Zhan Chen's brow softened.
He reached out his hand, put his arm around Yu Tang's shoulders, and held Yu Tang completely in his arms.
He adjusted his body data, letting his heartbeat and warmth flow out from his chest. He raised his hand and rubbed Yu Tang's back: "Have you slept enough?"
"Not yet." Yu Tang said, "I had a dream."
Zhan Chen asked: "What dream?"
Yu Tang said nothing and shook his head.
He wanted to open his eyes to look at Zhan Chen, but then he remembered his promise and closed them tightly: "I dreamed that someone didn't keep his word..."
Zhan Chen couldn't help but chuckle. He raised his hand, wanting to erase the extra clothing data, but then stopped.
"I'll change my clothes." Zhan Chen touched the top of his head, "Wait for me."
He held Yu Tang in his arms, gently placed him back on the soft pillow, walked to the table and dimmed the desk lamp.
Yu Tang still closed his eyes: "Isn't this place affected by the rules of the game world?"
"No." Zhan Chen said, "It's different here."
Yu Tang asked: "Why is it different?"
Zhan Chen stopped in front of the desk.
His figure was framed by the dimming light. After all, his digitized body was not real. Looking at him from behind, only a slightly translucent edge could be seen.
Yu Tang turned over, rested his head on his arms and opened his eyes.
Zhan Chen unbuttoned his military uniform with one hand, took off his military uniform jacket, hung it on the back of a chair, and then took off his shirt.
His movements were smooth and steady, and the shirt was neatly folded and placed next to his chest.
…
In the small room where the experimental subjects lived, Electronic Storm liked to hide behind the pile of pillows and secretly watch Zhan Chen change his clothes.
He compared the body shapes of humans and always felt that the humans he raised were too thin, and they often had large bruises and scars on their bodies.
Zhan Chen always had to treat his own wounds and apply medicine to himself, and occasionally he had to fish out the little light ball who wanted to help but accidentally fell into the alcohol.
"No one hit me." Zhan Chen thought for a moment and patiently explained to Xiao Guangtuan, "... It was just a test and training."
The little ball of light made a crackling sound in Morse code.
Zhan Chen stretched out his hand, pulled the indignant Xiao Guangtuan into his arms, leaned against the wall and closed his eyes.
"I also think it's unreasonable. Humans shouldn't only have the means to survive by evolving and becoming stronger."
Zhan Chen paused, then continued: "But... I still want to give it a try."
A small ball of light jumped out of his arms and floated in front of him inexplicably.
Zhan Chen felt a little uncomfortable, coughed lightly, and touched the tip of his nose.
…
Yu Tang couldn't help but raise the corner of his mouth.
At that time, Zhan Chen had just reached adulthood and was still an excessively young agent.
Zhan Chen was sent by the Security Department as an undercover agent. He entered the laboratory and brought Xiao Guangtuan with him. He was calm and reliable most of the time, but he also had the inevitable temperament of a teenager.
Zhan Chen would occasionally chat with him and talk about his erased memories.
The security department's confidentiality measures were very strict. He could no longer remember where he came from, and only occasionally recalled fleeting fragments.
This fragment is just redundant data in the buffer, and it will be automatically erased sooner or later, leaving a blank space all over again.
Zhan Chen didn't take it to heart. When he decided to accept the mission from the Security Department, he had already given up the future he had chosen and everything he liked.
Only when he occasionally remembered it, Zhan Chen would still be interested in taking Xiao Guangtuan out of the fishing game and telling him stories.
Zhan Chen told him that he was supposed to study logistics at the Military Academy.
At that time, logistics was considered a synonym for having no future. Whether in school or on the battlefield, it was the most ignored major, and many people even called for the cancellation of this major to stop wasting the league's funds.
Zhan Chen said that he had been admitted to the logistics major without telling anyone else, and that this made his family very unhappy, so they tolerated his mischief for the sake of his parents.
Zhan Chen shared with him very seriously that his original interest was to study robots and to make fully automatic combat mechas to completely free humans from their over-reliance on mecha shells.
Zhan Chen promised him that when he returned to the department, he would make a book-turning robot specifically for Xiao Guangtuan, and then make a mecha figurine that could run around and flash red lights.
…
"This place is different from the outside world. This is my territory." Zhan Chen said.
Zhan Chen changed into the same pure black short-sleeved shirt as the other players, returned to the bed, and lay down side by side with Electronic Storm who quickly closed his eyes.
Zhan Chen seemed not to notice that Yu Tang was playing tricks on him. He covered him with the quilt and then tucked the corners of the quilt meticulously.
"The laboratory I was ordered to infiltrate at the time was a very complete system and also the headquarters of the group. Their real purpose was to reclassify humans."
Zhan Chen said: "This plan is called the 'Bionic Man Plan'."
The next step is implantation procedure.
This is a treatment that all experimental subjects must accept. Only by implanting the program can we ensure that the experimental subjects completely lose the ability and possibility to resist and avoid all risks to the greatest extent.
The first step is to classify these experimental subjects according to the “assessment scores”.
"Those with military backgrounds usually get much higher scores."
Zhan Chen said: "Like Shi Ji, he entered the laboratory two batches later than me, and he had the highest score among the experimental subjects."
Yu Tang turned around, resting his head on his arms and facing Zhan Chen: "Because I'm obedient?"
Zhan Chen was somewhat unfamiliar with this atmosphere of chatting before going to bed. He paused, a warm look in his eyes, and reached out to embrace Yu Tang: "Hey."
This is also the reason why Wen Er's mentor is willing to cooperate with the conservatives and drag the spearhead team into the conspiracy at the risk of taking risks.
Obeying orders and putting the task first in everything, this trait requires almost no additional processing and is the most natural fit with the procedure.
These high-scoring subjects will be transformed into bionic humans first, and our team will try to preserve the brains of these subjects so that they can integrate with the program stably and completely.
Once this experiment is successful, they will have a large number of AIs with different specialties. This AI is obedient and easy to use, can be infinitely replicated, self-learning, and can complete all tasks without complaint.
"This has actually happened in the development of many interstellar civilizations."
Zhan Chen said: "Only civilizations with extremely advanced technology trees can create true 'artificial intelligence'. Many interstellar civilizations cannot resist the temptation and will take this shortcut."
Yu Tang asked: "Turning people into data?"
Zhan Chen nodded: "Yes."
Yu Tang rested his head on his arm and thought for a while before continuing to ask: "What about the test subjects with low scores? How are they?"
Zhan Chen: “I am like this.”
Yu Tang: “???”
Zhan Chen was speechless, and touched the little ball of light that was so surprised that one eye was open and the other was closed: "It's true."
His score at the time was the lowest among all the experimental subjects, ranked last, and was judged to be of no use.
Although the situation was not quite right, the young agent, who had always been the best among his peers, still suffered a certain blow when he sneaked into the main control room and secretly stole intelligence to upload.
"A worthless experimental subject like me will be assigned to other experiments."
Zhan Chen said: "For example, exploring the direction of human evolution."
Zhan Chen was assigned to this group. The experimental subjects would undergo various transformations, receive drug stimulation and electrical stimulation, and the experiments would provide the correct channels for people to produce evolutionary mutations.
Zhan Chen asked softly: "Do you still remember the first exam you took when you came to Chuanshuju?"
Yu Tang's breathing paused slightly.
He was silent for a while, then rolled up the quilt and moved closer to Zhan Chen, lowering his head and resting it on Zhan Chen's shoulder.
"I remember." Yu Tang said, "I took on the role of Feng Qing. When he was thirteen years old, his adoptive parents sent him to be reformed."
Yu Tang asked: "Is this one of the 'scientific research results' of our laboratory?"
Zhan Chen nodded.
"They found that electrical stimulation of the brain can cause a person's mental abilities to mutate... But the direction of the mutation is uncontrollable, and the timing of the abnormality's appearance is also uncertain."
Zhan Chen said: "I also accepted this transformation at the beginning, so I also-"
He paused suddenly.
Xiao Guangtuan lifted the quilt and used his hands and feet to hug him tightly.
Zhan Chen remained motionless for a moment, lowered his eyes, and pursed his lips quietly.
…
Yu Tang also remembers it.
I remember that he took the identity of Zhong San and was taken home by Feng Qing's parents to tutor little Feng Qing as a senior.
I remember that he dragged the punished little Feng Qing home, bought him steaming grilled sausages, cooked instant noodles and hot pot for him, and bought discounted potatoes to make homemade hot pot dipping sauce.
I remember that they met in the new school, Feng Qing lived in his house, they ate together, slept together, and grew up together.
…remember the seven years they were forcibly erased.
Zhan Chen didn't say anything else. He stretched out his hand and hugged Yu Tang tightly.
He closed his eyes, his body tensed and trembled slightly for the first time, the strength in his arms could no longer be restrained, and he held Yu Tang tightly against his chest and shoulders.
"I'm very happy." Yu Tang said, "Senior Zhan, I'm very happy."
Yu Tang hugged him with the same strength: "Every time I think I have a chance to see you, I am very happy... If I really see you, I will be even happier."
"I just have a slight cold and want it to rain."
Yu Tang closed his eyes and held Zhan Chen's clothes with one hand: "But we can't just let it rain casually, human particles are too unstable..."
"I'm not a human yet, little light ball." Zhan Chen said softly, "I want to know your data."
Yu Tang trembled slightly at the voice that was firm and gentle as a promise.
Zhan Chen said: "You are my electronic storm."
Yu Tang heard his own intense heartbeat as a human being.
In fact, he was more used to other ways of venting his emotions—such as turning into a big ball of light and carrying Zhan Chen around, or circling around Zhan Chen with flashing lights. After Zhan Chen left completely, he first understood "sadness", and then mastered "missing" and "anger" naturally.
For the first time, as a true human being, he learned to be happy.
He kept telling himself to shine, to keep shining, to always remember to light the way, waiting for the joy of his humans returning home.
Yu Tang buried his face in the fabric on Zhan Chen's shoulders.
He noticed that Zhan Chen wanted to adjust the data of the clothes, so he reached out and held Zhan Chen's wrist.
Zhan Chen stopped the data operation and held the electronic storm in his arms.
The warm water vapor instantly wet his clothes.
Zhan Chen lowered his head, put his fingertips through Yu Tang's short hair, and rubbed the back of his head slowly and in circles.
… For the first time, after being transformed into data, Zhan Chen couldn't help but strongly want to be a human again.
If I were still a human being, Zhan Chen thought.
If he were still a human being, he would definitely not be able to help himself and would accompany the little ball of light to make it rain.
For the first time, Yu Tang had a good sleep.
He even had many dreams in which Zhan Chen was present. Every dream was a good dream, so warm that he almost didn't want to wake up.
When he opened his eyes again, he was the only one left on the bed.
Yu Tang didn't rush to get up. He played with the little yellow duck beside his pillow for a while, then rolled around twice in the quilt, just in time for someone to open the bedroom door.
Zhan Chen walked in with freshly baked cookies and hot milk, met Yu Tang's gaze, and a smile flashed in his eyes: "Go wash up, and come back for dinner."
Yu Tang couldn't hold back his smile and rolled over to get up from bed.
Zhan Chen put the milk and biscuits on the table.
The body formed by data could not last too long in the real world, so he borrowed Feng Qing's particles and explored the surrounding environment again while Yu Tang was asleep.
Yu Tang held a toothbrush in his mouth and poked his head in from outside the door: "Senior Zhan, Senior Zhan."
Zhan Chen put away his emotions and turned around: "What's the matter?"
With foam in his mouth, Yu Tang mumbled "It's okay" and retracted his head.
Zhan Chen was speechless. He put down the tray in his hand and went to the bathroom with him.
"I went out to have a look."
Zhan Chen walked over to Yu Tang, turned on the faucet, and splashed some water on his face: "A preliminary order has been formed outside."
The aliens who had newly recovered the cards had already completed the initial fusion, and more than half of them had successfully transformed back into humans. Although the rest had difficulty condensing into entities, they had all regained consciousness.
Perhaps it has swallowed enough particles, and the "transformation" of this world stopped 12 hours ago.
The "rust" is still going on, but the aliens who have calmed down have also found many ways to deal with it.
According to observations, this rust can be blocked and peeled off from a physical perspective, and as long as you stay indoors as much as possible, you can ensure safety to the greatest extent possible.
If they have to go out, people wear thick protective clothing and try to get back indoors before rust grows on their bodies.
A small amount of rust will not have much impact on people, but if there is too much rust, it will restrict movement and require purification or healing aliens to help deal with it.
The system held up the mecha shell and tried to help hold the towel beside him: "Host, host, will the world remain stable like this?"
Yu Tang did not comment. He held some saliva in his mouth, rinsed his mouth and spit it out.
… Before Feng Qing was thrown into the game, this game in which aliens were forced to kill each other had been going on for a long time.
He didn't believe that before this, there hadn't been a situation where aliens had united to resist the requirements of the game, refused to kill each other, and tried to survive together in the game.
Especially... this world has been reset many times.
Before this arrangement, the role of Feng Qing had always been the responsibility of Zhan Chen, and Zhan Chen had undoubtedly made attempts in this regard.
But Zhan Chen finally got an inhabited asteroid.
"I just expanded the game world and increased the number of players."
Yu Tang said: "This is still a battle royale game."
The system was stunned: "But... hasn't the person in charge of this game been dragged in by us as well?"
"Isn't he the mortal enemy that Zhong San wants to use to avenge Feng Qing, and the mastermind behind this game?"
The system said: "The game world is expanding, and he is the first to be swallowed into this world..."
"He is Zhong San's mortal enemy." Yu Tang said, "but he is just a 'ghost'."
In human legends, a ghost is a human being who has been eaten by a vicious tiger. After turning into a ghost, he becomes the tiger's servant and continues to lure other people to become the tiger's food.
Every person in charge of the game, the so-called "mastermind behind the scenes", is just an accomplice.
"I tried it." Yu Tang said, "I wanted to devour the main control room as well."
The core of the singularity explosion he sent out was in the main control room. Logically speaking, even if everything in the main control room was not swallowed up, it would be completely destroyed by the large amount of energy dissipated by the expansion of the world.
But the control room still exists and the game is still running automatically.
A huge virtual screen was still floating in the air, and people who were thrown into the game world were even leaving messages and placing bets in the game's message area.
Yu Tang looked at Zhan Chen.
Zhan Chen nodded and took over his unfinished words: "The only explanation is that the main control room is not in our dimension."
Only the person in charge of the game exists in this dimension, and the dimension where the control room is actually located is much higher than the game world.
It is so high that even the collapse and explosion of the universe cannot affect the normal operation of the main control room.
… In this way, the true origin of the main control room is obvious.
“It’s too confident.”
Yu Tang said: "It should have been like before, hiding behind a lot of stories, or sending data to the low-level online world to watch ads and kill bugs... It shouldn't have done it itself."
Yu Tang chose to expand the game world, not only to drag some people who should have been punished into the game, but also to test the origin of the main control room.
… The results are now clear.
Zhan Chen had a faint smile in his eyes, took the towel and handed it to Yu Tang.
The system was still confused and a little anxious: "What's its origin? Isn't a computer that controls games a game console?"
"Yes." Yu Tang said, "but it also has a different identity."
The system asked: "What?"
Yu Tang took the towel and wiped his face: "When we play games, no matter how many levels we pass, the big boss must appear in person at the last level, otherwise it will not be a complete game."
"This is the rule," Yu Tang said. "For all data, the rule is not violated."
Just like all the characters are not ooc, the missions in each book must be completed.
Just like every supporting character whose life has been forcibly tampered with, as long as it is logical and meets the requirements of the plot, it can correct the misplaced fate.
Just like when he first received the flyer and joined the Book Transmigration Bureau, even if others wanted to target him again, because he had obtained the identity of the host, the most they could do was to deduct his experience points with hatred.
…
No matter how many loopholes are exploited, data will never break the rules.
The system was stunned.
Zhan Chen looked at the water drops on Yu Tang's forehead and couldn't help but take action. He took the towel and wiped the little light ball from head to toe, then pulled him out of the bathroom and sat down at the dining table.
Zhan Chen handed him the milk, took a biscuit and fed it into Electronic Storm's mouth.
Yu Tang was very satisfied, holding a glass of milk and a biscuit in his mouth: "The boss that appears can be defeated and exchanged."
…
"Now, we can give a name to the big boss who is forced by the rules and can no longer hide."
Yu Tang: "We can call it a terminal."