Chapter 18: The Third Path
"Three."
"Two."
"One."
Li Ming closed his eyes, waiting for... oblivion?
But...
Nothing happened.
The countdown ended, but he was still here. Underground level three, the dark space, the sphere of light, the Administrator...
"What's going on?" Li Ming opened his eyes.
The Administrator stood across from him, the expression behind the mask... unreadable?
"You..." The Administrator's voice held a trace of... trembling? "What... did you... do?"
"Me?" Li Ming froze, "I didn't do anything."
"No." The Administrator said, "The reset... was... blocked."
"Blocked?"
"Yes." The Administrator said, "Someone... is... interfering... from... outside."
"Who?"
"I don't know." The Administrator said, "But... only... an Administrator... can... interfere... with... the reset."
"What?"
"Another... Administrator."
Li Ming's heart jolted.
"There's... another... Administrator?"
"There was." The Administrator said, "But... I... thought... he... was... dead."
"Who?"
"Wang..." The Administrator paused, "Wang Elder."
"Wang Elder?"
"Yes." The Administrator said, "He... was... an Administrator... fifteen years... ago."
"Then..."
"But... he... chose... to give it up." The Administrator said, "Gave up... authority... retained... humanity."
"Then..."
"So..." The Administrator said, "he... can now... interfere... with... the reset."
"Then..."
"But..." The Administrator paused, "this... is impossible."
"Why?"
"Because..." The Administrator said, "he... has... no... authority."
"No... authority..."
"Correct." The Administrator said, "After... giving up... authority... he... became... an ordinary person."
"Then..."
"So..." The Administrator said, "it's... not... him."
"Then... who?"
"I don't know." The Administrator said, "But... only... an Administrator... can... interfere... with... the reset."
Li Ming went silent.
Suddenly, a name came to mind.
"Chen Feng."
"Chen Feng?" The Administrator said, "That... Executor?"
"Yes." Li Ming said, "He... said... he... wanted... to change... the system... from... within."
"Then..."
"So..." Li Ming said, "he... might... also... be... an Administrator."
"Possibly." The Administrator said, "But... his... authority... isn't... sufficient."
"Not sufficient..."
"Correct." The Administrator said, "Only... I... and... Wang Elder... have... complete... authority."
"Then..."
"So..." The Administrator paused, "it's... Wang Elder."
"He... deceived... me."
"Deceived..."
"Yes." The Administrator said, "He... said... don't... look... at... the Source Code."
"But..."
"Because..." The Administrator said, "if you... look... you'll... know... the truth."
"What... truth?"
"The truth... is..." The Administrator paused, "reset... is... a lie."
"A lie..."
"Yes." The Administrator said, "After reset... you... won't... return... to... Earth."
"Then... where?"
"To..." The Administrator said, "nothingness."
"Nothingness..."
"Yes." The Administrator said, "Complete... erasure."
A chill ran down Li Ming's spine.
"Then... you..."
"I..." The Administrator said, "would also... disappear."
"Also..."
"Yes." The Administrator said, "Reset... is... mutual destruction."
"Then..."
"So..." The Administrator said, "Wang Elder... didn't want... you... to see."
"Because..."
"Because... if you... saw... you... would... choose... reset."
"Then..."
"But..." The Administrator paused, "now... the reset... has been... blocked."
If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it's taken without permission from the author. Report it.
"Then... what now?"
"There... are... three... choices." The Administrator said.
"Which... three?"
"First, become... an Administrator... and manage... this world... with... me."
"Second..."
"Second, be... purged... complete... erasure."
"Third..."
"Third..." The Administrator paused, "find... the third path."
"Third path..."
"Yes." The Administrator said, "Repair... this system."
"Repair..."
"Yes." The Administrator said, "This world... has... many... bugs."
"Bugs..."
"Yes." The Administrator said, "Techniques... have bugs... the system... has bugs... the rules... have bugs."
"Then..."
"So..." The Administrator said, "someone... needs... to fix... them."
"Fix..."
"Yes." The Administrator said, "But... fixing... is... harder... than... resetting."
"Why?"
"Because..." The Administrator said, "fixing... takes... time."
"Time..."
"Yes." The Administrator said, "Maybe... a year... maybe... ten years... maybe... a lifetime."
"Then..."
"So..." The Administrator said, "what... do you... choose?"
Li Ming went silent.
For a long time.
"Fix." He said.
"Why?"
"Because..." Li Ming paused, "because... I... am... a programmer."
"Programmer..."
"Yes." Li Ming said, "A programmer's... duty... is... to fix... bugs."
"Then..."
"So..." Li Ming said, "I... choose... to fix."
The Administrator went silent.
For a long time.
"Alright." He finally said, "Then... we fix."
"But..."
"Before... fixing..." The Administrator said, "you... need... authority."
"Authority..."
"Yes." The Administrator said, "Without... authority... you... cannot... fix."
"Then..."
"So..." The Administrator extended his hand, "I... give... you... authority."
"Give... to me?"
"Yes." The Administrator said, "I... transfer... my... authority... to... you."
"Then... you..."
"I..." The Administrator said, "I... will... disappear."
"Disappear..."
"Yes." The Administrator said, "Authority... can only... have... one... holder."
"Then..."
"So..." The Administrator Said, "this... is... the final... transfer."
Li Ming went silent.
"Why... give... to me?"
"Because..." The Administrator paused, "because... I... am... tired."
"Tired..."
"Yes." The Administrator said, "Managing... this world... is... too... tiring."
"Then..."
"So..." The Administrator said, "I... want... to rest."
"Rest..."
"Yes." The Administrator said, "Eternal... rest."
"Then..."
"But..." The Administrator paused, "before... disappearing... I... give... you... a warning."
"What... warning?"
"The Cleansers..." The Administrator said, "there are... more than... nine."
"More than..."
"Yes." The Administrator Said, "Nine... avatars... are... just... the tip... of the iceberg."
"Then..."
"There are..." The Administrator said, "more... in... the shadows."
"More..."
"Yes." The Administrator said, "They... will... hunt... you."
"Why?"
"Because..." The Administrator said, "you... are... the new... Administrator."
"Then..."
"So..." The Administrator Said, "be... careful."
"Yeah." Li Ming said, "I'll... be careful."
"Good." The Administrator said, "Then... we begin... the transfer."
He extended his hand and pressed it against Li Ming's forehead.
Instantly, information flooded his mind.
Countless... code... countless... authorities... countless... responsibilities...
He saw...
This world's... entire... codebase...
Techniques... system... rules... players... Cleansers...
And...
A... greater... conspiracy...
"This..."
Li Ming's pupils contracted.
"This... is... everything?"
"Yes." The Administrator said, "Now... you... know."
"Then..."
"So..." The Administrator Said, "you... are... the new... Administrator."
"New..."
"Yes." The Administrator said, "But... you... are... different... from... me."
"How... different?"
"I..." The Administrator paused, "was... generated... by... the system."
"System... generated..."
"Yes." The Administrator said, "But... you... are... a player."
"Player..."
"Correct." The Administrator said, "So... you... have... humanity."
"Then..."
"So..." The Administrator Said, "you... can... do... what... I... cannot."
"What... things?"
"Fix... this world." The Administrator said, "Make... it... better."
"Better..."
"Yes." The Administrator said, "Let... players... and... NPCs... both... live."
"Both... can live..."
"Yes." The Administrator said, "This... is... my... wish."
"Then..."
"So..." The Administrator Said, "I'm... counting... on you."
With that, his body... began... to dissolve?
Like... pixelating?
"You..."
"I... am... disappearing." The Administrator said, "But... my... authority... will... remain... within... you."
"Then..."
"Remember..." The Administrator said, "you... are... an Administrator... but... you... are also... a player."
"Don't... forget... your... original intention."
"Original intention..."
"Yes." The Administrator said, "The reason... you... transmigrated... here."
"Original intention..."
Li Ming remembered...
Three in the morning, company office, seventh cup of coffee, the Python code on screen still throwing errors...
Then...
Everything went black.
When... he opened his eyes...
It was... this... world.
"I..."
"Remember..." The Administrator said, "you... came... to... change... things."
"Change..."
"Yes." The Administrator said, "Change... this... world."
With that, he... completely... disappeared.
Underground level three, only Li Ming remained.
And... that... sphere of light.
"Source Code..."
Li Ming approached the sphere.
Reached out... and touched it.
This time... no information... flooded in?
The sphere... transformed... into... a small... point of light?
Then...
Flew... into... his... dantian?
"This..."
Li Ming felt... something... new... in... his dantian?
Like... a... core?
[System upgrading...]
[10%...]
[50%...]
[100%...]
[Upgrade complete.]
[Welcome... Administrator... Li Ming.]
[Current authority: Administrator (Junior)]
[Access: All code]
[Modifiable: Partial rules]
[Warning: Cleanser detection activated]
[Detecting...]
[Detected... 9 Cleansers... approaching...]
Li Ming's heart tightened.
"9..."
"Fuck."
He cursed.
"That... was fast."
He turned and walked toward the teleportation array.
"Need... to go back."
"Wang Elder... Chen Feng... Lin Xue..."
"They're... all... waiting... for me."
The moment he stepped onto the teleportation array, he looked back.
Underground level three... returned... to... darkness?
The sphere... was... gone.
The Administrator... was... also... gone.
"Goodbye."
Li Ming whispered.
Then...
Weightlessness.
...
When Li Ming returned to the Inner Hall, it was already noon.
Wang Elder stood at the entrance, his face... somewhat... pale?
"You..." Wang Elder said, "went... down?"
"Yeah." Li Ming said, "You... also... went... down?"
"Once." Wang Elder said, "Fifteen years ago."
"Then..."
"Did you... see?"
"I saw." Li Ming said, "The Administrator... gave... his authority... to me."
"Gave... to you?" Wang Elder froze, "Then... he..."
"Disappeared." Li Ming said, "He... said... he was... tired."
"Tired..." Wang Elder went silent, "Then... you... now..."
"Administrator." Li Ming said, "Junior level."
"Administrator..." Wang Elder gave a bitter smile, "Then... be... careful."
"I know." Li Ming said, "9 Cleansers... are... approaching."
"9..." Wang Elder's expression changed, "Then... go... quickly."
"Go?"
"Yes." Wang Elder said, "Leave... Azure Cloud Sect."
"Why?"
"Because..." Wang Elder said, "Azure Cloud Sect... is... no longer... safe."
"Then..."
"Go to... the back mountain." Wang Elder said, "There's... a teleportation array... there."
"Teleportation array?"
"Yes." Wang Elder said, "It can... send... you... to... other... sects."
"Other... sects..."
"Yes." Wang Elder said, "Azure Cloud Sect... is... only... one... testing ground."
"Testing ground..."
"Correct." Wang Elder said, "There are... many... other... testing grounds."
"Then..."
"So..." Wang Elder said, "go to... another... testing ground... find... other... players."
"Other... players..."
"Yes." Wang Elder Said, "1025... players... scattered... across... various... testing grounds."
"Then..."
"Find... them." Wang Elder said, "Together... fix... this world."
"Together..."
"Yes." Wang Elder said, "One... person... cannot... fix it all."
"Then..."
"So..." Wang Elder pulled a jade pendant from his robes, "this is... a map."
"Map?"
"Yes." Wang Elder said, "Locations... of other... testing grounds."
Li Ming took the jade pendant.
"Thank you."
"Don't." Wang Elder said, "We... are... allies."
"Allies..."
"Yes." Wang Elder said, "Seven... players... are... only... the beginning."
"Then..."
"So..." Wang Elder said, "go... quickly."
"The Cleansers... are... almost... here."
"Yeah." Li Ming said, "But... you..."
"I..." Wang Elder said, "I'll... stay... and... hold them off."
"Hold them off..."
"Yes." Wang Elder Said, "I... am... an Executor... I can... delay... them."
"Then..."
"Don't... worry." Wang Elder said, "I... won't... die."
"Why?"
"Because..." Wang Elder paused, "because... I... already... died... once... before."
"Died... before..."
"Yes." Wang Elder said, "Fifteen years... ago."
"Then..."
"So..." Wang Elder said, "this... is... borrowed... time."
"Borrowed..."
"Yes." Wang Elder said, "Now... it's time... to return... it."
"Then..."
"Go." Wang Elder said, "Go... quickly."
Li Ming went silent.
For a long time.
"Alright." He said, "I'll... go."
"But..."
"I... will... come back."
"Come back..."
"Yes." Li Ming said, "I'll... come back... to save... you."
Wang Elder smiled.
"Good." He said, "I'll... wait... for you."
Li Ming turned and ran toward the back mountain.
Behind him... came... sounds of combat?
Wang Elder... and... the Cleansers... were... fighting?
"Fuck."
He cursed.
"Stay... alive."
He ran... even... faster.
And in a place Li Ming couldn't see, the system interface automatically appeared before his eyes, a new line of code being written:
[Li_Ming_Status.py]
def admin_mode():
status = "ACTIVE" # Administrator mode activated
level = "Junior" # Level: Junior
clearance_rate = 0.15 # Authority completeness 15%
hunters = 9 # Cleansers
