Chapter 10: Mutation Research

No one understood Lin Ye better than himself, so he quickly followed his "other self's" train of thought.

The Möbius Strip represented a topological structure of infinite loops. Lin Ye didn't actually have deep knowledge about such structures, so his "other self" must have simply felt the current situation resembled a Möbius Strip.

The three Möbius Strips represented the three D-Class personnel.

"Does this mean we didn't enter the same tunnel? Just that the loops have connection points?"

Lin Ye recalled the inexplicable light-switching phenomenon. Perhaps that was a special effect caused by two Möbius Strips intersecting.

"If I don't move forward, the lights remain off. The moment I take a step forward, the lights immediately illuminate the tunnel, and that precise moment must coincide with encountering someone from another loop..."

"Not moving means never meeting."

Lin Ye glanced at his feet.

"Are we walking on loops of time then?"

"Moving forward means leaving the intersection point, making people disappear..."

"So direction is meaningless. My only choices are staying or moving forward..."

"I hadn't been here long before encountering my monsterized self completing the first loop."

"Three intersecting loops, each sharing a connection point with the other two. The No.2 and No.3 I met earlier weren't the ones behind me, but versions about to complete their loops before meeting themselves."

"But why did the next 'me' ask me to kill him?"

"Why not cycle a few more rounds? Shouldn't we be looking for ways to break the cycle? Returning now just means starting over. Unless... has 'I' already found a way to break the cycle without telling me?"

"No, 'I' wouldn't omit something so important. Leaving only the Möbius Strip as a hint means 'I' hadn't found a solution."

"Then why the urgency to escape?"

"The final chance... can't hold on... can't perform the next simulation..."

"What could prevent me from simulating again?"

"What could make me incapable of even suicide?"

"The Abyssal Egg."

"The Abyssal Egg causes bodily mutation. Continued mutation would make me lose control, to the point where I couldn't even kill myself."

"A monster out of control would keep cycling, trapping me here forever."

"But wouldn't the monster kill its looping selves?"

"No... each cycle strengthens the monster. Without 'my' cooperation, I couldn't kill the next cycle's version."

"And 'I' couldn't kill me either, because without me, 'I' wouldn't exist."

"Then if I arrange for 'me' to kill me, would that end the cycle?"

"No, too risky. My understanding of time is too shallow. Reckless attempts might trigger unknown consequences."

"At least there's still discernible pattern here. Causing a time paradox might permanently trap me in the time tunnel."

Lin Ye kept walking. Severe bodily mutation was already affecting his mental state. Whispering voices filled his ears—inaudible yet incessant.

Flashes of light and shadow occasionally crossed his vision, disappearing upon closer inspection.

Continuing like this, he'd soon descend into true madness.

"Enough overthinking. Leave the cycle for the next simulation's me to solve. I just need to proceed toward the predetermined ending."

Relaxing his body while walking, Lin Ye checked his condition and noticed he had far fewer mutation organs than his next-cycle counterpart.

"Developed later? But why all surface-level?"

"Something's wrong. Blood-corpse mutation organs are internal. Is this the Abyssal Egg's unique property?"

"What creature would place vital organs externally? They're not decorations..."

"Ah! Did I deliberately cultivate them?"

"But why would I grow mutation organs externally?"

"...For suicide."

"Exactly. Mutated creatures have extraordinary vitality. Without special measures, I might not be able to kill 'myself'."

"So I need to relocate future mutation organs to the surface."

Lin Ye began studying his own body.

Upon examination, he discovered that as a monster, he'd gained a new sensory ability beyond the standard five.

This perception was remarkably powerful—he could sense his surroundings without sight and directly monitor his internal state.

Using this perception, Lin Ye began researching and influencing his mutation process.

An indeterminable time later, Lin Ye encountered his previous-cycle self again.

Along the way, he'd met No.2 and No.3 once more—this time they fled upon seeing him, as his current appearance was truly terrifying.

Meeting himself, Lin Ye reenacted their previous encounter exactly: surface mutation organs, Möbius Strip markings, blood writing, opening his chest cavity... then awaiting death.

The process went smoothly—this was the predetermined outcome.

By now, Lin Ye could barely control himself. The Abyssal Egg had its own consciousness, preventing him from bypassing it to commit suicide. Exposing his heart was his limit.

During his journey, he'd concentrated all energy into his heart, cultivating a grotesquely powerful mutated heart—undoubtedly his new weak point.

This simulation deepened Lin Ye's understanding of mutated creatures and organs by several levels. He even considered attempting mutation on his real body.

Not because he wanted to become a monster, but because he coveted their strength.

The human body has limits. No matter how much one trains or hones skills, they can only approach that ceiling, never surpass it.

Mutation is the key to breaking that limit.

"Mutation" isn't entirely accurate—it's evolution at the lifeform level. But dosage control is crucial; exceeding thresholds turns one into a monster.

Monstrous transformation isn't just physical deformity—it severely affects the mind.

Buzz buzz...

Lin Ye opened his eyes to find himself on the familiar prisoner transport, facing D-Class personnel No.2.

"Nine simulations left. If not for worrying about my real body, I should simulate more here to thoroughly study the mutation process."

Lin Ye suddenly realized his ability's true strength wasn't resource acquisition, but gaining experience from anomalous events and using simulated bodies to research mutation.