Chapter 83 A Man in Brown Clothes Possessing Jade (9)
Shu Ningmiao never bought into the game system's tricks. Leaning against the door, she bombarded it with questions: "What exactly did I see when I reloaded the save file? — You were the one who told me to go find Weston and Jiang Gongshi. If there was a problem with the save file, why didn't you say so?"
"Darling, what you're seeing isn't an illusion or a delusion; it's reality."
According to this statement, the death she experienced was real death—there was no room for self-deception.
She really died, or rather, she really did die.
Shu Ning's knuckles made a crisp cracking sound, and a feeling of nausea rose in her throat.
She really was killed by Achini.
this**--!
"Don't be angry, darling. It wasn't your fault that I said you shouldn't have reloaded the save file."
"Why are you speaking so clearly now?" Shu Ningmiao never followed the rhythm of the game system. Upon hearing this, she shook the terminal vigorously: "Did you swallow my Crimson Palace Stone? Spit it out."
The game system explained it to her earnestly, but she still couldn't stop thinking about the Crimson Palace Stone she had worked so hard to obtain.
Of course, she could tell that something was wrong with the game system.
Before, I would break down two sentences into various radicals and go to great lengths to avoid them, but now I suddenly appeared out of nowhere and talked to her for a long time, and there's no sign of it disappearing.
This change happened precisely after the disappearance of the Crimson Palace Stone, so it must be related to it.
The words, "The Crimson Palace Stone is inside your body," were simply black and white text, yet Shu Ningmiao could sense their gentle tone even through the screen: "Thanks to your service, I now have enough energy to communicate with you."
"Inside my body?" Shu Ningmiao had been in shock ever since she heard it utter its first words.
Is the Crimson Palace Stone inside her body?
She opened the save page with some skepticism, only to find that she could actually load and save the game successfully, which meant that the Crimson Palace Stone was indeed still with her.
How could the Crimson Palace Stone have inexplicably ended up inside her body?
"Because you were unconscious when you were pulled into the memories, the situation was very dangerous. I had no choice but to place the Crimson Palace Stone inside your body. Its power will allow you to regain control of your body," the game system explained.
Seeing that Shu Ningmiao didn't speak, it continued, "I know you still don't believe me, that's okay. Let me introduce myself first. I am 'Xian'."
—String? Shu Ningmiao's pupils constricted in surprise.
Of course she knew what the string was. The "string" in "String Light Academy" constituted the foundation of this world, and the world will that, according to legend, could only be communicated with by the omniscient.
"Yes, it's the 'string' you're thinking of; I am a part of what makes up this world."
"Strings...so they can talk?" Shu Ningmiao stared at her palm in disbelief.
"No, a string is just a basic unit that makes up the world. A certain number of strings combined together are called a string flow, which moves around the world and is no different from flowing water and light—except for the fact that I can speak."
"I've integrated into this game's system; it's through the game that I can communicate with you."
Let me explain it to you in a simple way that you can understand.
You can think of saving and loading as a kind of supernatural ability to manipulate time.
The game system pop-up transformed into a yellow sphere, bouncing around on the screen: "Loading a save/load doesn't mean rewinding; it means overwriting your current time with a saved point in time. Have you ever wondered where that overwritten time goes?"
There is a fundamental difference between backtracking and covering the fingertips.
For example, if she saves her game at 7 o'clock and loads it at 8 o'clock, the hour between 7 o'clock and 8 o'clock before loading the game is the "overwritten time".
If the time between her saving and loading the game is longer, the "overwritten time" could be several hours, or it could be several days, months, or even years.
"The covered time will melt into the string flow."
Everything you can see in this world is made up of "strings," including time.
"The essence of saving and loading is time. Right now, you don't have complete control. While 'loading,' you're pulled into the current of time, briefly seeing 'overwritten time'—that's it. You might not feel it, but being in that situation is very dangerous."
Shu Ningmiao took a deep breath, her head throbbing and her mind reeling: "I saw Achini stab me in a dark room, and you mean I saw a reality that actually happened but was covered up, not the future shown in the game."
"Darling, yes, you're so clever," the game system praised her in a gentle yet mature tone. "I am also part of the String Flow. To help you understand, and to avoid the gaze of fate, I transmit information only in this way. The content displayed in the game is 'the past being overwritten.'"
Does "this method" refer to this dating game? It's certainly quite trendy.
"I thought it was a premonition."
No one in this world can see the future; all you can see is the past. Everything you see is "something that has already happened."
All the storylines in the game are things that happened in the past, and are still happening now.
"Did I reload the save file?" Shu Ning asked incredulously, "I've already reloaded the save file once?"
"No, that was your first time loading a save file... Consider this a newbie reward from me."
Shu Ningmiao still couldn't help but feel it was absurd: "Then why don't you just let me see my own memories?"
Wouldn't that make everything clear? Why show her Erici's fragmented and misleading memories, leaving her still completely confused?
The game system displayed the next sentence after a long pause: "I'm not omnipotent." The next line was: "I'm just a stream of energy; this is all I can do."
Shu Ningmiao remained silent for a long time before finally managing to ask, "How can I survive? What is the right thing to do? What does the survival tip you sent me have to do with you?"
We can't really rely on its survival tips, can we?
Besides, it's too late now.
"My consciousness was so weak before, it was practically nonexistent. The survival tips I received earlier were calculated by the game's AI system based on all the story data models."
No wonder it's so stupid... it really was calculated using AI.
Choose what you want to do, and trust your own heart.
The game system said, "The absorption of the Crimson Palace Stone is entirely beneficial to you. Pandora is the source of superpowers; the higher the Pandora content in your body, the stronger your superpowers will be. You can try using your superpowers; they should be stronger than usual, right?"
For most people, the amount of Pandora in their body, like superpowers, is determined at birth and cannot be changed later.
"No strategy is useful; only your strength can change your destiny."
Shu Ningmiao noticed that the color of the text above was gradually fading, and hurriedly asked, "Will I be pulled into the Stream again next time I load a save file?"
"Having absorbed Pandora from the Crimson Palace Stone, your condition will be more stable than before."
The subtitle, "Time is a property Pandora gave to life," fades to black: "But using anything comes at a price."
"Never abuse it."
It was reminding her to be careful when saving and loading save files, a point that Shu Ningmiao agreed with; one should always have some reverence for time.
As the subtitles disappeared, the game interface became unresponsive. Shu Ningmiao shook the terminal in frustration, but the screen remained unchanged.
After standing there blankly for a few minutes, Shu Ningmiao suddenly stood up, turned around, opened the door, and left.
Achini is nowhere to be found yet, and waiting around won't solve anything.
Having witnessed her own death, she is now extremely curious about the room on the top floor of the Pitti Tower.
What exactly is inside?
Why were she and Achini at that place at the same time?
The image of her chest being pierced kept flashing through her mind.
Shu Ningmiao was determined to go and see for herself. Regardless of whether there was anyone in the Zhunti Pagoda, she was determined to break in and see what was inside, even if it meant staying up until midnight.
Shu Ningmiao thought that since it was a day off, there wouldn't be many people in the Zhunti Pagoda, which is a teaching building. However, as soon as she stepped into the top floor, her brows furrowed involuntarily.
It's noisy.
There were more people in the faculty offices on the top floor than during class, and they were all gathered around Weston's office.
—That is, her target, the locked doorway between Weston and Yellius.
Her heart skipped a beat. She tiptoed, held her breath, and hid in the shadows. The teachers were not around, and it would be difficult to explain for a student like her to go to the top floor alone on her day off.
These people seem to be arguing about something.
Several of them, dressed in custom-made uniforms and wearing white gloves, were pointing and gesturing with electronic recording tablets in their hands: "Isn't it just a matter of breaking through a wall?"
The workers who had been doing the hammering and banging on the office renovations were also there.
Is this going to connect Yelüqi's office with the room next door? Shu Ningmiao was taken aback.
It's like a godsend; if this room were opened up, the originally enclosed environment would be completely changed, making it obviously safer.
The person from the academic affairs office said with a forced smile, "This is already enough of a change. The area of each teacher's office is fixed. Opening up the space would make other teachers feel uncomfortable."
She smiled bitterly, but cursed inwardly, "It's all because the principal won't allow it!"
What was originally a trivial matter turned into a furious outburst from Aloberia upon hearing about it. She roared at her and her colleagues, "Do you know what kind of place that is? If even a scrap of skin were to fall from the wall, I would beat that brat to death. If he can do it, he can do it; if he can't, he can get out!"
If only she had listened to Weston earlier and reported it to the principal, she wouldn't have had to smash the hammer and get a severe scolding from the principal.
Now, we can neither offend this young master nor simply repeat the principal's words, lest we damage the leader's family relationships.
She could only come up with various excuses and try to smooth things over, ending up pleasing neither side.
"We didn't make any unreasonable demands, did we?" The uniformed man tapped the screen. "Installing a small-scale combat simulation system requires space. Can't we even approve special needs?"
"We have a training ground right behind our tower, which can easily accommodate a large-scale combat simulation system," the person from the Academic Affairs Office managed to say.
"You mean, training with a bunch of kids crammed together?"
"Do you know what this school's name is? — Beria." The man in uniform adjusted his glasses. "Even if we use this building as offices, what's wrong with that?"
The person in the academic affairs office chuckled dryly, thinking to herself, of course she knows what kind of school this is. It's Beria who wants to connect with them, and it's also Beria who doesn't agree to connect with them.
The uniformed man paced back and forth a couple of times, then said unhappily, “You know, Young Master Belial’s agreement to teach at String Light Academy is just a transition. He is the most promising person to become an Actor in recent years. Next year—no, perhaps this year—he may pass the selection. The combat simulation system is indispensable.”
Shu Ningmiao, who was hiding behind the wall, raised an eyebrow upon hearing this.
I see.
Unexpectedly, their new teacher was Luxemeria.
She vaguely remembered this person.
The surname clearly indicates that this person is the child of their headmaster, Aloberia.
Lux had only recently graduated from his senior year, so he could still be considered her senior.
Of these qualities—being high-profile, achieving excellent results, and being highly anticipated—"being high-profile" probably ranks first.
She'd seen plenty of flamboyant people, but Lux was no match for her.
But despite the exaggeration, the uniformed man's words were not exaggerated. Several years ago, Cornunos had already spread rumors that Lux had met the selection requirements for the operative, and he himself was eager to join the military district, making a grand show of it.
Using his teaching experience at String Light Academy as a stepping stone, he should be participating in the selection of pilots next year.
In just one short year, they've renovated the office to look like this?
She gained a new understanding of this person's extravagance.
Shu Ningmiao waited for them to argue for a long time before the uniformed man finally gave in and took out his terminal to call his employer.
The people in the academic affairs office thought that after such a long entanglement, Belial's eldest son would probably be difficult to deal with, and they apologized repeatedly.
The person on the other end seemed indifferent: "If we can't get through, we can't get through."
It was unexpectedly easy to resolve; it was a pleasant surprise. The people in the academic affairs office looked at each other in surprise, and their words became even more attentive.
Shu Ningmiao could hear the laughter coming from the terminal. The person on the other end was laughing heartily, much like the principal: "Is my office renovation finished?"
"Everything has been arranged according to your requirements."
After a few polite words, the group quickly dispersed. The person in charge had been going on for several days, thinking the matter would be difficult, but it turned out that for the benefactor, it was just a matter of a few words.
Shu Ningmiao hid to the side and waited until they were all gone before leisurely emerging.
As an ancient building with a history of over a hundred years, the Zhunti Pagoda had no surveillance cameras installed. Shu Ningmiao put on disposable gloves and changed her shoes to avoid leaving fingerprints nearby.
According to Yelüqi, this room was the office of the first principal.
Principal Aloberia's reaction in forbidding his son from prying open the wall also confirms this.
She still wanted to study at Cornunos and absolutely could not let the Beria family know what she had done.
She can't pick locks, but she's very good at destroying things.
As Shu Ningmiao was breaking the lock, she recalled the history of Cornunos School.
The originator of the Belial family's rise to power, the first principal of the Academy of String Light, which proposed establishing an academy for superhumans in Cornunos, was named Edvina Belial.
Edvina Beria was already quite wealthy in Pines at the time, and she invested in building nearly five hundred schools throughout her life, with Cornunos being just the most famous one.
This remarkable woman was also one of the first pilots.
After the war of resistance against superhumans ended, she devoted herself to the systematic education of superhumans, which is now the String Light Academy.
Shu Ningmiao let go of the doorknob, which had been completely immovable, and removed it entirely.
The game system hadn't lied to her; her powers had become much stronger after absorbing the Crimson Palace Stone's Pandora.
She reached through the hole in the door panel, pulled it open with her other hand, and the door panel, which had been sealed for a hundred years, creaked loudly, which sounded particularly jarring in the silent air.
Dust rushed in, accompanied by a pungent musty smell. Shu Ningmiao covered her mouth and half of her body hid behind the door to observe the scene inside.
There was a window in the room, and you could see that because of the excessive dust, the sunlight falling on the ground was distorted and flickering due to the dense particles.
But for a room that has been sealed for over two hundred years, it seems too clean.
Shu Ningmiao stood at the door for a long time, cautiously looking the room over from top to bottom, as if afraid that someone would suddenly jump down from above and stab her.
This is the room she saw in the death CG. Apart from the table and chairs covered in a layer of dust in the middle, there are a lot of miscellaneous items scattered around, and it's moldy. When she first saw the CG image, she thought it was some kind of storage room.
The wool carpet she was standing on had an exquisite blue-green pattern, which clearly indicated that it was expensive. However, a large brown patch on the carpet was stained by some liquid and covered with a layer of black ash, making it look like a dirty floor at first glance.
Shu Ningmiao made sure no one was inside before cautiously walking in. At the end of the carpet stain was a ceramic teacup broken in two.
There was a shriveled cigar on the ground, only half-smoked.
The traces of life here were too obvious, which made Shu Ningmiao feel a little strange.
It is said that this place was sealed off after the death of the first headmistress of Edwina. Were these traces left by the headmistress herself?
She estimated the distance between the table and chairs and the teacup, deducing that the cup was probably thrown by the person sitting in the chair.
Judging from the overturned objects around them, there may have been an argument.
Shu Ningmiao could roughly imagine the homeowner smashing the teacup and then throwing away the half-smoked cigar in annoyance.
On the wall directly opposite the table and chairs, the portrait behind the curtain is half-hidden.
Shu Ningmiao originally wanted to check what was on the table, but she stopped when she inadvertently glanced at the portrait.
The woman in the portrait is about thirty years old, with short blonde hair. Her uniform is covered with sashes and medals, and she looks like a golden lion, gazing at her with a solemn expression.
This should be a portrait of the first headmistress, Edwina, when she was young.
Shu Ningmiao stopped to look, not because of the portrait's beauty, but because, in the entire room, only the frame of this portrait was spotless.
Not a speck of dust.
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