C20 The Maintenance Shop Was a Big Trouble

The Second God's Eye is a company that provides a communications network capable of facilitating real-time communication at any point within the Orion Spur. This technology surpasses anything currently available, leaving nations both enamored and resentful. The appeal is obvious: communication becomes effortless without the need for massive investments in infrastructure and operational costs. The resentment stems from a lack of control, with all secrets potentially exposed to surveillance.

Resistance is a natural response, yet it proves futile. The Second God's Eye doesn't require any existing equipment, nor does it deal in end-user products. It simply offers access to its communication channels for lease. While one could establish an independent communication network, the costs would be astronomically higher and the results incomparable to those achieved through leasing from the Second God's Eye.

If you opt out, others will certainly take advantage, propelling their communication technology far ahead of yours. Imagine the repercussions when your international or even domestic calls are delayed by hours or days, while other nations enjoy instantaneous communication.

For a time, the world witnessed an oddity where privileged communications, such as military and confidential messages, lagged significantly behind civilian communications. The speed of these privileged communications could sway the tide of war and national fortunes. A nation whose military communication is slower than that of the Alien Thief or dark forces is on the brink of collapse.

Prohibiting the Second God's Eye from serving these dark forces? An impossibility. They've committed to serving all of humanity impartially, without taking sides. While you can legally request to view certain communications through national special departments, you cannot forbid the Second God's Eye from providing access or leasing their channels.

As nations scramble to advance their own communication technologies, they cautiously integrate their secret communications with the Second God's Eye, only to confirm that it indeed honors its promise of confidentiality without illegal disclosures. It goes without saying that until their own technologies can surpass the Second God's Eye, nations find themselves acquiescing once more.

The realization dawns that bowing twice was not the end; the third submission looms with the advent of the Second World. This entity can be likened to a gaming company, as it manages a virtual realm.

The Second World naturally employs the network of the Second God's Eye and also sells terminals, or game cabins. It maintains an open connection, welcoming all individuals, corporations, entities, and nations to link up, including rival gaming companies.

A gaming company couldn't possibly pose a threat to the world, could it? As such, nations around the globe didn't take it seriously. However, over time, it became tragically clear that the Second World was far more fearsome than its predecessors due to its uncanny realism.

The Second World was a near-perfect replica of our reality. Discover a new mineral or planet there, and you could be certain it existed in the corresponding location in the real world. Conduct scientific experiments in the Second World, and the outcomes would mirror those in reality, with the sole exception of death. Given the identical results without the fear of death or environmental damage, would you prefer to experiment in the Second World or in the tangible world?

In the Second World, people could travel, engage in commerce, conduct research, and even cultivate, with almost no discernible difference from the real world, except for eating, reproducing, and dying. Activities like drinking water, excreting, and bathing required the connection cabin to be linked to your home's water dispenser, sewer, and hot and cold water pipes.

Another significant point was the cost of virtual materials in the Second World, which was a mere one percent of their real-world counterparts. An experiment that might set you back a million in reality would only cost ten thousand in the Second World, yet yield equivalent technological advancements that could be brought back and realized in the real world. The choice seems obvious, doesn't it?

Furthermore, with a universal currency, employment opportunities abounded in the Second World. It was found that nearly half of the world's education and employment, about 60% of scientific achievements, and close to 80% of cultivation took place in the Second World.

If the Second World were a nation, it would surely send shivers down the spines of the world's superpowers. Thankfully, the Second World only managed two aspects: the connection cabins in the real world and the land within the Second World. It didn't engage in any other business nor did it assume any additional responsibilities. Issues such as societal and psychological problems arising from injuries and deaths in the Second World were the responsibility of real-world companies and nations.

Real estate companies could purchase land to develop properties. Gaming companies might acquire one or several planets, creating various monsters for their games. Tech companies could buy planets or land for experimentation. Should they need to repair any damage, they could either do it themselves or fund repairs by the Second World's officials. Tourism companies could run their operations in the Second World, with travel speeds a hundred times faster than in the real world. Major powers could even purchase planets or Star Domains to establish their own governance and taxation systems.

First and foremost, nations could purchase their corresponding Star Domains and establish administrative, legal, and tax systems. It seemed almost compulsory to buy; otherwise, the distribution of resources and navigation routes within a country would be clearer to others than to the country itself. If a nation decided not to purchase within the designated timeframe, the Second World would then offer the Star Domain for sale to the general public, accessible to both legitimate and underworld entities. As a result, the number of countries in the Second World grew, along with the proliferation of various organizations and more frequent and intense wars. Often, those planning to wage war in the real world would first run simulations in the Second World.

Due to this peculiarity, the Second World was a tumultuous mix, far less orderly than the real world.

Bai Chengcheng and his companions witnessed two burly men dragging a woman into a secluded spot to commit a vile act.

Bai Chengcheng and Lu Youzhi shared a laugh and parted ways. Only Fan Gongming showed more interest, considering it might be a valuable piece of intelligence.

It wasn't that the trio was heartless; they simply didn't want to invite trouble. Bai Chengcheng had learned his lesson the hard way. Once, he had intervened upon witnessing an injustice, only to be met with a brutal beating, even earning the scorn of the woman he tried to help.

Fan Gongming had laughed himself breathless at the time, saying, "If a woman truly doesn't consent or can't bear the humiliation, she can simply log off. Even though she'll reappear in the same spot upon her next login, the perpetrator can't possibly wait there indefinitely, right?"

Bai Chengcheng felt it was unfair, asking, "Then why didn't she log off?"

Fan Gongming explained, "Aren't you aware that at certain times, many women actually harbor a masochistic streak, craving adventure? Some even fantasize about being abducted. But in the real world, they're restrained by morality, the law, and the risk of physical harm, so they don't dare act on these impulses.

"The Second World is perfect for them. They can fully indulge without missing a beat, anonymous and without the risk of real physical harm. They rationalize it as being coerced rather than voluntary, crossing their psychological threshold. So, why not go for it?"

"Disgusting," Bai Chengcheng muttered, covering his face as he walked away, vowing to never meddle again.

The Second World was a realm where people's hidden desires were unleashed. In the real world, where they were bound by countless restrictions, here they could act without constraint.

Would the bow be punished? If a woman reported it and the evidence was conclusive, certainly it would. This place was not beyond the reach of the law, but punishments in the second world were different. Since imprisonment and death sentences were ineffective here, fines were the usual recourse.

Could one then commit crimes in the second world without concern? Absolutely not. Life in the second world consumed the majority of human time. Being unable to log in was akin to incarceration, stripping individuals of the opportunity to work, earn, and enjoy life in the second world. The cost was significant.

Crime and punishment were unrelated to the proverb 'Three Men Walk'. Bai Chengcheng bid farewell to Lu Youzhi and Fan Gongming and hurried to the repair shop where he was employed.

Upon entering, he was struck by the tense and oppressive atmosphere; the air seemed to have solidified, startling Bai Chengcheng.

The repair shop was modest in size, with a maintenance hall of over 300 square meters at the entrance. Along the back wall were several small doors leading to the customer reception room, staff lounge, office, kitchen, dining room, and restrooms.

At that moment, two factions faced off in the maintenance hall, the air thick with tension as if a conflict was imminent.

On one side stood the shop owner, flanked by seven or eight of his employees, all wearing expressions of indignation.

Opposite them sat a middle-aged man exuding a commanding presence, signaling an extraordinary status. His face was calm, yet he radiated an aura of stern authority. Behind him stood seven or eight robust individuals with sharp eyes, likely his bodyguards.

Centered in the hall was an antique humanoid mecha, towering at fifteen or sixteen meters. An elderly man, his hair graying and well into his hundred and twenties, paced around the mecha, his brow furrowed in concern.

Additionally, three or four onlookers kept their distance from the two groups, seemingly wary of becoming collateral damage, yet reluctant to leave, drawn by the unfolding drama.

The atmosphere inside the shop was tense, so naturally, Bai Chengcheng didn't dare to stride in with his usual confidence. He spotted Milk Bottle, a fellow handyman, hiding by the entrance and quietly moved over to ask, "Hey, Milk Bottle, what's going on?"

Milk Bottle raised his finger to his lips and whispered, "Shh, keep it down. Huh? Young Master, isn't your leave supposed to last another two days?" Milk Bottle was keenly aware of the schedule because, with Bai Chengcheng absent, the workload for the remaining two handymen had significantly increased. He was practically counting the days until Bai Chengcheng's return.

In the Second World, Bai Chengcheng was known as Young Master, a name or ID he chose under his father's influence. He didn't want a name that was a jumble of characters; he thought Young Master sounded more refined.

Bai Chengcheng pulled Milk Bottle outside and urged, "Let's not worry about my leave right now. What exactly is happening inside?"

Milk Bottle sighed, "Well, we've really done it this time—smashed our reputation." He explained, "The guy sitting there brought in a mecha yesterday, claiming he'd heard about us and wanted to know if we could fix it properly.

You know how confident the shop owner is. Hearing that the customer had come based on our reputation, he guaranteed the repair without hesitation.

The customer, all smiles, wanted confirmation, 'Can you really fix it?'

Without a second thought, the owner boasted, 'Absolutely. If I can't fix it, I'll give you an identical one.'

I bet the owner thought it was just a manual joystick-operated antique mecha with a rudimentary electronic system and straightforward mechanical controls. With an A-grade and two B-grade mechanics on staff, he figured there was no way our shop couldn't handle it.

But things went south; we couldn't fix it. The owner, who's an A-grade mechanic, along with Wrench and Lathe—the shop's two B-grade mechanics—worked all night and couldn't pinpoint the problem. Replacing the mecha is the least of our worries; our shop's reputation is on the line. We're known as one of the top three tech-savvy places on this street.

Now, out of options, we've called in a master. See, that old man over there? Tragically, even he's at a loss. So here we are, at an impasse."

Bai Chengcheng mused, "Repairing is like treating an illness; there are no guarantees. The shop's reputation won't be ruined overnight. At worst, the owner will be embarrassed for making such a bold claim. Compensating with a replica of an old mecha isn't the end of the world. As for the owner's red face—well, that's another matter."

Bai Chengcheng shook his head, "Repairing is like treating an illness; there's never a hundred percent certainty, right? A reputation isn't necessarily ruined in one go; at most, the shop owner might lose face for making tall claims. And for such an old mecha, compensating for one wouldn't be too big of a deal. But getting into a heated argument over it?"

The milk bottle smirked, "Heh, that's exactly where the issue lies. Manager Liuying initially thought like you, but he made a grave error in judgment. Do you realize what kind of mecha this is? It's a genuine antique, the final masterpiece of the renowned artisan Lu Changge from over two thousand years ago, Tuotian. Do you have any idea what it's worth now? At a real-world auction, it would fetch 38 billion. Even scaled down, here it's valued at 3.8 billion. A loss of 3.8 billion in one fell swoop? That's nearly a year's revenue. At that rate, Liuying Store would be headed for bankruptcy."

"My god," Bai Chengcheng gasped, utterly dumbfounded. "This is Tuotian?"