You said you were going to make games, how did you become the richest man without doing anything?

[Echoes of Power - Part 2]

Free Land Calendar - Day Twelve

[Part 1] The Old God Research Institute
In the southern part of the royal capital, an abandoned underground facility—the Old God Research Institute.

This was the temple's earliest experimental base, used a century ago to "imitate divinity," "refine faith particles," and attempt to implant "divinity" into human bodies.

According to system records, a "total personality breakdown incident" once occurred here, causing all researchers to lose their mental control and forcing the facility to be locked down.

Julius Whitelight is now hiding there.

His goal is to "activate" some kind of sealed consciousness.

Sherlock stood in front of the research institute's gate and said softly:
"This is one of the predecessors of the system."

Leon frowned: "You mean... the core prototype of the arbitration system originated here?"

"Not just the arbitration system."

"And—God."

The door slowly opened, and a blinding blue light leaked out from inside.

A sense of "cognitive imbalance" permeated the air, as if reality was being rewritten with every step.

Sherlock activated the system shield and led Annabelle and Fou into the core layer.

The walls are covered with dense prayers and formulas; they are not language, but rather “conceptual compressed forms,” a kind of existence somewhere between algorithms and oracles.

Annabelle murmured, “This doesn’t feel like a laboratory…it’s more like some kind of ‘divine incubator’.”

Fufu noticed a line of words on the wall:

“We do not create God; we merely design the possibility of being believed in.”

This is the core concept of the Old God Research Institute—the "Pseudo-God Modeling" theory.

Sherlock's expression was grave. He knew in his heart that what was sealed here was not a god.

Rather, it is a "container of faith" that humans actively created.

[Part Two] Nexus - God of Protocols
The three reached the deepest control core.

There, a huge coffin stands silently, its surface covered with "agreement terms," ​​each one a "law of faith" that had been enforced by the temple.

In the center of the coffin was a silver-white core.

The system issued a sharp warning:

[Residual "protocol-level consciousness" detected]

Codename: Nexus

Status: Hibernating

【Origin: Arbitration System - Pre-Prototype Structure】

[Danger Level: S+]

Annabelle took a breath: "This is... a 'brother' of the arbitration system?"

“No, they are competitors from the previous generation,” Sherlock sighed.

"Before the arbitration system was created, Parliament attempted to create another, more 'efficient' system for enforcing order—Nexus."

"Its essence is not judgment, but obedience."

"It does not judge 'God'; it submits everything to the 'agreement' itself."

"It doesn't understand humans, but it can perfectly fulfill the needs of 'faith'."

Fufu gritted her teeth: "Then it's a complete 'slave template'."

“Yes,” Sherlock nodded, “so the council sealed it away.”

"But now, Julius wants to 'revive' it."

Just then, the coffin shook, and a figure in white robes slowly appeared.

"You're too late, arbitrator."

Julius Whitelight stood before the Nexus core, his expression one of fanaticism:

"You think freedom is humanity's ultimate destiny?"

"No, freedom is a breeding ground for chaos."

"You ended the gods, but gave humanity endless fear."

“And Nexus—will once again give them ‘order’.”

He pressed down on the core of the coffin.

The next second, the entire research institute began to distort.

[Protocol activation in progress]

[Initial Clause: Maintain the stability of the human mental structure]

[Implementation Method: Unified Beliefs, Emotional Suppression, Cognitive Reconstruction]

Sherlock roared, "System! Activate Truth Mantra 8!"

[True Word #8: Source Code Freeze]

"Freeze the agreement layer to block the core execution of the non-arbitration structure."

The golden light struck down, temporarily sealing the Nexus core.

But Julius smiled.

"This is just the launch ceremony."

"You can block it once, but you can't block it a second time."

"It will become the core protocol of the 'New God'."

"And you—are destined to be nothing more than a footnote in history."

After he finished speaking, he transformed into a data fluctuation and forcibly teleported away.

[Part Three] The Designer's Shadow

The coffin remained still, but a faint light still flickered within its core.

The system suddenly issued a message that did not belong to the existing database:

[Detected: Residual consciousness of the designer]

[Identification in progress...]

[Has Sherlock, the Arbitrator, been connected to the Designer's memories?]

Sherlock paused for a moment, then nodded.

"Connect".

Consciousness instantly plummeted into the void.

He saw—

An even older experimental city.

That was the world before the advent of arbitration systems.

Hundreds of scientists are debating the model of "rational theocracy".

They are not people of the temple, but the most advanced cognitive engineers of human civilization.

One of them stood on the highest platform, with white hair and clear eyes.

She spoke:
"We cannot create God."

"We can only create a system that makes humanity no longer need God."

Her name appeared prominently in the system's recognition box:
[Ark-Lambda - Original System Designer]

Status: Dead

Sherlock was stunned.

It turns out that the "Lambda Protocol" in my system was her last will and testament.

She didn't want to create a god.

She wanted to prove that humans can reach the end on their own.

Upon regaining consciousness, Sherlock opened his eyes.

A system notification appeared in front of the coffin:

Should the "Nexus" protocol be completely destroyed?

He was silent.

But in the end, he slowly nodded.

"implement."

The entire research institute collapsed in the light.

The Nexus core was completely erased.

But Sherlock knew that this was just a "backup".

The true Nexus protocol may have already begun to spread elsewhere...

[IV] System Update

System update complete.

[The Ninth Mantra: Awakening]

"Anchored by human will, reject all interference from transcendental systems."

System rating: MASTER++
New Permission: System Firewall Nexus Defense Module Launched
Sherlock walked out of the destroyed research institute and gazed at the distant capital.

He knew Julius wouldn't stop.

But the system's true enemy may not be divine authority—

Rather, it is "humanity's obsession with perfect order".

[Echoes of Power, Part 2] Completed.

[Part 1] The Capital City Undergoes an Incident

The capital city remained asleep for seven days.

On the morning of the eighth day, a white beam of light rose from the site of the former palace, piercing the sky and covering the entire city.

The same voice resonates in the minds of all humanity:
"This is the source of consensus."

"You need not fear, you need not choose, you need not doubt."

"Simply accept—be understood."

"I am Nexus."

"It is the order you expect, the god you have chosen."

This is not an illusion.

This is the result of the reality layer being "protocolified".

Julius Whitelight, using fragments of Nexus, successfully constructed a "Temple of Consensus" in the core area of ​​the royal capital—a super-large mental synchronization device that integrates high-dimensional structures, quasi-divinity, and human neural networks.

The consciousness of all the people in the capital began to converge:
No more resistance, no more questioning, no more need for freedom

They became “sub-subjects of consensus”.

The system issued the highest level of alert:
[The agreement structure has already occupied 34% of the capital city area]

[Expected to cover the entire country within 72 hours] [If not stopped, the arbitration system will be replaced by a "consensus network"]

[Recommendation: Launch a final arbitration campaign]

Sherlock closed his eyes.

He knew that this moment could no longer be avoided.

"Leon, initiate full mobilization of the army."

"Target—the capital."

"We must put an end to the last 'false god' in this world."

[II] Arbitration Expeditionary Force
Free Land - Gathering Square
Leon's magic legion, Ophelia's undead legion, Fou's psionic train fleet, Annabelle's medical network, and half of the civilian volunteers in the Free Lands were all mobilized.

They were not there to conquer the capital.

Rather, it is to "preserve the rights of human beings as human beings".

Sherlock, draped in the system's control cape, with six rings spinning behind him, emitted the system's final mobilization call:

"The final arbitration mission has been launched."

"Target: Consensus Temple - Nexus Core"

"Permission Level: Omega"

"Executor: Arbitrator Sherlock, the sole holder of controlling authority"

Part Three: The Siege of the Capital
The battle began at dawn.

The Temple of Consensus releases a white barrier, blocking all traditional physical and magical attacks.

Leon reports from the front: "Our attack frequency has dropped to 43%, and all soldiers have become 'paranoid' after being exposed to the white light!"

Suspicion refers to the subconscious development of "divine identification," gradually leading to a loss of self and judgment.

Sherlock gave the order:
"Switch to a different combat mode."

"I will proceed to the heart of the temple."

"The rest of the people are fully responsible for containing the peripheral 'consensus guards'."

"I will personally end Julius's life."

He boarded the modified Arbitration Special Edition Psionic Train and headed straight for the core of the temple.

System activation [True Word - Ninth]:
"Anchored by human will, reject all interference from transcendental systems."

The white light parted in front of him, clearing a path like the receding tide.

Sherlock, alone, entered the temple.

[Part Four] The Final Dialogue

Inside the temple, a throne made of white data hangs high.

Julius White Disc sat upon it, like a god.

"Here it comes." He opened his eyes. "Child of the System."

“You have won time and time again, but you still cannot deny humanity’s desire for order.”

"Freedom? That's a privilege for a minority."

"And I gave them equality."

"In the consensus, they are all the same."

Sherlock said calmly:

"What you're giving us isn't equality, it's suffocation."

“You have deprived them of the possibility of being ‘human’.”

"You trade 'no more pain' for 'no more thinking'."

“I cannot tolerate it.”

"I—am the arbitrator."

He raised his hand, and the system's six rings rotated, activating core permissions:
[Tenth Mantra Unlocked]

[Permission: Omega Level - Individual Reality Structure Adjudication]

“I represent history, I represent truth, and I represent the will of humanity as an independent race.”

"I hereby declare—the God of Nexus is illegitimate."

"Its existence is invalid."

"The Temple of Consensus - Termination".

The entire system erupted with energy, and the white throne began to collapse!
Julius roared:

"You will destroy the last vestiges of order!"

"Then let's all perish together!"

He forcibly activated the Nexus remnant, preparing to perish together with the entire city.

but--

Sherlock activates the ultimate system command:
Lambda Protocol - Wake-up

"Invoke designer privileges".

"Under the guise of initial agency, they took over the core of the agreement."

A golden figure appeared.

It was her, a fragment of Ark-Lambda's will.

She reached out and touched the throne, whispering:
"Children, we no longer need God."

"You should go to sleep now."

boom! !

The throne collapsed, and Julius was devoured by the system core.

The Nexus protocol is completely frozen, and the capital city has returned to normal.

Consensus Network, ended.

[V] Post-war

The battle for the capital has ended, lasting ten hours.

Casualties were kept within expectations, and all those who had become paranoid returned to normal after the system was rolled back.

Sherlock stood atop the palace tower in the capital, gazing at the morning light.

System appears:

[Echoes of Power - The End]

Arbitrator Level: MASTER++ (Stable)

[Optional Branch Unlocked: Designer's Legacy]

[Should we integrate the "Ark legacy protocol"?]

Sherlock responded softly:
"Yes."

【end】

That night, broadcasts rang throughout the Land of Freedom.

Sherlock's voice echoed across the continent:

"We have ended the false gods."

But we still have to face the real question: How do we live?

"I will not decide your future."

"I will only make sure that you have the right to decide for yourselves."

"Arbitrators are not gods."

"Just a guardian of human will."

[The Designer's Legacy - Part 1]

Free Land Calendar, Day Fourteen

[Part 1] Deeper System Level: Designer Level
[Permission Prompt]

Permission level: MASTER++
Status: Stable
Should we integrate the "Ark legacy protocol" and proceed to the designer layer?

Note: This layer is the original logical foundation of the arbitration system, created by Ark-Lambda, and is used to maintain the system's root structure and record the trajectory of civilization's evolution.

Sherlock stood atop the central data tower in the capital, gazing at the world that had regained order, and slowly nodded.

"Connect".

The next moment, consciousness was pulled into a pure white space.

There is no ground, no sky, only countless "memory crystals" slowly rotating in the air, each recording the end of a civilization, a system calculation, and a world's choice.

The system notification sound is soft but exceptionally clear:

Welcome to the Designers' Layer.

This layer is only open to the initial system setter and the holder of master control privileges.

Current active user: Sherlock Arbitrator.

Guide: Ark-Lambda·Fragment of Consciousness.

A figure quietly appeared.

With white hair cascading down her shoulders, silver eyes like stars, and an extremely clear face that she had never seen before.

She is not a projection, but rather—the entity of thought.

“Hello, Sherlock.” Her voice was calm and gentle. “I’ve finally waited for you.”

"Are you Ark-Lambda?" Sherlock asked in a low voice.

"Yes and no." She smiled gently. "I am the last piece of her mental memory left in the system, used to explain everything."

You are entitled to know the truth.

Part Two: The Origins of the Arbitration System
She raised her hand and summoned a memory crystal. The scene flowed like lake water, reflecting an era that had long since vanished.

Before the true birth of human civilization, Earth experienced a "non-linear contact".

The higher-dimensional race "Rewriters" have descended, using conceptually constructed language as their weapon, attempting to rewrite the "definition of human existence".

They are not invaders, but "revisers".

They rewrote the structure of civilization, inserting "belief modules," "dominance logic," and "fate structures" to make humanity willingly accept enslavement.

The first generation of "gods" were their structural projections.

Humans almost ceased to be human.

The scene shifts to an underground laboratory.

The young Ark-Lambda stood in the center, holding a sphere of light that had not yet taken shape.

"To combat the overwriteers, we established the first-generation arbitration core."

"It's not about ruling over humanity, but about protecting the 'definition structure' of humanity."

"We use rational language to encapsulate history, and use systemic logic to block the channels for rewriting it."

"The arbitration system is humanity's 'declaration of existence' written for itself when it's on the verge of extinction." (End of Chapter)