I Don't Agree to the Terms

Synthetic beasts were also crucial, for unlike synthetic humans who looked indistinguishably human, many experiments could not be conducted on them. Synthetic beasts, not bearing human resemblance, didn't provoke protests from human rights organizations regarding genetic editing and body modification.

Yet the advantage of synthetic humans in the Cosmic Cancer universe wasn't substantial. Nearly half of their bodies comprised mechanical constructs; upon dying and resurrecting, these mechanical parts were not included, resulting in an incomplete and degraded existence that ultimately spiraled downward.

If that were the only issue, it would be tolerable since the Empire didn't care much about the death of synthetic humans. The real problem was that the mechanical parts would transmute into cancerous creatures, and the missing areas in the synthetic humans would gradually fill with tumors, bone spurs, etc., between death and resurrection, turning them into half-cancerous monsters far less resilient than humans.

Pure digital robots were even less viable as they were inherently inanimate and would be corrupted by undyingness upon entry.

To Gu Shanhai, the Cyber Faction seemed like an antiquated revival. During the Empire's cybernetic era, individuals had undergone mechanical enhancements, and at that time, many warriors in the battle formations were semi-mechanical, later phased out with the emergence of synthetic humans.

Subsequently, the discovery of Ghost Energy propelled the Navia Empire onto the fast track, with most technology evolving toward energy technologies.

"I can completely create my own digital life faction through the Jile Sect and Cyber Faction," Gu Shanhai had no intention of working for others but aimed to become an Imperial Legislator and, ideally, the Imperial Prime Minister.

By doing so, he naturally aimed to win over the populace.

The Cosmic Cancer universe would inevitably be exposed; even if undyingness could be developed from it, it wouldn't be universally available. The Imperial Legislators would just commercialize it, making it unattainable for the poor forever.

If at this time, Gu Shanhai's virtual reality and digital life emerged, it could directly win everyone over, achieving universal digital bliss with everyone enjoying together in the virtual realm.

As for the claim that it couldn't affect reality?

That was even more absurd. Gu Shanhai could draw on the weaknesses of the cybernetic faction for a mechanical ascension. By controlling the synthetic humans, he could directly seize military power.

Although synthetic humans had self-awareness similar to artificial intelligence, they still had a central control system. By seizing control through the network, Gu Shanhai could become the most powerful legislator in the Empire, and with subsequent election as Prime Minister, the entire Navia Empire would fall into his hands.

As for the Royal Family, they were essentially mascots; the real power was held by the Prime Minister, although fashioned as the core of faith by the Emperor.

"The Royal Family… seems not so simple?" That's what Gu Shanhai initially thought but discovered discrepancies upon deeper investigation.

From various news sources online, the Royal Family appeared as mascots, as he had planned, but further understanding revealed it wasn't the case.

"With such limited news leakage yet becoming the faith of a nation."

"The Great Emperor of the entire Navia's founding history had much of its information erased, seemingly hidden intentionally."

"Is the Prime Minister reducing royal power?"

"How is that possible, when military power rests in the Emperor's hands?"

A hint of puzzlement also colored Gu Shanhai's expression.

"It seems I must find a way to become a direct member of the Royal Family." Gu Shanhai's use of Prophetic Divination revealed a vision of enveloping black death.

"Does Ghost Energy relate to the Royal Family?"

"Interesting."

Later, Gu Shanhai used his Spiritual Sense to investigate and found that the Imperial Palace where the Royal Family resided was shielded by a barrier. Gu Shanhai could easily break through, but the barrier and the associated surveillance system were integrated; any attempt to interfere would be easily detected.

"A Ghost Energy barrier, set to death as the limit, the Royal Family's utilization of Ghost Energy is incredibly high."

Gu Shanhai noted a profound disparity within the Navia Empire: the strength of the Royal Family and the technological prowess of the legislature, yet the lower echelons remained in disarray.

"The chaos between legislators and the legislature, I fear, is intentionally orchestrated by the Royal Family to ensure that the in-fighting among legislators doesn't threaten any royal decisions."

Therefore, Gu Shanhai understood that if he wanted to infiltrate deeper into the core of this world, he had to become a member of the Royal Family. Legislators did not qualify, and while the Prime Minister seemed to overshadow the imperial power, he was actually just a watchdog and had no idea how powerful the Royal Family was.

Furthermore, if he wanted to promote digital life and mechanical ascension, he would need a significant identity; otherwise, what good was the identity of an orphan?

The day after he released the virtual reality technology, he might very well be shot in the back and die by suicide, and this technology would become a tool for an Imperial Legislator to amass wealth.

This group of Imperial Legislators was no good—they were a bunch of hyenas without any bottom line, and they would not give up any benefits.

Gu Shanhai could avoid and counterattack by various means, but that was too troublesome; it was easier to do it all in one step.

"It seems I need to take over another person's body to make it possible." Gu Shanhai first had to investigate the personnel of the Royal Family.

This was not an easy task, as the Royal Family's personnel list was not searchable on the network.

The level of secrecy was extremely high.

Therefore, to infiltrate, Gu Shanhai had to collect the information himself.

The best method, of course, was to buy with his life force.

"The effects of 'Prophetic Divination' in this world are limited, even life-buying can't get a complete list," Gu Shanhai felt helpless. He originally hoped to directly achieve a result, to buy all secrets of Ghost Energy and the Royal Family by spending some life force.

However, he discovered that because it was a world characterized by technology, the upper limit of prophetic divination was too low to even look at.

Although the limit was low, luckily, he could still obtain the Royal Family's personnel list.

"The Emperor at the forefront was actually blocked; there are definitely secrets there."

"The Crown Prince appears hazily; there's concealment but it can't be completely hidden."

"As for other Princes and related information, it is only brief and not very detailed."

"Only these worthless lateral branches are better."

Gu Shanhai knew that apart from the low limit, there was another reason—interference from Ghost Energy.

The Ghost Energy used by the Royal Family had already begun to exhibit some characteristics of death.

Normally, they would have died from such exposure, but the Royal Family used some special technology to harness it for their own use.

"If this followed the original process, after the Navia Empire opened the Quantum Channel to the cancerous universe, players would have to change maps and come to the Navia Empire to seek the Royal Family to help rebirth the concept of death in the cancerous universe."

It was about running missions, increasing favorability, and digging deeper into various tasks.

Only then could one reach the highest SSS ranking, and the bizarre could also gain a lot of fate-related rewards from it.

That was the normal process.

As for preventing the disappearance of the death concept from the beginning, it wasn't impossible, but it was very difficult. No one saw the bizarre attempt this main branch line; not only did they fail to complete it, but they also ended up with two permanent negative statuses. Had it not been for meeting Gu Shanhai, they would have needed decades to resolve it.

So this main branch line was not something current players could complete—it was just a "First Era" that gave an opportunity.

The real main line should be to let the erased concept of death be reborn; this was the task given to the bizarre.

The difficulty in between was quite great. The original Quantum Channel should have been on the planet where Gu Shanhai and his peers descended, and then it was necessary to combat numerous cancerous life forms to find and contact the Navia Empire.