Dongfang Qiqing scratched her head awkwardly as she tried to explain.
"So… she said to play music, and I just… did it…"
Lin Yi stared at her.
"You just believe whatever Zhuxing tells you?"
Qiqing suddenly froze.
Right.
Why did she believe everything Zhuxing said?
That wasn't normal at all.
They were clearly supposed to be sneaking in.
Sure, they were walking openly and confidently, but it still counted as infiltration.
Who infiltrates somewhere while blasting background music the whole way?
"Looks like the anti-meme crystal can't block emotional influence from the Path of Elation."
Lin Yi rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
"Or more specifically… it can't block emotional influence from an Emanator of Elation."
"That actually makes sense."
He took a deep breath.
"Don't worry. Zhuxing was just using you as an experiment."
"Come here—give me the livestream device."
He paused.
"Actually, never mind."
"I'll just call her directly."
"I need to have a very nice chat with Zhuxing before she turns completely into Aha."
A few minutes later, Lin Yi returned looking perfectly calm.
After all—
Who doesn't have a troublesome kid at home?
Dongfang Qiqing secretly opened a video call with Zhuxing.
On the screen, Zhuxing looked miserable, like she had just been scolded.
Qiqing didn't dare ask what happened.
But her steps became lighter.
She hummed softly as she walked.
A faint smug smile appeared on her face.
Because sometimes—
Happiness doesn't disappear.
It simply transfers to someone else.
And unless there's real disaster involved, a little schadenfreude is simply part of human nature.
"Alright," Lin Yi said.
"The troublemaker has been dealt with."
"And since we're already exposed, we might as well act openly."
He stretched lazily.
"You know, there's an assassin organization with a famous creed."
Nothing is true. Everything is permitted.
"Their infiltration method is quite unique."
"They achieve perfect stealth by killing everyone who sees them."
He nodded thoughtfully.
"I think we could learn from that."
"Perfect stealth isn't actually that difficult."
At that moment, guards were already rushing toward them.
The music had clearly alerted the entire tower.
The Dream Mirage Ring could hide whispers, but not a full orchestral soundtrack.
Being stopped was inevitable.
The guards surrounded Lin Yi's group.
Lin Yi looked at Zhili first.
Zhili immediately raised her hands.
"I'm a Memory Keeper," she said calmly.
"And my body is a memetic construct."
"I'm not good at combat."
Lin Yi nodded and looked at himself.
"I'm a scholar," he said seriously.
"I'm also not good at combat."
Then his gaze slowly shifted to Dongfang Qiqing.
Before she could say anything—
He slammed his fist into his palm dramatically.
His expression brightened.
"I've decided."
"It's you."
He pointed heroically.
"Go, Dongfang Qiqing."
"Defeat them all."
"…Me?!"
Her expression instantly turned into the classic 'subway grandpa staring at phone' meme.
Lin Yi burst out laughing.
Anyone who could hang out with Aha clearly wasn't a normal person.
"Relax, relax. I'm kidding."
He thought for a moment.
"Hmm… what method should we use?"
Then his eyes lit up.
"I've got it."
"How about we exile them directly into a star?"
He said it completely casually.
The guards froze.
Then immediately raised their weapons.
Even if it was a bluff, they weren't going to take the risk.
At that moment—
A young man's voice echoed through the hall.
"Let them enter."
Lin Yi smiled faintly.
"So you finally stopped pretending to be dead."
"Alright."
"Let's go in."
His playful expression vanished.
He returned to a calm, composed demeanor.
Zhili continued smiling as if none of the previous nonsense mattered.
Dongfang Qiqing simply muttered "Oh" and followed obediently.
Inside the tower summit—
A dark, dusty throne hall stretched before them.
But the throne area itself was bright and spotless, like a separate world.
A young man sat lazily on the throne, resting his chin on his hand.
When Lin Yi's group entered, he straightened slightly—but did not stand.
"Welcome, travelers from afar."
"I am the new king of Autran."
"Dekara."
"Honored guests, please forgive me for not standing to greet you."
He shifted slightly, revealing countless cables connected to his body.
His tone was polite and gentle.
Before anyone else could speak, he gestured forward.
"Please."
Three chairs rose smoothly from the floor.
A long table appeared between them.
Small flying drones arrived carrying drinks and snacks.
The hospitality was meticulous.
"Though these refreshments may not suit your taste," Dekara said apologetically,
"They are the best this planet has to offer."
Zhili spoke first.
"You seem to respect us greatly."
"No—more accurately, you seem careful. Perhaps even cautious."
Dekara nodded slightly.
"The Great Curtain Tower contains records about you, Miss Zhili."
"Very ancient records."
A holographic screen appeared before her, displaying detailed data about her identity.
"I cannot leave this throne," Dekara continued.
"So I developed a habit of reading."
"Most of the data stored within the Great Curtain Tower…"
"…I know by heart."
He smiled faintly.
"And besides…"
"As you can see."
"The Great Curtain Tower is me."
"And I am the Great Curtain Tower."
"We have become one."
"Even if I do not consciously remember something, the tower's archives are still part of my memory."
His gaze turned toward Lin Yi.
"This gentleman—this scholar."
"Your concealment techniques are excellent."
"But as I said earlier…"
"This tower is part of my body."
"The moment your footsteps touched its structure, I detected your presence."
"I also heard your entire conversation."
"So I already know why you came here."
He paused politely.
"The mental contamination you sensed earlier is a passive effect emitted by the tower itself."
"I cannot disable it."
"My apologies."
Dekara lowered his head slightly.
"I understand your purpose."
"And I am willing to tell you everything."
"The truth of Autran."
"The truth of this planet."
"And the truth of the Great Curtain Tower."
He looked at them with quiet desperation.
"My only request…"
"Is that you help us."
"Or at the very least…"
"Take some of Autran's people away."
"So that our civilization may survive."
Lin Yi smiled.
"Well now."
"This trip is becoming very interesting."
He leaned back slightly.
"You can relax."
"I love listening to stories."
"And I'm always willing to pay the appropriate price for a good story."
He tapped the table lightly.
"In the name of a Genius."
Dekara nodded slowly.
"I believe you."
"Or perhaps…"
"I have no choice but to believe you."
"I have been trapped on this throne for far too long."
He suddenly stood.
The cables behind him tightened and creaked violently.
But he ignored them.
He straightened his back proudly.
"I—Dekara!"
"The new king of Autran!"
"The solitary king of Autran!"
"The proud king!"
His voice thundered across the hall.
"I declare this day—"
The turning point has arrived!
His shout echoed through the tower.
Through the Great Curtain Tower's systems—
It spread across the entire planet.