‘Why does this place have to be this big? It’s like looking for a needle shot out into the void…’
Zhang Dong sat in one of the numerous vacant rooms within this peculiar place. The puppet humans, an odd bunch, never ventured into any of these chambers. Strangely, dust seemed absent in these spaces. It defied reason but considering that they were in a strange separate dimension or realm, it did make sense. There were no spiders to make cobwebs or skin follicles to create dusty rooms as the inhabitants were just automatons made up of a silicon-like substance. On the outside, they looked real but when taken under a magnifying glass it was easy to tell.
‘Bob, is the connection still holding?’
‘Affirmative, connection holding, no errors discovered.’
‘Good.’
The fact that he could still connect with Bob in his own world eased some of his stress. If he chose to, he could likely go back to his previous world and abandon the current mission. The only requirement would be to seal his present cultivation to prevent it from forcing him out. In his current state, the duration of his life was uncertain. Perhaps he could become a true ancestor, safeguarding his people for hundreds or even millions of years.
‘Kind of hard to come back after seeing what has been happening with these system holders…’
As he gazed at the map of the peculiar location, he pondered. Another week had elapsed since his arrival. He identified another point of interest - the location where system holders arrived which was a waiting lounge that accommodated only one person at a time. It seemed designed to prevent system holders from conversing with each other before the nurses disabled them through their system.
The waiting lounge seized Zhang Dong's focus. If it served as the entry point for system holders into the facility, it could also be a potential vulnerability. Contemplating the limitations of his adversary's power, he wondered if he could manipulate this entry point to block system holders from entering. Yet, the repercussions of abruptly halting their arrival remained uncertain, especially considering the unpredictable reactions of the puppet humans. Perhaps, he could utilize these individuals to aid him in future confrontations.
'What if I initiated a resistance, brought them all to my world, and trained them?'
While this plan promised relative safety, it would demand time. After exploring the moderator's workstation, Zhang Dong realized that a majority of these system holders leaned more towards immoral tendencies, akin to Wang Long rather than himself. The demise of such individuals wouldn't trouble him, but he also recognized the presence of good people among them - individuals he could potentially save while allowing others to perpetuate the cycle.
‘I could hack their systems and perhaps connect them to my own instead, then they would be able to further their power through cultivation and potentially reach the same realm as me now…’
The idea had merit, assuming he could avoid detection. His ability to freely roam the halls without triggering any significant reactions suggested that the puppet humans required a large event to provoke a response. This mirrored his experience of being left alone for years on his home planet, even after Wang Long's defeat. The Overseer, after it appeared, was easily deceived. It seemed that the system holders were underestimated and treated as lower-class entities by the creator of this entire operation.
While the plan wasn't without merit, it had its drawbacks. Operating within the confines of his own world exposed the risk of discovery by the orchestrator behind everything. Zhang Dong's primary goal was to protect his family, not endanger them by potentially triggering their creator's wrath. Additionally, relying on other system holders posed a significant challenge.
He couldn't guarantee their obedience or loyalty when faced with the choice between following his orders or pursuing a peaceful life within the existing world order. They remained autonomous individuals with their own motivations, making it difficult to count on their unwavering support in critical moments. They were still humans and the things that he saw could drive some of them to madness.
‘It would be better to go with a less investment-heavy plan, maybe I should get to it then…’
This was just one of the options available to him. Before making a decision, Zhang Dong knew he had to delve deeper into the mysteries of this place. Over the course of two weeks, he navigated through different puppets, even trapping some within his own miniature universe. Now, his focus shifted towards locating the administrator's room, determined to unravel more about the intricacies of this enigmatic space.
‘It is hidden somewhere and this is probably where it is…’
Analyzing the map he had meticulously crafted through his exploration, Zhang Dong discerned a semblance of order amid the apparent chaos. The entire place resembled the haphazard creation of a careless child toying with a strategy game. Given the omnipresence of systems, it occurred to him that the godly being might have employed a creation system to build this intricate environment. The revelation told him that everything was constructed from modular building blocks that were interconnected.
‘Everything has a beginning and this area looks like where it all began…’
In the vast expanse of this constructed world, one region stood out as notably more well-maintained than the others. It appeared as though the creator had invested more effort into this particular area before losing interest as the environment expanded infinitely. It struck Zhang Dong as plausible that the architect had employed an automated building system after establishing the core that housed the main structures. On the map, a specific area marked the convergence of all biomes, indicating that this was likely the origin point where the entire creation began.
Zhang Dong set his sights on this central convergence point. Navigating through the intricate corridors and bypassing puppet nurses and others, he carefully made his way toward the heart of the facility. As he approached, the surroundings became more pristine, indicating a departure from the chaotic design of the rest of the space. The air felt different here and the deeper he ventured in, the more handcrafted everything became.
‘There has to be a hidden passage somewhere here…’
Despite having explored this location before, Zhang Dong returned once more. This time, after several days of wandering, he found no substantial clues. Yet, when examining his map, he noticed a previously undiscovered empty space. Its dimensions suggested it could indeed be the starting point, possibly the hiding place of the administrator he sought. Determined, he ventured into this uncharted territory, eager to unveil the secrets it held.
‘Try examining the walls Bob, there might be a hidden passage somewhere here.’
Bob's virtual presence within Zhang Dong's mind began to analyze the walls of the empty space. After a few moments, he reported.
‘I've detected irregularities in the structure of the walls. There might be a hidden passage here, but it's heavily encrypted. Do you want me to decrypt the security measures in place?’
‘Go ahead and don’t force it, if we get discovered then it’s all over.’
As Bob worked on deciphering the encryption, Zhang Dong carefully examined the walls. He ran his fingers along the seemingly seamless surface, searching for any subtle clues or mechanisms that might reveal the concealed entrance. After what felt like an eternity, Bob's voice echoed in Zhang Dong's mind.
‘The encryption has been cracked. There's a concealed door on the northern wall.’
‘Northern wall? So here…’
Zhang Dong received an overlay that revealed the precise location of the hidden opening. As he concentrated his senses on the designated spot, a distinct sensation enveloped him. Protective formations, magical runes, and an array of technological concealment techniques formed layers of defense. It became evident that whoever designed this opening intended it to remain hidden, even from the scrutiny of an immortal-level cultivator. Only by combining his intellectual acumen with the capabilities of his AI was Zhang Dong able to perceive the intricate layers of concealment that shrouded the entrance.
‘Now that I can perceive it, I can actually open it… a strange method.’
The layers of protective formations didn’t really keep anyone from opening the door, it only kept them from perceiving that they were there. Without being able to tell, no one would be inclined to approach or reach for the door handle, it was as if it didn’t even exist so there was nothing to open.
With caution, Zhang Dong approached the concealed door. He extended his hand toward the northern wall, feeling the subtle energies and runes that disguised the entrance. As he touched the invisible interface, the layers of concealment yielded to his newfound understanding of the system. The door materialized before him, revealing a dark passage that led into the heart of the facility.
‘Great, barely lit passage leading to god knows where… I guess it’s time to do this, let's see what secrets you're hiding.’
He whispered to himself as he stepped through the threshold. The passage was dimly lit by a soft, eerie glow and just as many times before, the space inside was larger than what it seemed from the outside. His form was quickly concealed by several layers of hiding techniques and he faded into the shadows. It didn’t take that long for him to arrive at a point of interest, an open room in which flickering lights could be seen along with another phenomenon.
‘Is someone eating chips in there?’
Uncertain of what to anticipate, encountering another living person in this surreal place felt oddly out of place. As he stealthily advanced, Zhang Dong stumbled upon a room adorned with numerous monitors, where an individual sat in front of what appeared to be a gaming PC. The room was aglow with an array of RGB lights, explaining the flashing illumination he had observed earlier.
The person, engrossed in a bag of chips, seemed oblivious to Zhang Dong's presence, affording him a clear view of this supposed 'administrator.' The individual appeared somewhat lanky, with a pot belly likely attributed to poor posture and a penchant for junk food.
Zhang Dong observed the scene, slightly taken aback by the unexpected sight. The administrator, or at least the one who seemed to be in charge of this entire operation, was engrossed in a video game. The screens displayed various charts, data, and surveillance footage of the entire facility. It was clear that this person, or entity, had been overseeing the activities of the puppet nurses and the extraction processes.
‘Is this some kind of sick joke?’
The administrator continued munching on chips, seemingly oblivious to Zhang Dong's presence. He couldn't help but feel a mix of frustration and disbelief. Was this person responsible for bringing Wang Long into his world or tormenting the other system holders in the adjacent chambers? One certainty emerged - the administrator was not a puppet but a being comprised of flesh and blood just like him.
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