On how PhDs become human evil

"Speaking of which, I've always had a question for you, Minister."

"What's the problem?"

"How old are you this year?" Shinichi Kudo asked. "I asked Uncle Shotaro before, and he said that you already looked like this when you met ten years ago. And Uncle Shotaro is thirty-two this year. No matter how young you are, you should be close to forty."

Upon hearing Shinichi Kudo's question, Bai Jie stopped turning the pages of his book. He had never really cared about his age; he had stopped calculating it after he turned fifty. In any case, by the standards of immortal beings, he could still be considered a young man.

"He's definitely over forty, probably around a hundred."

He was 21 when he left the Terra world. He stayed in Orario for about a year, then in the Honkai world for 18 years, then in this world for 9 years, then in the Clock Tower for 6 years, and then back to the second Honkai timeline of the Honkai world, where he stayed until 2012, a full 32 years. Then there was Gensokyo, Godkiller, another world, the Underworld, Azur Lane, and the three-dimensional world. Let's add up these scattered times to about 4 years. In summary, he is only 91 years old, not even 100.

(Actually, I'm still quite young.)

While Bai Jie was thinking this, Shinichi Kudo's brain had already crashed. He had considered that Bai Jie was actually quite old, just looking young, but he never expected that Bai Jie was actually ninety-one years old? So old and still so young, are you sure you're still human?!

"Minister, are you even human?"

"What's so surprising about that? You've even experienced things like reversing aging, you should be used to it by now. Besides, Vermouth is at least five or six years older than your mom and brother, but does she look like she's in her fifties?"

After Bai Jie said that, Shinichi Kudo realized that the phenomenon of reversing aging was not really that strange for him.

He's one, Shiho Miyano is one, Vermouth is one, and it seems like it wouldn't be a problem if another White Guy appeared.

"But I only became a child again after taking APTX4869. How do you, Minister, maintain your youth?"

"You want to know?"

Bai Jie revealed an expression eager to cause trouble, and then took a small bottle containing a strange black liquid from the shelf next to him.

"If you want to know, just drink it. Don't worry, it's made with herbs that you can buy on the market, absolutely pure, natural and pollution-free."

"...My intuition tells me that I will definitely die if I drink it."

"Tch, boring... Well, it's not a big deal." Bai Jie put the bottle back and returned to his indifferent demeanor. "It's just that I contracted a terminal illness because of some things, and then chose not to be human in order to survive."

P.S.: I've been playing the Crisis Contract for a while, and it took me two hours to beat levels 8 and 9. I'm stuck on level 10. I just can't beat the Blue Sniper and the Red Blade Guy!

Section 363, paragraph 12. Full Submersion (×) Consciousness Transcendence (√)

After arguing with Shinichi Kudo for a while, Bai Jie asked him to leave. Although it was a holiday, he had things to do, and Shinichi Kudo didn't need to get involved in those matters.

Knowing that Bai Jie had things to do next, Shinichi Kudo didn't linger any longer. He quickly took a few books from Bai Jie's bookshelf and slipped home.

After seeing Shinichi Kudo off, Bai Jie tidied up the research lab a bit, left a note for Cecilia and the others explaining that he might not be going home today, and then left the agency. His destination was Genmu Company, where Dan Kuroto had already contacted him to say that the final debugging work for full-dive was now possible.

Upon arriving at Huanmeng Company, Bai Jie was immediately led to the final testing site by several staff members, as Dan Kuroto and Dan Masamune had already informed their subordinates.

Entering the research lab, which was clearly heavily guarded, Bai Jie looked at the large, egg-shaped device and asked Dan Kuroto, "Is this the fully submersible device you made? It's really quite big."

"Although it's possible to shrink it to the size of a helmet, the safety level would drop drastically. For safety reasons, we've decided to release the larger version first, and then release the smaller version once the safety issues are perfectly resolved."

Dan Kuroto said this, then opened the huge device, revealing an interior space that resembled a recliner.

"We'll name this device 'Cocoon.' Just lie down inside. We'll take care of everything else outside. The setup will take about 24 hours. Is that alright?"

"A whole day and night? That's a bit long, but no problem."

Bai Jie took off his white coat and draped it over the table next to him before lying down in the "cocoon".

"Oh right, just so you know, don't even think about doing anything out of line to my body. If you move around randomly, it will trigger all sorts of automatic counterattack spells. I don't want to wake up to find your corpse."

Because Dan Kuroto had previously wanted to study Haku's power to develop a better game, Haku was well-prepared this time. He wouldn't mind if it were his wife touching him, but he didn't want to be touched by a grown man.

In response to Bai Jie's warning, Dan Lidou smiled brightly and said, "How could that be? Am I that kind of person? Doctor, you have to believe me."

"I took precautions precisely because I trust you. You're a wicked little devil, you can't afford to be unprepared." Bai Jie rolled his eyes at him, then lay down. "Let's begin."

"Alright, let's begin the final debugging of the full-dive system. Device activated!"

Dan Kuroto pressed the Enter key, and the huge cocoon immediately emitted a grinding sound as it operated. With the green indicator light illuminating, the first-generation Full Dive Device officially began operation.

————————————————————————

Bai Jie felt a sense of weightlessness, as if he were falling from the sky, and also felt as if he were being enveloped by seawater as if he were sinking into the ocean.

(This is what happens when consciousness leaves the body; it's different from releasing mental energy.)

After maintaining this position for about ten seconds, Bai Jie felt his feet touch something, and the surrounding darkness gradually receded. Only then did Bai Jie realize that he was standing on a platform, with a stone path extending out from it, and a door standing at the end of the path.

"Ahem... Doctor, can you hear me?"

Dan Kuroto's voice suddenly rang out from above.

"Let me briefly explain the debugging process to you. In a moment, Doctor, you will need to enter the door not far away. On the other side of the door is a virtual world that we designed. Your task is to live there for a year—of course, the real world is 24 hours a day."

"Over the course of a year in this virtual world, we will gradually add various modules. Initially, it will be daily life, and then we will gradually add emotion and combat modules, as well as the most important virtual soul module. We will complete all of these here. Doctor, you just need to move around as much as possible in that world."

"In other words, it's similar to the work of a game tester? That's really easy to understand." Bai Jie smiled. "But... the emotion module and the virtual soul module, are you planning to create a whole world?"

"Although it is said to be about emotions and souls, it is just a simulation created by collecting all kinds of data on the Internet. Simply put, it is like NPCs in a game. There are many special characters in games that are deeply rooted in people's hearts, right?"

"Well, say whatever you want, just don't go too far and make me clean up the mess. So, have you finished the [settings] for me in that world?"

Although it's called a virtual world, it's actually the same as traveling to another world. If you go there without an identity, you'll be treated as an unregistered person. Bai Jie doesn't want to have to get identity verification when he gets to that world.

In response to Bai Jie's question, Dan Kuroto replied, "Don't worry about that. I've already prepared a perfect [setting] for you. I'll send you the [setting] for that world along with it. If you think it's okay, then go ahead."

Just a few seconds after Dan Kuroto finished speaking, a slightly ancient parchment appeared in front of Bai Jie, displaying densely packed settings about the virtual world designed by Dan Kuroto.

In the setting, the world's timeline is modern Japan, but it has supernatural powers such as sorcery and magic, as well as demons represented by vampires and beastmen. Among the many demons, vampires are the strongest because they have a power called "familiars".

The main stage of that world is an artificial island called Itogami Island, a sea island built with science and magic, where Bai Jie will live for a year.

Regarding the character design of Hakuge, Dan Kuroto's answer is as follows—

Name: Ashiya Michiru

Age: 18

Identity: Second-year student at Ayakami Academy High School, Itogami Island; a freelance Onmyoji (exorcist/yin-yang master) without affiliation.

Setting: Born into the last Ashiya clan of Doman, a prodigy who mastered all Yin-Yang techniques at the young age of 18, he is currently on a round-the-world tour to broaden his horizons and is temporarily residing on Itogami Island for certain reasons.

Well, although Bai Jie knows Yin-Yang techniques, he rarely uses them because they require chanting incantations and hand seals, which are very cumbersome. In comparison, he prefers to use instant magic. However, Dan Kuroto has now given him the setting of being a master of Yin-Yang techniques, which means that he can only use Yin-Yang techniques in that virtual world.

"Well, I've been planning to pick up Onmyoji again recently, so the timing is perfect... But with this world setting, it's a real shame you're not writing novels, Dan Kuroto."

"Let's begin, full-dive debugging, let me see how interesting the virtual world is."

Section 364, Part 1: The Last Ashiya

—Itogami Island

This is an artificial island floating in the Pacific Ocean. Its builders used the most advanced science and technology of the time, combined with feng shui and magic, to create a huge artificial island on the dragon vein of the South China Sea.

In addition to being an artificial island, this island also has another identity—a special zone for demons.

Orcs, elves, half-demons, artificial life forms, and vampires—on this island, these races, whose numbers have dwindled drastically due to natural disasters or wars with humans, are protected and their existence is publicly acknowledged. Their physical structures and special abilities are analyzed and utilized for scientific purposes or to expand industry—Itogami City is an artificial city built for this purpose.

The island's residents are mostly researchers and their families, as well as individuals with special abilities recognized by the municipal government.

This naturally includes the demons who become the subjects of research. Demons who assist in the operation of the special zone will receive citizenship rights in return, and will be allowed to study, work, and live just like humans.

If one were to describe it, Itogami City would be a model city for demons and humans to live together—that's how it appears on the surface, but those in the know understand that the island is actually just a giant experimental cage.

Now, the consciousness of a certain evil beast has descended upon this artificial island.

------------------

Caihai Academy.

It was an academy located in the southern part of Itogami City.

The southern part of the artificial island is a cultural and educational area with a cluster of residences and educational institutions. Caihai Academy is built on the gentle slope of the southern part and is a co-educational school that integrates junior and senior high school.

The school has a total of about 1,200 students. Considering the nature of the city, this size of school is quite common in Itogami City, which has a large young population. It is also quite rare for educational institutions in the demon special zone. There are no special facilities for the study of demons. Therefore, only a handful of demons attend Saikai Academy, making it an ordinary high school.

Even so, this academy still enjoys a great reputation on Itogami Island, all because of one of its teachers.

Nangong Nayue.

Known as the "Witch of the Gap," she is a nationally recognized demon hunter who has dedicated herself to dealing with demonic crimes and is even feared by many demons as the "Demon Slayer."

Nangong Nayue is a graduate of Caihai Academy and is now an English teacher here.

That's why Ayakami Academy is famous on Itogami Island.

Right now, Bai Jie is in an office on the top floor of this academy.

Looking at the documents in her hand, Nangong Nayue sighed as if she couldn't accept it: "The descendants of the great Onmyoji from a thousand years ago are coming to study in the Demon Realm Special Zone. This is really not something to laugh about. Let me ask you for your reasons, Ashiya Dōryū."

Ashiya Dōryū, that is Bai Jie's name in this virtual world.

With a smile and a shrug, Bai Jie said, "I just feel that there's no future in working in isolation. Technology should keep progressing with the times, shouldn't it?"

"So you chose to train in order to improve your Yin-Yang techniques?"

"Simply put, that's it. I chose this place as my first stop because it's a special zone for demons, so a lot of interesting things should happen here. I've heard that demons cause trouble here every now and then."

"It's a pity. If that's your intention, then this is none of your business. The Itogami Island defense forces will handle the incident immediately. At worst, I and the other magic users will take care of it. Just be a good student, Ashiya Michiru."

After putting down the documents, Nangong Nayue got off the chair.

"Come on, I'll take you to the class I teach."

"Oh? You're putting me in your class?"

"We need to keep an eye on people like you, or who knows what kind of trouble you might cause."

Nanami Nagatsuki had also heard of the Ashiya clan; each generation's successor was a problematic individual with eccentric personalities, after all, their ancestor was such a capricious person.

Bai Jie simply shrugged indifferently at Nangong Nayue's assessment. In any case, since he had just arrived in this virtual world, before the combat module was loaded by Dan Kuroto, all he could use was his own physical skills, so even if he wanted to cause trouble, he couldn't.

----------------------

Following Nangong Nayue to the classroom of Class B, Grade 1 of the high school, Bai Jie stopped in his tracks as soon as he entered, his eyes fixed on a white-haired boy in the innermost corner of the classroom.

(This feeling... is magical? And the quality and quantity... are interesting.)