Chapter 367: Toywar (Thirteen)
Chapter 367: Toywar (Thirteen)
"However, I think I should first speak with Classic’s two scouts", Lego Prophet continued. "Once we’ve concluded our matters, I’ll gladly answer your questions and those of your companion in detail."
Feng Bu Jue nodded. "Alright, I won’t interrupt then. Carry on." He even mimicked zipping his lips shut with his right hand.
For the next ten minutes, the two Transformers, Lego Avengers, and the Prophet engaged in lengthy, tedious negotiations.
The atmosphere remained relaxed, as the misunderstanding was easily clarified. Essentially, some of Novel’s Toys had stolen a batch of Lego bricks, later assembling them into a squadron of helicopters. If the Lego faction bore any blame, it was merely negligence in resource security. Classic had no authority to intervene in such matters.
"Therefore, Lego’s neutral stance remains unchanged, and Novel will bear the consequences for breaching our borders", Tony Stark concluded. "This is now a grievance solely between Lego and Novel. As for the losses their helicopters inflicted on your army, we can only express regret."
"Hmm..." Jazz fell silent for a few seconds, exchanging glances with Nightbeat before replying. "Fine, we’ll relay this to Optimus Prime." He turned toward Feng Bu Jue and Xiao Tan. "Recruits, Nightbeat and I are heading back to the brigade headquarters to report. You two can return on your own after finishing your talk with the Prophet."
"Understood, sir", Feng Bu Jue replied dutifully, clearly eager for them to leave.
Jazz shrugged noncommittally and strode out with Nightbeat.
"Tony Stark, you all may step out too", Lego Prophet then said. "I’d like to speak with these two guests alone."
"Prophet, these two gentlemen seem unfamiliar..." Steve cautioned. "Are you certain you want us all to leave?"
"Don’t worry", Lego Prophet replied. "They won’t resort to violence with me, and I’m not one to fear military threats."
"If you insist..." Tony Stark answered for Captain America, patting Steve’s shoulder before leaving with the other Avengers.
Once the building’s entrance sealed shut again, Lego Prophet spoke: "Greetings, Mad Bu Jue, Wang Tan Zhi."
Hearing his name, Feng Bu Jue perked up. "Hmph... A prophet indeed, living up to the title. Logically, only a select few in the Classic Faction should know our names. Since entering this Lego city, Jazz and Nightbeat never once mentioned our identities, addressing us only as ‘recruits.’ Yet here you are, calling us by name... That leaves only one possibility..."
"Two possibilities, actually", Lego Prophet interjected. "First, I might have acquired your intelligence directly from Classic through eavesdropping devices, cyber spying, or similar means." The Rhomboid Construct paused. "Second, I possess the ability to observe you at the data level."
Feng Bu Jue grinned. "Your reasoning is sharp too."
"Mutual respect", Lego Prophet replied.
Feng Bu Jue continued, "Given you’ve listed these hypotheses, I’d say there’s about a 70% chance it’s the second one." He crossed his arms, tilting his head. "Which leads me to another hypothesis... You’re not just ordinary data."
"Obvious, isn’t it", Lego Prophet chuckled. "This rhombus-shaped Lego construct is merely my carrier in this space; my true self isn’t here." Without hesitation, they introduced themselves. "I am one of the twelve jurors of the Tribunal of Truth—Prophet."
"Why does none of this surprise me..." Xiao Tan muttered with a twitching smile.
"Then you must know what’s really happening in this war at the Supermarket", Feng Bu Jue asked.
"This isn’t a Supermarket", Prophet corrected gravely. "It’s a prison."
"Toys are prisoners?" Feng Bu Jue followed up.
"Indeed, and all serving life sentences", Prophet replied. "Though originally, they weren’t Toys. These prisoners once were office workers, students, thugs, millionaires, athletes, serial killers, actors, and more. Upon arriving here, their memories and ideologies were altered. Personality, being unmodifiable, remained. Thus, they were transformed into Toy counterparts most akin to their original temperaments."
"So... Nintendo’s Donkey Kong was actually a transformed Sakata Gintoki from another universe?" Feng Bu Jue mused aloud.
"Hmph, impossible", Prophet quipped. "Gintoki’s gorilla would only swing from tires at best. Donkey Kong requires someone on the level of Shōgakukan’s Ryūta Hoshi."
"Hmm... True", Feng Bu Jue stroked his chin. "Though... Sakamoto Desu seems—"
"Hey! Why are you two tangling over nonsensical nonsense while an Npc’s revealing the plot’s darkest secrets?!" Xiao Tan finally exploded. "What difference does it make which fictional character’s gorilla is stronger? Those two aren’t even real people to start with!"
Feng Bu Jue suddenly straightened. "Ah, that explains why these Toys can’t articulate the war’s origins or fear human discovery of inconsistencies."
"Consciousness adjustment is a highly practical technology", Prophet explained. "It restricts thought patterns without impairing cognitive function. In prisoners’ minds, countless inaccessible blind spots exist. To analogize, imagine a color entirely absent from your perception. Until you witness it, you can’t fathom its existence. Even seeing it, you’d lack a name for it."
"You two broke immersion faster than a shattered mirror!" Xiao Tan shouted. "Was the gorilla discussion erased from your minds?! Back to business like nothing happened?!"
Ignoring him, Feng Bu Jue and Prophet resumed their conversation.
"Then... what role do the Supermarket’s security guards play? Are they wardens?" Feng Bu Jue asked.
Prophet chuckled coldly. "The night shift starts at 8 PM, patrolling every three hours. It’ll be 2 AM in a little over ten minutes. Go see for yourselves then... what ‘they’ truly are."
"Wait!" Xiao Tan tried to cut in again, "I've got a question too! If this is a Prison, why set it up like this? What’s the point of turning prisoners into Toys and making them fight without any reason?"
"Honestly, that’s not even that strange", Feng Bu Jue shrugged, recalling the corridor where Bi Li, La Bit, and Ao Er Deng had been imprisoned. "I’ve seen far stranger setups."
This time, the Prophet actually responded to Xiao Tan’s inquiry. "The Tribunal of Truth is tasked with supervision, trial, and detention. Among the 42 known primary universes, all high-wisdom lifeforms fall under our jurisdiction. Many of our inmates are ten-point-level threats, requiring solitary confinement—sometimes even custom-designed Prisons to hold them." He paused for two seconds. "The Prison you’re in now, however, houses common prisoners. Their numbers stretch into the tens of thousands, making management extremely difficult."
"But keeping them busy makes it much easier", Feng Bu Jue cut in, stealing the Prophet’s line. "Every night, they fight in an unwinnable, unending war. Sure, some die, but new prisoners are constantly transformed into Toys to replace them."
War is an activity that demands absolute focus from participants, draining their energy and keeping them too preoccupied to think or act beyond the battlefield. These prisoners have no time to ponder anything else. As Toys, they’re confined to a few zones in the Supermarket each night, never once considering… that I’d climb out the window and escape this Supermarket."
"Doesn’t this confinement method have exceptions?" Xiao Tan asked skeptically.
"The key lies in what’s called 'consciousness adjustment,'" Feng Bu Jue replied. "When these Toys question 'why they’re fighting,' it’s like you asking 'what’s the meaning of life.' Obviously, you’ll never find an exact answer, but that won’t stop you from living. Similarly, the Toys can’t explain their war, yet they’ll keep fighting anyway."
"Haha… indeed sharp", the Prophet chuckled. "Mad Bu Jue, the man who helped Bi Li and his crew break out of prison—no wonder."
Feng Bu Jue sensed danger in those words but kept his tone calm. "What are you talking about? I don’t understand a word."
"Relax, I’m on your side", the Prophet said. "Otherwise, I wouldn’t be telling you all this. You remember La Bit, right? We’re old friends. I was glad when he escaped the Time Lord’s Prison."
At this, Feng Bu Jue recalled Bi Li’s words: "La Bit and his cousin were originally jury members, but they got convicted for contempt of court."
The Prophet sighed. "Actually, when Bi Li and Ao Er Deng were summoned for 'spreading chaos,' I voted 'not guilty.' But the trial’s final verdict was 'guilty.' That’s when La Bit and Bugs Bunny lost control—La Bit roundhouse-kicked the jurors who voted guilty, while Bugs Bunny pelted the judge with dung balls. The courtroom erupted into chaos."
"Wait… this info-dump is way too much…" Xiao Tan muttered, his unease spiking.
"Oh, I see", Feng Bu Jue said calmly, piecing it together. "In the end, Bugs Bunny used the confusion to draw an escape hole on the wall, fleeing. La Bit, charged again with contempt of court, joined Bi Li and Ao Er Deng in the Time Lord’s Prison. Later, the guard Sāmo Dì’èr defected, met me, got recaptured, and sent to Chum Island. Bi Li’s crew did a second stint, but this time the guard was Fast. Eventually… they broke out again because of me."
"Exactly", the Prophet confirmed.
"Are we even playing the same game…" Xiao Tan stared at Feng Bu Jue, his awe for him skyrocketing.
Feng Bu Jue narrowed his eyes. "Earlier, you implied the Supermarket’s security guards aren’t the real wardens. So… are you?"
"No, I’m just an enthusiastic observer", the Prophet smiled. "Using my ‘Lego Prophet’ identity, I control neutral Lego forces to maintain the war’s balance and intensity. My job’s simple—I just talk."
"Hmph… so Classic’s suspicions about you weren’t unfounded", Feng Bu Jue said, instantly grasping the subtext. "Novel’s successful theft of Lego bricks must’ve been your intentional leak."
"Hehe… shame you’re an otherworld traveler", the Prophet admitted. "Otherwise, I’d recommend you join the jury. We’ve got vacancies." His words confirmed Feng Bu Jue’s hunch.
Uninterested, Feng Bu Jue pressed on. "Back to my question—since you’re not the warden, and the guards aren’t either… who is the Prison’s warden? And where can I find them?"
The Prophet paused. "Urgent, are we?"
"Of course", Feng Bu Jue replied evenly. "I need them to help end this war."
The Prophet hesitated for a few seconds. The Rhomboid Construct’s surface flickered violently. "Mad Bu Jue, you know as well as I do—whether it’s me or the warden, our duty is to ensure this war never ends."
"You’re just an observer, though", Feng Bu Jue’s gaze sharpened. "Since when did ‘duty’ become part of your vocabulary?"
The Rhomboid Construct fell silent.
At that moment, the building they stood in began undergoing unexpected changes. Each Lego brick on the walls and floors writhed like living things, restless and agitated.
"Hey… what’s with the mood shift?" Xiao Tan yelped. "You two went from buddy-buddy to hostile in record time!"
"You told me nine parts truth", Feng Bu Jue smirked at the Rhomboid Construct, "just to hide one part deception. The more I learn, the more those inconsistencies stand out… impossible to ignore."
(End of Chapter)
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