Chapter 17: Source Code

  Before dawn, Li Ming woke.

  Not naturally—he was woken by pain. The fracture in his dantian felt like something was tearing it open. Every breath carried the taste of blood. He coughed up a mouthful—black, falling into his palm, thick as ink.

  [Status] Foundation Fracture (Collapse Risk 91%)

  [Time Remaining] 22 hours 45 minutes

  The Foundation Stabilization Pill's effect... was fading faster.

  Li Ming wiped the blood from his lips and pushed himself up against the wall. His legs were still trembling, but better than yesterday. Fourth Layer Qi Condensation spiritual power circulated through his meridians like a river barely held together, ready to burst its banks at any moment.

  "Inner Hall..."

  He pulled out the jade slip—Player 078's final gift before death. The surface was warm, almost like... body heat?

  "Underground level three... Source Code..."

  Li Ming took a deep breath and pushed open the door.

  Morning sunlight fell on his face, but he couldn't feel its warmth. The outer sect area was still quiet, but Li Ming could sense it—many eyes watching from the shadows.

  Avatar 09... was still there.

  "Fuck."

  He cursed again and headed toward the back mountain.

  The Inner Hall stood at the peak of the main mountain. From the outer sect, it took half an hour to walk there. Li Ming moved slowly, every step a battle against the pain.

  At the foot of the mountain, he encountered... Wang Elder.

  The old man wore gray elder robes, holding his wooden staff. His complexion was worse than before—sunken eyes, like he hadn't slept in days.

  "You came." Wang Elder said, his voice hoarse.

  "Yeah." Li Ming replied, "You..."

  "I came... to see you off." Wang Elder said, "The Inner Hall... isn't... easy to enter."

  "Why?"

  "Because..." Wang Elder paused, "because... there's... an array formation."

  "Array formation?"

  "Yes." Wang Elder said, "The Inner Hall... is... Azure Cloud Sect's... core."

  "Core..."

  "Yes." Wang Elder said, "The Source Code... is... in the core."

  "Then..."

  "But..." Wang Elder said, "after you enter... you'll see... some things."

  "What... things?"

  "The truth." Wang Elder said, "About... this world's... truth."

  Li Ming's fist tightened.

  "What... truth?"

  "See... for yourself." Wang Elder pulled a jade pendant from his robes, "This is... my... identity token."

  "Token?"

  "Yes." Wang Elder said, "With it... you... can enter... underground level three."

  "And you..."

  "I... cannot... enter." Wang Elder said, "I... am... an Executor... there are... restrictions."

  "Executor..."

  "Yes." Wang Elder said, "I... fifteen years ago... discovered... the truth."

  "Then..."

  "Then... I... chose... compromise." Wang Elder said, "But... you... don't have to."

  "Why?"

  "Because..." Wang Elder paused, "because... you... can... modify... code."

  "Then..."

  "So..." Wang Elder said, "you... are... our... hope."

  "Hope..."

  "Yes." Wang Elder said, "Among seven... players... only you... can... modify... code."

  "What about... the others..."

  "The others... are... all ruined." Wang Elder said, "Lin Xue... can... sense... but... cannot... modify."

  "Chen Feng..."

  "Chen Feng..." Wang Elder paused, "he... chose... another path."

  "What path?"

  "To become... an Administrator." Wang Elder said, "He... wanted... to change... the system... from... within."

  "Then..."

  "But..." Wang Elder said, "he... failed."

  "Failed..."

  "Yes." Wang Elder said, "He... is now... an Executor... same as... you."

  "Then..."

  "So..." Wang Elder said, "be... careful... of Chen Feng."

  "Chen Feng... has issues?"

  "Not... issues." Wang Elder said, "It's... allegiance."

  "Allegiance..."

  "Yes." Wang Elder said, "He... might... be... helping... you... or... harming... you."

  "Then..."

  "Depends... on... the situation." Wang Elder said, "But... right now... you... can only... trust... him."

  Li Ming went silent.

  For a long time.

  "Alright." He said, "I'll... enter."

  Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  "Yes." Wang Elder said, "Remember..."

  "Don't... look... at the Source Code."

  "Why?"

  "Because..." Wang Elder paused, "because... if you look... you... can't... come back."

  "Can't come back..."

  "Yes." Wang Elder said, "You... will... become... an Administrator."

  "Then..."

  "But..." Wang Elder said, "if you don't look... you... will... die."

  Li Ming gave a bitter laugh.

  "Either way... death."

  "So..." Wang Elder said, "you... choose."

  "Choose... what?"

  "Choose... how... to die." Wang Elder said, "Or... how... to live."

  Li Ming gripped the jade pendant.

  "I... choose... to live."

  "Then..." Wang Elder said, "look... at the Source Code."

  "But..."

  "Remember..." Wang Elder said, "after looking... you... are... still... you."

  "What do you mean?"

  "Meaning..." Wang Elder paused, "in the Source Code... there are... two... choices."

  "Which... two?"

  "Become... an Administrator... or... reset... the system."

  "Reset..."

  "Yes." Wang Elder said, "After reset... all... players... can... live."

  "All... can live?"

  "Yes." Wang Elder said, "But... you... might... die."

  Li Ming went silent.

  For a long time.

  "Alright." He said, "I'll... go."

  "Yes." Wang Elder said, "Good... luck."

  With that, he turned and... left.

  Li Ming watched his back disappear, then took a deep breath and headed toward the main peak.

  The Inner Hall... was... right before him.

  It was... a massive... structure, even taller... than the Scripture Library?

  Nine stories, gray tiles and red pillars, flying eaves and dougong brackets. But... different... from the Scripture Library?

  The Inner Hall... radiated... a kind of... pressure?

  Like... something... enormous... was... sleeping... inside?

  Li Ming reached the entrance.

  The guarding disciples saw him and immediately... let him pass?

  "Senior Brother Li." One disciple said, "The Elders... are... waiting... for you."

  "Elders?"

  "Yes." The disciple said, "All disciples... who passed... the Inner Hall... assessment... are... inside."

  "All..."

  "Zhou Jiu... Wu Shi..." The disciple said, "And... you."

  "They... came... too?"

  "Yes." The disciple said, "Dawn... assembly."

  Li Ming checked the sky.

  Dawn... had arrived.

  "Alright." He said, "Lead the way."

  The disciple turned and walked into the hall.

  Li Ming followed.

  Inside the hall... was... vast?

  Even bigger... than it looked... from outside?

  All around... were... shelves?

  No... not shelves... jade slips?

  Thousands upon thousands... of jade slips... floating... in the air?

  "This is..."

  Li Ming's pupils contracted.

  He... could... see... code?

  Each... jade slip... floated... covered... with dense... characters?

  "Welcome... to the Inner Hall."

  A voice... came... from... behind.

  Li Ming spun around.

  It was... Zhou Jiu... and... Wu Shi?

  Both... wore... Inner Hall disciple robes... their faces... somewhat... pale?

  "You two..."

  "We... came... too." Zhou Jiu said, "But... we... aren't... players."

  "Not... players?"

  "No." Zhou Jiu said, "We... are... ordinary people."

  "Then..."

  "But... we... know... some things." Wu Shi said, "About... this world."

  "What... things?"

  "This world..." Zhou Jiu said, "is... a program."

  "Program..."

  "Yes." Zhou Jiu said, "We... are all... NPCs."

  "NPCs..."

  Li Ming's heart jolted.

  "Then... players..."

  "Players... are... outsiders." Wu Shi said, "From... another... world."

  "Another... world..."

  "Yes." Wu Shi said, "You... call it... Earth."

  Li Ming's fist tightened.

  "How... do you know?"

  "Because..." Zhou Jiu paused, "because... we... are also... players."

  "Also..."

  "Yes." Zhou Jiu said, "But... we... failed."

  "Failed..."

  "Yes." Zhou Jiu said, "We... don't... have... a system."

  "No... system..."

  "No." Zhou Jiu said, "We... transmigrated... here... but... without... a system."

  "Then..."

  "So... we... can only... be... NPCs." Wu Shi said, "Playing... Inner Hall disciples."

  "Playing..."

  "Yes." Wu Shi said, "Waiting... for the next... player... to come."

  "Waiting..."

  "Yes." Wu Shi said, "Then... telling... them... the truth."

  "The truth..."

  "Yes." Zhou Jiu said, "The truth... is..."

  "This world... doesn't have... cultivation."

  "Only... code."

  Li Ming went silent.

  For a long time.

  "Then..."

  "So..." Zhou Jiu said, "you... are... the 1025th... player."

  "1025..."

  "Yes." Zhou Jiu said, "The previous... 1024... all... failed."

  "Failed..."

  "Yes." Zhou Jiu said, "Either... became... Administrators... or... were... purged."

  "Purged..."

  "Yes." Zhou Jiu said, "Meaning... death."

  "Then..."

  "So..." Zhou Jiu said, "be... careful."

  "Careful... of what?"

  "Of the Administrator." Wu Shi said, "He... is... in... underground level three."

  "Underground level three..."

  "Yes." Wu Shi said, "The entrance... is... in... the hall's... center."

  Li Ming looked toward the center of the hall.

  There... was... a teleportation array?

  Slowly... rotating?

  "That's... it." Wu Shi said, "Go down... and you'll... find... underground level three."

  "Then..."

  "But..." Zhou Jiu paused, "after you... go down... you might... not... come back."

  "Not come back..."

  "No." Zhou Jiu said, "Because... underground level three... is... the core."

  "Core..."

  "Yes." Zhou Jiu said, "The Source Code... is... there."

  "Then..."

  "So..." Zhou Jiu said, "have you... decided?"

  Li Ming went silent.

  For a long time.

  "Decided." He said.

  "Then..." Zhou Jiu said, "good... luck."

  Li Ming took a deep breath and walked toward the teleportation array.

  The moment he stepped on it, he felt...

  An immense... pressure?

  Like... something... was... watching... him?

  Then...

  Weightlessness.

  The surroundings blurred, light twisted, time seemed to stretch.

  Then, solid ground beneath his feet.

  Li Ming opened his eyes.

  Underground level three... wasn't... a room. It was... a space?

  Boundless darkness, with only... a sphere of light... floating... in the air?

  The sphere... radiated... pale blue light?

  "That's..."

  Li Ming approached.

  Inside the sphere... was... code?

  Countless... lines of code... flowing... within?

  "Welcome... to the core."

  A voice... came... from... behind.

  Li Ming spun around.

  A figure... stood... in the darkness?

  Wearing... black... robes?

  A mask... covering... the face?

  "You... are..."

  "The Administrator." The figure said, "The true... Administrator."

  "Not... Zhang Tao?"

  "Zhang Tao..." The figure paused, "was merely... an avatar."

  "Avatar..."

  "Yes." The figure said, "I... have... nine... avatars."

  "Nine..."

  "Yes." The figure said, "And... all... were... killed... by... you."

  "Killed..."

  "Yes." The figure said, "You... killed... Zhang Tao... Qian Qi... Sun Ba..."

  "They... were all... your... avatars?"

  "Yes." The figure said, "I... used... avatars... to test... you."

  "Test..."

  "Yes." The Figure said, "To test... whether... you... qualify... to become... an Administrator."

  "Qualify..."

  "Yes." The figure said, "You... passed."

  "Passed..."

  "Yes." The figure said, "So... I... give... you... two... choices."

  "Which... two?"

  "Become... an Administrator... or... die."

  Li Ming's fist tightened.

  "No... third option?"

  "No." The figure said, "These... are... the rules."

  "Rules..."

  "Yes." The figure said, "Game... rules."

  "Then..."

  "So..." The figure said, "what... do you... choose?"

  Li Ming went silent.

  For a long time.

  "I... choose..."

  "To reset... the system."

  The figure froze.

  "Reset..."

  "Yes." Li Ming said, "I... read... the Game... Rules."

  "That... book..."

  "Yes." Li Ming said, "It said... resetting... the system... lets all... players... live."

  "True." The figure said, "But... you... will... die."

  "I know." Li Ming said, "But... I still... choose... reset."

  "Why?"

  "Because..." Li Ming paused, "because... I... don't want... to become... you."

  The figure went silent.

  For a long time.

  "Very well." He finally said, "Then... reset."

  "But..."

  "Before... resetting..." The figure said, "do you... want... to see... the Source Code?"

  "Source Code..."

  "Yes." The figure said, "This world's... Source Code."

  Li Ming went silent.

  Wang Elder said, don't look.

  If you look... you can't come back.

  But...

  "Show me." He said, "I... want... to see."

  "Alright." The figure said, "Then... come... closer."

  Li Ming approached the sphere of light.

  He reached out... and touched it.

  Instantly, information flooded his mind.

  Countless... code... countless... memories... countless... truths...

  He saw...

  This world's... creation...

  Players'... transmigration...

  The system's... establishment...

  And...

  A... shocking... secret...

  "This..."

  Li Ming's pupils contracted.

  "This... is... the truth?"

  "Yes." The figure said, "Now... you... know."

  "Then..."

  "So..." The figure said, "do you... still... choose... reset?"

  Li Ming went silent.

  For a long time.

  "Yes." He said.

  "Alright." The figure said, "Then... we begin."

  "But..."

  "Before... we begin..." The figure said, "I... give... you... one... chance."

  "What... chance?"

  "The chance... to become... an Administrator." The figure said, "To manage... this world... with... me."

  "Together..."

  "Yes." The figure said, "I... am... too... tired... to manage... alone."

  "Then..."

  "So..." The figure said, "what... do you... choose?"

  Li Ming's fist tightened.

  "I... choose..."

  "Reset."

  The figure sighed.

  "Then... as... you... wish."

  "But..."

  "Remember..." The figure said, "after reset... you... will... forget... everything."

  "Forget..."

  "Yes." The figure said, "You... will... return... to... your original... world."

  "Original... world..."

  "Yes." The figure said, "Earth."

  "Then..."

  "But..." The figure paused, "you... will... lose... these... memories."

  "Lose..."

  "Yes." The figure said, "All... players... will... lose... them."

  "Then..."

  "So..." The Figure said, "this... is... the final... farewell."

  Li Ming went silent.

  For a long time.

  "Begin." He said.

  "Alright." The figure said, "Countdown..."

  "Ten."

  "Nine."

  "Eight."

  ...