Day of Imprisonment

The monitoring room wasn't large, less than ten square meters. Along one wall were three long tables, each with two monitors, totaling six. On the other side were a wardrobe and shelves holding items like walkie-talkies and flashlights.

Four of the monitors were black, only the two innermost ones were lit, displaying a nine-grid pattern of small screens, showing real-time footage from a certain floor, all images captured by cameras.

The room was quiet and dark, as the curtains were drawn. Perhaps due to the enclosed space and the need for someone to be on duty at night, the room had an unpleasant odor, a mix of smoke, sweat, and the lingering smell of instant noodles. The pungent smell was immediately noticeable upon entering.

There were two chairs inside, one empty, and one occupied by a person slumped in it, wearing a security guard's uniform with the hat covering their face, seemingly asleep.

The sound of the door opening and closing startled the person.

The security guard stirred, removed the hat from their face, and turned their head, squinting as if just waking up.

"Who are you? Who let you in?"

The security guard questioned, looking surprised, while also sitting up. It was clear that they were not young, probably around fifty, with messy, graying hair like a bird's nest and an oily face.

Luo Xi didn't move, seemingly unfazed by the attitude.

"I'm here to collect the clearance reward," Luo Xi said.

The room fell silent. The security guard stared at Luo Xi, who also stared back expressionlessly.

After a few seconds, the security guard's face turned gloomy, revealing yellowish teeth: "Since you managed to leave, why come back?"

With that, the security guard sat back down.

Suddenly, the stuffy, dim, and lightless room fell silent.

Luo Xi didn't speak either, he was still observing, even starting to count the number of cigarette butts on the table.

A few minutes later.

"As for rewards, having your memory anchor advanced is already the best reward. Luo Xi, don't be greedy."

The security guard said with a sullen face.

At this moment, Luo Xi looked at the other person and suddenly asked, "Are you afraid?"

"What did you say?" The security guard's expression turned cold, then furious: "What makes you think I'm afraid? You're a nuisance, I should just capture you again, erase your memory, and throw you back into my level scenario, to die countless times, countless times..."

"He is afraid, I can smell the scent of fear..." In a nearby dressing mirror, Luo Xi's reflection appeared, but behind him was another him, though this 'Luo Xi' looked very thin, like someone with severe anorexia, shirtless, perfectly embodying the term 'skin and bones', with a face that was equally gaunt.

"Long time no see, I thought you were dead," Luo Xi muttered.

"You haven't died, so how could I die?" The 'Luo Xi' in the mirror, resembling a starving ghost, let out a strange laugh.

Luo Xi didn't care about these words at all. Since 'Starving Ghost Luo Xi' said the other party was afraid, then it must be true.

"What are you muttering about?" The security guard's eyelids twitched. He still seemed very agitated at this moment, as if he might suddenly jump up and attack, staring intently at Luo Xi. Clearly, the other person had seen through his fear.

How did he see it?

He hadn't revealed it at all.

Could it be that this person had a way of seeing through people's hearts?

Or did he have a 'card' of some sort?

Impossible.

Those were high-level cards, and this person had only just experienced a beginner's scenario, how could he have such a card.

Speaking of which, this Luo Xi was completely different from what he had observed and understood for so long.

In his eyes, Luo Xi was just an ordinary worker, very ordinary, with no special skills.

But after preserving his memory once, he began to show an incredible ability, a terrifying insight, memory, and analysis of clues. In just one cycle, he cracked the scenario mechanism that he thought was perfect.

Catching him completely off guard.

He never expected that such a terrifying fellow would appear in the scenario he managed.

"It's nothing, just exchanging pleasantries with a friend," Luo Xi still stood at the door.

"Friend?" The security guard looked around, then looked at Luo Xi with a hint of gravity in his eyes.

Luo Xi then said, "Fear is an emotional response, one of human instincts. It's the worry and suppression that arises when facing a dangerous situation and trying to escape it but being powerless. Of course, it can also stem from excessive anxiety. Some people are introverted and sensitive, easily viewing small things as great dangers, thus generating a strong sense of fear, but you certainly don't belong to that type."

"Before I came, you were even sleeping, so it can be understood that my appearance caused you some worry and anxiety, and you seem to have no way to solve it... Logically speaking, you shouldn't be afraid of me, so there's only one possibility, my arrival might trigger some rule that could affect the manager."

"Luo Xi, shut your mouth!" The security guard's scalp tingled. He suddenly rushed over with incredible speed and strength, reaching out to grab Luo Xi's neck, lifting him up and slamming him against the door.

Bang!

The door panel made a muffled sound of impact.

Luo Xi was gasping for breath, feeling a little surprised.

Because the power emanating from the security guard's office at this moment was very similar to Feng Kai in his Cleaner state, but different from Mao Ge.

It was much weaker.

But it was still beyond the scope of a normal person.

So, since he was so powerful, why didn't he personally kill people?

If he had a weapon in his hand, it would be very efficient, he believed.

Luo Xi couldn't see anything anymore; it was suffocation caused by lack of oxygen, and if it continued, he would die from mechanical asphyxiation.

At this moment, the security guard released his hand.

"Get out, leave here immediately, before I can't help but kill you."

He issued a stern warning with a sinister expression.

Luo Xi coughed a few times, breathing deeply to alleviate the original feeling of oxygen deprivation, and after a while, he recovered.

Then, he actually pulled over a chair next to him and sat down.

"As expected, it's because of rule restrictions, so you're not afraid of me, but because my arrival might trigger something unfavorable to you, and you foresaw it, that's why you're afraid because of anxiety and powerlessness.

Also, if you could kill me, you would have done it long ago.

Your surname is Wang, so I'll call you Lao Wang.

Lao Wang, I need to ask you some questions, as for other things, I won't do them, don't worry, I'll leave after I'm done asking."

This time, the security guard didn't show any more excitement or anger; he didn't say anything, and suddenly fell into a long silence.

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After a long time, he resembled a deflated ball, his face drooping: "I knew you would be very difficult to deal with, and I know what you want to ask.

Actually, you'll find out sooner or later; this information isn't a secret.

You should still leave; this meeting of ours is illegal."

"Illegal? What do you mean?" Luo Xi pressed.

Lao Wang shook his head extremely firmly: "Don't ask me; I can't answer this question."

"Then I won't ask this question; what about other questions?"

"Damn it, just ask.

If I can answer, I'll answer; if I can't answer, it's useless even if you ask,"

Lao Wang gritted his teeth; he was indeed afraid, his eyes constantly looking around, as if something was monitoring him in the dark.

Luo Xi took all of this in; he thought for a moment: "I understand, you have your difficulties, you don't have to answer what you can't answer.

My first question is, this world is fake, right?"

"Nonsense, do you think this broken place is real?

There's only today, no tomorrow, and even no yesterday; where is there such a world?"

Lao Wang's tone was a little high, obviously carrying a kind of venting emotion.

It seemed he was also very dissatisfied with the status quo.

Perhaps becoming a 'manager' wasn't his original intention?

"Does this fake world have a name?" Luo Xi continued to ask.

"The Day of Imprisonment.

You should have heard that Wu girl say it already; can you not ask these idiotic questions?"

"These questions aren't idiotic.

Then Lao Wang, what are your duties and identity?"

This question made Lao Wang hesitate slightly, but he still opened his mouth and said: "I am a Chaos-level checkpoint administrator, responsible for the management of the 'A Day of the Working Class' checkpoint scene.

The attribute of this scene is 'Slaughter and Collection', and within the scope of my authority, I maintain the normal operation here."

"Explain in more detail, for example, how to maintain it, the specific content of the management, and what is the Chaos level, are there other levels of checkpoint scenes?

What do the scene attributes refer to?"

Luo Xi now looked satisfied, because finally someone could answer part of the doubts in his heart.

You should know that satisfying curiosity is one of the important ways for human beings to obtain pleasure.

The following question-and-answer session allowed Luo Xi to learn a lot of information.

For example, there are indeed many checkpoint scenes, and checkpoint scenes have corresponding level divisions.

The Chaos level is a low-level scene, and one level higher than the Chaos level is the Yin-Yang level.

As for the attributes, they are actually the characteristics of the scene, and sometimes they also include the 'clearance' standards.

For example, in this scene, slaughter and collection, satisfying any one of them can 'clear' the level.

The reward for clearing the level is the time anchor point is brought forward.

The rules of other scenes are completely formulated by the administrators of each scene.

"Scene levels, Chaos is a low-level scene, Yin-Yang is one level higher, what about higher?"

"I don't know.

I've only seen the Yin-Yang level.

I can be sure that there must be higher-level checkpoint scenes and administrators,"

Lao Wang still seemed distracted; he was indeed afraid of some unknown existence.

Luo Xi didn't continue to ask questions at this time, but was digesting the information he had just obtained.

One of the more important points was that Memory Retrievers would be produced in the checkpoint scene.

Each newly born Memory Retriever would be accompanied by a card, which was the 'newbie gift pack' that Wu Rui had mentioned before.

Of course, sometimes, there would be two.

Lao Wang said that in the Day of Imprisonment, 'cards' are very important, they are tools for maintaining memories, tools for fighting and fighting with people, and even 'currency'.

As for how many cards appear in the initial scene, and what cards appear, the administrator cannot control it.

Even who among the amnesiacs in the scene will become a 'Memory Retriever' in the next cycle is not controlled by him.

What he does is to ensure that the newly born Memory Retrievers lose their memories, so that the amnesiacs continue to be amnesiacs.

But another rule of the checkpoint scene is that the administrator cannot personally kill the Memory Retrievers or amnesiacs in the scene, and can only do so through the role of 'Cleaner', but Cleaners need to be cultivated.

Importantly, cultivating a 'perfect' Cleaner requires a lot of costs, including time, energy, and some other precious tools.

"I've abducted the Cleaner you cultivated, so how will your scene operate next?" Luo Xi suddenly asked.