It is now noon, the sun shines directly from the center of the "well mouth", the surroundings of the temple are extremely bright, and all shadows are reduced to a minimum.

However, correspondingly, the shadows cast by the giant screen in other parts of the world became more solid and dark. Looking down from the top of the mountain, it seemed as if the world was a dark circle, and where they were was the only white bright spot.

.

Yu Feichen looked up at the sky. Not sure if it was an illusion, but the giant screen seemed higher than in the morning. The circular "wellhead" that projected skylight also seemed to have shrunk.

What exactly does this mean?

He informed his companions about this phenomenon, and the atmosphere in the team became more solemn.

But now the more pressing question is - how to get salt before dark?

Returning to the temple, they spread out to question the monks and nuns.

The monks and nuns here are all wrapped in black robes with a strong religious atmosphere, and a black iron chain hanging from their necks to their waists. The nuns wear translucent veils to distinguish themselves.

"Hello." Yu Feichen patted the shoulder of a nun who had her back turned to him.

The nun slowly turned around to look at him. Under her black robe, her face was pale, and her dark eyes seemed to be unable to reflect any light.

"Hello." An indifferent, mechanical reply came out of her mouth.

Yu Feichen was not surprised. During the morning inquiry, the monks and nuns were also so indifferent and slow, as if they were lifeless dolls. It seemed like what King Shadi said, "NPCs don't communicate with people."

"Excuse me, do you know where I can find salt?" he asked directly.

"Salt?" the black-robed nun repeated the term slowly, and then again: "Salt?"

"Don't you know this kind of thing?"

The nun nodded and left.

Yu Feichen frowned slightly and turned to another nun not far away.

I don’t know why, but as long as it’s a gender-divided world, most women—especially those who are weak, beautiful, or older—are often more willing to answer his questions than men. Men of the same type have a subconscious attitude toward him.

Hostility, Yu Feichen can only attribute it to the male creature's inexplicable desire to win.

This time, he did not ask "Do you know salt?" The previous nun's answer had already proved that this term does not exist in this world.

"The salad is too bland," he said to the nun. "Do you know anything that would make it salty?"

If there is no "salt", there must be "salt". At least his sense of taste is normal.

There was a slight confusion in the nun's eyes. She seemed to think for a while and then answered him: "You can add some white pepper."

There's white pepper, so there's condiment.

But I don’t know what salt is.

So there is indeed no salt in the temple kitchen.

In other words, there may really be no salt in this world.

Yu Feichen continued to ask: "So, do you know a kind of -"

The nun raised a pale finger in front of her veil and made a silencing gesture. Her voice was flat: "A nun talking too much to outsiders is detrimental to the sanctity of God."

After that, she turned around and disappeared like a ghost.

Yu Feichen turned to the next one.

"Excuse me, do you know a white, translucent, small gravel-like thing? It will melt when exposed to hot water."

"White..." The nun looked up at the bright sky. The sun pierced her eyes, and her pupils suddenly became as big as the tips of needles. Her eyes were strangely empty.

She tilted her head slightly, thoughtfully: "Translucent...grains of sand...when they meet water..."

She seems to really know something!

Yu Feichen looked at her intently, waiting for her answer.

The nun opened her mouth again.

"Boom——"

In the center of the temple, a solemn bell rang suddenly.

The nun suddenly turned her head that way.

"I have to go." She said in a missionary tone: "The God of Light bless those who have questions and they will have answers."

Then, the black figure climbed up the steps and went to the center of the temple.

The bells continued to ring, and the black figures of countless monks and nuns came out of various corners of the temple one after another and gathered in the center - like a swarm of ants before a storm.

Finding nothing, Yu Feichen went to an empty courtyard on the right as agreed, which was their agreed meeting point.

He thought he had gone back quickly enough, but unexpectedly, someone was already sitting on the crystal bench in the empty courtyard.

It's the Pope.

Under the sun, the silver hair tips shimmered, finally adding a bit of vitality to this person.

Yu Feichen walked to the bench.

"Did you find anything?" Ludwig's voice was still soft and calm. But if you listen carefully, you can see that although the voice is cold in texture, it has a hint of nasal sound, which will not be repulsive to others.

"The nuns don't know salt. They use pepper as condiment," he said.

After saying that, he asked: "What about you?"

"The temple doesn't seem to like me," the pope said. "No monks or nuns answered my questions."

It seems that Ludwig received more rejections than he did.

But Yu Feichen quickly understood the pope’s other meaning.

"You mean, the Pope does not rule the temple?"

Ludwig nodded slightly.

"The temple worships a god called the 'God of Light'," he said.

The Pope was thoughtful and asked, "Are there any other discoveries?"

Yu Feichen stood condescendingly, looking at Ludwig's profile and His Majesty the Pope's eyelashes that were slightly lowered in the sunlight.

The daylight was nice, but his mood was not,

——That feeling comes again.

The feeling of being asked questions, the feeling of being used as a tool.

If companions were asking each other and exchanging information, he would have no objection at all. But in the same situation, if the target was Ludwig, a desire to win would arise in his heart that came from nowhere.

Not only does he want to overpower this person at all times, but he also wants to exchange information with equal value. If he wants him to do something, or gets something from him, he must pay the corresponding reward.

Perhaps, it's just because... I feel that His Majesty the Pope's attitude of being calm and under control no matter what happens is not very pleasing to the eye.

Out of this strange mentality, he did not answer Ludwig's question. Instead, he asked: "What would happen if there was no salt at all in this world, or if there was no such thing as a 'Crying Lizard Heart'?"

"

From the moment he entered this world, he has always had a question. According to the gatekeeper, there are many chaotic rules that cannot be broken in the fragmented world. It relies on devouring outsiders to replenish its strength and maintain its own stability.

So, will the fragmented world give them an unsolvable task from the beginning in order to swallow up as many lives as possible?

Ludwig raised his head slightly and looked at him. He seemed to completely understand what he meant.

"The road may be narrow, or it may have twists and turns. But in theory there is no world from which there is no escape."

--"Why?"

"Now that you are here, you already know the truth about these worlds."

——"Fragments."

"It uses its own rules to kill those who come, but the rules must be self-consistent, otherwise it will make the world itself more chaotic. Therefore, if there is a way in, there must be a way out."

Ludwig's explanation stopped short, but Yu Feichen understood it completely - it was much clearer than the gatekeeper's long narrative.

The power of the fragmented world is in chaos and on the verge of collapse, so it is necessary to hunt down outsiders and stabilize itself.

But it is a self-contained world, not a monster that can move freely, so it can only kill people by formulating various untouchable rules.

However, the rules of a world must be reasonable, otherwise it will only aggravate the collapse and destruction of this world - just like the Black Badge Army who indiscriminately killed Korosa people in the previous world, cruelty and greed that go beyond the bottom line cannot consolidate rule.

, only accelerated its death.

Therefore, even if the way out is slim, it must exist - in theory.

As for whether it exists in reality, it depends on the abilities of outsiders.

He was still looking at Ludwig.

"Have you experienced... these worlds many times?"

"More than you."

Invalid answer.

He looked at the mole under Ludwig's right eye and asked lightly: "Will two people who are not connected, after being separated in one world, meet in another world?"
To be continued...