Chapter 142: Interference Ability (Part 1/2)
Translator: Strivon
Luo Nan reached out to grab the rubble again by instinct. The stone entered his hand once more; the tactile sensation, weight, and so on were still there. He really did pick up the stone.
Right now he was crouching on the ground and his back was facing He Yueyin. These actions of picking up and throwing were quite normal. He Yueyin's attention wasn't placed here. She used this period of time to continue introducing her knowledge about the Simulator.
"President Ouyang built the Psychic Wave Network, so this virtual world was bestowed with his basic order. However, President Ouyang doesn't have complete control over this world. Instead, collective researchers with their combined intelligence endlessly revise this world. This world contains each of their orders, changing them into a public order. Bloodrock Town is the most important hub in establishing order."
Luo Nan's attention became a bit distracted by He Yueyin. He removed his gaze from the rubble and turned to ask, "Isn't it a hassle this way?"
Actually, Luo Nan wanted to say something else. Why was President Ouyang giving away sole authority without rhyme or reason? He'll certainly be held back by the others, right?
He Yueyin was about to respond when something to the side caught her eye. Luo Nan looked over as well, but all he saw was the largest public communications area in the town. It was a building similar to a tavern and the wooden door swung open with a wham. Someone had walked out.
There were other people in this town?
The unknown person clearly heard the dialogue between Luo Nan and He Yueyin and simply said, "The energy of a single person can't possibly support the entire structure of a virtual world. Even if he could, who would come here if this place keeps closed rules of order?"
It was a man around forty years of age, the age which could be said to be one’s prime. The man had a proper appearance and a high stature. He wore a tailored western suit with tastefully chosen accessories. He just didn't fit in with the town environment... Actually, He Yueyin didn't fit in as well. The two were dressed up like white-collar, senior-level workers of a large company, not explorers that wander the wilderness.
Moreover, they clearly knew each other.
The man greeted after interrupting, "I heard that the Simulator underwent a revision and I specifically asked President Ouyang for temporary privileges to come and take a look. I'm not disturbing you, am I?"
He Yueyin responded indifferently with, "Mr. Yuan," and didn't give him any more words.
Mr. Yuan revealed a faint smile on his face. He walked over from the street, but he didn't go over to He Yueyin. Instead, he walked over to Luo Nan's side. His tall figure and the squatting Luo Nan formed a striking difference in height.
Before Luo Nan could stand up, Mr. Yuan said, "In today's era, no one can eat by themselves. Anyone who wants to form a monopoly will be abandoned by the others. It's like the rules formulated within public companies. Gains and profits need to reflect the interests of each shareholder. So I need to say that President Ouyang made an extremely wise decision."
The heck is this guy?
Luo Nan finally stood up. He really didn't like this man's attitude. Specifically, he was disgusted by large statistical organizations like Quantum Corporation. He detested all similar remarks. Moreover, this man clearly was rather arrogant in his evaluation toward Ouyang Chen.
They were in the Psychic Wave Network, didn't this man have any basic respect for Ouyang Chen? Having reached this point in his thoughts, a lightbulb suddenly lit up in Luo Nan's mind. He more or less guessed the identity of this middle-aged man.
As expected, He Yueyin introduced the man to Luo Nan. "Little Luo. This is Yuan Fei, Mr. Yuan, of the Society HQ's Incident Investigation Team."
Little... Little Luo?
Luo Nan realized that his social status had been downgraded. There were no problems with He Yueyin calling him this; as far as the current situation was concerned, it was even appropriate. He knew that there was some intention to protect him. But people's hearts were delicate and hard to understand. When the words entered his ear, he suddenly felt an ache in his heart. He didn't feel too good.
Luo Nan was bewildered, unable to understand the matter, in Yuan Fei's perspective. Anyway, it was quite a surprise for Luo Nan to meet such a fellow in the Simulator layer.
Yuan Fei sized Luo Nan up a few times. This strong attitude made the young Luo Nan quite uncomfortable, so Luo Nan stopped squatting and stood up. Yuan Fei's eyes clearly gleamed when he saw this.
The boy was young and quite arrogant, yet he was able to enter the Simulator layer. Had Xia City unearthed another gifted talent?
Clatter!
A sudden sound reverberated around the area. The sound was exceptionally clear within the quiet atmosphere. The three people's gazes roamed all over. They saw a stone tumbling down some rubble.
Luo Nan stared stupefied at his own hand... Did the stone slip through his fingers? No. This time the sensation was much clearer than before. The stone had fallen down onto the palm of his newly-solidified hand and out from the back of his hand.
He moved his fingers subconsciously and turned his hand back and forth in examination. At last, he was able to determine something. Though his hand appeared to be of substance, it had been formed like a congealment of mist. Its density was insufficient, to the extent that it lacked resistive force. The weight of a stone could only be held for a time. His hand would disperse with a mere distraction.
So it was like this all along.
Yuan Fei shook his head, faced He Yueyin, and said, "Miss He, after the Logic World was integrated into the Psychic Wave Network, the structure of the Psychic Wave Network has grown more and more complicated. The technician maintenance strength needs to be increased... However, there's no need to be excessive through being overly enthusiastic. The way I see it, this kid is really not bad to able to use high-level applications of the Psychic Wave Network at a young age. But to forcefully enter the fourth communication layer is meaningless."
The words made Luo Nan very uncomfortable. What do you mean by forcefully entering? It wasn't hard at all.
Luo Nan was just about to speak when another mirror manifested out of thin air and dropped to the ground. It stood by his side, but the mirror was Yuan Fei's doing, not He Yueyin's.
"Alright Little Luo, go mold your form a bit more... It's about to fall apart."
Luo Nan turned to look and was quite shocked. Who knows when his face became bloated and swollen. His facial features were mangled. He looked ugly and ridiculous.
Light fell from the sky the instant Yuan Fei spoke those words. Part of the light even shone through his body. He looked abnormal; there are no two ways about it.
This...
"You're not interfering with the material plane sufficiently. This would have been fine if it was the old version of the Psychic Wave Network, but the new version has greatly increased the role of interference ability. It's like the pressure deep under water has been raised. If your structural strength is inadequate, the collapse of your form is inevitable."
Yuan Fei put a hand in a pocket. It looked like he was sizing up a very interesting toy. He even reached out to gesture with his other hand around Luo Nan's body, and he turned to speak to He Yueyin. "It looks like the new version has increased the threshold requirements for access. Things are going to be quite strenuous for people over here in Xia City. Miss He, can you propose to President Ouyang to release the technological safeguards over here and let the other branches share the pressure?"
He Yueyin brows furrowed a bit. "The Psychic Wave Network has been open source quite early on. Technological safeguards are all executed in Bloodrock Town..."
"I'm talking about the infrastructure." Yuan Fei cast a glance at Luo Nan. His lips hooked into a grin. "An upgrade is an upgrade. Those who are troubled are not limited to the kids of Xia City."
Luo Nan looked in the mirror, and he found it harder and harder to shape himself into a human form. He tried to correct things back, but the sensation was completely different than before when he first entered the Wilderness.
He felt a clear sense of stagnation. When his telepathic thoughts cut through, it was like colliding into glue. Control became extremely strenuous. The more he tried to exert control, the more severe the dispersive state of his body's structure became. In the end, his body completely crumbled and dispersed into a mass of fog. It was impossible for him to return to his original state.
Luo Nan looked at the ridiculous mass of fog in the mirror. He really couldn't laugh.