Truth Corporation's headquarters is actually not that towering "Truth Tower" that almost reaches the sky, standing within Sleepless City.
Although that thing is Truth Corporation's most iconic building, "Truth Tower" is indeed just a symbol.
It serves as Truth Corporation's business card within Sleepless City, a "temporary palace" and reception area for the decision-making layer, but it is not the corporation's true headquarters.
How could the core of a new giant that started with "high-end alchemy" possibly be just a single building?
Whether it's the "Fear" collection system within the snowy mountains that created that monster 『Chate』, or the "Furnace" currently placed on the Despair Train, both sufficiently illustrate one thing...
These things are enormous, too big to be stuffed into one building.
Furthermore, these are just the finished products;
the original prototype machines and the testing grounds where their prototypes were stored would only be even more massive giants.
And this is only considering volume, without factoring in raw material transportation, noise pollution, and various other elements.
So...
There, lies a massive complex with an area almost equivalent to a quarter of Sleepless City's main urban district, a place that can be called a city within a city.
That is Truth Corporation's headquarters!
And at this moment, Lin Yu and Baron Coleman are standing right at the main entrance of this headquarters.
Looking at the highly technological buildings and the crowds coming and going, standing before this tall, white, streamlined gate, Lin Yu marveled.
"This place is really impressive... but why is it so big?"
"Where exactly did that 'Reed Christopher' you mentioned die?"
Lin Yu had thought he would only enter a room like a secret chamber and then see the deceased and the murder scene!
He looked towards Baron Coleman beside him, only to see the other wearing an expression as if he had seen a ghost.
"Yes... why is it so big?!"
Baron Coleman said, his tone full of confusion confirming Lin Yu's earlier suspicion.
"Logically, we should only enter the crime scene—the memory fragment I have plus that file shouldn't be enough to construct such a vast scene."
"No, even with my complete memory... this place is far too vivid."
Baron Coleman said, scratching his head.
Lin Yu looked at him: "So why is this situation occurring? Any ideas?"
Coleman thought for a moment, then offered a reasonable analysis: "I think it might be because this is the 'prototype'..."
"Actually, within the entire Truth Corporation, the number of people who have come into contact with the 【Ancient Notebook】 can be counted on one hand, especially since this thing has been 'lost' for a long time."
"But, the reason I know how to use it... is because the 'Universal Recording Paper', developed based on the 【Ancient Notebook】 as a prototype blueprint, is quite widespread within Truth Corporation."
"The 'Universal Recording Paper' has the functions of storing 'memories' and reproducing 'memories'... however, that thing is 'limited' in both storage and reproduction."
"Storing a few seconds of memory fragments or reproducing a scene within a single room is already its limit."
"Even with limited time and space, severe distortion often occurs."
Baron Coleman looked up again at the entire Truth Corporation headquarters before him.
"But it seems the genuine 【Ancient Notebook】 is much more useful than the 'Universal Recording Paper'!"
Baron Coleman said, having completely recovered from his shock.
After all, he was a man who climbed step by step to the top of Truth Corporation;
his psychological resilience and tolerance were exceptionally strong, and his mindset was unusually good.
He wasn't thrown off balance by this unexpectedly grand scene at all.
"Let's go, we'll head to the 'room' that is the crime scene now."
"With such a grand and realistic scene... I feel the possibility of restoring the truth is getting higher and higher!"
Saying this, Coleman led Lin Yu through the gate.
...
While Lin Yu and Coleman's consciousnesses were exploring the Truth Corporation headquarters within the 【Ancient Notebook】, their physical bodies remained safe under the protection of Li Nian and the sentry.
The Despair Train raced along its tracks, circling the brightly lit Sleepless City.
At the same moment, in the real Truth Corporation headquarters complex located along the northern section of the Despair Train's tracks...
Deep within the complex, in a quiet and peaceful two-story building situated within a garden.
An elegant man wearing a striking orange suit, with his hair slicked back, sat in his office, watching a projection screen opposite his desk.
It displayed blurry footage from inside carriage number one of the "Despair Train".
"Punkdo Von Valetti restored to normal, Jerry Coleman Hunt emerging from his hiding place, the 'Vale Valetti' identity card and the Ancient Notebook missing for so long... all these things have actually reappeared, and Dot's inheritance have fallen into the hands of a mysterious woman outside the company."
The man muttered to himself while leisurely picking up an orange from the fruit bowl on his desk.
"And that mysterious, untraceable 『Detective』 has gotten involved too, and the remaining woman doesn't seem simple either... Ha, truly interesting."
He brought the whole, unpeeled, round orange to his mouth and took a fierce bite, skin and flesh together.
A piece of orange peel mixed with pulp was torn off by his bite, the juice flooding his mouth.
Orange juice dripped from the corner of his mouth and his wrist, but the man seemed completely unaware. After a moment of thought, he pressed a bell on the desk.
"Ding dong!"
A clear sound echoed in the office. Soon, the office door opened.
Two armed personnel, wearing neat tactical gear, helmets on their heads, and bodies laden with various weapons, entered and stood at attention.
The person on the left stepped forward and spoke: "Today's regular duty team from the Security Department is Delta Team. Awaiting your instructions."
The man took another bite of the orange and lifted his chin, gesturing for them to look at the projection behind him.
The two armed personnel turned to look, then turned back.
"Unidentified unauthorized personnel have appeared inside the Despair Train. Do you require us to proceed to handle the situation, subdue the unauthorized personnel, and bring them back for interrogation?"
The armed team member on the left asked again.
"Of course they need to be handled," the man swallowed the orange and wiped his mouth with the sleeve of his obviously extremely expensive suit, "...but no need to bring them back."
A cruel smile appeared on his face.
"Execute them on the spot."
The two armed personnel received the instructions and straightened up.
"Yes, Mr. Paris!"
Then, the two turned and left.