“However, the mere existence of the world indicates that he has already accepted the persona,” Leo said.
“Eh? What do you mean?” Han Yanyan asked, bewildered.
“Even though the world is created by you, there are two people involved— you and him,” Leo explained. “He too participates in his own setting. If he completely cannot accept it, the world simply cannot be formed. But if he finds it acceptable, after a struggle with you, a balance is reached, and the world can successfully come into being.”
Han Yanyan questioned, “This struggle with me, what does it refer to?”
“Let’s take an example. Suppose you set a value for him at 10 to better lure him, but he is actually a 100. His subconscious will not accept such a low setting. After wrestling with you, the eventual persona might settle around 40, 50, or maybe even 60, 70. This is a balanced value, a baseline both you and he can accept.”
Leo said, “Especially with that one; his determination is too strong. If you try to define him as a worthless person with no money, no skills, and no status, I’m telling you, I doubt the world will be able to form. So next time, make sure to pay attention to this point.”
This didn’t explain why Yao reacted differently to Ding Yao and Yao Chen’s personas, but Han Yanyan was overwhelmed with information and couldn’t help but lower her head to ponder and digest.
She fell silent, while Leo smacked his lips in realization, suddenly awakening to something: “Wait, why am I telling you all this… and without marking…” He sighed, “Forget it!”
Leo huffed in frustration, “Anyway, even without a marker, you’ll still figure it out. You’re such a cunning woman.”
Han Yanyan certainly wouldn’t admit to playing him: “It's all to better construct the world and personas.”
“Splitting hairs!” Leo had caught on.
He was a self-taught scientist, brilliant in theory and skills, but when it came to playing the game of wits against Han Yanyan, he ultimately lagged a little behind.
Frustrated, he tossed a client’s file toward Han Yanyan: “Take a good look at this. This is a deceased person, long gone. You just need to replicate a summary of their life.”
Han Yanyan felt a gentle prick in her mind as the details of a person’s life flooded in. Rubbing her temples, she asked, “You’re not marking me now?”
“Marking what?!” Leo snapped, “You’re such a sly woman. Even if you know the truth, you can act it out as if it's real! Hurry up, take a good look. I’m dead tired; I need to sleep.”
Han Yanyan closed her eyes to sort through the information and reopened them to say, “This is not Yao.”
“Of course not. His assistant has gone to sleep; he must personally monitor the whole process. The treatment can only wait until he wakes up.” Leo urged, “Quickly, I need to sleep too.”
“You’re going to sleep? What if I go ahead and blow the task target’s head off while you’re not around? Without you, I could be killed by his true self in an instant.” Han Yanyan said.
“You wish. Until I earn enough money, don’t even think about dying.” Leo replied, “This is a deceased person, without a body. Although their mental power source still exists, they have no offensive capability. Such a situation won’t happen.”
So, that terrifying pressure from Yao before must have been mental power? Han Yanyan recalled that her body had felt a surge of power ready to explode back then, but what could that have been? Could it be…?
“Hey, are you done yet?” Leo sounded dissatisfied.
Han Yanyan hurriedly gathered her focus to sort through the information, and upon seeing the details, she was startled, “This deceased client is a… General?”
“What’s wrong?” Leo yawned, his interest piqued.
“Another duke, another general. Are they all rich and noble?” Han Yanyan teased.
“Of course!” Leo snapped back, “This is a certain technology barred by the united political forces for violating the ‘Fundamental Law of Cosmic Dimensions and Life.’ Do you know how high my costs are? How much risk I’m taking? Naturally, the fees can’t be cheap! Who can afford it if not the rich? He’s dead, so it’s fate!”
“Fine, you’ve done this several times now. Awakening a deceased person isn’t too difficult, it’s almost on par with that rich young master. Just handle it as you see fit; I can barely keep my eyes open. I’m going to sleep.”
Leo yawned again, adding, “I’ll speed up the time flow a bit. By the time I wake up, the world better be resolved.”
As his yawn faded, the true system emerged.
The familiar electronic voice spoke, “Han Yanyan, are you ready to construct the world?”
Han Yanyan didn’t respond right away; instead, she asked, “Is Leo asleep?”
“Yes, the administrator has exited the system.” The system replied.
“Will Leo know about our conversation here?” Han Yanyan inquired.
“The administrator has full authority and can access all information through record queries,” the system answered.
“What if he doesn’t check? Will you report to him proactively?”
“Only operations violating safety regulations will generate warnings. Operations that do not violate any safety rules won’t be reported. As a contractor, you have limited authority and cannot perform any violations. Are you ready to construct the world?” the system asked.
Han Yanyan nodded, “I’m ready. Let’s start.”
“Construction begins.”
With this monotonous declaration, Han Yanyan went through the most wondrous experience of her life.
She believed she was divine.
She saw the stars moving, leaves falling to become rich soil, dust floating in the air reflecting sunlight. She saw countless people, each with a past and future, their connections intricate as silk threads.
Among all these people, she saw a ball of light; this was the task target. She linked him with others, their trajectories intertwining.
As the world’s structure and logic were established, countless data streams began flowing into this framework. The system filled the world with details, the contents of a book, the fragrance of a flower, the color of lipstick.
Logic solidified the world, and details rendered it real.
Within these data streams lay what Han Yanyan needed. She subtly integrated her own desires while constructing the framework, fearing any violations of safety regulations that might alert Leo. She tried her best to achieve her goal discreetly.
Fortunately, there were no unusual warnings.
Just as the world was nearing completion, Han Yanyan glanced at the intricate threads connecting different characters at each end and a new thought flashed in her mind.
She sent a command to the system with her thoughts, but this time, it was rejected.
“Rejection. Copying the information of existing characters in the generated world requires administrator authorization. Please obtain authorization before proceeding.” the system stated.
Han Yanyan felt disappointed.
“Builder, does the world require any additional settings?” the system inquired.
Han Yanyan calmed her emotions, bringing reason to the forefront: “Is the time within the world synchronized with real-world time?”
“The time within the world is adjustable.”
“How much real-world time did my conversation with Leo consume?” she asked.
“Five minutes.”
“How long have I been in the system as a builder?”
“417 hours and 21 minutes. Do you need precision down to seconds?”
417 hours, over half a month…
Han Yanyan’s eyes dimmed as she said, “Slower than I imagined. I remember in the first world I constructed, I stayed for two months. Later, when that world collapsed, Leo mentioned that I didn’t last beyond ten minutes.”
“Before the traces of the builder’s behavior intersect with the client’s, time in the world runs at a greatly accelerated speed.”
“Since it can run at such a speed, why does it slow down later?”
“Because one client’s guardian and payer must participate in the monitoring process. To accommodate the monitoring brain’s information reception speed, the time in the world cannot run too fast.”
“I see.”
“Does the builder have any further questions?”
“Do I have the authority to adjust the time speed?”
“That permission is granted to builders. Builder, can you now generate the world?” the system asked.
“I can, but…” Han Yanyan hesitated, “I want to increase the time speed…”
The world was generated.
Han Yanyan opened her eyes and felt no urgency at all. From now until Leo woke up, she had plenty of time.
As her eyes opened, the information prepared in her mind activated. Everything she meticulously sketched turned into detailed information that filled her consciousness. Once again, Han Yanyan was a young mistress, an heiress.
This was perfect; she created this world. It would be unreasonable for her to live off crumbs in it.
This young mistress opened her eyes and found herself lying on a soft, luxurious bed, in a room resembling a dreamlike princess’s chamber.
Han Yanyan sat up, first noticing the delicate arms peeking from her nightgown, her small hands, and her flat chest beneath the nightgown. She jumped out of bed and went to the wardrobe. The full-length mirror reflected a small girl’s appearance.
Cute as a jade statue, but still a child.
This young mistress was only twelve years old this year.
Perhaps because Leo had gone to sleep, leaving her fully responsible for construction, this version of Han Yanyan looked the closest to “stunning beauty” she had ever come in this series of ventures.
Han Yanyan truly liked this face and wanted to see what she would look like when she grows up, hoping… she wouldn’t turn unattractive.
After checking her reflection long enough, she exited the bathroom. Her bedroom was vast, and one side of the bed had a wide door. Han Yanyan walked over and pushed the door open.
Gentle sunlight and cool morning breeze rushed in. Han Yanyan stepped barefoot onto a spacious terrace— in this home, the words wide and spacious had been used too many times; it was only because this place was not an ordinary house but a magnificent palace-like building.
Treading the morning breeze, Han Yanyan reached the terrace railing, gazing at the estate. In the distance, something glimmered; squinting her eyes, she saw a… floating taxi entering through the front gate.
This was a small test by Han Yanyan. The technology level set in this world surpassed her own, and it truly worked.
But a tech fanatic like Leo surely wouldn’t overlook this. Although Han Yanyan could think of it, she knew the technology here was superior to what she was used to but definitely far below Leo's world.
That didn't matter; she wasn’t trying to learn technology anyway.
The floating car stopped outside the main building, where a male servant awaited. The car door swung open, and a woman stepped out, holding a little boy’s hand.
This little boy, coming to his mother’s much-talked-about estate for the first time, gazed up at the lavish building in awe.
On the terrace, a small girl dressed in a soft white nightgown leaned over the stone railing, looking down. Her slightly curled long hair flowed gently in the morning breeze, and her exquisite features made her look almost unreal. Upon seeing the boy looking up at her, she glanced at him and vanished from the stone railing.
Like morning dew evaporated by sunlight, leaving no trace.
The boy stood astonished. Had he seen an illusion, or had he really… seen an angel?
Damn…
Han Yanyan walked back to her bedroom, expressionless, her bare feet softly patting the floor.
Earlier, she had taken in too much information and had thought too many things, and it took her a moment to react. Now, seeing the task target, she remembered he was different from Yao; he was a deceased person! He didn’t even have a body! There was just an unknown form of “mental power” that existed in the world.
Wasn't that the same as…
Han Yanyan rubbed her arms, brushing away the goosebumps.
This was truly a ghostly encounter in broad daylight!