Weird Game: I brought an old version bug

The sound of metal being dragged grew closer.

Jiang Chen and Shi Yu retreated to the middle of the spiral staircase, using the corner wall as cover.

Jiang Chen turned his head and looked towards the entrance through the gap in the steps—the circular light gate was still open, and the blue light from outside shone in, casting a fan-shaped shadow on the steps.

In the light and shadow, a shadow appeared.

It wasn't the same gray-white patrol unit as before.

This shadow is larger—it walks upright, has broad shoulders, and is estimated to be over two meters tall.

It stood at the doorway, blocking most of the light from the crystal lamps outside.

Then it took a step.

bang.

The sound of metal striking a stone slab.

Jiang Chen saw clearly—it was the remains of a body dressed in complete metal armor.

It wasn't a living creature, just like the previous patrol units, but it was larger and better equipped.

The armor was covered with dark brown rust, and the helmet visor had been completely lowered, leaving only a dark observation slit.

The thing stood at the doorway and slightly turned its helmet—as if checking its direction.

Then it goes directly to the entrance of the spiral staircase.

Clang. Clang. Clang.

With each step, the sound of metal armor striking the stone floor bounced back and forth in the confined space.

Then, a second shadow appeared at the doorway.

The same size armor, the same gait, the same rusty metal shell.

The third.

the fourth.

the fifth.

Shigure's breathing became very light.

Her fingers were on the bowstring, the arrow was nocked, but she didn't draw it fully immediately—she knew that on these narrow, spiraling steps, there was almost no room for maneuver when shooting an arrow.

If the first arrow fails to eliminate the target, there's simply no time to remedy the situation.

She turned her head and exchanged a glance with Jiang Chen.

Without speaking, they both understood each other's meaning:

We can't fight them head-on; we have to find a way to get around these iron lumps.

Jiang Chen's mind raced. The rule fragments were still in his backpack, with 84% energy.

He hasn't decided which skill to modify yet—because he doesn't have any skills to modify.

His current panel shows only basic attack and defense stats; the skills section is empty.

Without skills, there is no object for the fragments of rules to attach to.

But Old Shen's notebook mentioned one thing—the entrance map of the Seventh Administrative District.

Old Shen left him the map of the entrance, not for him to visit.

It's to let him go find more things.

Those things are likely hidden deep underground, and now they're blocked at the exit.

Jiang Chen glanced at the status on the panel and suddenly thought of another use.

Fragment energy can be consumed in skill attachments, but the essence of skill attachment is to write fragment energy into the game's underlying data structure.

The description of the rule fragment is:

You can choose one of your own skills and customize it.

But what if it's used for things that aren't skills?

Rule fragments are a data writing tool. They don't necessarily have to be attached to skills; they can be attached to anything with a data interface.

For example—that door.

The verification slot at the circular aperture entrance is still open, but the door is in an open state—if he can channel the energy from the rule fragments into the verification slot, forcibly rewriting the entrance's protocol...

"Shigure," he lowered his voice, "how many arrows did you bring?"

"The twelve branches."

"That's enough. You cover me here—"

"Don't shoot the armor, shoot the steps beneath their feet."

Shi Yu didn't ask him why.

She drew the bowstring and aimed at the steps two steps below the foremost armored figure—and released the arrow.

The arrow traced an arc and embedded itself in the stone surface of the steps.

The impact of the arrow shattered a hole in the steps, sending rubble flying.

The armored figure at the front swayed slightly from the gravel beneath its feet, its steps faltering as its center of gravity shifted and its iron boots slipped on the gravel for half a second.

Just this half-second.

Jiang Chen pulled out a fragment of rules from his backpack and rushed down the steps.

He moved quickly, taking three or four steps at a time, his body pressed tightly against the wall.

The armor was still adjusting its center of gravity; its helmet rotated slightly, and a dark red light flashed through the observation slit—it was locking onto Jiang Chen's location.

The second suit of armor had already raised its weapon—a huge rusted iron sword, the blade leaving a long scratch on the ground.

Jiang Chen did not slow down.

When he was five steps away from the entrance, he suddenly slid to the side—his body slipped through the gap between two suits of armor.

As the armored arm swung down, the blade sliced ​​through the wall behind him, tearing off a large chunk of plaster, and rubble hit his back.

Jiang Chen staggered forward from the impact, but did not fall.

He rolled half a circle on the ground to dissipate the impact and adjust his center of gravity—his knees were scraped and burning, but he didn't have time to care.

He rushed to the door.

The verification slot is still there.

The crystal fragment is still in the groove—the crystal left by Old Shen is stuck in the groove, and the blue light is still flickering slightly.

Jiang Chen pressed the rule fragment against the edge of the groove and pressed it down hard.

The moment the regular fragment and the crystal fragment came into contact, both colors of light flashed simultaneously.

Then he saw a system pop-up.

[Rule fragment energy input detected]

[Target: Dawn City - Energy Central Tower - Entrance Verification System]

The following operations can be performed:

[1. Forcefully close the entrance passage (lasting 30 minutes)]

2. Remove the current area's patrol unit lockout protocol.

3. Write new authentication credentials (requires additional fragment energy)

Three options.

Jiang Chen did not hesitate at all and directly chose option 2.

[In progress: Deactivate the current area's patrol unit lockout protocol...]

[Execution progress: 12%... 37%... 64%... 89%...]

【Finish.】

The five suits of armor on the spiral staircase stopped simultaneously.

Their movements seemed to have been paused—the joints of the armor creaked and groaned, and the dark red light in the slits flickered and went out one by one.

Then they turned around.

It wasn't an aggressive turn.

It's a unified turn—they all turn in the same direction at the same time, and then begin to return along the original path.

The heavy footsteps faded into the distance in the passageway, like a formation withdrawing from the battlefield.

Jiang Chen leaned against the door frame and took a breath.

Shigure walked down the steps, still holding the bow in his hand, but without nocking an arrow.

She glanced at the direction where the five suits of armor had disappeared, then looked at Jiang Chen.

"Did you remove them?"

"It's not a cancellation."

"It's because their attack lockout protocol has been broken."

Jiang Chen said,

"Rule fragments can do more than just modify skills—theoretically, anything with a data interface can be connected."

He glanced at the state of the fragments.

[Rule Fragment - Already Bound]

Current fragment energy: 56%

28% was consumed.

A price that's not cheap, but definitely worth it.

He didn't use the fragments to rewrite his skills, but instead used them for the most urgent purpose—meaning he had to find new rule fragments as soon as possible, otherwise, once the fragments' energy ran out,

He completely lost this strongest trump card.

Shi Yu was silent for a moment, then nodded.

"Let's go. We shouldn't stay here any longer—since the patrol unit's protocol can be rewritten, the system will eventually detect the anomaly."

The two left the energy hub tower.

When Jiang Chen reached the edge of the ruins of the Fourth Administrative District, he looked back at the tower.

The hemispherical structure at the top of the tower stands silently in the dimly lit underground space, like a closed eye.

He touched the notebook in his backpack.

On the first page, among the words Old Shen wrote, there was one sentence that kept him thinking:

"This vulnerability prevents the system from verifying the identity of players in the real world."

"So some players discovered a way to exploit this vulnerability—"

"They started using this vulnerability to write things into the game that weren't part of the game rules."

Something that doesn't belong to the rules of the game.

The notebook that Lao Shen left behind was something that didn't belong to the rules of the game—a handwritten paper notebook without any system encryption.

How did that person manage to bring this kind of thing into the game?

Or rather—is Lao Shen really just the head of a materials registration station?

He walked along the ruins for a while, with Shigure leading the way. Both of them were very quiet.

As Jiang Chen passed through the last pile of rubble, he suddenly sensed something—his system panel lit up.

This is not a normal system prompt.

The text on the panel was shaking slightly, like a monitor with an unstable signal.

Then, a line of text flashed on the screen.

It's not the standard white font used in the system.

It's red.

[Private Channel - Encrypted Messages]

From: Unknown

[Content: You got that notebook. Good.]

[Signature: --07]

Jiang Chen suddenly stopped in his tracks.

07.

He had just seen this number on Lao Shen's map—the Seventh Administrative District.

The person who sent this message used the same ID.

This is no coincidence.

When he looked down at the panel again, the message had disappeared.

The system panel returned to its normal standby screen, as if nothing had happened.

Shi Yu walked a few steps ahead, then noticed he had stopped and turned around: "What's wrong?"

Jiang Chen stared at the panel in silence for a few seconds.

That message has now been cleared from the system logs, and he doesn't even have a screenshot as evidence.

The other party can bypass the system to send private messages without leaving a trace—this level of access is not something an ordinary player should have.

"It's nothing."

He closed the panel and followed her.

"Let's go, let's get back to the surface first."

He didn't tell her the message.

It's not because of distrust.

Before figuring out who "07" is, saying even one more word could reveal their next move.

The Seventh Administrative District.

There is an entrance on Lao Shen's map.

They need to go back and prepare.

Whether the person who sent the message—the one who calls himself 07—is friend or foe is still completely unknown.

But there is one thing Jiang Chen is certain of:

From the moment he stepped into the old Dawn City, there were no longer just him and Shigure as pieces on the game board.