Angela...... How dare you face me here! I snarled with rage, my eyes burning like fire.

"Poof...... Our chicks are fried. The blue-haired banshee grinned and threw mockery at me.

"You're no match for me at all." I stared at her deadly, the power of the thin underworld gradually burned and revealed all around me, and the powerful coercion immediately enveloped the entire space, and the people around me, whether they were new to the work of the civilian staff or the battle-hardened containment team, instantly turned pale, and their trembling bodies showed instinctive fear. But it was the only thing that could deter Angela, "You can try it." She didn't change her face, and said unhurriedly:

"Do you think I'm brave enough to be here? On the contrary, I fear death more than all of you, and that's why I chose to come here. Facing everything that has been...... Face you too. ”

My disorderly mood began to dissipate, but I still maintained a deterrent posture and said, "You might as well make it clearer. ”

"You know better than anyone that the real master here is the director who hides behind the cameras and controls our fate like a toy." Angela said, snorting slightly, "No matter who it is, no matter what power it is, as long as the entity still exists here, it can't escape the cage of time - that's why I have no fear. ”

"If it's just to provoke or provoke me, you don't have to." As I spoke, I put the twilight sword back on my back.

"How so?" Seeing this, Angela smiled fiercely, "I just want to catch up with my old friends, Dai." She said playfully.

"Dai?!" When the noun passed through my nerves like lightning, a sudden, unknown and dark corner from the deepest part of my brain, instantly transmitted an unprecedented, extreme and intense touch to my whole body, and immediately made me stay in place, needlessly lost my mind for a few seconds, like a rusty puppet lying on the ground. "Damn ......" and when I came to my senses again, I staggered up - only to find that Angela had disappeared from sight without a trace.

"Damn it!" I slammed into the ground, leaving a fist mark about two centimeters deep with a scattered twilight.

The people around him still seemed to be in shock, cowering and not daring to approach - only the nearest Yui ran forward without any scruples: "Senior, are you okay?!" She asked, concerned, and helped me to my feet with Hana, who was following closely behind.

"I'm fine......" I froze, "Where did that guy go?" ”

Yui pursed her lips and shook her head slightly: "She put off a flash of light at the time, and then it was gone." She said apologetically, "We didn't see ...... clearly."

"Ah...... Forget it, it's okay, it's not your fault. I sighed and said, "I didn't know it in advance." As I spoke, I bowed shallowly to the frightened civilians of the Control Department behind me: "Sorry, I've scared a few of you." But rest assured, I will never hurt you. I said.

The clerical looked at each other, nodded boldly, and some returned a deeper bow, and left the corridor in a hurry.

"Is that what the seniors said about Angela?" Yui asked cautiously, and Hana cast a curious look at her at the same time. But when he saw that I didn't seem to have any intention of answering, he obediently stopped asking and silently followed my footsteps behind him.

Old friends, reminiscences, and ...... The words were going back and forth in my head like a fly without a head, mingling with what I had already struggled to sort out before, and I was once again confused—but now that it was working time, I decided to focus on the problem at hand and then plan for the future.

"Dai...... Why ......" I muttered, shaking my head, and continuing with the two of them to the Intelligence Department as originally planned.

The road was unexpectedly clean, and the civilians no longer seemed to be wandering around meaninglessly - this is certainly the result of today's morning meeting, according to yesterday's Mark's arrangement, we will systematically introduce the knowledge of how to survive in this facility to the civilians of our department today, partly by handing out the new "Emergency Response Manual" for their self-study, and partly by letting the containment team take the lead and organize learning in an orderly and step-by-step manner according to the planned schedule. The first of these is that "being in a large room, including the main staff lounge and the connected warehouse, can increase the survival rate by at least 30%." “

Obviously, many people followed the code, but there were some exceptions to the unbelievers: when we came to the upper corridor of the Ministry of Intelligence, we were greeted by three civilian officers who were constantly talking to each other: two of them seemed to be arguing about something, and the confrontation was quite fierce, and all of them were red-faced: "Come back with me, the seniors said that the corridor is dangerous!" "Who believes their nonsense, it is clear that they have another plan! "You...... At least let me bring the little cloth back......" There was one guy left, who looked very weak, caught between two colleagues in a panic, but not trying to persuade him, but only being pulled around like a puppet by two playful children.

Normally speaking, I didn't need to pay attention to them, just ignore them like a stranger. But when we were thinking about it and preparing to cross, the "containment team...... Seniors! A sudden trembling call from behind us stopped us.

I habitually wanted to ignore it, but I thought back to Mark's earnest admonition yesterday, and the bits and pieces of everyone in the control department: "Patience...... Calm down. I told myself, stopped, "What's the matter, do you need any help?" He turned around and said, squeezing out a shallow smile on his face.

"Excuse me...... Do you really all have memories of the past? Do loops really exist? The clerk in the middle asked first, in a tone of great earnestness.

This is certainly a boring question, but it is also the point that Mark repeatedly stresses to us: "To form a coherent set of words, to show enough evidence to make everything we say seem very true...... Don't say that they might end up in a pile of minced meat tomorrow, it's our duty to protect them from ending up like this, otherwise we won't be able to get their help from the same level. With this in mind, I began to state as I had practiced yesterday:

"It's frustrating, but it's also an indisputable fact that we're in a loop: from the countless painful fragments in our minds to the precise memories of almost everyone's experiences."

"Do you know us, then?" As soon as the words ended, the debater, who was standing on the left, asked first. "These two are Brandon and Claire, and your name is Barbara." Without waiting for the guy to ask, I immediately completed an extremely detailed description: "You were born in a working-class family in the U nest, and when you were young, you were often spurred to study hard by your strict parents who wanted their son Jackie Chan, and did their best to provide you with all possible learning opportunities, and you were really embarrassed, so you finally chose to drop out of middle school, but when you came to the back alley, you immediately tasted the pain of real life, and your father died in a car accident in the same year. Under the double blow, you finally chose to change your mind and go back to school again at a certain opportunity, and finally came to work in the emerging brain company with your own efforts, and your mother also had unprecedented expectations for you. At this point, I paused, but looking at the way the guy was about to speak, I immediately quickly completed the statement: "This is what you told me in the two thousand one hundred and fifty-four, one thousand five thousand nine hundred and fifty-three, one thousand six thousand, fifty-three thousand two hundred and ninety-nine cycles, that we had become friends during that period. You also told me that you love bear cookies. All of the above are not registered by the Records Department. At this point, I breathed a sigh of relief, "Any more questions?" "I'm going to wrap it up at the end.

The man was stunned, and suddenly fell silent as if he were a frightened chicken. After a long time, the debater on the left side of the square immediately struck while the iron was hot, but he still said with some trepidation: "Look...... Look, see what I say...... What's coming, there's really a loop, and they all know it. ”

"Open...... Are you kidding?! But the right judge didn't seem to appreciate it, and said emotionally: "This group of monsters is clearly spying on us...... Want...... Want to control us! And this remark immediately aroused the dissatisfaction of the left debate: "How can you ...... this person?"

"Aren't you being watched by that AI Angela? Isn't it controlled by the directives of the supervisors? Before the two of them could argue formally, I immediately retorted: "Would you rather trust the leaders of the company who took your lives as a target than give a chance to the workers of the containment team who were born and died for you?" ”

Right Wing was silent, but his hostile expression was still stubbornly filled with complacency and questioning. At this moment, it was time to stop, and I immediately sent an invitation to Zuo Wei and the poor little audience: "If you are willing, please join the training department's group activity tonight after seven o'clock." We're here to help you...... Better to live! With that, I handed out a business card-sized invitation from my pocket: "See you or leave, a few." ”

"Okay, I'm going by all means, thank you, senior." Zuo Wei took it with both hands and nodded slightly to us.

I threw out a final closing smile, "Gone." Then he left here with Hana and Yui beside him.

"Senior...... It's so strong. As he walked away, Yui suddenly said to me with great admiration, "Not nervous at all...... And unconsciously pulled more people. ”

"Hmph, basic operation." I couldn't help but raise the corners of my mouth, but the satisfaction was immediately taken over by a heavier weight, I sighed, and continued: "These things, although a little tedious, must be done, and none of us can completely separate ourselves from others...... Really do something. If it's to guard against Angela, or to complete the director's so-called plan, or to get out of this curse-like cycle, really get out of here. Either way, we must do our best to organize as many colleagues as possible, help each other and do our best. ”

The two containment teams next to him nodded, "We understand, Daphna senpai. ”

As he spoke, he came to the door of the main lounge of the Ministry of Intelligence, and as the automatic door opened, the three of them walked in together, and found that Loki and Ada had been waiting here for a long time, along with the Minister of Intelligence, Yesod.

"Sorry for being late, unforeseen circumstances." I said apologetically.

Minister Yesod, who was in charge, sighed helplessly and said, "It's better to leave early next time." ”

And Loki also seemed to show a little unhappiness: "The minister has a rare opportunity to deal with our affairs here......"

"I believe that reason will help me to deal with it efficiently." I immediately interrupted the topic: "Without further ado, let's get started." said.

Minister Yesod nodded, took a purple chip from the compartment at his side, and handed it to us.

"That's what it is...... Historical materials of the Ministry of Intelligence. I took it carefully and tucked it behind my ear to make a copy of the data. While a little rude, like a child who can't wait to open a gift on his birthday, it's the easiest way to keep your data safe in this particular case. Minister Yseod only feigned a cold sigh when he saw this—he had always been a minister with a lot of words, even at such a special moment.

All of the ministers had box-like mechanical bodies, and so did Yesod ministers: square, one-man height, four pencil-like mechanical arms, and a purple glowing mechanical eye embedded in the center, but the only slight difference was the black "bandage" that covered the entire body like a footcloth, although we all knew that the mechanical body would not bleed, and the true meaning of that thing became a difficult mystery for the minister.

"That's what the director meant." The minister spoke first, "He probably thinks you can really help him accomplish that goal." He said, his tone still cold and mechanical.

"I think we still have a long way to go." Loki said with a solemn expression, "In this facility, there are enemies that we can't stop. ”

Looking at Loki at this moment, Minister Yesod seemed to suddenly be interested, "Loki employee, what do you think is the most important special thing to work in the Ministry of Intelligence?" He asked abruptly off the subject.

A question made the two of Loki Ida unexpectedly nervous: "Is it because we haven't been doing well lately?" They tentatively asked, "If that's the case, then ...... too."

"No, you're overthinking, that's not what I intended." The minister suddenly interrupted: "Your work is very good, even far beyond my expectations, I can only say that you are worthy of the top students of Chao A Central University...... After a brief praise, the minister continued: "I just want to ask you about your work, that's all." ”

"Hmm......" The two nodded slightly, lowered their heads and pondered for a moment, then looked at each other again, and nodded tacitly:

"Calm and rational." Loki replied, "We're scouts on the front lines, forerunners of the first time we've really confronted the anomalies. When we first face the deep unknown, only reason can overcome fear, only calmness can still seek prudence and perfection - or even just a glimmer of life,"

Minister Yesod smiled slightly, "You seem confident about that? ”

"It's all a lesson in blood...... Loki said, his expression grimacing.

"You're more active than you used to be, and you're no longer cautious in your work." Minister Yesod asked again: "I'm very curious, what made you make such a change?" ”

Loki was suddenly stunned, and turned his head as if he was a little ashamed: "Maybe some." He said with a slur.

"Actually, it's just a matter of getting him back to what he was supposed to be." The more cheerful Ida replied generously: "He is also a boy who likes to laugh very much......"

The words "don't ......" made Loki's cheeks blush even more: "This thing is too ......" The funny look made me almost laugh.

Minister Yesod seemed to feel a little heavy, and he said with a slight sigh: "This place ...... It didn't give you the beauty you imagined, it only made people like this. ”

"I just wanted to arm myself with ideals, to perfect myself, to be perfect, and to avoid all potential accidents as much as possible," Loki continued......, "but naively underestimated the complexity of reality and the limitations of manpower, and when I had to face colleagues who lost their lives because of intolerable mistakes in my eyes, when disappointment and pain followed, I could only tremble in place like a helpless child." ”

"This strong determination overwhelms you......" Minister Yesod said slowly, closing his eyes, "just like me once was, overwhelmed by the desire for quick success and the cruel reality, letting the senseless 'reason' swallow up our souls and drift away from our true goals......"

This situation also touched my heart: I used to be so eager and reckless, and after experiencing a counterattack from reality, I chose to escape and turn a deaf ear, and walk in the world like an ostrich.

Even now, that all seems to have changed.

"These black bast strips are just like me back then," said Minister Yesod, pointing to the black "bandage" around his body: "stubbornness, vulnerability, fear of loss, meaningless self-bondage." ”

"Sooner or later, we have to come to our senses." Ida added.

"Even now, I am filled with despair and anger in the face of the brutal work here. But the only thing that can give me consolation, except for the director at this moment, is your ......" The minister suddenly looked at us: "Although I don't know exactly what you are doing, I as a minister should not know about everything you hold dear. Minister Yesod said, seemingly giving a rare smile: "But I wish you success." ”

"Thank you, Mr. Minister, for your encouragement." Ida bowed and said gratefully, "We will not disappoint your expectations." ”

"Just do your best...... Don't let senseless reason overwhelm you. Minister Yesod made the final additions, then got up and left the Lord's rest.

At the end of the day's event, when the returnees were in full swing in the Stagnant Space to study the work of the Intelligence Department, we finally learned about Minister Yesod's past:

Gabriel, that's his name, but as his name suggests, he has a good heart to save people and a fiery ideal as pure and fervent as fire - this is one of the reasons why he, as a promising student, would condescend to be a researcher at the DATA EXPUNGED Institute. He used to wear a lab coat, a black turtleneck shirt, and black gloves, and although he was very different from his current appearance, the reason for this was the same:

After Enoch's tragic opening, the situation descends into an even more uncontrollable collapse due to the reckless encounters of Elijah (Minister Marcus's previous life) - Gabriel, while calmly and rationally discussing the matter with his then-supervisor, is also trying to create a new method of supervision, stubbornly believing that if only the management is perfected, a little more perfect, it can avoid Elijah's death and other accidents. This thought also made him even more cold and worried, and Gabriel began to become more and more insecure, and began to wear more clothes (supposedly to prevent the chemicals from coming into contact with him) until he was completely covered by clothing. But even so, his psychological "wounds" could never be hidden by more clothes. He wanted to stick to his principles, hoping that strict adherence to the rules would help prevent and avoid more deaths; However, his rationality turned into compulsion and eventually into a destructive obsession.

Then, just like the uncertainty of the tragedy itself, in the face of the cruelty that happened in the research, his fiery heart was gradually eroded and distorted......

Gabriel lost his emotions and expressions, could no longer tolerate the exposure of a small part of his body, and finally began to scratch himself, and it was suggested that Gabriel be given a check-up to see if he was infected or contaminated. But he refused. In the end, he was forced to be inspected by other employees and his supervisor at the time. Although the results showed that he was not infected, his condition did not improve, and he began to scratch himself more severely than before, which eventually led to his death......

And so ends the story. The deep meaning it envelops is always as heavy as the mountains and seas. And for a while, we seem to have become accustomed to this sudden stability and calm, but in the face of the sudden large amount of work and the "unknown hand" that may be regrouped at any time, it is true that sufficient rationality is also necessary for us.

It is true that we are always unable to handle everything on our own. Since we can't physically dispose of Angela as a "colleague", we can only limit what she can do - it's like a huge betting board, and the stakes we put down are the weight of our lives in the eyes of our supervisors.