The male supporting character was actually myself.

Ultimately, with our own hands, we can create a real world that is even better than the virtual game world!

However, realizing her dream required a lot of money and resources, which Ye Zhaoqiu was completely unable to afford. After much deliberation, she chose to support her good friend Ji Linyan, who had always been close to her and understood her well.

What she didn't expect was that her childhood friend had long betrayed her childhood dream. Ji Linyan had always wanted to recruit Ye Zhaoqiu to work for G Technology Company and build an AI empire that would control the lifeline of the world for him.

Ye Zhaoqiu walked right into the trap. Ji Linyan took advantage of the situation and used sweet words to persuade her to develop virtual games for the company in exchange for funding. He then used this as a pretext to engage in unfair competition and suppress M Technology Company until it was unable to fight back.

Later, when Ji Linyan discovered that the unparalleled AI core she created could actually achieve consciousness uploading, he went crazy for it and unhesitatingly threw off his disguise to reveal his true colors, wanting to seize it and turn it into a tool for G Technology Company to enslave all of humanity.

Ye Zhaoqiu discovered his ulterior motives and, in order to protect the core AI technology, risked her life to escape from the research base and turned to her former friend Jiang You from M Technology Company for help.

Before her death, she entrusted the chip to Jiang You, allowing him to develop it into a virtual game to counter Ji Linyan's all-round suppression. However, she stipulated that after M Technology Company recovered, he must follow the agreement to select the most suitable person to inherit the core secrets and obtain and completely control "Perfect World".

Fortunately, M Technology Company has always been very contract-abiding, which is why I had the opportunity to meet you.

Child, human consciousness can be uploaded into the virtual world, but the upload is irreversible. Once you choose to become a digital life form, there is no turning back. Therefore, Ye Zhaoqiu is already dead, and I am merely some remnants of her consciousness left in the virtual world.

Stop G Technologies! We must not let their digital life conspiracy succeed!

Humans who lose their bodies and their connection to the real world can no longer be called human. From the moment you received this key, you carried the hope for the continuation of humanity. This is all I can do; the rest is up to you.

Lin Ruochu held the keys and cried uncontrollably.

She went to great lengths to infiltrate G Technology Company in order to find Ye Zhaoqiu's whereabouts, but the answer she received made her heart ache as if it were being squeezed, making it hard to breathe.

"After losing my body, only fragments of my consciousness remain, and I can no longer create. I can only answer questions stored in the data. There's not much time left; my fragmented consciousness can only last this long." The angel gave her a hug and gently comforted her, "You've done very well. Please take care and stay away from G Technology Company. Ji Linyan will stop at nothing to achieve his goals. You and Xiaoyun must protect yourselves!"

Perhaps there was a time limit after clearing the level, or perhaps Dr. Ye Zhaoqiu's remaining consciousness and energy couldn't last long, as she embraced Lin Ruochu and her body slowly diffused into a light purple light and disappeared.

"I was so stupid!" Lin Ruochu covered her face and cried, virtual tears overflowing from between her fingers like sparkling pearls. "I actually did so many things for Ji Linyan! I thought I could find her whereabouts at G Technology Company, but I was just aiding and abetting evil!"

Jiang Chen stepped forward and patted her shoulder to comfort her, saying, "You didn't know Ji Linyan was so bad before, but it's not too late to find out now. G Technology Company is already developing virtual game pods. Once they launch them, the people who are deceived will become his tools of enslavement. We must stop that madman Ji Linyan!"

And do you want to see the angel again?

"I..." Lin Ruochu slowly raised her head, her heart filled with complex emotions, and looked at OGN, who was gently comforting her. She sobbed and apologized, "I'm sorry, I'm a senior technical executive at G Technology Company. I came to 'Perfect World' as an undercover agent. I thought I could find out Dr. Ye Zhaoqiu's whereabouts there. I really just wanted to find her!"

Now that I know they killed the doctor, I will no longer work for Ji Linyan…

After stammering a few words of explanation, she looked at the other person, somewhat bewildered, and asked, "What did you just say? See the angel again? Yes! I need to pull myself together and do my best to break through the second hurdle. As long as I can solve the puzzle and pass the second unsolved mystery, I can see her again!"

Before Jiang Chen could even speak, Lin Ruochu collapsed to the ground, tears streaming down her face, and murmured, "Yes, who would let an undercover agent participate in the mission again... What should I do? She's dead! She'll never come back!"

This girl is quite devastated; no wonder the original storyline involved the male and female leads falling in love and vowing to never leave each other after completing the game.

Look at this cozy scene, they even prepared a bed for it. With that restless kid Si Anrui, he must have done something here.

When Jiang Chen thought about how the other party had taken advantage of her vulnerability and even managed to flirt with a girl who was so heartbroken after learning the truth, he truly felt that the redemption plan he had set up earlier had been too easy on Si Anrui!

"Yaoyao, calm down first." He simply sat down next to Lin Ruochu and patiently explained, "We can discuss the undercover matter in a long time. Didn't the angel just say that there are a total of six keys to this checkpoint?"

You can only get one account, but it doesn't say you can't change accounts and try again, right?

Let's go change our numbers and come back twice more. First, that will make sure all six keys are in our possession and won't fall into the wrong hands; second, you'll see her twice more each time, and you can ask her two questions each time. You must have a lot of questions you want answered, right?

Sure enough, OGN's analysis immediately cheered up Lin Ruochu, who was feeling sad, hopeless, and desperate.

Try again with a different number. As long as you can convince the other party, you can at least get one chance to inquire about the doctor's remaining consciousness!

The firelight from the fireplace illuminated the cozy room, casting a warm hue. Sitting side by side on the carpet, she turned to look at OGN, who was much taller than her, and asked somewhat uncertainly, "But, would your company agree to this?"

News of our successful clearance has surely spread by now, and M Technology will definitely take all the keys; G Technology will not be outdone, they sent me in as an undercover agent to steal core secrets.

Once we leave this room, the entire "Perfect World" will go completely crazy, and things will spiral out of our control!

"This is only the first key. Don't forget there are still nine left, and the puzzle to find the next level is in our hands." Jiang Chen smiled slightly and reminded him, "Moreover, currently only the two of us know what's behind the door."

How we deal with G Technology after we get out is entirely up to us.

Lin Ruochu stared at him in disbelief, her heart pounding wildly. "You mean, we can make up a lie? Then... will the people at M Technology believe it? Will they be willing to let the two of us in again? For security reasons, they'll definitely require us to bring key personnel with them to ensure they have a key in their hands, right..."

“Since we’re going to be honest, I’ll lay my cards on the table.” He spread his hands and said the truth, “I am actually the CEO of M Technology Company, the next leader of M Technology Company, and Jiang You’s only son—Jiang Chen.”

As the eldest son of the company, no one can disobey my decisions.

"If you're willing to cooperate, we can switch accounts and do it twice more. I'll give you one chance to ask two questions each time, and you can ask three out of four questions; I'll ask the last one."

"Then... how should I cooperate?" Lin Ruochu's heart was beating even faster as she suddenly received a lot of information.

The fact that the other party didn't pursue the undercover agent and even made concessions suggests they wanted more. Every transaction comes at a price, and she didn't know if she could afford it.

"Judging from what the angel said after seeing you, Dr. Ye Zhaoqiu's remaining consciousness is actually waiting for you." Jiang Chen made no attempt to hide his deduction. "In other words, the fact that we were able to pass this test might be because the doctor gave you a break. She wants you to get all the keys and inherit her last wish."

I have only one request—the last key must be mine. I need complete control of *Perfect World* to fulfill the doctor's dying wish, to bring people from the virtual world into reality, and more importantly, to use this to fight against G Technology's digital life project.

Lin Ruochu couldn't help but smile bitterly.

If the doctor had a choice, she might really be willing to carry on his legacy, but the real problem is how she can fight against the two major technology companies, M and G, on her own.

Moreover, he has a younger brother to take care of. If he inherits the throne, he can roam the world freely. What about Xiao Yun?

Why should he pay for his sister's dream?

Even assuming the siblings manage to evade capture and obtain the core secrets of the AI, how would they inherit and improve upon it? Without the help of M Technology's professional game development team, they probably wouldn't even be able to beat the next level, let alone have the leverage to negotiate.

"If you help me pass through the checkpoint and get all the keys, I can guarantee your personal safety." Seeing her hesitant expression, Jiang Chen knew that he didn't have Si Anrui's brain-draining aura to make this smart girl lose her head so easily. She didn't care about her younger brother, revenge, or even her own safety, and she didn't even plan her escape route before falling head over heels in love. She even managed to have sex with him during the chase.

He must show enough sincerity to save poor Lin Xiaoyun's life.

Otherwise, once G Technology Company discovers that the other party has turned against them, it will immediately start a manhunt, not only forcing the female protagonist and her brother to flee in a sorry state, but also causing countless deaths and injuries due to the explosions that occur everywhere during the manhunt, thus implicating innocent people.

"My safety? You mean M Technology Company can protect me?" Lin Ruochu hesitated for two seconds before confessing, "I also have a younger brother. My brother and I live in a small villa area provided by G Technology Company."

Now the whole world surely knows about the reopening. If I leave here, I'll be subjected to layers of scrutiny and may even have my freedom restricted. I'm afraid my brother and I will be dead before you can rescue us.

Jiang Chen smiled and reassured her, "So we need to work out a lie, and you have to hand over a key to Ji Linyan in exchange for his temporary trust so I can bring you and your brother over for protection."

"Hand over the key?" Lin Ruochu was completely dumbfounded. Anyone would know the importance of the key to pass through the checkpoint.

If even the slightest bit of news were to leak out, it would definitely cause a bloodbath. How could Jiang Chen be willing to give one to his mortal enemy?

“Otherwise, how can we guarantee your safety for now? Only by handing over a key can we get away with this!” Jiang Chen leaned slightly closer to her and lowered his voice to explain the plan in detail…

Chapter Twenty-Three: On What Basis?

"Are you sure Lin Ruochu went in too? Is there video footage or any other evidence?" Ji Linyan was so excited when he heard his subordinate's report that he immediately stood up from his chair and paced back and forth in his office.

I've actually beat Treasure Island!

Lin Ruochu truly lives up to her reputation as a senior technical executive. She is indeed a talented individual. With her joining, M Technology Company was able to complete the game, and G Technology Company's professional player team can do the same!

The other party's voice came through the receiver clearly, "No internal video has been leaked. The people on the outside only saw the door open and then close and quickly disappear. But just now, the key list, which had been silent for ten years, was updated!"

The first person to obtain the key was the account named Origin from M Technology Company;

The second one is Yao Yao, who is controlled by Lin Ruochu!

No one knows what happened inside the canyon after the passage was blocked by boulders, but it's certain that only the two of them went in and took the two keys!

Ji Linyan took a few deep breaths to suppress the impulse in his heart, and said in a trembling voice: "Keep a close eye on Lin Ruochu's residence and keep an eye on her brother. We must not let them have a chance to escape from our grasp!"

Go, send a private message to Lin Ruochu's account and tell her to submit the walkthrough as soon as possible. Our people should be ready, as long as they..."

Before he could finish speaking, the other party interrupted him, saying, "Chairman, our people have just logged out of the game and brought the latest news—Treasure Island data update maintenance is temporarily closed."

"Damn it! They're using this trick again!" Ji Linyan was so angry that his face turned pale, but he was helpless.

Although the methods were crude and lacked any technical sophistication, they were undeniably very effective.

Once the channel is closed under the pretext of data update and maintenance, G-Tech's professional players can only watch helplessly unless they risk using the highest-level undercover agents to hack in.

"Damn it, you surnamed Jiang, you took what belongs to me!" After hanging up the phone, he slammed his fist on the table in anger, his whole body trembling slightly.

After this AI core design was developed, I was the first person besides Ye Zhaoqiu to reap the benefits!

Unfortunately, I was too impatient back then, and that damned woman was too clever.

It turns out that being too smart isn't always a good thing for a woman. Whether it was rejecting my marriage proposal or repeatedly turning down a job at G Technology Company, I missed countless opportunities to have her in my grasp.

If only she were a little less bright and more love-obsessed, my digital life plan could have been completed ten years earlier!

Ji Linyan never expected that such a thin and weak woman would have the courage and stubbornness to fight her way out of the encirclement despite being seriously injured rather than bow down to him.

Human life is so short and fraught with disease and disaster. Wouldn't it be better to be kings in the virtual world, immortal and enjoying eternal wealth and glory?

Now all hope rests on Lin Ruochu. Hopefully, she won't be as clever as Ye Zhaoqiu, who is too clever for her own good and tries to fight against the entire technology group with her own strength!

Someone has cleared Treasure Island.

The key leaderboard, which had been sitting there motionless for a full ten years since the server opened, suddenly saw two player IDs refreshed. Players who followed the top ten unsolved mysteries and those who didn't were all shocked by the sudden flood of news.

Even players who stayed on Happy Island to farm heard immediately that someone had obtained the key.

"I actually witnessed history with my own eyes! I watched those people from M Technology Company go in, and hehe, I even followed them and picked up a lot of gold coins. I made a fortune!"

"It is said that in addition to obtaining the key, those who pass the level will also receive the puzzle for the next level."

"Holy crap? Really?! Isn't the second level, Treasure Island, supposed to give you a server-wide notification after you beat it?"

"Someone has already cleared the game. Did you see the system message reminding you where the secret level has been unlocked?"

"Damn! So, to find the second level, you have to clear the first level and get the puzzle first? This is totally restricting ordinary players."

"What's the rush? Don't forget that Perfect World was developed by M Technology Company. They're trying their best to unlock Treasure Island to set an example for players and attract gaming experts to try it out, so that it won't be too embarrassing if they haven't cracked it after ten years."

I bet the difficulty of the top ten unsolved mysteries will be lowered, which will attract more people to explore.

Haven't you heard that G Technology is brewing something big? They're competing with each other to grab players, so they definitely need to come up with some attractive strategies. Otherwise, once their new game comes out, players who see no hope here will leave!

"The analysis upstairs makes sense. I just heard a rumor that you can get a million gold coins as a reward after beating the game, instantly becoming a millionaire! After the Treasure Island data maintenance is over, anyone want to form a group to try farming Hero's Canyon?"

"The update should be making it easier, right? If there really is a million gold coin reward, it's just a gamble, I won't actually die, I have to give it a try..."

.........

In social circles, between people, and even on public channels, wherever there is a place to talk, everyone is discussing the Treasure Island event.

The publicity department of M Technology Company was also busy. They received the recorded video sent by the young master as soon as possible, and began to edit it according to the requirements before broadcasting it on the promotional screens of all companies.

The screen is filled with piles of gold coins, thrilling battles; dragons swooping down from above and being shot through; the agile figures of elves leaping across cliffs; boulders falling as the canyon shakes; edited footage of a giant snake in the distance and a terrifying, formidable snake head flicking its tongue in close-up; and a door opening and letting light flow from a crack...

A short promotional video for clearing customs, just over a minute long, was shown on every big screen, and at that moment almost everyone looked up with longing expressions.

The children standing on the garbage heap temporarily forgot about the stench and the stained snakeskin bags they were carrying.

The elderly people in the stacked-up building squinted as they looked around, seemingly able to feel the long-lost warmth flowing through their veins.