Weird Game: I brought an old version bug

"You've finally arrived, Admin-07."

The sound resonated from the depths of my brain, like an electric current spreading from my scalp to my spine.

Jiang Chen abruptly withdrew his hand and took two steps back.

"What's wrong?" Shi Yu asked.

"The system calls me Admin-07."

"The account that triggered the crash?"

"right."

Lin Bei's expression changed: "Damn... are you sure?"

"Sure."

Jiang Chen took a deep breath and touched the platform again.

A stream of golden data enveloped his palm. The voice sounded again, but this time it carried a hint of confusion.

"Identity verification failed. Data conflict detected. Admin-07's biometrics match the current user 99.7%, but consciousness characteristics do not match."

"Characteristics of consciousness?"

"You are a data copy of Admin-07. The system copied his biometrics and generated your body. But your consciousness was newly generated after the system reset."

Jiang Chen was stunned.

He always thought he was just an ordinary player who was lucky enough to be able to see the old version data.

But now the system is telling him—he was originally part of the old version.

"And what about Admin-07 himself?"

"He disappeared after the version termination agreement was executed. But 47 days after the system crash, his account logged in again."

"Logged in? What did you do?"

"He modified a record in the system's core data—the cause of the crash. The original log showed that the crash was triggered by Admin-07, but he changed it to 'internal system error'."

Shi Yu pressed further, "Is it possible to find the modified record?"

"Yes. But you need to access the core database—the main control console in control room 07-01."

Where is the main control panel?

"Under your feet."

Jiang Chen looked down at the platform beneath his feet. The golden data stream slowly rotated, like a giant river.

"Place your hand in the center of the platform and focus on the information you want to know."

Jiang Chen did as instructed.

A stream of golden data enveloped his entire arm, and a warm current spread throughout his body.

A scene appeared in my field of vision: a huge control room, with a person sitting inside.

The man was wearing a gray-blue uniform and glasses, and he was operating a control panel.

That face looked exactly like Jiang Chen's.

Admin-07 stared at the screen when a dialog box popped up.

[Confirm execution of the version termination agreement? This action will cause a complete and irreversible system crash.]

He hesitated for a few seconds, then pressed the confirm button.

The agreement has been confirmed.

He stood up, turned off the screen, and turned to leave.

The screen ends.

Jiang Chen withdrew his hand and gasped for breath.

"What did you see?"

"I saw Admin-07 press the confirmation button. The system crashed; he did it himself."

"He hesitated," Jiang Chen added. "He hesitated for a few seconds before pressing the confirm button. He stared at the screen with a complex expression—not anger, not fear, but more like...relief."

"relief?"

"Yes. It was like he was finally making a decision he should have made a long time ago," Jiang Chen said. "There was a slight smile on his lips when he pressed the confirm button."

"Laugh?" Shi Yu frowned. "He laughed after destroying his own system?"

"It was a very complex laugh. It was like relief, yet also like sadness."

Lin Bei was silent for a few seconds: "Then why did he do that?"

"It wasn't shown on screen. I only saw him press the confirm button and then turn and leave."

"Where did you go?"

"I don't know. The video ended when he turned around."

Lin Bei was silent for a few seconds: "So what do we do now?"

"Keep investigating," Jiang Chen said. "He deleted the cause of the crash, but there must still be other traces left in the system."

Jiang Chen noticed a groove on the edge of the platform, shaped like a slot for regular fragments.

He took out the Data Perception Fragment and placed it inside. The fragment fit perfectly.

[Data Awareness - Fragment Connected]

[Granted: Temporary access to control room 07-01]

The data stream on the screen is reassembled into ordered text.

【07-01 Control Room Main Console】

Welcome to the backup of Admin-07.

Current permissions: Read-only

Jiang Chen entered a command to search for the cause of the crash.

[Query result: The trigger reason field is empty]

"It's been deleted. Admin-07 deleted it themselves."

He didn't want anyone to know why he destroyed the system.

Just as Jiang Chen was about to continue the search, the ground suddenly shook.

A loud bang came from above—something was hitting the ceiling.

A second sound. A crack appeared in the ceiling, and a stream of dark red data poured out from it.

[WARNING: Data corruption detected]

[Source of pollution: Directly above control room 07-01]

[Pollution Level: Hazardous]

The ceiling is cracked.

A giant claw emerged from the crack, its surface covered with dense streams of data, its fingertips as sharp as daggers.

The entire monster fell and crashed onto the platform.

The monster is about three meters tall, and its body is pieced together from countless data fragments.

It has seven eyes on its head, each a different color: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet, which rotate in their sockets.

[Data Aggregator - Elite - Lv.15]

[A core defensive unit in the old version of the system, possessing a domain skill that can suppress all skills within a 30-meter radius.]

Jiang Chen activates the rule chain - reconnaissance.

[Rule Chain - Reconnaissance Lv.1 Activated]

[Suppressed by domain skills: Cooldown time increased to 300%, mental energy consumption increased to 200%]

"Damn! My skills are being suppressed!"

"Me too!" Shigure drew back the bowstring, but the arrow clearly went astray.

Lin Bei rushed forward, slashing his short sword at the monster's foreleg. The blade struck the data fragments, sparks flying, but the monster remained motionless.

"Damn! That's some serious defense!"

"Its outer layer is the system's core data, with a hardness comparable to steel. Ordinary weapons can't damage it," Jiang Chen said. "You have to attack it with fragments of rules."

"I don't have a weapon made of rule fragments!"

"Then let's create an opportunity and let Shigure strike."

It lowered its head and stared at Lin Bei with its red eyes.

A red beam shot out and struck Lin Bei in the chest.

"Ugh—"

Lin Bei was knocked away and crashed into the wall.

[Attacked: Physical damage +35]

[HP: 65/100]

"Lin Bei!"

"Leave me alone!"

Jiang Chen gritted his teeth. The data stream of the Rule Chain Reconnaissance was flowing before his eyes, but it was being suppressed too much.

Just then, he sensed something.

The data flow of the Rule Chain Reconnaissance is undergoing subtle changes under the golden light of the platform; it is not being suppressed, but rather adapting.

[Rule Chain: Reconnaissance is Adapting to Domain Suppression]

[Proficiency: 87%...95%...]

[Breakthrough conditions detected; met]

[Should I use rule fragments to upgrade?]

"upgrade?"

"Skills can be upgraded?" Shigure asked.

"All rules in the system can be broken, as long as the conditions are met," Jiang Chen said. "The proficiency of Rule Chain Reconnaissance is already maxed out. Now all I need is a matching rule fragment as upgrade material."

Jiang Chen pulled out the Data Perception Fragment without hesitation—it perfectly matched the needs of the reconnaissance route.

[Data Awareness: Fragments Already Consumed]

[Rule Chain - Reconnaissance is being upgraded...]

Upgrade successful

【Rule Chain - Scouting Lv.2】

【Effects: ① Ignores environmental limitations, information acquisition within a 50-meter radius ② Shares vision with a designated teammate for 20 seconds ③ After being attacked, 35% of the damage is reflected back to the attacker ④ Added: Can maintain 80% skill effect under area suppression】

[Cooldown: 150 seconds]

[Mental Energy Consumption: 35/time]

Golden data flowed from the platform into Jiang Chen's body, washing over every cell like a warm river.

The feeling of oppression has lessened.

Under the effect of Rule Chain - Scouting Lv.2, he clearly saw the monster's weakness - a small crack at the center of the connection between its seven eyes.

"Shigure! The junction at the center of your eyes! That's your weak point!"

"receive!"

Shiyu adjusted her breathing and aimed for a weak point. But the monster sensed her intention; all seven eyes turned to her simultaneously, their pupils contracting like seven searchlights locking onto their target.

Shi Yu drew his bow.

[Precision Shooting Lv.2 Activated]

[Quick Reload Lv.4 Start]

[Mental Energy Consumption: 25/45]

The arrow flew out with afterimages and landed precisely on the crack.

The crack widened. The monster roared, and beams of light shot from its seven eyes simultaneously, weaving into a net that descended upon them.

"hide!"

The three rolled away to avoid it. The light net left seven charred marks on the metal ground.

"The last time!"

Shiyu drew the bow again.

[Mental Strength: 22/55]

Arrows flew out.

hit.

The cracks and shattered.

The monster's body began to disintegrate, and the light in its seven eyes went out simultaneously, turning into grayish-white dust and dissipating.

[Defeat Data Aggregator - Elite - Lv.15]

Experience points gained: 1500

[Rewards: 3 Rule Fragments, 5 Old Version Data Fragments, 1 Core Data Key]

Jiang Chen knelt on the ground, panting heavily.

[Mental Strength: 12/90]

"Damn... I almost died."

Lin Bei climbed up from the corner of the wall, clutching his chest, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.

"But you've leveled up."

"right."

Rule Chain - Scouting Lv.2. 150-second cooldown, 50-meter range, also adaptable to area suppression.

Jiang Chen stood up and walked to the platform.

But the data stream on the platform has changed—it's no longer gold, but dark red.

A line of text popped up on the screen.

[WARNING: Account Admin-07 is attempting to log in remotely]

Login location: Unknown

Login status: In progress...

"Admin-07 is logged in remotely?"

"What is he going to do?"

[Admin-07 Remote Login Successful]

[Operation in progress: Delete all logs in control room 07-01]

Current progress: 12%...23%...35%...

"Damn! He's going to delete my logs!"

"He was waiting for us to come in," Jiang Chen said. "He timed it perfectly, making his move right after we finished fighting the elite monster, when our mental strength was at its lowest."

What is he hiding?

"Whatever it is, it's definitely more serious than we imagine," Jiang Chen gritted his teeth. "Stop him!"

Jiang Chen rushed back to the platform and placed his hands on the screen.

[Attempting to disconnect the remote connection to Admin-07...]

Administrator privileges required.

[Permission Level: Insufficient]

Interruption failed.

"Insufficient permissions!"

"Use the platform! Don't you have temporary access?"

Jiang Chen placed his hand on the center of the platform and fully mobilized the data flow of Rule Chain · Reconnaissance Lv.2.

[Rule Chain - Reconnaissance Lv.2 Activated]

[Data Retrospective - Incomplete Documents Take Effect]

[Simulating Admin-07 permission signals...]

[Mental Energy Consumption: 35/12]

[Warning: Insufficient mental strength]

My vision began to blur, and a sharp pain shot through my temples.

"No! My mental strength isn't enough!"

Shi Yu walked to his side and put her hand on his shoulder.

"I give you my spiritual power."

"No, you'll overspend!"

"There's no time!"

Shiyu closed her eyes and transmitted her spiritual power through contact.

[Receiving Shiyu's shared mental energy...]

[Received successfully: Current mental strength 42/90]

Jiang Chen felt a warm current flow into his shoulder, and the weakness instantly lessened. He reactivated the Rule Chain - Reconnaissance.

[Rule Chain - Reconnaissance Lv.2 Activated]

[Simulating Admin-07 privilege signals...]

[Simulation successful]

[Performing operation: Interrupting remote connection...]

Interruption successful

The progress bar on the screen stopped.

It stopped at 87%.

"Stop!"

Lin Bei walked over: "There are still 13% of the logs that haven't been deleted. Can they be recovered?"

"Give it a try."

Jiang Chen entered the recovery command.

[Attempting to recover deleted logs...]

[Recovery successful: 13% of logs have been recovered]

Is that enough?

"Not enough. But at least there are still clues."

Jiang Chen opened the recovered fragment. Most of it was garbled text, with only a small section recognizable.

[…Day 47…Admin-07…Login…Edit…]

[…Edited content: Cause of crash…]

[...Original record: Admin-07 manually triggered...]

[…Edited log: Internal system error…]

[...The IP address of the person who modified the IP address: Untraceable...]

[…Modified device: Unknown…]

"Is that all?"

"That's all. The remaining 87% has been permanently deleted."

Jiang Chen stared at the screen, remaining silent for a few seconds.

Admin-07 remotely logged in 47 days after the system crash and deleted the cause of the crash. Today, 47 years later, Admin-07 remotely logged in again and attempted to delete all logs.

"He's spying on us," Jiang Chen said. "Admin-07 knows we're here and remotely logged in when our mental strength is at its lowest, trying to destroy evidence."

He looked at the screen. Next to the restored log fragment was a small coordinate—a combination of numbers and letters.

【Coordinates: 07-01-EX-47】

[Note: Emergency Exit for Older System Versions - Channel 47]

"Emergency exit?" Jiang Chen repeated, "Passage 47?"

"I don't know. But this is the only clue that hasn't been deleted."

Jiang Chen stood up and looked at a door in the corner of the control room—the door was engraved with the number: 07-01-EX-47.

"It's that door. But it's blocked."

"Clean it up."

The three of them walked to the door and worked together to move the rubble.

Ten minutes later, the door was cleared out. The metal door was covered in a thick layer of dust, but the lock was intact—an old-fashioned mechanical lock that required a key.

"Where's the key?"

Jiang Chen took out the core data key dropped by the elite monster, and its shape matched perfectly.

He inserted the key into the lock and turned it. Click. The door opened.

Behind the door was a narrow passageway with exposed metal walls covered in dark red rust. A faint light shone at the end of the passageway—white, like the color of a fluorescent lamp.

"Where does the 47th passage lead?" Shi Yu asked.

"I don't know. But Admin-07 deliberately left this passage open and locked it," Jiang Chen said. "He didn't want anyone to come in, nor did he want anything inside to leave."

"Shall we go in?"

"We have no other choice." Jiang Chen stepped into the passageway. "This is the only remaining clue."