Chapter 327 Candidates

[Defense system is now active]

[Attack defended 27 times]

"Ah, the great twenty-seventh time."

"Yes, I'm back. It took me a while to get rid of that annoying bitch."

"How long can it last? Probably a few hundred cosmic years. Cracking the code will give her a real headache."

Input: I owe you a favor.

[Downloading file...]

[Saved to "Cosmic Directory"]

"You owe me so many favors, Mr. 832. Even if you wanted to repay them, you wouldn't be able to by the time you finish the next book."

"Now take your time to carefully examine the encrypted information about your pieces."

“I will stay here. Come on, drag this chip away, and then use the recording pen of the Destiny to cut a gash in your heart.”

"Come on, lend a hand."

[Access to the video recording system...]

Welcome, great observer outside the Great Firewall!

[The following is a transcript of the dialogue between File 002 - Stanford and "Plot Setting"]

[Just a dead person]

—Video recording in progress—

Stanford is in the "scripted" office, but the camera system cannot recognize his face; all we know is that the target is referred to as "File 002 - Stanford".

A symphony was playing in the office.

He was holding a special pistol. There was no one guarding the door, but the other party could not escape and had no reason to break free.

[Conversation Log Begins]

Stanford: Okay, hello.

The "plot setting" did not maintain the previous image of the mouthparts, but instead changed into a human figure about 2 meters tall made of ink threads.

It turned its head, marking the first time observers have recorded a "scripted" action against a monitored object.

Plot setting: No need for introductions, I know you, and I'm very familiar with you.

(*pause)

Stanford: Ha, what a strange experience. I really don't know what you guys did to me, something like a space jump? Or a conceptual engineering project, right?

Plot setting: I don't need to answer this question.

Stanford: I know you? But we've never met before, just now... a bunch of absurd memories have flooded my brain, how could I know a monster like you?

Plot setting: The concept of judgment lives within you, and from now on, you possess more authority than anyone else.

Stanford: Fuck, who the hell are you? Please, tell me.

Plot setting: I'm sorry, you're not one of my bets. Although you were a candidate along with the others, your arrival was just an accident. And I—am merely a self-serving, overly ambitious, and irresponsible construct. I have no name, and those things mean nothing to you, or to anyone, including myself.

Stanford: Can I tell you a story?

(*pause)

[Time is accelerating]

[27 cosmic years later]

Stanford: Please, it's been so long... Since I've been able to think so clearly, believe me, I really recognize you now.

The plot does not provide an answer.

Stanford: Thank you, I made it through. Now I'm going to begin—once upon a time, there was a man. He was an insignificant, ordinary man, a middleman among middlemen in society. He sat at his desk, and a file numbered 002 was handed to him.

Plot setting: This isn't a story, it's reality. Because that person is you, you from another parallel universe.

You are a dying man.

(Laughter erupts from the plot)

Stanford: Okay, I believe what you said at the beginning, "I know everything." I wanted to keep you in suspense a bit. Yes, that's me.

Plot setting: You already have enough experience and suspense. It doesn't matter if you can't recognize those people's faces; there are many people in this universe you don't know... but the truth is the most important thing.

Stanford: I know, I'm almost there—I was sitting there, at my desk, and File 002 just passed by. The place I worked as an adult was practically on the dark side of the universe. You know… all the things the operatives did, the people they killed… those enormous monsters that emerged from their crimson reflections, screaming and spitting at you, no one could ignore them. How could I not care? The deaths recorded in those files, they forgot, how could anyone forget?

(*pause)

Stanford: But I couldn't. So I abandoned all the screaming monsters, got up, and took the files. I almost got thrown into the shredder for it. From that moment on, I knew… there would always be some people who had seen their crimes. Then, the world's most powerful figures found me and promised me a peaceful end. Twenty-seven people, from all over the world.

Stanford sighed.

You are so pathetic, they commit necessary evils every day. As always. But who but you would think... In the beginning, we believed we could maintain that objective good. Ironically, we did believe that at first. I know many things were necessary... but it has gone astray.

Stanford points to the plot setting.

Do you think all of this is necessary?

Not at all

(*pause)

Stanford: Actually, I've come to understand. Something like Eoubs has happened many times. This organization is also a key element, a classified document. I've probably told its story countless times in countless parallel universes—but I'm really tired, I don't like it.

This chapter is not finished, please click the next page to continue reading!