Weird Game: I brought an old version bug

Jiang Chen closed the file, his fingers trembling.

He spent three hours looking at it, from the first year of the old calendar to the 47th year of the old calendar.

Every page is the truth, every page is a lie.

"So... I'm not a real person after all."

"You are a real person. It's just that your body was copied using Admin-07's biometrics."

"Then what am I?"

"You are Jiang Chen. Not a number, nor a backup."

Shiyu grasped his hand.

Don't get stuck on a single point.

"I didn't drill. I was just wondering, who am I, really?"

Admin-07 sat opposite, holding a teacup.

Who you are depends on what you do, not where you come from.

"And what about you? What did you do?"

"I destroyed what I created. Then I hid for 47 years."

Is it worth it?

Admin-07 remained silent for a few seconds.

"It's not worth it. But it's the only option."

"Why didn't you find an opportunity to destroy it completely before?"

"Because I'm waiting. Waiting for someone who can truly get to the core."

"wait for me?"

"Yes. Only you possess biometrics that perfectly match mine."

Jiang Chen looked at the file in his hand.

The paper feels very realistic, with rough, yellowed edges and an old smell.

"You've kept these files for 47 years?"

"Yes. I carried them from one city to another, never daring to leave them behind."

"Why not destroy it?"

"Because they are evidence. If I die one day, at least someone will know the truth."

Shi Yu picked up a photo and looked at it.

The photo shows a group of young people standing in front of a server, smiling broadly.

"You used to... seem very happy."

"That was more than 40 years ago," Admin-07 said. "Back then, I still believed I was doing something great."

"And then?"

"Later I discovered the military's true intentions. But it was too late."

"Is it too late?"

"The system is online, and players have entered. I cannot stop it from running."

"So you chose to terminate it?"

"Yes. I wrote a piece of termination code that I manually triggered when the system reached its 47th year."

"Why the 47th year?"

"Because 47 is my number in Project Morning Star. I want to use this number to end everything."

Jiang Chen remained silent for a few seconds.

"So now, are you planning to use the same method?"

"No. This time I'm going to delete it completely," Admin-07 said. "I'm going to use your biometrics to remove the system data from the core."

Jiang Chen stood up and walked to the window.

He drew back the curtains; it was already dark outside.

The streetlights were on, casting a dim, yellowish light on the empty streets.

"You just said that the system is trying to infiltrate the real world."

"right."

"How to infiltrate?"

"Through data nodes, the game system has seven physical nodes in the real world, distributed across different cities."

"Seven?"

"Yes. Passage 47 is just one of them. There are six more, distributed underground in the old city."

What are nodes used for?

"Data transmission. The system uses these nodes to map game data into the real world."

"Mapping? How do you map?"

"For example, the system can generate a data projection in the real world through nodes."

"Data projection? What's that?"

"Similar to holography, but more complex. It can create a temporary, localized, small virtual space in the real world."

"What's the use?"

"Control. The system can influence people and things in the real world through projection."

Shi Yu frowned: "You mean, the system can conjure monsters in the real world?"

"It's not something you conjure up. It's something you project," Admin-07 said. "The system projects game data into the real world, creating a temporary, interactive projection."

"Do these projections have any offensive capabilities?"

"Yes. Although the physical damage is limited, it can cause a mental shock."

"Mental shock?"

"Yes. People hit by the projection will experience the damage effects in the game—pain, fear, and even the feeling of death."

Lin Bei stood up: "Damn, doesn't that mean we're invincible?"

"It's not invincible. The projection has weaknesses."

"What weakness?"

"Data node. Destroy the node and the projection will disappear."

Jiang Chen turned around: "Where's the node?"

"There is one each in the east, south, and west of the city. There are two in the north of the city. There is one in the city center."

"And one more?"

Admin-07 remained silent for a few seconds.

"The seventh node is inside the system."

"Internal to the system?"

"Yes. The seventh node is the master node, which controls the other six nodes."

"So, to completely destroy the system, we must enter the system and destroy the master node?"

"right."

Jiang Chen remained silent for a few seconds.

"I can help you. But there's one condition."

"What are the conditions?"

"After destroying the system, make all players leave the game."

"That's impossible."

Why?

"Because there are over 100,000 players in the system. Their consciousness is trapped in the game, and they cannot log out on their own."

"What should we do then?"

"After the system is destroyed, their consciousness will return to the real world."

"Will it hurt them?"

"No. But they will lose all their memories of the game."

"Amnesia?"

"Yes. The subconscious data read by the system will disappear when the system crashes."

Shi Yu stood up: "What about our memories?"

"You escaped directly through passage 47, not by exiting the system. Therefore, your memories will be preserved."

"Where are the others?"

"They'll forget everything they did in the game. It's like they had a dream, and when they wake up, they remember nothing."

Jiang Chen felt a tightness in his chest.

"Will they...forget everything they've been through?"

"Yes. Including all battles, fears, and friendships."

"What will happen to them when they return to the real world?"

"They will return to the state they were in when they entered the game. The time their bodies were in the game pod is the same time that has passed in reality."

"What about their families?"

"We'll find them. The locations of the game pods are all recorded."

Jiang Chen remained silent for a long time.

He thought of the people he had met in the game. Those players who fought desperately to survive.

They don't realize they're living in a cage.

They thought they were playing a game.

"They should know the truth."

"Knowing the truth, and then what? Let them live with those painful memories?"

"At least they have the right to choose."

"What choice do you make? Do you choose to remember your past fears, or do you choose to forget everything and start anew?"

Jiang Chen opened his mouth, but couldn't say a word.

Admin-07 stood up and walked over to him.

I know what you're thinking. But some things are better left unsaid.

"What gives you the right to make decisions for them?"

"Because I am the creator of this system. Because it took me 47 years to understand this principle."

"What's the reasoning behind that?"

"Some truths can destroy a person."

Jiang Chen clenched his fist.

I disagree.

"Then wait until you've experienced everything I've experienced before you say that."

Shigure walked between the two.

"That's enough. Now is not the time to argue."

"Yes. Let's deal with the immediate crisis first," Lin Bei said. "How do we handle the node issue?"

Admin-07 returned to the table and unfolded a map.

Seven red dots are marked on the map.

"These are the locations of the seven nodes. The node in the east of the city is the closest, about a forty-minute walk away."

"Shall we go now?"

"No. I'll rest tonight. We'll leave first thing tomorrow morning."

Why?

"Because the data fluctuations around the nodes are most active at night, making them easier for the system to detect."

Jiang Chen looked at the map.

The red dots looked like seven eyes, staring at him.

"Are you sure we can destroy the node in the real world?"

"I'm not sure. But we have to try."

"What method?"

"Physical destruction. Smash the node core with tools."

"What does a node core look like?"

"It's like a fist-sized crystal ball, deep blue, with luminous patterns on its surface."

"Just smash it?"

"Yes. But there are protection mechanisms around the nodes."

"What protection mechanism?"

"Data barrier. An invisible force field that blocks physical attacks."

"Then how do we break through?"

"Use rule fragments. Rule fragments are system data themselves and can penetrate data barriers."

"But you said that using rule fragments would be tracked by the system."

"So we only have one chance. One shot, and it's a sure thing."

Jiang Chen touched the fragments of rules in his pocket.

Four pieces lay quietly in his pocket.

"I'll give it a try."

"Want to give it a try?"

"I'll try it now. Let's see if the rule fragments can actually be used in the real world."

"Don't!"

But Jiang Chen has already activated Data Perception Fragment.

Nothing happened.

There is no data flow, no sensing range, and no information feedback.

"It's no use."

"Of course it's useless. There's no system to support it in the real world."

"But you said that rule fragments can be tracked by the system."

"What we are tracking is the physical characteristics of the fragments, not their data characteristics."

Jiang Chen looked at the fragments in his hand.

They look like ordinary stones with fine lines on their surface.

"So what's the use of these fragments?"

"In the real world, they are just ordinary stones."

"Then how do we destroy the node?"

"I don't know either. I've never destroyed a node."

Admin-07 sighed.

"I've been studying nodes for twenty years, but I've never succeeded in destroying a single one."

Why?

"Because every time I get close to a node, I get blocked by a data barrier."

"Haven't you tried using rule fragments?"

"I don't have any rule fragments. I don't have an account in the system, so I can't obtain fragments."

Jiang Chen looked at the fragments in his hand.

"So, you want me to try it with the fragments?"

"Yes. Because you're the only one who possesses a fragment of the rules."

"You're sending me to my death."

"It's not suicide. It's an adventure."

Jiang Chen stared into Admin-07's eyes.

"What will happen if we fail?"

"Data barriers can bounce back attacks and could hurt you."

"How badly are you injured?"

"I don't know. It could be a minor injury, or it could be fatal."

Shi Yu grabbed Jiang Chen's hand.

Don't go.

"I have to go."

Why?

"Because if we don't go, we'll never be able to get back into the game. We'll never be able to save those trapped players."

Jiang Chen put the fragments back into his pocket.

"I'll go to the East City node first thing tomorrow morning."

"I'll go with you," Shi Yu said.

"I'll go too," Lin Bei said.

Admin-07 remained silent for a few seconds.

"Okay. We'll leave at six o'clock tomorrow morning."

Late at night.

The safe house was quiet, with only the low hum of the air conditioner.

Jiang Chen lay on the bed, staring at the ceiling.

He could feel the fragments in his pocket getting slightly warm.

It's as if it's responding to something.

He took out the shards and placed them in his palm.

Four fragments lay there quietly.

But in the dark, you can see a faint blue light on their surfaces, shimmering like fireflies.

"What...is this?"

He sat up and stared at the shards.

The light was flashing, and the frequency was very regular, like some kind of signal.

"What are you looking at?"

Shiyu walked over from the next room.

"The fragments... are glowing."

"Glowing?"

Yes. You see.

Shiyu leaned closer and looked at the fragments.

The light was indeed flickering, very faint, but visible to the naked eye.

"What does this mean?"

"I don't know. But I think the fragments aren't completely ineffective in the real world."

"What do you mean?"

"They may... still be connected to the system."

Jiang Chen stood up and walked to the window.

He held up the shards to the light of the streetlamp outside the window.

The flashing frequency of the light changed, it became faster, as if in response to something.

"Look, the frequency has changed."

"What do you mean?"

"It's receiving signals."

Jiang Chen put down the broken pieces and looked out the window.

The streets were deserted. The streetlights illuminated the asphalt, casting long shadows.

But something was moving at the edge of the shadow.

It is neither human nor animal.

It is a blurry, semi-transparent thing, like water ripples.

"What is that?"

Shigure saw it too.

"have no idea."

The thing moved slowly under the streetlights, like it was on patrol.

Lin Bei also came over.

"Damn... what's that?"

"I don't know. But I feel like it's looking for us."

Jiang Chen gripped the shards tightly.

The light is flashing, and the frequency is increasing.

The thing stopped.

It turned in the direction they were in.

Then it started to accelerate—rushing towards them.

Jiang Chen instinctively took a step back.

But that thing was too fast.

In less than two seconds, it had already rushed downstairs.

"Damn! It's spotted us!"

Admin-07 rushed out of the room, holding a black box in his hand.

"Don't panic! This is a signal jammer!"

He pressed the button on the box.

A low, rumbling electrical hum.

The light from the fragments went out instantly.

The thing stopped downstairs.

It circled around, as if searching for a lost target.

Then, it slowly retreated into the shadows.

Disappeared.

Jiang Chen breathed a sigh of relief.

"What is that?"

"Data Hound. A tracking unit dispatched by the system to the real world."

"Data Hounds?"

"Yes. The system uses data hunting dogs to search for escaped players."

"How did they find us?"

"A signal from a rule fragment," Admin-07 said. "You just activated a fragment, and the system detected it."

"So what do we do now?"

"Let's move. This safe house has been exposed."

Admin-07 started packing.

"Go to the safe house in the north of the city. There's a more powerful shielding system there."

"North of the city? Isn't that even further from the node?"

"Further away, but safer."

Jiang Chen looked out the window.

The streets were quiet, and the streetlights were still on.

But something seemed to be hidden in the shadows.

"Let's go."

Lin Bei picked up his bag.

How much time do we have left?

"Ten minutes at most. The data hound will call for backup."

Admin-07 stuffed the files into a black briefcase.

"Take all your belongings with you, and don't leave anything behind."

Jiang Chen put the four fragments into his pocket.

The fragments were still warm, as if reminding him that they were not ordinary stones.