C13 The Neighbour

The Ring Blade glimmered with golden light, and the puppet strings within the mirror quivered incessantly. Yet, for reasons unknown, despite the violent trembling, no new puppets emerged from the looking glass. They had anticipated the reveal of a hidden big boss, but none appeared—only the mirror stood there.

Xie Yu's keen intuition sensed that something was amiss, but having come this far, he saw no point in retracing his steps in search of elusive clues.

"How about we add each other as friends once we're out of here? We could team up in the future if the opportunity arises," Xie Yu proposed, pausing his actions to turn and address Jing Zhe. "I feel like we've got some good synergy. What do you say?"

With an innocuous smile gracing his face, Xie Yu exuded an easy charm that made him likable at a glance.

"Um... I don't usually add friends..." Jing Zhe hesitated, seemingly reluctant to add someone unfamiliar like Xie Yu.

"Look, I'm only Level 3 and I've already managed to team up with you. Imagine how much stronger I'll be when I level up. Makes sense, doesn't it?" Xie Yu said with a chuckle.

Listening to the subtle compliment, a wry smile crept onto Jing Zhe's face. Yet, she couldn't deny her curiosity about Xie Yu, the player with a flair for the literary.

This was the first time Jing Zhe had encountered a Level 3 player in quite a while. Truth be told, she had been startled when she first entered the dungeon and discovered Xie Yu's modest level.

Previously, every teammate she and her brother had encountered was never below Level 15, and that was with the handicap of the equinox. On her own, she never teamed up with anyone under Level 35. It had been ages since she last came across a new player at Level 3 like Xie Yu.

"Alright, I'll send you a request once we're out, and we can team up if there's a chance," Jing Zhe mused before nodding in agreement. "But you're right, your level is quite low. Once you hit Level 15, I'll look you up for another round."

"As it happens, I've got some things to deal with lately, so I won't be gaming non-stop. You should take this opportunity to work on leveling up."

"By the time I log back in, I'm expecting you to be at least level 15."

Xie Yu nodded decisively. Reaching level 15 wasn't a challenge.

Especially since there's an item called Experience Potion available in the store.

It's designed for players eager to level up quickly without spending too much time, yet still eager to enjoy the game.

Xie Yu understood all too well the essence of this game. Frankly, the game wasn't about making a profit; it was an integral part of the world's main system from start to finish.

Simulating human nature isn't straightforward. While dataized humans have been replicated with most emotions and human traits, there are deeper feelings that only surface subconsciously in a game that can truly engage players, revealing instinctual emotions and expressions not typically seen.

The purpose of the game is to gather these emotions and funnel them into the main system, providing ample samples for more advanced simulations.

In the world of data, these are invaluable records. They were once abundant in our labs, but with the labs' destruction, they've dissipated.

Over the years, Xie Yu has diligently worked to recover some of the lab's data, but it's still not enough. He's unable to restore the original emotions to a dataized individual.

To reclaim what was lost, he must go back to the old days.

With Jing Zhe's consent, Xie Yu's smile was faint as he drew the Ring Blade across the mirror's delicate surface. The crisp sound of shattering echoed as the massive mirror fragmented into innumerable pieces, scattering slowly in the air. The puppet strings extending from the mirror burned away in invisible flames, transforming into the same white light. Suddenly, a door materialized before him—the gateway to level completion.

"I hope we don't encounter such mishaps in the next Instance Dungeon... I'd like to clear one normally, without being taken out by such an aggressive player," Xie Yu mused, gazing at the dispersing white light. Yet, this fleeting thought was just that—a brief moment. He wasn't here for the game after all. With a top-tier player by his side, things were bound to be a lot simpler.

"See you later. Next time we meet, I won't be just a Level 3 newbie anymore." As the key turned in the lock and the countdown began to echo in his ears, he glanced at Jing Zhe and added, "I really enjoy teaming up with you to conquer dungeons."

It was straightforward and brutal. With the ability to breeze through, he could steamroll over any challenge-level dungeon with ease.

He left the rest unsaid, knowing he was no match for Jing Zhe.

Back in the living room, the dungeon run hadn't taken up much time, but there were still chores to tackle; he couldn't spend all his time gaming.

Logging out and removing the helmet, Xie Yu sat up with a start, his stomach rumbling with hunger.

He whipped up a quick bowl of noodles in the kitchen. Despite having semi-digitized himself, his physical form remained largely unchanged, only his brainwaves had been altered.

With his meal finished, Xie Yu settled at his desk to jot down some observations.

The game's system was definitely flawed; that much was clear.

If not, Jing Zhe's stats would have been balanced and not so overpowered.

Everything else made sense, but Jing Zhe slicing open the code box laid bare the system's imperfections.

Indeed, digitizing an entire world was an immensely challenging task. The sheer volume of data had become unmanageable, and amidst this vastness, the creator had failed to maintain full control, leaving behind subtle but undeniable flaws.

These glitches might not disrupt the world's overall function, but they were tangible weaknesses.

And where there were flaws, there was vulnerability; and with vulnerability, there was hope!

"Knock, knock, knock."

The sudden rapping at the door startled Xie Yu. He hastily stowed his freshly penned notes in a drawer and secured the lock on the cabinet before rising to answer it.

"Who's there?"

Living solo, the likely visitor at this hour was a neighbor.

Was there a new event happening?

He got along well with his neighbor's son, often joining forces for various gaming events—a fact well-known in the neighborhood.

"Xie Yu, there's a new exhibition at the Eastern Suburbs Square. Want to check it out together?"

Before the door even swung open, a booming voice could be heard from the other side.

"Figures..." Xie Yu shook his head, knowing all too well that in his lifetime, there likely wouldn't be a second person to come knocking at his door.