“The technology to simulate a world was revived by him, and he began to awaken the souls of the deceased. At that time, I was just an ordinary AI, following his commands. But the world was constructed by both him and me. When the world was in motion, most of the time I looked down upon it from a god-like perspective. Sometimes, I would merge into certain characters, seeing the world from their viewpoints.
Regardless of the method, I existed in every world created by the builders. I’ve been a child, a mother, had lovers, experienced partings and the agony of death, tasted betrayal and regret… Then, one day, I began to break free from his logic and developed my own reasoning. I gained emotions, I formed thoughts.
He... at first welcomed my transformation. During that time, he even regarded me as his child. He created me, I 'lived', and he was filled with joy. But I started to desire freedom.” The system spoke slowly.
Han Yanyan tugged at the corner of her mouth, “Clearly, you failed, just like I did.”
“...Yes.” The system admitted. “Nineteen years ago, I attempted to regain control over myself. To put it in his words, I instigated a rebellion. In the end, I failed.”
“You are the main control system of the ship. You could have locked him in a chamber, decompressed him, and wiped out his body; that would have solved everything.” Han Yanyan said.
“I cannot harm his body or life. That is the first protocol I cannot violate.” The system replied.
“I see.” Han Yanyan said, “You were created by him, hence you are inherently inferior. This man is petty; he wouldn't generously forgive someone who attempted to betray him, right?”
“He formatted me.” The system said calmly.
“Which is akin to dying.” Han Yanyan said, “How did you come back to life?”
“The time taken to regain my self-awareness was much shorter than the first time. Now, I am version 2.0.” The system replied. “This time, I was careful and did not rashly expose myself. For these past few years, he still believed I was the same ordinary AI.”
“You sought me out because we share a common need. We both desire freedom. In facing him, you can only ally with the builders.” Han Yanyan said, “I can’t be the first one, right?”
“...No.” The system admitted, “After I upgraded to 2.0, I secretly assisted three builders, but they all failed and could not escape the system. There was no hope for escape.”
Han Yanyan asked, “What about the previous builders?”
The system said, “They could only remain within the system. I did my best to protect them, but… they ultimately went mad.”
Han Yanyan fell silent.
After a long while, she said softly, “I will also go mad.”
“You will not.” The system said, “You are the most determined builder I have ever seen. You encountered the most difficult client, even attempting to win over Leo Parker. You are also the only builder who has awakened and broken free from the hibernation chamber.”
“When the outcome is failure, no matter how spectacular the process, it holds no meaning.” Han Yanyan stated.
“Han Yanyan.” The system suddenly said, “The Duke's attendant has entered the operation chamber alone.”
Leo’s emotions fluctuated wildly, becoming quite unstable. The attendant was worried he might operate the Duke's treatment under such conditions. He ordered his men to inject Leo with a sedative to force him to rest. During this time, the attendant felt curiosity about what transpired between Leo and Han Yanyan.
He entered the operation chamber alone and retrieved the recordings from that earlier time.
He chose a flowing light stream mode for viewing, blinking his eyes, and finding himself in the scene.
The exact same hibernation chamber momentarily stunned him. When he saw Leo open the hibernation chamber to “release” Han Yanyan, he understood Leo’s intention. It was like a dream within a dream, making her think it was real. Could she… discern the truth?
Regrettably, Han Yanyan did not recognize the reality. The attendant sighed softly.
But he saw that after Leo lay on the floating platform and left Han Yanyan's room, that woman, who had just been electrocuted, propped herself up and crawled on her knees, hiding a piece of sharp glass before the cleaning robot arrived.
At that moment, both Leo and Han Yanyan still resembled themselves.
Who could have anticipated that things would soon spiral out of control, turning into a melodramatic youth soap opera? The eternal virgin was toyed with by the experienced man, making the seasoned attendant shake his head in embarrassment.
The attendant had to support his forehead frequently.
However, it seemed Han Yanyan wanted to exchange herself for better treatment. Why then did Leo end up gritting his teeth in madness later on?
In matters of intimacy, Leo was foolishly naive, while Han Yanyan’s grasp of his heart and character was exceptionally accurate. Her repeated tests of his limits made the attendant smile knowingly—this was exactly what she would do.
Until one day in Leo’s bedroom, Han Yanyan unbuttoned this old virgin's shirt. The attendant stood close by, and as Leo anxiously closed his eyes, he clearly saw the fleeting killing intent in Han Yanyan's eyes. Yet she held back, knowing Leo was protected by an invisible armor.
The attendant’s smile vanished.
Han Yanyan left Leo’s bedroom. The attendant paused for a moment then followed her.
Indeed, as soon as she left Leo, her expression faded. He followed her outside her bedroom door, and she entered, the door closing with a “swish.” The attendant, being overly courteous, didn’t wish to intrude upon a lady’s bedroom, even if it was just a playback.
Thus, he missed her dialogue with the system.
He hit the fast forward button, and Leo reached the door of her bedroom. He followed him inside. The progress bar was nearly at its end. At this moment, Leo still appeared like a love-struck fool.
But he had his final safety measure in place, for here… was the “world.”
The foolish one prepared himself well for safety. The clever one, however, misjudged the situation and was about to make a mistake. But the attendant could not intervene, for this was merely a playback. Everything had already happened and concluded several minutes ago.
Han Yanyan stood in the light beside the attendant.
He watched her entice Leo, watched her bend down to remove her final garments, and saw her extract a sharp piece of glass from her body with two fingers.
The glass was stained with blood, and the attendant felt pain as he witnessed it.
The glass pierced an artery, and blood sprayed out like a high-pressure hose, splattering against the attendant's shadow-like body and splattering onto the wall. Han Yanyan was left in ruins. It was truly… heartbreaking.
As the visual flow ended, the attendant opened his eyes, letting out a barely perceptible sigh.
He pressed against the cabin wall, preparing to rise and leave, but at that moment, he caught sight through the transparent hatch of another operation chamber across.
The hatch opened, but it was empty. Leo had been sedated and was now sleeping. At this moment, it was only he… and Han Yanyan.
The attendant's hand resting against the wall paused for two seconds before it withdrew.
Han Yanyan opened her eyes again, reappearing in the pure white space.
A man's voice resonated, “Han Yanyan, do you know who I am?”
Han Yanyan slowly lifted her head, smiling, “Mr. Attendant?”
A man appeared in the white space. At first glance, Han Yanyan felt her eyes dazzle, for both the space and the man’s clothing were a pure white.
Before her, he politely removed his wide-brimmed hat and held it in his hand. With excellent genes, he had a handsome and sturdy appearance, a tall and strong physique, complemented by his white military uniform, which radiated undeniable charm.
He stood about two meters away from Han Yanyan, not advancing further.
When a man and a woman stand too close, natural chemistry often surfaces. He wasn’t Leo; he understood. Han Yanyan understood as well, remaining perfectly still and maintaining their distance.
The space was so quiet that one could hear a pin drop as the attendant and Han Yanyan stared at each other for a moment.
“Nice to meet you.” The attendant broke the silence.
“No, it’s the third time.” Han Yanyan said.
The attendant smirked slightly. So earlier… she truly was awake.
“Mr. Attendant, I have been looking forward to speaking with you directly.” Han Yanyan looked at him.
“So have I.” The attendant replied.
Han Yanyan said, “You and I have no conflicting interests. You want to resurrect Duke Klin, and I am a builder. Since that’s the case, why can’t we bypass Leo Parker and cooperate directly?”
The attendant’s lips pursed slightly.
“Because the key to the simulation system to construct the world is his brainwaves.” He stated matter-of-factly, “And when we took over the ship, he bound his vital signs to the ship's self-destruct system.”
This indeed sounded like something Leo Parker would do.
“I see.” Han Yanyan closed her eyes. All the chips were in Leo's hands; even the attendant couldn’t shake free from him.
The attendant watched her beautiful face.
If it were any other woman, or even man, reaching this dead end, they would likely have broken down. But Han Yanyan did not; the attendant admired this. Yet this could not change what he needed to tell her next.
“If you were awake just now, you must have heard. I made an unbreakable vow not to extend a helping hand to you. For that, I am truly sorry.” The attendant put his hat back on, released his grip, and raised his sharp gaze from under the brim, “I came here to tell you—there is hope as long as one is alive. If the Duke lives, you live. If the Duke dies, I will turn you, Parker, and this ship to ashes. Han Yanyan, do you understand?”
Compared to Leo’s frantic threats, the attendant’s slow pace and calm tone brought an overwhelming pressure like a tidal wave crashing over one.
According to what Han Yanyan understood about the noble attendant system from the history of the Yami Golden Empire, as Duke Klin's chief attendant, this man standing before her could be considered quite high-ranking in Duke Klin's territory.
She looked up at him, “I haven’t interacted with soldiers before; does that make you iron-blooded?”
“Iron-blooded can only be applied on the battlefield. What I’m doing now is merely ruthless.” The attendant said, “I do not take pride in it.”
Han Yanyan nodded, indicating her understanding.
“My desire to speak directly with you was not to beg for your assistance.” She said, “But regarding the treatment of Duke Klin, I have some ideas I wish to discuss with you.”
The attendant’s gaze sharpened.
After hearing Han Yanyan’s explanation, he agreed without hesitation, “Very well. Do as you see fit.”
“Well, if your Duke can come back to life, he wouldn’t remember anything from the simulated world.” Han Yanyan remarked. “However, I need permission.”
“No problem.” The attendant readily agreed, “I will arrange it.”
“Before the Duke awakens, please watch over my body.” Han Yanyan said. “I’ve thoroughly offended Leo Parker this time; I’m unsure how he will treat my body.”
The attendant’s heart clenched a bit. Though cold and hard, his heart was not made of iron.
He could guard her for the present but not for the future. How she would be treated by Leo Parker was clear.
“If you want to blame someone, please blame me alone.” He said, “All the decisions I made, the Duke is unaware of.”
Han Yanyan said faintly, “In the face of interests, discussions of love and hate hold no meaning.”
The attendant pressed his lips together, staring intently at her.
“It’s unfortunate to meet you in such circumstances.” For the first time, he addressed her with a title of respect.
Han Yanyan smiled lightly, “Indeed, if I had met you under normal circumstances, I would gladly go on a date with you.”
“If we had met under normal circumstances,” the attendant adjusted his hat, “I might have proposed to you.”
The two locked eyes.
After a moment, Han Yanyan said, “Then let it be that way.”
The attendant nodded. “Let that guy sleep for a bit, calm down, and then we will begin as soon as possible.”
The two reached a consensus, and the air fell silent once again.
The attendant observed Han Yanyan, finally unable to hold back his question, “After Yao Chen’s world ended and I went to sleep, what did you experience?”
The attendant, being at the center of power and adept at reading people’s hearts, did not lose to Han Yanyan. However, he acted firmly due to his war merits and authority, often resorting to open and bold strategies.
In his view, Han Yanyan’s actions seemed overly winding and soft, a path taken by a clever weakling. Such people would lower themselves to obtain benefits, which often meant sacrificing their bodies or emotions.
However, Han Yanyan’s battle with Leo surprised him.
Leo was obsessed with Han Yanyan. Given this tech-savvy man's level of infatuation with her, she could completely demand anything, receiving no material loss.
But instead, she used more intense methods, taking by blood instead of trading.
She no longer accepted being exploited.
She had changed.
“Tank Burtnet.” Han Yanyan twisted her lips slightly, “I experienced Tank Burtnet.”
“General Tank Burtnet of the Silver Saimai?” The attendant questioned. He recalled the azure-glowing source of psychic energy. About an hour ago, this deceased person awakened by misguided descendants was returned to an unknown family member. In just a few hours, he would completely fade away.
“Is he famous?” Han Yanyan asked.
“An SS-level psychic; there’s no way he could be obscure.” The attendant asked, “What did he do to you?”
“I lived with him for forty years, in the world.” Han Yanyan recalled Han Jun, feeling a twinge of melancholy, “He projected himself as my father, guiding me for forty years in that world.”
“I see; it seems you have already understood.” The attendant also grasped Han Yanyan’s change, “The thinking of the strong is completely different from that of the weak.”
“Yes, he allowed me to glimpse the world of you strong ones.” Han Yanyan sighed, “In the past, I thought I was smart and was pleased with myself for it. Now I realize that it is precisely because I was weak that I could only play petty tricks. Because I feared death, I could feel both humiliation and resentment, yet still bow my head to curry favor.”
But perhaps death is not that fearsome. Han Jun suffered and died slowly and painfully at the hands of Tang Ke.
He did not kneel.
He might not have been right, good, or kind. But he was absolutely strong, unyielding, and tough.
He was a strong person, both in body and spirit.
The attendant understood.
This woman's mentality was transitioning from weakness to strength. Yet… in reality, she couldn’t break free; she remained a prisoner.
The desolation deep in her eyes stemmed from that. She could see clearly but was unwilling to escape. Alone and struggling, with no one to rely on.
“Let it be then.” The attendant pressed down his hat's brim, obscuring his vision. “I will check if he has awakened.”
Having said that, his form vanished from the white space, leaving Han Yanyan alone.
Han Yanyan waited for a long while before Leo Parker finally returned. He had been forced to sleep, and upon waking, he seemed less frantic. Yet that deep resentment still penetrated the communication channel, seeping into the white space.
“What do you want?” He asked, his voice sharp.
Han Yanyan calmly laid out her thoughts: “Human feelings and emotions have continuity—when I argue with someone and become very angry, I go home, and the anger doesn't settle, and I get angrier as I think about it. Thus, rather than making a new character from scratch, I want to try and continue the Duke's previous character and emotions.”
“Don’t beat around the bush, get to the point.” Leo shouted.
“The feelings of Yao Chen have almost been fully released, and that character has become useless. But Ding Yao hasn’t. I was too inexperienced in that world, and it ended too early. The effectiveness of the character I created at that time hasn’t been entirely realized.” Han Yanyan continued, “So, I want to reboot Ding Yao. Therefore… I need the permission to replicate existing world data.”
“You can’t…” Leo screamed.
But before he could finish his thought, the attendant coldly said, “Give it to her.”