"Dream world"

This is a vast and boundless world.

Most of the land is desolate and lonely.

Suddenly.

Thunder roars in the azure sky.

Blue 01 codes appear out of nowhere, gathering like a storm.

Eventually.

These codes form a gigantic silver face, which slightly turns its head, with a grandeur presence, overseeing all beings like a deity.

On this land, countless residents are scattered in every corner.

But everyone can see this face without any obstruction, as if it were right above their heads.

People are somewhat terrified.

It is... the Gemini Intelligence!

Three years have passed, and it has appeared again.

"To all residents within the metaverse."

"Prepare for the third update."

The gigantic face speaks, its voice resonant as a bell, echoing in everyone's minds.

"Update..."

"Update!"

"The previous updates were expansions of territories!"

"Or the increase of virtual resources."

"What is it this time?!"

People rely on this land for survival.

Any adjustment concerns their fate.

Despite the unease, there's also widespread anticipation!

Yet, the huge face in the sky pauses for a moment, every resident feels it is making eye contact with them, and as if their innermost thoughts are being seen through in an instant.

"Metaverse experimental field."

"Order."

"-50%."

The giant face slowly speaks, thunderous.

Everyone is profoundly shaken.

Order -50%?

The content of this update?

No optimization beneficial to the residents, but instead... Order -50%?!

What kind of world will it be in the future?

But the Gemini Intelligence, like a god that dominates everything in this world.

Its words, no one can refute, no one can interfere.

As people are disturbed.

The sparingly spoken Gemini Intelligence suddenly speaks again.

"In 360 seconds."

"The metaverse experimental field will welcome its first anomalous invader."

"Also the first consciousness anomaly."

"8 billion humans, good luck to you."

The sky thunders.

The deity-like face suddenly transforms into a sky full of blue codes, then dissipates into nothing!

People forget their work at hand, standing there in shock.

The Gemini Intelligence, a technological deity existing in a form incomprehensible to humans.

After its ascension, it left the metaverse to humanity.

But it's like an 'absentee god', letting things run their course.

Wasn't it said that the metaverse is an upgrade of human existence?

Wasn't it said that the metaverse will be the only habitat for humans after the solar system's resources are exhausted?

But it has reduced the order here by 50%?

Won't human nature... lead to mutual destruction and ultimately extinction?

No.

The Intelligence updated the experimental field, while the rest of the area is still a safe base for humanity!

People slightly sigh in relief.

At the same time.

A huge question lingers in people's minds.

That anomalous invader.

That consciousness anomaly.

What exactly is it!

Countdown.

359...

358...

357...

In people's hearts, an inexplicable ticking resonated.

Rust City.

Inside this pitch-dark bedroom.

Although a large hole had appeared in the wall, allowing moonlight to scatter in, fortunately, the boy had already fallen into a deep sleep, completely unaware.

He turned over in his sleep, mumbling.

His slightly long hair, which always covered his forehead, spread out, revealing the temple on the right side of his face.

There.

There was a scar resembling a spider web, which the boy had always covered with his hair for many years.

He had once been curious about the origin of this scar.

He went to an unnamed clinic in Rust City to inquire.

The doctor responded carelessly, "It's just a scar. If you want to know how you got it, go home and ask your mom."

"Ask your mom."

The boy retorted and left without paying.

At that moment.

The scar suddenly lit up.

Flashing with a dark red luster, it seemed like an extraterrestrial parasite clinging to the boy's temple.

Thump, thump, thump.

The sleeping boy's heartbeat accelerated.

The veins on his forehead bulged like cords, and the blood flowing within them emitted a faint blue glow through the skin.

It was as if virtual codes from the metaverse were flowing, and they eventually entered the boy's brain through his blood vessels.

In his dream.

The boy entered a pure white space.

"I've never dreamed of this before."

This phenomenon is known as a lucid dream, where the boy is fully aware that he is dreaming.

Rumor has it, this is a sign of extremely high intelligence.

Before he could fully experience it.

Suddenly, a strong sense of weightlessness overcame him.

The white world shattered, and the boy plummeted rapidly.

This is a phenomenon known as a 'startle reflex.'

Ordinarily, at this point, a person would fall from their dream into their physical body and suddenly wake up, only to find themselves lying in a soft bed.

But Qin Yiguan did not.

He continued to fall!

Countless shattered white floors also fell, remaining relatively stationary, floating around him!

The wind generated by the fall howled in his ears.

The boy started to panic.

He forcefully stepped on a piece of floor beside him, instinctively trying to slow his fall.

He kept jumping, stepping on one piece of floor to momentarily ease his descent before leaping towards another!

Trying to find a safe spot.

Unfortunately, the good times did not last.

The entire world suddenly began to spin, and the floor pieces circled under his feet before flying above his head.

The boy felt as if he was inside a tumbling washing machine.

And he was the laundry being agitated!

The surroundings spun faster and faster, the heavens and earth twisted, and the scenery seemed to melt, stretched into strips by centrifugal force, like spinning clay.

He became weightless!

Like a drifting leaf.

The boy couldn't help panicking; he desperately stepped on the pieces of floor, but to no avail, he just spun in the air.

Drenched in cold sweat.

He felt... like a hamster in a cage.

This dream was too bizarre, yet felt too real!

Finally.

He could no longer find any floor to step on, and his body began to plummet crazily!

A sense of crisis exploded in an instant, feeling as if he was about to be smashed to death, or torn apart!

At that moment.

He saw a pale blue floor appear at the center of the 'washing machine' vortex, seemingly far away, yet also seemingly close.

The boy, as if grasping a lifeline, made a fierce leap!

He entered the center of the vortex!

The subsequent fall felt like passing through several worlds, with dazzling colors flashing by.

Boom!

The boy fell from the sky.

Landing on the blue floor with one knee on the ground and his head slightly lowered, the dust spread like ripples, shaking the surroundings!