Chapter 181. Waawaawaa

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Arc 9: Real World.

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TN:- Wish you all a Merry Christmas 🎉🎊☃️🎄

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Surrounded by nothingness, it was as if a switch had been flipped in Chen You’s mind. He started walking uncontrollably, continuing forward without stopping for a moment.

Then a door suddenly appeared, with a sign hanging on the door that looked like a screen. It read “Main System Office” in penmanship, each stroke sharp and piercing, as if touching it would draw blood. It gave off an extremely solemn yet dangerous feeling.

Without stepping inside, Chen You looked around. There was no one, no houses, and no other furnishings. He made a swallowing motion. What was going on?

One moment he was crying in Li Yan’s arms, the next he was in some inexplicable place.

Is it another dimension?

Chen You recalled what the mechanical voice had said. He heard every word clearly, understood the meaning, yet at the same time, he didn’t understand it at all. System staff member number 333—wasn’t that Old 4’s colleague? Completing the assessment and being promoted to the main system meant getting promoted and a significant increase in salary, right?

But what does this have to do with him?

Then he remembered his work ID badge. Chen You lowered his head to look and saw a badge hanging around his neck, he didn’t know when it had gotten there. He widened his eyes and it took him a while to pick up the badge. The design wasn’t fancy, it had two large, plain black letters, CY, and a black stamp in the lower left corner

CY, could that be the initials of the name Chen You?

【Master, Xiao Lu(green) misses you so much. 】

Suddenly, a sound came from beside his ear, like the kind of sound those dolls he used to buy as a child would make when you squeezed them. Chen You was startled, and he looked around in all directions, but there was nothing there.

【Is Master looking for Xiao Lu?】

Isn’t that obvious? If you don’t show yourself and just keep talking, I’ll be scared out of my wits! Chen You wanted to scream at the top of his lungs.

【Xiao Lu is the owner’s stamp. 】

What the heck? A stamp? Chen You quickly grabbed the badge, staring at the black stamp on it in disbelief. Can this thing actually talk? Is it electronic? High-tech? Damn, someone slap me awake please?

Without thinking, he blurted out, “You say you’re a stamp, but this stamp is black.”

【Oh, that’s because Master is colorblind. 】

Chen You，“……”

【Xiao Lu congratulates Master on his successful promotion to main system, from now on, wealth will surely flow in. 】

Chen You could understand the second half of the sentence, but what the hell was the first half?!

He stared at the badge, but after a long time, he couldn’t make heads or tails of it. What should he do? There was no one to ask, and the only thing he could talk to was a small, seemingly intelligent device that kept calling him ‘master’, which clearly indicated something was wrong.

After standing outside the door for an unknown amount of time, Chen You finally had no choice but to go inside.

He was stunned by the sight before him. Was this really an office, or a park?

A cloud of mist floated in one corner, the lake water was clear, and lotus leaves covered the lake. Ripples were gently stirred by the wind, and bright red lotus flowers stood quietly. One end of the wooden bridge was at Chen You’s feet, extending to the pavilion in the lake. Carp swam around and played in the lake, and the melodious sound of a guqin drifted from afar.

The little thing on the badge keeps making “wow wow wow” noises.

Chen You also wanted to.

【Master, this is the office set up by the previous master system. You are free to modify it. 】

Chen You’s hands and feet were stiff and he remained silent. He really needed to say this, “Don’t call me master anymore. We’re not familiar with each other, and I don’t like people who act overly familiar with me.”

【Xiao Lu is not a human. 】

Chen You almost fell headfirst into the lake. He looked back and saw that the door was still there, standing alone, which looked quite eerie.

A gust of wind blew by, and goosebumps rose on Chen You’s skin. The chill felt very real. He pursed his lips, walked onto the wooden bridge, and headed step by step toward the pavilion.

The pavilion was quite spacious, with a white screen and a chair, otherwise, there was nothing else, making it resemble an office now.

Chen You sat down on the chair. From his angle, he could take in all the beautiful scenery of the lake. He could even smell the faint fragrance of lotus flowers.

An office like this only exists in dreams.

A line of text suddenly appeared on the white screen: Identity verification complete. Do you accept data retrieval?

“Reject!”

Although Chen You still didn’t understand what was going on, he subconsciously felt that reverting the data was a very bad choice.

The text on the screen disappeared and then reappeared, accompanied by a ding sound: Notice: The data will be automatically retrieved in ten minutes. Please do not leave the DL area.

Chen You was going crazy. Where is the DL area?

【Master, you’re so silly, this is your current spot. 】

Chen You coughed up blood. He anxiously stood up from the chair, trying to run out of the pavilion. Damn it, for some reason, he couldn’t move at all, not even a single finger.

【Master, you’ve been locked on! Xiao Lu is so nervous! Master, you’re finally coming back! 】

Chen You felt a rush of blood to his head, and just as he was at a loss, a beam of light shot out from the white screen and enveloped him.

In that instant, the winds from all directions stopped, the clouds and mist solidified, the crucian carp in the lake stopped swimming, the lotus leaves stiffened, and the area became still.

After an unknown amount of time, maybe three or five minutes, or maybe ten minutes or so, the light beam faded, the clouds and mist drifted away into the distance, the wind passed through the pavilion and danced around the lotus leaves, and the carp jumped up, scattering golden water on the lake surface.

Everything returned to normal, as if the brief stillness had never happened.

Chen You opened his closed eyes, which were as dark as if covered by a black cloth, devoid of any emotion. He sat back in his chair and said calmly, “Xiao Lu, long time no see.”

【Waawaawaa, Master… Master, waawaawaa… 】

Chen You raised his hand and pressed on the screen, which brought up a page filled with all sorts of icons. He clicked on one of the icons and changed the background of the small bridge and flowing water.

Looking at the animation of chrysanthemums in full bloom, Chen You placed his hands on his abdomen, his fingers interlaced, and asked, “How is it?”

【Xiao Lu felt that this did not suit Master’s taste. 】

Chen You said, “I think so too.”

After he finished speaking, he adjusted the settings again. The chrysanthemum animation disappeared, replaced by a gray sky with a raindrop occasionally sliding down, leaving a watermark on the screen, as if it were really raining.

The pavilion was silent.

Chen You squinted and began to recount the entire assessment process.

One day, while he was working, he suddenly received a notification from the main program, asking him to prepare for the main system’s assessment, which included three main assessment points: love, friendship, and family.

It is said that 000 and 111 have become a legal couple. 222’s original form was a human from a low-level planet. During the time the other was the host, he developed an emotional bond with the mission target and was ultimately unable to withdraw in order to maintain balance.

Of the four people with similar qualifications, he was the only one who lacked all three kinds of feelings.

That’s why the main program selected him to be the next main system administrator, but of course, that was only after he passed the assessment.

After receiving the notification, Chen You took leave from work and made a detailed and complete plan for his assessment, which could be described as flawless.

Family ties were represented by Chen Weidong and his wife, friendships by Xia Hong and Xiao Langgou, and as for romantic love, Chen You used a kind of intelligent virus he created himself, named KM, which acted as a gatekeeper and firewall, protecting his personal program by using a ‘fight poison against poison’ approach.

Once an intruder enters, the KM will proactively attack, destroying it directly and absorbing its energy.

Chen You was very satisfied with KM and continued to improve its functions, creating a body for it to help guard the house during his work.

Even managing his life.

Chen You had a strong sense of self-preservation. Knowing that love was different from family ties and friendship, and fearing any uncontrollable mishaps during the evaluation process, he devised a foolproof plan, incorporating trusted KM into it as a crucial element.

He also added data such as cruelty, ruthlessness, indifference, and bloodthirstiness to KM, and set obstacles for his missions so that he could experience love.

Afterwards, Chen You, following the assessment requirements, completely overhauled all of his relevant data, essentially creating two entirely different personalities.

In the real world, he is hailed as a legend on the Central Network, and the program code he wrote remains unbroken to this day. He is reclusive, introverted, shrewd, and calculating. However, in the assessment world, he is lively, cheerful, sunny, simple, kind, and has a very low IQ, sometimes appearing almost mentally challenged.

He doesn’t know how to cook, hates singing, dancing, and playing video games, considering them a waste of time and boring. He also dislikes any kind of snacks, yet the person who is being evaluated in the world loves these very things.

The biggest hobby is doing boring things.

All the assessment tasks were written and planned by Chen You, including the reset after the first task was completed, the false idea that the second task world was the real world, and using Chen Weidong to support him to the end and reach the target of the family affection value.

It was also Chen You’s arrangement that 444 became a guardian. Even the assignment to the last mission world to eliminate the remnants of KM who had escaped, and the role of Ren Wu as a small pawn, were all within his plan.

Everything proceeded as planned, and the assessment was passed smoothly without the slightest miscalculation.

Chen You rubbed his temples. Was that really the case…?

No, that’s not the case.

During his mission, KM was also undergoing continuous transformation, developing independent consciousness and no longer being subject to his control or restraint.

A moment later, Chen You took off his work badge and prepared to leave the virtual space.

【Master, won’t you stay a little longer? Xiao Lu had only exchanged a few words with Master, and still had so much more to say. 】

“Pesky.”

Chen You touched the stamp, “We’ll talk tomorrow.”

The next second, he disappeared.

The Xihe district is home to several detached villas, spaced far apart with extensive green areas. This area is so exclusive that even with money, you can’t easily buy property there. The residents are people engaged in specialized professions, whose work schedules differ from the norm, resulting in minimal interaction, some residents have never even met each other.

There was a villa surrounded by trees, and it was quiet all around, without a single bird foraging for food.

Upstairs, in a room on the north side, the door opened, and Chen You walked out, dressed in pajamas. His face was extremely pale, and there were clear dark circles under his eyes. He had been staying in the virtual space for an extremely long time, completing the assessment tasks non-stop, and was severely mentally exhausted. He needed to rest for a while to recover.

Entering the bedroom, Chen You leaned back and fell asleep on the bed, sleeping for two whole days.

The main program had issued a public announcement, revealing who the new main system administrator is.

Each system staff member is a genius in some respect. They wear their equipment at their respective homes and work in the virtual space of the system network using consciousness data. Outside of the system network, back in the real world, they don’t know each other.

Because a confidentiality agreement was signed, the staff were required to maintain absolute secrecy and not disclose the details of their work to the outside world, to prevent public curiosity and potential unrest. This applied even to married couples.

Unless staff members have work-related interactions, they are not allowed to contact each other. Not only must they sign another agreement, but they also need to submit a request to their superiors.

The approval time is unpredictable, it could be a few minutes, two or three days, or it might take forever – it all depends on the boss’s mood.

Si Sisi and Wu Wuwu live in the same residential complex. They had seen each other once or twice while walking their dogs. They only realized they worked in the same department and did the same job after meeting in a virtual space due to a work-related incident.

This was the first time the two of them had tacitly agreed to meet up, and they were both feeling depressed and very conflicted.

Si Sisi took a sip of coffee, “I feel like a fool during this time.”

Wu Wuwu said, “I feel the same way.”

What followed was a silence that was neither long nor short.

Si Sisi and Wu Wuwu never imagined that this was an assessment from beginning to end, and that they were just there to accompany the examinee.

What virus, what data paralysis, what secret high-level meeting, what employee punishment—it’s all just a show. Others were the main characters, and they were the supporting actors.

The scheme was too elaborate, they were trapped.

Si Sisi put the cup on the table, his expression not good.

On his first day of employment, he received and reviewed all the contents of the employee manual and understood that the main system would not be replaced unless there were unforeseen circumstances, such as death.

The previous main system must have died before a new one took over.

Si Sisi had only heard that the main system had to undergo a special assessment before a new one taking office, but who would have thought it would cause such a huge commotion, involving everyone else? That person was just making it all up himself and trying to get everyone else involved.

Wu Wuwu said, “Try to look on the bright side. He’ll be our boss from now on, especially yours, since you’ll be relying on him for your bonus.”

Si Sisi’s facial muscles twitched, “You’re just a minor character. You don’t have as many scenes as me, and you’re not as immersed in the role. I’ve been completely manipulated, how can I just get over it?”

It’s infuriating to think about. He actually thought he had accidentally discovered the secret that the real world was the first task world. To warn Chen You, he not only came up with the script title 《The Fifth World》, but also wrote all the information into the lyrics of that song.

So it was all pre-arranged by that person, just for the purpose of the assessment.

When the other party was going through such a terrible ordeal, he was secretly watching, and he felt distressed many times. He even considered breaking the rules and taking a risk to help, and he actually did so.

I can’t go on, my head hurts. Si Sisi clenched his fist and pressed it against his forehead, his face as black as the bottom of a pot.

That person joined the system network earlier than him, though he didn’t know exactly how much earlier. He was more experienced and had always been something of a legend. The things he’d heard about this person were enough to indicate that this individual was antisocial, friendless, and incredibly arrogant.

The Chen You he knew was unrestrained, always laughing and joking, crying when he wanted to cry and laughing when he wanted to laugh. He was clearly mentally challenged, and had absolutely nothing in common with the legendary flower of the mountain ridge at all. How could they possibly be the same person?

Si Sisi sighed deeply. If he ever had the chance to meet the boss, he would have to serve him tea and greet him respectfully. The bonus was important and irreplaceable.

My head hurts even more.

Wu Wuwu suddenly said, “You don’t still have those kinds of feelings for him, do you?”

Si Sisi remained expressionless, “Which kind?”

Wu Wuwu smiled and said, “You understand what I mean.”

Si Sisi also smiled, “I don’t understand.”

Wu Wuwu，“……”

Like the previously unknown 222, he was also a creature from a lower-level planet. After completing his mission, he took on this job, transforming from a host into a system, and he’s been doing it for many years. It’s not that he loves it, but he’s simply grown accustomed to it, and moreover, they all have someone or something they want to protect.

Unlike Si Sisi, who was a system administrator from the start, he came from a prestigious and wealthy family, without experiencing any dramatic ups and downs in life. He was indifferent to emotions, considering them unimportant.

“If you have time, I can introduce you to some people. I know quite a few single women who are quite eligible, and there are also some men.”

Si Sisi said, “I don’t have time.”

Wu Wuwu was cut off as soon as he started to speak, and could not continue.

Si Sisi pinched the bridge of his nose a few times, his light gray eyes gazing at the street outside the window, “Do you think that after passing the assessment, he will erase all the data of his friends, family, and loved ones in the virtual world?”

Wu Wuwu was slightly taken aback. It would be difficult, wouldn’t it? Only by truly committing oneself could one pass the assessment, but committing oneself meant investing one’s heart and soul, making it impossible to walk away unscathed.

Wasn’t he the same way back then?

He thought that once he completed all the missions and returned, he would be able to forget the people and things in the mission world, live a good life in the real world, get married, have children, and live a peaceful and happy life. But it just didn’t work.

Although that’s what he was thinking, Wu Wuwu said something completely different, “I don’t know.”

It’s best not to say too much to someone who doesn’t understand love, they won’t listen anyway.

Si Sisi’s brows were furrowed, and it was unclear what he was thinking.

Wu Wuwu stirred his coffee with a spoon and said, “Don’t worry, it won’t be long, maybe not even until tomorrow, before you stop worrying about it.”

Si Sisi raised his eyes, “What do you mean?”

Wu Wuwu said, “Our memories will be erased, including the fragments that appeared during that person’s assessment period.”

Si Sisi’s expression changed several times, “No way?”

Wu Wuwu shrugged, offering no further explanation. His meaning was clear, it will.

After they separated, Si Sisi returned to his residence and went to get off work and came home as usual. Several days passed without any further developments.

He contacted Wu Wuwu, the only colleague he dealt with, and asked, “No clean up?”

Wu Wuwu said that, according to his knowledge, that’s the proper procedure, since it involved confidential information, “That person probably doesn’t care.”

Si Sisi couldn’t tell whether he felt relieved or indifferent.

More than a month later, Si Sisi went out to walk his dog and encountered a person by the river. From a distance, he recognized the figure from behind. Just as he walked over, the person turned around.

Their eyes met, one was light gray, the other jet black, with a tear mole at the corner of one eye.

Si Sisi was walking a real big white dog, while the other person was walking a smart model yellow puppy.

Just as Si Sisi was feeling agitated and unsure how to face his newly appointed superior, the other party spoke first, saying distantly, “Thank you.”

Understanding what he meant, Si Sisi replied simply, “You’re welcome.”

They brushed past each other and went their separate ways.

Si Sisi gritted his teeth, turned around, took a big step and caught up with the person.

Before long, the two were sitting in the restaurant.

The restaurant has a rule that pets are not allowed inside, except for smart models. So Si Sisi’s big white dog was led to the temporary care area by the waiter, while Chen You’s yellow puppy was lying at his feet.

Si Sisi rubbed his forehead, realizing that impulsiveness was the devil, a thought that needed to be suppressed. He had called the person over, but after calming down, he didn’t know what to say.

Chen You took the menu to order, “What would you like to eat?”

Si Sisi was absent-minded, and simply said, “Whatever.”

Chen You was indeed very casual. After ordering the food, he immediately paid using the terminal, saying indifferently, “This time I’m treating you, as a thank you for your help during my promotion assessment.”

Si Sisi twitched the corners of his mouth and gave a meaningless smile.

This restaurant didn’t have many customers, and the food was served quickly. Those who could dine here were either rich or powerful.

Chen You ate the food on his plate slowly and deliberately. His fingers, holding the knife and fork, were thin and white, giving off a sickly air, just like his face and lips.

That paleness made him appear aloof and distant.

Seeing this made Si Sisi’s eyes hurt. Where had that little guy gone, the one who used to pounce on food and eat heartily the moment he saw it? He poked at the steak a few times with his fork, then listlessly pushed it aside.

“Why me?”

Before Chen You could answer, Si Sisi continued, “555 has a gentle personality and always patiently guides the hosts under his charge. Although 666 is impartial and strict, he is the most principled one and would never set traps or trick the hosts. 777, who is even higher up, is a teacher and follows a textbook-style teaching method. Any of them would be more beneficial to your mission than me.”

Chen You’s expression was indifferent, “You’re next in line.”

Si Sisi frowned, “What kind of reason is this?”

Chen You swallowed the food in his mouth, “When I retire, you’ll be sitting in that position, so you need to familiarize yourself with the assessment process in advance.”

Si Sisi scoffed, it was unclear whether he disdained the position or disliked the person opposite him.

Chen You said, “Watch your attitude.”

Si Sisi said with a forced, insincere smile, “I still prefer mentally retarded you.”

Chen You maintained his indifferent attitude, saying, “I don’t want to hear that from you again.”

Si Sisi looked at that face, pale with a greenish tinge, clearly a pitiful creature with an irregular lifestyle and no one to care for him, yet acting superior and unapproachable, “And what about it?”

Chen You narrowed his eyes, “I heard you really like bonuses?”

Si Sisi，“……”

He had no appetite at all. He leaned back in his chair, arms crossed, “Can I ask you a question?”

Chen You said, “Ask.”

Si Sisi organized his thoughts, and after a long pause asked, “The existence of Li Yan was something you created entirely, so now that you’ve returned, what will be his fate? Do you truly not care about what happens in the virtual world?”

Chen You said, “These are two separate questions.”

“Since you did not follow the rules, your opportunity to have one question answered is forfeited.”

Si Sisi’s face was ashen. This Chen You had become his superior, but he still wanted to beat him.

After only a short time interacting with him, Si Sisi realized he was completely wrong. Although the person had changed significantly and was now difficult to understand, no longer the easily fooled simpleton he once was, his fundamental nature remained the same.

For example, the need for spanking.

When Si Sisi looked again, he discovered even more than that. This person had intentionally altered various aspects of himself during the assessment, but his appearance in the last world was unchanged from his appearance in the first world.

This indicates that he is extremely satisfied with his own face, which is very similar to that of the virtual character Chen You.

Chen You suddenly lifted his eyelids, his gaze unfathomable.

Si Sisi felt a chill run down his spine for no apparent reason, as if his internal organs were being scanned, as if everything inside him had been exposed and laid out on the table for the other party to examine.

Chen You asked, “Did you bring your employee manual?”

Si Sisi looked confused, “I threw it away a long time ago. Besides, who would carry something like that around? It’s not like it’s necessary….?”

Chen You said, “Unfortunately, I brought it with me.”

Si Sisi，“……”

He cleared his throat, his face flushed slightly, feeling a little embarrassed. He hoped the other person wouldn’t hold a grudge, as the bonus was really important to him.

Chen You said, “I hold grudges.”

Having his thoughts guessed correctly on the spot, Si Sisi’s eye twitched, there was nothing more to discuss.

Speaking of which, when he was working before, he often called him mentally retarded, idiots, and told him to pray. Surely he didn’t save all that data, did he?

Chen You pulled up the manual, “Article 56 of the manual states that during the term of service in the system, it is forbidden to develop feelings for any host. Office romances are also not allowed. If discovered, the person will be immediately dismissed and banned from the Central Network for life.”

Si Sisi said, “Uh-huh, then what’s going on with 000 and 111? They’ve become a couple.”

Chen You’s answer was very realistic, “It depends on the person.”

Si Sisi was unable to refute.

“They are the veterans, they have privileges, you don’t.” Chen You said very bluntly, “So you can’t like me.”

In an instant, the air on the table condensed.

“I like you?”

Si Sisi chuckled twice, as if he had heard a great joke, and forgot to restrain himself in front of his superior, “There should be a limit to your narcissism.”

Chen You said neither quickly nor slowly, “I’ve checked, and during my assessment, when you interacted with me in the later stages, your heart rate, breathing, body temperature, swallowing frequency, and brainwave data all showed abnormal fluctuations, reaching the levels of infatuation a few times.”

Si Sisi’s face turned pale and then red.

He could still maintain a calm and composed facade in front of Wu Wuwu, but when faced with this person, just a few words were enough to make him restless and lose his composure.

Chen You put down his knife and fork, wiped his mouth with a napkin, and said, “Feelings are worthless. You should stick to that viewpoint and not let minor things ruin everything.”

Upon hearing this, Si Sisi suddenly looked up, his expression turning strange, “Is this also your own opinion?”

Chen You reminded him, “You’ve already missed your chance to ask a question.”

After a long silence, Si Sisi smiled, his sculpted features appearing deep and captivating, “Although you are now my superior, you have no right to interfere in my private affairs.”

Chen You’s eyebrows twitched, and a slight curve appeared on his bloodless lips, “What is affection? If you fall in love, what will it bring to your life? What will it change? Will the benefits outweigh the drawbacks, or vice versa?”

Si Sisi realized that the other person wasn’t waiting for his reply, but seemed to be talking to himself, so he didn’t make a sound, but just stared at him.

The person was still the same little guy, but one scene was a gloomy, rainy day, and the other was a day with bright sunshine.

Si Sisi couldn’t help but wonder, when the day comes for him to take over that position, what kind of performance targets would he set for himself in order to achieve the three main objectives……

The meal started abruptly, and it ended just as abruptly.

Chen You answered a call and left, not forgetting to take his smart yellow puppy with him.

Si Sisi sat in his chair, watching the young man walk down the street through the glass. He was tall and thin, with a frail figure. Men and women passed by him, and no one would suspect that his brain contained the operating data of this world.

In the following days, Si Sisi went for walks along the riverbank and never saw Chen You again. His family’s big white dog, had its fur disheveled by the cold wind and was even snotty.

“Dabai, could it be that he knew I was coming, which is why he didn’t show up?”

The big white dog howled in the wind, its eyes glistening with tears. It wasn’t that it felt sorry for its owner, it was just being blown around by the wind.

Si Sisi led the big white dog back, looking around as he went. He suddenly laughed and said, “Let me tell you, the one who’s pitiful isn’t me, it’s someone else.”

In the virtual world, people and events are all just data. If you want something to disappear, you simply delete the corresponding data. If you regret it, you can restore it, and you can even rewind the data’s progress bar. The hand performing these operations is not much different from the hand of God.

The other people have both great and limited power, altering data, whether intentionally or accidentally, is absolutely unacceptable.

The newly appointed person should be able to handle it, he holds a higher position and has more authority than the others.

Si Sisi stood with one hand in his pocket. The timeline in the virtual world was different from the real world, ten days here are more than ten minutes there. Before Chen You came back, he was still watching and knew what state Chen You’s body was in.

That Li Yan…

Si Sisi chuckled, Chen You, what will you do?

Chen You’s life was monotonous and dull, day after day. He was used to it at first, because he had no parents and was all alone. But now, he wasn’t used to it anymore, he felt the house was too lonely.

So Chen You contacted a house design company on the Central Network to hire a designer to redesign the house, with only one requirement, that it shouldn’t feel empty.

The designer quickly provided a solution, which Chen You rejected, the changes still didn’t work.

The design plan was revised five or six times, and the designer was practically hoarse from talking so much. He gathered up the plans on his desk, thinking that this client was a wealthy individual, someone with a high social standing to be living in this area, perhaps even a government official. He didn’t dare offend him.

“Mr. Chen You, do you have any thoughts? You can share them, and I’ll write them down and discuss them with my team when I get back.”

After the designer finished speaking and received no response, he looked up and swallowed.

The young man, dressed in a white shirt and black trousers, was leaning casually on the sofa, flipping through an interior design magazine.  His posture was relaxed and carefree, and his bare feet, perfectly white and flawless, rested on the sofa.

The lamp’s pale light shone down from above the young man’s head, casting a warm glow on his dark hair. Only a little of the light fell on his face and body, diluting the warmth and leaving him feeling somewhat cold and lonely.

The designer finally understood what the young man’s request was for.

He thought to himself, the house is so big, with great natural light and beautiful views, and located in a neighborhood most people wouldn’t even dare to dream of living in, but living alone, it would be impossible to create a warm and lively atmosphere.

After waiting for a while and still receiving no response, the designer said, “Mr. Chen, then I’ll go ahead and…”

His voice was interrupted by the sound of a magazine falling onto the coffee table.

“Hold on.”

Chen You got up, left barefoot, and returned with a piece of paper in his hand, “Do it this way.”

The designer took the paper and found it was a design drawing. It was very simple, with some areas just marked with circles and labeled with names. Even so, it was much better than making changes without any clear direction.

“Mr. Chen, we will provide you with a complete design plan as soon as possible. We won’t bother you any longer.”

Chen You lay back down on the sofa, put his hands behind his head, lifted his feet which were resting on the wooden floor, paused in mid-air, and then placed them on the other side of the sofa, crossing his legs.

“This position is definitely much more comfortable.”

Chen You muttered to himself, then took the magazine and covered his face to block out the glaring light from above.

As darkness descends, consciousness easily becomes blurred, and Chen You gradually falls asleep. He doesn’t usually work and has little enjoyment, he spends almost all his time sleeping, from dusk till dawn and from dawn till dusk, each time for a long period.

This time, Chen You woke up after only a short time because of a dream.

He sat up, staring blankly into the void, a look of confusion that vanished in an instant.

At night, Chen You entered the virtual space. The office was no longer an elegant and ancient lakeside pavilion, but a labyrinthine structure, dark and eerily silent. The vast expanse of black had a significant impact on vision.

The office space was furnished with four pillars, each adorned with a lantern, which looked particularly out of place, resembling an ancient imperial city buried underground for centuries, and giving off an eerie atmosphere.

Chen You closed his eyes and began to work.

He had only recently taken office and needed to familiarize himself with all the areas under the main system’s jurisdiction, as well as sort out the unfinished miscellaneous tasks left by his predecessor.

The predecessor left suddenly, and some projects were stopped halfway through, without time to finish them properly.

Chen You propped his head up. He had nearly twenty systems under his control, and detailed information about each person was in his possession. He could browse through them at will, but it didn’t seem very interesting.

【Master, Xiao Lu thinks you’re unhappy. 】

“Really?”

Chen You wanted something to drink, so he typed on his keyboard to input data, and a cup of taro milk tea appeared out of thin air on his desk, its steam rising and its aroma filling the air.

【Wow, what is this? It smells so good! 】

Chen You picked up the milk tea and took a sip. It was so sweet that he frowned, deleted the data, then restored it a few seconds later and continued drinking.

【Master, Xiao Lu remembers that you are a nostalgic person and don’t like to try new things. 】

Chen You pursed his lips, “Drink a few more sips, it’s not that bad.”

【Did Master taste this thing during the mission world where he was being assessed? 】

Chen You directly censored his stamp.

【……】

First it was taro milk tea, then cola, chicken wings, dorayaki, ham sausage, chicken feet, and stinky tofu—one strange item after another appeared in the office. Xiao Lu wasn’t surprised anymore and started chatting with its Master, asking if the food was sweet or spicy, and whether it tasted good.

Sometimes, Xiao Lu couldn’t help but mention the assessment world, but of course, it was still censored.

Chen You’s work hours are irregular. When he’s busy, he goes into virtual space, when he’s not busy, he stays in the real world. He’s rarely busy and is mostly free, so his current job is much easier than before.

There’s no need to bring along hosts with all sorts of quirky personalities, just focus on the systems and maintaining the main program.

When he had free time, Chen You felt bored, but he had no friends, and even when he went out, he would return quickly. The hustle and bustle of the streets irritated him, making him feel repulsed and resistant.

One afternoon, Chen You fell asleep in bed and woke up on the floor, and his pants were wet. He lay there on the floor, looking rather helpless and exasperated.

Unfortunately, the staff member who previously managed the main system is dead. This person was very mysterious during his lifetime, and Chen You never had the chance to meet him. Otherwise, he could have asked them how to deal with the after-effects of completing the assessment.

After changing into clean clothes, Chen You went to the studio, entered the virtual space, and instead of heading to the office, went towards the main program domain.

The guards asked to see identification.

Chen You raised the badge around his neck, and the staff’s attitude changed immediately. They bowed respectfully and led him inside.

The main program network has neither tables nor chairs, nor bricks nor tiles, nor even a single speck of dust, instead, it consists of countless points of light, each representing a virtual world. These points are impossible to count with the naked eye, unless you look at the statistical data.

Chen You performed the fingerprint authentication, and all the light points began to flash. Within the large area on the right, one light point remained still, quietly floating.

Suddenly, that single point of light overpowered the surrounding points of light, instantly expanding. What was originally just a dot transformed into a virtual world, and everything became clear.

Just then, the main program issued a prompt: It was created by you, and it is up to you to decide whether to delete it or keep it.

Chen You remained silent. He saw that it was nighttime in that world, the bedroom light was on, a gray-blue quilt was spread on the bed, a large teddy bear was placed on the bedside table, and several pink dolls were next to it.

The bathroom door opened, and a tall man emerged, carrying a dark-haired young man in his arms. The young man’s eyes were closed, and his arms hung limply, as if he were asleep.

The man freed his hands to pull back the covers and gently laid the young man down. He sat by the bed, tenderly stroking the young man’s face, and said in a hoarse voice, “Wife…”

Chen You’s eyes flickered. He watched the man kiss the young man’s hair and forehead, and when the man’s lips touched the mole near the young man’s eye, he felt a soft sensation in the same spot on his own face.

The next moment, Chen You’s gaze caught a tear that dripped from the man’s eyes and landed on the young man’s face. He unconsciously touched his face, feeling the dampness on his palm.

It was he who cried.

Swallowing back a sigh, Chen You closed his eyes, “I choose to keep it.”

The main program issues a warning: It has developed its own consciousness and is an independent entity. When you created it, you entered your consciousness imprint. It can now cause you fatal harm. You can no longer control it. Are you still certain you want to keep it?

Chen You said, “Certain.”

【Master, where are you going? 】

“Going to pick someone up.”


***End Of Main Story***

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