Doomsday Wonderland

Lin Sanjiu stood aside, watching as Master Zhang mysteriously pulled out a large coil of rope.

It wasn't surprising that he had a rope, as it's a common supply for posthumans. What was surprising was that he was now wrapping the rope around the characters for "authority" and "power" on his body, coiling it around his waist, shoulders, and thighs... Despite the characters' immense size, they seemed weightless as Master Zhang took a step forward, pulling them along behind him.

He seemed afraid of being separated from these two characters, looking more comfortable only when they were at his back. Both he and Lin Sanjiu were affected by the words, but their effects differed. For instance, as Master Zhang was tying the rope, he suddenly looked up, his face filled with tension and suspicion. "What are you looking at?"

Lin Sanjiu immediately lowered her eyes, responding, "Nothing."

Master Zhang's eyes lingered on her suspiciously for a moment, his movements quickening. Once he had firmly secured the characters behind him, he finally seemed to relax. "Stay away from me, and don't even think about touching my rope. Understand?"

The characters were too large to carry like a backpack, and although Master Zhang had done his best to tie himself to them, there was still a length of rope dangling between him and the characters. This could potentially be a key to breaking the situation, but Lin Sanjiu found it difficult even to breathe at the thought of cutting the rope.

It felt as if cutting the rope would set a wheel in motion, grinding her to death.

Moreover, as long as Master Zhang continued to stand in front of the characters, she would still be affected by them. What was worse, after just a few minutes, she could feel herself becoming more accustomed and numb to her subservient attitude.

If it became the new norm, Lin Sanjiu feared she might forget who she had been before—all because human memory is often short. A new story fabricated today and repeated a hundred times can become an unshakeable part of one's history.

"Be honest, obey the rules, and I won't treat you unfairly. Do you understand?" Master Zhang said. "You broke in here without permission, and if I hadn't taken you in and guided you, you would already be dead. Think about it; isn't that true?"

Lin Sanjiu had heard similar words from Queen Nocturna before and had scorned them. But hearing Master Zhang say the same, she thought it over and realized it was true.

She had intruded on his territory, putting herself in the wrong from the beginning. Master Zhang could have easily warned others and attacked her with their help. Yet he had accepted her, an outsider and criminal, and was willing to give her a chance to reform. Even if he had ulterior motives, she had indeed benefited from his kindness and should be grateful.

"Lin Sanjiu," Mrs. Manas suddenly said, "Don't you realize there's something strange about this reasoning?"

Lin Sanjiu wiped her palms on her pants, ridding them of sweat. A mysterious anxiety burned within her as she uttered a low "yes" to Master Zhang, saying, "That's true."

Master Zhang seemed slightly satisfied and motioned for her to follow him into the room. His game development terminal was a computer, just like Zhou Xian's—a logical choice considering its convenience and performance.

"Each of us has an internal communication system and a text library. The text library provides raw materials for the game, some of which can be summoned in the game creation center to assist us," Master Zhang explained, sitting behind the desk. He fumbled awkwardly with the rope and the characters' positioning for a moment before continuing, looking somewhat ridiculous. Of course, Lin Sanjiu didn't dare to laugh. Master Zhang turned the display screen to her, wanting to show her something, and said, "Our text library is shared, and it contains five sets of surveillance-type characters."

Such confidential information, and now Master Zhang had actually told her... Lin Sanjiu couldn't help but feel a sense of being flattered. In this game world, there are still thousands of people who don't even know what the game they are participating in is about, yet Master Zhang has allowed her to approach the core secrets!

What immense trust and regard!

Mrs. Manas muttered something, but Lin Sanjiu did not hear it clearly.

"Surveillance characters are not like protective characters," Master Zhang said leisurely. "Not everyone can get them, and it's first come, first served; if you come late, there will be none left. I have obtained a set, placed in the outer rotunda. They can be activated when needed."

That was also the place where the feeling of being watched was strongest.

"Let me show you," Master Zhang said as he called up the surveillance footage on the screen. Lin Sanjiu glanced at it and couldn't help but feel a chill, drawing closer to see.

Edgar Allan Poe and the girl who had already died were just entering the rotunda. Yu Yuan's controlled female corpse had no expression, while Poe occasionally bumped lightly into her, his hand brushing her arm several times.

"This is what I'm talking about, someone who will never amount to anything." Master Zhang shook his head, his plump face jiggling. "Hmm... this girl looks as if she's still alive. Your friend is quite skilled. How is he controlling her? Is it like manipulating a marionette?"

Lin Sanjiu found that lying in line with his thinking was not difficult at all, and she felt no guilt. "Exactly, your analysis is very correct."

"Hmm..." Master Zhang said. "I have some ideas about modifying this game creation center, I'm a person with a plan, unlike those others who are muddle-headed."

Lin Sanjiu listened silently. On the screen, Poe was pulling Yu Yuan to a table to sit down, and then turned to make coffee for him. Even just a black-and-white silhouette could show that attentiveness.

"For the new game launch conference, there is really no need for so many people," Master Zhang slowly said. "The games in the world now are already enough; creating new games is merely a cosmetic enhancement, an update. I think it's completely unnecessary for so many people to stay here and develop games."

"What are you saying?"

"I've come up with a way that can completely change our wandering fate in the World of Doomsday," Master Zhang said, getting a bit excited, with his face reddening slightly. "From now on, our fate will be in our hands, no more drifting and struggling to survive!"

Lin Sanjiu was standing while he was sitting, but she felt like she was looking up to listen to him.

"In this world, everyone can be text-based," Master Zhang said in a lowered voice. "This includes you and me. Before this, text-based was a punishment. Anyone who was text-based due to a game failure became a part of our character library, to be picked for whichever game needed an NPC. That person, even if he remembers his life before being text-based, will serve as an NPC in our games, forever."

"Can this process... be reversed?" Lin Sanjiu asked with a glimmer of hope, thinking of Lily. The elevator containing her was still in her card inventory.

"It cannot," Master Zhang said, waving a hand, "But that doesn't matter; rather, it's even better that it can't be reversed. Haven't you thought about it? Once text-based, a person will never leave this world. Listen to me, I'll guarantee that you can completely escape the teleportation cycle and stay in this world forever. You can live on the surface or in this space, either way, but there is one prerequisite."

Lin Sanjiu leaned over and asked, "What is the prerequisite?"

Master Zhang fell silent for a few seconds before saying, "How can one tolerate someone else snoring beside one's couch? If there are still eight other game makers here, how can I ensure the safety of your life and mine? How can I guarantee the smooth completion of this plan? How can I assure that they won't harm us?"

It made some sense.

However, rather than being persuaded by this vague plan, Lin Sanjiu simply felt clearly that Master Zhang had demands on her—no matter what his plan was, she had to meet his requirements in order to fare well. She immediately nodded, indicating her agreement.

"That's right," Master Zhang said, very kind. "You must remember, we are all striving for one goal. Don't you long for the day when you can break free from the cycle of reincarnation as early as this morning?"

She nodded again.

"You are quite good, knowing to correct yourself, understanding right from wrong." Satisfied, Master Zhang glanced back at the text behind him and raised a chubby hand, pointing to the two people on the screen. "Then tell me, the person controlling this girl, who is he to you?"

"A... friend?"

Master Zhang's face suddenly turned cold as he stared at her from under his thick eyelids.

"Is he? Think again."

A cold sweat spread across Lin Sanjiu's back.

She didn't know what the correct answer was.

"Does he share our goal? Does he harbor any ulterior motives?" Master Zhang prompted her, each word heavier and more resonant than the last. He was not only using his vocal cords to speak now; what he was striking far exceeded Lin Sanjiu's eardrums. "The other game makers are our targets to eliminate, but he is so close to them... think about it."

He gritted out his words, asking slowly, "Is he really your friend, or is he an enemy?"

Lin Sanjiu closed her eyes and took a slightly trembling breath of cool air.

Yes... it was such a simple fact, and she hadn't even realized it. Game creators were her enemies, but Yu Yuan's attitude towards them was so ambiguous, which itself indicated that his position was problematic. After all, he was a Veda, not human, and if he was not of her kind, his heart must be different.

"He is... he's my enemy," she said honestly.

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