Weird Game: I brought an old version bug

The passageway behind the door is very long.

Jiang Chen walked at the front, the beam of his flashlight flickering against the wall, illuminating the dark red rust and exposed metal frame.

There is an emergency light every five meters on both sides of the passage, but most of them are out, with only a few still emitting a faint white light.

Where does this passage lead?

"I don't know. But judging from the direction, it should lead to the outside of the system."

"The outside world? The real world?"

"possible."

Lin Bei walked in the middle, the decoder was always on, and the screen displayed the surrounding data fluctuations.

"Damn, the data fluctuations in this channel are very strange."

"What's so strange?"

"It's not the 'no data' in the blank area, nor the 'organized data' in the control room, but rather... disrupted data. It's like someone deliberately injected a lot of noise into this passage to prevent being tracked."

"Did Admin-07 do it?"

"Possibly. He deleted the logs and planted data noise here to cover up his tracks."

After walking about two hundred meters, the passage suddenly widened.

Ahead was a small space, about ten square meters, like a transit station. In the center of the space was a metal table, on which sat an old terminal machine with a black and white screen and a keyboard covered in dust.

"What is this?"

"It looks like... an information terminal."

Jiang Chen walked to the terminal and blew the dust off the keyboard.

The screen was black, but a slight humming sound came from the computer case—it was still running.

He pressed the power button.

The screen lit up.

【Channel 47 - Information Terminal】

Welcome, Admin-07

You have 1 unread message.

"Unread messages?"

Jiang Chen opened the message.

A message popped up on the screen.

[Admin-07... If you can see this message, it means you've reached this point.]

No, to be precise, it was "you" who came here, the backup who shares the same biometrics as me.

[I knew you would come. Because the system will guide you here; this is the final protocol of Project Morningstar: when the system detects that the Admin-07 backup has entered the core data layer, the bootloader will be automatically activated.]

[You might be wondering: Why would I destroy the system?]

The answer is simple: because the system itself is flawed.

The goal of Project Morning Star was to create a perfect virtual world, a world without pain, death, or fear. However, in achieving this goal, we made a fatal mistake.

We have not created a world, but a cage.

[Once players enter the game, the system automatically reads their subconscious data and uses this data to optimize the system. In other words, every player's dreams, memories, and fears are collected and utilized by the system.]

The more optimized the system, the more of the player's subconscious is read. Eventually, players can no longer distinguish whether they are playing the game or being played by the game.

I discovered this truth, so I chose to end it.

But I don't have the courage to reveal this truth because I am also one of the founders of Project Morningstar. I personally participated in the construction of that cage.

So, I chose the most cowardly way—press the stop button, and then disappear.

But I left a backdoor—Passage 47. This passage leads to the outside of the system, to the real world.

If you wish to leave, exit from here.

[If you wish to stay, the main control panel in control room 07-01 can reset the system, erasing all players' subconscious data and turning the system into a pure, harmless game world.]

The choice is yours.

【——Admin-07, left】

Jiang Chen stared at the screen, remaining silent for a long time.

He felt something blocking his chest, like a stone pressing on his heart.

"So... this is the truth."

"The truth I've been searching for is myself," Jiang Chen said. "The Admin-07 backup... I was actually his backup."

"Is the system a cage?"

"Yes. A cage that reads players' subconscious data."

Shi Yu clenched her fist: "So, everything I experienced in the game... was read by the system?"

"right."

"Hold……"

Lin Bei walked to the terminal and looked at the text on the screen: "So, what do we do now?"

"Two paths. Leave, or stay and reset the system."

What's your choice?

Jiang Chen remained silent for a few seconds.

"I want to know more."

"What?"

"Admin-07 said he left himself an option. But he didn't say why he chose to delete the logs today. And why he logged in remotely right when we arrived at this control room."

"Do you think he's lying?"

"No. But I feel like he's hiding something."

Jiang Chen stared at the screen, his fingers tapping on the keyboard, and typed in a line of commands.

[Query: Admin-07's recent login history]

A result pops up on the screen.

【旧曆47年·霜降·第22日·23:00:47——登录成功（未知地点）】

【旧曆94年·霜降·第22日·23:00:47——登录成功（未知地点）】

[47 years between the two logins]

Jiang Chen stared at the date, his heart racing.

"Frost's Descent, the 22nd day... What day is it today?"

"The system time is... the 22nd day of Frost's Descent in the lunar year 94."

"That means today marks the 47th anniversary of the system crash."

Does Admin-07 log in once a year on the 22nd day after the Frost's Descent?

"At least I logged in this year."

Shi Yu walked up to him: "What did he do during that login 47 years ago?"

The crash cause has been changed.

"And what about today?"

"Delete logs".

Lin Bei frowned: "What about next year? Will he still log in?"

"I don't know. But one thing is certain: Admin-07's logins are not random. He has a specific purpose each time he logs in."

Jiang Chen continued to enter commands.

[Query: Admin-07 login time pattern]

The analysis results popped up on the screen.

【Admin-07 Login Record Analysis】

Login attempts: 2 times

[Time interval: 47 years]

[Login time: All on the 22nd day of the Frost's Descent solar term, 23:00:47]

[Login duration: 3 seconds for the first time, 47 seconds for the second time]

【推测：下一次登录时间——旧曆141年·霜降·第22日·23:00:47】

"47 years later... the next login."

"So, he logs in once every 47 years?"

"Yes. The first login took only 3 seconds, and the second took 47 seconds," Jiang Chen said. "He's gradually increasing the login time, like he's testing something."

"Testing what?"

"He was testing the system's alertness. The first time, he just quickly modified one record and left; the second time, he dared to delete a large number of logs. In 47 years, he might do more than just delete logs," Jiang Chen said. "He might be preparing to completely wipe the system."

"By the time we log in next time, we'll already be dead."

"Not necessarily," Jiang Chen said. "If I can find him within 47 years, I can stop him from continuing to delete data."

"Are you looking for him?"

"Yes. He's the only person I can get the truth out of him."

Jiang Chen turned around and looked at the end of the passage.

The white light was still there, like a door leading to the real world.

"But now, we need to get out of here first."

"You choose to leave?"

"No. I choose to leave first and then come back," Jiang Chen said. "Our mental strength and equipment are insufficient right now. We need to go back and replenish our resources before trying again."

Are you sure you can still find this place?

"There are data anchors."

Jiang Chen activated the Data Anchor Point Fragment.

[Data Anchor Point - Fragment Now Activated]

[Current coordinates recorded: Control Room 07-01, Entrance to Passage 47]

[Mark duration: 30 minutes]

"30 minutes. Is that enough time for us to get back?"

"That's enough. Just go back the way you came."

The three turned around and walked back along the passage.

But after taking a few steps, Jiang Chen suddenly stopped.

"etc."

"What's wrong?"

"The passage... has changed."

"It's changed?"

"When I came in, there were three emergency lights on the wall. Now, there's only one left."

Lin Bei looked up at the wall: "Damn... there really isn't enough."

"Is the channel self-repairing?"

"It's not fixing, it's shutting down."

Jiang Chen walked back quickly, but stopped after walking less than twenty meters.

The road ahead disappeared.

It wasn't blocked; the entire passage vanished, as if erased by an eraser. The original metal walls and floor had become nothingness.

"Damn! The channel is being deleted!"

"Admin-07 was designed this way long ago!" Jiang Chen shouted. "He left a channel, but also a self-destruct mechanism! Once someone triggers the terminal's message, the channel will begin to close!"

"So what do we do now?"

"Run back!"

The three turned and rushed towards the end of the passage.

But the light at the end is also dimming, like a door closing, getting smaller and smaller.

"quick!"

Jiang Chen ran at full speed, his footsteps making rapid sounds on the metal ground.

Shi Yu followed closely behind, while Lin Bei brought up the rear.

The light is getting smaller and smaller.

It went from the size of a door to the size of a window, and then to the size of a fist.

"Jump!"

Jiang Chen leaped through the light.

Suddenly everything went white.

Then, he landed.

It wasn't a metal floor, it was dirt. It wasn't dim light, it was sunlight, real sunlight, streaming down from the sky, warm and dazzling.

He looked up and saw a patch of sky.

It's blue, with white clouds and the sun.

"Is this...the real world?"

Shi Yu landed beside him, panting heavily.

Lin Bei was the last to jump out, landing on the mud, rolling around once, and then lying on his back.

"Damn... I thought I was going to die in there."

Jiang Chen stood up and looked around.

They were in an abandoned factory. The factory was huge, at least half the size of a football field, with most of the walls collapsed, exposing the gray steel frame. The ground was concrete, riddled with cracks from which weeds grew.

In the center of the factory, there is a huge metal device, like a circular hatch, about three meters in diameter, with its surface covered with dense codes and symbols.

"That's... the exit?"

"Yes. The physical exit point for the older version of the system."

Jiang Chen walked to the hatch and reached out to touch the metal surface.

Cold.

It's real.

"We...we're really out."

Jiang Chen took a deep breath.

The air was moist, carrying the scent of earth and grass. It wasn't the simulated smell from a game; it was a real, warm, and alive scent.

"Yes. We're out."

Shi Yu walked to his side and looked at the sky: "I never thought that one day I would see the real sky."

"Me too."

Lin Bei got up from the ground, dusting himself off: "So, what are you planning to do? Go back into the game, or stay here?"

"And you?"

"Me? I'm a data hunter. The game is my home, reality is my guest. Of course I have to go back."

Jiang Chen remained silent for a few seconds.

"I want to go back too."

Why?

"Because Admin-07 is still there. As long as he's there, the system won't be truly secure."

Jiang Chen turned around and looked at the cabin door.

There is a small nameplate on the edge of the hatch.

Several lines of text were engraved on the nameplate.

[Morning Star Project - Physical Exit - No. 47]

[Creation Date: 22nd day of Frost's Descent, Year 47 of the Lunar Calendar]

[Created by: Admin-07]

But below the line for "creator," there is another line of text, which looks like it was engraved later.

The handwriting is messy, but still legible.

If you see this message, it means you have escaped.

But escaping doesn't guarantee safety.

【Admin-07...is not in the system.】

He exists in reality.

And he's been waiting for you.

Jiang Chen stared at the line of words, a chill running down his spine.

"Admin-07...in reality?"

Shi Yu leaned closer to look, her expression changing as well: "Damn... this line of text was carved on later. It wasn't written by Admin-07, it was carved by someone else."

"other people?"

"Yes. If Admin-07 was the creator of the channel, he couldn't have inscribed this under the creator's name," Lin Bei said. "Someone was here before us and left this warning."

"Who?"

"I don't know. But this person knows that Admin-07 isn't in the system, and that he's in reality."

"And he even knew he would come looking for me."

Jiang Chen felt a chill run down his spine.

Admin-07... In reality?

And, have you been waiting for him all this time?

He turned his head and looked towards the factory entrance.

At the entrance, there was a black car parked in the sunlight.

The car body was old, and the paint was peeling, but the windows were clean, and the black glass made it impossible to see the people inside.

But the car door was slowly opening.

Jiang Chen subconsciously tightened his grip on the short knife at his waist.

But he immediately realized—this was the real world. His skills, his fragments of rules, his data perception—none of them mattered here.

He was just an ordinary person.

An ordinary person who has just escaped from a game.

The car door continued to open.

One foot landed on the ground.

Black leather shoes.

Then, that person stood up.

He was wearing a gray trench coat and sunglasses, so his face was obscured.

But Jiang Chen could sense that the person was watching him.

He turned to face them.

Then he spoke.

"Jiang Chen".

The voice was calm, like calling the name of an old friend.

"We've finally met."