, managing to utter only two words.
"absurd."
The crowd gathered around grew increasingly agitated as they listened.
But the head of the department was very rigid and inflexible.
It's not noisy.
It's just reciting.
It's that kind of tone that makes you want to punch him hard.
As Chen Fan stood at the back of the crowd, the unease in his heart grew stronger.
The list hasn't been finished yet.
The head of the department wouldn't miss anyone.
Sure enough, the next moment, its white face slowly turned around, facing Chen Fan.
"Target Eight—"
The back garage fell silent immediately.
Even Xuan Gong raised his head.
The master read out the last name.
"Chen Fan".
Two words were uttered.
Everyone was stunned for a moment.
Pigsy suddenly turned his head.
"Really?"
The little white dragon also looked at Chen Fan, and its eyes changed.
Even Sun Wukong frowned.
They always knew Chen Fan was the key.
But that's what they know.
Now that the master himself is reading it aloud, it tastes completely different.
This shows that the Revision Department had been keeping a close eye on him for a long time.
Moreover, the level is not low.
Chen Fan stared at the Master of the Division, and then smiled.
"I'm last in line, it gives me a lot of face."
The chief's voice was completely flat.
"The charges are: cross-border interference, continuous alteration of the core plot, pollution of the protagonist's relationship chain, and illegal establishment of instance nodes."
"Replenish."
"The target entity is not registered in this domain."
"Insufficient authority to make arrests."
Everyone's expression changed upon hearing this.
Insufficient authority to make arrests?
Chen Fan, however, showed no signs of relief.
Such words coming from this thing's mouth are definitely not a good thing.
Sure enough, the magistrate's next sentence immediately brought the atmosphere to a standstill.
"The Correction Division has submitted a cross-domain arrest application to the Void Instance Management."
"Application status: Approved".
Curry paused for a moment.
The next instant, a thin crack suddenly appeared in the space above Chen Fan's head.
It's not a door.
Like an eye, slowly opening.
Chapter 158 Cross-Domain Arrest
That "eye" opened completely.
A black crack appeared above the rear warehouse, as if someone were slowly scraping the sky with a blunt knife. First, a bronze decree fell out of the crack, with official seals at all four corners and only four characters in the center.
Cross-jurisdictional arrest.
Before the decree was even implemented, the door outside the Bureau of Corrections leading to the second level of the Mirror City slammed shut with a loud "bang."
The mirror patterns that were originally floating on the door instantly turned completely black.
Then, a phantom of a seal pressed down.
The seal is very large, like an upside-down hill.
There is only one word on it.
manage.
Zhu Bajie's lips twitched: "This bastard is afraid we'll escape, so he welded the exit shut first."
Sun Wukong held his golden cudgel horizontally, looked up and cursed, "You dog who pretends to be a god, come down and take a hit from my old Sun!"
No one responded.
Only that decree kept falling lower and lower.
With each inch it sank, the surrounding template runes lit up.
Even the template of Tang Sanzang lowered its head, as if it were being suppressed by a higher level of authority.
Chen Fan didn't look at the door.
He stared at the arrest warrant.
The system panel has popped up automatically.
[Outer domain forced definition detected]
[Definition Content: Unauthorized Protagonist]
[Once this definition takes effect, you will lose priority in the current storyline.]
[Note: This definition conflicts with the rules of the old debt ledger]
Upon seeing the last sentence, Chen Fan's eyes flashed.
The company's main purpose is not just to arrest people.
He needs to first find a crime to charge himself with.
Unauthorized protagonist.
Those five words are incredibly venomous.
In short, he was labeled a "troublemaker" and then an "illegal entity." As long as the definition holds true, it's legally permissible to arrest him, dismantle his business, or use him as evidence.
Xuan Gong stood still, the Buddhist mark on his face flickering.
He looked up, his voice dull.
"The authority of the Chief Judge has infiltrated Mirror City."
"Begin rewriting the core hierarchy of the current paragraph."
"Chen Fan, an abnormal individual, has been downgraded in priority."
"The pilgrimage template is ready to be recycled."
Sun Wukong swung his staff at him.
With a bang.
Xuan Gong's body exploded on the spot, shattering into countless pieces of runes.
But the next moment he grew out of the rune again, his smile unchanged.
"The main body is not here."
"Your attack was ineffective."
"The cross-jurisdictional arrest process continues."
Zhu Ganglie cursed and slammed his nine-toothed rake on the ground, trying to knock down the decree first.
As soon as the rake touched the air, a gray light swept down and the rake head got stuck, as if it had hit an invisible hard wall.
A line of small characters emerged from the gray light.
"Units with lower authority are not allowed to access official documents."
"Damn it!" Pigsy gritted his teeth. "They even differentiate between levels of authority."
At that moment, the old debt ledger in Chen Fan's hand suddenly turned the pages by itself.
The pages were turned very quickly.
It made a rustling sound.
Finally, it stopped on the blank page marked "Ninth Old Debt".
The words haven't appeared yet.
But that page turned black first.
It's like there's a hand pressing down on the back of the paper.
The next moment, a hoarse voice came from the ledger.
"Chen Fan".
"I don't care if the Chief Judge arrests you."
"Hand over the title of the Ninth Old Debt."
"Now."
The moment that sound came out, the temperature in the back warehouse dropped a notch.
Yang Jian slightly raised his eyelids, and the three-pointed double-edged sword in his hand tilted half an inch to the side.
He spoke up for the first time: "The principal debtor."
Pigsy's expression changed: "This thing chased us here too?"
Chen Fan did not answer.
He looked at that page of the ledger.
On that page, a dark handprint slowly emerged, as if the creditor had already reached in.
On one side is the Chief Judge.
On one side are the principal debtors.
The former is for arrest, the latter is for debt collection.
Neither of them are easy to deal with.
What's worse, they've all set their sights on the same thing.
Chen Fan.
And the ledger in his hand.
"Hand over the title of the Ninth Old Debt." The principal's voice grew even deeper. "You can't hold onto it. If you drag this out any longer, you won't even be considered human."
The arrest warrant hanging in mid-air seemed to tremble slightly in response.
The four characters above were immediately expanded into a single line.
"Target of Arrest: Unauthorized protagonist, Chen Fan."
"Reason for arrest: illegally occupying a central position in the plot."
"Execution method: Cross-domain stripping."
Sun Wukong's eyes blazed with golden fire, and he was about to soar into the sky with a leap.
Chen Fan raised his hand to stop him.
"Don't rush."
Sun Wukong tilted his head to look at him: "Aren't you in a hurry? That thing is practically riding on your face."
"It's easier to make a move when the enemy is right in your face."
After Chen Fan finished speaking, he turned to look at the stone next to him that had remained silent.
Zongwu asked about the stone.
This stone has been like a dead stone ever since it went into the back warehouse.
Now that the law has been enacted and the ledgers have turned black, a few lines have finally appeared on their surface.
It looks like a mouth, and also like a crack.
It asked the first question.
"Who has the right to define the protagonist?"
The voice was flat, without favoring anyone.
Xuan Gong immediately responded: "Head of the Correction Department."
The principal debtor in the ledger also spoke up: "The holder of the old debt can also be defined."
Zongwu asked Shi again.
"Can a single goal be defined by two superiors?"
Xuan Gong paused for a moment.
The principal debtor also paused for a moment.
In that instant, Chen Fan's eyes lit up completely.
There is a conflict.
Moreover, it was a hard conflict.
The chief judge defined him as an "unauthorized protagonist" and prepared to arrest him according to the revised rules of the court.
The principal creditor, however, assumed he was an "old debt holder" and demanded that he relinquish his ninth position.
These two sets of statements don't match at all.
One person said you weren't qualified to occupy a plot point.
One person said you are entitled to bear old debts.
To collect a debt, you must first recognize the person.
Before arresting someone, you must first strip them of their qualifications.
If you press down on both sides at the same time, they will bite each other.
Zongwu's third question to Shi was even more ruthless.
"How can an unauthorized protagonist hold the title of the Ninth Old Debt?"
Xuan Gong remained silent.
The black handprint in the ledger paused for a moment.
The principal debtor's voice became hoarse for the first time: "Old debts are not recognized by the Revision Office."
Xuan Gong responded quickly this time: "The Correction Division can rewrite abnormal holding states."
Zongwu asked Shi the fourth question.
"If the rewriting is successful, who will be the primary debtor?"
"If the old debt is established, is the basis for arrest still valid?"
The entire back garage fell silent instantly.
Even the arrest warrant stopped in mid-air, refusing to fall.
Zhu Bajie stared blankly for a long time before finally managing to stammer, "This damn stone, it just keeps asking about my manhood."
Yang Jian glanced at Chen Fan.
His gaze was very direct.
The meaning is quite clear.
There's an opening.
Chen Fan pursed his lips.
He didn't laugh.
It's too early to laugh now.
Neither the licensor nor the creditor is a fool; they just bumped into each other temporarily. Once they realize what's happening, they'll definitely join forces to plug the loopholes first, and then deal with themselves together.
Therefore, we must seize it.
Before they reach an agreement, force one side into the other's rules.
If you drag one person down first, the game is over.
Chen Fan quickly went through it in his mind.
The most suitable person is not the principal debtor.
That thing is too old and too slippery; the ledgers are its territory. Trying to swallow it whole is difficult.
On the contrary, it was the head of the department.
He's now relying on an arrest warrant and cross-jurisdictional law enforcement.
Things on paper are most vulnerable to being lost to history.
Once you're in the ledger, regardless of whether you're an official or a bureaucrat, you first record the debts, then the people.
Chen Fan looked down at the old debt ledger in his hand.
The ledger pages were blackened, but the principal creditor's fingerprint was still pressed on them.
He suddenly spoke up: "Didn't you want ninth place?"
The principal debtor said coldly, "Hand it over."
"Can."
As soon as those two words were uttered, even Sun Wukong turned his head.
Zhu Ganglie looked like he'd seen a ghost.
"Old Chen, have you gone mad?"
Chen Fan ignored him and continued speaking to the ledger: "But you have to help me check something first."
"What are you testing for?"
Chen Fan raised his hand and pointed to the arrest warrant in mid-air.
"Check it, does it count as a debt?"
Curry paused for a moment.
Then, the black handprint suddenly spread, covering half a page like ink.
The creditor's voice carried a hint of gloom.
"The laws and regulations of the presiding officer do not pertain to old debts."
"You want to use me as a weapon?"
Chen Fan grinned: "That's so harsh. Aren't you the one who always follows the rules? Well, just you wait and see. It's now riding roughshod over your books, trying to strip me of my identity first. If I become the unauthorized protagonist, who will claim the ninth spot?"
"Your debts will be cleared then, won't they?"
These words were like a nail, driven straight into the ledger.
The black handprint trembled.
The arrest warrant in mid-air suddenly lit up, as if it had sensed something.
Xuan Gong immediately spoke up.
"warn."
"An unusual target attempted to change the nature of the arrest."
"warn."
"It is prohibited to include law enforcement documents in the structure of old debts."
Chen Fan looked up and immediately cursed, "You think you can just ban it like that? Doesn't your boss love stamping documents? I'll make an example of that today too."
After saying that, he pressed down on the ledger.
"Zongwu, keep asking!"
Zongwu asked about the crack on the stone's surface, and a flash of light appeared.
The fifth question came crashing down.
"If a cross-jurisdictional arrest warrant affects the attribution of old debts, will it create a debt dispute?"
The principal debtor remained silent for two days.
Finally, he uttered a sentence.
"……yes."
Xuan Gong immediately replied, "The controversy does not affect the execution of the arrest."
Zongwu asked Shi the sixth question, which continues.
"If, after the arrest is carried out, the old debts are lost, who will bear the loss?"
This time, Xuan Gong couldn't answer immediately.
The principal debtor gave a cold laugh first.
"The one who commands the return of prisoners."
Just these four words.
The ledger jolted violently.
Chen Fan seized the opportunity, flipped directly to a blank page, and swiped across it.
He didn't write his own name.
It didn't mention the head of the department either.
He directly copied the imprint of the arrest warrant in mid-air into the design.
The first stroke burned a black edge onto the paper.
The second stroke sent the entire ledger trembling.
As soon as the third stroke was completed, the arrest warrant seemed to come alive, suddenly struggling upwards, clearly trying to break free.
Xuan Gong's voice had changed.
Registration is suspended.
Registration is suspended.
"By order of the chief, you are not permitted to enter the tent!"
Sun Wukong laughed loudly and smashed his golden cudgel against the gray wall.
"Whether you go in or not is not up to you!"
boom!
He smashed the gray wall so hard it tilted.
Pigsy pounced on it, his rake wedging into the corner of the law, pulling it down with all his might.
"Get down here right now!"
Yang Jian remained silent.
He simply raised his hand and flicked the blade.
It cuts right between the arrest warrant and the crack above.
That cut was very precise.
It doesn't look like a chop.
It looks more like a broken wire.
A soft click.
The connection between the arrest warrant in mid-air and the "eye" above was brief, lasting only a moment.
It was in that very moment.
Chen Fan slammed his hand on the ledger and shouted, "Add this to the debt list!"
hum!
The old debt ledger was slammed shut and then sprang open again.
On that blank page, a line of distorted, large characters appeared.
"A cross-jurisdictional arrest warrant has been included in the disputed old debts."
Below is a newly printed character "司".
The characters weren't completely stable; they were still wobbling.
But it's already inside.
Everyone in the backcourt heard a muffled thud.
It was as if someone from a great distance had slammed their fist heavily onto the table.
The next moment, Xuan Gong froze.
The arrest warrant issued mid-air was also suspended.
It wasn't a brief pause.
It has come to a complete stop.
It hovered three feet above Chen Fan's head, neither up nor down, as if it had suddenly forgotten what it was supposed to do.
Pigsy gaped open: "It's done?"
Sun Wukong grinned, his eyes gleaming with ferocity: "It didn't work out, it's that bastard who got the short end of the stick."
Chen Fan didn't relax.
He looked up and stared at the decree.
The ledger was burning hot in his palm.
The "Si" seal inside is struggling.
They made a lot of money.
It's like a hand, pulling outwards through countless layers of space.
The creditor's voice rang out again, but even lower than before.
"You really dared to include the Chief Secretary in your record."
Chen Fan took a breath: "They've already pushed their luck against me, why should I be polite to them?"
"You're asking for it."
"Whether you're courting death or not, let's see who falls into the tent first."
The voice just fell.
Suddenly, a blurry figure was cast into the darkness at the far end of the back warehouse.
It is not the main body.
It's just a shadow.
But as soon as the shadow appeared, Xuan Gong immediately knelt down.
Even the arrest warrant that had stopped trembling began to tremble slightly.
The shadow stood very straight.
There are no facial features on its face.
There was only a thin crack on his forehead.
It looked like a mask had cracked.
Chen Fan narrowed his eyes.
Master.
This was the first time the boss had truly offered his "face".
Shadow looked down at the ledger in Chen Fan's hand.
He glanced again at the arrest warrant, which was already half-filled.
Three breaths of silence.
Then, the crack on his forehead actually split down another inch.
Chapter 159 Even Officials Owe Debts
The back of the road was eerily quiet.
The faceless shadow stood before the crack, its forehead split open and stretched downwards, as if staring at the ledger in Chen Fan's hand.
Xuan Gong knelt down, not daring to raise his head.
The arrest warrant hung in mid-air, the gold lettering on the paper flashing.
"The cross-jurisdictional arrest has taken effect."
"Target: Chen Fan."
"Immediately take him back to the General Court of the Amendment Division for trial."
The sound came from the shadow, flat and without any undulation.
Sun Wukong held his golden cudgel horizontally and grinned.
"Borrow your grandfather?"
Tang Sanzang didn't speak, but simply turned to a page of the general book in his hand.
The white dragon horse took a half step back, but its hooves remained taut.
Chen Fan looked down at the arrest warrant.
He suddenly laughed.
"Borrow me?"
The shadow of the magistrate did not move.
Chen Fan raised his hand and grabbed the arrest warrant.
Xuan Gong's face turned pale.
"No! That's a standard arrest warrant from the General Court. Altering a document is an additional crime—"
"Shut up."
The moment Chen Fan uttered those two words, Xuan Gong choked on his words.
The next second, Chen Fan pressed the arrest warrant onto the ledger and pulled out a pen.
This is no ordinary calligraphy brush.
It was a billing pen that he had taken from the system.
Specialized accounting alteration.
Specialized in debt accounting.
For the first time, the shadow of the chief paused.
"What are you doing?"
Chen Fan didn't even look up, his pen scribbling as he wrote.
"I understand the arrest warrant you wrote."
"This thing is essentially a receipt for someone to come and pick up something."
"Whether it's taking people or taking debts, it's the same thing."
"Since it's a door-to-door service, there has to be a fee."
Sun Wukong was stunned for a moment, then laughed.
"Good, good, good, I love hearing this."
Chen Fan wrote very quickly.
The original gold lettering on the arrest warrant was pushed apart, and smoke began to rise from the edges.
Several lines of black text appeared above.
Arrest and travel expenses, 10,000 template points.
Cross-domain access fee: 30,000 template points.
Compensation for disturbing the person's cultivation: 50,000 template points.
Compensation for emotional distress: 100,000 template points.
Estimated cost for damage to the rear storage area will be calculated separately.
Tang Sanzang stared at those lines of text, and the corner of his mouth twitched slightly.
Xuan Gong's eyes nearly popped out.
"Are you crazy! How can an arrest warrant be turned into a debt certificate?!"
Chen Fan looked up at him.
"You can write down living people as templates, so why can't I modify a single sheet of paper?"
The words hit him so hard that Xuan Gong's throat tightened, and he couldn't utter a single word.
The arrest warrant caused a frenzy.
The gold patterns and black characters on it are intertwined.
The shadow of the Chief finally took a step forward.
A cold light shone from the crack in his forehead.
"invalid."
"Revised official documents shall not be deposited into private accounts."
Chen Fan seemed to have been waiting for him to say that.
He snapped the old ledger to the last page.
That page contained a detailed record of the data collected by the Revision Division over the years.
Who will collect the debts? Who will arrest the perpetrators? Who will change the course of the robbery?
Each entry was followed by the words "the person in charge".
It didn't have a name before.
There is now.
Chen Fan flicked his pen and placed it directly on the top column.
The person in charge is the chief executive officer.
As soon as the words were written, the ledger suddenly sank.
boom!
The entire back garage shook.
The arrest warrant seemed to be bitten by something and instantly stuck into the ledger.
A crisp cracking sound came from the shadow of the Master.
It's not that he cracked.
It was a black line that appeared on his chest.
Like an IOU.
Xuan Gong was completely dumbfounded.
"How is that possible...? Why is the old debt ledger listed as the primary responsibility...?"
Chen Fan looked up, his smile dry.
"The rules you set yourselves."
"Once the documents are recorded, the person in charge automatically assumes responsibility."
"You knelt down too quickly; didn't you have time to remind your master?"
Xuan Gong's face twitched; he really had the urge to bite off his own tongue.
This rule does exist.
It was used internally by the Revision Department to prevent blame-shifting.
Whoever handles it bears the responsibility.
Normally, no one would dare to take advantage of this loophole.
Who would have thought that someone would dare to use an arrest warrant backwards to enter the account?
The master is here to recruit people.
Now the account is closed.
He's in debt now.
In mid-air, the shadow flickered for the first time.
A series of runes immediately popped up above the back of the warehouse.
"An anomaly in document attributes has been detected."
"The arrest warrant has been transferred to the debt process."
"The target of the seizure has been changed."
"Current debtor: Si Zhu"
"The debtor is requested to make the outstanding payment within the specified time."
The moment the sound rang out, not only Xuan Gong, but even the template guards next to him were stunned.
They stood there like wooden blocks.
Someone's mouth was open, and they couldn't close it for a long time.
The white dragon horse snorted loudly.
"It really worked?"
Sun Wukong laughed heartily, his laughter echoing through the back of the warehouse.
"Good, very good."
"Even officials owe debts."
"I like hearing that."
A cold light suddenly pressed down from the crack in the shadow of the lord.
"Chen Fan".
"Cancel."
Chen Fan flicked his pen.
"Can't be withdrawn, it's already in the tent."
"You yourselves said that written instructions take precedence over verbal commands."
"The paperwork now says you owe me money."
"Do you want to pay back the debt?"
"Or we'll go through the proper procedures."
The chief remained silent for two breaths.
The pressure from Curry is getting heavier and heavier.
He wasn't holding back.
That's him calculating.
The next instant, a piercing blare suddenly filled the entire Correction Division.
Not in one place.
It resounded from all directions.
"warn."
"Debt conflict".
"The permissions tree has rolled back."
"Abnormal script storage unstable."
Xuan Gong suddenly looked up, his face turning pale instantly.
"not good!"
"The central correction chain is backfiring!"
"The company manager's authority clashed with the old debt ledger!"
Before he could finish speaking, a series of loud explosions came from behind the bronze door in the distance.
boom! boom! boom!
Like a lock breaking open layer by layer.
The talismans on the ceiling began to flash randomly.
The scriptures on the ground went out in patches.
Then, a huge light screen popped open above everyone's heads.
Countless words scrolled rapidly across the screen.
"Abnormal Script Number One, automatically released."
"Abnormal Script No. 73, automatically released."
"Unarchived template character, unlocked."
"The mortal side quest, the Buddhist side quest, and the heavenly side quest are all disconnected simultaneously."
The white dragon horse's eyes widened in astonishment.
"This time we've really stirred up trouble."
Tang Sanzang slowly put his palms together and softly recited a Buddhist chant.
It's not a ritual for the deceased.
It's a habitual way to clear your throat before watching something exciting.
The area outside the back warehouse has been blown up.
Some people are calling for the warehouse to be sealed off.
Someone is shouting for the chain to break.
Further away, a continuous rumbling sound came from the top of the revision department, as if countless old scripts were rushing out of the library.
The shadow of the chief official pressed forward.
That's enough.
"Our company will make up the difference."
He raised his hand, and a golden slip of paper fell from mid-air.
That's the permission value.
Anyone would be envious if they saw it.
Chen Fan glanced at it and shook his head immediately.
"not enough."
Xuan Gong was dumbfounded.
"Not enough? That's a temporary access pool allocated by the Chief Administrator!"
Chen Fan slammed the ledger forward.
"Take a look at the additional terms and conditions."
Xuan Gong looked over with trembling hands.
There was another page added to the ledger at some point.
Late fees.
Refusal to acknowledge the facts will result in penalties.
Intimidation and coercion are combined with monetary rewards.
There's even a clause—a subsidy for causing public panic when the head of the company personally visits.
Beneficiaries: All those present.
Sun Wukong laughed so hard he bent over.
"And what about me, Old Sun?"
"have."
Chen Fan didn't even look up.
"If you stand in the front row, your subsidy will be doubled."
The white dragon horse's eyes lit up.
"This humble monk... no, I have one too?"
"Yes, we have them all."
Tang Sanzang looked up at the chief officiant and clasped his hands together.
"Amitabha Buddha, benefactor, it is only right to pay back debts."
As soon as these words were spoken, many people inside and outside the warehouse couldn't hold back anymore.
Several template guards wanted to laugh but dared not, their faces twitching violently.
The black lines on the shadow of the master had spread from his chest to his waist.
That's the ledger being locked up.
Every extra breath they delay adds another layer to their burden.
The chief judge finally fell silent.
He simply raised his hand.
One press.
The golden slips in the sky instantly transformed into a rain of blades, slashing down at the ledger.
"If you can't pay back, we'll destroy the debt."
Xuan Gong felt a chill run down his spine.
It’s over.
The boss is flipping the table.
Chen Fan had anticipated this move.
"Wukong!"
"Understand!"
Sun Wukong rushed forward and flipped his wrist.
The golden cudgel had been dulled by the previous corrections.
There was chaos outside, and the chain came loose.
The layer of dust on the stick crumbled away.
The gold patterns lit up in concentric circles.
The long-lost menacing aura suddenly returned.
Sun Wukong grinned, his teeth gleaming.
"After holding back for so long, it's finally my turn."
He swung the bat.
I didn't go to shield myself from the rain of knives.
Smash the boss directly!
boom!
That was too fast.
Even the space in the back of the garage was scratched, leaving a white mark.
The shadow of the master rose half an inch, clearly trying to avoid it.
The black lines in the ledger suddenly tightened.
Like a hook, it abruptly slowed him down for a moment.
Just this one moment.
The golden cudgel has arrived.
boom!
A loud bang exploded.
The shadow of the master flew out from in front of the crack on the spot.
He smashed through three layers of talisman walls and finally stormed into the Reform Bureau's archway.
The entire archway tilted violently.
The word "correction" above has a "正" character falling down.
Only the character "修" (xiu) remained hanging there, swaying back and forth.
Inside and outside the warehouse, there was utter silence.
The arriving repairmen froze on the spot, their expressions as if they had been flattened by bricks.
Master?
He was knocked into the archway with a single blow?
Sun Wukong slung his staff over his shoulder and exhaled.
"That feels good."
"Ten more, please."
Amidst the ruins of the memorial archway, the shadow of the chief priest slowly rose to his feet.
On that face devoid of features, a crack was forced open.
It's not the mouth.
It's better than a mouth.
He looked so angry his face was about to split open.
Tang Sanzang then took a step forward.
"Benefactor Chen, may I borrow your account book for a look?"
Chen Fan threw the account book at him.
Tang Sanzang caught it steadily.
Turn it over.
Then, in front of everyone, read it aloud.
"The Director of the Correction Department holds the power to amend laws and wields the power of authority."
"In the seventh calamity treasury, nine thousand three hundred lifespan threads in the mortal realm were confiscated."
"On the westward branch route, the record of the eighty-one tribulations was altered twenty-seven times."
"Eleven new entries have been added to the list of demon races to be exterminated."
"Supplying templates from the back warehouse, intercepting the wishes of all beings..."
With each line he read, the outside became a little quieter.
The arriving correction envoys all turned pale.
Some instinctively stepped back.
Some bowed their heads directly, not daring to look at the judge.
This is more than just a slap in the face.
This is exposing someone's true colors in public.
Tang Sanzang's voice was not loud.
But every word is clear.
It's like a wooden fish being struck on the skull.
"It should also be noted that the Chief Justice used the General Court's name to reimburse personal expenses."
"There were 376 banquets."
"Nine times for substitute template maintenance fee".
"The Void Mask required fourteen polishing sessions."
Even Sun Wukong found it amusing.
"This official is even better at eating than the Jade Emperor and his cronies."
The white dragon horse added a comment from the side.
"They even put the bill on the company's tab after they finished eating."
Several template guards finally couldn't hold back anymore, their expressions were priceless, wanting to kneel and run at the same time.
The Lord stood amidst the ruins, his shadow twisting wildly.
The black line indicating the debt was drawn deeper and deeper.
He suddenly looked up.
"Shut up!"
This roar sent a jolt through the entire Correction Division.
Tang Sanzang's account book never stopped moving.
Another page has been turned.
"besides."
"On the eve of the final trial, the chief judge secretly sealed the three inspectors with his dictation."
"Reason: To prevent leaks."
"Transcript with notes, to prevent being held accountable."
This statement caused an uproar among the outside revisionists.
"What?"
"Is the patrol officer's disappearance related to the chief official?"
"Was the transcript sealed?"
"Weren't those accounts supposed to have been burned?"
A murmur of discussion immediately arose.
The statue of the lord was as if a layer of skin had been torn off, and the entire shadow was trembling.
He suddenly raised his hands and stuck his fingers into his chest.
click!
In that blurry image, it looked as if a lock had been broken.
Xuan Gong's face turned green upon seeing this.
"Master, you mustn't!"
"That's half of the main authority delegated by the General Court!"
The master completely ignored him.
He forcefully pulled the golden light from his chest.
The entire Correctional Office instantly went dark, half of it.
The remaining characters on the archway have all disappeared.
The scriptures on the ground were shattered in large pieces.
The warning siren in the air abruptly stopped, replaced by a new, more piercing sound.
"The driver was detected using core privileges."
"The Grand Censorate is summoning."
"Full-area trial procedure initiated."
The white dragon horse took two steps back, its hooves trembling.
"We've gone too far."
Sun Wukong narrowed his eyes and gripped his golden cudgel tightly.
"You've come at the perfect time."
Chen Fan looked up at the sky, his gaze darkening.
The crack above the back garage was originally just a thin line.
Now it has been forcibly torn into a door by the Master.
There is no emptiness behind the door.
It is a courtroom.
It's ridiculously huge.
The black steps overlapped one after another, like a mountain falling down.
On either side hung huge plaques for judging characters, and in the middle was a high throne that was slowly pressing down from the sky.
Before it had even settled in, the entire Correction Division had already shrunk by three points.
Xuan Gong knelt down with a thud, his voice changing.
"The Grand Censorate..."
The lord stood amidst the ruins, his shadow straightening once more.
He stared at Chen Fan, a hint of ruthlessness in his voice for the first time.
"You can settle the score later."
"Let's see if you're even alive enough to stand in court."
The sky suddenly darkened.
That enormous courtroom had already loomed over everyone's heads.