In Lin Jun's view, the situation with the Yellow Codex was like an AI wanting to become human.
Lin Jun couldn't copy an existence with a soul, but the Yellow Codex, which possessed a pseudo-soul—that is, a core—could have its will copied, making this metaphor much more fitting.
As for whether the copied Yellow Skin Puchi was considered the Yellow Codex itself, this kind of philosophical question was a bit too complex.
Fortunately, Lin Jun didn't need to ponder such questions; he only needed to consider whether it was useful.
The more useful one was the true Yellow Codex.
On the other side, almost suffering a backlash from its copy seemed to leave the Yellow Codex with lingering fear.
After this experiment, it told Norris several horror stories consecutively before successfully transferring its negative emotions away.
However, although the experimental process was full of "danger," having a copied version of itself stuffed into the Boss's split soul was undoubtedly an unprecedented progression!
It hadn't expected the Boss to be able to whip up a soul for it all at once either. If it were truly that easy, it wouldn't have been tossing and turning for so many years.
Regardless, it saw hope.
But time was running out. Following the experiment step-by-step, who knew what year or month it would be before it achieved its long-cherished wish.
If it could obtain the accumulated knowledge of predecessors, even those experiences of failure, it would undoubtedly push the progress forward immensely, at least saving a lot of time on trial and error.
Within the scope of the Yellow Codex's knowledge, only one existence had these accumulations it needed—the respected Lord Demon King!
[But, how to do it?] [That is the Demon King after all...]
Even Lin Jun didn't know that the Yellow Codex had already started thinking about how to catch its former master and pry open his brain to pave the way for its soul experiment.
...
In the southern part of the Northern Territory, facing the pressure of the Puchis, the troops belonging to two different Dukes rarely merged into one.
It was truly too annoying. Those Puchis clearly weren't strong, but their harassment was endless.
If they fought independently, they couldn't even get a good rest.
Facing difficulties, both sides applied for some reinforcements from the rear. As long as some more combat power was added, they believed they could break this current balance and continue advancing.
But in reality, this was just an illusion.
In the command room of the Mushroom Fortress, Louisa's consciousness was controlling the overall situation of the frontline war through the mycelial network.
Which Puchi squads went to die, which ones created chaos, which ones covered, which ones quietly recovered the resurrected Puchis—everything proceeded methodically under her command.
The Empire army, which seemed insurmountably arrogant in the past, was now like a plaything in her hands.
This sense of control made her unable to stop.
The only pity was that she couldn't crush them cleanly and neatly, unable to hear the despairing wails of the enemy commanders. There was always a bit of regret.
Just as Little Pig (Xiao Zhu) was addicted to the mycelial network, a Puchi walked in from the Puchi-exclusive small door and came to her side.
Little Pig's fingers reached into the Puchi's belly and groped familiarly, quickly taking out a small, exquisite bottle.
Inside the bottle, the liquid that still felt somewhat viscous even after dilution was exactly the Water of Life specially provided by the Boss for core members.
Little Pig drank the liquid in the bottle in one gulp. Vitality instantly flowed through her body, bringing a shudder.
She was now incomparably glad that she had surrendered to the Boss at the very beginning of the Mushroom Garden's rise. Although the process wasn't very pleasant, at least she ultimately gained this status as a core member.
Look at the vampires who came later. Except for a few who were quick to read the situation and knelt begging for mercy with almost no resistance, most of the other vampires had now become yet another pole planted outside the city gate; they could almost form a vampire choir.
As for those few latecomers who understood the times, although they avoided the fate of becoming ornaments, the contribution point debts they owed meant that unless they were willing to execute those dangerous missions, working step-by-step, they shouldn't even think about paying it off in five or six years.
Not to mention being like her, commanding the entire army of the Mushroom Fortress!
As the Water of Life was absorbed, a surge of power suddenly gushed out from within Little Pig's body!
"Is this... leveling up?"
Ordinary people, although unable to view it as intuitively as Lin Jun looking at the panel, would still have a clear feeling regarding the attribute enhancement brought by leveling up.
"Boss!" Little Pig immediately notified the Boss of this good news.
Following the call in the mycelial network, Lin Jun's attention shifted over from the abyssal magic laboratory currently being set up.
He immediately noticed Little Pig's changes.
[Level: LV60]
Officially reached the Palace-tier!
Obtained a tracking skill named [Blood Hunt LV1].
Of course, this wasn't the main point. The main point was, Little Pig could undergo the next stage of the Blood Snatching Ritual again.
Regarding this, Lin Jun was actually somewhat hesitant: "Is it really necessary? You'll highly likely die."
With Little Pig's strength further enhanced, paired with that set of magic crystal combat armor, her strength was presumably worth looking forward to.
But compared to the overall strengthening Little Pig's command ability brought to the Mushroom Fortress, the risk seemed too high.
Little Pig was quite insistent, like a gambler who had gone all-in long ago: "Boss, if I have an accident, leave the command matters to Xinghuo and Shou; they can handle it too."
Honestly speaking, managing the city was fine, but in commanding battles, Lin Jun didn't think Xinghuo and Shou could replace Little Pig.
However, since she insisted on gambling her life, Lin Jun had to help her.
Little Pig exchanged all her accumulated contribution points for S-grade magic crystals. Still lacking a bit, Lin Jun reasonably counted the insufficient part as a loan, considering it an investment so this veteran cadre could survive.
The one presiding over the ritual was naturally still the Yellow Codex.
However, it held an opposing opinion.
[Boss, persuade that female troll. Don't continue, she'll die!] [The blood snatched last time and the target of the blood snatching this time are not of the same bloodline. The originally low success rate will only be lower under these conditions!] [Wait a bit longer, in half a year or a year, we have a great chance to catch a Marquis under Vesalius. There's no need to forcibly snatch blood now and vainly increase the risk.]
Little Pig opened her scarlet eyes, staring at the pages of the Yellow Codex: "If I fail, it's my bad luck. I don't need you, Yellow Codex, to be buried with me."
[Boss, bring the blood-snatching target over and we can begin.]
...
Outside the city gate, the howls of the skewered vampires rose and fell in succession.
Unlike the howling of those newcomers which was still very energetic, Marquis Cassinar's cries sounded weak and feeble.
He hadn't managed to learn how to enjoy the pain brought by the sunlight. It was just that with the increase in [Sunlight Resistance] and long-term habituation, he was more or less somewhat numb to this pain; screaming was just a pure physiological reaction.
Even the citizens of the Mushroom Fortress preferred to surround and watch those newly arrived vampires; he was already a bit past his prime.
At this moment, two Burden Puchis lifted the pillar binding him.
Under the setting sun, Cassinar slightly opened his eyes. Seeing that only he was being moved away, he seemed to realize something.
"Finally... is it going to end?"
For a moment, he suddenly understood why those "living foods" he had sucked to death alive in the past would show this kind of expression at their final moments—death, is a release.
(End of Chapter)
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